Figuring Each Other Out

Harry sat in his room and pondered his day. Elizabeth seemed to be a very nice girl. She was pretty, funny, had a wonderful sense of humor, and she was a witch. There just seemed to be something wrong with that. How could it be possible for him to meet someone who was a witch, whom he'd never met, that knew who he was, and didn't seem to want anything more from him than a bit of friendship? Was he overreacting to a coincidence or was she only what she seemed?

It was a bit too much to believe.

Those sparkling blue eyes. The happy and carefree demeanor. It seemed too easy. Who was she? What was she? Was she a test from the other side? Was she just what she seemed?

The questions whirled through his head.

'Harry's a bit of a dilemma," Elizabeth thought. 'He's also very cute.'

She went over her day in her head. Elizabeth went to meet her favorite uncle for lunch and met 'The Famous Harry Potter' and he seemed just like every other boy she had ever met. But, somehow, he was different. He didn't trust her. She'd never met anyone so suspicious in her life.

"He probably doesn't trust anyone," she muttered. "Who could blame him? If everything, or even half of everything that's been said about him is true?"

She rolled over on her bed and stared at the wall, "Well, I'll just have to make him believe that I'm on his side and let him know that he met a friend," she whispered, knowing her job was cut out for her. But, being as stubborn as she was, she knew, that in the end, she'd win.

Harry made up his mind, he wasn't going to trust her. It was too easy, too coincidental, and too unbelievable. He'd finish the job at Fenton's shop, gather up the funny muggle magic tricks he knew that George and Fred would love to get their hands on, and be done with that place.

His job at the shop was just a way to pass the time until the Order could come for him. Once that happened, Elizabeth wouldn't ever know what had happened to him. She wouldn't be able to find him, nor would whoever sent her.

For two days Harry had gone to his job, worked all day cleaning out the cluttered back room at Fenton's shop, and Elizabeth hadn't shown so much as an eyelash. Those long eyelashes that framed sparkling blue eyes just the color of the summer sky. 'Enough of that Harry!' he berated himself. 'Keep your mind on business!'

The bell over the door jingled and Harry ignored it, knowing that Fenton was out front making a display of the necklaces of beads Harry had unearthed.

"Hello Uncle!" sang out the voice that had haunted Harry's thoughts.

"Hullo my dear!" came Fenton's reply.

"Do you need any help today?" she asked.

"No, my dear," Fenton replied, "business is down today. You can just run along and enjoy the day. Why don't you go to the lake?"

"Mum and Dad went shopping, and Aunt Esther has decided that the den needs to be cleaned. There's no on to go to the lake with," came the lamented reply.

Fenton winked, leaned forward and whispered, "Why don't you take young Harry in the back? He's been working very hard and I think he might enjoy an afternoon off, with a pretty girl!"

"Sounds like a plan to me!" she whispered back excitedly.

"Harry, my boy!" Fenton called out loudly.

"Yes, sir?" Harry replied, trying to act as though he didn't know anyone other than Fenton was in the front of the shop.

"My niece here needs an escort to the lake, why don't you take the rest of the afternoon off and escort her?" Fenton asked, as Harry poked his head through the doorway to the back room.

"I, er, um, I," Harry stuttered. "I should really keep working here, sir."

"Nonsense! There's plenty of time for that to be done. It's a beautiful day and Elizabeth here needs someone to show her how to get to the lake!" Fenton replied.

"Oh, but sir," Harry tried to refuse.

"No, 'Oh, but sir's', out of you, my boy!" Fenton replied, reaching in his pocket as he went toward Harry. "Here's a few pounds for the trolley, and a treat or two once your there," he told Harry quietly. "Elizabeth doesn't know anyone around here and I'd take it as a personal favor if you would take her there."

Harry couldn't refuse. Fenton was simply too insistent, and too innocent, to believe that there was something sinister going on.

"All right sir," Harry replied, giving in.

"Wonderful!" Elizabeth chimed in, "I'll just run home and put on my suit, grab a towel and be back in a few minutes!" She ran out the door before either of them could reply.

"I think you'd better run home for your own swimsuit," Fenton advised.

"Um, sir, I, uh," Harry stammered, "I don't, um, I don't have a suit."

Pity colored Fenton's kind eyes briefly before he reached into his pocket again. He pulled out a fold of pound notes and pressed them into Harry's hand, "My boy, take these and go to the shop a few doors down and get yourself a suit, a beach towel, and whatever else you might need. I'll take it out of your pay." Not intending to do anything of the sort. This boy needed some looking after.

Harry felt very awkward, but the idea of going to the lake, with a pretty girl, in a brand new suit was too tempting to resist. Even if she might be someone he had to be wary of.

Elizabeth bounced into her room and pulled her favorite swimsuit out of her drawer with one hand as she began pulling off her clothes as quickly as she could. Harry was a very cute boy and she was going to do everything in her power to convince him that she was the girl of his dreams! How hard could it be? He was so shy, he simply couldn't know that many girls.

Besides, she would be going to Hogwarts in the fall. Even if he did know, and like, any girls from school, she'd have the summer to change his mind!