Chapter 7 - Bonding

"I said 'how did you know'?" Leon asked again when Harry didn't answer right away.

"I don't know...it just seems that you two know a lot more than you both let on, yet you also don't seem to know a lot about some of the little things here in the wizarding world. I figured that you two are here to hide from someone or something; I just don't know what, but for some reason, I feel like I need to help the both of you." Harry replied in an exhausted tone. "I also believe that I have met you both before, but that can't be true. I have never seen either one of you before in my life until today."

'That is if you don't count my dreams as meeting a person, but I haven't seen Leon in my dreams or have I and I don't remember?' Harry thought as he looked at Leon to see how he was going to react to what he just said.

"Is it that obvious that we don't belong to the wizarding world?" Leon asked in a serious, but worried tone.

"It is not that obvious, unless someone was looking at the way you two were behaving in detail." Harry replied with his eyes closed and his head leaning on the back on the chair he was sitting in.

"If you don't mind me asking, but how did you notice?" Leon asked curiously.

"I just seemed to notice because my senses were on overdrive from the attack at the train station." Harry said in an exhausted tone.

'I wonder why he is telling me all this? Is he setting this all up, so he can get all the information that he wants from me? Or does he already trust me enough to tell me what he is honestly thinking?' Leon thought before he replied, "Why are you telling me all of this?"

'Good, he is being cautious before he tells me anything. That is a making of a good warrior and leader. Why the hell am I thinking about making Leon a leader? What is going on with me? Ever since I started to have dreams about her, Liliana, I have been thinking a lot more about getting men that are warriors and loyal. Men who are honest, true to their word, and have the courage to face anything. Men to help me protect her.' Harry thought.

"Because I feel like telling you what you already know." Harry said with a smile as he opened his eyes to see Leon's reaction. He almost laughed at the angry and confused face in front of him.

'I never thought that I would see the day where I would be laughing at somebody being angry at me, especially Leon. I have to remember this day because I have a feeling that everything that has happened today will be more important in the future. I wonder if I'll ever be able to be happy again, like I use to before Sirius died?' Harry thought.

"Are you going . . ." Leon was going ask but stopped abruptly when the painting to the common room opened, letting Hermione and Ron in.

"Are you two finally finished with your rounds?" Harry asked in an even tone as they walked in. Leon just looked up at Harry's change of tone at Hermione and Ron coming to where he and Harry were sitting.

"Yes, we are." Hermione said in an exhausted voice. "If you don't mind me asking, but why are you two still up?"

"We were just finished talking, right Leon?" Harry said as he stood up.

'I can't believe how fast that he ended this conservation without really doing anything. I have a feeling that he knows a lot more than he is letting on. The question is just how much does he know? And what is he going to do with all that information?' Leon thought as he stood up and replied, "Yes. We just finished talking. It's late and I better go get some sleep."

Leon started to walk up the stairs hiding his thoughts and feelings behind a blank expression on his face. When he reached the bottom of the staircase he turned around, completely forgetting about Hermione and said, "Are you boyos coming or not?"

"Why don't you go on up and we'll join you in a few minutes." Harry said in a cool tone and a bored expression on his face. "I need to talk to Ron."

Hermione was still wrapped up in Ron's arms, when Harry had finished speaking and turned around toward Ron. "I'll be going to bed now . . .," Hermione said as she yawned, ". . . I have to get up early to do some errands. So goodnight boys."

Leon was still waiting at the bottom of the stairs as Hermione kissed Ron and untangled herself from his arms. He moved out of the way to let her go up first, like any gentleman would.

'I can't believe that I forgot about her? I must be really tired to forget my manners around a woman. AND what the hell am I waiting for?' Leon thought as he watched Hermione disappear up the staircase. He then turned to look at Harry who nodded for him to go. 'Why the hell did I wait for Harry's permission to leave? Why is it that he seems to be able to command respect in every aspect of his life no matter what it is.' And with that he went to bed.

Ron noticed how Leon moved out of the way and let Hermione go up the stairs. He also noticed how he was looking at her when she went up the stairs. 'I should strangle the guy for looking at her like that! Wait why is he still down here? Why is he looking at Harry?'

Ron turned his head to look at Harry and noticed that he was nodding for him to leave. After that Leon turned and went upstairs to their dorm room.

'I wonder why Leon was waiting for Harry's permission to leave? And what exact does he want to talk about? Especially this late? I sure am bloody tired.' Ron thought a little glumly.

"So, Harry what did you want to talk to me about?" Ron asked with a grin on his face as something, just came to mind. "Is this going to be a talk about a certain girl called Liliana?"

"No. Sit down." Harry commanded in a firm, cold tone and Ron obeyed his commands, worried that something was wrong. "I want to know how are you feeling? Not sore or anything from the incident at the train station?"

"Bloody hell! Is that what all this is about? I'm bloody fantastic! Don't bloody scare me like that!" Ron yelled at Harry before he stood up to go to bed.

"Sit down. We are not done talking yet." Harry said evenly and quietly. "I need to know anything else you know about the Order of the Phoenix, as well as, anything about our new sixth year house members." Harry turned his head toward the dorms and the fireplace. Before Ron could say anything, Harry said, "We'll talk about this later. Let's just get some sleep for tomorrow."

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Liliana heard Hermione come into the bedroom. She walked softly to her bed, changed into her nightgown and went to bed.

Liliana waited until she heard Hermione close the curtains to her bed and to hear her breathing evenly, before she sat up in her own bed. She put the palms of her hands together and started to chant softly with her eyes closed.

Once she was done with her chanting, she was able to see everything through the fire burning in the fireplace. She was able to see Harry and Ron sitting down talking in front of the fireplace. 'I wonder why Harry is being so serious right now? And what is this Order of the Phoenix? What? He wants to know about Leon and me! I wonder why?' Liliana thought as she saw Harry turn to look up at the dorms and then straight into the fire. 'Can he see me? There is not way he can know that I'm listening to him.'

And with that, she ended her spell and opened her eyes. She was slightly sweating from the effort of the spell. 'There is no way he could have know that I was listening, unless . . .' Liliana's train of thought was cut short when she heard footsteps coming up the stairs and going towards the boys' room. 'Better get to sleep before somebody catches me.'

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Leon knew that he should just go to bed, but he felt like he should know what Harry and Ron were talking about. So he decided against his better judgement to stay at the top of the stairs and listen to what they were talking about.

'Why the hell am I eavesdropping on Harry of all people? But I need to know what he knows and just how he thinks. That way I can understand him better, especially if we are going to be around each other a lot more and maybe even in battle together.' Leon thought as he listened to them talking.

'Hahaha! To think that in his serious tone he is still worried about his friend's well being. What? What is the Order of the Phoenix? What does he want to know about Liliana and me that he doesn't already know? Maybe he doesn't know as much as I thought? Damn! He is must have heard me.' Leon thought as he quietly went to bed before Harry and Ron did.

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The next morning the girls got up early to go help Hermione run her errands before breakfast. This irresponsible action caused Leon to worry when he got up, due to the girls being nowhere in sight. Ron was still getting ready when Leon decided to go look for the girls.

"Let's go look for them! They can't be far, right?" Leon asked Harry with an uncertainty in his voice.

"Calm down, Leon. They could be anywhere; Hogwarts is a big school. Plus, we don't know when they left this morning. We will wait for Ron to finish getting ready and then head down to breakfast." Harry said in an amused tone.

"What? Are you telling me that I should go eat when I don't even know where the girls are? What's wrong with you?" Leon said in an irritated tone.

"I'll have you know that I'm in perfect health." Harry replied with a smile. "I believe that they will be at breakfast, especially if they are with Hermione. She would never miss breakfast or the chance to tell Ron that he needs to eat slow before he chokes."

"Hahaha! I think that you have a point there. Guess we should be heading toward the Great Hall then?" Leon said in a much calmer tone than before.

"We're heading for the Great Hall? Great! I'm starving!" Ron said as he walked toward Harry and Leon with a huge grin on his face.

Harry gave Ron a faint smile at his ever bottomless stomach. 'It you need to find food, just call Ron.' Harry thought.

'Why is it that this, boy, seems to get on my nerves all of a sudden? Harry seems to get all his information from him, so just how much does this 'boy' know about Liliana and me? And what exactly is the Order of the Phoenix?' Leon thought as he watched Ron carefully with a blank expression on his face.

Harry seemed to notice that Leon had sobered up when Ron joined them. 'Seems he doesn't completely trust him yet, I wonder why?'

Harry stood up and started walking toward the portrait hole, "We better get going, before there is no food left." Harry said with an amused tone.

"That's NOT funny, Harry!" Ron said in a worried tone. "But let's hurry, anyways!"

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'I just want to strangle that girl!' Leon thought to himself as he ate his breakfast. 'People would think that she would have let the grudge go by now. Honestly, doesn't she know that they were doing it to protect her! What a foolish girl!'

Leon continued to eat his breakfast as his thoughts slowly started to ponder over the redheaded girl complaining to Hermione and Liliana about how she could take care of herself if given the chance.

'She may be a bit foolish and loud, but she is beautiful.' Leon thought as his irritation eased. 'Beautiful, kind, intelligent, and can get me to smile. What is wrong with me? Yeah, she is intelligent, intelligent enough to drive any person insane.'

Ginny was still harping on about how she could take care of herself if she was given the chance. She just kept complaining about it because she was still a little bit shaken up from the ordeal. She only hoped that nobody caught on to the fact as long as she stayed the annoying little girl that everybody knew and loved.

Harry noticed that something was wrong with Ginny. She never went on about something this long before. 'I hope that she is feeling okay. She seemed alright last night. Maybe I should talk to her.'

Harry was thinking about talking to Ginny personally, until he saw Leon glancing at her with curious, confused eyes. Harry smirked as he thought, 'Maybe I should have Leon talk to Ginny for me.'

Liliana just sat there eating her breakfast delicately and listening to what Ginny was saying while watching Harry out of the corner of her eye. She saw that Harry was glancing every now and then at Ginny with a worried look. 'Wonder why he is worried about her? She seems to be perfectly fine to me.'

Hermione sat and scolded Ron with a look every now and then when he stuffed his face with no concern for his health. Ron would slow down eating when he noticed Hermione's scowl, but that didn't last for long with his bottomless stomach.

'Why the bloody hell does she have to do that? Can't even have a good meal without that look.' Ron thought as he actually finished eating.

'But I have to admit that I love when she does worry about me like that. I wonder if she will ever let me do that to her sometime. Yup, the idea of pampering her sometime soon, with no complaints, sounds good.' Ron thought as he started to smile at Hermione.

'Why does Ginny have to keep on about that?' Hermione thought as she listened with very little interest. 'She is a git. I just wished that she would shut up and go away. Wait a minute, why is Ron smiling at me?'

Liliana noticed that Harry glanced at Leon and then smirked. 'There is no reason for him to be smirking like that unless he is up to something, right?' Liliana thought as she glanced towards Leon.

'Oh. I know THAT look. Hehehehe. It has been awhile since he has looked at a girl like that. I actually think that I will help that little 'budding romance' along.' Liliana thought mischievously.

She turned her gaze toward Harry with a small mischievous smile on her face. Her smile widen when she saw Harry looking straight at her with his own smile and nodding his head in agreement to what she was thinking.

Harry noticed that Liliana was looking at Leon and then she was smiling. 'Guess she is having the same thought that I am. I have a feeling that she will be helping me with those two. Hehehehe. I wonder just how we are going to get those two together.' He nodded at Liliana when she looked directly at him with a mischievous smile.

Ron was noticing that Ginny wouldn't shut up and that Harry and Liliana were smiling at each other.

'Wonder what that was all about?' Ron thought as he noticed Harry nod at Liliana. 'I really don't trust that girl. I wonder why she is here. I need to get that info about her and that 'Leon' fellow for Harry. I wonder why he wants to know about them? And why doesn't Ginny shut the bloody hell up?'

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Once everybody was done eating breakfast, they went outside to sit by the lake and just enjoy each other's company. Except for Hermione and Ron, who had to do rounds.

'Almost seems like they would rather do rounds than be around the rest of us for some reason.' Harry thought as he watched them leave. He turned around and headed to find a good place under the tree by the lake.

Everybody else followed Harry toward the lake. Harry gestured for Ginny and Liliana to go ahead of him so that he could have a word with Leon. Ginny looked at him puzzled but went along with it because Liliana caught on to what Harry was going to do and rushed Ginny along.

"Beautiful day today, don't you think?" Harry asked nonchalantly.

"Yes it is." Leon said a little curious to where Harry was going.

"What do you think about Hogwarts so far?" Harry asked with a little smile.

"It is very . . . nice and big." Leon said with a huge smile.

"What about the people so far? Like Ginny." Harry said with an amused tone. His smile grew with Leon's cheeks turning a tinge of pink.

"I-I would have to say n-nice." Leon said blushing. "She is nice, but annoying," he said as he tried to recover from his embarrassment.

Harry chuckled, then sobered up. "I'm worried about her. She never holds a grudge this long."

"Really? She fooled me." Leon said with a concerned voice.

Harry smiled, "I was wondering if you would talk to her for me. I don't think that she will talk to me because of the train station incident. At least not in her state of mind right now."

"S-sure," Leon stuttered and then cleared his throat and finished; "I will talk to her and see if she is alright."

"Thank you, Leon." Harry said with a huge grin and slapping Leon on his back in a friendly manner.