Feel

Harry's hand paused over the piece of parchment. He had been writing a letter to Ron. Harry chewed on the end of his quill and tried to think of the best way to ask Ron if he knew if Ginny was seeing anyone. Simply put, there was no easy way to ask him without seeming like he was trying to find out so he could ask her out. Harry muttered a curse word and crumpled up the half-finished letter to Ron. It would be stupid to ask Ron anyway, he'd just think something's up. He couldn't discreetly ask Hermione either, since she and Ginny were close friends. Hermione would definitely tell Ginny Harry had asked after her. Feeling discouraged and annoyed, Harry quickly scribbled off a congratulatory letter to Ron and agreed to be his best man. Harry took the glasses off his face and rubbed his eyes. It was getting to be too much trouble to start something with Ginny. People would always be after her, wanting to know about the real Harry Potter. He respected Ginny and her family too much to ever put her through that. 'Even if I am attracted to her, it's just lust. I don't even know her very well. It's not love and I cannot love anyone,' Harry thought. For a long time, Harry had been under the opinion that love was something he was not destined for. Every single person he had feelings for had been in danger. His parents had died because of him; Cho had been nearly killed because of his affections for her. No one could stay close to Harry and ever be safe. Even now, when Voldemort's life was over, Harry feared retribution from the Death Eaters. Harry kicked the wall near his foot in frustration.

Harry remembered that it was nearly time for his first flying class. He needed to be out on the Quidditch pitch, setting up the brooms. Harry reluctantly put his glasses back on his head and got up. He pulled on his black cloak and quickly stepped out of his room as Draco was entering his. Draco's clothes were covered with thick green goo.

"What happened?" asked Harry, trying not to laugh.

"That cousin of Neville Longbottom's cauldron blew up! One moment I'm pacing the room, checking to make sure everyone is doing the right thing and the next moment I'm covered in this green gunk. It made my skin grow abnormal patches of hair. Half my class looked like a freak show." Draco sighed and leaned his head against the door. "Worse yet, was that Snape had to come in and give me the antidote. I felt like such a fool."

"Aw, c'mon it can't be that bad." Harry now felt sorry for Draco. He could only imagine how awful it would be when a lesson you carefully planned got messed up.

"It can be. He wants to talk to me after the lessons are through. He's gonna tear me off a strip, I know it." Draco banged his head against the door. "I should have known something like this would happen when a Longbottom was in my class. Neville was awful at Potions. It probably runs in the family."

"Don't blame the kid. You know it was just an accident." Harry leaned against the wall and waited for Draco's answer.

"I know. I'm just feeling lousy. Thanks for listening, Harry." Draco pulled himself off the door and opened it. He wanted to take a nap before being yelled at by Snape. He doubted he would ever be able to sleep again after that.

Harry chuckled to himself and watched Draco pull himself inside. Harry began walking down the long corridor to the Quidditch pitch. As he walked along the dark hallways, several students waved and said hello to him. Harry greeted them all and felt embarrassed that the students were all talking to him. As he passed the library, Harry looked inside to see how Ginny was doing. He paused to look in on her. He saw Ginny sitting with a couple of students. He watched as she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She laughed at something one of the students said and got up from the table. As she stood, she noticed Harry looking at her in the doorway. Ginny waved at him and turned to go back to the checkout desk. Ginny couldn't quite figure out the expression on Harry's face as he was looking at her. While she tried to figure it out, Harry was mentally telling himself to that he had no feelings for Ginny. When Ginny looked again at the doorway, Harry was gone.

Harry arrived at the Quidditch pitch and walked over to the broom shed nearby. Pulling out the broom cart from the shed, Harry began pulling it towards the center of the Quidditch pitch. Harry consulted his watch and saw he had about twenty minutes before his class of first years arrived for their very first flying lessons. Harry hurried to put of the brooms and make sure he was ready to teach his first lesson. As he did so, Harry remembered his very first flying lesson. That was had been when he really felt like he fit into the magical world. He had found out that he was a natural at flying and Professor McGonagall had recruited him as a Seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Flying had been Harry's first love and he had vowed to help all his students love it as much as he did.