Love; Lost & Found
Dear Hermione,
I hope Hedwig finds you before the 1st, I sent a letter to Sirius, he is only two days away but it took her five to get there. I'm going to have her checked in the Magical Menagerie when I get to Diagon Alley. I know that it is a bit late, but I sent you a little birthday present. Since this letter is a long one, and Ron's reply to my letter is there too, I hope, and another letter to Sirius, I borrowed Pigwideon to bring your present. I do hope that you like it.
What classes are you taking this year? Everything but Divination I expect. Ron and I are going to meet at Flourish and Bott's the 33rd of August. Do you think you can be there? This year it is the very last compartment that I reserved on the on the Hogwarts Express. By the way, I wonder what Hagrid did with Lanara. Any idea's? See you when I see you I guess. Good-bye, happy summer vacation.
Love, love, love-
Harry
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"Oy, Harry, Herm, you finally got here! I'd been wondering," said Ron. The three sixth years had gathered outside Flourish and Bott's. "Aaahhhh...Potter, Weasley, Granger. A pureblood, a half-blood and of all things, a filthy mudblood." Before Malfoy could do a thing, Harry had jumped on him, and was now choking him, and Malfoy's face was turning from pale pink to a violet purple. "Never- say- that- about- her-!!!", said Harry fiercely, his grip tightening. "The only teacher who ever truly wanted to give you a good grade was Snape. And in my opinion, he's not much of a teacher,"Harry said almost in a whisper. As Malfoy was now turning a bright blue, Harry let him go. He figured that strangling someone was a good way to get yourself expelled. "Come on, forget that numskull. He's as good as expelled this year. I got a truth-telling-spell this summer. Fred and George taught me,"said Ron happily. After they had gotten their supplies and Harry had had Hedwig checked over, Hermione had gotten Crookshanks another large bag of cat-food,and Ron got Pig, who didn't like the cold, a tiny owl sweater for the winter. "Now if Pig would just show up,"said Ron. As he did there was a loud chirping from above and Pig landed on Ron's head."OUCH!!! Watch where you land next time you crazy owl! Oy, Herm here's your present, and remind me to thank Sirius for him, I have to go tell Mum that I've got him....,"said Ron. As he stalked off, the minute owl resting in his hand, Hermione felt the tiny package that Ron had given her. "Come on, open it! I can't wait to see the look on your face!"
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Harry sat across from Herm in the last compartment. As she started to unwrap it, Harry said out of the blue,"No wait, I have to do something real quick." She handed him the package, and watched intently. "Shut your eyes." She obliged. "You can open them now." Herm did, and they instantly filled with tears. Harry was kneeling in front of her, and he was holding a wedding ring. It was a gold band, with two rubies set in a sea of emeralds, with a circle of diamonds. There were two tiny sapphires in the center of the rubies. "Harry, I don't know what to say." He smiled at her, and said, "just say yes." She stared at his eyes, as green as the emeralds in the ring, and she fell in love with him all over again.
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"Ron, Ron! There you are! Herm and I have the most glorious news in....The..... World.." Harry and Herm had just gone to tell Ron, who had been forced to sit with Fred, George, and Ginny. But sitting across from Ron, talking to the three boys, who had all three's (sorry four's) attention, was Olivia Sharpless. "Oh hello Harry, Hermione. I was just telling Ron here that at Beauxbatons, we had a huge pool, that was always cool, and that on our supply list, a bathing suit was required." Herm could just see the four boys picturing Olivia, long black hair, pretty face, and swimsuit. "Yes, well, I need to talk to these five privately,"said Hermione. "All right. I do need to see how Mouse, my cat is doing," Olivia replied, and walked away.
"Now you all, Harry and I have something important to tell you. Guys!!! Ginny, do you know what's wrong with them?!", asked Herm indignantly. " Haven't a clue. Olivia there came in, and they're eyes got all cloudy, and they all started grinning." Harry, who suddenly snapped out of it, said,"Herm, I swear that she's a veela! I mean that's the only way that she could do that to all four of us!" He looked at Herm, and his pleading look told her that it was true. "All right, but anyway, Harry has proposed, and I said yes! After we get out of school, we're going to get married, and we decided that we're gonna have a nice little house in Hogsmeade. What do you think?" The three Weasley's were shocked at the news. "But....All right, whatever, I like Parvati anyway," said Ron. "Bravo, but do you want word to get out?", asked Fred and George in unison. "Not now, I'm not sure what Malfoy'd say 'bout me, a pureblood, marrying a muggle-born. My life would be a living hell," said Harry. "We will be at the Hogwarts castle in 5 minutes. If you have not, you need to put on your school robes. Thank you,"said a voice over the loudspeaker. "Ginny, go out so we can change," said Ron.
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"'Arry, there you are! Been wonderin'. Come an' see you know who!", sad Hagrid to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. It was their second day back, and as the four people made their way to the little hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, they heard low rumblings coming from inside. "'Ere she is. 'Ave a look!", Hagrid said happily. Inside, near the fire, was a large baby dragon. It was bigger than Norbert had been when they had let him go. "Lanara...Oh Hagrid, I don't care if it's against the law, she's gorgeous!", said Herm excitedly. The dragon was metallic blue, with black, silver and gold trimmings on her wings, and the same along the spikes on her back. She was beautiful!!! "Hagrid, we'll help,"said Herm with a smile.
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"Harry, I need to talk to you." Herm and Harry were sitting in a rocky outcropping near the lake. The eye of the giant squid was staring at them from the depths. "Promise me you won't back out. I mean, like not want to marry me." Harry turned to her, surprised. "Herm, I love you." She looked out across the lake, where a hinkypunk, thinking that they were lost, was hopping across a swampy area, where the merpeople lived, trying to lure them away with the lantern he held in his hand. Herm siddled up closer to Harry. "Herm..." Harry leaned over and kissed her softly. "I love you. Not Olivia, Ginny, Cho, not anyone could take that away from us."
"Let's go see Hagrid and Lanara. Come on Harry." The two lovers walked through the moonlight over to the hut. They once again heard low growls. Hagrid happily anwsered their knock. Lanara was curled up under the table. "She's sweet. She let me pet 'er last night. Ain't she a beauty!", Hagrid proclaimed, as if he were the father of the dragon. Lanara looked up, and a tiny spurt of flames came out of her tiny, toothy mouth as she heaved a sigh. "Lanara really needs more space. Pretty soon she'll be to big for your hut all together, Hagrid," said Ron. "I know, but I don't know where to put 'er. If she's found, she'll be destroyed. I can't let that 'appen to 'er."
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"There is to be a ball on the 18th of October, and the band 'Charms', shall be performing here. The ball is open to fourth years and up. The young couples in our school should probably start asking around for a date. Just have a good time!", said Dumbledore. It was the 10th of October, and the matter of Lanara, who was now taking up most of the hut, was growing ever larger.
Harry went up to Hermione after potions that day, in which both Ron and Harry had gotten a detention with Filch. They had said something to Malfoy that I won't repeat, and Sir Draco, the all-hailed prince, (cough cough gag and yech) said that they had done something much worse.
"Herm, do you think, that well..." Harry blushed and looked away. "Harry, of course I'll go to the ball with you. Your cute, smart, popular, and I love you, so why wouldn't I?" Suddenly their was a sight down the hall that made Harry drool and Herm gag. It was Ron talking to Olivia. She was smiling her platinum smile of hers, and Ron may as well have been eating out of the palm of her hand. "Hey Harry, I was just gonna ask Livy if-" Ron's words were cut short by Harry saying," Olivia, will you go to the dance with me?" She nodded, and Hermione felt a tear come to her eye. "Then just take your stupid ring! I loved you Harry Potter, and you treat me like dirt!" Hermione ran to the common room, and the fat lady, knowing her face and seeing her condition, let her in without a password. Harry went running after her. "Hippogriff, hurry up and let me in!", Harry yell at the portrait. "All right, all right," the fat lady said irritably. He ran into the common room, and seeing it empty except for a shocked Seamus, burst into the girls dormitory. Knowing that the others were in their classes, he went to the four poster bed that sobs were coming from.
"Herm, listen to me! Please listen, I can explain!" She looked at him, a look of hatred in her eyes. "Get away from me. I wanted to marry you, but now your just another boy. A senseless, stupid, reckless boy."She slapped him, leaving a bright red mark on his cheek. "Fine. I'll take Olivia, and you can find some other stupid, senseless, reckless boy to take you to the dance. And I mean someone stupid!" He marched into the common room and out the door.
"Well what was the point of going in, then?!", the fat lady called after him. "Hey Ron! I'm gonna take Livy to the dance, and you can take miss Granger in there. I'm not associating with mudbloods anymore!", Harry said defiantly. "All right, I just had a fight with Olivia, and I never want to see her ugly face again!" The two boys stormed off to differerent areas of the castle. When Harry found Olivia, she had regained her smiling face, and greeted Harry cheerily. "Oh, Harry what happened? You look upset!" He looked at her and was lost in her beautiful blue eyes. "Yeah, I had a fight with Hermione Granger. Ron's gonna take her to the dance. Do you still wanna come with me?"
As soon as she started nodding, everyone within twenty miles of the castle heard a thundering growl. "Oh no, that sounded like Lanara! We have to go to Hagrid's! Come on Olivia!" Hermione and Ron both thought the same thing. They met at the door, and Harry shot a dark look at Herm, and Olivia wouldn't look at Ron. They sprinted across the grounds, only to be faced with the sight of Professor McGonagall telling Hagrid off for having a very large dragon in his hut. "Hagrid, I can't believe you! When the headmaster gets back he will have to hear about this!" Hagrid was feebly crying, and in the midst of Hagrid's troubles the sixth years forgot their own. "We have to see what we can do about Lanara," called Harry over the uproar. "Harry, who's Lananra?", Olivia asked. "That's Lanara."
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The dragon had gone on a rampage, after a ferret bit her on the nose. "Girl, pretty girl, calm down!", said Herm anxiously. Suddenly a disheveled Dumbledore appeared out of midair. He had aparated from England, where he had been gone on a business trip. He did a simple charm on Lanara, and she instantly became as gentle as a puppy. "'Eadmaster, I'm truly sorry! I never thought she'd act like that! She was real gentle when she was an egg, I don' know why she's doin' this-" Dumbledore smiled, and said to the crowd gathered, mots of whom were whistling in admiration at the dragon's beauty," Since
she is very gentle now, and that our guards ran away in fear for their lives, I have a proposition to make. I think that it would be splendid if Lanara here would guard the main entrance to the castle! She would have to have a password that you couldn't get in without, or that she would just remember faces. We'll vote on it later. Now Reubus, would that be all right with you?" Hagrid smiled sheepishly and nodded. A cheer went up from the crowd.
A/N Note that in the third book, the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, is thinking about dragons at the entrance.
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"Hi Lanara, foxfire, isn't it?" The dragon moved her tail and allowed Harry and Olivia to pass. "Hasn't she grown beautifully?", asked Hermione to Ron, as they went after the rest of the class from their Care of Magical Creatures Class, and off to the Defense Against the Dark Arts room. The dragon had reached her full size of 47', and was as gentle as a lamb to those who had the password. Dumbledore had helped Neville install a memory spell in his wand, and when he asked, it made a whirring sound and said the password. This was very handy.
As the ball, in honor of Lupin, who had returned at request of Dumbledore, was to be in a week, almost all of the girls were in Hogsmeade. Hermione was on her way down to the new shop,Gardenia's Gowns, when she met Parvati and Lavender, chatting in the snow. "I know, and do you know what I saw Harry and Olivia doing out by the lake? They've been over their making out every night. Oh, hi Herm," said Lavender. As they went over to the entrance, a smug looking Olivia came out. "Let's just see who looks better at the dance, you or me." She arched an eyebrow and stalked away, patting the parcel at her hip.
As they entered the shop, a pretty witch approached them. "Oh, I have the perfect dress for you! Follow me," she said to Hermione. The dress was indeed beautiful. It was a bright green, the color of emeralds. It was like someone had sewn a tubetop to a floor length tight skirt, with a slit up to the knee. Their was a hairpiece that went with it, made of sapphires, and rubies and amber made up the shape of a pheonix in the center. The dress fit perfectly. Hermione purchased it and left the quaint little shop.
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"Come on Livy, we'll be late!" She poked her head out of the dormitory door and said,"Then we will be late. And for the better. I can make a stunning entrance!" Harry nodded to Olivia and sat down near the fireplace, and then jumped up, remembering his coattails. Herm came out of the dormitory, dressed and Harry blinked at the shimmering beauty of the dress and the girl who wore it. "Ron, hurry please!" He came down the stairs, looking smart, in a black tux identical to Harry's. He took Herm's arm, and they climbed through the portrait hole.
The dance was to be held in the Great Hall, and everyone was excited about Charms performing. Herm and Harry had no idea who they were, living with muggles. As everyone awaited the performance by milling around the stage, the doors opened for the arrival of Olivia and Harry. Everyone glanced at Livy and a wave of muffled snickers went through the crowd. She was wearing a ball gown. It was bright pink, and had tiny butterflies all over. She had pink ribbons woven into her hair, and she looked ridiculous. The huge puffy skirt ruffled as if it was full of parchment. Suddenly a loud drumroll shook the castle, and a group of 3 girls and 3 boys ran on stage. "Hello! I'm Laura, for those of you who don't know, that's Mark, Mary, Alecia, Carl, and Eric. We really like your school, and I am pleased to say that all of us have attended here at Hogwarts, but on with the concert!"
Laura was a tall blonde with green eyes, and was the lead singer. Alecia and Eric were the backups. Mark played drums, and was sitting behind a large base drum, surronded by cymbals and snare drums. Mary played the keyboard, and Carl a acoustic guitar. "This is a little song I like, since I'm muggle born, and I wanted to introduce it to ya'll!", Mark called out, and a quick, almost creepy tune began.
Sometimes I don't understand,
Feels like I'm living in a world gone mad,
Look around, all sround it's just the same,
People just rush everywhere, no time to ever take the time to care,
We're the ones, We're the losers in this game,
so where is the tenderness we sacrifice for progress,
And where is the love we need, you know it makes me wonder,
(chorus)
What if everybody What if everybody
Reached out with just one hand,
What if everybody What if everybody
Sang out with just one voice,
Maybe we could change things,
What if everybody What if everybody
Cared with just one heart,
What if everybody What if everybody
Tried to light one spark,
Maybe we could change things somehow,
Somehow it's all up to us,
Gotta take this world, make it a world of love,
Gotta do it now, Gotta find a way to make a change somehow,
There's gotta be a way to make it better,
(chorus)
Here in our hearts, Oh the anwser is there,
If we only would look there inside,
We can make it better, We can make it better....
If we try together....
The truth in the song brought everyone together. The band was smiling at the looks of admriration of the muggle song on every face. "I figured ya'll would like it." The soft sound of Mark's voice made the assembly laugh. "Well here is one of our fav's that we wrote!" The band swung into a barrage of quick, slow, and just plain cool songs, during which everyone in the Great Hall, even the teachers, were dancing. Meanwhile, Harry and Herm seemed to be drifting towards each other from across the room. When they bumped into each other, Harry frowned and said," Look Herm, I'm sorry about what I said the other day. I just lost control. Will you still marry me?" He pulled the ring out of his jacket pocket. "Oh Harry, of course I will! I love you, but I was just mad at Olivia. Will you forgive me?" She leaned over and kissed him. He nodded and from across the room, they saw Ron dancing with Olivia. Laura, who saw the two pairs of lovers, thought longingly,"So there is a happily ever after..."
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Okay, Harry, Herm, Ron, Hagrid, the Fat Lady, Hogwarts, the hinkypunk, the teachers, Hogwarts, Hedwig, Sirius, Pigwideon, Mrs.Weasley, Fred & George, Ginny, Divination, DADA, Care of Magical Creatures, the Magical Menagirie, Dumbledore, Seamus, and Digon Alley all belong to J.K. Rowling (oh Mom, it is not to long!).
Olivia, Lanara, and my horses belong to me. And What If belongs to Reba Mcentire.