Belong to Nowhere.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
AN: My dear beta is Back!! It was just some technology problem....oh well, so here it is the new chapter 14...beta-reader and edited.
Thanks to Brooke and Acoustics1220.
Chapter 14: Heart talking
Oh Merlin...
"Miss Gran- Mr. Potter?! What are you doing here?" Harry and Hermione quickly looked towards the bedroom's doorway. The Headmistress was there; she gave them an intense look, not seeming too happy. "We forbid boys to enter the girls' room for a reason! Would you like to explain what are doing here, Mr. Potter?" she asked sternly.
"Er…I just needed to talk with Hermione, Professor," Harry replied awkwardly, hoping she would realize nothing was going on.
"And to talk you need to hold her hand, Mr. Potter?" she asked narrowing her eyes at their hands. Their hands were still clasped together.
"N-Nothing happened, Professor. I swear!" Hermione replied quickly, pulling her hand from Harry's. She was mortified. "Harry just wanted to talk to me."
Harry nodded fiercely.
"Very well," the Headmistress sighed. "This time I will let it pass." Harry and Hermione looked relieved. "But, I want to warn you, Miss Granger. Any more of these talks, and you might lose your Head Girl Badge. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Professor," Hermione squeaked in response.
"Now, Mr. Potter...if you are finished...I want to discuss some issues with Miss Granger. Head Girl matters," she explained briefly.
"Oh. Right. I was on my way," he said and then looked at Hermione. Merlin, since when was she so beautiful? "See you at dinner, Mione." She smiled and nodded at him as he left.
"Miss Granger," the Headmistress started to say when Harry was finally gone.
"I'm really sorry, Professor. I-" Hermione started but McGonagall cut her off.
"We'll talk about it later," she said, closing the issue. "I want to talk to you about your friend."
"Oh. Right." Hermione knew that McGonagall was talking about Sirius. "I am supposed to meet him today, right?"
"Yes. It's exactly what I want to talk with you about." Hermione nodded in understanding.
"We have discussed it and we thought that it would be better if you meet your friend at the Shrieking Shack." Hermione's eyes widened. "I know, you are wondering why. We think it is safe than my office. In my office we always have the chance that some student might come in," the professor explained.
"Right, professor," Hermione said but she looked unsure, "but, er, what about the map? Harry-"
"Mr. Potter will have a terrible surprise when he looks in his trunk," McGonagall cut in, pulling something from her robes. It was the Marauders Map!
"Professor!" Hermione cried in shock. The Headmistress had stolen the Map!
"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Miss Granger," she said giving the map to Hermione. "Guard this very carefully, Miss Granger. It would be useful if you use it. This way you won't be surprised by any of Mr. Potter's detours."
"Yes, professor," Hermione said, taking the map hesitantly.
"Now, I think you better go to dinner," the Headmistress said. "Mr. Potter must be waiting for you. Oh, and don't forget. Nine o'clock. Your friend will be waiting for you," she reminded.
Shrieking Shack
09:01 pm
"Well, well," Hermione heard Sirius' voice as soon as she entered the Shrieking Shack. "You're…" He stopped and looked at his wrist watch. "…one minute late."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Hello, Sirius," she said and looked at the two other people in the room. "Hello, Tonks. Hello, Professor Lupin."
"Wotcher, Hermione!"
"Hello, Hermione. How many times do I have to say that I am not your Professor anymore?" Lupin asked while shaking his head.
Hermione shrugged, smiling. "Old habits die hard." She reasoned.
"True...True..." Lupin said smiling.
"So, my dear Hermione, how was your first day back?" Sirius asked.
"Busy," she answered. He raised an eyebrow at her.
"Busy how?"
Hermione sighed and sat in a chair. "It's Harry…he called me a slut," she said heavily.
"He what?!" Sirius shouted, angrily. Tonks and Remus' eyes opened wide. "Just wait! I will have a talk with this young man! Oh yes, I will!"
"Calm down, Sirius," Remus said to his friend. "I'm sure Hermione will tell us what happened."
Hermione took a deep breath and told them everything that had happened since her return to Hogwarts.
Meanwhile
Trophy Room
"Harry," Dean hissed. "Potter!"
"What, Tho-Dean?" Harry asked in annoyance. Why couldn't his detention go by in silence? He really didn't want to deal with small talking. Especially with Dean. "I'm trying to clean these trophies, you know!" Harry hissed back.
"I-I just want to ask you something," Dean replied uncertainly.
"What?" Harry asked, turning to look at the boy.
"Do you like Hermione?" Dean asked in a low voice.
Harry gasped, almost letting the trophy he was cleaning fall to the floor. "W-What did you ask?" he stuttered, clutching the trophy tighter.
"I asked you if you like Hermione," Dean repeated, calmly.
"O-Of course I like Hermione. She's my best friend!" Harry said a little too loudly.
Dean groaned. "You know very well what I'm talking about, Harry!"
Harry couldn't believe he was having this conversation. Was Dean trying to say that he didn't want him near Hermione anymore? "I-I know. But why are you asking me this?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"I don't know." Dean shrugged. He noticed that Harry didn't answer his question. "I mean, your behavior these last…days, I think."
"M-My behavior? I don't understand." What was he going on about?
"Well, you seemed so jealous," Dean replied carefully, not meeting his eyes.
"I am not jealous! I was just concerned about her," Harry tried to explain. She was his best friend for Merlin's sake!
"Concerned? Is that what people call it these days?" Dean muttered.
Harry didn't comment. After all, what was to be said? He continued to clean the trophy. Dean looked at him, shaking his head.
"You know, Harry, Hermione is an amazing girl and she really deserves the best. I know that you and Ron know her better than me. To tell the truth, we've gotten to know each other better this year." He sighed. "Yeah, that's about it. Just don't forget how amazing she is," he said and went back to his work.
Without looking up, Harry replied quietly, "I won't."
Shrieking Shack
To Hermione's surprise, when she finished her tale, Sirius began to laugh.
"What? What's so funny?" she asked, puzzled.
Sirius exchanged a glance with Tonks and Remus. "Well," he said. "It's Harry…"
"What about Harry?" Hermione pressed, wanting to know what everyone else seemed to know.
"Harry is jealous of you," Sirius informed her with a large grin.
"Huh? T-That's not possible. What is there to be jealous of?" She didn't get it. Harry had no reason to be jealous of her.
"Hermione, my dear, Harry is jealous of you and this Thomas fellow," he continued, snickering slightly.
Hermione's eyebrows flew up. "No, you're wrong. Harry would never, you know, be jealous of me," she quickly replied, looking away.
"Hermione," Tonks spoke kindly, "have you ever thought of the possibility that Harry might like you?"
"He is my best friend," Hermione replied blankly, ignoring what Tonks was implying.
"You know what I mean."
"He doesn't like me. He likes someone else," she said sadly. The adults exchanged looks.
"Oh, well!" Sirius clasped his hands, trying to change the sorrowful atmosphere. "So, you have a nickname now? Minerva told me. Star, right? Good choice."
"It was Harry's," Hermione muttered quietly.
"We know," Remus said smiling. "Now, why don't you and Sirius take a walk?"
Sirius didn't say anything, he simply transformed into his dog form. Hermione nodded at Remus and Tonks and did the same.
Hermione and Sirius wandered around Hogsmeade and Hogwarts grounds. It was almost 10:30 pm when they decided to call it a night. Sirius went home and Hermione followed the tunnel to the Castle.
********************************************
"Mischief Managed," Hermione whispered and the Marauders Map turned blank. She quickly slipped it into her backpack and stepped in the Castle's corridor.
Hermione began walking when someone called her name.
"Hermione?" she turned around quickly and saw Ron. "What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Oh, I was just taking a walk," she lied smoothly, hoping Ron would believe her. "No big deal. And you, what are you doing?"
"I just came from Ravenclaw Tower." She smiled. "I was on my way to Gryffindor Tower. Um, Hermione?"
"Yes, Ron?"
"Is everything okay?"
"Y-Yes. Why do you ask?"
"You look so…I don't know…sad-different," he said, looking closely at her.
"I've been going through a lot of things lately, Ron," she said truthfully. He nodded seriously. "But I'll be fine, Ron, don't worry."
"You mean a lot to us, Herms. I mean…Harry and I... Especially Harry." He raised a hand. "Don't get me wrong, I love you. I truly do, but Harry is different. I'm his best mate. I know he would kill for me…but…if something happens to you…." He took a deep breath. "If something happens to you, I don't know if he could go on."
"Ron-"
"No, Hermione. I will never forget that day. That day…after you had killed the Snake. We were so scared, Hermione. We…we thought that you wouldn't make it," he admitted in a choked voice.
Hermione stepped closer to Ron and put a hand on his shoulder. "But I made it. I'm here."
"H-He thinks it was his fault," he went on, referring to Harry.
"It wasn't his fault, Ron. I knew what I was doing. I had done all the research. I knew the risks and I took them." Hermione replied, mentally wishing Harry wouldn't blame himself so much.
"I know, Herms. What I am trying to say is…he likes you. A lot. Things have changed. I'm with Luna and you have your own secrets…"
"I don't have secrets, Ron," she lied.
"But he needs us, Herms," Ron continued, pretending he hadn't heard her. "Well, I guess it's late. Good Night, Hermione."
"Good Night, Ron."
She smiled, watching Ron go.
He had finally grown up.
*****
Gryffindor Tower
Boys' dorm
Ron was entering the boys' dorm when he noticed that something was wrong. Dean, Seamus, and Neville were watching Harry, who was frantically looking for something.
"What's happened, Harry?" he inquired, puzzled.
Harry stopped what he was doing and looked up at Ron.
"The Map. It's gone!"
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AN: I know, I know....it´s short....But what you think?
Kisses!