This is my first story ever, so please be nice. I will take CONSTRUTIVE CRITIZISM though. I hope you enjoy the story.

Note: This is an AU where Harry is not the boy who lived, Neville is. Ron and Ginny are Neville's friends since he is the boy who lived but Hermione is still friends with Harry.

Warnings: Shounen-Ai (boy love), violence, bashing, OOC

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter.

"Speaking"

Thoughts

Letters

This story is set during Harry's third year.

I do not have a beta, so sorry in advance for any mistakes.

I Have An Admirer?

Harry's POV

Blurs of colors passed by the window I was looking through. I could hardly stay still with all the excitement and adrenaline running through my system. Some people might be returning to school, but not me, I was returning home. I guess Hermione saw the sparks flying around my eyes as she then asked me, "Harry, what are you thinking about?"

"Nothing much, 'Mione. I'm just excited to go back to Hogwarts and hoping the train ride goes by fast. I've missed her. She's the home I never had, you know?" I returned to looking out the window and enjoying the passing scenery.

"Yeah, I do." She said.

Panic rushed through me, Does she know? No, she can't know. I haven't told anyone. I was fixing to ask her what she meant when the compartment door of the train opened.

There stood Neville Longbottom flanked with Ginny and Ron Weasley. I never had anything against Neville Longbottom, he was a good guy, but I never got along with his "friends".

"So then I said-" Ron Weasley said with his usual smirk, but lost it when he saw me and Hermione. He adapted a cruel look in his eyes. "Well, well, well, what do we have here; a buck-tooth nerd and a, uh….a loser." He ended lamely.

"Wow. Great insult Weasley. I'm honestly hurt." I said, rolling my eyes at his loser comment.

"Harry!" Hermione hissed at me as Ron's face turned in unbecoming shade of red that went horrible with his freckles.

"What did you say, you poof!" Ron yelled as he yanked me up by my collar. As he pulled his fist back, I just continue to stare into his eyes, showing that I wasn't afraid of him. I could hear his sister in the background egging him on.
He pushed his fist forward and I felt myself want to flinch and close my eyes but I resist the urge.

All of a sudden, a loud, firm, voice rang out, stopping everyone, "Stop!" It was Neville, he was looking down with his fists balled at his sides and his bangs covering his eyes, but I had a feeling that they were burning with justice. I smile internally, knowing that if I did it physically the Weasleys would think the worst.
"Just. Stop you guys." He opened the compartment door back up, "Let's just leave and find another compartment before they're all taken." He said, stepping out into the hallway with his hand still on the door.

The Weasleys just stood there, staring at him, until finally his words were processed by their simple minds.

Ron let lose a burly laugh, "Yea, your right mate, we don't want to stay here too long with this lot." He said, throwing me down onto the floor. He headed towards the compartment door and gave us one last glare before exiting the compartment, while Ginny agreed with her brother and left laughing at us until it was just Hermione, me and Neville at the door. Before Neville closed the door, he opened his mouth as if to say something but then closed it, changing his mind and gave us an apologetic smile and left, closing the door the rest of the way shut.

"Are you okay Harry?" Hermione asked crouching down to help me up from the floor.

"Yeah I'm fine, 'Mione." I said wincing when my tailbone throbbed slightly.

"I'm sorry Harry, I should have helped but I was too stunned to do anything. I'm such a lousy friend." She said dejectedly.

"No, no, no. 'Mione, you're my best friend." I said, I raised my hand and grabbed one of the many pieces of curls that belonged to her brushy head and swirled it around my finger. Hermione didn't comment, knowing that it helped calm my nerves, "I'd rather it be me than you." I said.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "Don't say that, that's horrible!"

"Horrible, but true. I don't care what happens to me as long as you're okay." I smiled gently at her. "You're my best friend, but also my only friend. I have to protect you!" Some of my courage and protectiveness kicking in.

"Oh Harry, you need to protect yourself first." Hermione said softly, already used to my protective ways. "Here, up you go." She said and helped set me back onto one of the seats. "So how was your summer?" She asked trying to brighten the mood back up. Unfortunately, I didn't want to recall what had happened that summer, which was one of the reasons that I was happy to be going back to Hogwarts, to get away from them.

"Oh. Nothing much, just the usual. How was yours 'Mione?" I asked trying to draw the attention away from me. And it worked as Hermione started to ramble on about how she had already read most of the class books and how she wished that there were more classes available for her to take. I didn't realize how much time had actually passed, with Hermione talking and me trying to comprehend what she was saying, until the whistle on the train blew—signaling that we had arrived at Hogsmeade Station.

~TIME LAPSE~GREAT HALL~

Merlin's Pants! Get on with it you old fool, you tell the same speech every year. At least change it up a bit!

"At least try to pretend you're listening." I look over to see that it was Hermione who spoke.

"Sorry 'Mione, I can't help it that the senile, old fool loves to hear himself talk."

She playfully slapped my arm and snickered and I grin along with her.

"—so ending on that note. Let the feast, begin!" Dumblebore said. The plates in front of everyone started to fill with food.

"Finally, I'm starved!" I said as I started to pile various food items onto my plate.

Hermione and I ate and chatted politely during our meal until it was over and it was time to head on back to the dorms. As I stood to get up, I felt my foot get caught on the edge of the table. It was slow motion as I saw the ground getting closer to me, I closed my eyes and raise my hands to help protect and shield my face from the fall that never came.

I felt strong arms wrap around my waist and when I heard a deep, silky laugh, I slowly open my eyes to see beautiful chocolate eyes filled with mirth looking right back at me. "Are you okay?" He asked with a chuckle in his voice. I feel my face flush as I couldn't do anymore than look at his beautifully made face—though I have no idea how the bloke could be—as I made my way down his muscled body, I could see that he was wearing a Slytherin's uniform. I managed to tear my eyes from his body and bring it back to his face.

"Uh, I , um….thank you." I stuttered. Wow, way to go Harry. I'm sure he thinks that I have the mental capacity of a five year old now. I mentally berated myself. He gently helped me right myself.

"No problem." He said with a smile that sparked my flush to reach my ears. I noticed that he was still holding onto one of my hands, as I was fixing to mention it and take my hand back, he raised it to his lips and kissed the back of it, "I hope that we can meet again." And with that, he turned and left the Great Hall; leaving me there staring like a fool at his retreating figure.

"Harry! Do you know who that was?!" Hermione came up to ask me. I just keep staring not knowing what else to do. When Hermione realized that she wasn't going to be getting an answer from me, she went on to explain, "That was Blaise Zabini, the Blaise Zabini." She said as if what she had said held the answers to life itself. When I finally turn to look at her, she could see the confusion in my eyes and sighs exasperated. "Come on, I'll explain on the way." As she said this, she grabs my arm and hauls me down the corridors towards the tower.

"Blaise Zabini is known as the Slytherin's Prince Charming—not too much of an original name I know—but it does its job. He always doing things for other people, helping them carry their supplies, holding doors open for others, he's like a true Prince Charming. He has lots of fans because once he helps you they say—you fall for him right away." At that point Hermione looks in my direction and I blush. "So Harry, is it true?" She said with a mischievous grin on her face.

"I-I, um…" I couldn't form any words, my mind was blank with embarrassment.

Hermione started to laugh, "I was just joshing with you Harry." At this, my face burst into flames. I glare at her, hoping that maybe she chokes on her own spit.

"Calm down, Harry. You know I love you." She said, wiping the lingering tears from her eyes. "Well, go on, Harry." I was confused until I realized that we had arrived at the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Right." I said, going through the archway into the common room, as confidently as I could. "Don't want 'Mione off on another giggle fit." Unfortunately for me she snickered at my poorly concealed confusion anyway.

"Right." She said, imitating me—"And doing a bloody good job of it too" I thought sourly. "Well, I'll see you first thing tomorrow morning then. Good night Harry." Hermione said as she ascended the stair to the girl dormitories.

"Good night!" I shouted up the stairs to her. "Now if only I can get a good night's rest" I muttered to myself.

I head up the stairs that lead to the third year boy's dormitories, sighing and asking fate to not let the rest of the guys be awake. I reach the door and silently open it and peek around to look inside the room. "Hmmm. The lights are off, and I don't see any movement, nor do I hear anything." I sneaked inside the room and closed the door, I waited for my eyes to adjust to the darkness before I ventured further into the room.

When I don't see anything in the middle of the floor or above it, so I cross the room and over to my bed as quickly and as quietly as possible. I look over my bed, underneath, and overhead to search to see if the guys had done anything to it like last year. Even thinking about it now makes my head ache. "I can't believe they did that to me! I mean who douses someone with a gallon of water—who almost chokes on it—then runs into a wall trying to get way from said water attack and laughs at them? "

When finding nothing, I change into my nightgown and get into bed. I try to relax my mind and body, so that sleep can claim me. After a while, my eyelids start to get heavy and droop. And before I know it, I'm asleep.

~TIME LASPE~5:00 A.M.~

"Wha…what is this warm sensation covering my body….it feels….wet….wait wet!" I quickly open my eyes to see what is going on, only to close them just as quickly when I do see what is going on.

"Stop, Wait, what are you doing! Please stop!" I tell them as I bring my hands up to cover my face so that it wouldn't get in my eyes or mouth—I was surrounded. "Why are you doing this! I'm one of you!" I said, trying to convince them, but even I could hear my voice wavering, fixing to break into sobs. "Why….Why would they do this. Why would anyone do these to a human being!"

"Look at him, the little poof is going to cry!" I could hear Ron jab at me. "Don't act like you don't like it. Plus, don't bother trying to mix yourself in with us. We don't want any proofs in our house, ruins our looks and reputation, ain't that right boys. Little poofie here loves to look at todgers*, I'm sure it's turning you on, ain't it?" I try to hold back my sob, I really did, but one escaped and just like that they all started to break lose. "Why would anyone pee on somebody?!"

"I said ain't that right!" Ron yelled at me.

"Please…Stop." I said in-between my sobs.

"Course it is." Not soon enough, I could tell they were running out of urine. "Heh. See ya later poofie." Ron said one last time before he went back to bed. I sit there for several more minutes dripping in urine and crying in my own misery until I finally gather up my strength and head to the showers—knowing I couldn't go back to sleep now.

I turn the hot water onto scalding so that I can get the feeling off my skin; I stared forward unblinking and unseeing. I could only think of one word, "Why" and it repeated itself like a mantra inside my head. I wasn't sure how long I stood there, but after a while I finally took off my now soaking wet clothes and got back underneath the shower spray.

I grab a bar of soap and scrub at my skin, I feel the irritation and pain associated with me scrubbing rough, but I am overtaking by the dirtiness of my body. I keep scrubbing and scrubbing until after a while I notice that I am running low on soap. I decide that I should go ahead and get out before one of the guys start to wake up and come in there. After raising off the soap, I step out of the now cold shower. I grab a towel and start to dry myself off, noticing that my skin is raw red and slippery from the soap. I can still feel it on me though.

I get dress in my usual Hogwarts uniform and head down to the common room, but when I got down there I was frozen by what I saw.

A single blue flower with a note attached to it, was sitting innocently on a coffee table.

I look around to see if maybe someone had forgotten it when I realized that since it was still early nobody was up yet. I step forward hesitantly, as if the flower and note would disappear if I made any fast movements.

I take another step and another until I reach the table where the flower and note where place with precision and care. I look at the flower and see that it was a beautiful light blue color and I became a little jealous, wishing I had someone special, but that thought was quickly washed away since all I needed was Hermione.

I started to walk away, but the note caught the corner of my eyes and I whipped back around to double check my horrible eye-sight. "Yep that's definitely…my name on the note. But—But who would do this for me?"

I slowly reached down and picked up the letter with care and gently opened it and written in beautiful calligraphy was:

Dear Harry Potter

You probably don't know me, but I do know you. I know about your beauty, with your emerald—gem eyes and your cute just-out-of-bed, jet-black hair. I know about your cute button nose and your high cheek bones. I know about your full, pouty pink lips and that dazzling smile that always seems to takes my breath away. I know about your one-of-a-kind personality and that's why I admire and love you. I do, I love you because I know how truly beautiful you are, so I hope you realize just how beautiful and special you are and treasure that feeling.

Love Your Secret Admirer

P.S. Attached to this note is a flower—a Amaryllis to be precise. I thought this would help show how I feel about you.

I keep staring at the note. I didn't know what to do. Someone liked me—me?! But I was a nobody, nobody should notice me. Unless it's a prank My mind supplied.

I didn't know how long keep staring at the letter until I heard, "What do you have there?"

~TO BE CONTINUED~

*todger is a British slang for penis/dick

I hope you liked my first of (hopefully) many stories.