A/N: Yes, it's a bit of a jump for Harry to have to do his OWLs again, but I was thinking, what the heck, it's wish fulfilment, and I like a Harry that excels at school.
It wasn't until just past noon that Harry woke up. The sun was already bright out. Its rays were strong enough that he could see their orange tint past his eyelids. He could feel the rumblings of hunger - he had not eaten for two days. And he was still tired, despite the many hours that he had spent in slumber
Harry lifted his eyes and the scene opened to Hermione, asleep on the chair to his left, hugging a large dusty book tightly with her two arms. Harry took a moment to savor the scene, wondering if he should wake her, or let her continue sleeping. He didn't need to answer that question because, as he reached for his glasses to get a better look, he accidentally bumped the bed frame with his elbow, and Hermione stirred from the noise he made. "Oops." Harry said as he sucked his teeth.
"Harry, you're awake!" Hermione said, rubbing her eyes and smiling at him. She stood up, and sleepily made her way over to hug him. His brain was on hyper alert. He was acutely aware of every sensation of her touch, from the tickling of her hair on his skin, to her fingers digging into his back and her chest pressing against his. Their hug was a few seconds too long. Neither of them took the initiative to let go, and while they did finally pull away, it was done so reluctantly - more from the unspoken 5 second rule of hugging than from their own volitions. As she sat back down she noticed the way that Harry was staring at her, and she blushed, a little uncomfortable, and chose to face the floor rather than return his look. She spoke, after a while, in order to break the silence.
"I heard you saved us, Harry! People were telling me about how bravely you fought. Where did you learn all those spells? I've never seen you practicing or reading about them. And you didn't teach it to the DA, either!" Hermione said.
And just like that the awkwardness disappeared. Harry and Hermione talked for a long time. He described the battle in full detail and even told her about the prophecy. Harry knew he would be lying to her in the future, and wanted to be as honest as possible while he had the chance.
"That's amazing Harry, I can't believe you took on Voldemort and survived. And those spells you described. Did reading the prophecy awaken some kind of power in you?"
"Uh...Yeah? Yes." Harry shifted in discomfort.
"Well perhaps we'll be able to join in the fight and help the Order now. Everyone was so hesitant last summer. But if they knew you were destined to defeat Voldemort, they would definitely let us help." Hermione said, confidently.
Hermione's unwavering confidence scared him. She acted this way the first time as well. "Destined to defeat Voldemort." It was unrealistic for her to expect so much from him. His stomach was knotting with anxiety for the future, and he became distracted from the conversation.
She noticed his expression. "Harry, are you alright?" "Yeah, I'm just tired from yesterday." Harry replied, forcing a half-hearted glimmer of a smile.
Hermione could tell that Harry was lying to her, but decided to let it go; she knew that when he was ready to share he would tell her what was wrong. He was always one to push his feelings down, but today, she observed apathy in his behaviour that she was unaccustomed to - as if he was detached from everything around him.
It was worrying to see him like this; the way he was staring wistfully out the window made him seem so much older, and so much sadder. She knew that she didn't have the words to comfort her best friend. Sometimes words just aren't enough.
Harry stared off into nowhere, with his mind still brimming with intrusive thoughts. In his state, Harry had failed to notice that Hermione was edging closer.
She moved her supinated hand out and reached for Harry's. Using the front of her fingers, she softly pushed his fingers out of their tight grip. Then, she slid her own fingers between his, squeezing his hand, while giving Harry a soft smile.
Hermione wasn't entirely sure why she decided to act this way. For some reason, she felt that the mood between them had changed, and that holding his hand was the appropriate course of action.
Harry turned to her dreamily, studying their intertwined fingers for a few seconds, before focusing his attention back on her face. Her touch had lulled him away from his thoughts. The room itself seemed like it was holding its breath.
"Hermione..." He said, under his breath, as he stared intently into her eyes. He felt so much fondness at the moment that he forgot himself, and moved his head forwards, while pulling Hermione into his embrace...
"Harry!"
They snapped away just as Sirius kicked open the door and entered the room. Ron was following just behind. Sirius howled. "That's my godson! Chosen One, Voldemort defeater, and, my hero!" He sprinted over to the bed and lifted Harry into the air, holding him with all the loving pride of a father.
"Ow...Sirius, my arm." Harry grumbled in pain, still a shade annoyed at Sirius' untimely appearance.
"Oh, sorry, I forgot." Sirius apologized, as he put Harry back on his feet. "I guess being the Chosen One doesn't mean you're immune to injury." He was in a cheerful mood, and was nothing like the Sirius that Harry remembered - the one who sulked the halls of Grimmauld Place.
"Ron." Harry smiled, as he and Ron approached each other. Harry reached out with his left arm to give him a warm, one-armed hug. "You did great out there yesterday, mate." Harry praised. Turning back to Hermione, "You did well as well, Hermione." She rolled her eyes and smiled modestly. "I was unconscious for most of it, Harry, let's not be coy."
"All three of you did very well. Now, if we're done with pleasantries, how about we head to lunch?" Sirius asked.
"Yeah, I could eat." Harry said, thinking about how long it had been since his last meal. His next meal would be his first in this timeline.
The four of them set off together. Sirius, Ron, and Harry were laughing in the front, chatting away about their duels and adventures at the Ministry.
"Before I forget, why are you here in Hogwarts, Sirius?" Harry asked. "I stayed to keep an eye on you, Harry."
Sirius replied, "I was out patrolling the grounds last night, and so when Ron woke me up, I came to see you straight away."
Harry was glad that Sirius cared so much about him that he sacrificed his sleep; he knew how much his godfather liked to nap. The subject matter turned back to last night's battle.
"Did you see me jinx Dolohov?" asked Ron excitedly.
"That was nothing compared to all the ones I took down." Sirius bragged arrogantly.
"Sirius, you were sneaking up behind Death Eaters and cursing them while they weren't looking." Ron revealed, while shaking his head, "I was expecting more from a member of the Order."
"Well, there's no point in fighting honourably when you're fighting evil, right?"
Everybody laughed at this casuistic philosophy. But Sirius' words, along with Ron's reaction to them, also had the effect of reminding Harry of one of the reasons why they lost the war.
In the beginning, nobody, including Harry himself, accepted that waging war meant abandoning the moral high ground. The avoidance of this philosophy drove him into making decisions that caused death. Eventually, Harry, and the rest of the resistance, came to the conclusion that it was unhealthy for fighters to qualify the morality of their choices, and that they must thus focus on the reasons why there were fighting instead. Otherwise, they would have been driven crazy by the guilt.
Battle is always cruel, but victory can be merciful. It was not merely a manifestation of Sirius' Slytherin side, but effective strategy to desert any thought of what was 'appropriate' during a fight.
Honour, after all, does not win battles.
Hermione was trailing behind the three wizards. She was still a bit flustered from that moment with Harry, and wasn't quite sure what it meant. Was he trying to kiss her?
The abrupt shift in mood left her feeling offbeat, and she decided to abstain from the conversation while she composed herself.
"Harry, there's something important I need to tell you." Sirius began, in a grave voice. Harry turned to Sirius, cursing in his head, and nodded, bracing himself for some horrible news.
But then Sirius broke into a grin. "The Ministry cleared me, and Dumbledore is letting you stay with me this summer!" Harry's eyes lit up as his godfather rammed into him for another hearty embrace. He finally escaped the Dursleys! Harry could stay with his real family.
Pain. "Sirius, I'm excited too, but my arm." Harry whined.
"Harry, toughen up." Sirius clutched on to Harry for a few more seconds before finally releasing him. As Harry rubbed his right arm with his left, Sirius added. "You'll never beat Voldemort without reasonable pain tolerance!"
Harry ignored his jab, too preoccupied with the notion of not suffering the Dursleys to think about the Dark Lord. "So I'm really not going back to the Dursleys this summer?" he asked, wanting to hear Sirius repeat those lush words again.
"Hopefully, you'll never have to go there again." Sirius replied.
Harry was excited that he would finally be able to spend time with Sirius, and to be able talk to him about something other than impending doom. Their interactions in the past were all marked by either danger or melancholy.
"Will the entire Order be staying with us as well?" Harry asked.
"They'll drop by from time to time, but for the most part we'll be alone. Dumbledore asked that we be granted some quality time." Sirius replied in a jocular tone.
They continued down the stairs. Harry looked around at the castle and felt as if he were returning home after a long trip.
All the students they walked past gave them curious looks, especially at Sirius, whom, for most of their lives, they had been led to believe was a psychopathic murderer.
But they also ogled at Harry. The reports about him being the Chosen One inspired the interests of students from every house - even Slytherin, though theirs were more from anger and fear than inquisitive spirits.
"Oh mate, did you hear the news?" Ron asked, suddenly remembering something.
"What's up?"
"We've got to take our OWLs again, don't we?" he complained, "We have to do them all again, apparently it'll reflect our skills better, since last time we were under duress. We've got to take them ALL again. Bloody stinks, doesn't it?"
"Ronald, language please."
"All I said was bloody!" Ron protested.
Hermione had rejoined the group. She crossed her arms, and scrunched her forehead. "We'll get to get higher marks, which is really important if we want to have the best chance of having good careers."
"Maybe, but taking exams is never fun. Isn't that right, Harry?" Ron said as he elbowed him. The pair gave each other silent and brisk nods, trying to hide their agreement from Hermione.
"Honestly, you two. And Harry, you're the Chosen One!" Hermione shook her head.
As they continued their journey, Sirius offhandedly remarked. "Well, to be honest, the OWLs aren't all that difficult. James and I barely studied and between us we had thirteen Outstandings."
"Sirius, don't encourage them!" Hermione glared, as Sirius gave Ron and Harry a cheeky wink.
Harry smiled stupidly as the foursome continued on their way. Their conversation felt utterly casual, which is why it filled Harry with such contentment. Relative to the exchanges that he was accustomed to, these 'mundane' moments stood out like diamonds among coal. These opportunities for frivolity were what Harry was fighting for. He wanted to feel this normalcy on a daily basis, and to one day share the feeling with his own family.
Even though Harry felt it was silly for him to think of the future, once in a while, he would picture himself with a wife and a few children at a home. The fantasy was not one he often indulged in for it was quite frightening to think about. In this war, that was red in tooth and claw, looking ahead held only disappointment, because the future was always covered in mist, in a grey that never dissipates. He had to focus on winning, and not on a stupid dream.
But he was enjoying himself right now. Everyone he cared about was alive, and close. And soon Harry's doleful thoughts were replaced by more pleasant ones.
Hermione saw Harry's expression brighten and hoped it meant he was feeling better. His improvement led her into a relieved smile. Harry caught her looking at him, and smiled back at her. She kept eye contact until he turned and blushed, which didn't take very long (two seconds).
Harry couldn't figure out if this was flirting. He could charm objects extraordinary well but wasn't at all experienced with the intricacies of courtship. One moment she was speaking to him like he was just a friend, and the other, she was staring and smiling at him. But was she even staring at him? Maybe she was just thinking about something, which made it seem like she was looking at him. He turned back to check, but she was now in conversation with Sirius.
"No, we didn't cheat, the OWLs just aren't that difficult. Hermione, I did them decades ago, I promise you I can't remember much..."
Then, they entered the Great Hall.
"Amazing." Harry whispered.
Over time, Harry had adapted to the disarray of war, and grew into the habit of expecting it wherever he want. The Great Hall had, for nearly eight months, served as their temporary headquarters, and, to Harry, embodied all the perilousness and austerity of war. The cheer the Great Hall now jubilantly radiated contrasted strongly with his own memories of the place. It was awesome and strange just to watch the students eat.
Sirius left their company to join the teachers at their table, while he, Ron, and Hermione, found seats beside Neville at the Gryffindor table. As he sat down, Harry looked over at the teacher's table and noticed McGonagall gesturing at him to come over. He waved at and greeted Neville, before quickly making his way there.
His godfather was on the far end, sitting beside Hagrid, while Dumbledore seemed to be missing. The rest of the teachers were eating quietly. When Harry's gaze fell onto Snape, the potions master sneered at him. McGonagall pointed to the corner of the Great Hall, and Harry walked over there to meet with his professor.
"Mr. Potter, how are you feeling today?" McGonagall asked formally.
"I'm feeling well. Thank you, Professor." Harry replied. It was comforting to see McGonagall back to her old-self.
"I realise you are still in convalescence, Mr. Potter, but the Ministry examiners insist that you take the OWLs this evening. It'll be the Charms, Transfiguration, and History exams today."
"I understand, Professor." Harry said. He wasn't keen on taking the exams. After all he hadn't been in school for years now, and had forgotten everything that wasn't useful. As he prepared to return to his table, McGonagall added.
"I'm glad your excursion to the Ministry has left you unblemished, Harry. For what it's worth, I think that your actions, though misguided, were very courageous."
"Thank you, Professor." Harry replied, happy that he could make his teacher smile; he hadn't seen that expression for a long time now.
Harry made his way back to his friends, and sat down happily in their company. But before he could eat even a morsel of food, his friends began barraging him with questions.
"History, Transfiguration, and Charms, yeah." Harry said, before stuffing himself with mashed potatoes.
"We've got to start reviewing now. The exams are in three hours!" Hermione said in a panicked voice, before rushing out of the Great Hall holding a big plate of food, without even saving goodbye.
Harry continued to eat peacefully, while the rest of his friends were anxiously discussing examination topics. He had a rather extensive knowledge of the practical subjects (Potions, Charms, and such), but knew next to nothing about the others (Divination, History, Astronomy). Either way he didn't care though, they were just exams; it wasn't as if Sirius would punish him for doing badly.
"Mate, aren't you nervous at all, about the exams?" Ron questioned.
"Yeah, Harry." Neville added, looking at the table in fear. "If I do badly my grandmother will kill me."
Harry gave it some thought before replying calmly. "Honestly, it's too late for me to start cramming, and we've already done the same exams a few years, I mean a few days ago. It's not like they've changed the syllabus."
"That's true, but now mum's gonna expect me to do more than just pass..."
The luncheon continued on in this fashion, with Harry focusing on eating as much as he could, and Ron and Neville testing each other on spells and various topics. "Ok, Neville, what's the incantation for a Cheering Charm?" "Uh, uh. I forgot..."
