2. Thoughtful Revelations
Harry's grin couldn't seem to be able to get any wider as he finished reading the letter he had received from Dumbledore, telling him of how he and Hermione were to arrive at his house at 10 o' clock. What time is it? Harry thought. He glanced over to the clock he had on the end table near his bed and saw that it was 9:23 AM. He unconsciously nodded, and quickly deduced there was enough time for what he had to do.
Rushing downstairs, he quickly realized that his uncle, aunt, and cousin were not at home and instantly felt relief at the fact that this entailed for him and when Hermione came and how it will save him from some unnecessary embarrassment. Hermione deserves to feel at home as much as possible, and I vow to make her feel comfortable with me here. She doesn't deserve to suffer under my uncle and aunt like I did, Harry thought and began to rummage through cupboards and drawers in the kitchen so he could prepare a small breakfast for both himself and Hermione.
Once the clock on the oven read 9:55 AM, Harry had managed to finish what he thought was a suitable breakfast: two cups of orange juice, toast, and eggs. He smiled as he deposited two servings of them on the kitchen table, and then ran over to the entrance so he can wait for both his headmaster and Hermione. Before coming to the door, however, he instinctively looked in the mirror on his way through the hallway and made sure he looked presentable. Before he could move on, however, he hesitated and tried to register why he did what he did and also the nature of his appearance. Why am I making sure I look good for Hermione, and when have my looks changed so much? His usual scrawny and skinny appearance seemed to have got lost last year as he was now presented with a slightly built young man who looked to be in his late teens and who possessed striking emerald green eyes and an overall rugged appearance. He shrugged those ideas off as soon as he heard the knock on the door, and smiled as he made his way to it so he could open it for them.
What he saw shook him to his very core and made the feelings he tried to suppress all summer shimmer with full force to the surface, almost forcing him to his knees. Hermione Granger was standing there in front of him, and there was no way that he could not have seen it before. Where was he these last few years; to have been so oblivious of this amazing being in front of him the entire time? She was beautiful - mind-numbingly beautiful - and there was no way that he could ever doubt it.
I can say that, can't I? She's my best friend; she deserves to be shown her most distinguishable traits. But then again, beauty is the least of her distinguishable traits. No, she possesses far more appealing and incomparable features than her outer beauty. Nobody could possibly deserve her. She's flawless… perfect.
However, the fact that his mind made that observation so suddenly scared him as he began to eye her up and down to see that she must have been as anxious as him to look presentable, or did she always look so good? So special and tempting to grasp, as elusive and mysterious as a snitch he so dearly chased after during his Quidditch matches. He never before become conscious of the immense depth of her beauty that was scarcely shown when she was wearing Hogwarts robes. The pink shirt and tight jeans that she wore fit her form perfectly and managed to show off curves he never imagined seeing before on her. Even when he had seen her in that unimaginably surreal dress all those years ago during the Yule Ball, he wasn't this stunned, and that's saying a lot as he vividly remembered the difficulty he had to tear his eyes off of her that night.
His eyes traveled up her body and were drawn to her lips. They were so soft and luscious that he didn't know how he managed to keep the lure to reach out and touch them at bay. Eventually, he managed to look away, quite difficultly, and take in her body as a whole. He realized, then, that to top everything off even further, she seemed to have somehow grown into herself more. She was now looking more like a young woman than ever before. The girl he had seen and met on the train ride all of those years ago was still there, a part of the woman he saw now, but now the woman he really saw in front of him was so much more. She has grown both inside and out. And he could say without any hesitance that the change and growth that had occurred was definitely for the better.
With those thoughts, the last few years he shared with Hermione came to his mind, making him see the unimaginable bond of friendship they had formed and shared throughout those years.
It was in their first year that he had first met his best friend Hermione Granger. From the moment they saw each other, he instinctively knew that they shared a very special connection. It was obvious when they had suddenly appeared into each other's lives for the first time. The curious expression she had which eventually became a grin and finally the understanding her eyes reflected back to him. Then there was the most important fact of all: that when she looked up him, from that day further, she didn't see the Boy-Who-Lived. She saw Harry Potter, a worthy friend, the Boy-Who-Was, and that fact alone has proven to be the reason he would always have a special place for her in his heart, and why he had one opened for her when they had first met there on that train so many years ago.
Fast forwarding to the second year at Hogwarts, he remembered how he felt when he saw Hermione there in that bed in the hospital wing, having just been attacked and petrified by the basilisk that he had, thankfully, later on defeated in the Chamber of Secrets there in the school. The fact she was in so much pain when he came to visit her in the hospital wing, and could possibly be lost from him forever, made something inside him almost die away, and another part of him beautifully blossom into existence. To this day, he was unsure what had happened on that day, and why Hermione was so important to his very survival, but he knew that since that day, he would always treasure her as a friend. No, that's wrong. She's even more than a friend. She's his companion. He could never ever imagine himself ever being without her at his side. There was no day, since that year… since their first year… that there was ever one not marked by her in some way or form. He just couldn't imagine getting through a day without her somehow popping into his thoughts or mind. It was completely inconceivable and preposterous.
That feeling of companionship only grew and grew ever since the second year at Hogwarts. The experiences they shared while saving Sirius and using the Time Turner in their third year were one of the many experiences that stood out in his mind, and how she so graciously summoned her Gryffindor courage at that time to come to his aid. She, not Ron, was the one who jumped to help him without a shred of hesitance, and she, not Ron, was the one that was able to completely understand him and his needs at that time. And then there was fact that even though all of the others who called themselves his so-called "friends" couldn't, she stayed by his side during the Triwizard Tournament in their fourth year. She and she alone believed him when many signs proved otherwise. He would never stop being grateful for what she did… the gift she gave him that year; the gift of true concern, and of undying trust. Those gifts were accumulated over the four years they knew each other, of course, but he knew then and there what it was to feel to be loved and cared for, and to be trusted as a friend.
There wasn't any point in his memories when he could remember there ever being a taint or black mark in their relationship. It was perfect, this friendship of theirs, and immune to any possible form of tarnishing. Yes, he was fairly certain that if he had any say in the matter, he would never stop being her friend. It was her friendship, after all, that saved him from his oppressing upbringing. In Hermione he learned what and how it was to be loved. In Hermione, he learned the true meaning of companionship.
All of these observations managed to occur over a span of a matter of seconds, and before long he managed to look back up at her face and grin widely, just like before when he read Dumbledore's note. He smiled up at her with the amount of joy and appreciation he had for their relationship, and the depth of her concern. He smiled for the way she could make always him smile, just like right now, and the way she could look underneath the surface and see who he really was. And, most of all, he smiled at her for just being herself. For being Hermione Granger, his dearest companion.
* * *
Hermione couldn't help but feel like she would almost literally melt at the sight of her best friend, Harry Potter, standing there at his doorway.
Last year, she had managed to take notice in the change of her best friend's appearance and how Quidditch, and many of his various other activities, had managed to carve some very eye-attracting features out of his skinny body, making him look as handsome as ever. Then there were, of course, those eyes. Those dazzling emerald eyes that could make her stand and stare for hours. Even then, she felt her knees begin to buckle, but tried her best to remain calm and poised.
In addition to all of this, she has also managed to observe that since the battle at the Ministry, Harry had somehow become even more gorgeous, unless it was her mind playing tricks on her.
She had, for a very long time harbored secret feelings for her best friend, but because of the things he had to deal with, and the position that he seemed to have needed her for, a helpful and resourceful friend, she always kept those feelings under the surface. But, ever since she met him, those feelings were always there, waiting and hoping for the moment she could release them.
Yes, that fated day in the train, when both of them met for the first time. She knew he was special. It didn't matter if he was the bloody Boy-Who-Lived many people made him to be, savior of the Wizarding World, or not. No, very much the opposite. He was special because of the unique personality he had and the care he gave others before himself. She didn't care about his looks (but she had to admit, she was definitely thankful at how easy he was to look at). She'd love him without them, because his very being is what she so dearly needed and adored. Ever since they met, she felt a connection, a companionship with Harry Potter. That feeling, most of all, was what really made Harry Potter special in her eyes. It was a feeling she shared with no one else, a feeling of mutual understanding and concern. Harry knew what she was thinking, and she knew what he was thinking, and they sacrificed their time and care for each other in the name of their friendship.
That, of course, was what made her to later believe in their third year that the connection they shared was not just companionship, but something more. Something much more. Of course, though, her best friend, Harry, needed her as a friend, so she would always keep those feelings hidden inside. Hoping for the day that she can let them out, because she was very sure in her heart that there wasn't anyone else she could express them to. There was no one else she could ever love except for the young boy standing in front of her.
The young man standing in front of her was who she gave her heart to all those years ago on the train, a gift for him, and him alone.
She couldn't possibly imagine what would happen if he were to leave her life. She had sacrificed so much of her heart to him that she really didn't have any idea how much there was left to give to anyone else. The love she felt for him was so completely pure and inherently magical that it could honestly not be fragmented or simply forgotten.
Why is my body doing this? Why can't I just shrug it off like I did last year? Why is it coming back like this now? She forced her thoughts to cease, and tried to straighten her pose. Her best friend needed her, and if this was all she could do to help him, then it was what she had to do. She can't let her love for him make her vulnerable. It had only happened once before, in fourth year. The utter disappointment she felt that Harry had not approached her to ask her to the Yule Ball forced her to do something completely out-of-character for herself and to accept the first offer she received, from Viktor Krum. There was nothing there, just a slight hopeful and pathetic attempt to try and instill jealousy in her best friend. She can't let that happen again. She'll help him, no matter what, even if that means being there for him as a friend.
She then finally realized that over the past few seconds, when she had been examining her best friend, that Harry was himself checking her out. Not having been able to prepare for this realization, she blushed a deep red and tried to glance away. Her body, however, wouldn't let her, so she simply continued to stare at her best friend's face, and the cute grin that was now on there. Her beautiful best friend's face. Stop that! I shouldn't do this! He needs me now more than ever, and I shouldn't be distracted like this, Hermione thought.
"Ahem," the familiar voice of her escort came from behind her, and it was all she could do to stop herself from letting herself break down and tell the world what she was feeling for her best friend. What she had always felt, and what she hopes to always feel, and one day have returned.
* * *
Why is she blushing like that? She can't think about me like that, can she? Harry thought. Before he could try to think further on this, he heard somebody clear his throat behind Hermione, and he glanced up to surprise himself by seeing that Dumbledore was standing to the right and behind Hermione this whole time.
"Oh, sorry Professor. I didn't see… you there." He knew that sounded lame before it even came out of his mouth, but what could he do? His mind was instead concentrating on something… or someone else at the moment, and he couldn't for the life of him infer to as why he was.
"Of course not, Harry. Before I take my leave, however, and leave you two to your devices, I would like to discuss
something with the two of you. May I come in?"
All he could do was nod as he continued to stare at Hermione, still trying to figure out why he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Even though he had always thought of her as a friend and nothing more for his first few years, he began to notice more of Hermione three years ago in third year, but why is it so much stronger now? Could it be because…? Before his mind could come to the conclusion it was going to, his mind and body froze as it began to remember the events at the Ministry. Before he could stop himself, tears were running down his face. Sirius….
* * *
As Dumbledore began to walk inside, Hermione began to become more and more nervous and was shocked to see that Harry was still staring at her. Would he stop doing that? I'm not going to be able to control myself soon!
I have to get a hold of myself! Hermione thought and then glanced away. She suddenly, however, heard somebody weeping and glanced back up at Harry to see him crying. She was shocked. What happened? He looked so happy earlier.
Before she knew what she was doing, she embraced Harry with one of the warmest hugs she could give him. After a few minutes, he visibly calmed down as his body ceased to be tensed, and looked admirably up at her. "Sorry, Hermione. I don't know what came over me. I was looking at you, and then the next second I began to remember…."
Placing a soft finger on his lips, she said, "Shush, Harry. You don't have to explain yourself. Come on. Let's go inside and see what Dumbledore wants." She was about to drag him out and to the kitchen where Dumbledore had managed to situate himself comfortably in one of the chairs when suddenly Harry stopped her. She looked up at him confused.
"Don't go yet. I didn't get a chance to greet you yet, Hermione." The look of anguish was gone from his face, and now an unknown demeanor covered it, a mixture between happiness, confusion, and… something else.
He stood back and turned away. She instantly felt something incomplete when he left their embrace, but looked up waiting to see what Harry was going to do. He suddenly twirled around to look back at her, "Hello Hermione!" A huge corny grin was planted on his face.
She giggled suddenly, and then when she realized she did something so out-of-character she stopped herself and finished
with a laugh, "Harry, you know you don't have to do that. Come on, let's go inside!" She took his
hand and without another thought she took him over to the kitchen where Dumbledore was waiting. Once her eyes made
their way to the table, however, she stopped and looked up with a grin to Harry, "Do I even have to ask who made
the food?"
Harry grinned in reply, and shook his head. She rolled her eyes, but before continuing over to the table she said, almost breathlessly, "Thank you, Harry." Little things like this, little presentations of his understanding and concern for her, were only a fraction of things that she so adored about him.
When they reached the table, Hermione suddenly realized that her hand was grasping Harry's, quite ardently. She, once again, blushed, and escaped his grasp, sitting down at one of the empty chairs. Harry made his way to another one opposite her chair. Dumbledore, on the other hand, was sitting to their right.
"Well, then, now that you both seemed to have welcomed each other," he looked to both of them in turn with an amusing twinkle in his eyes, "There is something very important that I must discuss with you.
"As you may or may not know, the Ministry has now fully accepted Lord Voldemort's return and has printed a great deal of apologies to all those they insulted over the past year in their latest issue of the Daily Prophet, including you, Harry, and Ms. Granger here. Since Hogwarts is now no longer under the 'watchful eye' of the Ministry, I have their permission to handle its security as I see fit. One of the first things that I have decided to do was to issue an additional Prefect to each house, and to also replace those who have abused the power they had received last year." He looked at the two of them with a knowing and inferring look, but then continued, "We must have no room for flaws in the security of our school this year, as you may know, and I have now made the decision that I should have made a year ago. Will you accept this, Harry, and my apologies for the way I treated you last year?"
While speaking, Dumbledore took out a small and clothed object from his pocket and uncovered it to reveal a Gryffindor's Prefect Badge. "I could have waited until the letters with your OWL results came out later on into the summer, but I thought that it would be more appropriate that you got this from me. Besides, it wouldn't do to exhaust some poor owl with the extra weight."
Harry's signature grin returned and he said, "Of course, Professor, I will accept this badge. You should know,
though, that I forgave you long ago for what you did for me." Dumbledore, in return, smiled at him and reached
over to hand him the badge, which he gracefully took from his grasp, the grin he was wearing threatening to break open
his face.
"There is, however, more to discuss.
"Apart from matters and security at school, which you will learn more about once you return in September, I have also decided to make the decision to provide training to you at Hogwarts, and this time I will personally overlook your training of Occulmency. We will speak more of this in September, or possibly in late August, but for now I think that both of you should try your best to make the most of this summer. It's not called a break for nothing. I also hope that both of you won't be worrying too much of your summer schoolwork, either." When he spoke the last sentence, his glance stopped at Hermione, which caused her to uncharacteristically blush, once again. Harry, on the other hand, was practically beaming with excitement at how great his summer and school year were going to both be. "I am assuming, Harry and Hermione, that both of you will continue on your summer break at your parent's home, Hermione?" She nodded so he smiled and said, "Then I hope to see you in good health at the end of August."
Dumbledore got up from his chair and looked about ready to leave. However, before he began to walk out of the kitchen, he suddenly seemed to remember something, "Oh, before I forget," he took out his wand and swished it around in a complex maneuvering when at last he said, "Theca Quod Occulto." The entire air around them seemed to sizzle and shimmer and then just like that it was gone. "I have also decided that you two deserve the chance to be able to use magic while in this house. Please don't abuse that ability. It's only if worse comes to worse, or if you are in dire need of it. Oh, and I would greatly appreciate it if either of you two not mention this to the Ministry. I may have been reinstated back on their good side, but that doesn't mean I can't still be cast aside again." The twinkle in his eye as he looked to the two of them couldn't seem to get any more intense. "I will visit you at the Granger's home early August to be able to cast upon the same concealing spell over their home.
"Now then, I think that cues my time to leave. Good day, then." He nodded to both of them, and then went to the door. However, before he suddenly disapparated with a pop, he spoke up somewhat loudly for them to hear, "Oh, and if there is anything you need, please take the time to owl me."
* * *
Harry couldn't keep all the happiness he felt under wraps inside of him. He felt himself grinning uncontrollably, and also couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief that he didn't know he was holding. Dumbledore came here not to warn him, or to give him bad news, but to give him good news, news he will cherish for the rest of the summer. And some of that news was the fact he could use magic this summer! That'll definitely make things much easier for him, especially in the area regarding his guardians.
Then there was the issue of the young girl beside him. Why was his body doing this to him: making him both nervous and extremely excited to be in her presence, all at the same time? He couldn't even stop himself from drawing closer to her as she sat there on the chair at the opposite side of the table, seemingly staring off into space. His body had a whole mind of its own, and seemed literally attracted to her as if it was iron filings being attracted to a magnet.
When he realized just what he was doing, and that Hermione had suddenly locked gazes with him, he felt his cheeks heat up, and he began to stutter as he tried to quickly think up what he could do to explain his intentions, "I-I'm so excited that you're here, Hermione. I can't begin to tell you how much I've missed you, and worried about you, since school has been out."
The grin on Hermione's face grew as she replied, "Me too, Harry. How have you been holding up… so far, you know... about…?" She trailed off, and looked as if she was frustrated at being at a loss of words, which Harry realized was definitely a first, but she managed to concentrate enough to be able to cover his hand with her own, showing him her care and affection towards him as a friend quite clearly.
"Don't worry Hermione, I know what you're talking about. I guess it still hurts. It sometimes comes back to me, like it did out by the door, and I just can't control myself…I have to let my misery come out somehow.
"And, I just want to thank you about how you helped me earlier. You really saved me from doing something I might regret in front of our favorite headmaster." He forced himself to grin, and was happy to see Hermione had done so in return.
"It wasn't a problem at all, Harry. You've always been there for me, so why shouldn't I be there for you too?" Hermione asked, and continued to look at him, sincerity and concern in her eyes.
As Harry stared into Hermione's brown eyes, he felt himself completely devoted to just continue staring and never to break his gaze. Apparently, neither did Hermione wish to look away, either, because both of them stayed staring at each other's eyes for several minutes until Hermione seemed to break out of her trance and looked down at the food, "Oh, yeah, breakfast! Let's eat! I didn't get a chance to really eat anything suitable this morning before I was picked up."
She smiled up at him, took her hand away, and then looked down to see that he wasn't eating, "Well?"
Harry was still staring at her, and only could nod and slightly grin at her before he tucked in and began to eat breakfast. As both were nearing the end of their breakfast, they both realized that neither one nor the other had seemed to talk to each other the entire time. Harry, however, wasn't quite as surprised as he could have been because he has always had these comfortable silences with Hermione where both of them could feel at peace just in each other's presence.
He suddenly began to think then again about the way he felt when he saw Hermione come into his home, as well as for a long time before that. Why? Could it be… could it be that he was falling for his best friend? Sure, he's felt what he could possibly describe as being love in the presence of the Weasley family who had done nothing but care for him ever since they met him. But as a person, he barely knew what love even was. His parents must have loved him, but he barely remembered anything regarding how it felt to be loved or to love.
Could he actually love Hermione?
He looked up at her, and felt that feeling return, as strong as ever. The brown curls of her hair, now not as bushy as it was a few years ago, cascaded and made its way down the side of her face to gracefully stop at her shoulders. Her chocolate brown eyes beheld a very distinct gleam that made them look so much more ethereal. God, she's beautiful. He heard his mind think that statement over and over, as if trying to engrave it inside of his mind. And as if she could hear himself think, she looked up at him with a confused look in her face, "Harry? What's wrong?" The uplifting feeling inside of him seemed to grow even further, and he had to take a breath before continuing.
Harry shook his head and said, "Nothing. I was just admiring how much better your hair looks now than it did a few years ago." He couldn't seem to control the words coming out of his mouth, and hoped with all of his being that he didn't sound as lame as he thought he did.
Hermione blushed and smiled in return, and then looked down at her plate, which was now empty. She looked back up at him and said, "Well, I'm done eating. What can we do now?"
Harry stood up from his seat, gathered up his and Hermione's plate and went over to the sink to clean them. While doing so, he let out a sigh of relief, thankful that Hermione didn't seem to notice anything out-of-the-ordinary. As he was cleaning the plates, he went to grab the glasses off of the table so he could clean them as well, and as he was beginning to squeeze out dish detergent on the glasses and plates in the sink, he said, "I'm not sure. I guess we could go up to my room and see to your belongings first. Oh, wait, where are your things?" He looked back at her, waiting for her answer.
"Dumbledore had them before we came. He probably magicked them up to your room. Well, at least I hope he did… he would have, right?"
He looked at her as a very worried look came over her face, and then began to laugh, "Oh, Hermione, you worry too much. Yeah, he probably would have. Let me just finish cleaning these up, and then-" Before he could finish, however, he felt someone else's body heat beginning to warm his back as a hand poked up from behind him to grab the plate that was in his hands, "Please, let me help. I don't want you to have to suffer more this summer because of me. You already have enough problems as it is."
Her hot breath was driving him crazy as it periodically brushed against the back of his neck. Trying to hide the fact he was blushing from her, and beginning to breath very raggedly, he replied, "Sure, as long as you're helping and not doing it all." He moved aside, quite reluctantly, and made room for her to help him. When they were done, and after they dried their hands, they walked upstairs to Harry's room.
As they made their way up the stairs, their fingertips threatened to brush amongst each other as they climbed each step one at a time, keeping barely an inch between themselves. When the room came in sight, Hermione walked in first, and smiled, "Wow, it's not as messy as I thought it would be."
He playfully scowled at her, "Oh, you think I'm messy and unorganized, do you? Guess, what, Mione, I've actually been doing some homework since I've came back from summer!" He put up his head proudly, as if showing off his victory to have done something worth congratulating, and grinned.
She raised an eyebrow, "Mione'?"
He immediately blushed, lost his composure, and said, "Oh, sorry. It just sort of came out. I didn't mean to say it! I'll stop."
She giggled, "No, don't stop. It's cute. I wouldn't be very happy, though, if anyone else were to start calling me that." Her eyes immediately widened, but she looked away before he could decipher to the reason of her mysterious actions.
Hermione looked over to the corner, and smiled after she recognized her trunk, and Crookshanks cuddled next to it, obviously sleeping. Harry followed her gaze and said, "Now that I think about it, I only have one bed here. I guess you'll have to use it and I'll sleep on the floor," he motioned to the carpeted floor below him as he was speaking.
Hermione glared at him somewhat angrily and said, "Absolutely not, Harry James Potter! Remember what I said downstairs? We… we… we can both sleep in the same bed. We're old enough to be mature about something like this… right?" For the second time that day, Hermione had a strange look on her face as if she was angry with being at a loss of words, but she also held another undecipherable emotion.
Harry then realized that this means he'll be sleeping with Hermione in his bed… who'll be next to him. That means that her body will be near his while he sleeps. How am I going to control myself this summer? He forced himself to nod and said, "Of course." She seemed to visibly relax, but still held a strange hard-to-read expression. His body, on the other hand, was not relaxing. No, quite the opposite. The strange feeling he had been sheltering for so long was driving him crazy and making him feel very light-headed.
"Well, then, since it looks like everything is in order up here, would you like to go for a walk? I'd like to see the rest of your neighborhood. Dumbledore and I had portkeyed here, so I didn't get a chance to see any of it."
He looked to her face and nodded, smiling at the thought at being able to have a simple walk with his friend, in the muggle world, for the first time ever. The friend he might possibly be falling in love with. He also, then, realized that ever since she has been here, he has almost completely forgotten about what had happened before the summer had begun.
Then, just like that, the thought began to cloud his mind and he felt fear-invoking images begin to crowd his head, memories of that terrible day.
With just one glance over to Hermione, however, those feelings began to dissipate. What was it about her that did that? Why could Hermione make him feel so much more… peaceful… just like that? Oh, please Merlin… let her always be my friend. She doesn't know just how much I need her… how much I want her to always remain with me.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here you go; chapter two! I might try and upload the third chapter, but let's
see how much I can manage. Model UN is finally over! :D Thank you to the following reviewers for your helpful and
insightful reviews on the Forword/Other Words and Chapter One of the story: HermioneRae, Sara, Alphamatrix, Fan799,
Teganii, Korval, arkenstone007, frostykist, vlbuehle, ChristiGale, sakura_txell, brentdax, Mage_13, DarkPhoenix, Anon,
MyUsedRomance, Katherine, autumnRose, DJ32, mannequin, mrrlyn42, roadkill2105, Erin, NacNud, seleene_paris (I'll
try and e-mail you right after I upload this!), harryandhermione4eva18, pottergrangerfan, Zeelthor, and Mike. I,
however, would like to warn those of you out there who have been using the review discussion to advertise your opinions
(however valid as they may be) and not actually reviewing my story. Thanks again!
Edit: This chapter has been heavily revised as of July 7th, 2007.