Story Title: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Author name: Mae-Lynn Moodle

Author E-mail: CristyenElaine@hotmail.com

Category: General/ romance novel-length

Keywords: Harry Hermione Ginny Death Eaters Voldemort

Rating: PG…. Oh well, PG-13 to be safe

Spoilers: Probably all

Summary: It's my version of the fifth book. Voldemort and his Death Eaters return, new characters, Harry finds out more about his parents, we all find out what in the world is the Order of the Phoenix, and a traitor is in the midst…

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Author's note: Okay, this is fanfiction, so it doesn't have to be 100% correct, am I right? Therefore, I do not need a whole lot of e-mails telling me Lily Potter's maiden name is Evans and you can't apparate in or outside of Hogwarts. I simply overlooked it and didn't spot these mistakes until it was too late to change.

Chapter Four

"The Hogwarts Express"

The week before Harry went back to Hogwarts was hectic. Harry hardly ever saw Mr. Weasley or Percy because they were always at work.

The morning they were going back to school, Mr. Weasley, however, stayed home to help his wife get everybody ready to go off to Hogwarts.

They traveled by Floo Powder and got at King's Cross with almost 15 minutes to spare, but they went ahead and boarded the Hogwarts express anyhow. They found their usual compartment. They chugged their luggage in a corner and put Pigwidgen and Hedwig in empty seats, but since Hedwig didn't like Pig, they made sure they were as far apart as possible.

The whole summer break, Ron was going crazy because they hadn't heard from Hermione at all. Harry was worried, but he was even more worried about his Godfather, Sirius Black. Sirius hadn't written to Harry at all either, but this case was way more serious

"Harry, what is Krum did something to Hermione and she's not coming back to Hogwarts?" Ron panicked.

"Ron, for the hundredth time already: he wouldn't. Really, Krum's okay—"

"No he isn't! You forget, Harry, he's from Durmstrang!" Ron said. "Hang on," Ron said, lowering his voice, "I hear something…wait, I most definitely wanna hear this!"

And then they heard a familiar drawling voice, that sounded completely excited, "—and Snape killed him! Haha, I always knew that stupid git would end up like his parents—"

As Malfoy was talking, they heard his voice increasing louder and louder as he neared the compartment they were in.

"Harry, quick," Ron hissed, "Hide under the seats or something. I wanna hear what he says to me."

Harry grinned and hid himself under the very last seat.

"—wonder what Mudblood and Weasel is going to do without their only friend Potty Scarhead around—"

The door to their compartment opened and Draco Malfoy, surrounded by his thuggish cronies Crabbe and Goyle walked in.

Ron put on a glum face and pretended to be upset over Harry's "death".

"Aww, poor Weasel. You already had no money, no brains… but now you have no friends! Ha!" Malfoy sneered as Crabbe and Goyle guffawed stupidly alongside.

Ron's ears went red.

"Malfoy—I'm warning you!" Ron said pulling out his wand.

"Come on you guys, let's go. I really don't want Weasley to spoil the good mood I'm in," he smirked nastilly at Ron.

He turned to leave when Ron signaled to Harry. Harry sprung out from behind his seat and called out, "Hey, Malfoy!"

Malfoy jumped and turned around instantly.

"I'm back… from the dead," he said with a sudden immature inspiration.

"But—but—" Malfoy stuttered. Ron laughed hysterically, doubling on the floor.

Malfoy still couldn't find the right words, so he stormed angrily out of their compartment, followed closely by Crabbe and Goyle.

As soon as he left, Ron and Harry high-fived each other.

"Did you see the look on his face? —"

"— I know! That was soo funny! —"

They were sprawled on the floor laughing their butts off when there was a knock on their door and the Snyder twins entered.

Harry bolted up right, maintaining perfect posture, and quit his laughing immediately.

Ron, however, was still pounding his seat, gasping for air, as he laughed on.

"You need to tell me that joke. It's looks pret-ty funny," Forest said.

"It's nothing, honestly," Harry said quickly.

"Er, can we come in?" Ella asked.

"O-of course," Harry stuttered.

Was he shaking? Was he ever like this around Hermione Granger and Cho Chang and Ginny Weasley? Wait—Harry didn't like Ginny! Where'd that come from? He thought bewilderedly.

Ella and Forest sat down and Ron asked, "Where's Beatrice?"

"With Ginny and some other pathetic first years," Forest said dully.

"Ginny is not a first year," Harry said angrily, "Or is she pathetic!"

"What's the matter, Potter? Do you fancy little Miss Carrot-Top?" Forest said, sniggering.

"Hey!" Ron said, looking embarrassed, "I'm redheaded too!"

"Oops. Yeah. Right… I, er, forgot about that," Forest said laughing.

"And that was my sister you were talking about!" Ron snarled.

"Sorry. Sheesh, you big baby!" Forest said, rolling his eyes at Harry and Ron.

Just then, somebody knocked at their compartment door. George Weasley walked in the doorway. "The train's about to leave and Mum and Dad wanna say good-bye," he said.

"Alright."

And they left, hearing hearty guffaws coming from Forest's direction.

Mrs. Weasley hugged everybody, including Harry.

"Please take care, you guys! I know, it's just such a dangerous time and all," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Mum, you forget, Dumbledore's there. We'll be safe," Ron assured her.

"Bye!" Mr. and Mrs. Weasley called to them.

The scarlet Hogwarts Express started and the whistle blew. They were off.

They waved and waved until the train turned the corner, and they could see them no longer. Harry turned around to walk into none other than--

"Hermione!" Harry gasped.

"Harry, oh Harry!" she shrieked, hugging him.

Though Harry secretly enjoyed this, he really didn't want to be seen like that.

Harry, felling himself go red in the face, muttered, "Uh, Hermione? Would you please geroff me!"

"Oh yeah, um, right," Hermione said, breaking apart. Harry saw a bright silver badge gleaming on her chest.

"You made Prefect?" Harry asked, though he and Ron knew from day one that she would.

"Yep. I got the letter a couple of weeks ago with this badge. I don't know about Ron, but you probably would have made Prefect too, if you hadn't been such an adventurous hero," she said sternly.

Harry laughed, "I know, but what's the fun in life if you can't risk it?"

Hermione glared at him, but then laughed all the same.

"Ron isn't happy about you, you know," Harry warned her.

"I know. I've already seen him. He took one look at me, scoffed, and then ran off. He's refusing to speak to me and I don't know why. Do you?" she said.

"Er, yeah… kind of…" Harry said, avoiding Hermione's eyes.

"Kind of?" she said. "Please Harry, please tell me why. I won't say anything to him at all, I promise!"

"All right. He's jealous because you'd rather go to Viktor Krum's house than his," Harry said.

"Rather? Who said I rather go to Viktor's house?" Hermione said angrily, "I hate it when people put words that I didn't say in my mouth. Viktor is not my boyfriend, if that's what you guys think."

"But you went to Viktor's house!" Harry pointed out.

"That really doesn't mean anything, Harry. Last summer, I went to Ron's house and Ron most definitely is not my boyfriend."

"True," Harry said.

"Why's he so jealous any how?" Hermione asked.

"I can't tell you," Harry muttered.

"Oh please, Harry, tell me!"

"You promise not to say?" Harry asked.

"Promise."

"He-er-likes… a lot," Harry said awkwardly.

"I know that already! We're friends… or at least he should," she said laughing.

"No, Hermione," He said through gritted teeth, "He really fancies you. You think he's jealous because he's obsessed with Viktor Krum, but he's not. He's obsessed with you."

Hermione quit laughing at once.

"Are you sure? He c-can't like me—I mean, I thought—" she stuttered, looking quite embarrassed.

Harry had a deep urge to tell Hermione how much he liked her too, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He decided, instead, to change the subject because the silence was very uncomfortable.

"Let's go talk to him," Harry said.

They walked to the compartment Ron was in.

Harry slid the door open silently to see something that made him feel just as though the bottom of his stomach had dropped.

Ella Snyder was in there and Ron was kissing her.

Harry slammed the door as Hermione gasped, "Who was that awful girl?" They ran off to the compartment Hermione was staying in. He didn't think they saw them because they looked way too busy.

"Elaine Snyder," he said.

Harry felt as though he was going to be sick. He felt hurt. Ron knew Harry liked her, but he had done it anyway.

Harry needed to tell somebody how he felt, and he trusted her enough, so he told Hermione.

"—and now I'm not going to speak to him again," Harry finished.

Hermione, for some reason, also looked hurt.

"What's the matter, Hermione?" Harry asked her.

"N-nothing," she said.

"Let's just change the subject then," Harry suggested.

So then he told Hermione about his 'interesting' summer.

After Harry was finished speaking, he just stared back at her with eyes full of concern.

As he just looked at her, Harry realized that he actually liked Hermione better than he liked Ella Snyder. To Harry, Hermione was very clever, his best friend, somebody he could confide in, and, actually, way prettier than Ella was.

Then Harry realized that he wasn't jealous of Ron because he was kissing Ella, he was jealous because Ron was kissing somebody and Harry and Hermione weren't kissing at all.

Harry secretly wondered if he had enough guts to kiss her. He didn't want to though, because he was scared that if she didn't like him back, and he kissed her, she'd hate him and tell everybody.

There was a knock at their compartment door and then the door opened. The elderly lady pushing a cart full of sweets walked in and said, "Anything off of the cart, dears?"

Harry and Hermione loaded up on so many Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, that Hermione laughed and said, "Lucky my mum and dad aren't here. They'd practically flip if they saw me eating this many sweets."

Hermione's parents were both dentists.

Their compartment door slid open once again and this time Ron, and the Snyder twins all came in, eating Drooble's best Blowing Gum and Cauldron Cakes.

When Ron saw Hermione, he turned away and refused to talk or look at her in the eyes. However, when Forest saw Hermione, he did the exact opposite: he couldn't stop staring at Hermione. Harry could tell that Forest was just one more person added to the long list of people who like Hermione.

But by the look Hermione was giving Forest, she wasn't even the bit interested in him at all.

"Ron, please don't be mad at me," Hermione pleaded.

Ron crossed his arms angrily, said, "Humph!" and turned to stare out of the train window.

"We were here first. If you are just going to ignore us, then leave!" Hermione shrieked.

"Fine then. You don't need me anyhow, you've got Viktor Krum! As for you, harry, I don't need you either. You knew what she did to me, but you're still speaking to Hermione anyhow," Ron screamed angrily. "Come on, you guys," he said, speaking to Ella and Forest Snyder. Forest took one meaningful glance at Hermione before unwillingly following the others.

As soon as they left, Hermione burst into tears.

Harry didn't know what to do. He wasn't sure how, but he really wanted to make Hermione feel better.

Harry put a comforting arm around a sobbing Hermione and said, "It's okay. Don't let that him get to you."

She stopped crying and looked at Harry. Harry looked at her tear-stained face and saw her smile at him. "Thanks," she whispered softly.

Then she started crying again.

"Oh! Please don't cry Hermione! Ron'll get over it, he always does," Harry said. He hugged Hermione, trying to make her feel better, but on the contrary, she started sobbing even harder.

Harry didn't know what to do.

"No, please don't!" Harry said helplessly.

"Oh, Harry. I'm not really crying because of what Ron just told us. He always gets upset over silly things like that and crawls back, expecting us to forgive and forget," Hermione said in between sobs, "we know how he works already. I promise, it isn't it."

"Well then, what is it?" Harry asked, completely startled.

She finally stopped crying and stood up and faced Harry.

She stared him deep in the eyes and Harry felt very nervous. He just wanted to run and hide because he was so anxious, but yet he urged himself to stay for the sake of Hermione—and, well, himself of course.

She to a deep breath, swooped over him and kissed him, said, "It's you" and walked out of their compartment leaving Harry to feel very dazed indeed.