Chapter 3
Heady Days and Summer
Harry and Ron continued to compare notes on the homework they had been given as they entered the common room, which was already half full of students, who were milling around chatting and get ready for their next classes, or were sitting down working their way through their homework. Parchments and large tomes seemed to dominate the room.
As she entered, Hermione glanced about her, her gaze falling on a younger student, her red hair instantly identifying her, even though her face was turned towards where Harry and Ron were. She let out a sigh as she watched Ginny's eyes focus on the darker haired of the two boys. Hermione knew that Ginny still had feelings for Harry, even if he had told her that he could not continue their relationship. Deep down, Hermione was not sure that Ginny and Harry were really suited, but it was not her place to impart the information to Ron's sister.
Almost as if she had heard Hermione's thoughts, Ginny turned and gave her a smile, walking quickly over to where Hermione was dropping her books on one of the tables. "Hello, Hermione," she began cautiously.
"Hello, Ginny." Hermione mirrored her words and tone, but gave the younger girl a warm smile.
Ginny fell quiet for a moment, her head turning slightly in the direction of Harry, as she sneaked a quick peak at him. "Hermione?" She looked back at the older witch. "Will you be around later? I really need someone to talk to."
Hermione nodded, recalling their earlier conversation. "Yes, I'll be here." She gave Ginny an encouraging smile. "We can talk after dinner, if you'd like."
Nodding her head, Ginny returned Hermione's smile. "Thanks, Hermione." Grinning almost like a Cheshire cat, she younger woman headed off to the hole, making her way to her next class, and disappeared through. Her exit followed by the eyes of at least two others in the room.
Her gaze once more moving around the common room, Hermione spotted Dean Thomas, standing off to one side with Seamus Finnigan. He was staring in the direction Ginny had just taken with a far away look in his eyes, while Seamus continued to talk to him unknown that his friend had ceased listening.
The others, who watched Ginny's movements as she walked out of the room, were Harry and Ron, and they were still glancing at the closing door to the common room as Hermione approached them. She flicked her head and looked over her shoulder then back to her friends as if just discovering what they were looking at. Of course, she knew that both had different reasons for doing so. Harry had broken up the relationship he had begun with Ginny near the end of the last school year, and Ron…well, Ron was her brother and no matter how hard he tried, he still cared about his sister.
"What did she want?" Ron asked, almost as Hermione reached where he and Harry were standing. His eyes in the direction Ginny had just taken, indicating who he was talking about.
Hermione turned her head, as if she had no idea who he was talking about. "Who?" She asked, as she looked back at him, her face the picture of innocence.
"Ginny, of course." Ron rolled his eyes.
Looking momentarily at Harry, before focusing back on Ron, Hermione shrugged and flicked some of her hair over her shoulder, as if her answer was unimportant, and not waited on by the red haired boy in front of her. "She wanted help with some homework." She lied, before she squeezed through them and sat herself down in a chair, looking between the two.
"So why did she ask you?" Ron asked, as he turned and made himself comfortable in one of the other chairs, opposite Hermione.
Glaring at Ron, as if he had just asked the most stupid question possible, Hermione shook her head, her brown hair once more falling about her shoulders. "Harry?" She waited for her other friend to take notice that they had moved.
"Sorry, Ron, Hermione. I was miles away." Harry looked between them with a smile, as he settled down in the other chair, pushing his glasses into his nose, even though they were perfectly in place.
Hermione frowned, her brow creasing as she looked at Harry. She really did not know what would be the best coursee of action for him. He always seemed so far away, like he was perpetually out of reach. Sometimes she had to fight the urge to give him a hug and tell him that everything would be alright. For one, she did not know that it would be. He had a lot ahead of him, and without Dumbledore or Sirius to guide him, Hermione was worried that he would go off the rails and do something foolhardy.
"We've been here almost two weeks, and I'm no closer to this quest than when Dumbledore was here." Harry tapped his fingers agitatedly on the cover of his book, which lay in his lap. The look Hermione gave him of pure surprise, made him look at her funny. "What's the matter?"
Hermione shook her head, feeling more than a little confused. "Nothing." She sat back in her seat, wondering what had given her the idea that he had been moping after Ron's sister. "So, when do you want to get started?" She lowered her voice, making sure that no one else could hear their conversation.
Ron sat forward in his chair, his elbows resting on his knees. "We could get started tonight." He looked at Harry, his eyes wide and questioning, while filled with a little fear at the task ahead. All three of them knew that what lay ahead was not going to be easy.
Shaking her head, Hermione looked at Harry, his drumming fingers finally getting to her. She grabbed the book from his lap, which resulted in her getting the strangest look from Harry and Ron. "I need to concentrate." She looked at them as if they should not have needed her to explain her actions. Men! She thought to herself.
"Right, so we need to get back to the library," Harry finally seemed to join the group. "Which is not going to be easy, as this place is getting harder to sneak around, especially after what happened last year." He frowned as he thought about the best way around it. "The quickest way is to Apparate, which means we have to get outside of the grounds."
Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Ron. "Apparate?" He slumped back in his seat, not feeling at all good about the idea, and then he made it worse by admitting defeat so soon into the conversation. "And we have no way of getting out of the castle, now that Filch is prowling even more."
The look that Harry gave Ron instantly brought the other boy into a more upright position. Harry practically spat at Ron as he spoke through gritted teeth, the attitude of his friend not helping his mood. "We have to find a way out. We've done it before, we can do it again." He looked to Hermione for support.
Once more, before she could answer, commotion from the common room entrance filled the room. "They are going to make the announcement soon." An excited Dennis Creevey shouted as he made his way though the room. "In the next couple of days, it's going to be announced. Isn't it exciting? It's better this year, much more exciting.
Ron, equally distracted by the shouting, rose from his seat. "What is happening?"
The younger boy looked at Ron, confusion etched on his face, before he realised he had not mentioned what he was talking about. He grinned foolishly. "Head Boy and Girl. Professor McGonagall is going to announce them soon."
Ron looked back at Hermione and Harry, and laughed. "It seems you still have a chance yet, Hermione." He retook his seat, and grinned at her, which caused her to raise an eyebrow impatiently at him.
"There are more important things than that, Ron Weasley." Hermione pouted, and took in a large breath, wondering why he managed to make annoying her so easy. She looked at Harry and smiled sadly. "Right, getting out of the grounds." She lowered her voice again, as around her the common room continued to be filled with talk of Head Boy and Head Girl.
She could not help feeling slightly happy that most of the people in the room were expecting her to be made Head Girl. She made certain not to catch Ron's eyes as this particular conversation was taking place.
* * * * *
Following the break up of Hogwarts, which had happened not long after the death of Dumbledore, Hermione, Harry and Ron stood outside of 4 Privet Drive, looking at the familiar door. Harry was frowning, not wanting to enter the one place that he hated more than anything. He wanted to be out there, continuing Dumbledore's crusade and finding the man who had killed him. It had taken all the Weasleys and Hermione to persuade him that he needed to go home and calm down before he undertook anything, and to their surprise, he had done as he was asked.
Ron stood looking at Harry, his eyes filled with a kind of wonder. "I've never stayed in a Muggle home before." He harped, trying to hide his grin. "This is going to be great!"
"Don't be so sure, Ron." Harry shrugged and walked towards the door. "I think you may find yourself disappointed." He knocked the door and waited for the familiar face of his Uncle to appear.
In a car, parked just outside, Hermione's parents looked on. Hermione would have given anything to be able to stay with Harry and Ron, but she was relieved that the Dursleys had agreed to let Ron live with them for a while. And she had promised that she would come by every day, now that she could apparate this made the whole business of being away from them that much easier to rectify on a day-to-day basis.
"See you tomorrow, Hermione." Harry called from the door of the house, as he and Ron began to lug their belongings inside, much to the annoyance of the rotund man standing just inside the door.
* * * * *
Harry had only been at the Dursley's for a week before he had been asked to join the Weasleys at the Burrows. Hermione had managed to persuade her parents that she would be as safe with them as she would be at home and much to her surprise they had agreed. Using the excuse about the wedding of Bill and Fleur, which was set to take place once Bill was well enough, following his injuries at Hogwarts. He still had a very nasty scar across his face, which Fleur said gave him a brave heroic look.
Hermione sat on one of the chairs in the kitchen, as Molly Weasley went about making the dinner for that evening. The young witch was helping by peeling a pile of carrots with the use of her wand, and looking up every now and again to see whether any of the other Weasleys were on their way home.
Ron was on his returning with Harry. The two were meeting Ron's brother Charlie, who had gone down to Diagon Alley to visit Fred and George, who seemed to need dragging back to the Burrows to take part in the odd dinner with their family. Their business was thriving, and their plan to open a second shop in Hogsmeade was eating up most of their time, much to their mother's consternation.
"Have a look at the clock, 'Mione, love." Molly called out to the young woman as she waved her wand over a set of pans that were bubbling happily on the stove, filling the kitchen with a wonderful aroma, which made Hermione feel more than a little hungry.
Picking up the clock, Hermione gazed at the face, noting where each of the Weasleys was. "Mr Weasley is just leaving the Ministry." Almost as she finished, a flash in the fire indicated the arrival of the oldest member of the family. Before she could read any of the other names, one after the other they appeared in the fireplace, all grinning happily at Molly, who was beaming happily back.
As the others conversed, Ron broke away and moved over to where Hermione was sitting, grinning at her. "How go the carrots?" He asked, almost unsure what to say.
"They are finished." Hermione smiled, as she picked up her wand, and waved it over the top of the carrots, sending them flying in the air only to drop in a line into a pan that was boiling on the stove. "How were the Dursleys and what's happening in Diagon Alley?"
Ron grimaced. "The Dursleys…I don't know how Harry survived so long there." He had witnessed their treatment of Harry at first hand, and had received a little of the same himself. "And Diagon Alley is quiet, so many of the shops are closed. If it were not for Fred and George, I really don't think there would be anywhere worthwhile to visit there." He shook his head sadly. "I really don't know how we are going to go back to Hogwarts fully equipped this year, even if we can."
Lowering her eyes to the table, Hermione grimaced. Everyday there seemed to be the same news. More and more wizards were going into hiding, afraid that they were next on the Dark Lord's list. For a moment her thoughts turned to Harry. More than anything she wanted him there where she could keep her eye on him. He had already informed them that he was not going back to school for the final year. She and Ron had only the summer to try to persuade him otherwise.
"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked suddenly, having expected him to come through right after the Weasleys.
Almost as if her thoughts had made him appear, there was a flash in the fire revealing Harry, who was grinning but was missing some of his usual spirit when he visited the Burrows.
"You are just in time, Harry," Molly walked over and gave the boy a hug, before stepping back and admiring him, her eyes running from the top of his head to his feet. "My, you have grown." She turned to her husband, as she guided Harry deeper into the kitchen. "Arthur, look how Harry has grown." Pointing to the table where Ron and Hermione were sitting, she pulled out a chair. "Sit there, Harry, and make yourself comfortable."
"Thank you, Mrs Weasley." Harry managed to get out eventually, before being bombarded by a hail of questions from the other Weasley members.
Molly turned to her family with a frown. "Leave the boy alone. Ron, take Harry up to your room to get settled. Dinner will be in half and hour." Turning her attention back to her cooking, she tapped Fred's hand that was poised over one of the pans ready to fish one of the bits of food out.
Ron and Harry rose from their chairs, and both gave a look at Hermione, silently inviting her to join them, away from the hustle and bustle of the kitchen. Rising from her own chair, Hermione looked briefly at the Weasleys as they chatted to each other before disappearing through the door behind her two friends.
Making their way up the stairs to Ron's room, they passed a young red haired girl on the way down. Her eyes were looking towards the floor, full of sorrow. She looked up at the sound of footsteps coming towards her, her gaze falling first on Ron, who she practically scowled at, and then on Harry, which stopped her movements, as she stood just staring at him.
"Hello, Ginny." Harry gave her an awkward smile, and jiggled on his feet, as if he wanted to make a dash for it.
Ginny stared at him for a moment, turned around and stormed back up the stairs the way she had come.
"Harry!" Hermione berated, as she watched the young girl disappear out of sight, and heard the slamming of the door, indicating that Ginny had hid herself in her bedroom.
"What did I do?" Harry asked, looking puzzled.
Hermione, standing with her hands firmly on her hips, and looking at him incredulously, shook her head as if trying to clear away a fog that had suddenly descended over her mind. If Harry is the Chosen One, I am so glad He-who-must-not-be-named is not a woman, she thought, but gave him no clues with her expression of what she was thinking.
"Come on," said Ron impatiently. "It will be dinner time before you even get to your room." As he passed his sister's room, he gave the door and odd look, as if hoping he could get some explanation for Ginny's behaviour.
Following behind them, Hermione could not help wonder how she had managed to last so long with both of them, without bashing their heads together.
* * * * *
Two weeks later, sitting on Ron's bed, Hermione read through a letter from Hogwarts, which had arrived that morning. She ran her eyes over the words, feeling her heart sink as she followed each line. The letter was already later than usual, and had only just caught them, as Harry, Ron and Hermione were leaving that afternoon to spend the rest of the summer at 12 Grimmauld Place. Being at the Burrows had not been helping Harry, and having Ginny moping around the house was just causing everyone undue stress. So it had been decided that Harry would spend the rest of the summer with Lupin and Tonks, and Ron and Hermione had promised to go with him.
The wedding of Bill and Fleur had taken place a week earlier, and for the briefest amount of time, everyone forgot their worries and had enjoyed the day, as they celebrated the happy couple's union. The house had been overflowing with guests, those that were brave enough to come out of hiding for the event. Even Harry had managed to break a smile a couple of times, and Ginny had been kept out of her bedroom for the whole day, but that was only because Fred and George had placed one of their joke hexes on the door, which would have turned Ginny's hair green if she tried to sneak away.
But now, the fun and laughter had died away, and everything had returned to normal, especially with the declaration that Hogwarts would be accepting students this year. Molly Weasley had been a little unsure about sending her children back there with Lord Voldemort still in hiding, but Arthur had managed to persuade her that they were just as safe there as they would be at the Burrows.
Hermione looked over at Ron, who was lying on his bed, gazing up at the ceiling, his letter already forgotten. "It doesn't say anything." Her voice rose slightly, a faint quiver giving away her disappointment.
Ron sat up and looked over her shoulder at the parchment in her hand, his eyes quickly scanning over its contents. "Perhaps it will come by separate owl," he said encouragingly. Shifting his body, he sat beside her, his arm resting around her shoulders, his fingers lightly stroking her arm.
She rested her head on his shoulder, sighing sadly. "I didn't make Head Girl."
His hand moved slightly upward, his fingers twirling lightly in her hair. "I didn't make Head Boy, if it makes you feel better."
Moving her head, looking into his face, she gave him the oddest look. "No, Ron, it doesn't help." She stood up, untangling herself from his arms. "I'd better go finish packing." She walked out of the door, leaving him to stare after her.
"Almost ready, Hermione?" Harry's voice caught her attention, as she made her way to Ginny's room, where she was sleeping during her stay. The look on her face told him that something had happened, so he edged into the conversation gingerly. "Have you and Ron…?"
Hermione's temper flared. "No, we have not had a row." She practically shouted before she looked at Harry, feeling more than a little embarrassed by her outburst. "Sorry, Harry, I…" She shook her head. "He is just so inconsiderate sometimes." She flicked her hair over her shoulder, as if she needed something to take her frustrations out on.
"What has he done?" Harry looked at the door to the bedroom he shared with Ron.
"Nothing. He's done nothing." Hermione shook her head and gave Harry a little smile. "I'll see you downstairs when we are ready to leave.
Nodding his head, he watched as she walked to Ginny's door, before he disappeared into Ron's room. "What have you done to upset, Hermione?" His voice, louder than he probably intended, floated to where she was standing, hand on the doorknob.
"I've done nothing," came Ron's reply. "She's just annoyed because she isn't Head Girl."
With another burst of temper, Hermione walked through the door, slamming it closed behind her.
* * * * *
Two hours later, the three stood in the kitchen of the Burrows, with Mr and Mrs Weasley. Molly was paying close attention to Ron, running her hand over his hair, straightening it with her fingers, and checking his appearance, as if the was going to visit someone important rather than just flooing it across to Grimmauld Place.
"Now, you make sure you eat properly, and don't eat too many sweets." Molly turned Ron around, picking off specks of dust from his clothing. "Make sure you get plenty of sleep." She looked over at Harry questioningly. "You know how grouchy he gets when she doesn't sleep enough."
"Mum!" Ron pleaded, hoping she would stop.
Hermione chuckled softly to herself, feeling sorry for him. She turned to give him an encouraging smile, which he returned, looking suddenly like the old Ron she knew. Brushing his mother's hands away, he walked over to her, and took hold of her hand, giving it a light squeeze before moving over to the fireplace.
Mr Weasley looked at the trio of friends. "Ready?"
The three nodded and headed towards the fireplace. Each took a handful of floo dust, and jumped into the fire, calling out '12 Grimmauld Place'. Harry, followed by Hermione and then Ron left the Burrows for the last time that summer.
* * * * *
"So, what do you think, Hermione?" Harry's voice broke through her thoughts.
Hermione looked blankly at Harry, not having caught a single word that he had said, prior to the question. She looked between the two trying to get a clue to what they had been talking about, but their expressions gave her no hint at all. She smiled confidently. "It sounds…like a good…idea to me." She watched their faces, as she spoke.
"She wasn't listening." Ron groaned, shaking his head.
Not willing to back down without a fight, Hermione looked at Ron. "Of course, I was listening." She turned to Harry for support. He looked at her a little disbelievingly. "I…okay, I wasn't listening."
"See? Told you." Ron looked at Harry triumphantly, feeling the need to celebrate his first Hermione victory of the year.
Hermione rolled her eyes, her arms folded across her chest defiantly, as she turned her attention to Harry, completely ignoring Ron's existence. "What is your plan?" She asked, lowering her voice and leaning forward, so that he could tell it to her without announcing it to the whole common room, which seemed to have settled down following the ruckus caused by Dennis and his announcement.
"I think that will work," Hermione smiled, as Harry finished telling her the plan.