Disclaimer: I own chapters 1 through till the end of this story, but noting that has to do with the books written by the genius of J.K. Rowling.
That goes for the rest of the story too...
Summary: Harry's summer started out being a total blur, Sirius's death hit him like a tonne of bricks, but when the new neighbors moved in next-door and he met Blaine all of it flushed out of his memory. Harry spent his summer months with Blaine, much to the delight and disappointment of his aunt, uncle and cousin. To Harry's knowledge Blaine is just your average muggle girl, but he really likes her and doesn't want to leave, except for the fact that his true home lies at Hogwarts.
Chapter One: Conflicts Of the Heart
--------------------------------------
Harry lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling when Hedwig flew into the window, a small piece of Parchment attached to her leg. Harry sat up defiantly, having been comfortable there, thinking again about Sirius, the only time he could think about Sirius was when he wasn't with Blaine. Blaine always seemed to be able to change the rails of his train of thought; she kept his mind off of what had once bombarded his brain.
Hedwig held out her leg as he approached the windowsill, he untied the piece of paper off of her leg and stroked her head in appreciation before she fluttered over to her cage, he pulled open the paper, it was a letter from his best friend Ron.
Harry,
Mum says you can come stay the rest of the summer again, if it's ok with the muggles of course, I'd be great to see you. Please reply with your answer soon so we can figure a way to get you here. Anyways, anything new since your last letter? Who's this girl you're on about? She a muggle? Mum, dad, Fred George, Ginny all say hi, Bill too, he's been visiting. We'd all like to have you come stay. Pig's getting restless, better let him take this before he dies of an early panic attack or something, wouldn't be all that bad though would it?
Ron.
P.S. Hermione's gonna come stay too.
Harry smiled at Ron's attitude towards Pigwidgeon, he'd always hoped pig would grow out of his hyper activeness, but hadn't so far and it had been over two years, likely it wasn't about to change.
Harry moved to his trunk and began to rifle through it for a piece of parchment, his quill and his ink. Upon finding it he moved back over to the small desk hedwig's cage was perched upon and began to scratch Ron's name, when a thought hit him.
He hadn't yet told Blaine he was a wizard, or that he attended a wizard's school far from here, and along with that, the fact that he wouldn't see her till the beginning of next summer. He pushed his seat backwards and stared at the piece of paper, knowing he had to explain something to her, even if he didn't tell her he was a wizard, he didn't want to scare her off or something. Standing, he ran both hands trough his hair and sat roughly upon the edge of his bed with a deep sigh.
Harry ran his hands up and down his face, and then adjusted his glasses back into place before interlocking his hands behind his head and lying back upon his bed.
"Blaine, I have something you need to know..." he paused, licking his lips and frowning. "No, I'm a wizard." He shook his head and covered his eyes with his hands again. "You're a wizard Harry." He repeated Hagrid's words from his eleventh birthday. "How come it was so easy for him to tell me?" Harry complained sitting up. And placing his head in his hands. "You may not believe me but... no that won't work." He mumbled a disgruntled moan into his own hands, laughing at his own loss for words.
Harry stood up and let out a deep breath, taking his desk chair once more, picking up his quill and dipping it into his inkbottle, before placing the tip upon clean parchment.
Ron,
I'll come stay, but tell your mom not to worry, I'll take the knight bus in two night's time, there's something I need to do before I come. Her name is Blaine and yes, she is a muggle, moved in next door at the beginning of summer, has no idea I'm a wizard though. Just don't tell anyone ok, specially your mum. It's bad enough I have to tell her I attend some private Wizarding school...
Harry's writing stopped as he looked down upon the words he'd just written.
"That's it, I'll tell her I go to a private school..." he smiled at his own genius. "It's perfect; I can write..." his own thoughts trailed off. "I'll have to make sure Hedwig drops it in the mailbox instead of taking it right to her." His aloud thinking was disrupted as he noticed his unfinished letter.
Tell you about her later, I've got to go, keep Hedwig until I come ok?
Harry
P.s. tell everyone hello back for me will you?
Harry plucked Hedwig out of her cage, placing her on the windowsill once more and tying the letter to her leg.
"I need you to take this to Ron, stay there ok? I'm coming there as well." She nipped at him lovingly and was gone out of sight rather quickly. Harry traveled over to his dresser and pulled out a t-shirt, pulling it over his bare back just in time to hear a voice call out from the ground below his window.
"Harry!" he could recognize her voice so easily and went back to the window as he tried to pull a sock onto his left foot. Beneath the window, bearing a sweet smile was Blaine. "Coming?" she asked, a dog pulling at the leash she held tightly in one hand. Harry smiled back.
"Yeah, be right down!" he called back and disappeared from the view of the window as he pulled on the other sock and opened the door. His uncle Vernon intercepted him as he neared the bottom.
"Where are you off to boy?" he asked with a sneer as he placed his stubbly hands upon his round middle.
"Out, I'll be back before supper." He said, knowing his uncle couldn't protest, thanks to the order mostly. His uncle's lip curled up as Harry passed him and began to put on his shoes.
"You're going out with that girl aren't you?" he snapped, but Harry just ignored his snide comment towards Blaine. "She's as mental as you are." Harry turned and gave his uncle one raw look, making him turn as well and head back into the living room without another word. Harry turned the door handle and stepped outside, but he couldn't help thinking of his task, he'd given himself two days to tell her, hopefully he was brave enough to get it out before he had to leave.
Blaine stood on the sidewalk in a white tank top and a simple pair of jeans; smiling all the while he walked across the grass towards her. Knowing his uncle hated him walking on the grass, he took a glance towards the window to see Dudley's face disappear, a smirk on his own face. Blaine knew the situation between him and his relatives, so she didn't think twice when Harry ad a solumn look upon his face. But Harry also didn't think twice about grasping her hand and interlocking his fingers tightly in hers, though his palm was a bit clammy.
"Something wrong/" she dared to ask after a few moments of silence as the two of them walked along the sidewalk, ignoring the odd stares form the insides of cars and house windows. Harry nodded slightly.
"Yeah." He said through a sigh, side glancing her way to see concern.
"Me too." She added in without a thought, making him look at her quizzically. "I have something to tell you Harry, but you can go first." The real reason Blain wanted him to go first was the fact that she knew his secret, because she kept the same and every wizard or witch knew about him. Harry sighed.
"I'm leaving." She tried not to sound too surprised or even look it.
"Where to?" she was hoping he would tell her the truth, because it would tell her how he actually felt about her, whether he trusted her and cared about her. His hand shifted in hers and he grasped it even tighter.
"I'm spending the rest of the summer with a friend, and then I'm going back to school." She let out a small laugh.
"That's what bothers you... school, why would that bother you?" he looked up at her and deepened his gaze into her eyes as if he longed to tell he the truth and get it over with, but he just couldn't' and looked away.
"I go to a private school." He mentioned as if it was insignificant, but her smile faded as disappointment flooded her veins. "I really like you though..." he added in quickly, as if he saw her disappointment. Blain's eyes traveled to her feet and she watched, pulling back on the leash as her dog began to pull at it incessantly.
"Actually that's pretty much what I wanted to tell you as well, I go to a private school too." He frowned and confusion hit him, why hadn't she mentioned this before? Probably the same reason he hadn't told her his, because she didn't want to hurt him.
"You do?" he found himself questioning, but didn't quit know why.
"Yes-"she was cut off as her dog began to bark and yanked at the leash, it slipping from her grip as it took off after a cat as it darted out of a row of hedges. "Barkley!" she shouted after it, turning to Harry for a second with a sympathetic look and then taking after the dog. He took off after her as well and she stopped in the middle of an open grassy area, beneath a tree, where she grasped the dog and collapsed against it, breathing deeply.
Harry caught up with her and stopped in front of her, puffing as he leaned his hands upon his bent knees, looking up the tree to see the cat sitting up near the top, looking quite content. Harry stifled a laugh.
"Fourth time this summer now is it?" she opened her eyes with a smile and then looked down at the dog wriggling in her arms with excitement as it stare upwards. Blaine leaned her head against the tree again.
"Sixth if you count the two times he took off after Mrs. Wilkinson's tabby." He took the seat beside her and leaned against the tree as well. "Why do you go to a private school?" she questioned out f the blue, hoping desperately her attempt would work this time. He turned to face her, his eyes hiding a deep distress, the tiny bundle of dog clambering into his lap.
"Uncle Vernon sends me to this school for troubled teens." She closed her eyes, feeling quite troubled as both of their breathing began to slow. "You?" he questioned. She hated the fact he felt he had to keep it from her, but she wasn't about to make him feel obligated when she told him she was the same as he.
"I don't know, I guess my mum just wants the best for me." He nodded and a smile graced his lips, making her forget his distrusting her, making her think he was only doing it for reasons he thought were good enough.
"Blaine..." he began, and she turned to face him yet again, only to find him looking back at her captivatingly, her eyes stuck upon his like so many other times, she couldn't look away. "I really like you..." her heart began to melt and she began to smile. "I hate having to leave like this, but I promise..." he hesitated, glancing down for but a second. "I'll write." She smiled and couldn't help the giddiness inside of her.
Promise?" she repeated, even though he'd already promised her. Instead of a response he moved closer to her and pressed his lips to hers gently, his body shifting and his hand finding the back of her neck, no longer clammy, but warm and comforting as the kiss deepened. She allowed her own hands to reach up and play in his hair; she didn't want it to end, because she knew then end was really the end. His other hand caressed her cheek softly and then slid to the back of her neck where it met the other, this kiss meant so much more than any of the others they'd shared during the summer.
When he pulled away, she left her eyes closed; she wanted to cry because she hated it so much. She hated how he could just sit there and lie to her so simply, but on the inside she just wanted to know the truth so desperately from his mouth that she was practically causing her own pain.
"Something wrong?" he asked her as she'd asked him previously and she opened her eyes to see concern in his own expression. She let herself smile weakly as she picked the puppy out of his lap and kept her eyes focused on that.
"I'll miss you, that's all." She said in a small voice, though knowing that she was going to see him sooner than he knew, for she was going to the same school as he'd been going to since the beginning. She'd just have to let him figure it out on his own when he saw her in the halls. A small smile crossed his face and he leaned in and kissed her again, this time not as long, but just as sweet.
----------------------------------------
The night after that, Blaine sat with her arms crossed upon the windowsill, her head upon them, watching in the dark as Harry pulled his trunk to the curb and signaled for the knight bus. Of course Harry didn't know she was there, but she couldn't help but stare at him, knowing this wasn't the last time she'd see him until next summer, but it had been so hard to not tell him.
As he clambered upon the bus with his trunk, she removed herself and shut the window, climbing into bed, but not falling asleep.
Harry, as he made to pay Stan, noticed the window of Blaine's bedroom closed, but knew that the knight bus was not visible to muggles, so thought nothing of it.
He arrived at the Burrow early morning and the only one there to greet him had been Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Ginny and the others had been still asleep when he arrived so he spent the morning talking to Mrs. Weasley about his summer.
Nearly an hour and a half later, and around nine in the morning, the twins came downstairs, chattering about something Harry knew was one of their new inventions.
"Oy, Harry!" Gorge said excitedly, moving towards him with a big smile.
"Shhhh." Mrs. Weasley scolded him. "Your brothers and sister are still trying to sleep!" George made an awkward face and took a quick seat beside Harry, Fred on his other side.
"So how's this girl of yours?" he asked in more of a hushed voice.
"Muggle isn't she?" Fred added in, Harry became a bit annoyed that they knew, especially after he'd told Ron not to tell anybody.
"Ummm, yeah." Harry answered, though it was in his best interest not to. Fred gave him a comforting pat on the back, or at least what he thought was comforting.
"Don't worry Harry, I'm sure she understands you're a wizard..." Harry couldn't believe the extent they knew about his personal life.
"Actually I didn't tell her." Both gave very surprised expressions and turned away from him, beginning to start on the breakfast Mrs. Weasley had recently placed in front of them.
"Now Harry, you know you shouldn't have done that t the poor girl." Mrs. Weasley went on, placing a hand upon his shoulder quickly as she passed him by, Harry swept his head into his hands, and disgruntled at the extent the whole ordeal had gotten to. A creaking sound came from the stairs and he noticed Ron's socked feet from the corner of his eyes, looking up totally to his friend to see him looking thoroughly embarrassed as he scratched the back of his neck.
"Sorry Harry..." Ron proceeded in saying before Harry turned back to look down with his head in his hands again. "They got to your letter before I had the chance, I was outside playing a game of Quiddich with Ginny..." Harry swept hi hand up into the air to stop Ron, who did instantly.
"They were bound to find out anyways." He said in Ron's defense, as angry as he was, he was more feeling ashamed with the words from Mrs. Weasleys mouth.
"So you didn't tell her?" Ron asked as he took a seat across from Harry. Harry shook his head, looking up at Ron with a blank expression.
"I couldn't, I was afraid it'd scare her off or something." He continued to shake his head as he lowered it and his gaze.
"The old case of 'didn't want her to think you were a nutter'... never had that problem, but it's very common." George said, nodding his head as he stuffed his mouthful of pancakes, eating them faster than Harry had ever seen anyone eat them.
"Yeah." Said Fred through a mouthful. "But if you think about it..." a wooden spoon was pointed his way and he stopped with wide eyes.
"Fred Weasley, you chew before you speak." Mrs. Weasley scolded him and he began to swallow, looking like he was having trouble doing so.
"Sorry mum, we're in a hurry to get to the shop." She frowned.
"That is no reason to speak with your mouth like that." She nagged once more, heading back into the kitchen. Fred looked back at Harry once more.
"As I was saying... if you think about it, if she really liked you, she'd have understood." Ron shook his head.
"Or told everyone she knew." He said, Harry glared at him and he held up his hands in defense as he piled his plate with sausages and pancakes.
"I take it you four aren't the only ones who know..." he went on and Ron looked at him apologetically as he looked towards the stairs, where Hermione and Ginny stood near the bottom.
"Ginny and I know as well, but it's no big deal Harry..." Hermione stopped as she noticed Harry beginning to slam his forehead upon the table, making the table shake slightly as he did so. "Harry don't do that...Ginny and I can help you..." Harry stopped, placing his head once again in his palms.
"How?" he said softly as Ginny and Hermione took seats across from him. Mrs. Weasley entered the room yet again to hand out breakfast, placing a plateful in front of Harry.
"Good morning Mrs. Weasley."Hermine said cheerfully, Ginny following suit.
"Good morning girls, eat up Harry, I'm sure you could use it after your trip." Harry stared discontentedly at Hermione, still awaiting her answer.
"You can write her when we get back to school, tell her then." Ginny said in place of Hermione's silence as she prodded her fork into a pancake.
"Or, if you'd rather tell her in person, you could invite her to come stay here."Mrs. Weasley said, much to the surprise of the whole table.
"Good idea mum, keep her here where she can't runaway screaming when he tells her his secret." George said sarcastically, making Harry drop his head onto the table, avoiding the edge of his plate by mere centimeters.
"I don't want to scare her off, that's my point." He said to the underside of the table, though everyone heard him, he felt a hand upon his shoulder, tilting his head to the side vaguely to see Fred looking at him with a mild concern.
"You'll just have to trust she won't go berserk then." He added, pushing the corner of his lips up in confusion, not quite knowing if that was the right thing to say, just as Harry let out a sigh, there was another voice with another vote of confidence for his situation.
"You'll just have to go back to Privet Drive then won't you, over Christmas..." He looked up to see bill smiling at him from the stairs as well and let out another disgruntled moan. "It's the only way."
"Bill's got himself a Muggle girlfriend as well." Ron tried to say in a comforting way, watching to see if Harry's expression would lighten.
"Fiance."Hermione added in in a giddy tone looking to bill for confirmation. Harry watched as Bill smirked then nodded innocently, blushing a bit.
"Blaine's different." Harry tried to make the excuse, even though he wanted to be with Blaine, he didn't want to go back to privet drive for Christmas, especially if he was going to be rejected by her anyways. Something seemed to click in Bill's head.
"What's her last name?" he asked, frowning as he began to shovel his plateful of goodies. Harry frowned along with the others.
"Lockwood, why?" Bill nodded, a hint of a smile on his face that Harry didn't notice. He shook his head.
"Just a question, but Harry, you might want to give it a try by telling her the truth, you might be in for a surprise." Harry frowned, confused with his words, like they had a deeper meaning.
"What's that supposed to mean?" George asked the question Harry was about to. Bill shook his head and swallowed his food before even attempting to reply.
"When I told Alex, bout myself, she was shocked, but it wore off, that's all, look where I am now..." Harry understood his words now and decided upon writing a letter to Blaine the next morning.
After breakfast Harry and the others went outside to playa little Quiddich, while Hermione read the advanced version for Hogwarts: a history and Fred and George headed off for the shop, but as Bill helped to clear the table, Mrs. Weasley couldn't help but inquire.
"Is there something you know that Harry doesn't?" she whispered to him, glancing out of the window to make sure all of the children were out of ears reach. Bill smiled and turned to look at his mom, following her gaze for the same reason.
"Promise not to tell Harry?" he questioned, and she frowned. "Mum?" he prodded her nerves and she nodded. "Ask dad who Morris Lockwood is, he works for the Ministry, new head of the Department of Mysteries." A light began to glow in her eyes as she stared at him bedazzled.
-----------------------------------------------
hope you liked this one, I particularly favor it out of all the one's I've written, partially because it's something I haven't read before, but hey.
Q: what do you think of the scene beneath the tree? Dialogue mostly?
AfireInside.
