A/N: I'd like a review, please :)
Disclaimer: Not mine.
September 1st
"I wandered lonely as a Cloud
That floats on high o'er Vales and Hills."—William Wordsworth
"Ron! Put your underwear back in the trunk!" cried Mrs. Weasley. Rouge traveled from Ron's neck to his ears as he hastily shoved his pair of gray boxers into his trunk, clearly thinking that his mother wasn't looking at him when she did. Ginny giggled; Hermione rolled her eyes. Harry continued starting out the kitchen window.
He would miss this… His last summer at the Burrow before returning to Hogwarts. His mind never settled on his last year of Hogwarts that summer; everytime Hermione or Ron brought it up, he changed the topic; simply, he had no desire to think about it. Life at Hogwarts was usually good to him. Sure, some people didn't like him, most probably hated him at one time or another, but the point is this: After Hogwarts, what would happen to him? What if he never found a job? What if he never found someone to love unconditionally, who would also love him back? Within the walls of Hogwarts, he had no need to worry about such things; he didn't need a job or fret over uncovering a significant other. Right now, he was still in his youth and needn't worry. Once he left Hogwarts, he'd step into the Real World. Everything would change.
Would he still be friends with Ron and Hermione? He could see multiple events happening after their graduation that would cause them to lose contact. In fact, some people just fade out with no particular reason for their disappearance. Could it be possible that they would just slowly fade out from his life like a song ending on the radio?
"Harry," Hermione said, her voice not quite a whisper, "it's time to go," and with a final snap of the lid, his summer at the Burrow was officially over.
XOXOXOXO
"Potter. You're stepping on my robes."
No reply. No movement. None.
"Potter."
Repeat.
"Potter… POTTER! Get your fucking feet of my robes!" yelled Malfoy, grabbing a handful of his robes, attempting to pull them out from under Harry's feet. Harry snapped out of his reverie and stepped aside. "Dreaming about that mudblood of yours, eh, Potter?"
"No, I was just thinking about why Snape gives you A's in Potions… You're clearly inferior to Hermione, yet her grades falsely show otherwise…"
"What the hell are you getting at?"
"Think about it," he said, getting onto the train with Hermione and Ron, who had said their goodbyes to the Weasleys, while Harry argued with Malfoy.
Just as the trio shut the door, it was opened again by the blonde. "How dare you!" Malfoy snarled. Harry raised an eyebrow, suggesting he hadn't done anything. "Just because you can't seem to get a decent grade in Potions, doesn't mean I cheat to get mine!"
"I never said that," Harry retorted.
Malfoy stood steaming at Harry, their eyes boring into each other like candle flames to marshmallows. Malfoy clenched and unclenched his fists, seemingly unable to decide whether or not to take action.
"If you're just going to stare at me, I suggest you just leave," Harry said.
"Or get a picture," Ron suggested.
"Shut up," Hermione hissed to Ron, who desired watching this dispute play out uninterrupted by outside forces.
Malfoy glared at the other two before returning his eyes to Harry. "See you in class," he spat and left.
"Well, that was bizarre," Hermione exclaimed.
"Wonder why he didn't punch you," Ron said.
"Yeah…" Harry said, turning his eyes towards the window.
XOXOXOXO
Down the hall, the lady with refreshments could be heard. "Pumpkin pasties, anyone?" she called. Harry heard her and asked his friends whether they wanted something. So, with a few galleons in hand, he left his compartment to buy a few goodies from the refreshments lady.
"Anything off the trolley, dear?" she asked Harry.
"Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans," Harry said in unison with someone, whose voice came from beside him. Harry glanced to his right to see that Malfoy had requested the same item as he did at the same time. The lady then pointed out that she had only one bag left.
"I thought she was talking to me," Malfoy said.
"Oh, well… um… You can have the beans," Harry said, scratching his neck.
"No, no, it's okay. You have them," he said, his cheeks speckled in pink.
"Alright then," Harry said, taking the beans along with a few chocolate frogs and pumpkin pasties. As he put the change back into his pockets, Malfoy had purchased his own treats.
"So, what's your favorite flavor of Bertie Bottos?" he asked, while they walked down the hallway.
"I dunno… Strawberry's nice."
"Yeah."
"Well, I'll see you in school then," Harry said as he placed his hand on the handle that slides the compartment doors open.
"Wait," Malfoy cried.
Harry paused, turning the upper half of his body around to look at the other boy.
"Want to join me in my compartment?"
"No… That's okay, thanks," Harry said. "See you in school." After his goodbye, he came back into his own compartment, much to Ron's delight, who never missed a chance at consuming chocolate frogs.
Harry sat next to the window, with a chocolate frog in hand. His face appeared fairly blank as he fiddled with the wrapper.
"Something wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked, taking a chocolate frog herself.
As Harry's frog broke free from the wrapper, it hopped onto the window and flew out. He then answered, "No, no… Nothing at all," not bothering to attain another frog. His appetite seemed to have evaporated.
He watched the scenery pass by; the weather transformed numerously, unable to decide what mood it was in. Throughout the whole journey, it was stormy, windy, sunny, cloudy, and foggy. Hermione and Ron found no interest in the topic of unusual weather; although, Hermione did mention that they were passing through different parts of the country, and not everyone went through the same kinds of weather simultaneously.
"So, Hermione," Ginny said, grinning madly as she slid the compartment door open. "Blaise's just down the hall, and he's asking if you'd like to go over and join him."
A smile spread across Hermione's face. "Excuse me, boys," she said, getting up from her seat. "I have other businesses to attend to." Then, Ginny shut the compartment door as Hermione left.
"Ginny… What's going on between her and Zabini?" Ron asked.
"He's fallen for her; it's completely obvious."
"Does she like him, though?"
"That," Ginny said, "is not my place to tell."
Harry shook his head at Ron, thinking it obvious that Hermione liked Blaise, but it was just like Ron not to notice. For Ron's peace of mind, however, he kept quiet.
"She can't like him, though, right, Harry? I mean, he's a Slytherin. She can't like a Slytherin, can she?" he pondered out loud, not really talking to Harry. It was then that Harry wondered whether he should tell Ron to make a fast move on Hermione before Zabini takes her. Yet, if Harry knew Ron at all, which he did, he knew that Ron wouldn't make a move on Hermione, despite his strong affections for her. He needed someone who would make a move on him. Ron, in his odd way, would be the female in a relationship.
For the rest of the train ride, Ron became quiet, thinking and thinking about the Blaise-Hermione situation, giving Harry no one to talk to but Ginny, so when the train came to a stop in front of Hogwarts, he couldn't help but give a sigh of relief.
