Cut My Heart Out

Cut My Heart Out

Light streamed in through the yellow curtains, turning the room a rather disgusting vomit colour.

"Time to get up, boys!" said Mrs Weasley, brightly, throwing open the curtains. It's a bright new day and the sun is shining... you two haven't got much left of the holidays left!"

Ron groaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes vigorously. "We hardly need reminding," he yawned. "Six days until we're back on that damn train. I suppose you'll want us to go shopping for books soon."

Harry surveyed the room with bleary eyes. He'd been at The Burrow for two weeks and it never ceased to amaze him. The bathroom alone was enough to render him speechless. A self-cleaning tub and rather hormonal bathmat were something he could never get used to.

"Actually, I was thinking we could go shopping today. Ginny's cauldron has well and truly given up the ghost and you, Ron, desperately need a bigger cage for Pig. I swear that owl expands whenever you feed him those Fizzing Whizbees."

Pig spun on his perch like a drunken ballerina. He had grown considerably and was now equal in mass to Hedwig. He had outgrown his cage several months ago.

Mrs Weasley left the room, leaving Ron to mutter murderous things under his breath while he hunted for some socks.

* * *

Harry and Ron clomped downstairs and were greeted by the smell of a full English breakfast. Harry wasted no time in getting stick in. As he helped himself to second helpings of bacon, a picture of the newly grown Pig flittered across his mind, then he remembered the pigs he'd once seen in a farm when he was younger. They'd been plump and friendly. He remembered he'd wanted to keep one as a pet, and wondered where they'd be now.

He eyed his forkful of bacon doubtfully. Maybe he should become a vegetarian.

His thoughts were interrupted by Hermione nudging him in the shoulder. "What are you buying in Diagon Alley?" she asked, between dainty bites.

Harry shrugged and suppressed a yawn. "I can't think of anything I need - except maybe some more parchment. I'll probably just float around a bit."

"To chat up any sexy young witches?" George suggested through a mouthful of toast. His mother gave him a disapproving look.

"George, Harry is young and innocent. He isn't going to let any girl interfere with his education."

Ron sniggered and started to choke on a piece of fried tomato. Ginny seized him around the waist and squeezed him as hard as she could. The piece of tomato soared through the air. All eyes turned to watch it as it crash-landed onto Arthur Weasley's plate.

* * *

Diagon Alley was as fascinating as ever. The build-up of magic made the air static and almost sparkle. Harry's eyes roamed the scenery for something to investigate. He, Ron and Hermione had bought all they needed for a new term at Hogwarts and were now bored. They wandered up and down, searching for something interesting to do that they hadn't done a thousand times already.

Ron blew a bubble with his bubble gum and Hermione popped it with a finger. The bubble exploded, and dead leaves showered the pavement. Harry smiled. Drooble's Best Bubble Gum. His first try had left him vaguely traumatised.

Hermione sat on a bench and stared at her feet. Harry went over to join her. Ron glanced over to them and suddenly spluttered.

"Agh, Harry, I've had an idea!"

Harry raised his eyebrows questioningly. Ron pointed to the sign behind Harry. It read 'Knockturn Alley'.

"Harry, please, it'd be so cool... just for a minute, Harry, please?"

Harry looked at Hermione, whose face was a mask of shock.

"RON! You know how dangerous it is down there. Your parents would have a fit. I can't believe you're even considering it!"

Ron lapsed into silence and three of them continued to stare at the ground. At last Hermione grinned evilly.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have a look, would it?"

Ron danced around like madman, and gave Hermione a tiny hug before skipping down the path to Knockturn Alley. Harry looked at Hermione.

"What did we do to you?" he asked in mock seriousness, "I swear you get worse every year."

Hermione smiled sunnily and together they followed Ron.

They wove around the small, twisting paths until they arrived in a street with a strange smell of rotting herbs. The shop windows were grimy and creatures stared at the trio as they passed. Ron tapped Harry's shoulder and pointed over to a café of some sort, which had a number of tables ut front. At one of them sat Draco Malfoy, who was talking to a tall, lithe girl dressed in green.

Harry felt a vague piercing in his chest. He'd got this feeling watching Cho Chang dance with Cedric Diggory at the Yule Ball a couple of years ago. It felt like his stomach was writhing and twisting. As Cho had smiled and swirled Harry had watched, even though the sight made him want to curl up and die he couldn't tear his eyes away. Just to watch her so happy. So happy without him...

But why now? The girl Malfoy was with wasn't particularly attractive. Her eyes were small and beady. Her expression was simpering. Long red fingers nails ran along Malfoy's palm and up his arm. Malfoy however, had turned on the charm to full blast. He was sickening with his pale hair slicked back and blue eyes following her every move. Harry gazed at them. He felt angry for no reason he could work out. He eyes stung.

"RON!"

Harry almost jumped out of his skin. Molly Weasley bared her teeth.

"Perhaps you could explain, Ron, why you are down here with your friends when you know perfectly well you are never to leave Diagon Alley without permission?"

Harry saw Malfoy look up and a smirk plaster itself onto his pale face as Ron turned beetroot red and started to mumble.

"What was that? You're sorry? I don't know Ron, how can you be so irresponsible..."

She sounded exactly like the Howler she had once sent to Ron, only much more impressive. Her voice ranged from furious, banshee-like shrieks to low, menacing growls. Malfoy was clearly delighted and temporarily ignored his girlfriend, who was trying to get his attention by fluttering her false eyelashes.

The pang hit Harry again. Bewildered, he let himself be led back to The Burrow.

* * *

Back at the Wesley', Harry sat in Ron's room, idly flicking through a copy of Unfogging the Future. He was at a loss as to what to do with the last couple of days of his holiday. Hermione was studying, Ginny was out with some friends and Ron was on a constant quest for food. Harry missed Hogwarts. Although he loved The Burrow, Hogwarts castle was his home for most of the year. He missed Hagrid, and Seamus and Neville and Ma-

"You'll never guess what my dad's told me," said Ron, trotting in armed with a bowl of fruit and several packets of food. Harry bit his lip when he was the plate of cold sausages Ron had brought, and reached for an apple. Ron grinned and started to open a packet of cereal.

"What? Are we going shopping again?" asked Harry, putting his book down. Ron shook his head and crumbs flew.

"New girl. At Hogwarts. Friend's niece. Called Camilla or something. Meant to be very pretty." Ron's grin widened. "I hope she's put into Gryffindor. We could do with some new females about the place But apparently she's quite brainy, so we could have yet another Ravenclaw bobbing about..."

Harry nodded and continued with his apple.

"How come she's just come to Hogwarts?"

Ron shrugged. "Illness? Couldn't convince the parents? Recently discovered witch? Who knows, it's not a common occurrence, students starting in the sixth year. She's Muggle-born as well, so she'll have trouble catching up." He thought for a moment. "Maybe she's come to replace Diggory."

Harry's throat tightened. He started to wonder vaguely what this Camilla girl would be like. No doubt she'd be another Hermione with a psychotic streak.

We went back to reading his book.

* * *

The days passed and it wasn't long before Harry, Ron and Hermione were in a Hogwarts carriage, wearing their school uniforms. Crookshanks was curled on Hermione's lap and purring like a chainsaw. Harry was instantly jealous; he'd give anything to be able to sit on a girl's lap with no bother at all, and not have a care in the world. AND you could spend all day licking yourself. However, his stomach turned over when he thought about eating cat food.

The late summer sun streamed into the carriage and made the journey pleasantly warm. They reached Hogwarts at sunset. Harry was exhausted. He watched the Sorting eagerly, hoping Camilla would be there, but she wasn't.

"Maybe she'll be Sorted separately," suggested Ron at the feast. "Save the embarrassment of being left with a load of first years."

Harry could only bring himself to eat the roast potatoes that night. The sight of the rows of chicken wings and platters of pork made him feel a bit sick. At the end of the feast, Dumbledore asked that the sixth years stayed behind for a small announcement he had to make. When the rest of the school had filed out, he beckoned the sixth years forward. Harry looked at Hermione, who shrugged and tried to get a better look at what was going on. Dumbledore was standing at the front with a girl. This girl, in fact, took Harry's breath away. She had large violet eyes and wavy dark hair. Her skin was like cream. She was quite tall and stocky, but her scared eyes made her seem small and helpless. She stood hunched up. Not shy, but afraid, like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Harry thought she was beautiful.

"This is Calliope Argerson. She has joined us at Hogwarts after recently being discovered by her uncle. We will be Sorting her later this week. I trust you will make her feel welcome."

Dumbledore smiled and dismissed them. Harry was very tempted to grab Calliope and bring her down to the Gryffindor common room. However, he was too late. Malfoy's arm slipped through Calliope's and she smiled. Harry felt himself burning up.

No, MINE! he wanted to scream. The stabs of jealously got steadily worse as Malfoy lead his new found friend to the Slytherin Tower. He glanced back and gave Harry an odd look. Harry glared at him and ran to catch up with Ron and Hermione.

* * *

The next morning Harry woke early. He had Potions first thing, and had wanted to get a book from the library to help him. Proud of himself making an effort now he was so much closer to his OWLs, Harry left the Gryffindor Tower and started down the corridor. Barely thirty seconds later he collided with a girl. It took him a moment to recognise her. It was Calliope.

She looked like she's hardly slept. Her violet eyes looked bruised and her skin her skin seemed paler, so Harry noticed lots of tiny freckles on her nose. Her hair fell down her back in a wild, untamed waterfall. Harry realised he was staring at her.

"I'm so sorry," said Calliope, brushing back a stray bit of hair. " I was just looking for the library. I came down here in a bit of a hurry and I don't have half the books I need."

She lowered her eyes. Harry felt a yearning to protect her. She seemed so weak and lost.

"The library's just down here," he said, indicating. "I was just on my way there."

"I'm Calliope," said Calliope, shyly holding out a hand.

"Harry," breathed Harry, extending his own hand and shaking.

Calliope's skin reminded Harry instantly of magnolia petals, in scent, colour and texture. Violet eyes met his emerald ones and they stood, transfixed.

Calliope recovered.

"So what house are you in, Harry?" she inquired as they started walking.

"Gryffindor. That's the red one with the lion. Which house do you want to be Sorted into?"

Calliope sighed. "I don't know. Draco has been showing me a lot of Slytherin. He seems nice enough but..." she faltered.

Harry looked at her enquiringly.

"They all seem so... slimy. Is it just me? It doesn't seem like the sort of place that I'd like to live in. What's Gryffindor like?"

"Gryffindor's meant to be for people who are brave. You'd like it there; all the Gryffindors are really nice. Always supportive. And no slimy types - I promise."

Calliope gazed at him. "I'm sure if all Gryffindors are like you I'd love it there," she breathed.

Harry blushed.

"You hardly know me," he pointed out.

They stopped outside the library entrance. Calliope took his hand. Harry hoped his hands weren't too sweaty as he felt the magnolia skin against his.

"You're so sweet. And modest. And chivalrous. What more could a girl ask for?"

Harry held her hand tighter and began to lean in when -

"Calliope, I wondered where you'd go to."

Malfoy glared at Harry. "Haven't you got anything better to do, Potter?"

Harry's just been helping me find the library," explained Calliope, dropping Harry's hand and opening the library door. "I need to get a book or two."

Malfoy stared stonily at Harry.

"How nice. Perhaps Potter should be going about now, otherwise he might get the idea that he's wanted."

Harry scowled and headed back for his dormitory, forgetting about his Potions book.