CHAPTER TWO: The Visitor
Hermione and Ron finally arrived at Gryffindor Tower after a twenty-minute trek from the hospital wing. After telling the password to the Fat Lady, they went inside the secret passage hidden behind the portrait, and Hermione bid Ron goodnight before making her way up the girls' dormitory. Entering the room, she noticed Parvati and Lavender already asleep. This was a good thing; she did not feel like talking to anyone now. All that she wanted to do was rest. After changing in to her P.J.s, she crawled in to her bed, but sleep seemed to elude her. She just couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen. As her father had once said, 'things tend to go pear-shaped exactly when they shouldn't.'
Hermione arrived at the Great Hall that morning, along with Parvati and Lavender. She then saw Ron already busy on his plate as Dean and Seamus were talking at the Gryffindor table. "Hey Ron!" Hermione greeted. Ron looked up at her and swallowed his mouthful of food with difficulty. "Hey Hermione!" said Ron, now gasping for air. Hermione sat down beside him and helped herself to a breakfast of eggs and bacon. "Good morning, Neville," She added as she saw him. He looked a little weak. "Is everything alright?" she asked.
"I'm just tired," Neville replied, stabbing a piece of bacon to his plate.
"What's the matter?" asked Lavender.
"I cleaned Lupin's classroom after class yesterday. He asked if I minded helping him with it," Neville told them.
"Why didn't you just say no?" Dean asked.
"I guess I got so used to doing detention with Snape, I lost my will to say 'I don't want to,'" he replied.
Neville had never had a whole table feel sorry for him all at once before. He started to fidget uncomfortably, not being used to the kind of attention he was receiving. As he tried to ignore the questions flying at him, suddenly an owl came swooping down the window above them. The owl was positively huge, colored black and gray. It stood like a soldier in salute after landing. Hermione was surprised when she saw the owl; she was not expecting a letter from anyone. She found the owl familiar but just could not remember where she might have seen it. Realizing that just looking at the owl would not help her, she took the letter tied with its leg. Once free of its burden, the owl flew away and left Hermione with her letter. She read the note once… twice… three times. After reading it, Hermione sighed in discomfort. "What's wrong?" Ron asked absentmindedly.
"Nothing. My entire world is falling apart around me, that's all," she answered.
"Okay," said Ron, still clueless. Probably just a girl thing, he thought.
"Damn. Damn. Damn!" Hermione muttered silently, becoming more vocal as her swearing went on. She lowered her head into her hands.
"Who's the letter from?"
Hermione jumped in surprise. She turned around, and there was Harry, smiling down at her.
"Harry!" Hermione said, displaying far too much enthusiasm, but simply thankful for a distraction. "Ron and I were just going to pick you up after breakfast," said Hermione. A few of the Gryffindors near them greeted Harry, and made him sit down to eat with them. "How are you mate? Does your chest still hurt?" asked Dean Thomas, who was sitting near Seamus and Ron. Harry sat down and grabbed a light breakfast, some toast and pumpkin juice. "It's actually getting better Dean, thanks for asking," he said. Hermione pocketed her mail and looked at Harry. "Just remember about what Madam Pomfrey said, you're not supposed to push yourself too hard," said Hermione.
Before he could think, Harry snorted at her usual mothering concern, but when she shot him the look of She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Disobeyed, his usual lion-hearted courage decided that a vacation sounded wonderful right then. "Erm… you, er, you didn't answer my question, though. Who was the letter from?"
Hermione leaned over and whispered in his ear, "I need to ask you about something later; and don't tell Ron about it, whatever you do." Harry then smirked and nodded at her with a look on his face that spoke of agreement. Exchanging grins, they both got back to their breakfasts.
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Professor McGonagall released the class a couple minutes earlier than usual that day. Harry was walking down the corridor, enjoying his few minutes of freedom before afternoon Potions, when he heard Hermione call his name. He glanced around, not seeing anyone, when he felt a hand grab his and yank him into an empty classroom. Hermione took out her wand and pointed it at the door. "Colloportus," she stated firmly, and the door clicked and glowed for a split second. "So? What's this all about?" asked Harry.
Hermione was blushing as she bit her lip in embarrassment. This behavior was quite new for her- she was usually quite outspoken. Harry found that the way she fidgeted her thumbs as she chewed her bottom lip was absolutely adorable. "Well, I was about to ask you if you could..." she began, trailing off as a new form of the color red enveloped her face. "I could what?" Harry asked, thoroughly confused. There was nothing Hermione could say to him that was this embarrassing. Right?
"I was wondering if you could be my boyfriend?" Hermione managed to blurt out, still blushing. Harry chuckled, "And Ron said you don't have a sense of humor." Harry continued on laughing, but he noticed Hermione was not laughing with him. She was perfectly still and glowing red at this point. The reality, that Hermione was not joking at all, hit Harry all at once. She really was serious. Harry's eyes widened. She couldn't be confusing me for someone else, could she? He thought. She would never feel that way about me. I'm just the best friend. As he learned how to form words again, his response was practically explosive. "What!?" Harry shouted, "You want me to be your boyfriend?" asked Harry, apparently choking between words.
"I just want you to pretend we're together, Harry," Hermione said quickly. "It's my Uncle, he's going to visit Hogwarts and he thinks you're my boyfriend!" Hermione added quickly. "BUT WHY?" Harry asked, his volume rising.
"Well, after I broke up with Viktor, I told him that I was seeing someone else. Someone better than him." said Hermione.
"And that would be me, right?" said Harry, his left hand currently holding his forehead to stop the room from spinning.
Hermione nodded.
Harry was growing paler with each passing second. Although he was still shocked speechless, he knew why Hermione told her uncle that he was her boyfriend. After all, a boyfriend better than Viktor Krum, world class Quidditch star, was a tall order. The "Boy Who Lived" was one of the few that qualified. He hated the title, but he was stuck with it.
Harry walked a few steps away and leaned on the nearest wall to him "I think I've got a migraine." said Harry in a faux-calm voice.
"I'm way ahead of you," said Hermione, rummaging in her bag for something. "I have a potion for headache here. Do you feel drowsy?"
"Hermione… are you sure about this?"
"It's just a few days, Harry. We'll only have to pretend until he goes back to Brighton," said Hermione. In truth, she was slightly hurt that he was so adverse to the idea. Harry was silent for a while, rubbing his temples with the tips of his fingers. He sighed, finally making his decision. What the hell. At the very least, it'll be an opportunity to see if we're… compatible, he thought to himself. "Alright, Hermione, I'll do it." Hermione's whole face brightened and she smiled a brilliant and contagious smile.
"Oh thank you Harry! You will never regret it, I promise! Count on me to make it up to you after this whole thing is over!" said Hermione cheerfully.
Harry crossed his arms, a playful smirk creeping onto his face. "You might say that I'm the best guy that you've ever had in your life."
Hermione laughed. "You're the best guy I ever had in my life."
"And…"
"And you're the king of awesomeness?"
"And…"
"Aaand… We're going to be late for potions, let's go!" she said, grabbing his arm.
"Well, well, it's nice of you to join us today," said Snape with a raised eyebrow as Harry and Hermione opened the door of potions classroom. "Twenty points from Gryffindor." Snape turned away from them and headed to his desk. Harry and Hermione went to their seats and placed their materials and equipment on their desk. Ron leaned close to Harry while he was setting up his cauldron.
"What took you two so long?" he asked.
Harry smiled. "It's nothing important," Harry replied, without looking at his friend. This might actually be a lot of fun.
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After classes were over and everyone was stuffed to the point of exploding with dinner, everyone headed back to their common rooms to do their homework, or be entirely unproductive (the more likely scenario being the latter), before bed.
Hermione was about to go up the stairs that lead to the mysterious cavern of rumor and legend, known as the Girls' Dormitories, when she felt someone grab her left hand. She turned around and she saw Harry holding her.
"What is it Harry?" Hermione asked.
"I forgot to ask you something about our...scheme." Harry replied. He let go of Hermione's hand. "When will your uncle arrive here?" asked Harry
"Tomorrow."
"WHAT?"
"He will be here in time for lunch," said Hermione sheepishly.
"But that's so sudden!" said Harry.
"I know Harry, but remember, you have to be convincing."
"But if you want us to be convincing, then, that would mean we have to…"
"To...?" Hermione tilted her head.
"Do what couples do," said Harry going slightly red.
Hermione began to blush. The both of them avoided each other's eyes. "Well if..." she paused for a second then glanced at Harry "If it's necessary. We have to do whatever it takes… he cannot find out that I'm single," she said.
"Oh," Harry said numbly, clearing his throat.
"We have to keep it a secret from the others, Harry. Especially Ron." said Hermione. "My uncle was a Ravenclaw, so we have to be convincing".
"Ron's not that much of a blabbermouth is he?" Harry asked.
"You don't know my Uncle, Harry. He has one of those piercing looks that will scare the truth out of anyone. Ron's not going to last a minute," said Hermione.
"Well it's certainly nice to see you having faith in your friends."
"Shut up," said Hermione as she playfully punched Harry on the shoulder.
"Hang on, I still don't understand something," said Harry. "How would you have a wizard for an uncle if you're muggleborn?"
"Well, my granddad adopted him when he thought his wife wasn't ever going to have a baby. About two years before he started at Hogwarts, my grandmother finally had my mother. My uncle was sent to live with my great-aunt, because she could give him a more loving home," Hermione finished sadly. "I didn't find out about him until this past summer."
"That explains one thing, but why don't you want to your uncle to find out about you being single again?" he asked. "I mean, what's he going to do? Ground you?" he teased.
"If he finds out I'm single again, he's going arrange a marriage to anybody he thinks would meet his standards the first chance he gets. In his own way, he thinks he's doing me a favor," she answered.
Suddenly they heard Ron's voice calling out Harry's name.
"I think you should go. You don't want to let Ron to keep looking for you," said Hermione.
Harry nodded "Okay, so I'll see you tomorrow morning," he said softly, before going to see where Ron was and what he wanted.
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Saturday morning, everyone was eating in the Great Hall. Harry and the others were at their usual seats at the Gryffindor table discussing the latest 'Odd Question of the Week'- this time, what kind of woman Snape would have for a girlfriend. Credit for that question went to Seamus Finnegan. However, the entire hall fell silent at the sight of a man walking through the great oak doors at the front of the room.
He was an elegant looking wizard with startlingly white hair. Like Hagrid, the man sported a bushy beard, but he kept his clean and neatly groomed. He was wearing a custom fur coat, brown with white trim. His shoes looked expensive, along with his gloves and jewelry.
"Hello Hermione," the man said as he reached them.
Hermione stood up and went to him "Hello Uncle Waynard." greeted Hermione.
Hermione's Uncle glanced at Harry and the others. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?" he said.
"Oh, I'm sorry Uncle" she said. "These are my friends, these are Harry, Ron, Neville, Parvati, Lavender, Dean, Seamus and Ginny—Ron's younger sister." said Hermione pointing at them one by one.
"Oh, good to meet you all." he turned to Hermione then right back at them. "So tell me, who among you is Hermione's boyfriend."
It was almost as if someone had broken a time turner and frozen the Gryffindor table for three whole seconds. Their faces quickly turned to Hermione who had suddenly found that the floor was very interesting, indeed.
However, right at that moment, Harry stood up. "That would be me sir, I'm her boyfriend," said Harry.
Everyone's jaws dropped- except for Ron, who sprayed his pumpkin juice from his mouth.
"WHAT DO YOU BLOODY MEAN YOU'RE HER BOYRIEND?"
