Disclaimer: Alright all the Harry Potter characters belong to J.K. Rowlings, except for the plot, Zara, Jewel, Enrique, Jasmine, Ulrich, Torrin, Alina,, Leelee, Kai, Finley and Orvin. Those are mine. So please don't sue me because I don't have anything
Chapter 11-The Secret Is Out.
He knocked on the door, waiting for someone to answer it. The door opened and there she stood, her beautiful ruby red hair glistening in the light of the moon. He saw her smile but it soon faded.
"Ulrich what are you doing here?" She glanced down at her toes.
"I couldn't stay away Alina, I had to see you." Ulrich tried to smile. "May I come in?"
Alina nodded and opened the door wider for him to enter her small house. She closed the door after him.
"I don't care what my father says, I love you and he will not keep me from you."
Her arms crossed hugging herself, "Ulrich you should just make it easy on yourself, you should choose Jasmine, it's what your father wants for you. That's what he told me."
"I don't want Jasmine, she doesn't want me. My father knows that, but he is determined to make sure that she is married into our family, he desires her himself." Ulrich shivered, poor Jasmine he thought to himself.
"That's horrible, but you would defy your father just to be with me? He is evil Ulrich, he scares me so much. I don't ever want to anger him who knows what he would do. I heard what he said and did at the council meeting, Kai told me all about it."
"I have a feeling Jasmine will be alright, she doesn't fear my father. She's probably only one of the few who doesn't."
"I wish I were more like her, she has so much courage always standing up for what she thinks is right. I can't see why you don't fancy her."
"I don't fancy her at all. I mean It's not that I don't care about Jasmine Alina, I do you know that. I have found a certain respect for her. Whatever she decides to do I will be at her side, just like you, Kai, and Torrin would."
"Torrin suspects you have feelings for Jasmine." She met his gaze directly.
Ulrich scoffed, "well Torrin is a jealous fool when others are merely friends with his Jasmine."
Alina laughed a little knowing how true that was, "yes I know." She turned from Ulrich.
Ulrich went to her, lightly holding her upper arms he turned her gently to face him. "Alina don't fear my father, I will protect you and keep you safe. You trust me don't you?" He saw her nod. Ulrich wrapped his arms carefully around her, pulling her to him.- Draco turned over opening his eyes, he sat up running his hand through his light hair.
Draco was pleased in convincing Ginny to keep their relationship a secret and it was really working out great. After a refreshing shower he dressed and headed to breakfast. He walked through the great hall with the usual snobby look on his face heading towards his table. Once there he sat down turning slightly looking over at the Gryffindor table. He saw Ron talking with Zara, his brother Fred or was it George he could never tell the difference between the two. Well, one of them was trying to get Ron's attention.
He then looked at Harry who was talking with Hermione, she seemed really interested into what he was saying. Draco saw Harry's hand on Hermione's under the table. He scanned the table more and found Ginny, their gaze connected. He noticed she averted her eyes quickly. Draco then gave his attention to his breakfast.
After Ginny finished her meal and she stood up from the table, she smiled down at her friends and walked out of the great hall.
Draco then finished his breakfast not as quickly as he wanted to, he wanted to go be with Ginny but he had to wait awhile so that it didn't look to fishy that he would be leaving the great hall following after her. When it didn't look like anyone would notice, Draco took his leave of the Great Hall. As he walked towards the doors he could feel Ginny's brother Ron's eye upon him, glaring.
Ron saw that no good Malfoy go through the doors and was glad when he was out of site. "One of these days, he's gonna pay. And pay dearly."
"Ron what are you going on about?" Harry looked up from his plate at his friend.
"If Malfoy even thinks about touching my sister, I will cut of his head and use it as a Quaffle in our next Quidditch practice."
Zara burst into heavy laughter, "I could just see you doing that too."
The whole table practically roared with laughter, after hearing what Ron had said. After the noise settled a bit Ron returned to his food. He felt Zara staring at him. Ron turned and stared directly at her. "Zara, do you want to say something?"
"I was just wondering what you people are going to do for Christmas break, that's all?" She looked between the three of them.
Ron looked at his friends, "well I was probably just going to stay here this year, nothing to exciting happens at home for me." He then looked at Harry and he knew he usually stayed, but now that he was living with Sirius he probably wanted to go home for the holidays.
Harry thought a moment, "I'll probably go home this year."
"Yeah me too" Hermione said, "I usually always go home. It's a good time for me to get quality studying done.
"Boy you people have dull lives during the holidays." She half teased half insulted. Zara pointed a bit at Hermione, "all you do is study at school, and you're going to go home and do more studying? I find that very unacceptable. Holidays are a time to let loose and have fun. So that's why I'm asking you. Would you three like to come home with me during the Christmas break?"
"With you? Where do you live?" Hermione asked.
"I live in the most romantic city in the world, The City By The Bay. The wonderful, the only, San Francisco California. It's the greatest place ever." Zara beamed with pride when she talked about her home.
Ron had never heard of such a place. He, Harry and Hermione huddled together to discuss it. "What do you two think, should we go?"
Hermione nodded, "I have always wanted to go to San Francisco, my family and I have been to New York and that was pretty amazing." She looked at Harry.
"It could be fun, I have never really traveled anywhere before. The Dursleys would always leave me with that blasted Mrs. Figg and her many cats. What a nightmare." Harry cringed at just the thought of that.
"I suppose it would be better than going to my boring home for the holidays." Ron said quietly. He lifted his head, "Okay Zara we will go home with you."
"Good because I already owled ma telling her to expect guests." She smirked.
"Boy you can be pretty forward, you didn't even ask you just assumed?" Ron said.
"Yep, I'm pretty good at assuming that you guys would want to come home with me. And I was right." Zara gloated with a huge smile on her face.
****
Hermione and Harry were running down the corridor towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, they were late. Hermione had never been late for a class in her whole life, she felt a little inadequate.
"Harry I think you're a bad influence on me, I have never been late before." She said with a smirk.
"Nah I'm not a bad influence, it'll do you some good to be late. It builds character."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "well just as long as I don't have explain why we are late you said we had plenty of time and not to worry."
They reached the classroom door before Harry had a time to respond.
"We will just have to continue this discussion later." Hermione said opening the classroom door.
"We'll just forget about this conversation in an hour or so," Harry replied knowing that most of their to be continued conversations never came up again. As soon as they stepped one foot in the class room all the students heads turned looking up at them followed by professor Arlene Wilkinson.
"Well I'm glad to see you two have decided to make an appearance in class" Arlene crossed her arms in front of her chest, "would you like to share with us why you two are late?" She said.
Harry hated Wilkinson, she reminded him so much of Snape. Probably a relation of his.
Harry looked at Hermione and then at the professor, "we were studying and lost track of time." He said hopefully with a convincing smile.
Arlene looked between the two of them not convinced at all, "what were you studying, each other?" She said with a smirk seeing their faces increasing in color and hearing the gasps and laughter from the other students. "Go take your seats, I'll let it slide this time, but don't ever be late for my class again. Do you understand?"
Harry went and sat down in his seat next to Ron while Hermione went to the other side of the classroom and sat in her seat next to Parvati.
Ron leaned over to speak quietly to Harry, "So what were you two studying, certain intriguing body parts?" He smirked.
He turned to his friend, "could have been, but I'm not going to say." Harry then looked up at the front of the class watching the professor move back and forth talking about how to defend yourself against vampire's mind control.
"Why not?"
"Some things are just better left unsaid." He continued watching the professor.
"Boy you two are sure being secretive all of a sudden." Ron sounded hurt.
Harry looked at Ron this time, "look some things should just be between Hermione and me, it's not entirely a new concept to have a little privacy."
"You can have your privacy. But just tell me are you two, I mean have you two, you know?" He said.
"If I tell you will you promise not to ask me ever again?"
"Yes." Ron said with a smile.
"No we haven't yet. There are you happy now?" Harry looked back up the front of the classroom.
Ron nodded, but he didn't look happy. He wanted to hear good stuff, so he was a bit disappointed.
Arlene looked around the classroom, "alright students, time to read your essays on mind control. I will call you off one at a time. You will stand up and give essays." Arlene looked around the classroom and called Parvati's name first. "alright Miss Patil, you may go first." She said with a smile.
Parvati stood with regret, "I don't have my essay done yet, could I pass and read my essay Friday. I just need another night or two to work on it."
Arlene nodded her head while Parvati sat down in her seat, Arlene looked to Hermione next, "alright Miss Granger please rise and give your essay." She smiled
Hermione nodded and stood she looked down at her paper, she cleared her throat to speak and looked up. "I wrote my essay on-" She took a deep breath, "the Orb or Ereena."
Arlene stood straight, "the Orb of Ereena?" she asked just to make sure.
Hermione nodded continuing to read her paper, "The Orb of Ereena is one of the worst forms of mind control, it leads you to believe what you fear most will happen. It first grabs hold of your mind by making you watch it constantly, soon after awhile you start to doubt yourself and everyone around you, pushing you into a horrible depression. Eventually through time and time of watching and fearing yourself, the orb will cause you to take your own life, as it would have been the only option, the only way out. I should know, I've experienced it."
Arlene stood astounded, "how did you come to have the Orb of Ereena in your possession?"
Hermione looked to the floor for a moment then back up at the professor, "I came by it on accident." She lied.
"Oh no you did not. Someone has to give it to you or it won't work. Someone wanted to control you. Who was it, who gave it to you?"
"Why should it matter who gave it to me? I don't have it anymore." Hermione said
Arlene looked at Hermione and the rest of the class, "The Orb of Ereena is not to be taken lightly. It is serious, very serious. It is mainly used to break down your defenses to make you easy to control, when you doubt yourself completely the person or being that wants to control you takes the orb away, you become a slave. You no longer have your own mind." She then looked at Hermione with a tender smile, "you are probably very fortunate, whoever gave this orb is evil. I don't know why you are trying to protect someone who would wish you harm."
She looked at the rest of the class, "The Orb of Ellia is it's exact opposite. It's twin. I mean why not both orbs were made by twin sisters, an evil twin and the good twin. The Orb of Ellia counter acts what the Orb of Ereena did. It lifts your spirits, makes you feel complete and powerful. I'm sure if Miss Granger here waited any longer to return the orb to it's owner, she would have had to find the Orb or Ellia to counter act the mind control. And you are lucky because as far as I know, that orb was destroyed along time ago.
Hermione handed her paper to the professor without saying another word.
Arlene looked directly into Hermione's eyes, "who gave it to you?"
"I don't know, a stranger gave it to me." She whispered. For the rest of the class Hermione did not say another word.
As the class was letting out Arlene asked Hermione to stick around for a moment.
Hermione nodded as her friends came up to her, she turned to both Ron and Harry, "I have to stay, but you two can go to dinner if you want. I'll be there shortly." She smiled
"We can wait for you if you want?" Harry asked with a pleasant smile.
"It might be awhile, she probably wants me to tell her who gave me the orb."
"Why don't you then, Malfoy will probably be expelled." Ron said with glee.
"Yeah Hermione then all our problems would be over." Harry replied.
Hermione was about to speak when Arlene called for Hermione, "you two can go, I'll meet up with you later" She started towards the professor, while Harry and Ron started towards the great hall for dinner. Half way down the stairs the spotted Malfoy talking with his goons. They both saw Malfoy looking up at the both of them when Crabbe and Goyle left him alone.
Ron still wanted to rip his head off, "one of these days I'm gonna kill him."
Harry noticed that he was very serious.
"You don't have the guts to kill me Weasley." Draco shouted up to them glaring.
"Is that so, if you go near my sister you will see first hand that I do have the guts to kill you." Ron heard Draco laughing at him, he and Harry walked down to stairs to face him.
"What so funny?" Ron glared.
"Your sister?" He laughed "what would I want with that disgusting little wench." He really didn't like saying that at all, it hurt for those words to come out. But he had to act like nothing was different.
"Well it's a good thing you feel that way Malfoy," Ron said with a smirk.
"So where's Granger? I assumed she was always following you two around like a little lost puppy." He asked with a smirk.
Harry crossed his arms over his chest glaring at Draco, "she's talking to Professor Wilkinson, probably about that orb you gave her."
"So you know about the orb do you?" Draco glared back, "tell me how did you find out,? She was suppose to keep it a secret or I would take my payment from her if she spilled the beans. And I know how much she hated that idea and she would never tell."
"It doesn't matter how we found out. She ended up telling me about it anyway, after I already knew." Harry said.
Ron glared remembering the night they got the information from her head about the orb.
Draco saw her coming from the top of the stairs and he decided to cause a little trouble. "You must have used some kind of spell on Granger to get her to tell you about the orb. What did you use?"
"And why would we tell you what we used, so that you can go and use it on some other innocent student." Ron said almost not able to control his temper.
Draco could see that Hermione's face was twisting with thought and anger as she was walking slowly towards them. She was definitely listening to what was being said. Draco looked at Harry again, "so you used a mind control spell or was it a potion on Granger?"
"Stop asking about it, we're not going to say." Harry said "whatever we used it allowed is to get into her head and find out what you were up to."
Hermione was standing directly behind Harry and Ron, glaring and feeling so very betrayed that her friends went into her head without her consent.
Harry and Ron didn't even know that she was standing there. Draco pointed a bit alerting to Harry that someone was behind him. Draco leaned in closer, "I think she heard you" and with a smirk he turned and walked away.
Both Harry and Ron turned to find the very angry gaze of their friend, both of them didn't know what to say, they just stared at her.
"Y-you went into my head?" She said with controlled anger which was not holding up very well. "How could you do that?" Her eyes were swelling with tears. "Both of you had no right. It's my head, my thoughts."
Harry stepped towards her and she jumped back away, almost as if she were afraid of him. His heart dropped into his feet. All he could do was stare after he saw that.
"You stay away from me," she forced out, her voice strained. "You two are supposed to be my friends." Hermione looked at Ron now.
"Herm we are your friends," Ron was very sincere. But he could see she didn't believe anything that he said, probably would never believe anything that he ever said again. Ron took a small glance at Harry who was looking very distraught and then back at Hermione.
"No you're not," Hermione was furious. "Friends would not have forced their way into your head, in a way you are no different than Malfoy and what he did to me. You two controlled my mind to get information out of me." She wondered if she could ever trust them again. "You put me, your friend under a spell. Maybe if I go and tattle on Malfoy I should on both of you too." She glared at both of them, her betrayed and angry tears spilling out onto her cheeks. Hermione didn't want to hear what they said, whatever came out of their mouths would probably be lies. She started backing away from them and turned heading as fast as she could up towards the tower.
Harry and Ron just stared up at the stairs that Hermione had gone up, Harry wanted to go up after her and explain, he stepped towards the stairs but Ron grabbed his arm. "we should let her alone, she's really upset with us. We are lucky she didn't hex us right here and now."
Not really wanting to listen to his friend, Harry decided it was the best thing to do. He and Ron turned and went into the Great Hall for dinner.
Sitting down at their table Zara scooted over next to them, she noticed they were a person short.
"Hey where's Hermione?" She asked looking around the hall for her. She turned to the seat next to her and asked Ginny the same thing who didn't know either, Ginny got up from the table and walked out of the Great Hall.
Harry glancing down at his empty plate he didn't feel much like eating anything, he knew what he had done was so terribly wrong, and he didn't blame her if she never wanted to speak to him again. He didn't even hear what Ron and Zara were talking about until he felt a tapping on his shoulder, he turned to see Zara looking concerned.
"She found out did she?"
All he could do was nod and he looked over at Ron. "I really should go and talk to her."
"Actually what you should do," Zara said. "Is leave her alone for awhile, she probably needs time to think."
"That's what Ron said, but I still feel-"
Zara cut him off, "listen to me I know a lot about these things, I'm a girl after all. I know how she must be feeling, give her a little time." Zara said with a delicate smile
It was half past nine when Zara and Harry walked up the stairs to the girls dorm, "okay you wait here by the door and I'll go in and talk to her first." Zara opened the door and walked inside closing it behind her, she saw Hermione lying on her bed in a white shirt and cotton plaid shorts turned towards the window. Her hand lifted probably still wiping away tears Zara thought.
"Hermione?" Zara asked softly, walking over to Hermione's bed slowly.
Hermione sat up still in the direction of the window, "what do you want?"
"To talk to you about what happened."
"I don't want to talk about it." Hermione said.
"Yes you do, I know you want too. You just don't want to talk about it with your friends."
"Friends? Ha, what friends?" Hermione's voice quivered through her tears.
"Ron and Harry, your best friends." Zara sat down next to Hermione.
"They are not my friends," Hermione sighed and glanced down into her lap. "They just proved it."
"Yes they are Hermione, or else they would not have done that."
Hermione's head snapped up, she couldn't help the glare in her eyes as she looked at Zara. "There is no excuse to go into someone's head and take control of their mind and force them to give information. No matter what."
"That may be true and I did tell them it was a bad idea. But what option did you leave them? They were so concerned about you. It proves that they were willing to do anything to help you, even risk loosing your friendship." Zara said "Doesn't that count for something? They are really sorry Hermione. You have no idea how sorry."
Hermione looked at Zara and then back into her lap. "How am I ever supposed to trust them again? Either Ron or-" She took in a breath, "Harry." She turned away from Zara, "how could he do that to me?"
Zara searched her thoughts and took a breath "He was honestly trying to help you, there is a great difference between what he did and what Draco Malfoy did. What Harry did, it was out of love for you not trying to control you." Zara knew she was getting through to her, "in just the short amount of time that I've known you and Harry, there is nothing that he wouldn't do or sacrifice for you. Don't shut him out just because he was trying to help you, you are so close to being happy do you really want to throw it all away?" Zara stood "he wants to talk to you, he's waiting out the door right now." She looked towards the door, "should I let him come in?"
Hermione thought a moment and then nodded, she continued to look into her lap as Zara walked towards the door.
Zara opened the door and saw Harry practically jump away from the wall, "well she's all yours now." Zara smiled. She stepped out of the room and Harry walked in. "Good luck." She said and she saw Harry close the door.
Harry turned around seeing Hermione sitting on the edge of her bed, her head hanging down. He could feel his heart still in his feet as he looked at her, "Hermione I am so very sorry."
"Are you?" She said without turning. "Why are you sorry? Is it because I found out what you did, and that you are sorry that you got caught?"
"No." He glanced to the floor briefly before slowly moving over to where Hermione was sitting. He stepped in front of her but she did not lift her head, it was still lowered. "I'm sorry for even doing that, I knew it was wrong. And I would understand if you never trusted me again."
Hermione looked up at him this time "why then, if you knew it was wrong why did you go into my mind?"
Harry looked directly into her eyes "You were suffering Hermione, I felt so helpless not being able to-" He sat down next to her "you are the most important person to me, when you are suffering I feel it too. I had to do something and I'm sorry I couldn't think of another way." He saw her searching him, his eyes, his soul, wondering if it was the truth.
He's telling the truth she thought to herself. Hermione saw that he was truly sorry and yes he invaded her mind, but only to help her. Maybe she did overreact a little. If she would have just told him in the beginning what was going on, he would never have even thought about putting that truth spell on her. "Harry just don't ever do that again." She said firmly but quietly.
His arms went immediately around her, he was almost afraid he would never be able to hold her again. The way she looked at him earlier was heart crushing, he never wanted to see that look on her face ever again. He felt her arms go around his waist and her head lean against his chest, she just felt so good holding her in his arms he didn't want to move.
They just sat there in the silence of the room he knew that time was passing and that it was getting late. Harry lifted his chin off of Hermione's forehead, "Hermione I'm going to go now okay?"
Her arms tightened, "no."
Harry made a tiny laughing sound, "I have to go." He tried to pull her arms from around him, but she was persistent and he was not going to get away.
"You can stay in here with me, I don't want you to go."
"Hermione what about your roommates?" He glanced down at the top of her head.
"They can't have you, all mine." And her arms tightened.
He made another tiny laugh "alright, I know when to give up."
Hermione pulled back the covers on her bed and sat down while Harry removed his shoes and climbed in next to her. He removed his glasses setting them on the nightstand next to her bed. Hermione leaned her head upon his chest as his arms came around her, the soft and gentle beat of his heart lulled her into sleep- She was on top of her bed lying on her stomach writing on a piece of parchment, she lifted her head looking back at him who had his head resting on her bare back, he was eating a bunch of grapes. "Torrin I don't know if they are even going to listen to me. Slytherin seems to have their ear and what ever he says is right." She looked down at her parchment again.
Torrin lifted his head off of her sitting up he ran his hand through his dark hair, "If you want my honesty Jasmine, you don't stand a chance against the council and Slytherin. But don't worry I have a plan."
Jasmine sat up wrapping the sheet around her bosom, "a plan, Torrin what are you doing? You can not defy the council's decision."
"They are not going to put you to death without answering to me." He said heroically causing Jasmine to break into laughter. He glanced at her oddly, "what's so funny?"
She shook her head, "how are you going to stop them?" there was still a tiny hint of laughter in her voice.
"Well if spells won't subdue them then the second plan will come into action. The surprise attack."
"Surprise attack?" Jasmine shook her head.
"Yes the surprise attack. Ulrich, Kai and Alina have agreed to help me if it comes down to that."
"Ulrich is going to help me, he is going to go against his father to help me?" She didn't believe that for a moment.
Torrin nodded his head, "yes he is."
"Torrin, I am not afraid to die for what I believe in. I will not give the scepter to them, The people will have their freedoms and I will die fighting for their rights if I have to."
"They will not take you from me Jasmine, I will not let them." He lifted a hand caressing her cheek.
She lowered her eyes from his "you have no control over what they do Torrin."
Torrin lifted his other hand holding her face he saw her look up at him, "I mean it Jasmine they will not take you." He was staring directly into her eyes "Trust me Jasmine, you will not die."
"I trust you Torrin."
He smiled briefly before he leaned in pressing his lips against hers-"Zara he can't be in here." Harry heard whispering and woke from his sleep, he kept his eyes closed as if he were still asleep.
"It will be fine, he's already asleep so it doesn't really matter." Zara said
Harry heard more grumbling and complaining but it soon stopped and the room was silent again. Harry opened his eyes, the moonlight was pouring in through the window. He looked at Hermione who was sleeping soundly. He smiled briefly moving her hair away from her face and lightly kissing her forehead. He settled back against the pillow and closed his eyes to try and go back to sleep.
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Fooled you all with the secret huh? J Stay tuned for Chapter 12-California here we come. Please Read and Review thanks, Ryoko