Hot Water

Chapter 2: A Sickening Scheme

Disclaimer: Harry's not mine, Lil is. Got it?

= scene/time change

= POV/subject change

ON WITH THE FICCY!!!!!

Harry, much to the Dursley's disproval, flooed to the Weasleys' grumpily, they were headed to Diagon Alley for school supplies for the up and coming academic year. They'd done it every year, but the sight of their happy family dampened his spirits further. He sighed and, like every other year, they flooed to Diagon Alley. And, like every other year, he ended up in Knockturn Alley, rushing out before he got gang-banged by strange homosexual wizards. ((A/n: I've got nothing against homosexuals, but it's a scary thought for straight men.)

He met them at Madame Malkin's, they were being fitted for new wizarding robes and he was instructed to do the same. He found himself being rushed into a dressing room and measured various directions before having robes flung in his arms and rushed out of the room. He sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Are they ever polite about this?" He asked himself unhappily. A young girl of about 16 laughed behind him.

"Yeah right, they want you in and out so you can hurry up and pay." He looked back at her strangely.

"And you are...?" He mused, unsettled slightly by her violet colored eyes. Definitely not normal... He noted.

"Y-Liliya Black, and you?" She asked, looking him up and down, more up, as she was about three inches shorter than his 5'7".

"Harry Potter." He muttered, half expecting to be mauled with compliments.

"What a wonderfully plain name." She commented dryly. "Forgive me, I'm used to... exotic people." She murmured, pursing her lips as she flipped through a rack of dress robes as Dumbledore had instructed.

"You're the first to say that." Harry informed her in a thankful tone. "Most maul me or such."

"Why in the hell would I do that?!" She demanded awkwardly.

"Because I've killed Voldemort five times over..." He replied, thoroughly weirded out by this girl.

"Oh! You're that guy!" She laughed. "Sorry, didn't know. Nice to meet you." She extended a hand with a sigh. He shook it quickly, earning a weird look from her that she shook quickly. "Yes... So, what school do you go to?" She asked, gesturing to the pile of robes he held.

"Huh? Oh, Hogwarts, you?" She laughed.

"I'm new this year to Hogwarts." She confirmed. "I suppose we'll see each other around, I assume you're a Gryffindor? After the sorting hat's description of them, you're just the type. Then again... You've some Sly-"He cut her off.

"Yes, I am a Gryffindor. Are you?" He demanded quickly.

"Yes..." She murmured, interested in his quick response when she nearly mentioned Slytherin.

"Yeah, so I'll see you there unless you've more shopping to do." He asked, trying to be as discreet with his interest in her as he could.

"Of course I've more shopping to do! I've got books, a cauldron, these strange things for Divination..." Harry laughed.

"I'll help you out then." He informed her with a smile. She flashed a thankful grin and chuckled.

"Thanks." He nodded.

"No problem, really, oh but, I'm here with some friends if you'd like to meet them." She nodded swiftly.

"Of course! You seem nice enough, they must be too." She nodded and Harry led her over to the Weasleys and Hermione. He smiled.

"This is Ron." Ron nodded.

"Who's she?" He gave a sly smirk.

"A new friend." Harry hissed. "And this is Hermione." Hermione nodded curtly and continued her robe shopping. Liliya nodded.

"Nice to... to meet all of you but as I'm done here, I best get going." She bowed and turned, running into none other than Draco Malfoy. "Excuse you." She growled.

"I believe that's my line." He hissed back. "Watch where you're going. Hanging out with Potter you'd better be extra careful. His enemies will become yours soon enough." She glared.

"I've enough of my own, thank you." Her face drew near his and it looked intimate...that is, until she slapped him and left. "Good day Mr. Malfoy." She shot as she headed out the doors. Hermione stopped for a moment.

"He never gave his name..." She observed, somewhat uneasily. Ron stared at the door and Harry nodded.

"It seemed as though she was learning more than she was letting on, I suppose my assumption was right after all..." He murmured attentively.

Liliya whistled as she headed down the street, the tune was a familiar one to her, a Japanese lullaby her mother had sang. She looked down and smiled. "How adorable, a kitten!" She picked the small black cat up with a smile before it fell: the cat had eyes as vibrantly purple as her own. She dropped it and backed away before continuing her path, and her thought train. How she hated Natsuke. (Pronunciation Key: Not-sue-Kay) How he'd forced her out of Japan. A shiver ran up her spine as she contemplated if he could find her. She shook it off. "Don't think it." She reminded herself. "You're safe, so long as Dumbledore says so, you're safe."

September 1st rolled around, just like it always did and found Harry on the train to Hogwarts, praying that it would be a normal year that year. He knew that the chances were slim to none, but trying didn't hurt. Liliya knocked on the cabin door once the golden trio was seated.

"Is there space in here? All the others are full and-"Harry smiled.

"Yeah, you're fine." He moved over on his bench and she took a seat.

"Thanks." She took out a crossword puzzle and began work with a sigh. An uneasy silence overtook the cabin for many moments before Harry spoke up.

"So, what's it like in...?" He'd forgotten the country. Liliya laughed.

"Japan. It's very beautiful in the summers, maybe I can take you back with me one time." She shook her head. "If I could go back..." She shrugged it off and continued. "There are blooming Sakura trees everywhere, there used to be a huge one at the shrine that belongs to my family, I don't know if it's still there." She looked very unhappy about this. "But in the winter it snows as if the whole place were the inside of a snow globe! It's like it's coated in happiness instead of ice." She rambled dreamily, it calmed two of the other three, and Hermione obtained a foul expression and simply petted Crookshanks fiercely.

"And if you-"The train came to a stop as she ranted. Harry laughed.

"We're here." He interrupted. She blushed and nodded.

"So, I guess I'll see the three of you later." She said cheerfully, waving as she got out of the cabin. Harry stood.

"Uh, we're in the same house, may as well all go up to the castle together." Hermione easily showed her displeasure but agreed, since Ron did. The two friends had 'hooked up' over the summer holidays, which hadn't helped Harry's mood as the two were continuously snogging in closets while he was left with nothing to do. That was, at least, until this Liliya girl had come along. A perfect plan to make Cho Chang jealous and take him back, use her. Liliya smiled.

"What're you thinking about?" She'd noticed his spacey look, which he shook at the sound of her alto voice.

"N-nothing really." He stuttered, drawing a chuckle from her.

"So you're empty-headed? Do you steal Hermione's answers or something then?" She teased and he glared.

"Tch, no, I meant there was nothing I was thinking about, I still know things." She shook her head.

"Loosen up, I was just kidding." He shrugged and they arrived at the school. Harry scooted out and offered Liliya a hand to help her out as well. She took it gratefully and kissed his cheek, heading inside. Harry blushed slightly but followed, Ron and Hermione lagged.

"Is it me... or does Harry seem to be head over heels?" Hermione asked her friend and lover.

"He does seem it, but he could just be friends with her." He shrugged and she nodded as they headed inside, hand-in-hand.