Summer Writing Series Challenge: Tawny's Responses

Tawny Spitfyre

Rating: PG13
Genres: Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 5
Published: 14/06/2004
Last Updated: 30/07/2004
Status: in_progress

This is a collection of my responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge which is being updated at our Live Journal site. These daily challenges cover a range of situations with varying elements to exercise our skills as writers, and they have a cap of 1000 words Monday-Thursday, and 2000 words on Fridays. Interested in participating? Please join us! Everyone is welcome to write as often as they like!

Chapters

1. 06-07-04: Speechless

2. 06-08-04: Little Gifts

3. 06-09-04: Apple Charms

4. 06-10-04: The Last Night of Summer

5. 06-11-04: A Play on Words

6. 06-14-04: Dinnermezzo

7. 06-15-04: Forever

8. 06-16-04: Paris, With a Twist

9. 06-17-04: Paris, With A Twist - Part 2

10. 06-18-04: Sunset

11. 06-21-04: Missing You

12. 06-22-04: True Love

13. 06-23-04: Photographic Memories

14. 06-24-04: Ice Scream

15. 06-25-04: Stunned

16. 06-28-04: Worth a Thousand Words

17. 06-29-04: Rocking the Boat

18. 06-30-04: Escape

19. 07-01-04: Dropping the Hint

20. 07-02-04: Remember Me

21. 07-05-04: Exploring

22. 07-06-04: Clubbed

23. 07-07-04: Moonlight Promenade

24. 07-08-04: I See London, I See France...

25. 07-09-04: Hen Night

26. 07-12-04: Quidditch and Quills

27. 07-13-04: Quidditch and Quills (Part 2)

28. 07-14-04: Quidditch and Quills (Part 3)

29. 07-15-04: Quidditch and Quills (Part 4)

30. 07-16-04: Quidditch and Quills (Part 5)

31. 07-19-04: Do You Hear the People Sing?

32. 07-20-04: Harrys Letter/Elaborate Lives

33. 07-21-04: Gethsemane

34. 07-22-04: People Will Say Were In Love

35. 07-23-04: The Creation of Man

1. 06-07-04: Speechless

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 7)
Challenge: Harry and Hermione Bump Heads
Title: Speechless
Word Count: 1,000

It happened in an instant. We were working on our potions assignment, brewing a billywig sting tonic, when I dropped the ladybird wings. Feeling rather foolish, I leaned down to pick them up. I had just reached out to grab them when I heard a loud crack and felt a sharp pain in my head. Harry, being polite as always, had gone to pick them up as well, and we bumped heads. Well, bumped is putting it mildly…rather, we collided with the force of two rampaging hippogriffs!

We each put our hands to our heads and looked up, wincing with the pain. His glasses had gone askew and my eyes were watering. Apparently Ron found the situation hilarious, as he was nearly doubled over with laughter.

Harry looked apologetic. “Sorry, Hermione…I didn’t….”

“It’s ok,” I interrupted with a weak smile. “I didn’t see you either.” I felt my cheeks flush, and as Harry straightened his glasses, I couldn’t help but notice a tinge of pink in his face as well. I assumed we had both stood too quickly.

I glanced over his shoulder at Ron, who was wiping tears from his eyes.

“That was brilliant, you two,” he said with a wide grin, still laughing. “The Boy Who Lived and the cleverest witch in school, banging heads and nearly knocking one another unconscious. If you’re lucky, Harry, maybe she knocked some sense into you!”

“Very funny,” Harry said sarcastically.

We went back to work on our tonic, neither one saying much before the bell rang. When class was dismissed, we gathered our things and left the dungeons. Ron amused himself (and only himself) by recounting the head-banging incident with great mirth to anyone who would listen. Harry and I walked quietly, and if it weren’t for my pounding head I would have hexed Ron’s mouth shut.

“I think I’m going to see Madam Pomfrey,” I said quietly as we neared the Great Hall. I needed to be able to concentrate in my afternoon classes, and there was no way that would happen with my head in its current state.

“I’m coming with you,” Harry said.

I’m sure the look on my face was one of surprise, probably mixed with a bit of worry, because he smiled shyly and said, “I have a bit of a headache, too.”

“I’ll see you in class then,” Ron said, and with a wave he was gone.

More than ever before, the hospital wing seemed miles away. Harry and I walked in silence, and it was hard to tell if it was because of our mutual headaches, or something else. I couldn’t be sure if he felt it, but I knew it was there…the awkward silence between two people who have something to say, but not the nerve to say it.

I was sure we’d climbed at least a thousand stairs, and as we went up the final steps, a wave of dizziness suddenly washed over me. I paused a moment, letting Harry walk ahead. He had just turned around when my knees began to buckle.

“Hermione!” he gasped, dropping his books as he reached out to stop my fall -- one arm wrapped around my waist, the other snaked under my arm, holding steadily to the top of my back. He lowered me to the nearest step and came around to kneel before me, placing his hands on mine in my lap.

“Hermione, are you ok?” he asked, clearly worried about my condition.

My eyes were still closed and I breathed deeply, trying to clear the fuzziness from my mind. When I opened them I found his bright green eyes searching mine, his brow furrowed with concern.

Once again I smiled weakly. “I’ll be fine, Harry. I just got a little dizzy.” I started to stand up, but he held my hands tightly and made me stay seated.

“You should probably just sit still for a few minutes.” He let out a deep breath. “You really scared me. If you had fallen backward down the stairs….” He looked down at our hands, and I felt him give a little squeeze.

I squeezed back gently. “I’m sorry,” I said quietly. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. But…well, I’m glad you were there to catch me.”

He looked up and smiled that shy smile again. “I’ll always be there to catch you, Hermione.”

I’m not sure if my face went solid white, or if it was red…I think maybe white first, then red…but I do know that my heart completely stopped, if only for a moment, before it beat out a rapid cadence that he surely felt in his grip on my hands. Harry was my best friend, but it had taken everything in me to keep myself grounded with that in mind over the past few years. I hadn’t let anyone know that I was in love with him; especially him.

I was rendered speechless, which so rarely happens to me, but never was I happier to be at a loss for words. After all, if my mouth had been blithering on, he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do what he did next; he kissed me.

For a brief moment in time, Harry Potter’s lips were pressed to mine, and it was heaven.

It was quick and sweet, but it took my breath away. And as I opened my eyes, I just had time to see his pink cheeks and sly grin before he gently pulled me to my feet.

“Let’s go get something for your headache,” he said, guiding me up the stairs.

“I…I don’t really have a headache anymore,” I said, trying hard to bury the smile that was itching to burst from my lips.

He stopped. “Neither do I.”

We both smiled shyly, and I gladly relinquished all hope of concentrating in my afternoon classes.

“Maybe Ron was right…” I thought. “I did knock some sense into him.” And I smiled to myself as we walked hand-in-hand to our next class.

2. 06-08-04: Little Gifts

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 8)
Challenge: Harry or Hermione receives a (surprise?) gift and then discovers it's from the other
Title: Little Gifts
Word Count: 999

What a week! Ever since Harry had joined the Ministry Aurors, life had gotten crazier than it had ever been before. Even when Voldemort was on a mission to rid the world of Harry Potter, it had somehow seemed less hectic than it was now. For the last three days, Harry had been on the trail of a supposed Death Eater and he didn't feel any nearer to catching her today than he did on Tuesday.

His one salvation was knowing that his wonderful wife would be waiting for him when he got home that evening. She had taken a few days off from her own job, and he was looking forward to spending a relaxing Friday night with her. As he gathered his things for work and kissed her goodbye, he silently hoped that he wouldn't have to work late that day.

With nothing but his current case on his mind, Harry arrived at his office early that morning and was completely surprised to find a wrapped gift on his desk, just small enough to fit into his palm. He looked around, half expecting someone to be in the room, but saw no one. There was no tag on the gift, no note, and he debated whether or not he should open it. But reasoning that it wouldn't be on his desk if it wasn't for him, he sat down and opened it. Inside he found a tiny golden snitch, much smaller than standard regulation size.

He had no idea who the gift could be from, and couldn't think of any reason that he deserved a gift. His birthday wasn't for another month and a half, he and Hermione's anniversary had just passed, and the date held no significance that he could think of whatsoever...nor could he figure out why anyone would give him a small snitch.

He set the snitch on his desk, and began to rifle through the pile of papers that had accumulated during the week. Around 10:00 he was startled by the sudden appearance of an energetic, pink-haired witch right in front of his desk.

"Wotcher, Harry!” she said excitedly. “Get your robe and come with me!!"

"Where are we going?" he asked, jumping up to do as she said.

"We've found her."

He smiled, and with a crack they were gone. Just under two hours later they returned to the Ministry, Death Eater apprehended, and very happy to have another case closed.

"I'll make you a deal, Tonks...I'll do the paperwork if you take her from here."

"Deal, Harry," she said with a wink and a nod. "Have a good weekend then."

"You too," he said, waving as he headed to the elevator.

As he turned the corner into his office, he was shocked to find another gift waiting for him. It was around 3 feet long and wrapped in brown paper, and the shape was strangely familiar. As before, there was no tag and no note. Harry opened the package and found a very small broom – a Moonbeam 300. Thoroughly puzzled by the miniature Quidditch supplies, he set the broom aside and got to work on his paperwork, occasionally glancing at the gifts with curiosity. Anytime one of his coworkers would pass by, he'd ask about the mysterious presents, but no one confessed to knowing anything about them.

When the day was over he gathered his things, and picked up the little snitch and Moonbeam, wondering how to explain them to Hermione. If nothing else, perhaps she would be able to solve the mystery, as she had proven so good at this feat time and time again. Of course, that was if she wasn’t in on the joke…she and Ron were quite good at catching him off guard these days.

Harry Apparated straight home and felt great comfort in knowing he had the whole evening to spend with his wife. But as if the day hadn't been filled with enough surprises already, Harry had barely been home long two seconds when he was attacked from behind. Two small hands quickly covered his eyes and the sweet smell of lavender filled the air around him.

“This better be my wife, or I’ll be in trouble for snogging the wrong girl.”

The hands moved away from his eyes, and he opened them to find a bushy-haired, brown-eyed woman before him.

"Hello, love," Hermione said, greeting him with a kiss. "Go wash up and come sit for dinner."

Not one to argue with his wife, Harry went upstairs to change and wash up. Still wondering what the story was behind the snitch and broom, he came back down to find the table set, and a gift sitting on his plate.

"What's this?" he asked, sitting down.

"Open it and see," she smiled.

He eyed her suspiciously. "Did you send those other gifts to my office? The snitch and the broom?"

She just shrugged and tried to repress a smile, but Harry knew that meant yes.

"I don't understand."

“Just open it!” she urged.

He opened the little box and found a tiny Puddlemere United jersey (Harry’s favorite team) that was just about Dobby’s size. He held it up in the air and looked completely puzzled.

"Are you going to explain all this to me? Because right now I’m thinking that either you’re telling me I’ve shrunk, or I’ve been made captain of the new House Elf Quidditch team."

Hermione laughed. "Well, I just thought you'd enjoy teaching the baby how to play Quidditch."

“Besides,” he said, still examining the jersey, “I’ll never be able to get Winky up on a broom, she’s scared of heights, you know….” Harry froze mid-sentence. "The...baby? Did you just say ‘the baby’??”

She nodded and a smile stretched ear to ear.

“Hermione! That’s wonderful!” He jumped up and pulled her into a great hug. “When…? How…? Never mind! We should tell everyone!”

“Not tonight,” she said, holding him close. “Tonight’s just for us.”

Harry smiled and nodded. “Alright. Tonight’s for us.”

3. 06-09-04: Apple Charms

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 9)
Challenge: Quidditch Match at The Burrow: Hermione plays too, and she's good at it!
Title: Apple Charms
Word Count: 1,050

Harry stood with his hands in his pockets, overlooking the makeshift pitch where he and the Weasleys played Quidditch as kids. The fog was floating just feet above the dewy grass while the sun set behind the trees surrounding the paddock. A cool breeze ruffled his hair, and he silently thanked Hermione for having the foresight to hand him a jumper before he went out. Being back at the Burrow was comforting, in the ‘cup of hot chocolate and a warm fire’ kind of way, but Harry couldn’t help feeling something was missing.

He strolled out to the middle of the pitch. A half-eaten apple core lay on the ground, evidence of yesterday’s game, and he laughed as he kicked it. They still weren’t allowed to use real equipment, but the new generation of Weasleys was as Quidditch-crazy as their parents. Harry felt quite sure that in a few years a handful of Weasleys would be playing for Gryffindor.

Standing there brought back a wash of memories he hadn’t thought about in years, and he smiled. It seemed like only yesterday that he, Ron and the twins were flying around, tossing apples back and forth. He could picture Hermione off under a tree, reading as always, and Ginny, begging her brothers to let her have a go.

He closed his eyes and imagined the shouts of his friends as they whizzed by on their brooms: “Block it, Ron!” “Ginny! Behind you!!” “Harry’s got the snitch! We win!!”

“Fancy a game?” a voice called.

Startled, he quickly turned around to see who was there, but he already knew. He could barely see her silhouette coming toward him through the darkness that encompassed the trees, but he could never mistake that voice. Hermione stepped into the moonlight and made her way to the center of the pitch.

“Hi,” he said with a smile, and he put an arm around her. “I was just reminiscing.”

She didn’t say anything, but leaned her head against his shoulder.

“I haven’t played in so long,” he continued, “and it used to be such a huge part of my life. I loved that feeling, flying around up there. I never knew how much I’d miss it.” He lost himself in his memories again, thinking of the years playing at Hogwarts.

“Well,” she said, finally breaking the silence, “come on, then. Let’s play.”

“It’s too dark,” he said nonchalantly. Then his brow furrowed and he glanced sidelong at her. “And what do you mean, ‘let’s play?’ You don’t like Quidditch.”

“I don’t?” she asked, smiling. “Well you should have told me sooner! I could have spent all those hours studying instead of cheering you on!”

Harry laughed and looked at her with astonishment. After all this time, his best friend was still full of surprises.

“I brought a couple of brooms,” she said, pulling out her wand, “and some apples.” With a wave they came zooming out from the trees.

“But I thought you hated flying….”

“Yes…well, you also thought I didn’t like Quidditch, didn’t you?” she said. “Believe it or not, there are still things you don’t know about me.”

“But how can we play with just two of us?”

“I’ve already thought about that. I charmed this apple to fly, like a snitch…regulation guidelines,” she said, handing it to him. “As long as it’s in the pitch, the game is on. But if it goes out of bounds the charm will break and it’ll fall to the ground. We’ll see who can get it first; Seeker against Seeker.”

“But without light?”

She reached in the pocket of her coat and pulled out a large canister. With a twist of the lid, a thousand fairy lights fluttered out, scattered themselves, and hovered over the pitch.

He looked at her with raised eyebrows, then let the apple go. Just like a snitch, it levitated in the air a moment, then zipped off, flying madly around the pitch.

“Brilliant,” he said and smiled.

For an hour or more they flew around, chasing each other and catching the apple. Harry wasn’t sure if he was just out of practice, or if it was possible that she really was better than him, but he was surprised at how often she beat him to it. What surprised him even more was her agility and speed. He couldn’t remember seeing Hermione fly very often, and she had never appeared very comfortable on a broom, but the way she was moving now was like an old pro.

Back and forth they chased the apple, and every time she got in front of him she would turn back and smile, laughing and urging her broom to go faster. It was the most fun he’d had in as long as he could remember. He’d known Hermione half his life, but seeing this side of her that was fun, and flirty even, but still clever and competitive as always, was almost like meeting her again for the first time. Maybe it was the freedom she’d just truly discovered, or the competition and excitement of their game…or maybe even the soft glow of the fairy lights and the way her hair was blowing in the wind…but something about her struck Harry about that moment.

After she’d caught the apple once again, they decided it was time to head back to the Burrow. They walked slowly, talking about Ginny and Neville’s upcoming wedding, how much the children had all grown, and silly names for Ron and Luna’s newest addition-to-be.

When the house came into sight, Harry felt almost sad. He had enjoyed the time with Hermione so much, and something in him didn’t want it to end. In the morning she was heading back to London, and though they saw each other often, it was always just for lunch here, or dinner there.

“Thanks,” he said as they entered the house. “It was fun.”

She smiled and nodded to him, seemingly at a sudden loss for words.

“Maybe when we get back…well, we should spend more time together. I’ve really missed you.”

“I’d like that,” she said softly. “I’ve missed you, too.”

He said goodnight and kissed her on the forehead, then made his way to his room, feeling whole and content for the first time in his life.

4. 06-10-04: The Last Night of Summer

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 10)
Challenge: A Late-Night Talk at the Burrow
Title: The Last Night of Summer
Word Count: 1,000

“Hermione?” a voice called through the warm night air. “Hermione? Are you out here?”

She didn’t answer immediately; it was kind of nice being alone. She was laying back in the grass, taking in the magic happening all around her…the noise of the gentle breeze mixed bewitchingly with the soft sounds of summer’s bugs and beasts, while the twinkling stars overhead cast a spell of their own -- it was like all the witches and wizards from days past were looking down over her, each providing her light and guidance with a lumos-tipped wand. It gave her a feeling of peace rarely found at home or at school.

“Hermione,” the voice said gently, “I want to talk to you.”

Silence.

“Hermione…I know you’re here somewhere….”

Knowing that she couldn’t hide forever, she resigned to let herself be found.

“I’m over here, Harry.”

She heard the soft noise of feet on grass, and felt more than saw him sit next to her. She was still gazing up at the stars, focusing on her favorite constellation.

After a few moments of silence, he asked, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” she replied, her voice a little too sterile. She wasn’t sure he’d believe her…but in truth, she wasn’t sure she wanted him to believe her.

“Hermione, I know you better than that. You don’t just slip unnoticed out of a last-night-of-summer party at the Burrow because you want to gaze at Andromeda. I could tell all night that something was bothering you.”

A minute passed before she answered. “It’s going to sound so silly. I suppose it is silly.”

“You know you can tell me anything.”

She sighed and sat up. Trying to ignore her pride, she gathered her Gryffindor courage. “Well, things have just changed so much since the end of last year, haven’t they? I mean, you’re finally leaving the Dursleys’, and we’re getting ready for N.E.W.T.s…and then there’s Ron and Luna.” She bit her lip and stared up at the stars.

“Oh,” Harry said softly. “So that’s what this is about.”

They sat quietly for a few moments, with only Hedwig’s hooting to break the silence.

“I know we’re all growing up,” she said finally, “and Ron’s grown up quite a bit over the past year. I just never expected….” She stopped and looked down at her hands, which she just realized she had been wringing, and picked up a dandelion. “I just hadn’t really expected this.”

Harry nodded. “It’s hard to watch someone you…,” he paused, “…well, someone you have feelings for…it’s hard to watch them be interested in someone else,” he said, matter-of-factly. “Very hard.”

Hermione looked up and let out a quiet laugh. “But that’s just the thing. I don’t have feelings for him…not really. No more than I have for…well, no more than a girl should have for a close friend.”

She heard Harry let out a deep breath.

“You don’t want to date Ron?” he asked calmly, his voice riddled with confusion.

“No. I mean, I suppose at one point, a few years ago, I had just a bit of a crush on him…but it didn’t take me long to figure out that we’d never work out,” she laughed quietly. “No, I got over that long ago.”

She plucked at the dandelion, thinking. “I guess I always thought that he was still harboring a crush on me. And I liked that.” She shrugged. “I know it’s silly, and it’s wrong. I should be happy for him. They’re a cute couple. But I’m going to miss the attention. Girls like me don’t have guys crushing on them very often.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” Harry said softly, nudging a rock with the toe of his shoe.

“You’re sweet, but you don’t have to say that just to make me feel better.” She smiled and nudged him with her shoulder. “But thanks for listening. I do feel better…if not slightly embarrassed,” she said with a laugh.

“You don’t need to be embarrassed around me.”

“I know,” she said quietly. “Besides, tomorrow we’ll be back at school, and we’ll begin studying for N.E.W.T.s, and before long I’ll have forgotten all about it. It’s really nothing. But that’s just one of the joys of being a girl…this uncanny ability to completely overanalyze things and make a big issue of nothing.” She laughed again.

“Guys can overanalyze things just as well as girls,” he said, smiling slightly. “And I’m sure it is nice to have someone show interest in you…in who you really are and not what people think you are. I can only imagine how it would feel to lose that affection.”

“Yes, well, particularly when it’s the only person who’s ever showed you affection.”

“I know of one other person who’s had feelings for you for a long time,” he said, reaching out to take hold of her hand. “He’s just been hiding them.”

“Oh, is that so?” she asked, grinning with disbelief. “And who would that be?”

He didn’t answer, but just looked her in the eyes, not faltering for even a second.

“Oh,” she breathed, her face falling from grinning to shocked.

“Hermione, I…I’m sorry if I’m out of line. I hadn’t planned it this way…I hadn’t planned it at all…but I need to tell you before it’s too late. I don’t know what’s going to happen this year, and I couldn’t live…well…I just want you to know that…that I love you...as more than a friend.”

“Harry, I…” she began, but he interrupted her.

“No, it’s ok,” he said, shaking his head. “I know you don’t feel the same way. But I had to tell you. I just hope this won’t mess up our friendship, or make things too awkward.”

As he looked at her face, a tear ran down her cheek.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly, letting her hand go.

She reached over and intertwined their fingers, then rested her head against his shoulder.

“I’m in love with you, too,” she whispered.

5. 06-11-04: A Play on Words

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 11)
Challenge: Harry and Hermione teach Ron (and Luna if you like) to play a Muggle board game
Challenge Conditions: The entire story must be nothing but dialogue
Title: A Play on Words
Word Count: 1,992

Author's Note 2: The challenge for this particular day was to write the entire story with nothing but dialogue, which meant no "she said" or "he said" or anything else that wasn't a direct quotation. So the real challenge was to include enough context clues and personality traits in each quote, or the preceding/following quote, so that the reader could figure out who was talking in each instance. Also, because of the special situation, the word count was extended to 2,000 words.

“Hermione! Ron! Are you coming? Luna and I will get started without you two if need be.”

“Coming, Harry…”

“Keep your pants on, mate! I’m right here.”

“Well sit down then! Hermione, do you need help?”

“No, I’m fine, thanks…just putting the last dishes away. I’ll be there in a second.”

“So…who picks the game tonight? I can’t remember whose turn it is. Here, let me get the chair for you, Hermione.”

“Thanks, Harry.”

“Well, Ronald and I picked last time…”

“Ahh, yes now I remember…the most devastating night of Tiddlywinks I’ve ever sat through. I still can’t believe that you two beat Hermione and I twelve times...”

“I did try to warn you when you agreed to play. Ronald’s become quite the pro at that one. But you and Hermione can pick this time…any game you like.”

“I vote for exploding snap!”

“Oh, honestly Ron! You always vote for exploding snap. Or at least ever since you finally gave up on asking to play strip poker with Fred and George’s enchanted cards.”

“That’s not true! I…”

“She’s right, Ron …you can’t deny it. And if you think these two girls are ever going to agree to play that one, you really have gone mental.”

“Well, we’ve known that for years.”

“Wait a second…this isn’t fair! Ever since you two started dating you’ve been ganging up on me. I think Hermione’s had a bad influence on you, Harry.”

“Maybe so, but I’m sure I’ve been an equally bad influence on her. After all, the old Hermione never would have…”

“Harry Potter, stop right there…before I have to hex you. Ginny has taught me the Bat Bogey Hex, you know.”

“Errm, yes, love...I’m afraid I do know.”

“So what do you think we should pick? Wizard game or Muggle game?”

“Definitely a Muggle game…we need to make up for our horrible loss last week.”

“Well, I have a Ouija Board my cousin gave me as a joke when she found out I was a witch…”

“Oh, no…no way! Muggles may get a kick out of it, but I’ve had enough of communication with the dead. With my luck we’d get Voldemort’s spirit…oh, calm down, Ron…and he’d have figured out a way to come back, but only if he’s contacted specifically on the third Friday night of the month after…what time is it?”

“8:15.”

“Right…after 8:15, and if there are four people seated at the table…”

“Alright, Harry. No Ouija Board then. What about Scrabble?”

“Hmm, you’re very good at that. I’m alright, I suppose. Luna will do well, being in Ravenclaw and all. But there’s no way Ron will beat us. So…yes, I think that will be perfect.”

“Scrabble? What’s that?”

“It’s a word game. Accio Scrabble! Watch your head Ron. You draw lettered tiles and then arrange them to make words. You score based on the points for each letter and if you use any special squares on the board. It’s quite fun.”

“Sounds bloody exciting.”

“Be nice, Ronald.”

“So the letters arrange themselves then? Or can you change what letters are on the tiles?”

“Of course not!”

“Wait, you mean we just have to figure out what word they spell? Without magic?!”

“They said they were choosing a Muggle game, Ronald. And it’s possible that they spell more than one word if you have seven letters to work with. You’ll have to use your full vocabulary to find the word that scores the highest points.”

“Vocabulary?! Hermione’s the walking dictionary, not me!”

“Heh, Ron…you did catch that whole bit where Hermione picked the game, didn’t you? What were you expecting?”

“Not a school lesson!”

“Come on, Ron, just try it. You’ll see as we go along. Harry and I will help you out.”

“We will?”

“Now Harry, you be nice, too. Just take seven letters and place them on your rack, Ron, then pass the bag to Luna.”

“G, E, R –”

“Hush! Don’t tell us what you have.”

“Oh, sorry. Here, Luna.”

“Thank you, Ronald. Ooh, I got good letters! Here you go, Harry.”

“Luna, it doesn’t do any good to look at them upside down…”

“Did you say seven, Hermione?”

“Yes, Harry. Alright, now that we’ve all got our letters, I’ll go first…just to show you what to do. I think I’ll put…hmm…yes, this will work. J – A – B – O – T. Double letter on the J so that’s 22 points, plus a double word score…44 points.”

“‘Jabot’? You’ve just made that up! I thought we had to use real words! This’ll be a lot easier than I thought…”

“It is a real word, Ron. I didn’t make it up.”

“Well I’ve never heard of it! Use it in a sentence…”

“A jabot, Ronald, is an ornamental cascade of ruffles or frills down the front of a shirt, a blouse, or a dress. Everyone knows that.”

“Thank you, Luna. See, Ron?”

“Yeah, Ron, you know…kind of like your dress robes you wore in fourth year, before you used your wand…?”

“My robes didn’t have a…a jabby thing!!”

“Whatever, mate. I was in the room when…”

“Oh, shut up, will you?”

“Ahem – boys! Moving right along. It’s your turn, Ron. Now you have to use your letters to make a word off one of my letters. You can build off any of them, and it can be the first letter, last letter, or somewhere in the middle, but you have to use one of these that I played. And you can go horizontal or vertical, but not diagonal.”

“Oh, right. Well, that made sense…if you speak ‘Hermione.’”

“I think I understand. Here, let me see your letters.”

“But you’ve never played this before, have you Luna?”

“No, but it makes perfect sense. See, you can use this S and add it at the end here to make her word plural…is that right Hermione? Or you can add these two letters to her J to make this word…”

“Hmm…alright, let me think a minute.”

“Oh no, watch out everyone! Ron’s thinking!”

“How’d I know you’d make some wise comment about my thinking?”

“Because you know me so well, Ron.”

“And that’s why I call you my best friend, Harry. Clever little git, you are. Right, so this should work. Playing on Hermione’s O – I’ll add G – D – E – N – S.”

“Hehe…brilliant!”

“Thought you’d like that. So how many points do I get?”

“None, I’m afraid.”

“None?! Why not?? ‘Ogden’s’ is definitely a word. I see it right here on this bottle!”

“Yes, well, that may be true, but you can’t use any proper nouns. So no city names, no first names …and you can’t use possessive nouns, either.”

“Bloody hell, Hermione! How many rules are there? I think you’re just making these up!”

“Oh, of course I’m not, Ron. Just try something else.”

“Fine. Umm…here: G before your A, then R – D – E – N. ‘Garden’. Is that allowed?”

“Don’t be such a baby; it’s fine. You got…20 points for that. Now draw five more tiles to replace the ones you used.”

“Argh!! So many vowels…”

“My turn then? Well, this was quite easy. Playing off the N in ‘garden’: A – R – G – L – E.”

“’Nargle’?”

“Sixth year herbology, Ron. Honestly, didn’t you ever listen in class?”

“Only to stuff I’d need to know later in life.”

“Harry, do you remember that the mistletoe in the Room of Requirement…?”

“Whoa - stop right there, Luna! I do remember…ergh. I think I’d rather forget that whole night, though.”

“Mistletoe? Wasn’t that the night that Cho…?”

“RON! Please!! I really don’t want to relive that…ever… Never again.”

“Oh, don’t be silly, Harry. No one’s first kiss was very good. It’s not a big deal. You got 13 points for ‘nargle’, by the way, Luna. Your turn, Harry.”

“Right, well, I was a bit worried that someone was going to take my space…but here goes: T – H – W – A – and R onto the T from ‘jabot’. That’s double points for the H, plus eight…14 points. Nowhere near Hermione’s 44, but not too bad I suppose.”

“‘Thwart’? Not bad at all, Harry. It looks like I got a very unfortunate draw of letters this turn, however, so you still may catch up. This is just dreadful, but it looks like the best I can do is to add I – L – L to Harry’s W. Seven points, but there is that double word score…so 14 points.”

“Hah! Well here’s mine then. If I add this Y onto your word, Hermione, then O and U…that counts doesn’t it?”

“Yes, but…Ron! W – I – L – L – Y? You spelled ‘willy’??”

“Good one, Ron!”

“Actually I spelled ‘you’, and I attached it to ‘will’, so it just came out ‘willy’ in the end. Hey, if I can’t use magic, I can at least have fun with my words!”

“I’ll never understand men. Fine. Three points for that one, Ron. Are you sure you didn’t have anything else to play?”

“Quit looking at my rack, Hermione! Yes, I’m sure. Go on, Luna.”

“Hmm…it seems I got some duplicate letters that time. Let’s see…I’ll add an R to the end of ‘you’ to make ‘your’…then M – A above it, and R – Y below it. Yes, that works. And a double letter score for the R, there…11 points.”

“Good, Luna. It’s a shame you couldn’t get more total points for that, though. M and Y are both good letters.”

“I looked at all of my options, and that seemed like the best one.”

“Alright. Harry…”

“My turn? Well, I’m afraid it’s rather simple, but I’m going to have to add an E to this M that Luna laid down.”

“But Harry, you’ll never win by adding one letter at a time. That’s only…four points!”

“It may be only four points, but I have to disagree…I think I just might win.”

“Hehe…well it’s not as good as ‘willy’, but I think you’ve done pretty well, mate.”

“Thanks, Ron!”

“Well, as long as you two are having fun…I guess it doesn’t matter. But don’t be surprised when Luna and I beat you both.”

“I’m fully prepared for that. Aren’t you, Ron?”

“Fully.”

“Well, let me see. I think I’ll play this O off of… Wait a second…how funny! Look what’s happened… I put the word ‘will’ here off of Harry’s W, then Ron added ‘you’, Luna added ‘marry’ and Harry’s added that E, which spells out…oh… Oh!”

“So she is still the cleverest witch in our class! I was beginning to doubt it after all this time.”

“Well of course she is, Ronald.”

“I’ve never doubted her. Not even for a second. She’s always helped me, and always been there for me, which may actually make her not the cleverest witch, but she’s everything to me. I’m just sorry it took me so long to see it.”

“Harry? Are you…? Is that…?”

“You figured it out, Hermione. That’s no accident or coincidence.”

“But…but how…? Did you…?”

“I’m afraid we set you up, love. Ron and Luna were in on the whole thing with me.”

“Err, yeah…guilty.”

“I’ll explain it all later, it’s really rather funny. But I suppose I should get down on one knee now and do this properly.”

“Oh, Harry…”

“Hermione, I don’t think I’d be here today if it weren’t for you, and I don’t want to be here tomorrow if I’m not with you. Will you marry me, Hermione?”

“Oooh, how sweet! Ronald, I hope you’re taking notes.”

“I’ll get a copy from Hermione later… Hey! Wha-?”

“Hermione…you didn’t answer him. Aren’t you going to say something?”

“Hermione? You’re making me nervous, love. I didn’t think you’d have to think so long…”

“What’s she doing?”

“She’s putting an E…and an S…on Y… ‘yes’! She said yes, Harry! Way to go, mate!”

“Harry! I can’t believe it! I’m…I’m… Oh, I love you, Harry Potter!”

“I think that’s our cue to leave, Ronald.”

“Right. But who won the game then?”

“Looks like I did, Ron.”

6. 06-14-04: Dinnermezzo

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 14)
Challenge: Harry or Hermione is given a surprise dinner by the other
Title: A Play on Words
Word Count: 1,000

The cacophony of sounds that filled Hermione Granger’s flat was enough to deafen anyone. Aside from the noises that floated in from the street below – car horns blowing, bus gears cranking, jackhammers pounding and a chorus of shouting people – the noises inside grew louder by the minute.

The number of chattering women gathered in her sitting room, clinking and clanking their teacups and saucers, was surely bordering on the fire code’s limit. Crookshanks was pouncing after a bug, hissing and screeching. In the kitchen, the tea kettle whistled shrilly, while Ginny wrapped crinkling newspaper around dishes and Lavender strapped tape on cardboard boxes.

Thus it was with great surprise that Hermione answered the telephone; not because she wasn’t expecting a call, but because she was astonished that she even heard it ring.

“Hello?” she yelled into the phone, putting a hand over her free ear. “I’m sorry, could you speak up? I’m afraid I can’t hear you… Oh! Oh, Harry! Sorry! It’s a bit noisy in here. Yes…yes my aunt and cousins arrived this morning. Yes, mum’s here…and my grandmother as well… Well, Ginny’s being a dear and helping out, and Lavender… Mrs. Weasley’s busy in the bedroom. Tonight? I’m not sure… Well, yes, I suppose so. Five o’clock? Alright, I’ll see you then. You, too. Bye.”

She set the phone down and held a hand to her forehead, wishing in vain for a little peace and quiet.

“Hermione, dear! Could you come in here?” Mrs. Weasley called from the bedroom.

“Coming!” she shouted back and hurried off.

It carried on in such a way all afternoon, the commotion only broken with an occasional “Hermione! The florist is on the phone!” or “Where do you want these linens, dear?” or “Did you remember to call the landlord?” Hermione ran from room to room giving directions and taking phone calls. Her head was simply buzzing with the madness of it all.

When five o’clock drew near, she was not the least bit sorry to excuse herself from the raucous company of her friends and relatives. After barking out a few last-minute instructions, she grabbed her sweater and scurried out the door. She walked a couple of the bustling blocks, hoping to release some stress, before she gave up and decided to take the bus to Hyde Park.

Fifteen minutes later she stepped off the bus and cringed as it clunked and grinded down the street. Passing street vendors who bellowed out bargains only sent her closer to insanity. Even as she made her way through the park she tried unsuccessfully to tune out the barking dogs and hundreds of rowdy children.

When she finally saw Harry, smiling and leaning against a tree, she had to take a deep breath and calm her nerves to avoid taking her tension out on him.

“Hello, love,” he said, holding her arms and kissing her gently on the forehead.

“Hi,” she said, forcing herself to smile. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing. I just thought it’d be nice to spend a little time together…alone.”

She looked at him curiously, but he just smiled and took her hand, guiding her around to the other side of the tree, where she was pleasantly surprised to find a fluffy white blanket and picnic basket laid out.

“Harry! What’s this?” she asked, this time with a sincere smile.

“Dinner.”

He led her to the blanket, opened the basket and handed her a glass of wine to sip on while he spread their meal out. The sun was beginning to set, but the golden rays shimmered between the leaves of the trees and danced around her on the blanket. When she heard soft music coming from the picnic basket, Hermione laughed quietly.

“Harry, this is very sweet, but I don’t understand. Surely I didn’t miss something in all of my research. I thought I knew all of the traditions by now. I don’t remember seeing anything about a pre-rehearsal-dinner dinner.”

“Well, I think it’ll be alright if we start a few of our own traditions,” he said, handing her a plate of food.

She smiled and took a bite. It was at that moment that she realized how peaceful and quiet this part of the park was. There wasn’t another person in sight, and the soothing music drowned out the distant noises of the city. Her breathing had returned to a normal pace, and she reveled in the tranquility that surrounded her.

“How did you know?” she asked softly a few minutes later.

“Know what?”

“That I needed this.”

He smiled. “Well, I spoke with Ginny earlier, and she told me how stressed you were getting, what with all those people at your flat, the packing and all the last minute planning. I thought you could use a break.”

“You were right,” she said, smiling back.

They enjoyed their quiet dinner, and even more they enjoyed their time away from the world. After they had eaten, Hermione laid her head in Harry’s lap and he ran his fingers lazily through her hair. Long before they were ready to leave, the sun was creeping toward the horizon and the moon peeked through the trees.

“I suppose I had better get back,” she sighed. “They’ll have a million questions I’m sure.”

“Alright. I’ll take care of this. You go tell those women to calm down and stop stressing you out.”

She laughed. “Well if all goes well, and there are no emergencies from the caterers, the seamstress, or the musicians, we might just be married in two days. I can’t believe it’s here already.”

“I’m glad it is. I was beginning to feel like I’d have to wait forever.” He gave her a sweet kiss and helped her to her feet.

“Thank you, Harry.”

“Anytime, Love.”

Twenty minutes later, Hermione paused with her hand on the doorknob. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for the mayhem on the other side of the door, then opened it and stepped in, smiling and refreshed.

A/N: An intermezzo (inter-met-so) is a brief entertainment between two acts of a play (an entr'acte), or a short movement separating the major sections of a lengthy musical composition or work, thus the play on words – Dinnermezzo. Harry has given Hermione a brief distraction from the insanity of planning a wedding and moving out of her flat by surprising her with a quiet dinner in the park. I tried to use words that illustrated the noisiness going on before she meets up with Harry, counterbalanced with words that show the serenity of their dinner together. I hope it worked!

7. 06-15-04: Forever

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 15)
Challenge: Harry & Hermione go on their first date. Harry or Hermione initiates the goodnight kiss.
Title: Forever
Word Count: 999

Hermione closed the front door with a soft click and locked it. Her face was flushed, her palms were moist, and her heart was pounding so hard she could hear it in her ears. She leaned against the door, trying to pull herself together. She was being silly…absolutely silly. She was too old to be acting like this.

Unable to resist temptation, she turned around and peeked out the tiny hole. She chided herself for doing so, but she just had to check. Finally satisfied that no one was there, she leaned back against the door and released a huge breath she didn’t even know she’d been holding. Slowly, she raised a hand and touched her lips lightly with trembling fingertips. A small smile crept across her face, like the sun peeking over the horizon at dawn.

Without even realizing it, she slid down to the floor, hand still at her mouth. Her lips were tingling. It was the strangest sensation. They felt puffy and swollen, and she was almost sure she could feel them pulsing. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her smile grew, and her heart started beating even faster. She wanted to remember this night for the rest of her life.

It had taken him forever to confess. Forever! Three years, one month, eight days, twenty-two hours and some-odd minutes to be exact. In the meantime, she’d completely given up hope of ever being more than a friend to him. She was actually considering accepting a date from a friend of Ginny when Harry broke down and laid his heart out on the table. Literally.

It turned out that he had been harboring feelings for her since fifth year, since the night they lost Sirius. He thought he’d lost her as well. It took that moment, seeing her motionless and unresponsive, for him to realize he’d already loved her for some time. Unfortunately it took him another three years to actually tell her how he felt.

She could have killed him for waiting so long. She’d felt the same way about him even longer than she wanted to admit, and if he’d only told her sooner…well, there was no use in “iffing” about it now. The important thing was that their feelings were out in the open, and they’d decided to give it a chance, to see if they could take their relationship beyond friendship.

The night he confessed was surreal to her, like a dream. He seemed so serious when he showed up at her door and said he needed to talk to her. She was terribly afraid something was wrong. He was so solemn, so nervous, and completely drenched with rain, but clearly focused on one thing and one thing alone; he had to tell her. They sat at her dining table, and her heart raced, fearing the worst. So when he finally collected himself enough to start talking, her mouth fell open and her head began to buzz. The wave of relief that washed over her was quickly replaced with something else; a twisted, knotty feeling in her stomach. He had just told her that he was in love with her. Harry Potter…in love with her? She was in shock.

It only took a second for the tears to start. She didn’t even know why. They were just coming, without her control. At first he thought he’d upset her, and he began apologizing. But when she’d calmed enough to tell her side of the story, his relief was obvious.

It was awkward to begin with, those first few moments when feelings were finally revealed and floating like delicate soap bubbles in the space between them. They laughed about it, the awkwardness, and then slowly began talking as their old comfort level came back.

They reminisced for a long time, confessing the moments when they first knew they loved the other, and all the little things that had brought those feelings into existence. When he at last got around to asking her out for their first date, she felt like a schoolgirl again. She accepted graciously with a smile and gently squeezed his hand which she’d been holding. As soon as he left she took a deep breath, then promptly began bouncing all around her flat, squealing and waving her arms.

When the night of their first date finally arrived, she tried her best to maintain some composure. Even though they had been best friends for more than seven years, she was still a bundle of nerves. He picked her up and they went out for dinner, walking to a cozy little restaurant nearby. The food was nice, and the company even nicer.

In ways it was no different than any other dinner together, but at the same time it was completely different. She started noticing the little things; things she now realized had always happened, but she’d just brushed them off as friendliness…like Harry wiping a dab of sauce off her cheek, or laughing sincerely at her sometimes feeble jokes. There was a new energy in the air; a soundless pulse that resonated each time their eyes met for a little too long, or when his gaze lingered on her lips even after she finished speaking.

They sat there for hours, just talking, with an unspoken attempt to bring their bond to an unfamiliar and exciting new level. When it became so late that everything was closing down, they decided to call it a night and he walked her home. They strolled casually, talking, holding hands, enjoying the warm summer night.

Ten paces before they reached her door, she suddenly felt the tension. Would he? If not, should she? Her heart raced. Her knees felt weak. She wanted it, but did he?

As if he heard her silent question, he pulled her close, his eyes searching hers for permission. When she didn’t back away, he leaned in and kissed her, and with one simple gesture he changed her life forever.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: This story has been expanded x4 and uploaded as the new and improved Rapture. It's getting even better reviews than I'd hoped, so if you liked this one, be sure to check it out. :)

8. 06-16-04: Paris, With a Twist

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 16)
Challenge: Hermione twists an ankle and Harry helps her.
Title: Paris, With a Twist
Word Count: 1,000

"Harry, you can't carry me!"

"Yes, I can. Just get on, would you?"

"But Harry..."

"Look, would you rather I carry you, or mobilicorpus you back? Because you're not walking on that, we can't Apparate, and I think Mr. Weasley might get mad if I used magic out here."

Hermione sighed and looked at her ankle. It was beginning to swell. Harry glanced over his shoulder at her with a “Well?” look, and she gave in.

"Oh, alright. But if I get too heavy..."

"You won't be too heavy. What kind of weakling do you take me for? Now get on already, my knees are getting tired," he said, grinning.

Hermione rolled her eyes. He was kneeling, his back to her, in front of the bench where she sat. She scooted forward, encircled his neck with her arms, and wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Good girl," he said as he looped his arms behind him and around her legs. "Now let's go get you fixed up."

He stood up and she gasped slightly.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Yes, fine. My head just spun a little when you stood."

He started walking toward the hotel, and despite her pain, she smiled. The world looked quite different from Harry Potter's point of view.

"Harry, you'll stop if I get too heavy...?"

"Hermione!"

"I just don't want to wear you out," she said. "Besides, we won't get far at all if you collapse!" she added with a laugh.

"Woman," he growled, "if you weren't injured..."

"You'd what?"

"Err...well..."

"That's what I thought," she said victoriously and he laughed.

They traveled a bit further in silence. The smell of freshly baked bread wafted out from little cafés, but all she could smell was his cologne mingled with his shampoo, and the aroma was intoxicating. Feeling a bit lightheaded, she rested her head against his and closed her eyes.

“You sure you’re feeling ok?” he asked.

“Mmhmm.”

“You know, Ron’s going to get tease you mercilessly when he finds out.”

She raised her head. “You won’t tell him, will you?”

“I don’t intend to. But he’ll find out…you know he will. We’re all in the same hotel.”

She sighed. “You’re right.”

“And Fred and George…”

“Oh, no,” she groaned. “This is not going to be a fun week.”

“Well, Mrs. Weasley will get you fixed up and hopefully you’ll be as good as new in time for the game. You can’t come all this way for the Quidditch World Cup and miss it!”

The day was warm, and the streets of Paris were quite crowded. Harry weaved in and out of swarms of tourists with Hermione on his back. As they traveled up Rue de la Cité on their way back to the hotel, they passed Notre Dame Cathedral.

“Look, Harry! Notre Dame,” Hermione pointed out. “It’s so beautiful. We should go in.”

“I’m afraid we’ll have to come back later. I think if I walked in there with you on my back like this, I might be mistaken for Quasimodo.”

“Harry!” She playfully slapped his arm and laughed. “You’ve read Hugo?”

“Err, no…I watched the film though,” he grinned.

“Of course,” she replied cheekily. “Well, we could go around the back to see the gargoyles and the flying buttresses.”

Harry paused. “I’m not even going to comment on that one. Besides, I thought you were concerned about me getting too tired. You are pretty heavy you know,” he teased.

“Harry!” she scolded, still laughing at his taunting.

He carried her further and turned on Avenue Victoria. Suddenly her head was feeling a bit woozy.

“What are we doing tomorrow?” she asked, trying not to think about the pain.

“Well that would depend on your ankle, wouldn’t it? I think it’s probably broken, or fractured, which in either case will require a healthy dose Skelemend.”

“Yuck.”

“But assuming you’ll be walking again, I believe the Weasleys have to go to the French Ministry in the afternoon...”

“One of the many perks of being Minister of Magic...”

“Along with free World Cup tickets.... Anyway, that leaves us free to do what we like. Then tomorrow night we’re all going to the Delacours’. They’ve invited us for dinner and to meet Gaillard.”

“Is that Fleur’s cousin? The Beater for French National?”

“Yes.”

“I wonder where Bill and Fleur will sit at the match….”

“I suppose they’ll be back and forth…sit with us a while to support England, then sit with her family.”

“But that’s a lot of stair climbing for her in her condition!”

“I’m sure she’ll be fine. You can’t expect her to just sit around for five more months and wait for the baby to come. You wouldn’t…I know you.”

“Oh, I suppose not.”

The pain in her ankle was increasing, and beginning to throb a little. She leaned her head against his once again, her nose just above his ear.

“Hey! That tickles!”

“What?”

“You’re breathing in my ear…”

“Oh, sorry,” she said softly, but she didn’t move her head. In fact, she didn’t speak or move at all as they made the next block.

“Are you feeling alright? You’ve gotten quiet…”

“I’m just a bit dizzy,” she said, closing her eyes.

“We’ll be there soon,” he replied, lightly squeezing her for comfort.

At last Harry rounded the final corner and the hotel was in sight, just a few blocks away.

“Harry?” she said dreamily, sounding quite like Luna.

“Yes?”

“I want to go to the Louvre.”

“Can you wait until we get to the hotel? We’re nearly there.”

“What?” she asked with confusion, then realized, “No, not the loo! The Louvre; the museum. You know…paintings, sculptures…”

“Oh! Yes, that. Alright, we’ll go tomorrow. But it’ll probably just be us two…Ron won’t go.”

“Why not?”

“He doesn’t see any point in looking at paintings that can’t talk.”

She sighed. “That’s fine…his loss. Anyway, I like when it’s just the two of us.”

Hermione couldn’t see it, but Harry smiled sweetly. “So do I.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: Ok, a bit of a cliffie there, but I have continued it with the next challenge...I just ran out of room. :) So read the challenge for 06-17-04 to get the follow-up.

9. 06-17-04: Paris, With A Twist - Part 2

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 17)
Challenge: Hermione twists an ankle and Harry helps her.
Title: Paris, With a Twist - Part 2
Word Count: 1,007

Author's Note 2: This is a continuation from the June 16th challenge, so clearly opposing my statement above, this is related to the past post. ;)

Harry opened the door under a sign that read: “Le Seau Perçant.” A bell tinkled as they entered the dingy tavern, and a burly man behind the bar said, “Bonjour, Monsieur Potter…Mademoiselle Granger.”

“Bonjour, Maslin,” Harry nodded as he passed the man and made his way to the back of the room.

With Hermione still on his back, he stepped into a small hallway, walked past the kitchen and opened a broom cupboard door. He stepped in, closed the door, and said, “Lobby.”

The floor shook a little as the broom cupboard rose, then stopped. Harry opened the door again and stepped out onto the sparkling marble floor of their hotel. Ginny was reading in one of the gold-gilded armchairs near the front desk and saw them.

“Hi, Harry…Hermione,” she said, smirking slightly at their piggy-back position. “Where have you two been?”

“We were down at the Jardin du Luxembourg. Hermione had a little accident,” Harry said, nodding in the direction of Hermione’s ankle.

The smirk instantly fell off Ginny’s face. “Ouch…that doesn’t look good,” she said, leaning down to take a closer look. “Hermione, are you in much pain?”

Hermione, who was clearly in a daze now, barely raised her head and let out a muffled, “Mmpf.”

“Harry,” Ginny said, standing upright, “take her up to our room and I’ll send mum up.”

Harry did as Ginny said, and in just a few minutes there was a knock at the door.

“Come in.”

“Harry, dear,” Mrs. Weasley said, coming in and sitting down beside Hermione. “Ginny told me what happened. Ooh…yes, this looks pretty bad.” Hermione’s ankle was now swollen twice its normal size, and had turned a lovely shade of Pride-of-Portee purple.

Mrs. Weasley dug around in the large carpet bag she had brought and pulled out a small bottle. “Hermione, can you drink this, dear?”

Hermione mumbled something incoherently that sounded somewhat like a “yes.” Harry helped boost Hermione up and she semi-consciously drank the concoction.

“It’ll take a few hours, but that should fix her right up,” Mrs. Weasley said. “She’ll probably sleep the whole time, but she’ll be back to normal when she wakes.” Harry nodded as Mrs. Weasley got up.

She glanced around the room a moment, looking a bit perplexed, then turned to Harry. “Harry, dear…where’s Ron?”

“Oh,” Harry said, “He’s still at the park. He and Charlie were watching the Muggles play chess, so Hermione and I went to watch a puppet show. That’s when she twisted her ankle, so I brought her back.”

“I see. Well, keep an eye on her, will you, dear?”

Harry nodded and saw Mrs. Weasley to the door. When she was gone, he went back to Hermione’s side. Her eyes were closed and she seemed so peaceful that he didn’t want to disturb her.

“Hermione,” he whispered, “I’ll just be next door if you…”

“No,” she interrupted…or at least that’s what he thought she said.

“No?”

“Stay with me,” she said in a barely audible whisper. She reached over, blindly searching for his hand, and she held it. Harry thought he saw the beginnings of a smile cross her lips.

So he sat down on the floor beside the bed, letting her hold onto his hand. He had spent enough time in the hospital wing to know what she was going through. She’d visited him so often back then that he didn’t at all mind being here for her now.

He leaned back against the nightstand and let his head rest on the edge of the bed. Now that he was sitting, he realized how tired he’d gotten from carrying her around.

“I’ll just…close…my eyes…” he was thinking, when everything went black.

* * * * *

“Hehe, look at them,” a voice said, giggling. “Aren’t they cute?”

Harry awoke feeling a bit muddy-headed. For a moment he wasn’t sure where he was or why, but when he felt Hermione’s hand in his he remembered.

“How’d they get back so soon?” Ron said to Ginny.

“She hurt her ankle, and he carried her back here.”

“How’d she manage that?” Ron asked.

“I promised I wouldn’t say,” Harry said, opening his eyes and looking at Ron.

Ron grinned at him. “Must’ve been pretty foolish if she made you promise that.”

“My lips are sealed.”

Ron laughed. “Alright, but I’ll get it out of one of you before this trip is over.”

“Will she be able to walk tonight?” Ginny asked earnestly. “We’re supposed to go to the Eiffel Tower.”

Harry looked at Hermione’s ankle. It was nearly back to its normal size, and just slightly purple. “Maybe,” he said.

“Ooh, if not, maybe we can get her one of those wheelie-seats!” Ron said excitedly.

“Wheelchairs, Ron,” Harry corrected.

Just then, Hermione stirred.

“She’s waking up,” Ginny said. “How are you feeling, Hermione?”

Hermione blinked a few times, then propped herself up on her elbows, letting go of Harry’s hand. After taking in her surroundings, she said, “I feel okay. A little disoriented, but okay.”

“What year is it?” Ron asked, grinning.

“Don’t be silly, Ron. It’s 1998.”

“And how’s your ankle?” Harry asked.

She looked down at her ankle, moved it slightly and winced. “Still a little sore…but much better.”

“It should be good as new in an hour or so,” Harry said, rubbing his stiff neck.

“Good,” Ginny said, looking at her watch. “Then I’ll go tell Fred and George to get ready. We’ll leave around six.”

“We’d better get ready, too, Harry,” Ron said, heading to the door.

“Right. I’ll be right there.”

Ron left after Ginny, and Harry stood up to follow suit.

“Will you be alright?” he asked. “Ginny’ll be back shortly.”

“I think so.”

“Good. Well, it’s been a fun day, but let’s see if we can keep the evening a bit less eventful,” he said, smiling.

“Ok,” she agreed with a grin. “Well…thanks for the ride.”

“My pleasure,” he said, walking to the door.

“And Harry,” she called after him. “Thanks for staying with me.”

He smiled. “Anytime.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: Oops! I ran over just a hair. I would like to continue this story, so look for another episode in the future...I'd really love to see their visit to the Eiffel Tower! Oh, and Le Seau Perçant means "The Pierced Bucket", or some variation of it since I don't really know French. Just my own little play on The Leaky Cauldron.

10. 06-18-04: Sunset

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 18)
Challenge: No theme, see conditions below.
Challenge Conditions: Choose two of these randomly generated haiku, and write a 2,000 word story using the words from the haiku as your inspiration for your fic. There is no topic for today so you can choose what genre (Romance, angst, fluff, etc.) and topic you wish to write about. All the words in any haiku you choose *must* be present in the fic.
Title: Sunset
Word Count: 1,759

“Infectious. Her smile is infectious. No…it’s unconditionally infectious,” Harry said aloud as he paced under the tall oak tree, and he laughed at his own excitement. His heart was pounding, his palms were moist, and the words poured out of his mouth faster than his brain could even keep up with.

“It doesn’t matter what’s going on in the world – wars, miracles, disasters, wonders… I could’ve had the absolute worst day, or received the worst news imaginable, but as soon as my eyes fall on that smile, it’s all erased. It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters…except that I’m with her, and she’s smiling at me. That smile is for me. I think that’s what made me finally come to my senses.”

He smiled and shoved his hands into his jeans pockets, playfully kicking at an acorn. The cool autumn breeze rustled through the tree leaves, and a few more acorns fell carelessly to the ground.

“I honestly don’t think I’ve ever been so happy in my life,” he said and shrugged. “Not when I found out I was a wizard, not when I flew for the first time…not even when I defeated that monster who took everything imaginable away from me. Well, almost everything,” he said solemnly, his eyes looking down to the small bunch of flowers below him. “Except for her. He tried to take her, but he didn’t.”

He took a deep breath and sighed.

“I wish you could meet her. You will…someday. I know you’ve seen us together, and you’ve seen it…you’ve seen how deeply in love we are. And you don’t need my explanation, but I just wanted to tell you…I needed to. I needed to share this with you, and get your blessing.”

The cold, marble tombstones stood in silence, but Harry didn’t notice. He wasn’t paying attention to them.

“You can ask Sirius…he’ll tell you,” he laughed. “He saw it. Even before I knew it was there. God, I was so dense! But everyone else knew it. They knew it for years! Or at least that’s what they say now. Why they didn’t tell us is beyond me…I guess we had to figure it out for ourselves.”

Harry sat down in the lush green grass and leaned back against the tree. He picked up a few acorns and threw them across the lawn like skipping stones.

“We had to figure it out for ourselves,” he repeated, his mind dazed with the memories, “and we did.”

“It took a while, mind you,” he said, shaking his head, “but we finally realized that what we had was special; more special than just friendship. And now look at us…we were meant for each other. Everyone says we’re just like you two. I hope that’s true. I hope you were as happy as we are. I think you were.”

He stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out a small gold ring, and he smiled as he looked at it, spinning it around his index finger.

“I bet mum cried when you gave her this, dad. It’s beautiful. And it’ll look beautiful on her finger. She’s going to love it. She’s very sentimental about things like this. She’ll probably cry,” he said and smiled. “I don’t want to make her cry, of course. But it would mean a lot to me if she’d wear it. I hope you don’t mind. It just makes me feel closer to you...like you’re a part of us.”

He stood up again, and paced the same trail he had left in the grass earlier, still looking at the ring.

“I can’t wait to see it on her, sparkling and flawless. Of course, it’ll still be dull in comparison to her. She’s everything…the warmth of the air, the light in the sky. My world is better because of her. My life is richer because of her. My soul is free because of her. No…my soul luxuriates when she’s with me! Do I sound like a rambling fool?” he asked with a laugh. “Well, I am. I know I am, but I can’t help it. I am so in love with her…helplessly, hopelessly in love.”

He bit his bottom lip, trying to stifle a smile, and stuck the ring back in his pocket.

“I’m sure we drive them all crazy, our friends and family. That’s the Weasleys for me, since you can’t be here,” he interjected. “They’ve stepped in and become my family...but you knew that. They’re the most wonderful people…” he said, getting lost in thought for a moment.

“Well,” he said, coming to, “they’re happy for us, of course. And they are kind. But really, I’m sure it does get a bit annoying, us smiling and happy all the time. I think it does them some good though. They’ve had enough heartache and suffering…”

He stopped pacing and stood silently, a pained expression on his face. After a moment he shook it away, and concentrated on the task at hand.

“Oh,” he said, pacing again, “and poor Hedwig! I know for a fact we drive her crazy! She definitely gets her exercise between the two of us. I know we could just floo each other, but there’s just something romantic about hand-written notes, you know? We started it back during the war, when it wasn’t safe to floo. And once the war was over, we were already in the habit, so we kept it going. We’ll write sweet little notes to each other, and send Hedwig on her way…sometimes six or seven flights a day!” he laughed.

“She’ll come home and land tiredly on her perch, not even giving the last note to me…that’s when I know she’s had enough. So I’ll quietly sneak over and untie the note from her leg and try not to wake her…no, I learned that one quickly! There’s nothing worse than a squawking, flailing mess of feathers attacking you while you’re trying to get your mail!” He laughed again.

“She puts up with a lot from us, Hedwig, but she knows. Being an owl, she can’t smile of course, but I can tell. Inwardly, she’s smiling at us…laughing at us even! Us…the hopeless romantics! And she wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Neither would I. I am completely and utterly in love. I’m bewitched by her. Imagine that! Bewitched by a witch.” He smirked. “But her magic is so much more than anything that can be done with a wand or a spell.”

“Before her, I was just a grain of sand…gritty and annoying, and getting into all the wrong places,” he said with a laugh. “But now…now I’m a pearl. Her love has taken me from that small, insignificant grain of sand, and turned me into something worth while. I wouldn’t go so far as to say beautiful…but something worth having.” He grinned and leaned back against the tree, propping one foot up and running a hand through his hair. “At least, I hope I’m worth having.” He tussled with his hair and chewed on his lip in thought.

“She’s worth having,” he added quietly a minute later. “I don’t deserve her. But somehow I got her. And I’ve learned better than to ask questions about things like that.”

“Sometimes I think that you had something to do with this, you know? Who else would find someone so amazing, so perfect, and give her to me? Someone who challenges me with her intelligence and wit, someone who ignites my heart and brings passion to my soul with just a look… Someone who teaches me to become a better person….”

“I think you’d be proud of me. I’ve done pretty well for myself…with your help, of course. I finished school, and I got a job, and I’m doing something to make a difference in the world. But most of all I’m happy. She makes me happy. And I’m content with where I am right now…but I think I’m ready to take the next step. It’s time,” he said, and he nodded a silent reaffirmation.

“So, anyway…I’ve decided I’m going to do it tonight.” He reached into his pocket once again and pulled the ring out. “Tonight I’ll ask for her hand in marriage. That is, if I don’t make a complete muttering, sputtering fool of myself. I think she’ll say ‘yes.’ I hope so….” He looked down at the ring in his hand and traced it with his finger, his brow furrowed.

“I can’t imagine my life without her. I’d be completely lost, drifting… She grounds me, and she makes me whole. I think that’s how you two were. They say I’m just like you, dad…reckless, sometimes foolish, and always getting in to trouble. Thanks for that,” he said and laughed. “Although I did get some of your traits, mum. But they say she’s more like you. So clever, so strong.”

“I hope we live up to your expectations, and that we have everything you had; friendship, love, and a family. We do want a family. And you’ll live on through them. They’ll know all about you…about your love, your sacrifice….”

The dew was beginning to settle, and small drops formed moistly on the grass. The sky around him was growing dim and the air crisper and cooler. He looked up and saw the sun settling above the horizon.

“I should go. It’s getting late and she’ll be worrying about me. She always does,” he said and smiled. “She’ll take good care of me, though, so don’t you worry about that. She’s done it since we were eleven. But you already knew that, didn’t you?”

“And I’ll take good care of her. I’ll make you proud. I’m sure I don’t truly deserve her, but I’ll do everything I can to make sure she’s happy. I know she was a gift to me, and I don’t intend to mess things up. I don’t know how you did it…but thanks.”

He squatted down before the two headstones and reached out, tracing the letters that spelled out Lily Evans Potter.

“I’m glad I had the chance to talk to you. I know you’ll be there with us at the wedding. I just wish we could see you, too.” He smiled weakly, moisture clouding his eyes.

“I love you,” he said in a whisper. “And I miss you.”

He kissed the tip of his finger, then touched it lightly to each of the headstones. He stood up and walked slowly back toward the street, subconsciously playing with the ring in his pocket, knowing that in just a few hours his life would change forever.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: The two haiku I chose for this challenge were as follows:

infectious finger
luxuriates helplessly
tiredly, flailing

inwardly bewitched
pearl ignites, hand sputtering
drifting, moistly, dim

11. 06-21-04: Missing You

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 21)
Challenge: Harry or Hermione return from a lengthy trip (6 months+) and is greeted by the other.
Title: Missing You
Word Count: 1,002

Hermione dashed hurriedly around her flat, re-fluffing the pillows and re-straightening the knick-knacks. It was a completely unnecessary task, as the entire place had been spotless for hours, but sitting still made her even more nervous. As she scooted past the kitchen counter, she reached with a shaking hand to once again pick up the note she’d already read twenty times that day.

Hermione,

I just got back this morning and was hoping I could see you. I have a few things to take care of this afternoon, but I’ll stop by and see if you’re in this evening - maybe around 7:00? I’ve really missed you, and can’t wait to see you! I’ve got loads to tell you!

Love from,
Harry

After re-reading the note three more times, she set it back down and looked at the clock. 6:45. She still had fifteen minutes to spare, and that was if he was on time…but this was Harry Potter after all.

“You should appear casual and relaxed...not like you’re waiting for him on pins and needles,” she scolded herself aloud.

With one last look in the mirror, she made her way to the sitting room and pulled a large, well-read book from the shelf. She sat in her favorite reading chair, opened Hogwarts: A History, and settled her eyes on the page, not paying the least bit of attention to the words.

I wonder what he has to tell me? she thought, her mind wandering through the garden of possibilities. I hope he’s not going to be leaving again soon. I hope he hasn’t decided to move away permanently. I hope he didn’t go and get married!

Harry had just spent eight months abroad, consulting with one foreign ministry after another on dark wizard detection and security for wizarding societies. And although they had stayed in touch by owl, their contact had been sporadic, with short little notes saying things like “I’ve just arrived in Heidelberg,” and “Do keep in touch.” The owls didn’t come nearly as often as she’d have liked. The two hadn’t spent more than three months apart since they were eleven years old - nearly half their lives - and these past months had been painfully difficult.

Of course, Harry had left at the most inopportune of times as far as their relationship was concerned. Though they were still best friends, a slight avenue of opportunity and interest had just been opened for them right before his departure.

Mere days prior, Ron and Luna had finally gotten married. And what had started out as a sweet and sentimental slow dance between two best friends at a wedding reception had ended with a more-than-friendly kiss that neither party seemed the least bit regretful about. Perhaps it was the wine, or perhaps knowing they were about to be apart for a good length of time, but before they’d had a chance to talk about it, he was gone. It never seemed appropriate to discuss by owl.

So now she waited nervously, eyeing the clock, wondering if there was any chance he felt about her the way she felt about him. 6:48. 6:50. 6:51.

When the knock came she was visibly startled, and her heart pounded so hard she was sure he would see it beating. She took two deep breaths and reached the same shaking hand out to grasp the handle.

This is your friend…your best friend. It’s no big deal.

She opened the door and was met by those striking green eyes, and a huge, warm smile.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” Oh Merlin, please let me get through this night without jumping all over him.

“I hope I didn’t come at a bad time. Were you busy?”

“Busy?” Busy? Was I busy? “Oh…no! Not at all…I’m sorry! Please, come in.” Hello…Hermione?! Get a grip, girl...

She let him in and closed the door behind him, her heart still pounding.

“You’re early” she said with a smile.

“I am.”

“You’re never early.”

“Things change.”

Oh no…he’s changed. What else has changed?

“Can I get you a drink?” she asked as they stood somewhat awkwardly near the door.

“No, thanks…I’m fine.”

She nodded. Ok, no drink. Now ask him to sit down …

“But…could I maybe have a hug?” he said with a meek smile.

A huge grin crept its way slowly across her face. “Of course.”

The two embraced and she’d never in her life felt so happy and scared and excited all at the same time. She was sure he could feel her heart racing.

“I really missed you,” he said, holding her tightly.

“I’ve missed you, too.”

With a schoolboy smile he stepped back and held her at arms length, looking her up and down. “Boy, are you a sight for homesick eyes… You look great, Hermione.”

She blushed and smiled shyly. “Thanks. You don’t look so bad yourself.”

He pulled her into another big hug and twirled her around, the two of them laughing. When they finally broke apart, they made their way to the couch and settled side-by-side, each turned slightly to face the other.

“So…”

“So…” He grinned lopsidedly.

“Good trip back?”

“It was fine.”

“Good.”

“And you? What have you been doing while I was away?”

“Oh, you know me…work and more work. Tell me about your trip.”

“What’s to tell?” he said with a smile.

“Don’t ask me. You said you had ‘loads to tell me.’”

“I’ve forgotten.”

She laughed. “You’ve been back twelve hours, and you’ve forgotten what you did for the past eight months?”

He nodded. “Well…I spent most of the time missing you.” His smile grew even wider, and Hermione’s heart leapt to her throat.

She felt somewhat reassured as her fears of him changing turned to butterflies about what was happening between them. He hadn’t changed a bit. He was still Harry - Harry, the boy she’d grown up with…Harry, the guy she’d been best friends with…Harry, the man she was in love with…Harry, the man who was…kissing her?

12. 06-22-04: True Love

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 22)
Challenge: Someone is tired of watching Harry and Hermione tiptoe around their relationship, and slips them Veritaserum.
Title: True Love
Word Count: 1,004

“Here,” Hermione said, handing Harry a butterbeer. “It’s the last one. We’ll have to let Mrs. Weasley know we’re out.”

“Thanks.” Harry took the bottle and opened it, then set it down, playing with the cap subconsciously.

She sat in the chair next to his, scooting it a little closer, and pulled the top off her bottle of water. “It’s quiet out here.”

He nodded, his eyes fixed upward on the stars.

“How are you feeling?” she asked, taking a sip of water.

He shrugged. “Fine, I suppose.” He looked out over the back lawn that once belonged to his godfather, watching the tiny, green lights flickering by.

They sat in silence for a minute, with the solemn stillness surrounding them. She inadvertently spun her bottle in her hand while he counted the fireflies. With a sigh, he set the cap down and took a sip of butterbeer.

“You’ve got a lot on your mind, don’t you?”

“Yes,” he answered softly, taking another sip.

“I’m here you know, if you want to talk about it.”

“I know.” He set the bottle on his knee and picked at the label. “Thanks.”

They sat quietly again, with only the noise of the nocturnal bugs and the oblivious neighbors breaking the silence.

“Harry,” she said finally, “can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“You don’t blame yourself, do you?”

He didn’t answer at first, but took another long sip from his drink. He held the cool liquid in his mouth for a moment, before swallowing. “Yes,” he said with resignation. “Yes, I do.”

“But Harry, it wasn’t your fault! Voldemort lured you there. It was a trap. You didn’t know…” She took a drink of water and sighed.

Again the tranquility encompassed them, each lost in their own thoughts.

“You miss him terribly, don’t you?” she asked a minute later.

He nodded, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. “It’s been a year. I should be over it.”

She moved her chair closer and gently clasped his hand.

“It takes time. He was a good man, Harry. And your parents were good people, too. Voldemort will see his end because of what he’s done. I don’t care what the prophecy says…you will live, and you’ll have a normal, happy life when he’s gone.”

Harry nodded again, wanting to believe her.

“There’s something else, isn’t there?” she asked with concern, trying to read his face.

He didn’t want to answer, but his mouth opened uncontrollably and said, “Yes.” In a fight to keep his mutinous tongue occupied, he raised his butterbeer to his lips and finished the drink off.

She squeezed his hand affectionately. “You can tell me. What’s on your mind?”

He turned his head slowly and looked at her. “Hermione,” he said, inwardly admonishing his disobedient voice, “I’m in love with you. Madly in love with you. I can’t help it, but I am. The only time I’m happy is when I’m with you, or thinking about you. I love your smile, your deep brown eyes, your hair…I love that you’re the smartest witch in school. I love walking down the halls with you, and sitting by you in class. You make me feel whole, worth while. You give me something to live for.”

“Harry…?” she said in astonishment.

“I’m sorry,” he said, looking down. “I don’t want to ruin our friendship. I was content just loving you from afar like I’ve done for the past year. I didn’t want to tell you, but something just came over me…”

She smiled shyly. “But…why are you telling me this now?”

“I don’t know,” he said, shaking his head. “I just...I can’t help myself.”

“That’s really sweet,” she said. “But...”

“No, wait...” he interrupted. “I mean I really can’t help myself.” He looked down at the bottle in his hand. “You don’t think...?”

She followed his eyes to the bottle and gasped. “Veritaserum?”

He nodded.

“But who? Why?” Her brow furrowed in concentration, and he knew she was trying to solve the puzzle. “Why would someone leave it for you while everyone in the house is gone? It’s only the two of us here…”

He thought for a moment. No, it couldn’t be…

“Hermione…how do you feel about me?”

“Harry, I don’t think that will help us figure this out. We need to find out who gave this to you, and why, and tell Dumbledore. But I’ve been desperately in love with you since the end of fifth year...probably longer if I really wanted to admit it to myself…and I can’t bear the thought of losing you or living without you.” She gasped again and held her hand to her mouth. “Me too?” she asked weakly.

The corner of his mouth turned up.

“Do you really feel that way?” he asked.

“Yes,” she squeaked, biting her lip.

“I love it when you do that, too,” he said and smiled. “I think someone intentionally set us up.”

“But who would…why…?”

Harry shrugged. “Ron? Ginny? Dumbledore? The whole Order? They’ve been around us enough…they must have known. No one else would have access to the drinks.”

Hermione nodded dazedly. “They knew all along…and they did this to make us confess,” she said, growing slightly angry. “It’s completely underhanded! They had no right...”

“Aren’t you glad, though?” he interrupted, setting the bottle down to take her other hand. “Isn’t it better now that we both know?”

She looked away and sighed. “Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

“Harry,” she laughed, “I couldn’t lie even if I wanted to.”

He smiled and looked at their entwined hands.

“Now what?” she asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Anything else you want to confess?” she said with a grin.

He frowned. “I failed that last potions exam because I was watching you and thinking about us…not because I didn’t study,” he said quickly, wincing at his own declaration.

“Harry!” she laughed. “Alright, I won’t ask anything else until this has worn off.”

“When we find out who did this…” he said, trailing off.

She smiled. “I’ll thank them."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: Before you fuss, I realize that my rendition of the effects of Veritaserum is not exactly canon. I clumsily wrote this without reviewing the books first. So, that in mind...just pretend that they got a really, really low dose, like maybe one drop instead of three, or maybe it's a variation of the serum, sort of like you have Claritin, Allegra, Benadryl and so on for allergies...all essentially the same goal and purpose, just different chemical make-ups. :)

13. 06-23-04: Photographic Memories

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 23)
Challenge: Harry and Hermione look back on their fondest memories.
Title: Photographic Memories
Word Count: 981

A/N: This is a follow-up (yay!) to Paris, With a Twist from June 16th and June 17th. It’ll make more sense if you read those two parts first, but it stands alone ok, too.

“Look…you were in love with me back then!”

“I was not!” he said defensively.

“Yes you were! See…you’ve got your arm around me.”

“That’s because you’d nearly broken your ankle that day. I was holding you up!”

“Whatever. You loved me.” She grinned and looked back at the photo of them on the Eiffel Tower. “That was an amazing night, wasn’t it? Paris looked so beautiful from up there.”

“Did you ever notice Fred and George in the back trying to throw Percy off the top?” he said, pointing to three struggling figures behind the waving images of himself, Hermione, Ginny and Ron.

“What? Where? Oh, that’s hysterical!” she laughed.

He smiled. “But you’re right. It was an amazing night. And I was in love with you.”

“I knew it!” she smiled triumphantly and turned the page.

“There. What about that one then?” he said. “Look at that smile on your face…gazing longingly at me…”

“That’s not true! Fleur’s cousin Gaillard was standing next to Charlie when he took the picture…” she said, trying to suppress a grin.

“Ah-hah! I knew you fancied him!”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did.”

“No, I didn’t. Wasn’t Madame Delacour’s cooking delicious though?” she asked, attempting to change the subject.

“I don’t remember. I was too preoccupied being in love with you.”

“How sweet.”

“Turn the page,” he said. “The next one is my favorite.”

“Why? Because you’re standing with me?” she asked, batting her eyelashes at him.

“No…because I look really good in this picture.”

“Cheeky!” she said, playfully swatting him on the arm. “You sound like Ron.”

“Is that a bad thing? Look, here we are at the World Cup. That was so much fun watching the game, touring the French countryside, sightseeing in Paris…”

“Falling in love with me…”

“No.”

“No?”

“I was already in love with you, remember? What’s next?” he asked turning the page. “Graduation?”

“Oh, they’re out of order!” she said with a frown.

“Just by two months. Graduation was in June and the World Cup was in August.”

“I miss school. Don’t you?”

“I miss a few days of it. There seemed to be this dark cloud called Voldemort that loomed over most of it.”

“Ok, but the other parts…late nights in the common room, trips to Hogsmeade…”

“Rendering fully-grown mountain trolls unconscious…”

She laughed. “That too.”

“I do miss parts of it. There are plenty of things that I wish had been different, though. But then I might not have had the chance to fall in love with you.”

She smiled sincerely and said, “Ten points for Gryffindor, Mr. Potter.”

“Oh?” he asked with a laugh. “How many does that make?”

She shrugged. “Who’s counting?”

“Is there another album?” he asked, closing the book.

“The wedding…it’s over there…”

“I’ll get it,” he said, and walked to the bookshelf to retrieve it. He sat back down next to Hermione on the couch and opened the album on his lap. “Here we go. The Wedding of Hermione Jane Granger and Harry James Potter, June 22, 2000. The wors- I mean best day of my life,” he said with a laugh.

Hermione just sneered at him. “You’ve been around Arthur too much. You’re developing his sense of humor.”

“Again, is that bad? Ok look, here we are…the lovely bride and her family.”

“I was lovely, wasn’t I?” she grinned.

“Ahh, and here’s the handsome groom and his family…”

“Why are you the only one without red hair?” she asked, pointing to the photo. “Harry, I hate to break it to you, but I think you were adopted,” she said, whispering the last word.

“No I wasn’t!!” he laughed and pulled the book away from her.

“Move your hand, I can’t see!”

“Well, if your big stomach wasn’t in the way…”

“It’s not big!”

“Yet!”

“I hope I don’t need to remind you that it’s your fault.”

“Not at all. I remember very clearly,” he said and wiggled his eyebrows. “Some of my best work, if I do say so myself.”

“Harry!”

“Well, it’s true! I’m quite proud of that one,” he said, leaning over and placing a kiss on her swollen belly. “Wait, I think I’ve got some photos of that night in this album, too,” he added, flipping a few pages.

“Harry!! You do not!” she gasped and laughed at the same time.

“Oh alright, alright. I’m only joking. But we’ll have lots of photos of her to add to these albums soon enough.”

“Or him…”

“Right. Her first steps, her first birthday, her first broomstick ride…”

“His first Christmas, his first holiday abroad, his first day at Hogwarts…”

Harry furrowed his brow in thought. “Do you think we should change our last name?”

“What? Of course not. Don’t be silly.”

“Well, it’ll be awfully hard on her, don’t you think? Being the child of Hermione Granger -”

“Potter,” she interrupted.

“- Potter, the smartest witch since Rowena Ravenclaw -”

“Oh, please.”

“- and Harry Potter…biggest troublemaker since James Potter and Sirius Black.”

“And savior of the Wizarding world. He’ll be fine and he’ll probably love the attention.”

“Not if she’s like her father. I didn’t like it at all.”

“Harry, I’m proud to be a Potter and we’re not changing our name. End of discussion.”

“Yes love,” he said resignedly. After a pause he added, “But Jones doesn’t sound –“

“No!”

“Oh, alright.”

“Look,” she said, taking the album from him. “Our honeymoon.”

“Now that was fun,” he grinned.

“Yes, it was.”

“Care to relive it?” he asked slyly.

“Sure…I’d love to go bask on the beach again…”

“Not that part,” he said, taking the book back from her and scooping her up in his arms.

“Harry!” she laughed, kicking her legs.

Grinning, he carried her down the hall, into their room, and deftly slammed the door shut with one foot.

“Harry!!”

14. 06-24-04: Ice Scream

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 24)
Challenge: Harry & Hermione deal with their fame in the wizarding world.
Title: Ice Scream
Word Count: 1007

Harry walked briskly down Diagon Alley with his hands in his pockets, smiling at the friendly faces he passed. It was a warm and sunny day - at least for London standards - and for once he was completely care-free. He’d taken the day off work, just because he could, and after a brief stop at Quality Quidditch Supplies to see the newest broom, the Nimbus Millennia, he hurried on his way to meet Hermione for their usual Friday afternoon lunch date.

He found her waiting for him in their favorite eating spot, and joined her for a quick meal. They didn’t stay long, as she was on her break from work, and within twenty-five minutes they were wandering back up Diagon Alley.

“I’ve got to pick up some books from Flourish and Blott’s,” she said as they passed Gambol and Japes joke shop. “Want to come along?”

“Why not? I haven’t got anything else to do today,” he said teasingly.

She grinned and stuck her tongue out at him and led the way up the street. They strolled along, looking in windows and sidewalk displays, but as they approached Florean Fortescue’s he stopped.

“Let’s get some ice cream.”

“I suppose I have time,” she said, looking at her watch. With a smile she added, “Your treat.”

He had just reached out to open the door for her when something caught his eye. He froze mid-reach, and as his eyes grew large his jaw nearly hit the sidewalk. Hermione looked at him curiously, then glanced at the object that had captured his attention; a sign was hanging in the window of the ice cream shop.

The *Official* Unofficial Harry Potter Fan Club
~ First Meeting Today at 1:00 ~
Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor
Diagon Alley

“Oh my,” she said, trying adamantly to stifle a smile. “Now that is ridiculous, isn’t it? Not that you don’t deserve to have a fan club, mind you. But really...what are they going to do? Talk about what color socks you wear and where you park your broom?”

“Let’s go,” Harry said quickly, turning around to leave.

“No, wait!” she laughed, grabbing his arm. “Let’s stick around and see what it’s about.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Oh, come on! Aren’t you just the teensiest bit curious?”

“No, I’m not. And I don’t want to be here when they…”

He was interrupted by a noise that sounded dreadfully like the chirping of a hundred baby chicks.

“I hate to tell you, Harry,” Hermione whispered, pointing to a gaggle of young girls who were moving as one mass toward the shop, “but here they come now.”

Harry groaned.

“Look,” she added with a snicker. “They’ve even got badges with your picture on them!”

“Over here!” he said grabbing her arm and dragging her to the furthest corner table.

She was still watching the girls as he pulled her away. “I wonder if I could buy one of those,” she said, putting on a dreamy voice.

The girls assembled at several outdoor tables, chattering animatedly. Minutes later a short brunette witch stood up and tapped her wand on the top of her table.

“May I have your attention please? I call this meeting to order. My name is Tawny and I am the president of the *Official* Unofficial Harry Potter Fan Club.” The girls screamed and swooned at the mention of his name.

“This is Mary-Sue, our recording secretary,” Tawny said, motioning toward a gorgeous blonde with striking blue eyes and a dazzling smile.

“She looks familiar,” Harry whispered to Hermione.

A small redhead raised her hand. “Why are you the president?” she asked snidely.

“I was actually at school with Harry,” Tawny replied with the utmost importance, “and he was in my house, so I have the most connections to him. Now, we need to set a meeting time for when we get back to school…”

“They’re going to meet at Hogwarts?” he asked with a frown. “I really hope Snape doesn’t find out.”

“Ooh, no…you’ll never hear the end of that,” Hermione teased.

The girls carried on and Harry grew more and more frightened by the minute. Hermione, however, seemed highly amused.

“…black when he’s wearing dress robes, white when he’s wearing jeans…”

“They are talking about your sock color!” Hermione laughed as the girls’ discussion turned to his attire.

“This is too much,” he said, putting his head in his hands.

Five minutes later, the conversation turned again.

“…and Mr. Fortescue assures me that Harry sat at this very table on several occasions,” Tawny said, her hands lovingly caressing the mosaic-tiled top, “In particular, during the week before his third year of school, he sat here nearly every day, eating ice cream sundaes and working on school essays.”

There was a general “oooh” from the girls. Mary-Sue scribbled notes on her parchment.

“I’ve had enough,” Harry said with a groan, and with a pop he was gone.

Hermione smirked and stood to leave; despite how amusing this was, she still had books to get before returning to work. However, the noise of Harry Apparating had drawn the girls’ attention.

“Is that…Hermione Granger?!?” one girl shrieked.

“Oh, Hermione!” Tawny called to her, as if they’d been best friends. “You must join us and tell us all about Harry.”

“I’m afraid I’m in a bit of a…hurry,” she said, trying not to laugh. After all, she’d once fancied Gilderoy Lockhart. “Must get back to work…”

The girls’ made a collective “awww” of disappointment.

“Can’t you at least tell us something we don’t know about him before you go?” Tawny asked, batting her eyelashes sweetly.

Hermione grinned in spite of herself, and after thinking for a moment, she leaned over to Tawny. The girls swarmed in around them, and with all seriousness Hermione whispered one word: “Boxers.”

The girls squealed with delight while Mary-Sue’s quill scratched furiously. Hermione stood, covertly snatching a flyer off the table as she made her way to the bookshop.

“Glad they didn’t ask where he parks his broom…”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: Please forgive my twisted sense of humor of adding myself as the fan club president and “Mary-Sue” as the recording secretary (or the one who writes it all down.) Oh, and for the “where he parks his broom” comment. ;)

15. 06-25-04: Stunned

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 25)
Challenge: A tongue-tied Harry/Hermione finally confesses his/her love.
Challenge Conditions: Poor Harry's/Hermione's brain seems to be playing a game of Taboo!, and suddenly he/she can�t say any of the following words:
love, crush, fancy, boyfriend, girlfriend, date, passion, adore, affection.
So, figure out how to express his/her feelings without using those words.
Title: Stunned
Word Count: 2,019

�Harry?�

�Hermione, he can�t hear you.�

�Shush, Ron!� Hermione snapped, shooting a scowl at her friend.

�Harry?� she whispered again, leaning closer to Harry�s unconscious form on the hospital bed. She sighed. �You don�t need to open your eyes, but if you�re awake�� She paused, then reached down and took his hand in hers. �Harry, if you can hear me, just squeeze my hand a little.�

As hopeful as she was that he would comply, nothing happened. After a minute of no response, she sat down in the chair next to Harry�s bed, still holding his hand. Her disappointment was clear.

�He�ll be ok, Hermione,� Ron said, placing a hand on her shoulder. She reached up with her other hand and set it on Ron�s, but didn�t say anything.

�He�s been through much worse. You know Harry � he�ll come out of this like nothing ever happened. Good as new. Except�well, there will be that one side effect.�

�What side effect?� she asked, her eyes full of concern.

�He�ll be teased mercilessly,� Ron said with a grin. �Oh, you just wait until Fred and George find out that Harry stunned himself!�

�Ron!� she scolded, taking her hand off his. �You won�t tell them. It was an accident after all! It could happen to anyone. Look at poor Neville! He�s had more accidents over the years than Snape�s had bad days.�

�Oh yes, poor Neville indeed,� Ron laughed. �He�s the one who brought Harry up here. He didn�t seem to have any problems practicing stunning spells. You know, Harry may not be the best person to help Neville out with his new wand after all.�

Hermione glared at him for a moment, and then turned her attention back to Harry. �Harry when you wake up, I�ll hold him back so you can get one good hex on him.�

Ron laughed again. �When he wakes up, I�ll let him hex me�just to be sure he still knows how to do it. I just hope Neville was right and it was a stunner, and not a memory charm.�

Hermione smirked. �Don�t be silly.�

Ron smiled back at her. �Look, it�s time for lunch. Do you want to go get something?�

�No,� she said, still looking at Harry. �I think I�ll stay here.�

He shrugged. �Suit yourself. I�ll come back in a while then.� He patted her on the shoulder and left the hospital wing.

�Some friend you�ve got there,� Hermione said with a mocked sneer as she watched Ron leave. �I bet sometimes you wish you�d chosen a different compartment on the train.�
She smiled, remembering their first ride on the Hogwarts Express. �I bet sometimes you wish Neville hadn�t lost his toad, too. What a swotty little know-it-all I was�I guess I still can be at times. But it�s only because I worry about you two!�

She reached up and brushed his hair aside from his scar. �I�m sorry if I act too much like a mother sometimes. I can�t help it. I just�� She sighed, looking at his tranquil face. �I care about you.�

With his hand still in hers, she sat back in her chair and looked out the window. She stayed that way for some time, lost in thought and almost forgetting where she was, until she felt the tiniest bit of pressure on her hand.

�Harry? Are you awake? Can you squeeze my hand again?�

He was still for a moment, then she felt him squeeze tighter.

�Oh, thank goodness,� she breathed, placing her other hand on both of theirs. �Harry, you�re going to be fine. Just rest for now.� She looked down at him with a huge feeling of relief. He was going to be ok.

Another minute later, Harry was blinking his eyes open. She smiled at him.

�Hi.�

�Hi,� he replied hoarsely, still squinting from the invasion of light. He was clearly still quite groggy from the stun and not completely coherent.

�Ron will be sorry he wasn�t here when you woke up, but he�ll be back soon.�

�Who?�

�Ron�� she repeated, looking at him with some concern. �Harry, you do remember Ron don�t you?�

He furrowed his brow in concentration, but didn�t answer.

�Do you know who I am, Harry?�

He glanced back at her with the same look of concentration, and then smiled. �I know,� he said, nodding slightly.

�Oh, good.� She let out a breath of relief and rubbed his hand. �You had me worried there.�

�You�� he said, pausing to think. �You�re�the sun.� His speech was slightly slurred and stuttered, but she understood him�or at least she thought she did.

�I�m�I�m what?� She looked completely confused.

�The sun. You�shine. You�keep me�warm.� It seemed to have taken every ounce of energy he could muster just to speak those words, whatever they meant.

�Harry, I�I think you�d better just rest. I don�t think the spell�s worn off yet,� she said gently.

�Your�spell.�

�My spell? No, Harry...I didn�t ��

�Yes,� he interrupted. �I�m�under�your spell.�

Hermione laughed. �Well, at least you�ve got your sense of humor back.�

She sat back in her chair again and smiled at his condition, suddenly realizing that his hand was still in hers. He didn�t seem to want to let go, so she kept it there.

A minute later he broke the silence. �I�ve�been�blind,� he said slowly, turning his head to look at her.

�Oh,� Hermione said, looking around. �Here�your glasses. Madam Pomfrey put them on the bedside table for you.� She reached over and picked his glasses up, then carefully placed them on his face. �Is that better?�

�Better,� he repeated. �I can�see you.� He smiled, and Hermione felt herself blush slightly.

His brow furrowed again, and she could tell he was trying to say something, or figure out how to say it.

�Harry,� she said gently. �You don�t need to talk��

But she was interrupted by him, shaking his head to quiet her.

�I was�blind.�

She grinned. �Yes Harry, you were. But you�ve got your glasses now.�

His expression looked almost angered when he spoke again. �I didn�t�see you.�

�I was here all along, Harry,� she said apologetically. �I got here as soon as I could. I�m sorry I��

�No,� he said, and she stopped, a little taken aback. �Let me talk,� he said with a growing look of frustration on his face.

�Ok,� she replied, her concern returning.

He thought for a moment. �You�re�always there. Always. That�s good. It makes me�happy.�

She smiled shyly and started to say something, then stopped herself, letting him continue.

�I�m sorry�I didn�t�see. I was�stupid. But now I know.�

She waited a moment for him to go on. When he didn�t say anything she asked, �You didn�t see what, Harry?�

�It was you.�

This time her brow furrowed. �What do you mean? What did I do?�

He didn�t answer immediately and his eyes moved slowly around the room.

�Not Cho,� he finally said.

Hermione really didn�t understand what Harry was trying to say, and had no idea how to respond, so she sat there, just listening.

He took a deep breath, as if to pull himself together more. �I felt something. I thought it was her�but it wasn�t. I was wrong.�

Hermione smiled, thinking she finally understood him. He seemed to be talking in leaps and bounds, changing subject mid-stream, but she knew it would wear off eventually. For some reason he was now feeling regretful about his mishap with Cho.

�Harry, it�s ok,� she said soothingly. �We all make mistakes. It�s how we learn. I�m sure she has no real hard feelings about it. When you get better you can talk to her, and she�ll probably tell you she�s fine.�

�She was right,� he said, almost sadly. �I didn�t know it then, but she was right.�

�Right about what Harry?� Hermione wasn�t sure what all they had talked about, but she hoped Cho hadn�t said anything rude to Harry that was making him feel guilty. It wasn�t his fault that Cedric died.

�It should have been you.�

�Me?� Hermione asked, a bit surprised. Did he wish it had been her instead of Cedric? Her heart fell to the floor. He wasn�t thinking coherently yet, that was it�wasn�t it?

�Yes,� he said, turning to look at her again. �I should have kissed you.�

She was stunned. Shocked. Shaken. Did he just say what she thought he said? Surely not�

�Wh�what?�

�I should have kissed you. Not Cho.�

�Harry,� she said, trying to collect herself. �I think you�re still in a daze. How many fingers am I holding up?� she asked, holding up two fingers in front of him.

He frowned. �Four. But I know what I�m saying. I mean it.�

�Harry! You�re awake!� Ron�s voice came from the doorway. �Glad to see it. I thought we�d lost you there for a minute,� he said, winking at Hermione. He walked over and stood beside Harry�s bed.

Hermione smiled weakly, not really listening to Ron and trying to take in what Harry had just said. He did seem like he was coming out of his stupor. But why would he have said that?

�Here,� Ron said, digging into his pockets. �I brought some sandwiches. Thought you might be hungry.� He handed one to Hermione, and set the other on the bedside table. �How�s he doing?� he asked, leaning in to Hermione.

�Erm�well�� she started, biting her lip. �He seems to be in a bit of�a state of confusion,� she said softly.

�I am not!� Harry protested.

Ron laughed. �Well, there you have it. He told you! Harry, don�t let her get bossy and tell you how you�re feeling, mate.�

Just then the bell rang to signal next class.

�We�d better go,� Ron said to Hermione. �Snape�ll have our heads if we�re late.�

�O�ok�� Hermione stuttered. �I�ll just�be there in a minute. I�ve got to get my things.�

Ron nodded at her and headed for the door. �Harry, I�ll come back this afternoon. Glad you got a chance to see me!� he laughed and he waved.

Hermione moved to pick up her bag, and realized that her hand was still in Harry�s. She looked at their hands, then looked up, only to see that he was already staring at her.

�Hermione, I��

�It�s ok, Harry,� she smiled nervously. �It�s just the spell. It will wear off in a while and you�ll be back to normal.� She stood and tried to pull free of his grasp so she could get her bag. �Harry,� she said with a small laugh. �I need my hand back.�

�Just wait,� he said seriously. Very seriously.

An expression of surprise crossed her face.

�Sit down� Please.�

She did as he asked.

�Look, I may be a little�fuzzy�from the spell�which you�re going to have to tell me about later, because I have no idea what happened, or why I�m in here�but I do know what I�m saying. I thought Cho was pretty�and I knew I had these strange feelings I�d never felt before�and I thought it was because of her. And maybe it was at first�but it�s not now. I don�t know�whatever happened to me�something about waking up and seeing you here beside me, smiling at me�shining like the sun on a cold winter morning�I realized it�s not about her. It�s about you. I think it has been all along, and I didn�t notice it was there.�

�What are you saying?� she asked, stunned at his words.

Harry took a deep breath. �What I� What I�m trying to say is I ��

�Miss Granger!� Madame Pomfrey screeched across the room, scurrying towards them. �You�d best be on your way to class or you�ll not be allowed back until after classes are over, do you understand? Oh, Mr. Potter,� she said, turning her attention to Harry. �Glad to see you�ve decided to join us. Now, Miss Granger�� she warned.

Harry released Hermione�s hand, and she picked up her bag to leave.

�You�ll come back later, won�t you?� he asked as she made her way to the door.

She stopped and turned around, and with a shy smile she nodded, then left the room.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: Sorry it's late. And over the count. And I think my spellcheck is counting two words connected by ellipses as one word. But inspiration didn't strike until my drive to work this morning. And I'm not thrilled with it, but, hehe...ok, I'll stop making excuses now. :)

16. 06-28-04: Worth a Thousand Words

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 28)
Challenge: A look at Harry & Hermione through someone else’s POV.
Title: Worth a Thousand Words
Word Count: 1,000

Looking back through the years, it seems it really was there all along. It’s just that most of their friends and classmates knew them so well they didn’t even see it. Not at first, anyway. And that’s easy enough to understand. As you’d expect from anyone at their age, the whole group went through various phases of friends and enemies, crushes and heartaches, changing as often as the staircases at school.

However, through all of the change, one thing was constant. I always claimed that I was the first to really notice. That may or may not be exactly true. But how could I not notice? I had a unique view of the whole situation.

In the early years they were friendly, loosely wrapping an arm around the other’s shoulder, or laughing and smiling as one or the other said something funny. Then as time went by they would stand a little closer together, wrapping their arms a bit more protectively, even resting their head against the other. It wasn’t altogether unusual to catch them holding hands now and then, or to capture that sparkle in their eyes when they were together.

Over time I think it became clear to everyone, even those who had their hearts broken as they realized that nothing else was more meant to be, and they’d never have their chance to the girlfriend of the Boy-Who-Lived, or the boyfriend of the smartest witch in school. No one ever talked about it. No one ever bothered to tell them what we all saw. We just watched and waited, choosing not to interfere with the natural order of things. And of course, though it seemingly took forever,they eventually figured it out. And just in time.

As I look out over the group that has gathered today, I see so many familiar faces. Isn’t it amazing that all of these faces are here because of the love shared by two people? Because in fact, the truth is we might not have had the chance to be here at all if it weren’t for the love shared by these two, and the sacrifices made on that fateful night. We owe the survival of our world to them, and to their love.

I have a favorite memory of them. It was no extraordinary event – though Merlin knows they shared plenty of those; it was just a random day in the life of a Hogwarts student. They were out in the courtyard between classes, basking in the last bit of autumn’s sunshine. I didn’t hear the conversation, but it doesn’t really matter what they were talking about. Even without words it was obvious. They were in love, although they hadn’t admitted it to one another yet…and probably not even to themselves. But I can see it all quite clearly.

She’s holding a few books, leaning against the half-wall that surrounds the yard, and she’s looking at her feet, chewing on her lip in concentration. Her hair and cloak whisp lightly in the breeze, and the morning sun is shining right on her, casting a halo around her golden-brown locks.

He’s standing next to her, talking to her. He must have been telling a story of some sort. He starts off casually, but then he becomes more animated. She looks up and laughs at something he’s said, and as she turns her head they lock eyes. And it’s at that moment you can tell.

Her smile fades for just a moment, and her eyes change. I can’t tell if it’s a look of surprise, or intrigue, or maybe even fear, but it’s as if she’s just realized something, something of great importance. But then just as quickly as it left, her smile comes back and she laughs again, breaking their gaze.

His smile, on the other hand, is much easier to read. He’s just made her laugh and it’s the best feeling in the world to him. Call it male instinct or what have you, but I can tell. He watches her expectantly when he finishes talking, and as she turns her head and they lock eyes, his face softens. His eyes, which were so often hard and emotionless, are suddenly full of life. In that moment he has forgotten all his hardships, all the pain, and the ever-nearing danger. For that moment he’s lost in her. He doesn’t look away until she breaks their gaze, laughing for the second time. Then he starts talking again.

It only lasts about ten seconds, but those ten seconds I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Because of those ten seconds I’ve learned what true love really looks like. I’ve watched the scene so often it’s ingrained in my memory.

Of course, it’s easy to remember when you have it right in front of you. And who knows…maybe one day a girl will look at me that way, and I’ll feel the same about her. But, as much as I have cherished this memory in silence, I’m even happier to share it with you all today.

So with my deepest gratitude, Harry and Hermione, I’d like to present to you on this special day - on your wedding day - this photograph, which only begins to capture the love you share. I hope you’ll forgive me for intruding on your moment together so many years ago, but you should have known that anywhere on school grounds was fair game. After all, everyone knows that where I go, my camera goes.

I thank you for allowing me to share in this day with you, and I wish you nothing but the brightest and happiest times the future can hold. A toast to Mr. and Mrs. Potter – to many more secret jokes and secret smiles.

"Very touching, dear. They’ll be so pleased. Although I might speak a little slower if I were you.”

“Oh, hush, will you? When I want advice from a talking mirror, I’ll ask. Some of these things wizards think up…”

17. 06-29-04: Rocking the Boat

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 29)
Challenge: Harry & Hermione have a fight and make up.
Title: Rocking the Boat
Word Count: 1,023

�HARRY JAMES POTTER!!�

Harry cringed as he heard his full name being screeched across the house, and waited nervously for Hurricane Hermione to come sweeping into the room. He ran over a mental list of what he could have possibly done.

�Toilet seat? Down. Socks? In the hamper. My broom? Did I leave my broom out?�

A herd of hippogriffs came stomping down the stairs, or so it seemed, and two seconds later a single young woman with a beach ball of a belly appeared in the sitting room, hands on her hips. Harry had to look down and stifle his laugh, lest he make her madder by laughing at her. But what a sight she was!

Hermione had a handkerchief tied over her head, as she often did when she was working around the house, but below that her bushy hair stood out in every direction like she had been in a hurricane. Her face was red and contorted into an angry glare, and her shoulders moved up and down as she huffed and puffed, like a bull about to charge.

She thrust an arm out into the air and said, �What�s this?�

Harry was completely blank-faced. He had no idea what it was. This is what she�s getting all mad over? It looked like a small piece of parchment. Why would she get mad about a piece of parchment?

�Well?� she asked irritably.

Harry just shrugged. �I don�t know.�

�You don�t know? What do you mean you don�t know?! I found it in your pocket! It�s your handwriting!!�

Then it hit him. Oh, dear. He had left something in his pocket, hadn�t he? He never even thought about her finding it. She wasn�t supposed to know. But what was she doing looking through his pockets anyway?

�Yeah, what were you going through my pockets for?� Now he was beginning to get a bit angry.

�What?� she asked, looking completely dumbfounded.

�Why were you looking in my pockets?� he repeated, his voice raised a little.

She spurted out a loud snort of a laugh. �I was emptying your pockets, Mr. Potter, because you never do and then we get all sorts of rubbish in the wash. I am trying to get some laundry done! It�s not like it magically cleans itself.�

He raised his eyebrows at her. �It could. Just because you prefer your clothes machine washed��

�Or you could just help me out!� she snapped. �It�s not simply an easy day�s work to continue my regular job, come home and cook, clean, do laundry and yard work�all while I�m waddling around with your child playing a bloody World Cup match inside me, you know?!�

�I�m ever so sorry,� he said through his teeth. �You didn�t complain six months ago when you decided you wanted to start a family. And in case you haven�t noticed, I�ve been a bit busy trying to keep my job so I can support our family. You knew practice season was starting and I was going to be working longer hours!�

She rolled her eyes. �It wasn�t my decision alone to have this baby, you know. And you�re trying to change the subject. Who�s Alexia � The Leaky Cauldron � 2:00?� she asked, waving the parchment at him.

�No one,� he mumbled under his breath. He really wished she hadn�t found that note.

�No one? It�s a girl, isn�t it? Doesn�t sound like the daily lunch special to me,� she sneered. �You�re meeting a girl because I�m not good enough anymore.�

He opened his mouth to reply, then stopped, looking at her blankly again. �Are you joking?� he asked with disbelief.

�Do I look like I�m joking?!� she screeched, her hands flailing about.

�No.� He analyzed her seriously for a moment before he began laughing. �Actually�you look a bit like a puffskein trying to take flight.�

Hermione glared at him, angry tears welling up in her eyes. Harry tried to stifle his laughter, but he couldn�t help it. She had that wild hair, and the big, round belly, and her arms were flapping like mad. She could have easily passed for a puffskein with wings.

Her chin began to tremble and then suddenly she burst out sobbing. She dropped to the couch and put her hands over her eyes, wailing uncontrollably.

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Her hormones were going crazy and here he was laughing at her. He really shouldn�t have said that, joking or not. Now he�d gone and upset her even more. He moved to the couch and sat next to her, rubbing a hand soothingly over her back.

�Shh. It�s ok�I was only teasing. You don�t look like a�like that,� he said, trying to calm her and not laugh. �It was just the arm thing, and�oh, nevermind. I�m sorry.�

She sniffled and wiped at her eyes, her chin still trembling.

�Look at me,� he said, taking her face in his hand. �You�re beautiful, and I love you. I�m sorry I haven�t been home as much as we�d both like, but I�ll try my best to help you out more. And I�m very happy that we�re having this baby.� He reached down and rubbed her tummy.

�But�� she sniffed, looking down at the parchment. �But what�s this about?�

He gave her a lopsided smile. �Hang on.�

He walked to the hall cupboard and pulled out a large something, his back blocking it from her sight. With a flick of his wand it was wrapped and tied with a bow. He drug it over to where she sat.

�Harry, what�s this?�

�Open it.�

She pulled the ribbon and the wrapping fell to the floor. A beautiful, hand-carved rocking chair sat before her, and she gasped.

�I was going to save it for the party next week, but that�s ok,� he said with a smile. �I have other surprises for then anyway. Oh, and Alexia�she�s the artist.�

Hermione teared up again, and then flung her arms around him. �Harry James Potter,� she said through her sobs. �I love you.�

Harry smiled. �I like it much better when you say my full name that way.�

18. 06-30-04: Escape

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (June 30)
Challenge: Harry inherits Sirius' flying motorbike. Will Hermione ride with him?
Title: Escape
Word Count: 1,000

�Harry,� Hermione said calmly and cautiously. �What have you done?�

�Nice to see you too, Hermione,� he replied, grinning mischievously at her reaction to seeing him. �And I haven�t done anything. What would make you ask that?�

�Umm, well�� she started, apparently trying to choose her words carefully. �You� Well, you�re at my house, in the middle of summer�when you�re supposed to be with your family. You drove here on a�motorcycle,� she said, looking over his shoulder at the hunk of metal parked in her drive, �and you�re not legal age yet. And the last time you left home in the middle of summer like this you�d blown up your aunt.�

Harry laughed. �First off, she�s not actually my aunt, and that�s not my home at all. Secondly, I thought it would be a nice change for me to visit you. And third, I didn�t drive the motorcycle here. I flew it.�

�Oh,� she said, her brow furrowed as she digested what he�d just said. Then her jaw dropped. �You�what?!?�

�Well, as you said, I�m not legal age to drive yet. So I flew.�

Hermione�s eyes darted around the darkness behind him, looking to see if anyone had heard, then she pulled him into the house and shut the door.

�Harry! Using magic to enchant a Muggle motorbike and then flying it into a Muggle neighbourhood? You�ll get into trouble again!� Her voice was hushed and frantic. �You don�t want to have another hearing, do you?? Besides, how did you cast something strong enough to lift that?�

Harry laughed, and she looked at him with astonishment.

�Why are you laughing?� She looked truly concerned that he�d gone off his trolley. �Oh, Harry�what�ve they done to you?� she asked, searching his eyes.

�Hermione,� he said with a grin. �I didn�t use any magic on the bike. I got it that way.�

Her expression was full of confusion.

�It belonged to Sirius, and he left it to me. And before you start worrying about Voldemort�I had an escort from the Order and I was Disillusioned the whole time. Dumbledore even approved my trip, so everything is fine.�

�Oh,� she said again.

He watched as her face changed from confusion to worry, then surprise, and finally ended with a look of relief. She threw her arms around him in a crushing hug and he couldn�t help but laugh a little as he hugged her back.

�Harry, I�ve been so worried about you!� Her quiet words were muffled in his hair.

�I�m alright,� he said, not even realizing that he�d begun to rub her back gently. �I�m sorry I wasn�t able to get in touch sooner.�

�Where have you � oh, wait! I�m sorry,� she said, pulling back. �I didn�t invite you in,� she added apologetically, taking his hand and leading him into the sitting room and to the couch.

�Would you like a drink?�

�No, thanks. I�m fine,� he said with a smile, looking around the room. �You�ve got a really nice house.�

She sat down next to him on the couch. �Thank you. My mum loves decorating and all that,� she said, waving a hand at the table nearby. �So where have you been all this time?� she asked, getting right to the point.

He thought a second before he answered. �Well, I was at the Dursleys for a few weeks right after school got out. Then Professor Lupin and Tonks came to get me. I�ve been at Siri �� He stopped, a pained expression crossing his face. �I�ve been at Grimmauld Place since then,� he said softly. Hermione put a hand on his knee.

�Harry, are you sure you�re alright?�

He shrugged and looked at a picture hanging across the room. �I have good days and not-so-good days. I�m getting better.�

�I�m here, you know�if you want to talk.�

�I know,� he said, nodding. �Thanks.� He paused before saying, �They�ve been keeping me really busy though, doing some training and making me study potions.� He grinned at her with his last statement. She smiled back.

They sat quietly for few moments, then Hermione stood abruptly and said, �Wait here. I�ll be right back.�

She hurried off down the hall and returned shortly after with a package in her hands.

�I was waiting for Hedwig to come get this for you, but since you�re here�� She handed the package to him. �Happy birthday, Harry.�

He smiled, and carefully opened the wrapping.

�Wow, Hermione! Thanks!� He pulled two books from the paper and examined A Modern History of English Aurors and So You Want to Be An Auror: A Study Guide. �You shouldn�t have.�

She smiled at him. �I wanted to. I couldn�t let your birthday pass without getting you something. I�m sorry I didn�t know what you wanted.�

Harry bit his lip and looked at her earnestly. �They�re perfect,� he said. �But there was something I wanted��

Her expression dropped a little. �Oh�I ��

�No, wait�these are really great!� he interrupted. �There was just�something else, though...�

�What�s that?� she asked timidly.

�Well,� he said with a bit of nervousness, �I was hoping you might�go for a ride with me?�

She looked stunned for the third time that night. �A�a ride? On that motorcycle?�

He nodded, his face full of hope.

Hermione�s mouth hung open as she seemed to search for the right words to turn him down. She let out a deep breath, and then a small smile emerged.

�Sure.�

�Really?!� he asked, almost jumping up from the couch.

�Really,� she replied, smiling widely at his excitement. �Let me just go tell my parents.�

Ten minutes later Hermione swung her leg over the seat and settled herself behind Harry.

�You�d better hold on to me,� he said, and she wrapped her arms around his middle. When the green sparks above signaled the all-clear, they took off into the night sky. Hermione squealed and squeezed him tightly, hanging on for dear life, and Harry smiled, feeling the happiest he�d been in nearly a year.

19. 07-01-04: Dropping the Hint

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 1)
Challenge: Harry. Hermione. Rain.
Title: Dropping the Hint
Word Count: 1,024

Harry sat in the common room, chin in his hand, watching the rain fall outside. The autumn afternoon was bleak and dreary, and he was sick of sitting around. It was a very rare situation that he had all his homework done on a Saturday. He�d really hoped to enjoy the afternoon outside because he�d spent the last several Saturdays in the library. Well, that wasn�t so bad a thing.

Hermione, his usual study partner, sat on the couch across from him, reading a book�or at least pretending to read it. Watching her, he realized her eyes hadn�t moved for at least five minutes, and she hadn�t turned a page in about ten minutes. As much as the girl loved reading, she clearly wasn�t having any more fun than Harry was. He looked back to the window and sighed. It was getting late and the sun would be going down soon. Then something hit him.

Without warning, Harry stood up from the couch, grabbed Hermione�s hand, and pulled her to her feet. Out of complete shock, her book dropped from her hands and hit the floor. Before she could question him or protest, he drug her straight to the portrait hole and out into the castle.

�Harry?!� she said, finally shaking her astonishment a few steps later. �Where are you taking me?�

�Outside,� he said casually and continued to drag her down the hallways.

�Outside? In the rain? Are you crazy??�

He shrugged, but didn�t look back at her. �Perhaps.�

�Harry, we�ll catch cold!�

�I don�t mind. Pepperup Potion isn�t all that bad.�

�But�but why are we going outside?�

�Because I�m bored. And you�re bored,� he said as they passed the third floor corridor. �And I�m tired of being inside.�

She didn�t argue; he had a point.

They rounded the last corner and made their way down the staircase to the castle doors. As they came near the doors, Hermione hesitated. �You were serious?� she gasped, pulling back. �Harry, stop! We can�t go out there!�

�Yes we can�and we are.� He pushed open the large door and pulled Hermione outside with him.

�Harry!� she screamed as the first cold drops hit her face.

He looked back at her and grinned, but just kept pulling her along, his own cheeks getting pelted with the drops.

�It�s�cold,� she said pitifully and at last she gave up on pulling back from him.

Harry was heading for the lake and in just a few seconds both were soaked thoroughly. He could hear Hermione whimpering behind him and he couldn�t help but smile at her reluctant surrender.

At the edge of the lake stood an old willow tree which was shaped like a large umbrella. It had been cut back to prevent a completely enclosed space, likely to keep the students from hiding within, but it still provided enough shelter that the ground was barely damp under it.

Harry pulled Hermione up under the branches and at last he stopped. He let go of her hand and sat down, bringing his knees up to his chest. She stood for a moment, as if she were in a haze from being soaked, then finally coming to, she sat down next to Harry. He didn�t say anything, but looked out over the lake, watching the raindrops hit the surface.

Hermione watched him, waiting for him to tell her why they�d come outside in the rain, but his gaze stayed fixed on the water. A minute later she broke the silence.

�So�now what?�

�Now we enjoy the outdoors.�

She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could speak something caught her attention, and she gasped.

�Harry�� she said softly, �stay very still.�

She shifted closer to him and then leaned in, her face coming nearer and nearer to his. He did as she said and didn�t move a muscle, nervously wondering why her brown eyes and pink lips were just inches away. Finally he couldn�t control himself anymore and he swallowed.

Hermione reached up. Out of the corner of his eye he could see her hand nearing his face and his eyes grew wide.

�Harry, look,� she said, moving to kneel in front of him and bringing her hand around. In her palm was a tiny, fluttering, insect-like creature. But on closer inspection, it didn�t look like an insect at all. It was a small glowing orb, bluish in color, and was no bigger than a centimeter around.

�What is it?� he asked.

�I think,� she said, examining it closely, �it�s a water whisp.�

�A water whisp? How do you know?�

She grinned shyly. �I�ve read about them. They�re a type of faerie. They come out at dusk when it�s raining, and humans usually can�t see them because they blend in with the raindrops. It�s really rare for people to spot them.�

�What do they do?�

�Supposedly if you follow them, you�ll find hundreds of them where they gather and hold faerie celebrations. But they also say that you�ll never find your way home again once you follow a whisp.�

�Perhaps we should let it go then,� Harry said, grinning.

Hermione smiled and opened her hand, lightly tossing the whisp into the air. It fluttered off toward the lake and they lost sight of it.

�Wow,� she said quietly. She was still looking in the direction it flew.

�Yeah,� he agreed, smiling at the expression on her face.

She finally looked back and saw Harry smiling at her, and she blushed a little. They both looked away quickly, feeling the strange tension that had been growing for months come to a peak.

Harry�s heart beat rapidly. He wasn�t sure what was happening between them, but this feeling was different than anything he�d ever felt before. He didn�t know what to do or say, so he tried focusing on the lake again, hoping Hermione didn�t see how he had tensed.

�Harry?�

He turned his face to her, but didn�t meet her eyes. He heard her take a deep breath.

�Now would be a really perfect time to kiss me,� she said softly. �If you wanted to, that is.�

So he did.

20. 07-02-04: Remember Me

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 2)
Challenge: Non-songfic songfic!
Challenge Conditions: Take a song, any song, that you have the lyrics to and transcribe those lyrics into a 2,000 (or 1,000) word ficlet. The lyrics shouldn't appear unless you have them spoken by a character but otherwise, try to describe the song through your story!
Title: Remember Me
Word Count: 2,045

The night air at number twelve Grimmauld Place was unusually crisp, even for winter. The wind was blowing in cold, sharp spurts, but the sky was clear of clouds and any threat of snow. Muffled noises inside the house gave away the festive mood of the guests, some who were decorating the Christmas tree and others who were singing carols.

Harry, on the other hand, was sitting alone on the back lawn that once belonged to his godfather, looking at a letter with his lumos-tipped wand. Neat, fancy letters adorned the old piece of parchment, which had been surprisingly well-preserved. He�d already read it several times, but for reasons he couldn�t explain, he just kept reading it again and again. One particular line continued to resonate in his mind.

�Remember�I will still be here, as long as you hold me in your memory.�

Harry closed his eyes and tried to picture her face; his own green eyes and a beautiful smile, surrounded by long red hair. He really only knew it from the photos he�d collected over the past five years, and the few other times he�d seen her image magically � in the Mirror of Erised and when her echo emerged from Voldemort�s wand � but he�d had dreams as a child that he now knew were of her.

Over time those dreams had ended, and haunting though they were - with flashes of green light and screams - he missed them in a way. He missed the connection with his mother. But he fought to keep the memories alive, knowing that their distance of space and time could be transcended if he just remembered her.

He glanced back at the letter and ran his fingertips over the paper, as if feeling the raised letters would give him a hint of how it felt to touch his mother�s face, or to be hugged by her. It was only a brief glimpse at her personality, but it was perfect; just how he had imagined her. She was tender, and caring, and Harry knew that she would have easily rivaled Mrs. Weasley in the amount of love that was possible for one person to share. He felt much closer to her now because of this piece of parchment, which she�d apparently left for Sirius to give him.

A burst of laughter emerged from the house behind him. Harry sighed and looked up to the sky, searching for the constellation that Hermione had pointed out to him just weeks ago - Canis Majoris.

�You see Orion�s belt?� she�d asked. �Now look to the left�see that star? That�s Sirius, the brightest burning star in the night sky, also called the Dog Star after the Egyptian god Osiris. Twenty-three times brighter than our sun, and twice the mass,� she�d spouted out like a talking encyclopedia before she softened. �I know it sounds silly, but I like to think maybe he�s up there, watching over us.�

Harry didn�t think it was silly at all, though. In fact he really hoped it was true. On more than one occasion he had stayed awake in his room, looking out to the night sky and watching until the starlight faded into the rising sun. He knew Sirius was gone, but he couldn�t help feeling that his presence was still here with him. The whole thing had happened so quickly, so suddenly�and it was so unfair.

�Don�t worry,� Harry whispered, looking up to the star. �I won�t let you die. I�ll tell your story, and everyone will know the truth. You�re not what they said you were. You were a true friend�a hero.�

He looked at the letter again, rereading the line that he kept hearing in his head.

�Remember�I will still be here, as long as you hold me in your memory.�

A gust of cold wind came billowing through the air and Harry shivered, but it wasn�t from the chill. It had happened again. He hadn�t told anyone about it, but from time to time when the night was still and quiet, he would swear that he�d heard a whisper of his mother�s voice, calling out to him. He knew it was her because he�d heard her in his dreams and the night that Cedric died.

He liked to think she was reaching out to touch him in some way, maybe just to be sure he was alright, or to let him know she was with him. Either way, he was keeping her alive, if only inside of him�her, his father and Sirius. He had to. He owed them that much.

�Remember�I�ll never leave you, if you will only remember me.�

Harry�s eyes moved to the top of the page once more, and he started to read.

21 October, 1980

My Dearest Harry,

I�ve been sitting here for several minutes, staring at the blank page before me, not quite knowing how to start this letter to you. There is so much to say, and not enough parchment in the world to write it on. It is my deepest desire that you will never need to see this letter, or even know that it existed. But I fear that won�t be the case.

I should first say that I am so, so sorry. I�m sorry I�m not there with you now. I�m sorry I missed watching you grow. I�m sorry I missed your first steps, your birthdays, the arrival of your Hogwarts letter, and your first broom ride. I�m sorry I missed sharing in your joys and triumphs, your pain and your suffering. Most of all, I�m sorry I�m not there to tell you how much I love you.

It�s a strange thing, the love a mother has for her son. When I was young I�d always dreamed of having a family and I knew that I would love them unconditionally. But when you were born, the love I felt was like nothing I�d never felt before. Of course I love your dad very much, and he loves you too. But this was different. I can�t even begin to explain it. I want you to know, though, that as much as I wish I could be there with you now, I do not regret for a single moment that my time was cut short, because I know that you have lived on, and you will grow to be a good person. I�m so very proud of you, Harry.

I truly hope that someday you�ll have the chance to experience the joys of being a parent; then you�ll understand how much it hurts me to write this, and even to think that the impossible might happen. But, sadly, it is not impossible. In this day and in the state of our world it is quite possible, and even probable, that we may be taken from you. Please know that everything we�ve done was for you, because we love you and want the best for you. And remember that I will still be here, as long as you hold me in your memory. I�ll never leave you, if you will just remember me.

Maybe that thought is in vain. I hope that you�ll be able to remember us, the mother and father who loved you more than anything in the world. But I am so afraid that if someone doesn�t stop him soon, our time will be over before you�ve reached your second birthday. If this happens, you�ll have little more than some photographs and this letter to remember me by.

I can�t begin to imagine how you feel at this point in your life, or what you�ve gone through in your lifetime. I hope it has been a time of peace and that your childhood was happy. I hope you�ve enjoyed growing up with that crazy godfather of yours. Merlin knows why I let your father talk me into choosing him! I suppose it was because I saw it in his eyes the first time he held you; he loves you, nearly as much as your father and I, even if he won�t say it out loud. He�ll take good care of you. I�ve asked him to give this letter to you when he felt you were ready.

I don�t doubt for a second that Sirius has shared a few wild tales about our times in school and his antics with the Marauders, as they called themselves. I�m sorry to say that they�re probably all true, as well! They had great fun, and as your father and I were falling in love, I grew to love each of them in their own crazy ways as well. I suppose I had to, or else I would have probably hexed your godfather into oblivion, as much as he enjoyed teasing me�particularly when I was pregnant with you. Still I hope you have gotten to know each of them, and that they�ve become your second family.

What Sirius can�t tell you about, however, is the look on your dad�s face when you were born. I�ll never forget it. James Potter, the arrogant young man who eventually won my heart, was literally in awe. I�d never seen him cry before, but as he held you for the fist time I saw the tears in his eyes. He kissed you and whispered something very quietly to you.

�Harry,� he said, �I promise that I�ll do everything I can to be a good dad. I�ll buy you ice cream and take you to the park. I�ll teach you to fly and how to play Quidditch. And I�ll always love you, even when you�ve lost my invisibility cloak or crashed your new broom. It won�t matter, because you�re my little boy.�

We are proud of you, Harry, and we love you very, very much. I don�t know what I hoped to accomplish with this letter to you, but I suppose I just needed to be sure that no matter what happened to us you would never go without knowing that much. Remember me, Harry. If you�re sad, or lonely, you can always talk to me, and I�ll hear you. I�ll be there with you. I�ll live forever. Just remember me.

I love you always,
Mum

Harry looked up at Sirius again. �I hope you�re having fun up there with them. Don�t tease mum too much, ok?� he said with a half-hearted smile.

�Harry?� Hermione said softly from somewhere behind him. �Who are you talking to?�

�No one,� he replied, blushing in the darkness. He folded the letter and put it in his pocket. A second later he felt her hand rest gently on his shoulder and he closed his eyes, feeling her warmth near him. He hadn�t realized how cold he�d gotten.

�Everyone was looking for you,� she said. �They were hoping you�d come put the star on the tree.�

�Ok. I�ll be right in.

He felt her lean closer and wrap her arm fully around his shoulder.

�I�m sure he heard you,� she whispered.

Harry nodded, and as she pulled away from him to go inside, he already missed the warmth she�d given him. Something Dumbledore had once told him suddenly echoed in his head.

�It doesn�t do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that.�

He turned and watched Hermione open the door, stepping into the house. She really cared about him, and had really been there for him since they�d lost Sirius. In truth, she�d done more for him in the past five years than anyone else had done his whole life; she�d helped him without question on so many occasions, she never doubted him even when the rest of the world thought he was crazy, and she�d been by his side in both the good times and the bad. In the past few months she�d given him his space, but he was afraid the space between them would grow if he wasn�t careful. Harry had a funny feeling that this was exactly the thing Dumbledore was talking about.

He stood up and made his way to the door, preparing himself to go in and meet the cheerful crowd of his friends. He was just about to step inside when he stopped and looked back up to the sky one last time.

�Goodnight, Sirius. Goodnight mum and dad.�

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: Ok, here's my song. Listen to it on Windows Media Player here.

Remember Me
Performed by Josh Groban & Tanja Tzarovska
From the Troy soundtrack

Remember
I will still be here
As long as you hold me
In your memory

Remember
When your dreams have ended
Time can be transcended
Just remember me

I am the one star that keeps burning so brightly
It is the last light to fade into the rising sun
I�m with you whenever you tell my story
For I am all I�ve done

Remember
I will still be here
As long as you hold me
In your memory

Remember me

I am that one voice in the cold wind that whispers
And if you listen you�ll hear me call across the sky
As long as I still can reach out and touch you
Then I will never die

Remember
I�ll never leave you
If you will only
Remember me

Remember me

Remember
I will still be here
As long as you hold me
In your memory

Remember
When your dreams have ended
Time can be transcended
I�ll live forever

Remember me
Remember me
Remember me

21. 07-05-04: Exploring

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 5)
Challenge: Sequel Week: Harry/Hermione feed/eat from the other's plate at a restaurant.
Title: Exploring (Sequel to Escape)
Word Count: 1,036

The world looked quite different from the seat of the flying motorbike, high above the English countryside. The lights in the little houses and shops made everything look so enchanting, like a faerie village, or one of those miniature towns for model trains.

The night air was cool, and at Harry�s suggestion Hermione had grabbed a jacket before leaving. Her parents were a little hesitant, but had finally given in and allowed her to be out for an hour. Harry decided they�d ride around for a bit, then land somewhere out of sight and walk around a little town he�d spotted on his way to Hermione�s house.

Harry tried to take it easy for Hermione�s first ride. When it was only him, he�d been much more daring, pushing the speed and trying out stunts. But remembering her uneasiness during third year, he thought it best to make the ride as smooth as possible. She kept a firm grip on him the entire time, and squeezed him a little apprehensively when he�d take one hand off the handlebar to show her something below.

As they neared the town, their escort pointed out the safest place to stop. Harry felt Hermione�s hold on him tighten as the buildings below grew larger and larger. It wasn�t exactly a smooth landing, but they didn�t crash into anything and managed not to be seen. Harry helped her off the bike and left it in the escorts� charge.

�So, what did you think? Better than riding Buckbeak?� he asked, grinning, as they walked toward the town.

She laughed. �Hmm, well�I suppose I could get used to it.�

Harry raised his eyebrows at her questioningly.

�Oh, alright. It wasn�t all that bad,� she said with a coy smile.

�Not all that bad? I�m glad to hear that. Can�t imagine how many ribs you�d break if you didn�t like it,� he said teasingly and put his hand to his side. She gasped in mock offense and then laughed.

A minute later they emerged from behind a building on the high street and looked around the town. It wasn�t a tiny village by any means, larger than Hogsmeade, but nothing like London. Quaint shops and restaurants lined the street, and though many were closed as it was growing late, there were still plenty of people out and about.

�Hungry?� he asked as they walked toward the center of town.

�Maybe a little,� she said with a smile.

�Ever been here before?�

�A few times. My mum comes to market here, and she likes some of the antique shops.� She pointed to a few of the shops she�d been in as they walked.

�So do you know any good places to eat? What are you in the mood for?�

Hermione stopped and got that look on her face, like she was calculating the best answer to a problem, or trying to solve a mystery. Harry grinned as he realized how much thought she was putting into something so simple. He watched, amused, as the gears in her head churned, and then she smiled.

�This way.�

She led him up the street past market, and to a corner where a vendor was selling ice cream.

�Is this alright?� she asked.

�Perfect.�

�So what do you get?�

�Well,� he said hesitantly, �I don�t actually know. Aunt Petunia never really let me get ice cream when we were out, except an occasional lemon ice, and I never really liked those,� he grinned. �And I did get Dudley�s rejects from time to time, if something wasn�t to his liking.�

�Harry, that�s awful!� Hermione said with surprise.

He shrugged. �I was usually just glad to be away from the house.�

Hermione frowned. �Well, you can get anything you like now. They�re not here.�

He looked at the pictures on the van. �They all look good. What do you suggest?�

Hermione glanced over the menu as well, calculating once again.

�One Flake 99 and one Mint Chocolate Cornetto, please,� she said to the man. He handed her the ice creams and Harry paid.

�Right,� she said, holding out the two cones, �the best thing about the Flake is the Flake.� She nodded toward the vanilla ice cream with a crumbly chocolate bar stuck in it. �And the best thing about the Cornetto is the chocolate inside the cone, especially at the bottom. Which do you want to try first?�

Harry looked at the green and white ice cream with brown speckles, then back to the vanilla with the chocolate bar. �What about you?� he asked. �Aren�t you having one?�

She laughed. �Of course I am! We�ll share. Here�try the Flake first,� she said, handing him the cone.

Hermione carefully explained the best way to eat each of the ice creams, as she�d had the method perfected since age six. They began walking back toward the motorcycle, eating and talking as they looked in shop windows.

�Save me some of that Flake now!� Hermione said with a laugh. Harry leaned the cone toward her and she pulled the chocolate out, making sure to get plenty of ice cream with it, and took a bite off the end. �Mmm�I�ve always loved those.�

Harry grinned. �You going to let me try some of that one then?�

�Oh, I suppose,� she teased, and traded cones with him.

Harry couldn�t help but smile. It didn�t seem that Hermione thought sharing ice creams was a big gesture, but to Harry it was a really great feeling. Someone actually liked him enough to share with him, and didn�t think they were above him or that it was gross. It was similar to the feeling he got on his first Hogwarts Express ride, meeting Ron and sharing sweets, but somehow this was different. Eating off the same cones was not the same as eating Bertie Botts� from the same bag.

�Make sure you get the end of that cone�it�s the best bit,� Hermione said with a smile.

Harry grinned. Not only was she sharing with him, she let him have the best parts. He had the strangest urge to put his arm around her, or take her hand�but this was Hermione. He wasn�t supposed to feel like that, was he?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: Sorry for the cliffie! I already cut over 100 words and just couldn�t do anymore. So I�ll have to resolve this little trip with a later challenge. And I did my own take on the challenge, so I hope you don�t mind. I didn�t have time or space to put them in a restaurant, hehe.

If anyone over in the UK wants to Fed-Ex me either of the ice creams mentioned above, you would be my best friend for life! ;) I miss Cornetto�s soooooooo much! And there is *nothing* is the US to even begin to compare to a Flake, though I prefer the freshly-prepared version as opposed to the packaged one Cadbury�s makes. (BIn my opinion, the best chocolate in the world by the way�Merlin, I miss Cadbury�s!) *sigh*

For those of you in the US, click here to see a Mint Chocolate Cornetto (http://www.marktoney.co.uk/Range_Images/2523.jpg) and a Flake 99 (http://www.angloamerican.free-online.co.uk/flake1.JPG).

22. 07-06-04: Clubbed

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 6)
Challenge: Sequel Week: Hermione/Harry ends up in St. Mungo's and the other comforts them.
Title: Clubbed (Sequel to Ice Scream)
Word Count: 1,000

�Hermione!� Ron shouted, dashing across the crowded lobby of St. Mungo�s. �Where is he? Is he ok? What happened??�

Hermione covered her mouth as she looked to the floor. After a pregnant pause she quietly said, �He�s going to be alright.�

Ron looked at her expectantly, trying to read her expression. She seemed to be trying to hold back her emotions.

�Can we see him??�

She nodded, still avoiding his eyes. �He�s this way. I�d rather him tell you what happened.�

Hermione led the way to Harry�s room, with Ron right at heel. They passed through two large double-doors and down a long hallway.

�He�s on the ground floor? But that�s��

�Artifact Accidents,� she finished. �They didn�t know where else to put him.�

Ron�s face contorted into an even more worried look.

They reached Harry�s room and Hermione stopped, motioning for Ron to go in first. He raised his eyebrows at her with concern, and she looked away, covering her mouth again, her shoulders moving up and down slightly.

Ron went into the room and gasped. �Harry!� He rushed to his friend�s side and sat in the chair by the bed. �What happened, mate? You look terrible!�

Harry�s hair stood out in all directions, much more than was usual. There were bruises on his face and arms, he had a large knot above his left eye, his glasses were missing, his bottom lip was swollen, and his right arm was in a sling.

�You mean she didn�t tell you?� Harry asked, his huge lip interfering slightly with his speech.

�No. She�s outside�crying, I think.�

�No I�m not.�

Ron glanced back and saw Hermione standing behind him, her lips pursed and her eyes full of what seemed to be amusement.

Ron was confused. �What�s going on?�

Neither answered him.

�Would someone please tell me what happened??� Ron asked again, becoming more agitated than worried.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, him glaring and her straining not to smile. Finally Hermione broke the news.

�He was attacked.�

�Attacked?! By who?�

At this, Hermione couldn�t contain herself anymore and burst out laughing. Harry�s eyes squinted even more.

�What?!� Ron nearly screamed in frustration.

Hermione just kept laughing, holding her stomach and wiping away tears.

�You�re going to make me say it, aren�t you?� Harry asked.

She nodded, still in hysterics.

He sighed deeply and turned his eyes to Ron. �I was attacked,� he started, �by twenty-something screaming girls who wanted my autograph, my shirt, and apparently one of my socks.� He pointed to the end of the bed where a naked foot peeked out from under the sheet.

Ron stared blankly at him. Hermione was still giggling in the background. Harry waited in annoyance for Ron�s reaction. Ron, however, didn�t move, or even make a sound�the only sign of life was the slightly twitching corner of his mouth.

�You�re joking, right?�

He was answered with Harry�s glare.

�But�but what happened? Why would girls attack you?�

�Harry,� Hermione answered between laughs, �has a fan club.�

�A fan club?� Ron asked with astonishment, looking from Hermione to Harry.

Harry glowered in his bed.

�Oh, now I�ve heard it all!� Ron said, and he began laughing as well. This, of course, started Hermione laughing even harder.

�Go ahead,� Harry grumbled. �Get it all out of your system, you two.�

So they did. They laughed. And snickered. And giggled. And Harry tried his best to be angry at them, but he knew he�d be laughing just as much if it were Ron here in his place.

�I�m sorry,� Ron finally said, cooling down. �It�s just, I never imagined it�d be anything like that. I thought a covert Death Eater had come after you or something. I can�t believe a bunch of girls did this to you. I mean, you defeated You-Know-Who single-handedly�but I suppose it�s easier to take on one Dark Lord than twenty-something crazed fangirls.� Ron tried to stifle more laughter.

�Poor Harry,� Hermione said, coming around to the other side of his bed and patting him gently on the shoulder. �He just didn�t stand a chance. We were leaving Flourish and Blotts, and we just happened to come out right as the girls left their meeting,� she said, snickering a little, �and before he could even Apparate out, they had hold of him�pulling him in every direction. All I saw was pieces of his shirt being ripped and flung about. When the mob finally cleared, he was lying on the ground, unconscious.�

�Unconscious?! How�d that happen?�

�It was a freak accident, really. Could�ve happened to anyone. Well,� she said, starting to laugh again, �anyone with a fan club at least.�

�Sod off,� Harry said, shrugging her hand off his shoulder.

She smiled. �Apparently,� she continued, �one of the girls pulled out her wand instead of her quill�wanting an autograph, you know�and then accidentally shot it off, and she must have cast some type of damage spell, because it dislodged the shop sign above us, and it fell, hitting Harry in the head.�

�Hurt like bloody hell, too,� Harry added in a gruff voice.

Ron laughed quietly, shaking his head in pity. �Harry, something like this could only happen to you. Well, you or Neville.�

�Some lot of friends you are,� Harry grumbled. �Aren�t you supposed to be comforting me and supporting me?�

�Are we?� Hermione asked, winking at Ron.

�I think so.�

�Where�s it say that?� Ron asked.

�I dunno. It�s in the rules or something.�

�Rules? What rules? Do we follow rules, Ron?�

Harry shot a glare at Hermione. �Cheeky.�

The other two laughed. �Sorry, mate. It�s just too easy,� Ron said. �Listen, I�ve got to get back to work. Will you be ok with her?�

�Do I have a choice?�

�No,� Hermione chipped in.

Ron laughed and said goodbye, and Hermione filled the empty seat.

�Can I get you anything, Harry? A pillow? A drink? A press agent??� she laughed.

He rolled his eyes. �Bugger off.�

She grinned. �You know you love me.�

23. 07-07-04: Moonlight Promenade

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 7)
Challenge: Sequel Week: A proposal...
Title: Moonlight Promenade (Sequel to Sunset)
Word Count: 1,013

�Harry, where have you been? I was so worried!� Hermione threw her arms around Harry and he pulled her into a tight hug.

�I�m sorry, love,� he said, giving her a kiss on the head. �I had a few errands to run and I didn�t realize how late it had gotten.� They separated and he stepped into her entry hall. �Are you ready to go?�

�Yes, I�m starving!� she said with a smile as he helped her into her coat.

�You look amazing.� He wrapped his arms around her from behind. �If I weren�t so hungry I�d say we should skip dinner.�

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes as he nuzzled her neck. �Tempting�very tempting��

�But,� he said a few seconds later as he pulled away and took her hand, �we�ve had these reservations for two weeks and I�d hate to miss out some good Greek food. Plus we�d best eat something substantial so we have plenty of energy later.� He gave her a sly smile and a wink as he guided her out the door.

She smiled back and nodded her agreement, and they left for the restaurant. It was a very exclusive place and the couple enjoyed every minute of their very expensive meal. When they�d had their fill, Harry offered his arm to Hermione and led her off to a yet-unnamed destination.

�The Leaky Cauldron?� she asked as they made their way toward the pub�s entrance from Muggle London.

�No.�

�Hmm�Fortescue�s?�

�Nope,� he smiled. �Guess all you want, but you�ll never figure it out.�

�Oh really? Is that a challenge?�

He laughed. �No, and I take it back! How could I forget who I was dealing with? Of course you�ll figure it out�you�re the smartest girl in our class. However, it would appease me, and my many days of planning, if you didn�t guess straightaway.�

�You�ve been planning for days?� she asked with intrigue. �Must be very good then. I just thought we�d go to a movie or something.�

�A movie?� Harry scoffed. �My girlfriend deserves much more than a dinner-and-a-movie date on our third anniversary!�

Hermione smiled. �I won�t argue with you there.�

They crossed through to Diagon Alley, and Harry stopped Hermione just on the other side of the brick wall.

�Close your eyes,� he said with a mischievous grin.

�I�m not sure if I should when you have that look on your face!� she laughed. She closed one eye, but kept the other open to peek at what he was doing. Harry dug into his pocket and pulled out a small piece of cloth.

�Ah-hah!� he said and chuckled when he saw her peeking. �I knew you couldn�t do it, which is exactly why I brought this.� He held up the cloth and she realized what it was. Reluctantly she let him tie the blindfold over her eyes. Once it was secure, he wrapped his arms tightly around her and with a pop they Disapparated.

�Where are we?� she asked, reaching for the blindfold when they appeared at their destination.

�Leave it,� he said, pulling her hand away. �Come on.� He started to lead her up a road and she stumbled a little.

�Harry, I can�t see!� she protested.

�Precisely. That�s the point. Just hold on to me. I won�t let you fall, or lead you into a wall or anything�too painful,� he joked.

�Funny,� she said sarcastically. She circled her arm through his and put her other hand on his shoulder to keep balanced. �It�s got a familiar smell��

�Really? How interesting...�

�You aren�t going to give me any clues?� she asked as they walked.

�None at all.�

They went on for a while before she asked, �Why didn�t we just Apparate directly to this place? Too many Muggles around?�

�Maybe. Do you really want to know?�

She thought for a moment. �No, I suppose I don�t. How much further is it?�

�We�re nearly there.�

True to his word, Harry stopped her just a few minutes later. He took the blindfold off and she blinked, adjusting her eyes to the moonlight. She looked around and immediately knew where they were.

�Hogwarts,� she said and smiled.

�I thought it�d be nice to take a walk around the lake.�

�It�d be perfect.�

She held his hand and they strolled casually around the sparkling water�s edge.

�You never did say where you were earlier,� she said a little while into their walk. He didn�t answer immediately.

�I went to see my parents.�

�Oh...� She clasped her free hand around their entwined fingers. �Is everything ok?� she asked with some concern.

�Everything�s fine,� he said, smiling sweetly. �I just hadn�t been in a while, and thought I should.�

She nodded. �You usually go when you�ve got something difficult going on, or a big decision to make.�

He paused, and she halted in her tracks next to him. �Let�s sit,� he said, leading her nearer to the water. He took his coat off and spread it onto the ground for them to sit on.

�Hermione,� he started, looking out over the lake. �I�ve been doing a lot of thinking�about us.� He stuck his hand in his pocket and fidgeted with the ring. She looked at him curiously.

�I have to honestly say that when we first started dating, I was afraid we were going to lose a part of our relationship � our friendship � and that terrified me. I had no idea that friendship could grow into something even better. And I had such a crush on you. It was pathetic, really, the way I�d get butterflies in my stomach whenever I saw you. But the thing is, I still get butterflies when I see you.� He looked up and saw her blush, smiling shyly.

�Harry, that�s so sweet.�

He pulled his hand from his pocket and took hers. �I was kind of hoping to find out if I�d still get butterflies when we�re a hundred.�

She laughed quietly. When he held the ring up between them, her face fell in surprise.

�Harry?� she gasped.

�Hermione�will you marry me?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: I know, I know...another cliffie. Well, it's not really, but I know you guys, and you're going to want to see what happens next, so I will try my best to work it in somewhere. :)

24. 07-08-04: I See London, I See France...

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 8)
Challenge: Sequel Week: The beach...
Title: I See London, I See France... (Sequel to Paris, With a Twist and Paris, With a Twist (Part 2))
Word Count: 1,000

After the 1998 Quidditch World Cup had been won, the Weasley/Potter/Granger clan left Paris and made their way to the south of France. Harry found that he loved traveling, having never really gone further than into London until his first trip to Hogwarts, and after that most of his traveling was under the tight protection of the Order. So it was especially nice to be on holiday in the company of his best friends and the family he considered his own, without the threat of attack.

The crowd ended up in a town called Cerb�re, on the southernmost tip of France and quite near the Spanish border. The Mediterranean Sea was breathtaking, and although the beaches were more rock and shells than sand, it was still a beautiful landscape. Harry wondered why anyone would want to go back to cold and cloudy England after being in a place like this.

The first afternoon and evening in Cerb�re were spent resting from the day�s journey. The group split up for dinner, the younger crowd finding a trendy night spot to get food and entertainment for the evening. They retired early, with plans to spend the following day basking in the sun on the beach.

Early the next morning, Harry awoke to Ron�s horrible screeching in the shower. He pulled a pillow over his head, which only sufficed to make breathing difficult, and did nothing for the racket. Resigning to the fact that he was now awake for the day, Harry stumbled out of bed and awaited his turn in the shower.

The two boys met a large group of Weasleys at breakfast a short time later. In fact it was all of them, with the exception of Ginny, who was apparently still in her room with Hermione. Girls always seemed to take so long to get ready. When they�d finished breakfast, Harry and Ron stopped at their room to get towels before heading to the beach.

�Should we wait for them?� Harry asked as they passed the girls� room.

�Nahh, it could be hours still. Let�s go.�

They found a prime spot on the beach and set out their rented chairs and two for the girls. Harry slathered himself liberally with sunscreen, and passed it to Ron whose fair skin was already more freckly than he�d ever seen it. Harry had gotten a bit of a tan on holiday himself, but not enough to skip the sunscreen.

There weren�t many people out when they got to the beach, but it didn�t seem to take long for the crowd to build up around them. Although he was toned from his years playing Quidditch, Harry was beginning to feel a bit self-conscious about his physique around all the beach bodies he was seeing. The men all had these huge biceps and firm pecs, while the women had � wait a minute�

�Whoa!� Ron exclaimed just as Harry stopped his train of thought. �Did you see that? She was�she had�she�!�

�Welcome to France, little brother,� Fred said, walking up behind the two. He gave the gawking Ron a hearty pat on the back.

�Turns out they do this in England too, but mum and dad only took us to the beaches where tops were required. Such a shame,� George added, joining the three.

Fred nodded his agreement. �I think they denied us of some true cultural experiences.�

�You don�t think Hermione will�?� Ron started to ask, but then his face went white. �Or Ginny?� he squeaked.

The twins� faces turned the same shade of white as Ron�s, and within seconds they had turned on heel headed straight back to the girls� room.

�She�d better not even think about it,� Harry heard Fred grumble threateningly. He couldn�t help but laugh at the overprotective brother.

In truth, Harry was equally as shocked as Ron at seeing the bare-chested women who now seemed to be everywhere, but he hadn�t even thought about Ginny or Hermione partaking in the local customs. And as much as he wanted to think about it, he made himself shake the mental images that were forming. Ginny was too much like a sister, and Hermione�well, it was probably better if he didn�t even travel that road.

Around thirty minutes later a female voice behind Harry said, �Will you take a look at these two? Babe-magnets, don�t you think?�

He was about to blush when he realized the voice belonged to none other than Ginny Weasley.

�Have you got your tops on?� Ron asked with his eyes squinted shut.

�Well if we don�t then Harry here�s getting an eyeful.�

Jumping into brother mode, Ron swung his head around and saw that his sister and friend were fully covered�well, nearly. Hermione wore a one-piece suit with a wrap-around skirt; nice and conservative, yet attractive on her figure. Ginny, on the other hand, wore a bikini top with a tiny pair of shorts that Harry hoped was the bottom half of her suit, as there couldn�t be much underneath it. Her suit was attractive on her as well, but left little to the imagination.

�Ginny!� Ron scolded. �Go put some clothes on!�

�This is my suit, Ron,� she sneered. The two siblings bickered back and forth, and Harry turned his attention to Hermione, who blushed slightly when she realized that he was looking at her body and not her face.

�You, uhh�� Harry stuttered, finding his tongue suddenly thick. �I mean, do you need some sunscreen?�

�Sure,� Hermione said with a small smile.

He passed the bottle and she applied most of it herself, but then asked, �Harry, could you get my back?�

�Of course,� he consented, and helped cover the last bit of her soft, fair skin.

�Ready for a swim?� she asked when he�d finished. �They�ll be fighting for hours.�

Harry laughed. �Good idea. Let�s go.�

And just in time�Harry wasn�t sure how it had gotten so hot so quickly, but the idea of a quick, cool dip sounded like just the thing he needed.

25. 07-09-04: Hen Night

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 9)
Challenge: Sequel Week: The quote challenge
Challenge Conditions: You have to choose 10 of the quotes from this list and use them in a 2,000 word story where you choose the topic, and write a sequel to one of your previous fics that wasn't written this week!
Title: Hen Night (Sequel to Dinnermezzo)
Word Count: 2,017

Hermione sat at the bar in a Muggle pub called � amusingly enough � The Stag�s Head. Standing at her side were Ginny and Luna. The last few remaining guests of the hen party, which had dwindled from an initial crowd of nearly twenty, were drifting about the room.

Hermione was donning a tiara and a feather boa, which had made her feel absolutely foolish four hours earlier, but at this point in the evening she was basking in the attention she was getting. Of course, that might have also had something to do with the number of bottles and glasses that were collected on the bar, which gave only a hint of the amount of alcohol that had been consumed by the ladies that night.

However, as most women know � both Muggles and witches � there is a magical effect of alcohol on the female bladder that makes women visit the loo at least five times as often as if they�d been drinking only tea or water. It was after her fourth trip to the loo that Ginny approached Hermione and Luna with a wryly smirk on her face.

�Have they reserved you a permanent stall in there now?� Hermione joked. �Been decorating the place? It took you long enough��

�Very funny,� Ginny replied. �I got stopped on the way back. You�ll never believe what that bloke just said to me,� she said, rolling her eyes and pointing to a tall man across the room.

�Try me,� Hermione laughed. �I�ve heard more horrible lines tonight than in my entire 22 years combined.�

�Well this one will beat them all. He was bragging about his Oxford days, and his Lombard Street job, and after he tired of talking about himself, he finally asked me what I did. So I told him I played professional sports, since he�s a Muggle. Then he looked at me and said, �Oh, so you�re one of those field hockey birds, are you? You look a bit too small to carry one of those big sticks. But if you�re into big sticks, I�ve got one you can play with.��

Hermione snorted into her drink. �You�re right�that was horrible! And he said it with a straight face?�

�Completely! He was dead serious! It was shameless!�

�I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed,� Luna said in her typically dreamy voice.

�Well, I�ll admit he had me at first. I thought an Oxford guy would be respectable enough. And he was going on about his honors and this and that. But the more he talked, the more ignorant he became. Then he pulled that line and I laughed in his face.�

Hermione smiled and shook her head. �Too many people mistake their education for intelligence. He may have paid a nice price for his degree, but it was clearly a waste. You can�t buy common sense, taste, or diplomacy.� She drank the last sip of her shandy and set her glass down.

�Here, let me get you another one,� Ginny said, waving down the barkeeper.

�No!� Hermione laughed, grabbing Ginny�s arm and pulling it back. �Thanks, but I think I�ve had enough. I�ve really let myself go tonight�I never drink this much!�

Ginny grinned. �It�s alright letting yourself go, as long as you can let yourself back.�

�Well if I keep going, you�ll be �letting me back��letting me back into my flat, into my pyjamas, and into my bed,� Hermione replied with a laugh. �I�ll just have water.�

Ginny reluctantly consented and ordered a glass of water for the bride-to-be, just as an unattractive young man with a rather large nose approached the bar.

�Getting married, eh?� he said to Hermione, clearly intending to chat her up.

Against her better judgment, and mostly because of her lowered inhibitions, she decided to appease him...after all, the poor fellow probably didn�t get much attention from women, she reasoned.

�Actually,� she said, putting a hand to her tiara, �I�ve just been crowned the Princess of Ales.�

He grinned. �Nahh, I know a hen party when I see one. You know, if you were in the market for one last romp before your��coronation,� I might be able to help you out,� he said with a wink. �I promise not to tell a soul,� he added in a whisper.

�Oh really?� she asked with mock interest. �Well, as inviting as that might be, the thing is�,� she looked around stealthily and leaned in, pretending to have a secret, �I�d have to have had a first romp in order to have a last romp.�

He raised his eyebrows. �You mean your stag is getting a virginal princess?�

She smirked. This one must have attended the Ron Weasley School of Tact.

�Pure as the driven snow,� she said angelically.

�Well in that case,� he said, moving closer, �if you were in the market for a bit of pre-wedding-night tutoring, I�d be happy to offer my expertise, princess.�

�Tempting, but I�ve always thought that imagination was more important than knowledge. And I�ve got a very�active�imagination.� She accented the last two words with her best bedroom eyes. �I don�t think my fianc�e will be too disappointed.�

The young man gulped and picked up his drink. �Right, well�best of luck to you then.� He scurried off across the room and joined his friends.

�Well, well, Miss Granger,� Ginny said slyly, �I think you�ve finally mastered the art of interception, and just in time. As long as you�re single, you�re practically invisible. But once you�re marked as taken, they�ll be knocking down your door.� She took a sip of her drink and asked, �But are you sure you don�t want to take him up on his offer? Sounds like he could teach you a thing or two.�

Hermione grinned and shrugged casually. �People who think they know everything are very irritating to those of us who do.�

Ginny laughed. �Ooh, so you�re an expert now, are you? I wonder if Mr. Potter knows what he�s in for?� she joked, wiggling her eyebrows. �Of course, I�m sure he knows you�ve read every book on the subject.�

�He does. And I gave him a reading list, as well,� Hermione said with a wink.

The two laughed, imagining poor Harry�s reaction to the books his fianc�e had suggested. In the meantime, a short, stumpy bearded man at least twice their age had advanced on an unsuspecting Luna. He was leaned on the bar and seemed to be annoying the ever-so-polite girl, who clearly needed an escape. Ginny nodded toward Luna and her leech, and Hermione rolled her eyes.

�Luna, dear,� Ginny said, draping an arm around her brother�s girlfriend. �I seem to have gotten my zipper stuck. Do you think you could come help me get it undone?�

The man eyed Ginny up and down, and leaned in very close with a suggestive look on his face. �I could help you with that, red.�

Ginny�s face took on a surprised expression and she quickly raised a hand up in front of her nose. �Is that a beard, or are you eating a muskrat?� she asked, backing away from his offensive odor.

The man�s face turned bright red, and like the last one to make an attempt on Hermione, he left hastily and disappeared across the room.

�Thanks,� Luna sighed. �Aside from the smell, his teeth were green and fuzzy.�

The three friends giggled, discussing the sad sampling of the male species that filled the room. It made Hermione all the more appreciative that she�d ended up with a man who was not only her best friend, but also loving and thoughtful, and not the type of guy to hang around in pubs all the time.

Barely five minutes later, a blonde fellow approached the bar. The girls had stopped talking and were taking in the sights and sounds, each seemingly lost in their own little worlds. Seeing this as his cue to make a move, he stepped closer to them, and just as he opened his mouth to say something that he surely thought would charm their skirts off, Ginny raised a hand.

�Don�t speak unless you can improve upon the silence.�

His jaw clamped shut and he looked at her with shock and confusion. Then without a word, he turned back around and got lost in the crowd. Hermione laughed at her friend�s abruptness.

�Looks like you�ve really mastered that art of interception, Gin. That�s two in a row!�

�It�s a gift,� Ginny said with a smile. �I�ve learned to be quite defensive growing up with six brothers. You�ve got to be quick and clever, and pull the rug out from under them before they realize you�ve even got hold of it.�

�Well if your gift is being quick and clever,� Hermione said, looking up at the crowd, �then here comes the girl whose gift is being harsh and to the point.�

Lavender and Parvati, who had been wandering about the pub scouting for men, were returning to the bar for refills, discussing their adventures in bachelor-land.

�So I said, �There�s a fine line between funny ha-ha and funny weird. You�ve just crossed that line,�� Lavender said, telling Parvati about a particularly strange man she�d encountered. �And then I turned around to walk away. But,� she continued as she flagged down the bartender, �he grabbed my arm and looked at me with this playfully offended expression and said, �That hurts, love,� holding a hand over his heart. Well, I�d had quite enough of him, so I just glared at him and said, �Good! It�ll make you a stronger man. Pain is weakness leaving the body, after all, and you seem to have a lot of weak points. You�ll thank me later.��

�Ooh, that was cold, Lav,� Parvati said with a laugh. �And I thought I had��

�Oy!� a familiar male voice interrupted from behind the girls. �What do you think you�re doing here?�

�I think we�re having Hermione�s hen night,� Ginny said, standing up to her youngest brother. �What are you lot doing here?�

�Harry�s stag night!� Ron said, motioning in the direction of Harry and their friends. �You can�t come to a place called The Stag�s Head for a hen night!�

�Really? Funny�because I thought we had.�

Before the siblings could bicker any further, Harry walked up.

�Hey, Ron�whoa! Hey! I�m not supposed to see you tonight!� he said, averting his eyes from Hermione.

�No, silly,� Luna said, �You�re not supposed to see her before the wedding. It�s perfectly fine to see her on your stag and hen night�albeit highly untraditional.�

Lowering his hands from his eyes, Harry looked at Hermione and grinned. �Nice tiara.�

�Nice army helmet,� she said back, smiling at his ridiculous attire for the evening.

�You�re here to spy on us, aren�t you?� Ron accused.

�I should ask the same of you,� Ginny replied incredulously. �We were here first. But if it suits you, we were sort of wrapping up anyway.�

�Well we�re just getting started!� Ron said quite seriously with his chest puffed up, attempting to one-up the girls.

Hermione, Ginny and Luna looked at each other and smirked, then burst out into laughter. The other guys joined in, and soon everyone was relaxed and hanging out just like any other normal night at the pub.

�So,� Harry said, putting an arm around his fianc�e. �Had a fun night, your majesty?�

�It�s been fine, major� she said with a smile. �You?�

�So far, so good. Though the highlight has been seeing you.�

Hermione grinned and wrapped her arms around Harry. �You know, that�s the nicest thing anyone�s said to me all night. All these other guys just want to get me into their beds!�

�Well, you know what they say; nice guys finish last�but we get to sleep in.�
She laughed and kissed him on the cheek. �Well I�m glad you�re a nice guy, Mr. Potter.�

Harry leaned in close and whispered in her ear, �Any chance I can �sleep in� in your bed?�

Hermione smiled at him seductively. �I think there�s a very good chance of that.�

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: To the Americans - I'm sure you figured it out, but a hen night is a bachelorette party, and stag night is for bachelors. :)

Cites:
1. �I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.� - Jonathan Swift
2. �Too many people mistake their education for intelligence." - Dan Prinzing
3. �It�s alright letting yourself go, as long as you can let yourself back.� - Mick Jagger
4. "Imagination is more important than knowledge." - Albert Einstein
5. �People who think they know everything are very irritating to those of us who do.� - Anonymous
6. �Is that a beard, or are you eating a muskrat?� - Dr. Gonzo
7. �Don�t speak unless you can improve upon the silence.� - Anonymous
8. "There�s a fine line between funny ha-ha and funny weird. You�ve just crossed that line." - AJ HaigFerg
9. "Pain is weakness leaving the body." - Frank Alex
10. "Nice guys finish last, but we get to sleep in." - Evan Davis

26. 07-12-04: Quidditch and Quills

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 12)
Challenge: Single Story Week: Harry/Hermione receives an anonymous gift/card/letter that they think is from the other...but it's not...
Challenge Conditions: Each day we'll post a challenge topic as usual, but each consecutive day you will continue your story from the day before...and on Friday you'll have a 6000+ word story that flows from beginning to end and includes each of the daily challenges as given.
Title: Quidditch and Quills
Word Count: 1,014

The orange sun rose slowly over the dew-moistened grass, bathing the grounds of Hogwarts in a warm, glowing haze. Softly-chirping birds chased away the silence of the night, and the fresh scent of heather wafted through the air. Sunlight�s first rays danced on the surface of the lake, adding just a touch of motion to the picturesque scene. It was simply a perfect morning; like a beautiful landscape painting. Nothing could have been more different from the scene inside the castle.

It was Saturday and the Great Hall was filled with students, noisily enjoying their breakfast and discussing the upcoming Hogsmeade trip. A group of girls at the Ravenclaw table giggled shrilly at an inside joke as a Hufflepuff boy chased a girl from his class around the entrance doors. At the Gryffindor table, the seventh year boys were anteing up bets on a game of exploding snap, while their red-headed classmate was busy downing a plate of sausages and eggs.

�Bacon,� Ron said gruffly.

Though it wasn�t a question, Harry knew his best friend well enough to understand that, if he wouldn�t mind, Ron would like the bacon passed to him, please-and-thank-you-very-much. He handed the plate across the table without looking up from the paper he was studying, and heard a muffled ��nks� in reply.

Harry nodded silently and set the plate back down. �So two of our Chasers come up from beneath their Chaser - who has the Quaffle - with our third Chaser just above�,� he said surveying the paper. �And the Beaters are�over there. Yes�yes that might work....�

�I �fought sho,� Ron said through a mouthful of bacon.

�Morning!�

Harry glanced sideways briefly and saw a chipper Hermione sit down beside him.

�Morning,� he said, looking back to the play sheet.

A muffled, �Mmm�nn,� came from across the table.

�Mmm! This smells so good�I�m famished!� Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Hermione helping herself to some eggs and toast. �Could you pass the jam, please, Harry?�

He reached over blindly and grabbed for the jam jar, accidentally sticking his finger into it, and handed it to her, his eyes never leaving the paper. He absentmindedly put his strawberry finger into his mouth and let out a, �Hmmm.�

�Thank you. What�s that you�ve got?�

�Quidditch plays,� he said, still concentrating on the little X�s and O�s. �Ron�s drawn up some new moves he wants to try.� He felt her move closer and look over his shoulder.

�It might be better if the Beaters came from this direction,� she said, pointing out the modification. �Then you�ve got them surrounded, and the only way out is up into��

��The path of our Chaser. That�s brilliant!� Harry said excitedly, finally taking his eyes from the paper. He turned to smile at Hermione and came nose to nose with her; he�d forgotten that she was leaning over his shoulder.

She was just inches away, and his eyes were immediately drawn to her lips�her soft, pink lips...but they quickly traveled up over her nose and stopped at her eyes�those deep brown eyes�which seemed to hold the same expression of shock and�well, he wasn�t quite sure what the other part was, but it looked like the same thing that he felt certain she was seeing in his eyes�the thing that was making his stomach feel all tingly inside.

A second later, although he�d have sworn time had frozen completely, they both pulled back. Harry quickly looked away, his eyes meeting with Ron�s, and he heard Hermione laugh quietly. Ron�s brow furrowed briefly, before he glanced back down at his plate and picked up a sausage.

�Sorry,� she laughed apologetically.

�It�s fine,� Harry heard himself say. Realizing that he was still in a daze, he shook free of it and smiled. �That�s a great idea about the Beaters. What do you think, Ron?�

Ron looked from Harry to Hermione and back again with his mouth pursed tightly. He swallowed, and then shrugged. �Sure. We can try it.�

�Since when do you know so much about Quidditch plays?� Harry asked teasingly as Hermione spread the jam onto her toast.

�Well, I have been to twenty or so games, you know�including the World Cup. You may not believe it, but I do actually pay attention to what�s happening,� she said with a slight grin, then took a bite of toast.

Harry smiled at her and shook his head. Even after all these years, she still surprised him from time to time. He watched her lick a bit of jam from the edge of her mouth and subconsciously licked his own lips. Ron made a snorting noise from across the table.

�You alright over there?� Harry asked with a laugh, tearing his eyes from Hermione to look at his friend, completely oblivious to why Ron was snorting at him.

Ron just raised his eyebrows and grinned. �Fine, mate. So, erm�about those Quidditch plays�.� They continued to discuss Quidditch while Hermione finished her breakfast.

�Hermione, it�s Saturday,� Ron said when Hermione took out a quill and some parchment a few minutes later. �You don�t have to do homework today.�

She rolled her eyes. �I�m just making a list of things to get in Hogsmeade, Ron. Besides, I�ve got all my homework finished.�

Harry grinned at Ron�s bewildered expression and glanced over at Hermione. She was writing with a handsome gold-tipped quill he�d never seen before.

�Is that new?� he asked curiously. She nodded. �It�s nice. Where�d you get it?�

She held it up and admired it, smiling. �It was a gift.�

�Really?� He looked closer. �From who?�

�I don�t know, actually. There was no note with it,� she said, leaning slightly in to him.

�Huh.� Harry furrowed his brow in thought. �Wonder who�d give you that?�

�Ginny thought it might be from an admirer,� she grinned.

�You sure it wasn�t jinxed or anything?� he asked seriously.

Her eyes studied him. �Fairly sure,� she replied, her smile fading slightly.

�Well, be careful with things like that. You never know��

�Yeah,� she said, putting it and the list away. �I will.�

27. 07-13-04: Quidditch and Quills (Part 2)

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 13)
Challenge: Single Story Week: Harry/Hermione deal with the media discussing their relationship
Challenge Conditions: Each day we'll post a challenge topic as usual, but each consecutive day you will continue your story from the day before...and on Friday you'll have a 6000+ word story that flows from beginning to end and includes each of the daily challenges as given.
Title: Quidditch and Quills (Part 2)
Word Count: 999

Hermione stuffed her things into her bag while Harry tried to figure out who could have given her the mysterious quill. A familiar fluttering sound came from above and Ron looked up to see several owls arriving.

“Mail’s here,” he said quite clearly, as he’d finally finished eating.

Errol dropped a letter in front of him and he picked it up. Hermione got her usual Daily Prophet and paid the delivery owl. Harry watched a little enviously as his friends opened their mail, but decided to put his mind to better use and went back to thinking about Hermione’s gift.

“Mum’s invited you both to come for Christmas,” Ron said, paraphrasing his letter. “She said your parents can come, too, Hermione…if they don’t mind dad asking them all about Muggle stuff,” he added with a laugh.

Hermione smiled. “That’d be nice,” she replied as she scanned the pages of the Prophet. “I’ll write and ask them later today.”

While Ron and Hermione talked, Harry absently stabbed at a few stray eggs on his plate with no intention of eating them. Why would someone send Hermione a quill, and without a note? It wasn’t a very romantic gift, was it? I didn’t seem to him the kind of thing an admirer would send, but then again, what did he know? He wasn’t very good with the whole girl-boy relationship thing. If he was, he might actually have a girlfriend.

“Anything interesting in the news?” Ron asked as he put his letter away. Harry looked over at Hermione. With the war at hand, they were always curious about the current goings-on outside of the castle, and checking for any sign that Voldemort might be getting closer to accomplishing his goals.

“Not so far. Seems to be the same old stuff…Ministry reports, Death Eater blacklists,” she said, flipping the pages of the paper. “Honestly, you’d think they might find….” She stopped, her eyes growing wide.

Ron gave her an expectant look. “Find what?”

Her mouth turned up at the corners. “Something more interesting than Harry’s love life, for one.”

Harry, who had just taken a sip of pumpkin juice, went into a coughing fit as he choked in response to her statement. She patted him on the back soothingly, but couldn’t hold back a grin.

“I’m sorry, Harry,” she said with a laugh. “Are you ok?”

He nodded, still coughing a little.

“Who is it this time?” Ron asked, also trying unsuccessfully to repress a smile.

“Well apparently he’s gone back to one of his old flings,” she said scandalously, holding the paper away from Harry, who was now trying very hard to see the “scoop.” He reached for it, but not before she was able to toss it across to Ron. Harry scowled at her playfully.

“What page?” Ron asked.

Harry was still reaching for it. “Let me see!”

“It’s in the sports section,” Hermione replied.

“Sports?” Ron and Harry said at the same time. Hermione just laughed.

“Go on and read it,” she said.

“Give it here,” Harry said demandingly.

“Oh, no,” Ron smiled and shook his head, holding it back from Harry. “Not that hussy.”

“Ron!” Harry hissed, grabbing for the paper, his face turning bright red. He really didn’t want to draw any attention to the matter.

“Hussy?!” Hermione seemed affronted briefly, before she broke into giggles. “Oh, this is too much!”

Harry swore, then stood up out of his seat and snatched the paper from Ron’s hands.

“Hey, mate!” Ron exclaimed, still laughing. “All you had to do was ask.”

Harry turned to the sports page and his jaw fell open. Right at the top of the page, in large and moving back and white ink, was a photo of him and Hermione at the end of the previous weekend’s Quidditch match. He had his broom in one hand, and his other arm around her shoulders. They were smiling triumphantly from the huge Gryffindor win over Ravenclaw. What had been cropped out was Ron standing on Harry’s other side, leaning on Harry’s shoulder with his elbow, and Ginny to Hermione’s other side, with her arm around Hermione’s waist. Nearly the whole house had met up at the bottom of the stands after the game was over, but apparently someone had snapped a photo of the group and cropped it to suit their purpose. Harry read the caption.

The-Boy-Who-Won: Not only did Harry Potter, Gryffindor Seeker, win last weekend’s match against Ravenclaw, but he has apparently won back the heart of on-again-off-again girlfriend, Hermione Granger. The two were spotted in close contact celebrating their house victory just after the game.

Harry groaned. “Why me?”

Hermione snorted a laugh. “Why, if you weren’t my best friend, I’d be offended at that!”

“Oh, I didn’t mean…” Harry started with a wince. “It’s not that it’s you…I just…”

“It’s ok,” Hermione interrupted with a crooked smile. “I know what you meant.”

Harry blushed a little and smiled crookedly himself.

Ron watched his two friends like a Muggle at a tennis match.

“So who do you think took the picture?” Hermione asked.

Harry thought for a second. “I don’t know. I don’t remember seeing a camera. You don’t think Colin would…?”

“Nahh, it wasn’t Colin,” Ron said. “There’s some barrel distortion there, and the catchlight is a bit distracting,” he said as he pointed to the offending parts of the photo. “He’s much more careful with his work than that.”

Voldemort himself could have walked into the Great Hall at that moment and Harry and Hermione would not have noticed; both of Ron’s friends looked at him like he’d sprouted two extra heads.

“What?” he said when he saw their dropped jaws and astonished expressions. “So I know a thing or two about photography.” He shrugged, his ears turning pinkish.

Just then Ginny moved down the table and sat beside her brother. “Are you all going to Hogsmeade today?” she asked.

Coming out of their stupor, Harry and Hermione nodded at her.

28. 07-14-04: Quidditch and Quills (Part 3)

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 14)
Challenge: Single Story Week: Harry/Hermione is confronted by a former crush
Challenge Conditions: Each day we'll post a challenge topic as usual, but each consecutive day you will continue your story from the day before...and on Friday you'll have a 6000+ word story that flows from beginning to end and includes each of the daily challenges as given.
Title: Quidditch and Quills (Part 3)
Word Count: 1,006

“Me too,” Ginny said, looking at her watch. “It’s almost time to leave.”

“Yeah, we should go queue up,” Ron agreed as he saw several other students heading out of the Great Hall.

The group gathered their things and made their way out to the castle doors, standing in line to leave. Hermione and Ron were discussing what shops they planned to visit while Harry was still deep in thought about that quill. Something just didn’t seem right about it. They stepped out of the front doors and followed the other students down toward the village.

“Harry,” Ginny said quietly, holding his arm and letting the other two get a little ahead of them. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

“Sure Ginny,” he said and slowed down to walk by her side. “What’s up?”

Ginny fidgeted with the edge of her jumper a little as they walked. Then she took a deep breath.

“Harry…you, err…you knew about my big crush on you, right?” she asked quickly, turning a light shade of pink.

“Umm,” he started a little uncertainly. He knew that back in her first few years at school she’d had a crush on him, but he thought she was over it. They’d never really talked about it though, and the way she’d just asked the question, he wasn’t so sure now. “I…err…”

She looked at him and realized why he was hesitant to answer. “Oh, not anymore,” she said with a slight smile. “But a few years ago.”

“Oh, right,” he said, much relieved. “Yeah, I knew. Ron and the twins sort of mentioned it once or twice.” He grinned.

“A day?” she asked with a laugh. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Well, listen,” she began, leaning in close. “She’ll kill me if she knows I told you this…,” she paused, taking another deep breath, then whispered, “but someone we know has a crush on you.”

Harry was a bit startled by this news. “Wh – what??”

He immediately began going over a mental list of who it could be; anyone from their year really, or maybe their house, or from the DA. He wasn’t very close to many girls, but he did know a lot of them casually from around school.

“Actually, I’d have to honestly say I think it’s more than a crush. I think she’s really in love with you.”

At this Harry stopped dead in his tracks and turned his head to look at her directly.

“But how can someone be in love with me?” he asked with complete shock.

“Shh!! Keep walking,” she said, giving him a nudge. They were ten paces or so behind Ron and Hermione, who had since been joined by Neville.

He pondered the idea for a moment and then said, “I don’t even really know any girls that well aside from you and Hermione.”

Ginny looked at him sheepishly.

Suddenly he felt like his heart, stomach, and brain all swapped places for an instant. If it wasn’t Ginny, then could it be, “H – Hermione?” he asked

She gave him a look that clearly said, ”I’m not going to say yes, but yes.”

He looked ahead at his female best friend. On occasion he’d had thoughts about how pretty she looked by the firelight in the common room, or how cute it was when she chewed on her lip while she was deep in thought, but he’d always pushed those thoughts and feelings away, not wanting to acknowledge them. He never thought that she could possibly feel anything more than friendship for him, so he’d contented himself with that relationship.

Now his mind was running all over the place with new thoughts; did he really feel the same way about her, or was it just because he thought she was off-limits? Could they possibly have a chance at a romantic relationship together? What would happen to their friendship with Ron?

“Why are you telling me this?” he asked.

“Because it’s just like you said, you knew about my crush on you because my brothers told you. Do you think you’d have ever noticed if they hadn’t?”

He thought seriously about her question. He really didn’t know much about girls at all, and the way Ginny had acted around him back then was mostly just clamming up when he came around and blushing. If he hadn’t known that she liked him, he felt sure he’d probably have just thought she was a little strange.

“Probably not.”

“Right. You’re not exactly aware of everyone around you and their emotions sometimes,” she said. “And I’m not criticizing, but I’m just saying that if no one ever told you she was interested in you as more than a friend, I’m not sure you’d have ever figured it out.”

“Should I have?”

Ginny laughed. “Oh Harry,” she said, as if she were talking to a child, “If you haven’t seen the signs, then you’re the only person at school who hasn’t. It’s so incredibly obvious. The way she looks at you, stands up for you… Why do you think that they keep writing about you two in the Prophet? You’re not exactly giving out I-could-never-think-of-her-as-more-than-a-friend vibes, either, you know.”

Harry didn’t say anything. He could hardly believe they were having this conversation.

“So how do you feel about her?”

“I don’t know,” Harry answered honestly. He looked ahead at Hermione again and watched her laughing with their friends. She put an arm around Neville’s shoulder, saying something animatedly to him, and the shy boy blushed. Harry felt a pang of jealousy, which in truth was not too unfamiliar; as with the other signs he’d felt before, he’d chosen to ignore the green-eyed monster.

“Well? Do you get butterflies around her? Think she’s pretty? Thought about kissing her?” Ginny asked with a grin.

Harry remembered their nose-to-nose encounter that morning and blushed.

“Ah-hah!” Ginny said triumphantly. “I think you’ve got a thing for her, too.”

Harry let his eyes fall on Hermione again, then shrugged. “Maybe I do.”

29. 07-15-04: Quidditch and Quills (Part 4)

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 15)
Challenge: Single Story Week: Harry/Hermione travel somewhere together
Challenge Conditions: Each day we'll post a challenge topic as usual, but each consecutive day you will continue your story from the day before...and on Friday you'll have a 6000+ word story that flows from beginning to end and includes each of the daily challenges as given.
Title: Quidditch and Quills (Part 4)
Word Count: 1,000

They neared the edge of Hogsmeade and Harry�s mind was in a whirl. Hermione was just a few steps away�Hermione, his best friend who had a crush on him. He suddenly had a whole new load of thoughts and emotions to sort through. And now that he had this knowledge of her feelings for him, what was he supposed to do with it?

�Ginny,� he asked timidly. �What�err�what should I do now? I mean, I can�t just say, �Hey Hermione, Ginny told me you had a crush on me so let�s go out,� can I?�

�Nooo!� Ginny exclaimed quietly with wide eyes. �Please don�t let her know I had anything to do with it. She knows so many more jinxes than me�I�d be in hospital for a week!� she said with a grin.

�So what then?�

�Just be yourself, Harry. It�ll be hard, but try not to act any differently around her. Just watch her, and you�ll see what I meant about signs. You�ll be able to figure out when it�s the right time to make your move.�

�But how?�

Before Ginny could answer, they were interrupted.

�Harry!� they heard Hermione call. Harry looked up and saw her waving at him to hurry up. �Harry, come on!� she called with a big smile.

He looked over at Ginny with a bit of trepidation. She just grinned and nudged him. �Go on,� she said quietly, but his expression was one of extreme uncertainty. �It�s only Hermione�your best friend�and nothing more or less until you make your move. Now go!�

He smiled weakly at Ginny and said, �Thanks,� then ran off to catch up with his classmates.

�Ron and Neville want to go to Zonko�s first, but I need to go to Scrivenshaft�s,� Hermione said as they walked onto the high street. �So if you want to go with them I�ll meet up with you in a bit.�

A little voice inside Harry�s head told him to go on with the boys and avoid being alone with Hermione just yet, but he mustered up his best Gryffindor courage and ignored it. �I�ll go with you,� he said a little more forcefully than he intended in his attempt to quiet the voice.

�Oh,� Hermione said, a bit taken aback, but then she smiled. �Okay, then. Do you need some supplies?�

�Err, no�not that I can think of.� Was she suspecting something already? He was beginning to feel a bit paranoid�maybe this wasn�t a good idea after all. What if she figured out that he knew about her feelings? But he knew he was overreacting, so he just smiled back at her. �I just thought you�d rather not go alone.�

�Thanks,� she said sweetly.

Harry looked over at Ron, who was smirking slightly.

�Meet you in the Quidditch shop?� he asked the two boys.

�Sure,� Ron said. �See you then.� He and Neville went on their way, leaving Harry alone with Hermione.

�I won�t be long,� she said, leading the way to Scrivenshaft�s. �I just wanted to get some ink for my new quill. Normal ink works okay, but not as well as it should. I suppose there�s some special kind for it,� she added with a shrug.

�That�s odd,� Harry said. �Why wouldn�t it work with normal ink?�

�I�m not sure. It�s just comes out a bit faded looking. Maybe the shop owner will know.�

As they talked and walked along the high street, Harry watched her. She just seemed like typical Hermione to him; nothing out of the ordinary. How was he supposed to see any signs? He was starting to think that Ginny was a bit off her rocker when Hermione stumbled over a small hole in the street. Harry grabbed her arm and put his hand on her back to steady her.

�You alright?� he asked with some concern.

She blushed a little and laughed. �Fine. Thank you.�

Then he saw it. A slight twinkle in her eye that sent shivers down his spine. It was so subtle, how was he supposed to have seen it before?

�Here it is,� Hermione said as they reached Scrivenshaft�s, and Harry opened the door for her.

They entered the store and heard the tinkling of the bell on the door. Hermione approached the counter and began talking with the lady who greeted her, and Harry wandered around looking at the different items on the shelves.

�Interesting,� he heard the shop owner say. �I believe this is a Carbon Copy Quill.�

�What does it do?� Hermione asked.

�Well, they come as a pair. When they are set up, whoever has the other quill to go with yours gets an exact copy of whatever you write.�

Hermione gasped. Harry walked up to the counter and stood by her side, even more intrigued by the mysterious quill now.

�So if she writes out a term paper, someone somewhere else gets a copy of her homework?� he asked.

The shopkeeper nodded. �Homework, love letters, to-do lists, diary entries�anything you write.�

Hermione�s face went white.

�It does take a special ink to work properly, though. Shall I get it for you?�

�No,� Hermione started with a horrified expression. �I don�t��

�Yes!� Harry interrupted. �Please.�

The lady toddled off to get the ink and Hermione turned to Harry. �I don�t need any ink,� she said a bit harshly. �I�m never going to use this thing again.� She dropped the quill onto the counter as if it had just bitten her.

�I know,� he said, picking the quill up and pocketing it. �But maybe if we get the ink, we can find out who sent it to you.�

Hermione frowned, but then nodded. The shop owner rang the order up and the two left to meet Neville and Ron at the Quidditch supply shop.

�When did you say you got the quill?� Harry asked as they passed Gladrags Wizardwear.

�An owl brought it to me in my dorm this morning,� she said, her brow furrowed in thought. �I didn�t recognize the owl, and now that I think about it, it didn�t look like one of the school owls.�

The reached the Quidditch shop and Harry looked in the window. �I don�t see them here yet. Want to go to Honeyduke�s?�

�Okay,� Hermione said, clearly still deep in thought.

30. 07-16-04: Quidditch and Quills (Part 5)

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 16)
Challenge: Single Story Week: Topic #1: Harry/Hermione learns something new about the other, Topic #2: Harry/Hermione asks the other for a huge favor, Topic #3: Harry/Hermione visits the other at work/on duty/at practice
Challenge Conditions: You may choose 1, 2, or all 3 of the challenges listed. If more than one is chosen, you must be able to weave it with the other topics seamlessly. As a bonus, for each extra topic you choose above the first, add 1,000 words to the length of your story for today. 1 topic = 2,000 words, 2 topics = 3,000 words, and 4 topics = 4,000 words. You need to try and tie up any and all mysteries/loose ends in this 'final' chapter as this is the last challenge for 'Single Story Week'!
Title: Quidditch and Quills (Part 5)
Word Count: 4,165

The rest of the Hogsmeade trip was relatively uneventful. Harry kept watching Hermione for the signs Ginny spoke about, catching a shy smile here, and their hands brushing there. He realized how often Hermione would put her hand on his arm to get his attention and show him something in a shop, or nudge him with her shoulder when he’d say something funny, and even more the way that other people would look at the two of them together.

Throughout the rest of the following week he noticed the little things more and more. When they were at the library together, she always leaned very close to whisper things to him, much closer than when she spoke to Ron. During nearly every meal, she poured a glass of pumpkin juice for herself and one for Harry, and then passed the pitcher to Ron to pour his own. Three different mornings before they left the common room, she straightened his tie for him or brushed the wrinkles from his robe. And when Ron scheduled two Quidditch practices that week, even though she brought her books with her, she came down to watch both times.

When she showed up at the first practice, she’d brought his gloves out to the pitch.

“You left these in the common room,” she said in a motherly tone. “You’ll catch cold up there in this weather without them.”

Harry smiled at her. “Thanks. But where are your gloves?” he asked, noticing that she didn’t have any on.

She looked down at her own pink fingers and her mouth fell open. “Umm, well…I…I brought my books along so I could study a little, and it’s dreadfully hard to turn pages with those thick things on,” she said, though he could tell she was making it up as she went. He wasn’t sure if she was blushing, or if the rosiness in her cheeks was from the cold, but with a quick, “Well go on, they’re waiting for you,” she turned on heel and quickly made her way over to the stands.

Practice went really well that week for Harry. For some reason his broom seemed to go a little faster, he was able to catch the Snitch quicker than usual, and he pulled out of every dive with a perfect sweep. Even the game itself seemed more exciting than ever before.

That new and exciting feeling stayed with him all week long, and not just regarding Quidditch. He’d never noticed before how much attention Hermione gave him, and now that he saw it he was really amazed that she could care so much about him. It was hard for him to believe, but maybe she really could be in love with him like Ginny said.

He already knew that she was one of the few people that could completely overlook the lightning bolt scar and his Boy-Who-Lived status. Although the other girls who’d shown interest in him in the past had tried to treat him like a real person, no one else looked out for him like Hermione did, and no one else gave him that comfortable, best-friend feeling at the same time as the butterflies Ginny spoke of. The more he thought about it, he felt that he could really fancy her as well. The truth was, he was already falling for her.

On Friday afternoon, Harry casually strolled five minutes out of his way to get to lunch by way of Hermione’s Arithmancy classroom. He got there just as class was letting out, but didn’t see her when the last person had cleared the room. Thinking he’d missed her, he turned to walk alone to the Great Hall.

“Harry!” Hermione called from down the hall. “Wait for me!”

Harry stopped and smiled back at her. She hurried toward him, her arms full of books and scrolls and looking rather cute in that bookwormish sort of way.

“What are you doing over here? Your last class was on the other side of the castle.”

Harry laughed. “I should have known I couldn’t pull one over on the smartest witch in class.” Hermione looked at him and grinned. “My class got out early, so I thought I’d come walk you to lunch. But I didn’t see you...”

“I stayed to ask Professor Vector about some extra credit work.”

“Ahh, of course,” he said with a smile.

“Thank you…for coming to walk with me.”

Their eyes met briefly and both blushed slightly at the awkward moment they shared.

“I’m really glad you came by yourself, though,” she said looking down the empty hall. “I was hoping I’d get a chance to talk to you alone.”

Harry perked a little at her statement. “Oh really? What did you want to talk about?” he asked, trying to hide the nervous peak in his voice.

“Well, I have a favor to ask,” she said, biting her lip timidly.

Attempting to not sound too anxious he said, “For you…anything,” with a smile.

She took a deep breath. “Can you meet me at the Quidditch pitch tonight at seven?”

His brow furrowed a little. “Oh. Well, I’m supposed to meet Neville and some others at seven to tutor them in Defense,

“Oh, I see…”

“…But I can probably reschedule with them.”

“Oh, no! That’s alright. I couldn’t ask…”

“I’m sure they’ll be fine with it,” he interrupted. “I’ll just find them at lunch and let them know.”

Hermione hesitated. “Are you sure? I don’t want to be an imposition.”

“Of course you’re not an imposition,” he said reassuringly. “Why are we meeting?”

“I think I have a plan,” she whispered.

“A plan?”

“To figure out where the quill came from.”

“Oh!” Somehow in being so wrapped up in watching Hermione for “signs” all week, he’d forgotten about the mysterious quill. “What is it?”

“I can’t explain now,” she said, looking around for any prying ears. “I’ll tell you when we get there. And thanks,” she added with a sincere smile.

At seven o’clock Harry was waiting for Hermione at the Quidditch pitch. He hadn’t seen her since lunch, and assumed she was in the library doing research on different types of quills or something of the sort. This, of course, gave him plenty of time to think about her and their relationship. He decided that if he had the chance tonight, he would confront her about her feelings…if he could work up the nerve. Somehow facing Voldemort a half-dozen times suddenly seemed easier than what he was about to do.

When a shadowy figure approached the pitch, he put his hand to his wand pocket, ready to defend himself…but it was only Hermione.

“I’m glad you made it,” she said with a smile.

“Of course I made it,” he laughed. “Why wouldn’t I?”

She shrugged. “I was afraid you and Ron would get wrapped up in a chess game and you’d be late.”

“I should be offended,” he said with a mock attitude, “but you’re probably right.” He resolved to a smile. “However, I’ll have you know that I am outgrowing those childish ways. And I have to admit you made me curious. You sounded like it was really important.”

She grinned and reached into her pocket. “It is. Here,” she said, handing him a small piece of parchment.

He opened it and read:

Harry,

Meet me at the Quidditch pitch at 7:30. I’ve got something to tell you. It’s very important, but I can’t say it in this note. Please don’t be late.

Hermione

He looked at her inquisitively. “Have you lost it?” he said with a grin. “You want me to meet you here in thirty minutes when I’m already meeting you here now? Shall I go back to the dorm and come back in half an hour?”

“Don’t be silly,” she said, taking the note back from him. “But it was the only way I could think of to find out who sent the quill. They got a copy of this note, and if they’re curious at all, they should show up to see what I wanted to meet you about.”

“Good idea,” he said, smiling at her stealth. “So now what?”

“Let’s walk. We can look around and see if there’s anyone spying on us, or possibly see when they approach the pitch.”

The two began a trek around the outside of the field. The sun was nearly settled behind the horizon and the moon was rising higher in the sky. Three large circular shadows on the ground outlined the turn in the path. Hermione shivered.

“Are you cold?”

“No, I’m fine. I just should have brought my cloak.”

“Here,” Harry said, pulling his jumper off over his head and handing it to her.

“Harry, that’s sweet, but you’ll freeze!” She pushed it back toward him.

“No, I’m alright. I’ll be warm once we’ve done some walking. Put it on.”

“Harry, I…”

“Look, if you don’t put it on, then I’ll put it on you…and then you’d probably get all mad because I mussed your hair up or something, so I’d really rather you just take it so I don’t have you mad at me.”

She giggled at his overly-dramatic insisting. “Fine. Thank you.” She pulled his jumper on and he couldn’t help but feel a little thrill from seeing her wearing something of his. They walked a dozen steps or so in silence, Harry wondering if his jumper would smell like her when he got it back.

“You know, there’s something different about you lately,” Hermione said, eyeing him sidelong.

Her break in the silence caught him off guard. “Different? About me? What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. You’ve just been really…well, I’m not sure what the word is.”

He grinned. “Annoying?”

“No.”

“Funny?”

“No…you can be quite funny,” she said with a smile. “So that’s not different.” She paused, then said, “Thoughtful, I suppose.”

Harry laughed. “Thoughtful? I’m different because I’m thoughtful?”

“Oh, I don’t know…that’s still not quite the word. But it’s kind of like…like I’ve met a new Harry over the past few weeks.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“No…not at all! It’s just…well, you went with me to Scrivenshaft’s last weekend so I didn’t have to go alone, and you went out of your way to meet me after Arithmancy today. You’ve been helping Neville with his lessons and helping Ron with Quidditch plays. I saw you talking to Ginny last weekend on the way to Hogsmeade…she acted like it was really important and she seemed really relieved afterwards, so you must’ve made her feel better. Now you’re loaning me your jumper on a cold night.”

“And the ‘old’ Harry wasn’t that way?” he asked, intrigued by her observations.

“It’s not that you weren’t thoughtful before,” she said, correcting what she must have thought he’d taken as an insult. “You’ve always gone out of your way for things you thought were important, but it was always big things, like saving Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets, or bringing Cedric back…” She trailed off and neither one said anything for a moment. “But now it’s just all these little things. You may not even realize it, but I think the extra attention means a lot to your friends.”

He thought about what she’d said. “I suppose you’re right; I have been different lately. Not intentionally. I guess I’ve just had a small change in my outlook on life. I’m seeing things a bit differently these days. I could go back to the old way, though, if you prefer,” he said jokingly.

“No…I think I like this Harry,” she said, smiling her shy smile again.

He smiled back, and wondered if she could possibly know that a big part of those changes was because of her. The two walked quietly for a while, each lost in their own world of thought. As their path began to curve, he chanced a glance at her. She was scanning the grounds around them, presumably in search of the mysterious quill-sender.

“Do you think they’ll show up?” he asked as they rounded the furthest end from the castle.

“I’m not sure,” she replied. “I suppose if it’s someone who’s already at school or who can get onto the grounds, and they’re not just in it for the grades, then yes. Obviously they’re a sneaky person to give me the quill to begin with, and they’re interested in something I have to say. If they don’t show up tonight, then we’ll know it must be someone who only wanted homework copies.”

“What else might they want though?”

She shrugged. “Maybe to see my letters or something…to get information about you…”

“About me?”

“Sure, if it’s someone connected to the Death Eaters, or Voldemort.”

“I didn’t even think about that. I just figured it was someone trying to get better grades,” Harry said sheepishly. “Not that there’s really anything they could find out about me that’s interesting, since I’m stuck here at school for the time being. But still, maybe we should let Dumbledore know about it.”

“Maybe,” she said. “I guess if no one shows up tonight we’ll have to. He might be able to find out where the other quill is.”

They took a few steps in silence before Harry said, “So who do you write to about me?”

“Wh – what?” she asked in surprise. “What do you mean?”

Harry grinned at having caught her off guard this time. “Well, you said maybe they were trying to see letters you wrote and get information about me. I was just wondering who you wrote that you’d mention me to.”

“Oh…just my parents I guess.” She shrugged. “I haven’t told them anything that would be dangerous if it were intercepted, of course. But I mention the things that you and I do sometimes... and Ron.”

“Oh.” Harry was a little disappointed in her answer. He was really hoping for a way to bring up their relationship, but she didn’t seem to catch on, or she was avoiding the subject.

“And I suppose I’ve mentioned you to my friend Emily from time to time,” she added quietly.

“Emily? Is she a friend from home?”

Hermione nodded.

“You’ve never really talked about your friends outside of school,” he said. “Tell me about them.”

“Well, she’s the only one really. She lives down the street from my parents and I’ve known her since we were very young. I see her when I’m home on holiday usually. She doesn’t really know what Hogwarts is, or about me being a witch…but other than that we can talk about almost anything.”

Harry smiled a little half-heartedly. “So aside from two of the biggest parts of your life, you can talk to her about anything.”

She laughed. “Right, I suppose that does sound silly. But she’s the closest girlfriend I have I guess. I mean, Ginny and I get along well, but since she’s around us all the time, I can’t really get a truly objective opinion from her.”

“Objective opinions about what?”

“Well, you know…just girl stuff.”

Harry grinned. “You’ll have to forgive me, but I don’t actually know what it is that girls talk about.”

“You’d find it rather boring, I’m sure,” she said with a smile.

“Really? You think?” he asked, grinning even bigger.

Hermione nodded nonchalantly.

“Well, see you’re wrong about that…because now I’m even more interested.”

She laughed. “I don’t suppose there’s an easy way for me to change the subject now?”

“No! And I won’t sleep tonight until I know…‘What is it that girls talk about?’ Let me guess,” he said with a conniving grin. “If it was schoolwork you’d just say so, and it’s clearly not Quidditch. You did say you’d mentioned me, so you must have told her a little about the people here and your friends. What else could it be? Boys, perhaps?” he said teasingly.

“Perhaps,” she replied, her lips pursing as she tried to hold back a smile that would give her away.

“It is!” he laughed.

Hermione rolled her eyes and looked defeated. She was never good at lying to Harry. “Alright, well Emily does talk about boys quite a bit.”

“Of course she does. And you’ve never mentioned Viktor, or anyone else you might have a crush on?”

“I never had a crush on Viktor!”

“Don’t avoid my question.”

“You are incorrigible.”

“It’s not fair to pull out dictionary words,” he teased. “Just answer my question.”

Hermione sighed. “Oh, fine! I may have mentioned someone to her at some time…years back…that I might have had a crush on. Not Viktor. I don’t know why you and Ron can’t get over that incident. We were only friends.”

“Lockhart?”

“No!!”

“Then who was it?” Just say it’s me...

“I don’t have to tell you,” she laughed.

“I thought I was your best friend,” he said, pushing out his bottom lip in a pout and sticking his hands into his pockets.

Her sweet smile was full of surrender, and it took everything in him not to tease her about how easily she was crumbling, until she got the upper hand on him once again; she took his arm in hers and snuggled up close to him, and he felt himself crumble instead.

“You are my best friend.”

Well, crumble maybe…but not collapse.

“Then tell me! Maybe I could give you some advice. I mean, if he’s going to be my best friend-in-law, I should get a chance to size him up first, shouldn’t I?”

Hermione laughed. “He won’t be your best friend-in-law.”

“Why not?” Ah-hah! He’d finally spun the conversation back around to where he wanted it. This was it…she’d have to say it now.

“He’s not interested in me in that way,” she said softly.

“How do you know? Have you asked him?”

“No…”

“Then you could be wrong. You should tell him how you feel.”

“I can’t do that.” Her voice was sounding more and more nervous.

“Yes you can! Look, you can practice on me. I’ll give you an objective opinion, just as good as any Emily can do.”

She sputtered a small laugh. “But Harry, I…”

He stopped in his tracks, forcing her to stop as well since she was still attached to his arm. He turned around to face her full on, and her eyes grew wide.

“You’re in Gryffindor, aren’t you? Bravery and all that,” Harry said with a wave of his hand, ignoring the hypocrisy of his words. “Just pretend I’m him and say what you’d like to say.”

Hermione’s expression was almost horror-struck as she shook her head.

He gave her a playfully stern look. “We’re not moving from this spot until you just get it out. You’ll feel better. I’ll use a sticking spell on your feet if I have to,” he teased, holding on to her arms.

Her eyes were locked on his, still wide and full of panic, and he realized they were now brimming with tears. She tried to blink them away, but one rolled down her cheek. His playful resolve was completely shattered.

“Hey,” he said softly, wiping the tear away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry.” He pulled her into a hug. “I just thought you’d feel better if you weren’t keeping it all bottled up.”

Hermione sniffled against his shoulder.

“Here I go and try to keep you from getting mad at me by giving you my jumper, and instead I’ve made you cry. Some friend I am.”

Harry felt her move with what he thought was a small laugh, but she was still sniffing. He kept holding her, enjoying the feeling of having her close too much to let her go. Then he heard her say something that got muffled against him.

“What?” he asked quietly.

Hermione sighed and moved her head up higher, and whispered the two words that would ring in his ears for weeks to come: “It’s you.”

“Me?” he asked. He had to be sure that she meant what he thought she meant.

She pulled back from him and looked at the ground. “It’s silly, I know. I wasn’t going to tell you,” she said, sounding desperate.

He smiled slightly and pulled her chin up to face him, looking into her eyes.

“It’s not silly. I just wish you had told me sooner,” he said.

Her face was filled with confusion, and before she could get a word out he moved in to kiss her. He hadn’t planned it, but it just felt right. Unfortunately, he was stopped short by a distracting clicking noise and a bright flash. They both looked up, Hermione gasping in surprise, just in time to see a cloaked figure running away from them.

At nearly the exact same time, two wands were drawn and a loud “Impedimenta!” echoed across the field. With two bright red flashes, the figure stopped dead still. Harry and Hermione looked at each other briefly before running across to the perpetrator.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Harry yelled angrily as they neared the figure, which appeared to be a man. On closer inspection it turned out to be a boy a few years younger than them.

“I, uhh…I just…” the paunchy boy stuttered.

“Give me that,” Harry said, yanking the camera from the boy’s hands and opening it to expose the images. He winced, unable to stop Harry for the double spell that had him frozen to his spot.

“Who are you?” Hermione asked, obviously mad, but also confused.

“None of your…” he began, but Harry held his wand up in protest. “M-Mark Bletchley,” he said in a gruff voice. A Slytherin, they could tell by the crest on his cloak.

Harry looked at him sternly. “Who put you up to this?” Bletchley didn’t speak, and Harry put his want to the boy’s throat. “Tell me.”

Bletchley swallowed hard, and squeaked out, “M-Malfoy.”

“And the quill? Malfoy’s doing as well?”

“Yes,” he squeaked even higher.

“What should we do?” Hermione whispered to Harry. His eyes were full of anger, but they softened just a little when they saw the concern in hers. “He’s just a boy…Malfoy probably bullied him into this.”

Harry thought for a moment, then turned to Bletchley. “What was the picture for?”

He clearly didn’t want to answer, but the threat of Harry’s wand at his nose seemed enough to change his mind. “Daily Prophet...”

“Did you take the last photo?” Hermione asked, turning to him in surprise. “After the Quidditch match?”

“Yes.”

“But why?” she breathed, confusion riddled across her forehead.

“He…he said it would be a rally cry for the Death Eaters. To see Potter with a…”

“A mudblood,” she finished.

“And the quill...what was it for?” Harry asked, scowling.

The boy pursed his lips, but Hermione thrust her wand at his head and he stuttered out, “T-to try and intercept any n-news that w-would be of use to the D-Dark Lord.”

“Hermione,” Harry said between clenched teeth, “go get Dumbledore.” She stood fast with her wand at the boy’s head, until Harry urged her again. “I have him under control, Hermione. Go get Dumbledore.”

Ten minutes later she returned with the Headmaster at her side. He was holding the quill, which Hermione had given to him in her explanation of the situation.

“Mr. Bletchley, if you would please come with me to my office. I believe we have some matters to discuss,” Dumbledore said to the boy, guiding him with his wand.

He stopped and looked back to Hermione and Harry. “I’m sorry you were interrupted earlier. Please...carry on with your business.” With a glance and nod at Harry, Dumbledore turned and continued to lead the boy up to the castle.

Harry was sure he had seen that playful twinkle in his headmaster’s eye, and blushed a little remembering what business they had been engaged in when the camera flashed. But his adrenaline was high after their encounter with the Slytherin, and he pushed his nerves aside once again.

In one sweeping motion, he turned to Hermione, pulled her into his arms and kissed her. It wasn’t at all like the kiss he’d shared with Cho; and although it still may not have been a perfect kiss, it was a heartfelt one, and dry to boot. Though she was timid at first, Hermione relaxed after a few seconds and kissed him back. Harry felt like he was flying without his broom. But now even Quidditch seemed like nothing compared to the excitement of kissing her.

Half an hour later they headed back up to the castle, hand in hand. When they reached the common room, Hermione broke from him and headed toward her dorm.

“Where are you going?” Harry asked.

Hermione smiled mischievously. “I need to write a letter.”

Harry raised his eyebrows. “Going to send a nasty note to the Daily Prophet?”

“Yes, I’ll do that, too. After I write to Emily.” And with a grin she ran up the stairs.

Harry laughed and then joined his friends on the couch, awaiting her return so they could break the news of their new relationship.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: So...that's it. The End. Hope it wasn't too disappointing. It was tough writing this out and never knowing what the next day's challenge would be, or how to leave some options open from the previous day so I could tie the plot line in. I had a really hard time with wrapping it up, and deciding who the baddie was. I should have left clues throughout, I know. If I ever decide to go back and expand it a bit, I'll make it better. If you have suggestions, let me know.

Be sure to check back next week (or hop on over to the next five stories if you're reading this after the daily postings) for "Musical Week" if you like Broadway shows. :)

31. 07-19-04: Do You Hear the People Sing?

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 19)
Challenge: Musical Week: Theme- Action/Mystery/Suspense/Horror Scene
Challenge Conditions: Using the daily theme, choose a scene or song from any musical you like (stage or screen) and rework it using our favorite characters.
Title: Do You Hear The People Sing?
Word Count: 1,058

Hogsmeade � June 12, 1998

The village of Hogsmeade had been taken over by Death Eaters. The Dark Lord�s minions had run the townspeople out, and those who refused to leave were killed. Their intent was to close in on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, one of the largest sources of �dirty blood,� and sanctuary of the boy who was prophesied to take down their leader � Harry Potter.

Many of the people of Hogsmeade retreated to Hogwarts and were taken in by Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster and leader of the Order of the Phoenix. In an effort to keep the Death Eaters at bay, the faculty, staff, students and townspeople barricaded the front gates and grounds of the castle with a conglomeration of spells and wards; everything they could muster the strength and magic to cast around the borders of the school. The area was patrolled 24 hours a day by volunteer groups of the school�s residents, who changed out in shifts and spent their time casting and recasting the barricade of protections.

As the moon rose over the grounds of Hogwarts, the mists began to encompass the school, bringing an eerie glow to the scene. At ten o�clock the patrol shift changed. The volunteers who came off patrol gathered around bonfires, joining in the camaraderie that kept their spirits alive. One group told jokes and stories to lighten their moods, while another sang songs of courage and victory.

Harry, feeling a deep guilt that these people were gathered here in part because of him, rarely slept at night, and spent most of his evenings walking the grounds. On this particular night he was joined by his girlfriend, Hermione Granger, and best friend, Ron Weasley. They strolled quietly, stopping now and then to talk to some of the volunteers and offer words of encouragement.

One young man, a Muggleborn who hadn�t seen the generations of suffering or felt personal loss at the hands of the Dark Lord, was disheartened by the tales of cruelty and indecency of the Death Eaters. He approached Harry and his friends, seeking their advice on joining the battle. Harry invited him to walk with them, and to meet the people who had seen the days when Voldemort was in power.

They approached the second bonfire, where students and townspeople were singing, their songs growing louder and angrier as the night went on.

�Do you hear that?� Harry asked, stopping the young man. Ron and Hermione stopped as well, concentrating on the harmonious sounds that filled the grounds. �They�re singing; these people who are so hurt and angry are singing. It�s a rally cry. They�ve come together to fight, to tell Voldemort that they will not be his slaves again.�

�But where does their courage come from?� the young man asked. �I know what he�s doing is wrong, but I�m just not sure I�m good enough, or strong enough to stand up to him.�

�You have to do what your heart tells you to do,� Harry said, putting his hand to the boy�s chest. �When you�re ready, you�ll know. You�ll feel it beating in your chest like the drums of war that call us to fight. It�s not that we want war. But as long as Voldemort is alive, he will try to oppress those that he feels are not worthy to be equal with pureblood wizards; House Elves, goblins and all magical creatures, Muggleborns and half-bloods. That�s me, and Hermione, and many of your friends�and you.�

The young man�s face sank.

�Until Voldemort is destroyed, we will never know the kind of freedom that we all deserve. If we take him down, we�ll have the chance to experience all that life has to offer us. When we take him down, tomorrow will be a new day for the wizarding world.�

�We need you,� Ron said, putting a hand on the young man�s shoulder. �This war can�t be fought by a handful of people. You are strong, and when you�re ready, we want you to join us. You won�t be alone�you�ll be standing alongside me, and Harry, and Hermione, and all of these people you see here. Don�t you want to see a life outside of Hogwarts?�

The boy nodded.

Hermione kneeled down in front of him. �This battle will give us all the right to be equal, to be happy, to be free.�

A loud uproar came from the group of singers. They cheered, throwing arms up into the air, and started a new chorus that echoed off the walls of the castle.

�Listen to them,� Harry said. �Think about your future. We�ll be proud to fight by your side, but don�t join us halfheartedly. Giving part of yourself to this war means giving all of yourself. I won�t lie; some people will die for this cause, and it could be any of us, but the lives that are lost will never be forgotten. They will be martyred as heroes who fought to make a difference in the world. And some of us will live on, and band together to make tomorrow a better day for generations of wizardkind to come.�

The boy stood silently for a moment, watching the people who sang around the bonfire.

�Can I�can I go over there?� he asked timidly.

�Of course,� Hermione said with a smile.

�I just want to see.�

�You�re one of us, whether you fight or not,� Harry said reassuringly. �Just do what you feel is right for you. Talk to them, listen to them, and then you can decide.�

The young man nodded.

�Ron, will you�?�

�Sure,� Ron said, and led the boy to the bonfire.

�It�s not fair,� Harry said when the two were a good distance away. �He�s so young. He should be deciding what to do after class, and what sweets to buy at Honeydukes, not whether or not to join a war. I hope I didn�t talk him into anything...�

Hermione wrapped her arm around him comfortingly. �You�re a brave leader, Harry. Your words were honest, and he�ll do what his heart tells him to. That�s the reason each one of us has joined you. We�re following our hearts, and we�ll stand by you until the end.�

She looked up at him, her eyes a mixture of sadness and love. �I�ll be at your side, Harry, no matter what.�

32. 07-20-04: Harrys Letter/Elaborate Lives

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 20)
Challenge: Musical Week: Theme- Love/Romance
Challenge Conditions: Using the daily theme, choose a scene or song from any musical you like (stage or screen) and rework it using our favorite characters.
Title: Harry's Letter/Elaborate Lives
Word Count: 1,039

A flapping sound stirred Hermione from her daze, and she looked to see who her guest was. She recognized the owl in her window immediately; it was Hedwig. She sighed and walked over to the winged messenger and untied the small piece of parchment from her leg.

�Thank you, Hedwig,� she said, offering the owl a treat before she flew away.

Hermione set the note down on her bedside table and turned to walk away; she wasn�t sure she wanted to read it yet. But the further she got from it, the more it called to her. What could he possibly say to make things better?

She and Harry had had a disheartening discussion the night before regarding their relationship and the way the war was affecting them. He had been training so much that they had barely seen each other in the past months. But he turned it back around on her and said that if she weren�t spending so much time studying for N.E.W.T.s they could be together more when he wasn�t training. They never reached a satisfactory agreement, and parted equally upset about the situation.

The memories of their confrontation were still fresh and painful, but Hermione finally gave in to her urge and unrolled the note.

I�m sorry for everything I�ve said, and for anything I forgot to say, too. When things get so complicated I stumble, at best muddle through. I wish that our lives could be simple. I don�t want the world � only you. I wish I could tell you this face to face, but there�s never the time, never the place�so this letter will have to do.

I love you.

Hermione closed her eyes and sighed. How was he able to do that? With just a few uncomplicated words, he said everything she�d wanted to hear, even if she didn�t realize it before.

* * * * *

Hermione was the last one to leave the library that night, and didn�t expect to run into anyone on her way back to the common room. Being Head Girl had its advantages, and she was often out much later than the regularly enforced curfew. So when a hand reached out and grabbed her arm from the darkness, she let out a frantic cry.

�Shh, it�s just me,� Harry said calmly.

�Harry! You scared me to death,� she said, holding her hand to her heaving chest.

�I�m sorry. I just left Dumbledore and hoped I could catch you before you got to the dorm. Can we go somewhere to talk?� The desperate look in his eyes forbid her from saying no, even though she knew going with him this late would be overstepping her boundaries as Head Girl.

She led him into an empty classroom and closed the door behind them. They sat down in the nearest seats and he took her hand, his eyes filled with regret and concern.

�Hermione, I just�,� he started, seeming unsure of how to say what it was he wanted to convey. �We�re both leading such elaborate lives right now, with these wild ambitions in our sights. I�ve got to be ready to face Voldemort. You�ve got to do well on your exams.� He squeezed her hand reassuringly when she looked down.

�How our love can survive, when we spend our days apart, and our nights are hurried, seems so unbelievable to me. Too unbelievable. I don't want to live like that. And I don't want to love like that. I just want our time to be slower and gentler, wiser�and free.� His last word was nearly a whisper. �In order for that to happen, I�ve got to defeat Voldemort, and you�ve got to do your best on your exams, so when this is all over we can work together to rebuild the world that�s crumbling around us.�

Tears were pooling up in Hermione�s eyes. When he brushed his hand against her cheek gently, she closed them, allowing the tears to spill over.

�We�re living in extravagant times,� he said, wiping her tears away, �and Voldemort has us playing games we can't possibly all win. It�s getting to everyone, and we�re all turning our backs on those closest to us�it�s hurting us, and to his advantage. These unintended emotional crimes don�t help anything. The more we turn on each other, he takes some out�and takes others in. I'm so tired of all we�re going through - I don't want to live like that.� He sighed and shook his head, then paused.

�I'm so tired of all were going through, Hermione,� he repeated a minute later. �We can�t have a love like that.� He took her other hand and drew her eyes to his. �I just want to be with you�now and forever.�

Hermione nodded. �But in a time of peace,� she whispered.

�That�s true�� he said with a small smile. �I know this may not be the right moment to tell you this, but I could wait forever for the perfect time and place. With so much going on, and so many people switching sides, we don't know whose words are true. Strangers, lovers, husbands, wives � it�s hard to know who's loving who. I don�t want you to have any doubt,� he said, staring intently at her. �I love you. More than anything. And I always will�no matter what happens.�

Her heart was swelling with happiness and sadness all at once, and she couldn�t seem to form any coherent thoughts. So instead of speaking, she did the only thing she could think of and kissed him.

When they broke apart, he sighed. �Voldemort�s trying his hardest to cause a rift in our side. There are too many choices now, and it�s tearing us apart. We�ve got to stick together so he doesn�t stand a chance. I can�t imagine life with him where he wants to be.�

�I don't want to live like that,� Hermione said quietly, looking down again.

�We can't let those choices tear us apart. I don't want to love like that,� he said, and raised her chin to face him. �I just want to touch your heart. I hope this confession can be a new start for us.�

He pulled her into another kiss, and they shared the evening together, each silently confessing their deepest love for one another.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: Ok, two songs from two scenes in this one - both from Elton John and Tim Rice's "Aida". (My very favorite musical.) If you get a chance to listen to them, you'll get a better feel for the emotions I think. :) They're such great songs.

Radames' Letter (Changed to "Harry's Letter")
http://www.tiffanyweb.com/music/16-Radames_Letter.mp3
I'm sorry for everything I've said
And for anything I forgot to say too
When things get so complicated
I stumble at best muddle through
I wish that our lives could be simple
I don't want the world only you

Oh I wish I could tell you this face to face
But there's never the time never the place
So this letter will have to do
I love you....

Elaborate Lives
http://www.tiffanyweb.com/music/11-Elaborate_Lives.mp3
RADAMES
We all lead such elaborate lives
Wild ambitions in our sights
How an affair of the heart survives
Days apart and hurried nights
Seems quite unbelievable to me
I don't want to live like that
Seems quite unbelievable to me
I don't want to love like that
I just want our time to be
Slower and gentler, wiser, free

We all live in extravagant times
Playing games we can't all win
Unintended emotional crimes
Take some out, take others in

I'm so tired of all were going through
I don't want to live like that
I'm so tired of all were going through
I don't want to love like that
I just want to be with you
Now and forever , peaceful, true

This may not be the moment
To tell you face to face
But I could wait forever
For the perfect time and place

AIDA & RADAMES
We all lead such elaborate lives
We don't know whose words are true
Strangers, lovers, husbands, wives
Hard to know who's loving who

AIDA
Too many choices tear us apart
I don't want to live like that

RADAMES
Too many choices tear us apart
I don't want to love like that
I just want to touch your heart
May this confession

RADAMES & AIDA
Be the start

33. 07-21-04: Gethsemane

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 21)
Challenge: Musical Week: Theme- Angst
Challenge Conditions: Using the daily theme, choose a scene or song from any musical you like (stage or screen) and rework it using our favorite characters.
Title: Gethsemane
Word Count: 1,615*

Harry sat alone in the encampment. Night had fallen and one by one the Order members who accompanied him had retreated to their tents. Now he was the only one awake, and peaceful sleep was a distant fantasy. Harry was focused on the crackling fire, watching the burning embers as they shriveled and turned to ash, thinking about the sum of his short life. It all added up to this.

Restless and mentally exhausted, Harry sighed and stood up. He walked slowly around the unfamiliar grounds of the place that had been his first home, stopping in the abandoned gardens. He looked at the ivy-covered stone walls, the overgrown hedges and the wildflowers in bloom, and wondered what his life might have been like if there had never been a prophecy, if he�d had a chance to grow up in this house with his parents, and he�d never been The-Boy-Who-Lived. The only chance he had at a normal life now would come with the title of �murderer.�

He pulled out a small silver flask filled with a sleeping draught, sent for a night such as this. Dumbledore had given it to him just before they left. Dumbledore � the man who seemed to control every aspect of Harry�s life like he was a puppet. Even when Harry did something that he was sure went against Dumbledore�s plans, it always seemed to work itself back around to be exactly what the old wizard had planned all along. It was infuriating.

When Harry was in his first years at Hogwarts, he�d admired the man so much.; he trusted him, looked up to him. In his eyes, the headmaster could do no wrong. But as the years passed and Harry learned more and more how much his mentor�s hand seemed to be guiding his life, he grew angry, rebellious even. He was standing here now because the old man had sent him. After three painstaking years of preparing, both physically and mentally, Dumbledore just sent Harry off on his merry way to face Voldemort, like a child sending his toy soldiers into battle. To face Voldemort meant to kill or be killed. It was more than any seventeen year-old should ever have to deal with.

Harry raised the flask to his lips, tilted his head back, and then stopped. He lowered the flask and looked at it. After all these years of guidance and deceit, Harry wondered if he could even trust his mentor anymore. Along with everything else he�d fed him over the years, he had convinced the boy that he had do this, that facing Voldemort was in his cup of destiny and he couldn�t avoid it. But was that really the truth? Was there no one else qualified to take down the darkest wizard of their time?

Sod your cup of destiny, Dumbledore! he thought. Find someone else to do this!

Harry sat down on a small wall and buried his face in his hands. With a growing rage he growled in frustration, his muscles tense and his breathing ragged�and then he sat silently, trying to clear his mind. After a minute, he raised his head again and closed his eyes, taking two deep breaths before he spoke. He mentally focused on Dumbledore, his mentor, as if he hoped to reach him telepathically.

�I just want to say,� he began, slowly and softly, �if there�s a way�please�take this cup away from me,� he pleaded, looking to the symbolic flask in his hand. �I don't want to taste its poison�to feel it burn me. I�ve changed,� Harry said and shook his head with a sigh, thinking about how his life had altered over the past few months. �I'm just not as sure now as when we started.�

�At first I was inspired. But now I'm sad�and I�m so tired.� His shoulders slumped in defeat and his put his head in his hands. �Surely I've exceeded your expectations. I�ve tried for three years - it feels like thirty! Could you ask this much from any other man?�

Harry stood up, put the flask in his pocket, and walked to a large tree, standing under its umbrella. He bit his lip in thought. Could Dumbledore have asked any of the other young men in his class to do what Harry had done? Could he ask them to die for the greater good of wizardkind? It wasn�t that he was afraid of death; he just didn�t want to die. Not now. He had a reason to live. He was afraid to lose her.

Harry closed his eyes tightly. �But if I die� If I see this saga through and do these things you ask of me� If I let them hate me, and hit me and hurt me�or let them nail me to this tree�� he shouted as he backed up to the tree, thrusting his arms outward and turning his head to the sky, knowing the Death Eaters would be only too happy to torture him before they let Voldemort finish him off. �I�d want to know� I�d have to see�� he said, wondering if his death would make a difference. The thought increased his rage and he clenched his fists.

�Why should I die?� His furious voice echoed off the garden walls.

What did Dumbledore want from him? Did he expect Harry to be martyred, and his name to be revered? Or go into the history books? Harry didn�t want fame�not at all. He only wanted to be known as a good person, someone who was a good friend and never hurt anyone. So what did Dumbledore want? Did he just want to be known as The-Man-Who-Trained The-Boy-Who-Died?

His teeth were gritted tightly as he spoke. �Did you think I�d be more noticed than I ever was before? Would the things I've said and done even matter anymore? Why should I die?� he repeated, pulling the flask out and throwing it hard at the tree. �Can you show me now that I wouldn�t be killed in vain?� Harry shouted.

If Dumbledore knew so much, surely he�d know that as well. Harry laughed mockingly, thinking about how Dumbledore seemed to know so much, but said so very little. What wasn�t he telling Harry?

�Show me just a little of your omnipresent brain... Show me there's a reason for your wanting me to die. You're just so keen on where and how,� he said angrily, looking around at his surroundings. His shoulders heaved with his heavy breaths. �But you�re not so hot on why, are you?! WHY??� Harry screamed, raising his fists in the air.

An image flashed in Harry�s mind, and he quickly held his panting breaths. Why? Why was he doing this? Why was he willing to face his mortal enemy and sacrifice himself? He knew why. It was because of her. As if Dumbledore was answering him, Harry saw her in his mind, and he remembered. If there was even a chance that he could save her, it was worth it. If it only meant that she�d live on, then he was willing to go on with this. He�d do anything for her. He would die for her.

�Alright,� he whispered, sinking to his knees. He closed his eyes and felt a tear roll down his cheek. �I'll die�� But only for her. He�d do it for her.

A feeling of defeat washed over Harry, and he felt like he�d reached the end of his rope. His shoulders shook with the wave of tears that came. Why did it have to be him? Just when he�d finally found some happiness in his life, why did he have to give it up? He didn�t want to lose her. He didn�t want her to lose him. But if there was no other way�if he had to go�then he was going to go bravely. He wouldn�t whimper and tremble at Voldemort�s feet like a coward. He would make her proud of him.

�Just watch me die,� he said, these images flashing through his mind. �You�ll see how I die.�

Harry reached deep inside, trying to find the boy who had started preparing for this so long ago�the boy who was so inspired. It was a difficult task for one so sad and tired. After all he�d tried for three years, but it felt like ninety� He was in there somewhere; the brave boy who was ready to face his destiny.

�Why then am I scared to finish what I started?� Harry asked as he shook his head. �No,� he corrected himself angrily, �what you started�I didn't start this!�

He walked back to the tree and thought of her�mourning him and facing the world as The-Girl-He-Left-Behind. It wasn�t fair that she would have to go through life that way. He sighed and sat at the base of the tree, running a hand through his hair. �This is just so hard,� he whispered.

If only there was another way. Couldn�t Dumbledore have thought of any other way to finish this? Harry had no choice now. It was Dumbledore�s game.

He laughed in defeat and shrugged. �You hold every card. Fine then�I�ll drink your cup of poison.� He reached down and picked up the dented flask, opening it and taking a swig. Instantly his heart rate slowed, his vision blurred, and he felt the sleep creeping into him. �Just nail me to your cross and break me�let them bleed me, beat me, kill me�but take me now, before I change my mind.�

Harry felt the invasion in his mind and he exhaled a deep breath. �Now�before I change my mind��

His eyes fluttered shut as the potion took its effect on his body.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
* A/N: Ok so I went over, but the song part is only 1063 words�the intro that explains the setting and mood was the extra 550, hehe. I just couldn�t do it in any less. The song is from Jesus Christ Superstar, and I hope no one is offended by the parallels of Harry/Dumbledore to Jesus/God. My idea for this had nothing to do with religion, but you have to admit there are just some parallels in the books, and I thought the words were very fitting for how Harry might feel.

Gethsemane - I Only Want to Say
Listen to it here: http://www.tiffanyweb.com/music/gethsemane.mp3
(Sung by the fabulous Michael Ball *dreamy eyes*)

JESUS
I only want to say, if there is a way
Take this cup away from me
I don't want to taste it's poison
Feel it burn me, I have changed
I'm not as sure as when we started

Then I was inspired, now I'm sad and tired
Listen surely I've exceeded expectations
Tried for three years, feels like thirty
Could you ask as much from any other man?

But if I die
See the saga through and do the things you ask of me
Let them hate me, hit me, hurt me, nail me to their tree

I'd wanna know, I'd wanna know my God
I'd wanna know, I'd wanna know my God
I'd have to see, I'd have to see my God
I'd have to see, I'd have to see my God

Why I should die
Would I be more noticed than I ever was before?
Would the things I've said and done matter anymore?

I'd have to know, I'd have to know my Lord
I'd have to know, I'd have to know my Lord
I'd have to see, I'd have to see my Lord
I'd have to see, I'd have to see my Lord

If I die, what will be my reward?
If I die, what will be my reward?
I'd have to know, I'd have to know my Lord
I'd have to know, I'd have to know my Lord

Why should I die?
Why should I die?
Can you show me now that I would not be killed in vain?
Show me just a little of your omnipresent brain
Show me there's a reason for your wanting me to die
You're far too keen on where and how and not so hot on why

All right, I'll die!
Just watch me die!
See how I die!
See how I die!

Then I was inspired, now I'm sad and tired
After all I've tried for three years, feels like ninety
Why then am I scared to finish what I started?
What you started, I didn't start this

God, thy will is hard
You hold every card
I will drink your cup of poison
Nail me to your cross and break me
Bleed me, beat me, kill me, take me now
Before I change my mind
Now, before I change my mind

34. 07-22-04: People Will Say Were In Love

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 22)
Challenge: Musical Week: Comedy
Challenge Conditions: Using the daily theme, choose a scene or song from any musical you like (stage or screen) and rework it using our favorite characters.
Title: People Will Say We're in Love
Word Count: 1,019

“Did you hear that Professor Snape caught Harry Potter and Hermione Granger snogging in the Astronomy Tower last week?” a Ravenclaw girl whispered loudly as she and a friend walked past the Gryffindor table. The two girls began giggling and peeked back at the subjects of their gossip before they left the Great Hall.

“That’s the fifth time today!” Hermione said in frustration and threw her wand onto the table, giving up on her Transfiguration practice.

“What?” Harry asked, breaking his conversation with Neville.

“All these rumors! That’s the fifth time today I’ve heard someone say something that started with “Did you hear that Hermione and Harry…?” or “So-n-so said that Harry and Hermione…?” It’s getting old.” She crossed her arms emphatically and glared across the room.

“Oh really?” Harry grinned. “What are they saying about us?” He was clearly amused by the whole situation, and even more by Hermione’s grumpiness.

Hermione huffed, trying to be mad, but couldn’t help letting out a small smile when he grinned at her that way. She cleared her throat and held out her hand, counting them off on her fingers in a very snobbish way. “Well, Snape caught you kissing me in the Astronomy Tower last week…you met me after Arithmancy yesterday with several bunches of flowers…you stood out in the rain with me for two hours after your last Quidditch practice…”

Harry laughed. “Wait! Why is it that I did all these things? Don’t you ever do anything for me?”

Hermione smirked. “Well you’re the famous one. They’re just fantasizing about what it would be like to have you as a boyfriend. I’m sure they’d all like to take me out of the picture completely.”

“But who makes all this stuff up?”

“Your ‘fan club,’ I presume.”

Harry rolled his eyes.

“They talk about you all the time. I just don’t know why they drag me into it. Why do they think up stories that link my name with yours? You’d think there was no one else at school to talk about!”

Harry shrugged. “I don’t know. Why do your roommates chatter all day behind closed doors?” he asked, nodding in the direction of Lavender and Parvati. “They live for gossip! I just don’t understand girls.” He shook his head with that grin still spread wide across his face.

Hermione’s face took on her ‘calculating a solution’ expression. “I know a way to prove what they say is quite untrue,” Hermione said slowly.

“Uh-oh… Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like this?”

Hermione grinned. “It’s not that bad…just a practical list of ‘don'ts’ for you.”

“For me?” he asked, holding his hand to his chest. “But what about you?”

She rolled her eyes and took on her snobbish air again. “Number one: Don't throw bouquets at me.”

“Don’t what??”

“Like you did after Arithmancy last week…”

“Oh.” He grinned at her poking fun at the rumors.

“Number two: Don't please my folks too much.”

Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise. “But I’ve only met them once!” he laughed.

She shot him an admonishing look, forcing herself not to smile. “And don't laugh at my jokes too much!”

He smirked. “Why not?”

“People will say we’re in love,” she said, waving a hand dismissively. “Number three:…”

“Number four,” he corrected her.

“Right. Number four: Don't sigh and gaze at me. Your sighs are so like mine,” she said teasingly, putting the back of her hand to her forehead.

“I don’t sigh!”

She gave him a playfully stern look. “And really, your eyes mustn't glow like mine, or people will say we’re in love!”

“Oh, please…”

She went on, ignoring his taunting. “Number five: Don't start collecting things.”

“Whatever do you mean?” he asked, mocking innocence. Then he quickly reached across the table and snatched up one of her gloves and the fork that she had been practicing Transfiguration on and had turned into a rose.

“Harry! Give me my rose and my glove!”

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” he teased.

“Sweetheart?! No wonder they're suspecting things! It’s all your fault people say we’re in love!” She smiled lopsidedly and raised her eyebrows at him.

“Now wait just a minute,” he said, waggling his finger at her. “Some people claim that you are to blame as much as I.”

Hermione’s jaw dropped, fully aghast. “I am not!”

“So why do you take the trouble to bake my favorite pie?”

“What pie? I never made you a pie.”

“Pumpkin…you made it last Christmas at the Weasleys…”

“Oh yeah,” she said sheepishly. “That’s your favorite?”

He nodded. “And granting your wish I carved our initials on the tree…”

“You did no such thing! Now you’re just making stuff up!”

He grinned. “Just remember to keep a slice of all the advice you give so free.”

“Freely.”

“Whatever. So don't praise my charm too much...”

“I’d never!”

“Don't look so vain with me…”

“Hah! Who’s the vain one here, Mr. Don’t-Praise-My-Charms?!”

“Don't stand in the rain with me...”

“I didn’t stand in the…oh!” She laughed, realizing he meant the third rumor she had told him about.

“…Because people will say we’re in love.”

“Yes, and you wouldn’t want that.”

“Don't take my arm too much,” he said, taking hold of her arm.

“Funny, Harry,” she said, trying to pull her arm away from him.

“And don't keep your hand in mine.” He released her arm and clasped her hand in both of his.

“Harry! Harry, let go!!” She tugged and tugged, attempting to free her hand.

“Your hand feels so grand in mine,” he said, winking at her. “But...people will say we’re in love.” He dropped her hand with a smile. “And don't dance all night with me, till the stars fade from above.”

“What are you talking about? We’ve never danced. You didn’t even ask me to dance with you at the Yule Ball!”

“And if I had?”

She smiled shyly. “They'd have seen it's alright with me. Oh…what do I care?” She wrapped an arm around his shoulder and kissed him on the cheek. “Let people say we're in love!”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: From Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Oklahoma"

People Will Say We're in Love
http://www.tiffanyweb.com/music/People_Will_Say_Were_in_Love.mp3

LAUREY
Why do they think up stories that link my name with yours?

CURLY
Why do the neighbors chatter all day, behind their doors?

LAUREY
I know a way to prove what they say is quite untrue
Here is the gist, a practical list of "don'ts" for you

Don't throw bouquets at me
Don't please my folks too much
Don't laugh at my jokes too much
People will say we're in love

Don't sigh and gaze at me
Your sighs are so like mine
Your eyes mustn't glow like mine
People will say we're in love

Don't start collecting things
Give me my rose and my glove
Sweetheart they're suspecting things
People will say we're in love

CURLY
Some people claim that you are to blame as much as I
Why do you take the trouble to bake my favorite pie?
Granting your wish I carved our initials on the tree
Just keep a slice of all the advice you give so free

Don't praise my charm too much
Don't look so vain with me
Don't stand in the rain with me
People will say we're in love

Don't take my arm too much
Don't keep your hand in mine
Your hand feels so grand in mine
People will say we're in love

Don't dance all night with me
Till the stars fade from above

BOTH
They'll see it's alright with me
People will say we're in love

35. 07-23-04: The Creation of Man

Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to the next.

Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 16)
Challenge: Musical Week: The Big Ensemble Piece
Challenge Conditions: It can be any genre you want it to be (comedy, love, angst, etc.) The stipulation is that you need to choose a song/scene with at least 4 characters (more is fine) interacting simultaneously - this means that in the show they're all on stage at the same time and all have individual lines.
Title: The Creation of Man
Word Count: 2,033

It was sunny Friday morning. Harry Potter stood in the sitting room of the house that he and his wife, Hermione, owned in Hogsmeade. The scene was something quite different from the typical Friday morning at their home. If anyone had arrived without knowing what was happening, they probably would have thought they�d entered the Lockhart household instead of the Potter household.

�Are you sure this is a good idea, Harry?� Hermione asked cautiously as she fluffed the ruffles on his sleeves.

�I think it�s a brilliant idea! It�s going to work�it has to. And if it doesn�t�well��

Hermione laughed. �I�ll be fighting away the hordes of men who want to steal you from me!�

Harry rolled his eyes, but smiled.

�Just promise me,� she said, �that you won�t enjoy this too much. I don�t think I�d like sharing my clothes with you.�

�Oh, shut it, you,� he said, elbowing her playfully.

�H-Harry?� a timid voice called from the fireplace.

�Ron!� Harry said, smiling at his friend. �Are you ready?�

Ron gulped. �Ginny and Lavender said that we were��

�Come on in, then.�

In a flash of green light, Ron stepped out of the fireplace, followed by Neville, Seamus, Dean, Fred, George, and Percy.

It looked as if the lot of them had raided Gilderoy Lockhart�s wardrobe. Each one was dressed in brightly colored robes of various fabrics; some shimmering, some lacey, some satiny and flowing. There was an assortment of collars, cuffs, buttons and bangles. They stood awkwardly, tugging at the uncomfortable accessories that adorned their outfits.

Hermione stifled a laugh as she smiled at the newly arrived guests. �I�m just going to�go�� she said, giving in to her giggles and running from the room.

�Harry,� Ron said with an annoyed tone. �Now really�there is a limit!�

There was a grumble of agreement from the crowd.

�Patience, friends. There's a method to my madness.�

�Madness is right!� Seamus chipped in. �Spies and Death Eaters surround us�and we�re playing dress-up?�

Harry grinned. �Precisely.�

�Harry! I demand to know why I'm forced to wear this ridiculous get-up!� Fred said pompously. �When I left my house, Topply giggled - right in my face!�

�Topply?� Dean asked.

�My House Elf.�

�You have a House Elf?� Neville asked in surprise.

Fred smiled proudly. �Business has been doing well.�

�Well,� Percy said, stepping forward and straightening his ruffled lapels, �I for one think it's rather nice for a change. Quite summery.�

�Percy, sometimes you frighten me,� Ron said, backing away from his brother.

�I�m afraid we are all going to be looking rather "summery" for a while, boys,� Harry said. �Desperate times call for desperate measures.�

There was a collective, �What?�

�We've been summoned to the Ministry,� Harry said.

Fred looked at Harry like he was crazy. �The Ministry?�

�By the Minister?� George added.

�Yes. He has suspicions that we have been reorganizing The Order. If he finds out that we are, he'll shut us down straightaway. Wizard-Muggle relations are tenuous enough these days without rabble-rousers running about trying to rid the world of dark wizards.�

�Is that what he calls us?� Ron asked. �Rabble-rousers?�

�That is how he refers to the newly-formed Order and its men, whoever they might be. But he'll never think it's us, will he? Naturally not, for the mere mention of that trouble-causing faction makes us��

�Swoon?�

�Indeed, Ron! Such �ruffians� besmirch the very name of manhood,� Harry said, raising a hand to his forehead dramatically. �Nay, 'tis our duty as males not to rush to the battle�but to the tailor!�

The group of highly-decorated men gasped, wide-eyed and turning white.

�He�s gone mental,� Ron squeaked.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Harry shouted, �Peacocks!�

Seamus jumped looked at Harry with raised eyebrows. �What the?�

Harry grinned. �Think about it, men. How those feathered boys love to flaunt their tails! Stallions��

�What?�

�Huh?�

��Hounds and stags,� Harry added.

Dean nodded slowly, seeming to understand where Harry was going. �What you mean is of the goose and the gander, which gender is the grander?�

�Yes!� Harry exclaimed. �To be completely frank, dear men, the splendor is the male's!�

�But Harry,� Ron protested. �I simply can not �hop� about wearing pink chiffon!�

�Ron, whatever we must do to deflect suspicion, we shall do - which in this case is�to shimmer!�

Ron rolled his eyes.

�Be an example to your sex,� Harry continued. �Give your boot a dapper strap.�

�And it's smarter if your garter has some snap,� Percy added, beaming.

Harry walked up to George and adjusted his collar. �Cravats should be flounced about our necks. Wear a nightcap when you nap ��

�Be bewitching with some stitching on your cap!� Fred said with a laugh.

Harry clapped a hand on Fred�s shoulder, and nodded with a smile. �Now drape your cape and puff you cuff! Embroider those lapels!�

Neville stepped forward in his butter-yellow robes and smiled. �Be the king of the beasts in pastels!�

�Yes!� Harry said proudly. �For someone has to strike a pose, and bear the weight of well-tailored clothes! And that is why the Lord created men!�

�Harry,� Ron said, shaking his head, �Dumbledore and Hagrid are waiting for us in London. Conditions are more dangerous than ever, and in the face of all this, you expect us to ��

�� to convince all of bloody England that we're nincompoops!� Harry laughed. He grabbed Dean by the arm and pulled him forward. �Strut, sir!�

�What, sir??� Dean asked in astonishment.

�Roosters do. Give a cock his comb and the hens will pale. Bucks, bulls, boars and rams!�

�Of the nanny goat and billy goat, whose beard is fully wooly?� Seamus asked, laughing.

Harry smiled. �It's bully for the billy, for he's willy-nilly male!�

�Willy-nilly?� Neville asked, his face paling.

�But Harry,� Dean said, �you're the most famous wizard in London. Everyone loves you! You can get away with this, but the rest of us ��

�George!� Harry exclaimed, ignoring Dean. �Be a lion-hearted prig! Fill those pantaloons with light!�

George cranked his mouth to the side in thought. �I could dangle down a spangle�out of sight.�

Harry laughed. �Oh yes! Be bold!�

�When it's cold, slap on a wig,� Ron grinned.

�Draw your breeches in quite tight�� Seamus said, pulling the string on his waistband.

Harry walked up to him and took the string, pulling it harder. �Even more so and your torso will ignite!� Seamus squeaked from lack of air.

�Now smock your frock!� Fred said.

�Perfume your plume!� Percy added.

Dean laughed. �I'll let my waistcoat swing!�

�And the jungle will bow to its king!� George said, bowing deeply at the waist with one foot out in front.

�By George, I think you�ve got it!� Harry said with a smile. �Now, be sure to throw in a few gestures from time to time.� He pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve and began to instruct the men in how to behave like a fop.

Ron pulled his handkerchief out with a flourish, waving it about frivolously.

�That�s it!� Harry cheered. He stopped and put a hand to waist, posing like a store mannequin. �You see someone has to strike a pose and bear the weight of these well-tailored clothes!�

The boys all looked at each other and grinned before shouting out collectively, �And that is why the Lord created men!�

�Well done, well done!� Harry smiled. �Now we must leave or we�ll be late. Come along, boys,� he said sweetly and winked at the group. They laughed and followed him through the fireplace. In seconds they arrived at the entrance to the Ministry.

�Gentlemen,� Harry said quietly as they swished down the hall, still looking rather awkward, �remember what we're here for�Why we must be dressed to kill.�

Percy smiled. �If we have to start shopping at Cleopatra�s, then we will!�

�Yes, you�re bound to make a splash, Percy,� Harry laughed. �You know your haberdashery! Buttons, buckles, ruffles and lace� All ready, then? Put on your prettiest face!�

They stopped outside an elaborate doorway with a sign that read Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic. Harry knocked and the pudgy man opened the door. He was completely taken aback, studying the frilly man standing before him.

�Is that you, Harry?�

�Minister Fudge! How well you're looking!�

�Err, yes,� he said as he opened the door and let the parade of fops into his office. He sat behind his desk and looked in astonishment over the group before him. �I, err�I called you here for a bit of candor. I have reports you lot have been trying to reorganize the Order � is this true?� He watched as Harry sat down with a flourish.

�Of course not, Minister,� Harry said, delicately crossing his legs and trying not to wince at the pain.
Fudge flipped through some papers on his desk. �This one says that you�ve been secretly meeting in a room behind Madame Malkins. What's that all about then?�

�Frou-frou!�

�I beg your pardon?� Fudge stammered.

�Frou-frou!� Ron said.

�Fabric!� Seamus chimed in.

�Frills!� Percy added.

�P-Percy??� Fudge asked in astonishment. Percy straightened and smiled proudly.

�Where else can one get the finest but Madame Malkins?� Harry said, waving his hand in the air flippantly.

Neville smiled. �Yes! We just have to get all our trim, tassels, and taffeta from her!�

�So in and out we go,� said Dean.

�Yes, but,� Fudge said, in a daze from all of their fashion commentary, �you're sure you're not hooked up with this new group of Order members?�

The men�s reactions ranged from horror to hilarity.

�Hmmmm. Well, I must say you are all looking quite�quite��

�Summery?� Percy asked.

Fudge smirked. �Err, yes. Quite. Summery. Oh, very well. You may continue certain brief shopping trips to Madame Malkins for the purposes of, err�'frou-frou'. But be sure to let us know if you hear word of this new Order. Oh, and next trip, could pick me up one of those new periwinkle bowlers?�

Just then a Ministry official entered the office, appraising the men with curiosity.

�Yes, Whimple? What can I do for you?� Fudge asked.

�Sir, I was hoping to talk to you about Harry Potter, but I see you�ve got other ��

�What is it, Whimple? There�s Potter, right there,� Fudge said, pointing to Harry. Harry smiled and wiggled his fingers in a ridiculous wave.

�Ahh, yes�well, I was hoping we could discuss the issue of some experimental charm reports that we�ve collected regarding ��

�Not now, Whimple,� Percy said, coming forward. �We can wait until Monday to talk about those. I believe we have much more important things to discuss with the Minister right now�like the Ministry Ball��

�Ye Gods, yes!� Harry exclaimed. �The Ministry Ball! Minister, what are you wearing?�

�Wearing?� Fudge asked. �No idea. Perhaps my purple robes?�

�Oh, no, no, no!� Harry said, looking at his friends and eliciting their incredulous reactions. �No, I�m afraid you simply can't. I�ll be wearing my purple robes. Isn't that right, Ron? Because they�re so shimmery, yes?�

�Indeed, Harry.�

Fudge let out a, �Hmmm.�

�Oh, do forgive us, Whimple�but we must speed straightaway to the Minister�s closet and help him select his garb for the ball this evening. Come, Minister - quickly!�

Harry rounded the desk and pulled Fudge up from his chair, escorting him to the door.

�Very well then, uh, Whimple� I'll see you on Monday.�

Harry drug Fudge to the Floo Network, followed by the procession of colorfully-clad attendants.

* * * * *

When Harry returned home at lunchtime, he flopped onto the couch with a sigh.

�How�d it go?� Hermione asked.

�I think we pulled it off,� Harry replied, closing his eyes and leaning his head back on the couch. �How long do you think we�ll have to keep this up?�

Hermione smiled. �Oh, for at least six months�maybe a year��

�A year!?� Harry exclaimed as he jerked his head up.

She laughed. �That will give you lot enough time to appreciate what we women go through.�

Harry smiled and pulled her on to the couch next to him. �I appreciate it!� he said, nuzzling her neck. �Trust me, I do appreciate it.�

Hermione giggled and gave him a kiss.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: This song is called "The Creation of Man" from The Scarlet Pimpernel. Good show if you ever get a chance to see it. (The main character is named Percy, which is who I converted to Harry...just so you don't get confused by the characters listed below. There's also a Neville, hehe.)

The Creation of Man

PERCY
Peacocks!

ELTON
Sink me!

PERCY
Think ye, sir,
How those feathered boys
Love to flaunt their tails!

Stallions!

FARLEIGH
Zounds, sir!

PERCY
Hounds, sir! Stags!

DEWHURST
Of the goosie and the gander, sir
Which gender is the grander, sir?

PERCY
To render total candor, sir:
The splendor is the male's!

OZZY
But Percy, I simply can not hop about wearin' pink chiffon.

PERCY
Ozzy, whatever we must do to deflect suspicion, we shall do- which in this case is: to shimmer!

PERCY
Be an example to your sex.
Give your boot a dapper strap.
And it's smarter if your garter has some snap.
Cravats should be flounced about our necks.
Wear a nightcap when you nap-
Be bewitching with some stitching on your cap.
Now drape your cape and puff you cuff!
Embroider those lapels!
Be the king of the beasts in pastels!

La, but someone has to strike a pose
And bear the weight of well-tailored clothes!
And that is why the Lord created men!

DEWHURST
Percy. Armand and Marie await us in Paris. Conditions are more dangerous than ever, and in the face of all this, you expect us to-

PERCY
-to convince all of bloody England that we're nincompoops!

PERCY
Strut, sir!

DEWHURST
What, sir?

PERCY
Roosters do.
Give a cock his comb and the hens will pale.

Buck, bulls!

ALL
More, sir!

PERCY
Boars, sir! Rams!

DEWHURST
Of the nanny-goat and billy, sir,
Whose beard is fully wooly, sir?

PERCY
It's bully for the billy
For he's willy-nilly male!

OZZY
Lud, Percy, you're the best-dressed man in London. You can get away with this, but the rest of us-

PERCY
Sir! Be a lion-hearted prig!
Fill those pantaloons with light!

OZZY
I could dangle down a spangle: out of sight:

PERCY
Oh yes!

PERCY
Be bold!

FARLEIGH
When it's cold, slap on that wig.

BEN
Draw your breeches in quite tight-

PERCY
Even more so and your torso will ignite!

HAL
Now smock your frock!

ELTON
Perfume your plume!

OZZY
I'll let my waistcoat swing!

ALL
And the jungle will bow to its king!

La, but someone has to strike a pose!
And bear the weight of well-tailored clothes!

PERCY
And that is why the Lord created men:
Yes!

ALL
That is why the Lord created men!

ALL
And the jungle will bow to its king!

PERCY
La, but someone has to strike a pose!
And bear the weight of well-tailored clothes!

ALL
And that is why the Lord created men! Men!
That is why the Lord created men.

PERCY
Gentlemen, remember what we're here for,
Why we must be dressed:to kill.

ALL
If we have to look like Cleopatra,
Then we will!

If you're out to make a splash, cheri-
Do know your haberdashery!
Buttons, buckles, ruffles and lace
Represent the human race!

PERCY & BOUNDERS
La, but someone has to strike a pose!
And bear the weight of well-tailored clothes!
Each species needs a sex that's fated
To be highly decorated!
That is why the Lord created men!