Coming of Age

Ch.3 Transfer Student

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, His Gang belong to J.K. Rowling. So don't hurt me. I'm not making any money or anything on them! I swear! I'm broke! This isn't even my computer! Please don't hunt me down and hurt me! oh The Godfather Pigeon! Mercy!.... (croak) Read on, everyone....

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Virginia Weasley sat at the end of the Gryffindor Table, staring at her filled plate. The Hogwart's train had long gone and the first years, along with the three transfer students, were sorted. By this time Ginny's appetite should have been raging or at least her appetite for looking at Harry should have been on a fiesta because he sat right in front of her. Instead her mind kept replaying the words, so softly yet so gruffly spoken, "Run, Ginny." His eyes were sparked with a ice blue flame. Ginny's dark fascination with the speaker of those words totally baffled her. A dark enchantment would have been the blame if such of one existed.

A few stolen peeks and she couldn't help but feel envy for the student that sat right in front of him. Shaking her head mentally, eyes staring at her plate intensely without really seeing it, she reinforced her love for Harry.

What's there not to love about Harry? She thought. He's kind, heroic, modest, incredibly handsome, talented... her eyes strayed to Draco's form...sexy...

Snapping her eyes back to her plate, she picked up her fork and took to stabbing the food on her plate.

Hermione heard the stabbing fork and drew a startled noise from her throat. Virginia absolutely looked mutinous.

"What's wrong Ginny?" Hermione tilted her head to the side.

Virginia looked up at Hermione, then looked down. Although Hermione has been everything to a sister to her, Virginia couldn't confide to Hermione her dark fascination with Malfoy and her confusion at her wavering love for Harry. The admittance alone about Draco and the incident would either get her sent to the Infirmary to get a check up and/or an unnecessary temper tantrum from both Ron and Harry. Shaking her head, Ginny gave Hermione a reassuring smile and got back to her plate, making the stabbing actions less violent.

Hermione looked worriedly at Ginny a little longer then turned back to her plate. She reached for the butter when her butter knife collided with Harry's. They looked at each other and Hermione laughed and was about to offer it to him to go first when he mumbled something.

"What?" Hermione didn't understand what he said the first time.

Harry looked up, and his eyes widened when they looked straight into her eyes, and then darted down.

" Uh.. I said you go ahead." Harry started pushing the corn on the cob around his plate with his fork.

Hermione, puzzled at Harry's strange behavior, looked at the top of his head for a minute. Shrugging her shoulders, she took her butter knife and cut a piece of butter.

Harry watched Hermione butter her cob, even mechanical strokes with the butter knife, economical movements that wasted no energy. He watched her hands. The same hands that had been fussing him on the train ride and giving him a lecture about fighting.

She treated him like a little brother.

If there was anything he didn't like about the situation was that. Here he was, falling even more for his best friend and she treated him like some sexless thing. At the train, she had taken out her hankie, licked it, and started to wipe away some spots of the blood on his face. With his adrenaline rushing, he had been this close to pining her up against the cabin wall and kissed her. Strong currents had been pulling him to that this whole day. Stronger were these currents than the ripples that were Cho's last year.

Harry watched as Hermione picked up the cob and took a bite from it. Harry's blood pooled to his groin area. Her lips pulled away, butter making them glisten in the soft light of the magically powered chandeliers. Her tongue darted out to pick up a kernel on her lips. Harry gripped his fork and began to count the long seconds with the grandfather clock.

~

On the Slytherin Table, Draco stared into space, keeing half an ear open at the conversation to know enough when to put in a 'Yeah' or 'Oh really?' or a grunt when it sufficed. However, his eyes kept drifting to the Gryffindor table, spotting the owner of the red tresses looking down at her food, more stabbing than eating.

Draco surprised at himself that he found himself GREATLY attracted to the Weasely girl. He tried to remember how she had looked like last year. The mousy, nappy headed petite girl of last year had nothing on the small, confident Ginny he knows. He faintly remembered throwing a few insults her way but not getting any satisfactory response, fear or anger otherwise. He did remember that she followed Potter alot. Draco frowned at that. He watched more intently at the two. Potter was sitting in front of her but she wasn't even looking at him. No playing with the eyes or the flirty conversations that indicated such romantic inclinations. Nodding a bit, Draco concluded that their was no funny business between the two and applauded Ginny's taste. Settling in even further in his seat, he continued to watch her. He watched her continue to stab her food. Draco frowned. She's needs to eat more, she's so small.

She stopped stabbing her food. As if hearing his thought, she looked up and looked directly into his eyes.

Draco could have sworn he saw sparks. Electric currents went through him. He ran his tongue on his sensitized teeth. The small hairs on the back of his neck stood up and his fingers felt tingly, begging to be buried into Ginny's hair. His eyes narrowed and he grinned.

Ginny's eyes widened and her lips parted. She had taken a deep breath and Draco's eyes watched her lifted chest. He looked up at her face again and he saw fury, having caught his action. Her eyes narrowed and then looked down at her plate, continuing the stabbing. A bit more viciously this time.

Draco chuckled. Something about annoying Ginny was almost as fun as kissing her. Maybe its the way she gets all passionate....

A nudge on his right side (Crabbe) distracted Draco from his thoughts. Having already lost track of the conversation, he asked what the comment/question was.

"I asked you what you think about that new transferred Slytherin over there," Crabbe said, a little above a whisper. His nod led Draco to look in front of him where the subject was seated. It was a girl and not the average Slytherin female at all. She didn't have the air of 'trash' around her that some of the girls in the house like to carry or the strong feminist, 'castrate all men' feel around her either so she was a mystery.

Waist length black hair, deep as night that could rival Harry's. Black winged eyebrows framed her gold-hazel cat eyes. Her high cheekbones and dainty nose and chin gave her a foreign look. Had Draco not been enamored with, although he won't admit it, Ginny, he would have been hard-pressed not to lay the charm on her and make her president to his unofficial fan club.

She was carefully studying her plate when her eyes shot dangerous gold sparks at Crabbe.

"This 'transfer' has a name. I would appreciate if you would use it." The figure spoke. Although softly, the menacing intent was loud and clear, and everyone at the Slytherin table quieted.

Crabbe got up and was ready to do some major intimidating. Draco held up his hand nonchalantly, and his minion sat back down, grumbling

Draco studied her a moment. The girl didn't flinch but looked straight at him. Grinning, Draco addressed her friendly-like.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't really paying attention to the sorting. May I ask what your name is then?" Draco watched her reaction. Nothing. Nothing passed her features. Briefly or other wise. A true slytherin, Draco thought, but instincts yelled that she was wary. As if making a major decision, she shook her head and got up, hand outstretched.

"Hello, My name is Minako Yui. Mina for short."

Draco got up and held the hand firmly, as if this was a business deal.

"Draco Malfoy."

Draco felt kindness and warmth pass through their hands. He sensed as though he could somehow confide in her. Mentally shaking his head, he knew that no one could possibly his confidantes. He wouldn't curse someone with what ugly things he knew. That would be almost as bad as the Unforgivables.

~

Mina sat back down. She was tired. She had been watching and studying and waiting. Then doing it again backwards: waiting, studying, watching. The shadows held most of her attention however. She new that the safest place she could possibly be was here, her research told her so and yet she could not put her guard down. Somewhere out there, he was looking for her. Waiting for her to make one mistake, one unguarded moment and she would be owed, taken. Just like that. An annoying voice intruded her thoughts.

"Excuse me? I didn't quiet get that." Mina looked at a girl; so much more voluptuous than she that had the most evil violet eyes she had encountered. Mina didn't flinch.

"I asked, Where. Are. You. From." The Violet-eyed girl said this slowly, trying to imply that Mina was slow. Mina watched as Violet Eyes darted to Malfoy's form as if for approval. All she got was a bored expression. Mina inwardly sighed in understanding and exasperation. So Ms. Violet liked Draco... and she thought... hahaha. Inwardly smiling, she brought a fake expression of relief on her face.

"Oh! Well see, I'm from Hong Kong! I attended the school of Magical Arts." Mina hoped that was the end of the interrogation, keeping the ever disgusting hopeful-look-of-acceptance on her face.

Violet eyes narrowed, and she spoke slowly.

"I've never heard of any school of Magical arts in Hong Kong....."

Mina inwardly cringed.

"Well It was started my first year 4 years ago but they didn't have enough students attending and so they closed it down. It was either go back into the muggle world and go to school or fly here." Mina added the sunny-smile to her 'hopeful' look.

With her 'open-book' act, everyone lost interest in her. The mysterious aura everyone said she had faded and she became part of the background with the label 'New Girl'. However she felt one pair of eyes on her. She looked straight across from the table and she caught Draco's eyes and she could have sworn he was laughing, as if he knew she had only told part of the truth.

Mina nodded to him and paid more attention to her food. She had a feeling that some one that perceptive would make a good friend. The hand shake they shared was weird because the word 'FRIEND' flashed in her mind. Mentally shaking herself, she ate mechanically. Not because she was hungry, she hardly ever was, but because she knew that she always had to be physically and mentally ready.

~

Virginia noticed the handshake between the transfer student, Minako Yui, and Draco. What was that all about??? She was fuming. Her ears were getting warm and her fork stilled, being gripped by her hand. The urge to throw it at Draco's head was great and it took her will and the phrase 'I'm the good one; He's the evil one' to sustain her with just a glare. It was just a little above five minutes ago when he was looking at her and smiling then he goes and flirts with the new girl.

Virginia studied her more. Mysterious was the first word that came to her mind. Minako was small and a little on the pale side. Her hair was long and silky. Ginny's eyes narrowed. Her arms and legs were proportioned to her body and she ate gracefully. Sad jealousy streaked through her heart. Shaking herself, Ginny sat straighter. What am I thinking?? That Minako can have him! I don't care! Harry is so for me. Today is supposed to be the day remember? He is supposed to fall in love. I just know he did! How can he not love me? I'm so devoted!

She snuck a peek at Harry right in front of her. See? He isn't eating either. Look at him push around his food! Just like I was! Virginia flicked her head a little, making her long red hair fall on her back. Virginia held a determined look in her eyes for a brief moment. She thought about the whole year already starting and smiled. Contemplating on her plan of action, she patted her side bag that held all her Teen Magazines of Summer and Fall. Some major cramming tonite was on the agenda.

~

A/N: ha...look Ch. 3... do you like Mina? Well I do! lol. Ch. 4 is already in the making. I lied when I said that plot-like action will come after this. Actually it will be after Ch.4. Sorrie! Um oh yeah this is all happening in one day. Ch.1-4 will be happening in one day so if there was any confusion, I know it was my fault! Very sorry! hmm what else did I forget anything? Oh yes... Ron... yeah... Fourth chapter... probably coming out... tonite ... LOL I'm on a roll!