CHAPTER 2

Alex sat through her class, taking perfect notes as the head of Gryffindor House, Professor McGonagall, gave her lecture. Every few minutes, when the Professor would pause, Alex's thoughts would drift to Harry.

She wasn't sure about him. From what she'd heard and read, Harry was an arrogant, self-centered brat. However, that wasn't the impression he'd given. He was handsome, and sweet.

Alex shook her head vigorously. Harry Potter, sweet?

"Ms. Grant, is there a problem?" Professor McGonagall said sternly.

"No, ma'am." Alex replied instantly.

The people who knew Harry seemed to think well of him. Ron Weasley, a red-haired boy from a poor but wonderful family, seemed to think very highly of him, as if he were one of his many brothers. Hermione Granger, who was, in Alex's opinion, the smartest witch that ever existed, had been one of Harry's best friends for years. So how could a boy have such amazing people love him as they did, if he weren't amazing himself?

Harry was after all, the boy who lived. Even when he was a baby, Harry had been a hero. When he'd grown up, he had always sacrificed himself for what he felt was right, no matter what it had cost him.

Alex owed him a date; he had after stood up for her at his own risk.

After realizing how much time she had just spent thinking about a boy, Alexia averted her thoughts immediately to her lesson.

After the class had ended, Alex slowly collected her books, decided to skip lunch, and head for the library for some studying.

Just as she entered the corridor, she heard a voice call out to her from behind. She stopped abruptly and turned around, bouncing up on her tiptoes, trying to see who had called her name.

"Alex!" The voice said again.

A fleeting second later, Harry Potter was standing in front of her.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Alex asked immediately.

"Just thought I'd walk you to wherever you where headed." Harry beamed.

"Harry, the Gryffindors just had Herbology. What on earth would posses you to run across the entire school grounds in under four minutes?" Alex asked fearlessly.

"I don't know, really. Couldn't stop thinking about you, I guess." Harry shrugged his shoulders, looking slightly flushed.

Alex stared at him, her brow furrowed. How could he think about some random girl he just met? He didn't even know her! Alexia opened her mouth to speak, but it snapped back shut as if it were a reflex. She had just spent half of her class thinking about Harry and Alex quickly realized how reasonable it all really was.

"Alex?" Harry asked worriedly.

"Sorry, I was just thinking." She blurted.

"Would you find it nosy if I asked what about?" Harry questioned.

"I was actually planning on skipping lunch and doing some extra studying, I was thinking you might want to come."

"I would love to but don't you think you should eat something?"

"Well," Alex sighed, "I really need to study a potion, I'm positive Professor Snape is going to test us on it today. Besides, I'm not really hungry. I skip lunch and dinner all the time; it's nothing new. There are more important things to me than sitting around and listening to Padma gossiping at a dinner table."

"Then sit with your friends." Harry said simply.

She took a step back from Harry mumbling, "Some of us aren't fortunate enough to have any." Alex's eyes were full with tears, and her apricot skin lost all color. She gripped the books in her arms tightly, her fingers turning red.

Alex turned away from Harry, every fiber in her being wanted to run. Run as far as she could, as fast as she could. Something, however, was holding her back. When Alexia took a step forward, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder.

The heavy books fell from her arms, and Alex turned back to face Harry. He took a step closer to her, tucking a lock of bright blonde hair behind her ear. Harry's hands massaged her shoulders gently and before either of them knew it, Alexia was sobbing helplessly in Harry's arms.

"Sorry!" Alex sobbed as ripped away from Harry's warm embrace.

"No, no, really it's alright." Harry said affectionately as he stroked her cheek.

"No, it really isn't. I don't even know you, and I'm breaking down right in front of you!" She cried miserably.

"Alexia-"

"Never call me that, it's Alex." She interrupted angrily.

"Sorry, Alex. My point is, I understand what it's like to feel alone." Harry whispered.

"How could you?" She said softly, "You don't know me and if you did you wouldn't want to."

"Alex, give me a chance to get to know you, I can promise that you won't regret it." Harry said as his thumbs instinctively pressed under her eyes and pushed away her tears.

"Part of me already does." She said shakily.

"Alex, what if I told you we could go somewhere alone to talk. You can cry your bloody eyes out and not a single soul would know but me. You just need to trust me, Alex. Can you do that?"

"I can try." Alex smiled as tears glistened in her eyes.

"That'll do." Harry smiled feebly.

He picked up her heavy books and took her bag from her arms.

"Come with me." Harry said extending his hand for Alex to take.

"Harry..."

"Trust me." He said simply.

Alex's shaky hand reached for Harry's. Harry's long fingers laced with hers and they found themselves running around the corridors of Hogwarts.

"Where are we Harry?" Alexia asked as she and Harry ran through the same corridor for the fourth time.

"Hush, give me one second." Harry whispered, "Here it is."

"Where did this door come from?" Alex asked as Harry ripped her inside the room.

It was a small room with cream-colored walls. On one side, there was a squishy, comfortable looking, off-white sofa. There was also a stereo system playing soft, comforting classical music.

"Mozart. This is wicked!" Alex declared.

"Glad you like it." Harry laughed.

On the other side of the room there was a tap labeled 'Butterbeer'.

"Something to drown out your sorrows." Harry smiled as he pointed to the tap.

"I know where this is!" Alex laughed.

"You do?" Harry asked.

"Yes, it was in Hogwarts: A History I can't believe I didn't remember the Room of Requirement off the bat." She laughed again, "I know you haven't read the Hogwarts: A History so how do you know about it?"

"Dobby." Harry said simply as he plopped himself down on the sofa.

"Who's Dobby?" Alex asked as she curled up on the sofa beside him.

"The Malfoy's old house elf. Dobby tried to help me out in my second year, and I helped him by tricking Malfoy Sr. to set him free. Now he works here and Dumbledore pays him." Harry explained.

"That's something you would do." Alex giggled.

"What is?"

"Help a house elf. It's nothing too big but it matters. They're wrong about you, Harry. And so was I." She said looking into his eyes.

"If you're looking for forgiveness," Harry said reading her perfectly, "You won't find it here. There is absolutely nothing for me to forgive. The thing is, Alex, that doesn't matter. Right now, the only thing that matters is you."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I know what it's alike to feel alone." Harry said.

"How could you? You're the famous Harry Potter." Alex said, tears welling in her eyes once more.

"Other people can't me or you happy, Lex. You've got to make yourself happy and so do I." Harry said trying to inch closer to Alex.

"What I can't understand is how someone who is so pure, honest, and sweet can feel the same as me." Alex stretched closer to Harry as she spoke, placing her hand over his beating heart and her head on his chest.

"I didn't have anyone until I was eleven, Lex. I grew up without anyone who cared about me."

"That's funny, Harry. I lost one of the few people who cared about me when I was eleven." Alexia had a melancholy expression behind her cobalt eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked immediately.

"Well, I grew up with my parents and cousin, Jude. His birthday was exactly ten days before mine. I would only answer to Alexia then, by the way." She paused, wiping a tear from her cheek, "And Jude was my best friend. His parents were killed when he was a baby. They said it was a gas leakage but when I came into the wizarding world, I found out they died in the Sirius Black and Peter Pettirgrew conflict." Alex stop talking and Harry soon realized why. Alex was weeping helplessly. Harry wrapped in arm around her and she choked back her tears, "But, when I was eleven my parents and cousin were in a car accident and Jude died. My parents spent days in the hospital. I almost lost it all, Harry. I haven't talked about this before."

"Not once?" Harry asked.

"Never." She said nuzzling her head on his should, "I feel safe with you, Harry."

"I feel like I can protect you."

"Would it comfort you to know I need protection?" She smiled.

"Yes." He said, pulling his arms more tightly around her.

After a few minutes of silence and comfort Harry spoke up, "Alex, why was Malfoy calling you 'Sunshine'?"

"He likes to make fun of my streaky blonde hair."

"If it makes up for anything, I like your hair." Harry grinned.

"Thanks."

"Lex?" Harry turned said, looking down at her face.

"Yes?"

"Tell me everything about you."

"Harry, we're going to need to go to class soon. Besides, I think I've told you enough." She said roughly as she ripped herself from Harry and headed to the door.

"Lex, no! Stop, I'm sorry!" Harry burst as he shot to the door behind her.