Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, sadly, as if I did, HBP would have been different…
A/N: This is my response to a Challenge. It is named "HBP: The Redemption", by Talon Karrde, thus the story title. If some of you have read my other story "HP and the quest of the Horcruxes", you may find similarities in some points. That's because being this one on seventh year too, I rearranged parts of my other story to fit the requirements of the challenge. As usual, if you read, please leave a comment, good, bad, the way you want, but leave it. It means a lot to me.
A "Burning" Memory
That night Harry was able to sleep peacefully again. Two times in a row, it was good. So, he woke up well rest.
Remembering that the twins were to come, and they would be able to play Quidditch, he grinned, and shook Ron awake.
"Come on, Ronniekins. I want both of us well awaken and with some breakfast done when the twins come here. We're gonna beat them roughly today mate!"
Ron grinned, and quickly went for a shower. If there was something that could make him get up in the summer, it was food and Quidditch. And Hermione of course.
No one wanted to piss the young witch off, although she did enjoy sleeping in herself during the summer.
So, they were down in the kitchen having breakfast before everyone else.
Much later, Hermione woke up to the excited shrieks of someone outside.
She sleepily got up and looked out of the window just to see Harry and Ron practicing some moves before the match.
Smiling to their antics, she shook Ginny awake.
"Come on, Gin. Harry and Ron won't make us sleep anyway, with their shouts, so we better get ready and go down to cheer them up"
The redhead girl shook her head in amusement.
"Boys! As long as there's a broom and a Quaffle, they're happy!" she muttered.
"You are not that much different, Ginevra. And you know it" Hermione reminded her.
The girl grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, you're right"
So, soon the two girls were outside looking at the boys up in the air.
"Oh, good morning, sleepyheads" Harry teased them.
"Sleepyheads? Harry, these are our last days of holiday, and it's just ten in the morning!" Ginny said. "How long have you been up there?"
"I guess it has been at least an hour" Ron said, landing to greet his girlfriend. He dismounted his broom and walked toward her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"So, how have you slept?" he whispered softly to her.
"Very well till two Quidditch-mad teenagers woke me up" she replied playfully, resting her forehead on his.
"Dreamed me?" he asked cheekily.
"You wish" then she leaned in and kissed him.
"Aww! Get a room you two!" Harry teased them.
They stuck their tongues at him, and went for a quick walk.
"This summer has been the happiest of my life" Ron mused, walking hand in hand with her. "I mean, of course there has been the grief for Dumbledore, especially in the first days, but I think Harry on the train back home was right. Sooner we put the hurt aside, sooner we'll be able to fight again. And, I don't know how he coped up with the loss, I'm sure it has been harder on him, as he was closer than us to the Headmaster, but for me being with you has helped a lot"
"Oh, Ron. This is quite a sweet thing to say. You know, I didn't know you had it in you to be sweet" she teased him.
"Of course I do. I have no more the emotional range of a teaspoon, you know. I'm growing up" he said proudly, puffing out his chest.
"Prat" she said, swatting his arm playfully.
"And you love me for that" he said, gathering her in his arms.
"That I do" she said, before kissing him.
They rested contentedly there, enjoying the feeling of being together, till Harry called for them.
"OY! Ron, your brothers are here!"
"Oh, Harry, don't worry. I'm sure Ickle Ronniekins has better things to do with his girlfriend" Fred said loudly.
All of them erupted in laughter, while the happy couple emerged from the wood.
"Very funny, Fred. Remember me next time you hook up with someone"
"Of course…I won't!"
"Now, for that Quidditch match…" Harry said. He was eager to start.
"Oh, yes. Fred, come on, let's teach these two rookies how professional Quidditch is played"
"You wish, George. Me and Ron have been up in the air till this morning to practice. You have no chance to beat us" Harry said, mounting his Firebolt.
So, with Ginny as referee, they started.
Hermione sat leaning on a tree, watching.
Soon she was joined by Luna, who had come to visit.
"Ron is really brilliant up there, isn't he?" the Ravenclaw girl said dreamily.
"Yes, he's improved a lot since fifth year" Hermione said, just a bit annoyed at the girl for pining after Ron.
In the end, Harry and Ron managed to win, but barely.
"It was just luck" George said, landing.
"Oh, of course it was, George. I'm sure that move we did, the one in which we kept passing the Quaffle between us at top speed, up and down the pitch has been successful just for luck" Ron said sarcastically.
"Well, I admit that was a good scheme, boys. Never seen someone passing the Quaffle that way, at our level" Fred admitted. "But, the rest of the match was tied, so you won for mere luck"
Harry and Ron grinned at each other and walked toward Hermione, Luna and Ginny.
"So, girls, liked the show?" Ron said.
"Quite good, I must admit, Ron" Luna said. Hermione scowled at her.
Ron blushed the tiniest bit.
"Oh, yes. Fabulous team play you two did" Ginny nodded appreciatively.
All of them moved toward the house.
As they did, Harry approached Hermione. "Don't worry, he's not going to trade you for Luna" he said, then winked at her and moved to catch up with Ron.
She sighed, as, strangely enough, butterflies rose in her belly when his hot breath tickled her ear.
So, the rest of the day passed in happiness, and soon they found themselves once again after dinner.
The four of them gathered in the boys' room.
"Ok, this night we're gonna recall fourth year. Well, your fourth year" Ginny pointed out. "I reckon there are interesting things to be said on that, don't you think?"
"Yeah, both good and bad things. As usual, I'll start" Harry said.
"He entered the tent.
Fleur Delacour was seated in one corner, on a low wooden stool. She wasn't as calm as usual, but sweaty and pale. Viktor Krum seemed even grumpier than usual, and he guessed it was his way to face tension. Cedric kept pacing. When he entered the two of them exchanged a quick smile.
"Harry! Hello!" Bagman said, happily. "Come on, enter. Make yourself at ease"
Bagman seemed vaguely a cartoon character, with his old Quidditch team uniform.
"Now that we are all here, I'll tell you the rules" he said. "When the audience will have taken their places, I'll give you this bag, from which you'll take a model of what you're going to face. And you'll have to get the Golden Egg"
Cedric nodded once to show he ahd understood Bagman's rules, then continued pacing. He was greenish. Fleur and Krum did not react. Maybe they thought they were going to retch. That was how he was feeling. But at least they had willingly put their name into the Goblet…
Moments later, hundreds of feet were heard outside the tent. Harry felt like he was another race, not one human being like them. And then, Bagman, opened the small bag.
"Ladies first" he said, giving it to Fleur Delacour.
She put her hand into it, and extract a little, perfect model of dragon. A Common Welsh Green. It had number two around its neck. And Harry knew from her expression that he was right. Madam Maxime had informed her.
Same thing for Krum, who extracted the Chinese Fireball, with number three.
Cedric put his had into the sack, and took the Swedish Short-Snout, number one.
Knowing what was left, he put his hand into the sack, and extracted the Hungarian Horntail, number four. Looking at it, the boy saw the model opening its wings and baring its fangs.
"Well, it's the moment" Bagman said. "Every one of you has taken the dragon he'll face. The number shows the order you'll face them. Now, I'm gonna go, because I'm going to do the commentary. Mr. Diggory, you're the first, just walk into the fence when you hear a whistle, ok? Now, Harry…can I tell you a word? Outside?"
"Hem…yes" he said, confused, and followed the man outside the tent.
"Are you ok, Harry? There's something I can get you?"
"What?" the raven haired boy asked, dumbfounded. "No, thanks. I'm ok"
"Do you have a plan? I can give you some pointers, if you like. I mean, you're the one with the worst odds here, Harry, and if I can help…"
"No" he said again, almost too quickly. "I…I already know what I'm going to do, thanks"
"Nobody would know it, Harry"
"Really, I'm fine" he said once again, very well knowing he was not.
A loud whistle sounded, and Bagman ran away to his seat in the tribunes. He had to do the comment, after all. So, the green eyed wizard entered the tent once again, seeing Cedric walking out of it to face his dragon.
He tried to wish him good luck, but just a growl exited his clenched throat. He entered again with Fleur and Krum. Few moments later, they heard the crowd roaring, a signal that Cedric was into the fence, ready to face his dragon.
Harry found that staying there listening was worse than he had imagined. He could hear the crowd shouting, holding their breath, while Cedric tried to overcome the Swedish Short-Snout. Krum kept looking at the ground. Fleur paced like Cedric before her. And Bagman's commentary gave him nasty images in his head.
"Oh, that was close, people…"
"This guy is risking a lot…"
"Good move…pity it didn't work!"
Then, after something like fifteen excruciating minutes, he heard the roar of the crowd, sign that Cedric had taken the gold egg.
"Really awesome!" Bagman kept shouting. "Now the score from the judges!"
But that was not shouted. Probably it was just showed to the crowd.
"One gone, three to go. Miss Delacour, please"
She was shaking. He felt pity for her, and forgot the dislike he had harboured till that moment for the girl. She exited the tent gripping her wand tightly.
He remained alone with Krum, each on one end of the tent.
And once again, Bagman's commentary.
"Oh, I'm not sure that was a wise move…"
"Oh…close! Careful now…My God, I thought she was going to succeed!"
Ten minutes later, Harry heard another roar from the crowd. Fleur had got past her dragon, taking the Egg. Her score was showed, then loud clapping followed.
It was Krum's turn.
"And here comes Mr. Krum!" Bagman shouted once again. The Gryffindor Champion was alone.
He tried focusing on the wand movement for the Summoning Charm, but he was really aware of his body now. He felt his heart beating madly, his fingers paralysed by fear…and at the same time he felt like he was just watching the scene from afar…it was a strange sensation, really.
"Really brave!" Bagman cried.
Harry could hear the Chinese Fireball roar.
"He's showing his courage here, and…yes, he's taken the egg!" Bagman shouted once again.
It was his moment now.
He stood up, feeling his legs like jelly. He waited. Then he heard the whistle calling him to face the Horntail.
He exited the tent, taking in the surroundings. Hundreds of faces were looking down at him from the stands.
And the Horntail was there, on the other side of the space.
He focused as hard as he could, and raised his wand.
"Accio Firebolt!" he cried.
He hoped it would work. If it didn't…
And then he felt it zoom behind him, and turned to grab his broom. He could hear the crowd shouting, Bagman saying something but he could not distinguish the words.
And then he mounted it, and took off.
As soon as he was up in the air, he felt his fear vanish. He was at his best now. If there was something Harry Potter was good at it was flying.
It was like Quidditch, the Egg was the Snitch and the Horntail was the opponent. Nothing more.
He dived toward the dragon, which tried hitting him with his fire. But Harry knew his intention, so it was like avoiding a Bludger.
"Bloody Hell, that is flying!" Bagman shouted. "Have you seen, Mr. Krum?"
His tactic of flying in circles was making the dragon dizzy. But he should not exaggerate, or it would breathe fire again…
He dived and once again managed to avoid the fire, but not the tail, that scratched his shoulder. He felt pain, while circling the beast, but then he got one idea.
He needed to get the dragon away from the egg, and he should do that little by little.
He flied left and right, not near enough for being hit by the fire but enough to be seen as a menace by the Horntail.
He flied toward the sky, the eyes of the dragon following him, breathing fire, but Harry dodged. He was too far for the tail to be able to hit him, and the dragon seemed nervous about the situation. Finally it took off, opening its large wings…
That was what he was waiting for. He dived at full speed, and before the dragon understood the peril for the egg, he had grabbed it, and was again up in the air, in front of the cheering crowd.
Hermione cheered so hard she almost risked falling from the stands, and he grinned at her. Ron was too shocked as to what had happened to say anything, he just clapped his hands wildly.
"See that" Bagman shouted. "Our youngest champion was the quickest in grabbing the egg. That will lower the odds on him, I guess"
Harry landed, seeing the guardians going to tame the Horntail.
"Brilliant, Potter" McGonagall said when she reached him. It was an unusual compliment, coming from her. Then she sent him to Madame Pomfrey.
"She's already fixed Diggory" the professor explained.
"Great, Harry. You did it!" Hagrid said. "And with the Horntail, you remember what Charlie said, it was the worst…"
"Thanks Hagrid!" the boy shouted to stop him blabbing about how he had already seen the dragons.
Moody was quite cheerful too.
"Good job, boy. Like drinking a glass of water"
"Come on, Potter, off with you. Go to Madame Pomfrey, please" McGonagall said again.
He did, and she welcomed him huffing. "Dragons!" she said spitefully. "Last year Dementors, this one Dragons. What will be next? You're lucky, it's superficial. I'll have to clean it before healing, tough". And so she did.
"Now you stay there a minute, seated. Seated, I said! Then you can go to see your score"
Then she was to visit Diggory.
He couldn't stay seated. He was overexcited. As soon as he got on his feet, he was knocked down again by Hermione hugging him, followed by Ron.
"You were brilliant, Harry!" she said. There were nail marks on her face, so hard had she feared for him. "Really, you were awesome!" she said again.
Harry, however, kept looking at Ron, who was pale.
"Harry" he started seriously, "whoever has put your name in that Goblet, I..I think they are trying to kill you!"
It was like the rift between them had magically healed, like the last weeks had never happened.
"You got it, eh? You took some time" he said coldly.
Hermione looked at them tense.
Ron was ready to apologise, but the other boy stopped him.
"It's all ok. Don't worry"
"No, really, I shouldn't have…"
"Don't worry" Harry said again, then they grinned at each other.
Hermione started sobbing.
"Hey, there's nothing to cry about" Harry said her, placing one hand on her shoulder.
"The two of you are so…stupid!" Then she hugged both of them and ran away.
"Blimey" Ron said. "Come on, Harry, they're giving your score!"
So he took the Firebolt and the Golden Egg, and walked out of the tent.
"You were the best. Cedric Transfigured a rock into a dog, wanted the dragon to catch it, and it worked, I mean, he got the Egg, but the dragon changed his mind at one point and breathed fire at him, so he got burned…Fleur tried enchanting him, like with hypnosis, and for a while it worked, butt hen it huffed and breathed fire, and her skirt got on flames. Krum…well, he didn't think about flying. He probably was the best after you, tough. He got it in one eye with a spell, but the dragon started stomping around, destroying half the real eggs…that cost him half his points, he shouldn't damage them…" Ron kept blabbing, probably trying to regain the lost time with his friend.
They looked the judges giving their scores, with Ron infuriated by Karkaroff four, but Harry did not care. Having Ron back was like one hundred points for him.
"So you and Krum are even, Harry!" Charlie said, reaching them.
Harry then met the other champions back in the tent, where Bagman was waiting for them.
"Well done, all of you!" he said. "now, you've got a long pause before next task. It will be held on February the 24th. But there's something you've got to think about. The Eggs can be opened. Now, they contain a clue fro the next task, so you can prepare. Now, you can go"
And so they did. He walked back to the castle with Ron, who kept telling him about the other champions, then they dodged Rita Skeeter and reached the castle.
"Ah, yes. The first task, that was awesome. The best of the three if you ask me" Ron said, dreamily.
"Ron, maybe you should just go to work with Charlie, if you love dragons that much" Ginny teased him.
He stuck his tongue at her. "However Harry was brilliant in that task"
"Oh, I was now, wasn't I?" he said, puffing his chest in pride. Then he chuckled. "But really, Hermione needs as credit as me for my succeeding in the task. I can still remember the time she spent to make me learn the Summoning Charm…"
"Hermione, I need you help" he said to her in Herbology class.
"What do you think I'm trying to do, Harry?" she asked, working on the plant in front of her.
"Hermione, I've got to learn a perfect Summoning Charm within tomorrow afternoon" he said.
So they practiced. They skipped lunch, working in an empty classroom, where he tried with all his might to make things in the room come to him. Without great results, though, as the items kept flying for few moments, then fell regularly on the floor.
"Focus, Harry, focus" Hermione scolded him.
"What do you think I'm doing?" he replied, angry. "I keep having in my mind a big, ugly dragon, wonder why..." Then he calmed a bit. "Ok, I'm trying again"
After lunch he was ready to skip Divination to practice, but Hermione didn't want to skip Arithmancy, so remaining without her was useless."
…
He gulped down something for dinner, then he went back in the empty classroom with Hermione to practice. They used his Invisibility cloak to avoid the teachers. Till midnight they stayed, then Peeves started disturbing them, so they fled before Filch came to see what was happening there.
They continued in the common room. He was surrounded by things that he tried to make fly in his hands, till two in the morning. Just in the last hour he had started doing the charm really well.
"Good, Harry. Really good" Hermione said, knackered but happy.
"Well, now we know what to do next time I can't learn a spell, just threaten me with a dragon" he joked, Accioing a dictionary in his hand.
"Harry, you really learned it!" she squealed.
"Just hope it will work tomorrow. I'll be in the park, and the Firebolt here in the castle…the distance is much bigger"
"Doesn't matter. If you're really focused, it will come. Harry, it's better we get some sleep now. You'll need it"
So they did."
Hermione blushed at the praise, and Harry smiled fondly at her. "Not to mention that her teaching me the charm saved my life in the graveyard" he added then. "That blasted graveyard" he muttered darkly.
"Well, now, Hermione, it is your turn" Ginny said, holding him to try and sooth his hurt for Cedric.
"Ok. Here it is, my fondest memory of fourth year. Well, apart the time I spent with Harry while he and that prat of your brother were fighting, of course" she said, glaring at Ron, who grinned sheepishly.
"The heavy front doors opened, and everyone turned to look the Durmstrang students entering lead by their Headmaster Karkaroff and Krum. With him there was a gorgeous girl, dressed in sky blue, that Harry did not know.
Professor McGonagall gathered the Champions and their dates near the doors of the Great Hall, and there Harry's gaze fell on the girl with Krum…and he remained open-mouthed.
It was Hermione.
Just, she didn't seem like Hermione. She did something to her hair, not bushy anymore, but smooth and shining, and tied in an elegant chignon behind her head. In her soft periwinkle blue dress, she seemed to have a different poise. Or maybe it was because she ahd not twenty books on her shoulder as usual. She smiled too, nervously, and you could easily notice her teeth were fixed.
So the four couples entered the Great Hall, and McGonagall led them to the table of the judges.
Everyone stared at Hermione speechless, but with really not flattering looks, including Ron.
…
They were chatting about Durmstrang Castle.
"Now, Viktor, if you tell your lovely date something more I'm sure she'll be able to find us…" Karkaroff chimed in.
"Igor, how many mysteries. Seems like you want to keep secret your school" Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling.
"Dear Albus, who of us doesn't want to keep for himself and his students all the secrets of the schools we have been assigned to rule?"
"Oh, I don't think I know all the secrets of Hogwarts, Igor. Just this morning I found an extremely interesting new room on the seventh floor…"
Fleur instead was criticizing Hogwarts and its decorations with Roger, who seemed under some kind of spell. Probably her Veela charms…
Then Harry noticed Hagrid waving at Madame Maxime, who replied cheerfully.
And then he heard Hermione trying to make Krum pronounce her name rightfully. He kept saying it wrong.
"It's Her-mai-o-ni" she said again, patiently.
"Hermy-own-ninny" Krum said.
"Almost" she said smiling at Harry, who smiled back warmly.
Then the moment Harry dreaded came. The champions had to open the dances.
She and Viktor moved quite easily on the dance floor, she found he was quite skilled a s a dancer. Never stepped on her toes, actually, and that was already more than most boys her and even his age could do.
Later, she, exhausted and thirsty, came to seat near them, a bit hot for all the dancing.
"And here ends the pleasant memory of the Ball" Hermione said, glaring at Ron. "Then there is the fight I had with your prat of a brother"
"Oh, can I hear that? I missed it!" Ginny said.
"Hello" Harry said.
"It's hot, isn't it? Viktor has gone to get something to drink" she said.
"Viktor? You're not calling him Vicky yet?" Ron said sarcastically.
She looked at him surprised.
"What's the matter?" she asked.
"If you don't know" Ron said, "I'm not telling"
Hermione stared at him, then at Harry who shrugged. "Ron, what…"
"He's a Durmstrang! You're fraternizing with the enemy!" Ron said angrily.
She looked at him in shock.
"Don't be silly, the enemy. Who wanted his autograph? Who was so excited about him being here?"
Ron ignored her. "I guess he asked you when you both were in the library"
"Yes, exactly. What about it?"
"Did you try to get him involved in spew?" he asked
"No. Actually, he said he had been searching the moment to ask me for days"
"That's what he says. "
"What are you getting at?"
"It's obvious, he's trying to get information on Harry, or get so near that he can hex him"
"Oh, come on. He's never asked me a thing about Harry" she said, fully enraged now.
"Then he's trying to get you help him with the Egg"
"I would never! I want Harry to win! Harry knows that, don't you, Harry?"
"Of course, Hermione" he smiled reassuringly at her.
"Well, you've a strange way to show it" Ron said.
"The aim for the tournament is to connect wizards from different countries" Hermione explained.
"No, the aim is to win" Ron shouted. "Go search for Vicky, he's probably searching for you"
She left in a hurry.
Later…
"You know the solution then don't you?
"Go on..."
"Next time there's a ball pick up the courage and ask me before somebody else does...and NOT as a last resort!" she said, starting to sob, then ran on the staircase to the girls' dorm."
"Oh, Ron. You're really a wanker, you know. How could you spoil such a good night for one of your best friends?" Ginny said, angry. If he had done that to her…
"Well, ok, maybe it was uncalled for. But I really felt like she was on Krum's side instead than Harry's and with all the problems Harry had already had with me…" Ron tried to justify himself.
"I think you were plain jealous" Harry said, teasing him. "However, now it is your turn Ron. Let's see what you come up with"
"Oh, well, the event that marked my year was the fight with you, Harry" Ron said.
"Harry entered the dorm hoping to find Ron there.
"Where have you been?" Harry asked him.
"Oh, hi" he said, smiling. But Harry could see his was a strained smile. Harry fumbled with the Gryffindor scarf Lee had put around his neck, but it was tied very well.
Ron merely looked at him. When Harry took it off, he spoke.
"Well, congratulations"
"What does it mean, congratulations?" Harry asked. There was something really wrong in Ron's smile. It was more a grimace.
"Well, no one else has been able to overcome the Age Line, not even Fred and George. What did you use, the Invisibility Cloak?"
"The cloak wouldn't have made me pass the line" Harry said slowly.
"Oh, yes. I thought you would have said me if it was the cloak, because it would have covered both of us. Instead you found another way…"
"Listen, I didn't put my name in the Goblet. Someone else did"
He raised his eyebrows. "And why would have he?"
"I don't know"
"Well, you know, to me you can say the truth" he said. "If you don't want someone else to know, ok, but why are you lying? You're not in trouble, are you? The friend of the Fat Lady told us. Dumbledore lets you take part in the tournament. One thousand Galleons prize! And you don't have to face the end of term exams too…"
"I've not put my name in the goblet!" Harry repeated, starting to lose his patience.
"Yes, of course" he said, as sceptically as Cedric. "But this morning you said, if you were to do that, you would have done it last night, and no one would have seen you. I'm not stupid, you know"
"But you're trying to look that way" Harry snapped.
"Really?" he said, not an hint of a smile on his face now. "Well, you'll want to sleep now. Probably tomorrow morning you'll have a photo shot to take, or something similar"
Then he closed the curtains around his bed."
"And so it started, the fight that lasted till after first task when the prat come to apologize" Harry commented. Ron grinned sheepishly, while Hermione glared at him. Again.
"Now, Gin, it is your turn" Harry said.
"What? Oh, I would have to talk again about the Ball, so we can skip that. It was really great to be able to attend it, tough. If it wasn't for Neville…"
"Well, he was sweet to ask you" Hermione said.
"Sweet? Well, maybe. But my toes would have done a lot better without him. He kept stepping on them!"
Harry scowled. If there was something that made him angry was hearing someone picking on Neville.
"However, yes, I was lucky no one else wanted to go with him. But again, who would want to go with him with the way he acted in school?"
"Enough!" Harry shouted. "Ginevra, you should know the reason he acted that way in his first years at Hogwarts as well as I do. Hearing you talk like this of him is disgusting!" he said, stomping away and out of the house to calm himself near the pond.
"What have I said?" a dumbfounded Ginny asked to the others, but they simply ignored her and went searching for Harry.
"He's right" Hermione thought while searching for him. "We all have seen how his parents are, thanks to Bellatrix and other Death Eaters. We should not make fun of him, as we don't make fun of Harry. The two of them have had similar fates"
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