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Authors' Note: Thanks to all who have reviewed. I hope you enjoy….
Chapter Four
If Your're Gone
"If you're gone - maybe it's time to go home
There's an awful lot of breathing room
But I can hardly move
If you're gone - baby you need to come home
Cuz there's a little bit of something me
In everything in you"
-Matchbox 20
"If You're Gone"
The Order of the Phoenix was having another impromptu meeting. This time, it wasn't at 12 Grimmauld Place, but at The Burrow. There were only a handful of members present and the meeting was being held primarily to discuss how to safely get Ron, Ginny and me to Kings Cross Station to board the Hogwarts Express.
The members present were Arthur and Molly Weasley, Remus Lupin, Alastor Moody, Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt.
Ron, Ginny, and I were perched on the staircase, trying to listen in to the meeting. Unfortunately, this was hard to do as the members kept their voices low and spoke in whispers, perhaps knowing that prying ears were footsteps away. As Fred and George no longer lived at The Burrow, there were no Extendable Ears to borrow.
"This is really unfair," Ron whispered to me. "They ought to at least make you a member of the Order being as you're the one who Voldemort's after."
I didn't respond. I honestly didn't know what to say. I agreed wholeheartedly with Ron, but knew that because I was only 16, there was no way they'd make me a member. Also, I hadn't divulged to Ron my discussion with Dumbledore at the end of the year, shortly after Sirius' death. Ron didn't know, or anyone else for that matter, that in the end, it would be either me or Voldemort. One had to die for the other to live. Truth be told, I didn't know why I hadn't told him this. With him being my best friend and all, you'd think I'd tell him, but something held me back from letting him know.
There were a lot more important things to think about now, namely Hermione. We hadn't really spoken much about her. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley hadn't said anything else, and we hadn't pushed the subject any further. We all missed her, though. She might not have been mentioned, but she was on all of our minds.
Ron, in particular, seemed to be taking this hard. I had always suspected that his feelings for Hermione ran a little deeper than friendship. The whole fiasco around the Yule Ball had pretty much confirmed it, but I didn't know if he'd ever have had the courage to do anything about it. Hermione had never mentioned anything to me about feeling that way toward Ron. It was all kind of weird, if you asked me. I mean, the two of them fought like cats and dogs most of the time. Sometimes, I wondered if they'd have even been friends if it hadn't been for me. I was the common link between the two of them.
At times, I would wonder how I would feel if they did end up together. They were my two best mates. If they found happiness together, I would be happy for them, wouldn't I? I couldn't honestly say.
All I knew now was that I missed her. She couldn't be having an easy time of this either. I couldn't understand how her parents could do this to her, knowing how much her life at Hogwarts meant to their daughter. They must not know their daughter at all if they thought this was best for her.
When I thought of things like this, though, I always felt a pang of guilt. It was my fault that she was in this mess. She was paying for being my friend. If she'd not walked into that train compartment on that first day, we might not have ever made friends. She'd be trying to make Head Girl now and studying for N.E.W.T.S. and not worrying about starting another life at another school.
It was because of this, though, that I felt I owed it to her to find a way to get her out of this mess. She belonged at Hogwarts with Ron and me. I was as sure of that as I'd been of anything in my life. I knew that I didn't stand a chance passing my classes or against Voldemort without her. This wasn't just because she was smart and clever. It was because of the type of person she was; the type of friend she was. She was as loyal as they came. When I thought I had no one to depend on, she was there. She'd come through for me time and time again. And how did I repay her for this? I unknowingly contributed to her parents' decision to take her out of school.
Ginny interrupted my thoughts by announcing to Ron and me that the meeting was disbanding. This was confirmed seconds later when Ron's mum called up to us that we could stop hovering and come down and greet the guests.
We sheepishly descended the stairs and greeted the Order members warmly. Lupin asked me how I was doing and I said that I was doing okay. I don't think he believed me for a second, but he nodded and walked over to Mrs. Weasley who was handing out a tray of crackers and cheese. Ginny had took a pitcher of pumpkin juice from her mother and was busily filling everyone's cup.
I stood there, watching everyone, alone in my own thoughts. I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see Tonks grinning at me.
"Hiya, Harry!" she said.
"Hi, Tonks," I said. "How are you?"
"Okay," she said. She put her hands to her hair. "Do you like the dreadlocks? I was thinking they might be a little over-the-top, but Kingsley said that they looked okay, so I went for it."
"Yeah," I said, nodding at her. "They look fine."
"Thanks," she said, beaming at me. Her face suddenly turned serious. "I heard about Hermione. I'm sorry about that."
I nodded solemnly. "Yeah."
"Can you meet me outside in about two minutes?" she asked. "Come alone. It's important. I think it might brighten your mood a bit."
"Okay," I said, wondering what she wanted to talk to me about. "Sure."
"Okay," she said.
I watched as she went over to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and thanked them for the refreshments and that she had to be leaving. Within seconds, she had walked outside the house. When I was sure no one was watching, I followed suit a couple of minutes later.
I found Tonks just behind the house, sitting at the picnic table.
"So, what's this about?" I asked her.
"Do you know what this is?" she asked me, taking a black object from her satchel.
"Of course," I said. "It's a mobile telephone."
"Yes, it is," she said. "Do you know why I have a mobile telephone?"
"No," I said confused. "I don't think it would work out here anyway, Tonks."
"Yes, it will," she said. "It's a special phone. A friend of mine in the Muggle Artifacts office did some tinkering with it and it will work, even all the way out here."
"So, you want to make a phone call?" I asked, still confused.
"Not me," she said, handing me the phone. "You."
"I don't know anyone who has a phone, except for my aunt and uncle and I assure you I have no desire to call them."
"What about Hermione?" she asked. "You can call her."
"No, I can't," I said. "I don't know where she is, let alone what her telephone number is."
"I do," Tonks said. "I have a friend in the relocation program that they set her family up with. She's in Atlanta, Georgia in the States. I also have a telephone number. Why don't you give her a call?"
"Well, what about the time difference? What if I wake up her parents?" I asked.
"You won't," she said. "I set up a Floo Connection and I saw that her parents were leaving her home while they went out to dinner. She's there alone now. It's around 11 p.m. over there. Give her a call."
"Tonks!" I said, beaming at her. "I could kiss you!"
Tonks laughed. "That's what they all say. Don't waste your time on me. Dial that number. Give her a call."
I nodded and looked at the piece of parchment she palmed off on me. A telephone number was scribbled on it and I began to dial the number. My heart felt like it was beating a mile a minute as I heard the phone begin to ring. Tonks walked away a few steps to give me some privacy.
"Hello," Hermione's voice said.
"Hermione!" I said excitedly. "It's me, Harry."
"Harry!" she said, almost in disbelief. "But how?"
"Tonks helped me," I said. "How are you?"
"I'm holding up," she said. "But, Harry, how are you?"
"Same as you," I said. "Did you parents give you any reason?"
"They said they wanted to keep me safe," she said. "I've almost memorized my parents' speech whenever I ask them why this has happened."
"We miss you so much," I said.
"I miss you, too," she said. I could hear her voice begin to tremble. "Any news on Voldemort?"
"No," I said. "Nothing new to report. He's keeping a low profile."
"Harry, be careful," she said. "Stay alert. You don't know what he's capable of. You have to be strong."
"It would be a lot easier if you were here," I said, with a hollow laugh.
"I would give anything to be there with you," she said. "And Ron, too."
"I know that you would," I said. "I'd give anything to get you back. We'll find a way."
"Don't get yourself into trouble, though, Harry," she said ,sounding like the Hermione I knew.
"I don't get myself into trouble," I said, trying to sound indignant. "It seems to find me."
"Too well, it does," she said, with a slight laugh. "I'm serious."
"Hermione," I began.
The phone suddenly went dead. She was gone.
"Hermione?" I said into the phone. Silence.
"Hermione? Hermione?"
I clicked the phone off. Tonks came hurrying up to me.
"Well?" she asked.
"She's okay," I said. "I mean, she's as good as can be expected. She misses us."
"I know she does," Tonks said. "Last summer she used to talk about you all the---well, its' not important, really."
What had she meant by that? It sounded as if she was going to say that Hermione talked about him all the time, but she'd stopped herself. What was that about?
"Tonks," I said, handing her back the phone. "Why did you do this? I mean, you could have gotten yourself into a load of trouble."
"Well, let's just say I have a soft spot when it comes to you and Hermione," she said, taking the phone and placing it back into her bag. "You have a great friendship. I hate to see it fall apart because of this."
"Thanks," I said. "This really meant a lot to me."
She beamed at me. "Anytime. Let's keep this between you and I though, Harry. If this got out, it could be very bad, not just for me, but for my friend who gave me the mobile phone."
I nodded and gave her my word.
"Take care of yourself," she said. "You better get back inside before anyone asks questions."
"Okay," I said.
"See you in a few days to head to the station," she said.
I watched as she apparated a few seconds later.
That night as I went to sleep, I couldn't remember feeling as hopeful as I did at that very moment. Things had seemed bleak before, but just the sound of Hermione's voice had made me feel better.
Things just might work after all.
(Hermione)
Meanwhile, a thousand miles away, I was remembering how my father had grabbed the phone from me and hung it up.
"Who was that?" he asked angrily.
I didn't answer.
"Harry? Ron?" he asked me.
Again, I didn't respond.
"I thought I could trust you, Hermione," he said. "This isn't going to work if you insist of fighting us every inch of the way."
"I would really hate it if this didn't work, Dad," I said, angrily.
"Hermione!" my father cautioned me.
"I'm so sick of this," I said hotly. "Can you see? The first inkling of happiness I've had since we got here came from a telephone call from Harry. What does that say to you Dad? Are you blind?"
"Hermione, you aren't to contact them anymore, do you hear me?" he said firmly.
"Yeah, I hear you," I said. With one last look at him, I walked to my room.
"Why can't you hear me?" I said, under my breath.