Disclaimer: See first chapter
Authors Note: Third chapter is now edited and complete. Please read and review. All reviews good and bad are appreciated. Thank You.
Chapter 3: Girl Talk
It since had past that everyone left the Weasley's. After a round of hearty goodbyes Harry and Ron concluded to make an early night of it. After saying goodnight to everyone they trekked up the stairs to Ron's room and dressed in nightwear. Harry slipped into bed and pulled the covers up to his neck, staring restlessly at the ceiling.
"Night Harry," Ron said crawling into his own bed.
"Night Ron," Harry replied. Ron snuffed out the candle on his desk and they were left in complete darkness. He rustled in his bed for a moment and then fell silent. Harry lay in bed barely blinking, unable to sleep. After a few minutes of silence Ron let out a sigh.
"So, uh- you talked to Cho lately Harry?" Ron's voice filled the darkness. Harry blinked. What an odd question to come from Ron.
"No. You know as well as I do she's going out with that Corner guy. It doesn't matter though. I'm a little fed up with Cho actually; we've had so many rows I really could do with never seeing her again."
"Oh I'm sorry. So er-do you like anyone else?" Ron sort of stammered as he said this. Harry still gazed fixedly at the ceiling. He and Ron never talked about girls. It was just something they didn't do. They'd talked about Quidditch, and cards, and school but never about girls before. Harry knew perfectly well why they didn't talk about girls. Her name was Hermione Granger.
"Yes Ron," Harry rolled on his side to face Ron. "I'm madly in love with you. Please, have my children." He snickered as the last words escaped his mouth. He thought maybe if he joked with Ron they could avoid talking about the subject. He didn't want to talk about Cho or any other girl for that matter. He also wanted to stay out of Ron's personal affairs if he could. It wasn't that he didn't care about Ron, but Harry felt if they got into a sensitive area, things might get messy.
"Oh yeah real funny," Ron rolled his eyes. "I'm serious though Harry, do you fancy anyone else?" Ron fiddled with the top of his sheet to give himself something to do. The silence was so intense it was almost deafening. It was only broken by a fluttering of Pigwidgeon's wings. Neither one dared to say another word for at least a minute.
"Because you know if you don't," Ron faltered at these words. "I uh…"
"I'm not going out with Ginny." Harry sputtered out breaking Ron's sentence. The awkward silence was back with a vengeance. Even Pigwidgeon and Hedwig seemed to freeze at what Harry had just said. Everyone in the room was surprised, but none more so than Harry himself. Way to be blunt Harry. God you're thick.
"She's a really nice girl. I mean think about it." Ron was still trying to defend his baby sister. Harry knew a relationship with Ginny would never work. She was more like a sister to him than anything else. He didn't even know her that well, aside from the times they'd talked last year. Plus Ginny had just gotten over her shyness around him. She'd already had a boyfriend or two, not that Ron approved of any of them.
"It's not that Ron. I know Ginny's a nice girl. I love Ginny I really do it's just," he stumbled for words.
"Don't worry about it mate," Ron answered straight. "I was just hoping you know. Maybe you and she would hit it off. You are my best friend Harry, it'd be cool you know?"
"I know what you mean Ron. But thanks for understanding. You know, you are taking this rather well. You sure there isn't something else on your mind?" Harry didn't want to talk about what was on Ron's mind. There were bigger things that had been digging at his mind other than girls. Voldemort was out and could go rampaging any minute. His predestined showdown with the dark lord. Even his meeting with Dumbledore about who knows what was swimming through Harry's mind. Fishing something out of Ron was only a desperate attempt to end an uncomfortable conversation about Ginny, even if Ron had taken it well.
"I think I need a girlfriend," Ron muttered at the ceiling. The words didn't quite register with Harry he was so deep in thought.
"What?" Harry asked less in astonishment and more to regain his bearing on the conversation.
"I think I need a girlfriend," Ron choked out the words as if each one was burning his throat.
"Why do you think that?"
"Bill and Charlie both had one. Even Percy had one. I just think it'd be nice."
"Do you fancy anyone?" Harry asked. The silence attacked the room with ferocity again.
"Er-"was the best reply Ron could get out. He didn't need Ron to say anything. Watching him over the years, and just this night told Harry everything he needed to know. His stomach sort of contracted. This was the last conversation he ever wanted to have with Ron. It was out in the open now though, and both of them lay in their beds thinking deeply.
"You um-don't really need to say Ron. I'm pretty sure I know."
"Oh thank Merlin! I thought I'd have to say it out loud." Ron breathed a sigh of relief. Harry smiled to himself. It was over. Now he could sleep and awake to Mrs. Weasley's buttered toast and delicious muffins and not have to worry about talking.
"Reckon she fancies me Harry?" Ron had rolled over on his stomach and was leaning up on his elbows. He was talking faster and more excitedly now and was geared for conversation. Harry frowned. He would have to talk about it after all.
"I don't know. I really haven't thought about it."
"I mean she seems too don't you think?"
"I'm sure she does."
"Oh, man I don't know what to do though." Ron buried his face in his pillow. "I really can't believe that I told you. I'm surprised you don't fancy her."
"We are talking about Hermione right?" Harry knew they were but wanted reassurance first. Ron sort of gurgled at the question.
"Yeah," Ron was back to stammering. "I've thought about her a lot."
It was going to be impossible to tell him the truth. Harry thought that Hermione would rather admit that Luna was right about Crumple Horned Snorkacks than go with Ron. She was his friend, but Harry had seem them argue. It wasn't a cute kind of arguing; it was annoying and drove him crazy. Even if they did go out they wouldn't last a week before killing one another.
"Ok, I know there's Krum to contend with but I figure I've got a chance. I've known her a lot longer and she's a close friend of mine." Ron sounded gleeful. Readjusting his pillow he added, "I'm surprised you don't fancy her."
"Me?" Harry smiled at the thought. Ron had asked the question twice and Harry had ignored it the first time. "No." Hermione was definitely pretty; she'd grown into herself the last few years. In fact she was at least as pretty if not more so than Cho had been in Harry's eyes. But Hermione? Harry almost felt dirty thinking about it. She was his best friend and to think of her that way would violate the basis of their friendship. Besides she likes Krum. Even in my wildest dreams I couldn't have Hermione. Best to just forget about it and let Ron take his chances.
The more Harry thought about this however, the less he liked it. Ron and Hermione being together would put a strain on all their friendships. Of course he'd want them both to be happy but he'd be miserable. He'd just be a third wheel then. It was just another reason he couldn't have Hermione even if he wanted her was knowing what it would do to Ron. The wind rustled the shutters of the windows.
"That's a relief Harry. It'd be ok if you did though I'd understand. So what do you think I should do?"
The bed Harry was laying in suddenly became very uncomfortable. The Weasley's house had never before been so uninviting, and Harry wished he were in his four-poster at Hogwarts instead of talking about this with Ron. There was no escaping the situation and Harry put Ron's friendship before his own selfish desire to keep his friends apart. "Why don't you just ask her out?"
"ASK HER OUT!" Ron burst out so loudly it made Hedwig hoot in protest.
"You're going to wake the whole house you know." Harry whispered as loud as he could back to Ron.
"Oh sorry," Ron blushed for a moment. After a few moments of silence to make sure no one was going to come bashing down Ron's door demanding to know what the matter was, Ron continued. "Ask her out? Have you lost it! I think you've flipped a lid. I can't do that. You know how I am."
"Unfortunately I do," Harry giggled.
"I think I'll wait to see if she likes me for a bit longer. Maybe Hogwarts will have another ball I can ask her too."
"Or to Hogsmeade with you. You think about it Ron, I'm tired."
"Yeah me too. Night Harry,"
"Night," Harry replied. The bespectacled boy rolled over to face the wall. He'd made it through the conversation and was still in one piece. As much as he prayed though Harry couldn't stop thinking about how unsettling it was going to be around his friends now. Knowing one has feelings for the other and not knowing how the other feels. It was more than the exhausted Harry could take and he quickly fell into a deep sleep.
The sun was warm and bright on Harry's back. He fiddled with the luscious green grass of the Hogwart's lawn in his left hand, as his right twisted through a large bushy clump of brown hair. The day was as marvelous as it could have been. The sun was high in the sky and students were playing in the grass and the water of the great lake. Everything was perfect to Harry as he lay, with his lips locked, on top of the most wonderful girl he'd ever known.
Harry pushed up on his elbows, breaking the kiss, and smiled down. "So what class have we got next?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Snogging 101," she grabbed his tie, "with Madam Granger." Hermione pulled on his tie and brought him back down face to face with her. Harry slid his lips across hers, moistening them on her saliva. She responded by taking his lower lip between hers and massaging it gently. Hermione murmured between their passionate exchange of kisses, "Oh Harry, I-"
His eyes shot open hard. Ron was snoring lightly from the other side of the room and Harry didn't dare move. What had he just dreamed? Surely I'm imagining things. He'd never had a dream of kissing Hermione before. Ron gave a snort that made him jump in fright. It was still dark out and the house was silent.
Harry sat up and rubbed his eyes. It was hard to see without his glasses so he fumbled around the nightstand for them. His fingers glazed across their large frames and he quickly placed them on his nose. Everything came into focus. Hedwig "whooed" softly from her cage. Sweat dripped down Harry's forehead, and his lips were wet.
The heat was almost unbearable. Harry shoved the covers off of himself and brought his knees up to his chest. He couldn't shake the image of the dream from his head. The soft grass, the warm spring day, Hermione's kiss, and what bothered Harry the most, how much he had enjoyed it. It was crazy for Harry to believe he had feelings for Hermione.
"It was just a dream that's all," he whispered to himself. But the idea of how his dreams had an odd habit of coming true lingered in the back of his mind. "I've had loads of dreams that haven't come true," he whispered aloud again. He smiled as he remembered one in particular where Ron was wearing a green dress and kept asking everyone on the street to trade chocolate frog cards with him. Harry grinned, "I certainly hope that doesn't come true. Green doesn't do much for Ron."
Laying his glasses neatly back on the nightstand he pulled the covers up again and laid back down. This was just going to be another night like any other, and in the morning everything was going to be exactly the same as it had been.
Harry was jumbled on the cold stone floor in a heap. His glasses were broken and dangling from his face. The stone floor was cold beneath his fingertips and he wished with everything he could see. He raised the tip of his wand to his glasses and using everything he had left muttered, "Reparo."
Harry could see the dark purple sky above him. Loud noises like the wind whipping through trees in a hurricane filled his ears as the clouds swirled in circles, setting the darkened sky ablaze. Everything was in shambles. Bricks, stone, shards of wood were lying everywhere around him, and only parts of walls remained standing. A small bowl went rolling by Harry. The Pensieve. Was this destruction, this rubble, Hogwarts? Harry's temples burst in pain.
His shirt was covered in something sticky. Harry didn't dare look down. He knew what it was and it scared him. His shirt, tie, and robes were covered in it. The blood dripped from his fingertips too.
But it wasn't his blood. Somehow, although he was unsure of why, Harry knew it wasn't his blood. Whose it was he had no idea. There was a crack of thunder that made Harry's scar sear with pain. Something rolled up against the hand he had pinned to the floor. It was a remembrall.
The boy laid face down ten feet from Harry. His body was rigid and sprawled on the floor. It was Neville. Harry tried with all his strength to move his legs, to be able to go to Neville, to make sure he was ok. His legs were bricks as he tried to push from the ground. There was no way he was ever going to make it to him. A shrill laugh made Harry turn to his right.
Voldemort's robes flowed in the gushing wind, giving his frail body an almost majestic appearance. He held a small crystal high into the air. The small blue sphere was unmistakable to Harry. It was just as thousands and thousands of others had been in the Department of Mysteries. It was a prophecy.
"YOUR LIFE ENDS HERE POTTER!" Voldemort screamed to be heard through the rushing wind. He turned and tossed the prophecy into the darkened sky, over the walls of Hogwarts, into the abyss.
"You killed my parents," Harry choked, "You killed Sirius. You've killed everyone I've ever cared about you filthy bastard!" The words fell out of his mouth and were lost in the wind. His lungs burned for air. Harry knew he couldn't stand up to Voldemort. Their wands wouldn't react this time. Voldemort would never be as folly as to use the same wand.
"AND NOW I DESTROY YOU, BOY!" he pointed his wrist straight at the small heap of Harry's body on the floor. A thin, long, black wand protruded from his hand. "AVADA KEDAVRA!" There was a brilliant flash of green light. Harry couldn't blink. Everything went black.
"HARRY! HARRY!" Mrs. Weasley was slapping his face lightly to wake him. He awoke with such a start he began to scream. Mrs. Weasley jumped back in fright and almost knocked Mr. Weasley over.
Bolting up he reached for his glasses. It was absolutely freezing now and Harry shivered as he adjusted them. Every member of the Weasley family that still lived in the house was staring at Harry as if something was growing from his head. Hermione stood wrapped in a blue night robe at the foot of Harry's bed and she gave a small sigh of relief when he awoke.
"What's going on?" Harry panted. Air seemed almost impossible to get.
"You were screaming so loudly Harry, we thought someone must have been doing something absolutely horrid to you," Mrs. Weasley stood over Harry and put a hand on his shoulder. Even through Harry's rapid gasp for air, he managed to blush.
"I'm so sorry. Did I wake everyone? I didn't mean too it was just," he began to ramble. Words and apologies spewed from his mouth.
"Harry, dear, don't worry about it. We're just relieved that you're safe is all." Mrs. Weasley gave him a hug and patted his cheek. "You go back to bed now, and come and wake us up if you need anything."
"Thank you Mrs. Weasley," Harry remained sitting as everyone filed out of the room. Fred and George kept poking one another and making silent screaming faces to amuse themselves.
"Oh stop it you two!" Hermione scowled at them. "Go back to bed!" She shut the door behind Fred and turned to Harry and Ron. "So, what was it?"
"What was it," Ron appeared shocked, "He woke up screaming is what happened!"
"Of course I know he woke up screaming." Hermione made her way over and sat on the end of Harry's bed, keeping her robe closed tight. "I meant what did you dream about Harry? Was it Voldemort?" At Hermione's words Ron sucked in a bit too much air at one time and choked.
"It was horrible," Harry looked back and forth between them. "Hogwarts was in shambles. Everything, everything was dark and there was this loud howling wind. I was covered in blood but it wasn't my blood. I think it might have been Neville's because he was laying face down a few feet away," Harry's stomach clenched at the thought of Neville's body. "Then Voldemort, he destroyed a prophecy and then, then" Harry couldn't bring himself to say it.
"Shh, it's ok Harry," Hermione patted his leg reassuringly. "Tell me, does your scar hurt?"
It didn't. In fact it was the only time Harry ever remembered his scar not burning after a nightmare of Voldemort. He rubbed it gently in his hands, "No it doesn't. I remember it hurting in the dream though. But it doesn't hurt now."
"Maybe he didn't see your dream then," Ron said. Pigwidgeon hooted in agreement.
"Ron's probably right. Harry I think you need to start practicing Occlumency again. It's important that you be able to block images like this from your head, not just for your own safety but everyone's. We don't want Voldemort (Ron grimaced) to be peeping into your mind. We'll start practicing tomorrow night."
"Yeah ok," Harry agreed. Occlumency was definitely his least favorite subject to practice. It was painful, tiring, and involved people seeing things that Harry would prefer to keep to himself. A rush of wind entered the room chilling it even more. Ron pulled his covers up and huddled on his bed.
"The most important thing now is for you to get some sleep. When we get the chance we'll send Dumbledore an owl," the look on Harry's face made her add sharply, "You're going to tell Dumbledore." It was more of an order than a request. "You've always kept things from him and it's always put you in danger. So this time you're going to tell him." Harry nodded in agreement.
Hermione got up and walked to the door. With her robe still clenched together tightly in one hand she swung it open. "Night boys" trailed into the room as the door shut with a click.
"If you need anything," Ron's voice was half muffled against his pillow. "Just wake me up."
"Thanks." Harry was thankful. Having his best friends and the Weasley family really made things a lot easier on him. Trying to imagine what things would have been like without them was impossible for Harry. Voldemort probably would have done him in a long time ago.
Dew crisp air floated in through the window the following morning. It was a day like no other that summer. Birds were singing in the trees, the smell of warm bread drifting up through the house, in fact if it hadn't been for Mrs. Weasley yelling that breakfast was ready, Harry would have opted to stay in bed forever.
Ron and Harry drudgingly dressed simultaneously. Neither one spoke as they pulled on whatever they had lying on top of their trunks. Mrs. Weasley yelled again and Ron made a quick jump at the door. Harry followed him silently down the stairs to find a bright-eyed Mr. Weasley reading The Daily Prophet.
"Good morning boys! Did you get some good sleep?" He put the paper down. A picture of a goblin trying to fly a broom was on the front page. Harry watched as the small goblin jumped off the top of a house. The goblin and the broom smacked hard into the ground.
"Yeah," said Harry smiling.
"I hope you boys are hungry," Mrs. Weasley came walking in, a plate of stacked hotcakes in her hand. "I've made plenty so eat up." Ron and Harry both thanked her as they sat down.
"Plan on winning the Qudditch cup this year?" Mr. Weasley added a few hotcakes to his plate.
"Of course dad, nobody can beat Gryffindor. Even with my abysmal Keeping abilities, it's hard to lose with Harry as seeker."
"I'm not that good Ron."
"You shouldn't say that. You know you are." Ron overdosed his hotcakes in syrup.
"Well I'm proud of the lot of you. You've all accomplished so much. Much more than I ever did," Mr. Weasley gave a hearty laugh. The goblin on the front page jumped off the roof again and this time smashed through a window. "So what are the plans for today?"
"Don now" Ron said through a mouth full of food.
"Well you kids have fun, Merlin knows you deserve it." He took a final sip of his coffee and stood up. "Well I've got to be getting off to work now. Stay out of trouble you hear."
The boys smiled at him and with a loud pop, he was gone. "Hey Harry, what do you want to do today?"
"We could go gnome throwing again. I'd like to try to beat my old record."
"I hope mum doesn't have any chores for us today. I really hate chores."
"Who doesn't?" Harry cringed. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia used to give him the most horrible jobs imaginable. Scrubbing the gutter with a toothbrush, and moving ornamental rocks that Aunt Petunia had bought was just the beginning.
"I hope the Cannons won their game last night. It would be-"Ron's jaw fell open. His eyes glazed over Harry's shoulder at the staircase. Harry put his fork down and turned to see what had got Ron's attention.
Hermione stepped off the staircase and smiled at them. "Good morning," Harry choked as he saw her wearing the last thing he'd ever pictured Hermione wearing; a miniskirt. What was she thinking? Hermione was the type who despised girls that showed off their bodies like objects. Had someone else taken over her mind?
Harry quickly turned back to Ron. "Don't say anything!" he whispered quickly. Ron gave a small movement of his mouth to show he understood.
"I said good morning," she sat down at the head of the table, where Mr. Weasley had been sitting. Neither one of them looked straight at her.
"Morning, Hermione. Sleep well?" Harry stammered out his words.
"Sleep, yeah sleep." Ron had dropped his fork. They looked from back and forth from one another for a moment before quietly going back to their breakfast.
"I suppose so. I didn't get much after you," she gave Harry a small smile, "woke up the entire house." Harry blushed too embarrassed to speak.
The rest of the morning consisted of everyone debating on what to do. A few rejected suggestions from Hermione led to sitting quietly in a lawn chair reading the Daily Prophet to herself. She contented herself to put it aside every once in awhile however to reprimand Fred and George for playing Exploding Snap too close to her.
Harry walked up a few minutes later, drenched in sweat, clutching his broom tightly. "Anything interesting?"
"Oh not really. Some Goblins causing problems in Romania but other than that anything from Voldemort is pretty much quiet." She laid the paper down on the table next to her. "Have fun?"
"Yeah," Ron joined them in a nearby chair. His red hair was mopped in sweat over his head. "I don't think I could play anymore quidditch if I tried."
Hermione crossed her legs. Ron gripped his broom harder and gave Harry a small smile. Harry merely raised his eyebrows and looked back to Hermione. An explosion from nearby made them all jump.
"I've been telling them all afternoon to stop playing that. I've been hit by three projectiles since they started." Hermione pulled a small piece of confetti from her hair and dropped it in the grass. She began to swing her leg back and forth a little bit as it hung over her other one. Ron's put his hands to his face to try and cover up the deep scarlet they were turning.
"I think I'd better go wash up," Ron almost knocked the chair over as he stood up. He walked backwards the entire way to the door, waving sheepishly at them as he closed the door.
"What's with him?" Hermione leaned on the table. She pulled her skirt down a little.
"What's with you?" Harry asked puzzled. He put the Firebolt down beside him.
"What do you mean?"
"Come on Hermione," he motioned up and down with his hand, "A miniskirt? That's not you. What's gotten into you?"
"Nothing, I don't' know what you're talking about." She turned her head the other way and looked out over the horizon. Harry stared continually at the back of her head. She looked down at the grass, "Oh you're right I feel naked in this thing." She tugged at the skirt again trying to make it longer.
"So why are you wearing it?"
Hermione stood up. "Because, well because, because I bought it that's why. Now I'm going to go put on a pair of jeans, I hate this thing." She turned and almost ran to the house, holding onto the bottom of the skirt. Ron jumped back to avoid being knocked over as she hurtled into the house.
"What's up with her?"
"She's going to take off that miniskirt. I thought you were going to take a show-"
"SHE'S WHAT! WHY IS SHE DOING THAT!?" Ron sank into the lawn chair. It seemed like all the joy of the day left him and his face showed it.
Harry picked up his broom and stood up, "She said she didn't like it. Why what's the big deal?"
"Harry the big deal is I think I love that miniskirt. Those, those legs I" Ron started to sputter.
Harry bopped him lightly on the head with the handle of his broom, "I think you've lost a few too many marbles. I'm going to go take a shower now if you're not."
"Ginny's in there or else you could. Unless you want to-"
"No thanks Ron, really. I think that's quite all right." The screen door creaked loudly as it shut behind him.
"I don't like this." Harry had his hands deep in his pockets and wouldn't remove them. Ron and Hermione looked at him from the other side of the bedroom.
"Come on mate, give it a shot. What's the worst that could happen? Got anything to hide in there? Come on let us have a look."
"I said no."
Hermione tapped her wand repeatedly against her hip, "You agreed to this last night Harry. Now I will agree we're not nearly as accomplished at this as Snape is, and we probably won't even see anything, but that means you'll get a chance to practice against someone weaker and maybe, just maybe, it might make you better."
The idea of practicing Occlumency with Snape was bad enough for Harry, but there was no way he was going to let his best friends look into his mind. He'd shared a lot of things with them, but there were some things you just don't share with anyone. "I said no. I can practice by myself."
"How are we going to know if clearing your mind every night is actually helping you or not if you don't let us try to read your thoughts?" Hermione was getting impatient.
"Fine I'll do it. But Ron's the one that's going to try." Harry had decided that if anyone couldn't get into his mind it would be Ron, and this way he wouldn't even have to try and no one would get upset at him.
"Me? But Hermione is so much better, wouldn't she be a-"
"No Ron you're going to do it." Harry stepped in front of him. Blinking a few times Harry looked straight at Ron. "Ready when you are."
"But Harry I,"
"Just do it Ron," Hermione interjected. "He probably has thoughts in there he doesn't want a girl to see." She winked and giggled.
Harry smirked, "You'd better believe it. Now can we get this over with?" Harry began to clear his head. Ron raised his wand and pointed it at Harry's head.
"Legilimens" Ron stood with the wand pointed at Harry's head. "Er…I don't see anything."
Hermione looked flustered. "Are you trying hard enough?"
"Oh I'm sorry; I forgot to practice my mind reading abilities over the summer. I didn't know how handy they'd come in."
"Don't get snide with me Ron. I merely meant are you trying to read him hard enough?"
"Please don't fight you two." Harry's head was filling with them yelling at one another. He sat down on the bed as Ron and Hermione faced one another.
"Maybe Harry's just so good I can't read his mind!"
"Maybe you should take this more seriously since your best friends life is at stake!"
At this point Harry held his head in his hands and tried to drain their bickering out. He was too tired to try and stop them from arguing.
Harry and Ron went to bed early that night. Hermione stopped talking to Ron after he'd mentioned something about "Being Miss Bossy". Having nothing else to do, or that needed to be done going to bed seemed the only logical step. Harry only knew one thing as he drifted off to sleep that night, that this had been one terrible July day.