Harry potter wasn't an ordinary boy, for one thing, he liked to do his homework, for another he wanted to be back at school, the most peculiar thing about him though was that he was a wizard and the thing that separated him from everything else was that he was never alone.
Jason Coy wasn't like an imaginary friend; he was more of a protector than anything. He had been beside Harry for as long as he could remember cheering him up with terrible jokes and his ridiculous antics and helping him fight his battles, only one person knew of his existence and that person was Hermione Granger.
Harry remembered vividly how they had become friends, it was in his first year, after quirrel had ran into the great hall of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, yelling for all of them to hear how there was a troll in the school dungeons before falling to the ground in a dead faint.
It was complete pandemonium, students screamed and ran for the doors, in all the chaos Jason had to shout in Harry's ear that the "know it all girl" that always argued with the Weasley boy was down there crying because he had told her she didn't belong in Hogwarts.
"Think we should tell someone" Asked Jason
"There's no time" harry shouted back, glad that no one took any notice of him talking to thin air.
They pelted out of the great hall, hidden amongst the panicking students he ran down into the dungeons, he heard a scream and ran right into the girl's bathroom the troll with its club raised was standing over Hermione who was shivering in fear. Harry slid his wand out of his sleeve without thinking; he pointed it at the trolls club and cried, "Wingardium leviosa!"
He was panicking, he didn't expect it to work, but he was surprised when the club lifted into the air, along with a very surprised mountain troll, he swung his wand to the side, the troll flew through the air, and collided with the wall with a sickening crunch, he raised his wand again, and flicked it upward, sending it into the ceiling. He released the spell and the troll dropped onto the floor in a bloody heap.
Harry ran over to Hermione and helped her up she stared at him wide eyed, and then her eyes looked behind him to the troll, which had stumbled upright and was lumbering towards them. Blood covered its head and its teeth were bared it was gathering speed and harry had dropped his wand when he ran to Hermione.
"JASON" cried harry trying to turn and shield Hermione from the troll.
Jason walked up to the troll and held up his arm, the troll faltered, then collapsed to its knees, Jason twisted his arm and pulled it back sharply, there was a cracking noise followed by a spray of blood as the trolls heart left its body. Hermione screamed and harry wrapped his arms around her, he buried his head into her neck, even in the situation he caught her scent, it was a lovely mix of books and strawberries.
He didn't know how long he stood there inhaling her scent, but he was distracted when the Hogwarts teachers ran in, they looked at the scene, the wall was half destroyed, the ceiling cracked, there was blood everywhere, then they looked at harry and Hermione, next to the corpse of a mountain troll with its heart outside its body.
They were taken immediately to the hospital wing, where the matron Madame Pomfery fussed over them and told them to stay the night, it was late, so harry and Hermione changed into gowns and climbed into their beds.
Halfway through the night Hermione was awoken to whispering.
"Jason?" whispered harry
There was silence for a few seconds.
"I keep having the dream"
Hermione kept her breathing shallow, who was this Jason?
"I hear them dying Jason" whispered harry.
There was no noise in the hospital wing.
"What should I think about?"
Hermione slid out of her bed slowly.
"Hermione?" What about her?"
She faltered then walked slowly to the curtains surrounding Harry's bed.
"Yeah I like her, but nothing could ever come of it, you know that"
She peeked through a gap.
Harry was sitting upright in his bed, looking at somebody who wasn't there and what did he mean? He liked her? In what way?
She heard footsteps and looked behind her, a shadow passed the gap under the door then the footsteps faded away. She looked back to see a piercing green eye staring at her.
She almost screamed but a hand covered her mouth, he dragged her behind the curtains and pushed her onto the bed.
"Sorry" she whispered frantically "but I heard you talking and I-"he cut her off with a look.
"Whose Jason?" she asked timidly, she shivered in fear.
"You're scaring her mate" Jason said softly pointing at his wand which was in his hand, he took a step back and put his wand away.
"Sorry" he said quietly "it's hard to explain" he added seeing the question in her eyes, along with a fiery intelligence.
"you can tell me" she said, he paused for a second, then harry found himself opening up, he told her how Jason was the only reason he remained sane, how he had ran away from the Durselys to live in Hogwarts for the few weeks before term, how he hated the way everyone looked at him because of his history with he who must not be named.
In turn Hermione had told him how everyone doubted her because she was muggle born, how she found solace in books, how people made fun of her because of her teeth and hair, how she was doubting that she did belong here.
"you do belong here" harry said putting a hand on shoulder, she looked at his hand, then leaned forward tentively, the kiss was slow and tender their hearts sped up, they broke apart and smiled, before kissing again this time with more passion, Harry's arms wrapped around her. He pushed her back onto the bed.
"watch out" said Jason, amusement evident in his tone, harry broke off the kiss, and they heard footsteps, Hermione quickly ran to her own bed before the door opened and Albus Dumbledore looked around for a few seconds, harry watched and he could have sworn that his eyes rested on Jason for a second. Then he was gone.
They didn't kiss again that night, but they awoke in the morning to professor McGonagall.
"I have thought about what I should do with you two, there will not be a single mention of this to anyone, do you understand me?" she said, Harry fought to keep a straight face as Jason stood next to her and stared at harry in the same strict manner with his hands behind his back.
"I will be awarding 20 points to Gryffindor" Hermione smiled slightly
"And 30 points to Slytherin" Harry only nodded his head, still forcing himself to stay straight faced as Jason stared at harry severely.
"I expect you two to keep out of trouble from now on" she said sternly, Jason looked at Harry and wagged his finger smirking, harry couldn't help it, he burst out laughing.
