Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any related trademarks.
Chapter One
Once again it was time for school to start. Harry Potter was staying with the Weasly family once again. His horrible relations had gotten under his skin and he couldn't take it anymore. Maybe it was the fact that he had tried to touch Dudley's hand repeatedly at the breakfast table. Whatever the reason, Aunt Petunia had had a major meltdown and told Harry to the house and never come back again. Harry knew that she didn't mean it and that he would once again be going back there the next summer. Sigh.
Harry liked staying at the Weasly's home, even if Ginny Weasly had written him numerous "anonymous" love letters, telling him her inner most fantasies about how she wanted him to touch her hands. Ron had been behaving most peculiar though. Harry had found a picture of Hermonie under Ron's pillow, with bright red lipstick all over it. But he had just shrugged it off, thinking nothing about it.
Anyway, as it was, their Hogwarts letters had arrived and the family was planning to go to Diagon Alley to purchase supplies for the new term. Having enchanted a new car, a Ford yet again, there was no reason to travel by Floo Powder. Harry was very relieved. One reason being he didn't like to see his best friend going up in a day-glow flaming ball of death. The other, the powder got his hands dirty. They wouldn't be flying the car, obviously, which disappointed the twins. They like shiny flying things. Like UFOs and the such.
Harry was hoping to "run" into Hermione that day. He had hoped to sway her to him, not Ron. Harry had been very hurt the day he had found that picture of his lady love covered in lipstick under Ron's pillow.
"Oh how the fates torment me," he mumbled to himself.
"Did you say something?," Ron asked him.
"Oh, it's nothing," Harry replied, reassuring his friend with a gently pat on the hand.
Ron went back to his thoughts, knowing perfectly well that since Harry had no inner monologue, all he had to do was listen to his friend close enough to find out what he was saying.
As all this was going on, a love sick Ginny was staring into the back seat Harry, yearning for him to touch her hand. How she longed for his gentle touch.
Finally reaching London and going through the enchanted wall in the back of the Leaky Cauldron, Mr. and Mrs. Weasly made their way along the street, lovingly looking into each other's eyes. Fred and George were drawn away by the shiny looking objects in a close window display. Percy was not with them, being married to his job and having a secret love affair with Professor Flitwick. No one was to know of this.
So, Ron and Harry strolled down the sunny alley, taking in the sites, each secretly hoping to run into Hermione. Silently in the shadows, Ginny followed, hoping to touch the hand of Harry Potter. How she longed for it. Running down the street, her bushy hair staying still even at the breakneck speed of her run, came Hermione. Her front teeth were no longer the horrible molar nightmare they had been, even if that had been the first thing that had attracted the smitten Ron.
Hermione blushed when she caught sight of him. The famous Harry Potter. Maybe it was just the money. Or that beautiful scar that crossed his large forehead. Perhaps it was the fame. She just knew that she loved him. How she longed to touch those hands.
Harry wished that he could touch her hand. Just once. Even though he had done it while she was petrified in their second year, it wasn't the same. He wanted her to feel the emotion.
"Hello Harry," said a breathless Hermione.
"Hello, Hermione," replied Harry, in a seductive, deep voice.
Ron envied Harry's deep throated voice. If only his own voice didn't go all squeaky and high-pitched whenever he was nervous or scared. Which was very often since Harry seemed to drag him into many perilous adventures.
"Hello Hermione," Ron said to her, hoping to draw her attention to him, instead of his devilishly good looking friend.
"Oh, hello Ron," replied Hermione, not very interested.
Hanging his head in disappointment, Ron drudged on ahead to Florish and Blotts, in hopes to regain a better mood.
"Hermione," Harry questioned, trying to touch her hand nonchalantly, "Why did you give Ron a lipstick encrusted picture, but not me?"
Hermione simply looked at Harry with a shocked look on her face.
"But I never gave Ron a picture of me. That little son of .....," she trailed off.
"I mean, it's not like I care or anything. Hey listen, let's just get our books and go. I think that would be best for all of us," he tried to comfort, reaching for hand, but not quite finding it.
A hurt Hermione went in ahead of Harry, not looking at him, for fear he would see the tears in her eyes. They both went about the business of buying books for the new term. Harry tried to touch a few more hands, but was sadly disappointed. They met up with Ron and prepared to leave. Harry and Hermione were leaving to wait outside for Ron, who was taking forever trying to decide if he wanted to buy Charm Your Own Cheese or not.
Finally buying the book, Ron was leaving the store. Suddenly his way was blocked by a tall figure. Ron looked up to find Draco Malfoy blocking his way. Ron found himself studying the way the light hit off Draco's silver hair before he realized what he was doing. Checking out Malfoy of all people! He could do so much better!
"Out the way, Malfoy," Ron sneered.
"When I'm damn good and ready Weasly, I just wanted to see something real quick. Yep, you do have a lot of freckles on your face. So disgusting," replied Draco, looking extremely not disgusted at the freckles the were dusted along Ron's face.
Finding feelings bubbling up inside him, Ron pushed himself passed Malfoy. Ron was very confused by these feelings inside him.
"See you at school, Ron," cried out Draco to Ron's retreating back.
"What was that all about?," asked Harry, reaching for Ron's hand.
"Nothing, you know how Malfoy is, probably just wants to beat me up," Ron merely shrugged, but was still disturbed by his feelings.
Walking through the enchanted wall, the three friends all walked back into the muggle world, Harry reaching for their hands.