Disclaimer: I don't own this.

A/N: The order in which some events take place here is slightly different from the way they happen in the books. So don't be confused by that!

1 - Summer Has Come And Passed

The rattling of the train around her. The chatter outside the compartment she sat in. The sun streaming in through the window from one side. The lack of noise inside her own silent compartment. The green-eyed girl with the lightning-shaped scar on her forehead registered none of that. She didn't even notice the absence of her two best friends of more than five years. She felt numb inside. There was a hole in her chest that nothing could fill. There was nothing to laugh about, nothing to cry about. She didn't even feel bad about the fact that she was once again leaving Hogwarts. Nothing mattered any more. Her world had been smashed to pieces in no more than a second, leaving her haunted by the memory of a single green flash of light and two cruel eyes gleaming with glee and insanity.

If there was still a tiny part of her left that cared, that part would wish for a time when things had been easier. A time where her life did not lie in shards. A time when happiness and peace were a possibility. That time was gone, but a tiny part of her still wished that she could go back to this simpler and more peaceful time.

...

(4th Year – Sometime between the First Task and the Yule Ball)

All year she had felt it. Something was different. Something wasn't right – beside the fact that she didn't put her name in the Goblet of Fire. Seriously, she didn't. And normally she wouldn't bother with everyone else's opinions on that. Everyone else always knew better about her life than she ever did anyway. But Ron? One of her two best friends in the entire world? How could he not believe her? She hated this. It was just like third year all over again, except now she was the bad guy instead of Hermione. After the first task, however, Ron had finally pulled himself together and admitted that he had been the one in the wrong.

But then she had started to notice the stares. She was used to staring, of course. Throughout her life there had been many kinds of staring. When she was younger, she had been the freak and people had stared at her because they didn't understand her and also because of that strange scar on her forehead. Later at Hogwarts the scar had again been the cause for endless staring, although the reason had changed from skepticism to wonder.

The staring she experienced now was different. Of course now all of Hogwarts stared at her because one: she was still the girl who lived; and two: she was the Hogwarts champion. The second Hogwarts champion. But still, among all these different kinds of staring there was a new, a different kind, which she had no idea what to make of.

A deeply annoyed Haley turned her head and looked around the Great Hall to find the source of the staring. And there it was, at the other end of the hall at the silver-green table. Draco-annoying-little-arrogant-ferret-Malfoy didn't smirk as always like he was superior, or frown like something displeased him.

No, he was staring at her, with a pensive expression on his face, as if she was some sort of puzzle he tried to figure out. And he seemed annoyed. But didn't he always seem that way?

Well, that was the way things currently were and the only thing that pissed Haley off even more was Rita Skeeter. And maybe also the fact that Michael Corner only ever had eyes for Cho Chang. But that was an entirely different story.

"Haley? How far did you come in figuring out your egg?" asked Hermione.

"No further than I was yesterday evening when you asked the last time," grumbled Haley. She hated it when Hermione was in a nagging mood.

"Haley, you know how important it is to find out about the Second Task and we don't even know what the riddle is yet," Hermione said prissily. "You should take this more seriously, really. People have died in this tournament!"

"I know Hermione. You know I'm trying but every time I open it, the blasted thing doesn't stop screaming at me!" Haley said, exasperated.

"So find a way around the screaming." Hermione said matter-of-factly. Haley knew there was no use in arguing with her when she was being like this. Hoping for help, Haley searched out Ron who was suspiciously quiet while eating his breakfast and consequently avoiding looking in their direction. No help to expect from there.

Haley sighed, "I'm not hungry any more. We're almost late for Transfigurations, anyway."

She stood up and waited for the other two, all the while ignoring Hermione's continued nagging.

On the way out of the hall she had the feeling that someone was following her with their eyes. She didn't turn around to check who the person was though. She knew who it was anyway.

…

After Transfigurations the trio was on their way to the greenhouses – it was time for Herbology – when they heard someone running and calling out Haley's name.

In one move they turned around. It was Cedric Diggory. What could he want?

Breathing heavily he came to a stop in front of them.

"Haley! Hi!" Cedric grinned, still catching his breath, "Could I-" He paused, gesticulating toward Haley, "Could I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure," Haley said without thinking. Then she noticed the way in which Hermione kept looking back and forth between Cedric and her, meaningfully, before finally settling on raising an eyebrow at Ron.

"Sure?", Haley repeated, sounding unsure now. Did Hermione think he was going to ask her to the Yule Ball? She quickly shook her head. No, it had to be something else.

"We'll head over to the greenhouse first and save you a seat. Come on Ron." And in a flash Hermione ran over to the greenhouses, Ron in tow. That sneaky little-

"I wanted to thank you, Haley." Right, Cedric was still there. "For telling me about the dragon, I mean. You didn't have to do that."

Relieved, Haley shook her head, how stupid of her to think he would ask her to the Yule Ball.

"Don't mention it. You would have done the same. And every one else knew about it, too."

"Still, I want to return the favor." Now there was a playful grin on his face. What was he on about?

"You should take a bath." Haley's eyes widened. She'd had a shower this morning! How dare he-

"You should take your egg and… enjoy a nice long bath with it." Was he crazy or something? Or was he trying to seduce her in some twisted way? Cedric laughed, "Don't look at me like that. I'm just trying to help, seriously." Haley wasn't convinced, though.

"Why don't you use the Prefects' Bathroom, the password is pine fresh." He grinned one more time and turned around then, waving his hand good-naturedly. Haley stood there, speechlessly for a few more seconds. Then she remembered that she was late for Herbology and sprinted hurriedly to the greenhouses. There was a pair of eyes that followed her and she saw the annoyed and wary expression on the person's face for a split second, before she reached her destination and didn't bother thinking about them any more.

...

A/N: So this is the first chapter :) Please excuse any spelling or grammar mistakes. Or better yet, point them out to me, so I can improve. English is not my first language but I've tried my best! I don't have a beta, yet but if someone is interested, feel free to PM me.

The title of this chapter is from Green Day's "Wake Me Up When September Ends" and the title of the story is from Green Day's song "Before The Lobotomy".

I know that some things happen in a different order in the books, but let's just say I'm aware of them and Harry is a girl anyway and that's why everything's a little different... Okay? :) Have fun and tell me what you like or dislike about the story or about Haley or about the weather... Till next time,
Feather :)