FINDING EACH OTHER

The day started splendidly, if I did say so myself. Of course, the sarcasm should be noticeable in my words. First I completely ruined my hair by sleeping without my hair band, then I fell off my bed as I woke up ‘a little’ disoriented, then I missed the early breakfast that I was used to take as I was usually the first one up in the Gryffindor Tower.

“Yup, a splendid start of day indeed,” I grumbled as I tried to comb my stubborn hair. They weren’t as bad as Hermione’s, but since they were longer, it was always a problem to keep them in order during the night. Usually I just put them in a braid, but yesterday night I forgot all about it. Finally, my hair returned to their usual wavy style. I sighed contently as I watched them fall down to my rear. I quickly pulled them up and with some pins tied them in a cute pigtail. I wasn’t one to take care of my appearance, but today wasn’t a normal day. Today, I, Carola Whitesbank, was off to a school Excursion that Hogwarts offered to Graduates of 1997. We were to go to a Muggle city, Barcelona, for a day. I knew it wasn’t a lot, but it didn’t matter in my opinion. It was enough from our school that we were even allowed to go there for a little while. Since it was the first Excursion in the Hogwarts History ever (as Hermione kindly put it, since she knew the book Hogwarts: A History from cover to cover) it meant a lot to all the Graduates in my year... Well perhaps not Malfoy, but beggars can’t choose, or was that saying different? Yes, now I remember – beggars can’t be choosers – that was the right saying. I put some final touches to my face and smiled at my reflection in the mirror. I was by no right pretty or beautiful, but I did have some advantages over other girls. My wavy reddish brown hair and my ocean blue eyes were a remarkable sight. And well, that was about it. I didn’t have a great shape like Hermione or Ginny, I had small breasts and small hips. I was the shortest in our class... even Harry was higher than me. Ron, who was a giant compared to me, often called me a midget. I resented that remark and when I started calling him a beanpole, he finally stopped. Of course, that sent Harry and Hermione in hysterics for a few minutes, until they finally calmed down and Hermione set off in search of her boyfriend, who stormed away with a scowl on his face. Well, that’s me. A Hyperactive Midget that always had to say something that brought laugher out of the others. I quickly stuffed some things in a backpack that I was taking with me to Barcelona and put it on my back. I ran down the girl’s staircases to the Common Room. And of course, it just had to be my luck. Somehow, one of my legs got caught in the rug on the stairs and I pummelled head over the heels down to the Common Room. I would have really got hurt if someone didn’t stop me from hitting the ground really hard.

“Oof,” that someone ground out as we both went to the floor together. I looked up from my place on the right side of the nearest couch and looked sheepishly at Neville.

“I’m so sorry, Nev. I don’t know what happened, I just slipped.”

Neville shook his head as to clear his head and smiled at me.

“’s Okay. Are you alright?” he asked concerned. That’s our Neville. Always worrying about others.

“I’m fine. Thanks for saving me...”

We both laughed at the craziness of the statement. He got up and helped me to my feet. I sighed at the looks my classmates gave me and Neville.

“What?” I asked them, raising my eyebrow a little. Everyone suddenly turned their eyes elsewhere. I rolled my eyes and sat down on the couch and asked,

“Anyone wants to go to breakfast?”

Hermione, Neville, Ron and Harry all agreed and we soon found ourselves trudging to the Great Hall.

ooOOoo

Professor McGonagall was already waiting for us at the front doors of the castle. She was holding an old Quibbler edition. She called for us and we made a circle around her. We touched the Portkey and just as we heard professor McGonagall counting, “Three... Two... One...” I felt something pulling me by my navel. Since that was the reaction of an activated Portkey, I relaxed and concentrated on staying with my foot on the ground, just as we were deposited in the middle of a dark alley. Harry and I helped some of the others to their feet and I said,

“Well, here we are. Barcelona.”

Someone murmured something and I said,

“I recommend that we split up and go wherever we want. Then, do the Point Me spell to find your way back to La Rambla. Let’s say, return to La Rambla at about ten o’ clock?”

After we made a plan we split up. Harry, Ron and Hermione went off in one way and the others to the mall that was in front of us. I stayed behind and started walking slowly around the big street that we stopped at. I looked in the sky and suddenly smiled. I started off to the Muggle part of the city and was fascinated by everything I saw. Suddenly I stopped in front of a Muggle Lawyer Office. I wasn’t sure what a Lawyer was, but I thought that it was someone like our Wizengamot. I stepped around the building and noticed some iron stairs that went up to third floor. I quickly made my way up the stairs and when I stopped at the end, I noticed that I was in some kind of a corridor. There were about ten doors in the corridor, five on each side. I read some of the inscriptions on the doors (Juan Rodriguez, B. of Law, Manuel de Riveira, B. of Law) until I came upon James Donnington, B. of Law. Something familiar was in that name (and no, it's wasn't because it was the only English name around here), but I didn’t know what. I knocked and opened the doors. I peeked in and was met with an office. It was somewhat big. It had a closed balcony and the rest room. The desk was made of silver, or a metal just like it and had golden trinkets. I closed the door behind me, not noticing the figure in the balcony’s doors. I looked around the room in interest, when a man’s voice started talking. I had to stop myself from flinching and pulling out my wand.

“Excuse me, Miss. But... What are you doing here?”

I turned around, seeking the voice that talked to me and just stared. There, in the doors of the balcony was a high man, he couldn’t be more that twenty-two. The face was set in a scowl, much like our esteemed Potions Master’s. His hazel eyes were scowling at me and his lips were set in a thin line. He was... I didn’t know what word else would describe him... interesting. It wasn’t as though he was the Mister Handsome, no he wasn’t, but something on him fascinated me. It could be his black hair, neatly pulled in a pigtail, or it could be his little nose, that was protruding out of his face. I felt myself blush as I looked away from his piercing eyes.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that someone was in here. I just wanted to look around a little. It's my first time in Barcelona.”

That was the most hopeless excuse I ever uttered in my life. He sighed and sat down on his chair.

“Were you looking for something specific?” he asked finally, after folding his arms and staring at me some more. I was at a loss for words. I didn’t know what was happening with me.

“Um...” I eloquently put it in words. I could have died right there and I would be happy to. Embarrassed was a word put simply as to what I was feeling. The man seemed to understand my feelings as he sighed tiredly and said,

“Please, sit down.”

I obeyed and slumped down in one of the chairs opposite of him.

“May I help you with something?” he asked. I stared at him and before I could bite my tongue off, I said,

“Yes, you can pinch me.”

He looked surprised for a second, and then his face changed back to its cold self.

“Why would I pinch you?” he asked with a voice void of emotions.

“Well...” I started.

“Yes?” he encouraged me to continue.

“Well, I feel like I’m in a dream. I mean, I meet a person who I just met and I already feel like I know him forever and ever. And all I want is to shag that guy.”

Well, there, I said it. Now I can die peacefully. I closed my eyes, preparing to shield myself from a verbal attack, or possibly, the guy could throw me out of his office. What I didn’t expect was a hand on my chin. I opened the eyes and looked up, surprise etched all over my face. His eyes were boring into mine, like trying to find out if I said the truth. I remembered that Harry once told me he practiced Occlumency. And that Legilimency was something like reading the mind by looking the other in his eyes. I tried to clear my mind, but all I could do was think of his hazel eyes that enchanted me. Nobody spoke for a few minutes, both of us staring in each other’s eyes. Then he let me go and turned around to look out of the window. I felt like I just lost something very dear to me. Then he turned around again and my heart started pummelling in my chest. He grabbed me roughly and put me on his desk. He looked at me with his eyes that were saying, “Don’t move.” I could only watch him as he closed the distance between the office doors and locked them. Then he returned to me and put his hands on my hips. I suddenly felt like I was about to explode. I sucked in my breath and shakily let it out. I was still watching his eyes. He just stood there, looking at me. I panicked. What should I do? Then, he ever so slowly started to move and he took my backpack and put it on his chair. After returning to me, he pulled my jacket off my shoulders and threw it on the floor next to his desk. In turn, I raised my hands and slowly started to untie his tie. We were still looking at each other, our eyes never going astray. He moved his hands on my bare shoulders and I flinched from the heat that his hands were producing. His hands were doing small circles on my shoulders and then they moved to the strips of my top. One after another, the strips were down to my elbow. I slowly moved my hands from his neck to his shirt and started unbuttoning it. After the last button was gone, I shakily pulled the white shirt off and started fingering the skin underneath me. His muscles were twitching from my touch. We still looked in each other’s eyes. I couldn’t help it, but gasping as he put one hand on my breast. I could feel my nipple hardening against his touch. His hands left my breast as he pulled the top over my head and let it end with the jacket on the floor. My eyes were telling him to move faster, but he wouldn’t fasten his movements. With sluggishness, he moved his hands back to my shoulders and reached beneath to untie my bra. As the bra was also on the floor, he was the first to look away. His eyes turned to my breasts and his hands cupped them both. I let out a slight hiss with pleasure and closed my eyes. My head lolled aside as his fingers closed the distance from the nipples. It hurt; I wanted him so much. His head found its way down to my breasts and at the same time as I cried out with surprise, his mouth started sucking my left nipple. I grabbed his bare shoulders and let him do miracles with his mouth. His tongue was a wizard, even if he wasn’t. It circled around my nipple and sometimes he even sucked at them a little. I felt cold when he left, but only to explore my other nipple. I started fumbling with his hair band, which I threw on the desk and then all my fingers went to his hair. I heard him moan a little when I touched his neck and I felt his fingers on my nipples to move down. It was so slow. The way his fingers moved from my breasts, to my hips and then to my thigh. Then I was once again lifted from the ground and my skirt made its way to my top and other parts of my clothing. Only my shoes, stockings and shorts were on me then. He let me fumble with his Jeans and when he was freed from them, he lifted me in his arms and put me back on the desk. I opened my eyes and looked up to his eyes. Once again, our gazes locked on each other, when his hand made its way to my thigh again. I could see him smirk a little as I gasped from pleasure. I put my arms around his neck and almost unconsciously, I put my legs apart, uncovering my most intimate part of the body. He moved closer and I could feel his manhood against my womanhood. It was as if his cock was supposed to fit in my tunnel. I felt him twitch and I felt warmth in my stomach. I pleaded quietly to release me and suddenly I felt cold down there. I took a peek and noticed that my panties were missing. I lolled my head back and stared in his hazel eyes again, waiting his next move. What he did, was unexpected. He kneeled down on the floor and put my legs even more apart. His magic tongue started working wonders again. This time on my ticklish part. It felt so good. I moaned as he licked it and I started to feel wetness between my legs spread around. He stood up after thoroughly exploring my womanhood, then removed his boxers as well. Suddenly something hot pushed against my stomach. I opened my eyes again and his hands were on my hips. He pushed me back on the desk so that he was above me. I felt his hand moving circles on my ticklish place and I sucked sharp breath as one finger went inside me. I started squirming beneath him, but he held me tight, so I couldn’t move. Then I felt empty, but only for a second. I felt two fingers pushing gently in me. I tilted my neck up and gasped again. He pulled the fingers out of me and I heard a small ‘plop’ as they were out. I felt two hands coupling my face and opened my eyes again. Something throbbing was nestled against the hole down there and suddenly his eyes changed. I could see vulnerability and hesitance. I moved my hands up to his neck again and pulled him closer to me. He understood and his eyes closed the feelings out once again. His cock was suddenly pushed in me with a force I didn’t expect. I tried to cry out, but I couldn’t. My whole body went stiff and I heard someone whispering in my ears. I couldn’t make out what was said, but I could hear the comfort and gentleness in the voice. So, I started relaxing. When I could breathe again, he started moving in me. Slowly at first and I gasped when I felt him shove in me again, this time deeper than before. The feeling that was there before returned thousand fold. With every push it grew until I suddenly exploded. I cried out as quietly as possible, a moment after his body shuddered too and I felt a warm liquid flowing in my body. As we gasped for breath, I realised I just lost virginity with a man that I only saw a few minutes ago. But I didn’t mind. My eyes were still closed as I felt his hand brushing my wet locks from my eyes. I didn’t dare open them and to see his smirking. I whispered,

“Kiss me?”

When he didn’t respond, I opened my eyes and saw something that both shocked me and pleased me. His eyes were a turmoil of emotions as he hesitantly said,

“I never kiss.”

I was confused, but then he slowly reached his hand to my hair again and I closed my eyes again. It was a nice feeling that flowed through my body. A breath on my face forced me to open my eyes again and as soon as I opened them, a feather kiss landed on my forehead, then his lips moved lower on my nose, each cheek, chin, and finally they softly landed on my lips. It was a kiss that shook me to the bone. It was a tentative one, almost scared. I felt his tongue probing my lips and I opened my mouth and let him explore my own tongue. It was so perfect that I felt tears in my eyes, but then his kiss turned more passionate and my heart pummelled in my breast again. It was then that my wand started beeping. I had spelled it with a beeper before I went on my walk. He winced as I put my hands on his face and kissed him once more before pulling both of us up.

ooOOoo

As we dressed ourselves up we were both quiet. I was just about to pick up my backpack when he said,

“Will I ever see you again?”

I slumped my shoulders and that was an answer to his question. As I was about to open the doors, he said even quieter,

“I don’t even know your name.”

I hesitated before saying,

“Carola. It’s Carola.”

I unlocked the door and silently closed them behind me. I felt tears flowing down my cheeks and I hurried out of the building and to our hotel. When I was safely in the room I shared with Hermione I threw myself on the bed that I took and started crying.

ooOOoo

I was putting some final touches on my hairstyle when a knocking on the door interrupted me. I yelled for the knocker to come in and glanced over my shoulder to the entrance to my chambers. It was Hermione. I smiled to her and said,

“Oh, it’s you. Did you come for me?”

Hermione nodded and replied,

“Yes, I did.”

I quickly pulled my wand from my pocket, charmed my lips a very light violet colour, and waited for Hermione to continue, as I saw that she was struggling with the words. Finally, she managed to formulate the question in her mind. She took my arms and led me to the couch in the middle of the chamber. We sat down and she looked at me with her detective eyes. I felt as though I was a little kid and grew nervous. Finally, she asked,

“What happened in Barcelona?”

My throat dried and I gulped. When I didn’t answer, Hermione started talking,

“I know that something happened. You weren’t the same as you were before we went there.”

I sighed. I couldn’t hide anything from Hermione. Not now, not ever. I cleared my throat and started talking.

“I met someone that day.”

“You did?” Hermione asked me shocked. I giggled nervously and nodded.

“Well, it was like a part of me that was missing found its way back to me...”

I murmured something and the cleared my throat again.

“We... um... We made love,” I stuttered out. Hermione’s jaw dropped and she stared at me.

“You made love with a man you never saw before?”

I tried to defend myself,

“I told you, I felt like the missing part of me was in me again. I felt drawn to him.”

Hermione sighed and drew me in a hug.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. I sniffed a little and mentally cursed my hormones that were working overload since the day James and I met.

“He was magnificent,” I whispered, “so gentle, and passionate and perfect and everything.”

Hermione patted me on the head and I continued with a trembling voice.

“Hermione, I’m scared.”

Hermione held me at the shoulder length and asked,

“Why are you scared?”

I looked down at my belly and Hermione, the know-it-all she was, understood immediately.

“You’re pregnant,” she stated. I nodded miserably and sniffed again.

“What’s his name?” she asked after a few minutes.

“James Donnington,” I whispered. When I heard Hermione’s gasp, I looked up startled.

“What?” I asked. Hermione shook her head and said,

“Nothing, let’s go to the Great Hall. We only have a few minutes left until the students begin to arrive.”

I smiled shakily.

“Isn’t it strange? Us being professors?”

Hermione smiled kindly and answered,

“A little.”

­ooOOoo

As we sat at the Head Table, I looked to my left and smiled at Ron, Harry, Neville and Hermione. We were so lucky we stayed together. Ron was always a Quidditch fanatic and when Madam Hooch decided to retire, he jumped at the chance and Dumbledore hired him as a Flying Instructor. He was still on probation, as were all of us, but it made him happy. Neville, he was never good at his studies. But his affinity with Herbology was what drove professor Sprout to apprentice him. He was studying to become a Herbology Master. I felt happy for him. The next on the list was Hermione. Professor McGonagall had decided to dedicate her whole time to being Deputy Headmistress and let Hermione take over her place as a Transfiguration professor. Harry had stopped wanting to be an Auror after our sixth year and decided to become a professor. DA had a lot to do with the decision. We were all hoping that he would break the curse that was on Defence against the Dark Arts subject. We all hoped that Harry would live through another year, what with Voldemort being on his rampage. He also took over as the Gryffindor Head of House. And the last is me. I was the Potions and Charms apprentice, since professor Flitwick was hurt in the last battle for Hogwarts and I always loved Potions... it took ever so long for me to make the Potions Master agree to the apprenticeship though. I looked up from my seat at my Potions Master whom I sometimes detested and sometimes admired. He was scowling at Harry and his friends. He could never really forgive Harry’s dad for making fun of him so much. Not that Harry was at fault, of course. The students were filling their respective tables and after a few minutes Hagrid, the Care of Magical Creatures professor, came strolling in the Great Hall. He winked at us and sat down on a big chair next to Snape. The doors to the Great Hall opened and the first years came in. Professor McGonagall led them to the Head Table and went to search for the Sorting Hat. She put it on the stool and stepped back a little. The Hat trembled a little and opened its mouth. When it finished singing, we clapped to the Hat. Professor McGonagall then unrolled the scroll and started calling names of the students. There was an unusually small number of them this year. I wondered how many there will be in time when my own child would attend Hogwarts. After they were all sorted (Nine for Gryffindor, Six for Ravenclaw, Seven for Slytherin and Five for Hufflepuff), professor Dumbledore rose in his seat and beamed at the students. He was just about to say something when the door to the Great Hall opened again and in stepped a man with a cloak. Suddenly, I felt my breath turn erratic and Hermione looked at me in concern. The cloaked man stepped forward and dropped his hood. I stared at the face before me. I put my hand to my throat and tried to stifle my gasp – unsuccessfully. His hazel eyes turned to me and the world stopped still. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Tears started to leak from them as he started to smile softly. Whisperings started in the Hall, but I didn’t care about anything else but him. Dumbledore cleared his throat and with an amused smile said,

“May I introduce you to our new Duelling professor, James Donnington? James, welcome back. You may take a seat beside Carola here.”

I turned my eyes on Dumbledore and stared at his twinkling eyes. The meddling coot knew. James started moving then and I looked up when he sat down next to me. His eyes were boring into mine and I felt complete again. Hermione was staring at me and then at James until understanding dawned in her eyes. She smiled happily at me and turned back to Ron who was asking her something. James was about to whisper something, when Dumbledore stood up again and said,

“Welcome to Hogwarts. This may be a moment for speech, but I’ll wait until your stomachs are fuller. Fill ‘em up!”

The Great Hall thundered with laughter and all started putting something on their plates.

ooOOoo

At the end of the dinner, I was growing more and more courageous as I was too nervous to start speaking and was about to turn to James when Dumbledore stood up again.

“Now, I can welcome you to Hogwarts properly. Welcome Ickle Firsties and welcome Old Students! I have a few Start-of-Term announcements to make and then you can all go to bed. Firstly, the Forbidden Forest is just that – Forbidden-”

I smirked and whispered to Harry who was sitting just on the left of me, forgetting whom I was sitting next to for a few seconds,

“Yup, it’s Forbidden alright, although that didn’t stop us from going in there anyway...”

James, who was just taking a sip from his Pumpkin Juice spit it out and started coughing. Dumbledore looked at us, my face mortified, and started patting James on his back. Finally, after his coughing fit ended, Dumbledore continued,

“Secondly, no Magic is allowed in the corridors; thirdly, Mr Filch has reminded me to tell you that now his list of Forbidden things has exactly nine hundred and ninety-nine things in it; and lastly, as you can see we have a few new faces at the Head Table. You already know that professor Donnington is your new Duelling professor. At the table you can also see professor Ronald Weasley, who is teaching Flying, professor Hermione Granger, who has taken over professor McGonagall’s place as the Transfiguration professor, professor Harry Potter, who teaches Defence Against the Dark Arts and is the new Head of Gryffindor House, Miss Carola Whitesbank, who has taken on an apprenticeship with professors Flitwick and Snape and Mister Neville Longbottom, who has also taken on an apprenticeship with professor Sprout and is studying to become a Herbology Master. Now, chop chop!”

ooOOoo

I was nervous again as we waited for the students to fill out of the Great Hall. I couldn't stop fidgeting in my seat and was surprised when a warm hand landed on mine. I froze and looked up into those perfectly hazel eyes and everything around me disappeared.

I didn't even notice when he grabbed my hand and pulled me after him and through the backdoor, through a lot of corridors and finally stopped somewhere high. It must have been the Astronomy Tower but I was too mesmerized by his appearance to realize what happened. There was silence as we watched each other. Finally James broke the silence and wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a strong hug. If that didn't wake me up I wasn't sure what would. Suddenly I could breathe again and my hands found their way around his neck as I embraced him.

“James...” I murmured. “Are you real?”

I must have said something funny as I heard him chuckling over my head. His arms drifted upwards and cupped my cheeks as he pulled himself a bit apart from me and kissed me deeply. My knees went weak and I almost lost my balance if it wasn't for the fact that my hands were locked around his neck.

“I am as real as you are,” I heard him mutter as our lips unlocked and I was left to stare into his eyes again.