Chapter 23
Harry grinned as he walked into the great hall for breakfast the next day. The picture that Colin Creevey had taken of him and Hermione in Diagon alley was still up there, although it seemed that the news story underneath it had been wiped clean-probably what Seamus had done in detention the night before.
Slowly but surely, the Great Hall became very talkative as the Daily Prophet arrived, and everyone read that Harry and Hermione had received Order of Merlin, 3rd class honors from the minister of magic the night before. Once again Harry and Hermione were bombarded with congratulations all day long. While in Herbology-the only class that he and Hermione didn't share, Harry wrote to her in their friend diaries, and she replied that she was being bombarded in class as well. Harry laughed. He could almost see her rolling her eyes.
That weekend, Harry and his friends were allowed to visit Hogsmeade, as long as they promised to stick together. They all agreed and Harry and Hermione had their first ever true date, and they finally found time to sneak off by themselves, they snuck up to Sirius' old hideout in the cave, where they started a fire and snuggled up to each other, and had a long conversation about anything but the events of recent days.
Harry woke with a start the following day, and realized that he and Hermione has fallen asleep in the cave, and it was already 4 o'clock in the morning. He swore softly and then nudged Hermione to wake her up.
She was horrified when she learned what time it was, and they snuck back to the castle as quietly as possible, Harry wishing that he had his invisibility cloak. They finally made it back to the common room, thinking that they were safe, when they ran into a full common room filled of scared Gryffindor's and a furious McGonogall.
"Where have you two been!?" She screamed. Harry and Hermione blushed brilliantly. "We er.. well kinda fell asleep in Hogsmeade."
Seamus snorted with laughter, but was cut off abruptly by a cold stare from McGonogall.
"We had all thought you had been taken! Dumbledore was frightened sick! How could you two ever take off alone knowing full well that every death eater in the country is looking for you?!"
Harry stuttered, a little, only just now realizing how scared everyone must have been. "Well, we er, were uh, well we were pretty well hidden."
This was the wrong thing to say. Seamus burst out in laughter, as did Ron and the rest of the sixth years. McGonogall was so angry that she simply stormed out of the common room, to which the entire Gryffindor tower cheered.
"Yeah Harry and Hermione!" Seamus yelled over the cheers. "Running off in Hogsmeade and coming back to the tower 6 hours after curfew and not getting punished has got to be some kind of school record!"
The common room busted out laughing.
"Yeah, and if you want to finish what you started, You can use our room. Ron, Dean, Neville and I won't bother you!"
The room exploded again, everyone was nearly crying with laughter. Harry and Hermione smirked at Seamus and took off for bed, but they both went into Harry's room and laid down again-just laid down. They were nearly asleep when Seamus stuck his head in and asked if they were finished yet, and Hermione chucked a pillow at him in answer. They grinned at each other and quickly fell asleep.
A/N:
Sorry 'bout the late chapter, but I had other stuff I had to do today.
Sora