The Last Kefsen by Jardyn39
Chapter 12: Happy Birthday, Hermione
Harry climbed through the portrait hole. The common room was deserted apart from Jen who was sitting at a table.
He went over and said, "Hi."
She looked up and Harry suddenly realised she was Hermione, not Jen. It was the first time he'd ever mistaken them for each other.
Hermione smiled and said, "Hi, Harry."
Harry sat down opposite her, realising it was the lack of books and parchment that probably confused him.
Harry took a moment. He had been about to remind Jen that she agreed not to assume Hermione's form other than when she was alone with him.
"You okay?" he asked gently.
"I was just thinking," she replied. "Do you think I'm good enough?"
"How do you mean?"
"Well, after all these DA sessions. I feel I might let you down."
"Hermione, that's not possible," said Harry at once. "Look how well you ducked Ron's stunner last time."
Hermione snorted and Harry grinned as they both remembered.
"You were rather hard on him for missing again. In fact you have been getting gradually harder with everyone," she said, and then looked straight into his eyes. "Except, that is, with me."
Harry nodded. He couldn't deny it.
"I don't feel I can criticise you for not attacking a defenceless target," he admitted, "because I feel the same way."
"Well, okay. But it's not just that, is it?"
Harry looked down at his hands.
"It look us ten minutes to revive Ginny," she reminded him. "You don't hold back with anyone except for me."
"That's not entirely accurate," Harry said sadly. "I have been holding back, with everyone. It still tears me up inside thinking I might hurt one of you. I just couldn't bear it if I hurt you, Hermione."
"Tell me, Harry, why did you stun Ginny at all?"
"So she'll know to block or dive when something more serious get fired at her."
"Absolutely. So when something more serious gets fired at her she'll stand a much better chance. However, if the same thing gets fired at me, what chance do I have?"
"I was hoping that some of the others would get better, so you could practice safely with them."
"Really?"
"Er, no, not really," he admitted. Harry wondered if Hermione knew how he'd threatened each of her practice partners with what would happen if they hurt her.
"Please, Harry."
He nodded and reached into his robes and drew out the homework planner she had given him for their previous year. It was handy to keep a diary to keep track of all his activities this year.
"You've still got that?" she asked incredulously. "I know Ron burned his after his OWL exams. I assumed you'd do the same thing."
"No chance," said Harry, leafing through the pages. "Actually, if I hadn't managed to stop it singing to me, I might have burnt it." This wasn't true at all, of course. He'd never throw away a gift from Hermione, no matter how irritating it became.
"How about lunchtime on Wednesday?"
"Um, sure, okay. What do you have in mind?"
"We are going to duel, but I don't especially want an audience. I'm still going to hold back, but I'll try. It may take me a while, so you'll have to be patient with me."
"Great," she said brightly.
*
Harry sat nervously down in the common room waiting for Hermione to appear. Jen was sitting next to him in Ginny's form. Ginny herself had departed a few minutes ago back up into the girl's dormitories carrying Harry's wrapped birthday gift.
Parvati and Lavender came down the steps and came over to Harry and Jen.
"Harry, was the timber box from you?" asked Parvati.
"Yes, it's a portable writing desk."
"Well, Hermione obviously liked it," said Lavender smiling. "We left her in hysterics!"
Harry grinned. He had been collecting and translating jokes and amusing sayings into runic for ages. Every single surface of the writing desk was covered, including the insides of the tiny drawers.
"We take it the runes actually mean something?" asked Parvati with a small smile.
"Maybe," said Harry.
"Shame only Hermione can read them! Well, we're going down to breakfast. See you later, Jen."
The girl's dormitory door opened and Hermione skipped through and down the stairs. She looked very red in the face and grinned widely at Harry as soon as she saw him.
"You liked it then?"
"Thank you, Harry. It is simply wonderful. You made it, didn't you?"
Harry smiled and nodded.
"Hagrid helped me rather a lot."
Hermione reached up and kissed him tenderly on his cheek.
"Thank you, Harry," she breathed.
She was intoxicating. Harry closed his eyes and breathed in her scent. Unfortunately, this wasn't quite the experience he was hoping for. Eyes watering, he resisted the impulse to cough for as long as he could.
"Um, sorry about that," she said apologetically. "I thought I should wear Ron's present, as he was kind enough to give me some again."
Harry's first thought was one of concern for Hermione's skin. His second was for her new writing desk. He was sure that perfume would make short work of the varnish.
Harry wiped his eyes and saw Jen grinning at him.
"Happy Birthday, Hermione!" she said. "Go on, Harry, tell her about the trunk!"
"Trunk?"
Harry tried to speak, but the perfume had somehow affected his vocal cords. After a short coughing fit, he realised Jen was telling Hermione all about it.
"Harry has arranged for all the trunks to be sent to Hogsmeade and you'll all collect them on Saturday. He's even got everyone special permission to go there too!"
*
Harry looked forward to his Saturday sessions with Dumbledore more and more, although often they would just sit and talk.
It was clear that Dumbledore wanted Harry's trust and had decided to be as open with him as possible. Harry would listen to Dumbledore's stories of his past and when they touched on a new magical curse or spell, Harry would ask to try it.
Harry learned to become aware when Dumbledore was performing Legilimency on him, even though he was much less invasive than Snape had ever been. Harry marvelled that the Headmaster could chat happily about nothing and yet effortlessly interrogate his mind at the same time.
Under Dumbledore's tutelage, Harry found his could consciously block attempts to perform Legilimency on him. He also began to control what images came forward, although he wasn't very good at producing false images yet.
Dumbledore would also allow Harry to practise Legilimency on him. Harry was sure that the Headmaster controlled what he was allowed to see but was never angry when Harry went deeper. Dumbledore's surprise at being forced to relive some of his memories was nothing to Harry's shock at seeing them. All manner of beasts and sights flashed before him.
Only twice did Dumbledore break the link by force: in one vision Harry had seen a terrifying figure with angry dark red eyes advancing on him. It was not Voldemort. Who was this? The second appeared to cause Dumbledore far more pain. A group of young children playing happily in a garden. They were wearing Victorian clothes.
Harry had guided Dumbledore back to a chair and Fawkes flew to him. After a few moments Dumbledore came back to himself and apologised but said he would not tell Harry anything about those particular memories.
When he left that afternoon, Harry was sure that those children had been more than students and something truly awful had happened to them.