CHAPTER ONE: BACK TO GRIMMAULD
~~~~~July 31st, 1996. Number 4, Privet Drive, Surrey.~~~~~
Harry Potter had only been at Privet Drive for a few weeks and already he thought he was going crazy. But even everything his uncle said and did, couldn't compare to what the nightmares were doing to him. Every night he'd see scenes from the Ministry, Ron with brains on him, Hermione falling to Dolohovs curse, and then finally and most painfully, Sirius going through the veil.
Harry missed his Godfather more than he'd ever missed anything before in his life. Sirius was gone forever and it was his fault.
No! You can't think like that. It was not your fault, it was Voldemort and his death eaters, a voice that sounded remarkably like Hermione said in his head.
He was also feeling guilty about the fact that his friends had been hurt because they followed him. Before Ron had the memory suppression charm put on him he was traumatized beyond belief, Nevilles nose and Ginnys ankle had healed without any problems, and Hermione was going to be alright.
Besides the images of Sirius, it was those of Hermione that bothered Harry the most. The death eaters didn't know how close they'd come to winning the day by taking her out of the fight. She was not only the most capable of the six, but Harry had thought she was dead and it had driven him to panic. He picked up the latest letter he'd recieved from Hermione and re-read it.
Dear Harry,
I don't know how you're holding up this summer, but we're all okay here at HQ. We've been working hard to make the house not so dark. I've been nagging Dumbledore everytime I see him as to when we can come and rescue you and he told me yesterday that you'll be coming back soon.
Harry, I know you don't want to talk about Sirius but when you're ready you know I'm here for you. And I don't want you feeling guilty about what happened, because it wasn't your fault, and if you go and close yourself off I will be very angry and I know you don't want me angry. I also know that you're guilty about us going with you, and I want you to stop that too. You didn't force us to go Harry, we wanted to. We went because we love you and we knew there was a good reason for going.
Anyway, I think Dumbledore just arrived so I'm going to go get on his case some more. I can't wait to see you, I miss you terribly and I know you need to be with us right now.
All my love,
Hermione.
Harry smiled and refolded the letter. She knew him so well that even without seeing him for weeks she knew what he was going through.
She's always been there for me, even when Ron wasn't. I knew that out of all of them, her, Ron, Neville, Ginny, and Luna, she'd be the one I'd never be able to convince to stay behind, she would have followed me anyway.He thought, and then with a smile, She knows me so much better than Ron does.
Harry picked up the letter from Ron and grinned. Hermione might be there for him, but Ron was able to take his mind off everything.
Hey Harry mate,
How's it going? Everythings good here, except Mum being on me about not helping out enough. Hermiones really worried about you, she and Mum have been on the warpath ever since you left and anyone with the power to get you out of there has been avoiding them as much as possible. But I reckon we'll all be better once we're back at school and back on the Quidditch pitch, hey mate. I think your ban will be lifted, since Umbridge was a nutter, and I reckon you might be named captain this year, how good will that be. Well, I gotta' get goin', Mums hollerin' out.
See ya soon,
Ron
He put his letters away and sat on his trunk in the middle of the room. He was all packed to go and was now just waiting on the Order to come and get him. He got lost in thoughts as he looked at the moon outside his bedroom window and was only snapped out of them when he heard a crash downstairs.
With a smile he left his bedroom and made his way through the dark house and down the stairs, his wand drawn just in case. Swinging the kitchen door open he hit the lightswitch and laughed at the scene in the kitchen. Tonks had obviously tripped over a chair and smashed one of Petunias good plates. Mad-Eye was eyeing Harry carefully to make sure it was actually him. Lupin grinned and began to make his way to Harry but was cut off when the final occupant in the kitchen launched herself on him.
"Oh, Harry, are you alright? Have they been treating you well?"
"Hermione, I can't breathe." Harry got out.
She disentangled herself from him and gave him a good look over, while he did the same. She looks good, he thought, not
knowing she was having the exact same thoughts. Harry wondered how he'd never realized just how pretty she was
before. But he'd changed since Sirius' death.
She should be bashing guys away with a stick. Where the hell did that come from? Stop it! She's your best friend you can't think about her like that.His mind argued with itself.
Harrys mind ramblings were interrupted by his Uncle Vernon bursting into the kitchen with a red face. "What the bloody hell is going on?!"
"We've come to get Harry." Lupin told him as calm as always.
"Bloody freaks in my house! I'll give you - - "
Harry looked at Vernon confused. His mouth was moving and his face was getting redder but no sound was coming out. He turned around and saw Hermione with her wand drawn, glaring at Vernon.
She looked back at Harry and blushed a little bit, "Sorry, I just wanted him to shut up."
Harry grinned at her in astonishment. "Don't be sorry, I've wanted to do that for years now."
"Alright, Potter, Granger, Tonks and Lupin will escort you to Mrs Figgs and from there we'll have you floo to Headquarters. I'll fix up this mess here."
Harry nodded and ran past Vernon and up the stairs with Hermione to get his things. He grabbed his trunk while she grabbed Hedwigs cage.
"I think you'll be impressed with Grimmauld." She told him.
"You guys have been working hard?"
"Mrs Weasley has been working hard. She wanted it finished by the time you got there."
"Remind me to thank her." Harry said as they made their way downstairs.
The four walked to Mrs Figgs with their wands in their hands, but they didn't need them, they got to the squibs house without a problem and flooed to Grimmauld straight away.
Harry was shocked by what he saw, not only the house but the large group of people that were gathered around. "Surprise!" They all yelled at the same time.
Harry smiled at them all and a tingle ran through him when Hermione whispered in his ear, "Happy Birthday, Harry." He once more berated himself about the non-friend like thoughts that ran through his mind when her breath hit his ear.
Ron stepped forward with a grin and gave Harry a manly hug. "Sorry I couldn't come get you but Mum wanted help with all this stuff."
"That's alright mate. It's good to see you again."
"Good to see you too."
"I'll be back in a minute Harry." Hermione told him and walked away.
Harry watched her leave with a thousand thoughts running through his head about his best friend. She really is beautiful, I bet her skin is so soft. Stop it, Harry! You need to quit doing that. Even if she wasn't your best friend you know you're not good enough for her.
Ginny didn't miss the look that Harry was giving Hermione, so while Harry made the rounds of greeting everyone and things like that, Ginny grabbed Hermione and took her up to their room. Hermione was confused as Ginny put a silencing charm on the room and locked the door.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Ginny said with a smile.
"Tell you what?"
"About you and Harry!"
Hermione was dumbstruck, "What about me and Harry? There's nothing going on, Ginny."
"Yeah right. Look if you're worried about me, I've told you about a hundred times that I don't like Harry like that anymore."
"Ginny, I honestly have no idea what you're talking about." Hermione sighed and sat down on her bed.
"Okay so there's nothing going on......yet. But you like him and he likes you, make something go on."
"I don't like Harry, and I'm certain that he doesn't like me."
Ginny just shook her head. "I know you like him and you need to admit it to yourself. Come on, even your ex's noticed it. Cho was always getting pissed off with Harry because of you, and I recall quite well that Viktor was also getting angry at you because of Harry."
Hermione was still staring at Ginny in disbelief, so Ginny tried a different tactic. "Don't tell me you didn't notice how good looking he is."
She thought it over for a moment and nodded, "Yeah, okay, so he is and I noticed, but that doesn't mean I like him."
"Hermione, what are you looking for in a guy?"
"Well," A look of concentration covered her face. "He'd have to be able to use his brain, I don't want a dope that can't think. He'd have to be caring for all people and creatures, especially house-elves. He'd be brave, and selfless, putting other peoples needs before his own. I'd want basically just a nice guy all round. It wouldn't hurt that he looked good either."
"Hermione, you just described Harry."
Hermione went to protest but Ginny cut her off, "He can use his brain, unlike my poor brother, I mean Harrys grades aren't that bad when he tries. He cares for everything, just think Dobby. He's definately brave. He's always putting other people before himself and he is basically a nice guy. Not to mention he's pretty hot."
Hermiones mind was going a mile a minute at Ginnys words. No, I can't like Harry, he's my friend, nothing more....isn't he? Ginny is right that he's the kind of guy that I'd want, but no, come on Hermione this is Harry we're talking about! I just can't like him, can I? And I'm certain he wouldn't be interested in me, I mean what guy would be - -.
Ginny stopped her train of thoughts. "Hermione don't think about this, well at least don't think too much. This isn't an essay or an assignment, so don't use your brain, put your heart into it."
Hermione shook her head in disbelief, looking as if she'd cry. "I can't like Harry like that, can I?"
Ginny sighed and sat down on the bed next to her, putting an arm around her shoulder. "You wouldn't be the first one, and you won't be the last, but you may be the only one with a chance."
"What do you mean?" Hermione croaked.
"I saw the way he was looking at you."
"When?"
"Just before we came up here. It wasn't the kind of look one normally gives their best friend. It was more a look they give someone they'd like more with."
"That's impossible."
"Look, why don't you just think about it for a while? Come on, we'll go down and enjoy the rest of the party."
Once they were back downstairs Hermione couldn't help but steal glances at Harry every now and then and was surprised to find him looking back at her a few times. For his part, Harry couldn't help himself, he felt drawn to just watching her.
"You got it bad, boy." Came a soft voice from behind him. Spinning around he saw Ginny smiling at him. "One of you better get your act together."
"What?"
"You and Hermione, you'd be great together."
Harry just shook his head and turned back to look at Hermione. Is it really that obvious? Bloody hell, what am I going to do? There's no way she can like me back. Damn, I'm crazy about my best friend, this isn't right. Who cares? I can't help the way I feel, I should at least admit it to myself.
"Do you want a tour?" Hermione asked as she came over to him.
"I'd love one." Harry smiled.
She put down her butterbeer and led him around the house. Instead of the dark, dank and downright creepy place Grimmauld Place had once been it was now much more like Gryffindor tower, decorated nicely in mainly red and gold, it was warm and welcoming.
"And this is your room. Ron said you wouldn't want Sirius' old room, but I thought you would. If you don't then we can always put you somewhere else." Hermione told him while opening the door to what used to be Sirius' room.
"No, I do want it."
They walked in together and Harry was slightly shocked at the changes. The room was painted in the Gryffindor covers, there was a fireplace in the closest part of the room with a bookshelf on each side of it and a very comfortable looking couch in front. At the far end of the room was a large walk-in wardrobe and a huge four-poster bed.
Harry walked over to the door in the room and found his own ensuite, with not only a shower but a tub as well. He smiled and turned back to Hermione. "This is perfect, thankyou."
"Thank Mrs Weasley, she did most of the work. I had hoped you'd like it."
The two sat down on the edge of the bed and sat in a comfortable silence while both thought. Should I tell her how I feel?Harry wondered. No, not yet, she doesn't need to know yet. Maybe I should tell her about the prophecy. I can tell she knows I'm keeping something from her. No, I can't tell her, not yet. It'll only worry her.
"How did the muggles treat you?" She asked causing him to look up.
"Oh, they were okay. Moodys threat really got Vernon, he barely said a word to me the whole time I was there and that suited me just fine."
"What about your Aunt and cousin?"
"Dudley was barely around, he was usually out with his cronies terrorizing small children and animals. And Aunt Petunia, well actually she was pretty good. When Vernon and Dudley wasn't home she'd make me a decent lunch and she'd always make sure that I was able to get to the table before they ate everything. I even saw her smile at me once.....I think."
"Well, that's good." There was another moment of silence but this time it was rather uncomfortable. "Maybe we should go back downstairs."
"Yeah." Harry said, not wanting to admit he was actually enjoying their alone time. He got up and followed her back into the sitting room where everyone was to enjoy the rest of the party.
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