"I've known her for five minutes and I can't stand her already!" Hermione had grown impatient and her distaste for Danica was made public as they stared each other down until Lupin pushed the hot-head into the hallway where they heard her raise her voice.

All Ron could say was she seems pretty cool to me. Of course, all he would care about is her looks. But what got under Harry's skin was that, obviously, she was a much better witch than he was a wizard. How could she be that experienced when she hasn't even had the proper training? It made no sense.

They were headed upstairs to turn in for the night. Hermione was so displeased she mumbled a simple good night and stomped into her room, the door slamming in their faces. Ginny's gasp indicated that Hermione had filled her in on the situation. Ron thought she was being overdramatic and went back to daydreaming about Danica. Harry was too tired to think of anything else. Maybe he could figure out this strange girl sometime soon. But that was a foolish thought.

"If that Granger girl crosses my bad side one more time she is going to get popped in that pretty little face." Danica threw down her suitcase and tossed herself onto the bed, clearly angry. Lupin sighed and sat near the edge, crossing legs and looking over the girl who was studying him.

"Try to get along and behave yourself, please?"

"I will if she does," she mumbled and threw the pillow at him. He smiled tiredly at her. "Danica, this isn't going to be easy."

"I never said it would be." She sat up and leaned against the headboard, listening to the voices a few feet away from the open door of her room.

"I know you can do it though. Give them time, Danica. If I believe in you, they will too. " He let that last sentence wander around the bubble of her thoughts as he left and closed the door behind him. Danica had an impulse to say something to him but she kept her mouth closed and resigned to her own thoughts. She stared at the space he had been sitting after he was long gone and whispered to herself,

"Biased opinion."

The morning was beautiful. There was a sheet of mist covering the ground and there was a slight breeze that made the air smell fresh, the scent of September slowly drifting in. Harry would've said it was the perfect day for the first day of school but he wasn't so sure. He had other things to worry about. Danica was one. Danica smacking Hermione was another. Ron's immediate obsession with her lip ring was a third. Vanquishing the Dark Lord and passing his OWL's was mixed somewhere in there too. Busy schedule, right?

"Danica Lorenzo, get your butt down here!" called Mrs. Weasley who already formed an attachment to the girl when she helped cooked dinner. Remus put a hand on her shoulder and said lightly,

"I'll take care of it, Molly." Hermione gave Lupin a what-are-you-doing look as he turned his back to head upstairs.

"No need to bring those old bones up these stairs, Remus. I'm coming down."

Lupin rolled his eyes and stepped back onto the floor the same time as Danica. This time she was wearing black jeans with a navy blue sweater over a white shirt that said 'Bite Me'. There was a hole in the side of one of her white shoes and her studded belt was hanging low on her hips.

"Forgetting something?" She sighed impatiently and took her wand from the pocket of her sweater and pointed it at her hair. The tips instantly turned the blue of her shirt.

"Happy?"

"Not really. You have to change into your school robes later so why are you dressing up?"

Everyone turned to leave. Members of the Order of the Phoenix took off on brooms while others stayed inside the house after saying good-bye. The teens trailed behind Lupin and Molly, who went outside while Danica explained her need of time to get ready in the morning,

"Style is never something to be ashamed of." She threw an intentional look at Hermione who was wearing simple jeans and a nice flowy top. But that wasn't to Danica's taste. Hermione took a step forward, obviously going to pick a fight. Danica turned with a challenging smile on her face. Remus stepped between them immediately.

"You," he pointed at Granger, "simmer down. You know better." He then pointed at Danica. "You lay off. I have enough to worry about besides that attitude of yours." Danica flashed an apologetic smile at Remus who gave a weak one in return.

"Ok, so, let's get there, shall we?" She pulled out her wand again and was about to go through the squeezing, dark sensation that they had yet to learn but Remus lowered her wand with his finger.

"No, I believe we are riding in the car," He jerked his head in the direction of the Weasley family flying vehicle. Danica's eyes widened at it but then she turned to Molly and gave a smile that seemed genuine to all except for Harry. He knew better. She wasn't pleased. She would have to put up with Hermione in a closet space.

"That is so cute!" She exclaimed and ran to it, throwing open the door and climbing into the front seat. Ron quickly ran to occupy the seat next to her thinking he got it because it was his family's car. But oh was he wrong. Remus, with his long legs, strode ahead and told her that she should sit in the back and let Ron have the front because he is much taller. She pouted her lips, making her piercing pop out more. Harry admitted in his mind she looked adorable. But then he was agitated. This girl was probably spoiled rotten by the parents he never had. And she always got her way.

She got into the back, occupying the middle seat, clearly disappointed that she couldn't ride in the front of the extremely cute car. Ron slid into the front with Remus and his mom, mildly interested in the fact that Lupin can drive. Harry and Hermione sat next to Danica who scooted a good distance away from Hermione and sat closer to Harry. He breathed in and smelled an enriching aroma of cherries and chocolate. He took a small pleasure in having her so close but then it faded as he remembered what she was there to do. To protect him. He felt like a defenseless child. He quickly turned his head away from the smell and zoned out the window into the misty morning while Remus was already raising his voice at Danica who gave him a mischievous smile in the rearview mirror.

Platform 9 ¾ was as crowded as ever. He said hey to several people he knew from Gryffindor and mingled with some close friends. The air around him was familiar. Excitement and impatience and a mere sense that they belonged to a world much bigger than what the muggles knew. It felt great. This is where he felt at home. This is where he belonged. He turned his head to answer the call of Luna Lovegood when he spotted Danica. She was leaning against the wall. With her trolley close beside her and Lupin who hid her slightly from view since he tried to stay out of obvious sight also. She was looking up at him in a...desperate look. Her eyes looked like something close to terrified. He strained his ears; half listening to Neville's description of what he did that past summer. Lupin's voice was more distinct.

"Don't…You will…Fine…It's going to be…I believe you can…it."

"But I…Leave…What if no one…likes me?"

"They will…Don't worry,"

"I don't want to go…Can't you come…me?"

"You know…It's impossible."

The next few sentences he could hear more clearly as the calling for all the students to board the train ceased.

"I'm scared, Remus."

"Danica, you will be fine. Trust me." She stared at him for a long time and then she practically charged at him as she threw her arms around him and buried herself in the folds of his jacket. He hugged her back. This behavior, coming from Remus, was so entirely unexpected that he almost nudged Hermione in the ribs to have a look but decided not. The moment was private and he was already intruding.

"Write to me, promise?" she asked, her voice muffled.

"As often as you write me." He unhooked her arms from around him and rested his hands on his shoulders, looking down into her face. "Don't forget what you're there to do. And..." he added with a soft smile, "don't forget about me."

Remus never acts like this. What is his connection to her? They seem way to close to barely meet in the Order. There is something he was missing. But what? Then he heard it. The sickening crack as body met pavement. He then heard the all-too-familiar laughs of the Slytherin bullies. Harry's blood boiled over as he heard the cry of one of his close friends. Neville, he knew before he even looked to see him on the floor holding his head in pain, that Draco and his thugs did this. Harry held out a hand to Neville but he was already being hoisted onto his feet by none other than Danica. He stared at her with wide eyes as he took in her appearance and then it softened as he realized she was helping him.

"Are you alright?" she asked trying not to notice everyone who didn't acknowledge her presence earlier was now staring at her. The new girl with the unique style was going to become the talk of the school. Which house would she be in, that was obvious. You could tell, by the fire in her eyes and the protective arm she threw over Neville's shoulder that she would be a Gryffindor.

"Yes. I believe so." Neville nervously twitched as he realized a super-model looking girl was caring for him. She smiled sweetly at him.

"Well, isn't that darling? The new freak is helping out an old freak." A snarl of laughter was let out from the Slytherin gang and Harry clenched his fist, letting out a noise of disgust at them. Draco turned his cold eyes to Harry and gave a sneer.

"Potter! I'm surprised to see you here. After all, most people I know blame you for Cedric Diggory's death. I wouldn't be surprised if you did kill him. He was in your way, you got rid of him. Is that how you play your game, Potter? Besides a liking for mud-bloods, that is."

Hermione noticed that most adults were gone. And only the two rival houses remained on the platform. They were looking for a fight. She could feel it coming on and in the corner of her eye she could see people reaching for their wands.

"Don't you dare, Draco! You weren't there when Cedric died. You weren't there as Voldermort murdered him in cold blood. I watched the lights leave his eyes and felt his cold body as I clung to him in mourning. So do not accuse me of killing Cedric, you conceited, obnoxious, pestering little twit!" Harry hurled his words at Draco and he seemed to be hurt by them. But that didn't last long. It didn't last long because just as Draco was about to reply with another snarl of words everyone heard the sounds of skin meeting skin. Harry saw Draco whip his head in the opposite direction and blood begin to stream down his face from his nose. With his anger blurring his vision he could barely see Danica walking away with her hand tugging Neville's wrist into the train and grabbing Harry's arm as she walked past. Her face was frustrated but a victorious grin was planted there on her lips. Everyone else was staring after her in awe. Danica Lorenzo just punched Draco Malfoy in the nose. Now he was on the floor bleeding immensely and crying. Crying because of pain or crying because he was sent to the floor by a girl, no one knew.

"Don't ever mess with my friends," was the last thing she would say until the entire train of students reached Hogwarts. Boy, did the student body have something to talk about.