Harry Potter and the Infernal Plan Part V
by Jori
REVISED July 2003
e-mail: Jori@netroenterprises.com
Set during and after their sixth year at Hogwarts, Hermione asks something of Harry that will change their lives forever.
NC-17
Spoilers for all five books. Most of this was originally written well before Order of the Phoenix came out but I decided to go back and do some edits. Some were very necessary while others were more cosmetic.
H/Hr story
This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
***********
Reeling over the loss of points and impending detentions for their absence from the Great Hall, Ron, Hermione and Harry each climbed into their individual sleeping bags and tried to fall asleep. Unfortunately, the hall was abuzz with Gryffindor students carrying on about one thing or another. Harry heard his name mentioned by a group of first years and tried to shut those conversations out. He didn't want to hear how he was to blame for a loss of at least twenty of those sixty house points McGonagall took away from them nor did he want to hear anyone speculate that he might be responsible for what else was happening at Hogwarts. He had enough of that over the years and he wasn't in the mood for more tonight.
"I hope it was worth it, you two sneaking off like that and all," Ron said from his sleeping bag. "I can't see why you would both risk your lives . . . or points . . . to retrieve a couple of books."
"What books?" Harry asked, completely forgetting what Hermione was up there for in the first place. She gave him a kick from inside her sleeping bag. "Ow--yeah. Hermione and her books."
"Yes, Hermione and her books and you always making sure she's okay," Ron said, sounding more exasperated.
"No one asked for you to come find us," Harry said, trying to keep his voice at a whisper.
"I didn't want the two of you to get into trouble or killed by whatever was up there earlier. How was I supposed to know McGonagall was going to show up?" Ron asked. Harry was thankful that his friend was looking out for them even if it failed in the end and he was more thankful that Ron's presence in the corridor took away any suspicion that he and Hermione had been alone up in the tower. Harry wasn't sure what to say to his friend.
Hermione took care of that for him.
"Thank you, Ron, for trying to warn us," she said. "I'm sorry you got into trouble, too."
"Yes, thank you, Ron," Harry muttered. Hermione moved her sleeping bag around until she was as close to Harry as she could get without it being too obvious. Ron must have figured out what all that rustling was because he turned over to face away from them and feigned sleep.
"Hermione, there are too many people around," Harry whispered, looking around the dim hall to see if any of the prefects were watching. As much as he wanted to climb out of his sleeping bag and into hers, he didn't want to get into more trouble today.
"Shhh . . . I don't want to do anything. I just want to be here next to you. It's the nearest we might ever get to spending a night together," she said, taking his hand in hers.
"But we have spent the night together like this before. Or rather, you've spent several nights at my bedside when I was in hospital. And how many nights have we spent together in the common room . . ." Harry was asking when he felt Hermione place a finger on his lips to silence him.
"You know what I mean. I'm just happy that we're back together again. I didn't realize how much I missed you until we were in my room and --" Hermione started but Ron coughed to let them both know he was still awake and could still hear them. "Are you still angry with me?"
"After today? Are you kidding?" Harry asked only to be met with more of Ron's coughing.
"We better stop talking before he chokes," Hermione whispered, moving in close enough to give Harry a quick good-night kiss. He kissed her back and they separated a little. Neither of them wanted to move too far away.
He listened as she fell asleep, her breathing growing soft and even. He couldn't sleep just yet, his mind still going over the events of today. The person who broke into Hogwarts must have known that nearly the entire student body would have been out for the Quidditch match at that time so they must have some inside knowledge as to the happenings around here. But he didn't understand why they would try to come through Hermione's dorm room. Or how? Was it a trick, a student convincing everyone that the castle walls had been breached when they hadn't?
Watching her sleep, he reached out to push a strand of hair away from her face and touched her cheek. Was this all because they were together now? Did someone really think that getting to her was the easiest way to get to him? Nothing had really changed between them in that respect. For years now, he would have done anything to protect his friends and that didn't change because he was dating Hermione. As crazy as Ron made him lately, he knew if it came down to it, he would do just as much to protect him as he would for Hermione. Harry's eyelids began to get heavy. The events of the day had worn him out and he couldn't think anymore. He needed to shut his eyes and sleep. He just wanted to sleep . . .
Harry was somewhere so bright that he could barely keep his eyes open. Shading them with his hand, he looked around and realized that he was alone . . . no, more than alone.
He was the only inhabitant of this white world or at least it felt that way. Once his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he tried to figure out what exactly this place was. For as far as he could see, there was nothing but intense light. There was no difference between the sky and ground and no horizon was visible in the distance. Even with all the light, this place wasn't warm. It was cold and . . . lifeless.
Then it started. Harry clapped his hands over his ears, trying to escape from the cacophony of voices going on around him but his hands weren't enough. He could still hear some crying for help while others merely whimpered in pain.
"Who are you?" he cried out, trying to make his voice rise above all the others, but no one answered him. All he could feel was sadness the likes of which he hadn't felt since he'd last been around the Dementors. Could that possibly be what was causing this pain he was experiencing?
"It's the boy," someone said. It was the only voice distinct enough for him to understand. "He can't help us. It's because of him that we're here and dying."
The other voices starting wailing, creating a sound so hollow that it hurt Harry's stomach.
Another voice chimed in, trying to talk over the others, and it was vaguely familiar to Harry. "He's a powerful wizard. If he tries, he can help."
"Does he know he has it in him?" another voice said.
"You would think so by now . . ."
He stumbled around, trying to find the source of the voices and only finding more light. The wailing voices never seemed to move. They stayed right above his head, encircling him.
As hard as he tried to fight it, the pain surrounding him was becoming overwhelming. In all his years, he had never felt as alone as he did right now. Not even being locked in the cupboard as a small child could compare to this. The realization that he was so incredibly alone made him drop to his knees as he fought the urge to cry. He couldn't hold back the tears, thankful his scar didn't hurt. Maybe this was what it was like to be dead . . .
"Harry! Harry, wake up!" Hermione said, shaking him.
"What happened?" he asked, his eyes opening to find that there was no bright light here, only darkness. Dim stars twinkled on the ceiling above him but that was it.
"You . . . you were crying," Hermione said, edging in closer to him so they could talk freely without waking up the others around them.
"No, I wasn't," Harry said, quickly moving to wipe the evidence away from his eyes. He had fallen asleep with his glasses on and they got in the way now.
"It's okay. It's only me," she said, pulling his glasses from his nose and putting them somewhere safe.
"I wasn't crying," he said, not quite sure why that dream had such an effect on him. It was only a dream.
"Okay, you weren't crying but are you all right?" she asked and he didn't have an answer. All he knew was he wanted to hold onto her and never let her go and to hell with the sleeping bag that separated them or the head boy or girl that might be watching. He did just that, pulling her as close as he possibly could.
"I'll be all right," he said, trying to shake off the feeling of cold despair his dream had created and focus instead on the warmth of his girlfriend in his arms.
"Can you tell me about it?" Hermione asked. Someone a few sleeping bags over shushed them but that didn't stop Harry from answering.
"I don't think I can explain it yet. I was somewhere . . . I don't know where it was," Harry said, closing his eyes. His memory of the dream was starting to fade quickly and he couldn't get it back. All that was left was the emptiness.
"It was only a dream," Hermione said with a yawn.
"Yes, it was only a dream."
**************
The days were going by far too fast for Harry's liking and he was dreading the approaching summer more this year than he had ever before. He had no idea how he was going to be able to survive the whole summer without Hermione and the thought of being apart from her that long made his heart ache. He looked at her from across the table in the common room and sighed.
"You need to be studying," Hermione said, looking up at Harry from the book in front of her. She then turned to Ron. "Both of you."
Ron picked his head up off the table and pretended to be looking at his book before putting his head back down. "Maybe something will happen again this year and they'll cancel exams. Harry, make something happen so they get canceled, will you?"
"And risk having to go back to the Dursley's early? No way," Harry said, not failing to catch the slight smile that formed on Hermione's lips.
"You need to make it so they just cancel the exams and let us stay here," Ron said, lifting his head long enough to flip the page he never looked at. "Or you could come to the Burrow for the summer though I'm sure Dumbledore wouldn't allow it. He never does."
"You know why he won't. This isn't the first year he wants me to go back to the Muggles and you know all the reasons why," Harry said.
"Still, we could probably work something out if what happened was horrible enough," Ron said.
"How could it be more horrible than what happened to Cedric? I still had to go home after that," Harry said and the mention of Cedric Diggory's name silenced Ron for a bit.
"The two of you could study and then you wouldn't have to worry about conjuring up something horrible enough to make them cancel the exams. Really, exams aren't that bad," Hermione said and Harry and Ron both looked at each other, Ron rolling his eyes a bit.
"She's completely mad," Ron said.
"I'm right here. I can hear you," Hermione said, pulling another book off of the large pile sitting on the table next to her. She started to thumb through it before casting it aside and grabbing another. "I can't find it. Why can't I find it? I just read it last night!"
"Do you need some help?" Harry asked, reaching for one of her books before she stopped him.
"What I need is silence," Hermione said, sounding very frustrated now. Harry pulled his hand back, knowing better than to get in her way when she was studying. If he disturbed her too much, she might consider them separating again for a while and with the end of the year so close, he couldn't risk it.
"Ron, would you like to go out to the Quidditch pitch? I haven't had the chance to get out there since we beat Ravenclaw and I'd really like to before the term is over," Harry said and Ron perked right up.
"I'd love to!" he said, packing up his books as quickly as he could.
"You two are going to fail!" Hermione said, her voice tense, the expression on her face even more tense.
"We haven't yet. Give me your books, Ron, and I'll take them up to our room and get our brooms," Harry said, piling up the books. He dashed up the stairs and was back in a few minutes, carrying both of their brooms. After he finished Hogwarts, Fred donated his broom to Ron and although it was old compared to Harry's, it was better than what he had before.
"You're going to fail," Hermione muttered one more time and Harry gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving her to her studies.
On their way to the pitch, Ron and Harry chatted about various professional Quidditch teams (mostly the Chudley Cannons who in Ron's opinion had a phenomenal year) and how they were certain that Professor Snape's exam would be unfair. They also talked about how Ron might be going to Romania for part of the summer but Harry could still come to The Burrow if things got too bad at the Dursley's.
When they were nearly to the pitch, Ron changed the subject entirely. "So, what's it like?" he asked.
"What's what like?" Harry queried back.
"You know, what's sex like? Is it as good as it sounds?" Ron asked and Harry nearly dropped his broom.
"Why do you think I would know?" Harry asked, trying to regain his composure. He started walking faster towards the pitch, his face turning crimson. He wasn't sure what to tell his friend or if even wanted to.
"Oh, give it up, Harry! You think we all haven't noticed you sneaking off in the middle of the night? Then you and Hermione disappear for hours at a time . . ."
"Hours? I don't think so," Harry said, screwing up his face. They had tried to be careful so no one would notice. Hermione was afraid that Professor McGonagall would send a letter to her parents if they were caught. As much as he would like to claim that he could make it last that long, with the exception of Valentine's Day, they were rarely gone for more than half an hour.
"That's not the point. I was just curious as to what it was like," Ron said, not giving up.
"You said you didn't want to know about anything she and I have done together. I remember you telling me that," Harry said, still trying to avoid the topic. They were on the pitch now and Harry wanted to do nothing more than get on his broom and escape. He was sure that teenage boys were supposed to brag all about it to their other male friends, but this was different. It concerned Hermione and he didn't want to say anything that would hurt her . . . or would get him hurt if she found out. He didn't want to have Hermione angry at him when they had so few days left together before summer, especially since he wanted to be with her again at least one more time.
"You don't have to give me any specifics," Ron said with an exasperated sigh.
"I really wouldn't know any specifics," Harry lied.
"I just wanted to know if it was good." Ron was looking down at the ground now, kicking at the grass. He looked slightly hurt that Harry wouldn't share this bit of secret information with him.
"I'm sure you're going to meet someone soon, Ron, and then you'll know and then you can tell me."
Harry got on his Firebolt and eased it into the air, hovering just above the ground. Ron still didn't look up at him but instead continued to focus on that same bit of grass. He had a feeling that Ron was just testing him, pushing to see just how far he and Hermione had gone. He probably didn't want to hear the truth at all.
"Or you could just answer the bloody question," Ron said. Since he kept pushing the issue, Harry was going to give Ron what he thought he wanted. He prepared to take off on his broom as soon as he answered, not wanting to see the expression on his friend's face afterwards, and then told Ron the truth.
"At first, it was just okay. It was good and all, or at least it was for me, but now . . . there's only one thing I could imagine would be better and that would be seeing the death of Voldemort. Other than that . . . yeah, it's great."
And with that, he was off.
***************
The tiny room was stifling to begin with and the heat they were generating under the invisibility cloak wasn't helping matters any. Harry could feel the sweat forming on his brow as Hermione moved over him, her body hot and tight around him. Every move she made was slow and deliberate and he thought he was going to go insane.
"Hermione, you're killing me!" he said, wrapping his hands around her waist and urging her to move faster. She bent over far enough to give him one kiss before she went back to her torture.
"I want this to last," she said, pulling his hands from her waist. Their fingers entwined and he held on tight. He swore he could feel her heartbeat through his own hands and it pulsed through his body to his chest. Even though he knew what real magic was, he was completely convinced this moment was just as magical as anything he had been taught here over the years.
As if wishing made it true, time did feel like it was slowing down around them. Harry tried to memorize every last detail of this moment so he'd have something to take home with him. He was going to need it to make it through the long summer ahead.
Hermione held onto his hands even tighter, moving enough to nearly let him slip out before sinking back down again. Taking him in until he could go no further, she stopped, clenching all her muscles around him.
"This isn't going to last much longer if you keep that up," Harry said through clenched teeth and in the dim light that barely made it through the cloak, he could see Hermione teasingly smile at him.
"Remember the first time we did this and I couldn't wait for it to be over?" she asked.
"I remember it well," Harry said, quite certain there was no way he'd ever forget that day for the rest of his life. Someone could perform a memory charm on him and he was sure he'd still remember it.
"What was wrong with me?" she asked.
"It wasn't like it is now," he said, thrusting up into her. He pulled a hand away from hers and ran it down her stomach and downwards. She stopped moving as he concentrated only on her, wanting to feel her come while he was inside her body. He circled her clitoris, pressing until he could feel her tighten around him, gasping for breath. She closed her eyes and squeezed his hand, her nails digging into his flesh. "We had no clue what we were doing then and now . . ."
"We're bloody fantastic together," Hermione said, her body shuddering around his. It was almost enough to make him come with her but then she fell forwards, letting him slip out. He moaned his displeasure but she silenced him with a deep kiss, their bodies now sticking together. She placed quick little kisses all over his face and his forehead, pushing his hair aside to do so.
Shifting a little, she reached between them and guided him back inside. After easing down, she held onto his hands, her face just a little bit over his, as she started to move once more. His eyes were locked onto hers and at that moment he was convinced he could never love anyone this much ever again. It would be impossible. She was now the other half that made him whole and no one else on earth could possibly fit like she did.
It didn't take much longer and he felt the room whirl around him as he came, his eyes fluttering shut and for a few seconds. There no longer was enough oxygen in the room and everything started to slip off into a terrific white light. Then he felt her fingers still clutching his, bringing him back to this place.
"How am I going to make it the whole summer without you?" Harry asked as he tried to catch his breath, his head spinning now from the heat and the feel of her body still around his.
"Don't think about it right now," Hermione said but that was impossible. Exams were over and this was the last time they'd be able to sneak away before it was time to depart for the summer.
"I'll run away and stay at the Leaky Cauldron. You can come see me there," he said, his brain trying to figure out how he'd get that one by all the people who kept close tabs on him. Maybe there was another place he could stay where no one would know him and they wouldn't be able to find him.
"My parents wouldn't let me do that. Harry, it's going to be okay. We'll figure it out," she said.
"I don't want to lose you."
"How would you lose me?" she asked.
"Time. Distance. Someone else," he said.
"That's not going to happen. That will never happen. You are everything to me and I'm not going to leave you again," she said, kissing him gently on the lips.
Hermione slid down next to him, and they snuggled under the cloak, using it as a blanket now. There wasn't a point to it in here since their clothes were strewn everywhere and it was rather obvious that this closet was occupied but they needed it to get back.
"Promise me that if anything happens this summer . . . if anything looks even the slightest bit out of place, you'll call me straight away. You'll do that, won't you?" Harry asked, pulling her close. Their legs tangled together and he held her hand up, playing with her fingers.
"I will but nothing is going to happen to me. I won't let it," she said.
"Still, promise me, okay? I don't care what Uncle Vernon says or does to me. Call me at anytime if something is strange or even for no reason at all. Luckily, you have a phone at home and you know how to use the post properly. Maybe he won't mind as much if we communicate that way rather than through Hedwig even if the regular post is slower," Harry said. He didn't want this day to end and he certainly didn't want to return to the Dursleys. This was the last summer he'd have to ever spend at Privet Drive. Next summer, his schooling would be over and he'd never have to speak to them again. That would probably make them all too happy.
He only had a vague idea of what he was going to be doing with his life then but he hoped Hermione was a big part of it. They usually didn't discuss it much, afraid they'd jinx any future they might have by hoping for too much.
"This year has been quiet," Hermione said.
"Too quiet," Harry added. The fact that very little happened this year had been weighing heavily on his mind for a while now. The two incidents where they believed someone had broken into the school were still unexplained but some were blaming it on Peeves and some sort of trick he was pulling. Others felt that the detectors placed around the school to catch such things were too sensitive and there was never anyone really there.
Harry didn't believe either of those theories but there wasn't much he could do about it now. He was sure that someone would be looking into it over the summer and everything would be back to normal at the beginning of the school year.
"We better go back soon before anyone notices we're gone. I don't want Ron to suspect anymore than he already does," Hermione said.
"Hermione, about that . . ."
"About what?" she asked, curling around him even more even though they both knew this had to end soon.
"About Ron. He already knows," Harry said, afraid of what was coming next.
"What!?" Hermione asked, propping herself up to look at him. "You told him?"
"Not exactly," Harry said.
"Then what exactly?" she asked.
"Okay, maybe I did . . . but he kept asking and I lied for as long as I could," he said and she flopped back down beside him. "It's not that bad, Hermione. I love you so it's not like we're just sneaking off for a quick shag. Ron won't tell anyone."
"I know but it's just odd thinking someone else knows. I mean, someone else besides Peeves," Hermione said with a sigh. "It was our own little world."
"It still is," Harry said, pulling Hermione until she was on top of him again. They kissed for a long time, and she moved her body against his until there was no way they were going back up to Gryffindor Tower anytime soon.
"As long as Ron already knows, we might as well stay down here for a while longer," Hermione said, rolling them until he was on top, her legs wrapped high around his waist. The invisibility cloak was forgotten beside them now but that didn't make the room any cooler.
"We might as well," he said, propping himself up so he could look down at her. Her hand darted out, quickly tousling his damp hair, and he smiled. "This is going to be the longest summer of my life."
"Oh, Harry, I'll talk to my parents. They don't know about this so they won't question why I want you to come visit beyond the fact that you're my best friend. Maybe since they're Muggles, your uncle will let you come visit without question and without hassling you like he does when you go to the Weasley's. We'll even come and pick you up in a car," Hermione said.
"I'd love that but don't get your hopes up," he said, sighing. Moving so he was brushing against her sex, she pulled him down so he was pressed to her body, her breasts soft under his chest.
"That will just make coming back for our last term that much sweeter," she said, kissing him as he slid into her body one final time.
**********
They made their way towards Gryffindor tower in silence, having to dart behind a suit of armor when Professor Snape came around the corner. Hiding under the invisibility cloak, they held their breath until he passed but he looked too preoccupied to care about them or anything else that might be in this hallway. Several other professors soon followed, all with the same look on their faces.
"Something must be going on," Hermione whispered when he was gone and they started towards their tower again.
"It's too quiet," Harry said. It was more quiet than usual on the last night before summer. When they were making their way down here earlier, he saw many of the older students sneaking around, probably trying to get in one last good shag before it was time to go home. At least they weren't breaking the rule about taking someone with when wandering about the castle. Nearly everyone had someone with them.
Harry found it strange that there wasn't even the usual chatter coming from the portraits lining the wall. Many of them did most of their visiting in the evening hours but that didn't seem to be so tonight.
They got to the portrait of the Fat Lady and Hermione pulled off the cloak in order to give the password. They waited for a few seconds before noticing that although she was staring right at them, the Fat Lady wasn't saying a word. She wasn't moving, either. Instead, she looked like a Muggle portrait instead of her usual self.
"I think we just discovered what's going on," Hermione said. Harry ran to another portrait down the hall and the old wizard in it was indeed just as frozen as the Fat Lady. Nobody had been talking because it appeared that nobody could. He never really knew what kind of magic allowed for the portraits to be animated beings but whatever it was, it was gone now.
"How are we going to get in?" Harry asked, looking at the Fat Lady again. He ran his hand over the canvas and it felt cold, as if its life had been sucked out of it and perhaps it had.
"We'll have to wait until someone comes out," Hermione said, sitting down across the way, the cloak bunched up in her lap.
"What if they can't get out?" Harry asked.
"Getting out is never the problem," Hermione said, staring up at the portrait as if she were on a class trip to a museum and had to write a paper on it later.
"Maybe we should tell someone. The professors might not know that the students can't get into the dormitories," Harry said, sitting down next to Hermione.
"And get into trouble for being out of the dormitory in the first place? I don't think I want that letter going home to my parents. They would never let me see you over the summer if they knew the truth," Hermione said.
"So we just wait until they solve the problem with the portraits?" Harry asked.
"If they can solve it," Hermione said, still watching for signs of life from the Fat Lady.
"Do you think that this might happen to all pictures? I mean, all wizard pictures? What if none of them can move anymore?" Harry asked. He didn't think he could bear the thought of looking at his photo album without the pictures of his parents moving.
"I believe that's a different kind of magic. Colin explained it to me once . . . he really has become an expert at it, you know . . . and he never said how they do the same to paintings and drawings. I think if it was the same process, he might have mentioned it," Hermione said.
"What if this thing with the art has something to do with the two break-ins? I'm not sure how they could be tied together but what if they are? Maybe . . ." Harry started.
"We don't have any art in our dorm room. We did at first but Lavender always felt that the one painting was watching her so we had it removed. You think someone would have to come out eventually," Hermione said and Harry moved closer. He took her hand in his played with her fingers.
"I never want to leave Hogwarts for summer holiday but this year . . ."
"I know," she said softly.
"It's not just about the sex. I want you to know that. Even though I'll miss that all summer, I'll miss just being with you more. Listen to me. I've turned into such a sap," Harry said and Hermione laughed. "I do love you, Hermione."
Before she had a chance to answer, someone else came sneaking back to the dormitory. It was Seamus Finnegan who looked rather surprised to find them sitting there. He started dating a sixth year Hufflepuff named Mandy a few weeks ago and he must have been off with her.
"Did you both forget the latest password?" Seamus asked, turning to the portrait. "Lucky for you I showed up."
"There's something wrong with the Fat Lady. Actually, there's something wrong with all the paintings," Hermione said, releasing Harry's hand and standing up.
"Did anyone tell Professor McGonagall?" Seamus asked and Harry and Hermione just looked at each other. "Ah, that's right. Nobody really knows about the two of you, do they now? You both can hide out for a while and I'll go find her. I'm sure she'll know how to help us get back in there. After I get in, if the portrait closes, I'll open it back up for you. I'm not worried about getting in trouble with her or with me mom or dad."
With that, he took off down the corridor to find Professor McGonagall. Hermione sat back down close to Harry and pulled the invisibility cloak over them both.
"She'll probably notice that we're gone and we'll get in trouble our last night here anyway," Harry said, sighing.
"It was worth it, though," Hermione said and Harry felt a blush rise to his cheeks. "Oh, and Harry . . . I love you, too."
**************
It took a great deal of effort and some charms Harry had never heard of before, but eventually all the dormitories were reopened. Harry and Hermione slipped in behind McGonagall, made it up the stairs to hide the cloak and were back down to the common room and present at the house meeting as if they had been in the tower the whole time. The only one who noticed them show up out of nowhere was Ron who gave them a rather dramatic eye roll. Harry couldn't help but notice that Ron also had a knowing smirk on his face.
"We are investigating the matter at hand and hopefully, it will be solved with all due speed. We don't think it will cause a problem for the students since you will be departing for home tomorrow," Professor McGonagall said, not explaining much.
Hermione raised her hand and McGonagall called her name.
"Professor, I was curious to whether this has happened to only the paintings at Hogwarts or to all magical paintings and portraits?" Hermione asked and was going to go onto another question when Professor McGonagall started speaking.
"At this time, we only know about the ones here at Hogwarts. An owl has been dispatched to the ministry to inform them of the situation. If other pieces of art are effected, I'm sure they will report back to us," she said. Hermione's hand shot back up into the air.
"What about photographs?"
Everyone in the room turned to Colin who shrugged his shoulders. "They seem to be fine for now."
"I suggest you all return to bed and get some rest. I know the tendency for students to want to carouse about on the last night of the term but under the circumstances, I would appreciate it if you would finish packing and turn in for the night," Professor McGonagall said, cutting off Hermione before she could ask more questions. She turned and went out the portrait that was standing wide open now. Two of the seventh year boys decided to guard the entrance all night and they followed the professor out.
Slowly, many of the younger students did return to their dorm rooms but the older ones lingered around a bit longer. Eventually, it was just Ron, Harry and Hermione at one table while some seventh years sat in front of the fire trying to hold onto the last bit of their school days before they had to leave it all behind in the morning.
"When I said you should do something dramatic so we could get out of school, I didn't mean wait until the last minute," Ron said with a smile.
"I had nothing to do with this. Hermione, are you sure you've never read more about the portraits here? You always know everything," Harry said.
"Except for how they were enchanted in the first place," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "I can go look it up if you'd like me to. I have a few books up in my room and I'm sure if I did some research . . ."
"No, that's okay!" Harry said, worried she'd disappear into her books on their last night together for a while.
"I guess it will have to be a mystery for them to solve over the summer," Ron added.
"I'm sure it will be in the Daily Prophet so we will all know," Hermione said.
"If I'm lucky, Uncle Vernon will still allow me to receive a paper this summer," Harry said glumly.
"If he doesn't, I know how to send letters by Muggle post and I'll let you know. We might not even have to use Hedwig at all. That ought to make him happy. And I know how to use the phone properly," Hermione said.
"Uncle Vernon will never let me speak to either of you. Doesn't matter what anyone said to him last year. He can't help himself. He's got to make a big scene first," Harry said.
"We'll just have to see about that," Hermione said, sounding rather determined that they were going to speak to one another this summer no matter what.
**************
The train ride home wasn't going to last long enough. Harry spent the first part holding Hermione's hand, the two of them talking about everything they could think of, including how the portraits still weren't right this morning. Ron sat across from them, dozing off when the topic would once again return to how much Harry was going to miss her over the summer or how Hermione was going to try to convince her parents to let him come for a visit no matter what his uncle had to say about it.
Members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team stopped by at different times to say goodbye to Harry and Ron. Zoila Witherite sat by Ron for quite a while and everyone but Hermione discussed their favorite teams and some new plays Zoila was planning to work on over the summer. Harry bought one of everything from the witch with the candy trolley but neither he nor Hermione were interested in eating, leaving it all to Ron and Zoila.
After the younger witch left, Ron watched Hermione and Harry briefly before excusing himself. "I'm going to, um, check on Ginny . . . to see if she's ready. I'll be back in half an hour, okay?" he asked and Harry smiled at him, glad to see that Ron understood he wanted a few minutes alone with Hermione before their journey ended.
"That girl likes you, Harry," Hermione said as soon as Ron was down the corridor. "And she seems very nice . . . for a second year."
"Can we please not discuss her in the time we have left together?" Harry asked, pulling Hermione closer to his side, his arm wrapped around her shoulder. "There are so many other things I'd rather do."
"Like what?" Hermione asked, a coy smile on her face.
"Like spend the next half hour kissing you."
"That sounds like a great plan," Hermione said, turning around in his arms so they could kiss. He held her as their mouths met, tongues exploring. The train clacked gently down the tracks and soon, she was resting her head against his chest. "It was a strange year. Strange but wonderful this time."
Harry was still worried about the fact that something incredibly bad didn't happen this year. He wanted to laugh at the thought that he couldn't have a normal year and consider it . . . normal. He fell in love with his one best friend and still had Ron as a best friend, Gryffindor won the house cup and he got pretty good grades on his final exams and for the first time in a long time, he felt as normal as he possibly could considering who he was and the world he now lived in.
Unfortunately, it was all coming to an end too quickly and he'd have to go spend his time with the Dursleys feeling like a freak until it was time to return to Hogwarts.
Ron returned and sat across from them again. Hermione didn't move from her spot in Harry's arms and Ron gave them a little eye roll before focusing his attention to the landscape passing by outside the window.
"We're getting close," he said, sounding too happy to be going home.
Hermione and Harry both turned to look out the window only to discover that Ron was right. This year (and this train ride) was about to end.
"It would be best if we didn't say our goodbyes in front of my aunt and uncle," Harry told Hermione and she sat up, disentangling herself from his arms. "Or your parents for that matter."
"Oh, Harry . . ." Hermione said, her voice filled with a sadness that went straight to his heart.
"Should I leave again?" Ron asked and Harry shook his head.
"No . . . because we're here," Harry said as the Hogwarts Express pulled into the station. It came to a stop and they watched as students started filing past their compartment and off the train. Crookshanks meowed sharply from the basket he had been sleeping in the whole ride but neither Harry nor Hermione seemed anxious to move.
"I'm going to go help Ginny with her trunk. Can we still say goodbye in front of your uncle, Harry, or will he suspect something is going on between us?" Ron said, trying to lighten the mood up a little but it didn't work.
"I'll see you in a few minutes, Ron," Harry said, standing up and offering his hand to Hermione. She ended up in his arms wrapped in a tight embrace.
"It will all be okay. Just because nothing terrible happened this school year doesn't mean that it's coming over the summer. You can stop worrying," Hermione said, trying to sound as comforting as possible.
"I know. I just feel better when I can see you every day."
"We'll both be fine and it will be September before we know it," she said, sounding rather doubtful about that.
Harry didn't want to let her go but knew he had to. Her parents would be anxiously waiting to see her and the Dursleys . . .would be waiting.
Ron came back, informing them that he grabbed enough trolleys for everyone and that they really couldn't stand here all day. Harry and Hermione pulled apart and he picked up the basket with her cat and handed it to her. He smiled at how much had changed since they got on the train to Hogwarts last September. She was so excited about some boy and now she was his girlfriend instead. At this moment, with the pain of separation upon them, he wasn't so sure that this whole plan was such a good idea.
Then Hermione smiled before giving him one last kiss and he realized that all her plans were well worth it.
***********
To Be Continued . . .