I forgot about all the disclaimer stuff, but it's never too late. I don't own anything here, but the character of Mina Jane Potter. There.
This chapter is dedicated to hotredhead, my very first reviewer. Thank you sooooo much.
Now, on with the story.
"So, she really is your cousin, huh?" Ron asked Harry as the trio made their way to greenhouses for Herbology.
"Yes. I can't wait to talk to her after class. I was almost considering ditching this class to see her," Harry replied with a smile.
Hermione shot him an angry glance, "You can't ditch, Harry. Besides, you two will have all evening to catch up with each other."
Harry remained silent swimming in his thoughts the whole class. Surprisingly, time had passed very quickly as he thought of all the things he wanted to talk to Mina about. I wonder if she has any other relatives. I wonder what else her powers do. I wonder if she's awake yet. I wonder-
Harry's thoughts were interrupted by the sheet of rain that was threatening to drown him. Harry hadn't even realized class was over and he was following Ron and Hermione back to the castle as they conversed, their voices muted by the rushing rain. Harry looked up to see them both look back at him then exchange worried glances.
Why do they keep doing that? They've been shooting those glances at me all day. Harry was becoming frustrated at the knowledge that Ron and Hermione knew something he didn't. When the horde of kids finally swam into the entrance hall, Harry stopped his two best friends and glared at them. "Why do you two keep looking at me like that?"
And what did Ron and Hermione do? Why, they exchanged another one of those glances of course. Finally, Hermione spoke up, "Harry. We're just a bit worried that you might get a little carried away with your new cousin. I mean, you said she was very powerful and has some trouble controlling her abilities. What if, well… You see what we're trying to say is-"
"I don't want to hear it. You don't want Mina to be with us, do you? You think she's a freak. You've bought into what everyone else is saying about her. Don't think I haven't heard it," with this Harry ran opposite his friends and he could hear Ron and Hermione shouting after him, but he did not even look back.
He finally arrived to the hospital wing, breathless. He shoved through the heavy doors and rushed towards Mina, who was standing by the window. "Um, hello, Mina." Harry nervously approached Mina, but she did not move. "How are you feeling?" Harry waited for a reply, but received none. "Professor Dumbledore told me everything about your life and your parents, and a little bit about mine. I'm really sorry about your mum."
Mina continued to stare out the window and without tearing her eyes away, she said, as if in a trance, "Listen to the rain fall." Harry's eyes widened as he followed Mina's eyes out the window, but he was sure he wasn't seeing the same thing as she was. "It is so steady and peaceful, " Mina continued, " My mother used to listen to the rain when she was trapped in the dark chambers of the prison. It was the only thing that kept her from thinking." Harry stared at Mina as a heavy silence began to settle.
Harry wanted to lift the heavy blanket of silence so he remembered something Ron had said earlier, "I bet Malfoy doesn't 'kinda like' you now that he knows you share my name."
Harry grinned and Mina finally tore away from her trance and wrinkled her nose. "Why does he hate you so much? I don't understand. What did you do to him? He really seems like the kind of boy who would treat you right if you just treat him the same. I mean, look how nice he's been to me so far."
Harry's mouth was agape, then his eyes began to shine with anger, "Mina, you are not, under any circumstances, to ever see Malfoy in this pathetic, overly optimistic view ever again. Trust me, Mina. You don't want to get involved with him in any way. He's a slimy git, that's what he is."
Mina stared at Harry for a moment before turning back to the window." I trust your opinion and everything, Harry, but Draco hasn't done anything harmful to me at all. He was kind enough to come visit me and he even brought me chocolates and he transfigured a few quills into roses for me."
"He visited you! I can't believe it! Where are those chocolates? You haven't eaten any, have you?"
"No. Would you like some? They're on that table there." She pointed to the corner table on the other side of the bed where rested a small box of chocolates and the transfigured roses. Harry rushed over to the table, wrinkled his nose while throwing the roses to the ground and pointed to the box of chocolates and angrily muttered an incantation.
"Harry, I've already checked the roses and chocolates-they're harmless. Although, I am fascinated by your over-protective nature. Your face is burning red with rage," Mina smiled at Harry. I wouldn't be surprised if smoke came out of his ears.
No. I refuse to believe Malfoy came to visit my cousin and gave her harmless chocolates and roses. Roses! Who the hell does he think he is? I know he's up to something. I'm going to kill him! I'm going to strangle him! I'm going to-
"Harry, you really should stop plotting the means by which you plan to murder Draco Malfoy," Mina interrupted Harry's thoughts.
"You can read minds, too?" Harry stared at Mina with wide eyes.
"Uh, well. No. I can tell what you were probably thinking," Mina nervously turned away from Harry and stiffly sat on her bed.
Harry sensed something was wrong and went around the bed and sat next to Mina as she watched her feet. "You can read minds can't you?" It was more of a statement than a question.
Mina's head shot up. She then slowly relaxed and looked out the window again; although Harry knew she once again was seeing something beyond the rain he couldn't see. "Yes, Harry. I guess you could say I can 'read' minds. Although, it's not really 'reading'. It's more like feeling the other person's feelings. I just put the pieces together-relate their feeling to what's happening in their environment. Clearly, you hate Draco Malfoy for some reason, but I don't want to know why. I don't want you to 'poison the well' as they say it, before I get to know him."
"What the hell is 'poison the well'?"
Mina smiled and looked at Harry's confused face. "Poisoning the well is when you 'poison' my mind with negative statements so I already have negative feelings before talking to Draco."
"Well then I'll poison your well until it feels sick." Harry said, totally serious as Mina laughed.
"Shew, Shew, Potter. Your cousin needs rest if she is to return to classes tomorrow," the mediwitch scrambled towards Mina's bed.
Harry stood up and looked at Mina sternly. "You're new around here, and clearly you need some help in figuring out who are the bad ones in the lot. You're the only family I have and I want to keep you. I like you, Mina. And I'll always accept you no matter what." Harry added that last sentence as he remembered his argument with his friends.
Mina smiled at Harry and with that, Harry left. It was not long before Harry encountered Ron and Hermione coming down the hall looking very solemn. They both ran over to him as he tried to turn the other way. Ron and Hermione grabbed Harry on either side and forced him to listen.
"Look, mate, you've got it all wrong," Ron, who towered Harry by four inches, was holding Harry's left arm.
"Harry, we know you want to help her, and so do we, but we don't want you to feel hurt if you can't help her. I saw the look on your face when she jumped out of the window in Potions. You wanted to go after her. All we're saying is, don't let yourself get hurt. She will have trouble with her powers," Hermione said everything like a gentle mother.
Harry smiled and said, "I'll be fine. I can't believe you two were so worried about this. Besides, how would I get hurt? And I'm glad you two want to help."
Hermione and Ron smiled. I still don't get what they mean by getting hurt. I'll figure it out later, Harry thought to himself.
"But Harry, you really shouldn't boss her around too much," Hermione continued in a stern voice, " She seems nice and shy, but don't think she'll submit to everything."
With this, Harry's smile turned into a thin line. "Listen to this. Malfoy visited her in the hospital wing and brought her chocolates and quills-"
"He brought her quills?" Ron interjected with surprise.
"Yes. Quills that he transfigured into roses."
"Ooo, he's good." Ron said nodding his eyes, eyebrows up.
"Yes. Very impressive," Hermione put a finger on her chin.
"That's beside the point. He's trying to get close to her for some sort of personal gain-I know it. And when I get to the bottom of this, I'm going to expose him to Mina. She thinks I did something to him to make him hate me so much. She thinks he's innocent."
"Well didn't you tell her about everything that slimy git has done to us?" Ron asked, pink slowly swallowing his face.
"She doesn't want to hear it. She said something about 'poisoning the well-"
"What in bloody hell is that?"
It was Hermione's turn to interject and she explained.
"That's exactly what Mina told me," Harry told Hermione after she had explained.
"Well she is sort of right," Hermione stated matter-of-factly, "She seems to want to know everyone based on what she sees, not what everyone else thinks. Merlin she must have a brilliant mind. I like her already. It will be sad when she learns the truth about Draco, though."
They all paused when Ron's stomach began to moan with hunger. "Could we please continue this conversation after we eat." With that they all made their way to the Great Hall, when someone shoved Harry into Ron.
"Watch where you're going Potter." Draco wrinkled his nose at the sight of Harry. The kind of boy who would treat you right my- Harry thought to himself remembering what Mina had said about Draco earlier. Harry sped up to catch up with Draco and he put a hand on Draco's shoulder and twisted him around to face Harry as he held his collar.
"You listen to me you slippery git, you stay away from Mina. She's my cousin and I will not let you hurt her. If you ever touch her the way you did in Potions again, or visit her, or give her anything again, you'll regret it," Harry's voice was filled with venom.
"Well, Potter, I can't help it if your cousin likes me," Draco smirked. "Besides, I have many plans for your cousin and I for the future. I can't help it if she likes me better than her own cousin," then Draco added in a whisper, "Who knows, maybe her life story will be a copy of her mother's."
Harry's hand flew towards Draco's smug face when a voice interjected. "What is going on here?" The greasy-haired Professor made his way towards the group.
"Professor-" Draco began in a panicked voice.
"Nothing Professor. We were just heading to the Great Hall for dinner," Hermione calmly interrupted Draco and took Harry's hand that was half-way to Malfoy's face and quickly led him and Ron into the Great Hall before Professor Snape could say anything.
When they finally sat down Hermione whispered to Harry, "What was Mina's mother's life story? Why were you so angry? "
"I'll tell you later, in the commonroom."
Ron and Hermione exchanged a glance, then, satisfied with Harry's reply, they dug into the steaming food. Harry didn't touch any of the food. He instead satisfied his hunger by glaring sharp daggers across the hall to Draco who only smiled cruelly at Harry. Maybe her life story will be a copy of her mother's. Draco's words repeatedly whispered in Harry's mind. Over my dead body. Harry finally took a sip of his pumpkin juice.
Well, there's ch. 7. I think the beginning was kind of boring, but please bear with me. There are some necessary details I need to provide for the characters to develop the way I want them to. Well, I'll probably post the next ch. Thursday night cuz I've got a bunch of tests to study for tomorrow. But spring break is coming up so I'll probably be able to post everyday then. Once again, I dedicate this ch. to hotredhead for kindly reviewing and putting me on your alert list. I recently discovered that punksummers has me on his or her fav. List. Thank you sooo much. The next ch is for you.