Harry Potter and all characters, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling, not me.
More Important Than Any Broomstick - Chapter 4 - Decisions
The weeks passed quickly as Harry and Hermione (who'd insisted she join despite her already hectic schedule) took patronus lessons with Professor Lupin. When he'd directed them to think of a happy memory, they looked at each other and blushed. They both produced a partial patronus on their first try. Lupin smiled at them and said, "I don't think I want to know what memory you two were thinking of," causing them both to blush. They were both improving a great deal and the professor claimed that they'd both have a fully corporeal patronus within a few weeks. After Oliver Wood told them about the way he'd asked McGonagall about Harry's firebolt, Hermione rebuked him for thinking that winning a game of quidditch was more important than Harry's life. Oliver gave Harry an odd look and muttered something like, "women" as he walked away.
Although they were getting along with Ron, both of them noticed that he'd roll his eyes or sigh loudly whenever they'd show any affection. This was getting to be particularly annoying because Harry and Hermione were in the habit of holding hands whenever they were walking to the same place, and weren't about to stop to accommodate Ron.
In the meantime, Ron's grades were steadily declining. At first it was because he was avoiding Harry and Hermione, but then after he'd apologized, he started studying with them again. The trouble was that he'd spend the whole study time glaring at his study partners if they were even polite to one another. After three days of this, Harry politely suggested that Ron study separately from them. At that point, Harry's grades began improving. Without Ron distracting their studying by constantly bickering with Hermione, they got a lot more accomplished faster, and Harry retained a lot more knowledge afterward. Not to mention that once Ron was gone, Hermione started bribing him with kisses for doing homework and memorizing definitions, etc. Although Ron hadn't said a word against them, both could tell that Ron was really starting to resent them. Harry would never forget the look of loathing on Ron's face when Harry got the same grade as Hermione in a transfiguration quiz, earning a public compliment from Professor McGonagall. He feared that his first friendship was near an end.
During their fourth week of lessons, both Harry and Hermione were able to produce a corporeal patronus, a stag and an otter respectively, to the utter astonishment of Professor Lupin. "I always knew you were both very bright and powerful for your age, but this is an amazing accomplishment. Harry, your father couldn't produce a patronus until his fourth year, and I've never seen anyone else, not even your mother, produce one earlier than their fifth year! You should both be very proud of your accomplishment! Harry, I feel sorry for any dementors that try to interrupt one of your games." He then offered them a butterbeer, which Harry pretended not to be familiar with after a quick look from Hermione.
The only thing that dampened their spirits was when Harry asked Lupin what was under a dementor's hood. This led to a discussion of the dementor's kiss, which both Harry and Hermione found to be very disturbing. After arranging for one more patronus lesson to practice, they left Professor Lupin and were headed toward Gryffindor tower. In an effort to change the subject, Hermione cautiously asked what Harry planned to ride during the upcoming quidditch match against Ravenclaw.
Harry said, "Er, I hadn't really thought about that. I don't want to get a new broom unless I have to, so I've been waiting for McGonagall to tell me one way or the other." Hermione smiled, obviously pleased that he didn't seem to be holding any bitterness toward her. "I suppose I could try to borrow a broom from someone in Hufflepuff." Harry's face brightened up at this point. "Come to think of it, their captain and seeker, Cedric Diggory, felt bad about catching the snitch when the dementors attacked. I'll bet I could persuade him to loan me his broom for the match. I think once we get back to the tower, I'll pull out my map to find him!"
They were at that moment interrupted by Professor McGonagall, who was carrying the firebolt, and told them that the teachers couldn't find anything wrong with it. Harry told her, "I understand why you confiscated it, Professor. I want you to know I'm not upset that you had to test it for jinxes. I'm just as relieved as anyone else that it's safe."
Professor McGonagall smiled down at Harry. "I'm glad to see that you're growing up, Mr. Potter. Your class performance has also reflected this. I'm sure this is due in part to Miss Granger's influence." Hermione went slightly pink at this statement.
Harry put an arm around Hermione and smiled back at his head of house. "Yes, she's been a bigger help to me than even she knows." Harry's girlfriend's cheeks now went fully red at his compliment.
"Now do try and win the match, Potter. Good day Harry, Hermione." With that, Professor McGonagall turned around and walked off, and Harry could swear he heard a soft sniffle coming from her direction.
They both walked through the portrait hole with smiles on their faces, Harry holding his new firebolt with pride. "I told you Hermione was nutters!" shouted Ron from across the room with contempt, effectively wiping the smiles off of Harry and Hermione's faces. "I don't know why you ever listened to that know-it-all!"
"That's enough, Ron," said Harry, doing his best to control his temper while everyone in the room stared between the two of them.
"Fine," said Ron, "just so you know that I was right and Hermione was wrong!" Ron stormed up the stairs to his dorm, and the room's atmosphere literally changed with him gone. People then started to line up to hold his new broom, sure that Ravenclaw wouldn't stand a chance in their next match. This excitement was soon ended as Ron stormed back down the stairs enraged. He was dragging a bedsheet with him, marching straight toward Harry and Hermione, shouting to anyone who would listen, "LOOK! THERE'S BLOOD ON MY SHEETS! SCABBERS IS MISSING! THERE ARE GINGER CAT HAIRS ON THE FLOOR! CROOKSHANKS ATE SCABBERS!"
"He did not, Ron!" shouted Hermione back at the red-haired, red-faced boy.
"Oh yes, Miss I-know-everything, of course you're always right!" yelled Ron.
"Shut it, Ron!" yelled Harry, now beginning to lose his temper.
"Oh yes, the great hero, the bloody Boy-Who-Lived, has spoken," said Ron, causing Harry's face to turn pink while everyone nearby started backing away except for the Weasley twins, who were slowly approaching.
"Ron, the first time you showed me Scabbers, you said he was pathetic! You're always complaining about how useless he is! The woman at the pet store said he should have died ages ago! He's been sick lately, and maybe this is for the best, ugh!" At that moment, Ron punched Harry in the jaw, causing him to back up into Hermione, who looked very frightened. He clenched his fists and started to walk towards his Ron with a look that should have sent Ron running away. He moved his left hand, distracting Ron while he punched him full in the face with his right, causing Ron to fall on the floor a few feet backwards. At that moment, Fred and George stepped in between them, George taking Harry and Fred taking Ron. Fred pretty much forced Ron, who was screaming threats, up the stairs while George was making sure Harry didn't chase after him.
After a few minutes Harry said, "It's ok George. I'm calmed down now. I can't believe he hit me."
"I can't either. If mum finds out, she'll have a fit. That threat should get him to leave you and Hermione alone." George smiled. "I'm sure that's what Fred's telling him now. I think I'll go upstairs and make sure." George then left Harry alone with Hermione.
"I'm so sorry that you got into a fight with Ron over my cat, Harry," said Hermione, whom Harry just noticed was crying. "Are you all right?"
"Of course I'm all right. Do you really think Ron could hurt me?" Harry smiled. "Even Dudley can hit harder than Ron." He chuckled. "The only reason he hit me at all was because I wasn't expecting it. I had to learn how to avoid getting hit, and how to take getting hit when I can't avoid it, in order to survive at the Dursleys."
"I'm sorry for that, too." Hermione sighed. "Can't Professor Dumbledore do anything about the Dursleys?"
"He claims not. He says I'm safer there, but I think that's a load of crap!" He sighed. "How could I possibly be safe living with people who wish I was dead? I would rather die living with someone who cares about me than live with them!"
"How can you say that, Harry?" asked Hermione, looking nervous.
"You haven't lived with them. You don't know what I put up with before I finally lost my temper and blew up Aunt Marge. I spend my whole summer as their slave, and no matter what I do, it's not good enough! I can't tell you how many times I've cooked breakfast for them and had to watch them eat while I had to go without because Uncle Vernon said I looked at him wrong."
"Oh Harry," said Hermione, putting her hand on his shoulder, "I had no idea it was that bad."
"I don't usually like to talk about it. But you can't imagine how good it felt to spend that time in Diagon Alley free from the Dursleys! I don't care what Fudge or Dumbledore say; I'm not going back there when this year's over. I've made up my mind. If I have to run away again, I will."
"You can't, Harry."
"Yes I can. You've never seen my vault at Gringotts. I have a lot of money from my parents. I know I can afford to live somewhere else. I'm going to send a letter to Gringotts to find out exactly how much money I have."
"I can't say I blame you, but could you at least let me talk to Professor Dumbledore about it for you? Maybe he can arrange for you to stay somewhere else. It would be better than just running away."
He sighed. "Ok Hermione, you can talk to Dumbledore about the Dursleys, but don't tell him I'm thinking about running away. He might personally deliver me there if he's worried about that. Just tell him what I've told you about the way the Dursleys treat me, and that you're concerned. If that doesn't persuade him, then we'll both know he doesn't care anything about me."
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