Harry Potter & The Call of the Mountain
Chapter One : Mount Deathsday
Harry Potter sighed as he sat down in front of the television. Next to him was a photograph , the last time he'd seen or heard from Ron and Hermione. Rumor had it that they would be journeying to where no man had ever thought of journeying. He'd heard it from Arthur Weasley, but he absolutely hated to believe it. Mount Deathsday was a hidden mountain from all the muggle world. To the Wizarding World, it was there in plain sight - opposite from Mount Everest.
The Wizarding World had decided to cloak the mountain due to muggles flocking to Mt. Deathsday in hundreds, leaving in low hopes and a count of only three or four. It was called Mount Deathsday because of the thousands who had died. For the first time in a century, a team of highly skilled climbers would scale the mountain. Its subzero temperatures were enough to make Harry shiver and rub his arms. His emerald green eyes scanned the screen. Sure enough, there was Hermione and Ron hugging each other closely, and smiling as they were being interviewed by the Daily Prophet.
"Miss Granger, how do you feel about climbing Mount D?" The news reporter asked Hermione. Hermione smiled and thought about it for a moment. "This is a break through in your climbing career and if you make it through this then you and your team of ten will be heros!"
"Well, I can only hope for the best. The mountain weather, according to our data, will clear tomorrow and it will be a rough three days to the peak of Mount D." Hermione answered swiftly. Harry sighed once more, as the childhood days of being close with Hermione were over. He wondered how he had grown apart from his two best friends on the last day of school where they swore they would stay together. 'I guess times have changed.' He thought resilently, and stood up.
"Do you have a message for anyone out there in the world to say?" The reporter asked again as Hermione turned to walk away. "Since this is basically your contact with the world as owls are not avaliable to fly here due to cold weather do you have any last comments you would like to tell the world?"
"Yes, I would like to ask Harry Potter if he would like to see us launch off to be here on Wednesday, September 29th, 2002." Hermione said with an inconsistancy in her throat, like she felt that the world would never possibly hear her over the rough winds of Mount D. Half-way across the world, Harry Potter grabbed his heavy winter coat, several pairs of clothing, shoving them roughly into the suitcase and apparated out the door.
**
Tuesday , September 29th, 2002
"Do you honestly think that Harry Potter of all people will show up after what you did?" Ronald Weasley asked, as he looked down at Hermione Granger. They were inside their massive tent which was designed to hold the team of climbers as well as their ground crew. At the last day of school, Hermione had gone out with Draco Malfoy giving the whole of Hogwarts a passionate kiss as the bell rang. No one had found out and Hermione proudly spoke that they were a couple for three years.
"I was just hoping.." Hermione began when Ron began to explain the boys logic to her again." Ron placed his hands firmly on her shoulders and glanced her in the eye. 'Ron...' Hermione thought and blushed slightly. It made no difference, as the cold arctic air was making her cheeks a rosy pinkish color.
"Hermione, listen to me. Harry's not going to come after all he's-" They were interrupted by a familiar face poking through the sheet that blocked view inside the room. "Well, speak of the devil."
Harry Potter grinned sheepishly as he winked as the two mountaineers gawked in awe. "Sorry I'm late." Harry said awkwardly, wishing to break the ice between the two. Of course there was tension. Ever since Draco had intruded and broken apart their bond, secretly each of the three of the trio had wished that they were back together. They stood glancing at each other, and finally after the tension had reached its point they laughed and hugged. It was only Harry and Ron who shook hands.
"It's great that you could come." Hermione said shyly. "We were looking forward to seeing if you would show up or not."
"You can stay in here with us. If any of the other female mountaineers knew you were here, we'd be stampeded." Ron offered knowingly, since Harry's popularity had gone upward after he defeated the Dark Lord, though there was no trace of a body, nor of his existance. None-the-less, Harry was a hero.
"Thanks." Harry said, and suddenly it became quiet once more.
"So.. I heard that you're engaged." Hermione grinned at Ron, who in turn playfully patted Harry on the back.
"We always knew that you would be the first one of us to get married." Ron teased, but with Hermione's nervousness sensed that something was wrong. "Herm, what's going on? You seem really quiet lately."
"Well, I figured that we needed another guy on the team due to that Antoine isn't feeling very well and won't make it up the mountain..." Hermione began, but thought better of it.
"And?" Ron added, hoping that Hermione would just spit it out.
"Draco Malfoy's on the team." Hermione sighed, as she looked at the ground.
"What?!" Ron's ears turned red. Not the embarassed red, but the red of someone who is about to blow their top. "You didn't tell me?!"
"Well, it's wierd. He just showed up at our tent and asked if we had any open positions." Hermione said quietly. Harry shook his head, his lips curled into a smirk and he nodded his head. Hermione and Ron were total opposites. Hermione cared for science. Ron cared for Quidditch. Hermione liked shopping, but Ron hated it.
"Fine. Next time, ask me about it." Ron said sighing and flopping onto the canopied bed. Hermione seeing that she had won the battle walked outside, where she was greeted by a male voice. Brotherly instinticts kicked in, and Harry followed Hermione outside the tent.
**
Action. Adventure. You name it coming up next chapter ;D Also more romance and you can find out who Hermione meets :) I'll probably get the next chapter up soon! Thanks! Erm please review so I can see where this is headed.