Harry Potter and the Circle of Oblivion

Ok… two updates in less than 12 hours! And I promise, the H/Hr stuff is coming!!

***

“You’ve never been one for waiting,” Hermione said a few days later when she and Harry were in the midst of one of their walks about the lake. “What’s brought on this sudden rush of self control?”

He shrugged, “Dumbledore is right. If I don’t think about him, he can’t get to me.”

“But, Harry, he’ll come after you anyway. He always does.”

“Fine. Let him. But I refuse to be at his mercy.”

“So it’s a battle of the wills then, you and the Dark Lord?”

“I suppose it is.” He looked back, realizing she wasn’t beside him, “What?”

“You can’t ignore it.”

“Oh, Hermione, I don’t plan to ignore it. I’m more aware of it than you know. Every day.” His hand reached for his scar. “Now, come on, let’s talk about something else, or I’ll be hearing from him whether I want to or not.”

“Alright.” She said slowly. “Just promise me…”

He sighed and crossed his arms, “What?”

“Promise me you won’t… leave yourself unprepared because you don’t want to deal with the enormity of what could be coming.” She let the words scurry out of her mouth as fast as they would go.

“Been dying to say that haven’t you?”

She smiled and Harry felt the hair on his neck stand up, “I’m just worried about you, that’s all.”

“Don’t be.” He slung and arm around her shoulder and continued walking. “Now, please, can we just… not talk about Voldemort?”

Hermione noticed the way Voldemort’s name haunted Harry’s voice and decided it was, perhaps, a good thing that Dumbledore had told them not to spend so much time ‘acting like undercover ministry agents’. She knew the Order was buried deep into whatever this formulating plan was, and that anything the trio needed to know, they would be told. What she didn’t know, was why Harry seemed so content with this course of action.

“Fine. No more.”

“At least not for the moment, right?” Harry tugged her down to sit beside him underneath their tree. Ron was inside serving detention for trying to hex Ginny’s new boyfriend for kissing her in the hallway.

“You just seem so… calm.”

“That wasn’t even a moment!”

“Sorry!” She covered her face in her hands.

Harry laughed and pulled her hands away from her face, holding them by the wrists, his face mere inches from touching hers, “I’m calm because I know we’re fine. All the extra lessons, the Order, the protective spells. I’m not naïve, Hermione, but I’m choosing to be more trusting. That’s all.”

Hermione only nodded, not sure she could speak for the huge lump in her throat. As she expected, Harry didn’t let go of her hand. He released one as he laid his head back against the tree trunk, and held firmly onto the other.

“Does it bother you?” He spoke out into the peaceful silence, “That I have to kill someone?” The question had been in his head since the night he told her about the prophecy.

“I thought we weren’t talking about him?” Hermione tightened her grip on Harry’s fingers.

“We’re not.” He turned his head to look at her, “We’re talking about me. And you.”

“Why would you ask me that?”

“Because I want to know. Does it bother you that your best friend might one day be a murderer?”

She set her gaze and looked through his eyes, “I wouldn’t call that murder. I’d call it justice. And considering there IS a prophecy that says you must, and that the wizard you would kill has terrorized innocent people as well as our friends and family and killed your parents, no.” The answer was very simple and Hermione understood that she’d never thought otherwise.

“You wouldn’t think less of me? The unforgivable curse and all?”

“I can’t think of a person in the wizarding world – or muggle if they knew – that would fault you for using the unforgivable curse just this once.”

“Thanks.” He said simply.

“You’re welcome.” She replied, “Did you honestly think a prophecy would change how I felt about you or our friendship?”

“No. But I had to ask. Ron told me straightaway, coming up with several scenarios of how to accomplish killing him, but you, you never said anything about that part of it.”

“Well, I suppose I knew that his death at someone’s hand would eventually be a part of this anyway. And when you told me the prophecy, well, it only made sense that it should involve you… no matter how much I wish it didn’t. For your sake. It’s not as if you haven’t dealt with enough already.”

“Always ahead of me, Hermione.” He sighed into the cool air.

“Not always.” She said, wondering where his mind really was, as she laid her head on his shoulder, looking out at the lake. “Cho’s been watching you again.” She didn’t know where the words had come from, only that they had been on her mind for weeks.

“That’s an odd thing to say after we just talked about murder.” Harry smirked in spite of himself, “Not feeling any sort of rage toward her are you?”

“I’m changing the subject gracefully.” Hermione smiled, glad Harry couldn’t see the blush on her cheeks.

“I’ve seen her.”

“And?”

“And nothing. I don’t like Cho anymore.”

“Why not?” She lifted her head.

“There are better things out there,” Harry said, watching as a bird glided elegantly along the crystal surface, not noticing Hermione watching him.

***

“Harry!” Ron shouted as he tore into the common room the Monday night before Christmas holidays.

Harry and Hermione had finished early and were sitting on the couch waiting for Ron. He was telling her about his lesson with Dumbledore and drawing lazy circles on the back of her hand as he spoke. Hermione had never been more on edge.

“I did it!” Ron grinned when he saw them. “I conjured my patronus.”

Hermione jumped as if she’d been caught and leaned forward. Ron didn’t notice the way Harry’s hand moved, fingers splayed, to her back. Harry didn’t either. Hermione did.

“You ok?” Ron looked at her curiously, causing Harry to do the same.

“Oh. Yeah. Really, that’s great, Ron!” She said excitedly.

“Yeah,” Harry smiled genuinely. “Pretty amazing, isn’t it?”

“I’ll say. Lupin took me out into the forest. Said it was time for some real training to make me believe in my patronus.”

“So what is it, then?” Hermione asked, scooting away from Harry. “Your patronus?”

“Well, I was a bit nervous about that,” Ron sat down in a chair across from them, “But… wait a minute.” He looked at Hermione, eyes serious, “I’m not telling you! You won’t even tell me and Harry what animagus you are!”

“Oh, honestly, Ron, aren’t you over that yet?” She spit back.

“No! We’re supposed to be together in this, but you won’t tell!”

Harry rolled his eyes, “Do we have to have this fight again?”

“Yes. She’s being stubborn and you know it! I’ve heard you say it.” Ron raised a hand in the air.

“I never said she wasn’t being stubborn, but we know she’s not going to te--”

“You’re right!” She stood up, Harry’s hand falling to the couch. “I’m not going to tell you. Especially not now!”

“Hermione…” Harry started.

“What, Harry? He’s insufferable AND insensitive. A winning combination. The way he flits about in the hallway striking hexes off at boys for liking his sister. The way he’s so incredibly sensitive to others. Any girl would be lucky!”

Ron’s eyes grew wide. “Hold on! What does that have to do with anything? You’re in the wrong here, Hermione. And a bit jumpy if you ask me!”

“Congratulations on being perceptive, Ronald. 10,000 points to Gryffindor!” She turned and stormed off toward the girls’ dormitory.

Ron looked wide-eyed at Harry, “What the bloody hell was that all about?”

Harry’s narrowed eyes were still staring after their friend, “I’m not sure.”

“Well, whatever it is, she’s being ruddy stupid.”

“Ron.”

“What?” Ron’s mouth fell open in recognition, “She’s told you, hasn’t she? She’s told you what her animagus is! I knew it! You two are always telling secrets, walking around the grounds with your heads together like bloody Siamese twins! Well, fine! That’s just quite--”

“Will you shut up! She hasn’t told me anything about it!” And Harry suddenly wondered why Hermione hadn’t shared it with him.

“Oh.” Ron said quietly. “Sorry…”

“No matter.” Harry said quickly, wanting to pacify the situation, “Why don’t you tell me about your patronus.”

Ron brightened, “You’ll never guess what it is!”

“A spider?” Harry tried not to laugh.

“Very funny. Git.” He shoved at his friend, “No! It’s a bloody boar!”

“A pig?”

Ron sighed, “A boar!! Still a bit disappointing isn’t it? Having some ruddy pig running at you, snorting, in a flash of silvery light?”

“I think it’s brilliant.”

“You do?”

“Yeah.”

“Lupin said the boar has been the symbol of the warrior since ancient times.” Ron said proudly.

“Only bit of history you’ll ever remember isn’t it?” Harry smiled.

“You might be right.”

***

The argument between Hermione and Ron seemed nastier than the ones before and ended only when Harry informed them over breakfast one morning that everyone would be congregating at for the Christmas holidays.

“Still not allowed to the Burrow, then.” Ron said crankily. “Sorry, Harry, I know Grimmauld is your house and I like it there, but...”

“No,” Harry said honestly, “I miss the Burrow, too.”

“So do but you’ll be back there soon, Ron. I know it.” She patted him reassuringly on the shoulder and with that the rift was over. “I’ll have to go home for a few days to see my parents,” Hermione announced, “But I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“How many times have you actually seen your parents in the last six years, Hermione?” Ron said, suddenly aware of how often she was with them during holidays.

“I’ve gone home every Christmas, Ron, or haven’t you noticed.” She watched his face, “Apparently not. I’m glad to know I have such a lasting impression on you!”

Ron recovered quickly, “No, no. It’s just you’re so much a part of us, I just always think you’re there.”

Harry laughed at the tone in Ron’s voice and Hermione tried not to smile, “That’s a terrible cover up for being completely unaware, but I’ll accept it.”

***

By the late afternoon, Hermione was packed and ready to go. Since Harry and Ron weren’t leaving until the next morning, they had, of course, packed nothing.

“What on earth have you got in here, your entire book collection?” Ron panted as he lugged one of her bags down the stairs.

“No.” Hermione held Crookshanks and was leading the way, “Only a few small books for some holiday reading.”

“Right.” Ron said as he reached the main entrance, “So only the 800 or so page ones.”

Harry laughed and received a pointed look from Hermione. “It was funny!” He said, dragging her other bag behind him.

They stopped in the vast hallway, feeling very small inside the nearly empty castle. “Well,” Hermione looked between them, “In a few days, then.”

“Yeah, a few days.” Ron repeated and tugged on her scarf. “Careful.”

She smiled at his brave show of affection, “I will be.” Her eyes turned to Harry.

“Christmas night?” He asked.

“Yes, Christmas Eve with my family and Christmas night with… my other family.”

Harry moved forward and hugged her tightly, squeezing Crookshanks between them as Hermione moved one arm around his neck.

“Stay on the lookout.” He whispered into her ear.

“Always.”

Harry pressed a kiss onto her cheek before releasing her, “Alright, then,” he smiled, “Go on.”

He and Ron followed her outside as she loaded into a carriage with Seamus, Lavendar and Parvati. The four of them waved back until the carriage was too far away and Ron and Harry returned inside.

“I felt like I was interrupting something,” Ron said slowly, “Back there with you and Hermione. Something you want to tell me?”

“No.” Harry felt his face growing warm, “Don’t be stupid.”

“Fine, mate. But just so you know, it’s not going unnoticed.” He looked sideways at his friend, “By anyone.”