Chapter 14
Arthur,
I am writing to you because I have a better chance of being listened to. Molly sent another howler to Hermione. The last time was because the pain in the rear reporter caught Hermione wishing me luck and hugging me. It was nothing. Hermione and I hug all the time and always have. Given what the event was, I am glad that she did.
This time, the same reporter decided to focus on Hermione during the Ball last night. Hermione and I have never been involved, but she made 'Mione out to be a cheating slut. Yet, most of us traded off among our friends. I danced few times, because I stink at it, but until Ron made a big deal out of Hermione attending with Viktor Krum, she and all of us were having a good time, well besides George.
The poor man had to watch another dance with the woman that he loves. It's not Alicia Spinnet. He is barely cordial to the girl, that is because of Fred and Angie. George told the whole house last night that no matter what the girl has said the two of them never were, are not, and will never be together. He swore an oath to the fact. Fred and I know who it is, but will not divulgeher identity until he asks her out.
I have never seen your daughter as anything but the guys little sister. She even resembles how I envision my little sister would look. I don't plan to ever be with her.
In the same vein, Hermione has never been with Ron. The both of us have been racking our brains as to where this crush of his came from. He has never been all that happy to be around her. For Hermione's part, she only puts up with him for the twin's and my sake. I personally do not trust his motives any longer.
At the close of the howler, Molly told Hermione that she doesn't want to see her at the Burrow ever again. I am very sad to have read that. It means that I will need to find another place to go to for the Christmas and Summer breaks. I will not go anywhere where my best friend/sister is not welcome also.
Sincerely,
Harry Potter
Harry gives the letter to Hedwig and lets her out the window as they hear some of the others board the train.
"You guys can talk you know. I am just writing to my godfather and then I'll be with you." He smiles. George already knows the reason. The Boy Who Lived is happy to be going to Hermione's. Her parents had invited Remus and Sirius over to their house for Christmas through New Years, so they can relax and see the kids.
"Padfoot,
When you get to the "chalet" we need to discuss a few things, so please contact me directly. It is about next summer. Big Sis was gravely insulted by MammaCarrot. I refuse to go back to their "Warren".
Bolt"
Harry folds the letter and stores it away for when Hedwig returns. He looks up and sees that Fred is reading the book that Angie had told him to read. George can already tell he hates it. George happily has a sleeping Hermione wrapped tightly in his arms.
"So big brother, what is your plan for this? You know your mother thinks that Hermione is going to be Ron's or otherwise isn't good enough for the family." He asks the quiet twin.
"I love my mother a lot, Harrykins, but she is in for a rude awakening. The only Weasley male that is going to be with Hermione is this one. This is where she belongs, because she is mine." He calmly states.
"She already agreed to attend the next dance with me. I plan to parlay that into her being my girlfriend and then wife." He leans back and adjusts Hermione in his lap, cuddling her closely.
Hedwig lands at the desk of Arthur Weasley. The balding man looks up. "Hello Hedwig, got a letter from Harry. Thank you girl." The snowy owl chirps and flies away.
A few moments later, Arthur walks through the floo into his kitchen, where Molly is bustling around preparing Harry's favorites, as well as Ginny's, the twins', Ron's and the older ones'.
"Don't bother making anything more for Harry." Arthur tells her in a flat voice. She spins around wondering why Arthur was home early. "Why is that Arthur?" She asks as she dries her hands and comes to sit at the table with him.
Arthur looks at her as if he's never seen her before. "Because he wrote me. Harry's very offended by your treatment of Hermione. He says that he will look for another place to stay as he will not stay where his best friend is not welcome.
He told me what really happened at the school. That Rita is driving him spare and trying to make Hermione look bad. She was only wishing him luck before the dragon event. They both hug each other all the time. You were wrong to write to her like that. She is not your child. Neither is Harry. According to Harry, Ron is not with Hermione and never has been. He said that until this summer, Ron could never stand her being around. Hermione only puts up with Ron because of the twins and Harry. Harry and Ron themselves have been estranged because of Ron's temper tantrum, he doesn't trust Ron's motives in apologizing and has become closer to the twins.
Ron only asked Hermione two days before the Ball. I do not consider "Hey, you're a girl. How about you Hermione? A bloke attending alone is one thing, but a girl not having a date is just sad." the appropriate way of asking your crush to a dance. She already had a date at that point. Then he blew up at her for who the date was. It ruined the night for most of their group, made Hermione cry and pissed his brothers and Harry off.
George is not with Alicia. He apparently told the whole House last night. He went to the Ball with her as a favor to Fred. Harry says that George spent most of the night watching the woman that he loves dance with another. Harry says that George has already made plans to ask her out soon.
He also said that he and Ginny are not together. He doesn't plan to be with her. He sees her as his little sister. He is very upset with you, Molly. I have no doubts that Hermione is also very upset with you. I am disgusted by your overbearing behavior. Both of those kids have done a lot for our world and family. This is not the way to repay those debts."
Molly is in tears that she offended Harry that much. Hermione, she could care less about. She doesn't factor that much to her. Now that she knows that Hermione is neither with Harry nor Ron, she doesn't matter to Molly.
Arthur goes to gather the kids off the train. It becomes obvious that aside from the twins, who are glaring at Ron, the kids didn't know about Harry not coming home with them.
Before they get off the train, George begs Hermione to write to him. "I'll send your gift through the post." He hugs her and gently presses a kiss to her head. Hermione nods and hugs him back hard, before she walks down the steps and through the crowd to the portal. She waits for Harry to wish everyone a good holiday.
"Take care of her for me, Harry." George asks him in a whisper, looking towards where she went.
"I will Man. Don't let Molly and Ron get you down too much. If it gets too bad, owl."
His girl and her pseudobrother walk to her parents.
Over the two weeks, Hermione relaxes and enjoys her quiet break with her parents and Harry. She and the older Grangers play with Harry outside in the snow. They make an army of snow owls, have countless snowball fights and go sliding down a big hill in town. They decorate their tree together and go shopping in town.
On Christmas morning, Hermione wakes and walks downstairs to start their breakfast. There is a knock on the door. She sees Remus through the peephole, but quietly asks him a question to prove who he is. "Why did Moony stop tearing into Padfoot last spring?"
"Because he heard a female's howl, but couldn't find her. Then he got the crap kicked out of him by Buckbeak." Remus admits. The look on his face says 'How did she know about that?'
Hermione opens the door and welcomes him and Padfoot into the house. "Harry's not up yet. Which is surprising." Sirius rushes up the stairs with the others on his paws. Inside Harry's room, he finds the lad still asleep.
Hermione has brought a cup of coffee up for her brother. Sirius pounces on the boy. Harry comes up swinging, landing a mighty punch right to the canine's jaw. Sirius turns into a man again and grabs the boy's arms, pining them between them. He looks over to Hermione for an explanation, while Remus heals the man's broken jaw.
Sadly, she has one.
"I'm not sure, but he might be reacting to either his uncle Vernon or cousin Dudley. He was never treated well there. Albus keeps sending him back, no matter what. Harry has refused to go to the Burrow because Molly has banished me."
Harry wakes and starts crying upon seeing that he went after Sirius. "I'm sorry." He mutters, upset with himself.
"No need, Sprog. Now tell me what's going on with everything." Sirius tells him. Both uncles look at each other. They both were told many times by Albus that he was safe there and not to interfere.
Harry tells his family what has been happening from his years with the Dursleys to Molly's delusions and banning of Hermione.
Hermione fills in that she never liked Ron. That Ginny is with someone else. "It's been a large mess thanks to that Rita Skeeter." She groans.
The Grangers know about Hermione's feelings for the Weasley twin. They also see that she is not admitting anything to the adults. "Harry, this spring, we are going to work on this. You are fourteen, that is plenty old enough to ask about your parents' affairs, especially if you think something is up and that you are the only child." Dan tells him.
"I'll go one better, Dan. It sounds to me like James and Lil'swill has not been read." Sirius looks over at his godson. "How about we do that tomorrow, Harry? I'll request a meeting with the Head of the DMLE. Amelia can't do anything to me if we are at the bank. I'll request truth serum. Once I am cleared, we'll do something about getting you away from Albus' grasp." Sirius tells him and rubs his back. The man looks to Remus, before telling the kids that Albus made a request of him.
"He came to me and asked if the revived version of the Order of the Phoenixcould use my parents' home for the headquarters. In light of this development. I am going to deny him. He did a lot to the three of us and I refuse to let him use you as a weapon Harry. Another thing, James told me about something that I just remembered. When I become a proper member of society again, you and I are going to the Department of Mysteries and get that prophecy orb. Only you and Voldemort can physically touch it. This bullshit is not going to be hanging over your head anymore."
Harry starts crying again. The stress is being released from his shoulders.
Hermione feels better a couple days later. Harry has been given his titles and the keys to his vaults, been emancipated and Sirius is a free man.
The two traveled to the DOM and Harry retrieved the orb. He now knows what Albus has been hiding all these years from him. While in the DOM, an unspeakable led them to the Veil of Death. While standing there, a gnarledhand reaches out and up to Harry's forehead. A green mist had been extracted from the scar. Now the scar is normal. Sirius and Remus are now looking for more "Horcruxes". They warned the kids that it may be difficult.
The two elder statesmen have told Hermione and Harry that they will meet them at the Three Broomsticks at the end of the year to travel to the Grangers.
Both the Goblins and Amelia agree to keep Harry being an "adult" and Sirius' freedom from the press.
Today, a letter and small package came in the post. It has George's scrawl on it. She opens the letter first.
Hermione,
How was your Christmas? Mine was fine other than my mother trading off between lamenting about Harry not being there and being angry with you for being the reason for his absence. Fred and I decided that we would not mention that he's at yours. She also cornered me about Alicia. That was embarrassing, to have your own mother tell you that you can't do better.
I told Dad and Bill that I plan to stay away from Mum for a while. I love the woman dearly, she has put up with all of us for this long, but I need to put some space between her and I, and don't get me started on Ron and his "Woe is me, Hermione was not on the train."
Would you be interested in meeting for some lunch tomorrow at the Leaky? We can go wherever you want to, but I am not up on the Muggle London eateries.
Yours,
George"
Hermione smiles at the letter and then gasps at the present. Inside the little box is a pair of silver stud earrings and a heart that opens up like a locket, but on the inside, their names are engraved. She immediatelyputs it on and writes back that she would meet him at the Leaky at noon.