Title: HP and the Truth of the Wand

Category: will be Harry/Hermy

Athor's note:  hope to make this many chapters, but we'll see how it goes

Harry woke up with a start and bolted upright in bed. The blinding pain from his scar caused him to clamp both hands over it. "Voldemort…" he muttered. Voldemort had been haunting his dreams all summer from the time they had their encounter. He really thought he was going to die. But he had escaped, and he was more determined than ever to bring Voldemort his demise once again. He reached for the aspirins and water on the bedside table. He had to beg, actually get down on his knees and beg Aunt Petunia to let him have them. She kept saying that magicians shouldn't need normal medication. Like the aspirin helped anyway. It didn't stop his scar from hurting, but it dulled it slightly to make him get a few hours sleep. He hadn't gotten a decent night's sleep since before the last task of the triwizard tournament the past year. He had wanted to write to Sirius, Ron, and Hermione and tell them all about it, but since the fiasco last year with Mr. Weasley coming through their fireplace, the Dursleys had forced Harry to keep Hedwig in her cage. Harry glanced at his watch. 1 AM. That technically meant he had three days before his fifth year at Hogwarts began. He smiled contently and layed back down on the pillows, the aspirin slowly taking affect.

He was awakened by two people outside his window, talking in loud whispers.

            "I don't think this is such a good idea!" a female voice shouted.

            "Well, then you shouldn't have come should you?" a male voice replied.

            "We should have waited until morning! Harry's probably asleep!" it was the female again.

Harry got up and dashed to the window. A huge grin played over his face. It was Ron and Hermione on their broomsticks outside his window. "I'm not asleep," he called.

Even in the darkness, Harry saw Hermione smile. "Harry!"

            "We've come to rescue you," Ron said, grinning as well.

            "Not a moment too soon," Harry whispered. "Come inside, but be quiet while I get my stuff."

However, telling Ron and Hermione to be quiet was like telling a cat and a dog to hug and be soul mates. Harry knew that Ron and Hermione liked each other very much, they just had different views and voiced them loudly.

They tried to come through the window at the same time. Harry had his back to them and didn't notice their scuffle until Ron squealed loudly because Hermione elbowed him in the eye. "Sorry!" she whispered.

            "Will you two get in here?!" Harry scoffed, grabbing Hermione first, and then Ron.

            "I'm blind!" Ron yelled, clutching his eye.

Harry laughed softly. "You're not blind." He turned to him. "Help me pack my trunk. Hermione, grab Hedwig over there."

Hermione picked  Hedwig's cage up, a cloud of dust invading her nostrils. She sneezed, waking the snowy owl from her slumber.

            "Bless you," Harry and Ron said together.

            "Doesn't your Aunt clean?" Hermione said, placing Hedwig down on top of Harry's trunk.

            "Not in here," he said, slapping the latches on his trunk shut. "Magician's rooms don't acquire dust, remember?"

            "Magician! Ha!" Hermione scoffed. "You're a wizard, Harry. Not some damn illusionist."

            "Yeah, well try telling that to Aunt Petunia." Harry looked around his room. "Okay, that's it." He grabbed his Firebolt from the closet.

            "Herm, you go out first," Ron said. "We're going to rig his trunk to our three brooms. Is Hedwig okay to fly?"

Harry turned to the owl who stared at him. "What do you think, girl?"

Hedwig hooted happily.

            "Sounds like a yes to me," Harry said.

Hermione crept onto the windowsill. She was about to step out when Uncle Vernon snored loudly, rattling her. She lost her footing, her broom falling to the ground below. Harry quickly reached out and grabbed the back of her shirt before she tumbled out of the window as well. "Are you al right?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, thanks Harry."

            "Close call," Ron muttered.

            "Your uncle sounds a lot like Fluffy," she whispered.

            "Or that Hungarian Horntail," Harry replied with a smile.

            "I'll go get your broom," Ron said, gently pulling Hermione away from the windowsill and climbing on it. He glanced down at the ground. "Damn, no I'm not. Muggle alert."

Harry and Hermione peered over Ron's shoulder. They saw a man walking down Privet Drive, obviously drunk. He was staggering and muttering to himself, and tripped over Hermione's broom. The man let out a few curses and slowly regained his footing, picking up the broom.

            "Oh no," Hermione moaned. "Can't I call it to me? Use a Summoning Charm?"

            "What?!" Ron squeaked. "You know the rules better than anybody! No magic to be used during summer holidays!"

The three watched in stunned silence as the man raised Hermione's broom over his knee and brought it down with a sickening CRACK. Her broom was now in two. The man through the pieces to the side and continued walking.

            "I don't believe it!!!" Hermione said softly, cradling her face in her hands.

            "I'll get you another broom," Harry said. "If you didn't come here for me, you would still have it."

            "No," she said, pulling her hands away from her face. "If I just wasn't so afraid we'd get caught… gosh, I'm so graceful!"

            "We'll discuss this later!" Ron spat. "I'll grab Hedwig's cage. Hermione, you ride with Harry."

A few minutes later, Harry and Ron rigged the two brooms together to carry his trunk. Hedwig's cage dangled on the end of Ron's broom and she flew back and forth outside the window, waiting for them to get a move on. And so, Hermione climbed on behind Harry, circling her arms around his waist and pressing her cheek into his back.

Harry felt a sudden urge of overwhelming protectiveness toward Hermione. He and Ron had always looked out for her, like a sister, but this was different… this was something… more.

The trio arrived at the Burrow about an hour later. The Firebolt was really no match for Ron's hand-me-down Cleansweep 9. They wasted no time telling the Weasley's what had happened.

            "What kind of broom was it?" George asked.

            "A Rocket 2.5." Hermione replied glumly.

            "Ah, child's play!" Fred responded. "Can get 'em anywhere in Diagon Alley."

Harry, Ron and Hermione walked in the shop to get Hermione's new broom. After much persuasion, she agreed to let Harry purchase it.

            "How about a Princess 311?" the salesman said to her, pointing to a light pink broom with compartments attached to it. "Has compartments for all of your make up, hair accessories…"

            "Ugh, no!" Hermione spat. "I don't need a girly-girl broom."

            "Yes, Hermione's more of a lumberjack-type." Ron said, grinning.

            "Quiet, YOU." She responded coldly, elbowing him in the gut. She turned to the salesman. "Just a Rocket 2.5, please."

            "Wouldn't the lady rather be more comfortable with a Nimbus?" the salesman prodded.

            "No."

            "A Nimbus 2001?"

            "NO."

            "A Firebolt? State of the…" The salesman was cut off when Hermione grabbed his shirt.

            "Listen, BUDDY," she hissed, "I want a Rocket 2.5. Not tomorrow, not in a week, now. So, stop yapping, and go get it, okay?" she released his shirt.

Ron and Harry stood gawking at her.

The salesman straightened his shirt, said "as you wish," and raced off to get her a Rocket 2.5."

            "Herm…" Harry said, his mouth hanging open.

            "Oh really, Harry," she said. "You didn't honestly think I was a pushover?" she winked at him with a smile. To Hermione, Harry looked so cute with a puzzled expression… like a puppy.

Hermione unwrapped her new broom as the three left the store. "Thanks, Harry!" she gushed and kissed his cheek. She turned bright pink. She wasn't embarrassed about kissing Harry, but his cheek wasn't the place she really wanted to.

Harry was greatful when September 1st rolled around. He was anxious to get Hermione and Ron in private to tell them about his scar hurting and his nightmares. When they had found an empty compartment, he told them everything.

Hermione gasped. "Did you write to Sir--- Snuffles?"

            "How could I?" Harry asked. "They made me keep poor Hedwig in her cage all summer."

            "Didn't Dumbledore say that when your scar hurts, it's because You-Know-Who  is increasing in power or  is near?" Ron asked.

Hermione drew in a sharp gasp, her eyes filled with tears and she made a habit out of tying her shoe.

Harry gulped and turned to look out the window. All he could do was nod. He wasn't ready for this. He was only fifteen. He wasn't ready to save the world. And what if he couldn't? It'd be all his fault. But here he was, everyone looking to him as their savior, with this gift he didn't ask for.

Okay, that's the end of the first chapter!!!!! What did you guys think? REVIEW! REVIEWING=MORE CHAPTERS! J