Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything in relation to J.K. Rowling's books!
A/N: Thank you everyone for your reviews and pls don't hesitate to tell me if I write something that's not true. I sometimes forget certain events, and I don't mind to be told so. And also don't hesitate to give me suggestions! All in all, pls r/r!
Chapter 9: On the Train Home
Harry looked past Tonks and Lupin and out into the crowded entrance of King's Cross through the heavy tented window and couldn't help but feel a little bit more enthusiastic to get out of the Ministry vehicles and onto the train that would take him back to Hogwarts. Tonks opened the door and stepped out onto the pavement and stepped back to allow room for Lupin to follow suit. Mad-eye then opened his own door and closed it shortly behind him as Harry prepared to slide out at his end. He then changed direction and stepped out the end that Lupin and Tonks exited, then snatching Hedwig's cage out of the back seat. Mrs. Weasley finished talking to the driver as the trunk of the car clicked open and Harry soon relieved it of his trunk. Tonks took Hedwig and Harry heaved his trunk while Lupin walked ahead to get a trolley. The second Ministry car pulled up and Hermione, Ron, and Ginny filed out of it and they too gathered trolleys to relieve them of their trunks' weight. Hermione's wickerwork basket hissed and spat atop her trunk on the trolley.
"It's all right, Crookshanks... I'll let you out on the train," she seemed to have to comfort Crookshanks like this every year since she got him. They all gathered at the entrance and they all risked a glance at Harry, who knew that they wanted to know if he had any guess on why he had to be escorted into King's Cross. He avoided their gaze, he didn't want to discuss it while Tonks, Lupin, Mrs. Weasley and Mad-eye were present.
"This way, you lot," Mad-eye led them through the lobby and onto the platforms. Tonks and Lupin gave Harry apologizing stares and he gave them weak grins to reassure them that he wasn't mad at them. Nobody dared to mentioned that Lupin, Tonks, and Mad-eye were there and nobody asked why. They gathered around platforms nine and ten, and Mad-eye and Lupin searched for wondering eyes.
"Okay, Ron, you first," said Mrs. Weasley. Ron gripped his trolley firmly and ran straight for the space between nine and ten and disappeared into it as if he were a part of it. Ginny was next and then Hermione and Harry was left with Lupin, Tonks, Mad-eye and Mrs. Weasley.
"C'mon Harry, I'll follow..." Tonks patted him on the shoulder and he too ran for the wall separating the platforms and reemerged in front of a scarlet red train that shot ash and smoke from it's engine as a whistle blew. Tonks came in not too long after Harry backed away from the wall and she smiled at him and stepped aside. Soon, Mad-eye Lupin and Mrs. Weasley all emerged from the wall and were now heading toward the train. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny had already loaded their trunks and things into a compartment in the train and Ron was sticking his head out and peering over the crowd of people and spotted Harry.
"Hurry up, Harry!" he bellowed over the engine that roared throughout the platform. He mentally agreed and hurried on through the curtain of people and was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.
"Harry, if anything suspicious happens," he trailed off and glanced at Ron's head that had withdrew itself back into the compartment hastily, "inform Dumbledore right away. He'll know what to do. Don't you take things into your own hands." he squeezed Harry's shoulder more tightly and Harry knew he wanted to know he understood. He nodded weakly but didn't know why he would want to tell him this. He wasn't a child anymore, and he was one of the people who stood up for him during one of the Order meetings last year, saying that he had the right to know some of the information. Why were they acting like he couldn't defend himself?
"Hurry up, hurry up! Harry, dear let's go." Mrs. Weasley hurried him briskly over to one of the train's sliding doors and gestured him in. "Now, Harry, be careful, you hear?" she hugged him and he waved at Tonks who shouted over the engine, "Be careful, Harry! 'Bye!" after she handed him Hedwig. Lupin waved along with Tonks's desperate attempt to get Harry to wave back, waving her arm widely. With both arms full, he nodded and smiled at them as he headed down the aisle toward the compartment occupied by Ron, Ginny and Hermione. Ron slid open a compartment door that he was in that was three compartments away from Harry, and peered out. He saw Harry struggling with his trunk and took it from him.
"What kept you?" he said over his shoulder to Harry.
"They wanted to talk to me." Harry said in a monotone.
"About what?"
"I-er- I'll tell you in a minute..." he noticed Parvati staring at him as he past her compartment and she turned to her sister, Padma and whispered incoherently. They must've read the Daily Prophet... he thought as they entered their compartment and Harry and Ron hoisted Harry's trunk into the luggage rack.
"Harry, what took you?" Hermione asked as soon as he sat down.
"Lupin," he frowned as he stared at the blurring faces outside his window as they became mobile.
"Lupin? What did he want?" she asked more earnestly.
"He just told me to-erm- be careful..." he suddenly felt awkward and had the urge to not tell them anything.
"Careful, but why? Do you think they were talking about what happened at Flourish and Blotts?" Ron asked, but nobody answered. Until now, Harry hadn't thought about that, and his stomach clinched. Were the Order members actually worried because he had fainted in Diagon Alley? He'd done it before, so why were they all loosing grip about it? Has it something to do with the fact that he laughed? He hadn't thought that maybe it was the way he acted when he fainted that worried them. Hermione had said that it didn't sound like him when he did, but he couldn't make heads or tails about it for he was unconscious and that scared him the most. He wasn't conscious when he laughed...
"What?" Hermione pulled him from his thoughts, he hadn't noticed that he was staring at Hermione, for he did it a lot lately...
"Nothing," he turned and looked out the window.
"Where's Ginny?" Ron asked Hermione.
"She's somewhere with Dean Thomas..."
"WHAT?" Ron gave a wan look at her and she frowned at him. "Is she alone-er- with him?"
"I dunno, it's not my business..." she looked at Harry as if asking for help.
"She's a big girl, Ron, I'm sure she'll be fine." Harry introverted and Hermione smiled.
"Wish she'd just go out with you," Ron looked at Harry, "then I could keep a better eye on her." he grinned at him and added, "And I know you're too slow on the intake and won't do anything that's-er-that I wouldn't approve of..." he joked.
"Harry's not slow, he's just polite." Hermione looked up from the purring Crookshanks in her lap.
"How do you know?" Ron asked mouth open slightly.
"I don't," she lowered her voice, "I just heard that he's polite around girls." she cast a nervous glance at Harry, "That's what Cho said..." she then got quiet and pulled out a book to read. Harry didn't know if this was an attempt to make him reconsider his relationship with Cho or not, but it wasn't working. He didn't plan nor desire getting back with Cho again, he didn't really fancy her anymore.
The trolley woman with the sweets came clattering with her trolley about twelve and they all got the regular of a variety of everything off the cart: Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Licorice Wands, Cauldron Cakes, and Pumpkin Pastries. Hermione looked at them disapprovingly and returned to her book. Harry was suspecting Malfoy and his goons to turn up anytime soon, more than likely to throw snide remarks about what the Daily Prophet had said about him and thrusting it under his nose.
They were passing a area of mountains and Harry suspected they'd be there in a hour's time, for it was getting slightly dull outside in light. The compartment door slide open and Neville walked in rather hastily.
"Hullo, Harry... Ron... Hermione..." he looked at Harry worriedly and was clutching what looked like the Daily Prophet. "Harry, did you read the Daily Prophet?" he waved the paper in front of his face.
"No, may I see that?" Neville nodded and gave it to Harry who scanned the paper and fingered through it till he reached about the center. There at the very bottom, was a article not three inches thick and a picture of him on the ground of Flourish and Blotts laughing menacingly. He read aloud:
Harry Potter's Breakdown!
At our local Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley, Harry Potter
and his girlfriend, Hermione Granger, were both causing hysterics as
Potter lay on the ground in another "scar incident."
"I have no doubt that this is another attempt at popularity,"
comments a customer who witnessed the incident, "He was laughing
when people found him... He thought it was funny."
Indeed, there have been many witnesses who claim that
Potter found this incident to be hilarious and we must ask ourselves
weather he might crack under all this popularity.
Harry looked up from the paper and toggled glances from Hermione to Neville to Ron who were all giving him looks of fear as though he may attack. Harry hadn't noticed that the Daily Prophet was now shaking in his fists from suppressed anger and he threw it on the floor and proceeded to stare out the window. Nobody said a word as he huffed loudly on the window, making the glass fog up, and Hermione threw Neville a exasperated scoff as though to say it was his fault. Neville hung his head, picked up the Daily Prophet and was about to leave, but the door slid open before he got to it.
Malfoy and his cronies, Crabb and Goyle, were no doubt standing there and eyeing everyone with his icy glare.
"Oh, I see Potter has already read his article... quite funny, don't you agree?" he sneered at the paper Neville had clutched in his hand and Crabb and Goyle laughed stupidly behind him.
"Ignore him," Hermione whispered in the corner of her mouth as Harry's harsh breathing on the window increased and his anger festered.
"And I see that they said that you, Mudblood, are his girlfriend? Potter, you are low, but you can do better." they all gave a howl of laughter and Harry wasn't going to retaliate until Hermione sprang up from in front of him and was crimson from either embarrassment or anger.
"And? What about it? I see you couldn't do any better than Pansy..." Malfoy stopped his laughing and narrowed his eyes violently. Ron was pulling at her robes to sit down, but she didn't falter and Neville had chosen a seat beside Ron and glaring surprisingly at him with loathing. Malfoy glared at all of them and stalked up to Hermione and seeing as nobody was fending for her towered above her and shadowed her form.
"How dare you, a Mudblood talk to me as if I'm lower than the likes of you..." there was a short intake of breath from Hermione and, before anyone could flinch, Malfoy slapped her across the face and attempted to spit at her. Harry's anger reached a high pitch and hadn't noticed that he had gotten up before he sprang to his feet, squared his knuckles, and connected it to his law, which sent Malfoy staggering. Crabb and Goyle attempted to lunge at Harry and succeeded in punching him in the jaw as well once, before Ron and Neville pushed them out of their compartment. Malfoy, who's lip bubbled with blood, eyed Harry and Hermione and sneered at Neville, who had his wand in his hand. Though Harry's jaw hurt slightly from the punch he had received, he still could manage to talk.
"Get out..." he said dangerously and he wiped the blood that was trailing his jaw angrily and narrowed his eyes at Malfoy, "now!" he growled and Malfoy snorted and high-tailed out, followed shortly by Crabb and Goyle, who were waiting in the hall. As soon as they had left, Harry fingered his jaw line and wiped the blood off in frustration.
"I'm sorry, it's just-oh, Harry, I'm so sorry!" Hermione whimpered her eyes abrimed with tears. "It was my fault this happened, I shouldn't have been bold like that...it was stupid and selfish of me." she caressed her cheek that had reddened.
"Don't mind me, how are you? You all right?" she nodded weakly and turned to Ron and Neville.
"Thanks for trying to help, I'm sorry." they shook their heads and smiled at her.
"It's fine," Neville grinned.
"No big deal," Ron nodded.
"Well, are you all right as well?" she asked and they nodded again. She suddenly got a look of horror on her face and shot a look at Ron then giving Harry a furtive glance. Ron looked at her confusion and then seemed to understand as he too gave Harry a look of horror.
"What?" he finally asked.
"Oh, Harry, were sorry, we meant to do this sooner, but-" Ron was searching his trunk for something and then pulled out a wrapped box and cut Hermione off.
"-Happy Birthday!" Ron grinned and handed it to Harry. Hermione was rummaging through her trunk and also pulled out a box that neatly wrapped. Harry had almost forgotten about his own birthday and plastered a wide smile on his face at his two friends. Hagrid had sent him his birthday cake and letter on time and had wondered why the hadn't.
"We know it took longer, but we wanted it to be a surprise... Hagrid didn't get the notice." Hermione added as he opened Ron's and let a breath escape from him. It was a new silver-rimed watch, but it had some extra buttons on it he couldn't identify and a black leather strap.
"Press that one..." Ron leaned over and pressed a button and Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, and himself floated above the glass of the watch like a hologram and words appeared on the top of their heads, reading "on the train to Hogwarts," spare Fred and George, which said, "Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes."
"You can change the people you want on there, just say so. I thought that maybe a wizard watch was what you needed, something that could ward off water. You should thank Fred and George, really, they helped pay for it." Harry guessed that the reason he had left him at Diagon Alley was to go by this for him.
"Thanks, Ron." he took off his old watch and replaced it with the new one.
"The strap is made from a Hungarian Horntail dragon hide, but I wonder how, they say it's the most dangerous out of all the dragon breeds." He then, picked up Hermione's gift and she blushed slightly and sat down across from him. He lifted t he lid and found a black cloak that looked way to big for him and lifted it out of the box. He had to stand up and raised his arms above his head to keep the cloak from touching the ground, but even then, it still dragged. Doubting that it would fit, he put it on anyway so as not to be rude and as he did it seemed to shrink.
"It's a cloak that customizes it's size to fit the person who is wearing it and blocks most unfriendly spells and jinxes." she said in a matter-of-factly tone. "Mind you, I'm not sure if it works against Unforgivable Curses, but it's worth a try." Harry grinned at her and she blushed even more. She may have thought that this gift wasn't important, but to him, he couldn't tell her how thankful he was for it.
"Thank you, Hermione." he smiled at her and she blushed furiously.
They cleared everything away and by this time, the train was slowing into a halt and they hurriedly took turn in changing as Ginny walked in, Neville walking out, and was getting her robes out as well.
"And where have you been?" Ron bellowed at her as she attempted to rush him and Harry out as to get dressed.
"None of your business," she smiled and slid the compartment door shut harshly behind her they could hear muffled giggled from her and Hermione. Ron shook his head at the door and they waited till Ginny was finished before they walked back in as the train came to a full stop. They got their trunks ready for departure and Harry grabbed Hedwig and Hermione tried to keep a struggling Crookshanks in her arms and Ron holding a twittering Pig in his cage. They made their way through the jostling crowd as they searched for a unoccupied carriage that were pulled by thestrals. Harry shivered slightly at the sight of these horses that looked as though they were dead and devilish.
"Firs' years over here! Hermione, Ron, Harry..." Hagrid got a glimpse of them and they waved at him shortly, for they weren't having much luck on finding a unoccupied carriage.
"Hullo, Hagrid... We'll talk to you later!" Harry shouted as they finally discovered a carriage that was empty. Hagrid then turned and headed toward the docks with the timid looking first years.
I don't own this name, you can find it in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, it's a comic relief written by J.K.Rowling. So she owns it not me...
A/N: I hope you like, the next chapter will be more interesting I hope... I'm trying to come up with as much ideas as I can, often finding myself using every bit of my alone time writing and editing current ideas and scenes. I'm planning my next story already and it's defiantly going to be shorter than this one. It's going to be one of those that don't really have a story behind it, just a small little story for Harry and Hermione romance... But, for all those reviewer who like long stories, I am also planning writing another one that's a sequel and will be set in their seventh year, and yes, it will be a romance between Harry and Hermione. After those, who knows? I may just be creative and write one that takes place in far future or near future after they leave Hogwarts. But, I'm defiantly open for ideas, so if anyone has a spare idea, it is surely appreciated! But, anyway, r/r!
A/N: Thank you everyone for your reviews and pls don't hesitate to tell me if I write something that's not true. I sometimes forget certain events, and I don't mind to be told so. And also don't hesitate to give me suggestions! All in all, pls r/r!
Chapter 9: On the Train Home
Harry looked past Tonks and Lupin and out into the crowded entrance of King's Cross through the heavy tented window and couldn't help but feel a little bit more enthusiastic to get out of the Ministry vehicles and onto the train that would take him back to Hogwarts. Tonks opened the door and stepped out onto the pavement and stepped back to allow room for Lupin to follow suit. Mad-eye then opened his own door and closed it shortly behind him as Harry prepared to slide out at his end. He then changed direction and stepped out the end that Lupin and Tonks exited, then snatching Hedwig's cage out of the back seat. Mrs. Weasley finished talking to the driver as the trunk of the car clicked open and Harry soon relieved it of his trunk. Tonks took Hedwig and Harry heaved his trunk while Lupin walked ahead to get a trolley. The second Ministry car pulled up and Hermione, Ron, and Ginny filed out of it and they too gathered trolleys to relieve them of their trunks' weight. Hermione's wickerwork basket hissed and spat atop her trunk on the trolley.
"It's all right, Crookshanks... I'll let you out on the train," she seemed to have to comfort Crookshanks like this every year since she got him. They all gathered at the entrance and they all risked a glance at Harry, who knew that they wanted to know if he had any guess on why he had to be escorted into King's Cross. He avoided their gaze, he didn't want to discuss it while Tonks, Lupin, Mrs. Weasley and Mad-eye were present.
"This way, you lot," Mad-eye led them through the lobby and onto the platforms. Tonks and Lupin gave Harry apologizing stares and he gave them weak grins to reassure them that he wasn't mad at them. Nobody dared to mentioned that Lupin, Tonks, and Mad-eye were there and nobody asked why. They gathered around platforms nine and ten, and Mad-eye and Lupin searched for wondering eyes.
"Okay, Ron, you first," said Mrs. Weasley. Ron gripped his trolley firmly and ran straight for the space between nine and ten and disappeared into it as if he were a part of it. Ginny was next and then Hermione and Harry was left with Lupin, Tonks, Mad-eye and Mrs. Weasley.
"C'mon Harry, I'll follow..." Tonks patted him on the shoulder and he too ran for the wall separating the platforms and reemerged in front of a scarlet red train that shot ash and smoke from it's engine as a whistle blew. Tonks came in not too long after Harry backed away from the wall and she smiled at him and stepped aside. Soon, Mad-eye Lupin and Mrs. Weasley all emerged from the wall and were now heading toward the train. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny had already loaded their trunks and things into a compartment in the train and Ron was sticking his head out and peering over the crowd of people and spotted Harry.
"Hurry up, Harry!" he bellowed over the engine that roared throughout the platform. He mentally agreed and hurried on through the curtain of people and was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.
"Harry, if anything suspicious happens," he trailed off and glanced at Ron's head that had withdrew itself back into the compartment hastily, "inform Dumbledore right away. He'll know what to do. Don't you take things into your own hands." he squeezed Harry's shoulder more tightly and Harry knew he wanted to know he understood. He nodded weakly but didn't know why he would want to tell him this. He wasn't a child anymore, and he was one of the people who stood up for him during one of the Order meetings last year, saying that he had the right to know some of the information. Why were they acting like he couldn't defend himself?
"Hurry up, hurry up! Harry, dear let's go." Mrs. Weasley hurried him briskly over to one of the train's sliding doors and gestured him in. "Now, Harry, be careful, you hear?" she hugged him and he waved at Tonks who shouted over the engine, "Be careful, Harry! 'Bye!" after she handed him Hedwig. Lupin waved along with Tonks's desperate attempt to get Harry to wave back, waving her arm widely. With both arms full, he nodded and smiled at them as he headed down the aisle toward the compartment occupied by Ron, Ginny and Hermione. Ron slid open a compartment door that he was in that was three compartments away from Harry, and peered out. He saw Harry struggling with his trunk and took it from him.
"What kept you?" he said over his shoulder to Harry.
"They wanted to talk to me." Harry said in a monotone.
"About what?"
"I-er- I'll tell you in a minute..." he noticed Parvati staring at him as he past her compartment and she turned to her sister, Padma and whispered incoherently. They must've read the Daily Prophet... he thought as they entered their compartment and Harry and Ron hoisted Harry's trunk into the luggage rack.
"Harry, what took you?" Hermione asked as soon as he sat down.
"Lupin," he frowned as he stared at the blurring faces outside his window as they became mobile.
"Lupin? What did he want?" she asked more earnestly.
"He just told me to-erm- be careful..." he suddenly felt awkward and had the urge to not tell them anything.
"Careful, but why? Do you think they were talking about what happened at Flourish and Blotts?" Ron asked, but nobody answered. Until now, Harry hadn't thought about that, and his stomach clinched. Were the Order members actually worried because he had fainted in Diagon Alley? He'd done it before, so why were they all loosing grip about it? Has it something to do with the fact that he laughed? He hadn't thought that maybe it was the way he acted when he fainted that worried them. Hermione had said that it didn't sound like him when he did, but he couldn't make heads or tails about it for he was unconscious and that scared him the most. He wasn't conscious when he laughed...
"What?" Hermione pulled him from his thoughts, he hadn't noticed that he was staring at Hermione, for he did it a lot lately...
"Nothing," he turned and looked out the window.
"Where's Ginny?" Ron asked Hermione.
"She's somewhere with Dean Thomas..."
"WHAT?" Ron gave a wan look at her and she frowned at him. "Is she alone-er- with him?"
"I dunno, it's not my business..." she looked at Harry as if asking for help.
"She's a big girl, Ron, I'm sure she'll be fine." Harry introverted and Hermione smiled.
"Wish she'd just go out with you," Ron looked at Harry, "then I could keep a better eye on her." he grinned at him and added, "And I know you're too slow on the intake and won't do anything that's-er-that I wouldn't approve of..." he joked.
"Harry's not slow, he's just polite." Hermione looked up from the purring Crookshanks in her lap.
"How do you know?" Ron asked mouth open slightly.
"I don't," she lowered her voice, "I just heard that he's polite around girls." she cast a nervous glance at Harry, "That's what Cho said..." she then got quiet and pulled out a book to read. Harry didn't know if this was an attempt to make him reconsider his relationship with Cho or not, but it wasn't working. He didn't plan nor desire getting back with Cho again, he didn't really fancy her anymore.
The trolley woman with the sweets came clattering with her trolley about twelve and they all got the regular of a variety of everything off the cart: Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Licorice Wands, Cauldron Cakes, and Pumpkin Pastries. Hermione looked at them disapprovingly and returned to her book. Harry was suspecting Malfoy and his goons to turn up anytime soon, more than likely to throw snide remarks about what the Daily Prophet had said about him and thrusting it under his nose.
They were passing a area of mountains and Harry suspected they'd be there in a hour's time, for it was getting slightly dull outside in light. The compartment door slide open and Neville walked in rather hastily.
"Hullo, Harry... Ron... Hermione..." he looked at Harry worriedly and was clutching what looked like the Daily Prophet. "Harry, did you read the Daily Prophet?" he waved the paper in front of his face.
"No, may I see that?" Neville nodded and gave it to Harry who scanned the paper and fingered through it till he reached about the center. There at the very bottom, was a article not three inches thick and a picture of him on the ground of Flourish and Blotts laughing menacingly. He read aloud:
Harry Potter's Breakdown!
At our local Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley, Harry Potter
and his girlfriend, Hermione Granger, were both causing hysterics as
Potter lay on the ground in another "scar incident."
"I have no doubt that this is another attempt at popularity,"
comments a customer who witnessed the incident, "He was laughing
when people found him... He thought it was funny."
Indeed, there have been many witnesses who claim that
Potter found this incident to be hilarious and we must ask ourselves
weather he might crack under all this popularity.
Harry looked up from the paper and toggled glances from Hermione to Neville to Ron who were all giving him looks of fear as though he may attack. Harry hadn't noticed that the Daily Prophet was now shaking in his fists from suppressed anger and he threw it on the floor and proceeded to stare out the window. Nobody said a word as he huffed loudly on the window, making the glass fog up, and Hermione threw Neville a exasperated scoff as though to say it was his fault. Neville hung his head, picked up the Daily Prophet and was about to leave, but the door slid open before he got to it.
Malfoy and his cronies, Crabb and Goyle, were no doubt standing there and eyeing everyone with his icy glare.
"Oh, I see Potter has already read his article... quite funny, don't you agree?" he sneered at the paper Neville had clutched in his hand and Crabb and Goyle laughed stupidly behind him.
"Ignore him," Hermione whispered in the corner of her mouth as Harry's harsh breathing on the window increased and his anger festered.
"And I see that they said that you, Mudblood, are his girlfriend? Potter, you are low, but you can do better." they all gave a howl of laughter and Harry wasn't going to retaliate until Hermione sprang up from in front of him and was crimson from either embarrassment or anger.
"And? What about it? I see you couldn't do any better than Pansy..." Malfoy stopped his laughing and narrowed his eyes violently. Ron was pulling at her robes to sit down, but she didn't falter and Neville had chosen a seat beside Ron and glaring surprisingly at him with loathing. Malfoy glared at all of them and stalked up to Hermione and seeing as nobody was fending for her towered above her and shadowed her form.
"How dare you, a Mudblood talk to me as if I'm lower than the likes of you..." there was a short intake of breath from Hermione and, before anyone could flinch, Malfoy slapped her across the face and attempted to spit at her. Harry's anger reached a high pitch and hadn't noticed that he had gotten up before he sprang to his feet, squared his knuckles, and connected it to his law, which sent Malfoy staggering. Crabb and Goyle attempted to lunge at Harry and succeeded in punching him in the jaw as well once, before Ron and Neville pushed them out of their compartment. Malfoy, who's lip bubbled with blood, eyed Harry and Hermione and sneered at Neville, who had his wand in his hand. Though Harry's jaw hurt slightly from the punch he had received, he still could manage to talk.
"Get out..." he said dangerously and he wiped the blood that was trailing his jaw angrily and narrowed his eyes at Malfoy, "now!" he growled and Malfoy snorted and high-tailed out, followed shortly by Crabb and Goyle, who were waiting in the hall. As soon as they had left, Harry fingered his jaw line and wiped the blood off in frustration.
"I'm sorry, it's just-oh, Harry, I'm so sorry!" Hermione whimpered her eyes abrimed with tears. "It was my fault this happened, I shouldn't have been bold like that...it was stupid and selfish of me." she caressed her cheek that had reddened.
"Don't mind me, how are you? You all right?" she nodded weakly and turned to Ron and Neville.
"Thanks for trying to help, I'm sorry." they shook their heads and smiled at her.
"It's fine," Neville grinned.
"No big deal," Ron nodded.
"Well, are you all right as well?" she asked and they nodded again. She suddenly got a look of horror on her face and shot a look at Ron then giving Harry a furtive glance. Ron looked at her confusion and then seemed to understand as he too gave Harry a look of horror.
"What?" he finally asked.
"Oh, Harry, were sorry, we meant to do this sooner, but-" Ron was searching his trunk for something and then pulled out a wrapped box and cut Hermione off.
"-Happy Birthday!" Ron grinned and handed it to Harry. Hermione was rummaging through her trunk and also pulled out a box that neatly wrapped. Harry had almost forgotten about his own birthday and plastered a wide smile on his face at his two friends. Hagrid had sent him his birthday cake and letter on time and had wondered why the hadn't.
"We know it took longer, but we wanted it to be a surprise... Hagrid didn't get the notice." Hermione added as he opened Ron's and let a breath escape from him. It was a new silver-rimed watch, but it had some extra buttons on it he couldn't identify and a black leather strap.
"Press that one..." Ron leaned over and pressed a button and Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, and himself floated above the glass of the watch like a hologram and words appeared on the top of their heads, reading "on the train to Hogwarts," spare Fred and George, which said, "Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes."
"You can change the people you want on there, just say so. I thought that maybe a wizard watch was what you needed, something that could ward off water. You should thank Fred and George, really, they helped pay for it." Harry guessed that the reason he had left him at Diagon Alley was to go by this for him.
"Thanks, Ron." he took off his old watch and replaced it with the new one.
"The strap is made from a Hungarian Horntail dragon hide, but I wonder how, they say it's the most dangerous out of all the dragon breeds." He then, picked up Hermione's gift and she blushed slightly and sat down across from him. He lifted t he lid and found a black cloak that looked way to big for him and lifted it out of the box. He had to stand up and raised his arms above his head to keep the cloak from touching the ground, but even then, it still dragged. Doubting that it would fit, he put it on anyway so as not to be rude and as he did it seemed to shrink.
"It's a cloak that customizes it's size to fit the person who is wearing it and blocks most unfriendly spells and jinxes." she said in a matter-of-factly tone. "Mind you, I'm not sure if it works against Unforgivable Curses, but it's worth a try." Harry grinned at her and she blushed even more. She may have thought that this gift wasn't important, but to him, he couldn't tell her how thankful he was for it.
"Thank you, Hermione." he smiled at her and she blushed furiously.
They cleared everything away and by this time, the train was slowing into a halt and they hurriedly took turn in changing as Ginny walked in, Neville walking out, and was getting her robes out as well.
"And where have you been?" Ron bellowed at her as she attempted to rush him and Harry out as to get dressed.
"None of your business," she smiled and slid the compartment door shut harshly behind her they could hear muffled giggled from her and Hermione. Ron shook his head at the door and they waited till Ginny was finished before they walked back in as the train came to a full stop. They got their trunks ready for departure and Harry grabbed Hedwig and Hermione tried to keep a struggling Crookshanks in her arms and Ron holding a twittering Pig in his cage. They made their way through the jostling crowd as they searched for a unoccupied carriage that were pulled by thestrals. Harry shivered slightly at the sight of these horses that looked as though they were dead and devilish.
"Firs' years over here! Hermione, Ron, Harry..." Hagrid got a glimpse of them and they waved at him shortly, for they weren't having much luck on finding a unoccupied carriage.
"Hullo, Hagrid... We'll talk to you later!" Harry shouted as they finally discovered a carriage that was empty. Hagrid then turned and headed toward the docks with the timid looking first years.
I don't own this name, you can find it in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, it's a comic relief written by J.K.Rowling. So she owns it not me...
A/N: I hope you like, the next chapter will be more interesting I hope... I'm trying to come up with as much ideas as I can, often finding myself using every bit of my alone time writing and editing current ideas and scenes. I'm planning my next story already and it's defiantly going to be shorter than this one. It's going to be one of those that don't really have a story behind it, just a small little story for Harry and Hermione romance... But, for all those reviewer who like long stories, I am also planning writing another one that's a sequel and will be set in their seventh year, and yes, it will be a romance between Harry and Hermione. After those, who knows? I may just be creative and write one that takes place in far future or near future after they leave Hogwarts. But, I'm defiantly open for ideas, so if anyone has a spare idea, it is surely appreciated! But, anyway, r/r!