Harry bit his lip. It was a gesture that was so out of character most people would have wondered if he wasn't some kind of imposter who had polyjuiced himself as Harry. He had picked up this particular expression from Lisa Crawft.
"So you guys aren't afraid of me after... after what happened back there?" He knew they had been afraid of what he did back there. Harry had seen the fear in their eyes. Even Daphne had flinched when he looked at her. He was sure they would not have wanted anything to do with them after witnessing how violent he could be.
"Well, it was kind of scary," Lisa admitted, biting her thumb. "I mean, seeing all that stuff you did to Malfoy, it was really scary." Harry winced. "But I don't think you would do something like what you did to Malfoy to us. I don't think we have anything to fear from you."
Harry perked up a bit. He didn't want to get too hopeful, but, well, it was a bit hard not to be. For all his ambition, intelligence and maturity, Harry was still just a twelve year old boy.
Even if he refused to admit it.
"And... all of you feel this way?"
Surprisingly, it was Susan who stepped forward. She managed to squeeze herself into the compartment and moved over to sit next to Harry. It was a very bold move for Susan, who was perpetually shy thanks to her inferiority complex.
"Do you remember at my Aunty's house, when you spoke with me about how I shouldn't worry about living up to my Aunty's name?" Harry nodded, wondering where this was going. "You helped me so much back then." Susan blushed, but doggedly continued speaking before she could lose her nerve. "Your words made me realize I was trying to live up to my Aunty's reputation instead of trying to be my own person. You helped me so much, and I don't think you truly realize how much those words meant to me. How could I ever be afraid of someone who has helped me so much?"
Harry stared at the girl in mild astonishment. Out of all the people here, he had assumed she would have been one of the people who would have feared him the most after his display. Yet here she was, telling him that she did not fear him for what he did.
He had really underestimated Susan. He vowed not to do so again.
"And... and I'm not the only person you've helped either..." By now, Susan's face had grown quite red. It was clear she was beginning to lose what confidence she had. Thankfully, there were other people capable of stepping in and speaking up in her place.
"All last year you helped me out," Neville could not fit into the nearly filled up compartment so he had to stand by the door. "My grades are only as good as they are because you helped me with my homework and spellwork. I feel better about myself than I ever have before because you've been helping me become someone I can be proud of. You even helped me with Malfoy last year, just like you helped protect Daphne, Hermione, Lisa and Tracey today."
"You saved me from that troll last year," Hermione added. "I would have been dead if you hadn't been there. You didn't have to save me, but you did anyways, and you ended up getting terribly injured because of it."
"I could talk about how you saved us all from the Dark Lord," Hannah added from where she stood behind Neville. "But thinking about what happened at the end of last year still gives me the chills."
"As it should," Blaise added. He looked over at Harry. "I wasn't even there when it happened, but I remember watching as you were laid out on a hospital bed. It wasn't a pretty sight."
"And don't forget," Tracey added with a grin. "You bought me a new broom. That right there makes you the most awesome person I know."
Hermione sighed.
"We all try to give Harry proper encouragement and what do you do? Mention the broom he bought you for Christmas."
Daphne shook her head.
"Smooth, Trace. Real smooth."
"Ugh," Tracey's shoulder slumped dejectedly. "Hush up, both of you."
"I don't really have much to add," Terry shrugged his shoulders as if the say 'sorry' when everybody looked at him. "But I don't really think I need to. You're pretty much the reason we're all here. If you hadn't shown up, I doubt any of us would have become friends. We would have probably stuck with the people in our own House, rather than try to branch out and make friends in other Houses."
As each of Harry's friends gave him their support, Harry's eyes locked onto Daphne. The girl had not spoken since her sarcastic remark, but the look she was giving him was more than enough. It was the same look he had seen that day after they had gone shopping for school supplies, that expression of warmth where the ice chips that made up her eyes seemed to melt and allow her true self to appear from beneath her icy demeanor. Where that soft smile on her utterly kissable lips made his knees feel slightly weak.
Harry concluded that it was a very good think he was sitting down.
"Thanks guys."
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