Disclaimer: Have I ever owned something? Maybe a cookie or two.
A/N: I see you all still need some H/Hr! So this fic is more dedicated to our Hermione which JKR has turned into a giggling school girl. We all need support now more than ever! This chapter is much longer than the first one. I know all us Harmionans are very crushed for the HBP release. She has written a preposterous book that has stripped our hope, but we hope that she'll make it up to us in book 7. "She was the life and soul of our team..." My arse!
Harry Potter and the Power He Knows Not
By Hermione Potter
Chapter 2: Newest Attractions
Harry made his way down to the pond down the hill. He looked up to see Hermione sitting at the edge of the water with her knees pulled up slightly and her arms steady on them. Under a tree a few feet away lay a lazy Crookshanks.
"Hermione?" he called out. She turned around, her eyes widening.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, getting up and threw herself at him, causing him to stumble. Harry choked a bit, hugging her back. "Er my nee." Harry choked out. Her eyes widened more before she pulled back.
"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry." she smiled at him cheerfully. Harry stared at her momentarily and smiled softly at her.
" You know, you don't have to put an act on for me. You're forcing that smile and you know it," he said softly watching her defenses fall. Tears filled her eyes.
"Oh Harry...Why did it have to be him?" Hermione whispered, falling against him. He wrapped his arms around her sympathetically, stroking her hair subconsciously. He could feel his shirt getting wet, but he didn't care at the moment, they both needed some comfort. She clutched to him as her knees slide to the ground.
"I was so worried about you over the holidays. You never replied to any of my letters. Did something go wrong?" she asked worriedly, trying to wipe the never ending tears that streamed. Harry chuckled at her concern for him.
"Hermione, nothing happened. I am fine. I just haven't been in a good mood. I'm sorry I didn't reply to you," he replied, putting his hands on her shoulders trying to calm her down. She took a deep breath and looked up at him.
"Oh what am I doing? Here I am, worrying about my concerns when you actually watched....."
"Dumbledore die," he finished for her. She nodded slowly, sitting back down in the same position. Harry sat down next to her and looked across the lake. He threw a rock into it that echoed a splash, making the birds fly away.
"He's really gone...I never thought that he'd just die. It feels like he's still her, ya know?" Hermione asked softly. He just nodded. She glanced at him and sighed.
"You know you can talk to me or Ron any time don't you?" she said. He turned to look at her.
"Yeah. I'm just not ready to talk about it yet. Sorry," Harry apologized. She shook her head at his stubbornness but understood his secrecy. After all, Professor Dumbledore was someone they could look up to. She wouldn't push him.
"We've missed you. A lot. Mrs. Weasley the most probably. She's really upset about it. Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"What happened between you and Ginny?" Hermione asked. He immediately found his stomach dropping and closed his eyes.
"We broke up at the end of the year. I didn't want to put her in any danger. You know how Voldemort is. He'll do anything to get to me. And if I'm with Ginny, he'll use her. It's the same with you and Ron. Sometimes I wonder if it's a good idea that we should be friends. I don't want to put you in any more danger than you're already in," Harry explained.
"Don't even think about that Harry! Ron and I know the risks of being your friends. We're not being forced. We want to Harry. And you can't say it's your fault that we're in danger. I was already in danger because I'm a Muggle-Born," she tried to convince him, her hand clutching his arm. He stared at her face and sighed.
"That doesn't keep me from thinking it Hermione. I don't want you guys in danger," Harry decided. Hermione grew silent. He turned to her. He didn't get a good look at her yet.
Her hair had become less tame over the years, but you could still see the frizziness in it. Her skin had become bronze and he certainly noticed that she had filled out quite nicely. One thing that didn't change about her was her brown eyes. Suddenly, he felt butterflies in his stomach. But why?
He shook all thoughts out of his head as he felt something brush against his leg. He looked down to see Crookshanks rubbing himself against his leg, purring. Harry grinned, reaching down to scratch Crookshank's ears. Hermione watched.
"Crookshanks is never that friendly, not even to my friends. Geez, Harry. Are you trying to take my Crookshanks away from me. You already have Hedwig or can I have her?" she grinned before she stood up and ran towards the Burrow. Harry gaped at her and got up running after her. "Hermione!"
By the time Harry had gotten into the house, everyone was seated at the table ready to eat breakfast. Fred and George looked solemn, having gotten caught by their mum. Harry looked at Mrs. Weasley and noticed that she wasn't in her morning moods. She was having a very hard time accepted Professor Dumbledore's death. It seemed they all were.
Harry sat next to Ron and across from Hermione. He glanced at Ron was helping himself to eggs and sausage.
"Harry dear! We're so glad you're here. We don't want you to be alone at a time like this. Not when it's so dangerous. And...Albus is gone," Mrs. Weasley said sadly, putting a plate of eggs in front of him. Harry sat quietly and started eating. Ginny was seated next to Hermione and they kept glancing at each other. He only felt a twinge of the feelings that he felt when Ginny looked at him. He turned and looked at Hermione.
She was definitely not the girl he met in first year.
"Allo! O, 'Arry! Itz so good to zee you!" Fleur Delacour had pranced into the room, her blonde hair swishing behind her. She bent down to kiss Harry on both cheeks and sat down next to Ron. Hermione and Ginny rolled their eyes.
"Zee vedding iz zo zoon! I can't vait! Now, Ginny, you know zat you're my vridesmaid along vid my zizter, Gabrielle!" Fleur said cheerfully. Suddenly four owls flew on the window sill.
"Oh your Hogwarts letters are here," Mrs. Weasley said, taking the parchments and handing them to Harry and the others.
He tore the opening off and read.
Dear Mr. Potter,
I am sorry about the horrific unfortunate events of our beloved Professor Dumbledore. Therefore, he has passed down the duties of being the Head to me. He would have wanted you to have this Harry. Congratulations, you have made Head Boy. We were afraid that you would have too much on your shoulders to carry out the duties. But this is your last year, and you deserve it.
Enclosed with the letter is your badge and your Hogwarts supply list. Again, congratulations on you and Miss Granger making Head Boy and Girl.
Sincerely,
Professor McGonagall
"I'M HEAD GIRL!" Hermione shrieked, jumping up, making the table shake.
"Why am I not surprised?" Ron rolled his eyes. Hermione glared at him.
"Oh Harry! You made Head Boy! That's wonderful!" she brightened, hugging him. He felt relaxed in her arms and hugged her back.
"Congrats to you Head Girl. Not that it was a shock," Harry chuckled, pulling back and taking out a badge. It glistened in the light. It was gold plated and had HB carved into the gold. And under that read 'Harry Potter'.
"Oh that's wonderful you two! I knew you'd two would make it!" Mrs. Weasley said happily, something actually brightening their morning. Ron looked sulkily at them.
"How come you got Head Boy and I didn't?" Ron asked, gulping down orange juice. Hermione stared at him.
"It's obvious that he deserves it! And he did wonderfully on the O.W.L.S.! I really think you did a great job Harry," she smiled, patting his back and then sitting back down.
"Well I suppose these things aren't going to buy themselves. So who's up for a day at Diagon Alley?" Mrs. Weasley sighed.
"O! I zon't zink I can come. Zere iz much more plaaning for zee vedding!" Fleur said airily, running upstairs. Ginny huffed. "No one invited you."
"Ginny!" her mother scolded. Ginny scoffed and finished her break fast.
"Come on you lot, we best be going as soon as we can. Go on! Grab your cloaks," Mrs. Weasley shooed them. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny took their cloaks and Mrs. Weasley hurriedly got the Floo Powder. One by one they arrived in Diagon Alley.
The streets moved with abuzz as Harry had walked out and people had started whispering about him. Hermione grabbed his arm, pulling him with her muttering, "Don't look at them. Just ignore them."
Harry sighed and just followed her. Ron had been walking beside Hermione and Ginny on Ron's side.
"Ginny dear, come along with me. I'm sure Ron and the others are going to busy off buying their things. Come now," Mrs. Weasley said.
"Mum..." Ginny whined, following her. When would her mum stop treating her like a little girl?
Harry, Hermione, and Ron had walked to Flourish and Blotts (on Hermione's account) Before they could enter, Harry stopped. Ron and Hermione turned to him.
"I'm not going back. Dumbledore wanted me to find the other horcruxes and I'm going to," Harry told them defiantly. They gaped at him that reminded him of when he told them the same thing at the end of last year.
"Harry, you can't be serious! We thought you'd come to your senses during summer," Hermione argued, glaring at him.
"I have to do this. If I don't, Voldemort is going to just take more of the people I love. And those people could be you," he whispered angrily. Ron just stood there as Hermione grabbed him by the shoulders.
"You can't go by yourself! At least come to Hogwarts and I'll help. I'll help you find the horcruxes. You know how worried Ron and I would be?! Don't go alone, let us come with you," Hermione tried to reason. She always did have a point.
"What is the point of you going out there by yourself when you have no clue where to look? You're walking into dangerous boundaries Harry. At least get some direction to head for," she stopped taking a breath. Ron looked at her, exasperated.
"You sure do talk a lot, don't you?"Ron asked. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Don't even start Ron. Harry needs some logic knocked into him, and you and I arguing doesn't help," she said.
"Who said we were arguing!" Ron replied.
"We're eventually gonna start if you say something stupid," Hermione had her hands on her hips.
"Why is it that it's always my fault?" Ron growled.
"Because it ju-."
"WILL YOU TWO GIVE IT A REST?!" Harry bellowed, people who were walking by stopped at stared. Hermione sighed.
"Sorry." Hermione and Ron said in unison.
"Please ay you'll come to Hogwarts at least...just for a bit," Hermione pleaded. Harry sighed.
"Fine. But when I have a clue where to find it, I'm going and this time you can't stop me," he surrendered, knowing that if it was Hermione he was dealing with, he'd never win.
"Okay, now that we've got that settled, we should get our supplies," Hermione beamed, knowing she had gotten to Harry. She walked into Flourish and Blotts, taking out her list. She ran upstairs and disappeared. Harry and Ron looked at each other, shrugging. They split up to go find their books.
Hermione looked through the sections of books, reading each title. After all, she did want to have a bit of light reading. She had read most of the books in the Library.
"How to De-Gnome a Garden, What to Do When You Come Across Gillyweed, What Not to Do In Case You Get Petrified, Horcr-Horcruxes?!" Hermione's eyes widened as she pulled the book away from the shelf. But why would a book like this be here? Not many people new about Horcruxes, did they?
"They aren't going to let me buy this....But...Oh I got it!" Hermione exclaimed, taking a larger book and taking her wand out. Hopefully, no one would know.
"Recedo!" she muttered, and then the pages disappeared. She placed the book inside and hurriedly walked around getting her school books. 'Hopefully this is help Harry.' she thought.
Hermione waited quietly to pay for her books.
"That will be four Galleons please," the witch said. Hermione paid quickly and ran out. She sat on a bench across from the store and pulled out the Horcruxes book. She slipped it inside her book bag and closed it as Harry and Ron walked back out.
"Wow, Hermione's out before us," Ron mocked.
"Don't start you guys," Harry warned. He looked up and gaped. Ron stared at him before following the direction of his eyes.
"Bloody hell! It's a new broom! The Firebolt 3000! It's beautiful," Ron sighed in delight. Hermione shook her head at the boys' amazement with a stick. She grabbed their sleeves and dragged them to the ice cream parlor. "Now, let's go get something to eat," she suggested, taking then inside and sitting down.
A new owner, Ollie Peters was behind the counter making ice cream sodas and putting them on display. He looked up and smiled.
"Mr. Potter! It's wonderful to see you again! What can I get for you and your friends?" he asked as they all sat down.
"Double fudge sundae."
"Banana split."
"Just chocolate ice cream for me."
Ollie flicked his wand and the three sundaes appeared in front of them. "Enjoy! And it's on the house."
Ron was eating so fast that he had gotten fudge smeared all over his mouth. Hermione made a disgusted face and looked at Harry who was just digging his spoon around. She frowned.
"What's wrong Harry? You usually enjoy the ice cream," she asked. He smiled, looking at her.
"I'm not in much of a mood, 'member?" he replied.
Suddenly, out of no where, reporters swarmed their table.
"Mr. Potter, what's your reaction of the death of the Headmaster?"
"How do you feel about Severus Snape betraying him?"
"Did you know Severus was in it?"
Hermione gripped her spoon and stood up, slamming her hands against the table.
"Please leave us alone! We will NOT answer any questions. We are trying to have a nice day and we won't if you ALL keep this up! PLEASE LEAVE or suffer consequences of bothering us again." Hermione threatened. The whole parlor had quieted down and Harry stared at Hermione while Ron had stayed still, ice cream dripping down his chin.
The reporters walked out, muttering things such as, "Such a destructive girl she is." Hermione huffed and sat back down, eating her ice cream as if nothing happened.
Harry and Ron glanced at each other. Hermione was definitely.....different than last year.
A/N: Thank you for all your generous reviews. I knew by this time you'd all need relief. Just call me the Harry/Hermione Red Cross. LOL. Please stand tall and support us in the war again H/G and R/Hr! Not all hope is lost! Hehe. Contribute reviews to the Red Cross please! Hopefully this is the way Book 7 will be the same! Tell me if I write like JKR haha. I'm so sad...