If Blood Weren't Thicker Than Water...

Chapter 5: Love In Bloom

So as has become my routine, I have started off this chapter with a slight recap from the last chapter.  It not only helps you to remember what happened in the previous chapter (this is a subtle apology for my inconsistent updates), but it also helps me to make the chapters flow on from each other a bit better.  So anyway, enough preamble, I will continue with the chapter...oh and it would be lovely if you could vote or review...;) 

Chapter 5: Love In Bloom

31st July - The Next Morning

Caia awoke the next morning when someone started poking her repeatedly in the side.  She swatted at the hand, expecting it to be Carl Yates coming to wake her up.  When the voice spoke, reprimanding her for hitting their hand, it was not the deep, male voice she had grown used to but the slightly higher pitched voice of a boy.

"Hey, don't attack me, I was told to come and wake you," said the voice and her eyes shot open to see a shortish boy with glasses and black hair and even a peculiar lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead.  Even at first glimpse of each other, a sense of recognition shot through them both and Caia gasped as she felt some sort of invisible force drawing her towards the boy in front of her.

"Harry Potter," she whispered, remembering the name from a prior conversation with Carl Yates.

"Caia Riddle," he breathed in reply.

Caia's Room at the Leaky Cauldron

It was like the whole world had stopped.  Both the children in the room just sat there staring at each other, barely breathing.  Caia could barely remember how to properly formulate words and she kept opening and shutting her mouth in what must have been a very accurate goldfish impression.  When her brain had finally reconnected with her tongue she spoke at last.

"How do you know my name?" she asked, saying the first thing that came into her mouth.

"I don't know," the boy replied, looking vaguely puzzled.  "I'm sure I've seen you before though, and I could direct the same question at you?"

"Carl told me that you'd be coming to Diagon Alley with me and Hagrid," she explained.

"Carl?" asked Harry.

"He was my headmaster at my muggle school," Caia smiled at the boy in front of her, instantly feeling safe there with him.  "Did you go to a muggle school too?  Carl told me it wasn't normal for witches and wizards."

"Yeah I did," he said.  "I didn't even know I was a wizard until my eleventh birthday...Hogwarts kept trying to send me letters but my aunt and uncle wouldn't let me read them."

"I only found out recently too!" Caia beamed at him but then a thought struck her and her smile faltered slightly.

"What is it?" Harry asked, concerned.

"Well I'm worried I won't make any friends at Hogwarts.  I-I've never fit in anywhere," she bit her lip and stared at the ground, ashamed.  Harry reached out and touched her arm gently, shivering at the jolt of electricity that shot down his arm as their skin connected.

"You're going to be fine Caia," he stated confidently, and he was surprised to find that he meant it.  "Even if we make no other friends at Hogwarts, we'll have each other, I promise.  We're both in the same boat here and I promise that I'll never let you feel alone."  Caia looked up, blushing at the intensity and sincerity of his words.

"You really mean it?" she asked, smiling tentatively as the small, dark haired boy in front of her slowly quashed all of her fears.

"I promise," he said nodding his head and then did something he'd never done before - he put his arms around her and hugged her.  Caia was shocked at first but responded quickly, wrapping her arms around him too.

Ok so I know this chapter is short and probably a little disappointing to any of you who have been waiting for me to update but I really have been incredibly busy these past few weeks and I personally felt as if writing any more in this chapter would ruin it a bit as that just seemed to be where the chapter naturally ended for me.  I may not get another chapter out until after the 8th October now as I have a massive project due in for then but my updates should be more frequent after that, and I hope this will keep you all happy until then.  Anyway, I really would appreciate it if you'd read and maybe give me a vote or a review if you like it as it really does inspire me to keep writing and update a little quicker for all of you.  Anyway I'll go now, so read and enjoy!  :)