CHAPTER 5
BY RODARE
Hiya, sorry for the delay but here it is….
Disclaimer: If they were mine, well….Just know they're not.
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"Finally!" Ron said exasperatedly as he spotted his best friends walking toward their table. "Where the bloody hell, have you been?"
He scowled as he saw Hermione on Draco's arm. Hermione saw the look on his face and she glared dangerously at him. Krum stood looking rather stiff and the look in his face seemed even worse than the one Ron had. Harry let Ginny sit and he turned his gaze toward them. Hermione saw the third reflection of that scowl and she frowned as she felt her temper start to boil. What the bloody hell was their problem? Neither of those, three owned her, nor did they have any right to look at her like that!. She glared at all three of them as Draco pulled out a chair for her, but they didn't pay any attention to her as they were all busy plotting on how get back at Ferret boy for daring to touch Hermione.
"My, my, my, if this isn't a surprise, I don't know what is?" a cool voice asked behind Harry, Ron, and Krum who were standing on Draco's right while Hermione took her seat next to Luna who was on Ginny's left. Harry seemed to tense slightly but of course, only Hermione noticed. Then they all parted a bit to let the woman standing behind them step where they all could see her.
Cho Chang was looking as good as ever, but the years had changed her as much as they had Draco. Unfortunately, unlike Draco, Cho turned into a very unstable person. She was no longer the outgoing, happy, even if a bit overemotional, she had turned cold, miserable, and even a bit malevolent, at least, when it pertained to Harry. Apparently, she had seen the error of her ways and she now wanted Harry back. She had tried quite hard for the month that followed the Trio's recovery, but at that time, Harry had turned to Ginny again. In retrospective, it may have been his attempt to pull away from Cho's more hard pressed advances, and Cho had not been very pleased. They had been lucky to avoid her for a while now and it had been months since either of them had seen her.
"Cho," Hermione said trying to save them all from a scene. She didn't think she could handle another jealous tantrum, especially when all she wanted to do was figure out what Draco was up to before something happened. "You look absolutely lovely. How have you been? It's been a while."
"Yes, it has, hasn't it?" Cho said in a falsely sweet voice. She looked at Harry quite lithely before she turned to meet Hermione's eyes again. "You seem busy tonight, Hermione."
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked not quite knowing why Cho had smirked lightly when she said the last thing.
"Well, I've noticed how your entire…how should I say this? Fan club, perhaps, is assembled here," she said. Hermione frowned a bit. "One was never enough for you, was it? Who would've thought…"
"That's enough, Cho," Harry said through clenched teeth as he grabbed Cho's arm to pull her a step back. "Your comments have no…"
"No, Harry," Hermione said standing up and grabbing his own arm gently. Krum, Ron, and even Draco shifted to surround her slightly leaving Harry between her and Cho while they stayed behind her. Harry released Cho as Hermione pulled him slightly back. "Let her say what she wants to say. You might as well stop beating around the bush, Cho, and come out and say what you want. I'm tired of pesky and foolish games."
"You know exactly what I mean," Cho said raising her eyebrow slightly at the reaction of all four men. "You're a slut that's what you are."
There was a general gasp and even Luna, Ginny, Parvati, and Lavender stood to defend her honor, along with Seamus, Dean, and Neville. Susan seemed so shocked that she didn't move at all. Harry was more than out raged, Ron gaped as in shock and turned even redder than his hair, Krum froze and began to curse under his breath in Bulgarian, Draco stopped smirking and glared dangerously. Harry lost a little control of his magic and the glasses in their table blew up.
"That's all?" Hermione asked before she burst out laughing as she clutched to Harry's arm.
Everyone turned to look at her as if she had suddenly sprouted a second head and a pair of antlers. Harry turned grabbing her to keep her upright as tears of mirth spilled from the corners of Hermione's eyes as she tried to stop, failing miserably by the way, to stop laughing. Harry looked helplessly at the others as if for help as he held Hermione up. Krum seemed as lost as ever mouthing something about English women, Ron muttered 'mental', Draco shrugged, and the girls were still sending daggers through their eyes at Cho as she stood there gaping at Hermione as her plan to get her mad had clearly failed.
Hermione finally managed to compose herself and she straightened a bit as she wiped her eyes still chuckling a bit. Harry looked down at her, breathless, looking a bit flushed, giggling…giggling! Hermione Granger was giggling! He looked at her pressed a little against his own body and looking like a fallen angel, and that was when he realized for the first time what it felt to be in love. No, not be, but rather to realize that you have been in love for nine years of your life.
"Oh, Merlin!" Hermione said as she looked up with raised eyebrows as Harry held her in his arms. She looked up at Cho with a rather smug look in her face, Harry noted. "I'm sorry but that was by far the most absurd thing I've heard in my life and I've heard plenty. I'm okay, Harry."
"Oh," Harry said releasing her instantly as she turned to face Cho properly.
"Absurd?" Cho said with a smirk of her own. "Please! You act all bloody innocent and proper. Well, I think you're a bunch of bullshit!"
"Oh, really?" Hermione asked reaching back to keep Harry at bay. "Come on, Cho, get it out of you, why won't you? I had my laugh, now finish what you started, and we can all go on with our lives."
"I bloody hate you!" Cho said with vehemence and Hermione merely raised her eyebrow a bit more as she crossed her arms. Cho pointed at her with a shaking finger as they all stared at the two witches going at it. "It was you! It always was you! You're the only reason Harry never paid any attention to our relationship!"
"Me?" Hermione asked with a snort. "How did you brilliantly come across that?"
"Don't you bloody get that all-mighty tone of yours with me," Cho sneered. "All I want to know is how the bloody hell did someone like you ensnare Harry Potter, an International Bulgarian Quidditch player, Harry's best friend, and apparently even the most desirable Slytherin, Draco Malfoy! I've always wondered how you did it. I thought that they all found that being with a frigid bookworm was a challenge to their male egos, but now I know that you must be quite an easy shag!"
SMACK! Then absolute silence followed.
Well, at least from their inner circle. The party was still going on and there was too much noise and different colored lights for anyone who was not within close range to notice what was going on.
Cho fell backward as Hermione seethed in anger as she lowered her hand. Hermione was breathing heavily as Cho raised her hand to her cheek in a silent gasp. No one moved or dared to even make a sound. No one had ever seen Hermione lose control enough to hit a person, only Harry, Ron, and Malfoy. Malfoy flinched knowing from personal experience what it felt to be in the receiving end of Hermione's hand. He wasn't about to tell anybody, but Hermione Granger was not as weak as she looked.
"Listen to me," Hermione said ardently as she pointed her finger at Cho who was sprawled on the floor crying. Hermione straightened up and turned almost in a sweep as she turned to all of them. "All of you. I don't owe any explanations of my personal life to any of you. I'm so bloody tired of all of you! So, I want you to listen! For the bloody last time, I've never had any romantic relationship with Harry or Draco for that matter. Ronald was my first official boyfriend and guess what? We snogged each other a few times! Viktor was the first man to ask me out and treat me like a bloody girl. There's only one of them I've ever shagged. If that makes me a bloody slut then I guess I am. Bloody sue me!"
The four men in question looked at each other as she turned to face Cho once more. She was shaking with anger now and her magic was almost palpable in the air surrounding her.
"I'm so bloody tired of all this stupid childish games," she said breathing hard. "If I'm such a bloody insignificant, dull, and ugly bookworm then why the hell are you so bloody intimidated by me? Afraid your voluptuous, gorgeous bodies will not be enough when these gits realize you have nothing up here where it matters? Is that it? Well, I'm not interested in stealing other people's boyfriends so you all can be assured it won't be my fault if you can't keep them. Just know something, if I wanted to have them just out bloody spite, I would, but I love them all too much for my own good. Now, if you don't mind I will be going to bed before anymore of you start berating me for having 'stolen' your boyfriends!"
"Mione, wait!" Harry said running after her with Ron close at his heels. Viktor went after them and Draco not wanting his plans to fail because of the stupid former Ravenclaw followed them. "Mione!"
Hermione being smaller and slimmer moved easily through the throng of people. Harry's call had made things a bit difficult since now everyone was trying to see who was yelling and why. Malfoy scowled angrily as he almost ran into Krum's back as the Bulgarian was tangled up. Malfoy looked ahead and noticed that he could no longer see Hermione or Harry. He could still make out Ron's hair, who was at least a foot taller than most people, up a few feet ahead of him. Krum was now almost muscling his way through and Malfoy followed in his wake in no mood to get his brand new dress robes messed up over this.
Harry had never felt such desperation as he did now. He felt that if he let her get away he would never see her again. He knew it was stupid, she lived with him…and Ron after all, but the feeling was so strong that he found himself pushing past old friends and their families as he fought his way toward Hermione who had almost made it to the doors.
"Potter, what on earth are you doing?" Professor McGonagall asked as he almost reached where she stood with Professor Sprout, Flitwick, Lupin, and Tonks. Ron pushed past Ernie and reached Harry's side as Lupin stood in their way unconsciously. Krum and Malfoy reached them at the same time from another angle. "What's going on?"
"Harry?" Lupin asked concerned as he saw the look in Harry's face as he moved in their direction, then he noticed the other three in his wake.
"Move!" Harry cried angrily waving his arm in a sweeping motion.
"Remus, stop them before they hurt someone," McGonagall said. Lupin sent a nervous glance at Tonks but they both pulled out their wands and the boys…men froze in their tracks. Harry sent a murderous look toward Remus as he fought against the spell.
"Harry, what's going on?" Tonks asked. Harry noticed that he had a could no longer see Hermione and he growled angrily as with a crack, he did the unthinkable, he broke through the containment charm of the Stunning spell.
Those that could move felt their jaws drop and those that could not would not even if they could. They stared at Harry with amazement and even a hint of fear as without a backward glance he ran away from them.
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Hermione Granger was breathing hard by the time she reached one of the hidden passageways that led up to Gryffindor Tower. She tried to catch her breath as she slid through the tapestry and leaned against the wall. She felt her dry throat clog up with raw emotion and she slid down the wall slowly as silent painful sobs escaped her. She curled her body into a fetal position as she fought to breathe through the tears and the burning feeling in her heart.
She couldn't take it anymore. This was the second time in one night that she had given in to that stupid female weakness, but she was exhausted emotionally and she could not find a grip the second time. It hurt. God, it hurt.
She closed her eyes tightly but the tears kept flowing out as her eyes burned and her chest ached. Why was she so stupid to let them get to her? Why? She was supposed to be the smartest witch of the age and she let a couple of airheads crush her like this? Shut the bloody hell up, Hermione! You're not Little Miss Perfect! You're a bloody human being! You feel and you hurt as everyone else does, you're not made of stone!
Harry pushed open the tapestry wanting to make his way toward the Common Room as fast as he could, but the sight that met his eyes made his heart break instantly. Hermione was just lying there sobbing almost silently, curled up into a tight little ball as if to protect herself from some attack. He rushed toward her and fell on his knees beside her.
"Oh, Mione," he said gathering her close to him. She couldn't find anything in herself anymore and she let her instinct take over. She went willingly into his arms as he held her tightly. "Don't cry. Please, don't cry."
She couldn't fight back her tears or the silent sobs that cruised through her body painfully. Harry hated himself from being indirectly related to the reason she was hurting so much and he bowed never to cause her any pain again.
"It's alright," Harry whispered gently as he hugged her tightly. "Hermione, it's alright. I'm here now. I'll take care of you."
She held on to him as if her life depended on it. In his arms, she felt safe and protected, but she knew it was concern for his best friend and nothing more that made him hold her so tight. Harry had an enormous heart and so much love to give for someone who had suffered so much that it was amazing. She knew that but even in her current state she knew that she would never be the woman to receive his heart like that.
"Come on," he whispered as he brought her up with him. She shook her head trying to pull away as she kept her face covered with her hands. He kissed her forehead and picked her up with ease.
"Don't," she managed between sobs as she shook her head and tried to get back down to the ground. "Please don't."
"Don't fight me," Harry pleaded slightly. "Don't think. For once in your life just let me take care of you, Hermione."
She couldn't answer as the concern and love, even if entirely platonic, she heard in his voice brought her feelings and the weakness of her tears to the surface once more. He interpreted her sobs and the way that she curled against his chest as an okay.
Once he was sure that she was properly secure in his arms he begin to make his way back up to Gryffindor Tower. She weighed almost nothing in his arms and he would have never guessed she, of all people, could ever feel so fragile. All he wanted to do was to protect her and make sure no one ever dared to think about hurting her again.
During the war, he had sworn to protect her and Ron, and all those that mattered to him, so that no harm ever came to them, but he had failed her. He knew better than others that there were different kinds of pain, and he had not protected her from the women that claimed to love him.
She who stood by his side and asked for nothing, she who never failed him even when Ron had, she who had saved his life countless times and never threw it in his face as he had years ago, and he could not protect her from the hurt, the insults, the pain that she had endured for him. She had never caved in and one had to admire her strength, but she was human and he should have kept her from ever doing so as she was now.
He finally reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and cursed under his breath for not knowing the damn password. He looked down ant Hermione and noticed gratefully that she had fallen asleep sometime during their ascent, at least she was no longer crying over those horrible things that Cho had said to her and the things that Ginny and the others had done to her too. He sighed and climbed the last few steps that brought him to the Fat Lady. She saw him and grinned, than she spotted Hermione in his arms and she raised her eyebrows.
"Gryffindor will never be the same since you two left," the Fat Lady said, somehow managing to lower her shrill, loud voice to a whisper, for which Harry was ever grateful. He smiled as he thought of how to convince her to let him in.
"I sure hope that's a compliment," Harry whispered back and she chuckled. Harry sent him what Hermione called his "winning smile" and hoped that she was right as always. "Is there anyway you can …you know, let me in, before I drop her."
"Sure," the Fat Lady said with a small smile and Harry grinned thinking he had won. "I'll let you in as soon as you tell me the password, Potter."
"The password?" Harry said nervously and the Fat Lady nodded. "I…uhmm, well, you see…"
"You don't know it, do you?" she asked him and he sighed in defeat shaking his head. She looked at him with Granger in his arms and that 'hurt puppy' slump of his shoulders, and she couldn't help but smile. He looked so much like his father, whom she had always had a soft side for and she sighed in her own defeat. For once in all the history of Gryffindor Tower she would break her own rules. "Oh, come on, then."
"Huh?" Harry asked stupidly as he looked up to her and saw the slightly annoyed look in her face, but he also saw the slight lifting of her lips as if she was trying to look annoyed.
"Get inside before I change my mind," she snapped, as she swung open. "But don't you dare tell anyone. I can't believe it myself."
"Thank you, so much," Harry whispered rushing inside but taking care enough with Hermione as to not wake her up now that she was at least not crying anymore.
He thought for about one second about setting her down on the sofa in front of the blazing fire, but then he thought that she wouldn't be to comfortable there especially when the rest their friends finally made it upstairs to go to bed. He shook his head at the thought of George and Fred waking her up with one of their pranks. Instead he made his way toward his old room in the boys dormitories. He grinned almost unconsciously when he saw his faithful old poster look just the same as if it had been just yesterday when he had last slept in it.
He set Hermione down on his bed as carefully as if she was made of the finest crystal. She turned on her side and made a small, faint sound of contentment that mad him smile foolishly. He watched her for a few seconds then he reached down and carefully took the amazingly sexy but uncomfortably looking heels. She flexed the arcs of her feet and moaned gently in a way that made Harry's stomach tighten almost painfully. He jumped from his own reaction and fell hard on the cold stone floor.
"Bloody hell," he cursed under his breath. He thanked Merlin that Hermione had not woken as he stood up painfully. He watched her sleep looking just like an angel for a few seconds then he turned and after spotting his trunk, he went to it and opened it silently. He pulled one of his old Gryffindor Quidditch training T-shirt's and a pair of boxer shorts out and looked back at Hermione.
He gulped seeing how high her dress was revealing so much of her creamy taut legs that he could feel his blood start to rush places that were nothing of platonic. He gave his head a little shake as if to clear improper thoughts from it and he looked at the clothes in his hands once more and from them to Hermione.
"Merlin, please help me," he whispered as he moved next to her. He sighed and braced himself for the task at hand.
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"Where's Harry?" Ginny asked as Ron, Draco, and Krum reached their table after just a few minutes of going after Hermione.
"He went after Hermione," Ron told her as he made his way to sit beside Luna once more. He saw the look in his sister's face and he sighed as he reached across Luna's lap to take Ginny's hand. Ginny turned to him questioningly. "Gin, Harry and Hermione would never do anything like what you're thinking. That just ain't them, Gin, stop thinking about it."
"What do you know, Ronald?" Ginny asked pulling her hand away a bit angrily. Ron turned a bit red but Luna pulled him back and shook her head as Ginny turned to face the other way.
"Let her be," Luna whispered to him. "Why aren't you with Hermione?"
"Oh," he said looking a bit sheepishly before staring to explain what had happened almost excitedly.
On the other end of the table Draco slid into a the chair beside Ginny who was so entranced in her own thoughts that she didn't seem to notice him or the hungry, animal look in his grey eyes as they ran over her.
"Why are you so worried about Granger, Red?" Draco asked almost nonchalantly breaking into her thoughts as he reached for another glass of wine.
"That's none of your business, Malfoy," Ginny snapped.
"I guess you're right," he said and she turned to look suspiciously at him while he eyed the dance floor. Since when was Malfoy so eager to agree with a Weasley, especially her whom he seemed to always have some clashing argument on hand. What Dumbledore's name was he up to?
"Wha…?" Ginny began but he turned sharply to her as he stood up.
"Dance with me, Red," he said with ease as he extended his hand out to her. He smirked as he locked his eyes on hers. He saw instant, almost natural hesitation to agree and he put the first step of his plan to work. "Come on. Potter's willingness to be at Hermione's disposal has him paying to little attention to you. He always takes for granted anything that he feels sure of always having. Dance with me, and show him that you are no little toy to be thrown and picked up at his whim. You're an independent woman, Red. You make your own choices. Let's have some fun, you and I."
"I…," she started and he cocked his head slightly to the side as if in question and at he same time in some impatience.
Hell, he was right. Hot, too. So, why not? Besides she and Harry were on a break, so why not enjoy it and at the same time show the great Harry Potter just what he had? Show him that other men would kill to be as lucky as he was. Then again if she played with fire, she thought looking at the very delectable former Slytherin in front of her, she was bound to get burned a few times. But, hey, if after this, she was gonna really marry Harry, why not enjoy this time of freedom while she could?
"Alright," she said. If you always played it safe, you were never really living after all.
"Come on, then," Draco said sounding a bit bored as Ginny stood up. He let her walk a step ahead of him and only then, he smirked. First step accomplished better than he had planned, a Malfoy always knew how to play his cards, and in that respect, he would never be an exception.