CHAPTER ELEVEN
A SECRET REVEALED
Harry kept glancing across the table at Hermione as they ate breakfast. She hadn't said a word since they had left the hospital wing. He tried hard to respect her privacy but couldn't help taking quick glances when he thought she or Ginny weren't watching. He looked up at her before he finished and saw her quickly glance down at her almost finished plate.
We're going to have to talk about this he thought to himself.
"Oh, and Fred and George could be my bridesmaids! I wonder if Snape would officiate!" Ginny was saying with mock enthusiasm.
Harry looked at her with a confused look for a moment then chuckled.
"So, you are awake after all?" She chided.
He nodded. "Sorry, I was thinking about something." He glanced at Hermione but she was still finishing her breakfast. "Just let me know when you guys are ready to head out. I need to stop by the library real quick for some light reading."
Hermione looked up when he said that. "What?" A flicker of a smile crossed her lips before she'd realized she said that aloud and busied herself with a sip of orange juice.
Harry didn't miss the twinkle in her eye when she looked up at him nor did he miss the smile. He just grinned and looked at her. "I do, on occasion, read." He said with a failed attempt at sounding put off. "I just want to look into the abilities of the spirit owl and find out more about my animal form."
Ginny giggled at the banter. "I was wondering if something was wrong, you have both been rather quiet." She put her hand on Harry's.
Harry looked at his girlfriend and smiled. "I'll be right back, ok?"
She smiled back and kissed him on the cheek as he got up. Harry had noticed that Hermione's face had gone scarlet and she busied herself with slicing her sausages into very tiny bite-sized pieces. He gulped nervously and left for the library.
"Oh, she's mad." He muttered under his breath as he made his way down the hall. "Something's going to give in this situation; I hope I've made the right decision."
He passed Malfoy on his way, the sneering student turning his attention to the wall and stormed by; No petty comments followed much to Harry's relief.
Madam Pince was shocked to receive his request. "You want to check out a book that doesn't deal with Quidditch?" She gasped in amazement.
Harry smiled as he nodded. "As I told Hermione earlier, Madam Pince, I do tend to read from time to time."
She smiled at him as she went through her mental notes on the subject in question. "Hmm, I would guess that your best source of information might be Magical Creatures of Myth and Legend IV: America and the Roman Empire. That might be the best source for what you're looking for, Mr. Potter." She directed him to the last bookcase before the restricted section began.
"Here it is." He said as he pulled the dusty tome from the shelf. He ran his finger down the spine out of habit and opened the book, paging to the index. "Sprite ... No, it's before that ... Ah, Spirit guide ... Spirit of Christmas Past, The ... Spirit Owl, page 144, section 12.2" He said to himself as he flipped to the page he was concerned with.
A large white owl that seemed transparent gazed up at him from the book. Like most pictures in the wizarding world, this one moved as well. The owl ruffled its feathers, turned it's head this way and that then settled down and moved it's beak as if it was asking a question to the unseen photographer. Harry began to pour over the accompanying text that he was looking for.
The Owl is, of course, a very real and material raptor which comes in many sizes and shapes. However, the owl is
also an extremely powerful totem animal surrounded by myth and lore and this makes the spirit owl's feathers useful
for magical cores. The spirit owl comes in dreams and visions offering her aid and wisdom. Her haunting call,
"who, who?" asks the deep question of one's identity. Who are you? Silent hunter of the night, the owl
has been depicted as the messenger of wizards and witches, and a form favored by aerial shape-shifters.
Used as a magical core, the feather of the spirit owl shines with a misty grey light, faintly blue like starlight on
snow. Its powers are for wisdom, for the owl is the companion of the Goddess Athena, wise leader of Attic Greece and
patroness of cunning Odysseus. The owl spirit lends great powers of secrecy -- both for keeping secrets and unlocking
things that are hidden. It is well-suited to magic of forests and animals, and to magic of the night.
Harry flipped the page over and found the next entry was Spirit, Patronus. He turned back to the material he was interested in and read and re-read it several times. Well, that helped ... He thought with a hint of disappointment. He lost himself in thought at the implications of the passage he had just read. He looked down to read the information again when he heard someone clear their throat by the door. He looked up at the girl standing in the doorway who was patiently waiting for him to notice her presence.
"Huh?" He said blankly as he came to his senses. "Oh, sorry, Hermione, were you waiting long?" He made sure he didn't look her in the eyes for fear of her getting angry at him again.
"No ... I ... um ... Just got here, really." She replied.
He knew she was lying because she was never really good at it. He decided to allow her to get away with it this time. "Is everyone ready to go then?" He asked nervously.
She nodded and looked at the floor while he returned the book to its proper place then rejoined her at the door. She looked up to find Harry looking at her intently.
"Harry ..." She said.
"Hermione ..." He said at the same time.
They both laughed nervously. "You first." He offered as they started their slow walk back to the great hall.
"Well ... I ... About last night." She started. "I-I don't know what came over me." She stuttered.
"It was my fault." Harry said. He was convinced that most things happened because of him. "I shouldn't have ... I ..."
"Harry, it wasn't your fault at all." She had stopped walking. "I initiated it. It was me." She was blushing and staring at the floor.
He stopped and looked at her. "I ... I guess I knew that. I guess that I convinced myself it was all me."
"Why would you do that? You were there." She looked him in the eyes; hers were starting to mist over.
"I ... Well ... I had a dream ... Just before I woke up." He admitted, his face going pink in embarrassment. He looked at his shoes. "It was strange at first and sort of strange at the end as well." He relayed the dream in its entirety. "I had convinced myself that I didn't really see you that way. I guess I saw how Ron was pining after you and I forced myself to push my feelings aside."
At the mention of Ron, Hermione started crying again. Without thinking Harry pulled her into his arms and wiped her tears away. He realized what he'd done and he made to step back but she pulled him back and buried her face into his chest.
"I ... I agreed to date Ron, Harry, because I didn't think that you had any feelings for me at all. I always hoped you'd be the one to ask me first."
Harry was on his heels in shock. "But I ... I never ..." He began.
She looked up into his eyes before he could finish, her tears increasing at what she had just heard. "I ... I'm sorry, Harry. I should have thought. I shouldn't have misinterpreted what happened last night ..." She backed away and turned to run but his seeker reflexes were too fast as his hand shot out and caught her arm.
"Hermione ... Let me finish." He said as he turned her to him. She looked away, the tears still streaming down her cheeks. "As I was saying." he continued tenderly, "I never thought you cared about me in that way. I always saw the looks that you and Ron shared and your awkwardness and thought that you both had crushes on each other."
She was looking at him by now, her cheeks dry and a dreamy look in her eyes as if she were lost.
No further words were spoken as they took one another in a tight embrace and kissed passionately. Harry felt his heart race and his skin get extremely warm. He lost all facility to think and deepened their kiss as a soft moan escaped from Hermione. This shocked them both from their kiss and they looked at each other. Both were blushing profusely and eyes were wide.
"W ... wow ..." Harry whispered, taken aback.
Hermione echoed these sentiments and looked at his lips then back to his eyes.
"Harry? Hermione? Where are you?" They jumped back at the sound of Ginny's voice.
"Let's just keep this between us for now, ok, Harry?" Hermione asked in a quick whisper. "We have to be careful right now. I don't want to hurt Ron."
Harry quietly agreed. He didn't want to hurt Ginny either. "Alright, we'll keep this quiet then. Let's make sure the others are alright, ok?"
Hermione smiled at him. "There you go again! Making sure that everyone else is ok before you!" She crossed her arms in mock anger but smiled at him. "That's one of your most endearing qualities." She whispered.
He blushed slightly at the complement and looked up as Ginny descended the stairs to where they had been standing.
"There you are!" Ginny said exasperatedly. "We're going to miss our portkey to the hospital if you two don't hurry up!"
They looked at their young, red-haired friend and smiled as they hurried to join her. Ginny took Harry's hand and bent to him. "So, are you two ok again? You seemed uncharacteristically quiet during breakfast." She whispered.
He smiled nervously at her. "We'll be ok. There is just a lot of stuff happening right now. Why don't we concentrate on what we can do for Ron and Hagrid right now?"
She smiled at her boyfriend and kissed him on the cheek. "You are one of the most unselfish people I know, Harry."
He tried to gulp the guilt back down as it started to rise in his throat again.
Professor Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, waiting patiently for his three travelers as they hurried into his office. "Ah, it's very good of you to join me." He smiled softly at the three friends. "I've given each of you one week of leave to spend with your friends and family at the hospital."
"Thanks, Professor." Ginny said with a small smile.
"What will we do about our homework and other studies, Professor?" Hermione asked.
Harry poked her in the ribs with a mischievous grin. "Leave it to you to bring up homework during a free week off from school." He dodged her playful slap easily.
"Well, I think it's important, Mr. Potter!" She scolded him playfully. "We'll see how you do on your N.E.W.T.s when you haven't paid any attention to your homework." They all chuckled at the playful banter.
"I see that some things have returned to normal?" Dumbledore winked at Hermione who blushed. "You three know the drill." He held out a plastic soda bottle, which was empty, and the trio placed their hands on it. "You will be staying with the Weasleys at the Burrow, by the way." They all nodded as their headmaster counted from three to one.
Harry felt the familiar sensation of a hook tug somewhere behind his navel, his feet left the ground and he was caught in a swirl of color and howling wind, Ginny and Hermione bouncing off his shoulders the entire way.
They found themselves stumbling forward in the main lobby of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Arthur Weasley was standing a short distance away looking at the clock on the wall then looking back to the floor.
"Dad, we're here!" Ginny called as she waved to her father.
He walked over and enveloped his daughter in a tight hug. "I'm glad to see that you're up and about, pumpki ... err ... Ginny." He stammered. "You were pushing that transit kind of close."
Ginny looked embarrassed for a moment, hoping Harry hadn't caught her father's blunder. "Harry took his time looking up some research in the library." She huffed as she winked playfully at the green-eyed boy. "When Hermione hadn't returned with him, I had to chase them down. But we got here in time." She finished with a smile to her father.
"That you did, that you did." He smiled at the three of them. "Well, who do we visit first?"
"I think I'll go see how Ron is doing. I haven't spent much time with Hagrid, but I'd like to visit him after I see how my brother is doing."
Arthur smiled weakly at his little girl. "Alright, sweetie, but he hasn't improved much at all since he was brought in." He tried to hide his sadness behind a hollow chuckle as he put his arm around her shoulders. "Harry, Hermione, why don't you have a seat in the waiting area. After I take Ginny up to her mum, I'll take you two to Hagrid."
They both nodded as they watched father and daughter leave for their family. Harry took a seat on an overstuffed couch and Hermione sat next to him, subconsciously resting her hand on his thigh.
Harry looked down in surprise but quickly recovered as he looked at the young woman next to him. His face blushed a bit as he put his hand on hers as he watched her reaction.
She looked surprised for a moment but visibly relaxed as she looked into his grinning face. "What?" She asked.
Harry just sat there with a school-boy grin on his face and tightened his grip on her hand.
"What? Do I have something in my hair? Is there something on my face?"
"No." He said simply. "I just felt like smiling." He looked at her crossly. "Can't a guy just smile at a pretty girl?" He teased.
She blushed immediately and slapped his shoulder. "Not if it looks like he's got a canary stuffed in his mouth!" She retorted with a giggle.
Their faces inched closer together as they laughed with each other then realized where they were and broke apart quickly.
"Ahem." Harry cleared his throat and gulped. Hermione busied herself with straightening her blouse and skirt. They were both smiling when the Weasley's father returned to the waiting area.
"Ah, was it a good joke then?" He asked with a curious smile.
They looked at Mr. Weasley and then quickly to themselves. "We were just ..." Harry started.
"Remembering some of the times at school ..." Hermione finished.
The older man looked at them suspiciously for a moment before he nodded. "Ah, right then. Well, let me get you to Hagrid. He'll be happy to see you."
Their faces brightened immediately at the news. "Hagrid's awake? Is he ok? Will he recover?" They both sounded like excited chipmunks as the questions poured from them both.
Arthur laughed. "Yes, he's fine, he's fine. It was a little touch and go over the past few days and they were able to find some remedies from South America that reduced the swelling and cleaned his system without inciting an allergic reaction. He's tired and still in intensive care, but you can go and see him."
They looked at each other with wide smiles as they got up to follow their friends' father to where Hagrid was waiting.
The hospital had to make special accommodations for their extraordinarily large friend. A bed was transfigured to twice its size and the room was charmed to allow for more space. As they entered the room, a seated Hagrid looked up from his book, The Monster Book of Monsters, and smiled the toothiest smile he could muster.
"Well, look 'oo's 'ere!" He laughed as both Hermione and Harry rushed over and gave him a warm hug. "Be careful now. I'm still a bit sore 'an all tha'"
"Hagrid! We're so glad to see you up! We were so worried when we found you!" Hermione smiled warmly at him then her smile faded as tears started to well in her eyes. "I'm sorry we couldn't do anything for Grawp. He saved us before he ..." She couldn't finish the sentence and buried her face in Hagrid's massive arm.
Hagrid shifted so he could hug the two of them back. "Its alrigh' 'ermione. It's alrigh'." He sniffed. "Grawp turned ou' ter be a righ' fine brother. I'm no' abou' ter forget 'im."
The three of them sat in silence for a few moments before Harry noticed that Hagrid was again smiling from ear-to-ear. He smiled back at his friend who raised his eyebrows and glanced at Hermione. Harry looked confused for a second then he caught on to what Hagrid was suggesting. He blushed slightly and Hagrid let out a brief laugh before he was able to cover his mouth.
"What's so funny?" Hermione asked. "Did I miss something?" She wore an amused look on her face even as her brows knit in confusion.
"So, when'd it 'appen?" Hagrid asked after a moment.
"When did what happen?" She asked looking a little flustered and worried. She glanced at Harry who smiled at her and shrugged.
"When did yer two ge' together?" He asked as his chuckles resumed.
Hermione looked frantically at Harry then at Hagrid. "What? When did who get together?" She asked as she pointedly looked at Harry.
"Yer know wha' I'm meanin', 'ermione, yer an' 'arry." He grinned at the two of them who suddenly wore expressions of embarrassment.
"Huh? What? How?" Was all she could say.
Hagrid shook his head in amusement. "It was pretty obvious, yer see. I've known yer two fer a good five years now. Don't tell me yer 'aven't seen this comin'?"
She blushed so badly at that observation that her ears and neck went pink as well. "Was I that obvious?" She asked quietly.
Hagrid laughed so hard he nearly broke the bed. "Of course! I could see the way yer looked at 'im an' 'ow yer would brighten up when 'e would come in the room or when 'is name was mentioned."
Harry blushed at the news and laughed nervously.
"An' don't think yer ou' o' this one, 'arry. I saw how yer would look at our 'ermione. I knew yer two would ge' together sooner or later." He smiled at his two friends. "Yer mum an' dad were the same way, 'arry."
Harry looked up at his friend and smiled then looked over at Hermione who was smiling softly at him. "Well, to tell you the truth, it's a little complicated right now. But we've only just figured it out ourselves."
"Don't let anyone know, Hagrid." Hermione asked. "We have to work out a few things before we let anyone else know."
Hagrid nodded as he smiled warmly at the couple. "Alrigh', if that's wha' yer wan' me ter do." He reached up and covered his mouth as he stifled a yawn.
The nurse on call came in the room and ushered the young couple out of the room. "It's time for him to get some rest. You can come back and visit tomorrow when he's moved to his new room."
They waved goodbye to Hagrid who was settling himself down to sleep. He smiled and waved back to his retreating friends as he wiped a tear from his eye.
Mr. Weasley caught up with them as they walked slowly back to the waiting room, content to just be together. They looked up as he walked quickly up to them. He was wearing a large smile on his face. "Good news! Good news!" He exclaimed as he laughed. "Ron's mediwizard tried the same remedy the hospital used on the Longbottoms and Ron's snapped out of it!"
They looked at each other with wide smiles on their faces. "How's he doing? Did they find any problems from the trauma?" They both asked with anticipation.
"They're still running tests but the mediwizards say he's going to be fine!"
They all hugged each other in relief and happiness before they made for Ron's room. Harry and Hermione looked at each other nervously. Both knew that they'd have to wait to see how things would turn out after they found out if Ron was truly recovered.
"Harry, that reminds me. I've been wondering about this for quite some time now."
"What is it, Mr. Weasley?" Harry asked somewhat afraid of what the question was. He was well aware that Ron's dad was obsessed with muggles and the items they used in their daily lives.
"Well, I was walking around St. Mungo's when I remembered a case I was working on at a muggle hospital and I have to know, Harry, what is the function of a stethoscope?"
Harry and Hermione exchanged laughs as they took turns explaining the use of the muggle contraption. They were outside Ron's room before they knew it and they looked nervously at each other.
What are we going to do? Harry asked himself. He looked into Hermione's eyes and he could tell that she was thinking the same exact thing. They shared a brief, nervous smile before they were ushered into the room.
"Harry, Hermione, you're both ok!" Said a smiling, very unaware Ron.