Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling, etc etc.
Authors Note: Another chapter, again, sorry for the wait. Life is hectic, yadda yadda yadda. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy. Thanks for the reviews!
Harry, Hermione and Sirius arrived via return Portkey just outside of Grimmauld Place, where the sky was darkening as night descended. They had spent the most part of the afternoon with the Grangers, giving Hermione enough time to say a proper goodbye, before they left the house. Hermione shivered at the cold weather that seemed to surround Grimmauld Place, her flesh rising in tiny goose bumps, before looking up at the house before her. Or at least, she thought a house should be there. Turning puzzled eyes to Harry, he gave her a smile and handed her a piece of paper.
"Read it and remember it," he said, whilst Sirius cast a quick glance over his shoulder.
Hermione quickly read the piece of paper, feeling the sense of urgency that was flowing from Sirius in waves. Then she raised her eyes to where she thought the house should be, blinked, and suddenly it was before her, looming like a dark evil shadow creature from one of those Stephen King horror books her father always read.
"Come on," Harry said, taking her by the arm and leading her up the steps. She scowled slightly, not liking being treated like a child, but understanding it was just Harry's instinctive nature to protect her. Sirius knocked on the door and a few seconds later it opened and they shuffled inside.
A motherly looking woman greeted them, clad in a night robe and carrying a lantern to light up the surrounding darkness. Hermione could see she had red hair - pulled tightly up at the moment, though a few strands had fallen loose - and a face that was lined with worry and melancholy. She quickly put on a bright smile, but Hermione saw right through it.
"Hello dear," the woman said, who Hermione assumed to be the mother of the Weasley family, "it's nice to meet you. I only wish it could have been during better times than these."
"Thank you," Hermione replied, "it's nice to meet you too."
"Ginny has told me a lot about you," Molly said. "She said you're the smartest witch in your year."
"She is," Harry said, giving Hermione a proud look.
"Oh, well," Hermione blushed, "I'm useless really. I mean, there's a difference between understanding how things work and actually doing them when it counts."
"You sound like Ginny," Molly said, shaking her head. "She's really having a tough time with everything that happened last term. I hoped you might be able to cheer her up a bit."
"Well," Hermione said, "I'll certainty try."
"Thank you dear," Molly said, smiling at her with gratification.
"Its no problem," Hermione assured, "she'll be in her room, won't she?"
"Yes," Molly said, nodding.
"I'll show you the way," Harry said. He held out his hand to Sirius. "I'll show her to her room as well."
Sirius nodded and handed over Hermione's bag, which Harry slung over his shoulder, before taking Hermiones hand and leading her up the stairs. Hermione watched Sirius and Molly disappear through a door down the hall as they climbed the stairs, the pair talking in hushed tones. She turned her attention back to Harry, who looked lost in thought. It wasn't that unusual for Harry to fall into silence and Hermione was more than used to it, so she let him think for a bit longer before finally breaking the quiet.
"Harry?" she asked, pulling him to stop once they where almost halfway down the second floor corridor.
"Huh?" Harry looked at her, smiling in a strangely bashful way. It was another thing that was odd about Harry, the way he acted around her. He was so free with her, or at least, as free as Harry could be. It was unusual to use the word bashful in describing Harry, when he was so normally stoic and aloof, but Hermione was touched that he felt comfortable enough to let his walls down with her. "Sorry Hermione, I got lost in my own head. Did you say something?"
"No," Hermione said, "but you were supposed to be showing me my room, and then taking me to Ginny, right?"
"Right," Harry said, grinning at her. "Sorry, come on."
Harry and Hermione passed a few more doors before Harry eventually stopped her, giving her another little grin and opening the door they had stopped in front of. As Hermione went to enter, he blocked her way with an arm, leaning forward to whisper in her ear.
"My room is at the end of this corridor," he said, huskily, before pulling back and waging his eyebrows. Hermione giggled, unable to help the slight blush that crept into her cheeks. She swatted at his arm good-naturedly.
"Pervert," she accused, giving him a smile to take away the meaning.
"I can't help it if you're too beautiful for your own good," Harry said, trapping her between the doorway now, an arm on either side of her so she couldn't escape. He leant close. "If you don't want me jumping you ever second you should really think about putting a bag over your head or something, maybe wear some baggy clothing."
Hermione made a shocked sound, opening her mouth and eyes wide for effect. "If you expect to get any action after saying something like that then you're sorely mistaken buster!"
"Tease!" Harry accused, running a hand over her rather tight cardigan, feeling the curve of her breast.
Hermione closed her eyes and gasped slightly as he ran his thumb over her nipple, feeling the action through two layers of cotton, tickling the sensitive area. Her flushed cheeks grew more pronounced as Harry leant in and almost kissed her, his breath hot against her mouth.
"You can't resist me," Harry whispered, his breath mixing with her own, "so don't try playing games. You want me as much as I want you."
"Of course I do," Hermione mumbled, opening her eyes and looking into his emerald orbs, "so let's get it over with and just kiss already."
"Don't have to tell me twice," Harry said, finally capturing her lips with his own. They kissed passionately, tongues colliding and battling for dominance, Harry pressing Hermione tiny frame up into the door way, his hand riding up her cardigan as he slipped it under to get better access to her breasts. Hermione's hand clutched at Harry's back, eventually slipping down to cup his butt lightly. Before they could go any further, a gagging sound interrupted them.
"Ugh, please, " the distinct drawl of Draco Malfoy said, "if you're going to shag, be considerate of others and get in the bloody room. It's just three steps to the left."
Harry stopped, resting his head on Hermiones as she attempted to hide by burying herself in his chest, cheeks no longer aflame with lust, but embarrassment. She heard Harry groan softly, before he disentangled himself from her and turned to his friend. She hid her face by looking at the floor, but she could hear them talking.
"Great timing Draco," Harry said sarcastically.
"Don't I always?" Draco asked, and though Hermione wasn't looking, she knew he was smirking.
"I see Dumbledore gave you the Head Boy badge," Harry said, making Hermione look up. Draco was indeed wearing the Head Boy badge, pined to his robes. Draco caught her eye.
"Excited about your own room Granger?" Draco asked, giving her a teasing look. "I'm sure you'll have plenty of use for it. Just remember to close the door, will you?"
Hermione felt her cheeks flame up again, knowing exactly what Draco was alluding to. Harry gave his best friend a punch on the arm.
"Don't stupid Draco," Harry said, giving Hermione a smile. "What do you think Slytherins Chamber's for?"
"Harry!" Hermione snapped, feeling like if she blushed anymore, it would become permanent.
"Sorry Hermione," Harry said, giving her a playful smile, "it was too good to pass up. Come on, you know I'm only kidding. Kinda."
"Keep it up and you certainly won't get any!" Hermione said crossly.
"Where've I heard that before?" Harry said, mocking thinking. He held up a finger. "Aha! That's it. What was it, five minutes ago?"
"Shut it you!" Hermione said, as Draco doubled up laughing.
Harry chuckled as well, but came forward and wrapped his arms around her, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. "Hey, come on," he said, "I'm only joking."
"I know," Hermione mumbled, not wanting to forgive him so easily but being unable to when he grinned at her. "It's okay. Anyway, let's put my bag in my room and then you can show me to Ginny's."
"Right," Harry said, putting her bag in said room and the closing the door behind him. He pointed down the hall. "Ginny's is just two doors down. Come on."
Draco followed them now, suddenly silent. They stopped outside Ginny's door and Harry gave her a quick kiss.
"Me and Draco will be in the kitchen if you want to come down after, okay?" Harry said.
"Okay," Hermione nodded, watching as Harry started to walk away backwards, waving. She smiled and waved back.
"Later Granger," Draco said, as he passed her.
"Bye," Hermione said, watching the duo walk down the hall and eventually disappear down the stairs. She took a breath, composed herself, and then knocked. "Ginny?" she called. "Its me, Hermione. Can I come in?"
She heard what she assumed was an assent come through the door, but it sounded more like a grunt than anything else. Hermione took another breath before opening the door and stepping in.
The room was dark, like the rest of the house, making it hard for Hermione to really see anything distinctive. She could just about make out a lump of blankets, which on closer inspection turned out to be Ginny, who was curled up in bed. Hermione approached and sat down on the end of the bed.
"Hey Ginny," she said, as her greeting.
"Hi Hermione," Ginny's voice came from beneath the blankets.
"Ginny," Hermione began, "what are you doing? Don't you think it's a bit too early to be in bed?"
"I'm just thinking," Ginny said, the blankets shifting as she rolled over and emerged from under the covers. Her hair was in disarray, tangled and sticking up all over the place. She shifted a bit more so she was sitting up, resting against the headboard.
"Thinking about…Draco?" Hermione tried.
"Yeah," Ginny said, "partly, anyway. I'm thinking about last term. I can't get it out my mind…"
"Do you want to talk Ginny?" Hermione asked.
"Promise me what we talk about never leaves this room?" Ginny said. "I need you to promise. You can't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you, not even Harry."
"Okay," Hermione agreed.
"I've had nightmares," Ginny said, "ever since my first year in Hogwarts. When I was taken down into the Chamber of Secrets, ever since then. I got better, and I didn't have them as often, as time went by, but the feeling never went away - that helpless feeling. I tried to act tough, like it didn't affect me. Look at me, I'm Ginny Weasley, I'm good at Quidditch and not bad looking and I'm really outgoing and fun, right? Wrong, that was just a rouse. Inside I'm just a scared little girl, the same scared little girl that was taken into the Chamber of Secrets. I tried to lie and fool myself, but after last term, it was made perfectly obvious to me. I'm so weak Hermione; I couldn't even help Draco when he was putting his life on the line for me. All I did was lie there and cry like the weakling I am."
"Ginny," Hermione said, looking at her friend in a totally new light. "You're not a weakling. Nobody expected you to stand up and fight. Nobody holds that against you. It was Voldemort, Ginny. The darkest wizard the world has ever seen."
"But I'm a Gryffindor," Ginny said. "We're supposed to be brave. You know what I feel like? I feel like I don't belong in Gryffindor, like I should be in Hufflepuff or something."
"I know how you feel Ginny," Hermione said. "I remember that helpless feeling from when that Troll attacked me. But you don't let it master you; you fight it, because you can. It's inside you Ginny. The Sorting Hat wouldn't have put you in Gryffindor if you didn't belong there."
"But what if my bravery was scared right out of me?" Ginny asked, fidgeting with her blankets.
"Don't be silly," Hermione chastised. "It's inside you, Ginny. Your just scared, that's all, which is perfectly understandable and nothing to be ashamed of. You're not weak Ginny, you're strong; you just have to find the strength inside you. I thought like you once, but then somebody showed me how strong I was."
"Who?"
"Harry," Hermione said. "It's hard, because I still feel like I'm useless sometimes, but with Harry by my side I know that I can fight through it. I'm strong and I won't let my fear rule me."
"Wow," Ginny said, blinking and smiling. "That was beautiful. Will you help me fight my fear Hermione?"
"I will," Hermione said. "As will Harry, if you ask him. And I'm sure Draco would as well, if you wanted to let him help."
"I…"
"Do you?" Hermione pressed.
"I just don't know," Ginny said. "My feelings for Draco are so complicated. Sometimes I just want to run straight into his arms and forgive him for everything he did. Then at other times I want to beat the crap put of him and never speak to him again. Then I remember what he did for me and I feel like I don't deserve him! It's crazy!"
Hermione smiled slightly. "You'll figure it out."
"I hope so."
(-----)
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