A Little Too close For Comfort
I own nothing Harry Potter. Just the plot, of which I hope you all enjoy!
"Ron, would you grab me some pumpkin pasties while you're at the cart?" Harry asked, spread out on the seat in the compartment. They were on their way to Hogwarts for their 6th year and the highly anticipated food trolley had just arrived.
"Sure," Ron called, his head poking back in the doorway. "But, you're paying me back. I'm running a tad low on money at the moment." He admitted, paying the attendant and closing the door behind him. He took a seat beside Hermione who was reading a book called, Excelling at Everything -A true Story intently; not even noticing the new assortment of goodies the boys were already devouring as Ron passed a couple of pasties to Harry.
"So, are you bummed about not being able to become an Auror now, thanks to good 'o Snape?" Ron asked, mouth covered in chocolate.
"Well, I'm definitely not happy about it," Harry replied, unwrapping his candy. "But I'm sure I can find some way to make it work. There's still hope for next year."
"Yeah I suppose." Ron suddenly watched as two pretty 6th year girls walked past their compartment door giggling. "Man, Harry, did you notice how all these girls are looking? I mean seriously it's like over the summer they got make-overs by some Veelas or something!"
"What do you mean?"
Ron was peeking out through the door trying to find some more girls to gawk at. "Well, I just mean generally all the 6th year girls have really changed." He stuck his head back in and looked at Hermione approvingly.
"Yeah, I suppose so." Harry admitted not noticing that he also was staring at Hermione quite blatantly.
Hermione suddenly peered above her book and jumped, seeing them both staring at her.
"Gosh, guys, what?"
Harry looked at Ron. "Er, uh. Nothing." He pretended to drop his candy on the floor to hide his face.
"Your hair is um, sticking up." Ron replied lamely as Hermione self-consiously patted it down. Saving them from further awkwardness, Ginny suddenly walked in looking cheery.
"Well, hey you three! What are you up to?" She took the open seat next to Harry (rather close) and grabbed one of the pumpkin pasties and started eating it.
"Ginny!" Ron yelled.
"Whaa-" Ginny asked, her mouth full of the sweet.
"Those are ours! Go get your own!"
"I'm your sister! Deal with it!"
Hermione slammed her book shut. "I can never get any reading done with you lot! Ron, just let her have some candy. You've got more than enough."
Ron scowled, slumping in his seat.
"So, anyways did you see Parvati's new nose job?" Ginny asked. "Apparently she bought this new "Fix your flaws" spell book and gave herself a different nose. Looks exactly like a pig! Not only that, but all of her friends are trying the other spells in it and are attempting to make their eyebrows less bushy as we speak."
Ron laughed. "Seriously? I wanna see! Take me."
"You guys wanna join us?" Ron asked.
"No thanks, Ron. I'm good." Harry replied, noticing that Hermione was making no signs of wanting to leave.
"Maybe I'll actually get some reading in, then!" Hermione huffed, disappearing behind her book.
"Oh. Okay, well we'll be right back." Ginny said, only looking at Harry.
Harry sat across from Hermione, silently staring out the window. After a minute or so he looked over at his curly haired friend.
"You're not really going to just sit there reading and ignore me are you?" He asked teasingly, switching over and sat beside Hermione, who had put down her book with a sigh.
"I'm not ignoring you!" Hermione sighed again, this time in frustration. "I'm just mad because they're going to go and goggle at Parvati's nose. If I had that spell book I'd want to change a few things about myself as well. What girl wouldn't? I bet they'd even have a big laugh if it were me changing my appearance."
"First of all, I can't think of anything you should change about yourself. You're perfect Hermione. And second, they're your friends. They would never laugh or make fun of you."
Hermione looked down at her knees, "You don't know the Ginny I know when we're in the girls' dormitories. And Ron is always going on about girls' appearances."
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Hermione look at me." When she refused, he leaned in and whispered in her ear, "You don't see the Hermione I see. The Hermoine is see isn't worried about how she looks or who she impresses." Hermione slowly looked up but Harry continued whispering. "She is smart and caring and most of all, the best friend that anyone could ever ask for." Harry smiled warmly at her.
"I know it must sound silly, me complaining about how I look but-"
"We all do it. Me, I'd want this bloody scar removed." He said suddenly, catching his reflection in the window. The scar was clearly reflected with the slowly sinking sun. Hermione brushed her fingers against his scar lightly, tracing the lightning bolt shape.
"It's what makes you, you. It wouldn't be the same if it were gone." She let her hand fall but Harry rested it on his leg, his hand on top of hers.
"And your curly, curly hair and tiny freckles make you who you are."
Hermione sighed. "You're right. You know what this means right?"
Harry's heart started to beat faster. "What?"
"This means that neither of us can ever feel self-consious around each other again. We'll make some pact vowing never to worry about such silliness. And if we break this pact, then the person will have to shave their head."
Harry's heart beat returned back to normal as he laughed. "Yeah, because that would definitely solve our self-consious-ness!"
Suddenly laughter was heard from behind the compartment door. Suddenly realizing that they were still holding hands, they quickly let go and scooted over before Ginny and Ron came bustling in.
"And then, when Lavender tried making her eyelashes longer and instead they grew over a foot and kept her eyes from opening!" Ginny laughed uncontrollably, holding her stomach. "Best moment ever!"
"Harry you should've come! It was so funny." Ron said, seating himself in between him and Hermione. Hermione looked irritated.
"Here, Harry, why don't you come and sit over here with me. There's way more room." Ginny offered, patting the seat next to her. Harry gave Hermione a wary look before sitting as far away from Ginny as he could without totally squashing himself against the window.
"So what were you two up to while we were gone?" Ron asked nonchalantly.
"We had a really good talk actually." Hermione answered, noticing Ginny's suspicious glare.
"Cool." Ron muttered focusing on his pastie again. "Man this is good." Ginny rolled her eyes.
"What kind of talk? Was it serious?" Ginny asked suspiciously.
"It's none of your business what kind of talk it was." Hermione said through gritted teeth. "It's just between Harry and I!"
Ginny shrugged and turned to Harry. "You know Harry, if you want you can scoot over a little bit, there's plenty of room." She said, patting the cushion right next to her and pointedly giving Hermione a nasty grin. Hermione narrowed her eyes.
"No I think he's perfectly fine where he is. Don't you agree Harry?"
"Uh-" He started but was cut off by Ginny.
"Actually I was asking him, not you. So maybe we should see what he wants!"
"I happen to know what he wants, seeing as I'm his best friend, not you Ginny. Right Harry?"
Harry just sat there and looked at Ron, his eyes pleading for help, but all Ron seemed to be aware of was Hermione and how he was weirdly staring at her, oblivious to the situation, Harry, noticing both Ginny's and Hermione's dicey tones and not wanting to get in the middle of anything replied, "Thanks both of you, but-"
Suddenly the train squeaked to a halt causing Harry and Ginny to be thrown on top of Ron and Hermione. The seating issue from moments ago was no longer the issue. "Arghh!" Ron yelled. The lights suddenly went off, making the room dim from the sunset outside.
"Ow, Harry! That's er, my neck." Hermione squealed. Harry fell completely on top of her. His arms accidentally flinging themselves around her neck which was the closest thing he could grab to keep himself up from the ground.
"Sorry." He let go and looked up, very close to her face but hurriedly got up, his face beet red.
"What the-" Ron grunted, trying to push Ginny off of him. Then a booming voice was heard on the intercom of the train. "Excuse me, this is your conductor speaking." Said the male british voice. "I would just like to inform you that unfortunately we seem to have run into some problems with our engine."
"Oh really, you'd like to inform us about this. How kind." Ron imitated sarcastically, resuming his position on the seat before the sudden stop.
"Shhh, Ron."
The voice continued. " Seeing as we're currently in a muggle village, we can't risk using magic to fix it up right quick. So, until we find a decent mechanic we will unfortunately have to spend the night here. Now, as we speak your teachers are trying to organize and book some hotel rooms but, we will keep you posted on whether or not that falls through. For now just sit tight and enjoy the, uh scenery." The intercom clicked off.
"What's a hotel?" Ginny asked, rubbing her head from where she fell.
"It's a place where muggles stay when they're away from home. Like a vacation apartment." Harry answered, righting his shirt and smoothing it.
"Apartment?" Ginny asked.
"Nevermind. You wouldn't understand." Hermione said icily. "It's something only Harry and I would really understand seeing as we both grew up as muggles." Harry couldn't understand why Ginny and Hermione were suddenly at each others throats but it made him nervous.
"So what are we going to do if they can't book us these hotel room things?" Questioned Ron, asking only Hermione.
"Err, I dunno." Hermione said. "Maybe they'll get another train to come and pick us up. Although, I've read in Hogwarts, A History that the Hogwarts Express is the only train able to actually get theree, but-"
"Okay, okay, Hermione." Ginny whined. "We get it already!"
Hermione glared and grabbed her book to distract her.
The compartment stayed quiet as outside their compartment they could hear students running around on the train, probably asking and deliberating the possibilities as well.
To pass the time the four of them decided to playa game of Would You Rather.
"Okay, Harry." Ron started, rubbing his hands together. "Oh, I have the perfect one. Would you rather be stuck living with Snape or the Dursleys during the summer?"
"Gosh, Ron are you trying to kill me?" They all laughed, knowing how bad both options really were. "I guess I would go with the Dursleys, but only because they wouldn't try and kill me in my sleep like Snape would…well, as long as Dumbledore would be around that is."
"Okay, Hermione. " Harry said. "Your turn."
"Ginny," Hermione started. She suddenly had an mischievous looking expression. "Would you rather snog Seamus or Jordan?" Ginny knew why she had asked this, it was because she knew that if Ginny said either one, Harry would think she wasn't interested in him.
"Probably, Jordan. But, only if I had no other choice." Ginny said pointedly at Harry.
"Alright, Harry. Who would you rather snog," Ginny asked. " Hermione or me?" Hermione gasped. Harry looked as if he was going to pee himself. Ron looked highly uncomfortable. But, before Harry had the chance to try and put an answer together, he was luckily saved from such an awkward predicament.
"This is your conductor once again." Said the loud voice again.
"Thank, God." Ron muttered, oblivious to the death stare match between Ginny and Hermione.
"Unfortunately our worst fears have now been confirmed. We were unable to acquire enough rooms for everyone on this train to stay in, so we will be spending the night here, on the Hogwart's express while the specialist fixes the engine. Do not worry, the attendants will be around with blankets and pillows and everything you will need. We will be up and running again in the morning, in order to get you back to Hogwarts in no time! Goodnight." The intercom clicked and once again there was silence.
"This is just fantastic." Ron grumbled.
"You know, this might not be so bad." Harry said. "We've stayed in your house almost all summer. One night together again isn't going to kill us." But, seeing Ginny's and Hermione's eager looks and Ron's scowl at Harry, he suddenly wasn't so sure.
So….what did you think? What do you think will happen if they attempt to all sleep in one little compartment? You shall see or read I guess, but only if you review…how else will I know I have readers to write for? Happy Summer! XOXOX