He's Still A Part of Me

5) Power belongs to those who dare to take it...

At King's Cross Station, the noise and energy of Platform 9 ¾ surrounded Harry, Ron, and Hermione. People bustled around them, parents hugging their children, younger students gazing excitedly at the gleaming red train. But Hermione could sense something unusual in their small group. Every now and then, Ron would sneak a worried glance at Harry, who seemed distant, distracted, like his mind was far from the familiar chaos of the station.

She was about to ask them both what was going on when someone jostled through the crowd and stumbled directly into Harry.

"Watch it!" a voice snapped. Harry turned, surprised, to find Daphne Greengrass clutching the front of his shirt for balance. Her blue eyes widened as she registered whose solid frame she'd run into. For a long moment, she just stared, her gaze moving from his eyes to his face, and then down at her hands, which rested on his chest. She didn't immediately pull away, almost as if something had rooted her to the spot.

Harry, who had spent most of his summer training and had returned leaner, taller, and with a newfound strength, felt himself tense under her grip. His shirt, fitted just a bit more snugly than it used to, left little to the imagination, and Daphne's surprise was evident.

"Potter," she finally said, sounding breathless, her gaze still slightly dazed. Her fingers lingered a fraction too long before she finally pulled her hands back, straightening herself as she regained her composure.

Harry gave her a polite nod, his voice steady. "Greengrass."

Daphne blinked, quickly schooling her expression into a mask of indifference, though her gaze flitted back to him, a touch of surprise still in her eyes. "I, uh... didn't see you there," she murmured, and as if to cover her slip, she added with a hint of her usual Slytherin smugness, "Try not to make a habit of running into Slytherins, Potter. People might start to wonder."

Without waiting for a reply, she turned and disappeared into the crowd, though Harry noticed her sneaking one more glance back at him before she vanished completely.

Hermione, having watched the entire interaction, shot a look between Harry and Ron, her brows knitting together. Ron's frown was deeper now, his gaze still fixed on Harry.

"Alright, what is going on with you two?" Hermione finally asked, crossing her arms. "You've both been acting...strange since we got here. And Harry, you didn't even flinch when she ran into you."

Harry shrugged, trying to downplay it. "It's nothing, Hermione," he replied, but even he could hear the forced casualness in his voice. "Just—getting used to being back, that's all." He glanced at Ron, a quick look of understanding passing between them.

But Hermione's gaze didn't falter, her eyes narrowing as if she could see right through them. She could tell there was more to it, but for now, Harry wasn't offering any more details.

"Fine," she said finally, though her eyes were still skeptical. "Let's just get on the train, then."

As they walked toward the Hogwarts Express, Harry caught sight of more than a few curious glances his way from other students. He knew he looked different—stronger, more grown-up—but he wasn't sure he was ready to handle all the new attention. Still, he forced a smile, exchanging a look with Ron as if to say, *We'll get through this*

As they settled into an empty compartment on the Hogwarts Express, Hermione was already deeply engrossed in *Advanced Potions*, her brow furrowed as she scribbled notes in the margins. Ron, on the other hand, was still grinning as he gave Harry a sidelong glance, clearly holding back laughter.