Ch 6: Newness

Days have passed since the little incident, Harry seemed to change. The difference was quite noticeable by many; they thought the change suited him very well.

The new Harry Potter laughed more and enjoyed being in other people's company more. He held himself differently, with much more confidence. He continued to speak to Luis about all things he was too scared to ask before. He was quite the extraordinary man once he let people see his true self.

"Hello Harry, what are u up too?" asked Lulu as she walking into the medical tent. "Oh not much, besides the fact that my shift is over in fifteen minutes," he was at his desk, filing away the reports of the injuries of the day. Lulu nodded to show she heard him, but instead of leaving or saying something else, she just sat there on the stool next to one of the beds. Harry waited for her to say something, anything really, but she just kept sitting there playing with some vials that had potions.

"Were you going to just give me some company because you were bored or were there something you would like to talk about?" Harry asked after ten minutes of silence. "No, I was hanging out with you." At her words, Harry swung around in his chair so that he faced her and crossed his arms. "Oh really?" he said quite sarcastically. She had her eyes on the floor as she said, "Yup."

Harry sighed as he looked at her, "What's the matter? And don't say it is nothing." He added as she was about to deny anything was wrong.

"Fine… But you have got to promise me you won't get angry." Her eyes were finally looking at him straight in the face. "Well I suppose it depends on what it is that you have done this time," he replied as he looked her in the eye.

She smiled a small smile that seemed to say Please don't kill me; she even had her hands up and had her shoulders shrugged. "Mind you I didn't do it on purpose, well maybe a little, but I didn't mean for it to go so far… I only meant to drop a few hints to give him an idea." Now Harry had his eyes squinted as he looked at her, his jaw was tensed up. "What in the world has she done?" he thought to himself, "It better not be what I think it is…"

"I might have accidently made you a… an appointment," she said after a moment's hesitation. She finally said a date after the silence and glare Harry gave her.

"You what?" Harry exploded out of his seat and was on his feet in front of her. He looked her in the face to see if by any chance there was a hint of trickery or deceit… There was none, just brutal honesty.

"Well you've changed so much and seem so much happier. I mean you really have shined much more lately and well, I thought that perhaps you would like some you know company. A guy friend, you know to spend time with and hold hands and that sort of thing."

As Lulu tried to explain her reasons, Harry was trying to disappear into his chair to get away from the situation to hide the blush that started to creep on his face. "Lulu, we've talked about this. Just because I'm more relaxed about my decision and open doesn't mean I want a bloody boyfriend!" He tried miserable to bury in face in his hands, "I am happy to be single. I like not having problems. I like only having to worry about my job."

"Oh come on Harry! On our breaks, we have been watching the new handlers. It's been less than a fortnight since the trading season began, and almost every day you and I go and we critic them. We talk about which one has the nicest body, or the sexiest hair, or the most beautiful eyes, or the sweetest laugh. You honestly can't say you wouldn't like a relationship, not the way you talk about the handlers sometimes."

Harry just stared at his hands as he said," I don't have the confidence… I'm not as good as you or the others when it comes to meeting new people. You know that. I have nothing to recommend me besides a scar." He sat there for a moment, and then got up to finish putting the paperwork away. Lulu did not say anything, not because she had nothing to say, but because she was surprised by his confession.

"Do you honestly believe that is the reason I started to talk to you?" His back was turned to her. There were actually tears in her eyes. "Please tell me that you don't believe it's true."

He shrugged, "Most people only see the scar first."

Lulu could not take it anymore; she was starting to get angry. She grabbed his arm and spun him around, so that they were facing each other. There were tears in his eyes too.

"I wanted to become your friend, not because of your scar, but because the moment I saw you help Edmund when no one else did when he lost his brother. I saw the compassion and how kind-hearted you truly were and still are. I honestly didn't know you were Harry Potter at the time." When she finished, she was engulfed in Harry's embrace.

"You really are a sweet girl," he said after letting her go. A big-teeth-showing-eyes-squinted smile appeared from her, "Does that mean you believe in my judgment for the date I picked for you?"

"No." Harry started to walk out of the tent when Lulu shouted, "Are you really gonna stand the guy up? After he asked me so many questions about you, and how he thought you had such beautiful green eyes and a sweet smile? You're really going to leave him waiting there for you?"

Harry glared at her as he returned to the tent, "Fine. When and where?"

Lulu just smiled as she told him.

"I knew you had too sweet of a heart to leave the poor guy waiting." He just walked away without saying another word.

"Has anyone seen Harry?" asked Edmund as he entered the same gathering of friends. "Oh, he's spending quality time with one of the new handlers," Lulu wiggled her eyebrows as she answered. "Since when did Harry get a boyfriend?" Edmund seemed so befuddled with the news, "Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for the fellow. He finally got his hands on someone, but when did this happen?" "What are you talking about? He's been seeing the same guy since last weekend." "No no Lulu, that can't be. I don't remember Harry dating anyone." Before Lulu could mess with Edmund some more, Luis explained, "He's on a blind date that Lulu set up for him." "Ah Luigi, that's no fair! You were supposed to go along with the joke," she pouted as she crossed her arms, "You don't let me have any fun."

"I wonder how it's going…" Philip said out loud as he stared at the ceiling. "Do you think he's enjoying himself?"

Everyone grew silent as they pondered Harry's scenario. "Maybe the bloke gave Harry a ride on a dragon. Or perhaps it was just a nice dinner in Muggle Madrid."

"I don't think so, that's so… simple."

"Well I don't see you giving any ideas, and honestly, Muggle food isn't all that bad. You just have to know the right places to go."

"As if you would know, all you like to eat is that broccoli salad."

"Honestly you two, you bicker like an old married couple… Do you really think he's having a good time?" Philip asked again once Lulu and Edmund calmed down.

"I bet he is, otherwise he would have returned already, no?"

"Unless the guy is clingy and won't let Harry escape." A little laugh came from them all. "Or the bloke bore him to sleep."

"Gosh, is this what you lot do on your spare time? Gossip and tell tales like little school girls?"

"Harry!" they all cried once they realized his presence. "How did it go?" "Was a nice bloke?" "What did he look like?" "Did you go to Muggle Madrid or stayed on the reserve?" "He gave you a ride on a dragon, didn't he?" "Did you go dancing?" Everyone was speaking over each other, trying to ask their individual questions and wanting Harry to answer their own first.

Harry just laughed and held his hands up in surrender. "Take it easy. How about I just tell you about the evening?"