Chapter Two: Déja Vu

Hermione glared back at her house as she walked towards the house next door. A moving van was parked out front, and a boy was supervising the movement of items from the van into the house.

"Those boxes can go in the master bedroom," the boy directed a sour-faced worker. "Put the rest of them, though, in the other bedrooms. After that, you can leave."

Hermione drew a deep breath, and then walked over and tapped the boy on the soldier.

He spun around, startled. When he saw Hermione, he laughed. "My, you startled me. You must be Hermione Granger, my neighbor. Your parents mentioned that you would be giving me a tour of the neighborhood."

Hermione sighed and nodded. "What's your name?"

"Well, my Grandfather calls me Harry-"

"Harry?" Hermione whispered, startled. "I-is there any other name you go by?"

"Actually, you can call me Evan, if you like. Evan Harrison. Unless you would prefer to call me Harry?"

Hermione shook. "No…I don't think I could call anyone Harry right now."

Evan frowned for a moment. "Ah. Your parents mentioned that you had lost a good friend of yours…I believe his name was Harry something?"

Hermione didn't answer, or show any sign that she had heard. After a moment, Evan held out his hand. Hermione backed away from it. "I don't want to be your friend! I'm going to show you around, but only because my parents are making me! And you will not talk about my friend! I don't see how it is any of your business!"

Evan laughed, and Hermione shuddered. The laugh was eerily familiar. "Touché, Ms. Granger. Just be happy that you've still got a family and other friends. The only person I've got now is my old grandfather, and frankly, he's such a doddering old fool that he doesn't really count."

Hermione didn't know how to take his words. They gave her some perspective, though. "I-I'm sorry."

Evan waved it off. "Don't worry. I've mostly gotten over it. Although…I was rather hoping to become friends with you."

Hermione forced herself to smile (and for some reason it seemed almost…easy) the first smile she had worn in a very long time. Since the last time she had seen Harry alive. "We'll see about that. Come on, if you're done, I'd like to get this tour over with as soon as physically possible."

Evan laughed and flashed her a grin. Hermione was almost stunned with a great feeling of Déja Vu. What was going on? She felt herself warming up to this boy, and she'd only just met him! Even before the death, she had never made friends that quickly.

As the two of them walked out of the neighborhood, Evan began to ask Hermione questions. "So, Hermione, what was this friend of yours like?" Hermione's face turned stony. "You don't have to answer that," Evan said hastily.

"No…I think I will. He was…hard to describe. Imagine most of the good traits a person can have-bravery, intelligence, valor-and then throw in a whole lot of mischief. If you don't cause some sort of nuclear reaction, you get a pretty great person. You know, even through all that he had to go through-and trust me, he had to go through a lot-he never lost his innate kindness. I'd call it innocence, but he'd seen to much for it to be that.

"In fact, when I think of him, sometimes a poem comes to mind. It's called 'Nothing Gold Can Stay.' Do you know it?"

Evan stared forward, not looking at Hermione, as he replied. "Yes. It's one of my favorites."

Hermione smiled sadly. "It fits perfectly with him. He was gold, and now he's gone."

The two of them walked on, silently, not noticing the tears pouring from each other's eyes.

The next couple of weeks were the best Hermione had had in a year. She was eating normally again, and she devoured Evan's large collection of books. But something was troubling her.

Every day, as they sat in Evan's makeshift study, Hermione would occasionally stop reading and look at Evan. His long, red-blonde hair, pulled back in a ponytail, and his aquamarine eyes, shining beneath half-moon spectacles, were both favorites for her.

But time after time, she would catch herself, blush, and get back to reading. She felt like she was betraying Harry, by falling in love with someone else. Not that she actually admitted it to herself.

All too soon, it was August 31st. She was to go to Diagon Alley that day and pick up supplies for school. She would meet the Weasleys there, and then leave on the Hogwarts express after spending the night in the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione went over to Evan's house early in the morning before her parents drove her to London.

Their parting was short. "I guess I'll see you next summer," Hermione said hesitantly after Evan opened the door.

"Yeah," he replied. "Have fun at school. I'll be at school too-teaching, that is."

"Teaching? Aren't you a little young for that?"

Evan smiled. "Not for the subject that I'm teaching."

"Oh, Evan!" Hermione cried out. She flung her arms around him. I don't know if I'll be able to manage the whole year without you around…"

"You're stronger than you think, Hermione. Just believe. I know that you'll make it through the year."

"But what if something happens to you?! You could get in an accident or something!" Hermione was becoming irrational, and she knew it, and it didn't help at all.

Evan smiled again. "Well, then I'll just have to begin on my next great adventure, now won't I?"

Hermione looked at Evan sharply, then turned around and walked to her parents' car. Her mind was buzzing. She was missing something…