A/N: Thanks so much for all your amazing reviews. You guys totally rock so surprise here is another chapter that I hope you all enjoy. To anybody who reviewed late Monday night and early Tuesday morning I didn't get your review so I'm sorry about that. Now I may post another chapter next week. Can't promise you anything but the more reviews I get the more likely that it will happen so please review and hope that you enjoy. Oh and then my next chapter will not be til December after my nanowirmo break.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Chapter 18
Hermione woke up the next morning feeling quite happy. She was thrilled that she was still in the house and that he still needed her to be there. It made her happy to know that he still trusted her opinion and still wanted to hear her thoughts on the remaining girls. She was also happy for reasons she would never really admit to. The fact that she was still there meant there was still a chance that he had feelings for her.
`Stop thinking like that. He doesn't like you that way and never will,' she scolded herself gently and focused her energy back on the search for this school that Allie came from. She tried many different ways of searching for the school and all she got in search results was little mentions of the school for great achievement but there was no information on the school at all. She was getting quite frustrated. So she decided to search the web for any information on Allie while she was at NYU. At first all she got was articles on irrelevant events and then she finally found something of interest in a small, independent newspaper dealing with a serious of unusual events happening at NYU.
Hermione scanned through the article eagerly and found that it described a few incidents that involved people acting extremely strangely, as if they were not themselves or some would even say possessed. There were also a few disappearances mentioned but there was nothing connecting the disappearances with the strange behaviour so any investigation was dropped and missing persons reports were filed with the police. So far none of these people have ever been found. It also mentioned that Allie had seen near these people around that time the events occurred. She searched for contact information on the writer of the article and sent out an e-mail asking for a response as soon as possible. Hermione then decided to head to the kitchen to get some food as soon as she realized that she hadn't eaten anything all morning.
"Hello Hermione," Chloe said.
"Hi Chloe, how are you doing?" Hermione asked.
"I'm doing really well, how bout you?" Chloe asked.
"I'm good. Have we gotten the letter from Harry yet?" Hermione asked.
"Not yet, but it should be soon," Christine commented.
"Hi Christine," Hermione replied when she saw her.
"Good morning," Christine replied grabbing a glass of juice.
"Where have you been?" Allie asked as she walked into the kitchen.
"Just a morning jog," Christine answered before taking a drink of orange juice.
"I take morning jogs myself, maybe next time we should go together," Allie commented.
"Sure, I will let you know the next time I go for a job," Christine responded with a smile.
"That'll be great. Lisa, Chloe and Hermione do you want to join us as well?" Allie asked.
"That might be fun," Lisa answered.
"I enjoy jogging so sure, let's make it a group activity," Chloe replied.
"Hermione, won't you join us?" Allie asked sweetly.
"Sure, it will be fun," Hermione answered as she looked at all of their faces and realized that with all of the info she was finding on Allie that it would be a good idea to watch over her.
Just then the phone rang and Allie quickly rushed to answer it.
"Hello," She said and her face smiled and they all knew immediately who it was.
Allie smiled and nodded a couple of times and laughed before hanging up the phone.
"So what did he say?" Chloe asked.
"Well Harry said for us to meet in about an hour where he will pick someone for an individual date," Allie answered with a smile.
"We're meeting in an hour? I need to hurry up and shower," Christine exclaimed heading upstairs.
"I've got to go and get ready as well," Lisa commented excusing herself.
"I've got to get ready too," Hermione said grabbing a pear and headed upstairs.
As soon as she got upstairs she checked her computer and realized that she got an e-mail and checked it quickly.
The email read as follows:
Thank you for your interest in this article. The writer no longer works as this paper but this is her last know address, e-mail and phone number. Her name is Joan Randall and this would be her phone number 581-6245.
Yours truly,
Adam Kinsely
Editor
Independent Times.
Hermione quickly picked up the phone and left a message at the phone number mentioning that it was very important that she be called back as soon as possible. She then walked over to her closet to pick out something to wear to the ceremony. It took her quite a long time to pick something to wear that would make her look elegant yet simple as the same time. She ended up picking out a light coloured cashmere sweater that hung of her shoulders and a mid length skirt and a matching belt. She pulled her hair up in a clip and let her bangs fall softly on the side of her face. She put on some light makeup to accentuate her eyes and a little mascara. She also put on a little strawberry lip gloss.
Then her phone started to vibrate and she picked up to answer.
"Hello," Hermione replied.
"Is this Jane?" a voice asked.
"Yes this is she," Hermione answered softly.
"I am Joan Randall and I received your message from a friend," She answered.
"Thanks so much for responding to my message so quickly," Hermione replied eagerly.
She opened her door slightly and saw that nobody was around and silently cast a sound charm around her room to keep others from eavesdropping.
"I was quite surprised to receive your call, it has been a couple of years since I had written that article and I thought nobody remembered that I wrote it," Joan answered gently.
"I know that it has been quite a long time but I was actually doing some research on Allie myself and your article really intrigued me as it all sounded quite unbelievable," Hermione replied.
"That's what a lot of other people have told me about the article and I would have thought that way too if I hadn't seen it for myself," Joan answered.
"So could you give me more information on the kinds of events and who disappeared?" Hermione asked eagerly.
"Well it was kind of strange because I just saw people that I knew everyday acting very differently. It was almost if they were hypnotized. They would do things that they normally wouldn't do," Joan explained.
"What exactly do you mean?" Hermione asked.
"Well one of them was this girl named Sarah and she was normally kind of mean but not really mean just really proud of herself and scared a lot of people and then one day she was acting all smiling and courteous and really polite," Joan explained.
"You just mean the change happened overnight? And what does this have to do with Allie?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah just like that. One day she was and one day she wasn't. And this happened a day after she was supposed to meet Allie. Allie told me that she never met her then but Sarah was especially nice to Allie," Joan explained.
"This is really interesting. Was she always like that after that incident? What about the disappearances?" Hermione then asked.
"Well I don't really know everything that happened. She was like that for a couple of weeks and then she transferred schools or that is what I heard. As for the disappearances, they remain unsolved. They haven't been found yet except one person and there doesn't seem to be any similarities between all the missing people except that they all knew Allie. Oh and the one person they did find committed suicide or that is what the police decided happened," Joan explained.
"You don't believe that it was a suicide?" Hermione asked.
"Well I just don't believe that he would have committed suicide. He just wasn't that kind of person," Joan replied.
"So you knew him well?" Hermione asked.
"Not really well, I mean we were close in high school but not so much at NYU because we were pursing different fields," Joan explained.
"Do you have any research that you kept from the article?" Hermione asked.
Just then she thought she heard something moving outside her room.
"Can you hold a moment please?" She asked.
"Sure," Joan answered.
Hermione put down the phone and opened the door and saw nothing outside the door and grabbed the phone again.
"I'm really sorry about that, I thought I heard something outside," She explained.
"That's not a problem. I actually do still have some of my research at home. Do you want me to drop if off for you?" Joan asked.
"No, I'm actually not at home right now so you won't be able to find me since I move around a lot. Why don't I meet you somewhere?" Hermione suggested looking at her watch.
"Sure Jane. You're staying in LA right?" Joan asked.
"As a matter of fact I am, why don't we meet at the coffee shop on 3rd in about 2hours?" Hermione asked.
"Alright, I'll be there," Joan answered.
"See you then," Hermione replied hanging up the phone with a smile.
Then as she was heading towards the door she was a fly buzzing around and wondering how it got there and noticed that she had left the window open and quickly closed it and shooed the fly away.
She took a quick glance in the mirror and fixed her hair before heading downstairs and almost bumped into Allie.
"Allie, you scared me," Hermione told her after taking a deep breath.
"I'm really sorry about that. I was just in a hurry to get downstairs," Allie replied apologetic.
"That's okay, I'm in a hurry as well," Hermione responded with a smile.
"Nice of you two to join us," Harry told them as he saw them come down the stairs with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Well you know how we like to keep guys waiting to make sure that we look our best," Hermione responded with a smile.
"Well you definitely look good," Harry complimented her and then added, "All of you do," as he smiled at the rest of the group.
"So do you," the rest of the girls chimed together.
"Now that we are all here we can get started," Harry spoke up with as smile.
Chloe nudged Hermione and asked, "Why were you so late?"
"I just had to take an important phone call," Hermione whispered back.
"I want all of you to know that it has been quite difficult for me to pick just a couple of you to take on an individual date because I would love to take each of you out but as rules have it, this is the way that the show is done. So I will just announce my choices now because I know that you are all very anxious to know who I chose," Harry added.
Everyone stood anxiously awaiting his decision.
"My first choice for the individual date would be Christine," Harry responded and handed her a rose.
Christine accepted the rose happily and stepped into place.
"My next choice would be Lisa," Harry said and handed Lisa a rose as she stepped forward.
Lisa walked back to her place with a smile.
"I chose the both of you because I believe that we didn't spend enough time together and I would really like to," Harry told them with a smile and gave each of the girls a hug.
When he got to Hermione he whispered in her ear, "Can you meet me at my house in a few minutes?"
Hermione whispered back, "I will be there as soon as I can."
Harry then waved a good bye and headed out the door.
"Congrats to both of you," Hermione told both of the eagerly.
"I think it was really nice of him to pick me but I think it was because he felt that he didn't spend enough time with us during the pottery date but we did have a lot of fun," Lisa replied.
"Nonsense, he didn't pick me or Allie so he must like you better. I must have that I am envious," Chloe commented.
"Thanks Chloe, I'm sure you will get your chance during your group date," Lisa replied.
"Christine, I'm thrilled for you, I knew he would pick you," Hermione told her with a smile.
"I was quite sure he would have picked you Hermione, the two of you seemed like you were connecting," Christine told her.
"Well maybe we didn't," Hermione answered.
"No, I totally think that he likes you. I want to tell you that I was always a little jealous of you because you seemed to connect with him so well. You definitely watch your back after all we are after the same thing," Christine told her.
"I know but I'd like to think that we can all still get along," Hermione told her.
"We all do but you know what I mean right?" Christine asked.
"I do and I agree that we can't trust everyone or we will get hurt," Hermione responded.
"But I'm pretty sure that I can trust you though," Christine replied.
"Thanks, it means a lot," Hermione told her giving her a hug.
"I'm going to meet a friend for a bit. I will be back soon," Hermione told everyone with a wave.
"Hermione, wait up!" Allie called.
"Allie, what can I do for you?" Hermione asked with a fake smile.
"I was just wondering where you were going," Allie replied.
"I told you, I'm meeting a friend and running some errands," Hermione explained.
"I need to buy something too. Why don't we go together?" Allie asked.
"I'm sorry but I'm meeting my friend and we're going together and he doesn't really like surprises," Hermione explained.
"Well that's alright then, I'll see you later," Allie replied looking disappointed and quickly walked ahead of her.
Hermione watched her form leave before heading off towards Harry's house and knocked on the door.
"Hermione, glad you could make it. You look lovely today," Harry commented.
"Thank you Harry. I hope you really mean it," Hermione teased him.
"Don't I always?" Harry replied feigning hurt.
Hermione gave him a knowing look.
"I always mean what I say. By the way, that color really suits you" Harry replied firmly.
"Thanks Harry, But you also usually are especially nice if you want something so what is it Potter?" Hermione asked blushing.
"I am offended. Even if you don't trust me, you should at least have confidence in yourself," Harry told her shaking his head.
"I do. In fact I know that I look good but knowing you tells me otherwise," Hermione teased him.
"I happen to mean what I say and I do want to ask you a little question," Harry told her.
"I knew it," Hermione replied triumphantly.
"I just wanted to ask you your thoughts on my choices and maybe what kind of date I should plan for the girls," Harry replied.
"Well I totally liked your choices for the date. Well Christine is very cultured so I would think it would be great to do something much more cultured and elegant while Lisa is much more casual so it wouldn't need to be fancy," Hermione answered.
"Do you have any suggestions?" He inquired.
"You have a brain, think of something yourself. I mean you do have one right?" Hermione asked him teasingly.
"Of course I do. Some friend you are," Harry responded with mock sadness.
"Don't even think about it. I'm not doing your work for you. Anyways I think that they are both great and who do you like the most so far?" Hermione asked.
"Well at least I tired. And to answer your question, I'd have to say that I would pick Christine, Allie and well you," Harry responded.
"You included me in your list?" Hermione asked puzzled.
"Well out of everyone you and I get along really well and of course I like you or else we wouldn't be best friends," Harry answered.
"You know I didn't mean like as in liking a friend, I meant you as in more than a friend like," Hermione explained.
"Even so you would be there in the top of my list," Harry explained.
Hermione blushed but then said, "Really?"
"Of course, you're very important to me and no matter what happens, I will always be there for you," Harry answered.
Hermione smiled and gave him a hug.
"Thank you Harry, that means a lot because I wouldn't want anybody or anyone stop us from being friends," Hermione answered.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked concerned.
"You know how I told you about my suspicions about Allie. Well I've done some research and I found some very suspicious things about her. I mean the school she went to Faerway's school for the gifted. I couldn't find any information on the teachers or classes or where the school is. It's almost like it doesn't really exist in a way. And then talking to the principal of the school she went to in her last year sounded quite suspicious. A lot of accidents that were unexplained occurred and all the teachers that taught here are no longer at the school which was very strange. Even the principal thought so," Hermione replied.
"What?" Harry asked surprised.
"And I also found this article written during the years she was at NYU and a lot of strange incidents also occurred and disappearances happened to people who had interactions with her. And she really does worry me a little," Hermione continued.
"So these incidents were linked to her?" Harry asked.
"Not officially but judging from what other people have told me who were there at the time it certainly seems that way," Hermione explained.
"And what kind of incidents were they?" Harry asked.
"Well people were acting out of character some may even say possessed," Hermione explained.
"Well how do you know it was her for sure?" Harry asked.
"It's not possible for so many coincidences to happen at one place and time. Beside the only thing those people had in common was that she talked to all of them and one of the people that disappeared committed suicide," Hermione explained.
"Well if that person committed suicide then how does that have anything to do with Allie?" Harry asked.
"I was talking to someone who knew that person and they said that they would not commit suicide," Hermione replied.
"Hermione, it's not that I don't want to believe you because I know that you would never like and that you area looking out for me but you don't have any proof and they could all be coincidences and even so. To me all it tells me is that maybe Allie is not your average muggle after all," Harry suggested.
"Even so, don't you find it strange that all the teachers who taught her disappeared?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know but even if you point something like that out all it says is that maybe Allie is a witch and that wouldn't be a bad thing would it?" Harry asked.
"But this means maybe she isn't a good person or a good witch. And that isn't a good thing is it? Furthermore it would mean that she would be lying about who she really is," Hermione replied.
"But then again aren't you?" Harry gently reminded her.
"Yes I am but all of these strange incidents and disappearances don't' follow me around," Hermione reminded him.
"No they don't. What you have said is quite interesting and I will totally keep that in mind but have you thought about whether or not she is a witch or not?" Harry asked.
"But then she would know me and you and then she would know that I'm just your friend and maybe that would explain some things but still all of these bad things occurring near her really worries me," Hermione replied in restrospect.
Harry gave her a hug and said, "Don't think so much about it. Maybe you're over thinking it."
"So you really don't believe me?" Hermione asked with a frustrated tone in her voice and a hint of sadness.
"That's not true Hermione, I do believe you but you haven't given me anything to go on and I would like to think that the person is innocent until proven guilty, I know you believe in that too," Harry said.
"I do but I just have a feeling about her and its not good. Why don't come with me?" Hermione asked.
"Come with you where?" Harry asked curiously.
"I'm meeting that reporter in a bit and why don't you come with me and see for yourself the proof that you need," Hermione replied.
"I don't know, I have a lot of stuff to do…" Harry started.
"You can't handle to truth about Allie? You're afraid that you're wrong?" Hermione asked challenging him.
"Of course not, I can handle anything after Voldemort," Harry answered.
"Of course the great Harry Potter isn't afraid of anything. He's the boy who lived and killed one of the darkest wizards of all time," Hermione teased him rolling her eyes.
"And don't you forget it," Harry said playfully winking at her.
"There goes that ego again. I think I'm going to go now," Hermione replied walking out the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" Harry asked pulling on her arm.
"I'm going to leave you and ego alone. I don't think the house has enough room for it," Hermione teased him.
"I'm not going to let you get away with that," Harry replied chasing after her.
Hermione ducked and rang up the stairs quickly and she saw that he had disappeared and then when she turned around he was right there.
"That is no fair, who said you could use magic?" Hermione asked.
"You never mentioned that before," Harry replied spraying her with some whip cream.
"I'm so getting you for that," Hermione replied and apparated down to the kitchen and grabbed a can of whip cream and hid until she saw Harry and the sprayed him in the face and heard to yell.
Hermione fell back laughing, "I can't believe an auror such as yourself would scream like a girl."
"I do not scream like a girl," Harry answered defensively.
"I never heard any guy scream when sprayed in the face," Hermione replied laughing.
Harry started to chase after her and easily caught up with her and started to tickle her and carried her in the air until she said, "Truce. I call a truce."
"Now are you going to behave?" He asked.
"Yes I will," Hermione promised catching her breath.
"Okay then," Harry asked putting her back down.
"So you ready to go?" Hermione asked.
"Sure," Harry replied as he grabbed a jacket and headed out the door.
"Remember to keep an open mind and stop being so sceptical," Hermione reminded him.
"Okay I promise I will keep an open mind," Harry answered.
Hermione and Harry waited outside the coffee shop for a good hour and nobody showed up so Hermione tried calling her number and it rang a few times before someone picked it up. Then she heard some glass breaking and then a voice that sounded like Joan answered, "Hello?"
"Joan it's me, where are you?" Hermione asked.
"I'm really sorry but I had a lead come up and I can't meet you today," Joan replied.
"Are you okay?" Hermione asked.
"I'm fine, but I may have caught a little cold though. Can we set up another meeting?" Joan asked.
"Sure, maybe tomorrow?" Hermione asked and heard some thumping.
"That will be great," Joan answered.
"Is everything okay? I hear a lot of noises," Hermione asked.
"That's just my neighbour, so I'll see you tomorrow?" Joan asked.
"That'll be great," Hermione replied perplexed.
"You want to go somewhere with me?" Hermione asked.
"Where do you want to go?" Harry asked.
"I want to pay a friend a visit," Hermione told him.
"Joan?" Harry asked.
"I just have this feeling," Hermione replied.
"You have her address?" Harry asked.
"I just want to take a little peep," Hermione replied and gave him the address and they looked around quickly and saw nobody there so they apparated down to a street near Joan's house.
Hermione walked towards the house and noticed that it was a rather nice neighbourhood and knocked on the door and nobody answered the door. The room looked really clean except her desk. It seemed to be extremely messy. She found the door unlocked so she walked in to find a young women lying on the floor and she decided to shake her. She didn't notice anybody else in the room or any dishes which she found suspicious since she heard the sound of glass breaking on the phone.
"Joan?" Hermione asked gently shaking her.
"Who are you?" She asked confused.
"It's me, Jane. I called you before? This is my friend Harry" She answered motioning to Harry.
"Oh right I do remember you. We were supposed to meet right?" Joan asked.
"But what were you asking me about again?" Joan asked.
"That story you wrote while in NYU about some strange incidences?" Hermione asked her a little perplexed.
"I don't really remember writing one about strange incidences," Joan answered confused.
"That's impossible. You told earlier that you did write it," Hermione replied.
"I did?" Joan answered.
"Are you okay?" Hermione asked.
"I must have fallen down pretty hard then. My memory is a little fuzzy. What are you here for again?" Joan asked apologetically.
"You had some research that you wanted to show me," Hermione reminded her gently.
"All my research is sitting on my desk, you can take a look if you would like," Joan told her.
Hermione and Harry looked over the papers in her desk and found nothing dealing with NYU on her desk or her computer.
"Is your desk always this messy?" Hermione asked.
"When I'm doing research is it quite messy but I still have a system," Joan replied.
"You do?" Hermione asked.
"Well yes. It's messy but I can find what I need because all related stores are filed together," Joan explained.
Hermione looked around and noticed that although it was messy there were still some stories that didn't really seem to be related as if they were deliberately place there but she didn't say anything.
"Sorry for bothering you. Thanks anyway," Hermione told her as she and Harry walked back out and almost tripped on something and found that it was a tiny mouse and it quickly scampered away.
"So what are you thinking?" Harry asked knowingly.
"Well I just found the whole thing really strange you know. How she couldn't remember the story she wrote and finding her on the floor. I mean don't you?" Hermione asked.
"I do find that especially strange but doesn't mean it has to do with Allie," Harry reminded her.
"But the story is about Allie so it does concern her," Hermione added.
"I think that we could continue to investigate though. If you need help I will definitely be willing to help," Harry replied gently squeezing her shoulders.
"Glad to hear it, I do you need your help for something though," Hermione replied after a thought.
"What did you think of?" Harry asked noticing her brightened expression.
"I need to get a look at her school records, but I need someone to get it while I distract the principal," Hermione explained.
"I can definitely do it. Sounds fun like during Hogwarts but it will have to wait. I have to get back because I still have a lot of things to do for later," Harry told her and walked off giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.
Hermione smiled and looked back on the house as the wheels in her head started churning again. `What happened over here and who did it?' She thought to herself.
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