Greased Firebolt
It was the end of summer 1997, Harry was on the train back to school in a compartment crammed with his fellow T-Owls. He was daydreaming about the sun-filled summer he'd had away from the Dursleys, he'd even met a girl. The most beautiful little brunette he'd ever seen. They'd met at the beach one afternoon, she'd gone for a dip to escape the heat, but being a tourist accidentally swam too near the rocks. A pod of Grindelows had made this their home and eagerly grasped her long legs and were attempting to pull her under. Harry had ran into the water fully clothed to help, fumbled with his wand to cast a Relashio. He caught one with the jet of hot water and it shot off. Another grabbed him around the neck and held tight, Harry panicked. A second later, the strangler screamed in his ear and shot away, following its brethren into the gloom of their underwater lair. Harry broke the surface tension and gulped air, while the brunette did the same. He'd noticed her wand in that moment. It clicked into place, she was a witch, and had saved him as much as he'd saved her.
A rough shove from the side roused him back to reality. Harry, Ron, Seamus and Neville used to fit into these booths with ease, but the boys were 17 now, and space in the small booth was becoming a premium.
"Oi bird brain, I said did you want anything from the trolley?" Ron looked bemused, then even more so as Harry refused food. Instead choosing to slick his hair back, to its new slight pompadour look.
"Did ja lose your stomach over summer, mate?"
Seamus piped up before Harry could reply,
"Ron, if you don't know what's up with Harry then you're a bloody moron." More shoving ensued as Ron's ears turned pink.
"Come on, tell us then!" Seamus continued when Ron had settled down. "Who is she?"
Harry sighed and combed through his hair again,
"Just some summer lovin', it happened so fast…" Harry held back, although she was probably in Australia by now. The days he'd spent at the beach with her were some of the truest times in his life. Both to her and to himself he had opened up, and had learnt in return about her, her life in Australia and how they were never going to see each other again. Harry hadn't wanted to give up on her, and at their parting had said that their love was 'only the beginning'.
Besides, he didn't want his friends to see how gaga over a girl he had been.
Back to reality, the boys were jostling for all the details. Harry would just think of her and smirk, all the way to the train station at Hogsmeade.
The boys piled out, but were forced to wait while a bunch of gossiping girls barred their way towards the carriages. They were wearing matching pink jackets over the top of their Hogwart's uniforms, Harry peered through his glasses and read 'Pink Witches' sewn on each.
Ron gave a loud catcall and the girls turned to give disapproving looks, before dissolving into giggles as they clambered aboard. Typically, the group consisted of Lavender Brown, Padme and Parvati Patil, and Ginny Weasley. On seeing his sister part of the group, Ron retched while Neville laughed at his misfortune. The door to the witches carriage flew open again, and Ginny ran out back towards the train, obviously having forgotten something. The carriage didn't wait for her, and the boys got into the next. Harry gave one last sweeping look at the scene to take in the first years, and other returning students. Just as he ducked his head into the carriage, he thought he saw a glance of a familiar face – but it couldn't be. She was 1000 miles away.