Strawberry In Disguise

Chapter One

When Harry Potter slammed into certain tall, muscled guy in Diagon Alley, he thought the guy looked haughty. An everpresent scowl, the furrowed eyebrows, and an unpleasantly irritated look in his eyes. Oh yeah, and the bleached hair.

So the guy's concern for him took him by surprise.

"Are you okay?" the guy said gruffly. Harry noticed how his muscles flexed in a powerful, predator-like way and noted he must be a good fighter.

"I am okay. Thanks."

As Harry turned to walk away, he found himself being pulled by arm and looked into a pair of brown eyes.

"Wait. Tell me where this place is."

Harry stood rooted to the place for a moment, his brain processing the request, and finally he took in the guy's attire. No cloak. Jeans. Shirt. And somehow a clueless look on his face as those brown eyes glanced at his cloak and the passerby's in a confused way.

"You're a muggle?"

Kurosaki Ichigo frowned and shrugged, "I am not sure what that means."

"You're a muggle." Harry repeated, now more sure, "But how on earth a muggle can enter Diagon Alley?" Well, he wasn't particularly sure about the rules. Maybe he should ask Hermione. But still muggles should not be exposed to Wizarding World. What can he do in this situation? Harry wondered idly.

The guy frowned and kept silent.

"Do you have any special powers?" Harry asked tentatively. Wizards showed signs of being bestowed with magical powers in a young age. Maybe this guy was a muggle-born yet a wizard. But he seemed too old to be recruited into school now. Transfer student? In muggle attire? Maybe. Harry wasn't sure what to guess anymore.

The guy seemed to stiffen at that question. In a dark and significant way, he said, "Well. I think it's a no for now."

He did not seem relieved or sad. Just a muted statement to explain his current predicament.

"Hmmm. I think you should follow me. I mean, if you are not familiar with this place, I can show you around. If you're confused, maybe you're hit by a spell or something (Harry thought of Lockhart when he said that and he winced slightly), I can ask someone to bring you to the ward."

Ichigo blinked. Stupefied.

"Huh?"

Harry smiled at his expression. The guy's features smoothened into bewilderment and somehow a tinge of childishness was brought out in his eyes. It was better than his scowling face. Maybe he had a reason to protect himself by shielding his true emotions. Or he was simply born this way.

"Well. Follow me." Hesitating for a moment, Harry extended a helpful hand, smiling, "I am Harry Potter."

Waiting. Waiting for some gasps of recognition, some stares, or something that was so frequently encountered.

And Ichigo merely squinted at the offered hand, as though deciding whether to accept the greeting, and finally grasped it.

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

Japanese. Muggle. Clueless to Harry Potter. Appearing in Diagon Alley without a slightest clue. And an interesting personality to be looked into.

Harry wasn't the biggest fan of forging friendships, but (instinct, maybe?) he was now grinning.

It would be fun, Kurosaki Ichigo.

"Nice to meet you, Kurosaki Ichigo."


Please review! Flames or critiques are appreciated. It would be more of a series of one-shots, but all chronologic. Please review. Haha.