Belong to Nowhere
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Thanks to Acoustics1220 for her help. You rock, girl! Thanks!
Chapter 16: Friends
"Ron."
It was Hermione.
"I want to talk to you."
Ron sighed but nodded. "Let's go to another place. How about-"
"Let's go to the Shrieking Shack," she interrupted and he looked surprised at her. "You will understand, Ron."
But he looked unsure. He had defended her but what if…Hell, what if she was really a death eater? Would it be safe to him to follow her?
Hermione seemed to notice his doubts. "I'm not a death eater, Ron. In name of our friendship…I swear, I'm not and never was a traitor. You have to believe me."
Ron closed briefly his eyes, remembering something that Luna had said.
"Alright, Herms. Let's go."
Shrieking Shack
"Merlin," Ron said as he and Hermione stepped in the house. "This place is creepy."
"Yeah," she said absently. "Now, Ron, what I am about to say …you have to promise me…you have to promise to never say anything…to anyone. Especially Harry. Do you promise me, Ron?"
"Er, right…I promise. But what do you have to tell me?"
Without saying a single word, Hermione lifted her robes sleeve, revealing the Blue Phoenix mark. "I don't have the dark mark, Ron," she whispered.
"And what the bloody hell is that?"
Hermione didn't answer. Instead, she looked at the door behind him.
"I think I can explain that," Ron heard a voice and turned around. It was Sirius.
"Bloody Hell!" he cried and fainted.
Gryffindor Common Room
Harry was tired. All he wanted was to go to his dorm and sleep...perhaps, sleep forever. He didn't want to talk, to think, to do anything. Everything was so bloody confusing! Deep inside of his heart, he knew that Hermione couldn't be a…argh! He couldn't even say that name! But he had seen…no, he hadn't really seen but still…
What if Ron was right? What if she was ´playing´ like a spy…oh god….
If that was true he had turned the whole Castle against her…
Merlin, what I have done?
"Harry?" Harry's thoughts were interrupted by Ginny's voice. He stopped his way to the boys' dorm.
"Yes, Ginny?"
"Are you okay?"
"Oh, yeah, I am bloody fantastic," he replied sarcastically.
"Sorry, I was only asking," she snapped. "Don't need to be rude."
He apologized. "Sorry, Gin…it's that…"
Ginny smiled at him and offered the sofa's sit beside her. "Come on, Harry, sit here. I think you need a friend right now don't you?""
He couldn't help but smile at her and take a seat by her side. "Thank you, Gin," he said softly.
"It's nothing, Harry." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Oh, Harry….I'm so sorry…but I want you to know that if you need something, anything…I will always be here."
"I know, Gin. It's just…I don't what to think. My mind keeps telling me one think but…but my heart tells me another. I really don't know what to do."
"I can't tell you what you have to do, Harry. It's not my place but." She stopped and bit her bottom lip nervously.
"But what?"
"Sometimes our heart can play with us…I also don't want to believe but…everything seems so obvious now. Argh, Harry! I don't want to think about it!" And she began to sob against his chest.
"Sh...That's okay, Gin," he whispered to her. She lifted her head from his chest and looked up at him. Their eyes meet.
"Harry..." she whispered, leaning closer to him.
"Ginny, I don't think…" Harry was saying but was interrupted by Ginny's lips.
She was kissing him.
And he kissed her back.
Shrieking Shack
"You…You are dead!" Ron sputtered after being Enervate by Remus. The werewolf had come with Sirius to ´control any danger´.
"No, Ronald, Sirius is alive," Hermione said, a small smile playing on her lips. "H-He's back…"
"B-But it's possible?" he asked looking at the persons present. "I mean, didn't he fall…"
"Yes, I fell through the veil...but our Hermione here managed to bring me back," Sirius said with a proud smile.
"How? I mean, I know Hermione is the brightest witch of her age but, I mean...Bring back the dead?!"
"Well, Ron, everything started when I went to Bill's apartment..." And Hermione told him everything.
Gryffindor Common room
Merlin, what I am doing? I am kissing Ginny and…and this doesn't feel right. She's beautiful, really is but…I just don't feel anything. Oh, it would be so easy if I did feel something…Harry was thinking before breaking the kiss.
"No, Ginny…" he said.
"Harry…" she whispered, her heart full of hope.
"I-I sorry, Ginny but I don't like you. I don't love you. You are a great girl but…I am sorry," he said, standing up.
"What's wrong with me, Harry?" she asked, real tears dropping from her eyes. "W-Why you don't want me?"
"Ginny, It's not…"
"Am I not pretty enough? Funny enough? Brave enough? Tell me, Harry, what's wrong with me!"
He cupped her cheeks with his hands. "You are pretty, brave, funny, Ginny….the problem is not you…"
"I told you, Harry that I am not afraid of…"
He shook his head. "I am not talking about that, Gin…"
"So, why? Why don't you want me!" she demanded.
Harry closed his eyes, sighing heavily; his hands left her face. He knew why he didn't want her or any other girl for that matter. He knew.
He opened his eyes, and looked at her, sadly.
"I am in love with somebody else," he said and left to his dorm, without waiting for Ginny's reply.
Shrieking Shack
"Wow," Ron said after he heard Hermione. She, Remus and Sirius couldn't help but chuckle.
"Yeah, Ron...wow," she said smiling at him. Merlin, she felt so good after telling him that huge secret.
"And now you can understand why Harry can't know anything about it?" Remus spoke.
"Yeah...I mean, sure," Ron said nodding his head. "Merlin, Hermione! You can die!"
"Yeah...but Harry is worth it," she said looking down, her cheeks turning slight pink. Ron and the others exchanged a glance but didn't comment.
"Luna knows, doesn't she?" Ron asked suddenly.
Hermione nodded. "I didn't tell her or anything…she just came to see me and said that…she knew. I didn't know she is an empathic."
"She doesn't like that people know about it. Sometimes it can be a burden for her."
"I can imagine."
Despite himself, Ron chuckled. "What?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, sorry," he apologized. "It's just…everything makes sense now, you know? I mean, after that…that day in the Great Hall…" Hermione nodded. "I am really sorry, Herms, but I also…well you know…you had a mark. But then she talked to me. She didn't say really anything…but she made me think…She asked me if I really thought that you are what everyone was talking about. And…and I said no. She said you're a good person, Hermione. And I knew…I know she was right."
"Thank you, Ron," she whispered and kissed his cheek.
"Er," His ears turned pink. "But I also began to think on my own theory."
Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. "What theory?"
"And I even talked to Harry about it. I mean, it sounded perfect."
"What theory, Ron?"
"Er, I thought that…er…you're…like Snape, you know…spy," Ron rambled.
"What?" Hermione, Remus, and Sirius cried at same time.
"I thought that you were working as a spy, just like Snape! I thought you were a spy for the Order!"
"Oh, Ron…"
Gryffindor Tower
Boys' dorm
"Stupid, stupid!" Harry cried, hitting his head against the pillow. Thank Merlin, the other sixth year boys weren't there. He couldn't believe what he had just done, or worse, what he had just said.
Deep inside, he knew it was the truth. Yeah, he couldn't keep denying what was so obvious. Yep, he was in love with his best friend, or better, his former best friend.
"Why? Why?" he whispered to himself. "Why did life have to be so difficult? Why can't I be in love with Ginny?! I know she likes me...I always knew...and...Argh! Shit, she must hate me by now! And Hermione...what can I do? I can't be in love with her! I just can't! She has being hiding so much...And what Ginny said was right, our heart can play with us. I know what I saw. Maybe...maybe if I try with Ginny one more time, this pain can go away."
Harry closed his eyes, sighing. He knew that wasn't the answer. He could never do that to Ginny. She was too nice to be used by him.
Truth be told, he didn't have plans to confess his feelings.
Those words just came out of his mouth.
He really didn't know when exactly he began to feel that way…maybe it was at Christmas time or even before…or…even…always. The thing is, after he heard about Hermione and Dean, Harry began to doubt his friendly feelings towards his best female friend. Damnit! And now…and now he didn't now what to do. Hell, what he was supposed to do? His heart kept telling him that Hermione wouldn't possible be a traitor…but on the other hand…he had to think about Pettigrew. His parents also thought that Pettigrew would never betray them…
Why? Why? Why did he have to fall in love? Why did Hermione have so many secrets?
"H-Harry? Are you alright?" Neville's voice broke his thoughts. He opened his eyes and looked at his classmate.
"Hi, Nev. Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking," he said grinning.
"If you say so," Neville said, shrugging. "I just came here to say that it is almost dinner. I guess you wouldn't like to be late."
"Thanks, Nev," he said. "You can go ahead. I need to freshen up first."
Neville just nodded and was about to leave the Boys dorm when he turned and faced Harry again.
"You know, Harry…I don't think Hermione's …you know…I know you said you saw…you know what... but, sometimes our eyes can trick us. Well, that's it. Just be careful or you may lose a wonderful person," he said calmly before left.
Shrieking Shack
"But tell me something," Ron asked. "Will Hermione always have, er, a fit everytime that something happens to Sirius?"
"Professor Flitwick told us that this will continue to happen until the Phoenix's return...after that...we might feel something but the mark won't burn."
"Oh, that's better, I guess," was Ron's reply. "Now, Herms…I think we must be going…it's almost time for dinner! I'm starving!"
Hearing about dinner, Hermione looked downcast. "Y-You can go, Ron…I-I will stay here a little more with Remus and Sirius.
Ron was about to make a remark when Sirius cut him off. The old Animagus seemed to be finally noticing something. And that made him felt sick.
"Hermione," Sirius said seriously. "When was the first time you eat?" How he hadn't notice how thin she was?
Hermione looked down and muttered something.
"Oh!" Ron cried also remembering something. "I don't remember to see you in the meals since…HERMIONE!"
"I-It's just that…that I don't want to see…all those people…Harry…his eyes…" she sobbed and Sirius took her into his arms.
"Shhh…" he whispered. "Why don't you and Ron eat on the kitchens?" He looked at Ron who nodded fiercely his head.
"But I don't want to give extra work to the elves…."
Fighting back the urge to roll his eyes, Ron said, "But Dobby will be pleased to help Harry Potter´s Weezy and Hermini, missy!"
Hermione couldn't help but laugh.
Great Hall
"Nev, have you seen Ron?" Harry asked.
"Nah, I think he is with Luna…"
"No, Luna is right there at Ravenclaw table." Damnit where in hell was Ron? He wasn't the kind of person that missed meals. Harry looked through the Gryffindor table. Everybody was there… the only two empty sits were Ron's and…and Hermione.
"She doesn't eat here anymore, Potter," Dean said noticing Harry watch Hermione's empty sit. "When I can I manage to bring her some fruits…I know she could eat on the kitchens but the houses elves…you know how she is…"
"Yeah, I know…" Harry said almost in a whisper. He looked then at Ginny who was sitting in front of him. She looked back and smiled shyly. He only nodded.
They spent the rest of the dinner in silence.
Hogwarts Grounds
"Now, now...we already looked in the Map. Merlin, I still can't believe that McGonagall…"
"Ron!"
"Sorry, sorry…Hermione. We already ate…I would like to see you in your Animagus form! You didn't show me in the Shack."
"Ok...Ok…" She laughed and then transformed into her canine form.
"Bloody hell! You are just like Sirius! I mean, a girlie version but still!" Hermione barked happily at him, wagging her tail. He kneeled in front of Hermione and patted her on the head.
Hermione was about to transform back when they heard a voice.
"Ron? What are you…?" Harry was saying when he stopped after he noticed Star's presence. "Oh, you've met Star…"
"Star?" Ron asked confused, standing up.
"Yep, Star, my dog."
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That's chapter 16. I hope you liked it. Tell me what you think!
Kisses and
Happy Halloween!!! "
Sweet-Lemmon