Reveiws and critiques greatly appreciated! Don't go too hard on me, I'm only 13!

Chapter 1

I stood in the middle of the crowded station, the steam from the Hogwarts Express billowing about my feet. My neck strained as I attempted in vain to see above the crowd. For a moment, the sea of bodies parted, and a familiar face slipped through.

"Rose! There you are!"

"Ginny! How was your summer?"

Ginny Weasley had been my best friend since first year. We were both short, freckled, and going into fifth year Gryffindor. But whereas her hair was sunrise-colored, mine was a sort of dusty brown. Another thing we had in common; we both were in love with a boy named Harry Potter.

It is quite an awkward thing, when you and your best friend share a crush on a boy; often, things can get quite tangled up. And in the end, obviously only one of us can end up with him. I suspected that it would be her- she was the more outspoken one, and by far the prettier. But I can still dream.

"My summer was great, thanks. Except- Phlegm was staying with us. For the whole summer. Because she's getting married to Bill, y'know," complained Ginny.

"Phlegm- oh! You mean Fleur? She's marring Bill? Congratulations!"

"Yeah, right. She's going to be my auntie now, isn't that... disgusting?"

"I'd be quite happy if I had an auntie. You know quite well my mum's adopted."

"Ugh... Aunt Fleur." Ginny gagged. "Well anyway, come on! We should go find a seat- I promised I'd meet Dean Thomas."

Side by side, we began to trot toward the train, but a restricting hand was laid on Ginny's shoulder. We both spun around.

"Fancy trying to find a compartment?" asked the newcomer.

Ah. It was Harry. His black hair was mussed, as usual, and his round glasses sat on his nose in a crooked sort of way. He was very cute, with his wiry, skinny body. He was also quite kind, and brave... I could feel the blush creeping onto my pale cheeks as he swept over my face with warm, green eyes.

"I can't, Harry, I said I'd meet Dean," said Ginny brightly. "See you later."

We continued to walk away, but we could feel him still watching us as we swept away and onto the train. Dean was quite easy to find- he was chattering loudly with a group of friends.

"Why didn't you say okay?" I hissed at Ginny, as we slid into the compartment.

"I told him- I said I'd meet Dean."

"Are you nervous?"

"Of what?"

There was an akward pause, sharply broken by Dean plunking himself easily in beetween us. It was apparent, as soon as they began their conversation, that I was no longer needed; so I turned to look out the window and appeal to my thoughts. The train began to move, people and station soon melding into streaks of color and then melting away into the horizon. Trees, and endless grass shot by us in endless green, but my mind was in a different place altogether. Harry would never notice me if I didn't make myself known; and yet, I knew I could never do that. I was just too shy. It was true- and I had to face the hard truth here- Ginny was the only person that I felt comfertable speaking to. I might get a few comments out of people- the general, "Hey, how was your summer" sort of stuff, but otherwise I was too nervous to make any real friends or even keep a conversation going with anyone but Ginny. I was afraid of the things that people could do to me- especially the girls. Girls have this certain power, where they know exactly how and why to hurt you. It comes naturally to all of us, even me. Girls like to talk behind each other's backs, and often gossip can be fiercer than any storm. I was afraid that they would hurt me. And I couldn't afford to be hurt- not any more than I had. My mum never knew her real parents, and my da was drowned when I was ten. Some part of me was lost that day; the part that could accept other humans, the part that wanted to speak out and belong to the complex social world. And I never cried- not once, not even when they were laying his body down into the coffin, not even when the last shovelful of dirt fell down and hid my father's body forever. So instead, I watch. I learn. And I remember.

Did you like it? Next chapter coming VERY soon...