Hidden Truths

Chapter 1: Something Amiss

Harry was alone, something that was quite unusual. For once Ron and Hermione were elsewhere. His scar prickled and he looked up just in time to see Hermione whisk into a passageway. That was strange. She had told him and Ron that she would be in the library. Harry kept on walking. He would ask her later what she was doing all the way down in the dungeons. The dungeons were dark and damp. Perspiration hung in the air, hanging on Harry's every breath. The only reason why he was there was because Dobby had wanted to tell him something, but didn't want anyone to hear. He dragged Harry all the way to the dungeons to tell him that someone close to him was being deceitful. Why didn't he tell Harry who? He sighed. He didn't know what was worse, Dobby's mysterious person or that he had to walk all the way from the dungeons to lunch, just to come back again.

When Harry reached the Great Hall he saw that Hermione wasn't back yet from her mysterious venture to the dungeons. He spotted Ron and plopped into the seat next to him. He looked around. The Great Hall was bustling with students. The noise was moderate and if he concentrated he could hear some distant conversations about the latest Quidditch match.

"What's wrong Harry? You look dreadful." Ron looked at him worried.

"Oh nothing." He explained what Dobby had said, though he thought better than to tell Ron about Hermione's appearance in the dungeons. It would be best if he found out what it was all about first.

Hermione walked into lunch just as Harry and Ron were finishing up. She sat down next to them, breathing deeply, giving the impression that she had run to the Great Hall.

"What's the matter with you?" Ron asked looking at her.

"Oh, nothing," she puffed. "I just wanted to get here before lunch was over." With that, she put some food onto her plate and began to eat at breakneck speed.

"Where were you?" Ron asked demandingly.

"Just studying in the library, but I forgot my things and had to run all the way back up to the common room and back down."

"Oh." That was the end of the conversation.

They walked down to potions class and waited for Professor Snape to let them in. Potions class went by with out a hitch. By the time they had reached the Gryffindor common room, Harry knew something was wrong.

"Does anything seem unusual to you today?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, now that you mention it, it seems as though something is missing or different." Ron replied.

"I just can't seem to think of what it is." Harry said. His eyes glazed over as he slipped into his thoughts.

"Oh, well," Ron said. "We might as well start our homework."

He pulled his homework towards him to begin. About halfway through he ran out of ink.

"I'll be back. I just have to go get more ink."

"Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Yes?" She answered with out looking up.

"Why were you in the dungeons today?" Harry looked at her and thought he saw a worried expression cross her face. He blinked and it was gone.

"Oh you saw me?"

"Yes."

"Well you see…"

Ron entering the room cut her off and she returned to her homework. Harry busied himself with doing his homework, but only with half of his attention. The rest was wondering what Hermione was about to say.

Hermione went up to bed a few minutes later, so Harry didn't get a chance to question her again. After failing to finish his homework, he went up to bed. He lay on his side, brooding about what Hermione was doing down in the dungeon. All the while Dobby's words echoed through his head. Someone is being deceitful to you; he turned over trying to get them out of his head. No it wasn't possible. Hermione wouldn't betray him and Ron, though still, she was acting pretty strange. Harry shook his head. Hermione was his friend and he should trust her. Still he had trouble going to sleep and when he finally did he had nightmares of betrayal stalking his sleep.

The next morning Harry went downstairs early to see Hermione before she went to breakfast. After waiting for a while, he decided that she must have already gone down to breakfast. Harry ran downstairs and arrived at the Great Hall in a flurry of loose papers that had moments ago covered the floor. He looked around, no Hermione. Where could she be? He sat down for breakfast. A moment later Ron came in yawning.

"Good, morning." Ron yawned.

"Hey, have you seen Hermione?"

"No, not yet."

"She went out this morning right before breakfast was ready to be served," said Ginny, hopping down into the seat next to Ron.

"Oh, do you know where she's gone?"

Ginny pursed her lips in a typical Hermione way. "Why do you want to know?"

"Because I want to know what she is up to." Harry said looking at her. He was sure she knew where she was.

"All I know is where she is."

"Then what is she doing," Harry and Ron asked.

"That would be my business." Hermione said as she sat down next to Harry.

"We were just wondering." said Harry. He kept his eyes on his food, so she couldn't see the suspicion that he knew was there.

"Well…," Ron said, his eyes searching around the Great Hall looking for something else to talk about. "Hey, what has Malfoy been up to lately? He has been quiet." Ron said as his eyes saw Malfoy coming into the Great Hall.

"Probably thinking up something horrible," Harry muttered.

"Why can't he just leave us alone?" Hermione said exasperatedly. Harry could see that she was happy to change the subject, and grabbed on to it with much enthusiasm.

"Yeah," Harry said. He really wanted to ask her what she was up to, but decided against it.

"By the way, have you two finished your homework?" Harry and Ron sighed.

"You know, we're not as smart as you Hermione. We don't do homework that should take us two days in ten minutes."

Hermione just shrugged, "Too bad." With that, she flew off again.

"What is up with her?" Ron said, gapping at her as she walked away.

"I have no clue, but I plan to find out."

Harry followed Hermione down through the twists and turns of the dungeons. She obviously knew where she was going and walked with the air of someone going about their usual routine. His stomach lurched at the thought that he was spying on one of his best friends. He knew he should trust her, but he just didn't know. She had been acting weird lately and as Ron had so politely put it, "weirder than usual." She seemed more aloof and strangely distant. Even her schoolwork, which usually interested Hermione, seemed to be a waste of time. Lately, it was rare that she had her hand up to answer a question, let alone take sufficient notes.

He was going to get to the bottom of this; he had to. Lurking around the corner, he stuck his head out just in time to see Hermione dodge into a room. This was it, he thought, his stomach doing flips and turns. He ran crouched to the door. It was open a crack and voices were floating through the door in indistinct whispers. His face leaned against the cold dark wood of the door and he could just make out Hermione talking to a familiar voice.

"Did anyone follow you?" Said the faintly familiar voice.

"Not that I can tell, but we're going to have to tell Harry and Ron sometime. Harry is getting a little suspicious." Hermione spoke this time.

"He'll never put two and two together, not unless he follows you."

"Maybe, but he'll probably follow me. We can't hide this forever."

"Yes, but they definitely will not approve," Harry knew this voice, but from where? His brain was screwed up in concentration as he ran through lists of names.

"I can't stay long today, I promised Ginny I'd help her with some of her work."

"Okay."

Harry leaned forward and gently pushed the door a little. Sweat glittered along his face. He could just barely see two figures. He edged it open a bit more. SQUEAKKKKKKKKK! The door made a loud violent noise.

"What was that?" asked the voice again.

"I don't know. I'll check."

Harry ran around the corner and stood flat against the cool surface of the wall breathing hard. He heard footsteps fall against the floor of the room from around the corner. Harry held his breathe as he heard the door open and he knew someone was sticking their head out of it. Please don't look around the corner. Please don't look. As if reading Harry's mind, the person began to walk toward the corner. Harry knew in a few steps he would be found, one…. two….

"Don't bother, it was probably just the draft." Hermione said from inside the room. "There is a horrible draft down here."

Did he steal himself to…? Harry didn't know. He edged himself toward the corner. Did he dare peak his head out? And what was stopping him form bursting in there and seeing whom it was? Harry sighed. He knew Hermione would never forgive him if he did that. He took a deep breath and stuck his head out from around the corner.