Chapter 7 – The Next Steps

Sorry about that. That was Mrs. Weasley who stopped by.

Well like I said everyone was very happy for Harry and myself. I was worried about Ginny at first, as everyone knew she had had a crush on Harry for years. I was so worried that she would have objected or done something rash, but she was very happy for us and more than supportive. I was happy and relieved as I didn't want her, one of my best friends, to hate me and for us not to be friends.

I just realized that I must tell you something before I go any further. It was something that distressed me when I heard it and when Harry and I officially started going out it grew more in my mind. It has to do with a prophecy made several months before Harry was born. Only a handful of people have heard it and it was something very much protected by both Dumbledore and Voldemort.

Like I said, it was made many months before Harry was born by Professor Sybil Trelawney in the Hog's Head Tavern in Hogsmeade. She had been there to interview with Professor Dumbledore for the position of Professor of Divination. According to Harry, who revealed the prophecy to myself and Ron, she had suddenly gone stiff and in a different voice began to speak the following words:

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not. And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives. The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies."

Now this ran a chill up my spine as Harry had told me of it. It was one of only two real predictions that she has made. Both came true by the way. Unfortunately there was another person in the tavern that night that had heard her. It was the same man who betrayed Dumbledore and killed him.

From that moment there were two possibilities of whom she had meant, Harry and our other friend Neville Longbottom. Neville is what we call a pure-blood and from a very respectable family. Neville's magical abilities got more impressive the older he got, but his true passion was for Herbology. But no matter what, he never seemed to measure up to his grandmother's ideals. Neville's grandmother, the matriarch of the family, was and still is a very formidable woman.

Anyways, Neville and Harry were both in consideration for the prophecy, however Voldemort interestingly chose Harry over Neville. Many of you may not know this, but Voldemort was a half-blood wizard himself. He considered anyone other than pure-bloods as beneath him, which again is interesting as he had chosen Harry, a half-blood, as his greatest threat.

Once I had heard the prophecy I was saddened and at one point panicked. Yes, panicked. I had never considered that Harry would die or that he and he alone must face Voldemort. I had always thought that Dumbledore or others could destroy Voldemort without Harry. After being told the prophecy, I knew then just how much I had perceived was a misconception.

With that memory and knowledge now returning the day after the Halloween Party I faced two choices. One, stop what I was feeling for Harry and break it off, or two; accept what may come and try to make some sort of life with it. I couldn't do the first. It wouldn't have been right to him now that we had gone this far and I wasn't willing to give him up. So I chose the second option, knowing that I would be giving into Harry's worst fear.

Now the next steps in our relationship were very uneasy, on both sides. Neither one of us being sure how to act with the other in the beginning. Of course we were the best of friends, but when it came to being boyfriend/girlfriend, we were clueless. As I mentioned before Harry never really experienced love, neither feelings nor the act of it. I on the other hand had, but usually tried to overanalyze it. It was something that drove my parents crazy and then Harry.

Not everything was peaches and cream however. It was about this time that Voldemort was pressing very hard on The Ministry. The Aurors were stretched to the breaking point and were getting killed at a rate of one a week. Things were getting bleaker and I remember sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room one day after reading an article about the war in The Daily Prophet and looking over at Harry, studying with Ron, and the sudden knowledge that our freedom and futures rested on his shoulders.

That was a very sobering thought. The fact that soon he would have to face that evil, need to survive it and I knew there was nothing I could do to stop it or even help. Anyone who's ever been a position where they have had that feeling about a loved one will fully appreciate what I was going through right then. To say my heart went into my shoes would have been severely understating it.

As I said, Voldemort was pressing pretty heavily during the time between Halloween and Christmas. During that time the teachers at Hogwarts were on edge and seemed very apprehensive. Of course the students noticed this and our apprehension and fears were increased. Only Harry had seemed to be unaffected, but then of course he had had his own worries.

One particular event happened around that time that changed Harry forever. Voldemort had found out where Harry went during the summers (probably from the former Professor Snape) and his Death Eaters laid waste to his aunt and uncle's house. It seems Voldemort was trying to destroy any refuge that Harry could go to. His actions were hardly surprising and tactically sound for two combatants. After all, if your enemy goes to ground, leave no ground to go to.

Of course many of you are probably wondering how this would have changed Harry. Well it didn't really, it was the fact that Mrs. Figg was killed in the process that did. Harry had apparently become friends with her over the last couple of years and she had put the call out for help and then went to see if she could help. A Death Eater had seen her and struck her down as she went to help get Harry's family out safely.

The Order was able to get the family away and put under protection. The house and most of that block was destroyed. No one else was hurt or killed, thank Merlin and the muggle police wrote it off to a gas-pipe explosion, not from magical means.

And so the pressure from Voldemort kept up until just as Christmas arrived. It was not a happy joyous time, but a fear-filled and anxious one. All of the students were looking forward to leaving the castle and going home. Harry was staying at the castle, as was Ron, Ginny, a few others and myself. Harry and I were especially looking forward to being there as we could spend more time together.

A few days before Christmas I had found myself in a real bind. This was bind that I really didn't mind considering what was going on outside the castle's grounds. It had to do with Christmas gifts… I didn't know what to get Harry. I was really stuck. I mean as a friend I could get him anything, but this was our first Christmas as a couple and I wanted to get him something special. What, I had no clue.

So I turned to Ginny and Luna for help when we were sitting alone in the library.

"I need your help," I said without preamble.

Ginny and Luna looked at me in surprise.

"This is a first," Ginny replied and put her quill down.

I rolled my eyes, "Look, Christmas is in a few days and I don't what to get for Harry yet."

Ginny snorted a laugh, "Oh come Hermione, it can't be that tough?"

I nodded my head, "Yes it is."

"How about a book?"

I gave Ginny a look of 'Oh please'.

She smiled slightly, "You're right, dumb suggestion," she perked up with an idea, "Clothes?"

I scrunched up my nose and shook my head.

"What about something to do with quidditch?" she asked, "Does he need new boots?"

"No."

"A new quidditch robe?"

"He's already bought three."

"New goggles?"

"Nope."

"Gloves?"

"Has several pair."

"New quidditch cleaning kit?"

"He has one."

"Wand care kit?"

"He has two."

"What about… no wait he has one of those to. He's a pain in the ass to shop for," Ginny grumbled.

I leaned forward and was somewhat panicked when I spoke, "Look, this is our first Christmas as a couple and I want to give him something special."

"Sex," Luna suggested, not looking up from her book.

"WHAT?!" I exclaimed loudly, turning a few heads in my direction.

"Be quiet Miss. Granger!" came the shout from Madame Pince, the librarian.

I leaned over and hoarsely whispered, "Are you joking!"

Luna looked up from her work with a serious expression, "No."

I sat back in my chair looking at her as if she had just grown three heads.

"I think I'd like to do something else," I replied.

Luna shrugged and went back to writing. I looked over to Ginny and found her trying to hide her laughter.

"What?" I spat, not really angry, "You agree with her?"

Ginny finally let out a brief burst of laughter.

"Miss. Weasley! Be quiet!" Madame Pince shouted.

I looked between my two friends, one whom was serious and the other who was holding her sides as she was silently laughing so hard.

"Look really," I said in a very serious tone, "I'm not thinking about that. Well yes I am… but not right now… oh nevermind."

Luna sighed and put down her quill, "You asked for suggestion and I gave you one."

"Yes, but one that I'm not ready for... Oh will you please stop it!" I hissed at Ginny.

Ginny stopped laughing long enough to get out, "Relax 'Mione. We'll still help."

I gave her a very hard look, "You'd better," I growled.

After a few moments silence Ginny asked, "Hey, what about a picture of you? I know its pretty simple and not glamorous or anything, but it would be nice."

I thought about it for a moment and started nodding my head, "I like that idea. Who'd take the picture? One of you two?"

Both shook their heads and Ginny replied first, "Not me. What about Colin?"

"Perfect," I said remembering Colin's obsession with photography, "I need to get a nice frame for it too."

"How are you going to give it to him?" Ginny asked.

"What about a date?" Luna interrupted, "You are a couple, shouldn't you have a date?"

"I'd like to spend some time alone with him, sure," I chewed my lower lip thinking, "I could use the Room of Requirements."

"A nice dinner?" Ginny suggested, "I'm sure Dobby would help."

"And if Harry doesn't like the picture or the dinner then you can take me up on my suggestion," Luna said.

I gave Luna a dark look and started packing up my books, "Let's go find Colin."

The process to get the picture taken was easier said than done. Once Colin had agreed to take it, it became more of a challenge to pick the right place, time and what to wear. And before every guy who's reading this groans and rolls their eyes at my wardrobe problem, it wasn't because it didn't have clothes, I just really didn't know what to wear. My issue with wardrobe did eventually wear on Ginny's nerves and finally she reached into my closet and pulled out a simple top and pants and with an angry face pushed it into my arms and said, "Here!"

Now Luna was actually very helpful during this process. I think she may have been making up for her rather rude suggestion in the library. She kept Harry distracted while I had the picture taken (yes, he did get suspicious). She also had talked with Winky and Dobby and set-up everything for our "big date". She wouldn't tell me what she'd done or what was going to happen. I even threatened her, but she didn't cave in. I spent more than a few nervous moments of the remaining couple days wondering what she'd planned.

Then the day when the mass exodus of students from the castle arrived. The front hallway was filled with trunks, cages and all sorts of paraphernalia. The Great Hall was buzzing with chatter about the holidays and where everyone was headed. As Head Girl I was required to help everyone down to the train. That process is an exhaustive one. I had thought I would have to take a nap to recover.

Finally the train was loaded and moving away. I stood with Hagrid on the platform and sighed heavily.

He'd chuckled when he heard me, "Ex'austin' ain't it?"

I nodded.

"Well, now that t'ere gon' why don't 'cha head back up the castle and I'll see to things 'ere."

I looked back up at him and smiled, "Thanks Hagrid," and I was off.

It took me no time to get back to the castle. I raced back up to the Gryffindor Tower and slid to a stop in front of The Fat Lady, nearly colliding into her.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa there dear!" she said holding her hands out as if to stop me, "You almost went right through me."

"Sorry," I said, gasping for air.

"Well I'm only made of canvas dear," she said putting her hands on her hips, "What's the bloody rush?"

"There's a boy on the other side I want to see," I said, "Fizzy Whizbees."

She made some sort of noise before the portrait opened and I entered. I ran into the room and found it was empty.

My face fell, "Oh… well… ok."

I ran up to Ginny's dorm and knocked on the door. There was no answer so I went back to The Fat Lady.

"Did everyone leave?"

She looked at me, "Yes, dear. You should know that as you helped."

"No, no, no. Did Harry Potter leave and go somewhere?" I asked.

"Oh I'm sorry dear," she said, "Yes he left several minutes before you arrived."

I groaned softly, "Do you know where he went?"

She gave me a little smile and held up a finger, "Let me check for you," she said in a low conspiratory whisper.

I waited for what seemed like forever before she returned, "My friend Violet said she saw him with your other friends down by the study hall only a few moments ago."

"Thanks!" I said over my shoulder as I raced down the corridor.

It didn't take me long to get where The Fat Lady had said. I stopped and looked around for a moment in the empty room and slapped my hand on the stone doorway. I looked up and down the corridor and not a soul was around. I decided then to go back to the Common Room and wait for them.

I didn't get half way back before I was suddenly grabbed and pulled into a dark niche. Once in I was spun around and quickly was kissed. My eyes opened wide and I saw that it was Harry. Needless to say when I realized it was Harry, I melted right then. I don't know how long we kissed, but I half-hoped we wouldn't stop.

We pulled away and he cleared his throat, "Well that doesn't seem to be an issue in this relationship."

I smiled, "Apparently not," I replied in a much deeper voice than normal. I stayed in his arms a few moments more, "Where were you? I was looking for you."

"We came looking for you," he said, "I came back here to see if you were here."

"Well here I am," I said and mentally kicked my self for saying something so stupid, "Well I mean you found me."

He chuckled, "Yes I did."

The rest of that afternoon was a total blur. We pretty much stayed in the Common Room and just talked. It was very romantic I suppose as we were cuddled on the couch in front of the fire. It became less romantic when the others would show up. However, what was lost in the romance department was made up for in how much fun we all had. It was almost as if we had a small party.

In two days would be Christmas and I couldn't wait for my date with Harry. I have to admit to a lot of butterflies in my stom… oops sorry. I'll be back soon. I hear Dobby knocking on my bedroom door with a message.