CHAPTER SEVEN: THE MEETING

Two weeks into his First Year at Hogwarts, Harry Potter actually awoke early for once. It was strange to consider that he was a naturally late sleeper when he'd always been up at the crack of dawn to do the Dursley's bidding. Now he could actually sleep in until at least eight thirty. Any later than that and he was late for class. It was a luxury he'd never had before.

But, for the first time since arriving, he was once again up with the sun. He considered just laying there for the next two hours, but when he heard a particularly loud snore coming from Ron, he quickly and quietly dressed and went down to the Common Room.

He was surprised to see someone sitting in his favourite comfortable chair by the fireplace. Harry knew her by sight and by name, but he'd never actually spoken to the girl. Buffy Zabini. He wasn't sure what it was about her, but he'd always felt uneasy in her presence. Almost as though there was something about the girl that he should know about. But he couldn't for the life of him figure out what.

"Morning," he greeted softly.

Buffy looked up, surprised by the intrusion. She hadn't heard anyone enter, and she usually prided herself on being aware of her surroundings.

"Hey," she replied shortly.

Harry was immediately put on his guard. It wasn't the friendliest greeting he'd ever received, but it wasn't as bad as the tone that Professor Snape had used on him either.

"We've never really officially met," Harry said, taking the seat beside her.

"With good reason," Buffy replied, standing up.

Harry's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and he too stood.

"I'm sorry?"

"You should be," she shot back.

"I'm very confused," Harry admitted.

"That's not my problem," Buffy replied.

"Uh…Buffy, I really don't know what's going on here," Harry said. He didn't know why, but he didn't want this girl angry with him.

Buffy rolled her eyes and shook her head. "No…you don't."

"You don't like me, do you?" Harry asked.

"Give the boy a sickle, he got it in one," Buffy said snarkily.

"What did I ever do to you?" he asked defensively.

Buffy just glared at him, gathered her books and fled the Common Room. Harry was left standing in her wake, trying to work out just where he'd gone wrong. He was used to that sort of attitude from any of the Slytherin students, but every one of the Gryffindors had always been nice to him. Civil at the very least. But Buffy Zabini was a mystery, and Harry wanted to solve it.

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Buffy's reason for waking up earlier than the rest of her House was fairly simple. Breakfast at Hogwarts was served from six-thirty onwards, and barely anyone usually wandered down before about seven thirty. Which meant that she had an entire hour to sit and chat with her sister at the Slytherin table before anyone else came to bother them.

"How goes life with the Gryffs?" Blaise asked taking a seat beside her sister.

"I finally met Potter," Buffy replied.

Blaise's nose wrinkled. "I bet that was thrilling."

"I've never seen anyone look that confused. It was kind of funny," Buffy said.

Blaise grinned. "Well, you need all the laughs you can get I suppose. Did mum send you a letter?"

Buffy shook her head. "Nothing yet. You?"

Blaise hesitated. She couldn't lie to Buffy even if it was to save her life. She nodded and Buffy's face fell.

"From dad too?" Buffy asked.

Blaise sighed and looked at her sister apologetically. "I'm sorry Buffy."

Buffy blinked back tears. It was hard enough being separated from her sister within the school, but not hearing anything from her parents just hurt.

"Did they say anything about me?" Buffy asked, trying not to sound pathetic.

Blaise shook her head and grabbed hold of her sister's hand.

"Maybe they're just…"

"Don't make excuses for them Blaise," Buffy whispered tearfully. "Just don't…I couldn't take it."

"I'm really sorry," Blaise said.

Buffy stood up, angrily brushing at her tearful green-eyes, storming out of the Great Hall. Blaise just sighed and closed her eyes, wishing, not for the first time, that Buffy had been sorted into Slytherin. It would have made life so much easier for them all.

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Buffy ran out of the Entrance Hall, pushing open the massive double doors that guarded the entrance to Hogwarts. She felt the cool fresh air hit her face and she struggled to catch her breath as her anger and sadness hit her all at once.

A bushy-haired First Year Gryffindor girl saw the dramatic exit and raced down the rest of the marble stairs and outside, racing to catch up with someone she wanted to consider a friend.

Hermione sped after Buffy, struggling to keep up with the girl. Hermione could see Buffy stumbling every few steps, but even though she was practically sobbing, Buffy was still faster than Hermione could ever hope to be.

Buffy finally made it to the lake and fell to her knees at the edge of the water. She rested her weight on her hands, dry-heaving and trying to retch up whatever was in her stomach. She felt ill and generally dirty. It wasn't a feeling she was used to, and it was definitely one she hated.

She didn't notice someone kneel beside her, but she did notice that someone had swept her hair away from her face, and was rubbing soothing circles on her back. Buffy could feel herself calming down beneath the gentle touch, and her sobs died down until it was just tears streaming down her cheeks. Her stomach still felt queasy, but she swallowed down the nauseous feeling and closed her eyes, letting the early morning sun caress her face.

"What happened?" Hermione asked softly.

Buffy didn't have the strength to think up a good lie. "My parents hate me," she whispered miserably.

"What? No, Buffy, they don't hate you…why would you think that?" Hermione asked.

"Cos they've been writing to Blaise, but not to me," Buffy replied softly. "They won't speak to me cos I'm not in Slytherin."

Hermione knew her history of Hogwarts back to front. She knew about the feud between the houses. Before the war with Voldemort, the rivalry had never been all that pronounced, but after the uprise of the Death-Eaters, it had been the Slytherins who had joined, and the Slytherin students nowadays usually had parents who were Death-Eaters.

Being placed into Slytherin was a must for the children of the followers of the Dark Lord, but Hermione had never even considered what would happen if for some reason a child was placed in another house. Especially in Gryffindor.

"I wrote so many letters to them," Buffy continued, Hermione straining to hear what she was saying, she was speaking so softly. "Everyday, I wrote a letter…and I didn't even get one back…I don't understand Hermione, I don't…what did I do?"

Not for all the books in the world could Hermione answer the sobbing girls question. All she could do was continue to hold the small blonde girl and rock her quietly until she'd finally calmed herself down.

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It gets more interesting next chapter, I assure you.

Sam-453 = I get the nitpick, but I was under the impression that only purebloods were put into Slytherin. Or is that just a fanon thing, rather than canon? Cos I know V/mort actually is half-blood, which always confused me, cos he was killing off half-bloods and stuff. Made very little sense to me how he became all kill the muggles when he was half-and-half himself. I was under the impression that only purebloods were in Slytherin, but that could just be an assumption on my part…not sure. I kinda got that impression cos of Chamber of Secrets, when Malfoy and that were all 'hurrah for purebloods'. Dunno. Eh shrugs.

Much thanks for all the feedback, you guys rock. I'll update the other two soonish, honest. Sorry for the delays and stuff…been working on new fics (someone shoot me now…)

Oh, and someone asked about teh Scoobies and slaying and stuff...the Scoobies do come into it, but not for a few more chappies. As for the Slaying, go back to James little breakdown in front of Dumbledore in chap 2 i think it is, and read it carefully. You might pick up the very subtle hint in there about Ellie/Buffy.

Toodles.

DKG.