A/N: Hey everyone. Sorry about the long wait. I hope that you enjoy this chapter. I have started the next chapter though so it should be up soon. I hope that nobody has given up on H/HR after HBP because I haven't. I will always love H/Hr and it didn't really affect this story since it is AU and it happens when they're older. Please review and let me know that you guys are still enjoying this story. I would also thank Another for betaing this for me and getting it back so quickly.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter of ABC.
Chapter 10
"Which one do you want to play?" Chloe asked.
"How about the one where we each say something that we have never done, and someone who has done the opposite has to take a drink," Allie suggested.
"That game? This would certainly make things interesting," Sue replied.
"I've never actually played this game before, how does it work?" Hermione asked.
"You haven't played before? Don't worry-it's pretty easy," Chloe told her with a smile.
"So we're just going to take a sip of our own drinks, right?" Christine asked.
"Of course, so who wants to start?" Allie asked.
"I will. I've never cheated on a test before," Sue said after thinking for a couple of minutes.
Everyone turned to see who would take a sip of her drink and saw that Jennifer did.
"Jennifer, when did you cheat?" Chloe asked surprised.
"It definitely isn't a big deal. I was in the 4th grade and it was just a little math quiz. I wasn't like planning to or anything but the answers were right in front of me," Jennifer explained.
"How did the answers just happen to be in front of you?" Sue asked.
"Well, I happen to be called out of class during the quiz because the principal had to talk to me, so since I always was a good student I was able to stay after class to finish the test. And I was able to hand the test in on her desk with the others when I was done because she had to leave the room for a little while. I don't know why-the answer key was just right there on her desk. As I handed in the test I could see it," Jennifer explained.
"Likely story," Chloe responded.
"It's true," Jennifer answered back with a grin giving Chloe a jab in the ribs.
"Okay," Chloe said with a laugh.
"Jennifer, why don't you go next?" Allie asked.
"I've never gone skinny dipping before," Jennifer replied before looking around her to see who would take a sip of their drink.
Allie and Christine both took a sip of their drinks.
"Spill," Sue and Hermione responded.
"Why don't you go first Allie?" Chloe asked.
"Well, it was just a dare that one of my friends put me up to a couple of years ago," Allie explained.
"Did the dare involve someone else?" Jennifer asked.
"You know that this game doesn't actually involve explanations, right?" Allie explained.
"Yes, but you're the one that wanted everyone to get to know each other," Chloe answered.
"Yes. Jennifer, nobody forced you to explain yourself right?" Allie asked.
"No," Jennifer replied.
"See, if you don't want to explain then you don't have to, alright?" Allie asked.
"Sure, I mean you guys understand that there are some things that are meant to be private," Hermione answered with a smile because she couldn't tell them about being a witch or knowing Harry before.
"I guess you're right, Hermione," Chloe answered after a moment.
"So how about you, Christine?" Allie asked.
"Let's just say it was on a weekend getaway with my last boyfriend while I was on tour," Christine answered with a smile.
"That must have been nice to see him," Chloe responded with a smile.
"It must have been fun," Jennifer added.
"Oh it was. . . ." Christine responded with a slight smile and a sad look in her eyes.
"I can't believe you three haven't gone skinny dipping yet. We'll have to fix this later on," Allie replied with a sly smile.
"What do you mean?" Chloe asked.
"Well I think that you, Sue and Hermione should be given the chance to go skinny dipping," Allie responded with a smile.
"How are you going to do that?" Hermione asked.
"Just wait and see," Allie answered with a secretive smile.
"Christine, why don't you go next?" Chloe asked.
"Sure. I've never saved someone's life before," Christine responded after a thought.
Hermione gulped and took a sip of her drink.
"Hermione really? When?" Jennifer asked surprised.
"A friend of mine was hurt and I just helped them out," Hermione answered honestly in a sad tone.
"What was your friend doing?" Allie asked.
"It's not something that I want to talk about," Hermione responded truthfully.
"When did this happen?" Allie tried again.
"Seven years ago," Hermione responded in a calm tone.
"What happened?" Allie pressed on.
"It's not something I want to talk about okay?" Hermione answered in a slightly annoyed tone of voice.
"It's not like a big secret or something is it?" Allie asked again.
"Don't you understand that I don't want to talk about it?" Hermione asked angrily.
"Back off Allie, you did say no explanations were necessary," Chloe added.
"What is your problem? She already said that she didn't want to talk about it," Jennifer responded.
"Okay, but it's not like any of you guys weren't curious either," Allie retorted back.
"Maybe so but you were the only one you kept on pressuring her for an answer when she obviously made it clear that she didn't want to answer," Christine replied.
"Thanks guys. Allie I just don't understand why you can't follow the rules you made up yourself," Hermione replied.
"Look, I was trying to help you out," Allie said.
"How?" Hermione asked while raising her eyebrows.
"Well it just seems like it brought back unhappy memories, and I hear that talking about it makes you feel better," Allie responded.
"Well, thanks for your concern but it won't be necessary," Hermione told her.
"Look I'm sorry if I offended you but I really was just trying to help," Allie answered.
`What is with those weird 180-degree mood changes with Allie?' Hermione asked herself.
"No problem," Hermione said with a forced smile.
"I'll go next. I've never had a secret that I couldn't tell anyone," Allie responded.
Sue, Christine and Hermione all took a sip of their drinks.
"Really? Can you tell us anything?" Chloe asked, intrigued.
"Well since it's a secret, what do you think?" Hermione asked with a twinkle in her eye.
"Well it must be something important if you're still keeping it a secret," Allie commented.
"Nice try Allie, but I'm not telling you anything," Hermione responded.
"How about you two?" Allie asked Sue and Christine.
"Well, it's not exactly my secret but I still promised that I wouldn't say a word to anybody about it," Sue answered with a shrug.
"Mum's the word," Christine answered.
"You guys are no fun," Allie commented.
"Come on Allie, if you had a secret you wouldn't want to tell us it either would you?" Chloe asked her.
"I guess you're right but sometimes I think you're holding back on us Hermione," Allie added.
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.
"Well, I feel like you don't really want to get to know us," Allie replied.
"Why would you think that?" Hermione said.
"You keep to yourself a lot and you don't exactly hang out with us a lot," Allie explained.
"I've just never been good with people that I don't know," Hermione explained.
"But you seem to be really comfortable around Harry though," Allie added.
"I just feel comfortable around him, that's all. Where are you going with this?" Hermione asked.
"You and Harry just seem really close. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought that you two were really good friends," Allie explained.
"That's good to know, Harry and I get along really well," Hermione answered.
"I don't see a problem with that," Chloe piped up.
"I was just wondering if there was anything you wanted to tell us?" Allie asked looking at Hermione.
"No, there isn't and I'm tired of you pointedly asking me questions. Look, I have a few things that I need to do so I'm going to head back now. I'll see you guys later," Hermione replied angrily looking at Allie but smiling at the rest of the group.
"Look what you did Allie," Christine said.
"What?" Allie asked innocently.
"You were bombarding Hermione with questions like you were suspecting her of something," Chloe replied.
"I have some suspicions," Allie answered.
"Do you have any proof?" Sue piped in.
"None. That is why I was asking her questions," Allie admitted.
"But you didn't have to pester her like that when she obviously didn't want to answer," Chloe replied.
"Don't you guys think that she's keeping a lot of secrets from us?" Allie asked.
"No and even if she was I'm sure she has her reasons for it," Christine answered.
"Yeah, come on, let's go," Chloe said and she left with Sue, Christine and Jennifer.
*~*~*~
Hermione had returned to the mansion still a little steamed at the way that Allie kept on asking her questions.
She then picked up the phone and dialed Harry's number.
"Hello," Harry said into the phone.
Hermione smiled at the sound of his voice and said, "Are you free right now?"
"Come on down," he answered.
"See you in a few," she replied and hung up.
Hermione put down her bags and grabbed a few items from her room before heading over to where Harry was staying.
Harry was waiting patiently for Hermione to come on over and tell him what it is that she wanted him to do.
He was getting more and more nervous about what he would have to do. Knowing Hermione as well as he did, he was sure that it would be very interesting.
A minute later there was a knock on his door, and he opened it and saw an angry and upset looking Hermione.
"What happened?" He inquired.
"Nothing," Hermione answered.
"It doesn't look like it, want to talk about it? It might make you feel better," Harry asked forming a small pout with his lips.
Hermione smiled and said, "There's this one girl whose been getting on my nerves. She's been hounding me with questions that I can't exactly answer and I couldn't have made it any clearer that I didn't want to talk about it. But she kept on pressuring me to answer them,"
"Oh . . . I know what you mean. There have been so many questions that they can ask us and we can't really answer them because we can't talk about certain things." he responded.
"That is part of it but we were playing this game where we had to say something that we never did and we get to see who has done it," she explained.
"Oh, they must have asked you about that," Harry replied sadly, quickly catching on and wrapping his arms around her.
"I know that it was a long time ago but the memory is still so clear in my mind," Hermione murmured in his arms as her mind drifted back to what had happened about seven years ago.
Flashback
Hermione was looking around at the ongoing battle scanning for any sign of Harry or Ron. At first she didn't see either of them, but then she saw a flash of black hair pass by her. She went in for a closer look. That was when she was sure that it was him. She then saw a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye and she turned to see who it was. That was when she saw a Death Eater creeping up behind him.
"Harry, look behind you," Hermione cried out.
When she saw that Harry didn't notice the danger that he was in, she knew that she had to act quickly. She had her wand ready and ran quickly towards Harry and pushed him out of the way and managed to produce a shield charm just in time to protect herself.
When she turned around she noticed that Bellatrix was just a few feet away from her wearing a very evil smile on her face.
"I've been wanting to do this for a while now you little filthy mudblood," Bellatrix hissed.
Bellatrix then raised her wand arm and started the incantation "Avada...."
Hermione could scarcely hear her as all her thoughts began to be jumbled and she saw a light emitting from Bellatrix's wand and before she had time to react she felt herself being pushed away.
She broke out of her trance as she heard grunts of pain and saw Viktor muttering in agony.
"Viktor why?" Hermione cried out with tears in her eyes.
*end of flashback*
"Hermione, it wasn't your fault-it was his choice," Harry told her in a firm tone.
"Yes it is because he was trying to save me!" she replied between sobs.
"If that is the case, then the whole thing is my fault because if I had been more careful you wouldn't have had to save me and then Krum, wouldn't have been killed," he countered.
"It's not the same thing, and you know it," Hermione retorted, pulling away from his arms.
"How is it different?" Harry inquired.
"It is. Besides, your explanation is based on too many what-ifs. I mean, how were you supposed to know that I would see you being attacked from behind. I'm sure other people would have done the same thing I did for you," she explained.
"Exactly, you had no idea what he was going to do either and I highly doubt that you could have stopped him either even if you did know. But the bottom line is that you didn't know so it wasn't your fault," he responded.
"I know that you're right about this anyway," Hermione said with a sigh.
"Of course I am. And look at it this way: he didn't die for nothing. We did defeat Voldemort, after all," Harry answered with a slight smile.
"No, Harry, you did it," she automatically corrected him.
"Maybe it was mostly me in the end but I couldn't have done it without you," he added, drawing her back into his arms because he missed her warmth.
Hermione buried her head into his chest and as she relished this feeling of being in his arms and had to smile, 'He always knew what to say to make me feel better.'
"Thanks Harry," Hermione murmured.
"No problem, feeling better now?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, it's time for you to find out what I want you to do," she said brightening up.
"What you're asking me to do must be pretty bad if you're smiling like you are," he said jokingly.
"You know that I would never ask you to do anything too horrible," Hermione told him sternly.
"I know that Hermione, so what exactly are you asking me to do?" Harry asked.
"Okay, I think that you have waited long enough. All I want you to do is to say whatever I want you to say," she told him with a mischievous grin.
"Okay, but when do you want me to do this?" he asked carefully.
"Tonight, which includes your date," Hermione replied in a nonchalant tone.
"What? No, you're going to embarrass me in front of them aren't you?" He exclaimed in an accusing tone.
"Look Harry, I'm sure that they would appreciate your honesty," she answered sweetly.
"I knew it! You really do want to embarrass me. I don't think that the producers would be too happy either," Harry added.
"Harry, you're going to do this whether you want to or not. I promise that I won't embarrass you too much. And this gives me a great opportunity to see which girl is the right one for you," Hermione pleaded with him.
"Okay but I'm only doing this because it's you," He relented in a begrudging tone.
"Thank you," she exclaimed happily and gave him a big hug.
"You're welcome, but how is this going to work? I can't hear you from the mansion to where we're going on the date," Harry inquired after breaking away from the hug.
"Harry have you forgotten that I'm a witch and you're a wizard?" Hermione whispered.
"You're right, I didn't even think about doing it that way. You don't have to whisper because they can't hear us," Harry answered.
"That is smart, maybe that's why you were Head Boy," she teased him.
"Takes one to know one, doesn't it, Head Girl?" he teased her back.
"So in case you're wondering, I found this spell that can be used to enchant an object to be somewhat of a microphone but without wires," Hermione explained.
"So I can hear you speak to me but can you hear me?" Harry asked.
"That's the beauty of this spell, I can hear and see you perfectly but they can't hear me," she exclaimed happily.
"So if I'm talking to you, they'll think I'm talking to myself?" he asked.
"Yep, so you'd better not talk to me that much or they'll think you're a little crazy," Hermione replied with a grin.
"I suppose that if they did think that you would be happy about that?" Harry inquired.
"Well it'll serve you right for all those times I had to talk to you when you were wearing the invisibility cloak," she admitted.
"Yeah, I guess so. I did do that a lot," he commented.
"Yes and I hated it because people kept on giving me pitiful looks when I was talking to you, and I truly never knew if I was actually looking at your face," Hermione added.
"Well I've never actually noticed that because I think you did a pretty good job," Harry answered with a smile.
"Really?" Hermione asked, blushing with a pleased look on her face.
"Yeah, it was like you could somehow sense where I was," he answered with a grin.
"It is extremely unlikely that anyone can develop that kind of sense about someone, but it would be nice if I did," she answered.
"Why?" Harry inquired.
"Well, it would be nice to know where you were so that I could stop you from doing something stupid," Hermione replied.
"When did I do something stupid?" he demanded.
"Do I have to list them out for you? How about when you were going to save Sirius?" Hermione asked.
"I wanted to make sure that he was safe," Harry answered firmly.
"What about when you were going to the midnight duel with Malfoy?" she asked.
"I was eleven and it was Malfoy," he defended himself.
"It was still stupid. How about when you left your Uncle and Aunt's house in the middle of the night? " Hermione responded.
"Okay, that was a little stupid," Harry answered, a little bit flushed.
"How about the time-" she started.
"Fine, fine you've made your point. How about we get back to the topic at hand?" He asked, pointing toward the enchanted object.
"Okay, so I guess you want to see how this works huh?" Hermione asked.
"That would be nice," Harry answered with a grin.
Hermione took out her wand and wordlessly enchanted a small pin and handed it over to him.
"So I just have to pin it on and you and I can hear each other?" He inquired.
"Why don't you try it out upstairs?" she told him.
"Okay," Harry nodded quickly and went upstairs.
"Can you hear me?" she asked.
Harry was pretty amazed at the clearness of her voice and responded, "Very loud and clear, Hermione."
"Told you it would work," she answered.
"I never really thought that you couldn't do it," he replied.
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