We Met In Detention ✓

Twenty-Three | Train

~Harry's POV

Two days went by awfully slow and scarily fast at the same time, and before I knew it, it was the holidays.

Usually I'm overjoyed around this time of the year. No school, no homework, no teachers or fans. Just me and my friends, or sometimes, just me.

In the two days I had left with my friends, I wallowed in self-pity and distanced myself. I didn't want to go back to the place that I should call home, but can't. 

It's not my home. It's a house. A house I don't feel safe in. A house I'm not safe in.

This place is my home.

My friends are my home.

And now I've got to go to the place where I experience more pain than joy. That's not how kids are supposed to be brought up. No one should have to feel like that in their house.

I'm tempted to just run away the moment I get to King's Cross. I could stay at the Leaky Cauldron. 

I could actually do that. I have a couple galleons on me. Would that last two weeks? Maybe. 

That seems like a decent enough plan. Now all I have to do is get out of King's Cross without Vernon seeing me.

He doesn't love me but he sure does love having me inside his house. 

It's like I'm his puppet or something.

"Harry?"

Hermione? 

She's been trying to get me to stop hiding away from the world and accept that I have to go to the Dursley's. She doesn't want me to go, but she didn't want me to spend my last few days here without my friends.

It didn't work. I've been in bed for two days.

"Harry you've got to pack. We're boarding the train in an hour."

I ignore her and throw my duvet over my face. I don't want to go. If I bury myself in my bed, no one can make me move.

"Don't you want one last shower before you go?" Hermione sits next to me. "It's only two weeks. You'll come back and I'll be waiting for you."

She's right. I do want one last shower. Hogwarts showers know exactly how warm/cold you want your water. No messing around with a manual temperature knob.

Hermione gets up and I hear stuff moving around. Curious, I sit up to see her packing up my stuff.

"I could've just used magic you know?" 

She simply smiles. "I don't care. I told you I would take care of you and help you in every way I could. So, if you choose to lie in bed and be sad about life then you do that and I'll pack your trunk."

She has such mum friend energy.

A minute after, I hop out of bed and give her a hug. "I love you." 

"I love you too. Now go shower- I know you want to." 

I roll my eyes. This girl knows everything.

The train ride was really fun to be honest. Our group sat in one compartment and the sweets lady's jaw dropped when she saw us all.

It was quite funny to watch. 

We played truth or dare, no Veritaserum. It wasn't planned so I didn't have any on me. I left it in my room. 

Most of my important, valuable stuff gets left at Hogwarts when I go back. Vernon loves ruining my belongings.

Truth or dare was less stressful without Veritaserum though. I didn't have to worry about getting baited out. Still crazy though.

Draco had to run into the neighbouring carriage and shout dementor dementor like he did to me in the third year. He got a howler instantly from Dumbledore for frightening random first years.

Neville had to go round asking if anyone's seen his frog like in first year. Then scream "you ate my frog."

It was an interesting dare.

I had to buy the entire sweets trolley again like in first year. It was all fun and games until I realised I needed those galleons for the Leaky Cauldron.

The truths were still pretty interesting without Veritaserum. 

We found out that Pansy liked Fleur Delacour for a little bit in fourth year when she was here. Blaise told her to ask her out but she was too scared.

Hermione had a funny reaction to that. And then she decided to kiss Pansy, as if to remind herself that Pansy was dating her, not Fleur.

Luna's question was about what her sexuality was, who her gay awakening was and when she came out. She didn't mind that her truth turned into a nosy Q&A. 

She's pansexual, which makes sense cause she's the most supportive, unjudgmental person I know. Her gay awakening was when she walked in on a shirtless Cho Chang- which surprised a lot of us. 

Don't get me wrong, Cho is pretty, and the straight side of me found her attractive, but the fact that Luna realised she liked girls was seeing a topless Cho was unexpected. 

She came out in fourth year, two weeks after seeing Cho. She didn't care who judged her. That's what makes Luna admirable.

I hope I can be like that one day.

"Harry?" Hermione whispered, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Yes?" I whisper back. I don't know why we're whispering. 

"He's here." 

I look up to see what she's talking about. 

I expected Voldemort.

It was not Baldy.

It was Vernon.