Chapter 7: First Day Again!

A/N: For those who haven't read my profile, I haven't been able to update because my computer broke down. We had to get something sent to us in the mail, and it finally came. I really hope you like this chapter. It's pretty long for my standard. I also wanted to let you know that as the story gets further in, the characters notice the cursor less and less. I mean that for the average thing that they always do, like eating or sleeping, they do without realizing the cursor is telling them to. They only notice it when it does something they realize as different, or something that they don't want. Enjoy!

The first thing on Harry's mind as soon as he opened his eyes was a feeling of déjà vu. He slowly stepped out of the taxi.

At once, a funny feeling came over him. He suddenly felt as if he was growing. When he looked down, he was surprised that he actually was. A burst of light momentarily blinded him, and when he could see again, he noticed that he was wearing different clothes. He had on a white hoodie with a pair of black jeans.

He was suddenly aware of Ron, Hermione, and Ginny standing on the sidewalk, each looking at themselves. Harry saw that they each had also grown and were wearing different clothing. Ron was wearing a blue blazer with khakis. Hermione had an orange swirled top with a short skirt. Ginny had a pink shirt that only covered one shoulder, and a blue plaid skirt. The three suddenly noticed him standing there. Ginny waved for him to come over. He walked over and, for the first time, looked at where they were.

A large two-story building stood in front of them. There was a definitely a different atmosphere here from the quiet, almost cold feeling of the house. There was music coming from the building, and there were more people hanging about. Harry actually heard laughter. Hermione took charge, walking through the threshold into the building, with the others following close behind. The room they walked into was like a lounge. A kitchen with an older woman behind the counter stood in the corner, with several tables in front of it. A TV sat against the wall on one wall. Four doors with cork board on them stood on the back wall.

Harry felt himself being nudged toward the doors, and he realized he was being told to claim one. He walked to the second door, and a picture of him appeared. His eyes widened as he saw that he looked subtly different. His nose was a bit longer, and is hair had a couple extra inches in length. The most noticing feature was that his eyes had turned a deeper shade of emerald. Harry sighed and leaned against the door, closing his eyes. The picture of himself aged-up was disconcerting. It reminded him suddenly of what was going on in the real world. In the midst of this imaginary place, he had momentarily forgotten about the world outside of it.

"You okay there Harry?" Harry jumped and was jerked out of his thoughts. Ginny was next to him, having claimed the room next to his.

"Yeah, I'm good." He saw that his hunger meter was down, so he walked to the kitchen area, Ginny following him to the counter. The woman behind it placed four bowls of mac and cheese on the long countertop. Ginny took one and sat across from Harry at one of the small tables. She saw Ron and Hermione take a seat a table away. He started eating, but wasn't really tasting much. He still felt a bit far away in his thoughts.

He didn't catch Ginny saying something to him until she repeated his name. "Harry? Did you hear me?"

"Huh? Oh, no, sorry Gin. Just feel a bit off, that's all."

Ginny pursed her lips as Harry went back to eating.

Five minutes later, they both stood up, and Harry immediately turned to go towards his dorm, but Ginny gently took his arm.

"Harry, hold on a minute. What's…" She stopped. Harry had just turned around, and Ginny seemed to be staring intently at him. "Your eyes…I just noticed." Slowly, she moved her fingers to his face, and lightly touched the skin near his eyes. Harry stilled, frozen as he looked into her own chocolate brown eyes. He heard her take a sharp breath in as they both stood, transfixed. Slowly, he inched forward, until he was finally close enough to captured her lips in his.

At once, Harry felt as if everything around him had dissolved. For one sweet moment, he forgot about the odd world they were in. Forgot about the real world. Forgot about how he had to do so much to save the Wizarding World. It was just Ginny and him. He subconsciously realized that whatever he had to do, wherever he had to go, he knew he had three people that would always be by his side. The knot in his stomach lessened considerably.

The kiss ended, and the world reappeared to both of them. Harry opened his eyes. Ginny's were still closed as she smiled. She leaned her head against his chest.

"Things are going to be okay, Harry." She told him quietly. Harry wrapped his arms around her small form.

"Yeah, I think you're right."

Hermione was busy checking her surroundings. There were many things that were different here. A list of wants and fears had appeared next to each of their need bars. She pointed this out to Ron.

"So…what do they mean?" Ron looked closely at the small square pictures.

"Well," Hermione placed her hand over the first picture next to is bars. "This one means that you want to gain a skill point. This one means you want to do research." Ron coughed loudly. Hermione huffed, amused. "I know you don't really. These wants are just generated according to your grades, relationships, and other random things. Anyways, this second picture…" she held her hand up to the second, "means that you want to go to class." Ron cocked his head, and Hermione frowned slightly. She turned her gaze upward, hoping to find something. "Yes! There we go." She pointed to Ron's picture in the sky. "It looks like we all have class from 3 to 5." She glanced at a clock on the wall. It was noon.

"What about the last one?" Ron stared at the last little picture. Hermione placed her hand over it.

"It means, oh!" She blushed, but went on. "It means that you want to get engaged to, uh, me." She looked away. "Like I said, these wants have been generated purely according to your grades and relationships so…" She trailed off. Ron smiled slightly.

"Makes sense to me. So what about the fears?"

"Let me see." She checked over all three fears. "Well, the first means you fear getting rejected from a flirt," she tried to keep a smile from overtaking her features. "The second means you fear me rejecting you for engagement. And the third…" She checked it, "it means that you fear…me dying." Ron pointed to her own bars.

"Yours are the same as mine, except with me instead of you. But what's…" he looked at Hermione's wants. "What that next to them?" Hermione looked closely at what Ron was talking about.

"Hmm, I'm not sure," Hermione looked closely, and saw small letters above the picture. "'Lifetime want," she whispered, reading it. "Your lifetime want is to be the best in the law enforcement career.' It looks like you want to be the best in that certain job. Can you read what mine is?"

Ron leaned down. "Yours says that you want to graduate three kids from University." Hermione was about to respond when the cursor intervened. It told Ron to choose a major. "Come with me," he said to Hermione, who stood and followed. Ron walked to a computer and sat down. Hermione sat next to him. "Er…" Ron stared blankly at the screen. "What is this?" Hermione took the mouse and clicked on the icon that said 'University Majors' A list appeared both on the screen and in the sky. They saw the cursor pick the Biology Major, so Ron took the mouse gingerly from Hermione and, after a few attempts, managed to click it on the screen. They both saw that his course changed from undecided major to Biology Major, Poking at things with Tweezers. His class was one hour later than the other three. Ron checked the clock. It was 1:00. Sure enough, a message appeared.

"Hermione, Harry, and Ginny have class in one hour" He glanced at Hermione, who stood up.

"Oh, dear, I'll be back." She walked off to where Harry and Ginny were. Ron sighed and turned in his chair. An icon on the screen caught his eye. He clicked it. A game came up, and soon, Ron was immersed in it.

Hermione saw Harry and Ginny talking quietly on a nearby couch. She quickly walked to them. "Did you two see," she pointed up at the message still in the sky. Harry groaned.

"Of course." The cursor directed them to watch TV, which they did for the next hour, until Harry glanced at his watch. "Hey, I think it's time for us to go." Hermione nearly twisted Harry's arm trying to see his watch.

"But…" she trailed off. "Where do we go?" She suddenly felt a nudge push her, Harry, and Ginny out the door.

"Good luck!" Ron called from inside. He watched as the three left out through the door, and out of sight. He stood up from his game and walked to a chair back in the kitchen. He noticed a girl staring out the window. She glanced at him and smiled. Ron froze, before awkwardly smiling back. She stood and walked to him.

"Do you know him?" She pointed out the door where Harry, Hermione, and Ginny had just left. Ron shifted in his seat, wary.

"Er yeah, I do."

She smiled at him again. "My name is Laura. What's your name?" After Ron answered, she continued right on. "Do you think you could introduce me to your friend who left?" Her smile was sweet, but the question caused him to raise an eyebrow.

He dodged the question. "Are you real then? Do you know much about this game? My friends and I aren't sure what's going on. Do you know anything about getting out?"

She looked surprised, but answered. "I'm from the real world, if that's what you mean. I do know a little about it. I don't think there are a lot of people in the real world that know about this game, yet. It's a bit of a new thing, I think." She brightened. "Maybe we can talk about it more when you and your friend get back from class, yes?" Ron sighed but nodded, knowing they needed to learn all they could. And sure enough, he felt himself being pushed out of his seat and to the door. "I'll see you later!" Laura called out. Ron walked quickly outside and down the sidewalk, until he reached the end and disappeared.