Chapter 9

Harry Potter couldn't wait to get out of the Dursley's house. He had it all planned. But he couldn't leave just yet. No matter how much he ached to go away he had matters to deal with first. One was he didn't know where to start with finding Voldemort's Horcruxes. Second, Dumbledore had advised him to stay with the Dursleys before he went on to trudge towards Godric's Hollow. But Uncle Vernon was being the typical huge arse that he was. This was no big news for Harry, he was used to his Uncle's empty threats and his breathing down Harry's back. In fact, he would have been much more frightened if Vernon Dursley left him alone. And today was no different from the past years he has known and lived with the Dursleys.

It was quite one thing for Harry to accidentally inflate Aunt Marge (Vernon's sister) a couple of summers ago and another thing for him to have accidentally on purpose destroyed his cousin Dudley's new mobile phone. He didn't mean to have stepped on it when he was climbing down the stairs for breakfast, seeing as how it was lying on the floor by the base of the staircase. But since his foot already happened to be situated upon the electronic phone, he dug his shoe deeper into the broken thing. And of course Uncle Vernon will hear none of his excuses for being a "dumb witted weirdo". So for the past few days, Harry had a slice of lemon for breakfast alongside a moldy piece of bread. This didn't bother him as much as the screaming was, though. Harry would have loved if he could place a soundproofing spell on his room to prevent the blares of screaming from reaching his now damaged eardrums. Uncle Vernon has been non-stop with reprimanding Harry for every little thing he could find to put blame on the young man. And today was all about Hedwig, Harry's pet owl.

"This 'ruddy owl' would stop its hooting if only that sizeable porker disguised as a man would let me take her out once in awhile," Harry mumbled to himself as he stood up and walked over to Hedwig's cage which was perched just by his window sill. "Sorry Hedwig, you know Uncle Vernon. By now you understand that I cannot let you out."

But Hedwig nipped at Harry's stretched finger that was wedged between the bars of the cage intended to pet the white bird's beak. Harry merely sighed. "I'm sorry Hedwig."

Harry walked towards his bed but before he could sit down he heard a soft tap on his window. He turned to look but didn't see anything. He was half expecting to see his beast friend, Ron Weasley, outside his window like he did the summer before second year when Ron and his brothers, George and Fred, came for him in their Dad's enchanted Ford Anglia.

Then he heard it once more, louder this time. He stood up and walked slowly towards the window. Something weird was going on. Were those stones being thrown? Impossible. He pushed the window open and stuck his head out to take a look. He peered through his glasses and straight down onto the street where a curly brown-haired girl with a huge smile stood just a few feet away from the Dursley's garden. Hermione!

Harry did a double take as he recognized that pointed-faced boy who stood next to Hermione. There was no way on earth they could be standing alongside each other on the front lawn. Was there? He couldn't believe it. But it was right there staring at him in the face. Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy. No matter how hard Harry blinked his eyes the vision didn't change.

He knew he wasn't any good at it but he tried his best. What could go wrong? He thought to himself, it would be just a few feet away. He spun quickly in place trying his best to remember the three Ds.


Harry suddenly appeared next to Hermione a few seconds later. "What's going on here? What's this?" He pointed his finger and wagged it back and forth between Hermione and Draco.

Hermione looked hesitantly towards Draco. "I uh…" If only Harry knew how much has happened between them. "Harry we need your help."

"But can you explain this to me first?"

"We need a place to talk," Draco said. "We cannot continue with this in the middle of the road. Let's go somewhere else."

Harry stared coldly at Draco. But all he could do was nod. "Let's head for the square."

The three of them walked in silence towards the other end of Privet Drive and as soon as they reached the cobbled stone path that lead to the middle of the square Harry pointed towards an empty wooden bench. Harry waited for the two to take a seat before positioning himself on the other side of Hermione.

"Now will you tell me?"

"Harry, I'm not sure if you'd understand me or if you'd approve of it or not. But I'm not here for your approval anyway. What I need is your understanding and your assistance," Hermione started, taking a deep breath and smoothly plunged into the long story.

Hermione kept silent as soon as she finished with their story and awaited Harry's reaction. She couldn't even dare look at him.

"You helped him?" Harry asked, picking up a piece of lint from his sweater and rolled it between his fingers, anything to keep his gaze away from the two.

"Yes," Hermione answered.

"And you let him stay in your home?"

Hermione sighed. "Yes."

"So you two?" Harry asked, keeping his eyes averted.

"Yes," Draco answered.

"And Death Eaters are after you?" Harry asked, finally looking up and staring Draco straight on.

"Unfortunately," Draco replied, meeting Harry's intent look.

"I know you didn't kill Dumbledore," Harry said.

"I know."

"And I remember what Dumbledore told you that night up in the tower," Harry said. "Do you?"

"Hardly. I was a mess that night. All I could think about was how I was going to be killed by the Dark Lord."

"I'm surprised he hasn't found you by now."

"Back to the point, Potter."

Harry glared at Draco. But continued anyway. "Dumbledore said he could hide you in such a way that the Death Eaters would think you were dead. You and your mother. And even your father, once he's freed from Azkaban. The Death Eaters would assume that the Order finished you off. That they'd think that way because that's what they would do.

"Problem is, I don't know how I could be of any help. I have no idea what he was talking about. How he planned to do that and who could do it. Him, I suppose. But now that he's…"

"Gone…" Draco continued. "We don't know how to go about it."

"I'm sure there's someone who knew what he was talking about," Hermione, who up to this point stayed voiceless, suddenly spoke up.

Harry and Draco turned to look at Hermione and waited for her to carry on.

"The Order, of course."


"Ronald Weasley," said Molly Weasley, wagging her index finger in the air at her youngest son. "Stop sticking your dirty fingers into our dinner! If you had woken up in time you would have gotten a big lunch. So don't go yapping about how hungry you are. The next time I call for lunch you will come down in time for it. And if you don't, no early supper for you, you hear?"

Fred and George, Ron's older twin brother, were shaking so much from laughter as Ron scowled and turned to march up the stairs and into his room, not forgetting to smack Fred's arm on his way up.

"No early supper for you, you hear!" Fred mimicked as he called after his younger brother.

"And you two," Molly Weasley said turning towards her twin boys. "Things around here aren't really peachy keen, as you might have noticed. So please try to make things easier for everyone. Stop with all you silly nonsense."

"We are helpful you know," Gearge said as he and his twin bounded towards the front door. "We're creating a livable carefree atmosphere. By mum!"

Mrs Weasley sighed as she turned back to her cooking. "But things aren't as carefree as they used to be."

"They will be soon," said Ginny, Molly's youngest and only daughter, as she traipsed across the room and embraced her mother from behind.


"I can't go with you two," Harry said.

"Why not?" asked Draco, stopping in the middle of the street to turn to face Harry. The three were headed back to the Dursleys.

Hermione sighed. "Is this because of Ginny? Harry, don't worry about it. Ginny understood why all of this had to happen."

"Not Ginny," Harry said. "It's me. I don't wanna see her. I can't see her."

"But you have to come with us," Hermione pleaded.

"I…"

"Harry, this isn't about you, this isn't about Ginny," Hermione said. "This is about helping Draco. You're coming with us is your decision. But with or without you we'll be going our way. But I really hope you could come with us. And besides, we won't be staying long at the Burrow. Only long enough for us to find out what's going on and where Professor McGonagall is. I reckon she could help us."

"You're right," Harry said reluctantly. "I'll go with you. Wait for me on the swing set in the middle of the small clearing left of the park. I'll pack my stuff and meet you there in half an hour. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good," Hermione said with a smile. "Thanks Harry." Then she and Draco were off towards the western area of the park.


"How do we get to the Burrow?" asked Hermione as soon as she saw Harry headed towards them. "We could apparate. But it's kinda far, isn't it?"

"It's a bit far," answered Harry. "There's another way, I suppose. But I'm not sure if it's up and running still what with all that's been happening in the wizarding world."

"What is it, Harry?" asked Hermione.

"The Knight Bus," Harry said as he looked down towards the road. "It's not as comfortable as apparating but at least I wouldn't risk splicing myself in half riding it."

"We could floo," offered Draco as he frowned at the thought of taking the heavily enchanted, violently purple, triple-decker bus.

Hermione sighed. "We could but only if the fireplace is connected to the floo network. And obviously the Dursley's grate isn't."

"But Mrs Figg's is," said Harry brightly. "C'mon, let's head back to Privet Drive, let's see if Mrs. Figg is home."


Sorry it took me such a long time to update. Been really busy with work and stuff. So I hope this semi-compensates for the delay. It isn't as long as I hoped it would be. But I do promise to update soon. So sorry. TTFN!