Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter characters. But I do own Jesse and family.

Jesse is Harry

Hermione is Hermione

Cho is Cho

And more well be added soon.

Rating: M

Keeping You a Secret

Ch. 1

The first time I saw her was in the mirror on my locker door. I'd kicked my duffle bag to the bottom shelf and was reaching for my books for my next class when she opened her locker across the hall.

She had a streaked blond ponytail dangling out of the back of her baseball cap.

We slammed our lockers in unison and turned. Her eyes met mine.

"Hi," she said, smiling.

My stomach flatted. 'Hi," I answered automatically. She was new. Had to be. I would've notice her.

She walked away towards her next class as the first warning bell went off. She glanced back over her shoulder watching. That when it registered- the rain- bow triangle below the message.

My eyes dropped. But kept her in sight , though, as she disappeared around the corner.

I headed down the deserted hallway, clutching my books in my hand. This is insane, I thought. I don't even need the credits. I drew deep breath - and coughed. Who needed to get stoned before school when you get a free ride from the carpet - cleaning fumes?

Morning was a blur. As I stumbled to lunch, my head reeling from the volume of homework I'd already accumulated, my anxiety mounted. I'd be up till midnight, easy.

"Jesse. Baby," Cho called across the crowded cafeteria. She loped to the double doorway to meet me. Kiss me.

"We're over here," she thumbed toward the vending machines, snaking an arm around my waist and steering me along. "Hi Jesse. Hey, Cho," a few people greeted us as we waved between tables. I assumed my oh-so-happy face. Plaster-casted smile. Cho nudge me. "You Okay Jesse," she asked me. I glance up to find everyone looking at me I smiled and nodded my head yes before I took a bit of my cheeseburger. Before I new it lunch was over.

Drawing Level 1 was, as Cho referred to it, a bullshit class. The assigned studio, 212A, had four rolls of tables set end-to-end with chairs arranged haphazardly. No semblance of order. I slide into a plasti-seat in back. My uneasiness grew as I studied cases. Not the kind of people I usually associated with - which was okay.

A man's voice in the hallway herded everyone inside. As people filed across the threshold, I caught sight of her. The baseball cap was gone; now her hair flowed around her shoulders. Her eyes darted around the classroom and stopped on me. I wanted to look away, but couldn't. She held me there somehow, spellbound.

The instructor bustled in and broke the connection.

Oh, God.

He looked like Einstein on ecstasy.

"Just fine a seat anywhere." he said to the stragglers. As he turned to write his name on the board, I flipped open a spiral notebook. Another guy slid in beside her. I know that guy - Todd or Tom. He was on the football team last year for about a week. Right about the time Cho and I hooked up.

" You may call me Mackel." the instructor said " If I want to get paid, I have to turn this in." He flapped a computer printout at us. Hopping onto the desk, he curled cross legged and uncapped a flair.

"Draco Malfoy."

"Present." A guy at the end of my row raised his hand, and Mackel scratched a checkmark. Mr.Mackel progressed through the list. For some reason I was focusing on the back of the blond girl's head, only half listening for my name.

"Hermione Granger" Mackel read. Her hand shot up and said "Here."

I wrote it down, Hermione Granger. Herm? Mione?

Mione, I decided and draw a box around it.

"Jesse Evans."

A couple of heads swiveled

"what?" I blinked "Jesse Evans?"

"Oh, here." I raised my hand. Adding in a mutter " Apparently not at all."

She twisted around and smiled. My stomach lurched. I shielded my face with my hand and pretended to scribble notes. The two - fifteen bell rang and I gathered my books and notes from econ, feeling totally brain - dead. Lockers banged open and closed as I trudged down the hall.

"Hey, Jesse. Have a good brake?" someone called.

"Great, Thanks." I waved, plastering on The Smile. Get me out of here. I walked over to my locker and twisted the combination into the lock.

I heard across the hallway " So, you just transferred? Where'd you go before?" I opened the locker door and captured Tom and Hermione in my mirror.

"Washington Central." Hermione said as she put in her combination into the lock. "Oh, Yeah? Do you know Jeanie? She's my best friend. Well, use to be." Tom said.

"Doesn't sound familiar." Hermione said.

"You have to know her."

"I said, I don't." The sharpness of Hermione's voice made me turn around. Tom caught my eye and I turned back. In my mirror I watched Hermione shoved a book into her backpack and remove a fleece vest off the hock that was inside all the lockers.

She let out a long breath and said, "sorry" to Tom " It's been a rough day."

"I can imagine." Tom smiled knowingly. Tom held the backpack while Hermione put on the vest. Their conversation muted as a herd of people stamped past.

I caught the end of it as Hermione and tom walked out of the school's front doors.