AU! Kindergarten.

Written for Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

House: Thunderbird

Class: Flying

Task: 3. Beaters: saving someone

Prompts:

5. (Character) Harry

11. (Dialogue) thank you for saving me

4. (Emotion) happiness

Word count: 1310/4500

Playground Troubles

"Don't touch her!" Harry's instincts demanded he protect the little girl from harm, and it overwhelmed him. When one of the boys cheekily yanked on the brunette's curls and made her cry out in pain, Harry screamed and attacked.

Harry's first day of school was just as terrible as Dudley had promised him it would be. He knew he would never be able to make any friends, but he had at least thought he would have fun at school. Unfortunately, he was wrong.

When the bell rang for lunch, Harry made sure Dudley wasn't anywhere near him; he didn't want to face his cousin for the time being. He was still sad that no one had wanted to pair up with him in Art class when they were tasked with drawing a dinosaur. He had made his little dinosaur, but he had felt heartbroken when the other students hadn't even looked at his drawing.

Aunt Petunia hadn't given him any lunch, so Harry knew he would have to go hungry throughout the day. He snuck out of the school's doors and found himself standing on the edge of the playground. Forlornly, he watched the other children run and laugh as they chased each other around the ground. He desperately wished for a friend he would be able to have fun with, but he knew his wish would never be fulfilled; Dudley had threatened to beat him up if he ever tried to make a friend.

He sighed sadly as he walked towards the large tree on the other side of the playground. He sat down and watched the children playing, his little heart shattering at the sight. He was busy watching a boy slide down the large blue slide when he heard scuffling from somewhere behind him. He turned his head and gasped.

A trio of older boys was gathered around a little brunette, who looked like she was ready to burst into tears any moment now. The boys were laughing and mocking her for something, and Harry winced when he noticed a tear running down the girl's cheek.

When one of the boys reached his hand out and pinched the girl's cheek, Harry saw red. Instinctively, he shot to his feet and yelled, "Don't touch her!"

The boys guffawed when they saw Harry storming towards them, his face red with anger. "What are you going to do, pipsqueak?" they taunted.

Harry didn't like bullies at all, and he was infuriated when he heard them. He knew he could get into trouble with the teachers, but he didn't care. His instincts demanded he protect the little girl from harm, and it overwhelmed him. When one of the boys cheekily yanked on the brunette's curls and made her cry out in pain, Harry screamed and attacked.

The boys instantly ganged up on him, but Harry was determined to teach them a lesson. He kicked, scratched and bit anything that he came in contact with, revelling in the older boys' cries. The girl covered her face with her hands as she watched them with disbelief and worry.

"Ow! Stop biting me, you freak!" the blond boy screamed at Harry, trying to elbow Harry in the ribs, but his elbow slammed in his friend's nose.

"You're dead, pipsqueak!" the boy with brown hair yelled, grabbing Harry by his hair and yanking his head back. The third boy quickly took the opportunity to punch Harry in the stomach.

"Let him go!" the little girl snarled, her face reddening with anger when she saw how they were treating Harry. She hurled a thick book at the blond boy's head and cried, "I'll call the teachers, I will!"

"You little shit!" the blond snapped as he whirled around towards the girl, his fist raised to hit her. The girl whimpered in fear, raising her hands to hide her face.

A burning sensation formed in Harry's hands, and when he looked down, he realized his hands were literally on fire. Instinctively, he batted at the air to get rid of it, terrified at what was happening to him. The other boys screamed when they saw the fire and hastily let go of him.

The blond boy whirled around and shrieked when a few sparks fell from Harry's hands onto the ground. "What the hell?" he cried, stumbling away from the girl. He tripped over his shoelace and almost fell onto his backside.

Harry gaped at his fiery hands as the three boys, terrified beyond belief, bolted away from him. The girl stared at his hands, and Harry wondered why she wasn't running away from him too. His heart thudded painfully as he willed the fire to disappear. He was aware that the boys would inform the teacher, who would inevitably talk to his Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia about the incident.

"Are you okay?" the girl murmured, inching closer to him slowly. Her presence caused Harry's heart to race, but for some reason, the fire began to diminish.

"I-I'm fine, h-how are you?" he asked, glancing up at her shyly.

The girl's eyes were still trained on his hands, which were still burning. "My mummy taught me a way to calm down," she stated, stepping even closer to him. "Close your eyes and go to your happy place."

"Happy place? What's that?" Harry frowned, bewildered.

The girl smiled and said, "Anything that makes you happy is your happy place."

"I… don't have a happy place," Harry admitted, ashamed of his reply, but the girl simply nodded.

"Okay, you can go to my happy place. Close your eyes," she ordered, and Harry was quick to listen to her. "Now, imagine yourself in a big room full of books, and there's a big comfortable chair by the fireplace and a hot cup of tea in your hands…"

Harry imagined it and added the little girl beside him in the chair, holding his hand. A delightful feeling swelled in his chest at the thought, and a bright smile formed on his face. The girl continued to talk, and he listened, continuing to imagine the scene. When the fire finally went out, he opened his eyes.

"See? Wasn't that nice?" the girl asked him happily. "I'm Hermione Granger."

"You're not scared of me?" Harry wondered out loud, and she shook her head.

"No, not really. Thank you for saving me! Those boys were just mean!"

Harry stared at her with disbelief. "Why aren't you scared of me? My hands were on fire!"

"I don't know," she said with a quick shrug. "I think I could do it too… My mummy told me not to tell anyone, but you can do it too, so we can be friends!"

"Friends?" Harry repeated, awe colouring his tone. Unable to believe his luck, he gawked at the tiny girl beside him. "You want to be friends?"

"Please. I don't have any friends," she admitted quietly. "You're very brave — you saved me from those boys."

"I'm not really…" he trailed off when he saw the hopeful glint in Hermione's eyes. "I don't have any friends either…"

Hermione beamed and grabbed his hand in hers. "Alright, then, you're my best friend now. Do you want to share my lunch with me?"

"I... don't have anything to share with you," Harry admitted, his face red with shame, but Hermione simply waved him off.

"It's okay, we'll share my lunch. I've got chicken nuggets, baby carrots, two sandwiches, and orange juice," she said, dragging him with her towards one of the benches nearby.

Harry was amazed she not only wanted to be his friend but also wished to share her lunch with him, and he tried to swallow the lump in his throat. "You don't even know me."

"Okay, what's your name?" she inquired, opening her lunch box and pulling out one of the sandwiches for him. "What's your favourite colour?"

"I'm… Harry," he muttered and thanked her for the sandwich. She smiled and began asking him questions, and as the two children conversed, Harry felt something bloom in his chest: a feeling he had never felt before.

Happiness.

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