Chapter Six
Harry was extremely bored of researching the uses of Belladonna in potions. He and Hermione were sitting working in her study; goodness knows where Ron was as he was over an hour late for their study session, though Harry guessed Lavender had something to do with his friend's absence. Hermione looked up from her note taking and saw Harry staring off into space.
^Working hard there Potter?^ Harry looked at her with a grin.
"Hermione, why do you think we can hear each other's thoughts? Is it a common thing among Witches and Wizards?" He asked, vocalising what he'd been wondering about for several weeks now. Hermione put down her quill and looked at him thoughtfully.
"Well I looked it up in the library, but I can't find anything useful. Everything about invading others thoughts is about Occlumency and that isn't what we've been doing…It can't be dark magic because we can't hear anyone else's thoughts. It's very strange though. Maybe we should talk to Professor Dumbledore about it." Hermione suggested.
"There wasn't anything in the library?" Harry asked surprised.
"But, I mentioned this to Professor Dumbledore when I spoke to him about your parents yesterday, and he just smiled, so I assumed this was a common magical gift."
"He didn't think it was strange?" Hermione asked confused.
"I guess he hasn't been completely honest with me this year after all, but he usually has his reasons. I suppose he'll tell me when he's ready." Harry mused, as he dragged his mind back to the work in front of him.
^Maybe it's time to take a look in the restricted section. See if we can uncover anything about this.^ Harry nodded.
^I'll grab the cloak and meet you in the Common Room^ Harry confirmed. They shared a conspiratorial smile before closing the books they were reading
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Ron, Lavender and Ginny were sitting in a quiet corner of the library, not a usual spot for any of them, and they were sitting whispering together and plotting.
"Well they're alone now, that was easy enough." Ron said pointing to the Marauders map in his hand.
"Yes but they're studying!" Ginny exclaimed.
"Not exactly romantic."
"Hermione's studying, Harry'll be staring at her whenever she's not looking. She's got to notice soon enough…and he'll distract her from her work eventually, he's the only one who can." Ron said with a grin.
"They're definitely made for each other. You should see the way she watches him when you're all playing Quidditch." Lavender said with a wink.
"Ah - you two - we're going to need a plan and fast…" Ginny whispered urgently.
"Why?"
"Look at the map!"
Lavender and Ron looked down to see two dots moving towards the library and gasped.
"Great! I'm supposed to be studying with them!" Ron said panicked.
"Ok, Ron hide over in basic potions - they'll never go over there with all the First Years." Ginny said grabbing Ron's bag and shoving it at him. Ginny and Lavender gestured frantically and Ron rushed across the library to hide behind some bookshelves. Ginny and Lavender pulled out work and pretended to study as Ginny surreptitiously studied the map.
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^Ron must have the map. I guess he's off somewhere with Lavender^ Harry said silently to Hermione as they stood flattened against a wall to let a group of Fifth year girls pass. Harry was incredibly aware of his arm around Hermione's waist and their bodies pressed up against each other as they tried to take up as little space as possible in the hallway.
^You know, it would have been more logical to do this after curfew so we wouldn't have to sneak around so much^ Hermione giggled.
^Very true, but it's much more fun when we might get caught^ Harry laughed
^Get caught doing what? We could have just put the cloak on in the library!^ Hermione said.
^Oops. This is why you're supposed to think through all the plans. You know you're the brains behind the operation^ Harry replied as they began walking again, arms still around each other's waists to keep the cloak covering them.
^And yet we're still wearing the cloak…^ Hermione observed.
^Ah, well I have no excuse to hug you if we're not under the cloak^ Harry said and then cringed as he realised he'd thought that out loud. He was flirting with Hermione. He was flirting with his best friend.
She was silent for a moment before giggling.
^You are a bit of a huggy person^ She said.
Harry breathed a silent sigh of relief that she wasn't offended by his comment and decided to be even more daring, deciding to tickle her side.
Hermione giggled out loud this time.
^Harry!^
^What?^ He asked in fake innocence.
Hermione elbowed him playfully.
^Stop it. We'll get caught, and do you really want to explain why we're together under an invisibility cloak on our way to the library during the day?^
^Is that the real reason Miss. Granger?^
^And what could be another reason?^
^That you're extremely ticklish…^ Harry teased her.
She turned and stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed silently as they walked through the doorway into the library.
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"I don't believe it! They're under the cloak! What are they up to?" Ginny whispered to Lavender.
"Lets watch where they go." Lavender whispered back as she pretended to be engrossed in her homework.
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^Lavender and Ginny studying together? That's not a usual occurrence^ Harry commented as they walked silently past their friends towards the Restricted Section.
^My guess is they're plotting something^ Hermione said, and privately thought she had a suspicion of just what they were plotting about, and she knew she'd have to have a few words with her friends.
^So where's Ron then, if Lavender's here with Ginny?^ Harry thought curiously.
^I have no idea^ Hermione replied. She was really going to have to talk to Lavender and Ginny, but right now she was determined to find out what was going on in her head. Why was there nothing in any books to explain why she and Harry could hear each other's thoughts? And why had Dumbledore not been surprised when Harry told him?
Harry and Hermione entered the restricted section and stood back to back, their eyes scanning the titles of the books in front of them, speaking to one another silently when they came across a book that might be useful, though there were few. An hour later they had still come up with nothing.
^This is ridiculous. There must be something here^ Hermione sighed exasperated.
^Maybe we should just give up for today.^ Harry sighed. Hermione nodded her agreement and replacing a book on a shelf, she turned and wrapped her arm around his waist ready to walk back to the Gryffindor tower. Harry grinned inwardly as Hermione moved closer to him and smelled her hair, a familiar scent of apples, which he loved.
^Harry - did you just smell my hair?^ Hermione asked very confused.
Harry could have hit himself in the forehead.
^Um, yes?^ He replied, phrasing his answer as a question for reasons he couldn't fathom.
^Why?^ Hermione asked softly.
^It smells nice^ Harry replied simply, deciding to stick with honesty for the moment as it seemed to have been working for him earlier in the day during his little foray into flirting.
^Oh^ Hermione said, deep in thought, as a smile spread over her face. She tightened her arm around Harry's waist and rested her head on his shoulder as they began to walk.
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Ron, Lavender and Ginny grinned to see the two dots moving back towards Gryffindor tower.
"My guess is they're researching `you-know-what'" Ron said. Ginny and Lavender nodded in agreement.
"Well, lets assume that when they get back they'll split up, so we need them to spend even more time together. Lets plant something of Hermione's in Harry's room so he has to return it, as you know he wont wait till morning, he'll use it as an excuse to visit her, and we could do the same to Hermione, but put it somewhere she wont find it until tomorrow maybe?" Lavender suggested.
Ron grinned at his girlfriend and kissed her quickly.
"Lavender, I do believe that hanging out with the Weasley's is rubbing off on you. Ok, Ron, you go get something of Harry's from your dormitory and we'll get something of Hermione's and meet you back here in a few minutes.