Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
A/N: Thank you to all my awesome readers for coming back to the next instalment, and hopefully those new to this story.
Today's story: Signs of more trouble at Jurassic Park and Harry starts a very eventful vacation with Lex.
-oOo-
Chapter 9
-oOo-
June 25, 1993
Isla Nublar, Costa Rica
"It's not that hard once you learn to concentrate," Sirius said, his wand held lightly. "Over time, you don't even think about it. See."
Sirius flicked his wand and a red spell shot towards the rock they were using. They had found a secluded dell not far from the Employee houses. Harry was feeling frustrated as he raised his own wand. "You don't think anyways. I get why it's so simple for you," he gripped as he concentrated on the stunning spell. He flicked his wand, trying to get the non-verbal casting down.
Sirius laughed at him. "You look like you are sitting on the throne."
Harry huffed and flicked his wand at Sirius. He was so annoyed that he didn't even realize he didn't say a word as the stinging spell left his wand. Sirius yelped in pain, hopping around for a moment. "I get it now, don't think," Harry said a little cheekily.
Sirius glared at him, jabbing his own wand at Harry. The motion had his instincts kick in, sidestepping the spell and jabbing his own wand back. "Bloody hell," Harry exclaimed as the stinging hex didn't jump out of his wand. Instead, he was hit with one from Sirius, who grinned.
"Do you need proper motivation? I'll start with stinging hexes, and we'll see where it goes from there. No talking." The grin took on a manic look and Harry stepped, rolled and then jabbed his wand as several stingers flew past him. He was annoyed, but not enough as nothing happened. Giving an annoyed sound, he jumped as a white stinging spell got his arm.
Harry dodge another and as he jabbed his wand this time, he felt his magic surging up. Sirius sidestepped the spell and soon they were casting furiously at each other. When a shield silently came up, Harry spat, "Getting tired of dodging?"
"Nopppe!" his godfather said with a smile as he popped the 'p'. "Just demonstrating what you can do when you graduate up to being a real wizard."
"Git," Harry shot back, trying to see if he could cast a silent 'flipendo'. The first time it didn't work, earning him another sting to his leg and causing Harry to hop while Sirius laughed.
This really upset Harry. He jabbed his wand a few times, then flicked it. Sirius blocked the first three stingers and went to sidestep the last spell before summoning a shield again. "Oh, you want to play now?"
"I wanted to see you go flying," Harry replied, trying to repeat the feat before diving out of the way of the silent stunner that Sirius sent his way.
It went this way for a while before someone started to clap. Harry stopped, sweat coming off his face and Sirius looking a little winded as Harry was able to get a stunner and a few body bind spells off. He was frustrated he couldn't cast a silent shield yet, so he had been forced to move. Sirius turned to the newcomers and bowed. "I do shows at eleven, one and four."
"Bloody git," Harry growled, jabbing his wand, feeling his magic respond to his want and Sirius yelped, his hand going to his bottom while hopping a few times.
Sir Lockwood laughed. "Remind me to not get on his bad side."
Sir Lockwood, Dr Bones and Dr Roberts were there, all three looking to have been observing them for a few minutes and Dr Bones having been the one to clap. Harry had the thought they should have put up Muggle repelling wards.
"The pup is learning," Sirius said with a grin and a calculating sidelong look to Harry. Harry gave him a cheeky grin back, his eyes promising he would get Sirius later.
"So, I see. I didn't recognize some of those lights from what you have shown us before, and was that some type of shield or energy barrier?" Dr Roberts asked, a hungry look on his face.
Harry and Sirius hadn't shown any of the scientists a quarter of what they knew yet.
"It was. I wasn't aware that we had an appointment today," Sirius told them.
"We were able to get away for the weekend and were hoping you would consent to a few experiments, though I am thinking we came ill prepared," Lockwood said.
"Did Charlotte come?" Harry asked. The younger girl was growing on him.
"Not this time. When you are both ready, we'll meet you back at the labs. We must leave on the helicopter shortly after lunch tomorrow," Lockwood told him.
When they left, Harry walked over to Sirius. "We need to find somewhere else to practice," Harry told him. "Or put up wards."
"I should have thought about that. Muldoon usually makes sure we are not bothered, " Sirius commented.
Harry frowned. "I like Lockwood and Bones, but I don't know about the others."
Sirius scratched his chin. "Next time I'll cast some repelling charms. Let's go get cleaned up and then join them."
"Sure," Harry said.
They walked back to their apartments. Harry threw his shirt onto the floor as he went to get a clean pair of clothes and was about to head to the shower when he saw a red light was blinking on the large video machine next to his computer. He may not know a lot about computers, but when that red light was blinking, he knew lex was trying to call. A small smile came over his face as he walked over to the computer and turned on the monitor. He only had his shorts on as the red light next to the camera turned solid. Looking at the clock when the screen lit up, he realized it was about noontime in Washington, D.C.
When he clicked on, 'Link Call', he was greeted with Lex dancing around her room. She was in a pair of jean shorts, a crop top tank top that allowed him to look at her taught belly around her belly button and enjoy the way her chest moved with her dancing. Her long blonde hair bounced in a crazy way.
Harry laughed as she was singing to a song he didn't recognize.
Lex started, giving a small scream as she turned to the computer. "Don't stop on my account," Harry chuckled, enjoying the way her cheeks went red.
"HARRY! I didn't think you would be there," she said excitedly, moving over to her chair.
"Just got back from doing a workout with Sirius," he told her.
"Did grandpa tell you?" she asked.
"Tell me what?"
"You are coming here next month for two weeks," she said excitedly.
A smile split his face. "Wicked. He hasn't said anything," Harry told her.
"It's great! I don't know what you want to do, but mom is talking about going out to Martha's Vineyard. We can go down to the beach and go sailing. It's going to be so much fun... wait, why does it look like you have a welt on your chest and neck?"
Harry touched his neck, finding the raised spot after a moment. "It's nothing."
Lex gave him an unimpressed look, then looked rather suspicious. "What are you doing? That isn't something bad, right?"
"No. It'll be gone in an hour or two. Sirius and I were just practicing. We can get a little carried away at times." Harry said as easily as he could. He was finding he really didn't like lying to Lex, but she didn't need to know... yet.
A knock came at his door. "Lex, can I talk to you later? I need to go take a shower and meet up with Sir Lockwood and a few others."
Lex perked up. "What do you keep doing with Mr Lockwood? I know he's one of grandpa's partners, but I thought he was some type of biologist."
"Your grandfather has me working on a project with him on the island. I'll tell you about it when he allows me too," Harry told her. He was really starting to not like lying to her so much.
"You promise?" she asked him.
"Yeah. Pet, let me talk to you later," Harry said.
Her eyebrows rose. "Pet?"
Harry felt his face flush a little this time. "Ah, a term between friends or people you really like from back home."
Lex smiled at him. He was really missing her. The fact that we were going to in a month for two weeks was going to be brilliant. "As long as you aren't calling me some animal you just keep around," she teased.
Harry laughed. "You're too cute to just be some animal. I promise." The knock came at his door again. Lex looked to preen a little at his words and Harry had no clue where they had just come from. "If you are up, I can call you back later. Maybe eight my time?"
She beamed this time. "I'll be up."
"Brilliant. Talk to you then." Harry was not happy to end the call. "I'm coming," Harry yelled as a third knock on his door came.
He swung the door open to find Simmons there. The look on the man's face was grave. Harry's good mood faded right away. "What happened?"
"Two of the construction workers were killed this morning. Three others were hurt. The power failed on the fences around the Valley and something spooked the ankylosaurs. They trampled through the work crew working on the electric track. Muldoon wants everyone in the dining room of the Visitor Center at noon," Simmons told him.
Harry's eyes went a little wide and he had a sick feeling in his stomach. "Bloody hell. Does Sirius know?"
"Can you tell him? I have to make sure there is no one else in the apartments," Simmons told him.
"Did any of the other fences fail?"
"No. I'm sure there will be more details at the meeting."
Harry nodded. He rushed to take a shower and then meet up with Sirius.
They were it the cafeteria a little before noon. The mood was rather sombre as Lockwood stood before the assembled crowd. Harry could see it was all the scientists, construction workers and control staff on the island, about sixty people. Only Simmons represented the guards and none of the vets or animal handlers were here.
"As many of you know, today there was an incident with the Valley fences. Ray Arnold was able to find there was a faulty transformer. It is being replaced and the fences will be operational again within the hour. Until then, all non-essential staff required to make the repairs or return the three ankylosaurs that escaped are to remain within the Visitor Center fences," Lockwood said.
"Sir, did anyone die?" one of the technicians that worked for Wu asked.
Lockwood looked a bit grim. "Sebastian Rosa and Jose Alava when the ankylosaurs broke through a section of fence that we didn't know had already been partially compromised by a fallen tree in one of yesterday's storms. Two others are recovering in the clinic, and one had to be flown to San Jose."
There was some muttering around the room.
"What about the motes," one of the lab technicians enquired.
"None were installed in that section due to the nature of the herbivores in the valley. Plans have been revised and it is scheduled to be completed by February now," Lockwood answered.
"Is it safe to work outside the compound," one the construction workers asked in a heavy Spanish accent.
"Once you are free to leave the compound, we'll let you know," Lockwood told them. "Raymond Arnold is going to conduct a study to determine how to prevent this from happening again and we will work on it as fast as possible. The park will not open until that redundancy is in place."
Sirius had a long face. "This place is a little more dangerous than I thought."
"It's still safer than Hogwarts," Harry replied.
Sirius made a face as he cocked his head to the side as though to say 'yeah, but that isn't good either'.
-oOo-
July 3, 1993
Isla Nublar, Costa Rica
Harry had wondered up to the Con Room today. Muldoon and Sirius were involved in a meeting and Harry was supposed to find Mr Arnold to get a disc for some upgrade to his computer. Harry had no clue what that was supposed to mean.
Looking through the windows, Harry could see Mr Nedry here. He hadn't been to the island in over a month. Using the access card that he had been given, Harry entered the Con Room.
Four others were working at computer stations today. Harry was amazed that most of the park could be managed from this one room. As he had seen through the window, Mr Arnold and Nedry were arguing.
"I am telling you, Nedry, that it was this subroutine that caused that transformer to fail. It did some strange cycling that overloaded the fail-safe transistors," Mr Arnold said.
"I am telling you that the logs don't show that. It was something else," Nedry said back. "My team is trying to figure out what."
"I did the backtracking, and this is the subroutine that was called before the transistors started to overheat. I've moved the electrical controls over to the back system, but that doesn't allow as much control as the main code. You need to fix it," Mr Arnold shot back.
Nedry looked shocked... and maybe a little panicked. "Why would you move it over to the backup system? That can only be controlled from the backup controls room at the geothermal power plant. That's more than half across the island. I'm going to have to go over there to transfer control back."
"Control will stay at the backup controls room until you can prove or fix that code. Two people died, Nedry, because of that. We can't have any more incidents or this whole project could be in trouble, and you won't get the rest of your money," Mr Arnold replied.
Nedry bristled. "Totally unappreciated. My company has put together more than two million lines of code to control this island. Did you expect there not to be any debugging?"
"Debugging I can take. Down fences we cannot," Arnold retorted. "You are here for seven days. Fix that code or you will be here longer. We also need those other bugs fixed."
Nedry turned back to his computer, grumbling under his breath. Harry hadn't liked the man before, and even less now. The fat man didn't seem to care that two people were killed when the ankylosaurs escaped.
Mr Arnold glared at Nedry for a moment. As Lead Engineer for the island, Harry knew the man had a lot of responsibility, and had been rather upset that those two men died. After a moment, Mr Arnold turned to him. "How are you today, Harry?"
"Alright," Harry replied. "I got an email saying you needed to update my computer?"
He had learned enough to navigate to the things he usually used on his computer.
"Oh, right. Give me a moment," the man said, turning to his messy desk and looking through a few three-and-a-half inch disks. He took out three of them. "I need you to load this into yours and Sirius computers."
"What is it?" he asked, looking at the handwritten note on the label. 'JP Control, V1.3, Operator, disk 2' was written on the top disk.
"With Mr Black joining InGen and Jurassic Park as a field agent, and you being accepted as an intern under Muldoon and Dr Timmons, they want you to have access to some of the remote systems, like the cameras, counters and trackers. Nothing major and nothing you can play with. Just put in disk one, then use the login I wrote on it. You and Sirius can use the same login for now. Nedry is adding in more slots for employees today," Mr Arnold said in a louder voice.
"Wicked," Harry said, liking the idea that he could have access the videos to study the dinosaurs more.
Sirius, on the other hand, was going to go look for more amber, and possible other sources of extinct animals. He would also look for more magic. They both found it hard to believe that there were no witches or wizards left, even if they were hedge wizards now.
Harry and him were still in agreement that Hogwarts would stay a secret, and if he found other magical reserves, they would find a way to protect them. Neither of them wanted clones of dragons or other creatures.
Also, as part of Sirius' job, he would advise InGen on all things magical. This would allow them to disclose what they wanted.
The best part was that Harry would be allowed to go with Sirius, when he wasn't in school. he had caught up more, and Mr Hammond wanted him to go to school so he could go to college. That meant he might be going to the same private school Lex was in the fall. He was excited, meaning he would be close to his girlfriend, and scared, because of how far behind he still was. Part of him wanted to stay on the island and learn more about the dinosaurs and work with his tutors. The other part wanted to be with Lex.
"I'll get to it later," Nedry shot back.
"I need those electrical controls resolved first," Mr Arnold replied.
"Okay, boss," Nedry said back with some sarcasm.
Mr Arnold looked like it took some effort not to reply. "If you have any issues, just give me a call. I am going back home for a week, next week."
"Sure," Harry replied, taking the disks and walking out, hoping he could get this done.
Walking out, he noticed the conference room door was open and there were some loud voices. "That is what I pay you for," he heard Mr Hammond.
"John, we don't have the staff to patrol all the fences all the time. Even if you wanted to put in guardhouses, I would only be able to staff two or three of them at a time," he heard Muldoon.
"I'm not great at it, but I could look at implementing some detection wards, but I think only Harry and I would be able to feel them," Sirius added.
"Benjamin, have we been able to make more progress in understanding how magic works?" Mr Hammond asked.
"We are just at the beginning of understanding. Magic is turning everything we know about physics on its head. We can detect some magics. Like active magic when Harry or Sirius use it, or residual magic when something powerful happens, but that dissipates to background levels in a cascading mode. Some amber and some other natural substances are now being found with the same signatures. Variations in spells are hard to pick up. We don't have the sensors yet to do that. I wouldn't even know how to link in something like a ward... that is what you called it?" Sir Lockwood asked.
"Yeah. You use specially prepared stones or gems that setup a permanent magic, as long as the stone is intact. I know enough to make basic wards, ones that can detect, and even mask some magical things, maybe even cast a stunner, but not much more," Sirius told him. "I also don't know how large of a ward I can make. Most only cover a few tens of feet to a few hundred, and I haven't done anything like this since I was in school."
"That would take thousands of ward stones to setup all around the perimeter fences and what good would it do us if Sirius or Harry aren't here, or out on the island and unable to contact us?" Muldoon countered.
"How long before all the new motion sensors and additional cameras are in place?" Mr Hammond asked.
He heard the deep voice of Benning. "Not until Christmas. We need another hundred and fifty to cover what you want and the ones that are spec'd won't be shipped for another few weeks, with about half on back order until October."
He heard the aggravated clack of Mr Hammond's cane on the floor. "I need solutions and I need them today. The board and some of our larger investors are getting nervous after the incident last month, making three deaths in the last year, and I don't want to see anyone else, or one of our dinosaurs, getting hurt again."
Something rustled close to the door and Harry made as though he was just walking by. Sirius caught him passing the door. their eyes meeting, and a moment later, the door shut behind him.
-oOo-
July 19, 1993
Martha Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA
Harry sat on the deck in the early morning light. Mr Hammond had invited Sirius and him to join his family for two weeks out on Martha's Vineyard. They had flown into D.C. last night, meeting the Murphy's at the airport. Lex had been very happy to see him, giving him a huge hug when they had walked over to the helicopter. It was a relatively long two-and-a-half-hour flight where Lex had leaned against him and fallen asleep as they flew through the night. The whole way, Lex had her hand in his as Tim talked about his newest knowledge of dinosaurs.
After getting in late, he now enjoyed the sound of the breaking waves coming off the ocean as the sun came up. The see was a few hundred feet away across sand dunes and tall grasses. He had grown to really enjoy the smell of the salty sea air over the last few months. Gulls drifted on the wind and sporadically cried out. With the warm sun on his face, Harry closed his eyes. It had been three months since he had been ripped out of the world that had tried to kill him. He still worried about his friends and those he left behind, but it was starting to fade.
He knew that the Hermione of this world was safe.
Unfortunately, the Weasleys, the Lovegoods and Longbottoms were nowhere to be found. He had a sinking feeling that Sirius had buried their many times great grandparents that day in the Chamber of Secrets. How Susan's had escaped, he had no clue.
As he thought about it, he heard the door to the deck open. He didn't bother seeing who it was, still just enjoying the breeze, the sun on his face and the light through his eyelids.
"You awake?" Lex asked, a slight bit of amusement on her voice.
"Yeah," he replied, opening his eyes to see her sit with a glass of orange juice and a pastry on the other side of the small table. His stomach grumbled to see the food. "Where did you get that?"
"Inside. Mr Mason put it out. He told me you were out here doing your homework? Grandpa has you working hard if you are still having tutors over the summer," she said, ripping the pastry in half and offering him some.
"Thanks," he said, taking it from her. He took a big bite, some sweet filling with apples inside the flaky crust filling his mouth.
Lex smiled before taking a must smaller bite from her half. "What are you working on?"
"Still trying to catch up on my math," Harry told her. "I'm so far behind."
She gave him a curious look and took up his paper. Harry didn't think to protest as he stuffed the rest of the pastry in his mouth. "Pig," she playfully teased, his stomach growling in agreement. She giggled.
"Sirius and Muldoon have me on a workout routine that makes me very hungry," Harry replied a little sheepishly.
"I get that way when I'm swimming for competitions. Here, you want the rest of this? I'll grab some more in a moment," she offered what she had left.
"I can wait," Harry told her.
She looked over the paper with his work. "Is this algebra or pre-algebra?"
Harry suddenly realized his mistake. He hadn't told Lex that he was about the equivalent of a seventh form now, not the tenth grade she was going into. He had never felt embarrassed before about how he did in school, but he felt it now, not wanting to disappoint her. "Pre-algebra," he said.
She looked it over. "You forgot to carry the six. Otherwise, this looks good," she said, handing the paper back to him. "Do you need help?"
There was no reproach or disappointment in her tone or look. "You don't think I'm dumb?"
Lex looked confused. "Why would I? I know not everyone is good at math and I see how smart you are about dinosaurs and other stuff. What was that you are doing again?"
Harry laughed. She had been trying to trip him up for a while now. "Just some stuff I work with your grandpa on."
"Right. Grandpa speaks about you a lot. He thinks you are smart. So, what is it you do again?"
An uneasy smile creeped onto his face. "But this is like three years behind where I should be." He really didn't want to break Mr Hammond's trust yet.
Lex shrugged, seeming to drop it for the moment. "I will help you," she said rather resolutely, moving around the table to sit next to him. "The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can go down to the beach."
Ms Murphy and Sirius found them laughing as Harry was bumping her away as he tried to concentrate. "What is this? Young lovers?" Sirius said with a wag to his eyes.
Lex stopped laughing. "Wha... I... I am just helping Harry."
"And helping him requires you almost sitting in his lap?" her mother questioned as she put a cup of coffee and a plate on the table. Sirius and her sat across from them.
"I am not sitting in Harry's lap!" Lex complained, not moving her legs away from where they were pressed against his.
Both the adults laughed. "It's close enough," Sirius said, wagging his brow again.
"Git," Harry complained, hunching over his paper to avoid them.
"No need to call people names," Ms Murphy admonished, though she didn't look too bothered.
"I think he was about spot on," Sirius said casually. "Are you going to be doing that all day?"
"I wanted to take Harry down to the beach when he was done," Lex said.
"If Tim is up, take him with you. I'm going to walk to the shops and was planning on a beach day tomorrow. It's supposed to be around ninety tomorrow," Ms Murphy told them.
"Do I have too?" Lex whinged.
"Yes," Ms Murphy told her.
"Could I take Lex out to dinner or something? Just us?" he asked, looking up.
This seemed to catch them all off guard. Ms Murphy looked at him surprised. Sirius took on a mischievous smirk and Lex's eyes were huge before she suddenly shouted, "Yes!"
This got Sirius laughing.
Ms Murphy took a sip of her coffee first. "If you two go down to the beach, take Tim with you. If you want to go off by yourselves later, that is fine. I want you back by nine."
Lex's leg started to bounce against his. "Do you know where you want to go?"
"No clue. I've never been here," Harry told her.
"I'll take you all around town then," Lex said excitedly.
"Sounds like fun," Harry replied, looking forward to it.
"I'm going to go see if Tim is up!"
"It's only eight, Lex. Let him sleep for a while more. Now, Harry, what are you working on that you are doing homework over the summer?" Ms Murphy asked.
Sirius stepped in. "That is my fault, Lynne. Harry and I have done a lot of traveling and I didn't realize he had fallen behind in his studies. He's playing a little bit of catch up right now."
"I'm going to help him," Lex told them in no uncertain terms. "I thought you said you didn't do much traveling?"
"Enough," Harry said, feeling embarrassed again about how far he was behind and that he had to lie to Lex. She didn't look like she believed him. "I just have some catching up to do. I'll get there."
"I'm sure you will. Especially if Lex is helping you," Ms Murphy said
"If you want, I'll go down to the beach with you. Keep an eye on Tim," Sirius offered when Ms Murphy got up to get another cup of coffee. "Wouldn't want to spoil your date today."
Harry felt his neck heat up. Was this a date today? "Uhm, yeah."
Lex was surer though and said, "Thank you, Mr Black."
"Sirius. Mr Black just makes me sound old," Sirius told her.
"You are," Harry pointed out.
"Oi!" Sirius exclaimed, throwing part of a pastry at him. Harry laughed while Ms Murphy rolled her eyes and Lex giggled. Harry liked how her hand went over his knee below the table.
When they finally made it down to the beach, it was already busy under the hot sun. They had only taken their towels and a few drinks. Tim dropped his stuff and took off towards the water with his bogey board. "Tim, wait!"
"I got him," Sirius chuckled, moving toward the water.
"He never listens to me," Lex huffed. "Little brothers can be so annoying."
"Wouldn't know," Harry commented, taking his shirt off.
Lex was doing the same and Harry's eyes grew a little wide to see her trim form revealed as she did so. She was in a two-piece bathing costume that caught his eye. Lex was a well-built girl with wider hips, tone muscles, flat stomach and a decent chest. Her form was so attractive to him that he felt himself responding at the amount of skin he could see. She threw her shirt down and turned to him, a shy smirk on her face, her eyes looking him up and down too.
"Do I look okay?" she asked as he kept staring at her. Lex Murphy was the prettiest girl he had ever seen.
"Uhm, yeah," he said, finally averting his eyes.
"You can look at me in the water," she told him teasingly. He looked up to see she looked a little abashed but dragged him to the water. She ran in, splashing the water as high as she could to get Tim, before turning and kicking the salty water at him. "LEX!" Tim complained.
Harry just rose an eyebrow. "Are you starting with me?"
"Maybe?" she said challengingly, kicking the water up.
He held up his hand to shield his face. He glared at her. Harry wasn't the same person he had been a few months ago. As much as he missed his old friends, he felt freer now. He didn't worry about Death Eaters or Voldemort. Hogwarts had helped him to realize none of that existed here. Being freer and able to let that all behind him, he kicked some water back. Lex screamed, then laughed, kicking up more water at him. He was liking his new life.
She kicked water at him again, the smirk on her face challenging him now. Harry took off after her as she kicked more water up. "Cheeky bint," he accused. She screamed as he tried to catch her.
"Get her," Tim yelled, kicking water at his sister.
"Harry, NO!" Lex yelled out when he caught her, wrapping his arms around her waist and falling back in the waist high water. She knew what he was going to do a split second before they both went under. A moment later they came up spluttering, Lex splashed him. "You dick," she swore, though she didn't seem that upset.
Harry laughed. "You starting again?"
Lex flopped her long golden hair over her shoulder, getting him in the face before pulling away. She splashed him again. "You better run," he told her.
Lex laughed as she dove into the water. There was no way Harry was going to catch her once she started to swim. Tim came up to him, shaking his head. "You'll never get her now."
Harry shrugged. "She'll be back," he said. Lex had stopped about fifty feet away, sticking her tongue out at him while pushing her hair back over her shoulder again. Harry was happy the water was a little cool as he watched the water running down her body and between the cleft of her breasts. He felt like he was channelling Seamus, but she was beautiful.
"Once Lex runs, she doesn't usually come back," Tim told him.
Harry shrugged as Lex dove back in and started back towards them. "Told you," Harry said. He wasn't sure why he knew she would do that, but he did. When she was in reach, she screamed again before laughing as Harry wrapped his arms around her again and pulled her under. Harry really liked her soft skin as he touched her.
Towards dinner, Harry and Lex left the small compound the house was in. They both looked a little red from the sun. He had never had a sunburn before and found the slight one he had now annoying. Lex looked to be in the same condition.
"Mom usually reminds us to put sun block on," Lex was saying as she walked next to him. She was in a yellow sundress with some flowers across her midsection.
"I've never done that before," Harry told her.
"Mr Black never took you to a beach?"
"It's not quite like this in England during the summer," Harry commented.
"What is it like?" Lex asked, taking is hand.
"Depends. It's usually cooler, in the mid-twenties. We get rain a few times a week. Rarely does it get this warm," Harry replied.
"It's warm like this most of the summer. How warm is the mid-twenties?" Lex inquired.
"Uhm, seventy-five to eighty, I think," Harry answered.
"That is alright, but it's better to go swimming in the ocean when its warmer. What did you do in Scotland? Was it warm up there?"
Harry laughed. "I would not call it warm. Even in the spring it never really gets above sixty degrees Fahrenheit."
She shivered, and Harry didn't think it was from the warm breeze. "That is too cold."
Harry shrugged and found his hand releasing hers to slide around her waist. He had never felt this attracted to someone. Lex didn't mind, moving closer so her hips were bumping his as they walk. "You aren't cold now, are you?"
The smile she gave was soft and had butterflies form in his stomach. "Maybe a little, but I think it may be the sunburn. I feel better being closer to you."
Harry felt his neck warm a little as she put her arm around his back. There was a slight breeze that felt cool. Having her close warmed him too.
"OH! We have to go in there!" Lex suddenly exclaimed, pulling Harry towards a sweets shop. "They make fresh saltwater taffy every day. It's one of the few places that make a peppermint that grandpa likes."
Harry was happy that Mr Hammond had given him more money for whatever he wanted. Sirius had not been able to sell the spoils from Hogwarts yet, and long-term he was going to have to talk with Sirius about how to start making his own. He never realized how lucky he had been before that he had never really needed spending money in the Muggle world, and he had what he needed when he used to be in the Wizarding World.
"Are you sure it's not you?"
Lex gave him a devilish smirk. "Grandpa may have snuck most of them to me when I was younger," she told him as they entered the shoppe. It was busy. Going over to the open bins of taffy, she filled two bags. "Take this one."
"Why?"
"That's the one that is going to grandpa," she told him.
Harry laughed. "I'm not giving you any of these then," he told her, noticing that there was twice as much in the bag she gave him compared the bag she had in her hand now. Lex shrugged. "Grandpa will."
They walked out with over two pounds of taffy and a few other things when she told him to pick something out. "Tell me what you do with your friends? You never really talk about them from your old school. Also, how long did you go there if you moved so much with Sirius?"
Harry tried to give her a happy smile. "Well, I have two really good friends. We did everything together. When we used to go into... town, we would go to the local sweet shoppe. Ron and I would stock up on as much as our pockets could carry, hoping it would last the weeks or months between visits. Hermione used to always yell at us. Her parents were dentists, and she would only get a few things. Ron and I would run out of our stock in two weeks. She would time it right that she would just be out before our next visit into town."
Lex regarded him as they walked out of the store. "You sound sad when you talk about them. Don't you talk to them on the phone?"
Harry gave a sad smile. "I wish I could..."
There was a heavy silence that fell over them. Lex reached out and took his hand, starting them down the street again. "It was Ron and Hermione?"
"Yeah."
"Was that it? You don't have any other friends?"
Harry shook his head slowly. "Maybe Luna, Ginny and Neville, but they haven't done everything Ron and Hermione had. They only really hung out with us the last year."
Lex waited for him to go on. When he didn't, she asked, "Is that all you have?"
"Yeah," he replied. They held hands as they walked down the road of shoppes.
"Can I ask you something?" Lex asked after a moment.
"Sure."
She looked a little unsure, leading them towards a restaurant as the sun was starting to set. "You never like to talk about why you are working with grandpa or where you came from. Did something happen?"
Harry let out a long breath. "Yeah, something happened."
"Can I ask what?"
He took in another long breath and let it out. "It was a fight. It was bad enough I was sent away."
Lex looked really concerned, her hand tightening around his. "Did you get hurt? You never really told me how you got hurt or broke your arm."
He knew he looked evasive. "I really did fall and break my arm."
Lex frowned. "You're lying."
Harry knew she suspected something. Harry tried to tighten his hand. "Would you believe it is better you don't know right now?"
Lex eyed him. "Am I your friend?"
"I hope we are," he said, really liking her, and they had been able to talk a lot.
"I think we are too," she replied. "Do you like me?"
Harry rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "Yeah," he said stupidly, instantly seeing the light in her eye fade a little. "Lex, I've never really had many friends. I've never really had a girlfriend or even many people that even seemed to like me. I like you, but I have no idea what to do."
Lex's hand tightened around his again.
"I really like you, and I've never had a boyfriend before either," she told him. "Why didn't you have many friends? You are always so nice, and grandpa and Mr Lockwood really talk about you a lot. You seem like the popular boys at school, but you're not an asshole or try to just stare at my chest when I talk to you."
Harry laughed. "Oh, I was popular. I think that was why I didn't have many friends. Most people just couldn't see who I was and made assumptions that kept most people away from me. Ron, Hermione, Ron's family and a few others were the only ones that really treated me like I was a real person. I also don't want to stare at you that way. I know how much it annoys me."
"You sound like you were a celebrity," she put to him.
"I was. It was horrible," Harry told her, not holding back a tone that told how much he disliked it.
They had arrived at the restaurant she had been guiding them too. "Is that why there was a big fight and you had to leave?"
"Pretty much," Harry agreed. It was all true, just probably not in the way she was thinking.
"Will you tell me what happened some day?"
Bloody hell no! Harry yelled in his head, knowing it would scare her away. Maybe once she knew about Jurassic Park, he could tell her some of his secrets? "Someday."
"Do you promise?" Lex asked.
Harry knew the power she was looking for in her words. As she asked, he felt a pull on his magic, as though another magical was asking him to make the promise. It was so unexpected, he couldn't stop himself as he looked into her blue eyes. Harry wasn't sure he would ever say no to her when she looked at him like that. "I promise," he found himself saying.
There was a pulse that went through him, as though he had just made and actual magical promise. Lex looked a little startled for a second. When she spoke again, Harry was shocked in a different way.
"Would you like to find out what's like to have a girlfriend?" she asked. That was one thing that he liked about Lex. In all their conversations she was very forward with him.
"I don't know how often we will see each other," Harry replied, kicking himself inside, but knowing it was the truth.
Lex moved in suddenly, going on her tip toes and kissing his cheek. "I really like you, Harry."
"I really like you too," he echoed. There was a definite pull towards her.
"So, I can say you are my boyfriend?"
"Sure," he said. She moved in and they shared a peck. Harry wanted more, but someone bumped into them. Harry reacted, pulling Lex to the side, his hand moving to hit the guy.
A girl was laughing. "I'm so sorry about that," she said between giggles. "Look what you made me do," she accused the other girl with her.
Her friend turned. "I can't take her anywhere," the other girl said to Lex and him.
"Nice stick," the first girl laughed again as the friends continued down the street.
He was frozen. He had just reacted. Between his training, the way he still looked over his shoulder at times, expecting a Death Eater or someone else to come after him even though he knew that was impossible now, and still having nightmares many nights, he had been ready to curse the girls.
Lex moved in, putting a hand on his arm. "Harry?" she asked cautiously.
He started, taking a step back before lowering his wand.
"Harry? Are you okay?" she questioned.
He shook himself. "Yeah. Fine."
She was looking at him very unsure. Looking around the street, some people had stopped to see what was going on. Lex took his hand and dragged him around the side of the building. "Are you okay?"
"Fine," Harry said. "I didn't hurt you?"
"No, but I've never seen anyone move that fast. And when did you put that on your arm or get that stick," she asked, pointing to the now visible holster on his forearm. It took him a second to realize his holster was disillusioned now he withdrew his wand. The hilt of the knife Sirius had given him clearly visible as well.
"Bloody fuck," Harry muttered.
"What is going on?" Lex questioned. She was looking at him with a discriminating eye.
Harry closed his eyes. "Lex, can we go back to the house? I think I have something to tell you and I need to talk to Sirius first."
Lex searched his face. Harry looked around to see if anyone was looking. When he was sure no one was, he put his wand back into the holster. As he did, his wand touched her hand. A few sparks shot out of his wand.
"Are you shitting me!" she exclaimed, pulling her hand back like she had been stung. "What was that?"
Harry had felt it. It was like another magical had just touched his wand. Harry gave a nervous laugh, having no clue what just happened.
-oOo-
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Next Chapter: Is Lex a witch and what will happen to her? There may also be signs of things to come.
