CHAPTER 4

"Harry! Are you in here?" Ron shouted as he and Hermione barged in.

"Oh my goodness, we didn't mean to, er- interrupt!" Hermione burst when she noticed a blonde girl whose lips were plastered to Harry's.

Alex ripped herself away from Harry's kiss and his embrace altogether. She pulled herself to the other end of the couch and stared at the wall, her cheeks the deepest shade of red that Harry had ever seen.

Harry stood, "Yes, I'm in here, can I help you?"

"We were just worried about you, mate." Ron said, his ears pink.

"We hadn't seen you outside of class all day," Hermione added, "Ron and I were just a bit worried about you but now we see that you're just fine. So, we'll be leaving."

Hermione took Ron's arm in attempt to drag him out of the room but his feet wouldn't budge.

"Just a minute," Ron said, pulling Hermione back, "Bloody hell, Harry doesn't suck face with random girls, Hermione. He's got to really like her. We're his best mates! I think we have the right to meet her."

"Ron now doesn't seem to be a good time." Hermione said trying to rip him from where he stood.

Alex stood up, and walked to Harry's side. She crossed her arms and cowered back slightly.

"Alex Grant." She said, extending her hand to Ron.

"Ron Weasley." Ron said, shaking her hand cautiously.

"Hermione Granger." She said, as Alex extended her hand to Hermione.

Alex was nervous, Harry could tell by the sound of her voice. He took her hand into his, rubbing her fingers with his thumb, hoping to be some sort of comfort.

"So." Harry said after a few seconds of awkward silence.

"We're actually heading down to dinner, if you guys are hungry." Ron offered.

"How do you expect Alex to get away from the Ravenclaw table?" Harry asked.

"Easy." Hermione said pulling off her gold and maroon tie from her neck and tying it to Alex's.

Alex didn't talk much at dinner. She picked at some food but mostly she just drank pumpkin juice.

"What subjects do you like?" Ron asked as a feeble attempt to start a conversation.

"I like Charms and Potions. It's what I'm good at." She said.

"Potions?"

"Yes, it's one of my favorite classes." Alex said as she took a bite of chicken.

"You actually like spending hours stuck in a dungeon with Snape?!" Ron roared.

"He is a good instructor. I never said I actually liked him or enjoy his company. He has always been supportive of me."

"Snape, supportive?" Ron spat.

"Yes, Ron. He's encouraging me to make potions for the patients at St. Mungo's and become a healer." Alex said simply, "What subjects do you care for Ron?"

"Quidditch." Ron said shortly.

"Quidditch isn't a subject." Alex said, confused.

"I've been trying to tell him that for years," Hermione interjected, "I prefer Transfiguration or Astronomy."

"Is anyone going to bother to ask me?" Harry said, feeling very ignored.

"Why? We all know what you like." Ron said exasperated.

"Oh, really, what is it then?" Harry dared.

"Defense Against The Dark Arts." Hermione, Ron, and Alexia said in unison.

"Point taken."

For the next forty-five minutes, Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Alexia made meager attempts to start conversations but none of them lasted for more than a minute or two.

After a particularly uncomfortable silence, Alex rose from her seat.

"I should get going," She said, "I have a lot of studying to do tonight. I think I should turn in early, too."

Alex pulled Hermione's tie from her neck and handed it back.

"I'll walk you." Harry offered, "Besides, we're going back to our common room."

"We are?" Ron asked. Harry crushed his foot under the table, "We are!" Ron corrected his tone.

"I'll be fine." Alex assured Harry with a kiss on the cheek, "It was nice to meet you two."

Alex walked away as quickly as she could until she reached the corridor. She silently wandered around the halls, taking the long way up to her dormitory.

"That went terribly." She heard Ron say.

Alex slammed herself against the wall after peering around the corner to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione standing in front of a painting of a fat lady.

"She hated us." Hermione said.

"No, she didn't, she was just nervous. She's really shy and reserved, she didn't know how to act around you guys." Harry said protectively.

"She seemed pretty outgoing when we walked in on you!" Ron said angrily.

"Don't judge her! You don't know her!"

"Do you know her Harry?" Hermione asked softly.

"Yes." Harry said sternly.

"When did you meet her?" Hermione asked.

"This morning." Harry said simply.

"You think that you could truly know someone after knowing them for a few hours? Were you comfortable sticking your tongue down her throat without knowing her!? I've known you for years, Harry! This isn't like you!" Ron shouted.

"You're just jealous!" Harry roared, "Just because you don't have the courage to ask Hermione out doesn't mean that I'm too cowardly to ask a girl out!"

"Ron?" Hermione gasped, staring at Harry and Ron.

"Don't play it off like you don't know what I'm talking about!" Harry bellowed. "You've fancied Hermione for years! Just because I didn't waste time crushing on Alex doesn't mean I don't genuinely like her!"

Ron's fist collided with Harry's jaw. Shocked by the impact, Harry fell to the floor.

Alex winced and held back all urge to run to Harry and hold him.

"Find yourselves a new friend." Harry said as he turned to leave.

"You're leaving us for her?" Hermione's voice was drowning in insult.

"She's never punched me and she's never said a bad word about either of you. I refuse to hurt her."

"Harry, don't be stupid! How do you know that this girl doesn't want you because of your name?" Ron asked.

"That girl has a name, a beautiful name. And how do I know that you're not my friend because I'm the famous Harry Potter?"

"Because I stuck around." Ron said.

"I can't hurt her. I won't leave her." Harry barked.

"We never told you that you had to!" Hermione said.

"Not directly."

"Harry, please, what do you know about her?" Hermione asked.

"I know things about her that no other person does and as no one will ever hear from me. I won't betray the trust she has in me, she needs me and I need her too."

"Alex doesn't like us."

"She does, I'm sure of it. She's just a real loner and doesn't like to talk to people she doesn't know. Just give her time to get used to you."

"I'd bet anything she doesn't act that way around her friends. Who are her friends anyway?" Hermione asked.

"She doesn't really have any besides Gandalf, her cat and she's kinda friends with Mandy but other than that, she's got no one. She's really reserved." Harry said.

"Oh." Hermione said.

"We'll give her another chance but if she's all stuck up like she was tonight, you can go ahead and run away with her. Besides, the way she was talking about Snape made me want to vomit." Ron said.

"She's amazing, I promise."

"We'll take your word on it." Hermione laughed.

Alex heard the portrait hole swing open, and heard Hermione call out to Ron.

"Wait a minute, Ron!" She had shouted.

Alex peeked around the corner to see that Harry was gone.

"What is it 'Mione?" Ron said shakily.

"Was what Harry saying true? About you liking me?" Hermione asked as she stepped closer to him.

"Yes." Said Ron shakily.

"Good." Hermione smiled as she went on her tiptoes and kissed Ron's cheek before entering the common room. Ron soon followed.

So that's what they thought about her. Alex dragged herself back to her dorm, crying to sleep.