Harry's True Dilemma



Ch. 3 Trains and Secrets!

A/n: Hey, wow, thanks for all those reviews! They're much appreciated! I'm sorry for the cliff, but I really had to stop last night, I was dog-tired. Enough about me, lets get on with the next chapter!!



Disclaimer: ..I only wish it was mine.









Harry glared at the short man.

"What?" he whispered.

"You heard me, I want you to say hello to your parents for me." He grinned evilly. Harry backed away from him, his hand automatically reaching for his wand. 'Was the driver a slave for Voldemort? How could I not have noticed!' Harry thought alarmed. 'He wouldn't do anything to me here, in front of all these witnesses, or would he?' Panic stricken, Harry glanced around, looking for anyone who might be able to help. Then out of nowhere came Hermione.

"Harry!" she yelled at the top of her voice. He turned back to the driver, but he was gone. The car was still there, but he was not. Harry ran to his trunk and Hedwig, (who looked very alarmed) and dragged them away from the cab. Hermione was there next to him now.

"Harry, I'm so glad to see you." She said, as she hugged him in greeting. "What's wrong?" Harry hadn't hugged her back, he was too scared to enjoy the embrace, instead he was looking all around at the people walking this way and that. Searching for his driver.

"Harry?" Hermione asked nervously, looking around as well.

"I'm sorry Hermione, I just. (Now was not the time to mention the bizarre threat he just received, he thought). You look great, Bulgaria must be wonderful in the summer." Harry then remembered that she was no longer "with" Krum, and felt extremely foolish.

"Oh, well, actually, I decided not to visit Victor this summer. (She blushed a bit) Instead I went to Austria with my parents to visit my Dad's Great Aunt." She finished in a rush. "You don't look so bad yourself." She was trying not to notice how thin Harry's face was, and how his brilliant green eyes seemed to be buried in these large dark rings.

"Sure, Hermione, I know I look like Professor Lupin does after a full moon, but nothing a good Hogwarts' meal couldn't fix." He joked. Hermione smiled, but she didn't seem to buy it. Together they walked to platform nine ¾, Hermione looked worried for her friend as Harry went on about the solitude and starvation he faced this summer.

"Harry, I only wish you asked me for some help, I would've sent you loads of goodies." She assured him, Harry could only imagine the loads of 'sugar free' goodies. They reached the barrier, and leaned casually against it, then they fell through.



Harry smiled to himself, he was nearly home! The train blew its whistle merrily, as all the kids gathered up inside it. Harry and Hermione walked down to the last compartment, and started loading their luggage aboard it. The clock above the golden platform sign read 10:50, Harry thought Ron had better hurry up, or else he'd miss the train, but something else caught his eye. The driver had entered the platform. Harry scooted away from the window, and sat down on the floor of the compartment, he did not want that wizard to find him there.

"Harry what is it?" Hermione asked, as she set down her book and looked out the window.

"Get away from there!" Harry growled as he pulled her away from the window and somewhat behind himself on the floor.

"Harry! What's gotten into you?!"

"Okay, Hermione, you know how I told you I would be arriving in a wizard's taxi." He paused to let her remember. "Well, when I got in the cab the driver started asking all these weird questions, like, if I was scared of Voldemort, and stuff like that. I just dismissed it then, but when we got here I asked how I should pay for the ride and he said it was all taken care of. So I started looking for you and Ron, then he asked me for a favor, I asked what it was and he said, (he looked at the top of the red compartment roof, and sighed) he said, say hello to your parents for me." Harry stopped, and swallowed hard. That crazy driver was probably hoping that Harry would die of fright, or do something stupid and attack him there in the drive up lot in front of the station, in front of all those muggles. Lucky for Harry, Hermione came when she did. He looked at her. She wasn't doing anything, she just stared at him.

"Stop that." Harry felt embarrassed, maybe he was just overreacting, she probably felt pity for him.

"Harry (she said after a long awkward silence), you need to tell a teacher right when we get to Hogwarts, better yet, you should send Hedwig ahead now." She said seriously, looking Harry in the eyes. Suddenly the compartment door burst open.



They jumped, and looked up. It was Ron, he looked down at the two, and smiled. "What's going on here? Are we having a tea party? If so, why don't I ask Ginny to join us." He smiled at his own comment.

"Ron!" Hermione hissed, "Get in here now!" She pulled him down by his high-water khakis, and slammed the door shut.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" He demanded, and Harry felt very uncomfterble, he didn't want Ron to get panicky like Hermione had. Before Hermione could begin, Harry started,

"NOTHING, really, I just dropped my glasses, and I was picking them up, and, Hermione was JUST helping." He finished with a powerful glance at Hermione. She looked very confused. Ron, gave them a quizzical look each then shrugged and sat in down on the bench, Harry and Hermione mimicked him, and once more an awkward silence filled the compartment. Harry sat away from the window next to Ron, across from Hermione, and did not look up till he felt the lurch of the train. He sighed and looked up. Hermione who was sitting across from him gave him yet another look then began to read from her book once more. Ron looked at them both,

"It's a good thing I put my luggage in Fred and George's compartment.

"Sorry about that." Apologized Harry.

"It's all right. Man, I'm starving, I can't wait till we get to Hogwarts, I can nearly taste the food." He said in a dreamily voice. " I bet you can't wait either, eh Harry." He elbowed him softly in the ribs.

"Yeah, I can't." Harry agreed. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"What's up with Hermione?" Ron asked Harry quietly. Harry shrugged his shoulders, but he was pretty sure it had to do with what happened a few minuets ago.



Harry and Ron were busy talking about quidditch, Hermione looked very interested in what she was reading, when Malfoy turned up along with his dim-witted friends.

"Well, Potter, surprised to see you here." He smirked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron growled.

"Oh, nothing, nothing at all." He glanced back at Crabbe and Goyle, who chuckled stupidly. Hermione quickly got off her bench and snapped

"Well if you have nothing to say then you should leave!" and with that, she shut the compartment door in Malfoy's face, and returned huffily to her seat. "I swear he gets worse every year. Going on about "nothing". What on earth is his problem?"

"Jealous," Ron piped up, "I mean, who wouldn't be. Harry's great." He smiled at his friend then at Hermione.

"That's true." She agreed softly, and picked up her book. Harry was becoming embarrassed, and quickly switched the subject.

"I wish I heard from Snuffles lately. The last time I did was in the beginning of the summer, and now school's started again, and still no word." He frowned.

"I'm sure he's fine Harry, he's with one of his best friends after all." Hermione stated matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, Lupin'll take good care of him." Ron agreed. They continued in this manner till the snack cart came, and they enjoyed a long lunch of their favorite candies. Harry hadn't laughed that much all summer, it was times like these that made him happiest of all, but then, Hermione asked him something that put quite a damper on his good mood.



Ron had just left, going to see how his sister was, and grab his robes from Fred and George's compartment when she asked

"Harry, why didn't you tell Ron the truth about why we were on the floor?"

"Well, honestly I didn't want him to be upset too. I mean, we're having a great time now, and all that business would've made him worried. I hate having to bring all this crap to you guys. Just because you're my friends, doesn't mean you should have to be afraid constantly like me." He finished softly, and looked at the Merlin Chocolate Frog card in his hand.

"Harry, we wouldn't be your friends if we didn't care. Tell Ron when he gets back, and send Hedwig with a letter to McGonagle now." She smiled sincerely at him. "Harry, I know for a fact, that Ron and I really do care for you, and these secrets you keep to protect us, will only hurt all of us in the end. Remember how Ron acted last year, when he thought you entered yourself in the contest without telling him? From now on, no more secrets between us. How's that?" she asked. He looked at her for a moment, taking in all she said, then with a devilish grin he said,

"That sounds great, Hermione, you really are a true friend." She smiled and glanced at Hedwig, turning slightly pink. Harry got up and opened her cage, then, with a piece of parchment Hermione handed him, wrote a quick note explaining to the head of Gryfindor house what had happened. As Hermione opened the window and Hedwig swooped out, Harry thought about all the times it had been just him and Hermione, working together against everything. He was going to say something to her about that, when Ron walked back in.

"What's outside?" he asked as he stood next to the window with the two.

"Oh, I just sent Hedwig out with a note to McGonagle." Harry replied, acting as if he regularly sent letters to his teachers.

"What?! Why?" Ron asked looking strangely at Harry.

"Well, you see, earlier today, at Kings Cross. I, -er, I." But Hermione cut off Harry.

"Harry was threatened today, by some crazy cab driver. He believes that he was working for You-Know-Who." She said rather calmly.

"Harry, is she serious?" Ron asked, staring at her as if she was insane.

"Yeah, unfortunately, so I wrote it down and sent it ahead, I guess McGonagle or Dumbledore should know about this." Harry looked ashamed that he had to do this, but Ron grimaced and said,

"Yes, I guess someone does." He stepped back to look at the two, "but you're fine now, so, I guess you two should change as well. Oh by the way, Harry, Ginny wants to see you." Harry looked astonished, 'Ginny wants to see me? She can hardly be in the same room with me without turning bright red and leaving in some kind of contained hysterics.' He shrugged and left, grabbing his robes. As he shut the door, he glanced at Hermione and smiled as she pulled out her robes, along with a new prefect's badge.

Harry entered the bathroom, before he went to look for Ginny for whatever it was she wanted. As he slipped his robe over his bulky muggle clothes, Harry looked at himself in the mirror. Why did bad things always happen to him when he was around his friends? He remembered his first year when both Ron and Hermione were put in danger just to be with him, then again in the second year. He remembered how Ron's leg was broken when they first met Sirius. Then he thought of Cedric. He always tried to not think of him, but it was terrible and almost impossible. No matter what he did or said, he knew he was to blame for his death. Harry shook the thought from his head, and took off his glasses. He wetted his hands and then his face. He wetted his hair a bit, to make it settle down, but it was no use. Now it seemed to stand straight up, he looked at his scar. How he hated it, all the trouble and the hurt it caused him, but without it he simply would not be who he was. After spending enough time in the cramped bathroom, Harry left. 'Where the bloody hell is Ginny?' he thought, although he wanted to be back with Hermione and Ron.



It took him only a minuet to find her, and he knocked on the glass compartment door. All her little friends looked up and squealed when they saw him. Harry definitely did not need this. Ginny stepped out of the compartment, closing the door behind her. Harry saw all her friends go into a fit of whispers and giggles. He sighed.

"Hey Harry." She said timidly, her face a bright red.

"Hello Ginny." He said dryly, then as no one said anything he asked, "is there something you wanted from me?" she blushed even harder if that was possible, and stared at her feet. Then with no warning at all she hugged him. Shock rushed through him, and Harry felt as if the whole body bind curse was put on him. He did not move and neither did Ginny. He looked all around, 'Help!' he silently thought. Once again, Hermione appeared out of nowhere. 'Thank you!' Harry smiled happily at her. He widened his eyes as if to say 'GET IT OFF!' and Hermione nodded, and smiled. But before she helped, she pretended to take a picture and say 'Awwwww', then ignoring the look Harry was giving her now, she cleared her throat loudly. Ginny jumped.

"OH, hi, Hermione." She said in an eerily cheerful voice.

"Hello Ginny. I've just come by to tell you that the train will be at Hogwarts soon and perhaps you and your friends should change." She grinned cleverly.

"Ah, I guess we should. Oh, and congratulations on your becoming a prefect!" Then she returned to her compartment amongst gails of laughter.



"I could've strangled you if you'd kept up with those faces!" Harry joked as they headed back to their compartment.

"I thought Ginny was strangling you?" Hermione laughed.

"That's it! Now you've done it, I think someone here needs a noogie!" Harry yelled joyfully. Hermione's face fell, that was all she needed, her hair even bushier than now. Harry advanced on her, so Hermione started running for their compartment. No matter how fast she'd run Harry could still catch her. He grabbed her arm by the compartment before their own, and pulled her into his grasp. She was the best height for noogies, Harry thought.

"NO!" she yelled. Trying to fight free. "Harry, I swear, if you touch my hair I'll, I'll."

"You'll what?" Harry smiled down at her.

"I'll punch you in the nose!" She yelled wildly.

"Really, that's fascinating, but how are you going to reach it?"

"I've really had enough", she panted as she tried to escape, "of all these short jokes."

"Hmmm, I haven't." Then Ron emerged from the compartment, and stopped to look at them.

"I was wondering where you two had gotten off to, but I found you now." His smile flickered as his eyes fell upon Harry's arm around Hermione's waist, and how close they were standing together. Harry released her, and said,

"I was teaching her a lesson about how teasing me is very rude, and how she can't get away with it." He smirked at her, and she rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Why don't we just go back into the compartment and clean things up a bit?" Hermione suggested, as she herself stepped inside it. Harry and Ron stood in the corridor for a bit, then headed in to finish torturing Hermione.



A/n: well, that's about that. I gonna go watch the movie SHREK, which in my opinion, is one of the funniest movies that came out this year. I love Donkey. Too cool, anyways, hope you enjoy! Please review, I just love to hear what you think, and perhaps your thoughts on who Hermione (my favorite character), will end up with towards the end of J.K.'s books? Thanks!! ~~~~~~ sam