Chapter 2: Off the Train
A/N: Here's chapter 2. I personally have always disliked Ron, yes, he IS a twat, I think. I'll be bashing the dickens out of him for at least a few more chapters, I'm not sure if he'll become an arsehole permanently. Ginny will also receive the bashing she deserves. I hated the Harry and Ginny thing in HBP. I mean, sure, maybe I understand him not trying again with Cho, that was complicated by Cedric's rotting corpse hanging over every conversation, his decaying hand hitting Harry in the face every time there was a breeze, but Ginny? That's ridiculous. She's been "Ron's little sister" all this time.
The Golden Trio stepped off the train in silence. Ron looked as though he was seconds away from having a coronary, Hermione was pale, and Harry was still deep in thought over the black-haired Slytherin, Daphne Greengrass.
Hagrid's booming voice snapped him out of his reverie. "Firs' years over here!" Harry blinked. The trio began moving towards the carriages.
"What's going on, Ron? You look like you're about to blow a gasket," Harry asked.
"Blow a what?"
"Never mind that, what's going on?"
"Nothing, I'm just in a weird mood…" Ron looked up at the darkening sky.
"Do you remember when Hermione told you you have the emotional range of a teaspoon? It turns out you can lie about as well as one too." Harry smirked, but Ron's ears turned red at Hermione's name, and he began to walk briskly toward a carriage. There were no seats left as Ron took the last one, beside Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnegan, and Lee Jordan. Harry frowned, stopped walking, and turned to Hermione, waiting for the next carriage to roll up.
"What's going on? He wasn't like this on the train." Hermione began to study her shoes in great detail, noting the pattern of the rubber, as well as the way in which she had tied her laces this morning, and the angle at which her feet found themselves. "Your trainers aren't going to tell me. So come on. Spill."
"We… we had a little talk. You know, when I left the cabin with him." Harry nodded, not sure where this was going, but feeling like maybe he didn't want to know so much anymore. Hermione was holding in a breath, and was turning rather red because of it. Finally she breathed out, sighing. "He asked me out." Harry's eyes popped out onto the floor. Figuratively. "He said that 'we flirt all the time' and that 'I'm playing hard to get'. I told him that bickering constantly is NOT flirting, and that I've never played hard to get a day in my life!" Harry chuckled.
"More like, impossible to get, Hermione. You're up in your ivory tower like Rapunzel, but with bushy hair."
Hermione huffed. "Oh stuff it Harry. That's not the point. The point is, I had to turn him down, and he wouldn't understand. We started arguing again, it was like we were arguing about arguing, and we were just proving that we always argue!" Hermione began to rant about the redheaded boy, calling him a variety of things Harry had not expected her to know.
Harry hugged Hermione as hard as she would always hug him, and not surprisingly, Hermione found it hard to rant and breathe at the same time. "It'll be alright, just forget about him, don't let him ruin the feast, okay? And definitely don't watch him eat" Harry grinned. Hermione smiled slightly too, and they got onto the carriage that had been already been waiting for a few minutes. The actual carriage ride was quiet, Harry watched the Thestrals beating their wings. Hermione stared right through the Thestrals, not being able to see them, and watched Hogwarts get closer and closer. The Boy-Who-Lived contemplated the coming year, thinking about his heritage, and how he had never really embraced being the son of a Marauder. Then he began to feel sorry for himself as the image of Sirius falling through the Veil came back to him, and the rage and impotence he had felt, but that was in the past, and no amount of crying would bring him back. Harry had done enough crying over the summer. It was time now for "Sirius business". Harry grinned to himself. Hermione noticed, and blinked questioningly at him.
"What? I'm thinking about Sirius business!"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "You've finally cracked. I wonder what my schedule will be like. I hope I've got at least some afternoons free." Hermione began to speak at great length about her schedule, and what classes she was taking, and how they would factor into a number of different careers she could choose, and how important it is for her to-
Harry had long stopped paying attention. He had begun to concoct his own schemes regarding a certain blonde ponce, and only when the carriage touched down did Hermione realize that Harry had long zoned out, and slapped him upside the head.
"Oi, what?"
"You haven't heard a single thing I've said, have you?"
"No, Hermione, I haven't. But-" Harry grinned his own version of the shit-eating grin, "I've been thinking, and you know, we've been friends for such a long time, and I've always had this crush on you, ever since I saw you in that little blue number you had on at the Yule Ball, so I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go out with me sometime, you know, be my girlfriend, after we graduate, you could stay at home, birth my children, cook their meals, clean, you know, we could even have a clock like the Weasleys. Would you like that?"
Hermione's eyes widened, and she began to sputter like an old car and punch him in the shoulder repeatedly. "You, you, arsehole! I'm already stressed out enough as it is!" She jumped out of the carriage, and began to walk, almost jog forward toward the castle.
"Hermione!" She turned around briefly. "Nice bum, where ya from?" She whipped her head back toward the school and flipped him the bird. Harry chuckled to himself, and hopped out of the carriage himself. He began to walk at a leisurely pace, but still relatively fast. He didn't want to miss the food, after all. He soon had caught up to a pair of Slytherins (he could tell by their robes), and recognized the shapely behind of one Daphne Greengrass. He walked almost silently behind them, but a twig snapped under his foot, and he was soon being nearly poked in the eye by two wands.
"A little jumpy, are we?" The younger girl narrowed her eyes.
"What do you want, Scarhead?"
"Ooh. That bites. So you've thrown in with Malfoy, I gather?"
Daphne frowned and lowered her sister's arm for her. "Sorry, Potter. This is my sister, Astoria. Story, put that away. No, she most certainly has NOT thrown in with Malfoy," she nearly spat, looking disgusted. "I just recently had to defend myself from Malfoy, so she's on edge. Don't mind her," she said to him, a pleading look in her eyes that Harry interpreted correctly, he hoped.
"Oh? What did he do?"
"Nothing major, but he won't be trying it again."
"NOTHING MAJOR! HE-"
"STORY! Shut! Up!"
"Sorry sis," the younger girl said quietly. Harry's eyebrows shot to the sky as he processed what was going on. Clearly, Daphne had fed her sister a cock-and-bull story about what had happened on the train, and Harry did not feature in that version. He resolved to ask her about it later. As they reached the doors, Daphne sent Astoria ahead, saying that she had to speak to Potter about something or other. The younger girl looked puzzled and maybe a touch indignant, but she walked in without another word. The two teens stood in silence for a moment, looking at the door where she had just disappeared.
"So… I gather she doesn't know what really happened?"
Daphne clicked her tongue, and turned to face the bespectacled boy. "No, she doesn't. I told her a tale about how I disarmed Malfoy and sent him away with his tail between his gangly legs. I'm sorry, but it's just not something I want broadcast throughout the school, and my sister has a really big mouth."
"No, it's not a big deal, it's nobody's business except yours anyway. And mine," Harry's face darkened. "It's high time I started… embracing my heritage." Daphne looked about to ask a question, but they had already walked into the Entrance Hall, and were nearing the Great Hall. "I'll explain another time. See you later, Miss Greengrass" Harry walked away with a cheeky smile, slipping through the door to the Great Hall before he could get a look at the expression on the girl's face. She stared at his retreating figure, and couldn't help but wonder at the interesting dynamic this young man had with her.
Harry sat down at his table, in his usual seat, across from Hermione, but it was not Ron who sat beside him, rather it was Ginny who plopped down beside him. Hermione looked up from her plate and her eyes widened for a second before she focused intently on her food once again. Harry began to chew some potato as Ginny fiddled with her cutlery.
"How are you feeling, Harry?" she spoke as brightly as she could. Harry blinked, and sighed inwardly, dreading a conversation with a girl he had come to realize had a crush on him that he in no way returned.
"I'm… doing alright. How about yourself? Heard anything from Fred and George?" Ginny looked flustered at having the topic steered off track.
"They got a ton of money to start up their shop, but they won't tell anyone who gave it to them. They said it was a secret investor. Anyway!" Ginny shifted gears rather awkwardly. "I'm doing great, I'm excited for Hogsmeade, did you know the first weekend is scheduled for next week?" Ginny asked with a dazzling smile. Harry blinked, not liking the gear she had shifted to.
"Yeah? I didn't know. That's good, I'm running low on quills and some other stuff." He tried to put 'er in reverse.
"Oh yeah, me too! We can do our shopping together!" It didn't work.
"Er… sure, yeah, I guess we'll see each other around in the shops." Harry tried to let her down easy, but she wasn't willing to go down. Well. She probably WAS willing to go down. But- Harry choked on his potato. Merlin, he had to go and think about that with food in his mouth!
"Great!" Ginny said ecstatically, and dug into her own food enthusiastically. Hermione caught his eyes, and shook her head. Harry sighed and rolled his eyes before quickly returning to his food. A few seats down, Ron was talking loudly to the other boys while stealing occasional glances at Hermione. Harry decided to ignore him for now. They'd have a talk later in the Tower. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Malfoy and his two Dudley Dursley clones Crabbe and Goyle get up and walk out of the hall. He figured now was as good as time as any to begin his "Sirius business". He stood up himself, and walked down the length of the table, unaware that a certain greasy-haired Potions master was following him with his gaze. As soon as Harry had closed the door, the three Slytherin Stooges jumped out at him, their wands levelled at his head. Harry, however, already had his wand in his hand, and a Shield Charm was up before any of the others had a chance to think up a clever hex.
"Incendio" Malfoy cast, and fire shot out of his wand, licking at Harry's shield, which held as though nothing was happening.
"Impressive, Malfoy. With skills like this, you'll be Voldemort's right hand man in no time!" Harry chuckled darkly. "Just remember what I said before. I wasn't kidding." The doors flew open, and the entire student population of Hogwarts saw a rather weak fire assaulting Harry Potter's shield, before both spells disappeared and Harry shot his own jet of flame, an impressive blue colour as opposed to Malfoy's light orange. All three Stooges shielded against it, but neither Crabbe nor Goyle's shields could stop the flame, and the edges of their robes caught on fire. Severus Snape stood in the doorway, looking angry.
"Dueling in the halls, Potter? I see you could not wait until even the second day to begin besmirching this school's reputation. I would take off points, but," Snape sneered, "your house has none. Detention in the Potions lab, tonight at 8 pm. If you are late, it'll be the rest of the week." He swept past an angry Harry. Malfoy smirked and went the same way as Snape with his mindless followers.
"Soon, Malfoy… We'll finish that" Harry whispered under his breath. He turned to see most of Hogwarts still looking at him. Frowning, he left and headed toward Gryffindor Tower.
Ron sat on his bed, staring at the floor, replaying the conversation he had had with his bushy-haired friend. "I just don't see you that way, Ronald," she had said. "We're not meant to be together, we argue constantly!" He had always thought that she argued with him like a little girl would hit you to let you know she liked you. He huffed angrily, and began to unpack his trunk. It was then that Harry walked into the circular room, still plotting ways to take Malfoy down a notch or seven. He noticed Ron looking at him, and thought that perhaps a talk was long overdue.
"Hey mate."
"What?"
"I just wanted to ask you, what happened with you and Hermione on the train?" Ron's ears turned their customary red, and his eyes narrowed.
"I don't see how it's any of your business, Potter!"
"Don't be a prat Ron, she's my best friend too! And since when am I 'Potter' to you? Who are you, Malfoy?"
"It's none of your concern," Ron made a face and left the room. Harry sighed, and sat down on his bed, taking his trunk out of his pocket and returning it to its original size before kicking off his shoes and lying down on his bed. He blinked, and next thing he knew, it was dark in the room. Harry shot out of bed, drew his wand, and quickly cast "Tempus" finding that it was five minutes to 8. He quickly put on his shoes and shoved the Marauder's Map into his pocket before sprinting off to the dungeons.
He arrived on time, but out of breath. Snape waved him in with a sneer.
"Ah, Potter. You're on time. Too bad. You can start labelling all the ingredients in the jars on that shelf" Snape said, indicating to a shelf loaded with what had to be at least 40 unmarked jars. Harry groaned inwardly. "And if you find that your pathetic knowledge of potions ingredients cannot help you identify the contents of a jar, there is a guide on the stool. No, you may not sit down." Snape returned to his work, and Harry began opening jars and peering inside. He smiled evilly, and began writing on the empty labels.
A/N: Another chapter banged out. R&R, if you think the story should go a certain way, let me know, and I'll think about it haha.