For everyone asking, I haven't disclosed what is wrong with Demi. I will tell you when I feel the time is ripe, but let me be frank (no pun intended), it'll probably come out in the sixth or seventh year.
Mr and Mrs Potter had dropped the two teens off at King's Cross at 10:30. They had both been called into a raid by the Auror Office, and had to leave urgently. After a hasty appriation, which nearly caused Jack to splinch himself, they'd found two carts, loaded the children's luggage, and went off.
"So you're telling me there is a chance?" asked James as he and Demi made their way through King's Cross, ignoring the looks from Muggles as they wove their way through the crowd, owls hooting with pleasure.
"Well, she didn't mention how much she hates you in any of the letters I got from her, so I'm guessing that's a good sign" Demi said absentmindedly as she walked towards the barrier between platforms 9 and ten. In the blink of an eye, the scene had changed. The two teens were standing on platform nine and three quarters.
"Ready?" asked James, as he looked around.
"Hell yes" replied Demi and within two minutes the pair had loaded their luggage onto the train and came back outside to the platform.
"So, I heard we're getting a new defence teacher, again" said James.
"Yep. Does it surprise you?" asked Demi, as she craned her neck trying to catch a glimpse of a red haired someone.
"No, but we get a new one each year, I've never und-" James was cut off by a cry from behind. The pair turned around just in time to see Remus and Sirius bounding towards them.
"LOVE!" said Sirius as he launched himself onto Demi, who gave a muffled cry before being slammed upon.
"Gerroff me!" she laughed, as Sirius swamped her in one of his traditional bear hugs.
"What? I'm trying to make up for the last 6 weeks" he said, as she pushed him off her.
"And the way to do that is to throw yourself at her, literally" said Remus as he gave Demi a regular hug.
"Thank you Remus, for being a gentleman, and not attempting to climb me as if you were King Kong and I the Empire State" she said, making her and Remus laugh.
"What's a Kong?" asked Sirius and James, looking at the two who were doubled over in laughter.
"Never mind," they said simultaneously. Within a few moments, Demi was distracted by the arrival of two very special someone's.
"Gilderoy, Lily. How are you?" she screamed as she rushed over to the pair.
"Hey Demi, how was your summer?" Lily asked.
"Good, yours?" she replied.
"Alright, yeah" said Lily, somewhat absentmindedly. Demi, who had never seen Lily look and sound so put-out, made a mental note to check up on her friend once in the confines of the train.
"So, how've you been love?" asked Gilderoy.
SMACK!
Demi was pulled aside by Remus as Sirius took Lockhart down, punching every inch of the man.
"She's-my-friend!" said Sirius, his face red with anger, "I-call-her-love!"
"Sirius, mate calm down!" said James hurriedly, as he made his way to pull his best friend off his sister's boyfriend.
"Let-go-I'm-gonna-kill-'im!" said Sirius.
With a huge heave, Lockhart managed to push Sirius off him, and grabbed Demi's hand. "Let's go," he said, pulling her along. She gave a halfhearted wave to the group and a look at Sirius before clambering onto the train.
On the train . . .
"So, then, he goes and calls her 'love.' That's my thing!" Sirius cried, as the others looked at his in pity.
"So you got mad because he used your nickname for her?" said Alice, trying her best not to laugh. Lily was in another compartment with Demi, Severus, and Lockhart. The four of them had had enough of the boys for one morning.
"Does she know?" asked Kiaria, from her spot next to Arnold Chapman of Hufflepuff. They were finishing the homework they were assigned for over the holidays, along with Alice, who had the most abysmal memory of anyone the group knew.
"Know what?" said Sirius, his eyebrow raised.
"That you looove her?" she asked, causing them all to laugh as Sirius went red as he always did when the subject was brought up.
"I do not love her, I like her as a friend," he said, repeating his customary line.
"So why does she have a nickname, and the rest of us do not?" asked Remus, from behind his transfiguration book.
"I have nicknames for you guys," said Sirius in an obvious way.
"Like?" they all asked.
"Alice is Ali, Frank is Frankie, James is Jam (like the spread), Remus is Remsee, Kiaria is Kia, and Peter is Pete," said Sirius counting them off on his hands.
"Yes, but these are short forms of our names idiot," said Peter.
"Yeah, where do you get 'love' out of 'Demi'?" asked Arnold. Sirius eyed him warily, "everyone in each house has noticed it," Arnold explained.
"I dunno, that's just her nickname," he said in a final-sort of way. The others knew the topic was annoying him so they let the subject drop. A few minutes later, he stood up and announced he needed some air, and let himself out of the compartment, leaving the others in pure bewilderment.
"Honestly, he's completely immature" said Lily, her eyes ablaze as she and Demi sat there talking about the boys.
"He punched Gilderoy in the face," said Demi. Turning to Gilderoy she asked, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, m'fine" said Gilderoy as he wrapped Demi in a hug.
"So, trying out for the Quidditch team this year?" Severus asked, as he eyed the couple enviously.
"Yeah" they replied simultaneously.
"Wait, you're both trying out?" asked Lily, already sensing the competitiveness of the relationship and the problems this would cause.
"Wait, you're trying out?" asked Gilderoy, throwing Demi one of his puzzled, yet gorgeous good looks.
"Yes, I was on the team last year, and I hope it stays that way," she said, completely unfazed by his looks.
"But we can't compete against each other, it won't work" said Gilderoy, somewhat puzzled.
"Yes, I know that," said Demi calmly. "So one of us can't join."
"Okay, I'll join, you take a break," said Lockhart, and assuming it was the end of the matter, he kissed demi on the lips, stood up, and pushed the transparent compartment door open to reveal a completely angered Sirius and pushed past him.
"The hell?' said Demi, fazed.
"He kissed you. HE KISSED YOU!" screamed Sirius, red in the face.
Demi heard compartment doors sliding open upon Sirius' outburst. Hoping to avoid another row, she calmly stood up, and led him out of the doorway.
"Completely" started Severus.
"Mental" finished Lily.
In the common room that night . . .
"He kissed you?" screamed James, Remus and Sirius again.
"Are you going to do this every time you see me?" asked Demi, whose temper with the boys was running short.
"Hold on, you're okay with his being – being-"| said James, struggling to finish his sentence.
"All over you?" asked Remus, who was more shocked than Demi thought he would be.
"Yes, and I enjoy the fact that he lavishes me with WANTED attention," she said. Before the arguing could advance she pushed her way through the barricade of men and made her way to the staircase. But before heading up she turned to Sirius and Remus, "It was nice seeing you both after a long time. Oh, and Sirius, start trying to reply to my letters," she added, giving him a wink before going up.
Sirius sat down and sighed, while Remus was red with spite.