Chapter 6
A/N: Welcome to chapter six. Slow-going, I know. This is much more of a building chapter. Next chapter should speed-up. Enjoy.
"You don't seem happy," Dawn commented as she sat in a chair in the Slytherin Common Room reading a book on the Baslisk. Draco had invited her in because she told how interested she was in magical creatures.
"I had a run in with your best friend, Potter, today. It always puts a damper on my moods."
"He's not my best friend! I don't even like him!"
"I'm just teasing. He seems to like you quite a bit."
"When was this run in?"
He shrugged. "A couple hours. Right before I had to go to tutor that Bradley fellow."
She nodded. "And whatever did you to talk about?"
"You."
"Me?"
He nodded. "Apparently Potter thinks my intentions towards you are, shall we say, less than honorable."
"And what, pray tell, does he think you will do to me?"
He shrugged. "Something about Voldemort wanting to use you, and me helping him. It was one of his long rants, that's when I usually stop listening."
Dawn looked skeptical. "You? Working for Voldemort?" Dawn erupted into giggles.
"What's so funny?"
"You couldn't be evil, it's just, not you."
"You have no idea."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing. Do you like the book?" he changed the topic quickly but Dawn let him get away with it and got caught up in a discussion about why a basilisk could never be found in a populated area.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hi, Harry," said a trainee from Ravenclaw that he had never met before.
"Er, hi," he replied. He had been standing underneath a tree outside when he was approached.
"So, do you have plans for this weekend?"
Harry didn't have the slightest clue what he was doing that weekend, but he was fairly certain he didn't want to spend it with her. "Yeah. I've got loads of stuff to do, I don't know if I'll even have the time to sneeze."
She giggled even though she seemed very put out. "Oh, that's too bad. If you get any free time, let me know, maybe we can go on a date or something."
He smiled flirtatiously. "I'll do that." So maybe, he shouldn't be leading her on, but flirting is just so fun. She walked away.
Harry turned still smiling but jumped when he saw someone leaning up against the tree.
"Hey, Beautiful," he greeted but she ignored it.
"So," Dawn said, "You've got four or five dates this weekend and are going to check your calendar for next weekend to see if you can squeeze Kelsey in."
"Kelsey. So that's her name!" As soon as he said that he knew it was a mistake.
Dawn shot him a disgusted look. "I can't believe you." she said and walked off. Harry followed her.
"I didn't say I'd go out with her." he defended not foreseeing that it would backfire.
"So, you let her think that you would just for fun, is that it? Not to mention your weekend being packed with other dates."
"I don't have anything planned this weekend."
"Lying too, well that-"
"And eaves dropping on your list." he interrupted. She had the conscious to blush. "Besides, I was keeping it open in case you wanted to do something together, like a date."
"With you?" she asked looking skeptically at him.
"Well, yeah."
"Well, no," she replied. He paused, not saying anything. "What's the matter, Potter? First time you've ever been turned down by a girl?"
"No, actually, just the first time I didn't expect it."
She nodded. "If you plan on continuing to ask me out, you should get used to it."
"I'll do that. So, why won't you go out with me?" he asked grinning.
"Do you want it polite or straight up?"
Now, Harry had no clue what 'straight up' meant, but he was curious to find out. "Straight up."
"I don't like you. Further more, I sincerely doubt you'll like me for long. You're fickle. You're a jerk. You're self-centered. You're judgmental. And you're obnoxious. Is that enough reasons for you?"
Harry paused before he spoke, still staring at her with a dazed expression on his face. "You are by far, the most enchanting woman I have ever met. I would be very much honored with a kiss."
"I'll bet you would," Dawn said before walking into the castle, and leaving him staring behind her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
What is wrong with you? Dawn thought to herself as she entered her dorm room.
When Harry had asked her out, the first thing she thought of was to say no, but after she said no, she started to wonder if that was the right thing to say. Of course it is, thought the logical part of her brain.
However the emotional part decided to think which is never good. But he's so hot!
He is not.
Is too. Tell me you haven't daydreamed about what it would be like to kiss him...
I most certainly have not.
Well, I have, and I'm half of your brain.
"Would you shut up?" Dawn said out loud causing the argument going on in her head to cease. She was going to be in a bad mood for the rest of the day.
Her eyes settled on a letter she had gotten last night but was to tired to read. Dawn excitedly ripped open the letter she had that just came in from Cleveland.
Hey, Dawnie,
How's the training going? We all really miss you here. Xander just got an award at his job, Employee of the Year or something. He's all excited. Andrew met a girl. She's a total sci-fi nut, so we figured they were soul mates.
Kennedy says she misses you. Buffy has stopped moping about you being gone again and is patrolling better than ever. We just reverted an apocalypse, details when you come to visit.
Of course I miss you but you probably already knew that. Buffy wanted to ask if you've met a guy. I think she's hoping you'll say yes, because she doesn't want you to be lonely. I'm not supposed to be saying this, but there was talk about flying out to visit you. Please write back soon.
Love you, Willow
Dawn smiled and was in a good mood for the rest of the day.
That is until she ran into Harry again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hey, Beautiful." Harry was walking down the hall on his way to dinner when he saw Dawn up ahead.
Dawn turned to see who said that. She smiled and shook her head. "You've got to stop calling me that."
"Why?" Harry replied walking up to her. "It's true." She blushed. "What's the matter? You act as if no one's ever called you beautiful before."
"They haven't, not directly."
Harry shook his head. "Guys from America must be blind."
She blushed again but her mood changed quickly. "I've got to go." she said without moving.
"Why?"
"I'm meeting Hermione. I'll see you later," she mumbled and started to walk away.
"You can count on it!" he called after her, but she just kept on walking.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"He drives me crazy!" Dawn exclaimed slamming her book shut in the library.
"I'll assume your talking about Harry," Hermione commented calmly from across the table.
"Who else? One second I'm furious with him, and the next he's calling me beautiful and I'm blushing. I can't handle this."
"I thought you were going to try to avoid him?"
"It's proving to be more difficult than I thought. I just can't stand being around him, but when he is around I don't want to leave."
A little smile formed on Hermione face and she said dreamily, "I know exactly what you mean."
"I mean, when he asked me out I was-"
"He asked you out! How could I miss this? Hello?" She indicated to Dawn with her hands. "Woman with boy problems." She moved her hand and indicated to herself. "Best friend. I'm supposed to know about this!"
"It's no big deal. He asked me out, I said no, he flirted with me, I left."
Hermione said softly, "I think he does like you, you know?"
"Please!" Dawn responded outraged.
"He's always nice to you, despite how you treat him."
"He's always flirtatious to me. There's a difference."
"He likes you. Look I'm one of his best friends. You don't think I know a few things about him. He talks to you... different."
"I have to study."
Hermione thought for a moment. "Okay."
A/N: I didn't get any reviews for the last chapter, please review this time. It's depressing with no new reviews. Next chapter, we learn to trust.