A/N: Insert standard disclaimer here J I am not JK Rowling, I own none of this.
Just wanted to mention a few things, I read all of your reviews! If anyone has occasion to want to chat my AOL is NCST8Grads and my Yahoo is VicariousLeigh1002. If I'm online, feel free to say hi! I am updating here as I submit the chapters on FA-so you might be a bit quicker to read it here as it takes a little more time to get through FAs mods.
I hope you enjoy the next installment and I hope to have chapter 5 up within a week.
On with the show!!!
Chapter 4 - A Surprising Journey Home
The next morning was bustling with the activity of four students trying to get packed, fed, ready, and transported to Kings Cross by the eleven o'clock train to Hogwarts. On more than one occasion Ginny had reduced herself to screaming at Ron to get out of the bathroom so she could finish packing.
"Ronald Weasley! What in the name of Merlin's beard could be taking you so long?" Ginny bellowed from outside the locked door.
"Excuse me, oh ye who shall spend no less than 45 minutes fixing thy hair," Ron's muffled voice resounded from behind the door.
"I promise if you don't get out of there right now Ron…" Ginny continued, now resigned to pounding on the door.
"Can't you just use some charm or something to get your hair to do that twisty thing that takes so long? I thought you were a witch Ginny!" He scoffed, still secure behind the locked door.
Ginny let out a growl that reverberated with pure frustration.
"It amazes me you're intelligent enough to remember to breathe Ron! I am a witch…a witch who is not at Hogwarts and therefore can't use magic!" The last part of her tirade spilled from her mouth with such speed and resonance it was nearly impossible to understand what she had said at all.
Harry chuckled quietly from the security of Ron's room. He had narrowly dodged Ginny's last outburst as she was clamoring to separate her freshly laundered robes from Hermione's. While he was quite content Ron had been the target of the final meltdown, he was secretly concerned. Fred and George once commented on the ferocity of Ginny's bat bogey hexes, and Ministry reprimand or not, he couldn't help but think if Ron didn't comply with her demands soon he would likely be boarding the train as some smaller, chirpier, and likely furrier version of himself.
Harry finished packing his trunk and waited for Ron to emerge from the bathroom. He was quite well-assured that the smell of Mrs. Weasley's muffins, now floating up the stairs, would get Ron out of the bathroom much faster than any tirade Ginny could produce. He wasn't wrong.
They padded down the stairs together, Harry secretly playing with the velvet box now hidden securely in his jacket pocket. They arrived in the kitchen to find Hermione and Mrs. Weasley chatting in the kitchen with Arthur Weasley.
They were discussing the trip to King's Cross Station. Apparently, Mr. Weasley had arranged for a car from the Ministry of Magic, not neglecting to remind Ron and Harry why they couldn't use the Ford Angela.
"I would take you in the Angela if it wasn't running around the forbidden forest at Hogwarts…I just can't remember how that came to be…Ron? Harry? Perhaps you remember?" He added spryly.
"I remember the howler from mum," Ron said loud enough for only Harry to hear. The two of them chuckled softly over their bacon and Harry looked up to see Hermione smiling brightly. If she didn't hear Ron's comment, by the look on her face she knew exactly what he'd said. Harry tried to keep his mind on breakfast, but he quickly chanced another glance across the table. Hermione was dressed in a pair of faded jeans and well-fitting white sweater. She had her hair pulled up in a clasp and swirling tendrils cascaded across the nape of her neck like a mysterious mocha waterfall. If she was wearing any make-up at all, Harry didn't notice. What he did notice was the sheen of her lips, undoubtedly enhanced by that fruity muggle lip gloss he'd heard Hermione and Ginny rave about.
Merlin, how he'd like strawberries with his toast.
Maybe it's not strawberry at all. Perhaps it's peach, or raspberry. Maybe it's…
"Harry! I asked if these were yours or not?" Mrs. Weasley demanded holding up a worn pair of socks.
Harry was abruptly drawn from his thoughts and prayed there was no way the color in his cheeks could betray the intent of his ruminations.
"Oh, yeah, sorry. I figured I would give those to Dobby," he said smiling and taking the socks from Mrs. Weasley. She turned on a heel to return to the laundry and without even thinking, Harry got up to follow her. There was something he wanted to rectify before he left the Burrow.
"Mrs. Weasley?" Harry said quietly entering the laundry room behind her.
"Yes dear, what is it?" she replied without looking away from the wash.
"I just wanted to thank you for letting me stay here so long this summer. I have really enjoyed it," He said sincerely, although still avoiding the real reason he came to speak with her. "Listen. There's something else," he turned quietly to close the door behind him. "Everything you said…well, it's true," he stammered.
Mrs. Weasley finally turned to look at him and the first smile he'd seen from her in weeks crossed her face.
"I'm sorry if I did or said anything to make you upset with me…you're…well, you're the closest thing to a mother I've ever had…and I…" He never finished the sentence. Mrs. Weasley had grabbed him and pulled him into a near bone-crushing hug. When she finally let him go, and Harry could catch his breath, he noticed tears in her eyes.
"Harry, you know you are a part of our family. If you ever need anything, you just send me an owl!" she said smiling.
"Okay." Harry smiled and turned to the door.
"Oh, and Harry," she continued, "It's about time."
Harry returned to Ron's room to get his trunk feeling happier than he had in weeks.
***
"Car is here!" Mr. Weasley's voice bellowed up the stairs. The house was soon filled with the trampling footsteps and the clunking of luggage being pulled down the staircase. Pig appeared to be near cardiac arrest his excitement was so great. Hedwig looked statuesque, no doubt trying to impress upon Pig how he should be acting. Crookshanks hopped after one last gnome in the backyard and darted off toward the car.
They had less people to transport to King's Cross this term and Harry figured that was why this car seemed to be smaller than those they had used in the past. He was the last one to complain. He had the distinct pleasure of being crammed in the backseat next to Hermione. While they all carried on in their usual manner, he never once neglected to remember, or relish in the fact, the only way to travel comfortably was to have Hermione squashed against him with his arm around her. If he had the opportunity, he would've ridden all the way to Hogwarts like this.
The dull pain in his ribcage didn't even bother him. He knew the velvet box he had hidden in his jacket pocket was causing it.
I'm telling her on the train.
Are you going to give her that audaciously expensive trinket in your pocket?
I might.
You might cause her to have a stroke!
What do you mean?
I mean, you idiot, you bought a ring! In most western civilized cultures women see rings as a sign of engagement!
Gods, I hadn't thought of that!
That's why you need Hermione to help you with virtually every subject at Hogwarts. You're not the brightest wizard that ever rode a broomstick.
Sod off.
Careful Harry, you're talking to yourself again.
Approaching schizophrenia or not, he hadn't been this happy since that first day at the Burrow. He'd conceded the battle in his head and felt much lighter the second he did so. Though he suddenly did have second thoughts about giving her the ring, for once in his life, he was going to forget logic and do something to make him happy. He was going to tell her how he felt.
The group commenced with the required parting ritual and soon was off to find a vacant compartment on the Hogwarts Express. As they had arrived a bit early, it didn't take much time. Ron, Ginny, Harry, and Hermione flopped into the cushioned seats and began to make themselves comfortable for the long journey.
Harry continued the same silent ritual he'd started the night before. He must've told Hermione how he felt 439 ways since last night. Each time he planned his speech a little differently. Each time he edited and re-edited his sentiments to find the perfect words. Somewhere in the back of his head he knew, when the time came, he'd most likely end up sounding like Grawp.
Now he needed to devise a plan to get her alone. He certainly was not doing this in front of Ron and Ginny.
They had been traveling nearly an hour when the opportunity seemed to present itself. Ginny had already left to find some of her friends and Harry's heart lurched into his throat as soon as Ron began to speak.
"Where is that blasted witch with the snack trolley?" Ron scoffed.
"Ron! You just had breakfast!" Hermione said flabbergasted.
"I'm a growing boy Hermione! I need sustenance. I need chocolate frogs!" Ron said brightly. "I'm going to find the woman and speed her up a bit." As he turned to slide the door open Harry realized the time had come. They were about to be alone in the compartment. He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe; his heart was pounding.
It took him a moment to realize the jolt to his system, in part, came from the train as it lurched forward unexpectedly.
"Ah!" Hermione screamed as she flopped off the seat sprawling books everywhere. A familiar looking piece of parchment landed at Ron's feet.
"Oh, what have we here?" Ron said playfully. "This wouldn't be one of the 4,000 letters you got over the summer would it?"
"Ronald Weasley you give that back now!" Hermione hissed. She jumped off the floor and tried to snatch it from Ron's hand. However, Ron had always been the tallest of the three and Hermione stood no chance of getting that letter back until Ron was done tormenting her. To Hermione's obvious shock, he started to unroll the parchment.
"Ron, don't you dare!" She screamed, still jumping at his hand. Harry didn't move to help Hermione in the slightest. He was dying to know what she'd been writing about all summer.
"Dear Hermione…" Ron began.
"NO! Stop it now!" Hermione yelped hysterically. Ron assuaged her a bit by appearing to read the letter only to himself. But his expression changed as he skimmed down to the bottom.
"Hermione! I can't believe you're still writing to this git!" Harry thought he fell onto the floor this time.
She hasn't been writing to her mom. Who's she been pouring her heart out to for all these weeks?
"Krum? Vicky?" He scoffed.
"Don't call him Vicky!" Hermione retorted finally snatching the letter out of his hand and dropping back into the seat. Harry was in enough shock to not notice the concerned glance Hermione shot him while stuffing the letter back into her bag. Harry only knew one thing; he had to get out of that compartment now.
"Excuse me," he said sliding the door open and quickly leaving the room.
He was completely deflated. It all suddenly made sense to him. It made a terrible, sickening sense to him, but this was a far more logical conclusion than any he'd come up with thus far. Anytime the situation between them had gotten tense she ran off to write another novel. He felt sure if he'd had the ring then it would've glowed purple, the color of guilt.
Last night when he saw the ring glowing brilliant red, she'd been writing to him!
She doesn't love me at all! She loves Krum!
Well, honestly Harry, you don't think she'd show up all decked out for the Yule Ball for someone she didn't like. He's handsome, he's famous, and he's a World Cup Quidditch player!
She doesn't even like Quidditch.
Yeah, well she likes him. Seriously, Harry! You're her best friend. How's she supposed to know that after one flying lesson at the Burrow you're suddenly madly in love with her. Get real Potter!
Shut it. Besides, it wasn't sudden.
Wasn't sudden? One minute you're her friend, the next you're daydreaming about the highlights in her hair and how she smells. We're not even going to discuss your foray into the flavor of her lip gloss this morning. What were you thinking?
I don't know what I was thinking.
Obviously.
How could he be so thick? He found a quiet spot in the baggage car and slid down the wall trying to make sense of his own emotions. Truth be told, that annoyed voice in his head was right. His change of heart would seem sudden to anyone; anyone but Harry.
Harry smiled inwardly as he thought about Hermione over the years. From her unnerving interference during first year, through her unyielding faith and loyalty last year, he'd always loved her. Well, maybe not always. Before the troll, he was pretty sure it was unadulterated disregard. But after that, when Harry allowed himself to see her for whom she really was, and more importantly, when Hermione allowed people to see her true self; that's when everything changed.
That was five years ago.
She was the only one with the power to calm him, the power to ground him. She was the only one that he never had to explain himself to. She was the only one, next to Ron, who really knew him. The only one with whom he could just be Harry. Not Harry, the-boy-who-lived, not Harry, the-slayer-of-the-basilisk, not Harry, the -Triwizard champion; with Hermione he could be himself. That's what he loved the most, and he had always loved that.
He'd always had feelings for Hermione.
He'd just refused to acknowledge them.
It would've made everything so complicated. First and foremost, she was a girl! Admittedly, as if Cho didn't prove this in vivid color, he had no idea what to do around a girl. He could deal with being a mindless git in front of Cho, but to embarrass himself in front of Hermione would be torturous. How could he sit at the breakfast table with her every morning after a disaster like that? Second, and this was most important, he didn't want to lose her as a friend. He'd always held her friendship in greater esteem than any supposed romance. His friendship with her worked. A romance might not, and then what?
Maybe it's not such a bad thing she loves Krum. I should thank Ron for reading that letter before I had a chance to open my mouth and screw this up.
He spent the next half an hour in silence among the trunks of the baggage car, grateful to have been undisturbed.
***
"Are you okay Harry?" Ron asked as Harry returned to the compartment.
"Fine, I just needed to use the loo," Harry lied, avoiding Hermione's eyes. He was still welling with emotion. Regardless of the time he'd spent alone, he was in dire need of an emotional release.
He couldn't have picked a better opportunity.
The door to their compartment slid open and the unmistakable voice of Draco Malfoy sneered. "Well, look at this! Mudbloods and those who love them." He was looking directly at Harry.
"Go away Malfoy, and take your girlfriends with you," Harry said, getting to his feet. He wrapped his hand around the wand he had concealed in his pocket and continued, "I apparently didn't make myself clear at Diagon Alley." He pulled out his wand to make the point, his own confidence and courage still seeming to take everyone by surprise.
"Think you can scare me Potter? You are already dead! You…" Harry's voice was joined by both Ron and Hermione as they sent various hexes darting at Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.
Luckily, Harry and Ron had fast reflexes.
Among their shouting, they never heard what Malfoy said. But it was obvious within milliseconds, he had learned the shield charm and sent each of their hexes careening directly back at them. Ron lunged into the seat, dodging an errant curse. Harry threw Hermione to the train floor just before the other two hexes hit the window, shattering glass all over them.
Still covering Hermione with his own body he asked at a near whisper, "Are you okay?" She was trembling but Harry had successfully kept her from sporting the donkey ears he had intended for Malfoy.
"Yes," she said breathlessly. "Thank you," she added, looking gratefully into his eyes. He helped her to her feet and pulled her directly behind him. He held her there with her wrist clutched in his left hand, and turned to face Malfoy again. He, Crabbe, and Goyle were completely beside themselves laughing.
"You think I'd be unprepared Potter? I'm not about to let you all hex us again now that you don't have those great identical blokes around to help you out anymore!" He laughed triumphantly.
Harry didn't get the chance to respond. He spun to shield Hermione again as a flash of light erupted from the train corridor. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle crumpled to a heap at the compartment door.
"No, but he does have us you worthless git."
Neville Longbottom was kicking the three of them out of the way and waltzed into the compartment accompanied by Ginny, Luna Lovegood, Seamus Finnigan, and Dean Thomas.
"Been dying to try out my new wand," Neville added grinning wildly at Harry, Ron, and Hermione.