Chapter 9 : Silence
A/N: Warning : If you're a definite Harry/Hannah anti-shipper, I advise you not to read this chapter because this will definitely annoy you. This is short though.
Beta : Thank you to my Ate LadyWhitehart for betaing me. I love working with her and I advise you to work with her if you like to have fun. J
The common room was filled with students. Some were playing Exploding Snap, while some were scribbling on their parchment; some were chatting and giggling while others were playing chess. Parvati, Ginny, Lavender, Ron and Draco were sitting in a circle by the fire while chatting with each other.
"Here are the three lovebirds. How is the ever famous love triangle?" Draco remarked as the three walked inside across the common room. The students nearest Draco halted their activities and turned their attention to the action.
Hannah stopped in her tracks and raised an eyebrow at the on-lookers "What are you talking about, Malfoy?".
"Look at the bulletin board by the portrait. Read every article that is on there." Parvati informed them as Hannah, Hermione and Harry rushed outside to read what they were talking. When they arrived outside, they were surprised by what they saw.
"THE FAMOUS LOVE TRIANGLE"
By: Anonymous
Word has spread all over the school about the break-up of Cho Chang and Harry Potter. Cho Chang seems like she hasn't gotten over Harry Potter yet {comma} but seems like Harry replaced her with not one but two girls.
Hannah Fairlings was Harry Potter's best friend since 1st year. Could her friendship with Harry be an excuse for her growing love for him? An example of their romantic incidents is when they were seen cuddling by the lake or maybe one of those times when they hug on one of the couches of the Common Room. They were seen many times, holding hands or maybe exchanging sweet smiles and looks. But are they dating, or is Hannah just another girl in Harry Potter's life?
Hermione Granger was once known to be a Nerd Bookworm before the accident in the train days ago. But now that she has returned, she has become instantly popular. Her appearance suddenly improves and so does her social status. Boys suddenly want her and girls want to be her as well. She seems to be the sudden replacement of Cho Chang in position and in Harry Potter's heart. Will they ever date?
Hannah felt her world stop. She wanted a black hole to swallow her up. She felt the tears filling her blue eyes. She looked at Harry with confusion but he just looked as confused as her. She went to look at Hermione but she was crying as well. Harry came closer to comfort them but they pulled away.
"Not here, Harry. People might think the wrong stuff," Hannah said.
Hermione nodded and wiped her tears. "She's right. I'll return to the Gryffindor Common Room now,"
Harry followed Hermione and asked, "How long have we been walking?"
"We did stop for the Great Hall to grab something to eat," Hannah thought.
Harry ruffled his hair and smirked, "Word spreads this fast?"
"Harry, gossip is like… an invisible grapevine which crawls that fast. I hate gossip, but that really hurts,"
When they were about to enter through the portrait door with Hermione, they ran into Cho Chang. Cho looked outraged when she saw Hannah and Hermione. She rushed to Hannah and slapped her right across the face which angered Harry.
"Cho!"
"You two flirts! I cannot believe that Harry would choose you two," Cho screamed as Hannah cried some more while rubbing her cheek. Cho was about to hit Hermione but she was stopped by Harry's tight grip. She looked at Harry and saw two, angry, emerald eyes.
"Never hurt them again," Harry threatened as he let go of Cho.
"I will get you back, Harry, and if I have to kill these two just to do it, I'll gladly do it!" Cho said threatened as she stomped inside the portrait. The three followed after her. The group was surprised when they saw Hannah crying.
"Hannah, what happened?" Ginny asked as she guided Hannah over to the couch. She continued crying so Harry spoke up for her.
"She's weeping because of two reasons: the article and because Cho slapped Hannah and tried to slap Hermione. I bet that she already read the article," Harry explained.
Parvati sat beside Hannah and comforted her. "Hannah, you both know how paranoid Cho is. And Hermione, I'm glad that the article and Cho didn't bother you,"
Hannah wiped her tears and replied, "I know," and turned to Hermione and looked at her expectedly.
Hermione spoke up as her tears fell on her cheeks. The tears which she held back all the time. "Didn't bother me Parvati? Cho bothered me because she slapped my first friend and the article bothered me because it criticized me publicly. I hate being criticized. You remember in our third year and second? When Malfoy called me a Mudblood in our 2nd year, it hurt. I finally released my anger on him when he said that he will offer Buckbeak's head to the Hogwarts Halls. And I could remember it right that after I punched him, Hannah slapped him,"
Hannah smiled at the memory. "Yeah, it was the first time Malfoy got punched and slapped at the same day,"
"You broke my nose then," Draco whined.
Hermione laughed at Draco's expression. "It was an honor then,"
"Okay, time for bed," Harry announced.
"What? Why? It's only.." Hannah complained as she pointed and looked at the grandfather clock in the common room. "Holy cricket, it's already 12 midnight. Harry, I told you that we shouldn't have stopped by the Great Hall to eat. You're a very slow eater!!"
"And besides, we have THINGS to talk about," Harry reminded her.
Hannah raised an eyebrow and scratched her head. "What THIN-ahh... ohhh... gotcha." Hannah smiled as she led Hermione to the Head Girl's Dormitory. When they arrived inside the Head Girl's Dormitory, Hermione placed her hands on her hips and pouted playfully at Hannah.
"What things are they talking about?" Hermione asked as she readied to go to bed but continued pouting.
Hannah yawned and smiled, "Just things, they'll go to bed after that." She walked out of the Head Girl's dorm and headed to her room.
*~*
Meanwhile, as the two girls were fast asleep up in their beds. The others were talking about their birthdays.
"We should bake Hannah a chocolate cake. She has a thing for chocolate right?" Parvati giggled.
"Oh yes, but the only problem is, I can't bake," Draco replied.
Ron hit Draco on the shoulder. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, rich boy in a mansion. We've got Harry and he's an expert in cooking. Ayt, mate?"
"Yeah, and good thing that I told her that we're only preparing Hermione's birthday party. Maybe we should bake Hermione a chocolate cake too, or maybe a Black Forest cake," Harry thought aloud.
"I bet she'll love that. Oh and by the way, geniuses, does any oneknow Hannah's birthday? Because Hermione's birthday is on the 19th. How about Hannah's?" Ginny asked.
"That's a good point, Gin. Anyone?" Lavender asked.
"It's on the 14th. A week from now," Ginny and Harry said in chorus. "What will you ever do without us?" Ginny continued.
"You're right. You're definitely right," Draco laughed.
Harry yawned. "Come on, we better go to bed or they'll suspect something if they're still awake,"
The group parted to their corresponding dorms. Parvati, Ginny and Lavender walked to the Girl's Dorm, Draco and Ron went to the Boy's Dorm while Harry yawned his way to the Head Boy's Dorm. Before he entered his room, he went to check if Hermione is sound asleep. Once he entered, he saw that Hermione didn't have the time to grab her blanket and put it over her. He took it and put it over on Hermione. Hermione wiggled for a bit which made Harry freeze on his spot.
"Please don't wake up, don't, don't," Harry chanted over and over. Lucky for him, Hermione stayed asleep. He sneaked outside silently and smiled as her closed the door. He went over his room and got ready for bed.
A few hours later, Hannah couldn't sleep well and decided to stand up. She went outside the Girl's Dorm and went down by the Fireplace in the Common Room. She conjured a fire and cuddled in the blanket that she brought with her. She remembered that this was the day that her dad will transform. She cried all her sorrows about her godfather. He was the one who adopted her and let her grow into the little lady she is now but he's suffering from a curse which marked him for life.
"Maybe he's back into his true form now. It is... it's only 3 am?" Hannah thought.
"It's quite early to be crying, isn't it?" asked a voice from behind. Hannah didn't bother to turn around to see who it is. Might as went be Harry, she thought to herself.
"Don't even bother to turn around eh? Too busy crying at this time of the day," He continued.
"Look Harry, I don't feel so good," Hannah remarked.
"Why didn't you say so?" Harry said as he sat beside her and took her hand. "Is this about Professor Lupin?"
Hannah nodded and continued sobbing. "Yeah. Last night or 3 hours ago, he transformed,"
Harry shared his sympathy and compassion. "Hannah, Tonks is there for him. He'll be okay,"
Hannah leaned her head on his shoulder. "I can't take him suffering every month or so. I swear to Merlin that I will be the one who will kill Greyback,"
"And I'll help you." Harry promised as he started stroking her brown hair. "You don't know how much I'm suffering seeing you like this Hannah. Why would I enjoy seeing the girl I love suffering?" Harry thought.
"Finally, you're caught in the act. I guess that you would want this in the Daily Prophet eh? The Boy He Live and The Girl He Loved or The Boy Who Lived and the Girl Who Shared His Fate. I guess that the two scars on your foreheads are the sign of your unity eh?" shouted a girl from behind. When Harry turned around, he saw a magical camera with her.
"Damn, why didn't I notice the flash? Hannah couldn't have noticed it since her eyes were closed." Harry thought.
"Admit it. You two are freaks anyways. Your specialty lies in Defense Against the Dark Arts and both of you couldn't control your magic at times," Cho continued.
"Cho, you might wake up the other students," Harry warned her.
"I don't care. Let them know the Boy Who Lived's secret. Harry Potter loves his best friend. How funny is that? You left me for someone who is not nearly as pretty as me. She barely uses make-up and her hair is so… wavy and brown." Cho complained.
"That's what I love about her," Harry shouted in a medium volume tone which shocked Hannah, "She's not as vain as you,"
"I knew it," Cho smirked. "Good thing that I have a Quick-Quotes Quill behind my back."
"What?" Hannah reacted for the first time.
"Don't worry, the next thing you know, you'll be on the front page of the Daily Prophet." Cho laughed as she went to the girl's dorm.
Hannah continued on crying while Harry couldn't do anything but comfort her.
"What are we going to do?" Hannah asked. "How's Hermione gonna react if she sees this? She'll think that I stole Harry from her which is technically not true."
"We need to be ready for Cho's attack. She wouldn't stop until she gets what she wants."
A/N: This will be the last Harry/Hannah romantic chapter (at least from now). The next few chapters will fulfill your Harry/Hermione addiction. Sorry if this is a short one.