Chapter 09
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Harry found a lorry driver and paid him to take him and Hermione in the back of the vehicle. The man demanded 300EUROS without hesitation, obviously he had done this before. They agreed and he opened the backdoor for them to jump in the back of the lorry. He was transporting boxes of clothes and there was space for them to sit.
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The borders of Europe were now open and Harry and Hermione didn't have to worry about controls. The only problem might be entering the Czech Republic, but they would handle that when the time came. They jumped into the lorry and looked around.
"Cozy," Hermione smiled at him and walked forward. Harry remained standing by the opening peering outside behind a box. He hadn't detected anyone following them since the hotel, but he wanted to make sure.
"You ready then?" the driver called as he opened a small window to the front. Harry gave him the thumbs up. The driver jumped out and closed the doors to the lorry and it became eerily dark.
"Are we going to ride like this the whole way?" Hermione asked, wondering where in the dark Harry was. She jumped when he answered-he was much closer than she thought.
"I bought this," he answered and pulled out a battery lamp. He pressed it there small sitting area became dimly lit.
"This is going to be a bumpy ride," Hermione said, thinking out loud and Harry nodded thoughtfully. "Are you OK, Harry?" He looked at her. They were sitting across from each other with their legs crossed both leaning on a box.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he answered and avoided her eyes.
"What?" she asked.
He didn't want to tell her what was on his mind. It bothered him that the mission had gotten this dangerous already. He was worried for her; he had no idea what her past was like, but he was pretty sure whatever Dumbledore had ordered her to do before this wasn't nearly as dangerous. He didn't want anything to happen to her, and he whished more than ever that Dumbledore would have sent someone else with him on the mission. Worrying for Hermione was dividing his focus, which made it all the more dangerous.
"I am just tired," he said evasively.
"Sleep!" she urged. "You need to rest," she knew it was true. He was looking very harassed and he had circles under his beautiful eyes. He actually looked a few years older. Harry gestured, waving around them. Hermione looked around the trolley; the boxes were shaking violently, though they were tied down. She looked down at the hard floor and saw his point.
"Come on," she said and started to take of the knitted sweater she was wearing. She jumbled it into a lump, resembling a pillow and placed it in her lap. Harry stared at her.
"You can't be serious," he said and she smiled brightly. Shrugging, he laid his head down and felt like he would faint. The scent of her, from the jumper, filled his nostrils. He took a deep breath and his whole body went numb. He felt like burying his face in the jumper but he had a feeling she would find that odd. He settled for closing his eyes instead.
Hermione looked down at his face. His eyes being closed gave her the perfect chance to look at him and she found that she wanted nothing more than to just study his face. He was far too perfect, he was so beautiful. She lifted her hand and raised it to touch his face. In the air she traced his jaw line in the free space between her hand and his face. She moved to trace his nose as his eyes opened suddenly.
"What are you doing?" he asked surprised.
"I-well, I…" she stuttered shocked. "I was just going to take off your glasses; I thought that would be more comfortable. He nodded and let her take them off.
Before long, Harry had fallen asleep. He was lying on his side with his head on her lap. Hermione wanted to run a hand through his hair. She wanted to grab it roughly actually, with both her hands and pull his face close… She waved the thoughts away. Instead, she concentrated on the mission. She couldn't afford to be distracted like this. She had to push her feelings for Harry away, especially after what Mad-Eye had told her.
But it couldn't be helped, as Harry rolled over and she noticed that he was facing her, all she wanted to do was lean down and kiss his wonderful lips. Harry took a deep breath and Hermione's eyes glanced down to his chest. It was so broad and strong. She honestly didn't know what had gotten into her. She had had crushes before; she had even been in love with Cedric once. But this was overwhelming, something in the gut of her stomach made her want to touch Harry. She wanted to feel the heat of his skin against her hands. She wanted to take his shirt off and smell him. She wanted to put her hand just above his heart, and just feel it beat.
She slammed her head back against the box. Forcing herself to look up or straight ahead until he woke up. She wasn't herself, she needed to stop.
You're just sexually frustrated, to be honest-it's been a while! she told herself.
Harry slept for about four hours and when he finally opened his eyes Hermione's legs were completely numb.
"Hi," he said in a hoarse voice.
"I need to pee," she whispered and smiled at him. Harry sat up quickly.
"Sorry," he said, realizing that his head had been putting pressure on her bladder.
"Do you feel better?" she asked.
"Much! I really needed some shut-eye." He raised himself to his knees and knocked on the small window to get
the driver's attention.
"Any chance of a bathroom stop?" he asked.
"Extra twenty Euros," he grunted.
"Honestly!" Hermione shrieked.
"Fine," Harry said over her objections and sat back down.
"He has stopped twice already, what a jerk!" Hermione hissed.
"Don't worry about it, let's just try and get there," Harry smiled amused at her reaction.
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"Out, now," the man called and Hermione and Harry both looked up in shock, Hermione had been half asleep leaning against a box, and Harry was reading a map.
"What?" Harry called back. The truck slowed down and finally stopped. The doors were yanked open.
"What are you doing? We're not in Prague yet!" Harry called out angrily.
"Only twenty kilometers, you walk!" he yelled at them. "Police check car in Prague!"
"You're lying," Harry spat angrily. "You can't drop us here, it is dark. It's almost-," he looked down at is watch, "-ten o'clock!"
"Out!" the man roared. Harry took Hermione's elbow and helped her to her feet.
"Let's go," he groaned between clenched teeth. She jumped out of the trolley after him. They watched as the driver hurriedly sped off.
"Sometimes I wish we were allowed to use our wands freely," Harry hissed angrily. Hermione looked around; to her left was a long grey paved road with trees on both sides as far as she could see. And then to her right was a long grey paved road with trees on both sides as far as she could see. Great, she thought.
"Come on," Hermione replied and pulled him by the elbow.
Harry began muttering even more fiercely. She heard something about the rudeness of some people, lonely bitter old men, and something about cable television-but she couldn't be sure. After a while, he became quiet and walked beside her.
"Where the hell are we, anyway?" Harry mumbled. Hermione pointed to a sign saying Rokycany.
"Not far from Prague, we can probably get a bus in the morning." Harry turned and looked at Hermione.
"You seem almost happy," he chuckled.
"Do I?"
"Yes," he stated.
Hermione thought for a moment before she answered, still walking. "I guess I am in a way," she thought aloud.
"Explain," he urged, intrigued. The night was dark and the streetlights made small sparkling circles against the pavement.
"I am happy to be out of Britain and finally feel like I am doing something, finally I feel like my work is paying off, or at least it might pay off." She looked up at Harry. "I probably sound like an idiot."
"No, I know exactly what you mean." He looked down at her as they walked, her smile made her eyes twinkle. She was good at that, hinting at what she felt without speaking.
"How so?" she asked.
"I have been longing to do something more substantial. I mean you hate being undercover as a Muggle-born slave, but can you imagine being undercover as a rich brat who supports Voldemort?" Harry asked and he seemed to shudder just saying it.
"No, I can't," she answered honestly.
"I wish I could do more, bigger things. I have longed for battle and war for so long."
Hermione stopped walking for just a fraction of a second and looked at him. The way he said it sent goose bumps down her back, she knew he meant it and it scared her.
"You long for battle?" she asked.
Harry kept walking, thinking about her question. "Yes, I really do. It might sound macabre, but I want justice to be delivered."
"It sounds perfectly sane," she assured him and they walked in silence. She glanced up at him more than she wanted to. His words had shaken her. She never wanted Harry to go into battle, she knew she was selfish. But if war finally came, she wished he would hide in a cave somewhere and resurface when it was all over. It scared her, because she knew, even before he had said it, that he would be the first one to fight. She had learned this about him. He was nothing like what she had thought after they met in Diagon Alley. He was such a good Auror that he had fooled even her.
"I think we should stay away from hotels for the rest of the trip. That's where they'll be looking, if they're looking at all," Harry said and she nodded, leaving her thoughts of war and returning to reality. He turned to look for a reply in the darkness,
"Yes," she agreed. He was walking fast and she had to half run to keep up.
"I think we should walk as long as we can, and sleep when it's bright," he suggested and she agreed aloud this time.
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They walked for a few hours and Hermione thought her feet would start bleeding but she said nothing. She was not one to complain, she was finally on a mission and she wouldn't disappoint. Harry was a trained Auror, even though he wasn't officially trained, and she would never let him see her as weak. It was her least favorite word. Every time she felt tired she would think it: weak!
"We should rest," Harry finally said and handed her the water bottle.
"OK," was all she managed to say. She was so tired she thought she would fall asleep standing up.
"I'll just go and get us something," Harry said and nodded towards a twenty-four hour convenient store in the small village they had been walking through.
"Should I come?" Hermione asked, already sitting down on the pavement.
"No, you just stay here," Harry answered. He could see it on her face, hear it on her breathing, she was far too tired to keep walking. He admired her tenacity, not once had she complained. He was sure she would walk until her feet fell off.
When Harry exited the store he saw Hermione slumped on the side walk. Anyone walking by would have thought it was a homeless teenager, a drug addict maybe. He looked down at his own clothes; he was just as filthy and torn as she was. They needed to get cleaned up before people started noticing them.
He walked over to her; the sun was making her hair gleam. He noticed that there were so many strands of color in there, he couldn't even count them.
"Are you still alive?" he joked and she peered up at him, the sun in her eyes.
"Barely," she smiled back.
"Come on, I think I know just the place for us to rest." He reached out and offered his hand to Hermione, she gladly took it and let him pull her up.
It's funny how stopping always makes you realize just how tired you are, she thought. At the moment she just longed for a place to sit, to rest, to breathe. She followed Harry as he finally reached a huge stone brick building.
"Where are we?" she asked almost whispering in spite of the fact that she could see the large sign just to the side of them.
"The local high school gymnasium," he answered.
"Why?" she was intrigued.
"It's empty for the summer isn't it?" he said and she raised her eyebrows. She had to agree with his logic and she followed him yet again as he walked around the side, searching for a door. By now, she would probably have followed him into a Death Eater meeting, if it meant she could sit down and just rest her feet for a minute or two.
Harry looked over at Hermione who was now looking in through one of the many windows. "What do you think?" he asked.
"It looks deserted," she agreed.
"It's the end of July, everyone is on their holidays," he said confidently. "And if a janitor would happen to appear, well the school is huge. We'll be able to hide."
He pulled his wand from his pocket. Hermione reached out.
"No magic," she hissed. Harry turned to her.
"Unless we have to!" he added, "Do you want to keep walking, get a hotel, or hide here" he asked. She nodded and he cast a spell at the security alarm. It had been blinking green but as he spoke it shone a bright purple. Harry held the door open for her and she hurried inside. He cast another spell and the alarm started blinking green again.
Hermione looked around; this must be the biggest school in town. She could see no lockers in sight, it was just a huge entrance, even though they came from the side. A large staircase was to her right. She goggled.
"Let's find somewhere to rest," Harry said and looked at her. She wasn't moving in the slightest. "Hermione?"
She looked around with big eyes. The school was obviously being remodeled over the summer because benches and debris were stacked in corners, in huge piles. She walked forward towards a sign reading "Café."
"Where are you going?" Harry asked. She waved her hand at him dismissively and walked into the school café. It was quite sterile and she could see the stand for trays. She walked over to the wooden sofas, they looked very uncomfortable.
"This is nothing like Hogwarts, huh?" she said and turned to Harry.
"No," he agreed. "Shall we proceed?" he inquired a bit worried now.
She nodded and followed him. They walked down hall after hall. The lockers soon appeared and Hermione wondered how many people attended this school. It must be a public school, as the lockers were torn and battered and should have been changed years ago. All around them were desks, shelves, and computers. They were surely in the middle of remodeling the school, but just as Harry had said, they seemed to all have gone on their summer holiday.
As they entered the gym, Hermione looked longingly at each of the benches, thinking about sleeping on them-but they were hard, and none had a cushion.
"Toilet!" Hermione shrieked and yet again she marveled at how she had pushed feelings away. But when she saw the reading saying Ladies, she knew how much she had to go. She was oddly pleased by the feeling of washing her hands, as well, she hated feeling dirty. She wanted to take her clothes off and wash away all the dirt she could feel, but they should probably find their resting place for the night first. When she left the toilet, Harry was nowhere to be seen. Panic started to rise slightly.
"Harry?" she called out into the long corridor ahead of her. She turned quickly to see the other end just as empty. "Harry?" she repeated. There was no answer and waves of panic grew inside her. She turned again wondering where he could have gone.
"Exits, Entrances, attack points?" she rambled in her mind when a warm hand landed on her shoulder. She spun around fast and grabbed his hand roughly. Harry hissed in pain as she twisted it, out of pure instinct and training he shoved her hard on the shoulder and she stumbled backwards many steps. Their eyes met, both in shock.
"Sorry," they both said. Harry started walking and Hermione followed him in silence. She carefully massaged her shoulder but took delight in the fact that Harry was carefully shaking his wrist.
"Harry," she started and he turned around quickly, catching her off guard.
"Are you too tired?" he asked. He was concerned but it annoyed her-she could bloody well take care of herself. She wasn't a princess who had to be handled.
"No!" she answered annoyed. "I bet I could walk around this school hours longer than you," she spat and she knew she sounded like a child. Harry chuckled and it annoyed her even more. "I just wanted to ask what you are searching for." Harry looked around and thought for a moment.
"Somewhere to sleep, sorry if I'm moving too quickly," he said and he meant it.
"This is a school," Hermione gestured to a school bench. "I think these will have to do!"
"What about at the principal's office?" he suggested and she shrugged.
"And do you know where it is?" she had had about enough of walking around the school; any old bench seemed pretty tempting by now. Even the cold floor would do.
"Let's follow the signs." They couldn't understand them but there was certainly a pattern. Hermione figured the main one, the constant one, would lead to the principal. They arrived at what they guessed was the principal's office. It looked like some kind of reception area, but it was filled with debris just like the rest of the school.
"What a dump!" Harry exclaimed. Hermione nodded in agreement. They looked around, but every bench was also wood.
"So we'll just sleep here then?" Hermione said hopefully, sleep was threatening, dangerously close to knocking her out. Her eyes wished to shut even when she was standing up.
"If you'd like, but I have just one more idea," he said and she nodded tiredly. He started walking and turned to look at her. She was standing still. He chuckled again and walked up to her. He gently placed his arms over her shoulder and guided her forward. "Tired?" he said kindly, she looked up at him.
"Very," she said and it was true. The sleep Harry had gotten on the trolley, she hadn't and she had been awake running, concentrating at her best for more than twenty-four hours.
"Let's just look at this last place," he offered and she didn't answer. The feeling of his arm over her shoulders comforted her, and even in her sleep-deprivation she loved the feeling. She leaned her head against his shoulder, she hadn't meant to do it but it came so naturally. Harry felt her head and had to concentrate at walking. He wanted to turn around and grab her, he wanted to swoop her up in his arms and carry her, but he had a strong feeling that she wouldn't like that at all.
"Hermione," he said in a hushed voice. She looked up. "Just stay here for a moment." He sat her
down on a bench, but she was so tired that she hardly noticed. In what she felt was a blink of an eye he was back.
"Found it!" he said proudly and she nodded. She had no idea what he was referring to. They only walked for a few minutes before he opened the door to…heaven.
Sofa's in many colors, swamped in pillows and blankets. Hermione looked around in shock. A bathroom to her right,a kitchen to her left, and straight ahead was the lovely room with blankets and pillows.
"Wh-," she started.
"The teacher's lounge," Harry said, the pride in his voice was obvious. She didn't answer, she just started forwards and lunged herself on one of the closest sofas. Harry smiled. He was happy to have found the room; he knew how much she needed the sleep. He had felt the exact same way when she had let him sleep on her lap. His mind wandered back, remembering how lovely it had been. But he felt her anguish, walking like a zombie was horrible. It was like walking under water. Wishing to understand what was happening, doing your best, but still not quite following.
Harry pushed a sofa much closer to hers than was necessary. He told himself that he just wanted to be able to keep an eye on her. Before he laid down he looked at her again. She was far gone, lost somewhere in the land of dreams. He grabbed a blanket and laid it over her. He kneeled next to her and watched her for a while. She breathed so calmly, as if she was safe. He realized what he was doing only after he had done it. He had reached out and grazed her cheek with the back of his index and middle finger. He stroked her cheek gently. Her skin felt like smooth velvet to him.
"Sleep," he whispered. His hand gently touched her cheek down her neck to her shoulder and he squeezed it. He walked over to his own sofa and laid down. He stared at the ceiling for just a few moments before he involuntarily turned to his side and looked at her again. She was so captivating and it scared him. Just thinking about her made his heart race faster. How the hell was he supposed to concentrate on the mission with her around?
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