Title: Jealously and Good Intentions
Author: Michelle
Status: Unfinished
Disclaimer: All rights belong to J.K. Rowling and her publishers. No copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter Six
"Erm - Hi Jim." Hermione said sporting a telling blush. There was a very awkward silence where no one spoke but Jim kept glancing back and forth between Harry and Hermione.
"Look, Jim…this isn't what it looks like. Hermione and I, we're best friends. We were just having a pillow fight and I fell on top of her." Harry finished with a straight face. Jim's face softened and he looked at Hermione with a smile. He walked to her and put his arms around her. Harry stood awkwardly as Jim brushed some feathers out of her hair. As Hermione stood up on her tiptoes for a kiss Harry cleared his throat loudly. Jim looked over at him with a smirk.
"Well, are we going to do this or what?" Hermione asked leading the way out of the room. The two boys followed her out the door into the living room.
"Jim, do you want something to drink?" She asked politely.
"Sure." He said looking around at the pictures on the walls. Hermione came back with a glass of water in her hand and handed it to him.
"Okay, wait here. I need to change and get some…things." And with that she ran up the stairs and closed her bedroom door.
"Nothing happened." Harry confirmed leaning back into the couch. Jim sat down beside Harry but said nothing. No one spoke until Hermione came back down the stairs.
"So are you two getting along?" She asked brightly. Harry made a noise but it couldn't be interpreted as either a yes or a no.
"Well, if we're going to go we need to go now. My parents think I'm on a date with Jim and Harry's going for a walk." She said as she laced up her trainers. Harry scowled.
"Well, I guess we should be going." Jim said standing up. Harry stood up and followed Hermione and Jim out the door.
"So, what exactly is the plan?" Jim asked.
"Well, we're going back to the Dursleys to get some of Harry's stuff." Hermione said choosing her words wisely. Jim looked skeptical.
"Something so important we have to get it now?" He asked.
"Jim…" Hermione was cut off by Harry pulling her to the side.
"He doesn't know?" Harry whispered. Hermione didn't answer. "You can't tell him what we are. Hermione, how do you know you can trust him? You can't just go around telling people these things." Harry finished looking Hermione straight in the eye.
"Harry, I trust him, okay? I think if he's going to help us he deserves to know the truth." She said simply.
"Not yet." Harry said having no real intention of Jim ever finding out. Hermione nodded in agreement.
"What exactly are we getting, then?" Jim asked again. Without even glancing over at Harry, Hermione answered.
"We're getting a wand." Hermione said. Jim laughed loudly. Harry just stood there, not believing what had just come out of Hermione's mouth.
"No, really." Jim said, still smiling from before. Hermione just smirked as a cab pulled up beside them, ending the conversation. Hermione ducked inside.
"Where to, then?" The cab driver asked.
"Drop us around the corner from number 4 Privet Drive. That's in Surrey." She said as Jim and Harry slid into the backseat beside her. Harry thought of all the bad ways that conversation could have gone. He guessed that this way, Jim wouldn't be mad at Hermione for lying and he didn't really believe her now. So all was good.
Harry watched out the window as the cab drove past houses upon houses. He wasn't sure exactly where Hermione lived or how far away from the Dursleys he was. He looked up at the cab driver who turned and winked at him. It was Stan Shunpike. Harry was sure his jaw was on the floor but he quickly turned to Hermione for an answer.
"I called in a favor." Hermione said whispering in his ear. "How else do you think we could have gotten this far this fast? Also, I planned the whole "We're getting a wand" thing perfectly so Stan would appear at the right time." She said in a normal voice. Harry was simply amazed at how smart Hermione was sometimes. He had to agree with Ron, even though he couldn't talk to him, that Hermione was a bit scary. Harry heard a thud on the other side of the cab. Jim was clearly unconscious.
"What did you do to him?" Harry asked, actually concerned. He hated his `saving people thing'.
"Remember the water?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded. Of course he remembered. Hermione had offered Jim something to drink and not him. Now he knew why, but it still annoyed him.
They pulled up in front of a house not to far away from the Dursleys. It was still light out but it was cloudy and looked like it was going to rain. Harry and Hermione got out of the cab and then pulled Jim out and laid him on the grass hoping that no one was watching.
"Thanks, Stan. How did you manage Jim seeing the cab, also, the cab not being the bus?" Hermione asked, clearly interested in learning something new.
"Let's just say I had a lot of help." And with that Stan sped away, the cab transforming back into a bus just as it turned out of sight.
Harry and Hermione turned around just as Jim was waking up. He rubbed his head and sat up.
"What happened?" Jim asked, confused that he was laying on the ground.
"You tripped when you got out of the cab." Hermione said without any sign that she was lying at all. It was a bit unnerving.
"Oh… Well, what are we doing now?" He asked standing up, but swaying a bit.
"Well, I guess we'll wait until you're a bit more…lucid and then you'll go in and distract the Dursleys while Harry and I slip inside." Hermione said, sitting on the curb.
"Okay, but you never told me what we were getting that was so important." He said. Harry looked at Hermione who didn't look like she had any idea what to say.
"Oh, we're getting a book. It's overdue." Harry said simply. Hermione laughed but turned it into a cough before Jim noticed. Normally people would have noticed the `too obvious for comfort' things that Harry and Hermione were saying, but Jim was a little out-of-it, which was probably good, given the circumstances.
After a while Jim was starting to comprehend things better and Hermione decided that it was time to get going with the plan.
"Okay, Jim, you need to keep the Dursleys distracted while Harry and I sneak in the back door. There is a back door, right Harry?" Harry nodded. "Okay, we're counting on you, Jim." Hermione gave him a kiss and pulled Harry around the side of the house. They peaked around the corner as Jim rang the doorbell. Mr. Dursley answered.
"Petunia, Dudley, we have a guest!" They heard Vernon yell to the others. They made their move. Hermione pulled a bobby pin out of her hair and expertly picked the lock with her ear up to the door. Harry stood, shocked at Hermione's recent behavior. She seemed really different than he ever remembered her. But she was still Hermione, and still his friend. Hermione must have seen the bewildered look on Harry's face.
"I read." She said. That was enough on an explanation for Harry. She must have read every book in her local library before Hogwarts and they surely had a book about picking locks. They tip-toed in the door and surveyed the kitchen they were standing the middle of. They saw all three of the Dursleys at the door talking to Jim. He saw them and stopped talking for a moment.
Hermione's eyes widened as they all three turned around. Harry pulled her out of the way just in time. Hermione screamed in reaction to the sudden movement from Harry. Hermione looked into his eyes as if saying `I'm so sorry.' They turned around to see… no one. They looked around the kitchen but no one was there. Confused, but realizing how fortunate they were Harry looked around the corner and saw that Jim must have somehow gotten them outside. Breathing long sighs of relief they got to work. Harry ran upstairs and Hermione started on the cupboard.
Harry got to his bedroom door and wasn't surprised to find that it was locked. He reached into his pocket to find Hermione's wand. Always the clever witch she was. He whispered `alohamora' and the door shattered open. Harry didn't have time to think much of it but hoped it wasn't too loud. He grabbed Hedwig's cage taking in her appearance. He had only been gone two days, but two days without food and water had taken its toll on her. Her once beautiful feathers looked dull. He turned to grab the important things out of his trunk.
First he grabbed his pictures and put them in a ragged backpack from the closet. He grabbed his photo album from first year and his picture of his parents dancing. He grabbed his invisibility cloak and stuffed it in. He figured that anything else wasn't vital to get now. He pulled the backpack over his shoulders and carried Hedwig out the shattered door. Once more he whispered the spell to unlock Hedwig's cage which promptly melted away as Hedwig flew onto Harry's shoulder.
Harry started down the stairs to see the Dursley's walking in the door. Luckily they didn't notice Harry, but their sights were on another at the side of the stairs. Hermione backed slowly out of the cupboard but didn't look shocked. He looked angry.
"What are you doing in my house? You're one of Potter's freaky little friends aren't you?" Vernon asked accusingly. He started towards her but was surprised (as anyone would be) when he flew backwards into the wall. Hermione walked towards them as he got up.
"You locked him in that little cupboard for eleven years? You let your son beat on him when he was just a defenseless little boy." Hermione looked at them with disgust in her eyes. Harry stood at the top of the stairs, ready in case she needed back-up…which he doubted.
"He is an awful piece of dirt that was dumped on our doorstep. We didn't even want him. We gave him the food off our table and a roof over his head." Petunia countered.
"You think that justifies starving him and keeping him away form people who love him?" Hermione asked, though she didn't look like she wanted an answer. "And you…" She trailed off walking closer to Dudley. He trembled. "What do you have to say for yourself?" She asked.
"I…you….don't…hurt…me…" He pleaded. Hermione raised him off the floor about a foot and then let him fall. "You aren't even worth it. With what Harry's gone through you'd think that he would be just as awful as you. But look," she pointed up the stairs. "He has grown into a great wizard and an even better person. So I guess I should say thank you for not raising him to be a snot-nosed, spoiled little brat like your own son." Hermione finished. Harry walked down the stairs and passed a shocked group of Dursleys. He stood beside Hermione who suddenly had her wand in her hand. Vernon looked like he was coming to his senses and looked very smug.
"Looking for this?" He asked, holding up Harry's wand. "You'll never get…" He stopped short as the wand flew out of his hand with alarming speed into Hermione's hand. She handed it to Harry who pointed it at them.
"Now, move." Hermione said forcefully. They flattened against the wall, revealing a very confused and very scared looking Jim.
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