Unofficial Portkey Archive

A/N: The legend of Face Rock is real. If interested, you can find both the rock and legend at the bottom of the page found here…http://www.spectacularoregon.com/coast/south/bandon.htm

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Realizations

"Harry?" He heard Tanya call out. "Is everything all right?"

Harry gazed at the photo for a second longer. "Later," he said to it as he carefully set it back down on the night table. "Soon," he promised. Reluctantly he walked toward the bedroom door to meet Tanya.

He opened the door only to discover that she was standing just on the other side, preparing to knock. "Sorry," she gasped, lowering her hand and jumping back. "You scared me," she added, laughing timorously.

"No problem," he said bleakly. Not really having heard a word she said, he began to walk past her. "You ready?"

Tanya eyed him for a moment and then reached for his arm, turning him around to face her. "Harry, what's wrong?" she asked as she studied him closely. "What is it? Are you all right?"

Harry closed his eyes and took an exaggerated breath before placing his hand over hers and affording her a half-hearted smile. "I'm fine, thanks," he softly replied. He released her hand and began to walk down the hallway toward the living room. "Or, I will be anyway," he added in a whisper.

Harry led her to the front door, opened it and stepped aside, allowing her to exit first. He looked back at his pile of art paper before he closed the door and locked it behind him, instantly regretting his decision to leave 'Hermione' behind. He didn't hear the phone ring as he took the first step down the porch toward Tanya and her waiting car.

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Hermione had cried herself to sleep as she clutched Harry's letters tightly in her hand. She hadn't read his real letter, but she'd read the beautiful things he'd written in his ramblings. Before sleep claimed her, her thoughts were scrambled in her head and nothing had made sense. In waking, everything seemed to make less sense than it ever had before, and that realization terrified her.

The letter she'd written to him had been jumbled and scattered as she'd tried to write down the millions of thoughts that had been racing through her head following the talk with her mum. But that was nothing compared to the way her thoughts raced now.

She awoke hours later and looked at the clock…2:33am. She blinked her blurry, tear-stained eyes and flipped on the bedroom lamp, blinking rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness. She stood and stretched, her muscles aching from being curled into the window seat for so long. She shook her legs, trying to regain her circulation, and then she looked again at the papers she held in her hand.

He loves you.

He never said that.

Not in so many words, but it's obvious that he does.

"That's only what I wish for," she replied in a whispered response. "Only how I want it to be."

She sat back down on the window seat and rifled through the letters. As she did, she found herself longing to hold his hand in a storm, or to sit beside him on an ocean rock as the water splashed around them, drenching them with its spray as they laughed like carefree children. Or to walk beside him on the beach watching in silent wonder as their footsteps disappeared in the healing sand.

Tears reached her eyes as she read through Harry's thoughts about being together in a storm.

I wish you were here to watch with me. I wonder what you'd think of it. Would you be scared? If you were, would your hand in mine bring you comfort? I think that's important, don't you? Finding someone who can offer you comfort when you're scared or companionship when you're lonely.

Lonely…that's a lonely word isn't it?

Without conscious thought, she began to answer him in her head…

I wish you were here to watch with me ~ Me too

I wonder what you'd think of it ~ I'd think it beautiful so long as you were there with me

Would you be scared ~ Not with you beside me

Would your hand in mind bring you comfort ~ As much as yours in mine would bring comfort to you

I think that's important, don't you ~ Yes…it's what we've always done. It's all I know

Lonely…that's a lonely word isn't it ~

"It gets lonelier all the time," she whispered aloud.

Of what she'd read, the one page that touched her most was the one describing his walk on the beach. She could feel his heartache when she read it. She could feel the pain of his past and how much he wanted to let go of it so he could live his future. It was those thoughts she knew could bring him the most healing.

I watched as the sand on the beach seemed to heal itself today. Footprints, the only evidence of my existence within that infinitesimal space of time, vanished behind me almost immediately as I continued my journey across its surface. Is that what life is like? As we move forward, do the traces of what we left behind disappear? Are they forgotten? If so, how quickly? Do the things we step on along the way heal as quickly as the beach did today? What then are we left with, when all we have is before us and yesterday lies forgotten?

I don't want to look back. There's so little in my past that I want to remember…so little worth remembering at this point. My healing will take longer then the sand, I know that, the question now is…Will it come in time? And, will it be as complete as the healing sand or will there always be an outline, a shadow, or a trace to remind me?

I'm feeling melancholy now. Saddened by all that I've seen…yet emboldened by all that I haven't. So much more lies ahead then what could ever be left behind. I just have to find the path that gets me there. So many questions and so few answers…and now I wonder-

Do I really have to find them alone? I've always thought so…until now.

"Let me help you, Harry," she softly pleaded as she slowly ran her finger across his words. "You don't have to do this alone. You never again have to do anything alone. I love you."

She started when her mind registered the words her mouth had spoken. "I love you," she repeated, her voice growing in strength and assurance. "I love you." She began to laugh as her words echoed around her as they continued to fall from her lips. She wanted to scream it to the world. It was something she'd probably always known, but it was the first time she'd actually spoken the words aloud.

Instantly her heart began to ache as a sudden truth entered her mind and began to plague on her. "I could be in this alone." She looked desperately at a picture of Harry that sat on her dresser. "Do you love me?" she asked, as she stood to retrieve it. She was terrified of the answer and she felt the first twinge of her heart breaking as more and more the logical, sometimes obnoxious part of her brain overrode her heart and convinced her that he didn't. "How could he after all?" Her logic told her. "He left you, didn't he?" Her features fell and she sagged into the window seat, laying her head against the cool glass of the window, and letting the lone tear descend down her cheek unchecked.

She glanced at the clock…3:05.

You should call him, its only 7:05 where he is.

He doesn't want to talk to me. He hasn't called in a week.

You haven't called him either, have you forgotten?

"No," she muttered. Before she could change her mind, she reached for the phone. Harry's phone rang four times before the answering machine picked up.

"Har-"

Hermione hung up the phone. "I can't talk to a machine," she muttered. "I just can't do it."

She climbed into bed and willed herself to sleep until the time came for her try again.

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Harry and Tanya arrived at the restaurant at 7:15 sharp and were surprisingly led straight to their table. Immediately Harry's eyes took in the view of the ocean. "It's beautiful," he said, relieved to have something to distract him from Hermione…his new obsession.

"Do you see that rock out there?" Tanya asked, pointing to a rock just to the right of where they sat. Harry looked out the window and nodded his head, "Yeah."

"That's called Face Rock," she replied. "Can you see the face in it?"

Harry stared at the rock for what felt like ages, occasionally cocking his head from one side to the other. "I think so," he finally replied, turning his unsure gaze upon her.

"If you start to the right of the rock you can see the chin. As your eyes move left, you can see her lips and then her nose. If you look really closely, you can see her eye," she said, pointing toward the right of the rock and moving her hand to the left, tracing the image as she spoke.

Harry stared at the rock while Tanya described it. With each detail she gave he could make out more and more of the face that lay there, looking forever skyward. "I see it," he said, the excitement in his voice barely concealed.

"You want to hear the legend?" she asked.

Harry turned to look at her and nodded his head eagerly. "Yeah."

Tanya laughed lightly at his reaction.

"Sorry," he mumbled, lowering his head slightly. "Yes, I'd definitely like to hear it."

"It's all right, Harry," she laughed. "Don't worry about it. You don't always have to be the epitome of polite, you know? I like it more when you're relaxed."

"I'll have to work on that then, won't I?" he laughed.

"The legend of the rock," she began, looking out at the rock and away from his handsome, smiling face, "has it that a beautiful Indian princess, Ewanua, of the Nah-So-Mah tribe, was visiting here with her father, Chief Siskiyou. Seatka, the evil spirit of the ocean, frightened the local tribes, but Ewanua, being born of a mountain tribe, had no fear of him. Following a feast to celebrate her and her father's visit, Ewanua took her pets, a dog and a mother cat and her kittens, to the edge of the sea. She set them down and swam out into the ocean," she paused to look at him at him, trying to assess whether or not she was actually holding his interest.

"Please, keep going," Harry said, looking between her and the rock. "What happened next?"

Tanya smiled and continued. "Suddenly, Seatka grabbed her. Her dog, Komax, fearing for his master, swam out into the dark water and bit Seatka. Hurt and furious, Seatka kicked the dog off and threw him, and the mother cat and her kittens, out into the sea. Seatka's eyes held a dangerous power that the people feared. Filled with rage over her beloved pets, she somehow remembered the warnings of the local tribes and she stubbornly refused to look directly at him. They say she lies there, looking toward the sky, continuing her refusal to look directly at Seatka, who sits nearby. Do you see those rocks out there?" she asked, pointing to a cluster of rocks which sat beyond the face of Ewanua.

"The ones that are hardly visible out there? The ones out past her?"

"Yes, those are the ones," Tanya replied. "They are said to be her pets. They wait there in vain, day in and day out, for their mistress to arise from the cold ocean waters."

"They're guarding her?"

"Yes. They continue to protect her."

Harry looked up at her. "Do you have anyone like that in your life?" he asked curiously.

"Like what?" Tanya asked, knowing already what he meant but too saddened by her own answer to reply straight away.

"Someone to protect you, no matter what the circumstances," he said.

"Does anyone?" she asked, her reply followed by a tremulous chuckle.

"Yes," he replied, returning his gaze to the rock. "I do."

"Someone you protect or someone to protect you?"

"Both," he replied, looking straight into her eyes. "I'd die for her."

"And she'd die for you," her words were more a statement than a question, but Harry replied anyway.

"She nearly did," he said, his eyes clouding over with the memory. "More than once."

"You're lucky to have someone who loves you so much," Tanya said softly. ""She's lucky too, to have a guy like you loving her."

"Love," Harry repeated softly to himself. He raised his eyes to hers. "Love?"

Tanya chuckled. "You mean you don't know?"

"Know what?"

Tanya scoffed. "Even I can see it, Harry, and I've seen you what? Three, four times?"

"Tanya, I'm sorry," he said, his mind preoccupied with new realizations. "Can I make this up to you? I um, I need to go. Can you take me home, please?"

Tanya nodded her head. "Yeah, I can take you home, Harry."

Harry looked around the restaurant. "Why didn't a waiter come?" he asked. "Do they usually take this long?"

"Not normally," she replied. "He's actually tried to come by a couple of times. I take it you didn't see me wave him off?"

"No, sorry." He looked at her curiously. "But why would you do that?"

She stood and grabbed her purse. "Just a feeling," she replied, trying to keep her voice light. "You ready?"

"Oh, uh, yeah," he replied, jumping up and rushing forward to join her. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely, placing his hand on her arm. "I know you wanted to do something nice for me. And I appreciate that, I really do. It's just…" he paused and took a semi-deep breath as he tried to think of what more he could say.

She placed her hand over his and smiled when he looked at her. "Does she know?"

"I don't know," he replied with an audible sigh of relief that she understood. "But you can bet I'm going to find out."

"Lucky girl," she repeated for at least the third time since she'd known him. "Let's go."

Harry took her arm and laced it through his own, escorting her outside and to the car. She handed him the keys and he opened the door for her. "You all right?" he asked when she settled into the driver's seat.

"Yeah. I'm good."

Harry handed her the keys and shut the door. She hit the power button to unlock his door and he fell in quickly. "Thanks again," he said, the moment he closed the door. "Are you starving?" he asked, concerned now that he realized how selfish he'd been. "If you want, you can stop somewhere…my treat. I'll give you that along with a sincere request for your company at a real restaurant very soon. I just…I really need to get home tonight. There's something I have to do."

Tanya hesitated to start the car. "Will you bring her here?" she asked curiously.

"I don't think…" Harry shook his head. "I'm not…. No, I don't think so."

"Mmm," she hummed knowingly. "When you do, I'd like to meet her."

"You mean, if," Harry replied, stressing his response.

"That's what I said, Harry…IF."

"Yes," he said, nodding his head. "If she comes here, which I'm sure she won't, I'll be sure to introduce you."

"Great," Tanya replied. She started the car and put her finger on the button of the radio. "Do you mind?"

"No, not at all."

"I hope you don't mind gospel," she said as she pushed the button. The sound of a woman's beautiful voice filled the car and Harry listened intently.

I'm raining on the inside;
My heart wells up with tears that start to pour.
I'm raining on the inside,
But then Your cries of love break through,
And I fall in love with You once more.

"Who…what is this?" Harry asked, gesturing toward the stereo.

"Oh, it's Amy Grant. The song's called, 'Raining on the Inside'."

"Hmm," Harry hummed thoughtfully.

"You like it?" she asked, chancing a glance at him. "It's one of my favorites.

"Yeah," he replied. "I do like it. Kind of sad, isn't it?"

"A little," she agreed. "But it doesn't have to be. It's about friendship, and love breaking through the loneliness. Everything is good in the end when you remember the love."

Harry sat in silence and listened to the remainder of the song.

But when we're raining on the inside,
Let His cries of love break through,
Know that He loves you, once more....

Sometimes I'm raining on the inside,
But then Your cries of love break through,
And I fall in love with You once more.

"Can we listen to that again?" he asked. "I missed most of it when I started talking."

"Why don't you just take it," Tanya replied, ejecting the tape and handing it to him. "I have more."

"Are you sure?" he asked, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Yeah. It's no problem."

When she pulled up to a stop sign she rifled through her tapes and grabbed another Amy Grant to put in the cassette player. "Haven't upgraded to CDs yet," she said apologetically. "Your house has a tape player though, so it should be all right."

The music began to play, this time it was near the end of a song. "'I'm Gonna Fly' is next. I really like that one, too."

As much as Harry liked the first one, he decided to listen closely to this one.

All of my friends are happy to stay
Here in this yard day after day

But something inside me has called me away
I don't understand but I know I can't stay

Tanya pulled up into Harry's driveway. She put the car into park and turned to face him. "Fast food next time," she said, rolling her eyes and laughing. "You going to call her?"

"Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do," he replied. "I don't know what I need to do."

"Speaking as a girl here," she said, chuckling softly, "I'd love a call. It's not everyday a guy you love tells you he loves you back."

Harry looked at her in surprise. "She never said she loved me."

"Okay, Harry," Tanya acquiesced. "You would know better than anyone, wouldn't you?"

"I do know her better than anyone," he said, feeling suddenly defensive.

Tanya placed her hand on his arm. "I'm not trying to upset you, Harry, relax. I just wonder…"

"What?" Harry asked, struggling to retain his patience. He wanted to hear a woman's point of view…even if that woman knew very little about him and Hermione.

Tanya shrugged. "I just wonder if maybe she doesn't understand it either. I mean," she raised her eyes to his and watched him closely, "you just realized it yourself, didn't you? Maybe she just needs you to tell her."

"But what if she doesn't feel that way?" he asked, worry creeping into his voice.

"You're kidding me, right?" she said, laughing loudly.

Harry shook his head.

"I saw her picture. There's something missing in her eyes, and honestly, Harry, I think that something is you."

Harry shook his head and opened his mouth to reply.

"Hang on," she said, interrupting him before he could speak. "I've seen the way you look at her. I've heard the way to talk about her. She looks like an intelligent woman. You couldn't possibly love her the way you do if she didn't return that love. Besides," she said, her cheeks turning the lightest shade of pink, "I don't think it's possible for a girl to spend that much time around you and not fall in love."

"Oh," was the only sound that escaped him. It was far from intelligent, but it was the best that he could do under the circumstances.

Tanya laughed. "Go get her," she said, pushing him toward the door. "Call her, tell her you love her, get her out here, do whatever it is you have to do, Harry. I'd bet everything I own that she loves you too."

"Thanks," he replied, feeling something inexplicable begin to course through him. It was an overwhelming feeling that he couldn't quite place, but it was a feeling he'd not soon forget. I'd bet everything I own that she loves you too. "For talking to me, for listening, for not forgetting my birthday, for this," he held up the tape for her to see, "for…"

"Would you just go already?" she laughed, pointing toward the door. "Go get started on the rest of your life."

Harry leaned across the car and, in a gesture that surprised even him, gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for being so great." He reached for the handle and jumped out of the car.

"You're welcome," she replied as he closed the door. Her heart was hammering in her chest when her hand found her cheek and she smiled mistily…such a lucky girl, she thought. I wonder if I'll ever find a guy like that. Recovering quickly she rolled down her window and called out to him as he walked past her car, "Good luck, Harry."

Harry stopped and turned around. "Thanks."

"That girl who stole your heart? She must be someone special," she said. "I'm looking forward to meeting her. Goodbye, Harry."

Harry waved. "See you, Tanya. Dinner, soon."

She raised her hand to let him know she heard him, then backed out of the drive. "I hope she knows how lucky she is," she said softly to herself as she drove away.

"I think I'm the lucky one," he mouthed to himself.

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Harry watched as Tanya pulled out of sight. He was sorry that they hadn't enjoyed dinner together, but he really needed to…to what? Call her? At that moment, nothing was more important than figuring it out. He went into the house and walked immediately to the phone. He picked it up and began to dial.

"Wait!" his inner voice shouted…

Immediately, Harry hung up the phone and turned to view the time. "Bloody hell," he chuckled to himself. "Almost 4am. Not a good time to call." Resigning himself to waiting a few more hours, he went to his room to get her letter.

He sat back on his bed and quickly scanned the paper until he found where he'd left off…

Bloody hell, Harry, when are you coming back to me? I never knew I could miss someone so much.

I need to walk away from this…just like you walked away from me. I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that. I'll be back…I think I need some air.

I'm sorry, Harry. This is just…it's difficult. I think I'm falling. And I don't know how to stop myself. I can't make it stop.

Do you remember what it was like in our third year when you fell off your broom? I bet that if you'd had time, you would've thought about how awful it was going to be when you finally hit the ground. I wouldn't mention it if something bad had come as a result of it, but I need you to understand. That's how I feel right now, Harry. I feel like the bottom is going to drop out from under me and I'm going to plummet to the ground…and I'm powerless to do anything to stop it. I don't have anyone here to cushion my fall the way you did. No, when I fall, it's going to hurt. And it scares me. In fact, I can't recall a time when I've ever been more scared.

You're slipping away from me, aren't you? I can feel it, I'm sure I can. Once you've gone, Harry that will be it…the bottom will drop out and I'll fall. If you listen, you'll hear the resounding crash followed closely by the unmistakable sound of the shattering of my heart.

Do you understand me anymore? Do you know what I'm saying? I can't…do this. I'm not sure I can keep going like this. I have this hollow feeling inside me. It's been there since the day I left Hogwarts…the day I walked away from you…and you ran away from me.

My mum thinks I'm in love with you. Can you believe that?

Love….

What is that? Am I too young to understand it…much less feel it?

I was upset when I hung up the phone after talking with you tonight. As much as it hurts me to admit it, I lied to you. I didn't mean to, Harry. Lying to you is something I've vowed never to do. But tonight…tonight I couldn't help it. I couldn't stop it. You wanted to know if I could really see why you couldn't trust Ron with me. The truth is, I don't…I don't see it. Well, I couldn't then anyway-

Any answer would be speculation at this point…or wishful thinking. I'm afraid of wishful thinking, so I'll leave you to decide for yourself about Ron. This is one that I simply cannot answer for you. I'm sorry I lied. And I'm even more sorry that I can't help you this time.

Have you ever done or felt something, and have it not feel real? Not something bad, just something…different. That's how you described your time with Ginny sixth year, isn't it? Why do you suppose it felt that way? It feels like a hundred lifetimes ago. Nothing from that year seems real anymore…it's so hard to believe it's barely been two years. Nothing I ever had with Ron felt real either, can you believe that? All that time we were together and none of it felt real…nothing felt right. I always wondered why…I think I'm finally beginning to understand it. It's impossible to feel something for one person when the feelings you're looking for have already been stolen by someone else…

You.

Yes, you read that right. You are the reason that nothing makes sense. You are the reason that everything in my life seems unreal. You've left my thoughts a jumbled mess. You have to know that from this letter. I'm writing as quickly as I can because I can't keep up with the thoughts that are racing through my head. As I said, nothing makes sense. My mind is racing at 1000 kilometers per hour and there's only one thing that can stop it…

Once again … YOU!

Damnit! What is this hold you have over me…this power? Can you feel it? You have to be able to feel it, because I certainly can. It's the only thing I feel anymore. All I feel is this overwhelming urge to see you, to hug you, to hold you. I need you, Harry. I need to know that you're all right. I need to hear your voice, and see your face. I need to look into your eyes to discover for myself…the real truth. How do you feel about me, Harry?

I'm not the kind of girl that dreams are made of. Men don't give me a second thought. Women don't envy me. I'm as ordinary as they come. But you, Harry…you are truly extraordinary. You are every woman's dream come true. All I have to do is close my eyes for one millisecond and I see your eyes boring into mine. Do you have any idea what that image has done to me tonight? No, of course you don't. How could you, right? Am I fooling myself into believing there could be more between us? Could you ever really care for me as more than a friend? Could you ever lo…

Forget that thought. It's something that I'm probably better off not knowing the answer to. My mum did tell me something that I found, well…somewhat disheartening. The answers to this dilemma cannot be found in a book. It's something I and/or we (hopefully) will have to figure out on my/our own. You know how I've always counted on books to provide me with any answer to every question…well, apparently not this time. I'm not sure I know how to look to myself for the answer. The only way I can think, is to look through you first. Does that make sense? Probably not, it's 4am and I'm rambling. Sleep is eluding me. I'm not sure I'll get there until I've said my peace. Knowing me…that could be a while…especially since I don't understand what it is that I'm trying to say.

I do know this, Harry. I'm going to put this letter into an envelope, I'm going to seal it up and place a stamp on it, then I'll address it to you. Then, after all that, I'm going to put it on the table beside my bed, where I can stare at it everyday and argue with myself about whether or not to put it in the post. I know, in my heart, that I should send it…the problem is with my head, which has decidedly voted against that choice.

It's so unusual for me to be so confused. I wonder if I should just re-write the entire thing. You know, organize my thoughts and then start all over. The trouble with that is I just can't bring myself to do it. I thought that writing this would help me, that it would be therapeutic. Apparently its worse now then it was before and my confusion knows no bounds.

Up is above me and down is below, right? I'm kidding…

Of course it is…because I'm not falling up, am I? But you know, truth be told, I'm not really falling down either…I'm falling 'in'…or, to be more precise, I've fallen 'in'…

Do you understand that? I can't say more than that right now. I'm too scared of what it all might mean…too scared of what your answer will be. I hope that you understand me. In fact, I pray you understand me. Rejection would hurt entirely too much…so I've said all that I can say. I'm going under the assumption that by now you know.

Is there the slightest chance that your feelings could reflect mine? Whatever this is, it's powerful…and it's painful. You'll likely never see this letter, so there's a strong chance that I may never know. Pressure is the last thing I want to put on you, especially now. You're out there searching for yourself, not for someone else…and certainly not for me. I understand that…I accept that. It's the main reason why I doubt my own ability to mail this letter. If you come to me, I want it to be of your own free will. If you don't come, then somehow I know…I'll have to find a way to move on.

Tell me something (assuming you get this letter)…

…now that you know, Harry. Is there a chance we could be thinking the same thing?

Forever,

Hermione

Harry wiped the tears from his eyes for what felt like the thousandth time in the course of the last hour or more. He'd read and re-read her letter a few times, searching for telltale signs that what he read and what he hoped he read were one and the same. "She does love me," he said, sighing with relief.

It was as though a light had come on in his head and he closed his eyes and let it bath him in its warmth. "So this is what love feels like," he said, the warming sensation filling him completely. "I can live with this."

Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked around at his surroundings. Loneliness didn't seem so lonely to him anymore, not when he knew there was someone out there who loved him…really loved him. Hermione knew him like no other person ever had. She knew the many layers that made up Harry Potter the boy…and she'd accepted them without hesitation. Her arms were open and waiting for him, he could feel it. He closed his eyes once again and imagined himself with her. He could feel her in his arms, the fit was perfect…he was home.

With great reluctance he opened his eyes. "Hermione, I need you. I love you."

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Thousands of kilometers away, Hermione awoke with a start. "Harry," she said, her own voice floating to her on a whisper.

She briefly glanced at the clock, the time not registering properly in her head, then she crawled out of bed and picked up the phone.

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Harry walked from his bedroom, to the living room. He glanced at the phone and for the first time saw the flashing red light of the answering machine indicating he had a message. "When did the phone ring?" he wondered aloud. He walked over to it and pushed the button. The voice on the machine said, "Friday, July 31^st, 7:05pm, you have one message."

"Har-"

"Hermione," Harry said, recognizing her voice instantly. He looked at the clock…9:32. 5:32 in London. "Another hour," he sighed. His gaze drifted across the tape that Tanya had loaned him and he scooped it up. He stepped away from the phone just as it rang.

He felt a jolt in his heart when he answered it. "Hullo?"

"Harry-"