A giant snake was attacking the students?!!"

It was the summer holidays and I was catching up on my second year events with my parents.

"But dear, surely this is a terribly dangerous situation to be put in?! You are only thirteen years old and we were not informed!"

"Oh Professor Dumbledore was not concerned, and Harry managed to sort it again."

It was true, after Ron's little sister, Ginny, unintentionally opened the Chamber of Secrets and was captured, Harry had to go on a rescue mission where he destroyed a great big snake and brought Ginny back. It turned out it was all the cause of the Malfoy's after Draco's father had slipped Ginny a dangerous dark object during their trip to Diagon Alley last summer. Luckily I had the fortune of missing that particular encounter in Flourish and Blotts.

Of course Draco Malfoy was somehow behind it. If not knowingly. His family sounded bad. There were rumours that Draco's father once followed Voldemort. The Malfoy's were definitely bad news.

After the Mudblood incident on the Quidditch pitch last year, Draco went back to acting like I didn't exist. Although sometimes I got the feeling that he was glaring at me behind my back whenever I was in the Slytherin common room. He was definitely my least favourite Slytherin, and this was including Pansy Parkinson. I could feel the hatred flowing off of him and to be honest it scared me a bit. I felt very uncomfortable being anywhere near him.

The plan this year was to meet in Diagon Alley again and this time I was to get to stay in the Leaky Cauldron. Because my parents were off on holiday for the last week of August I was allowed to be dropped off for the week, under the arrangement that Tom the inn keeper will look out for me until the Weasley's arrive. I was very excited.

My room at the Leaky Cauldron was very homely with a comfortable-looking bed, some highly polished oak furniture and a cheerfully crackling fire.

Once I had unpacked my belongings I decided to go and explore. As I stepped out of my room I nearly collided into someone. Someone I recognised and someone I was very pleased to see - "Harry!"

I pulled him in for a hug not quite being able to believe he was here already.

"What are you doing here? What about your aunt and uncle? How was your summer?" Harry laughed as I fired questions at him.

"Calm down Rosie! I came here on the Knight bus after a small incident with another aunt - it's all OK, though," he added hurriedly seeing my worried expression. "Fudge has allowed me to stay here until school starts so it looks like you have a companion. I hope you don't mind." He blushed slightly and I giggled.

"Of course not, silly! This is awesome! So much better than having no one to talk to!"

And so I ended up having the best week of the holidays ever, enjoying the delights of Diagon Alley with Harry Potter. Everyday we sat outside Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour enjoying the occasional free sundae from Florean himself whilst we helped each other with homework and sometimes just chatting, watching the world go by. Harry loved to drag me over to Quality Quidditch Supplies where he would ogle at the new broomstick, the Firebolt, through the window until I would drag him away through protests.

On our fifth day, Harry and I had just stepped out of Flourish and Blotts after purchasing our school books (including a very scary monster book for Care of Magical Creatures - luckily Harry had already got his so knew how to handle it) and I heard Harry suddenly hiss at something that had caught his eye across the road.

I followed his glare and saw a gaggle of Slytherins. I instantly recognised the shock of white-blonde hair first, which, unmistakably belonged to Draco Malfoy and, to my horror, a dark haired girl had her arms draped all over him. Pansy Poxy Parkinson.

"Great." I muttered. "My two least favourite Slytherins are now a couple."

"It makes you want to throw up doesn't it." Harry said dryly as I shivered in disgust.

"Come on, let's get out of here." I said grabbing Harry's arm and leading him away. I did not want to be reminded of what greeted me when I arrived back at Hogwarts.

"I'm sorry," sighed Harry later when we arrived back at the Leaky Cauldron for dinner. "It must be so difficult for you having to endure them everyday at school in such close proximity."

I shrugged my shoulders heavily, "It's OK. Knowing I've got you, Hermione and Ron as friends helps keep me sane." I smiled warmly up at Harry, suddenly feeling so blessed to have such kind and caring friends.

"Well you know what?" Harry said suddenly sitting up straight and looking me in the eyes. "In my eyes you are a Gryffindor because you are so damn brave walking into that Slytherin common room every night and putting up with their taunts. I don't think I could ever cope with that."

Harry reached over and squeezed my hand from across the table and I gratefully squeezed back, knowing I could face anything with Harry Potter by my side.

***