DISCLAIMER: NOTHING BELONGS TO ME… 'cept Kira I s'pose…

A/N: Okay guys, here's the next chapter! Hope its not too corny! (Had a tough time with the "non-corny" factor…)

New Neighbor

Chapter 12

Kira stared, her mouth hanging open in shock. Harry gaped back; his glasses, which already perched precariously on his nose, slid down even further.

Ron, oblivious, said, "'Mione, Harry, this is Kira, she's new this year, a friend of Neville's."

"'Mione" held out her hand to Kira warmly, but Kira didn't notice.

"Uh, I'm Hermione Granger," she said, confusedly observing the blonde girl.

"Bloody hell, Harry. What's gotten into you?" Ron asked his gawking friend, as he grabbed a chocolate frog from Neville's pile of sweets. He took a seat next to Neville. Hermione sat down beside Kira, and seemed a bit perturbed at the fact that Kira didn't respond to her friendly greeting.

"Kira?" asked Neville, eyeing her.

Kira seemed to realize that her mouth was hanging open and shut it quickly.

"You--" she started, but then stopped.

"What in bloody hell are you doing here?" Harry asked, still in complete and utter shock.

"Blimey, Harry. It's not like you've met her before," Ron said, enthralled by the fact he had found a "Meriadoc Loffingwore" card in his chocolate frog package.

"Harry, what is wrong with you?" asked Hermione, concerned.

Neville nudged Kira and she turned her gaze toward him. He stared at her for a moment, brow furrowed, trying to figure out what was wrong.

Suddenly with another look at Harry he put two and two together.

"Oh!" he cried and jumped up. He grabbed Harry's arm as fast as he could and pulled him into the hall with a yank.

XXXXXXXXXX

Outside in the hall with Harry, Neville was in a panic. Harry and Kira knew each other?! How was that possible?!

"Harry! Tell me!" he said urgently.

Harry seemed a bit loopy at the moment but replied nonetheless with, "she's my neighbor, Neville!"

Neville stared at Harry while Harry ogled off into space, still astonished with the turn of events.

'His neighbor?! Good grief! How come she never told me?!' he wondered frantically, trying to piece together a plan in his mind, 'well, I suppose I never really told her about Harry… and she never brought it up either…'

Neville furrowed his brow and boldly grabbed Harry by the shoulders.

"Harry! Listen!" he whispered loudly up into the taller boy's face, "you cannot tell anyone! Everyone here thinks she's from New Zealand!"

Harry looked at him as if he'd grown a second head.

"What?! New Zealand?! She lives by me, Neville!"

"I'll explain later, Harry! But for now, you don't know her."

Harry stared him and looked away.

"Blimey," he whispered.

XXXXXXXXXX

'Harry?! HARRY?!'

Kira's mind was spinning as Ron and Hermione tried to make conversation with her. Neville had left with Harry, and Kira remained in a state of shock. She nodded distantly along with the conversation Ron was having with her, though she couldn't recall what he was saying.

'How in the world can he be here? Wouldn't he have known if I was a witch? Couldn't he have done some… witchy-finder thing???' Kira's thought ran through her heard incoherently.

The compartment door opened. Neville led Harry in, though Harry still looked a bit abnormal.

Hermione, a bit huffy at the moment due to Kira's lack of response, said, "Harry, Neville, what is wrong with you two?"

"Nothing, Hermione… just had to talk to Harry for a second, that's all," Neville answered casually.

Hermione furrowed her brow and addressed Neville again, "so would you mind terribly introducing me to your friend? She seems… tongue-tied."

Kira shut her mouth quickly and stared pointedly at Neville, trying to get across to him that she had absolutely no solution to the current situation. Neville shrugged in return. Kira cast a quickly glance in Harry's direction and saw him staring fixedly out the window even though Ron was trying to show off his Meriadoc Loffingwore card.

"Excuse me, I need to go," Kira mumbled and stood to leave. She left the compartment quickly, but Neville soon caught up with her in the train corridor.

"Kira! You mustn't act out of the ordinary! Pretend like nothing's happened!" he whispered urgently.

"Are you insane!" Kira cried, a bit too loudly, "Neville! You have no idea what went on between us! It's not like we were buddies the entire time!"

Neville quirked his eyebrow at her questioningly.

"So? Honestly, Kira. You can't make a big row over something no one else bloody knows about! Ignore him for now, we'll figure it out later, alright?"

Kira bit her lip.

"Alright," she mumbled quietly, "I'll be in there in a second."

Neville went back inside the compartment.

Harry was here. Harry was here.

'Does this mean we'll pick up where we left off?'

'No! He was rude! He led me on, didn't he?'

'But you still have feelings for him, don't you?'

'No! Why would I fancy anyone who doesn't fancy me back?! Clearly he's perfectly fine with his friends and school and…'

Kira stared blankly over at the compartment door. Neville was right, she couldn't do anything more until she arrived at Hogwarts.

'Go back into the compartment, Kira,' she willed herself.

'But how can I face him now?'

'Don't face him, Kira! He's not worth it anyway.'

Kira quickly wiped her eyes and before her resolve could break, she reentered the compartment. Harry heard her come in and briefly glanced her way, but quickly turned his gaze back to Ron, who was discussing Quidditch. Kira swallowed and sat next to Hermione once again.

"So Kira," offered Hermione tentatively, hoping for an actual intelligible conversation with the new girl, "Neville tells me your from New Zealand, what part?"

Harry stopped mid-sentence, as if listening for Kira's response.

"Uh…" began Kira nervously, "I lived in… Treven. It's a small town. Really small."

"Hmm, I can say that I've studied New Zealand extensively, though I can't say I've heard of Treven," Hermione shrugged her shoulders, "oh well, it must be very small. I'll have to research it."

Kira looked at Neville tensely out of the corner of her eye. He looked just as anxious.

Ron, giving up on Harry as he was once again staring out the window, asked, "so did you like it there, mate?"

"Yes, I suppose so. It was very… nice."

Suddenly the compartment door opened and a pretty red head entered.

"Ginny, what do you want?" asked Ron, rolling his eyes, "doesn't Ernie need you off in his compartment right now?"

"Oh, honestly Ron, Ginny is sixteen, well past the age for you to stop bothering her about who she goes with," Hermione chided. Ron seemed to begin to pout.

Ginny laughed in her brother's direction and turned to Hermione.

"Just wanted to tell you that we're going to be at Hogwarts soon. You better get changed."

"Okay, thanks Ginny," said Hermione, "and by the way, this is Kira Sanden. She's new this year."

Ginny smiled genially at Kira and said, "that's great! It's not every day we get someone new. You'll love it here."

Kira grinned at the young red head, liking her jumpy personality.

"Thanks," said Kira.

Ginny left, and Hermione took charge.

"Okay boys, out," she said, pointing towards to door.

"Huh?" burbled Ron.

"We've got to change into our school uniforms, Ron. Honestly, it's not rocket science. Now out!"

Ron rolled his eyes and followed Harry and Neville out of the compartment.

"Really, all boys are the same," Hermione snorted in annoyance.

Kira chuckled but inwardly was worried.

'So Harry was using me? No, that couldn't be…'

A soft meow pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Moxie! I'd totally forgotten I had let you out," she said, picking up her cat, "you were hiding under the seat, weren't you?"

"How utterly sweet! You didn't tell me you had a cat!" exclaimed Hermione, scratching the animal behind the ears, "I have one too!"

"Really?"

"Oh yes, he's a darling. Though for particular reason, some people don't seem to think so…"

XXXXXXXXXX

With a final jolt, the train came to a halt and students began filing out of their compartments.

"Leave your trunk and other baggage here, Kira," said Hermione as she opened the door to leave.

"But--"

"Don't worry, they'll take it to your dormitory."

"Who will?"

Hermione giggled, "never mind, just leave it. Now follow me. I'll show you where to go."

Latching Moxie's cage and setting it on the seat, Kira followed Hermione out into the corridor and onto the platform. A booming female voice shouted out from Kira's left, "first years! First years! Over here, please! First years!"

"Oh it will be a shame without Hagrid not being here this year," Hermione commented solemnly.

"Hagrid?" asked Kira, confused.

"I'll tell you later," Hermione said quickly. She grabbed Kira's hand and pulled her through the crowd.

"We're riding in the carriages. They're over here," said Hermione over her shoulder. Soon they arrived to an area with a long line of black carriages. Somebody put a hand on her shoulder and she jumped. It was Seamus.

"We gonna get that carriage together, Kira?" he asked amiably.

"You two know each other?" asked Hermione.

"I met him at Diagon Alley over holiday," Kira explained.

Hermione nodded in understanding and turned as she heard someone calling her name.

Kira saw Ron yelling at Hermione to come get the carriage he'd found empty, and Hermione excused herself and went in that direction. Harry stood beside the carriage next to Ron, and as Seamus took Kira by the hand to lead her toward another carriage, she felt Harry's emerald stare.

"Did ye have a good ride?" asked Seamus.

"Yeah," answered Kira, trying to shove all thoughts of Harry out of her mind.

"Oh, here's the carriage," Seamus said, opening the door for her. As Kira entered, she saw that Neville, Dean, and Parvati were already squeezed into one seat. She sat down and soon so did Seamus. A few minutes later the carriage began to move.

"Our last year," said Parvati, trying to make conversation, "I can't believe it's finally here…" She gazed out the window somberly, "And after all that's happened."

Dean put his arm around her and nodded. Kira lifted an eyebrow. What in the world were they talking about?

She was about to voice her inquiry, but Neville said loudly, "So what classes do you think we'll have this year?"

Kira squinted at him suspiciously. Did he change the subject on purpose? Neville was avoiding her eyes but his cheeks had reddened.

As the group made conversation, Kira gazed out the window. In the distance was a large lake. In the fading light it was black as coal. Small rowboats were passing across it.

"Hey," Kira said, interrupting Dean, "what are those rowboats in the distance doing in the lake?"

"It's tradition. The first years always ride across the lake."

Kira nodded in understanding and turned back to the window. She saw a large field, and a dark forest. As she admired the beautiful scenery, the carriage joggled to a stop.

"We're here, mates," announced Seamus.

Seamus opened the carriage door and stepped out. He helped Kira out and soon the whole group stood out on a platform before an immaculate castle.

"Hogwarts," Kira breathed.

"Astounding, isn't it?" commented Seamus, "this way." He touched the small of her back to guide her toward the pair of wooden doors Kira guessed was the main entrance.

The castle was massive, and made out of stone. The towers loomed above her and the torches that illuminated the castle walls left Kira in awe. The wooden doors creaked open, allowing the students entrance. The entrance hall welcomed them with golden vaulted ceilings. Abruptly Kira felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see an older woman dressed in emerald green robes, with large, square spectacles and pursed lips.

"Miss Sanden, I am Professor McGonagall. Headmaster Dumbledore wishes to see you in his office."

"But Professor, Kira's new and wants to enjoy the feast--"

"I am perfectly aware of the circumstances regarding Miss Sanden, Master Finnegan, and I encourage you to move along. Miss Sanden will be attending the feast shortly."

Kira followed the professor through a side door off the front entrance hall. Leading her down a few corridors, McGonagall stopped in front of a large statue.

"Pinkle Pops," she murmured and the statue jumped aside to reveal a stairwell. Soon Kira found herself in a circular office, the ceiling covered in paintings. The occupants of the paintings began to whisper as she entered.

"How wonderful to see you, Kira," exclaimed Dumbledore from his desk, "welcome to Hogwarts."

Kira smiled at the old man, "I'm happy to finally be here, Professor."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and he asked warmly, "and you've finished the assignments I provided for you?"

"Uh, yes, Professor. They're in my trunk--"

"I know, Kira. Of course you've finished them," the old man chuckled, "and I don't see why you should be kept from the beginning-of-year feast any longer, do you?"

"No, sir."

"Then run along, Kira. Go back the way you came. Professor McGonagall will escort you. And meanwhile, I have business to attend to."

Dumbledore snapped his fingers and disappeared.

"Well, Miss Sanden, let's proceed to the Great Hall," the older woman said curtly and turned to leave. Kira smiled to herself. She was finally here.

A/N: Yikes! What do you think? I hate it personally but that's just me… Ugh, I need I cookie.

IMPORTANT: (well, kinda) Do you guys want me to start doing "reviewer responses" after or before the chapter where I can answer your questions from your reviews? I've seen a lot of other fanfiction authors do it. So if you want me to also, just tell me in your review ok?

REVIEW PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!