Chapter Six
There's No Place Like Home
As the cockerel in the garden crowed for probably the tenth time since dawn, Ron crawled out of his bed to find that Harry was still fast asleep in his. This was not the usual state of affairs; as the boot was more often than not on the other foot. Ron assumed, quite correctly, that Harry was late to bed the previous evening, but he was unaware that it had been well after midnight before Harry and Hermione had parted company and gone their separate ways to sleep.
They had used those hours to become better acquainted with their acceptance of the subtle change in their friendship; it had certainly involved a few more kisses and not a little discussion. Now that they had finally put two and two together themselves, it became obvious to them that several people had already done the sum, made four and were waiting for them to catch up. So how were they going to play this? Go for broke, kissing and snogging each other all over the place, rolling in the hay and generally letting their hormones take control? Both admitted that it did sound rather fun, but with what they had to do too much distraction was probably a good way of getting themselves killed, Voldemort wasn't going to give them any slack. In love or not they had to keep their wits about them, they knew that there was something very special between them and a few moments of intimacy from time to time would sustain their relationship; they felt they had rather too much on their collective plates to allow things to become overly complicated, just at the present time.
"We'll play it cool," said Hermione seriously.
"Right," said Harry, "nothing over the top."
"Exactly," but Hermione didn't sound very convincing, and drew Harry into another kiss.
"Not going to be easy," commented Harry, as he came up for air.
Hermione's breathing was fast and a little ragged, "Perhaps the excitement wears off after a while?"
"Umm," he murmured as he considered the point, "It could but I wouldn't bet on it," and he pushed her back down on the bed and the next ten minutes was lost in mutual experimentation to see if it did or not. They found it didn't, well not appreciably.
Harry and Hermione had held their love for each other in check for so long that it needed a release, and it found that release in the caressing and kissing the holding and the hugging that happened that night. It was perhaps remarkable, but despite the passion that was unleashed, the hour after midnight saw them return to their own beds still fully clothed and their respect for each other intact, there was after all a time and a place for everything.
The plan to keep everything under wraps started well and only began to fall apart at breakfast time. They met in the kitchen at the large table, having managed to avoid each other during the process of getting up. Harry smiled at Hermione and she smiled back, they were polite to each other, passing the toast and marmalade and pouring each other second cups of tea, they were trying so hard to be normal that they might as well have strung a banner over the table.
Arthur and Molly didn't catch on but then they had spent most of the night lying awake and worrying. Arthur knew exactly what Harry was likely to come up against because the Death Eater attacks had not abated, and wizarding and muggle targets were now fair game. Molly was just scared out of her mind for them.
Ron and Ginny were another matter. Ron sighed and shrugged his shoulders with a thought of what might have been. Ginny put a brave face on it all, although inside it still hurt, and even managed to smile at Ron when they exchanged a knowing look. It was only when Harry and Hermione stopped trying to be normal, that a proper semblance of normality returned.
They paired up for the apparation back to the Shrieking Shack, Hermione held Ginny tightly by the hand and they went first. Harry offered his hand to Ron, who looked at it then grabbed him by the wrist. Ron relaxed his mind and emptied it of important thought, not usually very hard for him, Harry concentrated on his three D's and CRACK they were standing in the dark garage. Harry knew they had it right, there was the smell of oil and polish from Sirius' motorcycle, then "Lumos" said Hermione and the tip of her wand burst into light and the interior of the garage was revealed to all.
"Right you two," she said to Ron and Ginny, it sounded like she was going to give a lecture. "You must fix this place in your minds, there aren't any visuals to go on so use the smell, it should be quite enough and label it 'Hagrid's Garage'. This is the apparation point to get to the entrance, which is here," and Hermione drew back the cloth covering the two-way mirror. "Oh! you should be able to see the room but it looks as if Dobby has covered the other side with a curtain. Now this is important if you don't want to get stuck in the mirror you must remember the entry spell," Hermione gently tapped the frame of the mirror with her wand and chanted "Niveus Bubo." Then she stepped smartly into the mirror and stretched into the Shack.
"Niveus Bobo?" said Ron arching his eyebrows and giving Harry a look.
"NO Ron Niveus Bubo," corrected Harry, "it means snowy owl."
"Oh right," and he followed Hermione's example, said the counter charm and stepped through the mirror.
Ginny followed and then Harry brought up the rear. He became a little tangled in the hanging Dobby had so thoughtfully placed in front of, or possibly behind, the mirror depending on how you looked at it, as he freed himself from the curtain he became aware of the deathly silence in the room beyond.
He saw Hermione first with an expression of astonishment on her bright red face, he couldn't tell if Ron was amused or annoyed but he looked at Harry and said flatly, "I can see why you didn't tell us about all this, very cosy," he waved his arm indicating the interior of the room.
The vision that greeted Harry, as he followed Ron's hand to take in the upstairs room, revealed that the decorations were perhaps just a bit over stated. The drapes that were hung around the nearest end of the room were in Gryffindor colours, bold scarlet and gold, however they distorted the plain rectangular shape of the room and covered the original planking of the Shack quite well. What looked remarkably like his old school four poster bed nestled in the corner quite discrete and unpretentious. Then his gaze took in the large solid work table that dominated the centre of the room, and the six chairs that ringed it. Then as he looked to the other end of the room he realised that here there was a subtle change in the décor. It still followed the theme of Gryffindor but the shades were softer and …well they glowed. 'Very pretty', he thought, 'this would make a really good room for a girl…' then his thought processes ground to a halt for in the opposite corner of the room to his bed was a second one but the curtains around that one were of a far more feminine type.
It was at this point that the penny dropped. "Oh my!" he scrabbled for words but none came.
Hermione gave a nervous giggle. "Looks as if Dobby has out done himself this time…. Err you ought to see the bathroom." she said to Ron and Ginny, but neither seemed inclined to move, both had seen the expression on Hermione's face when they had stepped through the mirror, and then the look of incredularity that had seeped over Harry as he taken in the double bedroom. It was very clear that neither of them had any idea that this was waiting for them and for Ron and Ginny this moment was too precious to waste, and they milked it for all they were worth.
"I wonder what McGonagall will say when she comes to give to lessons," said Ginny her eyes glistening with amusement. "Or Remus and Tonks," she continued with a grin.
There was a look of mild panic on Harry's features, but Hermione apart from some embarrassment, was regaining her composure.
"It's Mum's reaction I would love to see," said Ron gleefully.
"Bloody hell," said Harry very quietly, but with a lot of feeling. The Weasleys, unable to contain themselves anymore, burst out laughing.
Harry was looking very flustered but Hermione rose beautifully to the challenge of the situation.
"I think Harry and I will cope very well," she said imperiously, "I mean we only have three rooms here, so there really wasn't any alternative, sharing won't be a problem. Will it Harry?" She was staring at him intently.
Harry was stuck between a rock and a hard place. "Err… no of course not," he replied with far more confidence than he actually felt. "What we expected, after all."
"Yeh right," said Ron with a grin a Cheshire cat would have been proud of, "Let's see the rest of this place, didn't have much time to look around last time I was here," and he and Ginny headed to the stairs.
Harry held Hermione back as the others clattered down to the kitchen. "Look I know this is all a bit awkward, I am sure we can reorganise things," but even as he said it he knew he didn't really want to. Then to his surprise Hermione looked quite hurt and her lower lip began to tremble, Harry was confused now, what had he done wrong.
"I thought after last night you wouldn't have minded," she said in a tremulous voice.
"I'm only thinking of you, of what the Professors and order members who come here might think," he said desperately, trying to cover whatever mistake he had made.
"Are you sure that is all?" Harry thought Hermione was close to tears, and he was under the impression that all the progress they had made last night was about to go out of the window. In his panic he failed to see the subtle change in Hermione's expression as she played her trump card. "Don't you love me any more?"
Those six simple words that have spelt the downfall of many a hero cut Harry to the core. He was only seventeen, properly in love for the first time in his life, and it was all a new and strange to him. He thought he had blown it, and he would do anything to put it right again. He pulled Hermione to him and embraced her tightly.
"Of course I love you, don't you ever think that I don't," the desperation in his words was as clear as day.
Hermione pushed him away to arms length, Harry was devastated at the apparent rejection, and then she lifted her head to expose a mischievous smile. "Well that's alright then," all trace of upset gone, she moved in and kissed him on the mouth, "don't worry, I'm sure everything will be fine." she said without a care. She turned and followed Ron and Ginny down to the kitchen where they were talking to Dobby.
Harry stared after her, he watched as the girl with the bouncy curl to her shoulder length hair traipsed lightly down the stairs, as if the conversation of the last few minutes had never happened. Then he remembered his conversation with David Granger, Harry knew he may not understand girls, but he knew for sure that the game was over, and that Hermione had won, and to be quite honest, he didn't mind one little bit.
* * *
Hermione took Ginny back to the Burrow the following day, then she Harry and Ron set about undermining the Ministry rules and regulations as appertaining to Hogwarts and its pupils so that Ron would be able to visit them. They altered the ward on the tunnel so that Ron could cross it as well, anyone else would have to be granted access by one of the three, but they also needed somewhere in Hogwarts where they could meet or use as a place to leave messages. It had to be on the grounds so that Ron could visit it without arousing suspicion, but far enough away from the castle so that Harry and Hermione would be free from detection.
The Quidditch pitch was too open as was the lake side. They considered the Forbidden Forest, but the thought of the spiders roaming free, without Aragog to control them, put a cap on that one, then as Harry found himself humming a reasonably tuneful rendition of 'I lost my heart to a pink eyed hag' the obvious solution hit him. It also occurred to Hermione at the same time because she laughed at his expression and they both shouted together "HAGRID'S." It would be ideal and if they couldn't trust the half giant then they might as well pack up and go home.
They waited till late that evening to leave via the tunnel, and using the knot on the trunk of the Whomping Willow they immobilised its thrashing branches. With the collars of their black coats turned up they sneaked across the dark grounds towards the small pinprick of light that shone from the hut that belonged to the keeper of the keys of Hogwarts. The grounds, as always, were creepy at night; the darkness was almost complete, the twinkling lights of the castle gave a reference as to where they were but no illumination. The sounds from the forest were not encouraging either, a scream rent the air causing Ron to jump sideways into Harry, something out there had met an untimely end, or that same something had a very sick sense of humour.
Eventually they reached Hagrid's hut and at Hermione's urging Ron knocked on the door, there was the sound of large feet clumping across the floor and then a loud "OOS THERE?"
Ron had gone temporally dumb but at a poke from Hermione squeaked, "Hagrid, open up, it's me Ron Weasley."
There was the sound of a bolt being pulled and then the door was flung open revealing Hagrid standing there with his enormous crossbow in his hands. "Ron w'at you doin' here?" he whispered loudly, then as he saw who was standing behind him his eyes widened in surprise, "'ere you best come in," and he waved the three of them in. He stared hard into the dark, scanning the edge of the forest and the lawns, but being especially vigilant in the direction of the castle. Satisfied that there was no one watching he pulled the door closed behind them.
To Harry's surprise the inside of the hut looked no different than it had in past years. The results of the fire of the previous term had disappeared, repaired, despite the absence of Dumbledore to aid in its reconstruction.
"Well there's a surprise," Hagrid said as he took in the three, then he smiled, "an' I'm really pleased t' see y'u all," he spread his great arms and drew all three into an enormous hug.
The evening became one of happy and sad memories as the three talked to the half giant. He plied them with tea and cakes that were much improved on his old ones, due to Madam Maxine teaching him one or two simple recipes, out of self preservation if nothing else. Eventually the conversation turned to their intended reason for the visit, and as they had expected Hagrid was only too happy to help. He told them that his hut was used to this role of secret meeting place it had played the same part long ago and still had one or two tricks up its sleeves when it came to being inconspicuous. They needn't worry he would talk to Professor McGonagall and they would provide Ron with good reasons for frequent visits, he was looking forward to getting one up on Umbridge and her committee.
They stayed as long as they dared, but as Hermione looked out of Hagrid's window and saw the first indications of the sky beginning to lighten, they bade farewell to their friend and slipped out of the hut and into the gloom at the edge of the forest. Harry prevented the Whomping Willow from even starting to thrash about with a well aimed stone at the knot on the trunk, and as he entered the tunnel threw the stone back out again, just in case. As they climbed out of the tunnel to the lower floor of the Shack, Dobby was waiting for them with an early breakfast which Ron dived into with great enthusiasm. Harry and Hermione picked at their food they had both come to realise that the brief respite afforded by the school holidays would soon be over, as Hagrid had reminded them that it all started again next week. Soon the wizarding world would once again be wondering where Harry Potter was and what was he doing, especially when his absence from Hogwarts was noticed. It was time for him to disappear.
Ron had ascended to the main room and collapsed on Harry's bed, he was fast asleep by the time the other two climbed the stairs. Harry looked at his friend sprawled over most of his bed, sighed and went to sit at the table, but Hermione grabbed his hand and led him down to her end of the room.
"Don't let it worry you Harry," she said, as she pulled back the hangings to her bed, and climbed onto the covers, "we slept together the first night I found you, if you remember," how could he forget, "and if Ron has issues he'll just have to cope with them." Harry was thinking more of his issues at this particular moment, but regardless of what they might be he crawled up to lie next to her and as she snuggled under his arm and laid her head on his chest a particular peace came over him and within minutes he was fast asleep.
They slept away all that day and the following night; Harry only stirred once, and got up to go to the bathroom. On his way back there was Ron still splashed out on his bed snoring fit to bust, and then he noticed the mattress Dobby had provided for Ron to sleep on the other night, there it was on the floor near the side of his bed. Strange he hadn't noticed it early the other morning when Hermione had dragged him down to her end of the room, he took one step toward it when "Harry where are you, come back here," was murmured sleepily from the bed with all the fluffy curtains, and then all of a sudden the mattress was invisible again. Harry stepped over it as he headed back to Hermione.
* * *
They all apparated back to the Burrow the next morning to find Molly preparing for the annual trip to Diagon Alley to purchase school supplies. It was a little easier for her these days with only Ron and Ginny to buy for, and neither needed much. Harry and Hermione decided to accompany them, it would be a convenient opportunity to set the diversion they had formulated over breakfast that morning, it would add some credibility to Harry's disappearance and they could do with another hunt in the less reputable shops, not that they really knew what they were looking for. Molly and Ginny left in a Side-Along apparation, the others following on their own. Surprisingly Diagon Alley was quite crowded with students; the Ministry must have worked hard to persuade parents that Hogwarts was still the safest place for their children, so many were there on the same mission as Molly. Harry and Hermione, their dragon coats hidden under long hooded travelling cloaks, left Ron with his mother and a promise to see him soon and headed once more to Gringotts.
The head goblin protested quite loudly when Harry demanded that the contents of his vault should be sent abroad to the wizarding bank in Geneva. So loudly that several patrons of the bank pricked up their ears, and made the inference that Harry Potter was going to make a run for it, which precisely what Harry and Hermione had intended. They mollified the goblin once he had them removed from the main hall to a private room, and assured him they didn't want to take it all and that only sufficient should be removed to make the deception of Harry's desertion look convincing
Grippipe for that was his name was a very astute businessgoblin he and his fellows at the bank were well aware of the damage that would be done to them if Voldemort succeeded. Banks need stability, and a happy populace to do well, and the Dark Lord represented disruption and clients that would be running for their lives. They might not wish to get personally involved in the fight but they would aid the side that gave them the best chance of keeping their jobs and their lives. At the moment that was Harry, but it could change and then he would lose their support, it may sound hard but business was business, it was nothing personal after all. (No one ever said that goblins were nice people.)
So Harry had his deception, and he marched out of the bank in high dudgeon, straight into the path of Rita Skeeter and her attendant photographer. Fortunately Hermione saw the reporter before she saw her and she dived out of the bank by a small side door.
"Where are you going Harry?" Rita asked, her quick quotes quill whizzing across her pad all on its own.
Harry put on a fearsome scowl, "Away from here and the likes of you," he growled and swept past her, his cloak swirling dramatically as the photographer took his picture. Harry was down the steps and into the crowded Alley before she could say more, but Hermione watching from a distance was relieved to see several witches and wizards rush up to give their own accounts of what had occurred in the bank.
"What do you reckon, will it work?" Harry asked when Hermione had finally caught up with him again.
"Probably not for very long," she replied thoughtfully, "but Voldemort needs to know where you are, he will not be able to take the chance that you have slipped away. He has that prophecy hanging over his head and he will want to confront you at some time. It will spread out his minions if nothing else."
There was one last place they wanted to visit before the disappearing act and in its gaudy coat Number 93 beckoned to them. The shop was quite busy and when Harry saw the number of Hogwarts students that were buying things, for a moment, or possibly a fraction of a moment he felt sorry for Argus Filch but he would have to admit that the feeling didn't last. When Fred and George saw Harry and Hermione enter the shop they wondered why they had opened that day and not gone to Australia like they planned. As they had little choice they ushered the pair into the back room and stood to face the music.
"Look guys," said Harry, mildly, "we have to disappear, but we still need to know what is going on. All we want you to do is to keep your ears to the ground and pass on anything you think might be useful."
"Possibly, even things that may seem useless," added Hermione, in a tone that suggested she may regard the twins in that light at the moment. They both graced her with a sickly smile.
"Sure Harry."
"No problem." They said one after the other.
"Use Ron as a contact, send messages to him at Hogwarts, but be careful how you do it, there will be lots of prying eyes there this year." warned Harry. They nodded in agreement.
"One more thing boys," the pair looked nervously to Hermione, this was where she would get her own back for what they did to her and Ron. "Free samples of all new developments your warped minds come up with, just in case they may be of use."
The twins looked aghast; Hermione really knew how to get at a bloke, hit him where it hurt, right in the pocket. "Free?" issued from both identical throats.
"Yes free, we'll let you know where to send them." she added, "No delivery charges either."
"Hermione!" they protested.
"Yes?" she asked sweetly, like a snake ready to strike.
"Nothing," was said in duet, they knew they had got off lightly. The reason behind Ron's behaviour was still a secret, well enough of one in that one person who didn't know was Molly Weasley, and the twins desperately wanted to keep it that way. This was a fact that Harry and Hermione were well aware of, and the twins knew they were aware of it, and Harry and Hermione knew that they knew …and so on.
On their way out of the Alley Harry caught a glimpse of Ron and Ginny talking to Seamus and Dean and for a moment he wished he was with them and the up and coming year at Hogwarts his only worry. Then an arm snaked it's way under his cloak to grip his, and the presence of the young woman at his side pushed all other thoughts away. "Come on Harry," and she tugged him along, "Places to go and people to see."
* * *
They returned to the Shack to find that Dobby had continued to work his magic on the place. All Hermione's considerable book collection and Harry's somewhat smaller one now resided in shelves conveniently situated near the table. It appeared the house elf had also appropriated all Harry and Hermione's clothes and they were hung neatly in wardrobes which although the doors of these were flush with the walls they had a considerable amount of room inside.
"We ought to learn more about house elf magic," remarked Hermione, "they can do things that would take even a good witch or wizard ages to perfect, and they don't have to think about it."
"Innate magic," said Harry with rare insight, "they are natural magical creatures, they are much closer to their magic that we are. They don't have to be taught, its just there for them."
Hermione was impressed "Wow Harry, that was deep." she congratulated him.
"Ohh comes to me from time to time you know," he said airily, waving off the compliment.
The tackle that sent him flying forwards, so that he ended up lying on his bed, was followed up with a swift embrace and the very pleasant sensation of a warm vibrant body next to his. The first kisses were passionate, exploring, trying to find the limit of their love, but not reaching it, and then they became gentle and caring and as Harry caressed the silky bouncy curls of Hermione's hair and took in the warmth and love that was in her eyes he knew which ones he preferred. Whilst the passionate ones were exciting and left him panting and a bit dizzy, the gentler sort were far more enticing and held the promise that kissing and cuddling were not the pinnacle of a loving relationship.
Dobby fed them well later that afternoon and as the evening drew in they decided to visit the last place on their list. Harry had only been in the Hogshead Tavern once before and that was for the almost disastrous initial meeting of the DA. It was situated on the outskirts of the village but on the other side of it from the Shrieking Shack. Harry and Hermione, dressed for the night, crept unseen around the outer buildings of Hogsmead. With virtually no one in residence at the school, the village was deserted, the few locals preferring to keep their movements to bright daylight hours. Keeping to a small stony track, Harry and Hermione reached the back of the tavern, they could see that there was some activity in the main room as they passed taking extra care to keep out of sight.
"Invisibility cloak next time we try this," whispered Hermione.
Harry nodded, wishing he had had the sense to bring it this time. The hidden back door was two steps in from the far corner; Harry paced it off and stood in front of what appeared to be nothing more than a plain wall. McGonagall's instructions were very precise only he or Hermione would be able to open the door which was charmed to recognise their wands and a simple unspoken command. Harry touched his wand to the wall and thought the one word 'Open' there was a very quiet click and a door shaped section of wall swung out silently. The interior of the room was dark and remained so until the door latched itself shut after both of them had crossed its threshold. At the click of the latch an oil lamp hanging in the centre of the room guttered into life, and it's dim illumination spread out to reveal two round wooden tables and a collection of rickety looking chairs.
Although they knew there was a door in the wall behind them, they could not see any sign of it or of any other way out of the room. Then as if their presence had summoned him, a very tall long faced man appeared to walk straight through the wall in front of them and into the room. Both Harry and Hermione took an involuntary step back and raised their wands to face the new comer, his movements were very slow and deliberate as he looked them up and down, Harry saw that his eyes were deeply shadowed, and he appeared totally miserable.
"Mr. Potter and Miss. Granger I would imagine," his voice was completely at odds with his appearance. It was light and high enough to be called girlish, and as he spoke his eyes opened wide and almost protruded from his face. The movements were so grotesque that it seemed that this was a face that was only under partial control and that given the right circumstances it could look very different from the way it was now.
"Err… yes." said Harry, "and you are?"
"Langdon Long," said the man, he gestured with an incredibly long arm, "Please take a seat." Harry and Hermione sat automatically. "Butterbeers?" he asked. Hermione nodded, and with a further wave of his very long fingers two bottles and clean glasses appeared on the table. Seeing as his two guests were momentarily struck dumb, the high pitched voice continued. "Minerva told you I am here to help, and so I will, but there are others that you should meet that will help you in your quest." He took a large pocket watch out of the inside of his robes, gazed at its face intently and nodded. "They will be here in a few minutes," he smiled at Harry and Hermione sitting immobile at the table. "Please, drink up."
The smile if anything was an even greater shock than his general appearance, but it goaded Harry into pouring Hermione's drink for her and then his own. It was rather like one of those times Harry had spent travelling in a muggle lift. The three of them waited, not saying anything and not really looking at each other, just waiting, a little incidental music and it would have been perfect.
Then the metaphorical lift doors opened as two people appeared, with hardly any sound, sitting at the other table. Harry and Hermione were on their feet in an instant; wands out, ready for anything, except for what happened next. The new arrivals wore deeply cowled travelling cloaks, it was impossible to see their faces, but it was the smaller of the two that broke the impasse. He lifted his hood back and Hermione gave a gasp of surprise, then the man looked at Harry he had wide pale eyes that shone like the moon in the dimness of the lamp.
"Ah yes," said the man, "Yes, yes. I wondered when I was going to see you again Mr. Potter."
* * *