Chapter six

From the moment Hedwig landed in front of Sally, it was instant, everyone asked Sally why was Harry writing to her. Harry was also asked by some, especially Hermione, why he wrote to Sally.

Sally couldn't stop smiling as she read the letter. She looked at Harry and nodded, Harry smiled and nodded back.

'What?' Seamus asked.

'Sally agreed to go to Hogsmeade with me in two weeks,' Harry couldn't stop smiling at the girl before he began to eat.

'It seems like many are going to pair off this year,' Seamus said.

'There are a lot of cute girls,' Dean said and he was staring over at a group of Ravenclaw's.

It was true, the ones in fourth years and up were all gazing around at other students. Some boys were obvious with the way they stared. But some of the girls were also obvious. Harry got a lot of smiles, he didn't smile at anyone but Sally. He wanted the other girls to know he wasn't interested.

Classes began and almost everyone said that potions was a hundred times better with Professor Slughorn. Harry and Neville ended up surprising everyone when they got E's in their potions. Harry always knew he could do better in potions, it was always Snape. They also had an easy time in that class since the trouble-makers like Malfoy, Parkinson, Nott and Zabini were no longer at Hogwarts. Dumbledore had told only a few, Harry included, that Voldemort had marked the children of his death eater's, the ones that were fifteen year old and over. All those that were not at Hogwarts were those that had been marked and died when Voldemort died.

Harry was sitting alone doing his homework. Neville normally sat with him but he was doing some work for Professor Sprout in the greenhouses.'

'Harry, can we talk,' Hermione said as she sat beside him.

'Sure, what about?'

'What you were going to do with Tonks and the meetings you had with Professor Dumbledore.'

'Sorry, I can't talk about them. You were told by Dumbledore that I can't.'

'But it's over now, why can't you?'

'He made it an official secret with the oaths to go with it. He made sure it remains a secret. It's also something people like you don't need to know. Only the people that had to be involved were told and they, or us are all under the secrecy oaths.'

'But why were you involved when you're only sixfteen?'

'All I can say is it still involved what began when I got my scar. I was a major part but that's all you can be told. Now I'm going back to my homework,' Harry turned away from his annoying friend and began to write again.

'What about Ginny?'

Harry sighed, 'What about her?'

'Do you know why she died?'

'You know as much as I do about that. I actually said to Professor Dumbledore that if anyone would know why she went outside, then it would be you. I hardly had anything to do with her and I deliberately ignored her so she would know I wasn't interested. I didn't take any notice of what she did or where she went. Now I need to finish this otherwise I will have to tell McGonagall you kept disturbing me.'

Harry ended up packing his stuff up and headed up to his dorm room. He sealed the door. He knew the boys would knock. He wanted to speak with McGonagall to find out why the boys stairs were not enchanted like the girls stairs. He knew a lot of the boys would hate him, but he would like to stop Hermione just coming up to his dorm room to keep questioning him.

Right at the end of his next transfiguration class, Harry did speak with his teacher about the stairs to the boy's dorm room.

'Can you explain why you would like them enchanted when most boys like the idea that the girls can visit them in their dorm rooms.'

'Because the common room gets really noisy, I do my homework in the dorm room as it's the only place I can concentrate. I kept getting disturbed, mainly by Hermione, but sometimes the other girls like Lavender will visit. It's after curfew so it's not like I can go somewhere else to do my work. There isn't anywhere in Gryffindor tower that allows us to do our work where it's quiet. I do put a silencing charm around my bed to stop the noise from the other boys, but I still see the girls when they come in and it disturbs me so I can't concentrate.'

'I will speak with the headmaster about it Potter. I will also try to organise another room where you can work without being disturbed. It will have to be enchanted to prevent anyone talking while they are in there. I will see about all the fifth, sixth, seventh years have a room they can use.'

'That would be perfect Professor, thank you.'

'You're welcome. Now to something I wish to ask. I want to know why you returned the prefect badge?'

'Well, I prefer the captains badge. I wouldn't have had time to do anything else, not with homework and training.'

'Yes, I thought that was the reason, which is why I went with Mr Thomas.'

'Dean was a good choice. He's friendly with everyone so he's easy to approach. Neville's just to shy and Seamus…well, he might say something that could offend one of the girls. I was surprised when Ron got it last year since he does have the worst scores out of all of us. I do understand why he handed it in though.'

'Normally it would be you since you do have the best scores, but as I said, I knew you would prefer to spend your time with quidditch, so I was expecting you to say no. Is that all Potter?'

'Yes, Professor and again, thanks.'

Harry was walking back towards the main stairs when he saw Sally. She noticed him and smiled. Harry ended up forgetting the stairs and decided to speak with the girl he had his eye on.

It was only two days later that the headmaster announced that all the dormitory stairs were now enchanted. No boy could go up to the girls dormitory and no girl could go up the stairs to the boy's dormitory. He also explained that there were now other rooms attached to the house rooms. These rooms were strictly to be used for school work. There were charms placed around the room so it would stay completely silent. If a student was studying then they would not hear another student who might be in there. For safety reasons, two portraits were now hanging in those rooms. If a student got sick or injured than the portrait would instantly notify the head of house. The common rooms would now be for socialising.

Harry couldn't stop smiling at Dumbledore. He could see out of the corner of his eye that Hermione didn't like it the idea she could not get into the boy's dorm rooms. She did like the room that could be used for studying. She just didn't like the fact she could not visit Harry when he was in his dorm. He seemed to spend more time in there after curfew. She had no idea that Harry spent more time in his dorm because of her. No matter what, she wouldn't stop asking Harry about the things he had been doing with Sirius and Dumbledore. Harry knew that if she kept going, he might have to speak with Dumbledore. If the headmaster gave her a firm and serious warning, she might finally let it drop.

Over the next two weeks Harry spent a couple of hours every day with Sally. Sometimes they were alone, other times they were with some of her friends, along with Neville. He seemed to be opening up more and he finally got around to asking Hannah if she would go to Hogsmeade with him. She said yes. They all planned to go together but the couples would split off so they could have some time to themselves.

Ron had basically began to spend all his time alone. He wasn't even interested in quidditch. Harry did ask him if he wanted to join them when he explained that he was now captain, but he refused. He hardly spoke anymore. Harry did feel guilty that his friend was suffering from the loss of his sister. But he still stuck to his belief. One life, Ginny's life was better than thousands dying. The moment Ginny died, Voldemort and all his death eaters died. There had been no danger of any kind since. There hadn't been any trouble at Hogwarts either. The remaining Slytherin's all seemed to be friendly now that Snape, Malfoy and the others were gone. Harry hoped Ron just needed some more time but he couldn't put his life on hold waiting for Ron, not now it was safe.

Three times during the Hogsmeade visit, Hermione kept interrupting Harry and Sally. He finally told her to get lost that he was trying to have some private time with his girlfriend and she wasn't invited. He also knew that he was going to speak with Dumbledore.

Harry didn't want anyone to know what he was planning. He used his mirror that night and spoke with Sirius. He explained about Hermione and asked Sirius to contact Dumbledore for him. He didn't want Hermione, or others to know that he was basically telling on Hermione. He just couldn't take her harassing him all the time. She also wouldn't leave him alone. She had even entered the study rooms, sat down opposite Harry and pushed notes in front of him. At first, Harry shook his head and kept studying. Finally, he just swept the notes onto the floor. He saw Hermione yelling, but he couldn't hear her. She finally stormed out much to Harry's relief. Harry did pick up the notes, he planned to hand them to McGonagall and ask if she could give them to Dumbledore. At the end of transfiguration class, Harry did hand over the notes to McGonagall so she could pass them on to Dumbledore.

During dinner the following night, a Ravenclaw prefect handed Hermione a note. When she read it, she gasped then looked around nervously. Harry knew what that note said, but others looked confused.

That night, when Harry was getting ready for bed, Sirius called him on the mirror. He explained about the meeting with Dumbledore and Hermione.

'So, he basically threatened to suspend her unless she stopped, that all the information you, or us had, she could not be told and he forbid her from asking. He even said she would be expelled if she kept going. He explained what would happen if she was expelled before sitting her newts. She would never get a decent job. No one would hire her without newts.'

'Even though a suspension would mean she missed a lot of classes, she might not be able to catch up.'

'Exactly pup. But Albus did say to let him know straight away if she keeps going. We don't believe she will, not now she knows what could happen. Oh, and Albus told me in confidence that her grades are dropping. Right now, you, Dean Thomas and Padma Patil are the top three students in transfiguration and charms, you are still the top student in defence and Neville is in herbology.'

'I don't get it Sirius. She's always been one to study and always wanted to be top of the year. Why is she doing this right now, the year which leads up to our newts? She even said during our fifth year that we should start revising for our newts, yet she's not studying, she's just harassing me.'

'We don't know pup. Maybe Ginny's death has affected her more than we realised. All the Weasley's are having a hard time and you told me how Ron and the twins are. It could be the reason for how Hermione is acting. There is one other idea that came to me. But if I'm right then she's going about it all wrong.'

'What idea?'

'Maybe she actually likes you and her asking questions all the time is her way to get you to pay attention to her.'

'Okay, say that's true, she knows now that Sally is my girlfriend, yet she hasn't stopped.'

'It's either one or the other pup, but if I was to make a guess, I would say it's Ginny. She was Hermione's only female friend. You explained how she liked Ron. Maybe she had dreams of you and Hermione becoming part of one big Weasley family.'

'You may be right and I think it's more Ginny than me. We all know she liked Ron. It's different now, Ron is basically spending all his time alone. He doesn't talk to anyone. He has spoken to me, a bit, but not about anything important. She might believe she lost Ron when Ginny died.'

'Yes, it could be. Well, all I can say is do what your doing and if she keeps going, let me know and I'll inform Dumbledore. It's late and you need sleep.'

'Yeah, I do. Goodnight Sirius.'

'Night pup.'

Harry put the mirror away, curled up on his side and hoped his dreams would be of Sally, just as they had been over the last few weeks.