Hey everyone! I know I probably shouldn't be doing this since I'm so far behind in updating my other stories, but this idea has been on my mid for a very long time, and I just want to see where it goes. Tell me what you think, do you like it, do you hate it? I know there have been lots of HarryxOC stories, all I ask is that you give this a chance. The first chapter is in Mia's POV. I've never written something from an eight-year-old's point of view, so please tell me if it needs improvement. Please review, and be honest with me. Thank, and enjoy!

Chapter One: Meeting the Potter Boy

MPOV

"Mummy, do I have to go?" groaned Mia loudly, trying to keep up with her mother's long strides.

"Yes darling, you have to go," said Catherine for what had to be the eighth time that morning. "You'll be just fine Mia, I know it's going to be a little hard, but everything will end up okay, I promise. I know you are going to make lots of new friends here."

Mia sighed softly, but otherwise didn't comment. Seeing her daughter's obvious discomfort, Catherine smiled and placed her arm around Mia's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. Mia looked up at her mother and tried giving her a brave smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She knew her mother was trying to make her feel better, and she knew she promised her that she would try to make the best of this, but there was still that unnerving feeling in the pit of her stomach that made her want to run for the hills.

Today was the day that little Mia Thatcher would start her brand new primary school, in her brand new neighborhood, ten blocks from her brand new house, settled in her brand new town. She could hardly believe that only a week ago she had been standing in her old empty room, clutching her stuffed horse in her hands, silent tears running down her face as she realized she wouldn't see it again. That whole day had been spent going through the house that she had lived in since birth while her parents finished up loading the moving van outside. Many found memories were held there, and it hurt her to know that her and her family were moving away from it all. For an eight year old, Mia normally wasn't very stubborn, whiney, or fussy, but as soon as she heard that her father's job was forcing them to leave their home, she threw a fit. She tried crying, yelling, and even went as far as trying to tie herself to her bed, but in the end, it was no use. Her father's company was making them relocate closer to the city, and Mia reluctantly realized there was nothing she could do about it.

So now they were settled in the little town of Surrey, in Number 2, Privet Drive. It had taken a week for them to have everything set into place in the new house, and, as much as Mia didn't want to admit it, it was a nice house. It had three bedrooms, (one for her parents, one for guests, and one for her), two bathrooms, a fairly large kitchen, a comfy living room, dining room, and luscious backyard. In an attempt to raise her spirits, Mia's father, Ben Thatcher, told her they could paint her new room whatever color she wanted, and that they would do it together. It did indeed set Mia's mind at ease, for what was supposed to be a simple paint job turned into an all-out war in which both of them ended up looking like walking and talking rainbows. Catherine had glared at them, but her lips were twitching, as if she were trying not to laugh.

During that time, Catherine and Ben were going through the last requirements to sign Mia up for a place in the local school. Mia had been dreading the first day of school, scared that she was not going to fit in. She missed her old friends so much, she didn't want any new ones! But her parents kept reassuring her that she needed to give it a try, that she would make more wonderful friends. She just hoped they were right. This move was a big opportunity for her father, and she didn't want to be a downer. So she promised she would make the best of this, even though she knew it would be harder than it looked.

And now here she was, walking towards her inevitable doom. It was the last week of September, so she hadn't missed that much of school. As her and Catherine kept on walking, Mia tried mentally preparing herself for what she knew would be a tough first day. She held onto the strap of her book bag and anxiously tugged on the hem of her shirt, hoping she looked all right. She was dressed in a simple blue t-shirt with white flowers on it, jeans and sneakers. Her long, chocolate brown hair was pulled up in a high pony tail, her curls bouncing as she moved. The two of them suddenly turned a corner, and the school came into view. An average sized building, made of fading red bricks, with a painted white sign out front, and a rather large playground, where she could see all the other kids laughing and playing before homeroom. Mia bit her lip, trying to hide the fact that see was shaking from head to foot. There's so many kids here, what if they don't like her? Forcing herself to get a grip, Mia took her mother's hand and followed her across the street towards the main entrance of the building. When they entered, her mother led her to the office that was on the right hand side, where an elderly lady with a stern expression was sitting at the secretary's desk. As Catherine approached her, the lady looked up from her work and offered a tight smile.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Hello, I'm Catherine Thatcher," said Catherine politely. "I'm here to drop off my daughter Mia, this is her first day."

"Ah yes," said the lady, reaching into her desk and quickly skimming through a bunch of files until she pulled one out. "Amelia Thatcher?"

Mia scrunched up her nose at the sound of her full name while her mother nodded her head. The woman sat up from her chair and walked over to Catherine at the counter.

"Well Mrs. Thatcher, I am Mrs. Hawthorn, the school secretary," she introduced. "We have everything set up for Amelia, we just need you to sign a couple more forms, and then we will escort your daughter to her class in time for homeroom."

"Thank you," said Catherine as she took the files from Mrs. Hawthorn. While she was signing them, Mia stared around her. The hallways were very colorful, pictures and drawings decorating the walls, and just off to the left around the corner, she could see what looked like a library. She could still faintly hear the other students outside, and it made her stomach squirm. It didn't take long for her mother to finish signing the forms, and once everything was done, she bent down in front of her daughter.

"How are you feeling sweetheart?" she asked.

"Okay," Mia said softly, not completely honest with herself. Catherine offered her a small smile and took Mia's hands in her own.

"You'll be fine love," she said sweetly. "Everything seems scary on the first day of school, but just give it a chance. I know you'll start to make some friends, you are a very kind and friendly girl. Have fun today, and tell me everything about it when you get home, okay?"

Mia nodded her head and then wrapped her arms around her mother, snuggling her face into her shoulder, hiding herself under Catherine's veil of dark hair.

"I love you Mummy," she said.

"I love you too Mia," Catherine said, returning her hug and tenderly kissing the side of Mia's head. After they released each other, Catherine gently patted Mia's cheek and stood up to face Mrs. Hawthorn. Mia let go of her mother's hand and walked over to the strict looking woman, looking up at her nervously. Mrs. Hawthorn managed to give Mia a true welcoming smile, understanding how scared the little girl must be. She held out her hand to Mia, who took it after a couple seconds. As Mrs. Hawthorn started leading her away, Mia looked over her shoulder back at Catherine, who was still smiling and giving her an encouraging wave. She fell out of sight when they rounded the corner and Mia felt her nerves increase. Desperately trying to push them down, Mia followed Mrs. Hawthorn down a few different hallways until they came to one that was near the back of the building, closer to the playground. She noticed that this was the wing of the school for the younger students, for whenever they passed an open door, Mia would peer inside and see kids her age and younger sitting at their desks. Her eyes traveled all around as they kept walking until Mrs. Hawthorn stopped outside a classroom near the end of the hall. Mia's stomach jolted as Mrs. Hawthorn knocked on the door before entering. All the chatter that was going on inside instantly died away as they entered and Mia felt herself going red already as she saw everyone stare at her.

"Mrs. Baker, we have a new student here," said Mrs. Hawthorn. "Her name is Amelia Thatcher. I trust you will able to help her settle in class?"

"Of course Mrs. Hawthorn," said Mrs. Baker in a cheery voice. She was a pretty woman, with short blonde hair, oval glasses, and bright blue eyes. She wore a bright green skirt and white shirt, and she had a kind smile on her face as she stared at Mia. After wishing Mia good luck and to have a nice first day, Mrs. Hawthorn left the room, closing the door behind her. Mia shuffled her feet, not sure of what to do now. Mrs. Baker came over and kneeled down in front of Mia, that smile still on her face.

"It's very nice to meet you Amelia," she said. "My name is Mrs. Baker, I'm going to be your teacher. Would you like to meet the rest of the class?"

Mia nodded slowly, her blush still on her face and Mrs. Baker stood to her feet, gently nudging Mia to the front of the class so everyone could see her properly.

"Everyone, this is our new student that will be joining our class," she introduced. "This is Amelia Thatcher, her family just moved here. Can everyone say hi?"

"Hi Amelia," came a chorus of voices.

"Is there anything you want to tell us about yourself Amelia?" asked Mrs. Baker. Mia made herself look up at the class and swallowed the lump in her throat.

"W-well…" she said. "My name's Amelia, but I like to be called Mia, and um…I love horses."

"That's very nice Mia," said Mrs. Baker. "Now why don't you go take a seat in the back next to Cindy. Cindy, could you please raise your hand?"

A girl with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes sitting near the back shot her hand up in the air, an excited smile on her face. Mia walked towards her, trying to ignore all the stares she was receiving. She saw that everyone was grouped together in sets of four, connecting their desks to make tables. Along with Cindy, there was another girl with chestnut brown hair and matching eyes, and a boy with untidy jet black hair and stunning emerald green eyes. Somehow this boy stood out among the rest of the students. He seemed a little…odd. He wore really baggy clothes that were much too big for him, and he had round glasses that were held together by scotch tape. But what really caught Mia's attention was that he looked so sad. He was staring at his desk, a glum expression on his face, and he was very pale. Mia kept her gaze on him as she took a seat next to Cindy, wondering what had happened to make him look so miserable.

"Hi Mia," said Cindy. "My name is Cindy Jones, and this is Mary Willows."

"Um, hi," said Mia quietly.

"Where did you move from?" Cindy asked.

"My family and I came from Kent," said Mia, noticing that neither Cindy nor Mary had introduced the boy at all.

"Do you like it here?"

"I've only been here a week, but it seems okay so far," replied Mia, thinking longingly of the comforts of her old home.

"This is a really good school, and I can show you around if you want," Cindy suggested eagerly, bouncing in her seat a little, a grin on her face. "We can be friends!"

"Oh, um, I think I would like that," said Mia, allowing a smile to grow on her face. Cindy was definitely hyper and energetic, but Mia was happy she was trying to be her friend and was thankful Cindy was being so nice to her. Maybe her mother was right, maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all. The girls didn't really get much time to talk after that, for Mrs. Baker started the lesson and they had to listen to pay attention. At some point during the discussion, Mia looked over at the boy sitting across from her and saw that he was still looking a little down. She bit her lip like she had done earlier, undecided. Mia was always shy and never really talked to people first, but something about this boy made her want to comfort him. Checking to make sure Mrs. Baker wasn't looking their way and had her back to them, Mia leaned forward slightly.

"Hi there," she whispered. The boy gave a sudden jerk and looked at her with wide eyes, as if he couldn't believe she was talking to him. He stared at her for a moment, not saying a word, and Mia fidgeted with her hands.

"My name is Mia," she continued to whisper. "What's yours?"

Again, the boy seemed to be too stunned to speak. Mia felt her face grow red again, and she was just wondering if the boy could talk at all when he spoke, so quietly it was a miracle she could even hear him.

"Harry," he muttered. "My name is Harry."

"It's nice to meet you Harry," she said Mia, giving him a friendly smile. She turned her attention back to Mrs. Baker and the blackboard, not realizing that Harry kept staring at her, nor seeing that ghost of a smile that crossed his face or understanding how her kind gesture made his entire day. Everything was silent while Mrs. Baker talked, and after a few more minutes, Mia caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye flying past and hitting Harry in the side of the head. She looked over to see it was a spit ball the size of a small peanut. Harry didn't really have a reaction to it, but she knew he noticed because his frown grew deeper. The sound of muffled laughter reached her ears and Mia looked over at another table not far from theirs to see a huge blonde boy snickering with a scrawny rat faced kid, pointing in Harry's direction. A scowl appeared in Mia's face and her lips pressed into a line as she stared at them. If there was one thing Mia couldn't stand, it was bullies. She had been picked on a lot when she was younger, and didn't like seeing anyone suffer like she did. What was their problem, Harry did nothing to them. The rest of the lesson passed on slowly until they all had to move onto their next class together that was in the room next door. Mia stood up and was about to go over to Harry, but Cindy took her hand and pulled her over to the door.

The day went by a little slow, but Mia didn't really mind. Being in all the classes with Cindy, Mia had learned a lot about her. During Art they would sit and talk while painting, even laughing once in a while. Eventually all her nerves left her and Mia was happy she was getting along with Cindy. When it was time for lunch, Mia grabbed her brown bag from her back pack and followed Cindy to the cafeteria. Together they took a seat at a small table with Mary and some of Cindy's other friends. Mia was introduced to Preston, Mike, and Julia. While they all talked and ate their lunch, Mia looked to her right and saw Harry sitting all by himself in a corner of the room, picking at his food. Mia instantly felt sad for him.

"Why is Harry sitting all by himself?" she asked.

"You mean Harry Potter?" said Mary. "He always sits by himself."

"Yeah, he's a weirdo," added Mike. "The only clothes he wears are Dudley's."

"Who?"

"Dudley Dursley," answered Cindy. "He's Harry's cousin, and he hates him. He and his friends always bully him and hit him, they never let anyone play with him."

"That's really mean!" said Mia.

"Yeah, but who would want to hang out with him anyway? He's freaky," said Mike.

"That's not a very nice thing to say," Mia huffed, crossing her arms. "How do you know he's freaky?"

"Dudley says he is, and he has weird glasses and that scar on his forehead," replied Mike.

"I don't think he's freaky," said Mia. "He looks normal to me."

She looked over at Harry to see him nibbling at his sandwich and her heart went out to him. He was so sad, and she knew better than anyone how alone he must feel. In all their classes, she saw that no one really wanted to be with him, or wanted to talk to him. If Cindy was right, maybe no one wanted to play with him because of his cousin. Mia thought that wasn't right. Poor Harry needs some friends so he's not so alone. Her parents always told her it was good to do nice things for other people. Having her mind made up, Mia took her lunch and got to her feet.

"I'm going to go sit with him," she told Cindy.

"But why?" asked Cindy. "What if Dudley sees you?"

"So?" said Mia. "Harry looks really lonely, and maybe his cousin will leave him alone if I'm there."

The rest of the table gawked at her but Mia ignored them and started making her way towards Harry. Once she reached him, she gently tapped his shoulder, causing him to nearly jump out of his seat. He whipped around to face her, his eyes wide and slightly fearful, but when he saw who it was, he relaxed a little bit. Mia smiled at him.

"Hi Harry," she said.

"Uh, h-hi Mia," he said quiet, shrinking into himself.

"Can I sit with you?" she asked him. Harry's eyes once again widened and he had a look of disbelief on his face.

"Y-you want to sit with me?" he said. "Why?"

"You look really lonely, and I thought we could swap lunches," said Mia. Harry peered over his shoulder nervously, and Mia followed his gaze to see that he was looking at the big blonde boy who was throwing spit balls at him earlier. That must be his cousin. Dudley Dursley was glaring at Harry and Mia, as were his friends, but Mia glared back. Giving another huff, she turned back to Harry.

"So can I?" she asked. Harry's cheeks went pink and he slowly nodded. Mia positively beamed at him, making his blush darker, and sat down in the seat across from him. She eagerly opened her bag and started taking things out. She saw that Harry didn't have very much, just a sandwich, apple, and mac and cheese. Mia's mother always over packed her lunch, so she always had extra and Harry looked really hungry. Unwrapping her cookies and grapes, Mia handed them over to Harry.

"Here you go Harry," she said. "You can have these."

"What?" said Harry, completely bewildered.

"Don't you want to trade?" asked Mia with a hint of a small frown. "I'll give you these for your apple if you want. And I have two juice boxes."

"Mia, you don't have to…"

"I want to," she countered brightly. "So you better eat up mister."

Mia grinned at him, and, after a couple silent minutes, Harry's lips curved up into a small timid smile, and Mia felt her heart soar. She got him to smile! Deep in her subconscious, Mia made it her new mission to make him smile all the time. Harry thanked her and took the food she offered him and handed her his apple. The two of them fell into a more comfortable silence, eating their meal and enjoying each other's company. Mia started talking about her old home in Kent, her family, friends, and her worries about moving to Surrey. The minute she said this, Harry asked her where in Surrey she lived. When she told him she lived on Privet Drive, for a second she could have sworn Harry's eyes lit up in excitement, and he said that was where he lived too. Time seemed to fly by and soon it was time to go outside for recess. The two children walked out of the building together, still talking, and out into the warm, sunny day. Mia's chest swelled up in excitement as she caught sight of the swings and she grabbed Harry's hand.

"Come on Harry!" she said enthusiastically. "Let's go on the swings!"

Harry smiled and ran with her over to the swings before they would all be taken. They took the last two at the end and Mia giggled as she sat down, gripping onto the sides. Harry sat down next to her and then they began swinging back and forth. Mia was glad to see Harry so happy. It was as if he didn't know how to laugh or smile, and this was all new to him.

"So how old are you Harry?" asked Mia as she kept swinging.

"I'm eight," said Harry.

"I'm eight too!" said Mia. "When is your birthday?"

Mia instantly wished she hadn't asked, because Harry's face suddenly fell, and he had that gloomy look back on his face. Worried she had upset him, Mia dug her feet into the ground and forced the swing to stop.

"I'm sorry Harry, I didn't mean to make you sad," said Mia.

"No, it's okay Mia," said Harry. "My birthday was in July."

"Oh. Well, Happy Late Birthday Harry," said Mia, attempting to give him a cheerful smile. "I promise I'll get you something next time."

"You don't have to Mia, no one ever does," said Harry.

"What?" gasped Mia. "No one gives you presents on your birthday?"

Harry's head shot up and he looked horrified, as if he had just realized what he said. His face flushed a dark shade of red and he stared down hard at his shoes. Mia couldn't help but stare at him with her mouth open. How can someone not get any presents on her birthday? Surely his parents would get him something, right? Before Mia could ask, she heard the sound of heavy breathing and loud footsteps coming towards them. In the nest moment, Harry was being roughly pushed out of the swing and into the dirt beneath him.

"Harry!" cried Mia, jumping off her own swing to bend down next to him. "Are you okay?"

Harry nodded, spitting dirt out of his mouth and straightening his glasses. Howling laughter came from behind them and Mia spun around to see Dudley Dursley and his little gang cackling relentlessly at Harry. Glaring at the big oaf, Mia helped Harry to his feet and helped brush the dirt off his shirt.

"Why did you do that?" said Mia angrily.

"Because I wanted to," said Dudley.

"That was really mean! Why don't you leave him alone?"

"Who's gonna make me?" laughed Dudley. Mia took her place in front of Harry, staying firmly in place.

"I will," said Mia, feeling braver than she felt. Her actions shocked her, but she didn't show it. Never ever has she ever had the guts to really stand up to someone. Dudley looked like he could squash her if he really wanted to, and if he was brave enough to hit a girl. Mia wasn't one for resolving to fights, but when it came to the people she cared about, she was ready to take on any blow for them. Even though she has barely known Harry for two hours, she felt a strange connection to him somehow, as if they were kindred spirits in some way. Both lonely outcasts of sorts. All Mia knew was that she didn't want her new friend to be getting hurt, especially by his own cousin. Dudley Dursley frowned at her.

"You think I'm scared of a girl?" he said.

"Just leave Harry alone," said Mia firmly.

"Mia, don't," Harry whispered. "I don't want you to get hurt…"

"Why do you want to hang out with the freak anyway?" said Dudley. "He's so stupid and weird, he doesn't even have any parents!"

Mia's eyes widened slightly and she glanced over at Harry. He went completely red and he stared down at the ground, but not before she caught sight of tears in his eyes. She turned back to Dudley and kept on glaring at him.

"Just go away," said Mia in a low voice.

"Make me," Dudley shot back. "Just get out of the way so I can get to my freaky cousin!"

"He is not a freak!" Mia shouted, her hands clenching into fists.

"Freak, freak, Potter is a freak!" Dudley started to sing, his friends joining in. "Freak, freak, Potter is a-"

Dudley and his friends never got to finish, for at that moment, there was a loud crack from high above them. Everyone looked up to see that one of the branches from the tree standing over them had broken off and was plummeting down towards the ground. Dudley let out a girlish squeal and quickly leapt out of the way mere seconds before the branch came crashing down where he had been standing. He and his friends ran away, all screaming and flaying their arms about. Mia blinked a couple times, staring at the branch in front of her. What just happened? That branch could have fallen on Dudley and he could've gotten hurt. A part of her wished it had, but she was glad it didn't at the same time. After taking a calming breath, she turned back to Harry.

"Are you okay Harry?" she asked the small boy. Harry only nodded his head, staring at the branch with wide eyes. Mia gave him another smile and once again took his hands in hers, leading him over to the base of the tree. They both sat down on the soft grass next to each other, leaning up against the trunk. For a moment neither one of them said anything, just enjoying the warm breeze that came their way. Then, Harry spoke.

"Thank you," he said softly.

"For what?" asked Mia.

"For sticking up for me," said Harry. "No one has ever stood up for me before, they are always scared of Dudley."

"You're welcome Harry, he was just being a big meanie." Mia hesitated before continuing. "Is…is what Dudley said true? Do you not have parents?"

"No," replied Harry, staring at his shoes. "My mum and dad died in a car crash when I was a baby. That's why I have to live with Dudley and my aunt and uncle."

"Are they mean to you too?" Mia asked. Harry didn't answer her. She felt a wave of sadness pass through her. Mia knew what it was like to lose someone close to you. Her grandma had died last year, and it still makes her upset sometimes. Wanting to comfort him, Mia took his hand in hers and didn't let go, giving it a squeeze. Harry looked down at their hands and then slowly looked up at her until she was staring straight into his pretty green eyes. Her gaze went up to his forehead for a moment, where she could see a thin scar shaped like a bolt of lightning. She looked back into his face and smiled.

"I know you miss your mummy and daddy," she said. "My grandma died too, and I miss her all the time. But I know she loved me, and I know your parents loved you too. It'll be okay Harry, I promise."

Harry stared at her for about a minute, then he smiled back at her, his eyes glowing.

"Mia?" he said. "Um…would you…would you like to be my friend?"

Mia's smile grew into an excited grin and without a second thought she threw herself at Harry, wrapping her arms around him and holding him close. Harry stiffened in her arms, shocked at this unfamiliar form of affection. No one had ever hugged him before. Before he could recover from his shock, Mia released him and beamed at him.

"No Harry, I don't want to be your friend," said Mia. "I want to be your best friend."

The expression on the little boy's face could only be described as one of pure happiness and excitement.

"Thanks Mia," he said. "I…I really like you."

"I like you too Harry," said Mia. All of a sudden she smiled evilly, her sapphire blue eyes twinkling, and before Harry could blink, Mia gave him a soft shove and then darted to her feet and sprinted away.

"Tag, you're it!" she called over her shoulder. Harry laughed and then jumped to his feet, chasing after her.

They spent all of recess playing tag, and Mia quickly learned that Harry was much faster than he seemed. She only managed to catch him a few times while he caught her every single time after only a few minutes. Soon enough both children were rolling around on the grass, holding their stomachs from laughing so hard. Mia flung herself on top of Harry, pinning him down and grinning mischievously, giggling loudly. Harry smiled up at her, looking happier than he had been in years. To their dismay, the school bell sounded, signaling the end of their playtime. Mia helped Harry back to his feet and they walked hand in hand back inside the building.

The day passed by too quickly for Mia's liking. The rest of her classes were with Mrs. Baker, and this time, she spent them talking and working together with Harry. While in math, he helped her with numbers while she helped him with his writing. Dudley and his gang kept pulling sour faces the whole time, but neither really seemed to notice or even care. All in all, it was a very fun day until the last bell of the day sounded. Students rushed to the cubby to grab their bags and all raced out the door to head for the buses or to be picked up by their parents outside. Mia and Harry grabbed all of their things and followed everyone else outside. Mia couldn't see her mother in the crowd, so she decided to wait with Harry. After a couple minutes, a thin, blonde woman with a face like a horse came over to them, a scowl on her face as she held Dudley's hand.

"Come on now boy!" she snapped. "We haven't got all day."

"Yes Aunt Petunia," Harry said glumly before turning to Mia. "I'll see you later Mia."

"Okay, bye Harry," Mia said softly. Harry followed his aunt and cousin through the crowd and Mia saw them get into a car and drive away, with Harry waving sadly through the window. Mia watched them go, feeling a little worried about her friend. Harry's aunt doesn't look like she likes him very much. She hoped he would be all right. Mia was suddenly snapped out of her thoughts by a voice calling her name.

"Mia!"

Mia swerved around to see Catherine emerging from the crowd, a bright smile lighting up her face. Mia hastily ran over and threw herself in her mother's arms, holding onto her tightly and smiling as well. Catherine picked Mia up off the ground and held her baby girl close, kissing the top of her head. After she put Mia back down, she bent in front of her and took hold of her hands.

"So how was your first day sweetie?" she asked.

"It was really fun Mummy!" said Mia excitedly. "I had fun in my classes, I met a nice girl named Cindy, and I already made a new friend!"

"That's wonderful Mia," gushed Catherine happily. "I'm so happy for you darling."

"His name's Harry, he's lots of fun, and he's smart too," said Mia. "But his cousin is mean to him a lot, he was picking on Harry today."

"The poor dear, did you cheer him up?"

"Uh huh," said Mia proudly. "We played tag at recess and I made him smile."

"That's great Mia," said Catherine. "Come on, let's go home and you can tell me and Daddy everything you did today."

Mia nodded eagerly as she grasped Catherine's hand and let her lead her out of the bustling crowd and adults and children. Following Catherine over to the car, Mia couldn't stop thinking about the curious Potter boy who had become her friend. Everyone made him out to be weird, and a freak. But Harry wasn't any of those things. He was kind, smart, and there was something about him that made him special. Mia wasn't sure what, but she could feel it. When her and her mother got home, Mia went outside to play in the yard while Catherine started to make dinner. She ran around on the grass, kicking her soccer ball around and playing with her skipping rope. Occasionally she would stop to smell the lovely flowers that were growing in the surrounding bushes. By the time she went back inside, it was starting to get dark and she knew her father would be home soon. Mia brought her back pack over to the kitchen table to get started on her homework. Catherine would fly around the kitchen making the finishing touches on dinner and stop by beside Mia once in a while to make sure she didn't need any help. At about have past six, they heard the sound of the front door opening and Mia immediately perked up, jumping down from her chair and running out into the living room just Ben came inside.

"Daddy!" she cried.

"Hey princess!" he said, a grin coming across his dimpled face as he bent down and scooped Mia up into his arms. He blew loud raspberries on her face and tickled her stomach, causing her to erupt in a fit of giggles. Ben carried her back into the kitchen where he walked over to Catherine and gave her a sweet kiss in the lips.

"Hello love," he said.

"Hello," she said, smiling. "Busy day at the office?"'

"Is there ever not?" he chuckled as he set Mia back down in the chair. "So how was your first day of school Mia?"

"It was great Daddy," said Mia. "I already made a new friend."

"Really? That's fantastic Mia, I told you everything would work out okay," said Ben. "What's their name?"

"His name is Harry Potter," said Mia. "He's eight years old like me, and he's really nice. We played tag, went on the swings, and did math together!"

Ben's face fell a little and he looked over at Catherine.

"I thought we wouldn't have to worry about boys for a few more years," he groaned. Catherine smiled and shook her head at him, stirring the contents that were bubbling inside the pot on the stove.

"Harry is by best friend Daddy," said Mia. "There are other nice kids there, but Harry is the best. Can he come over and play sometime? Pretty please?"

"Well, I don't know," mused Ben, smirking.

"Pleeeeeeease?" said Mia, pouting her lip and making Ben laugh.

"I suppose so," he chuckled. Mia face lit up and she thanked him over and over again. While Mia finished all her homework, she told her parents all about what she did at school, the kids she met, and how she stood up for Harry when Dudley was being mean to him. Ben was proud of her for standing up for her friend, and Catherine told Mia to be careful and not to get into any fights. After eating a good meal, Mia started feeling sleepy. Catherine sent her upstairs to take a bath and get dressed for bed. Mia trudged up the steps and cleaned up. Once that was done she brushed her teeth, slipped into a nightgown and climbed into bed as her parents came inside to tuck her in. Ben gave her a tight hug and kissed both her cheeks and Catherine tucked the covers in around her, softly kissing her forehead.

"Goodnight princess," said Ben. "We'll see you in the morning."

"Night Mummy," said Mia. "Night Daddy."

"Goodnight sweetheart," said Catherine. "We love you."

As Catherine and Ben left the room, they turned off the light switch and quietly shut the door behind them, leaving Mia encased in the darkness. Mia didn't really mind the dark, and there was light in her room anyway, shining from the moon through her window. She turned her head towards the window and smiled, thinking of the raven haired boy she had met today. Somehow, Mia knew they were going to be really great friends.

"Goodnight Harry," she whispered. The she snuggled deep into her blankets and closed her eyes, letting sleep take her.

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