Disclaimer: I, still, own nothing. (Except for Rouge and the so-called plot.)

Note to readers: Once again, this chapter is late. I'm dreadfully sorry. Life doesn't seem to have as much time as it use to. I promise to get the next chapter posted really soon! Thanks again for all the reviews. I've gotten eleven so far and I love them all. Here's some personal "thank you"s:

To AF ) - I'm flattered that you think I'm a good writer, and I'm pleased you like the story as much as you do. The phrase "practice makes perfect" comes to mind (believe me, I would know, though I'm far from perfect) so just remember to never give up and keep writing.

To makie - The story's interesting? Really? I always thought the plot was rather weak... (what plot?) So for the readers like you that leave the reviews that I've grown so fond of, I'll continue writing.

To Lindsay ) - All these people are telling me this fanfic is good! I've never gotten this many compliments before! I hope you didn't wait at your computer the whole time waiting for this (that's a rather long time to wait. =P) Thanks for thinking I have talent and HARRY POTTER FANS FOREVER!!!

To =Skade= - Do you really think I would intentionally make this fic a Mary Sue? I hope not (please stop me if I do). This fic would be nothing without you; you've helped me so much. You've always been there to give me advice and you've always been my favorite writer. So I just want to say "Thanks". Pray that this story turns out!

To CloudChick – Thank you so much, Lissa, for reading my fanfic. It means a lot to me that you like it. I hope to see your fanfic up soon! See you in the message boards!

To AMB3R – THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH FOR READING MY FANFIC!!! Your story "Hermione's Crush" is great and I can't wait for the next chapter! You're oh-so-nice in your reviews. I hope the cliffhanger wasn't too bad. I promise to make it up by getting the next chapter up soon.

To Raegan – YAAY!!! You finally read my fanfic! I thought you never would... Thanks for reading! See you in the message boards!

Chapter 4: In a Clash of Green and Blue

And their eyes met in a clash of green and blue.

There was a girl standing at the entrance of Nocturn Ally.

Harry simply stared at her. Something about her, something Harry couldn't figure out, caught his eye. Maybe it was the way her expression was frighteningly emotionless, completely devoid of any sign of feeling or life. The way blood seemed to drip from her silvery hair. The way her endless, blue eyes gave him a rush of cold. The way he drowned in those eyes. He was struggling for breath, fighting the weight that dragged him down, fought not to sink, but the surface seemed so far away...

Screaming slowly surrounded him.

Screaming. That was all Harry could hear, the pleas and screams of his mother just before she died. The screams he was so familiar with from his nightmares. What did this girl have to do with his nightmares? Why did intrude upon his private terrors? Why? Harry suddenly felt a sharp pain on his scar. His scar only hurt when Voldemort was around, and the fact that his scar hurt now, of all places, scared him. He tried to look over his shoulder as if he expected Voldemort to be standing right behind him, among the patrons on this crowded street, but he couldn't break his stare on the girl.

The lights around him seemed to fade.

Everything was fading, except the screams, until there was only darkness, and her. She just stood there, staring. The cold was steadily growing worse. Harry felt numb. He felt the sensation of fainting; he was falling. He was falling into the abyss of the girl's eyes, sinking farther and farther, the light of the surface becoming farther and farther away, growing fainter and fainter... but a light tap on his shoulder brought him back to his senses.

Harry turned around sharply to see Hermione staring up at him, her eyes filled with concern. Harry just stared back, his brilliant green eyes wide with fear. After a long, awkward pause, Hermione brought herself to ask what she swore to herself that she wouldn't after the night of the Third Task, yet she could think of nothing else to say, "...Harry? Are you all right?"

Without answering, Harry turned back around to find that the girl was no longer there. Only then did he realize that the screams were gone and... everything was as it should be, as if she'd never been there at all. But why did he still feel so cold?

Harry turned back to Hermione, who was still staring up at him with extreme worry. Harry nodded.

"I'm fine, Hermione," he reassured her. "It was nothing."

Hermione blinked several times before she said, "Okay... If you're sure..." She didn't sound very convinced, but Harry ignored it. He took Hermione's arm and walked silently up toward Gringotts.

In a small shop in Nocturn Ally, Rouge chuckled to herself, a smirk – just a slight up-turn of the corners of her lips – on her pale face as she peered out of the shop's front window and into the crowd and watched two teenagers disappear among marble pillars.

"What're you so happy about?" the sneering shopkeeper asked her absentmindedly.

The dark waters of Rouge's blue eyes stirred as she started towards the door.

She lilted her answer, "I just saw the famous Harry Potter."

Note to readers: I know it should be longer, but I want to stop there. The next chapter will be up soon, so please don't come after me with torches and pitchforks!