Chapter 7 - Heaven into Humility
"Harry?" Hermione breathed in Harry's right ear, feeling like a soft feather brushing against his skin.
He opened his eyes and levitated his head up to find a tear-and-mascara stained face of Hermione gawking worriedly at him. Her hair, that had been tied up in a bun was a complete mess, with a few strands of it sticking out on all sides.
Harry fixed his eyes around him, finding himself to still be in his room, next to Hermione. The entrance door to the room was closed, and Harry well remembered that it had been ajar when Hermione had marched in.
Outside the window, dark clouds were covering the humid light-blue sky like the ceiling in front of your face. An hour or so had passed by as Harry read the clock on the small table near the bed on the opposite side of him. On it was a tiny silver chip placed next to the clock, shining in the sunlight. Harry didn't remember that being there either.
"I think we fell asleep." Muttered Hermione, very nervously.
"Yeah." Said Harry, still sitting where he had been before he had awoken.
"Do you want to go downstairs of just stay up here?" Said Hermione. Harry found a wisp of terror and unnerve in her voice.
"No. You go."
"That's okay, I'll stay."
"No, go, or they'll think that I'm-"
"No, I'll stay and they won't come."
"But how do you-"
"Never mind." Hermione interrupted, "So, do you want to talk about it?"
Harry was staring into Hermione's deep eyes that had hints of glimmer in them. She really cares, he thought. She's always cared, from the beginning, she's always-
"Hello!" Hermione waved her hand in front of his face.
]
If he had listened to half of what Hermione had said for the last year, then maybe-
"Okay, keep on looking at me," Her casual annoying voice was back, "But I can't believe Trewlaney made that prophecy to Dumbledore."
Harry suddenly remembered when Hermione had stormed out of Professor Trewlaney's room in their third year, and pondered if Hermione had ever thought Trewlaney to be competent enough to make a prophecy about himself and Voldemort.
"I told you in the third year when I took my exam. She went all weird on me like she was controlled and she told me about Wormtail joining Voldemort and Voldemort rising to full power again." Said Harry.'
He felt sort of awkward to be close to Hermione, one of his arms and legs touching hers under their cloaks. He could tell that she felt the tension too.
But Harry knew that he would burst into tears the moment he would be alone. He couldn't bear the world around him any longer. The people, the things, the theories, the prophecies, Hogwarts, Dumbledore, Voldemort, his scar, himself... The only thing he had was a friend.
Hermione was observing him carefully, "Yeah, but we didn't know if that was true or not, not without Professor Dumbledore's approval of it."
"Yeah, but I remember that at the end of that year he said that that prediction made Trewlaney's real predictions to a total number of two. If I'd known the prophecy, I wouldn't have barged into the Department of Mysteries weeks ago."
Hermione nodded approvingly, "Yes, but you know, it's not your fault that Sirius died. Don't look at me like that. It was not a bit your fault that Sirius died, of course we went to save him, what else would have we done, even though I refused."
"I need to listen to you more." Harry blurted out. Hermione laughed.
"Yes, you certainly do, but I've been wondering this for a long time. What part does Dumbledore play in all this?"
Harry frowned, "What do you mean?"
She looked up at the ceiling, and with a dreamy voice, she replied, "What part does he play in this win-or-lose game between you and Voldemort? Why did Trewlaney make that prophecy to Professor Dumbledore? I know that he's the greatest wizard there ever was, but..."
"I don't know, maybe he is just supposed to protect me from Voldemort as long as he can." Said Harry.
"Maybe," Said Hermione, with doubt in her voice, "That room you told me about does sound interesting. Professor Dumbledore said it's the most mysterious room...you know what, I think we should continue our D.A. meetings at Hogwarts, they are really affective."
"Yeah, but we're going to have another Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, aren't we? And lets hope he-or she- stays." Said Harry pleasantly.
Hermione smiled weakly at him and gave a quick look towards the door.
"Hermione, you can go downstairs if you want to, I'm okay, I swear."
She was taking several black rubber bands out of her hair when she said, "Oh no, it's quite alright. I don't mind, I'd rather stay up here with you..." She flinched when one of her rubber bands stretched out and snapped against her index finger. She tried to take it out, but it just kept hurting her fingers.
"Liar." Stated Harry, still watching her.
Hermione stopped wrestling against her and said, "Alright, alright, but I'd rather lie to you and stay her than go downstairs than go downstairs and leave you feeling miserable." She went back to her hair. To Harry, she didn't seem to be making any progress.
"Here." Harry pulled out his hands to Hermione's hair. She had stayed up with him for an hour, the least he could do was sort out her hair...
"This is all too terrible. Why does everyone and everything depend on you? It's just not fair." Stated Hermione flatly. She gasped when the rubber band snapped against her skull.
"Sorry."
"It's alright."
He was still struggling with her hair as she said, "You, that's all everyone was trying to do downstairs. Don't be so angry with them, Harry. They're just looking out for you, like I am right now, and I always will, remember that."
A snappy noise broke the emotional feeling in the room, and Harry and Hermione chuckled lightly. The frustrating rubber band had finally split into two pieces.
"Thanks." Said Hermione.
"No, I should be saying thanks Hermione, I...I..." Before Harry knew what he was doing, his face slowly closed in on hers, feeling like an eternity as their eyes met. His coarse lips touched Hermione's fluffy red lips, and a heart warming feeling jolted through Harry's body as if he had just been hit with the Cruciatus Curse. However, the effect was quite the opposite.
Harry's right hand rested on Hermione's perfect swan-shaped neck as his other hand found one of Hermione's hands. Their hands grasped tightly together and Harry felt like he was in sweet heaven. The heat was building up inside him as his lips trailed down to Hermione's neck.
Their lips locked again, now more intensely than ever. Harry's hand grasped Hermione's hair as their tongues made contact. Harry felt oozing saliva entering his mouth, now kissing Hermione more fiercely than ever.
Harry did not know when he let go, and neither did Hermione, but both were gazing at each other with complete silence. Her eyes were glowing at Harry, young and alive. Harry thought that he had never seen anyone like her, so caring and kind and smart and-
Both of their lips locked together again, thinking that his was just a huge dream. Harry knew it was...
A rough pattern of knocks banged furiously in Harry's ear that blasted him awake. He was lying on Hermione's lap on the floor, and she was sleeping soundlessly, her had resting on the side of Harry's bed. The clock came in Harry's view, and a wave of panic entered his whole body. He and Hermione had been sleeping for two and a half hours. How could that happen????
More bangs cam on the door and a frightening sound of Mrs.Weasley rang out, "Harry! Hermione!"
"Oh, damn..." What had he gotten himself into? He thought. Had he taken sleeping pills that had made him fall asleep two times in a row?
Harry nudged Hermione roughly on her shoulder.
"Alohomora! Alohomora! ALOHOMORA! Locomotor Mortis! Sedenio!" Mrs.Weasley's and a few others' shriek entered Harry's ears. He was almost about to slap Hermione on the face when she arose slowly.
"What-What's that screaming?" She gasped horribly.
Harry pulled Hermione up. "It's Mrs.Weasley and someone else too. Hide!" He whispered frighteningly.
"But-?" She started to ask, but Harry intercepted her, "Hermione, do you really want everyone to find out that you and I have been locked together in a room for hours? Hide!" He whispered desperately.
For a second, Hermione appeared offended and confuse, and then her eyes widened.
"Oh, right! But where?"
"Go under the bed! Quick!"
Hermione crouched down helplessly and crawled under the large bed. Harry stared at her dark-illuminated face for a moment.
"I'll say that you're in the drawing room, so as soon as I leave the room, go to the bathroom, there's another door that will lead you to the drawing room, ok?"
"This is wrong Harry." Hermione breathed.
No kidding, Harry thought. He didn't know, but at the thought of everyone knowing Hermione and him had been making out seemed more terrible to him than facing Voldemort.
He got up and paced towards the door quickly.
"HARRY! HERM-"
Mrs.Weasly's cries were interrupted with a swift opening of the door.
Mrs.Weasley's terrified and astonished face was looking at Harry, and to his terror, was a huge crowd sharing Mrs.Weasley's expression. Tonks, Ted Tonks, Lupin, Sturgis, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mad-Eyes Moody, Hestia Jones, Mundungus Fletcher, Neville's Grandmother, Fred and George, Bill, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and her father were all gaping at him worriedly.
"Harry dear, what happened? Why was the door locked?" Mrs.Weasley asked sympathetically.
Thank god for Hermione's brilliance, he thought.
"Was it Voldemort?" Lupin asked casually, almost in a sort of business-tone.
As Harry expected, most of the people crowded around him recoiled uncomfortably.
Harry attempted to put an innocent not-knowing-anything look on his face, "I-I fell asleep, but I don't know why the door was locked." He glanced at Ron, who avoided his gaze, and looked the opposite way, facing the hallway.
"Did you see anything, Potter?" Barked Moody, and for the first time he had a slight sense of panic in his voice.
Harry knew he didn't mean seeing with his eyes, but with his mind.
"No."
"Where's Hermione?" Asked Tonks suspiciously.
"She was in her earlier, but then she said she was going to go to the drawing room to do some homework." Replied Harry.
"But why was the-" Lupin started, but Mrs.Weasley took Harry by her hands and led her past the crowd, "Remus, honestly, have some sense." Said Mrs.Weasley as she passed Lupin and glared at everyone.
"Sorry Molly, I just wanted to know why-"
"Yes, yes. Well, what is everyone waiting for? You can go back to whatever it is you lot were doing." She said as she continued to eye everyone except for Lupin.
Everyone there knew better than to refuse Mrs.Weasley's command, because in a flash, they all went in different directions. Harry could hear them mumbling but couldn't quite make their interesting words.
Mrs.Weasley and Lupin did not seem satisfied at all when Harry informed them the same piece of information he had earlier. The mysteries of the locked door lead both of them to believe that they couldn't leave Harry alone for another second.
His heart fell suddenly when he heard this. The last thing that was necessary was a stalker after him 24 hours a day.
Harry had asked what had happened to his aunt, Hagrid, and Dumbledore. He found out that Aunt Petunia had left shortly after she had signed the parchment. Harry found it surprising, for some reason, that she had not said goodbye.
Hagrid had left too, along with Dumbledore, saying they had business to attend to...
His body was shaking.
Hermione apparently had followed Harry's instructions, because she trampled in the living room casually after a few minutes.
Harry, Neville, Luna, Ginny, and Ron had been sitting in the living room. Luna was immersed in a new edition of The Quibbler, not noticing the smirks Ginny was giving Harry, nor the furious glares from a red-faced Ron. Neville and Ron were playing chess, and Ginny was just resting on the sofa, gazing around and giving Harry looks once in a while. Harry was doing the same as her, but deep in his thoughts.
His mind was on Hermione. She's a great kisser, he thought. It had been much better than kissing Cho, even though both kisses had sort of been-wet.
What if Hermione couldn't pull it off? He certainly didn't want everyone to know that they'd been making out in a locked room for the longest time ever.
Harry noticed Ron, wondering what was wrong with him. He wanted to talk to him, but not in front of everyone. The house was just way too crowded.
"How come you went upstairs, Harry?" Said Neville.
"I got sleepy." Said Harry, "I think someone might have put something in my drink, because I have no idea how I slept that much."
Ginny surprisingly gasped and then laughed, "Um...I think someone did. George was putting something in a couple of the butter beers."
Harry rolled his eyes uncontrollably.
A few minutes later, Hermione trotted in, her appearance being similar to the one at the memorial earlier that afternoon. Her once-strangling hair was back to a tight bun, not a lock of hair out of place. She had obviously washed her face and had put on her usual makeup on, shining vibrantly again. There was a book in her hand, the same one from the morning, Harry noticed. She gave him a weird look and then sat down next to Ginny.
"Where have you been?" Ginny asked suspiciously, with a bit of sarcasm in her voice. Either it was Harry going mad, or Ginny knew.
Ron's head rose for a second and then drooped down again, pretending to be deeply concentrated in his chess game. Neville's eyes were fixed on Hermione. However, Luna didn't appear to catch anything that was around her.
Hermione sat down on one of the chairs and said, very casually, "I was in the drawing room, doing some summer-homework. I hadn't even started, what if I fail-"
"It's only July!" Said Ginny ridiculously and Ron snorted quietly. Neville laughed out loud.
An annoying look appeared on Hermione's face, "Yes, but you know how I am! And Professor McGonagall's homework on Apparating is very essential, that's what she said if you remember-"
"Ok, ok!" Ginny interrupted, an annoying look coming on her face too. "But, are you sure you weren't up to anything else?" She gave another obvious smirk towards Harry.
How did Ginny know? It would be too weird if someone knew that he and Hermione-
He felt weird. Hermione was his friend and she had been for the past five years, not letting him down ever. She had helped him to save the Sorcerer's Stone in their first year, then had made the Polyjuice Potion to find out the Heir of Slytherin in the second year. Along with that, she had figured the mystery of the basilisk, and then had been a major part of the pursuit of Sirius-
Harry wished deeply that Sirius were here, everything would be so much better-
And then she had stopped more ugly rumors from spreading in the Daily Prophet about him and Hagrid, and the never-ending list would go on.
The bottom line was that she had always cared about him, and wanted to kick himself for taking her granted half of the time when he and Ron copied her homework.
CRACK.
Fred Apparated right in front of the living room archway. Full hints of glee were present on his face that flicked at Harry. He had changed his clothes into comfortable Muggle clothes, a blue T-Shirt and jeans.
"Way to go Harry." Said Fred, as if he was giving Harry a reward. Harry's heart stopped, or he felt that it did.
"What do-"
"Aaah, Harry...let me explain my brilliance." Putting on a mask of seriousness and calmness, reminding Harry of Dumbledore.
"This is another one of our inventions, that records everything at a certain time and replays it to a person's advantage. We actually got the idea from this kid from a Muggle family who had a little device of his own."
To Harry's horror, Fred pulled out the familiar silver-chipped coin Harry had seen on the bedside table in his room out of his pocket.
"Merio!" Cried Fred, alerting everyone in the room. Even the intense eyes of Luna drifted up to where Fred was standing. The little chip unfolded into a silver-squared screen about the size of a regular sized roll of parchment."
"It's called a Playing Plex. Now, I was planning to use this to show Mum or Lupin, figuring I wouldn't get in trouble, but mind you, when I saw it, I knew nothing had gotten Harry except for his hormones."
Hermione cast a desperate look to harry, which had no idea what to do.
"Who wants to watch?" Declared Fred cheeringly. Most of the heads in the room came to nods.
I'm going to curse him, thought Harry bitterly. Now what?
"Give me that." Said Harry, eyeing the screen.
"Why?"
"Because I want to know if anyone else was in the room." Lied Harry.
"But I already saw it, Harry my dear." Mocked Fred.
"I want to see it myself."
"Alright, if you want to see it." Before Harry realized it, Fred touched a soft button on the button f the screen, and a pale figure of Harry came into focus on the screen. His head was facing the other way, and Harry knew that any minute, he was about to cry.
But they don't have to know that, he thought.
"See? I told you I was going to sleep! Now turn it off!" He voiced out, but Freed shook his head happily.
"Let's forward it to the real excitement, shall we?"
Again, he pushed another button and the Playing Plex forwarded, from first displaying and then Hermione walked in...
"Stop it!" Cried Hermione, sounding and appearing utterly embarrassed, even though her cheeks weren't red. Harry looked at the screen, and one good thing was that they couldn't hear what he and Hermione were saying.
She stood up to snatch the Plex, but a defaming crack dissolved in the air. Fred Disapparated on top of the tall bookcase, and it trembled slightly, but then came to a halt.
Fred tried to get comfortable by sitting down on the bookcase with his legs dangling down on the bookcase with his legs dangling down like wiggling spider legs.
Hermione made an attempt to reach him, but was just way too high. Her feet jumped up as high as they could, but they couldn't compare to the height of the bookcase.
"Cut it out Fred." Said Neville strongly, but not being able to do anything. He wasn't allowed to use magic, and unfortunately, he was shorter than Hermione. He was sitting next to Ron, the only possible person of reaching Fred, but he was still acting like nothing was happening around him. Luna, who had her Quibbler down on her lap, was staring intensely at Hermione and Fred. Ginny was smiling, but when she took in Hermione's desperate figure, she said, "Ok, Fred, I reckon that's enough, get rid of that thing and come down before Mum has a cow."
"Mum's not here." Fred said. A playful gleam was in Fred's eyes.
The screen played again, and before Harry knew it, it was playing to the part where Harry was struggling with Hermione's hair.
He had the urge to get his wand and destroy the screen, along with red, but he resisted it. He didn't' want to get expelled again, no matter how bad his fifth year had been.
Now everyone was gazing at the Plex, even Ron. In it, Harry was reaching towards Hermione..
Frustrated and absolutely humiliated, Hermione stomped out of the room, followed by Harry.
Walking towards the kitchen they both stopped and threw looks at each other, and went different ways. Hermione lead to the family room and Harry marched up the stairs,
He had to tell someone to stop it, but didn't know who...
The room with Tonks, Neville's grandmother, and Hestia Jones passes his eyes, and then he found the right person. Bill was in an almost empty room with only a dark-brown wooden desk on the right side, sitting in front of it and writing hastily on a piece of parchment. Here were no windows, and nothing was hanging on the walls either.
Harry had always found Bill to be cool, so he informed him that Fred was wreaking havoc in the living room. Bill immediately rose and started to mutter how immature the twins were and went downstairs.
Sitting down on the chair, Harry glanced at the roll of parchment, and written on it was:
STATIONED LOOKOUTS
12:00 A.M. Tonks, Adam Fletcher
4:00 A.M. Emmeline Vance, Bill Weasley
7:00 A.M. Remus Lupin, Mr.Weasley
Substitute: Alastor Moody
10:00 P.M. Mrs.Weasley
July 4 - July 26
Sunda
Oh great, Harry thought, completely immobilized. I'm going to be watched every single second for the rest of my damn life.
He left the room to go downstairs to the kitchen where Neville was munching on oatmeal cookies.
"Hey, Harry." He said casually.
"Hi." Harry mumbled.
"I saw a little bit of it and then I walked out of the room. I think Bill's in there trying to curse Fred."
"Yeah." Said Harry, his face growing hotter and redder.
"I think it was wrong of Fred to do that."
"Thanks." He stumbled down on the kitchen chair and gave a ferocious bite on a green apple, trying to imagine how he was possible going to be able to spend his summer in Number Twelve Grimmauld Palace.
"Harry?" Hermione breathed in Harry's right ear, feeling like a soft feather brushing against his skin.
He opened his eyes and levitated his head up to find a tear-and-mascara stained face of Hermione gawking worriedly at him. Her hair, that had been tied up in a bun was a complete mess, with a few strands of it sticking out on all sides.
Harry fixed his eyes around him, finding himself to still be in his room, next to Hermione. The entrance door to the room was closed, and Harry well remembered that it had been ajar when Hermione had marched in.
Outside the window, dark clouds were covering the humid light-blue sky like the ceiling in front of your face. An hour or so had passed by as Harry read the clock on the small table near the bed on the opposite side of him. On it was a tiny silver chip placed next to the clock, shining in the sunlight. Harry didn't remember that being there either.
"I think we fell asleep." Muttered Hermione, very nervously.
"Yeah." Said Harry, still sitting where he had been before he had awoken.
"Do you want to go downstairs of just stay up here?" Said Hermione. Harry found a wisp of terror and unnerve in her voice.
"No. You go."
"That's okay, I'll stay."
"No, go, or they'll think that I'm-"
"No, I'll stay and they won't come."
"But how do you-"
"Never mind." Hermione interrupted, "So, do you want to talk about it?"
Harry was staring into Hermione's deep eyes that had hints of glimmer in them. She really cares, he thought. She's always cared, from the beginning, she's always-
"Hello!" Hermione waved her hand in front of his face.
]
If he had listened to half of what Hermione had said for the last year, then maybe-
"Okay, keep on looking at me," Her casual annoying voice was back, "But I can't believe Trewlaney made that prophecy to Dumbledore."
Harry suddenly remembered when Hermione had stormed out of Professor Trewlaney's room in their third year, and pondered if Hermione had ever thought Trewlaney to be competent enough to make a prophecy about himself and Voldemort.
"I told you in the third year when I took my exam. She went all weird on me like she was controlled and she told me about Wormtail joining Voldemort and Voldemort rising to full power again." Said Harry.'
He felt sort of awkward to be close to Hermione, one of his arms and legs touching hers under their cloaks. He could tell that she felt the tension too.
But Harry knew that he would burst into tears the moment he would be alone. He couldn't bear the world around him any longer. The people, the things, the theories, the prophecies, Hogwarts, Dumbledore, Voldemort, his scar, himself... The only thing he had was a friend.
Hermione was observing him carefully, "Yeah, but we didn't know if that was true or not, not without Professor Dumbledore's approval of it."
"Yeah, but I remember that at the end of that year he said that that prediction made Trewlaney's real predictions to a total number of two. If I'd known the prophecy, I wouldn't have barged into the Department of Mysteries weeks ago."
Hermione nodded approvingly, "Yes, but you know, it's not your fault that Sirius died. Don't look at me like that. It was not a bit your fault that Sirius died, of course we went to save him, what else would have we done, even though I refused."
"I need to listen to you more." Harry blurted out. Hermione laughed.
"Yes, you certainly do, but I've been wondering this for a long time. What part does Dumbledore play in all this?"
Harry frowned, "What do you mean?"
She looked up at the ceiling, and with a dreamy voice, she replied, "What part does he play in this win-or-lose game between you and Voldemort? Why did Trewlaney make that prophecy to Professor Dumbledore? I know that he's the greatest wizard there ever was, but..."
"I don't know, maybe he is just supposed to protect me from Voldemort as long as he can." Said Harry.
"Maybe," Said Hermione, with doubt in her voice, "That room you told me about does sound interesting. Professor Dumbledore said it's the most mysterious room...you know what, I think we should continue our D.A. meetings at Hogwarts, they are really affective."
"Yeah, but we're going to have another Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, aren't we? And lets hope he-or she- stays." Said Harry pleasantly.
Hermione smiled weakly at him and gave a quick look towards the door.
"Hermione, you can go downstairs if you want to, I'm okay, I swear."
She was taking several black rubber bands out of her hair when she said, "Oh no, it's quite alright. I don't mind, I'd rather stay up here with you..." She flinched when one of her rubber bands stretched out and snapped against her index finger. She tried to take it out, but it just kept hurting her fingers.
"Liar." Stated Harry, still watching her.
Hermione stopped wrestling against her and said, "Alright, alright, but I'd rather lie to you and stay her than go downstairs than go downstairs and leave you feeling miserable." She went back to her hair. To Harry, she didn't seem to be making any progress.
"Here." Harry pulled out his hands to Hermione's hair. She had stayed up with him for an hour, the least he could do was sort out her hair...
"This is all too terrible. Why does everyone and everything depend on you? It's just not fair." Stated Hermione flatly. She gasped when the rubber band snapped against her skull.
"Sorry."
"It's alright."
He was still struggling with her hair as she said, "You, that's all everyone was trying to do downstairs. Don't be so angry with them, Harry. They're just looking out for you, like I am right now, and I always will, remember that."
A snappy noise broke the emotional feeling in the room, and Harry and Hermione chuckled lightly. The frustrating rubber band had finally split into two pieces.
"Thanks." Said Hermione.
"No, I should be saying thanks Hermione, I...I..." Before Harry knew what he was doing, his face slowly closed in on hers, feeling like an eternity as their eyes met. His coarse lips touched Hermione's fluffy red lips, and a heart warming feeling jolted through Harry's body as if he had just been hit with the Cruciatus Curse. However, the effect was quite the opposite.
Harry's right hand rested on Hermione's perfect swan-shaped neck as his other hand found one of Hermione's hands. Their hands grasped tightly together and Harry felt like he was in sweet heaven. The heat was building up inside him as his lips trailed down to Hermione's neck.
Their lips locked again, now more intensely than ever. Harry's hand grasped Hermione's hair as their tongues made contact. Harry felt oozing saliva entering his mouth, now kissing Hermione more fiercely than ever.
Harry did not know when he let go, and neither did Hermione, but both were gazing at each other with complete silence. Her eyes were glowing at Harry, young and alive. Harry thought that he had never seen anyone like her, so caring and kind and smart and-
Both of their lips locked together again, thinking that his was just a huge dream. Harry knew it was...
A rough pattern of knocks banged furiously in Harry's ear that blasted him awake. He was lying on Hermione's lap on the floor, and she was sleeping soundlessly, her had resting on the side of Harry's bed. The clock came in Harry's view, and a wave of panic entered his whole body. He and Hermione had been sleeping for two and a half hours. How could that happen????
More bangs cam on the door and a frightening sound of Mrs.Weasley rang out, "Harry! Hermione!"
"Oh, damn..." What had he gotten himself into? He thought. Had he taken sleeping pills that had made him fall asleep two times in a row?
Harry nudged Hermione roughly on her shoulder.
"Alohomora! Alohomora! ALOHOMORA! Locomotor Mortis! Sedenio!" Mrs.Weasley's and a few others' shriek entered Harry's ears. He was almost about to slap Hermione on the face when she arose slowly.
"What-What's that screaming?" She gasped horribly.
Harry pulled Hermione up. "It's Mrs.Weasley and someone else too. Hide!" He whispered frighteningly.
"But-?" She started to ask, but Harry intercepted her, "Hermione, do you really want everyone to find out that you and I have been locked together in a room for hours? Hide!" He whispered desperately.
For a second, Hermione appeared offended and confuse, and then her eyes widened.
"Oh, right! But where?"
"Go under the bed! Quick!"
Hermione crouched down helplessly and crawled under the large bed. Harry stared at her dark-illuminated face for a moment.
"I'll say that you're in the drawing room, so as soon as I leave the room, go to the bathroom, there's another door that will lead you to the drawing room, ok?"
"This is wrong Harry." Hermione breathed.
No kidding, Harry thought. He didn't know, but at the thought of everyone knowing Hermione and him had been making out seemed more terrible to him than facing Voldemort.
He got up and paced towards the door quickly.
"HARRY! HERM-"
Mrs.Weasly's cries were interrupted with a swift opening of the door.
Mrs.Weasley's terrified and astonished face was looking at Harry, and to his terror, was a huge crowd sharing Mrs.Weasley's expression. Tonks, Ted Tonks, Lupin, Sturgis, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mad-Eyes Moody, Hestia Jones, Mundungus Fletcher, Neville's Grandmother, Fred and George, Bill, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and her father were all gaping at him worriedly.
"Harry dear, what happened? Why was the door locked?" Mrs.Weasley asked sympathetically.
Thank god for Hermione's brilliance, he thought.
"Was it Voldemort?" Lupin asked casually, almost in a sort of business-tone.
As Harry expected, most of the people crowded around him recoiled uncomfortably.
Harry attempted to put an innocent not-knowing-anything look on his face, "I-I fell asleep, but I don't know why the door was locked." He glanced at Ron, who avoided his gaze, and looked the opposite way, facing the hallway.
"Did you see anything, Potter?" Barked Moody, and for the first time he had a slight sense of panic in his voice.
Harry knew he didn't mean seeing with his eyes, but with his mind.
"No."
"Where's Hermione?" Asked Tonks suspiciously.
"She was in her earlier, but then she said she was going to go to the drawing room to do some homework." Replied Harry.
"But why was the-" Lupin started, but Mrs.Weasley took Harry by her hands and led her past the crowd, "Remus, honestly, have some sense." Said Mrs.Weasley as she passed Lupin and glared at everyone.
"Sorry Molly, I just wanted to know why-"
"Yes, yes. Well, what is everyone waiting for? You can go back to whatever it is you lot were doing." She said as she continued to eye everyone except for Lupin.
Everyone there knew better than to refuse Mrs.Weasley's command, because in a flash, they all went in different directions. Harry could hear them mumbling but couldn't quite make their interesting words.
Mrs.Weasley and Lupin did not seem satisfied at all when Harry informed them the same piece of information he had earlier. The mysteries of the locked door lead both of them to believe that they couldn't leave Harry alone for another second.
His heart fell suddenly when he heard this. The last thing that was necessary was a stalker after him 24 hours a day.
Harry had asked what had happened to his aunt, Hagrid, and Dumbledore. He found out that Aunt Petunia had left shortly after she had signed the parchment. Harry found it surprising, for some reason, that she had not said goodbye.
Hagrid had left too, along with Dumbledore, saying they had business to attend to...
His body was shaking.
Hermione apparently had followed Harry's instructions, because she trampled in the living room casually after a few minutes.
Harry, Neville, Luna, Ginny, and Ron had been sitting in the living room. Luna was immersed in a new edition of The Quibbler, not noticing the smirks Ginny was giving Harry, nor the furious glares from a red-faced Ron. Neville and Ron were playing chess, and Ginny was just resting on the sofa, gazing around and giving Harry looks once in a while. Harry was doing the same as her, but deep in his thoughts.
His mind was on Hermione. She's a great kisser, he thought. It had been much better than kissing Cho, even though both kisses had sort of been-wet.
What if Hermione couldn't pull it off? He certainly didn't want everyone to know that they'd been making out in a locked room for the longest time ever.
Harry noticed Ron, wondering what was wrong with him. He wanted to talk to him, but not in front of everyone. The house was just way too crowded.
"How come you went upstairs, Harry?" Said Neville.
"I got sleepy." Said Harry, "I think someone might have put something in my drink, because I have no idea how I slept that much."
Ginny surprisingly gasped and then laughed, "Um...I think someone did. George was putting something in a couple of the butter beers."
Harry rolled his eyes uncontrollably.
A few minutes later, Hermione trotted in, her appearance being similar to the one at the memorial earlier that afternoon. Her once-strangling hair was back to a tight bun, not a lock of hair out of place. She had obviously washed her face and had put on her usual makeup on, shining vibrantly again. There was a book in her hand, the same one from the morning, Harry noticed. She gave him a weird look and then sat down next to Ginny.
"Where have you been?" Ginny asked suspiciously, with a bit of sarcasm in her voice. Either it was Harry going mad, or Ginny knew.
Ron's head rose for a second and then drooped down again, pretending to be deeply concentrated in his chess game. Neville's eyes were fixed on Hermione. However, Luna didn't appear to catch anything that was around her.
Hermione sat down on one of the chairs and said, very casually, "I was in the drawing room, doing some summer-homework. I hadn't even started, what if I fail-"
"It's only July!" Said Ginny ridiculously and Ron snorted quietly. Neville laughed out loud.
An annoying look appeared on Hermione's face, "Yes, but you know how I am! And Professor McGonagall's homework on Apparating is very essential, that's what she said if you remember-"
"Ok, ok!" Ginny interrupted, an annoying look coming on her face too. "But, are you sure you weren't up to anything else?" She gave another obvious smirk towards Harry.
How did Ginny know? It would be too weird if someone knew that he and Hermione-
He felt weird. Hermione was his friend and she had been for the past five years, not letting him down ever. She had helped him to save the Sorcerer's Stone in their first year, then had made the Polyjuice Potion to find out the Heir of Slytherin in the second year. Along with that, she had figured the mystery of the basilisk, and then had been a major part of the pursuit of Sirius-
Harry wished deeply that Sirius were here, everything would be so much better-
And then she had stopped more ugly rumors from spreading in the Daily Prophet about him and Hagrid, and the never-ending list would go on.
The bottom line was that she had always cared about him, and wanted to kick himself for taking her granted half of the time when he and Ron copied her homework.
CRACK.
Fred Apparated right in front of the living room archway. Full hints of glee were present on his face that flicked at Harry. He had changed his clothes into comfortable Muggle clothes, a blue T-Shirt and jeans.
"Way to go Harry." Said Fred, as if he was giving Harry a reward. Harry's heart stopped, or he felt that it did.
"What do-"
"Aaah, Harry...let me explain my brilliance." Putting on a mask of seriousness and calmness, reminding Harry of Dumbledore.
"This is another one of our inventions, that records everything at a certain time and replays it to a person's advantage. We actually got the idea from this kid from a Muggle family who had a little device of his own."
To Harry's horror, Fred pulled out the familiar silver-chipped coin Harry had seen on the bedside table in his room out of his pocket.
"Merio!" Cried Fred, alerting everyone in the room. Even the intense eyes of Luna drifted up to where Fred was standing. The little chip unfolded into a silver-squared screen about the size of a regular sized roll of parchment."
"It's called a Playing Plex. Now, I was planning to use this to show Mum or Lupin, figuring I wouldn't get in trouble, but mind you, when I saw it, I knew nothing had gotten Harry except for his hormones."
Hermione cast a desperate look to harry, which had no idea what to do.
"Who wants to watch?" Declared Fred cheeringly. Most of the heads in the room came to nods.
I'm going to curse him, thought Harry bitterly. Now what?
"Give me that." Said Harry, eyeing the screen.
"Why?"
"Because I want to know if anyone else was in the room." Lied Harry.
"But I already saw it, Harry my dear." Mocked Fred.
"I want to see it myself."
"Alright, if you want to see it." Before Harry realized it, Fred touched a soft button on the button f the screen, and a pale figure of Harry came into focus on the screen. His head was facing the other way, and Harry knew that any minute, he was about to cry.
But they don't have to know that, he thought.
"See? I told you I was going to sleep! Now turn it off!" He voiced out, but Freed shook his head happily.
"Let's forward it to the real excitement, shall we?"
Again, he pushed another button and the Playing Plex forwarded, from first displaying and then Hermione walked in...
"Stop it!" Cried Hermione, sounding and appearing utterly embarrassed, even though her cheeks weren't red. Harry looked at the screen, and one good thing was that they couldn't hear what he and Hermione were saying.
She stood up to snatch the Plex, but a defaming crack dissolved in the air. Fred Disapparated on top of the tall bookcase, and it trembled slightly, but then came to a halt.
Fred tried to get comfortable by sitting down on the bookcase with his legs dangling down on the bookcase with his legs dangling down like wiggling spider legs.
Hermione made an attempt to reach him, but was just way too high. Her feet jumped up as high as they could, but they couldn't compare to the height of the bookcase.
"Cut it out Fred." Said Neville strongly, but not being able to do anything. He wasn't allowed to use magic, and unfortunately, he was shorter than Hermione. He was sitting next to Ron, the only possible person of reaching Fred, but he was still acting like nothing was happening around him. Luna, who had her Quibbler down on her lap, was staring intensely at Hermione and Fred. Ginny was smiling, but when she took in Hermione's desperate figure, she said, "Ok, Fred, I reckon that's enough, get rid of that thing and come down before Mum has a cow."
"Mum's not here." Fred said. A playful gleam was in Fred's eyes.
The screen played again, and before Harry knew it, it was playing to the part where Harry was struggling with Hermione's hair.
He had the urge to get his wand and destroy the screen, along with red, but he resisted it. He didn't' want to get expelled again, no matter how bad his fifth year had been.
Now everyone was gazing at the Plex, even Ron. In it, Harry was reaching towards Hermione..
Frustrated and absolutely humiliated, Hermione stomped out of the room, followed by Harry.
Walking towards the kitchen they both stopped and threw looks at each other, and went different ways. Hermione lead to the family room and Harry marched up the stairs,
He had to tell someone to stop it, but didn't know who...
The room with Tonks, Neville's grandmother, and Hestia Jones passes his eyes, and then he found the right person. Bill was in an almost empty room with only a dark-brown wooden desk on the right side, sitting in front of it and writing hastily on a piece of parchment. Here were no windows, and nothing was hanging on the walls either.
Harry had always found Bill to be cool, so he informed him that Fred was wreaking havoc in the living room. Bill immediately rose and started to mutter how immature the twins were and went downstairs.
Sitting down on the chair, Harry glanced at the roll of parchment, and written on it was:
STATIONED LOOKOUTS
12:00 A.M. Tonks, Adam Fletcher
4:00 A.M. Emmeline Vance, Bill Weasley
7:00 A.M. Remus Lupin, Mr.Weasley
Substitute: Alastor Moody
10:00 P.M. Mrs.Weasley
July 4 - July 26
Sunda
Oh great, Harry thought, completely immobilized. I'm going to be watched every single second for the rest of my damn life.
He left the room to go downstairs to the kitchen where Neville was munching on oatmeal cookies.
"Hey, Harry." He said casually.
"Hi." Harry mumbled.
"I saw a little bit of it and then I walked out of the room. I think Bill's in there trying to curse Fred."
"Yeah." Said Harry, his face growing hotter and redder.
"I think it was wrong of Fred to do that."
"Thanks." He stumbled down on the kitchen chair and gave a ferocious bite on a green apple, trying to imagine how he was possible going to be able to spend his summer in Number Twelve Grimmauld Palace.