A STRANGER AND HER SYMPATHY

CHAPTER ONE

A MEDIOCRE LIFE

It was a dark evening that night at Privet Drive. That moment, a young man came out of the Dursley's House. He was slightly skinny and always sported a very untidy hair and dark-rimmed glasses. He looked like he was on his way to work for as he was carrying a bag.

Suddenly, a huge, obese old man came out and called him.

"Boy! Oi! Don't forget about those errands I told you!" the fat man called.

"Fine." replied the boy through gritted teeth.

"What's that? You answering back to me now?" the man threateningly asked.

The boy sighed, rather than participating in another pointless argument, he just hastened his steps in the attempt to avoid an unnecessary banter.

"I'm going to be late for work." he said.

The man glared at him, but then he retreated back inside the house. It's mind-boggling that he even fitted through the door.

It has always been like this. There hasn't been a day that he wasn't treated like some sort of animal in the care of his Aunt's family.

It's almost been seventeen years since his parents died from a car accident. His Aunt Petunia told him that he was lucky enough to have even survived that crash and only took a scar as a reminder of that tragic day. Since then, he was forced to be in the care of his mother's sister and her husband and son. A few years later, he was luckily enough to crawl his way through grade school even though he was treated very badly by school mates and teachers alike. Having a scar on his head didn't really help.

He never had any friends even if he wanted to. His cousin Dudley made sure of that. Dudley also made sure that he would be treated as a punching bag growing up. The life of Harry Potter has never been lower in his own opinion.

After a couple of minutes walk and two bus rides, Harry strode along the streets of London as he made his way to work at a shady restaurant.

"Hurry up!" said the manager as he saw Harry come in, "We just had a big group that just came in."

"Yes sir." Harry replied.

For the past few years, Harry has been working here. It all started when he was kicked out of Smeltings, a school for what his Uncle says 'scoundrels' like him. Vernon Dursley told Harry that if he's not going to anything else except be their own personal slave, then Harry has to find a way to get some money to start paying the Dursleys for taking care of him. Looking over the bright side, Harry thought that this was good because it gave him a reason to leave the house and not see their smug faces.

"Potter, two steaks at table five!" called the chef.

"Okay." said Harry picking up the platter.

"You! get me some water." called on old female costumer, "and be quick about, it will you." she added irritably.

"Yes ma'm." replied Harry in an low voice.

It was a usual night like all the others he thought. Get this-get that-get nagged about this-get nagged about that. Harry was used to it by now. In a lot of ways, it could be a lot worse, and he was thankful that it weren't. It was a usual night…at least until now.

Harry was doing his usual business when his attention was called by someone at table three. Of course he's supposed to go there and see what they needed.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

Harry was surprised to see that the person who had been calling him was a beautiful young woman about his age. She fashioned a thick, bushy brown hair which Harry found most distinguishable. He thought that she was really attractive for her type. It made him wonder why someone like her would be doing in a place like this. To be honest, Harry thought that the food here wasn't all that great.

"I'd like to order." she said.

Not only that she was pretty, her voice was very pleasant too. But something else was on his mind, he thought. It seemed to him that she was really glad to see him. But there's only one thing, he had never seen her before his entire life. Thinking that his mind was playing tricks on him, Harry just took out his pad and his pen to write down her order down.

"Umm…" she mumbled as she focused her attention on the menu. "I'll have the shrimp she told him.

Harry wrote her order down, Harry didn't know but he couldn't help speaking to her.

"You don't want the shrimp." he told her.

"I don't?" she asked.

"Trust me." said Harry.

The girl smiled at him and chuckled, "Well then, I guess I'll have the chicken then."

"Excellent decision ma'm." said Harry feeling like his cheeks were blushing.

"-And one ice tea." she added, "what will you have?" she asked across the table.

It was only then that Harry realized that she had company with her. It was a red haired boy whom Harry thought was around his age as well. Putting two and two together, Harry assumed that they were a couple, leaving his breath sore.

"I'll have two-no! Three-no! I'll have six chicken wings and…"

"Mashed potatoes?" Harry cut him off not knowing why.

"Yeah, how did you know?" man asked grinning at him.

"I-I don't know actually." said Harry. He then shook his head thinking that work was getting to him. "Is there anything else?" he asked.

"Pumpkin juice." the red haired man said.

"Ron!" she scolded.

"Ouch! Hermione that hurt." said the boy named Ron.

It was unusual to hear the word pumpkin and juice together. Maybe these people are from the countryside.

"Sorry sir but we don't have that here." said Harry nicely.

"Er, did I say pumpkin juice? I meant pumpkin and juice." the man explained quickly.

Harry thought that he was kind of funny. He smiled and nodded, "I'll see what I can do." he said turning away.

He gave their order to the cook and waited. As he stood there, he could here the muffled voices of the young couple arguing.

"What do you think you're doing?" he heard the girl's voice.

"Relax will you, it's not like he noticed." Harry heard the man reply.

He? Were they talking about him? Harry asked himself why two strangers would be talking about mediocre waiter like him. Something was funny and it was starting to make Harry uncomfortable.

"Table three out!" yelled the cook putting out the order of the couple.

Harry took it and delivered it to where the girl named Hermione and her strange but funny boyfriend.

"Here is your order." he announced as he approached their table.

"Thanks." Hermione said as she helped Harry out.

"Thanks Harry." said her boyfriend.

At that moment, everyone stopped dead. Hermione looked at Ron, her eyes wide in surprise, they then both looked at Harry's face.

"H-how did you know my name?" he asked him.

Ron was speechless and was trying to find the answer to Harry's question who was now looking at him in suspicion.

"It's your nameplate." the man's girlfriend spoke pointing at Harry's chest.

Harry looked down and saw his nameplate pinned on his shirt. This made him laugh inside. Harry completely forgot all about it.

"Oh, I forgot." he said smiling.

Harry then went back to work but not before hearing the couple once more.

"That was close." she said.

"I couldn't help it, sorry." he replied.

A few minutes later, Harry took a break just outside the kitchen. When he got back he saw table three empty. He felt a little sad; it was if something inside had become attached to those two.

As the restaurant closed, Harry went to the changing room. There, he opened his locker only to see something strange. He saw his nameplate lying right in front of him, he looked down his chest one more time and saw another, but there was just one thing…he only had one.