Disclaimer: Besides any original characters, I own nothing.
Author's Note: So I kinda rearranged the chapters a bit, so just making that clear. Since I'm adding more to each chapter, there will be less chapters then there were before, just for clarification. But it'll still be the same content. So if you think you've already read chapter five, you haven't cause it'll have new stuff. Sorry for all the confusion!
Just wanted to make a few things clear that weren't mentioned in the summary. The OC, Raynea McCoy, is tight with the trio. She doesn't have too huge of a backstory, but if there's anything unknown, it will be explained later in the story or in a flashback. Since it takes place during HBP, most of the relationships are pretty developed already, so don't be taken aback by that. And it's definitely AU just making that clear. I don't wanna piss off anybody. I'm basically just taking some of what happens in the book and dumbing it down and revamping it so it fits in with the plot. Oh and because I'm OCD, I just wanted to clarify the pronunciation of Raynea's name is (ray-nuh). Like Reina, just with different spelling. I think that covers everything. Thanks for reading and please review if you feel so inclined! :)
Hermione and Raynea had been running late that morning, much to Hermione's dismay. She, of course, found it important to be punctual, even to something as simple as breakfast. Raynea had hurried through her morning routine just to appease her friend, even though she wouldn't have minded skipping breakfast altogether that morning. There had been a strange tension among her friends the past few days and she was not so keen on living through another awkward morning.
"You ready?" Raynea asked Hermione as she placed her hand on the door knob in preparation to leave.
"Yes, finally. We're going to be so late," Hermione said with a hint of stress in her voice.
Raynea merely chuckled to herself. She found Hermione's neurotic quirks both amusing and slightly irritating, but always chose to simply laugh it off. The two girls scurried down to the Great Hall, lucky enough to have Harry and Ron there to save them seats.
"Hey you two," Ron said as his friends took their seats.
Raynea sat beside Ron while Hermione took the seat across from him beside Harry.
"Ugh, I'm so sorry you had to save us seats. We've been running behind all morning," Hermione said as she began to dish scrambled eggs onto her plate.
"Yes, Hermione has been particularly stressed this morning," Raynea added with an amused smirk.
Ron exchanged a grin with her before diving into his pancakes.
"Raynea, term just started. I don't want to be running behind already," Hermione reasoned.
"It started a month ago 'Mione," Ron said in an attempt to be encouraging, "It's not like it's the first day. Besides, you're always ahead of schedule, so no worries."
"Hmmm, seems someone woke up on the right side of the bed for once," Hermione replied with a smile.
Ron furrowed his brow while Raynea and Harry snorted into their breakfasts.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron demanded, letting his fork drop and clatter against his plate.
"It was just a joke, Ron. Relax," Raynea said as her chuckles subsided.
Ron shook his head as he picked up his fork and continued eating his breakfast. Raynea smiled to herself. Things seemed more normal among her friends this morning, which made her feel relieved. However, Harry was still acting rather odd. He was more quiet than usual and Raynea noticed he had his bag resting on the seat beside him as if he were saving it for someone. While several questions arose in Raynea's mind, the answer to all of them entered the Great Hall in the next moment. Ginny Weasley appeared beside Harry with a broad grin on her face. He proceeded to quickly remove his bag from the seat to allow room for her at the table. He then smiled brightly.
"Thanks for saving me a seat," Ginny said as she squeezed his arm playfully and sat down beside him.
"Yeah, sure. No problem," he replied quietly with the same smile plastered across his face.
Once Ginny arranged herself at the table, she looked up at the others around her and smiled.
"Hey guys," she said with a waving gesture.
The three replied "Hey" in unison and continued eating their breakfasts. Raynea, however, was not completely at ease. She liked Ginny, sure, but it's not as if they were exactly the best of friends. They could remain civil to one another but would prefer to stay out of each other's company as often as possible. In addition to this, Raynea was also sensing that they all knew something that she didn't. Ron and Hermione were going out of their way to avoid eye contact with her and didn't seem to find Ginny's sudden presence surprising at all. In fact, it almost seemed as if they were expecting her. The five continued to eat their breakfast in a seemingly pleasant silence that Raynea just felt to be uncomfortable. Then, once it was time to head off to class, Harry disappeared to walk Ginny to her first lesson, leaving Ron, Hermione and Raynea on their own.
"So guys," Raynea began after an awkward silence, "Do you have something to tell me?"
Hermione seemed to get very antsy at this point, mumbled some excuse about having forgotten a textbook in her dormitory and had soon disappeared out of sight. Ron and Raynea continued their walk in silence for a few more moments.
"Ron, it's just me. What's going on?" Raynea questioned.
"I dunno whatcha mean," Ron muttered quickly, his eyes fixed on his shoes.
Raynea sighed heavily.
"Something weird's been going on the past couple days and I know you've noticed it too. Please, just tell me."
"Rayne…you're just gonna be angry," Ron warned.
Raynea had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Her suspicions were most likely correct, judging from the look on Ron's face.
"Oh…" she stated simply, shifting her eyes downward for a moment.
For one of the first times that day, Ron looked her in the face.
"Er— I'm sorry."
"Why?" Raynea asked, playing dumb. She knew he was trying to be sympathetic, but she was unsure of how much he knew.
"I know about that conversation you and Harry had last year," Ron said, then he lowered his voice, "You know…after Sirius died."
"He told you about that?"
"Yeah…"
"Oh…." Raynea said for the second time that day.
There was a brief silence between them. Raynea just tried to focus on the sound of her shoes against the floor. That was her only indication that she was still walking. Everything from her stomach down felt numb.
"Rayne, I know he's—"
"Hey, it's okay," Raynea said, blinking rapidly and feigning a smile, "Harry's a big boy, he can date who he wants to."
"Yeah, but after what he said last term—"
"Things change," Raynea interrupted, "It's okay Ron, really. It's okay. I just don't know why you guys felt you had to hide it from me. I think Harry and Ginny together is great."
"Well I bloody well don't!" Ron exclaimed, "She's my sister—he's my best friend. Do you see how awkward this is for me?"
Raynea shook with laughter. She could always count on Ron for that.
"Thanks for that, Ron," Raynea said between chuckles, "One of your rants is just what we need to lighten the mood."
"But I mean, seriously? Are they trying to kill me?"
***
Sitting in class that day had been particularly agonizing. Raynea had enough trouble paying attention when she wasn't distracted by her emotions; today was just utter torture. Luckily, all she had left was lunch and then one more class and she was home free—that is if she could make it through a lunch with Gryffindor's latest power couple sitting across from her. As she began her trek to the Great Hall, a feeling of nausea came over her and she had a feeling it was there to stay. And of course, to make matters worse, Raynea was subjected to an array of hallway annoyances. First, an obnoxious group of second year girls was walking extremely slowly in front of her. Next, she tripped over her own feet on her way down the stairs—a common occurrence, but still rather annoying if you're having a bad day. And finally, the icing on the cake, she ran into Draco Malfoy—a constant presence in her life who never seemed to tire of giving her a hard time. She associated with him daily, against her will of course, and today she was especially not in the mood to deal with him.
"Well, well, well, McCoy, you're looking particularly pissed off today. What's gotcha down?"
Raynea shot him an agitated smirk.
"Malfoy, while I would love to have a pointless encounter with you, complete with crude remarks and vivid insults, I really need to be on my way. Shove off," Raynea said sarcastically.
"Oh come on, McCoy," Malfoy scoffed, "Don't think you can rid yourself of me that easily."
"Believe me," Raynea said as she stopped and turned to face him, wearing an annoyed expression, "I don't."
He grinned slyly and took a step forward.
"I was just trying to nicely ask you to leave me the hell alone," she continued, turning her back on him and walking on forward.
He followed after her.
"You call that nice?" he questioned disbelievingly.
"When in our history have we ever been nice to one another?" Raynea shot back.
Malfoy shrugged, "Good point."
"So, is there anything you want, Malfoy or are you just patronizing me?"
"Lemme ask you something," he began with a vindictive smirk, "Is it killing you?"
"Having to spend more than five minutes with you? Yes."
"Potter and the Weasley whore," he stated more specifically.
Raynea stopped dead in her tracks. Malfoy stepped in front of her, leaving the distance between them very small, and kept the same smirk on his face as he looked down at her.
Raynea felt her throat tighten and tried her best to seem unfazed. She was failing miserably.
"Ooh, did I hit a nerve?" Draco asked coolly, "How does it feel?"
Raynea looked past his face and over his shoulder. She couldn't stand to look directly at him. The idea of hexing him definitely had its appeal at this moment. Finally, she looked him in the eyes.
"How does it feel?" she repeated the question, "Hmmm…how does it feel? Lemme ask you something, Malfoy. How does it feel to be the biggest asshole to set foot in Hogwarts?"
At this, Malfoy's smirk grew. He shifted his eyes to the side for a moment before returning back to the intense gaze he was aiming at Raynea's face.
"You still didn't answer my question," he pointed out.
"Yeah? Well you haven't answered mine," she quipped before dodging him and continuing her walk to the Great Hall.
Once again, he chased after her.
"You see, I think you're bothered by it."
"Your existence? Most definitely," she snapped, keeping her eyes focused ahead of her.
He kept going.
"I mean, after everything you two have been through together and he still chose the red head? Not to mention that practically the whole school knew about it before you did. Seriously, were you that deep in denial that you couldn't see what was right in front of your face?"
Raynea sucked in her cheeks, as she often did when she was angry and glared at him with intense rage.
" Malfoy, do you honestly have nothing better to do with your time than annoy the hell outta me?"
"There are plenty of things I could do," he began, "But what could be more satisfying than knowing I put that look on your face?"
"You're pathetic," Raynea said, shaking her head and sidestepping him one last time before entering the Great Hall.
Malfoy stared after her with a look consisting of both desire and disappointment. He shook his head rapidly to snap himself out of it before entering the Great Hall himself.