Author's Note: I haven't posted a story in a while, and I thought it was about time to. This is the first story I've put on this account, but I have others... anyway, the following are stats about the story:

Main Pairing: HP?

Chapter #: 1

Rating: PG

Eventually should have: AT LEAST 8 CHAPTERS. Alert me if it turns out to be less.

Okay? So...yeah.

Shout: Chapter One; He Hasn't Been Acting Too Strange

"Harry, it's time to get up and get ready to leave. The train's leaving in three hours," a voice said in the back of Harry Potter's head. "Quickly." Harry recognized it as Hermione Granger's voice, and moaned. "I don't want to get up," he whined. "I stayed up too late last night." Hermione scoffed. "Well, that's what you get. You shouldn't accept nine bottles of Butterbeer just because Ron wants you to have it." Harry slowly rose out of bed and put his glasses on. He looked at Hermione, who was still standing in the doorway expectantly.

"I don't really feel like going back to school. Too much crap I have to put up with," Harry said simply, standing up. "How come you're up so early, anyway? Don't you usually get up about now?" Hermione smiled and sighed. "Yes," she began. "But I did just wake up. Ron was already awake and I didn't think he had the brains to wake you up, so I decided to." Harry shrugged and stretched. He seriously didn't feel like going back to Hogwarts. Ever since June...

But he tried not to think about that.

After some breakfast, Harry packed all his things away into his trunk and cleaned Hedwig's cage for the long journey ahead of her. He always liked for Hedwig to have a clean home to spend the night in when it was too cold in the owlery. Ron already had his things packed, and while Harry was packing his, Ron went into Hermione and Ginny's room. "So," he said, "has Harry been acting normal enough for you to not freak out all of a sudden?" Hermione nodded. "He hasn't been acting too strange. But sometimes, I do have my doubts about him. Now, what do we have to remember about this year, Ron?"
"Don't piss Harry off in any way, and don't upset him at all. Right?" Ron said coolly. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, as bad of an attitude as you said that in, you're right." Ron looked around his younger sister's room. A Gryffindor pennant similar to Harry's was pinned on her wall. "I'd better be getting back to my room. Don't want anyone to think there's anything between us. Gross," Ron said loudly. He didn't like Hermione LIKE THAT, but she was a good person.

Harry wasn't in Ron's room. Ron searched the house until he found Harry talking to Remus in the kitchen. "...So you're going to be okay going back to school this year, then?" Remus asked, concerned. Harry nodded blankly. Remus patted Harry on the back and Harry stood up and left. 'So lucky,' Ron thought jealously. 'Nobody ever talks to me like that.'

By the time the Hogwarts Express left, Harry hadn't said anything. Ron knew why, but he didn't want to say. It was hard enough even asking Harry questions about Sirius or even Buckbeak. Hermione and Ron both knew the subjects to avoid. When the food cart came around, Harry could sense the sudden silence. He pulled a few coins out of his pocket and pushed them toward Ron. Ron took them gladly and handed them to the woman before devouring a third his weight in sweets. Hermione had made sure that Ron had saved Harry some food so that he could have some if he wanted later, seeing as he paid for it.

'So much for not acting too strange,' Hermione thought. "Harry, how're you feeling? Do you even want to get back to school?" Harry shrugged his shoulders and shook his head in order of the questions Hermione had asked. Hermione was quiet. Harry continued to stare out the window. Eventually, he fell asleep against the window. Hermione watched to see if he would hit his head against the glass if the train went over a rock or an animal or if it came to a complete stop. It didn't.

About two hours later, Harry woke up. He didn't open his eyes. He could hear his two friends talking in the compartment. "...Honestly, Ron, I'm worried about him. He talked to us all summer like any normal person would and then Remus talks to him and screws it all up."

"Yeah, well, usually he'll eat some of this junk food with us and now he falls asleep before he even gets a chance to have any. At least you made me save some, or...Harry wouldn't have any candy left for later tonight. It's important that we make sure he doesn't do anything stupid this year, right?" Ron said proudly. Hermione nodded. "Yep. That's me. I've got to take care of Harry, or he'll hurt himself."

"No, I won't. I'm not a little kid. And Remus had his reasons to talk to me. But you're right. I was on a roll..." Harry mumbled. Hermione looked up. "Oh, Harry, you're awake. How long have you been awake?" she asked. Harry yawned. "About a minute-and-a-half."

"You probably want your glasses, huh?" Hermione said flatly, handing Harry his glasses. "Thanks," Harry said. "Why'd you take them anyway?" Hermione laughed softly and then let out a small cough. "I didn't want them to fall and break or anything, so I stole them."

"Okay."

The rest of the ride to Hogwarts was spent in an awkward silence. Hermione and Harry slept most of the way, while Ron visited Dean, Seamus, and Neville in another compartment. When Hermione woke up to only Harry on the other side, she wondered where Ron went. 'Must've left,' she thought. She looked over at Harry, who was curled up on the other seat. Harry slept more quietly than the other boys, Hermione had noted. Dean, Seamus, and Ron all snored something terrible. It was annoying.

Harry opened his eyes and felt around the floor for his glasses. He pushed them up so that they were properly positioned. "Hey," he said to Hermione. "Hey," she answered back. "Ron went to go visit the other boys." Harry nodded. Suddenly, the train stopped. "We must be here," Harry said quietly. "Great."

After the sorting, Harry ate a small amount of food and went up to bed. He looked at the pile of junk food that Ron and Hermione had saved him from earlier that was sitting on his bed. "Harry! Harry!" Ron called. "Why'd you leave so early?" Harry thought about Ron's question for a minute, and knew exactly what he should answer.

"I don't really feel like eating very much anymore," he stated. "It's not that I'm not hungry, it's that my stomach feels sick. All the time."
"Maybe you're pregnant," Ron said. Harry glared at Ron.

"You may not like to think so," Harry said, "but there's a reason I sleep in the BOYS' dormitory."

With that, Harry tore the curtains closed and fell asleep.

The next morning, Harry woke up early and got dressed slowly. He simply sat on the bed without making any noise for an hour before the other boys began to wake up. He watched each one stagger to the bathrooms across the floor.

Neville tripped over himself and fell to the floor. Harry just looked at him. Neville finally found the strength to get up off the ground himself. He was obviously confused that Harry didn't say anything. He rubbed his head painfully. When Harry could hear all the boys taking showers, he went downstairs. Hermione was sitting on the armchair in the common room.

"Good morning," she said brightly. Harry greeted her equally. He sat down on the arm of the chair. "Did you sleep well?" he asked, glancing at the book she was so seemingly interested in. "Yes, thank you. However I did worry about why you didn't hang around to have a conversation after you ate dinner." Harry coughed and said, "Well, I was tired. I wasn't feeling well yesterday, anyway."
"Then why didn't you say anything? You didn't look sick all summer, and it's like you're allergic to Hogwarts or something..." Hermione mumbled. "And how could you be tired? You slept for more than six hours on the train yesterday!" Harry looked around the room and tried to find an excuse to tell Hermione. "Well..." he said uncertainly. "...I didn't get all that great of sleep when I was on the train; I kept waking up, but I didn't realize I was awake because my eyes were closed."

Ron came downstairs, with the three other boys behind him. "What's up, Harry?" they all said as they entered. Harry shrugged. "Nothing," he said truthfully. Nothing special was going on. He was just talking to Hermione, after all. Sure, talking to Hermione meant something to him, but it was still just communication. It wasn't like a right or a sudden privilege. He was always allowed to talk to her.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron all walked to the Great Hall. "It's okay, Ron. I talked to him," Hermione whispered to Ron. "He says that he wasn't feeling good on the train, either." Ron nodded and Harry was too busy being quiet to notice.

By the time they got to the Great Hall, Harry drank some water but didn't eat anything. "Still not feeling well, Harry?" Hermione asked. Harry shook his head and got some more water. "I wasn't feeling well when I got up this morning," he said.

"I could go to Madam Pomfrey and tell her that I have a stomach ache and need some medicine, and then I'll just put it in my pocket and take it to you. That way, nobody will have to know that you're sick," Hermione said simply. Harry nodded. "Okay, thanks." After breakfast, Hermione snuck into the Hospital Wing and went up to Madam Pomfrey. "Madam Pomfrey?" she moaned. "I don't feel very well. Do you have anything that'll make my stomach feel better?"

Madam Pomfrey nodded. She began humming softly to herself while she went into her office and brought back a small vile and handed it to Hermione. "Take this to your next class and you can drink it in there. It's school policy—if instructed by a staff member, students are allowed to drink or eat medicinal foods and beverages during class."

Hermione thanked her and put it in her bag. Unfortunately, she knew she and Harry, who was waiting outside the door, were going to be late, and their first class was Potions. 'Great,' she thought. Hermione handed the dark-colored vile to Harry, who opened it and smelled it. "Ew," he said in a disgusted tone. "It smells like lawnmower."

Harry reluctantly drank it, but fortunately, it had no taste. Harry sighed in relief as the sick feeling in his stomach vanished as it was filled with the tasteless potion. "Thank you," he said. "You should take up acting someday." Hermione blushed at his comment, and they both walked to class. When they entered the dungeon, they tried to be as quiet as they could, but the rusty door moaned loudly at their entrance. "Potter and Granger, find a seat. Twenty points from Gryffindor for each of you for being late. "We had an excuse," Hermione said bravely. "Oh, really?" Snape said loudly. "What would that be? Having a rather intimate moment in the broom cupboard?" Hermione stood up. "No, you can even ask Madam Pomfrey. Harry and I were in the Hospital Wing getting medicine for ourselves." She was filled with anger at even saying that she and Harry were 'having a rather intimate moment' at all. That was sickening. Not the intimate moment thing, but the fact that Snape would even dare say that.

"I could ask Madam Pomfrey. Or I could just so happen to have a Veritaserum lying around here somewhere," Snape said dangerously. Several students gasped and the Slytherins all snorted in laughter. Ron looked over at them, eyes wide. Hermione glanced at Harry. "So, either take the points off or take the Veritaserum," Snape said. Harry looked at Hermione, and then at Ron. "I'll take the Veritaserum," he said certainly. Snape glared at Harry and looked around the classroom for the vile. When he found it, he stepped back over to Harry. He handed Harry the bottle and Harry opened it. He stared blankly at it for a moment and then tipped his head back. He swallowed every drop of it. "Now, Potter," Snape began. "Did you and Granger go to the Hospital Wing to get medicine?" Harry cleared his throat and said, "Yes." Snape sighed in an irritated way. "Damn," he muttered. That was all Snape needed before he allowed Harry and Hermione to sit down. "Thanks," Hermione said quietly. Harry nodded.

In the middle of class, Hermione glanced over at Parvati. "She's so pretty," she muttered under her breath. "Why can't I be like her?" Harry heard this and said subconsciously, "Because then, you'd be an ugly cow."

"Harry, I can't believe you'd say something like that!" Hermione cried mutely. "I thought you thought she was pretty."
"Well, maybe what you thought I think wasn't really what I thought."

"Or, maybe, what you want me to think you don't think but you really do think is what I thought you think."

"Or you could be thinking that what I wanted you to think I don't think but really do think is what you thought I think."

"Or, maybe you could think what I thought you think before you said that I could be thinking that what you wanted me to think you don't really think but really do think is what I thought you think."

"Or maybe I could find someone that made sense in these kinds of arguments." Hermione laughed and so did Harry. When the bell rang, sounding the next class, they were the first ones out. Ron met up with them when they were halfway to Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Damn, Harry. That was brave of you," he said in an admiring tone. "I wouldn't have done that. I would've just taken the twenty points." Harry shrugged as if it were no big deal. It really wasn't; it was more of an everyday-thing. Nothing out of the ordinary, right? Right. He'd sort of done it before. Well, he was going to. He would've if he knew he wouldn't get people in trouble. When they finally reached the class, they got a look at the new teacher. "Remus," Harry muttered. He walked up to him and said, "I guess there are a lot of things I don't know." Remus smiled and said, "Yes, yes. Now, Harry, please take a seat." Harry obediently took a seat next to Ron in the front, with Hermione behind him.

"The school year's going to be way better with Remus as our professor again," Ron whispered. Harry and Hermione nodded in agreement. Remus could hear them and agreed. He always wanted to know how his three favorite students were. He was also there to be there for Harry to talk to whenever he wanted. It was for the best.

Remus taught Harry and his classmates about Edixonom, the effect that kills a person during Avada Kedavra.

He also taught them how quick they'd have to be to avoid the curse within the three seconds it takes for the full death to take its toll. "The only way to reverse it quickly is Nobrac, which will stop the curse instantly. But the person's wand has to be directly touching their body, or the counter curse will take too long and kill the victim." Remus told the trio after his lesson that it was an unnecessary lesson and that he wasn't supposed to teach that to the sixth year students. Harry, Hermione, and Ron smirked. Nobody did what they were supposed to around here.

But things were a lot different.

End of chapter 1; review, please. Flames accepted.