Harry Potter and the Galator
Chapter 10
Harry's Choice
"Cho, you're a great girl, but since you put it that way. Hermione is my best friend and she's important to me. I'm sorry, but I choose her. " Cho couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"You mean, you would rather go back in there than spend time with me?"
"Yes. If you can't enjoy being with my friends and if you have to ask me to choose, then that is my answer. I've known her longer than you and she's been at my side through everything I've gone through since I started here at Hogwarts. I guess we shouldn't be together."
"What!? You're dumping me?"
"I would rather that you become my friend instead of my girlfriend." She was so humiliated. She didn't know what to say. Instead she just slapped Harry on the cheek and ran off. Harry walked back in the portrait hole to join the party.
"Hey, where have you been?" asked Hermione when he arrived at her side. "Where's Cho?" she asked though she didn't really want to know. Just then she noticed a hand mark on Harry's cheek. She placed her hand on it. "What happened?"
"Oh, don't worry about it. Cho just gave me a little pat on the cheek," he joked. "How do you like your party?"
"I heard I have you to thank for all of this, so thank you," she told him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He was affected immediately. It was more reaction to a thorough kiss from Cho. He tried to shake it off, but was failing miserably especially since Hermione was standing so close to him.
"It was just my idea. I couldn't have pulled it off without Ron, Lavender, Ginny, Dobby and Winky. Oh and of course my decorating committee." He flashed her that irresistible smile and her knees grew weak. She held on to the table they were standing next to.
"I've thanked them already. Dobby and Winky told me to tell you they'll be back later to help clean up. Hagrid couldn't find you, so he told me to tell you good night." This saddened Harry. He hadn't been able to spend much time with Hagrid ever since he started going out with Cho. He made a mental note to visit him tomorrow.
"Where did Dobby and Winky go?" He tried to have a more small talk type of conversation rather than deep and emotional.
"Oh, just to finish up some chores. They'll be back when they're done."
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Here's your gift." He handed her a small box wrapped in green with a gold ribbon.
"Harry, you know you didn't have to get me anything. Especially after all this." She threw her hand up with a flourish.
"I bet you thought we forgot huh?"
"Truthfully, yes," she smiled and left him winded. "But I feel a lot better now. I'm not even mad at you."
"You were mad at me?" he said in mocked shock.
"Yes, and Ginny, Ron and Lavender. But you still didn't need to get me a gift. A simple greeting was all I needed."
"I wanted to." Just then a flock of owls came in dropping gifts and letters for Hermione left and right as if on queue. To Harry's surprise one of them was for him. He put it in his pocket to open later. " I guess I wasn't the only one who wanted to get you something, eh?"
"Wow, this is great." She exclaimed.
"Hey, 'Mione. Better blow out the candles on the cake so you can open present," Ginny suggested.
"Yeah, I want to see what's inside the little green box," Lavender joked. Harry blushed.
"You just want something else in a little box from Ron," he joked back and it was her turn to blush. She punched him playfully in the arm.
"Shut up Harry!" Ron told him. "Stop giving her ideas."
"And what is that supposed to mean Ronald Weasley?"
"Uh-Oh. You've done it now Harry." Hermione told him.
"What? I was only joking. You know that Ron wants to give Lavender a ring," he whispered.
"Never mind. I think we'd better do the cake now." Just as she said those words, Ginny came in with a 2-layer cake beautifully decorated with little books and a bookworm with glasses. Hermione shot Harry a look.
"Wasn't my idea," he defended himself and smiled knowing how much she loved being a bookworm.
"Okay, 'Mione. Make a wish and blow out the candles," Ginny told her. She closed her eyes, made a wish and blew out the candles. When she opened her eyes all the candles were out.
"Hope your wish comes true," Harry whispered for her ears only. This sent tingles up her spine. She couldn't help but smile. If it indeed came true, he would be the first to know.
"Me too!" she told him in the midst of the applause.
"Speech!" They called out and Hermione smiled and raised her hand up to get their attention. She had come a long way to the know-it-all who was irritating everyone to the cherished and adored friend.
"Well, first of all I'd like to thank all of you for coming. I thought no one remembered about my birthday except for my parents. This was truly a surprise. I can't believe all of you were able to keep it from me."
"We tied Parvati and Lavender up and gagged them," yelled Seamus jokingly and earned a sock on the shoulder from Parvati and a glare from Lavender who was further away and busy making up with Ron.
"Secondly," Hermione continued. "I'd like to thank Harry, Ron, Lavender and Ginny for planning this whole party for me. I was ready to Hex them for not remembering." This earned laughs from everyone. "Lastly, thanks to the house elves, especially to Dobby and Winky, who brought all these food up."
"Here! Here!" The crowd yelled.
"Thank you all again for coming. I am so proud to be a gryffindor. Let's eat some cake!" with that she started cutting the cake. Ginny and Lavender passed them out after Lavender peeled Ron off of her lips.
The presents were opened after. She received an emotionball from Fred and the crystal of answers from George. Sirius gave her another book; Ron and Lavender gave her Bernie Botts every flavor bean, chocolate frogs, sugar quills and a new journal. Ginny gave her some make-up. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gave her homemade pie and some more sugar quills. Then she came to Harry's gift and everyone seemed to have stopped and came to a stand still to pay attention to the content. Everyone in Gryffindor dubbed them as Ken and Barbie or the Prince and Princess of Gryffindor even though they were not officially a couple. All the guys were afraid to ask Hermione out and none of the girls would so much as hope for Harry to ask them out. They even had bets on when he was going to finally ask her out. They were all surprised when Harry started dating Cho, but they still knew somehow that it wouldn't last.
When Hermione opened the box and found a pair of teardrop shaped sapphire earrings, her eyes started to mist. "These are beautiful, Harry. But, I don't know if I can accept them." The girls all gasped.
"Of course you can. It's a gift. And it would hurt my feelings if you didn't," he added playfully pouting.
"Well, okay then. Thanks Harry," she beamed and gave him another hug and kiss on the cheek. She pulled away quickly because she knew if she didn't she would do something stupid like kiss him on the lips. Instead she started showing off her presents. Everyone took a turn in holding the crystal of answers and the emotionball.
Harry watched Hermione as she walked around talking to everyone and showing off her presents especially her new earrings. Oh for Merlin's sake, what was he doing? He was daydreaming about her again. He had to think of something else to do. He remembered the note in his pocket. He opened it now and was surprised to find a note along with a prefect badge.
Dear M. Potter,
I apologize for this late letter. Due to recent events as well as past events, the Headmaster suggested that additional prefects are added to the list of prefects to represent each house. At the Headmaster's suggestion and because of past performance, you are being added to the list of sixth year prefects to represent Gryffindor. Please accept my congratulations.
Yours,
Professor Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Harry was a bit surprised and a little excited. Just as he was about to put the note away, Hermione plopped down next to him.
"What are you reading?"
"A note from Professor McGonagall"
"Really? What did she say?"
Before Harry could answer, Ron and Lavender sat on the other side of him, Lavender sat on Ron's lap and Ginny sat next to Hermione forcing Hermione to move closer to Harry.
"Hey, what are you two up to?" asked Ron.
"Harry was reading a note from McGonagall."
"Really? What does it say?" asked Lavender.
"That I've just been added to the list of prefects."
"That's great, Harry! Congratulations!" Hermione told him and couldn't help it but give him another kiss on the cheek. He blushed and felt an instant response to her touch. You're so pathetic Potter, he scolded himself.
"I don't understand why they'd choose me when I know there are better qualified candidates around."
"Oh go on mate. You deserve it you know."
"I don't know about that." Harry told him and looked at Ron obviously reminiscing about all the times they've broken the rules.
"Oh, right" Ron responded.
"What?" asked Lavender.
"Oh, don't worry about them," Hermione added. "They're just thinking about old times." She smiled at them because she was also part of most of their escapades.
"There must be a simple explanation for this," said Ginny.
"But you must admit there are a few perks on being a prefect," Added Lavender She looked at Hermione and Ginny and they giggled. Ginny caught her meaning instantly. Harry didn't notice what she was implying and neither did Ron. Hermione finally caught Lavender's meaning but didn't want to elaborate.
"All she said in the letter is that Dumbledore thinks additional prefects should be added to each houses this year because of recent events and past events." Harry told them with a more serious tone.
"Do you think he means because of you-know-who?" asked Ron nervously.
"Of course Ron." Hermione answered matter-of-factly. "Maybe he thinks additional prefects and maybe additional patrols would help keep the number of students sneaking around and maybe it would help catch intruders…."
"Well, that is if the students sneaking around aren't the prefects themselves," answered Lavender eyeing Harry and Hermione. She'd also been a part of their recent escapades through the halls of Hogwarts. They all burst out laughing.
The crowd thinned out later that night even if the next day was Saturday. Since it was going to be a Hogsmeade weekend, most of the 3rd years and up decided to turn in early. The only people left in the common room were the five who were always the last ones to leave the common room. They were cleaning up just as Dobby and Winky appeared.
"Oh, is Dobby and Winky too late for the party sir?" Dobby asked Harry.
"Oh, no Dobby. Just in time for a little cake and butterbeer," he smiled at the house elves. He'd become friends with Dobby ever since his second year at Hogwarts. Though they had a rocky beginning, he soon learned to accept him as a friend and nothing less.
"Is you sure sir. It looks like you is all about to clean up."
"No, it's perfectly alright Dobby," Hermione answered as she handed the two house elves cake. "We have some time yet." She too had befriended the house elves even with the S.P.E.W. disaster in their fourth year when she tried to liberate the house elves from their enslavement.
Ron on the other hand had always liked Dobby and became friends with him too especially since he knew they were in charge of the kitchens and they'd proven to be of great help to Harry and himself on a few occasions when hunger struck them.
Dobby and Winky sat and ate cake with the five of them. Though they would not enjoy such pleasures with other witches and wizards, they felt comfortable enough to spend a few moments of relaxation with their friends.
"Okay, Dobby and Winky is surely finished. We'll clean up now." Winky told them.
"But you haven't finished your cake yet," Ginny told them. "And you haven't drank your butterbeer."
"Oh no, miss. The butterbeer is too strong for us. We is only to drink pumpkin juice." Harry, Hermione and Ron nodded as they remembered how much it affected Winky during their fourth year visit to the kitchen.
"Well, okay, but at least finish you cake," she smiled at them. She's also become friends with them through Harry, Ron and Hermione.
They did as they were told, but before they started fussing around with the cleaning, they noticed that the five teenagers were helping them clean. "Sirs, miss', you do not need to clean. We is going to clean up for you," Dobby told them almost embarrassed.
"That's okay Dobby. We thought we'd help out just this once," answered Harry.
"Oh, no sir. You cannot. We is getting paid now to do work. You is not."
"It's okay Dobby. We help made the mess."
"No, no, no, Harry Potter sir. You must not clean. It is our duty and honor to help you sir, but it is surely an insult for us house elves if you is helping us." He'd set Harry on a high pedestal because of his initial defeat of Voldemort and no matter how hard Harry tried to knock himself off of that pedestal; Dobby won't see him any other way. He only saw him as the Great Harry Potter who can do no wrong.
"Come on Dobby. We've talked about this before. It's okay if my friends and I help you out sometimes. We're all friends. You are not our slave."
"I insist sir. You is needing to rest. You must stop and let Winky and Dobby finish the cleaning." Harry could see that it was a no win situation. They would be arguing all night and nothing would get cleaned.
"Okay Dobby, you win."
"Thank you sir," he smiled up at Harry.
"If that's the case then Lav and I will be right back," Ron grabbed Lavender's hand and pulled her out through the portrait hole before anyone could protest. Harry, Hermione and Ginny looked at each other.
"They're going to snog!" all three of them practically screamed in unison.
"Well, if it's okay with the two of you, I'm going to bed."
"It's okay Gin, thanks for all your help."
"No problem, Harry. It was worth it. Good night," she gave each of them a hug. They've grown accustomed to hugging each other since fourth year and Ginny's third. Harry had felt like one of her big brothers and had been protective of her as well despite his knowledge of her crush on him. He never led her on nor did he ridicule her about having a crush on him. He knew that she would outgrow that crush and that a day would come when she would realize that the affection was not returned the same way or that she would find real interest in someone else. The day had come and gone early last term when Ginny realized that Harry just saw her like a sister and that his heart belonged to someone else.
"Good night Gin and thank you for the beautiful cake."
"You're very welcome 'Mione. If you must know the elves actually let me help instead of giving me free reign of the kitchen or kicking me out." Hermione widened her eyes in apparent surprise.
"They did!? How did you even convince them?"
"I have my ways," she answered and winked at Dobby and Winky before she went up the stairs to the prefect's dormitory.
"So, you want to sit and wait for Ron and Lav?" she asked Harry. Harry did not have an excuse this time. He would have to be alone with Hermione. Hang on, he thought, Dobby and Winky are here.
"Sure," he finally answered after what seemed to Hermione quite a long pause to a simple question. She thought it weird but did not ask him. They walked to the couch and sat facing each other. Despite Dobby and Winky's presence, Harry was having a hard time keeping his control. He wanted to kiss her and take her then and there. He kept repeating in his head "Don't, don't, don't….."
"Harry is something wrong?"
"No, why do you ask?"
"You were just frowning."
"I was. Sorry, I was thinking about being a prefect," he lied. Hermione knew he wasn't being completely honest, but she also knew that the prefect thing did bother him, so she settled for that answer.
"It's okay you know. You'll be fine."
"Thanks," he told her then had a mischievous thought to distract all of his erotic ones.