Harry Potter and the United Power

Author Note: Hi everyone. I haven't had this chapter beta'd yet as it appears my beta has disappeared. So I'll try and get this beta'd soon and reposted it. Anyway I'm posting it up because I know it's been ages since I've posted a chapter. So yeah I hope you enjoy it.

Gemma

Chapter 3

“So what do you think is up with Harry?” Harry heard a voice say from behind the door as he reached his second-floor bedroom.

“Oh, I don't know. Maybe if we give him some time he'll come to his senses and decide to stay,” a girl's voice replied. Harry wanted to hear what his two best friends thought of his idea so he decided to wait in the hall for a little while.

“Do you think he really means it?” Ron asked. “You know, about leaving Hogwarts. Do you think he'll really do it?”

“Well, you know Harry; I've never known him to turn down an idea simply based on what someone says to him,” Hermione answered. “I hope he stays, though. I'd miss him terribly if he left. I just wish there was something we could say to him that would make him stay.”

“Yeah, me too… I want him to stay. He's my best friend, and he's helped me out a million times,” Ron paused, then finally announced, “Hey! Maybe there is something you can tell him to make him stay.”

“What?”

“Well, you could always tell him… well, you know, how you fell about him… you know, that you -”

“Ron I can't tell him that!” Hermione snapped, stopping him from finishing his last sentence.

“Why not?”

“I just can't, Ron, so drop it!” she yelled, storming out of the room. Harry reacted just in time and headed back to the stairs, seeming as though he'd only just arrived.

Hermione was so angry, she ran straight into him before realising he was there. “Hello, Harry,” she said bitterly, continuing down the steps to her bedroom.

“Everything alright?” Harry called after her.

“Ask Ron!” she shot back.

Harry walked into the room and flopped down on his bed. “What's wrong with Hermione?” he asked. Ron turned to look at him.

Ron's ears turned slightly pink. “Oh, it's nothing mate. You know how girls are always getting annoyed about nothing.”

Harry wondered what Ron had meant when he was talking to Hermione - about her feelings towards him. How could that be? Hermione didn't have any romantic feelings towards him. Did she? “Well, she seemed pretty upset. Maybe you should go talk to her.”

“Nah, she just needs some time to cool off. I just said something to her she didn't like. She'll forget about it in a bit,” Ron told him.

“I suppose so,” Harry said and turned to grab some of his school books from his trunk. “Have you done any of this work yet?” Harry asked holding up his transfigurations textbook.

“No! You know me, Harry. Always leaving things to the last minute, as Hermione puts it,” Ron answered.

“Do you wanna work on it together? I was gonna ask Hermione to help me, with it but she seems pretty ticked off at the moment.”

“Why do you care, anyway?” Ron asked. “I thought you weren't coming back.”

“I might not, but I never said I was gonna stop practicing magic, did I?” Harry retorted.

“I suppose not, but it'll be a bit hard to practice in the muggle world, now won't it? Especially if you intend to stay at the Dursley's.”

“Who said I'd stay with them?” Harry demanded. “You think I'd go back there by choice? You gotta be joking, mate.”

“Where you gonna stay then?”

“Maybe I'll stay at Arabella's.”

“She'd let you stay?”

“She'd have to.”

“How do you figure?”

“Well, I doubt Dumbledore is gonna let me wander the streets on my own, whether I chose to go back or not. So seeing as I have no intention of going back to the Dursleys, I either stay with Arabella or I guess maybe I could stay at the Leaky Cauldron.”

Ron was surprised. He'd thought that this was a crazy idea of Harry's; he had no idea he'd actually thought it out. Was he going to lose his best friend after all? “Are you really gonna leave?”

Harry sighed. “I don't know, Ron.” He began to flip through his Transfigurations book. “It's all so complicated. I don't want to leave you guys, but I don't want to hurt you either. I just don't know what to do…” Harry tried to explain, but nothing seemed to come out right. “You wouldn't understand, Ron,” Harry eventually finished.

That hurt. “Well, I don't know what it's like for you, Harry, but Hermione and I are just trying to be here for you if you finally decide you want to talk to us.” Ron turned his back to him and pulled out his own transfigurations book. The two boys set to work on their transfigurations homework however soon Harry got frustrated and decided he needed a walk.

Harry left Ron and went wandering around the house. He had no idea where he was heading however when he reached the first floor he heard the sound of someone crying. He walked towards the sound and soon realised it was coming from the girl's room. When he walked into the room he found Hermione sitting in the middle of the room crying. “Ah, is everything all right Hermione?” Harry asked as he walked into the room and went to sit beside her.

“Oh, yes, I'm fine Harry. Just a little annoyed at something Ron said,” she mumbled under her tears.

“You don't seem fine,” Harry joked but noticing that he wasn't going to get any reaction from her he continued. “Do you want to tell me what happened?” he asked her.

They sat in silence for a while and Harry moved over to her and put his arm around her “look I don't know what happened between you two but I'm sure Ron didn't mean for it to hurt you so much,” Harry finally said, and when he realised that she wasn't going to tell him anything he continued, “I was just speaking to Ron and I don't think he meant for it to hurt you or anything. Maybe if you talk to him you can work it out. You two have always worked things out before.”

Harry held her for a little longer and then seeing that she wasn't going to say anything he began to release his hold on her, however as he did Hermione finally did speak. “I don't want you to leave,” she said to him.

Harry having assumed she just meant the room said “Okay well do you want to tell me what happened.”

Hermione laughed at that. “I didn't mean that. I meant I don't want you to leave Hogwarts.”

“Oh,” Harry said feeling slightly embarrassed. “Well I haven't decided if I will leave yet. I mean Dumbledore told me that other prophecy and I don't know whether it is a good idea for me to leave. I don't want anyone else to get hurt but it seems death is at every path, and I can't avoid it.”

Hermione was quite for a bit longer and then she finally asked. “Why do you want to leave?”

“I don't want to leave Hermione. I just think it's better for everyone if I do leave,” Harry answered.

“What do you mean? I'd hate for you to leave us, I don't care what that prophecy says I don't want you to lose contact with us over it.”

“Hermione I don't know if I'll leave. It seems either way people will die but I'd rather not lose you. I just don't know what is best anymore. Everyone seems to think I should stay but I don't know if it's the best thing, I mean I'd rather not lose you if it can be helped,” Harry attempted to explain.

“What do you mean, `lose me'?” she inquired.

“Ah, well just that. If I do what everyone wants I'm likely to lose the people I love most, and I don't want that I'd rather die than have that happen.”

Hermione looked up at him when he said that. What did he mean by that? She wondered. Did he mean that he loved her?

“Look I don't know if I'll leave yet. Dumbledore will tell you the prophecy tomorrow night. Tell me what you think when you hear it. I trust your judgement, and this decisions too hard for me to make on my own,” Harry said and got up to leave.

“Can't you tell me the prophecy?” she asked.

Harry turned back. “No, I can't. At least not yet, I'm not ready too,” he told her and left.