Summary: My version of 7th book. Harry, Ron, Hermione start off at the Dursley's as planned and then go on to the horcrux hunt as planned. They didn't count on a stubburn Ginny to demand to come along. Will Harry let her what with his hero complex and all? Traitors, Fighting, Mystery, Romance, Adventure, tough life really. See what happens. HG RHr Little bits of: RLNT NLLL BWFD and maybe others?

Every Second Counts

Chapter One: Love of the Dursley's Giving

It was raining, but it was better if it rained. That way at least you could pretend that the whole world was grieving with you. At least, it seemed like the whole world was crashing down for everyone else too, and for many witches and wizards in Britain, it was.

Harry Potter was one such person. He was a 16 year old wizard, walking down the manicured street of Privet Drive, Little Whinging, with his two best friends, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. They weren't happy, far form it, the rain at least seemed to share their feelings and it was comforting somehow. The world was cruel; it seemed to be a series of one horrible event after the other, especially for Harry.

Horrible. That's how I feel. Harry thought to himself. His mentor Albus Dumbledore just died, he broke up with the girl that he lo- the girl that he was dating, he had to go on a dangerous mission and kill the worst wizard alive, he was going to his hated relatives house and didn't really think he stood a good chance at surviving this war. He didn't know what to do, his plans never included Dumbledore dying, he wasn't supposed to die, he was supposed to help Harry, he was supposed to take Harry to get the horcruxes, teach him how to fight Voldemort and be there for him, but nothing ever went as planned. The rain was numbing, it was good, it was cold and let him forget for a second everything around him and in no time he was standing in front of number 4 and was about to knock on the door.

He tried to get Ron and Hermione to go home, to stay away from him, to be safe. He shouldn't have bothered, they were to bloody stubborn for their own good. Harry caved in the end and was now kind of glad he did as he knocked on the door and heard the thunderous footsteps of his hefty Uncle Vernon with the walrus mustache and stomach to match. The door opened and to say that Uncle Vernon was surprised would be the understatement of the year.

"What the hell are you doing here so early? Did you get expelled?" Vernon's voice went from that of rage and annoyance to that of glee and excitement faster than you can say Quidditch.

"No, schools out early."

"Well why weren't we informed earlier?"

"Dunno, can we get in?"

"We!?! Who the bloody hell are they?" Vernon only then seemed to notice Ron and Hermione through his outrage at Harry being home early.

"My friends, they're staying here. Can we get to my room now? I'm not in the mood for talking right now." Harry sighed, Vernon was getting on his nerves, he just wanted to go to his room to sulk, not argue with his uncle.

"I don't think so but get in the living room quickly before the neighbors see them, can't have them seeing more of 'your' kind around here." Vernon was quickly becoming enraged but wouldn't have the neighbors looking on more freaks entering his household. They quickly made their way into the living room were Vernon stood outraged in front of the three of them. "Now I don't care if you don't feel like talking, I demand that you tell me why you are here and why they are here, and while you're at it why don't you tell me when your leaving too."

Ron and Hermione seemed outraged at the attitude of which they were being talked to and to the way they were being looked at, like gum under someone's shoe. Still, they stood quiet behind Harry and let him do the talking as Harry had said on the train. Then a horsy looking woman came in through the kitchen and looked on in surprise at the three people standing here in the room. Dudley came in after her, chowing down on something that looked sticky and gross.

"What the hell are you doing here?" asked Dudley stupidly, he was still large as ever and his little piggy eyes eyed the two strangers oddly.

"Schools out early as I said before, I could ask the same for you Dudley, I didn't know term for you ended so soon?" Harry had an inkling that Dudley had been expelled and the thought satisfied him slightly to think of his Aunt and Uncle's precious son getting kicked out of school. His suspicions were confirmed by the way Dudley fidgeted and Vernon glared.

"Never mind that, answer my questions will you!"

"I told you school finished early and I'm not going into details about it, we'll only be here awhile, yes they are staying with me, and we'll leave the day before my birthday probably which means it'll only be about a month and a half and then you'll never see me ever again." Harry finished with a note of finality and Vernon seemed to sense it too because he just bristled and moved out of the way so they could go upstairs.

"I will not be feeding them, or giving any extra room, or watching after them, or taking any funny business." Vernon shouted after them.

"Fine, just fine, you won't even see us." Harry said cutting short what probably would have been a long and tiring list. "This way, it's the first room to the right."

As they entered his room they quickly realized that they took up all the empty space the room had to offer and would barely be able to move let alone sleep here, not to mention that Hermione was a girl and probably shouldn't be bunking with them anyways, even if they were friends.

"Right." Hermione said taking out her wand and was about to solve the problem before Harry grabbed her wrist tightly to stop any spells from occurring. She understood what he was going to say because before he could say anything she started to speak. "Harry, Ron's dad already told the ministry that we are going to be staying here it's ok, you won't get in trouble for the magic." He nodded and a second later Hermione was muttering under her breath and the room was expanding and desks and beds were materializing out of nothing to accommodate them for the time being.

"Wow Hermione, isn't this NEWT level stuff?" Ron asked as he stepped in further and settled himself on the top bunk that had been made on top of Harry's old bed. Hermione just blushed and went to her own bed in the corner. As they settled in, no one spoke; they didn't know what to say. No one wanted to break the silence so instead they just sat there for awhile staring around. Ron decided to be bold and say something.

"I wonder what will happen now. What with him gone and all, you think Hogwarts will open next year?"

"Probably not, but it doesn't really matter if it does, not to me anyway, I'm not going if it does. As for what will happen now, well, we move on, keep searching without him." Harry spoke sadly looking out of the window at the rainy scene. "I'm gonna turn in, the bathroom is just across from here." Harry threw off his shirt without a care that Hermione was here and stripped to his boxers and an undershirt and quickly laid in his bed. The other two seemed to follow as Hermione left with pajamas in hand and came back shortly after. The laid in there separate beds again and soon enough the even breathing of two of the occupants could be heard. Harry stayed awake for awhile, just thinking and laying there relishing in the moments of peace he had before he went to sleep and nightmares would assault his mind.

Well Chap one is up, hopefully will go well and the second chap should be up in a couple days? Please feel free to Review, Flame whatever you feel like.