Harry Potter 1. Tears and Tantrums

Windswept

Summary: When all the fifth year go for a trip to a stormy beach, both pupils and teachers are dismayed by the consequences. What should've been an enjoyable trip became chaos as it turned for the worse. Could it be the Death Eaters who cause the love?

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own any of the HP characters. But I own my made-ups.

A.N: Read & Review if you dare!

A cold morning was what greeted the fifth years on that day. The ominous clouds loomed across the heavy sky, rain splattering across the window, and as the Gryffindor boys woke up, the weather responded with a roll of thunder.

"Nice day." Said Harry, with a smile.

"Oh, come on! You're not going to let a bit of rain stop you? The Christmas Ball's in a week, and this'll be the perfect opportunity…the whole of our years gonna be there!" Said Ron, sitting up enthusiastically on his pillows.

"I guess…" said Harry.

The notices had gone up a fortnight ago, announcing that there was to be a Christmas Ball, and that you had to have a partner to go. Incidentally, notices had gone up that same day saying that the fifth year would be taking a trip to a deserted muggle coast where they could practise Defence in a more spacious environment. After a few moments discussion about Seamus and Lavender Brown, a new couple, Harry grudgingly heaved himself out of bed and pulled on some jeans and a t-shirt.

When they made it down to breakfast, Hermione, who had abandoned her nerd status and was now the Gryfinndor slut, threw herself upon Harry and Ron, with an unconvincing air of pretence. She put her arms around Harry's neck, an uncomfortable moment, as Harry and Ron had both already chosen to leave Hermione alone now she had undergone such a drastic transformation.

"Hey, babe." She whispered in his ear. "Ready for the trip?"

"Um….yeah…."

"Got a date yet? Cos you know, I'm free…."

"Er…no it's ok…." Said Harry uncomfortably, pulling away from Hermione.

Harry and Ron headed towards the Gryffindor table, avoiding Lavender and Seamus passionate kisses, and taking a seat beside some of the new students that arrived a few days ago.

"Who're they?" Ron asked nudging Harry and glancing towards two dizzy blondes gossiping about Snape and McGonnagal's "love."

"New students? They ones that came from that small school down in Cornwall that closed down? Those two, a Ravenclaw, three Hufflepuffs and Two Slytherins I think…" answered Harry.

"Well they're a no. Whatever happens with them will be common knowledge by the next morning," muttered Ron, munching sausage.

After a hearty breakfast, Harry and Ron departed along with the rest of the fifth year to the entrance hall, where their names were checked off on a list as they filed through the door.

"Granger?"

"Yes!"

"Goldstein?"

"Yes!"

So it went on until everyone was out the door. After securing themselves in a thestral-drawn carriage, along with a couple of Ravenclaws who Harry couldn't put a name to, Harry suddenly realized what he had forgotten to ask.

"Ron, how're we getting there?"

"The old Express, mate."

There in front of them stood the gleaming, scarlet engine, steam billowing as the fifth year poured in and found compartments. Harry and Ron made their way into the train, clutching their wands and trying to keep their place in the queue. Finally they found an empty compartment and sat down, grateful for the comfy cushions and heated floor.

"Hope Hermione doesn't find us." Harry muttered.

Ron groaned at nodded towards the almost-deserted corridor. Hermione, wearing a tight, denim mini-skirt and pink halter-neck top, along with sunglasses, stilettos and a burberry coat was walking down the corridor.

"Harry! Ron! Mind if I sit here?" she asked, and without waiting for a reply, sat opposite Harry. "So, how are you?" she said looking at Harry with her brown eyes, her glossy, pink lips pulled into a perfect smile.

"Um…okay…."

"Great!" she said, seizing Harry's hand from across the table. "So, got a date yet?" Still she was holding his hand with great affection, and Harry answered.

"You already asked me that at breakfast."

"Oh yeah!" Hermione said, giving a new, tittering laugh. "Well, how about you and me go together, hmmm?" She said, moving her head closer to Harry's and grabbing both his hands.

"Erm…"

"Oh surley you must want to…"

"Well, you see Hermione, you've…changed…."

"I know I have. I'm sexy now. All the guys want to be my date, they all want to be my boyfriend! I like the new me."

"Yeah well I _don't._" Ron said from beside Harry.

"Oh, Ronald, grow up." She said. And just as suddenly as she had become the "new" Hermione, she pulled Harry into a kiss.

"Go AWAY! Don't EVER come near me again!" Harry spluttered, wiping his lips with his arm. "I HATE you, you know. I'd NEVER go to the ball with a slut like you! Grow up, your not pretty, your just a wanna-be. Not get out of our lives."

Hermione looked shocked, tears rolling down her cheaks.

"I thought you LIKED me!" she sobbed, and ran out of the compartment, sobbing.

"That was brilliant!" exploded Ron, the minute she was gone.

"Easy for you to say. I think I need some mouthwash; No. 7 lipstick doesn't taste too good…" laughed Harry. "Right, well, I think I'll go for a walk, anyway. I need to stretch my legs."

"Alright. I'll wait here…maybe read the Quibbler…" he chuckled.

Harry got up and exited the stuffy compartment, breathing in the clean, damp air from the corridor. He walked, peering in the compartments as he went, seeing odd pairs getting a bit lovey-dovey, and guys debating over who to ask as a last resort. Then he came across something odd. Opposite a VERY noisy compartment, sat a pretty Ravenclaw, the new one, alone. Her dark brown, shoulder length hair hung over her face, and she wore khaki trousers and a red t-shirt. All Stars cushioned her feet, and she was reading a book on Dark Magic in the 15th Century. Harry felt sorry for this girl. She obviously didn't fit in to the general Ravenclaws, most of whom were quite loud and noisy. She looked tough, and didn't seem upset by the lack of company. Harry debated with himself.

'Should I go in?'

'No. Leave her be.'

'But she's alone. I could at least ask if she's alright.'

'Why should you? You don't even know her.'

'Well, I could get to know her.'

'No, you couldn't.'

After a fierce battle Harry decided, and pushed open the door.

_To be continued…_


	2. Eccentric Decisions

A.N: Wow! Another chapter us not dead! Anyway, review crazy frogs!

"Er…hi…I was just, um, wondering if…you're o…k?" said Harry, feeling his face grow warm as he said it. The girl lowered her book, revealing large brown eyes, flicking her hair from her face.

"I'm fine. I was with some others, but they all went to play Spin The Bottle with _those_ (she nodded her head at the loud compartment opposite) guys. Thanks for asking, though. I'm Avril, by the way." She reached her hand out and Harry shook it.

"Er, hi. I'm Harry."

"Oh. Hi."

Harry stared, bewildered. He was not disappointed; merely surprised that she had not gasped, stared, blushed, or performed the familiar flick to his scar. An unknowing person would not have known that Harry was so famous; even with Fudge and Umbridge putting him down.

"What's that you're reading?" asked Harry, determined to socialize with the one person who didn't care that he was thought of as a big-headed liar.

"Oh, it's really interesting. I thought that knowing the actual arts and their History would be a starting point to actually fighting them, you know. How can you properly defend yourself against the unknown?"

"Well. The Tri-Wizard Maze last year was pretty unknown, I guess…"

"Well, yeah. But you weren't in, say one-on-one combat, so it wasn't quite what I meant." She smiled. After a few more minutes discussion about Umbridge, Hermione and You-Know-Who, she said "Shouldn't you be somewhere? Hermione, or Ron, will wonder where you've got to."

"I guess…Ron's back in our compartment…I dunno where Hermione went…I don't care either…anyway. Nice to meet you and…see you around, I guess."

Harry exited the compartment, determined to tell Ron about the first girl he'd met who, hopefully, believed him, didn't appear to have a mental illness, was intelligent _and _didn't seem to find fame particularly important.

"Ron!" he said, slamming the compartment door open, slightly out of breath after running.

"Hi, Harry. Where were you? You've been ages."

"I got…distracted." Ron merely looked curious not really responding.

Harry sighed, plonking himself onto a seat. "I met this girl. Avril. Shiny brown hair and big brown eyes? Ravenclaw?"

"What the new one? She looked alright at the sorting, eh?"

"Yeah, her. Well, she was just in this compartment, alone. She said all her mates had gone to play Spin The Bottle with some Hufflepuffs. So I went in."

"What?"

"Yeah, I know. Well, I went in. And I just kind of stammered, asking if she was alright and stuff…and we were talking, and when I introduced myself she didn't…respond or anything. She just…accepted it. It was kinda weird, after everyone whispering my name in all the corridors, you know, to find someone who…didn't."

"Wow. That's cool. So what? You like her?"

"She's alright." Said Harry, turning pink again. He hadn't considered the possibility of _like_ liking her. He just thought of her in a friendly sort of way. He didn't question himself any further.

"Want a frog?" Ron asked, holding out a packet.

"Yeah…thanks…" Harry daydreamed for the rest of the evening, having fantasies of shiny-haired girls dancing with him at the Ball, and Umbridge getting fired.

"Pupils? This is Professor McGonnagal speaking. Collect your belongings and make your way out of the train. Meet your Head of House on the platform and wait until someone gives you another command. Professor Umbridge (there was a pause where McGonagall sounded like she was trying to avoid adding 'our _wonderful_ Defence teacher') will lead us on to the site. Chop chop."

Harry scrambled to find his jacket and grabbed his wand. He hadn't thought of bringing anything else; unlike many girls and a few boys. He stood up, and made his way out of the train, slowly.

"I just c-can't believe it…I-I thought he- he liked me…" a girl sobbed from in front. Looking up, Harry saw none other that Hermione, and hastily moved back to make some distance between them.

After making it out onto the platform where they were checked and counted by Professor McGonagall, they set of towards the beach. Harry had lost Ron amongst the hoards of people now battling to get down the stairs at the end of the station, and hung back at the edge of the scrum; along with a few other sensible people, including the Ravenclaw he had talked to earlier. She looked up, saw him and as they made eye contact, looked away, embarrassed.

Harry, for some reason, felt an urge to go see her, so following his gut feeling, he walked.

"Er…hi…" he said as he made his way down the stairs beside her.

"Oh, hi Harry!"

"Hi. Look, I know this is really weird, and I know that I'm being a bit…I dunno….but um…do you want to come to the Christmas Ball with me? Just as friends you know. It's just I don't really have a date cause…everyone thinks I'm a fat liar." He looked at the ground, nervously.

"That'd be cool. I don't have a date either cause I believe you. Which is why I turned down that _pig _of a Draco Malfoy."

"He asked you?"

"Yeah. But he's a moron. So, anyway. See you at the ball then. She wandered off towards a group of girls as Harry, realizing that he had slowed to a halt, sped upto find Ron, feeling utterly elated.

_Review and I'll do Chp 3…or else…_


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Harry Potter, Adventure, Romance