Chapter 3: Maturing
Harry, however, was wrong. Ron and Hermione had to leave just as they got there for their Prefect meeting. This irked Harry, having only limited contact with his two very best friends over the summer. He wished that they would have arrived earlier, since they knew about the meeting and would have spent at least ten minutes with him, at the least just to catch him up on some things. The only thing he did notice from his friends was that Ron had gotten taller and his nose was a little bigger than before and that Hermione was, well, cute for a lack of better term. He also noticed through her school robes that she had 'filled out' a little more. Harry felt bad for looking at his friend in that way, but he was a guy, and she was a girl dammit, he only had so much will power.
Harry was glad that over the summer he learned how to mask major emotions. It was a necessity if your name was Harry Potter and lived with Dursleys. Harry was sure his cheeks would have been bright red with his thoughts and he could tellRon had the same thoughts as the tips of his ears seemed perfectly camouflagedwith his hair.
"Hey Harry!" He heard someone break him out of his not so innocent thoughts about his friend. He turned to find Neville standing behind his. Harry just had to smile at the portly boy. Neville was, to say the least, a character. Out of five years of knowing the boy, Harry could never predict what he would do. He didn't know if he would say something profiund, trip and almost break his neck, throw a punch at someone, do something incredibly brave, or something incredibily stupid, or both.
"Shouldn't you be in the Prefect meeting?" He questioned.
"Nope! I didn't get Prefect. Ron did." This left Neville with a bit of a slacked jaw. Now that Harry thought about it, it did seem like he would have been more suited with the position than Ron who was a notorious complainer about anything to do with the school unless it involved quidditch in some shape or form.
"They must be late, huh? Figures, the Weasley's-"
"Are extremely poor and should be made into House Elves?"interrupted a drawl from behind Harry. There stood Draco Malfoy, the kid Harry, didn't want to say hated, because that was such a strong word, but yeah that word was perfect for the way Harry felt about him. Especially the comments he left the trio with at the end of last term. He was a little taller than last term, not much more muscle, but his voice got deeper, and a blonde strand of his hair was in his eyes that he cleared away lazily, but just fell back into them. Harry guessed this must be attractive since girls behind him were looking at him and giggling or they were remembering when he was turned into a ferret last year. Harry figured it was the first since when he glanced at Hermione she had a light blush on her cheeks, despite the furious face she put on while walking with Ron to the Prefect meeting at the distance they saw the Ferret while Harry tried to figure a way to dodge the boy while thinking about his friend before he was interrupted by Neville.
Harry let out a little chuckle remembering the ferret incident. This angered Malfoy since he didn't get a menacing look from Harry but instead a chuckle.
"What's so funny Potter?" he questioned angrily.
"A new nick-name you spent probably your whole summer trying to come up with, and that's the best you can do?" Harry chuckled again at the barely noticeable tinge of red on his cheeks, which suggested he did, but couldn't find one so settled for his last name with as much malice as he could muster.
"Well let's hear yours." He retorted.
"Sorry Malfoy, I actually have a life I was living over the summer, so I didn't have much time for you. I know how much that must hurt, having a lesser human than your self not thinking about you, but it was the truth," Harry countered, "but you want a nick-name so bad, and I'm really not that much of a witty person, we'll just call you. Willy Rodent for now? Hope you like."
"Don't mock me Potter. You," he said looking at Harry in way Harry thought looked a lot like the way he looked at girls, which Harry didn't like at all, "better watch out. Let it be a fair warning. You may think I'm a Junior Deatheater, but I'm not, and I did hear some interesting things over the summer." With that, Draco Malfoy tried to strut away with as much dignity as one could, having just been insulted in front of a bunch of first years.
"What a disgusting little man." Neville said as Malfoy walked away, winking at different people as he walked by, like Lockheart.
Harry just laughed at Neville's comment, breaking the tension that settled upon the two. Harry quickly filled him in on Ron and Hermione as they walked to Harry's compartment as Neville dragged his trunk along.
Harry was correct in his assumption that the paper had written slanderous material on himself. By way of the looks of revolsion and fear on his classmates faces, he could they pulled no punches.
"Don't worry Harry, a lot of people know the truth too," Neville declared, correctly interpreting Harry's look of apprehension. Harry was thankful it was only Neville walking with him. Ron would have tried to fight any and all that looked at him funny and Hermione would have fussed over him the rest of the trip, which they still would mostly likely do, either on the train or at school.
Harry and Neville finally made it to Harry's compartment, and Neville got situated. They chatted for a bit, each taking jabs at Snape, trying to out do each other after each one until Neville saying something about if his nosed was any more hooked, he wouldn't be able to close his mouth for fear of biting the tip off, which sent Harry into a series of guffaws. Ginny eventually came and settled down with them. Harry was a little uncomfortable having never been around the youngest Weasley alone. He was glad Neville was there and eventually they all chatted happily.
After they settled into a comfortable silence and the train had taken off, Harry was getting a little fed up with the 'children' outside. First Years running up and down the train, trying to work off their excitement, Fourth Year girls giggling as certain boys walked by them, a Group of Seventh Years playing Exploding Snap on the other side of the aisle. He was getting a migraine and Harry didn't like head pains of any kind.
Harry quickly yanked out his dartboard he made. He threw his darts hard at the target, not taking particular aim, just trying to punch a hole through it.
Neville and Ginny saw Harry's angered face, which he didn't feel like masking now, startling them a bit.
"Whoa, Harry. What's the matter?"Neville asked.
"Nothing. Don't worry about it." Harry snapped.
Nevilledisplayed some maturity and changed the touchy subject, and so asked, "What's that you got there?"
"Just a little something I found," he again said in a snap.
"Harry, I don't know what your problem is, but it's very unbecoming,"Ginny said, then directed herself at Neville, "it's a muggle game called darts. You throw the darts and try and hit the bulls-eye." She had obviously taken Muggle Studies, Harry noted.
"Oh, can I give it a go Harry?"Neville questioned trying to be on friendlier terms with hisgood friend.
Harry really wanted to keep from biting Neville's head off, and it was hard, after all, it wasn't his fault. He was just trying to be a good friend. Harry responded with, "Not right now, later after I cool down a bit." He said in a friendlier tone, which still didn't sound too friendly.
Nevilleseemed fine with that answer and continued his conversation withGinny as Harry summoned his darts.
Harry noticed a change in Ginny as she chatted animatedly with Neville. This was the first time she had talked to him without blushing, and it was scolding him no less. Harry was pleasantly surprised with the younger Weasley.
Harry finally seemed to get some of his excess anger out of his system, and handed his darts to Ron, who showed up with Hermione about ten minutes later of the fussing Harry went through with Neville and Ginny. Ron and Neville were both eager to havetheir turn. Hermione turned to Harry and asked in a voice that seemed to be trying to start a conversation that she really didn't want, and that she would be rather talking again with Ron, "So Harry, how was your summer?" It sounded like she was a little peeved at him for disrupting her conversation with Ron.
Harry figured that he wasn't going to hold a conversation with someone who didn't want a conversation with him and replied with a nonchalant, "Maybe later Hermione, I'm a little tired and I want to get some rest before we get to Hogwarts." He closed his eyes, not noticing the hurt look in Hermione's eyes as she turned to talk with Ginny as the other two boys continued to Darts.
Harry really was not that tired, but figured that this would be better than a forced conversation with Hermione. He pondered if he had started to like one of his best friends as more than a friend. He decided that he was, but wasn't going to do anything about it. He liked to think that relationships were above him. After all, what had they done for him? His relationship with his parents, was well, probably nice, but caused more heartache than anything. The relationship with the Dursley's left more to be desired, and his relationship with Sirius was strained. The one with his former professor, Remus Lupin was almost non-existent, and his relationship with Ron almost broke him with the whole Goblet of Fire fiasco. The only one that really seemed impervious to all that was the one with Hermione, except for that little bump in the road in third year.
Harry decided that it would be better for everyone if he started to distance himself from everyone else. First, would be to stop Ron from hanging out with him, which would lead to Hermione following around. It would be difficult to get into the chamber with them around anyway. He just had to prod Ron into asking out Hermione, leading them to want alone time, leaving Harry by himself to pursue anything he wanted! Yes he was a genius. He just now had to get over the feeling of seeing his best friends together, especially one you have a crush on. Harry figured that if no one knew and hecould keepit hidden long enough, the pain would go away, or be bearable.
Harry finally opened his eyes from his schemes to see Ron and Neville having a blast with the darts, and Hermione looking at him wistfully with Ginny having a weird look on her face. Well one thing about Ron didn't change, he was still oblivious. What Harry didn't know was that Hermione also had a crush on one of her best friend's. Not the one Harry was thinking about, but Harry himself. Instead of distancing herself though, she figured if she went out with other boys, they would sweep Harry under the mat, and that would be that. It hurt her more though because to keep her resolve, she had to start distancing herself from him so her resolve wouldn't crack. It helped her in her resolve when Malfoy came. She was finally thankful Willy Rodent came, and turned out to be easy on the eyes. In addition, she got little butterflies in her stomach when he looked at her and called her Granger instead of mud blood.
Harry wasn't like Malfoy in looks. Malfoy had a rich charm to him, which was attractive, but you could tell he was a wuss. Ron had looks too and was a good distraction quality about him, and his charm was a more of a happy go lucky attitude. Harry, well, it wasn't that he wasn't attractive; no Hermione thought he was quite cute. He just wasn't hot. She wasn't shallow; she just didn't know why that the past summer gave her these feelings about her friend. She also didn't know why she was fighting them. She would willingly have a relationship with Ron, but not Harry. She just had a feeling, perhaps it was one of getting hurt because of being near him, though she was already quite popular being his best friend. Oh well, if it was meant to be, they'd end up together, she was sure it would happen, and if not, she still would have a friend who would stand by her.
She looked over at Harry, who looked like he was just waking up, and offered him small smile. He gave her a little wave and gestured that he was going to go change into his robes. She nodded, and watched with longing as he left.