Unofficial Portkey Archive

Mr. Weasley suggested that no one tell Ginny and Mrs. Weasley about Harry's vision and after they all agreed, the men headed into the house to calm the girls down. To Harry's surprise, all of them looked alright. In fact, Mrs. Weasley was already busy making tea.

Once they were all settled on the various couches and chairs in the living room, Mrs. Weasley was the first person to speak up. "Well, now that we've all had our shock for the day, I think we really need to focus on something positive." Despite her upbeat statement, it was impossible to miss the uncertainess of her voice.

Nobody spoke at first. Everyone just looked from person to person, each one seemingly at a loss for a new topic.

"Come on now. Surely somebody has something to say."

"OH!" Ginnys face suddenly lit up and she looked straight over at Harry and Hermione. "I completely forgot to tell you!"

"Ginny, m-maybe now isn't the t-" Hermione began to speak up with a mixture of fear and embarrasment on her face but Mrs. Weasley cut her off before she could finish the thought.

"What is it, Ginny dear?"

Harry, who had his arm protectively around Hermione, could feel the heat rushing into his cheeks as Ginny told her entire family her news.

"Well, I was going to tell you right when we got off the train but things were... well... tense." The red-haired girl ran her fingers through her hair a bit uncomfortably but then pushed aside whatever negative thoughts were in her head and proceeded on. "Anyways, Harry and Hermione are dating!"

All eyes suddenly turned on the couple and Harry wished he could sink through the floor but before any plans for escape could be made, Fred and George were patting him on the back with stupid smiles.

"Way to go, Potter. Ron thought it'd take you at least another year or so before you actually admitted you liked Hermione." George yelled, much louder then needed.

"Well said George. Honestly you two. It was about time you got together. I mean, it was dead boring watching you deny what was obvious to every other person who'd ever stepped foot into the Gryffindor common room." Hermiones red face obviously provided Fred with a sense of accomplishment, having throughly embarrased her because after a brief pause he did something that Harry didn't understand.

While Percy, Bill and Charlie took Harry's attention away, Fred leaned over and whispered something in Hermiones ear that made her eyes go wide. Her eyes shot back and forth between the twins for a long time before she leapt to her feet and gave them two giant hugs.

For nearly an hour, all the Weasleys fawned over Harry and Hermione as if they'd never seen a young couple before. It wasn't until they were all settled again that a terrifying thought crossed Harrys mind. What kind of reaction would the two recieve if the Daily Prophet caught wind of the relationship. The two would NEVER get any peace.

"Ummm... I was just thinking..." Harrys voice effectively quieted the group and once he had their attention he felt a bit uncomfortable. "Well, I was just thinking we should keep this a secret for now."

"But why?" Ginny looked confused and slightly upset.

"Think about it, Ginny. If the Daily Prophet caught news of it then they'd never have a spare moment in private. The reporters would probably hide in the bushes of Hogsmeade if they could." Charlie answered, flashing Harry a big smile as if he'd read his mind.

"Quite right, Charlie. Wonderful idea!" Mr. Weasley smiled, knowing that Charlie was absolutely correct. "For now it's a secret. Alright Harry?"

"Wonderful."

Later that night Harry sat alone on a couch in the Weasley living room. Everyone else had gone to bed hours ago but Harry wasn't tired. He couldn't stop this awful feeling that Hermione would be in danger anywhere they went but that wasn't what he wanted. He wanted to make her happy but maybe the only thing he had been doing all these years was putting her in more danger. How could she possibly be happy if she constantly had to watch over her shoulder to see if someone was after her? Harry knew the answer and it didn't make him feel any better.

Hermione would have been better off never having met Harry. How may countless times had she and Ron been put into dangerous sitsuations because of him? And he couldn't even say that they'd all been okay in the end because they weren't. Ron was gone forever and now they wanted Hermione all because of Harry. All because Voldemort wanted to break him down piece by piece.

The thought of running had once sounded so good to Harry but now he only needed to remember the prophecy that Dumbledore had told him in his fifth year and he knew that he couldn't escape. His destiny was to kill or be killed. There was no way to avoid it and no way to stop it. Anyway you think about it, there had to be more murder but WHY?! Why did it always have to be him?! It simply wasn't fair.

Harry slumped back onto the couch, his chin aganist his chest. He knew he was wallowing in self pity but no other thoughts seemed to be able to break through.

"Are you ever going to go to sleep?"

The female voice came from the foot of the stairs and when Harry turned around, he saw Hermione standing in the doorway. She looked almost angelic as the moonlight shone in through the window right where she stood.

"In a minute."

"Harry, you said that 3 hours ago." She smiled slightly and made her way over, sitting down next to him.

"How did you know I was still down here?"

"The stairs, of course. Did you forget the one that always creeks?"

"Oh, of course." Harry felt himself smile despite his current mindset.

"Are you okay?" Her eyes searched his with concern.

"I will be. I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"Nothing important." He knew before he even spoke that she wouldn't believe him but Harry, being a man, told the lie anyway.

"Yeah right. You're a terrible lier, you know that?" She smiled brightly as if she already knew he'd break down and tell her eventually.

"You're right. Sorry. It's just..." He ran his fingers through his hair nervously but then looked directly at Hermione and told her the truth. "It's just... It's just that I can't help but feel that you'd have been better off if you'd never met me. I do nothing but put you in danger."

She didn't say anything at first. She simply searched his eyes until she burst into loud laughter that Harry didn't understand and to be honest he found it quite grating.

"It's not funny, Hermione. I really mean it. I couldn't take it if anything happened it you."

"Honestly Harry. Listen to yourself. You said that all you ever do is put me into danger. That is so untrue. You make me happy, Harry." She spoke softly and pushed some of Harry's unkept hair out of his face. "You're the most wonderful man I've ever met. Without you and Ron I'd still be the biggest prat in all of Hogwarts!"

"You don't understand, Hermione. I-"

"NO! You don't understand. I'd go through everything we've been through and worse all over again as long as I am able to come back home and be with you for just one more day."

"But--"

She cut him off with the same know-it-all look she'd often given her first year teachers when they'd asked a question that only she'd known the answer to. "Before you say another word, Harry Potter, You need to hear what Fred and George told me this afternoon."