Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I am not getting paid to write this.

Chapter 14

"I will," Star said looking at Hermione, sighing and walking up the girls dormitory.

She decided it had been some time since she wore a comfortable pair of jeans and a sweater. It was still September, but it was colder than the states by about twenty degrees. She also decided on a pair of wool socks. Star pulled on her sneakers and walked down to the common room to find Harry waiting for her by the notice board.

"Hello." he greeted her.

"Hi, your friends are trying to play match maker you know." she said as she looked at him. Star started to walk out of the common room and Harry was close behind her.

"Yeah, Ron was asking me about it earlier today. I told him it was because I thought he and Hermione would want some time to snog early in the morning, sorry about them." he was looking at her with a grin.

"Snog? Is that what you call it here?"

"Yeah, what do you call it there?"

"Well, there are a couple of phrases that we use. Kissey kissey face, that's not one of my favorite ones though. Making out is the most commonly used term though."

There seemed to be an uncomfortable silence between them.

"So, at breakfast, you were going to say something when Ron and Hermione walked in. What was it?" he asked her trying to break the ice.

"That's really not my place. Perhaps you should ask them both, later, in private."

"About that well, what I was saying before, what Ron and probably, Hermione said, do you think it would be a good idea?" he asked with hope behind his eyes. Maybe the eyes were the portal to the soul.

"No. I'm going to tell you what I told Hermione. I would be lying if I said that I didn't like you. But, I'm not your type."

"Shouldn't you let me decide what types I like and I don't?" he could see the retaliation coming and was going to fight this one. "Listen, just give me a chance. There is a Hogsmead weekend in two weeks. Go with me to Hogsmead, spend the day with me there. If you still feel like you're not my type, fine then. I won't say anything. If we get along, then give me a chance."

"Fine. One condition though." she said thinking over the situation.

"What? Anything." he said as they continued towards the Great Hall for dinner.

"If it is as cold as it is today, we drive. On the road that is. Ron and Hermione are welcome of course."

"You're not going to let me live that one down are you?" he said with a smile.

"Well, that's what you get for being a show off." she said with a light laugh. "So, Quidditch Captain. What possition do you play?" she asked as they walked into the Great Hall.

"Seeker. Do you follow the sport?" he asked as his plate filled with food.

"Yes, and no. I follow muggle sports a little closer. Football, American that is, is my favorite. I'll watch just about any sport. As long as it's not golf." she said with a goblet full of pumpkin juice.

Hermione and Ron were watching the whole time. It was making both Harry and Star uncomfortable. Star was staring up at the staff table looking up at Professor Lupin. She heard Harry and Ron talk about Quidditch practice and tryouts being held for various slots open on the team. She couldn't quite get a feeling out of the Defense teacher. Odd. She normally got those just by looking at people. Dumbledore had told her that she might not get that off all the professors. It almost felt as if he had his defenses up at all times. She seemed to get the same feeling off of Snape, but later in the Potions class, she finally got something off of him. It's not like she really wanted to feel this one. He tried to put up a good defense, but he was trying to hard and after a while it broke down.

"Hello, is anybody in there?" she heard a voice floating into her mind. She looked around to see Hermione looking at her. "Are you alright? Are you about ready to get back up to the common room?"

"Sure, let me grab a cup of coffee first." she said taking out her mug and filling it. "Ready."

Hermione and Star got up from the table and walked out of the Great Hall.

"Are you sure you're alright. You seem very quiet this evening." Hermione said looking at Star.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Just thinking, that's all." she said a little distracted.

"I take it Harry talked to you then?" Hermione said with excitement.

"Yes, we talked."

"Well? Is it official then? I don't understand why you're so apprehensive about this."

"Nothing is official. We're going into Hogsmead together, and I just don't think it's going to work between us." Star said while passing the many paintings of the castle.

"You're being stupid you know that right? How do you know it won't work if you don't try. Is it because you have to go back to the states?"

"No." she sighed "Yes. I'm American. There's like an unwritten law somewhere that say's it won't work out between us."

"You're making excuses. There not even good excuses. I would understand if you found Harry to be a prat. You like him. I know you do, and you can't make that as an excuse. I know he likes you back. There is nothing stopping you two except you. If you keep on making excuses, then all I've been taught about you Americans is true. You're being lazy. From what I've seen you are anything but. You're not being fair to Harry either." Hermione said to her as they walked through the common room and up to the girls dormitory. "It's not fair to flirt with him one minuet and then push him away the next and you know it. I think the more you get to know him, the more you will like him."

"I know it's not fair to him," Star said starting to protest but Hermione cut her off.

"I don't want to hear it." she said with an air of authority, "Either you flirt with him or you push him away, you can't have it both ways."

"Pushy aren't we." Star said with a smirk. "Look, I told Harry I would give him a chance to get to know him better. Can we leave it at that?"

"That's better. Now how do we do this potion?"

"It's really quite easy. There are only 3 ingredients. It only takes about half an hour to brew and then your ready to go. So to speak. This is how you do it." Star said grabbing the ingredients from her kit.

****

"So, Harry, did you talk to Star?" Ron said looking at the table of food.

"Yes, we're going into Hogsmead together." Harry said excitedly.

"She seems like a nice enough girl. She likes sports and she can dish it out to Malfoy. What more could you want?"

"Who're you talking about" Seamus said as he sat down next to Ron.

"Harry fancies the new girl, Star." Ron told Seamus.

"We've all noticed." Seamus said before taking a bite of tripe. "You said something about Malfoy though. What's that all about then?"

Harry explained what Malfoy had done and said about Star to Ron and Seamus.

"That git," Ron said getting up from the table. "I can't believe he asked her that. Well, that explains why she threatened him then. I mean I knew he was evil but, I never thought he would say that."

"You ready to go back to the common room? I've let my work pile up over the past week. I need to get some done before practice tomorrow."

"Yeah, let's go." Ron commented looking over at Malfoy, and walking out of the Great Hall. "I almost hope he does push her you know. It would be nice to see him put in his place." he commented to Harry.