Chapter 7: The Train Ride

Harry looked around the room one last time for any forgotten books, quills, clothes, or objects. He looked under the bed and found a shoe he had been looking for. He put it in his trunk and looked at Hedwig's empty cage. He had sent her off just a few minutes ago to fly to Hogwarts. He looked at his watch and he had about 20 minutes until he left this temporary home to go to the Kings Cross Station where he would be bound for home. He closed his disoriented trunk and locked it. He grabbed his wand and put it back into his jean pocket. He opened the door and walked down the stairs to the kitchen where the Dursley's were eating breakfast. He watched them as he walked in. As soon as they heard him coming down they're bodies stiffened and they sat more upright with better posture. He laughed to himself. Over the years the power in the household had gone from him being afraid of them to them being afraid of him. He walked over to the table and sat down.

"Pass the toast and the marmalade please." He said.

The toast and the marmalade were passed, but not a sound was made. He ate 2 pieces of toast and gulped down a glass of orange juice before he glanced at his watch and said to the silent Dursleys,

"I think we better be going." He started to laugh because as soon as he had said something Dudley jumped, but he managed to cover it up by coughing.

He walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs to his room. He looked around at his room in which he wouldn't see for another 9 months. He grabbed his trunk and started to make his way down the stairs and out of the house leaving a protection that had encircled him for the last 3 months.

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After a rather boring, long ride Harry had finally arrived at Kings Cross Station. He hopped out of the car and got his trunk. As soon as he had closed the back of the car and walked a few yards away he heard the car speeding away. He quickly found a trolley to put his trunk on and he started to head toward the barrier. He didn't see any other students around so he glanced at his watch. There was five minutes until the train left! He started to jog to the platform and soon he was there. He quickly passed through the barrier and was on the platform. He had one minute. He grabbed his trunk and Hedwig's cage and started running after the train that had began to leave. He started to run faster and made it to one of the doors. There was a hand stretched out and Harry managed to grab it and be pulled inside. It was Ron who saw Harry and decided to help him, but now they both lay in a tangled pile on the floor.

"Sorry, Ron. Thanks for the help though." Harry said as he untangled himself from his trunk, Ron, and Hedwig's cage.

"No, problem mate." Ron replied handing Harry his glasses.

"Shall we find a compartment then?" Ron asked standing up and then helping Harry standing up.

"Um, ya we better find a compartment." Harry said dusting off his clothes.

The two boys started to make their way down the rows of compartments looking in all of them to see if any of them were empty.

"Oh, have you seen Hermione?" Harry asked looking in a compartment to see if anyone was in it.

"No, I haven't… Wait here she is." Ron said looking in the last compartment window.

Ron opened the compartment door and what Harry saw he couldn't believe.

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"Jessica?" Harry questioned still asking his eyes if what he saw was betraying him.

"Harry?" the girl that sat next to Hermione asked.

No, it wasn't Harry's eyes that were playing tricks, Jessica was really there. He just couldn't believe it. All his suspicions were correct. She was a witch, which meant Dudley had no idea she was.

"Jessica?" He began, "What are you doing here I thought you were going to a private school in the North of England?"

"Wait!" Hermione interrupted, "You two know each other? How?"

"I know his cousin, and I met Harry through Dudley." Jessica answered, but then continued," I just said that so that people wouldn't know that I'm a witch. " she finished

"So you're a witch?" Harry asked still not believing what he was seeing.

"Ya," she started," And you're a wizard!"

After that silence erupted throughout the whole compartment. Ron put Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage away and then closed the compartment door. The silence was doing well on its own when Hermione exclaimed,

"Crap! Ron we're late for the prefect meeting. Look Harry, Jess I hate to interrupt this silence, but me and Ron are going to be gone for a while so since you know each other converse and talk while we are gone."

Without another word Hermione and Ron left leaving the two dumbstruck teens alone. Harry sat down across from Jessica. He knew he should say something, but he didn't know what. They had spent all of yesterday together talking nonstop and now they couldn't think of anything to say.

"You did well hiding that you were a witch." Harry said and then silently slapping himself for saying something so stupid.

"Oh, thanks I had no idea you were wizard either," Jessica said with a confused look on her face.

"Um.." Harry began, "How do you know Hermione?"

"Oh," She said happy to change off the subject of her being a witch, "You know the cousin I told you about that me and my brother were staying with?" Harry nodded and Jessica continued, "Well Hermione is that cousin. My dad was her adopted brother."

"Cool." Harry said simply.

He couldn't believe this was happening. Jessica was a witch. She, the girl who he thought he would never see again was a witch and he would be seeing her every day this year.

"How do you know Hermione?" Jessica asked.

"Oh, we are friends." Harry said.

"Friends?" Jessica questioned, "That's all I mean Hermione talked a lot to me about how she couldn't wait for me to meet Harry. You sure there is nothing more between you?" she smiled as she finished. It was natural for teenagers to make fun of a girl and boy being friends and she wasn't going to miss out on her chance to have some sweet teasing.

Harry laughed, "Me and Hermione? More than friends? No, we are really good friends and nothing more." He said.

"Sure." She said smiling and still enjoying what she was doing to Harry.

"What about you and Dudley?" Harry asked now taking his turn for the teasing.

"I'll admit it." Jessica said simply," Me and Dudley are closer than just good friends."

"So, "Harry said changing the subject yet again." What house are you in? Or have you been sorted yet?"

"I'm in Gryffindor." She said, "I was sorted this summer."

After she had finished saying that Ron returned with an angry looking Hermione. Hermione stomped in and through herself down in her seat and sighed the loudest possible sigh there could be. Ron sat down by Harry and the whole compartment was silent. Hermione sighed loudly again and just sat there muttering things under her breath. After her sighing once more Harry finally asked,

"Alright Hermione what's wrong?"

"Oh nothing!" She practically shouted at him ," Except that Cho Chang and Michael Corner have been made head boy and girl!"

Harry slightly blushed at the sound of Cho's name.

"And... your point is?" Ron asked knowing what the answer already was.

"My Point is that since they are boyfriend and girlfriend instead of doing something useful during head meeting they will be flirting or worse!" Hermione yelled.

Ron who had been eating a chocolate frog almost choked at that predicament and Harry had to pat him on the back.

"So?" Jessica said, "That's exactly what you and Viktor did when you guys were supposed to be studying."

At Jessica saying this Hermione blushed as red as a cherry.

"We weren't flirting." Hermione said, "We were talking and how would you know anyway you were always off with that guy you met!"

"Viktor?" Ron said starting to smile, "You mean Viktor Krum?"

Jessica nodded and Hermione gave her a death glare. Harry could feel the tension in the room. The silence finally ended by a knock at the door and the witch with the trolley came in.

"Would you like anything off the trolley dears?" the familiar voice said.

Jessica and Hermione started to fight over what they would get to share. They both ended up getting what they wanted and they started to eat as they talked. Harry and Ron bought what they wanted and started to converse as they ate.

"So…" Ron began, "Is this Jessica?"

"Ya." Harry said simply.

"So… how did the picnic go?" Ron asked

"It was fun." Harry said finishing off a cauldron cake.

"And?" Ron asked.

"And what? We are just friends and we barely know each other." Harry said biting into a chocolate frog.

"Ya sure, A girl that looks like that and you are just friends." Ron said sarcastically.

Harry looked at Jessica she was very pretty. He knew she would be the next Cho Chang of Hogwarts. All the guys would have a surprise as soon as they saw her. Her ocean blue eyes matched perfectly with her straight dark brown hair. She wasn't very tall, but not too small. Her smile calmed everyone who was graced with it and her sweetness was beyond anyone he had met. He even thought Cho would be jealous of her.

"Ya, me and her are just friends especially since she is "more than friends" with Dudley." Harry replied.

"You mean her and Dudley are together?" Ron said making a face of disgust.

"Well I'm not sure if they are that close but I'm pretty sure they are and the reason she is with him is that she looks for the good in people and apparently she found it in him." Harry said with a hint of jealousy in his voice.

"So you don't like her?" Ron said as if he was interviewing Harry.

"Ya, why?" Harry said beginning to get suspicious.

"Oh, um… no reason." Ron said now trying to look nonchalant but failing most miserably.

"You like her don't you." Harry said accusingly.

"Harry I barely know her. Of course I think she is pretty but it doesn't matter because tomorrow every guy in the school is going to be asking her out."

Harry nodded, but hated to think of all the guys who were going to talk to her and were going to flirt with her. He shook his head. That wouldn't happen Jessica of course was pretty, but not pretty enough that guys would gape at her as soon as they saw her. He thought back to the time when he first saw her. Never mind he thought guys would gape at her and even tonight she would probably be asked out.

"Harry, how was your summer?" Ron asked rounding up all his and Harry's trash and throwing it away.

"Oh, it was interesting." Harry said.

Hey! Anyone who is reading this it means a lot to me. Please review!! I know I said I'd update before Christmas but the day after Christmas is close enough right? Again please anyone who is reading this please review anything you saw gets me soooooooooo excited!!

Please Review!!

Chelsea

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