Dawn the next day, a Saturday no less, came like a breath of fresh air. Days as beautiful as this must only come at Hogwarts Harry thought as he climbed out of bed. His thoughts flashed back to the previous night as he brushed his teeth. Ron and Hermione had gotten together, and with no time to spare! The Yule Ball was approaching faster than anyone had dreamed. Though he hated the word, Harry had to admit: the new couple was cute.
Mouth in the midst of Listerine (the mouth cleaning charm really isn't worth the hassle), he glanced over at the peaceful, resting Ron Weasley. The redhead was probably having the best dream of his life thought Harry, with some degree of envy. Envy? Harry pushed it out of his mind. No, it wasn't Hermione he was jealous about, she was truly a friend, but just that. He was thrilled to his ears that she'd found Ron and vice versa. What he was jealous of was that the two had found a real partner, a confidant. Someone to be trusted with anything. Harry wished he had that. His thoughts again turned to the previous night…
After discovering his two best friends becoming even more intimate acquaintances the night before, Harry had gone out on impulse to look for Cho Chang. God, he thought. What a girl! He had gone halfway back to the Great Hall when he stopped. He had heard something. Whimpering? He looked in the direction the sound was coming from, but all he could see were shadows from the lanterns. He stepped closer and whispered, "Hello? Is there something wrong?" But there was no response.
He took out his wand. Lumos! At the sound of this word, there was a girl's shriek and a hand swatted the wand out of the way. In the dark, Harry had slipped and hit his head against the wall. Before blacking out for a few seconds, he heard footsteps scurrying back to the Gryffindor common room. Groaning and ginger, he made his way there too. So much for Cho, now I'm a mess! When he had gotten back to the common room, no one was there. Exhausted, he had plopped down on the couch in front of the fire. The seat was warm…oh right! Harry grinned despite his headache. He would investigate his odd encounter in the morning, he decided. It was too much thinking right now. He went back to bed ,one place that would never be too complicated. He couldn't trust hallways anymore.
Back in the present, Harry finished washing up and went back to his bed, spreading out his robes to put on. The events of last night were bothering him. Not the Ron / Hermione bit, that was very pleasant. It was the person crying in the hallway, a person who had accidentally injured him just to avoid being seen! Who could it be? He flipped over his robe and was about to put it on—
Harry-You can't understand how sorry I am about last night. How is your head? Oh, dear Harry! How could I have hurt you? I was just crying about something dumb, like the silly girl I am.
As long as this note's anonymous, I might as well say it. Not only did I knock out a classmate, but also someone I care about on a deeper level. I feel terrible, please find it in your heart to forgive me. I'm asking too much. Sorry aga—
A tear stain blotched out the last word. Harry let go of his robe, the note pinned on the back. Someone was sorry about what happened. Someone cared about him.
He needed to talk to someone. Now.
"Ron! Ron for God's sake!"
"First time….jitters…" Ron muttered, half-asleep. Harry shook him.
"Ron! Get up!"
"Hmm…what? Harry, how could anything be wrong this early in the morning? And on a Saturday!"
"You need to hear about what happened last night—"
"Harry, you know I don't need telling…." Ron blushed.
"No, not that! I mean, congratulations and all but I need you to help me sort out something. Things aren't as fluffy as they were twelve hours ago."
"11 hours, 38 minutes! I'll remember that moment till I get sent up!" Ron beamed.
"Fine Ron, but please, listen to me!" And Harry explained what had happened in the hallway. "Then she left this on my robe."
Ron examined the note. "I know what you're thinking Harry."
"What?"
"It's not Ginny's handwriting. I know you were wondering it."
"Well, I might've been, but only to investigate." There was an awkward silence. Harry like Ginny but not…not in the Cho way. "Who could it be?"
"I couldn't tell you Harry. Maybe we'll find out at breakfast."
"Meal-time isn't for another hour and a half! Oh, why did I have to wake up so early…"
Ron rose from his bed. "Must be the sunbeam. What a nice morning!"
Harry was about to agree when—
"Oh blast!" Ron let out. (It might not have been 'blast', actually) "Sunbeam! Sunrise!" he looked at his watch. "Umm..uh..Harry? Why don't you just, um, stay here for a second, I've gotta go." Ron pulled on a bathrobe over his pajamas and ran down the spiral staircase. Harry could only guess where he was going. With Ron, one could never tell. At least I know it's not Ginny Harry thought. Too bad. Harry widened his eyes at himself. Too bad? Didn't see that one coming! He put the thought out of his mind and got dressed. He grabbed the note before descending to stairs. Halfway down the stairs he stopped. It wasn't strange wimpering this time that made him halt in his tracks. Voices were coming from the common room…
"I'll give you this much, Ron. You were romantic to suggest we watch the sun come up on our first day together, but…to forget?"
"No no! It wasn't like that, I just…um. I…" Ron stammered. Harry sighed. Ron and romance weren't working too well together on the opening day of the new relationship.
"He was helping me," said Harry as he came down into the common room. "I banged my head on the bed getting up." He pointed to the bump on his head. "Sorry Hermione." He winked at Ron, who responded with a relieved grin.
"Exactly! And what a wicked bump it would've been had I not been there to help our dear, noble friend Harry!"
Hermione gave him a knowing look. She grinned at last. "Oh alright." She kissed a twinkle-eyed Ron on the lips. "I'll forgive you this time."
"How can I pay you back?" asked Ron, pulling her closer. Harry felt a little awkward.
"Oh c'mon Ron, where'd you get that line?" Hermione chuckled. "You don't owe me anything. Just…"
"Love?" Ron finished the sentence for her, smiling. He was learning the L-word. This was getting a little too cinematic for Harry, who allowed them a quick peck before:
"Ahem. Hermione? Can you help me out here?"
Ron looked like he was about to kill Harry. Hermione didn't seem quite as interrupted. "Sure, what do you need?" He told her the story from last night, minus the hitting of the head. Hermione chewed her lip.
Harry then took out the note. Before handing it to Hermione, he gave a quick, near-silent Cappicio Eraso! And the line regarding his head disappered. This relieved Ron to no end. Hermione, meanwhile, looked over the note.
"Well, this isn't Ginny's handwriting, firstly." Hermione said, grinning a bit. Harry flushed. Ron elbowed him. "I really don't know what to tell you, Harry. It could be a girl we don't know at all. After all, everyone here knows you."
Ron chimed in "Yeah, you'll be the next chapter in Hogwarts, History, A," grinning. Harry couldn't help but laugh. Hermione feigned annoyance.
"How dare you assault the required reading of the century!"
"My apologies, Lady Hermy-own-"
"Ron, that was cute the first time but…"
Ron's smile was wiped off. "But what?"
"But now you're even cuter."
"Oh!" was all Ron could get out. He was going to have to get used to the fuzzier side of Hermione. Harry could see where this was all headed and walked back upstairs. The last thing he heard before reaching the top was, "Hermione, whatever happens to any of us, don't let go. Please don't let go." Hermione murmured in happy agreement.
Harry sat down, thinking in the sunlight. Those two are really in it, aren't they? He thought. Why aren't I? He opened the note again. Somewhere out there was a girl who really did care for him. The same girl, he remembered, needed someone back. Needed someone's shoulder to cry on, for whatever reason. He had to try and find her. No, he would find her Harry promised himself. Harry was beginning to sink back into bed, laden with thoughts, when Ron eventually mounted the stairs. His ears looked redder than they ever had, and his hair was well ruffled.
"Harry…" he said dreamily. "For your own sake, find this girl. They may be pistols in the day but if you catch them early enough…." He flopped into bed, trying to savor the morning. Harry looked at his friend. The girl had to be found. Just had to.
