Harry lay in bed across the room from Ron in a house he was supposed to own. It truly did not feel like he owned anything. His mind was beginning to drift. The delicious drink he had with Dumbledore took away the fuzzy feeling he had from the dandelion wine and made his mind feel empty and clear. The last thing he remembered thinking about was Ron snoring when he entered the room and mumbling, "Aw righ' 'arry?". But he was snoring again before Harry could answer.
"Repeat back to me everything I've told you Harry."
"About what?"
"What I've just told you, of course."
"About the trip?"
"Yes, I want to be sure you remember everything."
Harry peered at Dumbledore, there was something about him that didn't look right. Harry didn't answer and everything began to fade away. Dumbledore suddenly looked angry and yelled as if from a great distance.
"Answer me boy!"
In the morning the dream had been forgotten. Over breakfast Harry told Ron and Ginny about going on his very first vacation. There was speculation about where he might go and who the allies might be. Mrs. Weasley was quiet on the matter and Harry suspected that she already knew but didn't ask. He didn't want another stinging reminder that he was a potential security leak. After the speculation of Harry's trip was exhausted, Ron and Ginny told about their last trip to Egypt and all the things they hoped to do and see this time. Harry thought it sounded grand and wished he were going with them.
All too soon, breakfast was over and reluctant goodbyes were made. It seemed a shame to spend only one evening with friends that he might not see again until term started but Mrs. Weasley suggested they all get together to get their school supplies before then. They all agreed readily and Ginny said she'd have Hue take Hermione a letter. Ginny added confidentially that she was going to ask Hermione to join them on their trip to Egypt. She wasn't satisfied her mum thought Hermione had other plans.
Remus accompanied Harry back to the Dursley's in a taxi. It was a relatively quiet ride, not because Harry was feeling down. His mind was occupied with his mysterious vacation. Plus the fact Remus told him right off he couldn't tell him where he was going. It only made him think about his upcoming trip that much more. When they reached Privet Drive, Remus gave Harry some money for his trip; one hundred fifty pounds muggle money and One hundred galleons.
"Tonks brought this by just before you finished breakfast. She couldn't stay to say hello as she was headed off on an Auror assignment." Reading the look on Harry's face he said, "It's your money. As guardians we have limited access to your vault until you turn of age."
The Dursley's were nonplussed to see him and he felt the same way towards them.
"Must not have inherited much," uncle Vernon commented smugly. "You're back here with us." His uncle's mustache twitched after saying, "You're back here with us." Harry figured he was struggling with which was worse - Harry having more money than the Dursley's or Harry still living with them. But Harry knew precisely which was worse. It was both.
"I'm supposed to go on a trip next Wednesday."
"A trip? To where? And with whom?"
"They wouldn't tell me."
"Now I suppose that's typical with your lot. Not knowing where you're going or with whom - rubbish. And for how long?"
Harry was taken aback. He had been so overwhelmed at going on holiday that the question of how long he would be gone never crossed his mind.
"Er, I'm not sure."
Uncle Vernon laughed harshly while aunt Petunia had a snide grin on her horse-like face.
"Can you believe it Petunia? The whole lot of 'em, barking. If you didn't come back at all it would suit me."
"Actually Vernon, this will work out fine. We are going on holiday to the French Riviera with Marge. It should be a wonderful vacation and all thanks to your hard work and the extra money you've made."
Harry watched uncle Vernon unconsciously stroke the discerning pen in his pocket as his shirt stretched over a chest swelling with self-pride.
"Yes, quite. The business has done rather well. We might even shop for a holiday home."
"Something with a pool," aunt Petunia said dreamily. "Wouldn't that be wonderful Dudleykins!" she exclaimed squeezing Dudley's massive arm. Dudley sat on the couch smiling like a pig that had found a nice mud wallow.
The Dursley's had taken Harry's silence about his inheritance to mean he hadn't gotten anything. Their little world was back to normal and Harry did not intend to make matters worse by telling them otherwise, especially when they were all in such a good mood.
Ten past eleven:
Harry looked at his watch and gave a sigh.
'Soon,' he thought.
Harry sat on his bed, his wand and invisibility cloak next to him . . . waiting. He had eaten very little breakfast and was too anxious to do much of anything. Soon he would slip out the back door and make his way over to Mrs. Figg's on Wisteria Walk. Harry figured it would only take five minutes to walk but didn't want to take chances and would allow himself ten minutes. Nothing to do but think to himself as the minutes dragged on. He had sent Hedwig to Grimmauld Place last night and had left his trunk in the flower bed a few hours before that. Nothing to do but think of the past several days which had been a dreadful wait.
The Dursley's had left Monday morning, but not before giving him several lectures on what he could and could not do while they were gone. They also wanted him to find out how long he would be gone, as they didn't want to be entertaining and have him unexpectedly show up in the driveway. The novelty of an empty house and being able to watch what he wanted on television evaporated quickly leaving him with anxious thoughts on his upcoming trip. He looked at his watch again.
Twenty-two past eleven:
The monotony of an empty house had been broken by the arrival of his grades on Tuesday. He saw the total first - 7 OWLs. He remembered how he couldn't believe it. He thought he would have been lucky to scrape five OWLs. His heart thumping he read his grades slowly -
Astronomy - A
Charms - E
Herbology - E
History of Magic -D
Potions - O
Transfiguration - E
Care of Magical Creatures - E
DADA - O+
Divination - P
7 OWLs
He expected a P in Divination and a D in History of Magic, but an O in Potions? He wondered if it was a mistake. It seemed unbelievable as his hopes to become an Auror mounted. A slow grin forming as he thought about how infuriated Snape would be. As much as he hated the class, Snape and Potions was his means to becoming an Auror.
'Good, that's sorted. Now I need five NEWTs to qualify for Auror training. An O in potions, covered. An E in Transfiguration, so I'm squared away there as well. Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Care of Magical Creatures, and Defense Against the Dark Arts - good,' He breathed easier.
'Hang on, what's an O+? I've never heard of such a grade,' Harry shrugged.
At the bottom of the page there was a note that read:
Due to extenuating circumstances during your Astronomy examination everyone's letter grade was raised one level.
'Oh well, don't look a gift owl under the wing,' he thought to himself.
Eleven thirty-three:
He looked at his watch again and closed his eyes, the waiting was killing him - he was so anxious. After finally believing his grades, he wanted to find out what Ron had got, but knew he was already off on his trip to Egypt. Then it dawned on him to call Hermione. He had felt like a fool for not having realized he could call her sooner. Even though the Dursley's had forbid him to use the phone, there was no way they could possibly know.
The first time he called was in the afternoon and no one had answered. He wondered if maybe she had already left with the Weasley's since Ginny was going to invite her to go on the trip with them or whether Hermione had other plans like Mrs. Weasley had said.
The second time he called was later toward evening. Hermione was surprised and delighted to hear from him. He immediately apologized for not writing more and braced himself for a well deserved chastising. But it didn't happen. After a brief pause Hermione said she understood. It turned out to be one of the strangest conversations he had ever had with Hermione. The only thing she was willing to talk about was her little sister Miranda. She didn't seem to want to talk about school or grades and changed the subject quickly. It was very unlike her. She did however, shush him frantically when he mentioned he was packed and ready to go.
Eleven forty-five:
Harry took to pacing his bedroom floor glancing at his watch every fifth turn or so. Yes, he believed that Hermione knew about his trip like everyone else. Everyone knew but him. The previous year he would have been furious, but resolution to a predicament comes with understanding.
Eleven forty-nine:
He scooped up his wand and pocketed it, and swung his invisibility cloak around himself in one fluid motion. He realized he should have put it on downstairs as he almost stumbled going down the steps in his haste.
Out the back door and making sure it was locked behind him he was off. He felt energized. The sky was a beautiful blue-gray with a few clouds here and there. The temperature was warm but not unpleasant due to a light breeze. He passed green and perfectly trimmed lawns with the smell of freshly cut grass on his way.
He stopped at the back door and looked carefully all around to make sure no one might see a door open and close all on its own. Confident no one was watching he slipped through Mrs. Figg's back door and closed it behind him.
A porcelain jar, decorated with flowers, and nearly full of Floo Powder was on the mantle. It didn't look as though it had been used much. He looked at his watch and saw he had five minutes to go. He started to reach for a dash of Floo Powder from under his cloak and realized there was no fire. He reached for his wand and had a sudden thought as he put it back.
He closed his eyes and took a slow breath calming himself and directing his anxious emotions. He raised his fingers and thought, 'Incendio'. The fireplace ignited with flame.
'Cool,' he thought to himself.
He reached out from under his cloak for some Floo Powder and looked at his watch counting down the seconds. He decided he would toss in the Floo Powder ten seconds before noon and then he'd step in and call out his destination.
Twenty seconds, fifteen seconds, ten seconds, he tossed in the Floo Powder and the fire leapt and bellowed into green flame. He stepped forward into the warm gentle flames and heard a cat yowl and hiss as a door creaked open making the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He turned to see a red streak of light coming right at his forehead. He tilted his head instinctively, the stunning spell brushing past his hair crackling like static electricity. From across the room another spell shot toward the door shattering it into glass and wood splinters.
There was nothing he could do, they were invisible like himself. Whoever came in through the door tried to stun him and it looked like someone else in the house tried to blast whoever came in through the door.
"Bandon Warehouse!" he yelled as another spell shot toward him, but he was swirling fast through the Floo Network before it ever reached him.
Harry rolled out onto a dusty wood floor of an abandoned warehouse coughing and sputtering from the soot he had inhaled. His head, shoes, and hands exposed from under the invisibility cloak making him look very unconnected.
"Potter! For heaven sake, what's the matter with you? Surely you've traveled by Floo before. Stand up, take off your cloak, and greet your teacher in a more formal manner."
"Professor," he gasped between coughs. "I was attacked, they were invisible. One of them tried to stun me while I was in the fire. Almost got me. See?" Harry pointed to a patch of hair on his head that was sticking straight up. But McGonagall wasn't impressed and only flinched when he quickly moved his hand and pointed to his head.
"Greet me properly, Harry."
It was the tone of her voice that made Harry snap to attention. She wasn't making a request.
McGonagall was holding out her hand, a walking cane dangling from her elbow while her other hand was in a pocket. Harry was fairly sure her hand was clutching a wand in the pocket of her long reddish-brown muggle dress. She had a narrow look peering over her glasses at him and her mouth was very thin.
"Oh, sorry." He took her hand and they exchanged the image of a fiery phoenix.
"Thank goodness," she sighed relaxing a scant second before looking him over. "No broken bones? No curses?"
"No, just this." Harry pointed to his hair again, an unruly tuft of hair sticking straight up, waving and fuzzy with static electricity.
McGonagall gave a quick smile and waved her wand over his head. The objectionable tuft of hair lay down with the rest of messy hair. Without pause McGonagall reached into her purse and took out a compact mirror and spoke to it. "Hestia. Harry says there's been a commotion at Figg's. Would you check on it?"
"I'm on it," replied a female voice from the mirror.
"Come along Harry. Put your cloak back on and follow me. We have little time to spare." She saw Harry looking at her walking cane. "I'm quite all right. I find it useful at times." She gave him an encouraging smile before returning to business. "Now listen carefully. I want you to be right behind me every step of the way. We'll be going through some muggle crowds and we can't afford to get separated. At some point I will drop something from my purse - on purpose," she added. "I expect someone to pick it up and I will thank them with this phrase. Why thank you, thank you very much. When I say that phrase, and precisely that phrase, you will follow that person instead of me. You will follow that person anywhere they may go. Are you clear on that?" Harry nodded.
A floorboard creaked in the distance and McGonagall jerked her head in the direction it came from looking intently.
"Quickly Harry. I don't think I was followed but we had best be off."
They were off at a brisk pace making Harry concentrate on staying close behind McGonagall without stepping on the back of her shoes. Out of the abandoned warehouse and several blocks away the sidewalks were full of people. Harry caught sight of a street sign and immediately knew they were in London. It was a ritzy part of town that the Dursley's liked to drive through and be seen.
His quick look at a street sign nearly led him to walk into the back of McGonagall who had come to a stop outside a department store window. She hooked her walking cane on her elbow and dug into her purse. A piece of paper drifted to the sidewalk out of her hand. Harry watched silent and invisible as a woman in her late twenties stopped to pick it up. She had long brown hair tied neatly behind her head with a thin red ribbon. She wasn't stunningly beautiful but she was pretty. Harry thought she looked spiffy in a medium length gray skirt with matching vest over a crisp mauve shirt a shiny gold necklace draping from the collar. Everything about her spoke of a muggle of financial means and good taste.
"I'm sorry, did you drop this?" The woman held the piece of paper out to McGonagall.
"Why thank you." McGonagall took the paper and touched the woman's hand briefly in the process before saying, "Thank you very much."
That was Harry's cue and he took position behind the well-dressed woman who stepped into the large revolving door of the store they had been standing in front of. She maneuvered to make room without making her actions obvious. In the small interval of time between the inside and outside of the store she spoke quietly, as if talking to herself.
"With me Harry?"
"Er, yeah," he replied thinking her voice sounded familiar and very different than it had moments ago.
They wound there way through the store, up an escalator and into women's clothing. The woman he had been following took time to pick several skirts off the racks and proceeded to a dressing room. She stepped inside and left the door open while she hung the new skirts on a hook next to some clothes already hanging there.
Harry hesitated but remembered that McGonagall had told him to follow her anywhere she went and stepped in just before she closed the door.
"Where are you?" she whispered.
Harry swung off the cloak, glad to get out from under it. The air conditioning of the store felt good. He thought about her voice again.
"Tonks?" he asked.
"Wotcher Harry," she whispered grinning at him. "Sorry we don't have time to talk. Walk through the mirror on the back wall. There's another dressing room just beyond. There's a sack on a bench with the clothes you'll need, and there's also a bottle of Polyjuice next to it. Hermione's told me you've taken Polyjuice Potion before so you know what to expect and for Merlin's sake don't break it. It's all we have. Take the Polyjuice and get dressed. Hurry we don't have much time."
"I was attacked at Mrs. Figg's house," Harry said anxiously. "I think she needs a new back door."
"Really?" Tonks said wide eyed. "Anyone hurt?"
"I couldn't tell. Everyone was invisible. I think there were at least two others besides me. McGonagall sent someone named Hestia to check on things. What I can't figure -"
"Good, Hestia will let us know what she finds. Shake a leg, you'll be leaving shortly."
Tonks led him toward the mirror and Harry stepped through it to a small room about four times bigger than the dressing room he had just left. There was a large full-length mirror on the adjacent wall with a short bench in front of it, a sack and a bottle on it just like Tonks had said. A dozen candles lit everything well enough to see clearly. Harry picked up the bottle of Polyjuice wondering who he would look like after he drank it.
He remembered his last experience with Polyjuice and shuddered involuntarily at how awful the stuff had tasted. He also remembered the discomfort of tight clothes as he grew to the much larger size of Goyle. He took off his shoes and socks, unbuttoned his shirt, and loosened his pants. He uncorked the bottle and grimaced before swallowing it all in one large gulp, closed his eyes and braced himself. The stuff still tasted like overcooked cabbage and he was prepared for the writhing feeling in his stomach, the wave of nausea, and the burning sensation that spread from his stomach to the rest of his body. He was pleased that he didn't fall to the floor, but he also didn't remember it being quite so painful. The final stage came with a melting feeling with the skin all over his body bubbling.
He felt himself shrink instead of get bigger. He felt his clothes slacken and fall to the floor, his arms shortened pulling back into the sleeves of his shirt that barely stayed on.
'Looks like I was wrong to think it would be someone bigger, but whoever it is they must be muscular because I've got a large chest,' he thought to himself. The transformation complete he opened his eyes and looked in the mirror.
"No," he gasped in a voice not his own.
He looked in shock at the image of a blonde haired girl wearing his shirt that fit loosely about her, and nothing else. He jerked his gaze away from the mirror and felt his face grow warm. He felt like he had been looking at something he shouldn't have.
He was only now becoming aware of voices, besides Tonks, female voices in the other dressing room. Hermione's and another that sounded just like his now altered voice.
"I think there's been a mistake. I'm definitely missing something."
"No, it's no mistake Harry," Tonks confirmed.
"What are you missing Harry? Underwear, shoes?" Hermione asked anxiously from the other dressing room.
"Oh, a baseball cap? A white baseball cap?" asked his twin voice.
Suddenly Tonks snorted. "He means . . ." - stifled giggles followed.
"It's not permanent, Harry," Hermione reassured him between suppressed laughs.
"Snape made the potion himself. He's an exceptional Potions Master," Tonks said reassuringly.
"Snape? That's supposed to make me feel better?" Harry groaned in his female voice and pulled his loose shirt tightly about him. He heard Tonks and Hermione choke on more giggles.
"Girls, girls. This won't do," Tonks said trying to bring them back to a more serious matter. "We don't have time for this, remember? Harry, you must hurry. Go on, get dressed."
Harry took a deep breath and let it out quickly. It was obvious it had to be done. He reached in the sack and pulled out a hot-pink top, light blue denim shorts, white socks and sneakers, a white baseball cap, sunglasses, a white purse, a dainty but fashionable bracelet, a girl's wristwatch with a leather strap, two gold stud earrings and underwear. Harry tried not to think about what he was doing, but he had a problem when it came to the top half of the underwear.
"Uh, how do you put this on? The ah - ." He knew what it was called but the name wasn't coming to him. "You know, this halter thing."
"Halter? Oh you mean bra." A round of snickers ensued followed by three simultaneous instructions that sounded like a bunch of gibberish to Harry.
"Huh?"
"Harry, I'll come in and show you," said Tonks.
"Wha-? No, no, I can figure it out," Harry said panic-stricken. His mind raced piecing together the bits of instruction he had heard while the girls talked about what to do.
"I'll go in, I've seen Melanie undressed before," said Hermione.
"It would be like seeing myself, right? I'll go," said Melanie.
"This is ridiculous, we'll all go," Tonks said with the final word.
Harry managed to figure it out and was buttoning up the hot-pink top as the three walked through the mirror.
"Oh my God, she - I mean he - I mean Harry. You look exactly like me. This is too weird. This must be what it's like to look at an identical twin. Hold on, you don't have your earrings on."
Hermione and Melanie each took an earring and put it on while Tonks put on the bracelet.
"Let's see, we still need make up. Melanie, stand beside Harry so Hermione and I can get this right. Hermione you take care of the hair and lip-gloss. I'll take care of the rest." Hermione nodded as Tonks took out her wand and Hermione did the same.
Harry wondered how much more he had to endure.
"Harry, pucker up," Hermione instructed as she demonstrated what to do in order to magic on the lip-gloss.
Harry felt his face getting warm again as Hermione and Tonks worked him over.
"There, I think we've got it," Tonks said with a nod. "He still needs a purse. Oh thanks Melanie, just shovel all of Harry's things in. Trust me, it'll all fit." Tonks noticed Melanie had an odd look on her face as she handed Harry the purse.
"The purse has been charmed to give a normal appearance of a woman's purse."
"Ohhh, okay. Umm, I usually have my purse over my right shoulder since I'm left handed Harry. And Here's my passport. I want that back after your trip of course. Just give it to Hermione, she'll get it back to me. And one more thing." Melanie took a small bottle of perfume out of her purse and dabbed some, putting a drop behind each of Harry's ears.
"Perfect, you agree Hermione? Good. Then it's time for me to change." Tonks had a concentrated look as her face and hair changed to look like Hermione. Melanie gasped in amazement. Hermione handed Tonks a bag of clothes. Tonks started to pull off her clothes and stopped suddenly, eyeing Harry.
"You may be currently a girl Harry but I'm not sure Hermione would care for you to watch her image changing clothes.
Harry turned his back on Tonks so quickly that his now medium length blonde hair flung over his eyes. He faced Hermione and Melanie, his face warm again.
"Is that what I look like when I blush?" Melanie asked Hermione.
"Yes, but you usually don't do it as much as Harry has the past few minutes."
"Oh my, I just realized." Melanie blushed lightly. "You know what I look like don't you Harry. Tell me, do I have a nice figure?" Melanie gave Harry a mischievous grin.
"Melanie, you're incorrigible," Hermione gasped.
At Melanie's question, Harry blushed furiously. He felt warm all the way to his feet.
"Wow, I doubt that I ever blushed like that."
"Umm, yes you have. The time you got caught - ." Hermione never finished because Melanie clamped her hand over Hermione's mouth.
"I'm done." Harry tuned to see an exact duplicate of Hermione. Sky-blue top, white shorts, white socks, blue sneakers, a silver wristwatch with silver band, a white purse like Melanie's, sunglasses tucked away on top of her curly hair, and a gold pendant hanging from around her neck. "I have one last task and then Melanie and I will go see the Grangers. I'm looking forward to seeing the baby sister you talk so much about, Hermione." Tonks pulled out her wand casting a spell on Harry and then Hermione. "It's an unlocating spell, it'll last two weeks before it has to be renewed. Melanie, we're off."
"Say Harry, can you tell the difference between the two Hermione's?" Melanie asked curiously.
"He's done it before," said Tonks answering for Harry.
"Really, how interesting," commented Melanie as Hermione furrowed her brows at Melanie in mock displeasure.
"Okay, we've got to go. Hermione, Harry, give us five minutes before you leave. I don't think you'll have any more trouble Harry. Try to have a good trip." They all said their goodbyes, Tonks and Melanie stepped through the back of the regular dressing room mirror and were gone.
"What did Tonks mean, any more trouble?"
Harry started to say what had happened just as they both heard the sound of a doorknob turning and latch retract on the outer dressing room. It sounded as if someone looked in, and quickly left.
"Just as we thought," she whispered. "I was being followed, Ministry no doubt." They were quiet for a time, saying nothing. Eventually Hermione looked at her watch.
"Time to go. We may have to run to catch the underground."
"Underground? Where are we going?"
"To catch a plane."
It was a thirty minute ride to Gatwick Airport, enough time to discreetly tell Hermione about everything that happened from Mrs. Figg's house and up to following Tonks into the dressing room. Hermione was quiet after hearing this.
"I think you're right. It was likely a Death Eater that followed you into Figg's. Do you think it was Figg who tried to blast them by the door?"
"Don't know. The Dursley's seemed to think she was out of town. What I can't figure is how they could see me standing in the fire."
"I'd say you left a silhouette. You may have been invisible but the flames were not going through you."
When they arrived at Gatwick Airport, Harry found out Hermione already had plane tickets for both of them and luggage checks for their trunks. Their luggage loaded, they were ready to board the plane.
"Where are we going?"
"Gibraltar. The flight should take us two hours and forty minutes. So, if our plane departs at one forty-five, as scheduled, we should arrive in Gibraltar about twenty-five after five."
"Don't you mean twenty-five after four?"
"No, Gibraltar is an hour ahead of us so we have to move our watches ahead one hour. We're supposed to wait at a place called the Silver Unicorn until someone comes to get us. It's supposed to be a lovely place right on the shore of the Mediterranean." There was a gleam in Hermione's eyes as they both boarded the plane and took their seats. She looked like she was dying to tell him something.
"We're going to Egypt. We're going to meet the Weasley's tonight in Gibraltar and sail with them to Egypt. I believe we're going to Cairo. Isn't it exciting?"
Harry had to admit it was very exciting and he was very happy Hermione was going too, although he wondered what her part was in getting new allies for the Order.
Hermione didn't like it when the plane took off. She gripped the seat tightly. Harry found his first flight to be very interesting. It was amazing how technology and power could be harnessed to make a hunk of metal fly without magic. They both wanted to talk about the things on their minds relating to the magical world but didn't want to be overheard. Instead, they talked about muggle technology, careful not to say the word muggle, and how it was generally underestimated. Hermione did most of the talking because hearing Melanie's voice come out of his own mouth bugged him.
When snacks and drinks were offered to passengers, Harry wolfed his ham and cheese roll down quickly.
"Haven't you eaten anything today?"
"Er, no. I was too anxious to eat breakfast and since I had to leave at noon." Harry shrugged. "Now that we're underway I'm famished."
Hermione laughed and let him have her roll as well, but kept her small chocolate cake.
"I see you're wearing your sunglasses most of the time. It's because you don't know when your eyes might change right?" Harry said quietly.
"Yes, it's rather annoying but it can't be helped."
Harry glanced at his watch and panicked.
"I need another dose of Polyjuice fast or I'm going to change back. What if the lavatory is occupied?" he said in a frantic whisper. He clutched his purse where all of his other clothes had been stuffed. He looked at his watch again. "I'll be changing in . . . thirty minutes ago?"
"It's okay. I'm sorry no one had a chance to explain," Hermione whispered back. "A cross-gender Polyjuice potion lasts for twelve hours and can only be used once during a lunar cycle. It's supposed to be more difficult to make than Wolfsbane Potion. We're really lucky Snape is part of the Order."
Harry was just getting over the horrible thought of suddenly becoming a boy in very tight fitting girl's clothes, not a pretty picture, and Hermione mentions Snape. He reflexively groaned in Melanie's voice. The thought of Snape knowing he had polyjuiced into a girl for twelve hours was not a very pleasant thought.
"Wait, when will we be meeting the Weasley's tonight? After one a.m.?"
"Probably long before midnight."
Harry groaned again. The ham and cheese rolls churned in his stomach.
Hermione patted him on the arm.
"It'll be okay. Everyone will understand. It was the most efficient means of getting you out of the country."
"Really? What about a Portkey? Or, why couldn't Fawkes have taken me from Privet Drive to the boat the Weasley's were on. Wouldn't that have been even more efficient? I know that's how you got to see your little sister when she was born. And why do I need a passport if I'm using Melanie's?"
"Maybe Dumbledore wanted you to have your own passport in case something went wrong after you changed back into yourself.
A Portkey is highly regulated and Dumbledore would be taking an awful risk to make one without authorization. But I wondered about Fawkes as well. I know that wouldn't have been too far for him to go. I sincerely doubt he could have been able to take you all the way to Cairo though I'm not really sure. There must be some reason Fawkes was unavailable. Maybe he just went through one of his burning days."
"No, that was weeks ago. The battle at the Ministry."
Harry and Hermione were quiet for a while. Mentioning the battle at the Ministry brought back hard memories. Only the sound of the jet engines, trivial conversations around them, and the occasional request from a passenger to the Stewardess for something was heard for nearly an hour.
"You had me so worried. You only wrote back "I'm fine" and I knew it was a lie. I felt so helpless. There was nothing I could do. All those weeks and then I get a phone call out of the blue and I'd just been instructed not to say much over the phone."
Harry had been so lost in his own thoughts. Her words took him by surprise. He turned to see her wiping at her cheek.
"Hermione? Don't . . . I'm sorry. I should have written something more. I'm better, maybe still hurting but better." Harry grasped for something to say. "Hagrid told me a funny story about dad, Sirius, and Remus. Would you like to hear it?"
"He did? When did you see Hagrid? Did he look okay?"
"He looked well enough. He didn't have any bruises, so I don't think he had been playing with his little brother." Harry rolled his eyes at the cabin ceiling when he said little brother.
He repeated some of the stories he'd heard about Sirius, his dad, and Remus. The retelling lifted his spirits and made Hermione laugh.
The last hour of the flight went by in a flash and they landed in Gibraltar.
They breezed through customs without a hitch and made their way through a crowded Airport. Harry suddenly stopped with a shocked look.
"What's wrong Har- ah, Melanie?"
"I think some guy just pinched my rear."
"Really? How rude! Which one was he? Was he cute?"
Harry looked at her incredulously as though he would have any opinion of whether some guy was cute.
"Er, just kidding. Come on let's go find a taxi."
They found a taxi driver who loaded up their trunks and Hermione gave him the address of their destination on a piece of paper. The driver scoffed saying that no one went down to that that part of town. He said there was nothing there, but shrugged when Hermione waved some pound notes under his nose.
"I know you've told me you're meeting your aunt down near the sea front at this address," the driver looked in his rear view mirror at Harry, "but couldn't I take you someplace else you could meet her. I'm not comfortable dropping the two of you off there. I have a couple of daughters slightly older than yourselves and I wouldn't care to take them to this part of town."
"Melanie's aunt is supposed to come get us. We just want to make our way to the beach first."
"I tell you what. I'll come back by in twenty minutes and if this aunt hasn't shown up by then I'll take you to a better place and you can call her from there. There are no phones at the address I'm taking you."
"It's a deal," Hermione smiled sweetly and paid the fare.
The driver helped them unload their trunks on the sidewalk and left. As soon as the driver was out of sight, Hermione tapped a bronze street number on the stone wall. The wall opened up and they dragged their trunks into a narrow alley that led down to the sea front. There were buildings on either side of the alley that reminded him a lot of Diagon Alley, smaller, but different.
Harry immediately smelled the aroma of cooking food and his stomach gave a small growl. The ham and cheese rolls long forgotten, Harry felt famished. He closed his eyes and breathed in the heavenly smell of - 'Steak maybe? Mmmm a big juicy steak,' he thought to himself.
"Locomotor Trunk, come on Melanie let's go. I think the Silver Unicorn is all the way down to the end. It's supposed to be right against the sea." Hermione's trunk lifted a few inches off the ground and began following her obediently like a large puppy tethered to her wand.
Thinking of nothing but food Harry lifted his hand and his trunk lifted just as Hermione's had done and it began to follow him.
There was an immediate gasp and then a thud as Hermione's trunk dropped to the ground.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to find a big steak to eat, come on let's go." It suddenly hit him what Hermione was asking. He stopped dead in his tracks, his trunk dropped to the ground with a thud; he turned his back on Hermione and quickly opened his white purse digging frantically for his wand. He heard Hermione's voice just behind his ear as he pulled out his wand.
"You did wandless magic, controlled wandless magic."
He turned around holding his wand trying to give his best innocent look.
"Don't give me that innocent look Harry James Potter. I know what I saw," she hissed.
Harry cringed. He was busted, no doubt about it.
"I was going to tell you. It's just that I'm not very good at it," he said sheepishly.
"Not very good at it? My God, no one does controlled wandless magic. I suppose Ron has known all this past school year," she huffed.
"No, Ron doesn't know. And I'm not the only one." Hermione looked less upset hearing she wasn't the last person to find out.
"Please Hermione, don't make me feel like more of a freak than I already do." At these words Hermione stiffened, her lip quivered and then she hugged him. Harry was grateful but thought it felt strange being slightly shorter in this form of Melanie.
"Don't ever think that. I was just surprised is all. Just when I think I know everything about you I get totally blown away."
Harry's heart tightened in this strange embrace; him in the form of a girl, Hermione's muggle friend.
'May she never know the prophecy.' he thought to himself. The words neither can live while the other survives echoed in his head.
"Come on, let's get you something to eat before you do something else without thinking. For Merlin's sake Harry, what if someone had seen you besides me?" she whispered looking up and down the alley.
They made their way down the narrow alley as the sun began to turn red-orange in the sky over the bay ahead of them. The Rock, a sharp knife-ridge of grey limestone, towered some four hundred meters high behind them extending north and south almost two and a half kilometers. Most merchants had closed up for the evening leaving few witches and wizards walking about. All the roofs had clay tiles and some of the storefront signs were in Spanish. There was a lot of tile work on storefronts, sidewalks, and looking through some of the windows, on the interior walls as well. Stylish in their own way with color combinations that you wouldn't normally think of going together but seemed to work for where they were.
The Silver Unicorn was easy enough to find. There was a very prominent sign displaying a silver unicorn and it was the last building before reaching the shore. They went in, their trunks following behind. They found the usual tables and chairs but the seaside wall of the building was absent. The wood floor extended at least another seven meters beyond the absent wall and had an exposed lattice ceiling with greenery and purple flowers growing throughout.
"How nice," Hermione cooed. "Let's find a table out there."
Harry nodded in agreement and they found a suitable table. Because it was yet early in the evening there were few customers as yet. Upon closer inspection, Harry could see that the absent wall was magically folded up like an accordion on either side. It made sense that if it was rainy or windy the wall could be unfolded, but the weather was perfect. There was a breeze blowing in off the grey-blue sea as the white capped waves broke on a finely sanded beach in soft foam. The shade from the latticed ceiling was green, pleasant and fragrant. Harry breathed it in as they took their seats; it was a familiar flower smell.
"Look Melanie, Purple Royals. Aren't they beautiful?"
Harry looked more closely and they were the same purple flowers that Hagrid had encouraged him to get Hermione when she was in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. Harry spotted movement amongst the purple flowers and green foliage over their heads.
"There are fairies up there, look." Just as Harry pointed, almost a dozen fairies swooped down toward the edge of the wood floor that met the sand. The fairies accosted a wandering crab, probably intent on looking for table scraps. The crab, after making several vain attempts to claw at them, was eventually driven off. It was funny to watch and they both laughed.
"I wonder how they get Purple Royals to grow up there. They smell heavenly," commented Hermione.
"You and a number of other witches would like to know. Especially since they are reluctant to grow anywhere, except in the wild. The Purple Queens attract the fairies who in return keep unwanted critters like crabs and gulls from disturbin' the customers. It's a mutual relationship and can be entertaining as well. My name is Whimbledon, please call me Whim. And what would you ladies have this evening?"
Whim a medium height man in his late forty's had come up to take their orders. He was heavy set with muscular arms and very little neck and close cut hair on the sides of a balding head. He waited patiently for one of the girls at the table to say something. His cheerful but droopy brown eyes briefly made Harry think of a loveable Bulldog.
"Steak," Harry said enthusiastically. "What's the biggest one you've got?"
"My, you must be hungry. Let me see if I can give you an idea." Whim pulled a wand out of his apron and waved it toward the kitchen. "Accio Plate." A plate zoomed out of the kitchen and landed on their table.
"Watch it Whim! That almost hit me in the head," barked a female voice from the kitchen.
"Oops. My wife Tina hates it when I do that," he said with a grin. "Anyway -." He waved his wand at a napkin on the table that hopped up and glided over onto the plate forming itself into a napkin-colored and textured steak. The size covered the entire plate.
"Hmmm, what's the next size smaller?"
He waved his wand again and it shrank by a third.
"Perfect," Harry said enthusiastically. "I like mine cooked medium."
Hermione ordered Filet Mignon, medium well, and they finally had a chance to talk with the sound of surf in the background.
"So, that's what the secret lessons with Dumbledore have been about. And he can do wandless magic as well. It's amazing Harry, absolutely amazing." She cocked her head in admiration.
"Like I said, I'm not very good at it. I need to be calm and have complete control of my emotions or . . . it just happens without my thinking about it. Dumbledore warned me to always have a wand handy anytime I tried to do wandless magic. He said people fear those who are different and things they don't understand. At least you're not afraid of me."
"Of course I'm not afraid of you. But I agree with him that you need to be careful. I think Ron and I can help you there." Hermione snickered. "I can almost imagine the look on Ron's face when you show him."
"I tried to tell you about my grades the other night. I was real happy about getting seven OWLs. I figured you got eleven, all O's."
"That's great Harry." She beamed at him and then looked dejected. "But I didn't get all O's. I got . . . an E in Defense Against the Dark Arts," she said with an exasperated sigh.
"Eleven? How'd you do that?"
"At the last minute I sat in on the Muggle Studies exam. You probably could have done the same. I mean we both come from the muggle world. It wasn't that hard."
"Have you ever heard of an O+?"
"There's no such thing. Why do you ask?"
"Er, well, I got one in Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"You what? That's preposterous," she said indignantly. "You're serious?"
"I could open my trunk and show you."
Hermione looked at him for a several seconds her indignant stance changing to admiration.
"Just proves I was right," she said with a wry smile. "You were the right person to teach Dumbledore's Army."
It was flattering to hear her say it but it didn't stop him from wanting to argue the point, no matter how much he enjoyed being teacher for the group. He was just about to open his mouth when their food arrived and any thought besides eating vanished.
After eating everything on his plate, Hermione said he inhaled it, he realized he needed to -.
"What's the matter, eat too much?"
"Ah, no. I think I need to, ah."
"Well, go then. Just be sure to go to the correct one, Melanie."
Harry thought Hermione was struggling not to laugh. He didn't find the situation funny in the least.
"I could go with you," Hermione offered. "Whim could watch our trunks."
"No," Harry said quickly looking alarmed. "I'll manage," he grumbled wondering how much more embarrassment he would have to endure before he was back to normal.
When he retuned to the table he blushed slightly as Hermione looked at him questioningly trying not to laugh. Harry decided to sidestep any further discussion of private matters and asked something on his mind.
"What if the Weasley's don't show up?"
"I suppose we would get a room here. I can't imagine them not getting some news to us if they were going to be overly late."
"Two rooms right?"
"That might be a bit unusual for two girls traveling together to take separate rooms. A room with two beds would work. If two beds aren't available, you can have the bed and I can take the floor. I'm sure I could magic up something comfortable. Of course, if we have to stay a second night we would have separate rooms, but I doubt that would happen. I think part of what's making this work is to keep moving. I wouldn't be surprised if Death Eaters were already looking for you outside the country."
"I think I should take the floor if that happens."
"Maybe we'll draw straws." Hermione smiled at him.
"Granger? Hermione Granger?"
"Carl, what a surprise. Fancy meeting you here."
It was Carl Easton who had left Hogwarts at Christmas and moved to Spain. His leaving created a Prefect opening that Ron had filled. He had a dark haired friend with him whom he introduced as Juan Bravado. Hermione introduced Harry as Melanie Taylor. Harry didn't like the way Juan looked him up-and-down. Juan had a rectangular chin, wavy black hair, dark eyes and an air of self-confidence about him.
"May we join you?"
Hermione glanced at Harry before replying.
"Sure. But I don't know how long we'll be staying. We're expecting to have to leave sometime this evening. We're supposed to meet Melanie's aunt and go with her on a trip to Africa."
Carl took a chair across from Hermione and Juan took one across from Melanie. They talked about OWLs and future careers and how tough it would be studying for NEWTs.
"So you were home schooled Melanie. Your parents must be very educated for you to get seven OWLs." Juan spoke excellent English but with a slight Spanish accent. "Intelligent and pretty, a very good combination."
Harry raised an eyebrow and glanced at Hermione who quickly reached for her glass of iced pumpkin juice to cover a grin.
"Uh, yeah thanks, but Hermione is the smartest girl at Hogwarts and she's more pretty, ah - than I am."
"Tough to argue with eleven OWLs, ten of them O's, but it's a tough call to say who is the prettiest. You're both are," said Carl giving an overly sincere look.
"Convengo," said Juan smiling broadly showing lots of white teeth. "Sorry for my Spanish. I agree with Carl. One moment please." Juan got up and motioned Carl to come with him and they made their way over to Whim. They talked about something and pointed at the ceiling. Harry saw Carl and Juan pay Whim some Sickles.
"What are they up to?" Harry wondered out loud.
"I don't know. I wish someone would show up and we could leave."
Harry agreed. Even though it was very nice here at the Silver Unicorn, the situation with Carl and Juan was starting to make him uncomfortable. The day was drawing to a close, the light was becoming dim and the fairies darting amongst the greenery overhead were beginning to glow as lanterns hanging from the lattice ceiling over each table flickered to life. There were also more people showing up. Some were coming in through the front door and others were apparating in with pops.
Carl and Juan returned looking pleased with themselves. Harry noticed how they each kept moving their chairs closer. Juan's chair was closer to his and Carl's was closer to Hermione's.
Two crystal flower vases were suddenly conjured in front of Hermione and Harry as two Purple Queens were plucked from above and levitated into the vases below. Harry saw Whim wave from the bar as he pocketed his wand into his apron and tended to more customers.
"Juan and I thought you might like to have a Purple Royal."
"Yes, their lovely. Don't you agree Melanie? Harry got some of these for me once." Hermione leaned the flower toward her and smelled it. "Thank you Carl."
Not knowing what else to do Harry followed Hermione's lead and smelled the flower in front of him. They did smell nice.
"Uh, yeah. Thank you Juan." Harry could have sworn that Carl and Juan moved their chairs closer.
"Africa is an interesting place but Juan and I could show you girls around Spain. - "
Whatever it was Carl said after that Harry didn't catch. He felt a warm hand on his bare knee. Juan had a very innocent look as he seemed to be agreeing with something else Carl said. Harry's normal reaction would have been to punch Juan in the nose, but the fact he was keenly feeling out of his element made him casually reach into his purse instead.
There was a snapping sound and Juan jerked his hand out from under the table. The back of his hand was smoking and had a large round red spot on it. He hurriedly grabbed an ice cube out of his drink, applied it to the back of his hand and shoved both hands under the table looking rather stiff as his eyes watered.
Carl gave Juan a half grin that disappeared quickly as his shoulder next to Hermione dropped. Carl looked disappointed as Hermione gave him a sarcastic look that said no less than 'Yeah, nice try'.
Harry looked very innocent as he casually put his wand on the table.
Carl leaned back on his chair and eyed Hermione and then Melanie.
"So, has she told you who she really fancies? Harry or Ron?"
"I don't . . ."
"I see, she hasn't told you either." Carl turned his attention to Hermione. "Come off it Hermione. Potter is too much of a whacko and Weasley is about as dense as they come. The boy hero and his pauper sidekick, it's pathetic. Why don't you give it up and have some fun in your life."
Color rose in Hermione's cheeks and Harry felt himself tense up. He never knew this side of Carl.
"Fun? As in with you? I hardly think so. You've always had the idea that you're some kind of lady's man. There's a war going on or is your ego so big you haven't noticed? Harry has put himself in harms way to save others, and Ron would do no less. They're both my friends." Hermione's anger was rising and she shook all over. "It's none of your business as to who I like . . . Maybe I like Melanie here as much as I do Harry."
With these words, Hermione swung toward Harry and kissed him in front of Carl and Juan. It was anger that had spurred her to do it but the action ignited a spark she or Harry hadn't intended. Harry heard popping sounds and tingled all the way to his toes as warm lips met his own. He felt like she had taken his breath away. And when Hermione pulled away, she looked the same as he felt.
However, what Carl and Juan had witnessed was Hermione kiss Melanie. They sat there wide eyed with their mouths open in complete shock. Hermione had put more passion into it than she had intended but she was able to recover enough to turn and look smugly at Carl and Juan. Carl and Juan got up and left without saying a word, looking over their shoulders and bumping into things as they went.
Harry thought he was about to burst out laughing just as he caught sight of to identical faces smiling broadly and looking surprised. Harry realized what the two popping noises were as Hermione had kissed him. It was Fred and George apparating near their table. They had witnessed the whole thing.
'Of all the lousy timing,' he thought as he felt warm all the way to his feet for the second time today. He wasn't sure what embarrassed him more: Hermione kissing him or the thought of the twins finding out that he had polyjuiced into a girl. A quick glance at Hermione confirmed that she was just as embarrassed and blushing furiously.
Fred and George took the seats that Carl and Juan had just vacated. Fred rested his chin on his hand and raised his eyebrows looking at each of them in turn with mild interest. George put his elbows on the table and pressed his hands together, lifted his chin and eyed the two blushing girls.
"I can't say I would have ever guessed this about Hermione. Would you Fred?"
"Nope. Interesting though."
"Here we are, sent to pick up Harry and Hermione only to find Hermione snogging on her pretty friend. Care to tell us your friend's name Hermione?"
Hermione's mouth opened but nothing came out.
"Does Harry know about this? By the way, where is he? And wasn't that Carl Easton who just left with his mouth hanging open."
"Yeah, him and that other bloke with their mouths hanging open like that, they might accidentally swallow a ferry or two."
"Yes, Harry knows." Harry heard the words come from his mouth in Melanie's voice. "It's me . . . I'm Harry."
"What? You mean? No, it can't be. Harry?"
"Oh Merlin this is too rich. You mean Harriet, George."
"Try not to bring too much attention to us will you. Can't we just get our trunks and go?" Hermione said regaining her voice.
"I think you're a little late on that one Hermione. People tend to notice a girl kissing a girl," Fred grinned. "Right you are though. Let's be off, but formalities first." Fred held out his hand and Hermione shook it smiling, the blush of her face starting to drain away. She shook George's hand next before introducing her girl friend.
"Fred, George, this is my friend Melanie, Melanie Taylor."
"Pleased to meet you Melanie, er, Harriet." Harry rolled his eyes before shaking Fred's hand. The image of a fiery phoenix appeared in his mind and then again as he shook George's hand. Like Hermione he smiled in pleasant surprise.
Fred and George took their trunks in tow, George commented about taking the ladies' trunks. Harry looked at the ceiling and knew his changing back would not come nearly soon enough.
They made their way along the beach toward a single dock with a dozen boats tied to it. Fred and George told them their parents had invited them to sail on Saturday but they had made their way through Spain instead to meet them in Gibraltar today. They had spent the days in-between looking for new accounts to expand Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Besides expanding their business, it was also an opportunity to expand the Order's intelligence network, now that they were members. They hoped to do the same when they got to Egypt through some of Bill's Contacts. There was still enough of a glow in the western sky over the bay to walk easily enough on the sandy beach. Fred and George led them to a two masted boat almost twenty-five meters long. Lanterns were hanging about the boat and on the dock. The light from the dock illuminated the bow enough for Harry to make out the name of the boat, Cucurbita Maxima Pi.
"That's a strange name for a boat."
"We thought the same thing when we dropped off our stuff about a half hour ago."
Harry and Hermione started to step onboard.
"Hang on, I wouldn't do that. George and I did that and the boat tossed us back on the dock.
"We were miffed at first but it makes good security sense. Captain Tanner is a strange bloke, strict, but good-natured. Plus he's a member of the Order.
Harry saw a flash of long red hair on board and Ginny's voice calling out below.
"Ron, Mum, Dad. Fred and George are back."
"Hermione and Harry with them?" replied Ron's muffled voice from somewhere below.
"Hermione and someone else," Ginny yelled back.
George cleared his throat and called out crisply.
"Permission to come aboard."
A gray haired and bearded man in his sixties, smoking a pipe, poked his head out of a window.
"State your business."
"Fred and George Weasley returning with two passengers and their luggage." George gave a half grin at the formalities while Fred winked at Hermione and Harry.
"Avast there while I greet ya to come aboard."
Captain Tanner had a squared beard trimmed to two points and had an earring on his left ear, smoke from his pipe curled in the breeze as he greeted them. Harry thought he would make a good pirate, missing only a parrot on his shoulder.
"Miss Granger I presume." Captain Tanner shook her hand and turned toward Harry grinning. "Dumbledore told me I might be surprised. Welcome aboard." The captain shook everyone's hand in turn welcoming the Weasley twins back on board and asked them to stow the trunks in the appropriate cabins.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley along with Ron and Ginny had made their way on deck. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley raised their eyebrows and grinned at Hermione's friend. Harry watched Mrs. Weasley put her hand to her mouth and say, "Oh my" to her husband. Ron and Ginny only looked confused.
"Where's Harry?" Ron asked.
Hermione pointed at Harry and said, "This is -." But George cut her off.
"Melanie Taylor, she's -." Harry cut off George.
"Oh no you don't. It's been a long day and I've had enough." Fred and George looked disappointed. "And so help me Ron. If you say I'm pretty I'll hex you on the spot." Ginny's eyes got big and she looked at Hermione who nodded slowly.
"How about some tea everyone. Come along to the galley and I'll put on a pot to boil. Captain Tanner, would you like some as well?" asked Mrs. Weasley.
"Love some. I'll get us underway and I'll be right down."
"What did I say?" asked Ron with his hands out. "All I did was ask where Harry was. Where is Harry anyway?" Everyone chuckled except Harry and Ron as they made their way below deck.
Fred and George brought up the rear, levitated trunks in tow, and Harry could overhear them tell Ron.
"Well, little bro', Melanie there is actually Harriet."
"What?"
Even though everyone accepted Harry in his current form it was awkward at how everyone looked taller to Harry, especially Ron. They had all gotten news about the ruckus at Mrs. Figg's house but were all interested to hear first hand Harry's account. Harry found out it was Mad Eye, under his invisibility cloak, who had taken shots at what was undoubtedly a Death Eater. The unknown Death Eater got away, but Mad Eye seemed to think whoever it was would be digging splinters out of their backsides from the shattered door. The local muggle authorities were blaming it all on a gas explosion for lack of a better explanation.
As Harry had anticipated the twins were dying to tell what they had witnessed at the Silver Unicorn. At least they had the decency to let Harry and Hermione tell everyone what had led up to it before going into exaggerated detail. There was a scant look of dismay that washed over Ron and Ginny's faces as Fred and George told how Hermione had kissed Harry in front of Carl Easton and his friend. However, no one could keep from laughing as Fred and George did a perfect reenactment of how Carl and Juan had left the table with their mouths open, bumping into things.
Captain Tanner told Harry he expected to arrive in Port Said, Egypt about midday on Saturday and expected good weather the entire way. From there they would take a train to Cairo and wait to be contacted. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley said Bill would meet them at Port Said and accompany everyone to Cairo.
At one point Harry was getting annoyed as Ron kept staring at him. Hermione and Ginny came to his rescue. Hermione nudged him and Ginny kicked him under the table and told him to stop staring.
As it got close to midnight, Mrs. Weasley encouraged everyone to turn in. Of course, Harry didn't move from his chair in the galley.
"Why don't you take a shower and clean up. I'm sure it's been a long day and you'll feel better."
"Ah, no thanks," he said blushing lightly from under blonde hair.
"At least wash off your makeup and take your earrings out."
"Oh, yeah, good idea. I think I'll put on some of my own clothes and go up on deck. They'll fit loose for the next hour I suppose."
"You could take an empty cabin for tonight if you like. There are several."
"No, I'll wait up on deck and bunk with Ron after I'm back to my old self."
It was amazing how quiet the schooner was, gently rolling through the waves with tall sails billowed. Captain Flint Tanner had come up on deck briefly to check on the course and chat with his ship before retiring. Harry took it for granted that the entire ship had been charmed and could have sailed pretty much without anyone, but there seemed to be a mutual admiration and union between captain and ship. It was very relaxing and invigorating at the same time. The stars shone brightly overhead and a nearly full moon was sinking low in the west with an orange glow mirroring on the waves below.
"You forgot you glasses."
"Yeah, I did. Thanks." Harry smiled warmly at Hermione standing on deck in bare feet, the sea breeze gently blowing her nightgown about. "Wake Ron to get 'em?"
"No, he was already asleep and snoring. Does he always snore that loud?"
"No, not always. Well, quite a bit actually. It was really helpful when we learned the silencing charm. All of us in the dorm took turns putting it on him so we could sleep." They both laughed.
Harry was leaning against the forward mast, loose shirt and baggy pants that showed the tips of bare feet underneath. Hermione turned to look out over the Mediterranean spread out vast and dark in front of them. The tops of the rolling waves a creamy orange glow from the setting moon. She turned back to look at Harry who was putting on his glasses and she smiled broadly.
"Now that's the Harry I've always known. Good to have you back." She gave him a hug and he appreciated being himself and the warmth of her arms around him as he looked down into her eyes. He thought she was beautiful.
"I'm sorry for embarrassing you today. Especially at the Silver Unicorn."
"It was just awkward being Melanie is all and it wouldn't have been embarrassing if Fred and George hadn't shown up when they did. Awful timing."
"Really? I mean yes, it was dreadful timing."
Hermione hadn't let go of him and he hadn't let go of her. It was a blissfully romantic setting and Harry was drinking in the moment. He hadn't felt so relaxed and at peace in months. He decided that a vacation was truly what he had needed and he was glad that he was with his friends. Hermione who had been looking intently into his moonlit face looked down before speaking.
"You know, we have unfinished business, you and I. There was this small matter of determining how we felt about each other and how to determine it." She lifted her head up and looked hopefully into his eyes.
The memory of their last kiss on top of the Astronomy Tower in the middle of a thunderstorm flooded his mind and his chest tightened. He wanted desperately to embrace her to prove the answer he already new in his heart. But he was a marked man with a dark destiny yet to be fulfilled. He had always been a marked man, the lightning shaped scar on his forehead, he just hadn't understand what it meant. And now, how could he let her love him knowing this - the prophecy. All these thoughts had run through is mind and he had hesitated, not responding. He only now noticed Hermione's bright eyes and a single tear beginning to run down her cheek. She let go of him and started leave with her head hanging down.
"Hermione, wait. Please - don't go." He held her arm and she turned to look back at him questioningly, hurt still on her face. "I don't know what I feel." Partly lie, partly truth. "So much has happened since that rainy night on top of the Astronomy Tower. Maybe some more time," he pleaded.
Slowly she came back to him and put her face to his chest. He felt her warm breath as she nuzzled away the few tears from her face onto his shirt. She turned around and leaned back against him and he put his arms around her. All was quiet save for the sound of the sea and the occasional flap of sail. They watched the moonset as the waves became darker and the stars became more brilliant in the sky above them.
'A girl can't wait forever,' Hermione thought to herself, unable to say the words out loud.
What won't you say
You keep me away
Then ask me to stay
Why do I feel this way
Oh but I do
Want to say
I love you
But only if it's true
If you feel this way too
A soft chime sounded in the captain's cabin. Captain Tanner sat up on the edge of his bed and waved a wand at a mirror hanging on the cabin wall directly across from him. The mirror glowed to life with the image of a gray haired woman.
"Sorry I'm checking in so late Nicholas."
"It's always good to hear your voice love. How are things in Cairo?"
"Arrangements have been made for Monday evening. There's been some resistance due to the fact she's the daughter of muggle parents, but all have agreed to the test. How are they?"
"They're both fine. No doubt you've heard about the commotion at Figg's. Dumbledore used a gender changing potion to get Harry out of the country." They both grinned. "Let me check on everyone love, hold on. Pi, - status."
"Two on deck, everyone else is asleep. On course, clear sailing to Port Said," came a wood and tin sounding voice coming out of a brass funnel.
"Two on deck? Show me." Another mirror glowed to life showing the image of a barefoot Harry and Hermione. Hermione in a cotton nightgown, Harry with his arms around her as the sea breeze blew their hair while they watched a setting moon.
"Almost makes you wish we were young again, doesn't it Nicholas?"
"We're young enough Perenelle," he smiled wistfully. "I'll see you Saturday evening my dearest."
"It's been a long day Hermione. We better turn in." He may have said the words but he didn't want to. He wanted to keep holding her and never let go.