A/N: Hello, people of HP world! This is my first fan fiction, so be nice! CC is accepted, so is praise, but flames shall be laughed at. Enjoy my jacked up author style. There will most likely be OOC-ness because I can't fit into the character's brains very well :/ Takes place during The Order of the Phoenix, but it's my version because I'm awesome like that :P

Disclaimer: I do not own HP, all rights go to J.K. Rowling.

H~A~R~R~Y

Harry's jaw tightened when Hermione told them they were supposed to sit in the prefect's carriage. Were they going to have to be separated in everything they did? Could he even have meals with them? Thoughts of loathe surged through Harry, but he reminded himself that they were still his friends. However, he couldn't help but be a bit angered by the fact that Ron and Hermione had more authority than he, Harry, did.

"Oh. Right. Go on, then." Replied Harry shortly.

"We won't be staying there for the whole trip! We'll get instructions from the Head Boy and Girl." Hermione added quickly.

"Trust me, Harry. It's not like we wanted to sit in the prefect's carriage. The last thing we need is to be surrounded by stuck-up jerks that think they're better than everyone else." Ron said.

Harry grinned and nodded. Ginny tugged his sleeve and they hauled their luggage down the hall. They looked in through the windows of compartments, but all were full. Finally, they found a compartment where one person occupied it. Ginny slid the door open.

"Do you mind if we take these seats?" Ginny asked the girl.

The girl nodded. She had curly light blonde hair and twinkling green eyes. A thick lock of her hair was colored bubblegum pink, reminding Harry of Tonks. Her skin was a bit pale. In her arms was a grey tabby kitten (like mine!) that eyed them carefully.

"I'm Ginny Weasley." Ginny introduced.

"I'm Claire Hendricks. Nice to meet you." The girl, Claire, replied. Then, she added, "You're Harry Potter."

"I am, yes." Harry confirmed.

"My mum absolutely adores you and Dad practically praises you. Mum says she thinks your rather charming and wouldn't be surprised if I took a fancy to you. I don't, however, because I assume you already fancy someone else. Well, that, and the fact that you probably don't want some stranger goggling over you. Dad always told me that if I meet you, I was to say that we side with you and Dumbledore and we don't believe a thing the Prophet says about you. We believe you and Dumbledore thoroughly. My, you're so lucky you have red hair, Ginny. I've always wanted red hair. I dunno why, though. I guess I just fancy the color. Am I talking to much? Everyone that meets me says that I talk an awful lot and they assume that my tongue must get sore from talking to much, but it doesn't really. I don't understand how little people talk these days. Talking is the best way to tell people how you're feeling and what you believe in and other nonsense. It's hard not to talk, you know what I mean? Of course, I can stop talking if you want me to. I tend to forget why I'm talking so I find a new subject to talk about which makes me talk longer. I suppose I am talking an awful lot. From this moment on, I won't talk unless I am spoken to. That's what Mum always told me to do."

And she stuck to her word. Her mouth closed and she stroked her cat, waiting to be spoken to. She wasn't spoken to at all, however, because Harry and Ginny felt no need to talk. Finally, Harry couldn't take silence anymore.

"So what year are you in, Claire?" he asked.

"I'm in fifth year." Was the reply.

The compartment door slid open and Ron and Hermione walked in. Ron plopped himself next to Harry and sighed. Hermione took a seat next to Ginny. They both had scowls on their faces and Hermione's arms were crossed.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked.

"Who's that?" Ron interrupted, pointing at Claire.

"Oh. I'm Claire Hendricks." She replied.

"Ron Weasley."

"I had a feeling you two were related. You both have red hair and freckles. Along with the red hair, I wish I had freckles, too. It seems more appealing to me. I wish my skin tone was different, too. I have awfully pale skin. It doesn't seem to suit me. Oh, you're the Gryffindor prefects? I wasn't chosen for my House prefect, but I don't mind. Dumbledore must've had a good reason not to chose me, which is understandable. I'm not all that appealing to some people. For one thing, I talk far too much. And some people consider me annoying and forgetful. 'Course I'm not all that forgetful. I do remember to turn in homework on time, but people call me forgetful whenever I talk. As I have mentioned before, I tend to forget why I'm talking so I think of a new subject to talk about. I get easily distracted, obviously. I am talking a dreadful lot. Might I ask who you are?" Claire gestured to Hermione politely.

"My name is Hermione Granger."

"What a lovely name! I just adore the name Hermione. I won't go on for the sake of your sanity. I drive people mad when I talk too much."

"So what House are you in, Claire?" Hermione inquired.

"I'm in—" Claire was interrupted when the compartment door slid open a second time to reveal Malfoy and his cronies, Crab and Goyle. Malfoy had a smirk on his face.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry demanded.

"Manners, Potter, manners. I might have to give you a detention." Snickered Malfoy.

"Didn't I mention that Malfoy is the Slytherin prefect?" Ron winced.

"Yes, I have been made prefect unlike Potter there. I have more authority than you now, remember that."

"Draco, don't you thinking you're abusing your position a wee bit?" Claire asked.

Malfoy's smirk dropped as he turned his attention to Claire. "Claire? What're you doing with this lot?"

"'This lot'? Draco, they're no different from you and me."

"Some of them are plenty different." Malfoy replied with disgust. His eyes darted at Hermione. Hermione glared at him.

"Draco, that's not the point! You're abusing your position."

Malfoy turned to Crab and Goyle. "Brainwashed her, they did! She's defending them! Defending Gryffindor!" Malfoy laughed and Crab and Goyle mimicked him stupidly.

Harry was very confused now. How could Claire be so polite to Malfoy? Claire was too nice to be friends with someone like Malfoy. It didn't make any sense. The others looked confused, too, but watched them talk in silence. Hermione was still glaring at Malfoy for what he said. Ron and Ginny and Harry were eyeing Claire and Malfoy cautiously.

"Ho-how do you know Malfoy?" Ron asked Claire.

"None of your business, Weasley." Snapped Malfoy. He turned to Claire, "C'mon, Claire. It seems their damaging your brain."

Claire gathered her trunk and cat and followed Malfoy, Crab, and Goyle. She turned to Ginny, Harry, Hermione, and Ron and waved weakly with a small smile. They waved back and watched the compartment door close behind her. Ron sighed and lounged back in his seat again. Hermione was staring at her hands that were in her lap and Ginny and Harry were still looking bewildered. Hermione finally looked up and opened her mouth, then closed it again.

"How did she…" Hermione asked.

"I don't know. I'm just as bewildered as you are, Hermione." Harry responded.

-PAGEBREAK-

In the Great Hall, the four were keeping their eyes peeled for Claire. They all took a seat at the Gryffindor table with no sign of her. Ron heaved a sigh.

"Perhaps she's lost in the crowd." He suggested.

"She must be." Ginny agreed, "Or maybe she's at the Slytherin table!"

"Why would you say that?" Hermione inquired.

Ginny pointed over to the Slytherin table where Malfoy, Crab, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson were sitting. Next to Malfoy, laughing along with them, was Claire Hendricks, holding hands with none other than Malfoy himself. Hermione's jaw dropped.

-ANOTHER PAGEBREAK-

"Unbelievable!" Hermione shouted as they entered the Gryffindor common room. She took a seat by the fire and stroked Crookshanks. Ron, Harry, and Ginny took a seat next to her.

"How is it that a girl like Claire is in a House like that?" Hermione wanted to know. Ginny shrugged.

Harry was trying to process this through his brain. Claire seemed really nice when he had first met her and she believed what Dumbledore had told the Hogwarts students last year about what Harry had seen. She had said that she didn't believe the Daily Prophet and what it said about Harry and Dumbledore. How could Claire be in Slytherin? Slytherin was for people like Malfoy: malicious, snotty, and arrogant. Surely Claire wasn't like that? Or maybe she was trying to become Harry's friend like Malfoy had in his first year. No. Harry refused to think that. Claire was exactly who she introduced herself as. Not someone as cruel as Malfoy.

A/N: Was it good? :/ Remember, this is my first fan fiction! And I don't care who Malfoy marries in book 7. I haven't finished the series yet. I know I'm awful, don't tell me. So, review? Please? I need to know if I'm no good or not.

Laters :P

-Double