A/N: SUMMER!!! Infinite time to write FICCIES!!! YES!

Chapter two—Diagon Alley

The Weasleys came via floo powder the next morning. Harry's eyes were constantly downcast, and no one was smiling. This was worse than anything a normal person could imagine, but for Harry, this was all too real, all too easy to see.

"Hello, Harry Dear…" Mrs. Weasley attempted. Harry couldn't respond. "…Is Sandra coming?" She asked, quietly enough so that he knew she wasn't trying to make conversation. He nodded.

"She should be here any minute." As if on cue, Sandra chose that exact moment to walk through the door. Harry had to smirk at the Dursley's reaction to all the wizards in the living room. They were standing frightened in the corner, probably waiting to be introduced. Harry wouldn't even bother with acknowledging their presence. Sandra's eyes hadn't changed, Harry noted as he passed her on the way to the fireplace. The floo powder too him instantly to the Leaky Cauldron, no questions asked. Harry saw Hermione sitting alone at a table, staring at an untouched mug of butterbeer.

"Hermione…" Harry said gently, standing next to her. When she looked up at him her eyes seemed a bit out of focus, but they quickly cleared and she stood up to give him a fierce hug. "I'm sorry." Was all he could say. Ron was next to come through the fireplace, and he rushed over to them as soon as he saw them, kissing Hermione's temple and asking if she was all right. Harry smiled, putting his hands up and moving away. Ron gave him a quick, appreciative glance. Harry'd figured this would happen eventually. He was glad they could at least find a little comfort with each other. Sandra came out of the fireplace a moment later, looking unsure of what to do next. Harry beckoned her over.

"Guys, this is Sandra Davis, Dumbledore's granddaughter." She gave them a small wave, looking at her feet. Hermione smiled for her, which surprised them all.

"I wish we could say 'welcome to the wizarding world,' but I'm afraid right now no one's in the mood to make you feel it." She said, reaching her hand out to shake. Sandra accepted.

"Nice to see you all." Harry turned to see Sirius walk down the stairs.

"Sirius, I'm glad we've at least got some good news." Harry did not shove off the almost desperate hug he received from the man.

"I've been so worried about you, you wouldn't believe it." He squeezed Harry again before releasing him.

"I'm all right, I promise." Harry added in a little chuckle to attempt lightening the mood. Sirius looked over to Sandra.

"And this is Dumbledore's girl, am I right? What a pleasure to meet such a beautiful girl." Sandra smiled prettily, but the mood was only barely lightened. The whole group sat down for dinner, which most of them just poked at. (Harry noticed Sandra had mastered the art of moving her food around on her plate so it looked like she'd eaten without actually putting any food in her mouth.)

"The inn was short on rooms so we only have one for the four of you, that's all right, right?" Sirius informed them once the plates had been cleared. The guys looked at the girls, and visa versa, both sides looking questioningly at the others before all four let out one massive shrug. Four simultaneous "whatever"s got a laugh out of most all of them. Sirius smiled, the first to mean it all night.

"All right. Here's your key, send pig if you need me, I'll be staying out of sight. The Ministry conveniently didn't bother to inform the public of my innocence." Harry nodded, taking the key. Sandra shivered.

"God I'm freezing. Anyone happen to pack an extra jacket?" She asked, rubbing her arms. Hermione to the rescue. The girl quickly preformed a warming spell on Sandra, earning her a look of surprised bordering shock.

"Wow, I didn't really expect anyone to give a shit." Hermione smiled, second to really mean it.

"As long as you're handing out with us we might as well be friends, right?" Sandra was awestruck.

"You people amaze me." She said shaking her head with a smirk. "I would love to be your friend, Hermione." Harry's eyes glinted. He'd noticed how closed she was when they'd talked before. Harry could tell she wasn't usually surrounded by friends. It probably came from living alone for so long.

That night, Harry's bed ended up next to hers. He'd pretended to be asleep, but couldn't keep his eyes off her as she stared at the ceiling. At around midnight, when Hermione and Ron were most definitely asleep, she spoke.

"Harry." He opened his eyes, seeing as she'd figured him out.

"I'm sorry." He apologized.

"Are you really?" She asked, eyebrow raised. She hadn't looked at him yet.

"I…No." He said truthfully.

"I'm flattered, but aren't you tired?"

"Incredibly."

"Go to sleep."

"I'm not sure I can." She turned her head to look at him.

"I know exactly what you mean." She sighed. "You know how to play cards?" She asked, somewhat randomly.

"Only a little." He admitted. She sat up, pulling a deck from seemingly no where.

"Get over here then." She said and began to shuffle. Harry found his mind settling as the night wore on, though not on cards. First he'd watched Sandra's hands. They were perfectly shaped, gracefully shuffling and dealing the cards through skill borne of long practice. Then the rest of her body captivated him. She was wearing only a tan, fitting tank top and plaid boxers. Her thighs were perfect, her stomach flat, and her chest full. Harry felt a blush come on as he realized his eyes had lingered. Then her face as a whole. The dark amber orbs of her eyes, hidden by black smoky lashes. Then her lips. Peach tinted, full, and steadily, tantalizingly moving as she spoke to him. Her voice captured him lastly. It was very clear and oddly warm, despite her gruff vocabulary. She was so bittersweet. She put so much sugar on her words one almost forgot there were swear words among her sentences. He wished he could just sit and listen to her for hours, no matter what she said. He had the odd thought that he wished she would sing. And then back down to her hands.

"Hermione seems very nice." He came out of his trance to hear her say.

"She is." He didn't look away from the cards.

"Do you love her?"

"As a friend."

"Are you sure?"

"Why do you want to know?" An odd silence followed and he cursed himself for speaking. She grinned after a moment.

"I've had a friend or two before, believe it or not. Playing matchmaker is one of my other talents."

Harry smirked.

"Well Hermione's all set. I'm already infatuated with someone else, anyway." An evil glint formed in Sandra's eyes.

"Really? Me too. Mine's Justin Timberlake. You?"

"Britney Spears." Harry replied casually. The both chuckled.

"Harry, I can't thank you enough for all this. I haven't actually had a conversation with anyone for a long time." Harry looked at her eyes again. No change, tragic as ever.

"No need to thank me." He said, unable to restrain his hand as it went to gently caress her cheek. Harry got up quickly, walking back to his own bed. "We'd at least better pretend to be asleep when they wake up." Harry said, motioning to the sleeping Ron and Hermione. Sandra nodded, settling under the covers.

"Night, Harry."

"G'night, Sandra."

A/N: god, it's SO hard to write out long chapters. That was a LOT longer on paper. ^_^;;; REVIEW!!!