Chapter Eleven
A Rainy Day
It came as a surprise to Harry as he woke to the sounds of thunder and rain. The clouds outside were a dirty grey and the morning atmosphere seemed very gloomy. The snow was still present across the grounds; it had been snowing frequently and in great amounts before the rain, so it was slowly but surely turning into a greyish mush substance as the thunder growled and the lighting tore in the sky. Harry woke at about nine (am), the Grawp-like snoring Harry could hear made it evident that Ron was still asleep in his four poster. He did not dream on his second sleep, so the haunting image of Hermione's corpse that was ever so alive in his nightmare still drifted through his head in quick flashes like the blue lightning discharging in the sky above outside.
Harry got out of bed and dressed into a fresh pair of jeans, a black t-shirt and a grey hoody to keep himself warm. He left the dormitory to wait in the common room for Ron, he was quite certain that Cho wouldn't be awake yet. As the bottom of Harry's converses met the carpet of the pleasantly warm and comforting common room, he was surprised to see Hermione and only Hermione completely awake with a cup of tea and a slice of buttered toast between her teeth as she read Betty Draughtstrike's pink potion book. He felt stupidly relieved that her pretty hands were not purple and dead-looking.
Harry felt his heart briefly throb painfully, and then return to normal just as fast as he focused on Hermione sitting there on the red armchair near the fire with the desk of Fred and George's Thought-Turners beside her. Not that she was paying any attention to the Thought-Turners though; she was indulged in her pink book like that time when she was searching for the ingredients to prevent her pregnancy. Harry swallowed the guilt he was drowning in and approached Hermione.
'Morning, Hermione,' Harry said in what he hoped was a calm tone as he sat in the armchair closest to her.
Hermione's head did not look up from the book, but her brown eyes flicked up and stared into Harry's, 'morning.'
The blunt response did not particularly shock Harry, but he still felt hurt by it. But after completely ignoring her yesterday evening, he was prepared for blunt conversation.
Hermione picked up her small blue cup of tea that stood on the arm of the armchair she sat on and sipped it, reading her book again.
Harry looked at her beautiful face for a moment and then continued to speak, 'how come you're reading that book?'
Harry asked her this question in hope for a reply less blunt than her previous response, he was successful.
Hermione marked the page on her book, set her tea aside and then looked up directly at Harry. She was biting her lip. 'Well, you never spoke to me last night and Ron went to bed early when I told him I wouldn't do his homework.'
Harry continued to stare at Hermione waiting for more. Sometimes it was best to say nothing and let somebody continue speaking, otherwise you may learn nothing.
Hermione's hands locked together at her knees and she looked into the fire that danced before them, 'so I went to my dormitory and begun to read more into this, I wanted to see – um – to see if there was anything I could make just you know – for fun. I had nothing to do because you -'
'- I know, sorry Hermione, I – I was really tired,' Harry lied. He couldn't quite bring the words out of his mouth to tell Hermione about yesterday evenings detention. But he knew he would have to sooner or later, and he would.
Hermione stared at Harry for a moment, and then continued. 'Anyway, I found that you'll need one more ingredient for the potion, and you're lucky.'
'Lucky?' Harry sat up and Hermione begun to stare into his eyes again, 'I thought the less ingredients the better, Hermione. Any more ingredients just make matters worse…'
'Well yes, I suppose, but you're lucky in this case because you'll need…' Hermione opened her book again and returned to her marked page, 'you'll need the kiss of a redhead. I didn't read it until now, but for some reason this ingredient wasn't on the same list as the others…it was just in the section where it describes how to enhance potions to perform better. I read into the potion you're getting ingredients for, and Betty claims that the person who has the presence, you know, that ingredient you need to get from Cho…whoever is to have the presence can increase the chances of the potion working completely fine if they kiss a redhead in a twenty-four hour bracket after receiving the presence. So, it isn't entirely needed…but considering the circumstances we're in, I'd say you should get that ingredient too to make sure nothing goes wrong.'
There was a brief silence, the rain pelted against the tower window with a sharp gust of wind that howled. Hermione sipped her tea and offered Harry the cup; he took it and sipped up its sugary substance.
'Ginny?' Harry croaked, as he returned the cup of tea to Hermione. She nodded slowly and put the cup back on the arm of the armchair. 'Well that is lucky I suppose, considering the little chat you both had.'
Hermione smiled, 'yes, well anyway, will you be looking for Cho today?' Hermione asked Harry this in a casual tone, though Harry detected a tone of jealously and frustration in her voice.
'I'm going to try, but later, it's quite early now,' Harry responded as thunder outside crashed in the sky.
Hermione nodded in agreement, then got to her feet and let her book drop to the carpet with a thud like that night they both visited the library when Hogwarts was sleeping. She threw a quick look up at the spiral staircase and then fell into Harry's lap. Her ass cheeks were hot and pressed down onto his thighs and cock. Harry's hands naturally found their way to Hermione's back where she liked being stroked, one of her hands rested on her leg and the other brushed through Harry's scruffy black hair. She giggled and then bit her lip as Harry stroked her smooth back, and then she pressed her lips against his.
Harry assumed she suddenly had this urge to kiss him to let him know that he was hers...and of course, that was completely normal. Any girlfriend would hate discussing how her boyfriend had to have sex with another girl (Cho in this case), and how he had to kiss one of her friends (Ginny). She wanted to make her mark on him with a kiss. But the guilt that ran through Harry's blood as the taste of Hermione's lips licked his taste buds conjured a question in his mind.
Will she still want to make her mark on me after I tell her about that detention?
They kissed for another minute or two, the sounds of their lips, the thunder, rain and crackling flames the only sounds to be heard. And the guilty thoughts in Harry's mind, too. When they broke apart and Hermione's hot thighs slid of Harry's lap…Harry had made his decision.
'Hermione,' Harry begun as Hermione returned to her armchair with Betty Draughtstrike's potion book safely on her lap once more.
'Mm-hm?' Hermione sounded as a satisfied pink blossomed in her smooth cheeks.
'I – I need to talk to you about something later on,' Harry said firmly.
Hermione's eyebrows raised, 'and why can't we discuss this matter now? It's only me and you here.'
Another fusillade of rain raided the towers window, 'I know, but later on. I want to look for Cho today.'
When Hermione and Harry had decided where they would meet later on so Harry could have his talk with her alone, Harry had decided that he would follow through with his words to Hermione and begin searching for Cho. He kissed Hermione goodbye on her hot cheek, then made his way down to the Great Hall to see if Cho was up early. It was a shame, Harry would have enjoyed spending his morning with Ron in the common room as the windows were rammed by rain and the godly lashes of lightning streaked through the sky. But nope, he was a frontline soldier, you might say, a lone knight seeking a princess who had probably not even woke from her four poster yet.
As Harry entered the Great Hall and sat alone on the Gryffindor table, scanning the only group of girls who were giggling together at the Ravenclaw table, anxiety kicked into his veins to kill the guilt he felt. The anxiety was making him consider the worst possibilities for his pursue on Cho.
What if she has another boyfriend? What if she gets me expelled? What if she wants to take it even further like Luna? What if…what if I am the one who goes too far like yesterday evening?
The thoughts swam through Harry's mind, breeding like parasites to form new problems…new "ifs". Anxiety is a parasite and it can make people shatter like church glass. But not Harry, he was a Gryffindor, he was a warrior, and he would not let these negative thoughts slower his goal today.
After eying the giggling girls at the Ravenclaw table several times when he was sure they were not looking, Harry discovered Cho was not amongst them. So Harry gulped the rest of his pumpkin juice and then got to his feet.
'Harry Potter!'
Harry turned and saw Luna hopping towards him, her radish earrings dashing left and right and her big breasts bouncing energetically under her red top with every step. Before Harry could stop her, she pounced and flung her arms around him, her cheek rubbing against his.
'H – Hi, Luna,' Harry said as they broke apart, 'didn't think you would be awake at this time.'
Luna giggled slightly, 'yes well, when there is rain water mixing with snow, it creates Raisush O –'
'Luna,' Harry interrupted her abruptly, there was no time for her superstitions and he had to break up with her now. It had to be done.
'Oh, yes…Harry Potter?' She said, sounding rather startled, which was unusual for Luna. She never normally sounded startled, just dreamy.
Harry looked at the Slytherin table where a group of boys were whistling and laughing at him. 'Let's walk and talk, Luna.'
Luna's eyes were wide; she smiled a little and outstretched her small hand for Harry's.
'No, Luna, let's just walk please,' Harry said to another long, suggestive whistle from a Slytherin boy.
Luna's eyes grew wider and the smile fell from her face as though the wind outside had swept it away. 'Oh, well okay then…Harry.'
Harry began to walk outside of the Great Hall and Luna walked beside him, she did not have an energetic atmosphere to her steps this time. She was walking with her head down, and looked as though she was stepping into Azkaban. Breaking up with Luna wasn't exactly on Harry's mind when he woke up; he was too deep in his guilt. All he could have thought about was Hermione, which was why he had thought of Cho in the first place. Because getting to work on Cho meant helping Hermione. But whilst Luna was here, Harry decided he best let her go now. The only problem was Harry did not really know how to let her go. Some girls are tough; some girls are so sensitive that a break up could break them up for a very long time. Harry did not know what to say, but he thought it was best he was as straight forward as possible.
'Luna, I – we, cannot be together,' Harry said delicately, as they left the Great Hall together and stood by the wall they had once snogged at.
Luna stopped in her tracks, Harry turned, biting one of his lips, awaiting a hard slap in the face. He did not get it, not yet. 'Is there somebody else?' Luna's voice was quiet, and it made the situation significantly worse. She was hurt; she couldn't even bring up a strong voice.
'No – it – it's just,' Harry did not know what to say anymore. It was somebody else, of course it was, it was Hermione. But he couldn't just tell Luna that, she would hate him, Hermione, and probably any of the friends they had. But Harry had already said no, so he decided that this was one of those situations where lying was not the only way to get out, but the right way…lying could put Luna's mind more at ease. She would not feel thrown away like rubbish if Harry could think of the right lie.
Luna continued to stare up at Harry, her small hands curled into balls of anger and small tears beading in her grey eyes. She blinked and a gentle tear slid down her cheek. 'Then what is it?' Her voice was not like Harry had ever heard it before, it was high, squeaky, and she was oh so very hurt by the words he had shot her with. And her pain was ricocheting out to him.
'It's just – it's…' Harry breathed in, decided any lie could be better than the truth, 'it's just I am not ready for a relationship…Luna, I – I am - '
'Oh you're not ready for one, are you?' Luna shrieked, two more tears streaking down her cheeks. 'You promised – You…you promised me – Har – Harry,' Luna choked, she turned on her heels, a couple of tears splashed to the concrete where her feet once were, and she ran out into the rain, covering her crying eyes with her hands. Her crying echoed for a moment down the walls, Harry hoped nobody heard her crying in the Great Hall.
For a moment, Harry could not move, but he knew she could not run out into that rain in what she was wearing, jeans and a red t-shirt (yea, probably no bra either). So he dashed after her. The rain soaked snow immediately froze his feet, and the crying sky smothered the circular lenses in his glasses. He could not see properly, but he could hear Luna crying her eyes out and howling with the wind. If only he could remember that spell Hermione had cast on his glasses once to prevent them being battered by the rain.
Harry ran after the sounds of Luna's crying for another two or three minutes, but then there was nothing, and when he wiped his glasses on his grey hoodie for the millionth time to get a six or maybe (if he was lucky), a ten second view of his surroundings, Luna was nowhere to be seen. He turned in the spot, wiped his glasses another time, turned again, but he could not see Luna's red t-shirt anywhere.
Whoosh!
The familiar sound of a broomstick rushing through the wind rung through Harry's ears, he recognised the many tall stands he stood outside of now. He was on the outside of the Quidditch field. A figure floated to Harry's right, wearing blue, billowing Quidditch robes.
'Harry?' The figures soft voice came.
'C – C – Cho?' Harry trembled in surprise and because he was absolutely freezing.
'What are you doing out here?' The figure asked him.
It was Cho, Harry recognised her gentle voice. But what was she doing out here this early on her broom?
'L – L – Lu – Luna,' Harry managed to say, 'S – she came – came r –running o – outside so I t – tried t – t - to stop her.'
Cho was silent for a moment, then she spoke, 'I don't see anybody, you want me to take you back inside?'
Harry wondered why she did not sound so affected by the cold at all, but he decided he would ask her what on earth she was doing out here in the first place later. He thanked her and sat on the end of her broom.
'Better hold on Harry,' she said, as one of her gloved hands found Harry's and guided it to her curvy waist.
Harry let his other hand gingerly reach for her other side, and then she let the broom rise higher and higher, then they went forward at a gentle glide. The rain was colder, harder and unrelenting upon Harry's frozen face.
'C – Cho, w – what are you d – doing out he – here?' Harry asked as one of his hands slipped onto her thigh. He immediately let it feel up to her waist again. Even though he was in a relationship with Hermione, he still felt that common shyness anyone feels for their first love. Some people find it cute (fortunately).
Cho giggled, 'Quidditch training…and Roger Davies won't let us avoid training even in this weather.'
So that was why she wasn't feeling cold at all, she had been training for probably an hour or two, Harry thought as their steady glide fell lower to the mouth of Hogwarts where Harry had left several minutes ago as he chased Luna. Where was Luna? Harry had absolutely no idea. But right now Harry had Cho one on one and it was incredible fortune. She was normally always with her friends and it would have been very difficult to get her one on one, but now he had her…so he let Luna slip from his mind and focused on Hermione's pregnancy, on his girlfriend's pregnancy.
'Cho, d – do you t – thin –think y – you could m – meet me h – here after training?' Harry stuttered, as his feet met the grey sloshy snow (stuttering probably because he was talking to Cho, not because of the cold).
From what Harry could see through his rain painted lenses, Cho appeared to be smiling a little on her hovering broomstick.
'Okay, how come?' Cho asked Harry rather curiously.
'I – I can't really explain r – right now...but I will.'
'Well, that's fine then I suppose; I finish training in an hour so I will see you here at about ten-thirty?'
Harry nodded, 'yea – yea sure t – thanks Cho.'
Cho giggled, and flew off fast back to the Quidditch field; Harry felt his face growing a sharp red.
