AUTHOR NOTE: Hiya Everyone! This chapter was suppose to be longer, but I thought it would be kind of interesting to leave a cliffie for once, and it would also allow chapter 18 to be filled with more things happening… I thank you all for all your supportive and really wonderful reviews. I enjoy reading and replying to them all, and occasionally leaving a little hint here and there lol. Enjoy and Take Care!
CHAPTER 17
Her first thought was Apparation; wouldn't it be the most efficient way of getting back to Hogwarts? They would Apparate to Hogsmeade and walk the short trip from the modest town to their school, but Harry had another idea.
"This could be one of our last trips on the Hogwarts Express together." He said softly sitting down next to Hermione on her bed the night before their journey back to Hogwarts.
"Maybe your right Harry... I've always loved riding that train." She grinned.
Harry broke into a joyful smile and nuzzled her neck playfully making her giggle, she never realized just how sensitive she was in that particular spot.
"I can't believe that we didn't even have enough time to go to my favorite ice cream parlor." Hermione stated with a sigh.
"Let's go." Harry grinned.
"Go where?" Hermione asked furrowing her eyebrows.
"To the ice cream parlor." He answered.
"Harry, it's nearly ten o'clock."
"And?"
"And I don't think it's open." She said with a slight laugh.
"Now you said you don't think it's open, so you don't know for sure?" He asked.
"Well no, but I can bet it's closed."
"Let's go and find out." He stated taking her hand in his.
"Harry,"
"Come on, what've we got to lose?"
"Nothing I suppose." She answered back with a grin, following him out of her room.
They crept down the stars to the main floor and sneaked towards the entrance hall.
"We've got to tell my dad." She stated keeping her voice to a whisper as they approached the door.
"Will he let us go?" Harry asked.
"I don't know, but I can't just leave like that."
Harry nodded and followed Hermione to find her father.
They found Mr. Granger fast asleep on the couch before the enormous wide-screen television.
"Should we wake him?" Harry questioned in a whisper.
"No, I don't think so." She said with a sigh after noticing a glass half full of ice on the coffee table.
Harry noticed her eyes were full of concern and worry; he put an arm around her hoping it brought her some comfort.
"I still want to go Harry." She said putting some of her weight into him.
He nodded.
Before leaving the house, Hermione had written Mr. Granger a note to let him know that they went out for a walk towards the ice cream parlor, and that they would be back soon.
The night air was brisk, the velvety black sky shimmered with millions of glistening stars, and the chill revealed their steady breaths escaping in unison.
Harry took his coat off and wrapped it around her slender shoulders as soon as he had noticed her teeth chattering.
"Harry you're going to freeze!" She protested trying to return the coat to him.
"I'm not cold." He stated softly.
"Yes you are!"
"No I'm not."
"Harry," She frowned.
"Just wear it Hermione… I'm fine,"
She raised an eyebrow looking at his thin long-sleeved shirt, but to Harry's surprise, she didn't argue any further.
Harry wrapped an arm around her as they meandered down the empty dark streets, and passed shops that were either already closed, or were just closing up for the night. She clung to his arm, rested her head on his shoulder, and gave a heavy content sigh as they approached the little ice cream parlor.
"See… they're closed." She stated with an I-told-you-so tone.
The lights within were dim, and a middle aged plump lady was mopping up the checker colored floor.
Harry wasn't about to give up yet, he gave a gentle tap with his fingers on the large glass window.
"What're you doing?" Hermione questioned with widened eyes.
"Getting some ice cream, what's it look like?"
The plump woman jumped slightly before she turned towards Harry and Hermione's direction with a frown, which soon turned into a light grin. She waddled over to the entrance door and threw herself at Hermione.
"Oh dearie! You've grown so much! Look at you, just look at you now… and who's this handsome fellow?" She questioned beaming at Harry.
"Hello Gina, this is Harry… Harry this is Gina, she owns this ice cream parlor, I used to come here with my parents all the time."
"She sure did… you were such a darling little thing." Gina stated holding Hermione an arms length away as if she was looking her over from top to bottom. "How's your mother and father?"
Hermione's grinning face fell.
"What's wrong dearie? What's happened?" She questioned in a comforting tone.
"My… my… my mother… she… she died." Hermione answered as best she could.
Harry met her chocolate brown eyes and reached his hand to her frozen fingers giving them a soft squeeze.
"Oh lovey, I'm very sorry to hear that… why don't you two come on inside, maybe I can tempt you both with an ice cream?... my treat." She said softly ushering them both inside.
They sat together at one of the many tables laughing amongst one another and entertaining Gina as she finished washing the floors, Harry had tried to help, but Gina refused to allow either of them to lift a finger.
"I remember the time when your father needed someone to watch you for an hour, so he brought you over here and asked me if I would mind keeping an eye on you for a little while. I always had such a wonderful time when you were here, you'd tell me all sorts of stories and read me all kinds of books… yes, always reading, you never hesitated to choose reading a book over watching some television program. You where such a smart, itty bitty little thing then, with these huge darling brown eyes and a pretty blue dress,"
"Dress?" Harry questioned before taking another lick of his ice cream.
Hermione glared at him.
"What? … I just didn't think you wore those much." Harry teased.
Gina laughed.
"Oh this darling almost always wore a pretty dress with a big beautiful smile," Gina continued as Hermione blushed. "There's no need to feel all embarrassed lovey, you're a beauty, isn't she Harry?"
Harry felt his face flush as he nodded, he wasn't very good at expressing his feelings for Hermione in public, and he hoped Hermione understood that somehow.
She looked slightly hurt.
Harry felt his insides clench, he felt guilty, he really wanted to show the world how much Hermione meant to him, but it wasn't easy, he wasn't used to neither expressing affection nor receiving it for that matter. He reached his hand under the table and rested his fingers on her knee. Hermione jumped with a gasp, and her cheeks flushed scarlet.
"You are beautiful." He whispered hoping Gina didn't overhear him.
She gave him a shy grin.
"We best be getting back Harry, my dad might have a heart attack if we stay out any later." She laughed.
"Oh yes I can imagine he would." Gina laughed leading them both towards the door. "I would be very pleased if both of you came by more often."
"Thank you Gina, we'll try and come by some time."
"Thank you for the ice cream Gina." Harry grinned.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it…you both take care of one another you hear?"
They both nodded and walked off into the dark and empty street.
They began walking the path to Hermione's house in silence, lost in their own thoughts. The only sounds heard were their breaths, their shoes scraping against the cracked sidewalk, and Harry's change rattling around in his pocket.
"Hermione?"
"Mmhmm?"
He stopped waiting for her to turn in his direction, which she automatically did.
"Listen… back at Gina's,"
"Harry,"
"I'm sorry." He said softly.
She caressed the side of his cheek with her delicate fingers, then made her way to his scar where she gently traced the lightening shape with the tip of her pointer finger, it was such a soft touch that it sent shivers down Harry's spine. Hermione grinned before she brushed a few jet black strands of hair from his bright green eyes.
"You have no idea what those eyes do to me." She whispered.
Her hot breath warmed his chilled cheeks from the frosty air; he was ready to melt with each gentle touch she made. Harry felt his blood rush through his veins, as his pulse became rapid in his throat, and his breathing became slow and heavy.
"You have no idea what you do to me." He said trying to keep his voice steady.
"Would you care to enlighten me?" She said playfully raising her eyebrow and pressing her hands against Harry's chest.
Harry grinned and moved in to give her a soft kiss, but Hermione moved her head and gently pushed him back with her hands against his chest.
Harry's eyes widened and he stared into her chocolate eyes.
Hermione stared back for a moment before she burst out laughing.
"You can't always get what you want." She teased.
"Is that a challenge?" He questioned with a lopsided grin.
Hermione gently pushed him back, pinning him against the brick wall of a shop.
"No… it's a statement." She whispered in a provocative tone before she pressed her lips against Harry's.
CRASH
Harry felt the ground beneath his feet rumble as a flash of silver light hit the brick wall just inches above his head. Instinctively, he curled his tall frame over Hermione and forcefully pushed her away from the building that collapsed as soon as they both had moved.
"What the hell just happened?" She yelled while frantically searching for her wand.
"No idea." Harry answered pulling his own wand out from his jean pocket.
"Shit!"
"What?" He asked keeping his guard up.
"I've left my wand in my room, great… that's just bloody great, we're being attacked and I'm useless!"
"Hermione just calm down, everything's going to be okay." He stated taking her gently by the arm and moving her into a dark, narrow alley.
"Harry, I don't think this is such a good idea." She whispered. "We could be easily captured."
"I know… but what choice do we have?"
Another flash of silver light pelted towards them followed by a bright red one that just nearly hit Harry. They ran down the alley hand in hand, their lungs burning from the cold air, and stumbling on the large cracks in the road every few paces.
"Harry… we have to… do something… I can't… keep running like this!" She panted.
Harry knew she was right, they were still far from the Granger's home and the bitter frost air was puncturing their lungs like needles stabbing into soft flesh, but the flashes of light were still on their heels, nearly missing them by feet and sometimes by inches.
Shit… think Harry think… protect Hermione, whatever you do, protect Hermione.
"Just hang in there Hermione… stay with me."
Then it happened, he felt her hand slip away from his, and watched as her body scraped against the gravel littering the paved road.
Harry's heart stopped.
"Hermione!"
"I'm okay… I tripped." She mumbled pushing herself up on her knees with her hands.
Harry lifted her to her feet and wanted nothing more then to embrace her, to feel her breathing against his chest.
She tried to walk but found she couldn't put any pressure on her right leg, as soon as she did, she felt a throbbing pain in her ankle.
"I think I sprained it." She winced when Harry pressed his fingers around her joint.
Harry saw more flashes of light raining down in the near distance.
"Dammit… they haven't left, they know we're here somewhere!"
"Go." She said softly.
"What?"
"Leave me here and go… Apparate back to my house and get some help." She said forcefully.
"No… I won't leave you." He stated gathering her up in his arms.
"What do you plan to do, carry me all the way home?" She huffed.
"If that's what it takes… yes." He muttered as he dodged a flash of red light that skimmed his arm causing him to hiss as it burned through his shirt which clung to his skin.
"Harry this is insane, just leave me here or we're both going to die!"
He ignored her protests as he approached a fork in the alley and ran to the left where he came to a dead end.
"Shit!" He cursed under his breath.
Trapped, they were trapped and Hermione was unarmed and hurt, this situation was looking worse with each moment, if he could only get his head to stop spinning just so he could think for one moment. Harry took a deep breath and pushed aside all thoughts as if he was clearing his mind for Occlumency, and then the idea hit him, he didn't know why he hadn't thought of it before, it was so simple. He grabbed the lid of a nearby rubbish bin and touched his wand to it.
"Portus!" He yelled thinking of the Grangers home.
Hermione clung to his shirt as the flashes of light were becoming more frequent and close together.
They both touched their fingers against the rubbish bin.
Nothing happened.
"Shit… I know I did it right, why isn't it working!"
"Think of another place!" Hermione yelled as a flash of silver light burst through the brick building just opposite from where Harry stood holding her in his arms.
"Portus!" He yelled again. "On three…"
"One…"
"Two…"
"Three…"
Once again they both touched their fingers against the rubbish bin lid, hearts racing and hoping against hope that somehow it would work this time.
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