Harry Potter and the Circle of Oblivion

“Wonder how Neville did on his O.W.L.s,” Ron said, putting Pig's cage in the corner of their cabin on the Hogwart's express a month later. “And no need rubbing it in, Hermione. We all know you got all Outstanding marks on all yours.”

“I didn't say anything. Honestly, you are so insufferable sometimes.” She sat down beside Harry.

Ron had no time for a retort as the door to their compartment slid open revealing the last person any of them wanted to see. “We don't even get five minutes of peace?” Ron sighed angrily.

“Good summer, Potter? I see you didn't find any new friends, ones with a bit better breeding,” Draco Malfoy's poisonous eyes roamed to Ron, “so I guess not.”

Ron had gone after Malfoy plenty of times, but Harry spoke first. “I wonder how many new friends your dad made in Azkaban?” Harry said, anger rising. “Didn't get any kisses, did he?”

Malfoy's face turned almost purple. “I'd watch your back, Potter.” His eyes flashed toward Hermione, “It's a dangerous time for mudbloods and their friends.”

“Should we have another row, Malfoy?” Hermione said from behind a copy of The Daily Prophet, sounding quite bored.

Malfoy's eyes jumped slightly, remembering the time fourth year when Hermione had slapped him fiercely across the cheek. The mark had stayed for hours.

“Get out.” Harry commanded, hand going for his wand. “Now!”

“With pleasure. It stinks in here.” Malfoy's two oafish friends, Crabbe and Goyle, laughed and followed him away.

“Filth!” Ron spat. “And pure evil! One day…” The red in Ron's hair spread rapidly to his face and neck.

“Do you really think Lucius Malfoy is going to get out of jail? They know he was one of the Death Eaters at the Ministry!” Hermione was raging having thrown her newspaper aside as soon as the door was shut.

“I'm surprised he isn't already out. Even Fudge is scared of Malfoy.” Harry said without emotion.

“But it's wrong!” She dared.

“Hermione, since when have things in the Ministry ever been right?” Ron asked. “Honestly, I thought you'd have picked up on that by now.”

“But they know Voldemort is back. Surely they're taking precautions…”

“Precautions or not,” Harry interrupted, “Voldemort will find a way around it. The ones that are going to follow him will come no matter what.”

During the summer, Ron had stopped telling them not to use the Dark Lord's name, but hadn't yet found the courage to say it himself. “Please, can we talk about something else?”

Harry and Hermione agreed gladly and the rest of the train ride to Hogwarts was spent in relative peace with the exception of Neville, Dean and Seamus' trip to their cabin. Hermione had retreated as far into the corner as possible and hidden her face behind an Advanced Arithmancy book. It was hard to concentrate and though she pretended to be reading, she was secretly overjoyed to see them all together that way… even if they'd forgotten she existed.

“Come on, Hermione,” Harry said suddenly, “Eat one of these!”

“No thanks. I feel no need to bark like a seal this afternoon… and you five really needn't eat enchanted beans to be animalistic. One would think those things had lost the novelty after the five hundredth time.” She tried to sound annoyed, but was betrayed by her smile. Harry returned the grin and dove eagerly back into the pile, laughing like a hyena moments later.

“There you are!” Ginny appeared suddenly. “I woke up and Luna had gone off who knows where and Neville's toad was sitting in my lap.” She looked at the boys, “Honestly, it's quite crowded in here. Don't you want to come to my cabin?”

“No,” Hermione said, “It's alright. But stay here if you like.”

Ginny sighed and then laughed as Seamus hooted as if he belonged in the Owlrey. “I suppose it is a bit entertaining.”

***

Before long the train's whistle blew and it moved slowly to a halt. After greeting their friend, Hagrid, the keeper of keys and Care of Magical Creatures Professor, Harry, Hermione and Ron loaded into one of the thestral drawn carriages that carried 5^th-7^th years.

Harry couldn't explain what it was like to be on the grounds again, except to say that it felt as if everything fell into place there. Even when life was terrible at Hogwarts, it was better than anything else he could imagine.

The students began to file through the castle doors toward the Great Hall. Harry, Ron and Hermione joined Dean, Neville, Seamus, Ginny and the other Gryiffindors at the house table. Once the sorting of first years was over (that bloody hat really HAD to start shortening its songs) a vast feast appeared upon each of the house tables as usual. Harry felt as if he hadn't eaten in ages and looked at Ron, who already had a lump of creamed potatoes on his robes.

Once the dessert plates and been cleared, Dumbledore stood and the Great Hall fell silent.

“Hello! And welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I have a few announcements to make. First, be warned that the Forbidden Forest is off limits to ALL students. With things as they are,” His voice turned stern and the students knew he was speaking of Voldemort, “extra measures have been taken to ensure your safety within the grounds of this school. You will not notice all of the ways you are being protected, but rest assured that you are. I would also like to note that any changes in school teams or organizations that were made under Professor Umbridge are revoked except for those that I deem positive influences upon the school.” His gaze drifted momentarily to Harry, seeming to say `The D.A.', as a small cheer arose around the room, “Lastly, I would like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. She has asked me not to say her full name and requests that you all call her… Professor Tonks.”

Harry, Ron and Hermione gasped and then laughed as Tonks stood and gave them a wink. Surely this was one of those `protective measures' Dumbledore had mentioned.

Their stomachs full, the students began to file into their respective towers, the first years lagging behind to watch the moving figures within the paintings that lined the halls and the staircases that occasionally moved to another wall.

“Honestly, come along!” They heard Ginny saying from somewhere behind them, several first years trailing behind her. She'd been made Prefect this year and they laughed as she walked by and stuck her tongue out at them.

“I'm glad that's not me again.” Ron shook his head.

“It's not as if you ever did anything about your duties in the first place, is it Ron.” Hermione followed. She had also been a Prefect.

Harry only smiled. He would never tell Ron that Dumbledore had only withheld the Prefect's position from him because of the weight he carried as `the-boy-who-lived'. Hermione had guessed at it during one of their chats on the roof during the summer and had promised secrecy. She and Harry had only made two trips alone to the top of Grimmauld Place. The first on his birthday and then a week later when she had come out alone to find him lying on the roof, hands behind his head.

“Sorry, Harry. I didn't know you were out here.”

“It's ok.” He spoke, but didn't move.

“See you inside later, then…” She didn't want to invade his privacy and had put a foot back on the stairs when he called her name.

“Stay.”

She knew him well enough to know he wasn't saying it to appease her. He wanted to talk. She had expected another emotional chat about Sirius or Voldemort, and though he had revealed the full extent of his conversation with Dumbledore after the Triwizard Tournament, “I can't believe you yelled at him!” she had gasped, they didn't dwell on the subject, instead falling into gales of laughter, remembering their exploits over the last five years.

They'd spent four hours there that night and Hermione couldn't remember having ever felt lighter.

They'd also shown Ron the passage the next night and for the rest of the holiday it became a secret meeting quarters for the trio to talk away from the adults. It was there that Harry revealed to Ron the same things he had told Hermione about the prophecy.

“What kind of power, mate?” Ron's mouth hung down a mile.

And it was there that Harry had his first, fleeting hint that Hermione was… different.

“Where's Ron?” She was lying on her back, the blanket the three of them kept stashed by the stairs underneath her.

“Showering. Apparently he tried to help his dad paint.” Harry sat down beside her.

“With muggle brushes?” She'd giggled.

Harry laid back, a grin on his face. “Of course.”

“Honestly, I think Ron will be the death of me.”

“I'm assuming that's a good thing, then?” He turned his head to look at her.

Harry had never confronted his friends over what he considered to be their obvious crush on one another, but after this summer the trio was closer than ever and the question felt natural.

Hermione sighed, her gaze still fixed on the night sky. “I know what you mean, Harry. And it was true. Once.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don't have a crush on Ron. Not anymore.”

“Oh.” Harry had whispered, knowing it was none of his business. “But you fight with one another so much I thought…”

“That's because he's such a prat.”

“But…”

“You don't ALWAYS tease the ones you like, Harry. And there's a big difference in 14 and 16.”

“What about Ron? I'm pretty sure…” Harry felt guilty, like he was giving out privileged information.

“We've talked about it.” She turned to look at him, curls caught in the breeze blowing over them, “Well, don't look at me like that.”

“When?”

“The first night we showed him the passage. After you went to bed I decided it was time to have it out. We talked about third year and Viktor Krum and all the bickering and then we tried to kiss and...”

“WHAT!” Harry yelped and Hermione's hand flew to cover his mouth.

“And… we both burst out laughing.” She was on her side now, head propped in her hand and she laughed out loud again, remembering, “Ron just shouted, `It must have been hormones!' and then looked at me and said the sweetest thing I think he'll ever say to me.”

“What's that?” Harry asked, eyes wide.

“Hermione,” she tried to mimic his voice, “I um… well…”

Harry laughed at how well she had his nervous tone down.

She continued, “Bloody hell, you're one of my best friends, but I'd rather just argue with you for the fun of it, not…”

“Not so we can snog.” Ron said, head hung low.

“Ron!” Hermione had started and was now stifling a laugh.

Harry was laughing hysterically, the words, “not so we can snog” coming out when he had a breath.

“Well,” Ron's face shone red and he sat down on the other side of her as she rolled back onto her back between them. “I wasn't really planning on telling that story anytime this century. Thanks, Hermione.”

“Not even to me?” Harry's eyes shown mischievously.

“Yeah, eventually, but come on…bit embarrassing, I'd say.”

“Oh, Ron, it's not that terrible!” She nudged him with her arm and he too reclined back onto the roof.

“So, let me get this straight, you two argue because you LIKE to? Some sort of a weird way to show your affection? Bit daft.” Harry smiled, lifting his head a little so he could see Ron over Hermione.

“Well, I'm not daft,” Ron said, “She is.”

“I wish I could have seen your face…” Harry said thoughtfully.

“Priceless is all I can tell you,” Hermione was still grinning, eyes shining.

“Oh come on! She came storming across the roof after me.” Ron's hand flew into the air, pointing like Hermione often did, “`Ronald! You will not leave this roof until we've had it on!' Scared the daylights out of me. All I wanted to do was go to bed and here I was having a chat about my feelings at two in the morning.”

Harry laughed at the way Ron said feelings.

“Well, we'd never have known, would we, if I hadn't put a stop to all that fighty, flirty nonsense.” She sat up straight to emphasize her point and then laid back down.

“So now you've dropped the flirty and kept the fighty?” Harry played in, realizing how ridiculous the conversation was, but painfully aware of how good it made him feel to talk with his friends like a regular teenager instead of contemplating the next move of a misogynistic mass murder. If only.

“Can we move on to a different subject now?” Ron said painfully. “I think Hermione and I have played this one out quite enough for one summer. Maybe even a lifetime if mercy exists!”

Hermione laughed and looped her arm through Ron's. “Of course. But one day, when some wizard falls madly in love with me, just remember you had your chance!” She playfully, and without realizing it, looked straight at Harry, looping her other arm through his.

And it wasn't that Hermione seemed terribly different that night, but when he thought about it later, Harry always remembered how at ease she'd been and how every time they were together after that made everything he knew into something real.