Harry Potter and the Circle of Oblivion

A/N: Sorry, sorry about the slow updates. I’ve started work again *blech* and have had ZERO time to do this, which pains me greatly. Hopefully once I get in the swing of things I will have my time back to write more! Anyway… another H/HR chapter for ya!

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“What did you mean by it?” It was a week after Christmas and Hermione was standing, arms crossed, at the foot of Harry’s bed.

“Hermione.” Harry squinted, voice hoarse with sleep, “It’s Ron will kill you if you wake him up.”

“He won’t hear me.”

“He won’t?” Harry rubbed his eyes and sat up.

“I’ve put an electus charm on you.”

“A what?”

She sighed, obviously frustrated, “Electus auditor!” She shouted. “Only the person I’m talking to can hear me.”

“When did you learn--”

“What did you mean by it?”

Harry slid on his glasses, trying to speak calmly, “I was asleep when you raged in here, wasn’t I? We weren’t in the middle of a conversation so you’re going to have to tell me what you’re talking about.”

“This journal! So you don’t forget me? What do you mean by that? Because if it’s about Voldemort and you, well, then I don’t accept it. You can take it back.” She shoved the journal at him.

“Hermione,” Harry said confused. “There’s no hidden meaning. It’s just a place to write things down so you don’t forget how you felt when they were happening.” He used her words again, hoping she would understand them.

“Why would you think I’d forget you?”

“I don’t. But not forgetting the things we’ve been through includes me, right? I do recall being present at most of them. Unless that whole Umbridge thing was just a terrible dream.”

“It’s not funny.”

“Hermione.” Harry moved a bit and pulled on her arm so she’d sit down, which she did reluctantly, “Why are you so upset?”

“I thought you were trying to tell me… well…” She seemed flustered, “Sometimes you’re so fatalistic about things. I suppose I might have interpreted it the wrong way.”

“Slightly.” He smiled.

“Shut up!” She swatted at him and he caught her hand.

Harry’s eyes cut into her. “I don’t feel so fatalistic anymore.”

Hermione felt a surge in her chest and looked oddly at the hand holding hers. For a moment, she felt as if she were watching through someone else’s eyes as two people…

“Good.” She cut off her own thoughts.

“Now shouldn’t you go to bed?”

“I’m awake.” She sighed unsure whether or not that statement had been true before he took her hand.

“Well, then let’s go outside.”

“It’s still snowing.”

“Yes.” He tossed back the covers and moved for his jumper.

“And you were sleeping.”

“And now I’m awake. Thank you, by the way, I love an early morning.” He said sarcastically.

“I’m sorry.” She dropped her head.

“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t have wanted you to wait another four hours. Much too late.”

She pushed him playfully as he was stepping into his shoes and he nearly fell over. They both cupped their hands over their mouths to stop the laughter.

“Why are you shushing me!” She laughed, “They can’t even hear me right now!”

Harry chuckled and watched as Hermione murmured an incantation to remove the electus charm.

“Thank you.” He whispered. “Here. So we don’t have to go in yours and Ginny’s room.”

He tossed one of his jumpers at her and Hermione paused for a moment, looking at the sweater like a foreign object. Harry’s jumper. It would surely smell like him. And she had to put it on. This could be disastrous in more ways than one. She sighed and pulled it over her head.

“Come on.” He said.

Hermione glanced back at Ron and tiptoed out behind Harry.

They stole through the house as quietly possible. Harry had once again grabbed for her hand and was looking to either side as they walked, finger to his lips. Hermione thought he looked small, like a little child playing a game of hide and seek.

“Alright.” He said once they’d made it out to the back steps. “Didn’t wake a soul.”

Hermione smiled at him, “And now?”

“We sit.” He motioned to the stairs that led out into the yard.

“There?”

“Hermione.”

“Harry!” She said just as stubbornly.

“Just wait.” They had grabbed two blankets on the way out and Harry began spreading one for them to sit on.

“Why didn’t we go to the roof?” She asked, watching him.

“It’s snowing. These blankets would soak through.” He pointed up, “The house is still covering us here.”

The old stairs were tall and very wide which suited their purpose perfectly. Harry had arranged one of the blankets on the second step so their backs would rest comfortably against the top one. Hermione assumed the other was meant for warmth and sat down, snuggling underneath it.

Harry joined her and his arm went immediately around her shoulders, pulling her closer.

“It’s colder than I thought.” He smiled down at her.

“I love snow.” Hermione said softly, looking quietly up at the sky. “It makes everything so beautiful.”

“I agree.” Harry said, looking at the trees now white with powder. “Would you really have given it back?” He hadn’t averted his gaze.

“Give what back? The journal?”

“Yes.”

“No,” she sighed, “I’d already written in it.”

Harry smiled brightly. “You offered it back, so if I accept, I can read it.”

“The offer has been rescinded.” She nudged him with her elbow.

***

“Ouch! Fred, you don’t have to follow SO closely.” George hissed.

“You said stay close behind.”

“Well right now you are my behind!”

“Fine.” Fred moved beside his brother. “Do you see them yet?”

“No. I guess they’ve gone outside.” George started toward the back door.

“LOOK!” Fred shouted.

“SHHH!!!” George pointed at him then looked out the window. “Blimey!”

Harry and Hermione were huddled so close together that one could scarcely make out the difference in the two. Both of Harry’s arms were wrapped tightly around her and Hermione’s head lay on his shoulder. The twins shouldn’t have been surprised. They knew their friends had become much more affectionate lately – hence the merciless teasing – but this actually looked… real. They’d only been joking.

“What are you two doing?” Ron’s voice sounded behind them and the twins turned abruptly.

“SHHHH!!” They said in unison.

“What is so interesting out there?” Ron walked toward them, taking no pains to be quiet as he ran into one piece of furniture after another.

“Ron!” They said again. “Could you TRY to be quiet just so we don’t wake everyone in ?”

“What’s this about…” Ron reached the window and looked curiously at his two friends, watching as Harry planted a small kiss on the top of Hermione’s head.

“They look rather cozy,” George said, grinning.

“I think there might be something going on there.” Ron said, amazed, looking as if he hadn’t meant to speak aloud.

“You think, ickle?” Fred asked sarcastically and whopped the back of Ron’s head.

***

Harry and Hermione didn’t notice the three red heads and six pairs of eyes resting in the windowsill.

And an hour later, when they went back into the house, Harry left Hermione at her door and disappeared inside his own.

Hermione walked to the bed, unable to stop smiling but not sure why. Nothing had happened. Harry was her friend. That was it. She knew that. And yet, everything seemed altered somehow. She ran a finger across the journal resting at her bedside and lay down, still wearing his jumper.