The Daughter of my Mother's Boyfriend

A/N: I'm really sorry for the long wait, I hope you can all forgive me. Things have been a mess lately and school isn't helping. And the facts that I only write when I have this feeling in my fingers and that the feeling doesn't quite come very often, isn't helping either. So, as a warning (not really a warning, but more a ... a ... note, lol) the next chapter probably will take a while to write, I do apologize in advance. And maybe it will come soon. Just don't pressure me please. Thanks.

Thanks for all of the reviews, you make my day. ^^ I appreciate them very much!

The Daughter of my Mother's Boyfriend

Chapter 2: The New Girl

by Tamar-Shakira

~*~*~

"Well, well, children," the principal spoke with slight hate in his voice, I guess he never liked children. "Today there's a new student, she's come all the way from South Dakota, she and her father had to move, because the man switched jobs." He let out a deep, desperate sigh. "Treat her nicely, since it's her first day here, guide her around the school a bit, please." Just introduce her already. She was standing next to Grubby (the principal). Her curly, brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail and her bright brown (was it brown? I couldn't see it clearly from this distance) eyes wandered through the classroom, already trying to remember faces. There was something about her, something curious, something I felt I wanted to discover. I realized I was staring at her, so I quickly casted away my eyes. "It's Hermione Granger," Grubby said. Hermione Granger? I recognized that name ... but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

"Hermione, you can go and sit next to Derrick there. And now, Mr. Sallenbough, please continue your lesson." The principal turned quickly on his heels and marched out of the classroom. I've always wondered is he's been in the army or something like that.

Hermione walked to her seat, her eyes crossed mine (yep, they were brown) and she smiled a bit. I did the same.

"Okay, welcome Hermione. Today we're going to look at the Second World War and what were Hitler's reasons for behaving like he did. Please open your books on page 446 ..."

~*~*~

Sun-rays had hit the earth way before I got here, but I could enjoy them now. School was over and I was talking with some friends on the schoolyard. I was leaning against an oak-tree, when she walked past. I watched her moves and found that she looked at me too. I gave her a lopsided grin, not knowing what to do better.

"Be right back guys," I said to Ron and Seamus. They had been my friends from the first day I set foot here at school. They nodded quickly and then resumed their conversation about football.

"Hermione!" I called, running to catch up with her. She stopped and turned around, apparently surprised that someone wanted to talk to her. I ran up to her and looked at her for a moment. What did I want to say? I didn't know, I just ... wanted to talk to her I guess.

"Hi," I said. "Erm ... I'm Harry Potter." I reached out my hand for her to shake it and she did.

"Hi," she said, "Hermione Granger."

I quickly thought of something to ask her. "So ... what do you think of the school then?"

"Oh, it's nice, I guess I have to get used to everything and such. But it's nice." She looked away for a bit. "Shouldn't you go back to your friends, they're probably waiting."

I chuckled, "No don't worry about them, they'll be fine. You're going home?"

She nodded and smiled. "I have to go working on Physics homework, they gave up a load." She faked a faint and I laughed.

"Yeah, I know. You better get used it then, they always do. Have a nice day and see you tomorrow." She nodded and grinned, turning around to head home.

I watched her for a minute and let a new feeling settle in my stomach. I definitely wanted to figure her out. Grinning, I turned and walked back to my friends.

~*~*~

"Mom?" I closed the door and threw my backpack on the floor. The house was a mess, there were white stains (hand-shaped) on the walls and the coat rack had fallen and was now lying on the floor. My mother wasn't that messy. "Mom?" I yelled, now a little more urgently. When I heard nothing, I started to get worried, until I heard a giggle. A giggle and a chuckle. And another chuckle. And I saw a white hand close around the doorpost.

My mother and a guy almost came falling in hallway and they were laughing hysterically. I stood rooted on the spot. My mother stood up straight and brushed her hand on her leg, only to make it whiter. Had they been playing with flour?

"Hi, honey," my mother started, "this is Ja-" But I shook my head and turned around quickly, opening the door and running away.

~*~*~

Breathing heavily I sat down on a bench in the park. I had been running. Running away from my mother and her so-called boyfriend. I was disgusted. I don't know why, but I was. Maybe from the fact that I saw my mother with someone, who wasn't my father. Or maybe it was just because the fact that I didn't want to see my mother playing around. Or maybe I just wanted to keep her for myself. I sighed and put my head in my hands.

"Harry?"

I looked up and saw Hermione, dressed in a jogging suit. She smiled at me. "Are you okay?" She sat down beside me and rested her elbows on her knees, her hands supporting her face, looking at me in a questioning way. She was the one breathing heavily now.

I shrugged, "I guess. You?"

"I'm alright, thanks," she said, "but you don't look alright."

"It's nothing, just ... well, it's my mother, my dad died two years ago and she's now started dating this bloke. And I don't like that thought." I let my eyes wander over the water before us. It's peaceful, but still it's bruising with energy. It was weird that I told her this, because Hermione nodded.

"I understand. My father's out there somewhere now, too. He's recently been going out with a woman. Not that I like it, but I let him. I mean, I can't do anything about it. It's his life. And he needs some joy, too. He can't stay groping around for my mother, can he?"

I looked at her. "What happened to your mother then?" Her face darkened. "If you don't want to -"

"No, it's alright. My mother and father split up a couple of years ago, my mother had been cheating on him for two years. I still don't understand why she did it, my father is such a sweet man. He was devastated. I'm glad he's somewhat happier now, now he's seeing that woman." She scratched her knee for a second and then took her former position again.

"Wow, that's pretty bad. Sorry."

Hermione smiled and shrugged, "I got over it, luckily. But you haven't got over your father's death by look of it."

I shook my head. And then nodded. And shook my head again. "I-I don't know."

"That's okay, Harry, I understand." She flashed a smile and touched my hand for a second. "But now I've got to go again, my father will probably be home soon." She stood up and I followed.

"Thanks for listening, Hermione," I said. "I really appreciate it."

"No worries. Thank you too. See you tomorrow?"

"Sure." She turned and started running. I looked after her until she turned the corner and disappeared behind the trees.

Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on my mum, because, like Hermione said, my mum needed something joyful in her life after all.

~*~*~

I lay in my bed, thinking about what the day had brought. I made a new friend, my mother had some fun with a weird guy, school hadn't been horrible for once and ... ahem, yeah, that was it actually. But it really had felt like a great day, even if it hadn't started well.

Hermione really was a nice girl. When he saw her, he had the feeling that he could tell her everything in the world. That feeling was amazing. And she just listened, that was special too. He had never met someone, who listened to him this closely as she did. She helped me a lot this afternoon. And she didn't look bad either.

A bit strange to think about someone so much, when I've only just met her.

~*~*~

Two weeks had past since the day I had met Hermione and we'd become good friends. I was glad I had met her, because she brightened my life a bit. She was my first actual real friend. I had found out that she was quite a clever girl and she could help me whenever I didn't get something.

And my mother, I had less problems with her boyfriend. Yeah, it was official now: my mother and Jamie were an item, a couple, lovers, whatever you want to call it. And I got used to it, as long if they don't kiss in front of me.

So, my life seemed a lot better now. Apart from one thing ... the party. One of my classmates had scheduled a party for next friday and you had to go with a partner. and that was the problem ... the partner. I didn't have one and I had no idea who I could ask. I decided I would talk to Hermione about it, she could probably give me some advice or lead me to the right direction.

~*~*~

A/N: Okay, that was chapter two. I hope you liked it. Please leave a review. Thanks for reading!

Next chapter: Gravity.