What Does This Feeling Mean

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Three - A Train Ride and a Weakness Revealed

I put on my gloves that I had in my pocket before entering. Stepping onto the train was tougher than I expected. Some younger kids, most likely first years, nearly knocked me over, playing what looked like a game of tag. Soon I was tip toed against a door as the herd of kids from before shot back in. Passing the first open compartment caught my attention, as I saw a young girl sobbing at another girl who was holding something above her head. As was I, a small crowd was gathering to see what was going on. A young blond girl, soaked with tears, was frantically jumping up and down to get what looked like a necklace with a locket, that was in possession of the dark haired girl, who seemed to spin in her own nastiness.

"Come on little girl! I don't think that's going to work!" the one with necklace snorted in laughter, raising her arm higher each time the other jumped. "You're pathetic!"

"Stop please!" The young girl was almost in hysterics. "That's my mothers! Stop!" she gasped, jumping once again. The small group of people in this room laughed and pointed in unison at this sick display. In the corner, sitting by the window was a familiar face, laughing along too.

I looked at the bully and focused. She had been doing this... for a while, and nobody had done anything about it?! The young girl's thoughts now bombarded my head with such sadness and hopelessness.

"Move it!" I snapped at the group in front of me and made a couple of them jump out of their skins. I glared at the ill-bred girl now eyeing me. I walked up to her, and grabbed her wrist with my hand.

"Let it go," I calmly demanded, squeezing my grip.

She scowled at me. "No! I..."

'Let it go!' I screamed in her head, never moving my lips. An appeasing handful of jewelry quickly collected into my awaiting palm. I handed a very grateful girl her necklace back, who promptly thanked me and ran out of the room as fast as her legs could take her. I glanced back to stare angrily at the dark haired girl who still stood with her hand open. I turned and began to walk away.

"Wait! You s-stupid... ugly little... how dare..." her voice stuttered behind me. I quickly circled around, and was standing face to face with her. Fine. If that's how she wants to end this, fine. I unlocked her mind behind her eyes and searched. Hmm, Pansy is her name.

I raised my eyebrow. "I'm sorry, stupid? Ugly?" I put my hand on my chin, dramatically thinking. "Isn't that what... oh yes, Martin said to you?"

I anticipated the look that now rushed over Pansy's face. Tears flooded her eyes, and I turned to the side.

"H-How did you...... Aaaahhhh!" The loud breeze blew by me and down to the end of the car. She ran into the last compartment, quickly emptied by a few students that flew out unwillingly. I wasn't happy with what I had done. Her first crush had called her exactly what she did me, but she couldn't have felt any worse than that of the young girl she had tortured.

I turned to look at the familiar face of Draco Malfoy, who just finished laughing, along with a few others at what had just happened. I flashed my disappointment at his eyes.

"None of that... was funny," I stated, not concerning myself if he cared or not, and walked out.

I started the walk down the car, hearing the dramatic sobs of Pansy down the walkway. The train whistled, and started to move. Three heads were sticking out of a room I approached, and one turned around to greet me.

"Jewel!" Hermione shouted, a little too loud to the likes of Ron.

"Bloody hell woman! That was my ear!" he whined.

I laughed as Hermione ignored him and slid open the door to invite me inside. I thanked them and sat by the window. Harry came and set himself next to me.

"Jewel?" Ron asked, still rubbing his finger in his ear. "Did you see what happened out there? All I heard was screaming, and Parkinson running by. I thought I was going to die laughing!"

I told them what I had seen, and unhappily, what I did.

"Brilliant!" Ron exclaimed, now sitting across from Harry, wearing a huge smile.

"No, none of that was nice," I said looking down.

"Well nice or not, it's still brilliant. Those Slytherin gits don't care who they hurt. It's about time someone told 'em off, especially Pansy. It must be wicked to read people's minds like that!"

"Actually, there are times I can do without it," I voiced, looking down at my hands. "I had to work hard to get to where I could control it. When I saw what good it could do, I welcomed it. Sometimes though, I see things I don't understand, or for that matter, see things I never wanted to see in the first place."

Harry looked at me like he understood everything that I was saying. "I can understand that," he said putting his hand on my shoulder and giving a little rub. "We won't talk about it."

I smiled at his gesture. As open and honest as I was, I wouldn't have minded if they did know. I knew some of me would come out in my classes, and especially in the individual readings. You can't expect someone to open up to you, if your not willing to do the same.

"So Jewel," Hermione began, getting a book from her bag. She pulled out Becoming Powerful: Finding the Magic in You, the textbook of the Divination class for 6th years. "I've read to chapter fifteen, and..."

"Fifteen?!" Ron shrieked, now taking out Hermione's ear. "School hasn't even started yet! Are you that mental?!"

Hermione leaped out of her seat and started to attack Ron from every which way. Harry and I laughed at a crimson faced Ron shouting, "Alright, stop! I'm sorry! Ouch! That hurts!"

After some random conversations, and a few treats from the candy trolley, we all put on our school robes in anticipation of arriving at Hogwarts soon. Harry, Ron, and Hermione put on their Gryffindor Robes over their clothes that shown their house crest of red and gold. My robes however were of lilac and blue, and were slightly tapered to fit my body.

"Whoa," Ron gasped, keeping his mouth open. Hermione saw his expression and gave him a swift punch in the arm.

"Those are nice robes," Harry exclaimed, twirling me around to see it's entirety.

"Thanks!" I said lightly blushing from the reaction. "Madam Malkin couldn't make me student robes yet, so she asked me my favorite colors, and I got this."

Soon we had finally arrived. Harry had told me that I would most likely be going with Hagrid up to the school along with first years to be sorted into a house. He told me he was as nice as they come, and that I couldn't miss him.

It had become dark as I stepped off the train with everyone, and sure enough, the biggest man I had ever seen was calling for first years and transfer students. You could barely see him through all the hair he had on his face. I stepped up to him, and watched as others congregated around me. After a bit, he looked us all over and stopped at me.

"Your Robert's granddaughter right?" he asked me, his bushy cheeks moving up to a smile.

"Yeah, I'm Jewel," I smiled, shaking his very big hand.

"Can't mistake them eyes of yours! Name's Hagrid, and it's been my pleasure to meet ya." He lets go of my hand, but it still felt like it was there, despite my glove.

"It's a ways up to the boats, make sure you stick wit me after we get there," Hagrid announced to all of us and we started for the pier.

I took a few steps forward when someone took my arm and lightly spun me around. It was Draco. He looked around where we were before gesturing me to walk with him. Even as dark as it was, his hair glistened in the dim lights that lined the wooden path to the boats. His eyes shown an amazing glow that was far from the ones I first met.

"That was funny what you did to Pansy," he smirked, raising an eyebrow at the thought.

"No it wasn't."

"Yeah it was."

"No, it wasn't."

"Yes, it was!" He was now laughing.

"No," was all I could say. I had been getting mental pictures of Pansy from Draco, and started to laugh myself. I saw how she always crowded everyone, especially Draco, with her presence. Her howling when she didn't get her way. Basically a self absorbed girl who made everyone's life a living hell, but then I saw something that unexpectedly made my heart sink. I saw Draco kissing her.

"Why do you lead her on if you don't want to be with her?" I asked realizing then that I shouldn't have. "I'm sorry Draco, I shouldn't have looked."

He didn't seem to waver. "You can read minds? Like Occlumency?"

"I can read emotions, but yes, in a way. Everything said or thought runs through an emotion of some kind. My ability is not as intrusive as that though."

We had finally reached the dock where boats were already starting to leave.

"I hope I see you around Jewel," Draco winked and made his way towards a couple of guys who were waiting for him.

I walked over to a small boat waiting in the water. I watched Draco float away to where I couldn't feel him anymore. I got in the boat, and it slowly started to drift toward a huge castle that seemed to be nestled on what looked like island surrounded by the water.

I started to feel uneasy. Once again I had to see the women of yet another guy. I shook my head as the images of every single relationship I had ever been in reawakened. Whether I liked them, or just thought they were cute, once I allowed my mind to open, all of their past relationships would flood into my mind's eye. I once had a rare vision of one guy on his wedding day. Even with my last boyfriend, who I could've fallen in love with, it didn't matter how much I fought. My visions of their passion for someone other than myself were overwhelming. My heart dipped again with the prospect of never being with anyone. It wasn't just the visions that depressed me, I had the other blow. I would never be able to feel the warmth of a loving hand against my own.


TBC...