~o~

The first day with Nagini at his Auror training went surprisingly smooth...or as smooth as things could be with a 7 foot python in tow, on a leash. The rest of his classmates gave them a wide birth and Nagini got to enjoy some useful exercise and lessons. Though Nagini pretended not to be listening, Harry got the feeling she was learning or at least eavesdropping on all his lessons and some of his conversations with his classmates.

Ron was there, of course, too and was the only one Nagini knew besides himself. But that didn't mean Nagini warmed up to anyone or let anyone pet her. The last person who tried that, his headmaster, almost got bitten so everyone knew to keep their distance from Harry's ESA.

However, Ron, despite being on friendly terms with Gina and knowing she was harmless, also seemed to be keeping his distance today too. Harry couldn't help noticing Ron being in a cross mood ever since Harry showed up with Gina in the morning. Perhaps because it brought all attention in every class to Harry and his snake? Though Harry hardly considered it enviable attention.

Mostly the other auror trainees whispered behind his back. The feeling reminded Harry of the reverent fear with which he was treated when the Chamber of Secrets had been opened and everyone thought he was the Heir of Slytherin. Harry shook his head.

As Harry began to do laps around the training gym with Nagini in tow, it felt a bit like being a social pariah. Nobody came up to talk with him, they were too scared. And Ron didn't even run with them, he ran slightly behind Harry and Nagini on the track. All the rest of the trainees ran in a group ahead of them...running fast like they were worried Nagini and him might catch them if they slowed down...Well except for this one blonde trainee who ran not too far ahead of Harry and seemed to throw cute glances over her shoulder. Though Harry couldn't be sure if the blonde was looking at Harry or his exotic pet snake, so he didn't want to get his hopes up.

Harry smirked down at Nagini. She was huffing and wheezing already and they'd only done ten laps; usually the auror trainees started with thirty laps in the morning before a lecture by Finn, a dueling and recognizance class and then another lesson by another senior auror. Harry enjoyed all these classes and duels, and found he learned much he didn't know from these older, experienced aurors. He particularly liked the older auror called Albert Pouch who reminded him vaguely of the late Mad-Eye Mooney.

Nagini panted as they finished their sixteenth lap around the track.

"Tired already?" Harry whispered in parseltongue. Though he was only teasing since Nagini was agile and pure muscle as she moved rhythmically, and quite elegantly, along the track. Nagini moved beautifully really, but Harry refrained from telling Nagini this. She probably knew she was beautiful in any of her forms, anyway, human or snake.

"Need water!" Nagini hissed dryly and stuck out her split tongue at him to show her mouth was parched.

"Sorry!" Harry chuckled. He supposed Voldemort taught Nagini a great many things but being on a track was something new to Nagini. Though Harry supposed all reptiles conserved their energy until ready to strike; they were about the quick kills, and long naps, rather than running long marathons. "Hold on. Ron's at the water cooler, let's go get drinks with him!"

Nagini stretched out her long body on the track, belly down, as they slithered and walked off the track together.

Just then the blonde who Harry thought had been staring over her shoulder at him, also left the track.

She sidled up to Harry, holding her own bottle of water, as she gave him a cheerful smile. "Hey Harry!"

"Hey Christie," Harry said. He was all too glad one of the other trainees had finally worked up the courage to talk to Harry and his pet snake. "Nice day, isn't it?"

The blonde checked her watch. "Yes, I already did my laps. That's quite a pet you brought along!"

"Oh that's great," Harry blushed. Somehow talking to a witch this pretty made him nervous. "Uhm..." His mind blanked but then Gina whipping her tail against the back of his legs brought him back to earth. "Uh..This is Gina. My ESA!"

"So I've heard!" The pretty blonde giggled and waved a hand at Gina who didn't even blink an eye back. "She's magnificent Harry, her colour, the patterns on her back, the scales, those teeth...why I bet you she could eat a whole person!"

Harry gulped. "Yes, she can actually. Don't give her any ideas now!" He pretended to scold the blonde with a finger wagging.

Christie laughed loudly like she'd never heard such a good joke. "Oh Harry! You're funny too!"

Nagini scowled at both of them. Why was Gina giving the blonde such nasty looks? Harry wondered but he better separate them before Gina got so temperamental she took a swipe at Christie. But Christie seemed fascinated and enchanted with his pet snake...or perhaps just him. He was the Boy-Who-Lived and double war hero, after all, which occasionally came with perks like woman fans...very perky perks, indeed. Harry tried to keep his eyes focused on Christie's blue eyes. Which were also very pretty.

"So where ever did you find her, Harry?" Christie blinked her wide blue eyes at him. "Did Voldemort give her to you?"

Uh oh. He didn't want Christie to connect any dots, even though she wasn't the brightest auror trainee they had. Harry had the feeling Auror Finn only accepted her on the trainee team because he wanted to date her.

"No!" he said. "I, uh, found her in the jungle. On this expedition...Jumanji or something."

"Really Harry?" Christie practically swooned. "You went to Jumanji?"

Gina raised her head and hissed very loudly, sizzling her tongue, in Christie's direction.

"I better go, uhm, my pet gets a bit snippy when she's thirsty." Harry held Gina's leash tighter and wrapped it around his hand several times. The tension in the leash was taut as he held Gina back. "See you later Christie!" He waved awkwardly and this time Christie smiled unmistakably at him over her shoulder.

"See you Harry," Christie said and smiled the most perfect white smile above her clear blue eyes. "Don't be a stranger now!" She giggled.

Harry reluctantly walked over to the water cooler where Ron stood glaring at them, having seen the whole interaction.

Harry put down a bowl and filled it with water for Nagini. While Nagini lapped thirstily at the bowl, her tail furiously wagging. Ron crossed his arms and looked equally mad.

"What?"

"You just had to show off, didn't you?" Ron muttered.

"What are you talking about?!"

"With Christie," Ron said, his ears turning red. "Blimey, you were practically drooling all over her. 'Oh Christie come and look at my pet snake!' I'm surprised Gina didn't bite her, considering you're supposed to be dating her."

Harry scoffed. "Please she's my pet. Gina couldn't care less who I talked to."

But Nagini choose that moment to look up from her waterbowl and hiss wetly and Harry realized he was understating her displeasure. Was Nagini getting catty? He expected her to be snake-y, not territorial. And also could Ron get off his back too, and come off it?

Harry adjusted his glasses in frustration, wiping the lens with his shirt. "Well, whatever, you're the one supposed to be dating Hermione. Why are you getting jealous over me talking to Christie?"

Ron held up his hands. "Oh I'm not. I couldn't care less. I'm completely in love with Hermione."

Harry didn't quite believe him that he wasn't upset. Even if Hermione was incredibly pretty and far beyond Ron's league. It hadn't gone unnoticed that Ron, along with every other straight male among the Auror trainees, had been drooling over Christie since day one. So Harry had full reason to believe Ron was jealous over Christie, even if he was in love with Hermione.

"Yeah Hermione is pretty gorgeous," Harry said carefully and scratched at the back of his neck. "But I know you have a thing for blondes. Just don't hurt Hermione, okay?" Harry well remembered how Ron's behaviour around Fleur or Lavender both blondes, had upset Hermione greatly in the past.

Ron finally lost his temper. "I would never cheat on Hermione. It's not as if I care if you talk to Christie. I'm a happily soon to be engaged man!" Ron's blue eyes flickered with something. "Besides, I'm not the only one with a type. Does Gina know about Cho Chang?"

Harry felt at a loss for words.

With that Ron stomped off but Harry was rightfully upset. What was Ron trying to imply, that he had a thing for asian girls? He didn't. They just happened to be around or gravitate towards him. He actually preferred redheads...but Ginny was completely insane so he'd lost all attraction to her, even if physically she was still his type. He wasn't about to go stick his pokestick in crazy just because Ginny was a hot redhead. But then he briefly thought of how Gina had dyed her hair red and he felt his ears heat up.

"Who's Cho Chang?" Gina asked in Parseltongue.

"Don't worry about it," Harry said bitterly.

He didn't have a type and he certainly was not dating Gina, or probably ever would date Gina. Ron was just deluded by his own jealousy that most witches flocked automatically to him for attention, as a war hero, rather than to Ron himself. Even though they both fought in the war equally.

Harry didn't think it was fair how Ron was sometimes overlooked by people, and women. But Harry would be the last person guilty of overlooking Ron's talents or taking undue credit. Harry always made sure people knew he couldn't have done any of it with either Hermione or Ron's help. Besides which, Ron had scored majorly in Hermione, who was about a hundred times more attractive than either Ron or Harry. Hermione truly was beautiful, although he thought of her more in a sisterly, platonic way.

Speaking of which, Harry wearily thought of Hermione's strange behaviour lately. He really needed to sort that out. Yet, with Ron acting up, instead of being on his side, there didn't seem to be a window of opportunity yet to really investigate what was going on at the Burrow and among the Weasley clan.

~o~