Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling, etc etc.
Authors Note: A bit longer, sorry for the wait, but as I expected, life got in the way again. On another note, I'm not sure whether the rest of the Order know about the prophecy, but for the purpose of this fic they do. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this, and thanks for the reviews.
As the morning went on, Sirius left to go see Dumbledore, and Harry was left alone with Molly Weasley. They sat around the kitchen table, the dim light of the room creating a rather morbid atmosphere. It was eventually broken when Molly stood up and started bustling around the kitchen area, evidently deciding to get a start on breakfast.
"Would you like something Harry?" Mrs Weasley asked, turning from her task and facing him. She looked rather haggard in the dim light, her hair drawn up into a messy bun with frayed bits sticking out here and there. Harry couldn't tell if it was just the lighting or not, but it was painfully clear that the ambience of the Order of the Phoenix headquarters was grim.
"I'm okay thanks," Harry replied, his mind wandering.
It was obvious that although Sirius and Remus claimed they had achieved a victory over Voldemort, it was definitely not a true victory. It was probably because Voldemort was being so quiet. Everybody was just waiting for the other shoe to drop - waiting for Voldemort's retaliation - and the longer it went on, the more nervous and on edge people became.
"Harry dear?"
Harry came back to himself, realising that he had not even been listening to whatever Molly Weasley had been saying. He shook his head to clear it of thought and looked up at his elder, smiling sheepishly.
"Sorry," Harry said, "I got lost in thought."
"Oh," Molly said, "I see. I was just asking if - "
But then the door to the kitchen opened and two red headed teenagers appeared, clad in pyjamas and with their hair tousled from sleep. The elder of the two red heads, Ron Weasley, frowned momentarily, surprised, before he took a seat with a curt nod to his mum. He completely ignored Harry. The other Weasley blushed faintly at being seen in her pyjamas, but took a seat at the table as well, hiding behind her hair.
"Morning," Molly said, greeting her children.
"Good morning," Ginny said faintly from behind her hair.
"Ronald?" Molly prompted.
"Morning mum," he grunted, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.
"Thank you," Molly said, before turning her attention back to Harry, who was smirking slightly at Ron. Ron glared back at him. "As I was saying, I was asking if you were sure you didn't want something. It's no trouble."
"I'm fine," Harry said, turning his head away from Ron and giving Mrs Weasley a polite smile.
"Well," Molly said, "if you change your mind, let me know. Ronald? Ginny?"
"Toast please," Ron said, still glaring at Harry.
"Ginny?" Molly said, after the younger Weasley didn't reply.
Ginny jumped slightly, her face flushing even further, before nodding. Seeming to realise this didn't really answer anything, she blurted out; "Toast," and then went back hiding behind her long red hair.
As Molly went to work on breakfast, Harry regarded Ron with blank eyes, his stare seemingly making the other boy nervous, because he soon looked away, idly examining his fingernails.
"Oh," Molly said suddenly, turning around again, "before I forget, the Ministry will be holding Apparition tests this Friday, so don't forget to practice Ronald. You don't want to fail again do you?"
Ron blushed, his ears turning red, and muttered: "No mum, thanks mum."
"You'll be taking them as well Harry?" Molly asked.
"Yeah," Harry answered, "I couldn't take them last time, I wasn't of age then. I'm not worried though, it's easy."
Ron glared at him and Harry smirked.
"That's wonderful then," Molly said, completely ignorant of the tension in the room, "you two can go together. Maybe you could give Ron some tips."
"I don't need his help!" Ron abruptly burst out, standing up sharply, his ears a flaming red now, almost glowing. He glared at Harry for a moment before storming from the room, slamming the door behind him.
"Well," Molly said, flabbergasted, "what was all that about? And what am I going to do with this toast?" Molly sighed.
"I don't think your son likes me much Mrs Weasley," Harry said, giving Ginny a wink. The youngest Weasley covered her smile with a hand, her eyes meeting Harry's and shining with amusement.
"I see," Molly said, as the toast popped up in the background. "Still, I was only suggesting you could give him some pointers. It's no excuse for an outburst like that, not to mention we're supposed to be keeping it down. Sometimes I don't know what to do with that boy. I better go give him his toast."
With that, Molly grabbed the toast, plopped it on a plate and left the kitchen in search for her hotheaded son. Harry gave Ginny another wink, making her smile again. He was glad to see she could still smile; after all she had gone through last term.
Harry got up and went to the kitchen area, sticking in two more slices of bread. Then he leant against the kitchen counter and regarded Ginny, who was staring at the dinning table and idly playing with the frayed hem of her pyjama bottoms. They remained silent, the only noise in the entire three minutes being the toast popping up, ending the silence temporarily. Harry turned and buttered it up, before sticking it on a plate and shoving it under Ginny's nose. She turned startled eyes to him and he gave her the warmest smile he could, before making to leave the room. Her vice stopped him.
"Is Draco okay?" Ginny uttered.
Harry stopped with his hand on the doorknob.
"He's fine now," Harry said, "but he was a bit of mess. It's strange seeing him that way."
"Because…" Ginny stalled. "Because of me?"
"I think so," Harry said. "Look, I know things between you are complicated, especially with what he did to you. But let me tell you this, Draco's a very proud person. I'm not saying it's a good thing, but it's just the way he is. He was acting very odd the few weeks before he….well…before he broke up with you. My bet is he was fighting his own nature. I know he has feelings for you and I'm pretty sure you figured that out after what happened last term. But the question isn't about Draco's feelings anymore. How do you feel?"
"I don't know," Ginny said, barely audible, but Harry heard her. "I thought I loved him, but then he broke my heart like that. Then he goes and saves my life doing something so idiotically stupid, but so unbelievable brave at the same time - all for me. How am I supposed to feel?"
"I don't know," Harry said. "That's for you to figure out. I can't tell you that, but I can tell you that Draco wants you back. I know what people think about him, but when it comes down to it, Draco is a good guy. Ask yourself this - can you put up with someone so proud he'll do damage to himself just to feel like he isn't a weakling? Can you put up with an emotionally screwed up idiot? You have to know he's going to make mistakes and they might hurt you, but if you can understand this and work though it, then I think you know what to do."
"Thank you Harry," Ginny said.
"Your welcome," Harry said, before turning the doorknob.
"Harry?" Ginny called, before he could leave the room. He looked back at her over his shoulder. "I never thought you were evil, you know. You've always been my hero."
Harry grinned. "Thanks."
(----)
Sirius returned later in the day, bringing with him a surprise guest. Albus Dumbledore emerged from the fireplace, following Sirius, his pointed hat crooked. His eyes twinkled at Harry as he straightened his hat, before he strode over and clapped a hand to Harry's shoulder.
"Always happens," he said, pointing a wrinkled finger at the offending hat. "It's the fireplace, you see. It's too low."
"Right," Harry said, not bothering to hide his smirk.
"I bet you're wondering why I'm here," Dumbledore said.
"A little," Harry replied, looking at Sirius, who had since sat down and was now propping his feet up in his usual laid back manner. Sirius offered no reply, he just grinned at him. Harry looked back at Dumbledore.
"I shall not keep you waiting then," Dumbledore said.
Harry had to stop himself from replying with a sarcastic, 'that's a first', and only just managed to do so. Instead, he sat down across from Sirius. Dumbledore claimed the seat next to Sirius.
"First things first," Dumbledore began, "Sirius has informed me of your wish that Miss Hermione Granger be brought here and for her family to receive some protection. It might surprise you to know that I have already assigned two members of the Order to guard the Granger family, at least on a temporary basis. Understand that our numbers are thin, so this is not something I can keep up for long."
"So what do you intend to do then?" Harry said. "I mean if you already assigned them protection I'm assuming you figured out that Voldemort probably sensed a connection between me and Hermione."
"I have been informed of your connection," Dumbledore replied, "and I am sure Voldemort picked up on it as well. He is, after all, a very observant person, and with his connection to you, I think it would be no stretch to assume that he has discovered your relationship."
"I've been keeping my shields up," Harry said.
"As you should always do," Dumbledore said, "but I'm afraid Voldemort is a lot more skilled than you are. I do not think it would be too much trouble for him to break into your mind whilst you sleep. What is worse, you would not even know it."
"Well that's no good," Harry said, "I mean, that's my only protection from him and your saying it's no good. I thought you said if I mastered Occlumency he wouldn't be able to get in."
"I did," Dumbledore confirmed, "but unfortunately, you have not mastered it. You are talented in the obscure art, but you are by no means a master of it."
"So what?" Harry pressed.
"I think the time has come for me to teach you Harry," Dumbledore said, raising a hand when Harry opened his mouth to question him. "No worries, this time I am speaking plainly. I will teach you what you need to know to successfully combat Voldemort. At least, when we have the time. I'm sure you have not forgot about the Horcruxes."
"How could I?" Harry asked dryly, speaking rhetorically.
Dumbledore smiled, before going on: "Back to business, I think it would be for the best for us to move the Granger family to a safe location. I will have to speak to them first, but rest assured Harry, we will find a solution. As for Miss Granger coming here for the rest of the summer: that is perfectly acceptable, given she is willing and that she has her parents consent. I have arranged a Portkey," here he removed an old muggle hat from his robes and placed it on the table, "that will take you and Sirius to the Granger household whenever you are ready."
"Thanks Professor," Harry said.
"One more thing," Dumbledore said, searching inside his robe again. "I thought that it would be a nice surprise for the two of you, ah, here we are." Dumbledore removed his hand from his robes and placed two shiny badges onto the table. Harry recognised them as the Head Boy and Head Girl badges. "It seemed pointless to send them in the usual fashion, given that I would be seeing you anyway."
"You mean," Harry said, picking up the Head Boy badge, "me and Hermione?"
"Correct," Dumbledore said, smiling.
"I'm sure Hermione will be thrilled," Harry said, before he held out his hand towards his headmaster, the badge shining in the dim candlelight, "but I can't accept this. I have no interest in being Head Boy. I think you'll agree I have more important things to attend too."
Dumbledore smiled wider, his eyes crinkling at the edges. "I rather thought you'd say that," he said, taking the badge back, "it's a good job I have a replacement already. I can't tempt you to reconsider?"
"No thanks sir," Harry said, "I'm honoured and everything, but just like the Prefect badge and the Quidditch Captain badge, I'm not interested."
Dumbledore pocketed the badge and nodded. "Then will you at least pass on my congratulations to Miss Granger."
"Sure," Harry said, picking up the Head Girl badge and putting it in his pocket. "Like I said, she'll be thrilled."
"Well then," Dumbledore stood up, brushing off his robes, "I have business to attend to elsewhere. It was good to see you again Harry."
"You too sir," Harry returned.
Dumbledore nodded his goodbye to both Harry and then Sirius, before he turned and exited the kitchen. Harry stood up and stretched his muscles for relief, before turning to face the unusually silent Sirius.
"Ready to go now?" Harry asked, nodding at the Portkey.
"Don't waste time do you," Sirius said, grinning.
"Not if I don't have too," Harry replied.
"On three then?" Sirius asked.
"One," Harry said, putting his hand over the old muggle hat.
"Two," Sirius said, doing the same.
"Three," they said together, both of them touching the Portkey at the same time.
Together, they found themselves being transported through the air, everything rushing by so fast it was nothing but one big blur, before they finally hit ground. Harry's feet hit the ground with a thud and his knees almost gave out, but he managed to stay on his feet. Looking around at his surroundings, he found himself in a shadowed alley by a muggle trashcan. Sirius was next to him, wand out.
"It's just around this corner Harry," Sirius said, pointing with his wand hand, "first house. Get your wand out, but keep it hidden."
Sirius shimmied his own wand up his sleeve. Harry took his own wand out and did the same, keeping a good grip on it so that if he needed it, it would be in his hand in less than a second.
They left the alleyway and turned onto the bright straight, the morning air and breeze greeting him with a gust. Harry took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air after the staleness of Grimmauld Place. Sirius pointed out the house as they neared it.
It was larger than Harry expected, red brick and with three windows facing them from the front. The lawn spread out around them as they made their way up the gravel path by the driveway to the single white door, the grass freshly cut and wet with dew. Sirius reached the door first, reaching up with his other hand to ring the bell.
"Be nice Sirius," Harry reminded his godfather sternly. The older wizard just gave him his trademark mischievous grin.
"I'm always nice," Sirius said.
Before Harry could reply, the door opened and a man who was just as tall as Sirius, but with a lot more weight to him, greeted them. He had dirty blonde hair and brown eyes, his face neatly shaved and smooth.
"Can I help you?" he asked.
"Hi," Harry said, speaking before Sirius had a chance too. "My name is Harry Potter. I'm sure Hermione has mentioned me."
"Ah," the man sounded, before turning around and bellowing, "Hermione! Door!"
It took less than ten seconds for Hermione to reach them. She was wearing a yellow bathrobe, neatly tied up, and was towelling her hair with one hand, her chocolate locks wet and frizzy. She beamed when she saw him, her face still red from her obviously recent shower.
"Harry!" she exclaimed. "Honestly dad, you could have let them in. Come on, come in."
And she ushered them inside, looking around, from her father, to Harry, and then to Sirius. She smiled at them all, obviously trying to think of what to say next. Harry took pity on her and spoke up.
"Hermione," he said, "this is my godfather Sirius Black."
"Oh," Hermione gasped, and Harry could tell that she was blushing, even under her still flushed face. He was probably the only one who noticed though. He liked to think of himself as an expect when it came to Hermione blushing, after all, she had done it so much when they first met. "It's nice to finally meet you. Harry told me loads about you."
"And you as well," Sirius said, giving her a grin, "Harry just never stops talking about you."
"Oh?" Hermione turned a pleased smile to Harry.
Before Harry could say anything, the person who was obviously Hermiones father cleared his throat rather loudly. Hermione turned to him and gave him a sheepish smile.
"Sorry dad," she said, "this is Harry, my boyfriend. Harry, my dad."
"Pleasure to finally meet you," Harry said, offering his hand.
Mr Granger seemed a little taken aback, but took Harry's hand and gave it a rough shake and a squeeze, meeting Harry's eyes. Harry just smiled, even though he knew what the man was doing.
"Pleasure to meet you as well," Mr Granger replied.
Sirius offered his hand next, and Mr Granger took it as well, but this time it was Sirius who gave the rough shake and squeeze. They both smiled pleasantly at each other as they squeezed, as if they weren't having a game of macho hand shake right in front of their respective charges.
Harry smiled at Hermione over the locked hands and she smiled back, giving him a look he knew all too well. He returned it, winking, which just made her blush again.
"Dad," Hermione said, turning her attention back to her father, "lets go into the living room. I'm sure mum will want to meet our guests."
"Right," Mr Granger said, blinking and turning to look at his daughter, before he cleared his throat and said louder, "right. Yes, come on then."
Mr Granger led the way, with Sirius right behind him. Hermione grabbed Harry's hand and leant up to give him a quick kiss.
"I missed you," she whispered into his ear.
"Missed you too," Harry said, returning her kiss.
They smiled at each other and then followed after the adults, meeting Sirius at the doorway to the living room, where he gave them a cheeky look that they knew meant he'd seem them playing tonsil hockey. Grinning at Hermiones abashed look, Harry entered the Grangers living room to meet Mrs Granger.
(----)
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