Disclaimer: In this chapter I use an exert of a song from the Disney Channel Movie "Pixel Perfect." The lyrics belong to Disney Channel and I do in no way take credit for writing them. "Pixel Perfect" belongs to Disney chanel and Disney Chanel only! (And anyway, if you read my Sorting Hat Song, you'll know that I can't write lyrics worth crap.)
The next day, a Sunday, dawned cool and bright. As this was the last day of their Hogsmeade weekend, many students picked this as the time to take their homework down to the village and study at one of the abundant cafes and restaurants available. At eleven o'clock, Harry, Hermione and Ron met Alexis in the common room.
"Good morning!" Alexis stumbled out of the girls' dormitory staircase, yawning and still in her pajamas.
Harry and Ron waved from the table where the three friends were sitting.
"And how long did you stay up last night?" Hermione said as she shuffled through her homework without looking up. "It's almost lunch time. Well, it will be in an hour or so."
"No way!" Alexis said sarcastically as she plopped down in the seat next to Harry. "I thought it was afternoon already!"
Hermione had to smile.
"Hey- are those the tryout pictures?" Alexis jumped out of her seat and grabbed a stack of photographs on another table.
"Maybe- I think that's where I left them last night." Harry leaned over to see them as Alexis sat back down. "Yeah- but there's older stuff too. I haven't gotten a chance to see them yet."
"Oh- look- here's some from- that looks like Diagon Alley- right? Here- you can show them to us." Alexis handed the stack over to Harry. The first picture was indeed in Diagon Alley. Ron and Hermione stood in front of the bookshop, smiling and waving.
"Yeah- this is when we were getting our books." Harry passed the picture around the table.
"How come you never used the potion recipe that I gave you?" Hermione asked, looking at the still photograph. "You know; to make them move?"
Harry shrugged. "I don't know; I guess I like them better when they don't move. It seems to make it more.. more real, you know; since the person in the picture doesn't have their own personality- it's really the person you take the photo of."
"You're so old-fashioned Harry." Alexis studied the picture as Hermione passed it on to her. "It's so much fun to see them move. Especially if the person was thinking about something funny when the picture was taken." She grinned and gave the photo on to Ron.
"Oh- look at this one of Crookshanks." Harry passed several others around as well.
"It looks like he's about to claw the lens!" Hermione laughed at the frozen image of her cat. Crookshanks was swiping his paw at the viewer of the print, and it was obvious that the feline did not like having it's picture taken.
"Oh! Here come the ones from yesterday." Harry passed around the picture of Ron, ears red as radishes, staring at Luna as the girl talked about all their future children. Harry laughed. "You can keep that one Ron."
"Bloody-" Ron stared at the photograph. "This one's going strait to the shredder." He pocketed the picture.
"Merlin, Hermione!" Harry laughed.
"What?" Hermione leaned over and looked at the two pictures that Harry held, having placed the others down on the table.
"Harry! I thought I told you to get rid of those!" She tried to grab the photos away from him, but the boy held them out of her reach. The first was a close up of Hermione's face and shoulders, hair all over the place, mouth open as she laughed. She held her sandwich a few inches away from her face, and the picture seemed to capture the moment perfectly. The second was also of her, grinning madly, but unfortunately half of her face had been obscured by her hand as she tried had tried to grab the camera from Harry.
"Harry!" She almost tipped over his chair as she grabbed at the pictures, eventually getting a tight grip on one of them and tearing it as Harry pulled away.
"Hermione!" Harry curled himself around the other picture, the first one, so that she would not take it.
"I can't believe that you didn't destroy them." Hermione said, sitting back in her own chair, holding the two pieces of the second picture- the one where her face was covered by her hand.
"I'm saving this one." Harry said, grinning as he took out his wallet and stuck the picture of Hermione and her sandwich into its folds. "I think it's fabulous." He chuckled when Hermione screwed up her face at him.
"He's going to save it forever Hermione- and then when you're sixty it'll be the only picture that you have of yourself at that age- and you'll offer to pay his a thousand galleons for it- but he'll taunt you because you never liked it." Alexis leafed through the rest of the photos, putting the good ones on the table. "Look- here's a good one of me!" She smiled and held up a slightly blurred photo of herself, scoring during one of the scrimmages.
"So, what are we doing today?" Hermione neatly closed her writing case and peered around at the other three. She was calmly, almost tauntingly, shredding the picture that she had retrieved from Harry.
"Well, it is a Hogsmeade weekend.." Ron said as Hermione walked over to the fire with her shredded photo- throwing it in. "We haven't gone yet-"
"We could go shopping!" Alexis sat up strait in her seat, putting down Harry's pictures. "I could- I could get my pink sweater!"
Ron groaned as Harry stared at Alexis, still half asleep.
"Actually- that might be fun." Hermione smiled, taking her seat once more. "I need to get some cat food for Crookshanks too- I'm almost out. How about we do that? Harry? Ron?"
"Er- we can't do that!" Harry felt suddenly awake. "Um- we have to- we have to-"
"Why can't we?" Alexis looked disappointed.
"Harry- we don't have any homework- and- well.. I think that it would be a great idea."
"I side with Harry, whatever the reason." Ron said. "I do NOT want to go pink sweater shopping."
"Ron-" Alexis looked slightly disappointed.
"Wait, stop you two." Hermione interrupted them. "Harry- why can't we go?" Harry's brain was going 100 miles a minute.
"Er- because- because you said that you'd go see Hagrid today. You know, to help him with the- the lessons. Yeah! Don't you remember?" Harry let out a sigh of relief.
"No.. I don't remember that I ever told Hagrid that-" Hermione looked puzzled. "But I guess that we could all go and talk to him anyway-?"
"But- but we have a- we have this thing." Harry looked strait at Ron and tried to telepathically send him his thoughts. "Alexis, Ron and I have to go to Hogsmeade, 'cause we have this thing."
"What thing?" Alexis stared at Harry and let his eyes bore into hers. "Oh yeah! The thing." Alexis nodded, putting on a serious expression. "Yeah, sorry Hermione, we can't come to Hagrid's- it's really important."
"What 'thing'?" Hermione looked from Harry to Alexis, and then to Ron, who still looked totally confused.
"Er- well, we just have to go to Hosmeade and- well- we could get your cat food for you too. You should really go to Hagrid's; he needs you."
"But-"
"Yeah- Hermione, Hagrid is pretty desperate. He'd totally mess up if you didn't go.." Alexis smiled rather fakely.
"You really think so?" Hermione smiled to herself, obviously flattered. "Well- maybe I should- maybe I should go help him out then."
"Yeah, Hermione." Harry grinned. "He'd be really grateful."
"Wait- I still don't-" Ron tried to insert himself back in the conversation, but Harry interrupted him.
"I think you should go pretty soon, Hermione. I mean, it is Sunday, and he's probably started his planning already."
"Alright. I guess I should leave- so you don't think eleven-thirty is too early to-?"
"No! No way Herms." Alexis wiped away the thought. "You said yourself that it's almost lunchtime!" She skipped up to the couch and picked up Hermione's cloak, which she hung around the girl's shoulders.
"Oh. Thanks. But- then- should I wait until after lunch to go?"
"No, really." Harry got out of his seat. "It's fine to go now. Actually, it's the sooner the better. He'll be happy that you came early."
"I suppose that's true. Well- I guess I'll go then." Hermione walked towards the door. "Are you sure that you don't want to come too?"
"Oh no, we'd love to, but our- our thing is pretty important." Alexis led Hermione to the portrait hole, smiling. "We'll see you later."
"Alright then- have fun at- at whatever you're going to- Bye!"
With this Hermione walked out of the portrait hole, letting Alexis shut it behind her. When she had left Alexis turned around and looked intently at Harry.
"So- Harry, what's our thing?"
Half an hour later the three left the common room to go to Hogsmeade for Hermione's birthday present. They discussed what they wanted to buy for her (they would all chip in for one present) on the way down the marble staircase, and once they were ready to leave the castle they had already decided on Harry's idea for a present.
"So, that's what we'll get her then?" Alexis said as she pushed open front doors to the castle. "I mean, it's a great idea; but it's a bit pricey, wouldn't you think?"
"Well, her parents would never consider buying her something like that, you know?" said Ron, stuck his hands in his pockets. "She- she never seemed like the kind of person who would enjoy to have something like it, but from what Harry said, she seems quite determined."
"Okay, well, if she turns out not liking it- well- then it's your fault, alright Harry?" said Alexis, teasing. "It was your idea."
" I accept all the blame in advance." All three of them grinned.
They walked in silence towards the edge of the Hogwarts grounds, right up until Alexis stopped in her tracks.
"What?"
"Do you guys hear something?"
They all listened.
"Nope."
"I could have sworn that I heard someone singing." Alexis said, tilting her head to one side. She punched Ron in the arm when he put on an expression of mock surprise.
"No- I mean good singing. Not like row-row-your-boat or anything!"
Harry chuckled, but then straitened his face when Alexis shot him a look.
"It was probably just some sort of wind chime or something."
"Yeah, maybe." They walked in silence for another few moments.
"No, I swear I hear someone singing!" Alexis looked at them, and when they didn't respond she grabbed both their wrists. "Come on! Let's go see!"
"Do we have to?" Ron pulled himself free. "I'm hungry."
"Ron-"
"It's just someone singing!"
"Party pooper." With those words Alexis sprinted off in the direction of the music.
"Come on Ron, what do you want to do- stand here?" Harry began walking after Alexis.
"Fine! I'll come." The two boys quickly caught up with Alexis.
Ron groaned when they found the girl listening to Luna, the fifth year strumming softly on an acoustic guitar. The girl's long blonde hair fell in flyaway locks across her face as she gently ran her fingers over the strings and sang.
"Here's a story of a girl,
Livin' in a lonely world,
She also had a secret crush,
A little boy who talks too much,
And I'm standing in the crowd,
And when you smile I check you out,
But you don't even know my name,
You're too busy playing games,
And I-"
"You wrote that?"
Luna looked up, having apparently not noticed that they were there. She stopped playing abruptly.
"Yes. I haven't gotten much though. It isn't even half finished yet."
"That was really good." Alexis smiled. Harry glanced at Ron and almost laughed out loud when he saw the greenish tinge that had taken over the boy's face.
"Thank you. Want to hear the rest?" Luna smiled and brushed her hair behind her ears, revealing her orange radish earrings, the ones that Hermione had said she disliked above all others.
"Sure. It would be grea-"
"Well, actually, we have to leave." Ron took Alexis by the arm. "Remember? Hermione's birthday present?"
"Ron- don't be a loser. Let's listen."
"Here's a story of a girl,
Livin' in a lonely world,
She also had a secret crush,
A little boy who talks too much
And I'm-"
"Holy-" Ron swore loudly and Luna stopped her playing, looking slightly offended.
"Ron!" Alexis glared at him. Then she turned back to Luna. "I'm sorry- he's being an ass. It was really good actually. You aren't in a band or anything, are you?" She grabbed Ron by the elbow and tried to make him stop tugging at her, asking her to leave.
"Well- no one's ever liked my songs before, actually. It's great to finally have someone who appreciates things like that." Luna smiled dreamily.
"Really? That's really sad," Alexis said, her voice strained from trying to get Ron, who was a foot taller than her, to stay put. "Did you- did you write it for anyone?" Ron seemed to go into a time warp.
"Actually, I'd think it would be quite obvious who I've written it for." Luna smiled at Ron, who immediately bolted, taking both Harry and Alexis with him. Luna stared after them blankly for several seconds, but when she realized that they probably weren't coming back, she returned to her singing.
"Ron!" Alexis screamed at the top of her lungs when they stopped several hundred feet off. "That was really rude!"
"I'm sorry- I just- I can't stand her."
Harry bent in half with laugher beside him; "Why? Her obsession's too much for you?"
"I- I actually think that it's kind of sweet!" Alexis looked slightly abashed. "She obviously wrote that song for you- and you wouldn't even listen to half of it! It's very, very- inconsiderate- of you."
"That's exactly why I didn't want to listen to it; she wrote it for me!" Ron shouted. "I don't want to be that 'little boy who talks too much'!" He calmed a bit when he saw that Alexis was holding back a giggle.
"She checks you out when you smile!" Harry clutched his stomach, heaving with laugher. Alexis cracked up.
"You're her secret crush, Ron! Are you starting to tingle inside?" She grinned, and pretending to have a microphone in her hand, she stuck her fist under Ron's nose. "So, tell me, how does it feel when someone's in love with you, Ron. Give us the 4-11."
A grin curled around Ron's lips. "Alexis-"
"You're smiling!" Harry howled. "He likes the attention! Merlin, Ron!" Alexis hit Ron over the head with her purse.
"Ow!" Ron clutched his head. "You've got gold in there!"
"Yep." Alexis gave Ron a quick hug. "You'll live." She took off, shouting a quick sorry to Luna as she passed her, then she, Harry and Ron continued off towards Hogsmeade.
The three friends had an amusing lunch at the Three Broomsticks, followed by the purchase of Hermione's present. When they had finished all their necessary shopping, including a trip to the pet shop for Hermione's cat food, they strolled along the street, Alexis looking in every shop for something pink.
"I have to prove to you that I'll wear the color." She explained jauntily, looking in the basket of socks on display outside 'Allan's Footwear and Accessories. '
"So you want to buy a pair of pink socks?" said Ron, shifting Hermione's cat food from one arm to the other.
"Well- do you want to go dress shopping? Sweater shopping? That would take much longer, though it would be more fun." Alexis smiled when Ron clamped his mouth shut. "I didn't think so."
She moved to another basket of socks.
"Oh! Look Harry- they've go little kittens on them." She held up a pair of blue socks, speckled with orange cats. Harry laughed.
"They look just like Crookshanks in that picture that we were looking at earlier. No nose," Harry said as he looked at some other pairs.
"That wasn't very nice Harry." Alexis grinned. "But I guess they do look a bit like him."
"Here's a pink pair!" Ron grabbed a pair of bright, shocking pink socks from a basket. "And look; they've got hearts too."
"Ron; those are hideous."
"See! I told you that you didn't like pink. Can we go now?"
"Right after I get these." Alexis held up a pair of magenta knee-socks with white bunnies on them. "I'll be back in a sec." She walked into the shop, searching though her purse for the correct change.
"Hello Harry; Ron." Just at that moment someone called to them. Harry turned to see Jack Sloper waving with a smile on his face.
"Jack! You alone?" Harry waved back as Jack approached.
"Well, Andrew was with me, but he had to go get something back at the castle. What's in the bag?" Andrew pointed at Harry's rather awkward parcel.
"Oh; well- we came down to get Hermione her present; it's her birthday on the nineteenth, next Thursday."
"Really. Didn't know that. I've actually been doing some shopping myself. For- for someone…" At that moment the clerk from the shop next door suck his head out of the entrance.
"Have we got a Jack Sloper any-? There you are!" The clerk came strolling towards their group, holding a bouquet of large, bright sunflowers. He handed the flowers over to Jack, who turned slightly pink. "That'd be a galleon, Mr. Sloper."
Harry and Ron looked around, grinning to themselves as Jack paid for the outrageous flowers. They waved to Alexis as she came out of 'Allan's', carrying her socks in a bag.
"So- who's the special girl?" Harry said to Jack when the clerk left.
"Oooo!" Alexis skipped in to stand beside Ron. "Sunflowers; do tell." She grinned and Jack's face tinted an even darker shade.
"Well- er…" he rocked back an forth on the balls of his feet. "Actually- well- they're actually for you." He grinned, handing then to her. At first, Alexis looked slightly surprised, but her face cracked almost instantly into that perfect, sparkling smile. She took the flowers, inhaling deeply; the grin never leaving her face.
"They're- they're- Oh Jack! Thank you so much! I really love sunflowers." She smelled them again, smiling. Harry and Ron stood stock still, eyes flitting back and forth between the two. Jack glanced nervously at the older boys and then continued, stuttering slightly.
"Well- I- uh- I was wondering if you- if you had a boyfriend."
"No, actually I don't."
"Well- uh- would you like to go out with me? Sometime?" Jack looked at her expectantly, looking horrified at the fact that he was even standing there.
"Alright- Yes. That would be- that would be great." Alexis smiled sweetly.
"Wicked!" Jack almost jumped into the air. Then he turned tail and ran, twisting his head just enough to shout a "see you then" towards the three of them.
When the 5th year was out of earshot Alexis burst out into giggles, leaning against one of the sock displays and letting it all out. Ron and Harry stared at her for several seconds and then awkwardly joined in.
"Oh my God." Alexis wiped her eyes.
"What was that?" Ron joined Alexis against the sock display. "Was I hallucinating? Or did you just agree to- to go out with a fifth year?"
"Hey! I did the same thing last year-" Harry argued, "well, I was the fifth year- but still."
"I know- but- Jack Sloper?"
"Hey! He asked- and he's alright looking- and we're both on the quidditch team."
"Still! Jack Sloper! Why?"
"Don't diss him! I thought that it was very thoughtful of him."
"Yeah, but there are so many more men out there that are good looking and play quidditch."
"Like who?" Alexis looked slightly downcast.
"Well- Harry- Me- and-"
"You!" Alexis gaped. "Are you saying that you want to go out with me?" Harry laughed.
"No!" Ron exclaimed. "Never! Just- well- forget it."
"You're a prat, Ron." Harry grinned. "If Alexis cares for Jack- then I don't see why she wouldn't say yes."
"Oh, come on! It's not like he's expecting anything serious! We're sixteen- he's only fifteen. It won't last long." Alexis took another deep breath of sunflower. "It's not like I'll fall in love with him."
"So- you're just playing around-?" Harry's smile had disappeared, though he was still trying to keep it on his face. "You- you don't really care for him?"
"Well- think about it this way; he would have been heartbroken if I'd have said no, he probably wouldn't have looked at me at all during practice, and the quidditch team would have been history. This way we both win- I get to have some fun, and he gets to tell all his friends that I said yes."
"I think I get it." Ron picked up Hermione's cat food as they began walking towards the edge of the village. "Alexis can- well, they're both happy."
"Well- I dunno." Harry looked down at his feet as they walked down Main Street on their way home. "Maybe- maybe it should concern more than just- just fun."
"Harry! Get a life. You need to get out more." Alexis stuck her sunflowers in Harry's face. "Smell the victory." Harry grinned.
"Alright. But we should hurry getting back- so that we can hide Hermione's present."
A/N:
To all my readers, in response to EMMAisROCKIN''s Review: I'm glad that you liked my 'fluff'. LOL. About the plot heating up; right now, I'm posting the week of September 19th, Hermione's birthday. The Hhr is going to come together over the coarse of the school year, but things are going to take some different turns in the beginning. There will however, be fluff. ( my story IS a romance) The climax of my story (I've mapped it all out on a gigantic spreadsheet) will occur distributed over the period of time between Thursday April 10th and Saturday April 19th, though Hermione and Harry get together long before that. As you can see, there is still a ways for me to go. I expect that my FF will close at approximately 450 pages; maybe more. The chapter I have just posted concludes page 140 of what it typed so far. I don't know how long it will take me to finish, but I hope that I'll be able to conclude my fan fiction before the 6th book comes out, so I'll be writing doubletime, or at least trying to. Thank you guys for being AWSOME readers, and for reviewing! ROCK ON!