"Just Because I'm Different."
**Disclaimer: I am not in ownership of Harry Potter or anything contained within. Sadly. well I would if I could. But then I wouldn't be posting here. The point is, I don't.
Chapter 5: Hair Care
Harry awoke at 5 in the morning, startled out of a nightmare. He lay in his bed, trying to get back to sleep, but was unable to. He sat up and looked out the window, but there was already someone in front of it. He shifted his position to get a better view of them and was surprised to see that it was Neville. But of course, the noise of his shifting attracted Neville's attention.
"Wh- Who's there?" He stuttered searching wildly for the source of the sound.
"It's just me Neville." Harry said calmly.
"Oh." Neville replied, and trailed off.
Harry decided to let Neville do his own thing, there was no point in hearing what was wrong and chancing waking up the rest of the boys. He lay in bed thinking about all of the work he was going to have to do today. He could just ditch classes, but then he'd be permanently stuck with a nagging Hermione and make-up work. He sighed heavily giving up any chance of falling back asleep and rolled out of bed. He yawned a few times and rubbed his eyes. He pulled on his clothes slowly and walked out of the dormitory. He slowly walked down the stair and sat in one of the large squashy armchairs in front of the fireplace, ideal for thinking. He began thinking about the new season of Quidditch. He wondered who the new players would be. The first practice date was in about a week, and he couldn't wait.
A noise at the top of the stairs captured his attention. Neville was standing there, looking down at Harry. "Hey Neville, what's going on?"
"Oh, just thinking about that girl we met on the train, Rachel." He got a distant look on his face, and Harry could tell something was up. Or maybe he was just suspicious of this Lestrange girl because she was in Slytherin and the daughter of a very, VERY evil woman. Neville actually was the only other person who he thought might share his hatred of Bellatrix.
"Really, what about her?" "Nothing, just wondering about her background." Neville said, obviously uncomfortable.
"Odd." Harry commented quietly, thinking that there was probably more to it; but not wanting to discuss it anyway. "It's about time for breakfast isn't it? You want to head down there? I'll catch up with you." Harry said, knowing that very few people were probably down at breakfast; but hoping that Neville would get the hint and leave.
"Sure." Neville said distantly. It was then that Harry knew something was up with Neville, who was usually begging for help or tagging along, impossible to shake off.
Harry wondered what it could be, until it struck him. Neville must like this girl. No, it was too crazy. She was a Lestrange, was Neville that weird?
A few minutes later Ron came down, one shoe on, pulling on the other as he hopped down the stairs, groaning with hunger. "C'mon Harry, let's go get breakfast!" He exclaimed, walking quickly toward the portrait hole.
"What about Hermione?"
"She can find her way on her own. She probably won't want breakfast anyway; it'll take away from 'study time'. I could never understand that one." He commented rolling his eyes.
They hurried down to breakfast, and found Neville sitting alone at an almost empty Gryffindor table. There were a few younger students, but that was about it.
"Hey buddy." Ron commented sitting down next to Neville, Harry taking the seat opposite him.
"Hello." Neville said distantly, going back to picking at his toast.
"So, where's Trevor? Haven't seen too much of him lately." Ron commented, barely making sense through a full mouth.
"Oh, Gran took him away. She said I was getting to old for a pet anyways."
Ron didn't seem to notice Neville's odd behavior. Of course Ron barely noticed anything a when it was feeding time.
The Great Hall slowly filled up, Harry took notice that every time the doors opened, Neville would look up expectantly. He chuckled to himself. Eventually he stopped paying attention to Neville, and the door, and returned to his bacon, toast, and eggs.
He looked up again about ten minutes later, when his food had begun to bore him; and oddly enough Malfoy walked in at that moment. Malfoy looked like he did all day, every day, his hair completely slicked back, and his face completely flawless. "He must have gotten up earlier than Parvati and Lavender to put on that much makeup." He commented to Ron, who almost spit his corned beef hash across the room.
A few minutes later he and Ron were joined by Seamus, Dean, Lavender, Parvati, Ginny, and Hermione; who all came down in one very loud group.
"Hey guys." Seamus said, "What's our first class?"
Ron replied "Potions," almost spitting a mouthful of egg on Parvati, who jumped and cringed. Everyone laughed, well except for Parvati and Lavender.
A while later when breakfast was over they all headed down to Potions laughing and talking happily. Ginny left to go to Transfiguration after giving Dean a brief hug. Ron clenched his fists and glared. They all filed into the classroom, and sat down in partners.
"Hermione, will you please be my partner?" Neville pleaded desperately, pulling on the sleeve of her robes.
"Sure Neville." Hermione said sympathetically, walking off with him.
"Hey, Ron, Neville's been acting odd lately."
"Neville's always been odd."
"No, he's been worse than usual."
"Oh, must have something to do with that girl I caught him with last night." Ron commented chuckling.
"What?" Harry asked shocked, he'd never expected something like that from Neville.
"Yeah, I was patrolling the hallways and I caught him with that Rachel girl, you know the one from the train? Well, any ways-"
"What?" Harry said his eyes big as saucers.
"Yeah, they wouldn't admit to anything though." Ron was laughing pretty hard by now, so he didn't notice the look of shock on Harry's face.
They didn't have any more time to discuss it though, they had to begin class. As their least favorite class, it went the slowest. The only even semi-exciting thing that happened was Neville messing up his potion and spilling it down the front of Snape's robes as he critiqued it. Snape's robes immediately caught fire, which caused him to hop around crazed for a few minutes. But Neville's accidents had begun to loose their excitement the second year.
"Class you will all write me a report on the discovery of this potion and the many things that it's been used for. And Mr. Longbottom, you will also write a report on what you did wrong and exactly how you could have fixed it."
They all dejectedly filed out of the classroom, none feeling worse than Neville. He was so depressed about all of his early homework that he trudged slowly and sadly to his next class, his head aimed at the floor. Which was why he ran head on into another person; they both fell over papers, books, quills, and ink spilling everywhere.
"Sorry." Neville said, scurrying to clean everything up so he could make it to class on time.
"It's alright, it was probably my fault." Said a familiar voice from above him.
"Rachel?"
"Yeah," she said, hiding her face.
When he looked up he noticed something weird about her, but being male he couldn't put his finger on it. Then it hit him, "Whoah! What happened to your hair?"
"Subtlety's not your thing is it?" She couldn't help but laugh as she self consciously tucked a strand of her once gorgeously-red hair behind her ear.
"Why'd you change it?"
"I didn't do it."
"Then what happened?"
"Draco decided he didn't like my resemblance to a Weasley."
"It took him this long to decide?"
"No this is my original hair color; I just changed it this summer."
"Oh. well it looks, uh, nice."
"I know, I don't like it either. It makes me look more like mum."
Neville cringed, "Well, I've got to get to my next class."
"Yeah, me too," she hurried to finish picking up her books.
"Here." He told her, handing her the last one as they stood up. Both blushed due to how close their faces were.
"Well I guess I'll see you around." She smiled, looking down.
"Rachel?" Came a loud drawl from the end of the hall.
"Oh, damn." She commented quietly. "Hello Draco."
"What the heck are you doing with Longbottom here?" He asked walking up and putting an arm around her waist, and glaring at Neville. "Don't you have some potion to ruin?"
"Oh stuff it Malfoy." Commented Neville raising his fists.
"You really wanna' fight?" Draco asked crossing his arms as his cronies walked up behind him.
**Well, well, well, the kiddies can't play nicely. Or share. Well I hope you liked it, please review. Sorry it took so long. Hopefully I'll be struck by some genius soon. **
**Disclaimer: I am not in ownership of Harry Potter or anything contained within. Sadly. well I would if I could. But then I wouldn't be posting here. The point is, I don't.
Chapter 5: Hair Care
Harry awoke at 5 in the morning, startled out of a nightmare. He lay in his bed, trying to get back to sleep, but was unable to. He sat up and looked out the window, but there was already someone in front of it. He shifted his position to get a better view of them and was surprised to see that it was Neville. But of course, the noise of his shifting attracted Neville's attention.
"Wh- Who's there?" He stuttered searching wildly for the source of the sound.
"It's just me Neville." Harry said calmly.
"Oh." Neville replied, and trailed off.
Harry decided to let Neville do his own thing, there was no point in hearing what was wrong and chancing waking up the rest of the boys. He lay in bed thinking about all of the work he was going to have to do today. He could just ditch classes, but then he'd be permanently stuck with a nagging Hermione and make-up work. He sighed heavily giving up any chance of falling back asleep and rolled out of bed. He yawned a few times and rubbed his eyes. He pulled on his clothes slowly and walked out of the dormitory. He slowly walked down the stair and sat in one of the large squashy armchairs in front of the fireplace, ideal for thinking. He began thinking about the new season of Quidditch. He wondered who the new players would be. The first practice date was in about a week, and he couldn't wait.
A noise at the top of the stairs captured his attention. Neville was standing there, looking down at Harry. "Hey Neville, what's going on?"
"Oh, just thinking about that girl we met on the train, Rachel." He got a distant look on his face, and Harry could tell something was up. Or maybe he was just suspicious of this Lestrange girl because she was in Slytherin and the daughter of a very, VERY evil woman. Neville actually was the only other person who he thought might share his hatred of Bellatrix.
"Really, what about her?" "Nothing, just wondering about her background." Neville said, obviously uncomfortable.
"Odd." Harry commented quietly, thinking that there was probably more to it; but not wanting to discuss it anyway. "It's about time for breakfast isn't it? You want to head down there? I'll catch up with you." Harry said, knowing that very few people were probably down at breakfast; but hoping that Neville would get the hint and leave.
"Sure." Neville said distantly. It was then that Harry knew something was up with Neville, who was usually begging for help or tagging along, impossible to shake off.
Harry wondered what it could be, until it struck him. Neville must like this girl. No, it was too crazy. She was a Lestrange, was Neville that weird?
A few minutes later Ron came down, one shoe on, pulling on the other as he hopped down the stairs, groaning with hunger. "C'mon Harry, let's go get breakfast!" He exclaimed, walking quickly toward the portrait hole.
"What about Hermione?"
"She can find her way on her own. She probably won't want breakfast anyway; it'll take away from 'study time'. I could never understand that one." He commented rolling his eyes.
They hurried down to breakfast, and found Neville sitting alone at an almost empty Gryffindor table. There were a few younger students, but that was about it.
"Hey buddy." Ron commented sitting down next to Neville, Harry taking the seat opposite him.
"Hello." Neville said distantly, going back to picking at his toast.
"So, where's Trevor? Haven't seen too much of him lately." Ron commented, barely making sense through a full mouth.
"Oh, Gran took him away. She said I was getting to old for a pet anyways."
Ron didn't seem to notice Neville's odd behavior. Of course Ron barely noticed anything a when it was feeding time.
The Great Hall slowly filled up, Harry took notice that every time the doors opened, Neville would look up expectantly. He chuckled to himself. Eventually he stopped paying attention to Neville, and the door, and returned to his bacon, toast, and eggs.
He looked up again about ten minutes later, when his food had begun to bore him; and oddly enough Malfoy walked in at that moment. Malfoy looked like he did all day, every day, his hair completely slicked back, and his face completely flawless. "He must have gotten up earlier than Parvati and Lavender to put on that much makeup." He commented to Ron, who almost spit his corned beef hash across the room.
A few minutes later he and Ron were joined by Seamus, Dean, Lavender, Parvati, Ginny, and Hermione; who all came down in one very loud group.
"Hey guys." Seamus said, "What's our first class?"
Ron replied "Potions," almost spitting a mouthful of egg on Parvati, who jumped and cringed. Everyone laughed, well except for Parvati and Lavender.
A while later when breakfast was over they all headed down to Potions laughing and talking happily. Ginny left to go to Transfiguration after giving Dean a brief hug. Ron clenched his fists and glared. They all filed into the classroom, and sat down in partners.
"Hermione, will you please be my partner?" Neville pleaded desperately, pulling on the sleeve of her robes.
"Sure Neville." Hermione said sympathetically, walking off with him.
"Hey, Ron, Neville's been acting odd lately."
"Neville's always been odd."
"No, he's been worse than usual."
"Oh, must have something to do with that girl I caught him with last night." Ron commented chuckling.
"What?" Harry asked shocked, he'd never expected something like that from Neville.
"Yeah, I was patrolling the hallways and I caught him with that Rachel girl, you know the one from the train? Well, any ways-"
"What?" Harry said his eyes big as saucers.
"Yeah, they wouldn't admit to anything though." Ron was laughing pretty hard by now, so he didn't notice the look of shock on Harry's face.
They didn't have any more time to discuss it though, they had to begin class. As their least favorite class, it went the slowest. The only even semi-exciting thing that happened was Neville messing up his potion and spilling it down the front of Snape's robes as he critiqued it. Snape's robes immediately caught fire, which caused him to hop around crazed for a few minutes. But Neville's accidents had begun to loose their excitement the second year.
"Class you will all write me a report on the discovery of this potion and the many things that it's been used for. And Mr. Longbottom, you will also write a report on what you did wrong and exactly how you could have fixed it."
They all dejectedly filed out of the classroom, none feeling worse than Neville. He was so depressed about all of his early homework that he trudged slowly and sadly to his next class, his head aimed at the floor. Which was why he ran head on into another person; they both fell over papers, books, quills, and ink spilling everywhere.
"Sorry." Neville said, scurrying to clean everything up so he could make it to class on time.
"It's alright, it was probably my fault." Said a familiar voice from above him.
"Rachel?"
"Yeah," she said, hiding her face.
When he looked up he noticed something weird about her, but being male he couldn't put his finger on it. Then it hit him, "Whoah! What happened to your hair?"
"Subtlety's not your thing is it?" She couldn't help but laugh as she self consciously tucked a strand of her once gorgeously-red hair behind her ear.
"Why'd you change it?"
"I didn't do it."
"Then what happened?"
"Draco decided he didn't like my resemblance to a Weasley."
"It took him this long to decide?"
"No this is my original hair color; I just changed it this summer."
"Oh. well it looks, uh, nice."
"I know, I don't like it either. It makes me look more like mum."
Neville cringed, "Well, I've got to get to my next class."
"Yeah, me too," she hurried to finish picking up her books.
"Here." He told her, handing her the last one as they stood up. Both blushed due to how close their faces were.
"Well I guess I'll see you around." She smiled, looking down.
"Rachel?" Came a loud drawl from the end of the hall.
"Oh, damn." She commented quietly. "Hello Draco."
"What the heck are you doing with Longbottom here?" He asked walking up and putting an arm around her waist, and glaring at Neville. "Don't you have some potion to ruin?"
"Oh stuff it Malfoy." Commented Neville raising his fists.
"You really wanna' fight?" Draco asked crossing his arms as his cronies walked up behind him.
**Well, well, well, the kiddies can't play nicely. Or share. Well I hope you liked it, please review. Sorry it took so long. Hopefully I'll be struck by some genius soon. **