Chapter 5: Weasel VS Who?!
Harry arrived at platform 9 and ¾ an hour early. Since his little nap had turned into an eleven hour one, he had woken up at 5:00 a.m. He had ventured into Diagon Alley to see if he could find any books on Night Creatures. He had only found two and had bought them. Then he had let Hedwig out so that she could fly to Hogwarts, shrunken her cage and his trunk into matchbox size, since he was sixteen he was allowed to do magic outside of Hogwarts as long as he was in the Wizarding world. He picked up Amethyst's cage and headed towards Kings Cross. He had a good four hours to waste so he had went to a muggle coffee shop and read one of his books. It was a book on magical creatures and only a small paragraph was dedicated to Night Creatures and it told him nothing. He was massively disappointed in that aspect, but was still intrigued by the rest of the creatures the book talked of.
So now, here he was at the train station an hour early with his tenth cup of coffee. Needless to say, he was starting to feel the effects of all that caffeine and was just a tad bit wired. He picked a compartment all the way to the back of the train, figuring it would take Ron and Hermione longer to find him there after their Perfect duties. He still didn't know what to do about Ron. Sitting back he decided to use his hour and caffeine high to think.
The plaintive meows and laughter of students boarding the train broke Harry from his coffee induced trance. Reaching over he let Amethyst out of her cage with a soft apology. Then putting the cage away he reached into his messenger bag, which he had bought on his lets-reinvent-Harry- Potter- shopping-spree, and pulled out another book on Magical Creatures. Hopefully this one would have more information on Night Creatures than the last one. If not, he would have to check the library at school. As he began to read Amethyst hopped on to his lap and he absent-mindedly began to pet her. A throaty purr filled the compartment and mingled with the sounds of the train as it chugged along its tracks.
An hour and a half later the compartment door slid open and one Ronald Weasley stood in the threshold. He hadn't changed much over the years. He was still gangly and awkward with bright red hair and watery-blue eyes. The only real difference in him was the fact that he reached a good 6'2" in height, which made him appear even clumsier and awkward looking.
"Harry?" Ron questioned as he looked at the single occupant. Emerald met pale blue eyes briefly before returning to the book. But that swift single glance was enough for Ron to know that it was Harry. "What the hell happened to ya, mate?" Ron laughed as he flopped ungracefully on to the bench across from Harry.
Hermione appeared in the doorway and tensed at Ron's statement. She had hoped that she'd get to Harry first. But it looked like she was too late. With a dejected sigh she entered the compartment and then finally got a good look a Harry.
His jet-black hair was short and spiked, the lightning bolt shaped scar clearly visible through the few strands that fell across his forehead. His emerald eyes seemed brighter and more mysterious without the glasses hiding them. There were two earrings in his left ear, a small silver hoop in the lobe and a tinier hoop in the cartilage. His skin was a dark tan showing that he had worked outside most of the summer. The shirt he was wearing was soft cotton and clung to his lean muscles. It was black with red lettering that read; "I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it."
Hermione felt a smile form on her lips at the shirt. "Nice shirt. And let me be the first to compliment you on your new look."
Harry looked over at Hermione. She had changed the most out of all of them. She was taller than him, reaching a good 5'8". One of Harry's little pet peeves was that he only got to 5'6" making him one of the shortest people in 6th year. Hell, some of the 1st years were even taller than him. He simply blamed his lack of height on being locked in a dark cupboard most of his life. But, back to Hermione, she was willowy with warm honey brown eyes and a loving smile. Her golden-brown hair wasn't bushy anymore, but fell in loose ringlets to her curvy hips. And she had a sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose.
"You'd be the third actually," Harry smiled.
"Oh well," Hermione started as she sat next to Harry. "You know what they say; 'Third times a charm'."
The two shared a smile and laughed gently before Harry returned to his book. Ron looked back and forth between the two and frowned.
"Where have you been? We didn't see you at Diagon Alley or on the platform," Ron accused.
Harry looked up and stared blankly at Ron. "Oh, so now you're worried about me?" he inquired.
Ron's frown deepened. "What's with you?"
Harry blinked. "Nothing. I did a lot of thinking this summer and I realized a few things. Like the fact that my 'mate', my best friend, only remembers my existence when he comes face to face with me," he said quietly in an emotionless voice. He then returned to his reading.
He knows, Hermione thought. Oh thank the gods. She really hadn't wanted to be the one to tell him. "Harry?" she questioned, wanting to know for sure that he knew.
"I know," Harry said quietly looking up from his book. "I have two questions though. Were you going to tell me?"
Hermione nodded sending ringlets bouncing. "Yes. I didn't want to but I was going to."
"Why didn't you write?" he asked just as softly.
"What! But...I did write. Even when I didn't get a response I wrote," Hermione cried. She stared into Harry's green eyes begging him silently to believe her. She had tied the letters to Pig personally. Oh, of course, how stupid could she be? Pig was Ron's bird.
"Don't worry 'Mione, I believe you," Harry whispered brushing a lock of honey-gold hair away from her heart-shaped face.
"You slut," Ron hissed glaring at Hermione.
She gasped at Ron. "I beg your pardon!" she said in shock.
"Out," Harry said coldly. "Get. Out."
"No! Not until you tell me how long you've been fucking each other behind my back!" Ron yelled his face becoming as red as his hair. "Tell me Harry," Ron mocked, "was the prudish bookworm any good?"
"You bastard," Hermione hissed and with that she lunged. Her right hook caught a surprised Ron right in the eye. He gave a yelp of pain and astonishment before stumbling away. Before he could recover Hermione had her wand out and pointed at him. With a smirk that could rival Draco Malfoy's she whispered an incantation. Silvery white light flew from her wand and hit Ron square in the chest knocking him out of the compartment.
Draco Malfoy blinked in surprise as Ron Weasley was thrown from the last compartment. He had just come in from the back of the train and was about to return to the front where his group of friends (Blaise and Millicent) and lackeys (Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle) were waiting. He felt a snide comment on the tip of his tongue but held it back. Curiosity getting the better of him, he took a step back into the shadows and waited to see what would happen next.
"You fucking-hypocritical-little prick!" Hermione snarled.
Malfoy raised an eyebrow in shock. Granger, cussing, who would have thought?
"Oh I'm sorry were those words to difficult for you pea-size brain to comprehend?" Hermione asked with fake sweetness. "Well then, let me put it into terms you can understand. You, Ronald Weasley, are nothing more and definitely less then a Jackass!" she sneered. "Oh and just for your information. I have never nor will ever sleep with Harry. One, because I think of him as my brother, and two, I'm the wrong sex. Good day." And with that she slammed the compartment door closed.
Ron stood up with a snarl and stormed down the corridor. Malfoy felt his mouth drop open and was so glad there was no one there to see it. Harry was gay? Was that what he just heard? In a dazed stupor Draco walked back to his compartment, his mind in complete chaos.
"You're scary some times, you know that? Bloody brilliant, but damn scary. Between you and Cho it's no wonder I'm afraid of the female population, " Harry laughed as Hermione flung herself on to the recently freed bench opposite of him. "And you don't miss much, do you?"
"Nope," she grumbled. The she groaned, "Oh I shouldn't have said that."
Harry chuckled, "You sound like Hagrid."
Hermione cringed and started laughing. "Oh, that is just wrong."
As the laughter died Harry gave Hermione a reassuring grin. "It's alright, 'Mione. I don't care. Oh and just to clarify, I'm bi-sexual. I just tend to lean more towards guys," Harry joked giving Hermione a wicked grin. The two shared another laugh before Harry became serious. "Actually, I don't really care about a person's gender. I want to love someone because they complete me. Because their mind, heart and soul complements mine. Does that make me selfish?"
"No, Harry," Hermione said reaching across the space that separated them and clasped his knee with her right hand. "No. It just means that you are looking for love in its purest form, a divine love. You're looking for your other half, your soul mate, and the one person in this whole world that will make you happy. And I for one hope you find him or her. If anyone deserves true happiness it's you," Hermione said gently a soft smile on her face.
The two sat in silence after that. And in the silence Hermione's brain began to function correctly again. It processed data and theories at a phenomenal rate and came to one conclusion.
"Ron's going to want revenge."
Harry nodded, closing his book. "He'll tell every secret I've ever told him. Every fear, every wish, every hidden desire, as long as it will hurt me."
"We'll have to think of a plan. Something cunning and well...I hate to say it, Slytherinish."
And so leaning towards each other they began to whisper. It would be an hour before Harry would notice that Amethyst was missing.
Lil' Sphinx: Thanks to everyone that sent me a review. I love reviews and I'm glad that so far everyone is enjoying the story. And that everyone likes Amethyst. Now a couple things:
Shortstuff- Thanks for mentioning the fact that Miss Guardian Angel is also protecting Draco. Thank you. I thought it was obvious too, but then again I'm the writer. And no one mentioned it, so I thought no one got it. Oh and you brought up the guy from the clothing shop, all I have to say is keep him in mind. And no he is not Draco's unknown disowned brother, though that would be interesting. And last thing, Sirius and the coma thing will be explained later, way later.
HOnEySky- Happy, Draco showed up. You'll see more of him in the next chapter.
Tabbes- I haven't described what Harry's tattoo looks like. You won't find out till later on.
