Chapter: Finding 9 ¾
Harry waited by the wall between platform 9 and 10. Uncle Vernon had long left after driving him to the station. He didn't mind being left alone as he had his lovely owl Hedwig and a few candies from Dudley to tide him over. Professor McGonagall had warned him not to miss the train, so he requested to arrive early. But perhaps he was too early as the station was practically empty.
Until it wasn't.
Hermione spotted him immediately. She paid no mind to her parent's questions as she marched to where the boy was camped. The nagging eased the closer she got, and Hermione found herself so endlessly curious. The boy was small, much too skinny and in need of new clothes. He held himself close and looked rather squirrely with how his eyes darted restlessly about. When he noticed her approach and simply stared, Hermione found herself stopping in place.
"Hello," she blurted.
The boy said nothing, simply stared at her with emerald green orbs behind circular lens.
"I'm Hermione Granger, and you are?"
Harry swallowed nervously, feeling exposed before the bushy haired girl. She looked a little crazy if he was being honest. The wild volume of her hair around her face, the ink stains on her fingers and pencil behind her ear gave off such impression. She wore a crisp pressed blouse with a modest knee length skirt and polished black shoes. It was her eyes that really sold her as crazy. They appeared blank, unseeing, and dull.
But it was their honey brown colour that prompted him to speak.
"Harry, H-harry Potter."
Neither child noticed the shadowed figure watching from the sides.
~(*)\(*)/(*)~
The Weasley family, notoriously known to always be late and harried on the 1st of September, were incredibly early this year. Mr and Mrs Weasley were unsure how this came about. Their morning had begun with its usual rush and chaos. Percy was frantically searching for his prefect badge, again, due to the twin's prank with angry tears forming in his eyes. Fred & George were heatedly arguing with their mother on why their experimental potions needed to be packed for Hogwarts more than clothes. Ginny was well into her yearly tantrum over being too young for Hogwarts and was being comforted by Mr Weasley.
So, it made no sense to the Weasley's at all as to how they arrived incredibly early to the station.
Percy had thought they'd be the last to board as he spotted less families than usual. The twins had been quiet with wonder and slight worry that they'd missed the train. Ginny was vindictively hopeful her brothers would be staying just a day more.
"Arthur?" Mrs Weasley questioned with worried confusion.
Mr Weasley could only gape and shrug his shoulders with no explanation. Only then did Ron take pity on his family and explain.
"I didn't want to start my first year at Hogwarts by being late, so I had Bill and Charlie charm the clocks yesterday," He grumbled with a stubborn scowl.
"You did what?" Mrs Weasley spluttered with shock.
The other Weasley's only gaped with mixed shock and mild respect. Ron had known it'd be useless to ask his siblings to sleep early or pack early so they wouldn't be late. He was aware of his family's habit to bicker and argue which always delayed their arrivals to anywhere. So, when Bill and Charlie wished him well and apologised for not being able to see him off, he guilt tripped them into charming the clocks and altering the wards and Dad's car.
Ron ensured to be detailed as possible with his requests, determined not to have anything ruin his plans. Bill and Charlie had been a little stunned by the request but eager once they realised it would be a huge prank on the family. If it were also because Ron had asked them specifically for help and no one else, Bill and Charlie wouldn't tell.
Ron had prepared for every possible delay he could think off. He'd pre-packed his own trunk, made a show of helping his mum with dinner and overdoing the portions. Which prompted Mrs Weasley to use the leftovers for lunch on the train, and out of 'guilt' Ron offered to prep it that night rather than let her do it in the morning. He goaded the Twins and Ginny into one last quidditch game before dinner and left Charlie to tire them out. After dinner Fred, George and Ginny were too tired to stay up late and slept early.
Ron waited until everyone was asleep before he crept out of his room. Silently as he could, he organised the house in a specific way. He left Percy's books by the stairs, peeking out enough to be spotted by anyone on the fifth to last step. He left the car keys on the table on top of the ready-made lunch. He bundled the Twins Hogwarts robes in a messy heap over the sofa next to Ginny's favourite toy quaffle. He cleared the barn entrance and finished working on his goodbye gift to Ginny just before sunrise.
Sure, Ron sacrificed his sleep, only managing 2 hours, but it was worth it.
After his casual explanation, Ron looked up only to find his family staring at him with wide eyed wonder.
"What?" he scowled as his ears grew hot.
Fred and George started to slowly clap, their eyes growing starry eyed with pure joy. They only stopped when Mrs Weasley whacked them quick and swift before snatching Ron into a tight cuddle. Ron yelped and whined, weakly fighting her hold. Percy had turned on the twins berating them for causing a scene as a few families watched them with nosy interest.
When Ron finally pulled free from his mum, he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to his dad. Mr Weasley smiled down at him proudly causing him even more embarrassment.
"You're going to do simply fine in Hogwarts. I'm so proud of you son."
Ron did not want to cry, and his scar itched again, so he stubbornly huffed and looked down at his shoes with a mumbled thanks. Only to get punched in the arm by Ginny.
"Ginny! What was that for?" he growled.
She glared at him hotly and punched him again.
"You could have asked me instead of Bill or Charlie. I would have helped. Why didn't you ask?" she snapped
Ron opened his mouth to explain but Ginny already stomped away from him. He knew she was angry, expected it really, so he only sighed with resignation. Mr Weasley offered to talk to her for him, but Ron shook his head.
"She's mad, I'll let her cool off. We've got ages before we gotta board, no need to rush."
Percy made a huffy sound of glee and clapped him on the shoulder fondly.
"Very proud of you Ron. Already proving to be quite the driven student. You'll do McGonagall proud. Keep this up and you'll earn yourself a badge too."
The twins started on Percy about being a prefect again, but Ron said nothing, just slouched and rolled his eyes. He noticed his mother happily standing in line as she scanned the menu of one of the cafes. She had always wistfully imagined lining up and purchasing something small. It was a silly insecurity, but Mrs Weasley always thought only the most organized parents could relax or purchase something from the cafes. Though neither her nor Arthur were fond coffee drinkers, she bought two small cups.
Ron had never seen his mother look so… at peace before.
"Look, better watch it Percy," Fred slyly hissed while elbowing Percy's left side.
"Yeah, Yeah! Little Ronnie is stealing your place as Mum's favourite child," George piped from Percy's right.
Ron scowled as the heat in his ears spread over his freckly face. But Percy didn't get mad or appear ruffled. He puffed out his chest proudly and clapped Ron's shoulders again.
"A title I'll happily give to Ronald. With Bill and Charlie no longer living at home, I'll need someone to carry the title when it's my turn to leave. Obviously, you two were never an option."
"Oi!" The twins yelped with offense, but Percy had already walked away with a smug swagger to his step.
Ron ducked his head and hurried away from the twins. While he loved his brothers, they were horribly embarrassing and so shamelessly loud. It didn't help that they were all red heads and impossible to miss.
Finally, a safe distance away, he looked about curiously. He spotted his family with ease and rubbed at his scar absently. There was something about King's cross that unsettled Ron, something he couldn't explain. But seeing his family happy and at ease helped calm his mind.
Ron was about to join his Mum when a sharp pain in his chest caused him to double over. It was unbearable and insistent. He'd always had bad heart burn at the oddest of moments. He'd been told it had something to do with his scar, a magical infection or something. Usually it was bearable, but this was rather intense.
Ron stumbled about not knowing where he was heading only that the pain eased a bit as he did. He was slouched against the wall among the shadows near the entrance to platform 9 and 10. The pain in his chest eased and was all but forgotten as Ron stared at the two children across from him.
The boy was scrawny, looking rather underfed while drowning in clothes too large for his frame. He had wild dark locks that looked unkept like they'd never experienced a comb. But Ron was drawn to the boy's eyes. They were hidden behind huge circular lens and a poisoning shade of green. The girl gave the opposite impression, with her prim and proper posture while her hair rivalled a lions mane. Ron thought she looked a bit haughty.
They didn't notice him as they introduced themselves.
"I'm Hermione Granger, and you are?"
"Harry, H-harry Potter."
Ron's scar grew unbearably itchy, only calming once Ron stepped towards the children. He can't explain why he does it only that it felt right. Despite how obviously rude he'd be, Ron inserted himself into the conversation with little care.
"And I'm Ronald Weasley, but everyone calls me Ron."
Two pairs of eyes turn to him with hostile distrust. It causes a shiver to run down Ron's back but his lips twist upwards in a smile. Eyes of honey brown and emerald green, his two favourite shades, roam his skin like sharp blades. Ron feels his heart skip while his cheeks ache from how widely they stretch.
"Don't you know it's rude to eavesdrop," Hermione snaps coldly.
Ron meets the dull unseeing intensity of her stare and laughs. The swoop in his stomach is unlike something he's ever felt in his life.
"So? Don't you know its rude to stare," he banters back.
Harry laughs and the sound is so unexpected all three children blink at each other in shock. The air around them should feel uncomfortable and awkward. They are strangers who have never met and yet, the ease they feel for one another is unnatural.
"Do you know how to get to platform 9 and ¾?" Harry blurts.
Hermione huffs at how easily Harry accepts Ron's interruption. She turns to Ron with an expectant squint and the red-haired boy grins.
"Yeah, yeah, course I do. Stick with me and I'll get my mum to help sort you's out."
Harry slouches with obvious relief and shyly looks to Ron with gratitude.
"Thanks. I wasn't sure. I've never been to Hogwarts before."
"Neither have I. Although, I'm sure my parents and I would have figured it out eventually."
Ron and Harry don't know why, but they don't doubt the girl.
~(*)\(*)/(*)~
Ron leads Harry and Hermione over to where his family lounge. To their delight Mr and Mrs Granger are already in deep conversation with Mrs Weasley. Ron doesn't really introduce his siblings to his newly made friends. He doesn't get the chance as his nosy siblings introduce themselves with a rather manic energy.
Hermione doesn't say much only humming or unnervingly staring at Ron's siblings jokes and questions.
Harry meekly attempts to respond but finds himself overwhelmed by their persistence.
Ron constantly growls, scolds and huffs at his brothers for their embarrassment.
But the three children stick close to one another and never stray too far.
This, of course, is only noticed by the Weasley siblings who feel an odd twisting sensation grow in chests. A sensation that only worsens when they spy the slight twitch Ron's lips give at something Harry whispers to Hermione.