Unofficial Portkey Archive

Summer Writing Series Challenge
Challenge: Hermione twists an ankle and Harry helps her
Title: War Cries

It was an August afternoon at The Burrow. Ginny, Ron, Harry and Hermione were decorating Harry's new bedroom, a birthday present from the Weasleys (Percy's vacant room). After vanquishing the Dark Lord in the Trio's last year of Hogwarts, it was no longer necessary for Harry to live with the Dursleys, something everyone was happy to hear. It was decided that Harry was a part of the Weasley family as much as anyone else and therefore deserved his own bedroom. So there they were on this August afternoon, the first time since they graduated that the trio were all together. Hermione had been off vacationing with her family but had joined them earlier that morning looking like a Bronze Goddess, at least in Harry's opinion. They had decided that they would decorate Harry's room in the muggle way, much to Ron and Ginny's amusement.

Harry had decided that he wanted his room warm comforting colours so they had begun painting in the reds and gold of the Gryffindor shield. It was all going perfectly well until the teens began to get giddy, or rather Ron got giddy.

"A brush for paint? Haha! I'll never get them muggles, doing everything the hard way!" he had commented in between laughs

"Honestly Ron, it's the quickest way, it's not like they can do it magically, is it?" Hermione interjected with a superior tone. After a pause and narrowing of his eyes, Ron responded,

"One of these days Hermione, you'll get what's coming to you" he said in a mischievous tone, while staring directly up to her.

"Oh really, Ronald? And who, may I ask, is going to make sure of that? I'm more than certain it won't be you!" she said without backing down from his stare.

Harry and Ginny, who were painting the opposite wall of the room, could feel the tension mount, Hermione on top of her step ladder and Ron at the foot armed with a pot of paint and brush. Hermione continued to smirk at Ron, and Harry could swear he could hear Ron's thoughts as he was thinking them….

"RON! Don't you dare…," Harry said cautiously, but it was too late, Ron had gone and done it. This was the point where it all got out of hand.

A war to end all wars broke out, one that could even shame `Voldemort vs. the Order'. Paint was splashed, insults were thrown, screams were let out, and from Harry's point of view it was a blur of paint and red Weasley hair as Ginny decided to join in.

"WOULD YOU GROW UP!?!" he shouted at them in a loud irritated tone as he could see his room being massacred by their stupidity. They turned to him with every intention of throwing paint all over him until they realised that he was deadly serious.

"Sorry, Harry" Ron said, lowering his head

"Yeah, sorry, Harry," Hermione added, starting down the step ladder; however a corner of her jeans was trapped in the step, causing her to fall straight down in front of Harry. This would have been very embarrassing for her if she had not accidentally painted straight down Harry's face and shirt with her roller on her descent. She looked up from the floor and couldn't help but falling into a fit of hysterics, Ron and Ginny joined in at the sight.

"Right, that's it!" As Harry spoke he grabbed a rather large paint brush, "Ron was right, Hermione, you are gonna get it!" He started towards her; she scrambled on the floor, still laughing, it was only when she got up that she realised that her ankle would not hold her weight, she collapsed with a cry of pain.

"Ow…I think…ahh...." She tried to hold back tears, and Harry crashed down at her side.

"Hermione are you okay?" he asked, looking at her ankle through paint-covered glasses "Ah, I think you may have sprained it. Here, get hold of me, I'll get you on the bed."

She just looked at him and smiled.

"What?"

"Well you're covered in paint! I'll get…well...painty!" she said with a larger smile.

"I'm fully aware of that, Granger! I seem to recall that being your fault." He snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her up, she latched on to him and he carried her over to the bed.

"Are you okay, Hermione?" Ron asked, "I'll go and see if Mum's back, she can fix it up, I'm sure." Ron and Ginny left the room, still giggling under their breaths.

Harry took his glasses off and cast them aside as he could no longer see through them; Hermione, although in pain couldn't help but snort with laughter.

"Oh, I suppose you think that's funny do you," he asked, smiling himself

"Well actually…yes."

"Right that's it! Let the tickling commence!"

"Harry NO!" That's as far as she got before he began tickling her, they ended up in a heap on the bed as Hermione struggled out of Harry's grip, "Stop it," she pleaded repeatedly. Harry gave in at the vulnerable look in her eyes and started melting internally.

"How's the ankle?" he asked, dangerously close to her face.

"It's alright," she whispered back as he began to lower down to her lips.

"Hermione, Mum isn't home yet, you reckon you will be able to hold...?" Ron barged into the room as Harry and Hermione sprang apart; he looked at them incredulously and smiled. Ginny came in behind him with a potion.

"Here, Hermione, drink this and you should feel better," she said turning around and taking Ron by the scruff of his neck out of the room.

Hermione took the potion and drank aware that the paint ridden Harry was staring at her with a smile.

"Ahh!! That tastes awful," she said, trying hard not to gag. Harry laughed and moved closer to her and leaned down.

"Well, I'll guess you might like to taste something else?" he whispered with a roguish smile. She raised her eyebrows and smirked, taking him by his shirt collar.

She pulled him towards her, and then asked, "Exactly what do you have in mind?"

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