Disclaimer:
Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
I own nothing but the original characters I create.
"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
-Author Notes-
Chapter 40: Train Ride
"Man… he is taking a long time to come back." Ron glanced at the door of their cabin.
"Well, he said he was going to the bathroom," Neville pointed out.
"You think he is taking a long shit?" Ron asked.
"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed. "Don't be so crass!"
"What else could it be?" Ron shrugged. "You don't think he got into a fight with Malfoy or something?"
"No, but he looked very uncomfortable," Neville said.
"Ah…" Ron gave Hermione a side glance. "That must be because a certain someone kept grilling him with questions about his new hat."
"What? I did not!" Hermione huffed.
"I didn't say it was you, but you obviously think so," Ron told her.
"You were looking at me!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Guys, come on…" Neville was now regretting choosing this cabin of all places.
"Harry, where are you?…" he muttered softly.
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"So… how long do you plan on staying here?" V asked.
"Why? This is comfortable." Harry was lying on his back while resting on top of the train's roof. "I am enjoying the breeze."
"I thought you wanted things to go back to normal. That would be hard if you keep hiding from your friends."
"I am not hiding!" Harry responded.
"You totally are. But don't think I don't understand you; that bushy-haired girl was starting to annoy me as well," the hat said.
"Hermione," Harry corrected him. "She is usually not so bad. But when there is something she doesn't know, well… she can get a bit intense from what I recall."
"She was very curious about me. I suppose I cannot blame her for that. I am a fascinating being," V sounded prideful.
"I don't know how to explain things to them. They won't believe anything I say unless I tell them the whole story," Harry said.
"Then tell them."
"What if they don't even believe that?" Harry asked.
"Then you try to find new friends."
"V!"
"What? There are plenty of interesting people out there. Like that redhead girl."
"Why do you keep pretending that you don't know their names? You have a perfect memory," Harry pointed out.
"Mmmm… I can hear her arguing with someone," V said.
"Ginny?" Harry then heard some voices coming from somewhere nearby, but couldn't quite hear what they were saying.
He stood up and walked towards the sounds.
<><><><><><><><><><><>
"I'll be right back," Ginny said to her friends as she left the compartment.
She had just closed the door and was about to walk away when someone tapped her on the shoulder.
"Hey."
She turned to look at who it was and found a young black boy in Gryffindor robes staring at her. He did not look very happy right now.
"Dean… what is it?" Ginny still felt awkward talking to him. After all, she had just broken up with him, not even two days ago.
"I have been trying to find you for a while," Dean said with a pained expression on his face. "I thought that… we could talk."
"Okay, but I can't take long. I wanted to visit my brother's cabin," Ginny said.
A frown appeared on the boy's face. "Let me guess, you are looking for Potter again?"
"W-what are you talking about?" Ginny took a step back.
"For the past two months or so, you have been talking more and more about Potter. And since you came back from that little night adventure of yours to the Ministry, it has gotten much worse," Dean said.
"This again? Harry is a good friend of mine. And I am free to speak with my friends all I want to," Ginny responded.
She was starting to feel angry, as they had this same discussion many times over the past few days, and it was one of the reasons she decided to end her relationship with Dean.
What happened at the Ministry had put things in perspective for Ginny and made her realise what was truly important to her.
Unfortunately for Dean, he was not at the top of that short list. And his increasing jealousy only made her decision much easier.
"But why Potter? What do you see in him? He is so weird… and with all those rumours circulating about him and You-Know-Who. You should stay away from him," Dean told her.
"You don't get to tell me what to do. And you shouldn't believe every rumour that you hear either," Ginny said.
"What about the one about him staying at your house for the summer?" Dean asked.
"Where did you hear that?" Ginny was surprised by this. After all, the Headmaster had made it very clear that they should not share where Harry was going to be staying.
As this could attract some unwanted attention towards their home.
Dean shrugged. "I don't know, I think I heard it from Lavender or something. Is it true? Are you going to spend the summer with Potter? Is that why you broke up with me?"
"It's not true!" She knew better than to confirm that. "And whatever I do is no longer any of your business, Dean." Ginny turned around to leave, but he grabbed her by the arm.
"Now hold on. I wasn't done talking." Dean got closer. "I don't want to leave things like this."
"Let go of my arm, Dean." Ginny's tone became cold. "I swear I—"
"Come on, Gin. Just give me another chance. Now we have the whole summer to spend together. I had even made plans for us." His grip became stronger, making her flinch.
Ginny clenched her teeth and got ready to hit him where it hurt the most when she suddenly heard a voice behind her.
"Excuse me, but… You should really let her go." Harry was poking his head out of the window, but since he came from the roof, he was currently upside down.
"Yeah, boy. You really should do that. That girl is about to bust your balls," V decided to add.
"P-Potter?!" Dean glared at him in shock.
"Harry?" Ginny exclaimed.
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