Black Blood

Chapter 7
An Unrecognizable - Yet Familiar - Face

A hardening feeling overcame Harry as he crossed the barrier to platform nine and three quarters. Pushing his trolley carefully, but at full speed, he was no longer at Kings Cross Station. He was suddenly facing the red Hogwarts Express. Harry smiled.
During his stay at Hermione's, they hadn't heard anything from Ron. Hermione's mother often asked why he wasn't at the hospital. But all Hermione did was quickly glance at Harry. Then at her mother with a small smile and sweetly say, "He's probably busy. School is about to start anyway."
"Well," a voice sighed from behind Harry. He quickly turned around to face Hermione. She was alone. Her hands were tightly gripping her trolley. So hard, her knuckles were turned white. "Ready to go?"
Harry looked back to the red train and smiled. "Yeah. How about you?" Harry asked.
"I am so ready to go back, see all our friends again." Hermione pushed her trolley forward a little bit so she was at Harry's side.
"I just don't wanna have to face Malfoy, or any other Slytherin for that matter." Harry laughed as he and Hermione took their trunks off their trolley and walked toward the train. They put the trolleys to a wall where other trolleys were pushed.
They walked to the train doors and walked on. Harry helped Hermione up. They walked to the back of the train. The last compartment had somebody in it, but Harry and Hermione knew who it was.
"Hey Ron," Harry said dragging his trunk in. Hermione followed after Harry slowly, trying her hardest not to look at Ron.
Ron jumped and looked at Harry. "Oh," he gasped, "Hi. How was the rest of your summer?"
"Good; I was at Hermione's place for the rest of the summer. Why didn't we hear from you? We wanted you to be there. It wasn't the same without you." Harry was still standing, as if he thought Ron might kick them out if he said the wrong thing.
"I was really busy trying to get ready for school," Ron said. He looked over at Hermione who was looking at the red leather seat across from where Ron sat. She daringly stole a look from Ron. When they looked at each other, their eyes locked. A small blush rose to Hermione's cheeks. The tips of Ron's ears turned as red as his hair, but their eyes remained locked.
Harry put his trunk on the floor and slyly smiled as the two of them blushed. He sat down on the cold leather seat across from Ron and continued to smirk. He cleared his throat.
"If only you two could've seen your faces," Harry said about to burst out in laughter.
Hermione and Ron jumped in surprise. The blush in Hermione's cheeks and the tips of Ron's ears heartened to an even darker red, if that was even possible.
Hermione nervously laughed very quietly.
"Yeah, so," Ron coughed.
"I'm gonna go to the restroom," Harry said, think it best that he give Hermione and Ron some private alone time. He opened his trunk and grabbed his Gryffindor Hogwarts robe. He walked towards the door.
Before he slid the door open, he turned to Ron and Hermione and asked, "Aren't you guys supposed to be at a Prefect's Meeting right about now?"
Both Hermione and Ron's heads snapped up to look at Harry; Hermione's eyes widened in horror. She had been dreaming of becoming a prefect since she first went to Hogwarts...and now she had forgotten the first meeting of the year on her second year of being prefect. Ron banged his hands hard against his seat and muttered under his breath, but loud enough for Harry and Hermione to hear, "Damn it."
"Hey, Granger, Weasley," a familiar voice sneered from behind the door. He opened the door, and there stood, to Harry's misfortune (as well as Hermione and Ron's), Draco Malfoy, a devious smirk frozen on his lips. His hair, as it had been for the past three years, was let loose, hanging over his ears, cold grayish/bluish eyes starring coldly at Harry, Hermione, and Ron. He was already in his Hogwarts robe, a Slytherin badge right in front of his chest, and his Prefect badge right under it. His robe was buttoned on the top three buttons only. Underneath his robe was a white shirt and denim black jeans. "Oh, Potter. Didn't expect to see you here this year since you've been in a coma lately. But of course, you must've sucked up to Dumbledork and he couldn't turn down his precious Pothead so he let you come back. Tell me, how many times did you end up there? Six? Seven?"
Harry's face went unbelievingly pale. How could Malfoy know about that? Not even Cornelius Fudge knew about that. Harry glared at Malfoy, but didn't say a word; fearful he would let something slip. Something he didn't want Malfoy to know...or anyone for that matter.
"Ignore him, Harry," Hermione warned, putting her hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down since she saw the anger in him about to explode. "We don't need any blood shed in here. Besides, you have more important things to worry about. Why don't you just go away for once, Malfoy? Don't you have something else to do?"
"Well, I didn't expect you to say that, Granger," Malfoy said sarcastically. "Seeing as you forgot something very important. The only reason I came down here is because McGonagall told me to come get you and Weasley because we've been waiting on you two to start the Prefect meeting. And you don't even have you robes and badges on yet. Tsk, tsk. I'll just have to go tell McGonagall and Dumbledore that you have more 'important' things to do instead of you duties as prefect. Then we'll see what that have to say."
Hermione's face went as pale as Harry. Ron couldn't help keeping it in, "Look, Malfoy, we've put up with you for the last five years. And we haven't gotten abusive yet. But if you utter another word, I feed you to the giant squ-."
"Hey guys," Ginny Weasley said walking up to the compartment. "Malfoy."
"Weasley," Malfoy hissed. But he couldn't keep his eyes off her. What happened to her, he thought. What he meant was what happened to the ugly Weasley? Her hair had lengthened and draped gracefully over her shoulders. Her skin was tanned and colored to a light brown. "Miss your boyfriend? I hear Mungo's can help even the poorest people. You should check it out sometime."
Ginny looked up at Malfoy, hurt filling her once happy face. Ron stood up and walked over to Malfoy. Malfoy backed up, since Ron had grown quite a bit during the summer, Ron was about a foot taller than Malfoy.
"Shut it, Malfoy. Say another word to Ginny and I'll feed you to the Giant Squid," Ron growled glaring at Malfoy. Malfoy backed up even more so that he nearly bumped into the compartment opposite the one Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione stood in.
"And Malfoy," Harry said, finally finding his voice, "Tell me, what it's like being the biggest dill weed to walk the earth? Let alone being the most insecure arse in the wizardry world."
"Now Potter," Malfoy warned, "no need to use unkindly language around here. Weasley junior here might get upset and kick your arse to the curb. Then get freaky with Finnegan."
"For about the millionth time, since you puny brain can't remember things, we are not going out. Neither are Hermione and Ron." Harry lowered his head and under his breath, Harry muttered, "Yet." A small smile grew on his lips.
"Whatever you say, Pothead," Malfoy sarcastically said with his hands in the air. A small laugh escaped his mouth. "You wouldn't know since you've been occupying a private room in the Incurably Insane department in St. Mungo's."
Harry took a dangerous step towards Malfoy and stuck his hand in his pocket. He gripped his wand and started to take it out when Hermione moved in front of him and put her hands on his chest. "Calm down, Harry. Just ignore him. Take deep breaths and forget him, he's not worth attacking."
Harry's body loosened and his let his grip on his wand die. He took his hand out of his pocket and stepped away from Malfoy.
"We'd better get going anyway," Hermione said moving away from the space between Harry and Malfoy. "Let's go, Ron."
Ron nodded and stood up. He and Hermione walked quickly past Malfoy, Hermione glared coldly at Malfoy as she past him. Ron attempted to push him, but Hermione grabbed his arm before he could do anything.
Malfoy looked over at Harry dangerously and hissed, "Don't fall asleep. Only God knows where you'll end up this time. Maybe in a graveyard with you mum -."
"Do you really want to know what it's like to be dead, Malfoy?" asked Harry pulling his wand out and pointing it at Malfoy. He backed up even more, pressing his back against the glass sliding door of the compartment away from Harry.
"Harry," Ginny said. "Don't. Not even Malfoy's worth killing. Come on." Ginny put her hand on Harry's forearm and tried to lower it.
Harry kept his arm up, his wand still pointed at Malfoy. But somehow, Malfoy was able to say something, "Yeah, Potter. Listen to the Weasley. But God only knows you wont get expelled with Dumbledork treating you like a baby and letting you get away with anything."
"Wait, Harry," Ginny said with a different, more dangerous, tone. "Kill him. Hogwarts will be a whole lot better without a slime ball running around every day." Malfoy whimpered like a baby.
"God, what a baby." Harry put his wand back into his pocket and laughed. Malfoy was still pushed against the compartment door. "Did you really think I'd kill you? God no, I wouldn't do that, in front of all these people? You must've spent time in the Incurably Insane department." Harry turned around, grabbed his Hogwarts robe, closed the door, and walked past Malfoy.

~*~

Ginny and Malfoy stood still for a moment. Neither one of them said a word. Ginny's face went red. Malfoy looked down at his feet, his hair falling over his face. When he looked up at Ginny, their eyes locked.
"Um..." Ginny said. Her voice was nervous and strained, as if it hurt her to even be around him. She immediately looked down as she blushed. How could her enemy make her feel like the way he did? After all, he had been cruel to her family and friends for the past five years. But somehow...whenever he was around, her heart skipped a beat and she felt like she needed to be perfect. Malfoy took a small step closer to her. As he did this, it seemed like her heart jumped to her throat and she coudln't speak. Soon, he was close enough so that Ginny could feel his body heat radiating from him to her body. Even though Ginny wanted to run far away from him, she stayed put, her feet planted to the ground.
"Draco," the voice of a young girl yelled a few compartments up. That broke any contact that had been there a second ago. Malfoy and Ginny looked up and looked at Pansy Parkinson. "Come on, Draco! Millicent wants to know about how we met. And it wouldn't be a great story if your not here to tell her! Come on! Leave the Weasle and hurry!" She disappearded into the compartment.
Malfoy looked down at Ginny again. She looked up at him with what seemed a hurt expression in her eyes. "I'm sorry," Malfoy said. He started to walk but turned around for a moment. He didn't say anything, except looked at her. His eyes looked like he would rather do anything but to walk from Ginny. Then in a blink of Ginny's eye, Malfoy continued walking up to the compartment where Pansy and Millicent Bullstrode occupied. He quickly disappeared into the compartment like Pansy and Ginny heard the glass door being closed.

~*~

Harry was walking back to his compartment when he felt a heavy thud hit his chest making him fall on his back. When his sight cleared up a bit, he looked ahead of him and saw a girl lying on her back. He got onto his knees and saw she was just staring at the ceiling of the train. Harry put a hand on her knee and asked, "Are you alright?"
The girl shook her head to get her vision clear again. As she looked at Harry, her mouth dropped open just a little but she quickly said, "Oh. Yeah. I'm sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Harry said looking at her. She looked firmiliar, but Harry couldn't put a name to her. Her hair, which draped over her shoulders so gracefully was wavy and black, but had a tint of red to it. It was all Harry could do to keep his hands to his side and not reach out to feel if her hair was as sliky as it looked. Her eyes were almond shaped and a mixture of colors, but altogether made a beautiful color. He knew he hadn't seen her at school before because he would've remembered her, but she couldn't have been a first year either. She looked around his age, but around Hermione's hight which was 5' 4".
Maybe she's a transfer, he thought.
"Um, maybe I should go," she said. And Harry realized he'd been staring. She looked down at her shoes, which Harry couldn't help noticing, were black with light pink laces. Harry scaned her body; she was not too skinny, not too fat, had an clear angelic face, she wore a blue denim mini skirt that went about half way down her thighs and a tight black shirt.
Suddenly, he shook himself to stop staring at her. She probably thought he was a freak by now anyway. He looked to the floor and saw that her books had been dropped from her arms. He bent down to pick them up and as he did, he said, "Here. Let me help you with those." He picked up the three books and stacked them up neatly. When he stood up, he handed them to her. She grabbed them after muttering a quiet "Thank you" and pressed them against her chest.
"I'm Harry," Harry said after regaining his strength to speak and extended out his hand, "Harry Potter."
The girl put her books in the shoulder bag she had been carrying and shook his as she said, "Ah, the famous Harry Potter, 'The Boy Who Lived'. I'm Paris. Paris Jameson. Nice to meet you."
"Yeah," Harry said smiling. "But I'm just Harry Potter. Nothing special about me. Just Harry."
"Yes, of course," Paris said after she and Harry had let go of eachother's hand. "Why would you want to get all this attention? Rest assured, I won't treat you any better than how I treat all my other friends." As she said this, she reached up and pushed her hair behind her ear. Harry would give up anything just to feel her hair. He wondered what it would feel like to wake up and look at such beauty every morning.
"Paris!" came a boys voice not to far behind Paris. Harry looked over her shoulder and saw a boy with spiked black hair with, just like Paris, a tint of red at the end of the spikes. He was about Harry's size, with light green eyes. "Oh. Hi."
"Hi," Harry said hiding his jealousy. Who was this guy and how did he know who Paris was? Was he her boyfriend? Harry hoped not.
"Uh, Harry," Paris said, "this is my cousin, Nick. Nick, Harry. Harry, Nick. Um, sorry, Harry. But I better get going. See you around?" And she flipped her hair making harry's knee's weak, although he didn't show it. Instead of beggin her to stay, like he wanted to, he just nodded. She smiled at him and turned around.
"Stay away from her," Nick hissed to Harry, strangly resembling Draco Malfoy. "If you know what's best for you, you'll stay away. Breath in her direction and you'll find yourself begging to go home to your parents." Apparently, he didn't know it was Harry Potter, just another Harry.
"Nick! Come on!" Paris yelled. Nick turned around to face her and smiled.
"Be there in a sec," and when he turned back to face Harry, he said, "have a nice day, Harry." He turned around and walked away from Harry.
Like I'm gonna listen to him, Harry thought. It's my life. I deserve at least some fun in my life. Screw Nick, I'm talking to her again.
Still thinking of Paris, he started walkign back to his compartment. At least something more exciting then threatening to kill Malfoy happened on his was to Hogwarts.