Disclaimer: Alright, time for one of these again. I do not own HP, so, blah, blah, blah!
Author's Beginning note: For once, it's not at the end. Yey! (Though, there still is one there.) Anyway, sorry for the wait. And, sorry this chapter was short. I wrote it all in a 2 hour time span, so forgive me it if it is not so grand. =P
Well, just like I said the chapter was, this note is short, too. Now, on with the thank-you's.
Thank you to:
- Fanny Chan - Weh, you're okay! *grin* Interesting plot? You think so? o_o;?
- Mistykasumi - Yanno, sometimes I actually do hit my computer? *grin* Just to so, it doesn't help very much. ^_~
- BlancheMalfoy - *Grin* Weh! ^_^; Yes, I often want to bash my Harry and Draco, too... *blink* No worries though, maybe, eventually..
- crazygirl - Thank you for the review!
- Amarantha - Yanno, I did, too? Guess that is why I'm writing this fic, know?
- Cali - Lol, yeah, nagging works.. Cheese does, too. *sweatdrop* Hey, I like cheese!! ^_~ Glad you still like this, and maybe, eventually, we will see some sort of Harry/Dray stuff. Thanks for your...erm..well... nagging!
- BleedingCorpse - Lovely name, Jess. Yes, I know how evil it was. Just deal with it. =P And, I am NOT lazy, you!! *swat* Um, and... You friggin' gave me *your* disease!!
- Tenshimagic - Rotfl, yeah, muh beta! *grins* You're great, too. But..like Cali.. You're a nagger! ^^; Well, be happy I updated.
- Darragh Tieraneux - Oh! ^_^ Thank you!!
- Gryffindor Girl - E-mail you, I shall do. Hope you're feeling better? ;-;
Special Thanks To: Melissa. Whom without her creativeness, I'd never have this chapter title. Thank you very much! *hugs*
On with the story now...
When Blaise and Harry had reached past the edge of the Malfoy Estate, Blaise turned to Harry.
"We're not going to Hogsmeade. It's too far of a walk for me." Blaise grinned at his own joke, but it faded as Harry ignored it. "Alright, you're going first. Apparate to the Leaky Cauldron. If I get there, and you're not there, it isn't going to be pretty." Blaise dug into his pocket and retrieved Harry's wand.
"Might need this," Blaise said, passing Harry the wand.
Harry took his wand and smiled sweetly at Blaise, "See you in a few." He smirked, mumbled under his breathe, and before Blaise could respond, Harry had Apparated.
"Shit!" Blaise cursed to himself.
Blaise Apparated soon after Harry. He prayed the other man had not pulled anything.
Harry appeared with a small 'pop' in the middle of the bottom floor of the Leaky Cauldron.
A small boy sitting on a nearby chair nearly fell off his chair at seeing a man appear suddenly out of nowhere. The boy gave a quiet 'eep' and jumped from his seat, making a hasty retreat to the back room.
Harry hardly seemed to notice that he had scared away the little boy.
Harry stared around the room. It had been many years since he'd set foot inside the Leaky Cauldron. In those many years, so much had changed.
He could scarcely believe he was in the same place where he had first discovered just how famous a wizard he was. It was obvious, the old owner, Tom, was no longer running the place. Due to the many drastic changes, Harry came to that conclusion.
Harry noticed a large bulletin board hanging on the wall beside the bar. He leisurely walked over and looked at the various flyers covering the board. It was then that Harry caught sight of something he'd only imagined seeing back in his last years at Hogwarts.
There was a flyer near the bottom, almost completely covered up by the others, but Harry could still make out the top part of it.
"Weasley's Wizard Wheezes," Harry said, a small smile creeping across his face.
Harry could remember giving the money he'd received after the Triwazard Tournament (back in his fourth year) to Fred and George. He hadn't known it then, but it was obvious that his prize from the tournament had actually served some purpose.
With the ghost of a smile still in place, Harry reached out and removed the flyer from the bulletin board.
He looked over the rest that had been covered up before. He glanced away from the paper and folded it up, placing it into his right robe pocket.
When Blaise appeared in the Leaky Cauldron, he found Harry sitting on a stool at the bar. No one else was present in the room, so he figured the place to be closed.
Blaise walked to Harry, but he did not speak.
Harry was hunched over with his shoulder slumped, and his back turned to Blaise.
Just by glancing at Harry, Blaise felt he should not disturb the man.
Though, he knew someone had to sooner or later.
Blaise cleared his throat.
Hermione Granger was sitting at a round, iron table outside her place of residence, the Leaky Cauldron.
She was reading the latest edition of The Daily Prophet and eating a freshly basked blueberry muffin. She was just about to take a bite from the muffin when a small, red-headed boy came flying through the back door.
"Aunt 'Mione!" The boy cried, clambering onto Hermione's lap and pointing toward the door he had just come from.
"What is it, Nicholas?" Hermione sighed, setting the boy off her lap.
"Stwanger!" Nicholas exclaimed, pointing to the door once more.
"Nicholas," Hermione said warningly, "if this is another one of your pranks.." She trailed off.
Nicholas shook his head, his red hair becoming even messier than before, and he said, "No!"
Hermione sat her paper down along with her half eaten muffin. "Stay right here." Hermione stood from her chair, picked up Nicholas, and placed him in her spot.
After Nicholas agreed to stay put, Hermione headed into the bar. She cut across the back room, which was filled with numerous empty crates, and had a staircase leading upstairs. She soundlessly opened the far door.
The door swung open without a peep, and Hermione peered out the door. She glimpsed a man, of whom the instantly realized to be Blaise Zabini, standing a few feet aside from another man sitting at the bar.
She silently eased herself into the room, just as Blaise cleared his throat.
Hermione watched, still concealed from their view, as the black haired man at the bar spun around.
She saw the man avert his eyes and turn away from Blaise. The man's eyes began to mist up.
It took Hermione a moment to absorb the shock of whom the man was.
"Harry!" She exclaimed, moving from her hiding place.
Harry looked toward where his name was called from and froze.
Hermione had also stopped in her tracks as long forgotten, emerald green eyes locked with hers.
Harry appeared stunned as he sat gazing into those familiar, brown eyes.
"Hermione," He croaked out, voice breaking, though he fought to keep it stable.
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione launched herself at Harry. Upon reaching the raven-haired men, she flung her arms about his neck, practically knocking Harry off his stool. With quick reflexes, Harry caught hold of the counter, steadying himself.
Hermione clung to him, and Harry could tell, as his shoulder was becoming rapidly damp, that Hermione was weeping.
Harry glanced at Blaise, who was looking elsewhere. Harry was grateful for that.
Harry enveloped Hermione and began to rub her back in a soothing manner as he spoke to her, "Sh, it's alright, Hermione. Please don't cry." Harry himself felt on the verge of crying, but blinked back his own tears in place of consoling Hermione.
Author's Ending Note: Okay, the chapter title, which is Spanish and means... 'A Lost Spirit's Shadowed Past' in English.
Ah, finally, chapter ten. Sooo, how many of you went and saw CoS Friday? Or today? =P I saw it Friday. Haha! *grins* It was great, still not.. All that wonderful, but defiantly better than the first. Hehe, and when Draco falls off his broom... that's just.. Priceless. *grins and giggles* I almost wanted to howl out in pain myself from the look on his face. Ah, well, I won't say anymore, for those who haven't been to see it yet... So, you all should go. It's a good movie overall.
Well, anyway, sooner or later, there might be a new chapter. *smiles sweetly* Maybe. Well, for now, cheerio to all.
PLEASE REVIEW!! ^_^;!