Over The Rim

By Little~Trixta

Genre: Romance

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I don't own Potter

A.N: Man, On just the first day I opened the second part of 'Over The Rim' I had double the amount of reviews I had in the beginning! Thanks a lot for reviewing everyone, and I'm hoping this chapter will end up longer then the last. (Actually, I'm just hoping this chapter will be good, much less long..)

Over The Rim: Chapter Three: "Behind Closed Portals"



"Okay, Let's hear it. And I want to know everything. Give me the juice, none of the pits, I'm not going to buy any of the prissy stuff, so you might as well give it to me strait. " Ron stated, crossing his arms and making it clear he wasn't going to budge until he was given the whole story.

Harry looked over to Hermione sitting beside him, who only in turn looked back. They were all sitting alone in the common room, hoping to have a 'nice' private conversation on the events of the following afternoon. It was awfully quite, and neither Harry, nor Hermione had any idea how to start their story off. But seeing the look on Ron's face they were well aware he was trying to test his own patience.

Harry gave Hermione a small nudge on the arm to signal that she should start first, but she wasn't exactly sure how to approach this. Sure, she'd been there and she knew just as well as Harry everything that had happened, but she didn't want to give off any signs to both boys that she'd had a more 'enjoyable' time with Harry then she'd made it seem. Hermione sighed, and decided that if she said something that shouldn't be said she'd quickly smooth it over as a 'nothing' and hope they wouldn't notice.

"Well, as you know Ron, there were no classes yesterday do to the stink bombs erupted throughout just about every hall on the second floor, thanks to a certain pair of twins we know well, and Harry and I decided to spend our time doing some easy reading in the library for the rest of the afternoon, as you knew. You, on the other hand, decided you 'weren't really up for an afternoon of digging your heads into books', So, you and George thought of playing a game of chess instead and-"

"Yes, Hermione. I knew you and Harry were in the library, I knew I was playing chess with George yesterday. Would you please just get to the point?" Ron inquired with an irritated look forming on his face.

"Do you want to hear the story or not?" Hermione snapped as Ron shut himself up.

Hermione cleared her throat. "As I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted," Hermione said this while shooting a glare at Ron. "We grew bored after a while and Harry suggested we take the 'short cut' to Hogsmeade, as a 'spur of the moment' act-"

"See Ron!" Harry said suddenly.

Hermione kicked Harry lightly with her foot to signal to him that she wasn't finished, and continued.

"Knowing perfectly well that the regular 'short cut' was no longer in use, I had no idea what Harry was talking about, but went along with it anyways. And as soon as Harry showed me what he meant by 'short cut', I..well, I still had no idea what Harry was talking about.."

Nineteen Hours Earlier.

"Harry, what in the dev'ol is that?" Hermione asked referring to the strange contraption Harry held in his hands. They were standing in a dark end of one of the third floor halls where no one hardly ever went and Hermione was starting to wonder if going with Harry to Hogsmeade was such a good idea after all

Harry grinned, "It's called a Transducer." The 'Transducer' was none but a small device with knobs and dials going this way and that and if Harry hadn't mentioned to Hermione what it was she would have mistook it as an early nineteenth century telephone.

"A trans-what-er?" Hermione muttered. Harry sighed and repeated, "A Transducer, I bought it off some old woman's cart the last time we were at Hogsmeade. She said it was a sure thing." Harry grinned holding up the Transducer with pride.

"And this thing," Hermione said flicking a twisty part on top of the 'Transducer'. "Is supposed to get us to Hogsmeade?" Harry nodded. "Harry, You can't possibly be serious. For cripes sakes, it looks like a toilet paper tube glued to some cellophane wrap."

Harry narrowed his brows and shook his head. "Trust me 'Mione. It works, the woman showed me herself."

(Ron:"Hah! Harry got jipped!"

Harry: "I did not!"

Hermione: "Ron quit interrupting!")

Hermione crossed her arms. "If it really does work, then prove it." Harry smirked and clutched the device with his right hand and started twisting the top with his left. Hermione stared dully completely unimpressed by Harry's ability to twist knobs.

Once he was finished Harry looked up toward Hermione. "Well, If you want to come along, your going to have to hold on to me." Hermione's eyes widened. She walked up beside Harry, and hesitated slightly just before sliding her arms around his waist. She was blushing terribly, but luckily, his attention was too much into the Transducer to notice.

"Ready?" Harry asked looking down at Hermione. He had one finger just above a button on the Transducer that was supposedly the 'transport' button.

"You know Harry, I really don't think this is going to woo-ORRK!!!" Hermione hardly had a chance to finish her sentence because Harry had long since pressed the button.

It was a strange feeling, having all the particles in your body feel as though they've been turned inside out and Hermione could barely hear herself scream over the 'swooshing' noises stirring about her.

"Harry!! If we're ripped to pieces once this thing is through, whatever's left of me is kicking your behind!!" Hermione shouted.

The transportation felt like it had lasted for a very long time, and the pressure seemed to grow each minute, causing Hermione's grip onto Harry to loosen.

"Don't let go Hermione!" She could hear Harry's voice shout under all that gust.

"Don't you think I'm trying?!" Hermione yelled growing frustrated. But shortly after, the swooshing noises began to fade, and Harry and Hermione weren't spinning as fast as they were before.

When Hermione felt that they were completely motionless she opened her eyes. She looked around. They had made it to Hogsmeade after all and were standing in the middle of Three Broomsticks. But for some odd reason all Harry and Hermione could hear were hushed murmurs of the people sitting close by. Hermione could even catch a bit of what some of them were saying:

"Oh Christopher, Look at those children."

"How do you suppose they got there?"

"Hah, 'Aint that adorable."

"Hey Genevieve, Look at those kids standing over there."

Hermione looked up to see Harry's goofy face grinning back down at her. Her gaze then moved down to her arms, she still had them wrapped tightly around Harry. Only now noticing the awkward position they were in and the dozens of faces staring at these two children clutching eatchother in the middle of Three Broomsticks, Harry and Hermione quickly let go of eatchother.

After the two had re-fixed themselves and their postures, they took a seat down at one of the tables in the far back of the room. Hermione had one hand covering the side of her face afraid of the constant heat building up in her cheeks. How embarrassing!

Harry on the other hand wasn't reacting to their awkward 'moment' at all, and was busy digging his head into the folded up piece of parchment he'd found on their table. It was nothing but a menu.

"I'm going to go get us some butter beers. I'll be right back." Harry said getting up to leave the table.

Hermione nodded and slumped her arms down onto the table. She still couldn't help worrying about what the others would think when they realized that both her and Harry were no where on campus. What if they were caught, what would Professor Mcgonagal say? What about Dumbledore? Boy would they be in for it then.

And what about Harry? What was making him act so impulsive lately? Not that Hermione didn't like this other side of Harry. She was perfectly fine with it, seeing how she liked every side of him to begin with. She just hoped 'this Harry' knew what he was doing.

By the time Hermione's wandering thoughts vanished from her mind Harry had returned with two butter beers in hand.

"What did Madam Rosmerta say? Was she suspicious when she saw you?" Hermione asked just above a whisper.

Harry shook his head. "It wasn't her. It was someone else. Probably covering her shift or something." Harry replied calmly before chugging down his butter beer.

"Stop worrying so much 'Mione. We're just having a little fun. There's nothing wrong with that." Harry said setting down his butter beer and wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"Yes, I suppose your right." Hermione replied tediously. She just couldn't fight that cautious part of her hiding somewhere in the back of her mind that constantly reminded her to be careful. She knew she shouldn't ignore it, but she also didn't want to spoil her time with Harry. She just wished she didn't have to be such a worry wart sometimes. 'Stop agonizing your self about this Hermione. Just have fun. Like Harry said. If worst comes to worst, at least you'll have Harry there along side you.' Hermione's sub- conscious told her. Hermione sighed and lifted up her butter beer to take a big chug. Then set it down hard onto the table. She looked over to Harry who had already finished his butter beer and was wiping his glasses on the edge of his shirt.

"Come on Harry. What do you want to do? We could go to Honey Dukes, or the Shrieking Shack, or Zonko's. We have all the time in the world!" Hermione said already getting up.

Harry arched a brow and laughed. "Calm down Hermione. We'll go to all of those places." Harry grinned as he set his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose. He placed the 'Transducer' into the pocket of his pants, which seemed to disappear once it was in there, and stood up next to Hermione.

"How about Honeydukes first? We could pick something up for Ron." Hermione nodded. And that's exactly where they went.

(Ron: What did you get me?? Every Flavor Beans? Or wait, no. no, Droobles Best Blowing Gum! No! Chocolate Frogs! You got me Chocolate Frogs! Where are they? Give them to me!

Harry: Settle down Ron! We got you enough candy to last for the rest of the week.

Ron: *laughs evilly*

Hermione: For cripes sakes Ron, you're drooling on the carpet. May I please continue??)

After visiting every known store in Hogsmeade that contained candy of some sort, Hermione and Harry were exhausted, and just about ready to make their way back to Hogwarts, the only problem was.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S BROKEN?!"

"The button! N-nothing happens when I press the button!!" Harry said starting to panic.

"That's impossible! Let me see." Hermione said snatching the 'Transducer'

As much as Hermione twisted, and pulled and yelled, and pushed, and shouted, and stomped on, the Transducer turned out to be nothing but a trans-dump.

"T-this can't be happening! Harry! What are we going to do? We don't know any other way to get back to Hogwarts! Ohh.We're going to be in SO much trouble!" Hermione said pacing back and forth.

They were standing outside of Three Broomsticks, and that's about all they needed at the moment; broomsticks.

"I know! We'll go see the old woman who sold me this thing." Harry said beginning to walk left of Three Broomsticks. All Hermione could do was follow.

"Do you think she'll still be there?"

"I don't know. It was a while ago when she sold this thing to me."

When they finally reached the spot Harry remembered the woman's cart was, all they found were two drunk old men selling cups.

"LOOK ALBERT! Iz' 'Arry 'Pot'a!" One of the old men shouted.

"ROIT YOU AR' JIM!" The other man replied almost falling off his stoop.

"'OY! 'ARRY 'POT'A! KIN' YEH DO TRICKS?!"

Harry just stared with Hermione close behind him.

"Excuse me Sir's. Do you know where the old woman with dark hair and glasses is? The one who had a cart full of things right at that very spot you're in?" Harry asked daring to step up to the two drunk men.

"SHORE' DO! SHE'S ROIT THAR!" The man with the beard said pointing strait at Harry. Harry frowned.

"I may have glasses and dark hair, but I'm definitely not an old woman." Harry said growing irritated.

"Harry, they don't know that. Look at them. They're a mess. For all we know, you might actually look like an old woman to them." Hermione whispered laying a hand on Harry's right arm.

Harry turned to look down at Hermione. "Well, No old woman. Now what do we do?"

"We could always ask for directions on the way to Hogwarts."

Harry looked around. He saw a girl who looked a couple of years younger then Harry and Hermione. He turned back and saw the two drunken men. He then looked back at the girl. He chose the girl.

This time though, Hermione decided to ask the questions. "Excuse me, Do you know the way to Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" Hermione asked.

The girl turned around. She had been tending to her owl. It looked as if it had a broken wing.

"Yes actually. I'm do to go there next year. Are you Hogwarts students?" The girl asked.

"Yes, My friend Harry and I didn't exactly come here in a normal way, and we don't exactly know the way back on foot."

"Really? What do you mean by 'didn't exactly come here in a normal way?" The girl asked with curiosity written across her face.

"Well, it's hard to explain." Hermione stated simply. "But, It would help a lot if you could tell us the fastest way to get from here to Hogwarts. We're not exactly supposed to be here. " Hermione replied knowing as soon as the words left her mouth, she'd said the wrong thing. The girl stared oddly at Hermione as she tried to think up something to say next.

"Um, we're-we've been sent as messengers. We've been sent to bring a message to um, those men over there." Hermione pointed to the drunken men. She knew right away that her excuse wasn't a very good one. And she wished the girl would stop asking so many questions and just tell her the way to Hogwarts.

"Oh," The girl replied turning her head slowly. "Um, let me get my aunt." The girl said just before disappearing into her house. Moments later a women who looked a lot like Madam Rosmerta came out.

'uh oh.' Hermione immediately took this as a sign to grab Harry and leave.

"Harry Let's go." Hermione said grabbing his arm and sprinting into a half run.

"What? Why? What did that girl say to you?"

"She kept asking questions, and then called for her aunt. Turns out her aunt's Rosmerta. A coincidence or just our luck?" Hermione said looking up to Harry.

"Did she tell you how to get to Hogwarts?" Harry asked. Hermione shook her head.

Luckily they'd spotted a woman who actual information they needed. The only problem was..

"NO! NO WAY!! Harry, I am not going into that forest. Look at it! Would you just look at that forest! It's like walking into the pit of death, Harry. I don't think this is a good idea at all."

Harry looked ahead. They were standing just yards away from the mouth of the forest and it was clear that it wasn't a very safe one. Although it was dark, the forest looked as if it had never seen the light of day.

"We didn't even bring our wands! What if something happens. What do you expect we do? Fend for ourselves?'

"Oh come on Hermione! You act as if we've never been in a forest at night before! How else do you suppose we get back to Hogwarts? Like the woman said, Hogwarts is just past this forest." Harry said making a head start to the forest's edge.

"You better be right Harry.." Hermione sighed and followed Harry, making sure to keep close behind.

(Ron: "So that's it?"

Hermione: "No, that isn't it. I just..have to go somewhere..really quick. I'll be back."

As soon as Hermione was out of sight, Ron leaned over.

Ron: "I bet she went to the loo.")

To Be Continued..

Next Chapter: Over The Rim

Summery: It seems theres more to this forest then Harry and Hermione think there is. Will the two be tested on their ability to tell illusion from the real thing? Find out in the next Chapter!

Chapter Four: Illusion Fusion



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