Unofficial Portkey Archive

Confused Paths

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, just the plot (is there a plot here?) and the OCs. Don't sue me, JKR; I'm poor and I don't have any money.

A/N: Yeah people, they did * it *. I just felt like being subtle. Congratulations to everyone who got the hint about the charms…

Chapter 14 - Whispering Wind

Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, and every other gossiper at Hogwarts probably had the best day of their lives. After all, it's not everyday that Miss Perfect Hermione Granger is seen returning to her own bed at six in the morning, after spending the night with the Boy-Who-Lived.

Hermione managed to fool her two roommates, saying that she spent the night talking, but she couldn't hide who she was talking to. Of course, Lavender and Parvati didn't believe the "just talking" part, and before Hermione could go down to the Great Hall to have her breakfast, the whole school was aware that Harry Potter was dating his best friend Hermione Granger. When Hermione met Harry in the common room, she gave him an apologetic look; he waved his hand dismissively and whispered at her ear, "At least, now I can show everyone who is my girlfriend, and take her to Hogsmeade properly." She smiled slightly at him, and they went down to the Great Hall.

Ron was already there when they arrived (he got up early to meet Luna in front of the Ravenclaw Common Room), and the two of them sat across from him, their backs to the other tables. They could feel everyone's stares at them, though.

"I thought you wanted to keep your relationship secret," Ron said as soon as they got down. "I was quite surprised when I got down here and everyone asked me if I knew about it," he added. Harry and Hermione exchanged a meaningful look, which meant they would tell Ron the same story they told the girls; Ron would probably freak out if he discovered what they really did. Harry and Hermione would probably be too embarrassed to explain, anyway.

"Harry and I were talking in the Common Room, and we lost track of the time," Hermione said. Harry noticed some students had stopped their conversations to hear. "So we could not hide it," Hermione added. "It is probably best this way, at least we can go on a proper date now," she finished, smiling at Harry. He smiled back, a bit unsure.

Harry's mind was busy thinking about the repercussion of this on Voldemort's plan. Now that it was out in the open that Hermione was Harry's girlfriend, she would probably be a more valuable target now. He remembered that he hadn't mentioned the special classes the three of them would be taking. Ron wasn't aware of the prophecy, also.

"Look, I have something to tell you," Harry started. Ron and Hermione turned from their plates to him. "But I can not tell it here. We will talk after breakfast," he continued. Hermione gave Harry another pointed look.

"Good morning you three," Harry heard a voice from his back, and turned to see the two Garniers behind him. The two of them smiled. Harry could see some of the Gryffindors weren't pleased with their presence. Johan sat down besides Harry and whispered, "I just came to see if you had talked to them already. Rafaelle and I will be taking the special classes too. It seems like you did not, if I heard correctly." Harry nodded, and opened his mouth to give him a better answer when Johan got up.

"You were right, sister, no DA meetings today," Johan said, making sure all Gryffindors were hearing him. "We'd better leave, angel, the goody-shoes are getting annoyed," he added, and stole a toast from the table before leaving. Rafaelle left after him, without a word. Most Gryffindors were following them with the eyes.

"That was a good impersonation of a true Slytherin… What did he want?" Ron mouthed quickly, before everyone turned their heads to them. Hermione looked at Harry, asking the same thing with her eyes. "Later," Harry said.

Harry and Hermione left the Great Hall together, and Ron went to talk to Luna. The three of them agreed to meet in an empty classroom in ten minutes. That was the time Ron said he needed to distract Luna. Fifteen minutes later, Ron was there.

"I just told her I forgot my money at the tower," he said, when he entered the classroom. "The other Ravenclaws just kept asking me if you two were really together. That is why I took so much time," he added. Harry and Hermione shared an amused smile. "Sorry Ron," Harry said. "I promise to make up for you one of these days, when you and Luna decide to snog over the night," he added with a wink. Ron blushed deeply.

"Okay, I said I needed to tell you something, and that is exactly what Johan came talk to me about," Harry said, breaking the playful mood. "First Ron, I need to tell you about Voldemort's last actions. It seems he…"

Harry was interrupted by a gesture from Ron. "No need to tell it," he said. "Hermione explained it to me when you were talking to Dumbledore yesterday," he continued. Harry looked at Hermione. "I thought Ron deserved to know," she said. Harry smiled. "I think the same," he said. "Thanks for telling him, love, it makes everything easier." Hermione smiled back.

"Get a room, you two," Ron said, making Harry and Hermione blush. "Okay, now that you are back to real world, get on with it, mate. I do not like to leave Luna waiting," he continued. Harry looked pointedly at Ron, and he blushed again. "You know it does not take that long to pick up something in the Gryffindor Tower," Ron said defensively. Harry grinned.

"Well, as you know about the plan already… I must tell you about the prophecy," Harry said. He saw Hermione's face darken. "Do you remember the prophecy at the Department of Mysteries, right?" Harry asked, and Ron nodded in concordance. "I know what it said. Dumbledore heard it, and he told me," Harry said, and paused. It was very hard to tell it once again. Hermione's reaction last night had broken his heart. He knew Ron wouldn't break in tears, but his reaction would be bad nonetheless.

Ron was looking at Harry expectantly. Harry repeated what the prophecy said. When the mark was mentioned, Harry pointed at his scar, to make sure Ron would understand it. When he was done, Ron's mouth was hanging open.

"Bloody hell," Ron exclaimed, after half a minute in silence. "No way," he continued. "It can not be, mate. It just can not," he said again.

"It is," Harry said, looking down. "I must kill him, or he kills me."

"Fuck, man," Ron said. "Sorry about the language," he added quickly. "But why the hell it always happens to you?"

"I wish I had the answer for that," Harry said. Hermione held his hand in hers and squeezed it in reassurance. "Well, these are the bad news," Harry said. "Now for the not-so-pleasant news," he added.

"Dumbledore told me yesterday that he thinks I am not the target of Voldemort's plan. He thinks the two of you are, due to your closeness to me, and he wants us to have special defense lessons." He said that quickly, and looked at Hermione and Ron, expecting an answer. Ron's face was expressionless. Harry supposed he was torn between relief (the lessons were really necessary) and annoyance (extra lessons aren't really necessary). Hermione just had her "concentrated" expression. She was the first one to talk.

"When would we be taking those lessons, and who would be teaching us?" The girl asked. "We would be having them during the Saturdays," Harry answered, and Ron groaned. "And I think Dumbledore would be the one teaching us. He did not mention it," he continued.

Hermione wondered about it some more and said, "Well, I see no reason why we should not take it. You would have to cancel DA, though. And the quidditch team would have to train during the week." She looked at Ron, expecting a response. Ron just held his hands up, in defeat. "If you are okay with it, I am okay with it. The team will not mind," the red-haired said. Hermione smiled and looked at Harry. "You are going to take it, right? I know you are angered at Dumbledore and such…"

"I am okay with this," he said. "I told him already. He just asked me to tell you everything, and ask for your opinions. Johan came to me today to ask if I had told you already. He said he and Rafaelle will be taking the lessons along with us," continued Harry.

"Well, I suppose you can tell Dumbledore we are okay with it, too," Hermione said. "Now, I suppose there is a certain Ravenclaw waiting for you, Ron," she continued, with a wink. Ron smiled. "And I suppose there is a certain Gryffindor that can not wait to see me out of here," he answered, looking at Harry. "See you at Hogsmeade."

Hermione looked at Harry, after Ron left. This was their first time completely alone since Hermione had sneaked out of Harry's bedroom, this morning, under his invisibility cloak. At that time, the two of them were blushing madly, and had exchanged just a few words before she left. Now, the two of them wouldn't be going anywhere without the other, so they had to settle everything.

"Do you regret it?" Harry asked, after two minutes of an awkward silence. "No," Hermione answered, with a blush. "I think it was wonderful. I heard the first time for girls is quite bad… I think I was lucky," she continued.

"Glad to please," he said, and winked. He felt his uneasiness vanish when she said she didn't regret it. She smiled back, a little unsure. "Do you regret it?" Hermione asked him. "Of course not," he said. "It could not have been better, I think. I can not picture myself doing that with anyone but you," he continued, and blushed a little at his boldness. Her shy smile had turned into a full grin. She stepped forward, nearer him, and threw her arms around his neck. "I think exactly the same," she said, before claiming his lips on a kiss.

Some time later, the two of them were walking through the streets of Hogsmeade, hand in hand, under the stares of lots of students. Harry was still afraid for Hermione's safety, because of Voldemort's plan; but his mind was set that he would protect her of any danger their relationship could bring her, and that helped to ease his worries.

The two of them had a wonderful day. They had visited Honeydukes to buy some chocolate, had checked out the jewelry shop ("I knew it," the clerk had said. "When the two of you bought the same thing on the same day, I knew you were a couple!") and had a double-date with Ron and Luna at the Three Broomsticks ("Please, anywhere but Madam Puddifoot's," Harry begged). They met with Fred and George there, wearing identical T-shirts that said "Zonko's, take care". Ginny showed up later, along with Neville, wearing the same thing. Ron couldn't help but complain why he didn't receive one.

At the end of the day, Harry, Hermione, Ron and Luna returned to Hogwarts together. They left Luna at the entrance of the Ravenclaw Common Room, and then walked back together to the Gryffindor Tower. Ron was talking about the quidditch training he cancelled because of Valentine's Day, when the three of them met Professor Dumbledore in a corridor.

"Good evening, professor," the trio said. Dumbledore smiled at the three of them. "Good evening, children," he answered. "I just asked Professor McGonagall to look for you. I need to know if you are done with it already, Harry," he continued, with a twinkle in his eyes. Harry understood what he meant. "Yes, professor," he answered.

"Excellent, Harry," Dumbledore said. "We have got very little time before Voldemort strikes, and I wanted to start your lessons as fast I could. Your professor is very worried about you, too," he continued.

Harry raised an eyebrow. Dumbledore caught its meaning. "Remus will be teaching you," he said. "I believe it is the most pleasant choice for you." Harry smiled, and Dumbledore knew he was right. "Well, children, are you going to do it?" Dumbledore asked, looking at Hermione and Ron. Their answers were written on their faces since the headmaster had mentioned Remus.

"We will, professor," Hermione said. "Anything for Harry."

A/N: This is a filler chapter. It holds very little meaning, I think, so I can't even tell if I like it or not… It's weird. Well, 1 or 2 chapter remaining now… By the way, I hate chapter titles.

As I said in the beginning of the chapter, I tried to be subtle last chapter. I though that "He knew what that meant. He held her in arms, and took her to his bedroom, where they had their first sexual experience" sounded quite bad. I think I'll post the smut later. I thought it would be unfair to my readers under 18 if the story suddenly became R or NC17 rated.

akjennymay9: A sequel…? I'm working on a plot. I just think it's got very little romance, so I'm not sure if I'll write it… There's no fun if there's not enough H/Hr. ^_^

Thanks to everyone who else who reviewed, and thanks to my beta (she's back!) for her job. R/R.