Forbidden Love
Chapter 20
Harry silently gazed at the girl in his arms as she burrowed against his chest. When she offered a small sigh of satisfaction, he smiled and placed a light kiss on the top of her head. She was absolutely beautiful, smart, charming, really she was everything a bloke could want and more in a girl… so what was wrong with him?
Ginny snuggled into deeper into Harry's embrace, and releasing another contented sigh she looked up at her boyfriend and gave him a small smile. He returned it with one of his own and placed one more kiss on her head as she moved back to her original position.
As he looked up from the top of his girlfriend's head, his eyes scanned the small compartment. Ron sat across from him, staring thoughtfully out of the window and looking to be a million miles away. To the right of him sat Hermione, her head was bent over a large text about Ancient Runes that, upon boarding the train, she had brusquely stated that needed to catch up on because she was only seven chapters ahead.
He gazed reflectively at her smiling a bit at the memory, he didn't know how a girl could be so undoubtedly anal retentive and yet adorable at the same time. As his smile turned to a grin Hermione chose that moment to look up from her book, her eyes connecting with his though long lashes. They both blushed and looked away, instantly recalling what had occurred between them.
It had been a little over a week ago that he and Hermione had snogged… he lightly shook his head. No, snog wasn't the right word. What had happened with her was so much more than just another snog...
He looked towards the window and sighed. For the first couple of days after New Years they had had trouble even looking at one another without blushing, mumbling and at least one of them fleeing the room. He knew that Mr. and Mrs. Granger had even taken note of their strange behavior and though neither had asked about what happened straight out, Mrs. Granger had hinted on various occasions that she had sussed out that something had happened.
After two days of avoiding one another, Harry had finally cautiously approached Hermione and quietly asked if they could continue their Occlumency lessons. Giving him a startled look she had agreed and they resumed their usual study routine, with one distinct difference. It no longer took place in Hermione's room. Instead they would study either in the living room, with Hermione in the chair and Harry on the couch, or in the kitchen, sitting on opposite ends of the table from one another. Harry had been relieved that even though he'd acted like a sodding git, she had still been willing to help him. Though he thought it may have had a lot to do with the more recent memories he now had of her than anything else.
Harry ran a hand through his hair for the umpteenth time that day and stared unseeingly at the passing scenery. Even though it had been over a week, he could still see Hermione's passion-clouded eyes staring up at him every time he closed his own. He had also found that since that night happened he was capable of dreaming of nothing else. A problem he was going to somehow have to figure out how to rectify before tonight, when he was once again bunking with Ron.
Turning his head slightly he silently studied his best mate, who was sitting across from him. Ron was lying with his head back, slouched in his seat and his eyes only partially open; his face, completely devoid of emotion, was facing the window. In truth Harry would have thought the other boy was sleeping if it weren't for the fluttering of his lashes every now and again when he blinked. A minute later the red-haired boy cleared his throat and readjusted in his set, as he did so, his hand slipped out a bit and brushed Hermione's thigh.
"Sorry," he mumbled, giving her a quick glance before turning back to the window.
"That's ok," she responded, not even bothering to look up from her book.
Harry frowned, what was that about? As he continued to observe the couple he noticed that they were barely acknowledging one another. Had they had a ruck?
`No,' his mind answered, `they couldn't have, I would have seen it.'
What was going on then? Harry knew it had to be something, he had never seen Ron sit so quietly in one place before when he wasn't brooding. His eyes widened, could it be that Ron had sensed what had happened between him and Hermione?
He gave a slight shake of the head, `No, that can't be it either; he doesn't seem angry or miffed in the least.'
In fact if anything he seemed perfectly content- wait, could it be that Ron didn't want to be with Hermione anymore? After all, he and Luna had looked pretty cozy at Christmas.
`But how can anyone not want to be with Hermione?' Harry thought, his eyes going back to the brunette. He couldn't seem to think of anything else.
As if she sensed his observance of her, Hermione once again looked up at him. Their gazes connected and Harry felt a jolt of awareness rush threw him from the desire reflected in her eyes. They stared at one another for a few minutes, until Ginny shifted in his arms. Hermione gave a quick look to the other girl, and then went back to her book. Harry continued to watch her for a long time but she didn't look back up. As he turned his gaze back to the window in an attempt to get his thoughts in order, he did his best to focus on the red haired girl he was holding in his arms, as opposed to brunette one that he longed to hold.
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Harry took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. `Ok, I'm ready for this. I can handle this. I am ready.'
Giving a short nod of the head, he placed his hand on the knob of the door and twisted it. Pulling it open he entered the dim, stuffy office.
"How nice of you to join me, Mr. Potter," Professor Snape stated in a dry tone, not even bothering to looking up from the parchment on his desk. "For a moment I was beside myself with worry you wouldn't be able to make it."
"And miss your happy-go-lucky attitude Professor?... Never," he responded cheekily.
Snape's head snapped up and he glowered at Harry for a moment, before a cold smile formed on his lips.
"Let us hope, Mr. Potter," he said softly, slowly standing and making his way around the desk. "That this new found of confidence you're displaying is not as woefully misplaced as your last potions assignment."
"Don't worry Professor, my confidence and my potions assignment are both exactly were they should be," Harry responded, forming a frosty smile of his own, "right here in your office."
Snape gave a slight incline of the head, "We shall see."
It was the only warning Harry had as to what was about to happen. He was instantly bombarded with his own memories: him, flying towards the building on his broom his eyes locked on Neville's remembrall. Him and Ron sitting on the bed with Seamus and Neville eating various candies that they had purchased from Hogsmeade. Him racing towards the Snitch in his first Quidditch match. Then the memories speed up to short flashes before once again playing normally. He could see people milling around, looking to his right, the muggle man at the ice-cream stand gave him a small smile...
`No!' his mind screamed.
Focusing all of his energy the image suddenly disappeared to be replaced with one of Malfoy begging Hermione for forgive him, which was quickly bypassed to show Professor Snape, headed into the nearest broom closest with Mr. Filch. As the door clicked softly behind them Mrs. Norris sauntered over, her tail swishing and her red eyes flashing as she took a seat in front of the door, silently standing guard. Suddenly, he was free.
"Very funny Potter," Snape spat angrily, with his eyes flashing and a noticeable tick forming in his right cheek.
"I don't know what you mean sir," Harry replied in his most innocent tone, his voice coming out winded from the effort he had exerted.
For a moment Snape didn't say anything, but instead regarded him silently.
"Well, Mr. Potter," he commented after a few minutes in a cold hard voice. "It seems as though you were finally able to do what the Headmaster has been asking you to do from the beginning," he folded his arms over his chest. "Actually take something besides Quidditch seriously - though I must say it took you long enough, for such a gifted wizard," the words dripped with sarcasm. "I suppose it is a start," he smirked then turned and walked back to his desk. Taking a seat he resumed his previous reading. "That will be all," he looked up from the parchment, pinning Harry with a steely gaze "for now."
Not needing to be told twice, Harry rushed out of the cold office and back down the hall smiling to himself. Even Snape's small jabs at his character couldn't dampen his mood. He had done it! Sure it took a little longer than he would have liked, but it worked, all that studying he did this break actually paid off.
He was in such a good mood, Harry even waved merrily at Peeves, who was trying to draw a mustache on one of the paintings of a young lady. The woman in the painting was slapping at his hand and doing her best to dodge his quill, while Sir Cadogan was quickly making his way thought the other portraits to help the fair damsel in distress.
Harry chuckled a bit at the scene and then quickened his pace. He couldn't wait to get back to Gryffindor Tower and tell Hermione what had happened. His steps faltered, wait, would that be possible? They hadn't really been speaking much since that night.
`No,' his mind said reasonably, `this is Hermione, of course she would want to know. No matter what has happened between you guys she's still one of your best friends. Besides, without her help you never would have been able to do it.'
That was right, without her he would have had no chance of besting Snape, a fact he was well aware of. After all, besides that one time the he gotten so upset, that he had shoved the Professor out of his mind and accidentally entered his, there had been no other times he had been able to avoid or stop the attacks. Coming to what he thought was the reasonable conclusion that Hermione would indeed want to know what had happened, Harry once again quickened his pace towards Gryffindor Tower.
He was just rounding the corner when he saw a familiar face in the distance.
"Ron!" Harry called out, waving to his best mate when he looked over.
Ron gave him a strained smile and waited for Harry to catch up with him.
"Is everything alright?" Harry quizzed peering closely at his mate.
"Yeah, everything's brilliant." Ron answered, looking around the hallway. Harry continued to stare at the other boy silently until he looked back. "Oh, uh sorry," Ron mumbled rubbing the back of his neck lightly. "So what's going on?"
"I just finished my first Occlumency session with Snape," Harry replied giving a half smile.
Ron gave him a surprised look. "Really? Well from your smile I would hazard to say that it turned out ok?"
Harry shook his head, "Ok? No way, it was brilliant mate you should have seen it. There he was prying though my memories like they were his personal home movies when `Bam!'" He clapped his hands together making Ron jump a bit. "I hit him with a fake one."
Ron tilted his head slightly regarding Harry skeptically, "You didn't." Harry grinned. "The one with him and Filch?!" the dark haired boy nodded slowly. "Bloody smashing! What did he say?"
Harry laughed "I think it was something along the lines of," he straightened his posture and made a bland expression. "Very funny Potter," he said in a dry tone giving his best Snape impression, Ron sniggered.
"Blimey mate, I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that." He replied shaking his head. "So it looks like all that holiday studying paid off, huh?" Harry nodded, "Hermione's going to be excited."
"Yeah," Harry responded, "I was just on my way to tell her… and Ginny of course."
Ron shook his head in wonder, "Wow, you bested Snape." Then he sighed, "Hermione's going to be insufferable now."
"What do you mean?"
"Come on Harry, like you don't know," Ron said before rolling his eyes and shaking his head at Harry's blank look. "Can you imagine what she's going to be like now? `See what happens when you study Ronald? Perhaps you should take a cue from Harry and focus more? Ha! And you thought it would be a waste of time!'" He mimicked in a very poor Hermione interpretation.
"Oh, come on Ron she's not that bad," Harry replied smiling.
Ron shrugged, "I guess we'll see."
"I guess we will," Harry retorted, spinning and walking towards the stairs. Realizing Ron wasn't following him he turned back and gave the other boy a questioning look. "You coming?"
"Uh…" Ron trailed off, looking around once more.
Harry regarded him curiously; when the red head looked at back him again he arched a single brow in question.
"Well, I'm kind of in the middle of something."
Harry still didn't comment, but crossed his arms over his chest and waited patiently for Ron to continue.
The other boy gave him an annoyed look. "What?"
"What are you in the middle of?"
"None of your business," Ron replied crossly, folding his arms also.
Harry tilted his head and frowned, "What does that mean?"
"It means what I said- look I could have sworn I left my mum at the Burrow," Ron commented sounding even more aggravated.
Harry smirked, "You know you could either tell me, or I could follow you around until I see for myself."
"Harry, I swear to Merlin if you follow me aro-" Ron was cut off as a tinkling voice called out.
"Ronald, look what I've found!" Luna Lovegood called approaching the two boys. In her left hand she held up a blue trainer. "That's one down, which only leaves one to go!" she finished happily. "Oh, hullo there Harry," she commented taking note of the other boy. "Ronald was just helping me look for my shoes; they seem to have been misplaced."
Harry gave Ron an inquiring glance. "He was, was he?"
"Yes, it's most kind of him," Luna answered with her typical dreamy smile, Ron blushed slightly and his ears turned a deep red.
"Yes it is, so where did you find that one?" Harry inquired motioning towards the sneaker in the girls' hand.
"Oh, it was on top of one of the suits of armor," she answered easily, "but it was no big deal. When I asked nicely it gave it back," she leaned forward and said in a conspiratorial tone. "I don't know what a suit of armor would need with my shoe, though I suppose those metal boots it wears are probably quite uncomfortable," she stated with a thoughtful expression.
Harry nodded his head in agreement before giving Ron an amused look, the other boy scowled at him.
"Perhaps we should try to find your other shoe," Ron said to Luna, ignoring Harry's speculative glances.
"That would be very nice, thank you." She responded giving a bright smile. "I was talking with the portraits and they said that they had heard that the other may be around the dungeon."
"Well, I was just down there and I didn't see it, but then again I wasn't looking." Harry commented giving a kind smile and a small shrug. "Perhaps you'll have better luck."
"Perhaps," Luna answered.
"Well, I'm going to head back to Gryffindor Tower. I'll talk to you guys later," he stated, giving Ron a pointed look. "Good luck Luna," he finished, giving the blond a bright smile and then heading to the stairs.
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Hermione sat on a couch in the crowded Gryffindor common room leaning over the table and trying to focus on the complicated Arithmancy essay she was working on. So far she had only about twenty thousand words written and she need to do a lot better than that if she wanted to get a perfect score. She was just about to pull a new scroll of parchment to continue writing on when she felt someone's gaze on her.
Looking up she gave a glance to Ginny who was sitting to her left, but the other girl was busy working on her Transfiguration assignment. Quickly scanning the room she was confounded as to where the feeling of being watched was coming from until she finally noticed Harry standing by the door. He continued to watch her for a moment with an unreadable expression before his face broke into a grin and he waved her over. Giving him a perplexed look she looked at Ginny to see if that was who he was motioning to; noticing the other girl still bent diligently over her homework she looked back at Harry.
He gave her an exasperated look before shaking his head and making his way across the crowded room. After sidestepping a couple of first years who had frozen in place and stared at awe at 'the famous Harry Potter' he finally made it over to the cluster of seats that she and Ginny were at.
"Hey," he said, taking the chair opposite her.
"Hey," Hermione replied, still a bit unsure as to what was going on.
For the first time since that night Harry was acting "normal" and she found herself at a loss as to why. Over the last two weeks since they got back they hadn't exactly been avoiding one another, but they hadn't been going out of their way to speak either. So when the dark haired boy sat across from her grinning and staring expectantly, Hermione wasn't sure what to make of it.
"Uh... is everything ok, Harry?" she asked hesitantly.
"Yep," he responded, still smiling.
Reaching forward he picked up her first roll of parchment and looked over her essay, after staring at if like it was some ancient code that needed deciphering for several seconds he sat it back down on the table and looked at her once more.
"Does that actually mean anything?" He asked looking at the composition as though it were a creature from Hagrid's class.
"Yes, it's my Arithmancy essay and I can personally guarantee you that it means many things," she responded still looking at him suspiciously. "What's going on?" Harry shrugged. Reaching forward, he began to fiddle with her quill. "Harry?" she asked, slamming her hand down on top of his to stop his annoying movements. "What is it?"
A smile pulled at the corners of his lips. "Well, I just finished my first session wi- "
"Harry!" Ginny exclaimed, looking up from her book. Quickly putting it down, she came around the table and gave him a loose hug before sitting on the arm of the chair. Bending over she gave him a small peck on the cheek and ran her fingers though his hair. "When did you get here?"
"Just now," Harry replied, sitting back and smiling at his girlfriend.
Hermione, realizing that she did not like the feeling she got when Harry looked at Ginny like that, frowned slightly and picked up her quill to go back to her paper. This time it was Harry's hand that was placed atop hers.
"I'm not done telling you what happened," he said when she looked up at him.
"Well," she prompted when he didn't continue; Ginny also leaned forward from her spot on Harry's chair.
"What happened?" she asked in a voice that was barely heard above the hum of conversation in the room.
"I just finished my first sess-" Harry was interrupted again, this time by a loud group of fourth years who were trying out the latest flavors offered in the Skiving Snackbox. "Uh, perhaps we should take this somewhere a bit more quiet?!" Harry yelled over the chorus of screams and 'eww's' that erupted when one of the boys began to spew.
"Right!" called Hermione, "Follow me!"
Standing she quickly gathered her things and led Harry and Ginny though the crowd and to the portrait leading up to her private dorm.
"Storm," she whispered to the woman in the painting who nodded, in response.
A faint click was heard just above the hum of activity, as the door was opened. She hurried inside balancing her parchment, books and supplies, with her two friends closely behind. Just as the door was about to shut Hermione heard someone call out to Harry and looked over her shoulder to see him talking to Neville. Shaking her head she continued into the room, dropping her supplies on the coffee table, a moment later Ginny did the same.
"Geez, you think they'd give us lighter books," the red haired girl commented, rubbing her forearms.
"I can do a spell for you to help out with that if you like," Hermione stated primly, pulling out her wand. "I learned several first year. They're very simple spells really, and they come in quite useful."
The other girl gave her a look, "That's ok, I'll manage. Besides, with that match against Hufflepuff coming up a little extra muscle doesn't hurt a bit."
"Ok, if that's what you want." Hermione commented with a shrug and placed her wand back into her robes.
"What's what who wants?" Harry asked, coming up the stairs. "Sorry about that," he gave a sheepish grin "Neville just had a quick question about our next D.A. meeting. So where were we?"
"You were about to tell us what was going on," Hermione replied, giving an impatient look.
Ginny pulled a face at her but didn't comment.
"Oh, yeah," Harry gave a happy smile, "like I was saying I just finished my first session with Snape."
"Really, what happened?" "Oh, Harry, how'd it go?" Ginny and Hermione asked in unison.
"Well it was a little touch and go at first," he said, walking a bit further from the stairs, "but in the end it worked out."
"What do you mean?" Ginny asked, before Hermione could.
"I mean, that it worked," he gave Hermione a brilliant smile. "All that studying paid off Hermione! It worked, I was able to lead Snape right to the fake memories that I had implanted."
"Really?"
When he nodded she flew at him full force, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug. Harry grunted when Hermione made contact, then laughed, glad that he had had enough sense to step away from the stairs. His arms encircled her and he returned her tight hug with one of his own.
"Oh Harry, that's wonderful!" she exclaimed in his ear.
"I couldn't have done it without you," he replied still grinning like a loon.
She pulled back and smiled up at him, her arms still around his neck.
"Yes you could have, I know it."
"Yeah well I know I couldn't have, because I've been trying to for almost a year," he responded, removing one arm from around her waist and giving her a light tap on the nose.
"Did you two want to be alone?" Ginny asked badly, she was looking at them with a miffed expression, her arms were crossed and her right foot was tapping impatiently.
"What? No," Hermione said, quickly pulling away from Harry and putting a respectable distance between them.
"Not at all," Harry added, giving a strangled laugh. "I was just-well, saying thanks, so- uhh, thanks again Hermione," he finished lamely, giving her a quick salute.
Both girls gave him exasperated looks.
"Harry, just tell us what happened," Hermione said, taking a seat on the couch.
"Uh, yeah, sure," he replied nodding.
He then took a seat on the chair by Ginny and relayed what had happened in the potion master's office. As he told his story, Hermione did her best to focus on how proud she was of Harry, and what they could do to help him prepare for next time. Instead of how painful it was when he took Ginny's hand halfway though his tale.
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Harry was lying on his bed staring at the canopy and practicing his Occlumency exercises like Hermione had told him to, when he heard the door to the dorm open and then close softly. Sitting up abruptly, he looked curiously at his red haired best mate who had been trying to quietly make his way to his bed. Ron froze for a moment when Harry sat up, then, shaking his head he finished making his way to his area. Harry watched silently as Ron took off his robe and his slippers and pulled back the covers climbing into bed.
"Ron," he said quietly when the other boy had gotten settled.
"Yeah?" Ron asked in just as soft a tone.
"Did you find the other shoe?"
The other boy gave a small smile, "Yeah, someone had tied the laces and hung it on the corner of one of the pictures leading to the kitchens."
Harry chuckled, "I'm sure Luna was relived."
"Sure was," he responded chuckling also. "She said whatever had taken her shoe must have realized how hungry she would be after searching and that's why they left it by the kitchens."
Harry shook his head in response; licking his lips he hesitated for a moment before asking what he had really wanted to know.
"Ron," the red head looked at him, "is there something going on... you know, between you and Luna?"
Ron continued to stare at him for a moment, "No," he said before lying back on the bed.
"Ron?" Harry questioned again, sitting on the edge of his own bed and looking at the other boy.
Ron sighed "What?"
"Are you sure?"
He remained quiet and Harry was just about to give up hope on an answer when his best mate sat up in the bed once more. He regarded Harry silently for a moment before finally answering the question.
"I don't know," he said softly.
With that he reached forward and closed the curtains on his bed, discouraging Harry from any attempt to continue the conversation.
A.N. Ahhhh don't kill me!! *lol* That's it for this chapter, what will happen next? We shall see... Don't fret, this is a H/Hr story, Harry will get the girl there's just something I need to resolve first. However if you're really dying for some H/Hr action check out my other fic <\* shameless plug */> Snogging Chronicles <\* shameless plug */> for some H/Hr action to tide you over. Oh and don't forget to Please Review! I appreciate and read every one! Thanks and Ja ne!!!
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