Chapter 14
The seven of them spent the next two weeks trying to figure out what the first song meant and whom did it apply to. That was the difficult part. There were seven of them, seven songs and only one song applied to each person.
"The lesson Changing be the first
A treeling knows it well."
Hermione, as usual, suggested they go straight to the library to find out everything there was to know about treelings. Since none of them had any better suggestions, they complied and everyone looked in the library during their free time, in between lessons, training, duties for prefects and head boy/girl duties.
They didn't find much information on treelings in the library, as they expected. They just wanted to humor Hermione. Since none of them knew which of them was supposed to find the meaning of the first song, no one complained much about ideas on how to go about finding it.
Neville took the herbology approach and searched all the known types of plants in the present and the past dated all the way back to Merlin's time, but with no luck.
Lavender and Ron tried a different approach and searched for magical creatures within the wizarding world past and present. They found no such creature in existence.
Ginny and Draco looked at the Dark Arts approach to see if maybe a treeling was somehow connected to the dark arts. They didn't find much information on it either.
Harry and Hermione looked in the restricted section since their positions as Head Boy and Girl afforded them the privilege to enter the room at their leisure. Hermione was euphoric at the privilege. Everyone rolled their eyes heavenward when she told them the news. The search in the restricted section proved fruitless.
They were all disappointed at the lack of progress each of them had with the first song.
"Harry, do you think maybe the songs don't relate to anything in our world or in our time for that matter?" Hermione asked during one of their meetings.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, seeing as we found the song in Fincayra, maybe everything we have to look for is related to the place somehow." Harry and the others looked thoughtful for a moment.
"I think she has a point there, mate," Ron pointed out.
"Yeah, Harry," Ginny seconded. "Maybe we were all looking at the wrong places. Maybe we should be looking at the place where you found the songs."
"You're the one who's been there the most out of all of us. You've had the chance to explore more of the place than any of us. Maybe those things in the songs should make some kind of sense to you."
"You're right. I wasn't thinking clearly. I remember Merlin mentioning those places at Fincayra. I haven't been anywhere else except for Druma and Avalon in the later times. I guess we have to go back and look for information there."
"But where will we start. It sounds like a big place?" Neville asked.
"Well, there was a place that Merlin mentioned that may have the information we're looking for. It used to belong to a great friend of his, someone who'd become a stepfather to him. He's much like `Mione in a sense that he loved books and the knowledge that could be attained from the books. Merlin told me he had a library that would put any library to shame since he had books written by nearly everyone in the world."
They stayed silent as Harry recounted the many adventures of Merlin with his stepfather Cairpre, He told them of the way he tutored Merlin into becoming a great wizard even though he wasn't a wizard himself. He used his knowledge to ensure Merlin received information about being a great wizard and the steps to becoming one.
They decided they would do what they started doing when they were in search of the songs. They would take some time during the night and Harry would leap them to Fincayra in their sleep.
After a week of leaping to Fincayra they weren't any closer to solving the first song. They found the information about treelings, but it seemed they were extinct years ago. The last treeling had been the one who'd practically raised Rhia when she was a baby lost in the woods.
They felt frustrated. They seemed to be running into brick walls every turn they made. They'd found the information, but how where they supposed to ask someone who no longer existed. Even Merlin couldn't help him. For some reason there was some written rules somewhere that forbade him to help them. He was allowed to give them hints, but they were hints in a form of more puzzles they needed to solve. The only real information he gave them was that the treeling was known to him and to his sister and he'd given Harry a magical staff just like his own that will be marked with symbols as soon as the meaning of each song was discovered.
Not only were they frustrated with finding the songs; they were also overburdened with responsibilities and school. The whole destiny bit was leaving a bad taste in their mouth. They were questioning themselves more now than when they started the training at Avalon.
Draco was stressed. In addition to the stress pertaining to his destiny, there was also the likes of Pansy to ward off and keeping his secret relationship with Ginny as well as his friendship with the other five. He'd feel drained at the end of the day. The only thing that kept him going was the fact that he'd spend some time with Ginny even if they were stolen moments or brief moments in the dream world.
There were also times when he'd question whether or not the headache was worth it. Maybe he'd be better off joining his father and the deatheaters. Merlin knew that would have been an easier route. He'd just have to get the damn tattoo on his left arm and kill and torture people and most of all he'd have to betray the woman he loved and the friends he'd grown to love. He shuddered at the thought. Could he ever go back to being mean and unfeeling as his father? He hoped not.
Harry was the most stressed. He was feeling the weight on his shoulders more and more each day they didn't solve the puzzle of the songs. The songs needed to be completed in order for him to succeed, and he feared they would never have enough time to solve all seven. He knew the end was becoming nearer and nearer. He could feel the evil growing closer and closer as if it was reaching out for his heart and squeezing the life out of him very slowly.
He didn't want to bring it up because he didn't want to add to their worries, but it seemed almost unbearable at times. The only consolation that is keeping him from giving up was the fact that he would find a way to destroy Voldemort even if he would be destroyed in the process. That vow he made to himself. If he died, he would make sure Voldemort will die with him. He wanted to leave Hermione a world where she could feel safe even if it meant she would be living in it without him.
Hermione was sensing something was wrong, but all he would tell her was that he was tired and frustrated and not to worry. They'd been spending less time together alone. The mission was practically taking over their lives and she was getting fed up. She knew that their destinies had to be fulfilled, but even they need some kind of breather.
"Harry, can we please take a break tonight" I think we need to step back and take a look at what we each have and see if we can find a new angle on figuring out the answer to the first song."
He looked up at her and then looked around at the others and found pleading eyes. He felt guilty for maybe being the catalyst that's been pushing them to becoming so weighed down with responsibilities like him. "Okay," he told them. "Why don't we call it a night? I am sure you have homework and some quidditch practice you need to be doing."
"Mate, don't be angry."
"I'm not Ron. I'm just a bit frustrated just like the rest of you. I'm sorry if I sounded angry."
"It's okay Harry," Lavender put in. "We're all feeling frustrated. It's been almost a month since we started school and we haven't found the meaning of the first song. Maybe we need a night off to re-energize."
"Yeah, why don't you all go on and get some sleep. Draco, do you want me to leap you to your rooms?"
"Thanks, mate. But Ginny and I are on duty anyway. No one would question us if they saw us roaming the halls at this time. We just need to be leapt somewhere out of sight, say near the North Tower?" He smirked at Harry and Ron. They knew it was a popular place for couples to snog. They'd found several people in the past like Padma and Dean.
"Ready?" The two of them link hands and Harry closed his eyes to concentrate on leaping Draco and Ginny to the North Tower.
After they disappeared, Neville bid them goodnight and went on his way to bed. Ron and Lavender went to their secret room, although it wasn't really a secret anymore. They'd found it during their sixth year and Harry was kind enough to let them in on his secret about the entrance inside the Gryffindor common room.
Hermione and Harry were left alone in the meeting room they'd discovered in sixth year as well. Well, Harry had found it and used it in order to stay away from Hermione when he had problems admitting his feelings for her, but since then, they'd used it as their headquarters when they'd needed to plan some strategies.
"Harry?" Hermione asked when she looked at him staring out what looks like he was staring out passed the door.
"Hmm?"
"What are you doing?"
"I was just checking who was still up. They have 20 more minutes to get back to their common rooms."
"What do you mean? You were looking around the castle?"
"Yeah. But not in the private rooms or anything, just out in the hallways and classrooms."
"So, what did you see?"
"Wouldn't you like to know," he joked. She was glad that he could still joke around even though she knew he had a lot on his mind.
"Come on, who'd you see."
"I just saw Mr. Filch picking his nose and wiping it on his sleeve."
"That's gross, Harry." She made a face.
"You wanted to know." He chuckled. He'd missed her. He'd been wishing to spend more time with her, and it seemed his wish just came true. He walked over to where she was and wrapped his arms around her.
"I've missed you," he whispered in her ears.
"I missed you too, love."
He turned her around to face him and put his finger under her chin to let her face him. He brought down his lips to hers and kissed her softly. The kiss turned more passionate as if the last few weeks of exchanging little pecks and just short kisses were not enough. They devoured each other with hunger that could not be sated by a mere touching of their lips and tongue. They let their hands roam where they please and felt each other shudder from each other's touch.
Harry stroked Hermione's back with one hand as the other went inside the robes and fondled her breast. She arched her back for more and Harry obliged. They were lost in their passion.
Hermione played with Harry's hair as if he needed his hair to be messier than it already was. She let the other hand roam inside his shirt touching his flesh and making him shiver and ache for her.
In all their frenzied actions, Harry managed to conjure up a soft feather mattress as he lowered Hermione down with his mouth still on hers. He was having a hard time stopping himself. He knew that if he didn't stop soon, he never would. He wasn't sure he wanted to stop at that point. He knew he was ready. He knew that Hermione would be his first and last. In his heart he knew there would be no other after her. He would be hers irrevocably.
Hermione's head was reeling. She felt drained and limp from Harry's kisses and caresses. She didn't think she would survive the longing within her. She'd never felt such love before and she doubted she ever would. She opened her eyes when Harry's lips left hers. He started planting kisses down her throat and inch by inch lower as he started unbuttoning her blouse. She knew she should stop him, but she didn't have the strength to object. For the first time in her life she didn't want to be practical.
The world around them ceased to exist. It was just the two of them and nothing else mattered except their passions, until Ginny opened the door.
"Oop! Sorry" She blushed so hard that her face matched her hair. She'd wanted to go out quietly but Harry had sensed her and looked up just as she laid eyes on the both of them on the mattress already half dressed.
A/N: Thought I'd tease you a bit. This is for the people asking for more H/H moments. Hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for your reviews. Let me know if the rating should change.