Chapter 2: Confrontation at Kings Cross Station

Hurling himself through Platform 9 ¾, Harry didn't give the Durselys a last look of goodbye. He immediately saw Hermione sitting on top of her luggage, brooding over a notebook and a hefty pile of papers.

"Hi Hermione." Harry said and sat next to her.

Hermione looked up briefly at Harry. "Hi Harry. So, sixth year, huh? How's your summer been? Granted, I have seen you a quite a number of times. But how's it been?"

"Alright, I suppose… you look, er, anxious."

Hermione shook her head. "Think I've taken too many N.E.W.Ts this year—I might have to use my time turner again."

Harry chuckled, "Well you did receive Outstanding on every single O.W.L. last year, so I'd say the increased workload was of your own doing. Except for Divination, of course."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Thank heavens for that. Let me see your schedule, I wonder if we're going to be in a lot of classes together."

Harry fumbled around with his jacket pocket until he pulled out a crumbled piece of paper. " Here… let me see. We'll have Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration, Care of Magical Creatures, Potions….and… I think that's it. Had to give up History of Magic—don't see how you can carry on with that and Arthimancy, Hermione."

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know, I'll manage." She suddenly brightened, "I think Ron's pretty much in our lot of classes, no?"

Harry turned from Hermione to stroke Hedwig gently through her cage An uncomfortable silence had filled the space between the two sixteen year olds.

"You'd know more than I would, Hermione."

"Why's that?"

Harry gave her an incredulous look. "You've been seeing him every day pretty much, all summer. You've see him more than I have. And he's seen you more I have."

Hermione frowned but quickly figured that Harry wasn't thinking about their classes anymore. "But Harry—Ron is still your best friend. I am too. We've seen each other a lot of times this summer—it's been the one summer your Aunt and Uncle haven't really locked you up."

Harry nodded, "I know, which is why I don't understand why we really didn't hang out as much as we should have."

Hermione looked down, "Well Harry, Ron and I—we knew that you weren't feeling…you know, up for a crazy eventful summer. We just thought you wanted to be alone, you know, sometimes."

Harry faced Hermione, undeniably with hurt in his face. His friends had thought he wanted to be alone—in his darkest hour. "Just because Ron and you are dating, doesn't mean you can leave me in the dark."

Hermione began to open her mouth when a disheveled family of redheads came into her view.

"Ginny, Ginny, hurry, dear. Ron, you too, hurry, dears, hurry!" Mrs. Weasley shouted in a shrill voice almost as loud as the Hogwarts' Express preparing for departure, followed by her husband quick on her heels.

Hermione bolted from her seat, "I was wondering when you were going to get here! It's five until 11!" She got up from her seat quickly and ran toward Ron.

Ron spoke, "Yeah, well you know us—we're always late." He grinned. "Good to know I caught you smiling and not worrying." Hermione quickly stood on her tip toes and planted a quick kiss on Ron's lips. "You missed it—Harry saw me brooding. Right Harry?"

Harry, who had risen slowly after Hermione, nodded his head slowly in acknowledgment.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley quickly helped Ginny sit herself down on the train. Hermione, Ron and Harry soon followed. Mr. Weasley stopped Harry before letting him on the train, "Summer, alright, Harry?"

Harry nodded. "Just fine, sir."

Mr. Weasley sighed, "I know you're going to be eager to hear about Voldemort now that the second war has begun. But I'm telling you now, being that you are now older, and one of the wisest wizards I know, you have my word when I say I will keep you informed. But as of now, I truly feel that Voldemort is laying low. Molly and I feel like you should just try to concentrate on your studies and have fun this year. Can you trust me on that, Harry?"

Harry nodded again, unsure of how to feel, "Sure, Mr. Weasley."

Mr. Weasley patted Harry on the back. "There's a good lad. Alright, be off then…"

Harry turned around and stepped on the train. He saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley get smaller and smaller as the train started to accelerate and steer away from the platform.

" 'Mione, Harry, over here…I found an empty compartment." Ron said.

Hermione took a seat next to Ron and held his hand lightly. Uncomfortably, Harry sat across from them, starting at the moving landscape through the window.

Ron was the first to speak, "So, Harry. What'd my Dad tell you?"

Harry furrowed his eyebrows and in a cynical tone of voice remarked, "Well, let's see. He asked me how my summer was- about the millionth person that's asked me. He told me to 'concentrate on my studies' and 'have fun' this year. He said he'd keep me informed about Voldemort."

Hermione chimed before Ron opened his mouth, "I'm sure he will Harry. He's just concerned."

Harry shook his head, "I just wish people would figure out that I'm not some stupid git. I can handle things for myself—isn't that the mistake Dumbledore made last year, or the mistake he made ever since he met me? That I couldn't handle information, and for that, Sirius is dead!" Harry felt hot tears formulating in his eyes. He continued his voice now cracking, "And why did you two have to go steady this summer? Why not any other summer, why not any other time? When I wasn't feeling so miserable?"

Hermione suddenly leapt in anguish. "Harry, stop blaming people for why you are feeling so bad! None of us killed Sirius- a Death Eater did! And in case you haven't noticed, we all consider them the enemy! Why can't you just be happy for Ron and me? Why does everyone else have to be miserable too!" Hermione's bottom lip trembled as fled the compartment.

Harry sighed heavily and turned back to the window. Without looking at Ron he said, "Why don't you go after her?"

Ron hadn't moved his position. "She'll be fine. She doesn't mean it. I'm more concerned about you answering her question though. You haven't been happy, Harry—we know that. But sulking and trying to take away other people's happiness won't help you, mate. Harry, look at me."

Harry turned to him with tears running down his cheeks.

"Harry, we're your best friends. We're here to help—not to hurt you. Whatever you think that we intended to do to make you feel bad, you imagined it. Because we wouldn't do that. We never would. Hermione and I just started having romantic feelings for each other—well, er, we kind of have since the end of the third year—but believe me, our relationship has nothing to do with spiting you. I'm hurt that that's something you would believe."

Harry took off his glasses to wipe their fogged lenses. "I'm sorry Ron. This summer has just been so awful without Sirius."

Ron smiled slightly and put his hand atop Harry's shoulder. "It'll be alright. You still have us. Look, I better go find Hermione and fulfill my, er, 'boyfriend' responsibilities. I'll see you in a bit."

Harry nodded and watched Ron leave the compartment quietly, still feeling awkwardly upset. He turned toward the window again, watching the English countryside swiftly passing by the train.

Three compartments down from Harry's solitude, Cho Chang and Marietta Edgecombe were giggling to themselves and drinking cans of pumpkin juice, totally unaware of Harry's lonely thoughts.

"It's our seventh year, Cho, I propose a toast." Marietta said brightly.

"Some toast. Just you and me, fancy that. Oh well, cheers." Cho said coolly. "I don't see what all the fuss is about. This year seems to me just like the rest except…N.E.W.Ts testing!"

Marietta shook her head, " Don't evveeeen mention that! It's our last year. We get a lot of more privileges this year, and I'm expecting the both of us to behave like some wildly wicked seventeen year olds!"

Cho laughed. "Etta, you are so crazy. I'm just—well, I'm not looking forward to seeing Michael again. I haven't seen him since we broke up last July."

Marietta sighed, "I figured that as much. Cho, can we establish that Michael Corner was really just a waste of your time. He's an ass-grabbing git. There is no use in shedding tears over him…you're not going to cry on me, are you?"

Cho furrowed her eyebrows indignantly. "No. Why does everyone think I'm a human hosepipe?"

"Maybe because you are?"

"Have you ever lost your first, real, caring boyfriend—murdered by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named??!" Cho felt the tears welling in her eyes.

"Cho, I'm sorry. I really don't think Cedric would like it if he saw you being so upset on his behalf."

"He wouldn't, but I can't help it. If only I had some sense of closure. I mean, Harry…Harry said he didn't even say a word about me while he was dying."

Marietta sighed, "Well, a. he was dying. And b. I would disregard everything associated with Harry Potter."

"Etta."

"Cho, come on. You saw how he and that Granger girl were looking at me when we got on the train to go home—like I was as evil as Umbridge herself for telling on them! She jinxed the bloody parchment! I mean it felt like the right thing to do at the time, I do regret it and I totally apologized. They all flipped out on me—you did too!"

"I'm sorry but I still think what you did was kind of rotten even though I agree that Hermione stepped out of line with that charm she put on the parchment. And yes, I don't feel like thinking about Harry Potter at the moment. Another one I'm not particularly looking forward to seeing this year…for other reasons."

"Those being that he is an awful date and kisser. Valid, indeed."

Cho chuckled, "He wasn't that bad. I don't have much to compare him to."

Marietta raised her eyebrows, "Cho, are you being serious? You can't say you're your history with men have been limited to Cedric and Harry Potter."

Cho took a last sip of her pumpkin juice, "Well. It's just that those were the only two people I've really ever had true feelings for—people I saw myself with, aside from just having fun. Why does everyone think I'm so experienced? I mean my first kiss was with Cedric, I was fifteen years old! Etta, you did the nasty when you were fifteen!"

Marietta giggled, "Shhh. No one has to know that. And anyway, people think you're so experienced because clearly, you are the prettiest girl in our entire school!!"

Cho blushed a deep shade of crimson. "Hardly."

"You're full of crap. I'm going to walk around and see if I can find Padma, she said had an Oliver Wood sighting this summer. You obviously know that's something I can't miss hearing about—I'm absolutely mad about Oliver. Just imagine hitting the sheets with him! Be right back!" Marietta blew a kiss and hopped out of the compartment.

Cho sighed. Feeling stupidly alone, she got up and decided to take a walk around the train for herself. Poking her head through several of neighboring compartments, Cho faintly said hello to several of people she knew. Heading towards the next one, Cho spotted Harry sitting alone, watching trees fly by through the window. I wonder where Ron Weasley and his precious Hermione are, she thought to herself. Almost ready to pass his compartment, Cho was suddenly knocked off her feet like a snarling, tall, blonde-headed boy moving at the speed of light.

"Watch yourself, Chang." Draco Malfoy spat hatefully.

Cho heaved herself off the ground and said coolly, "Since you were the clumsy oaf that knocked into me, I would encourage you to follow your own advice."

"Ooooh. Crabbe, Goyle, you heard that? I believe Miss Chang called me clumsy."

Cho's chocolate brown eyes stared fiercely into Draco's cold, ashen eyes. Naturally he would have his two loyal servants following him around—just like dogs, she thought.

"And what's this?" Cho sneered as took notice of a girl hanging onto Draco's right arm. "Pansy Parkinson?"

The short girl nodded with satisfaction. "Hmmm..that's right, Chang. Proud to be Draco's one and only girlfriend. He's even called me the best he's ever—"

Draco turned around quickly to face Pansy. "Can you keep that to yourself, Pansy?" He barked, not in a very coquettish tone of voice.

Pansy instantly blushed, "Sorry, love."

Draco turned around and rolled his eyes while Pansy wasn't looking. "Let's go, everyone." He sneered at Cho once more before he detached Pansy from his arm and shouted, "Oy! Pansy, go buy me some pumpkin juice will ya? We'll be the last compartment down that way. Meet us there."

Pansy nodded furiously. "Yes, Draco, my sweet!"

Draco and his two overweight friends continued prancing down the aisle, leaving Cho standing by herself.

"Cho Chang is looking good this year," Goyle started to comment.

Crabbe agreed, "She always does. But Draco—did you really tell Pansy she was the best you've ever had?? I mean, even I had her, and she wasn't great. I'd like to get into Chang's pants."

Draco rolled his eyes, "I told Pansy that so she'd continue having sex with me, idiots. Granted it wasn't mind-blowing but it's sex—what can I do when it comes so willingly?"

Draco turned around to see Cho still standing in the same spot.

"As for Chang, she's hot. But I haven't really considered her."

Goyle chimed, "Why not?"

Draco sighed, clearly annoyed, "How thick are you, Goyle? She's a not a pure blood and she's Asian as in non-white. As in non-Aryan. As in, not good enough for me. I couldn't really sustain anything with her except maybe one run on the sheets. That'd be all. She's no asset to me."

Crabbe nodded, "Agreed. Draco, I'm hungry. Let's go grab something to eat."

"You always are, you hog. I established that years ago that your sole priority will be to eat and eat and eat."

Crabbe shrugged as if he found nothing wrong with that statement. "What are your—er—pri-or-ri-ties…this year, Draco?" he said slowly, clearly unsure of what he was asking.

Draco, "The usual. Terrorizing mudbloods, getting arse from willing Slytherin girls, probably going to dump Pansy soon, and of course—trying to ruin St. Potter's life." Draco grinned. "The usual."

Draco, Crabbe and Goyle laughed amongst themselves and continued prancing down the aisle.