One Guest Too Many

Hermione arrived at the Weasley house two days before school would start. She took the twins room even though it smelled peculiar. The new guest ate breakfast with the rest of the family for breakfast but oddly didn't say much to anyone. She remained pleasant and receptive. She gave out hugs and kisses to everyone except Ron. Ron had a sad look of understanding in his eyes when he looked at her but he remained friendly to her.

After breakfast Ginny and Hermione walked upstairs and spoke in quiet tones. There seemed to be too many questions to ask at one time, so he tried for just one. "Hey, Ron wha…"

"Harry let's go play quidditch for a little while." A little while lasted till lunch. Ron had this strange determination about him. Harry had never seen Ron play such a good game. Harry almost didn't want to stop for lunch. Ron blocked almost ever throw and was only distracted a little with brief glances of Hermione in his sister's room. Ron never said a word but Harry understood. Hermione knows how Ron feels about her and doesn't know how to take it. As Harry thought about it she probably knew since fifth year that Ron's had a thing for her. Harry could see all the questions in Ron's face, all of which he was going to suppress into the back of his mind.

"Lunch is ready everyone." Mrs. Weasley said. Mr. Weasley came in by floo powder and was the first to seat down at the table. Ron and Harry follow with Hermione and Ginny in dead last. Again, the meal was eaten in silence with the slightest bit of remorse and everyone departed to go back to their former activities.

Even though it was a very awkward day Harry enjoyed it immensely. Ron and Harry played until dinner and paused only for the meal. Ron and Hermione bumped into one another into the hallway and paused for a moment not looking at each other. "I was thinking of joining S.P.E.W. this year if that's alright with you." Those words turned on a bright red light inside Hermione's cheeks.

"I would enjoy having a new member to S.P.E.W. but you realize this year will be very taxing and time consuming. It will be a lot of work for those who aren't dedicated to the cause."

"I'm willing to make the sacrifice." Ron said with a look in his that look like a mixture of self pity and longing. That was the last conversation they had at the Weasley house because the next day they got up early and went to Diagon Alley.

There was something different about Diagon Alley this year. Every nock and cranny was filled with witches and warlocks whispering. No one would speak up but when Harry walked by all their heads turned towards him and there was silence among the streets. All of the extra attention made Harry nervous but he tried to ignore it all. He walked into the bookstore in hopes to avoid their looks of curiosity.

Hermione's parents met her in the bookstore early that morning, so everyone decided to go there first. Harry and Ron picked out all of their sixth year books and decided to get the collection of Defense for the Dark Arts books last. They went up to the book case that usually held the books for that class but it said "Just bring your books from previous years and for the first years I'll supply the books."

"That's awful generous of the professor to provide the supplies, isn't Harry?" Ron said.

"Too generous to be true, Ron. I wonder what this professor has up their sleeve. I pray this'll be a better teacher than last year. They should bring Moody back as a teacher."

"Harry, Moody never actually taught us anything." Ron said with a sad smile.

"Well, even though the fake Moody tried to kill me, it didn't diminish his teaching prowess."

"That is sad but true. Let me go tell Hermione the—I don't know Harry. Is this good news or bad news?"

"I don't know Ron, just tell her. She over there by the plant books with her parents." Ron walked over to introduce himself to her parents and deliver the news. He chatted with the three of them for a while and returned to Harry.

"That was strange."

"What, Ron."

"That whole conversation felt more like an interview for something."

"Interview for what?"

"I don't know. I wish I had the guts to tell them how I feel." Harry knew what he was talking about so he didn't want to press the issue.

"Let's go see what new brooms are in the window this year, Ron. That is, if you are finish here."

Ron looked over at Hermione and her parents longingly. "Sure, let's go."

They went into every store on the street in order to waste before lunch. Hermione went home with her parents, Harry and the Weasley's went home. Again Ron wasn't very talkative but Harry didn't mind. He was still wondering what all the witches and warlocks were talking about.

The next day Ron's father drove all the kids to the station and followed them into 9 ¾. Once Ron and Harry made it into a compartment by themselves, Ron turned to Harry and said, "I'm in love with her ya know."

"Yeh, I know Ron, but what are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know Harry. I don't even know anybody that knows. I tried talking to my parents but nothing would ever come out of my mouth." Ron said and turned to face the window.

"What happened between you two this summer?" Harry said.

Ron stopped looking outside and looked at his reflection in the window. "Hermione was visiting Ginny and me every weekend. She was teaching me to drive because I couldn't think of any other reason of why she would come to my house. I picked it up quickly and became rather descent at it. After six weeks I bought her a present for helping me—a glass rose in a vase. She thanked me with a hug. After I hadn't let go after a few minutes, I guess she guessed I had deeper feelings for her than friendship. She whispered in my ear 'I'm not ready for that type of relationship right now.' I was—I am devastated. I don't have my license yet but I drove her home that night. "

"Ron, I'm horrible with girls and everybody knows it but maybe Hagrid can give us some advice." Ron looked at his friend hopefully and sunk into his seat. "Ron is there something else you haven't told me? Like why no ones is talking about any news about Lord Voldemort and the war."

"Well, I guess I can tell you now. Professor Dumbledore is in charge of getting together an army. An ambassador from the Elvon Kingdom will be in charge of preparations. Everyone is trying to keep the army on the hush hush. I don't know anything more than that."

"You couldn't tell me this before?"

"Well, this train is a little safer than most places to speak on." Ron said and turned around to face Harry. "Did you dream about her?

"No I haven't dreamed about her since I left the Dursley's. I miss her but I've been drawing pictures of her in my spare time." Harry pulled out the roll of drawings and showed Ron the newest ones. "This is the two of us running through the woods—I guess were playing tag. This one is the two of us sleeping in a garden and this one…"

A girl opened the door of the cabin and slide in quickly. Harry and Ron openly gasped at her beauty and were stunned beyond words. She was a Black girl about Harry's height with long straight hair down to her waist. Her skin was more olive than brown and she had hazel eyes. Her most striking feature was her nose which was longer and more slender than most Black girls—it didn't take away from her beauty, it made it immeasurable. She was wearing holey baggy jeans with a long chain connected to one of the loops and a t-shirt that was at least two sizes too large. It reminded Harry of Dudley's hand-me-downs.

Suddenly, Harry and Ron looked down at Harry's drawings and noticed the striking resemblance to the girl in the pictures—only the nose and hair was off. "Don't you both speak at one time. Just continue staring at me. As a matter of fact we'll make it a game." The girl said. Harry and Ron looked one more time at the drawing and tried to mumble something to her. "Well, the two of you are very cute but I prefer conversation. I'll begin. My name is Serena and what are your names?"

Harry and Ron introduced themselves but were too scared to say anything else. Harry put up his drawings quickly and packed them away. The lady with the cart of candy and refreshments came by so Harry grabbed some money and bought everyone some chocolate frogs.

"Let's try this conversation thing again, okay. This time you ask me questions about myself and I'll answer." She said a little impatiently.

"Where are you from?" Ron said

"South Carolina of the United States of America. Now you ask me a question." She said and pointed to Harry.

"Been in England long?"

"No my mother and I travel a lot. I'm never in one place longer than a year."

"Are you a first year at Hogwarts?" Ron said.

"Yes and no. This will be my first year there but also my graduating year."

Harry started to loosen up a little and leaned towards the girl. "How can you exempt six years of education? Were you at another wizarding school?"

"I was educated in several different countries in Africa and different states in the U.S. but my abilities are very advanced for a person my age. Now, tell me about yourselves. Do either of you have girlfriends?"

"We don't exactly have girlfriends." Harry said shyly which put a smile on Serena's face.

"She says she's not ready for that kind of relationship yet." Ron blurts out sadly.

"This is getting juicy; this one wears his heart on his sleeve. Tell me all about her." Serena said smiling. Ron tells her everything in one long desperate speech and Harry sits there astonished that he is telling his life story to a complete stranger. "I think I can help you, Ron. You should make yourself completely available to her. Study with her, eat with her, involve yourself in whatever her interest are, but at the same time have very illusive private time. Give her time and space to make her own decisions. Don't pressure her. When a girl isn't ready she's just not ready and pushing her into something she's not ready for will only destroy the relationship you have with her now." Serena said and sat back smugly.

Harry sat there with his mouth wide open. He couldn't argue with Serena because he knew nothing of how good relationships worked, so he sat there silently. "Harry there is a girl that you like too. I can feel it in your eyes. What's her name?"

"Cho." Harry replied.

"Tell me all about her." And so he did. He told her things that he didn't even know he felt but it all felt like a huge release.

"I'll tell you what. I'm going to be your girlfriend and we're going to see if she becomes furiously jealous. If she wants to play games we can too. It'll be fun, Harry. You can show me around and see how Cho really feels about you."

Hermione opens the door and sits down beside Serena. They introduce themselves immediate fearing the guys have lost their sense of manners. They chat about school subjects and cultural differences and Hermione turned to Ron and said that it was time for the prefects to have their meeting. They left the cabin and Harry and Serena were left alone.

"Wow, does he have it bad. He didn't take his eyes off of her for one second. I thought he was going to propose marriage on the spot." Serena laughed. She moved over to the sit beside Harry. Serena placed her hand over Harry's and said, "We will have such fun this year." She rested her head on his shoulder and took a little nap. Harry was excited, scared, and confuse. He felt like his life had been taken over by the beauty leaning on his shoulder and he liked it. Even if Cho didn't become jealous he was sure this year would be interesting.

They arrived safely at Hogwarts and Serena left with Hagrid and the first year students to take the boat and to be sorted into their houses. Harry was so happy nothing happened to prevent him from being on time to school this year. He took the coach to the school and walked in like an ordinary student. Harry sat down at the Gryffindor table and waited for the festivities to begin.