Chapter 40- Tonight (Ava)

                                    

                                          

                          
Chapter 40 (Ava)
                          

                          
When I woke up the next morning, my eyes felt swollen and I had a pounding headache. I knew it was because I had cried myself to sleep. Everything from last night flooded back into my mind and I bit back the urge to vomit. 
                          

                          
Instead, I got up and had a shower, getting changed into my robes straight away. I pulled my long red hair into a side plait to get it out of the way and reached for my wand to slip it into my pocket.
                          

                          
When I walked through the common room, I didn’t dare look up from the floor for fear of seeing Draco.
                          

                          
I did my best to walk to the Great Hall as slowly as I could, but somehow I was there within a couple of minutes. It was too soon.
                          

                          
I glanced around, wondering where I could sit, when suddenly I noticed Harry walking in with Ron. I watched as his best friend made a joke and Harry laughed, showing off his brilliant smile. 
                          

                          
I broke inside. Draco was really going to kill Dumbledore, and I had to find a way to save Harry. I had to.
                          

                          
Harry must have noticed me staring at him with tear-filled eyes, because he walked up to me as quickly as he could,
                          

                          
“Ava? What’s the matter?”
                          

                          
I fell against him wrapping my arms around him tightly, and I whispered in his ear,
                          

                          
“I love you, Harry.”
                          

                          
My brother was stiff for only a moment before he hugged me back,
                          

                          
“I love you too, Ava.”
                          

                          
As I pulled away, I expected everyone in the Great Hall to be staring at us- after all, my brother was Harry Potter.
                          

                          
Thankfully, they weren’t. The only two people who were looking up in worry were Neville and Hermione. 
                          

                          
Neville moved up to give me space at the table, and I smiled gratefully. I sat down beside him and picked up a piece of toast from the middle of the table to eat. 
                          

                          
Hermione, Ron and Ginny had been talking about Snape again- he’d been particularly cruel to Ginny when she hadn’t completed her homework. Hermione shook her head,
                          

                          
“He’s far too strict- I don’t understand how he gets away with it!”
                          

                          
Ron shrugged,
                          

                          
“At least he’s not Umbridge- anyway, maybe Professor Dumbledore will change things around next year. Snape might not teach Defence Against the Dark Arts if Dumbledore doesn’t want him to.”
                          

                          
One thought rang clear in my mind: Dumbledore won’t be around next year.