N/A: Sorry for the very long delay, but I have exams to prepare and that leaves me very little time to write. The fact that I have completely no idea how to continue the last chapter didn't help matters either. Anyway. Thanks to all who reviewed. It's always nice to hear good things about something you write.
One question. Do you people want the ships to remain as they are, or to change? I had one asking for G/H and another asking for H/H. Which one would you prefer? Tell me in a review, please. Comments and suggestions about this chapter would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros. Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. The name Tel'anran'rhiod belong to Robert Jorden and the 'Wheel of Time'
Dreaming of You
Chapter 2
Toilet Hideout
'Something is wrong' was the first thought Harry had as he stepped into the common room with Ron carrying Hermione's trunk on their shoulders. He didn't really know why he felt that way. Maybe it's the way Ginny stood, in the middle of the common room. It somehow reminded Harry of a rabbit, or something similar, just one step from bolting away. Maybe it's the way Ginny had her fist clenched so tight that her fist was white. Or perhaps it's the worry and apprehension that was chasing each other around her face. In any case, it's obvious to Harry that Ginny was very nervous about something.
Ginny took a deep breath. 'Okay. This shouldn't be too hard. Just go up to Hermione and tell her.' She thought to herself, trying to encourage herself. Before she could lose what little courage she had left, Ginny walked up to Hermione.
"Did something awful happen?" Hermione wondered in her mind as she watched Ginny walk towards her. The atmosphere within the common room had been so serious it was almost scary. 'Was there an attack?' A chill seems to settle in her stomach as she thought that. 'Was it someone I know?' As she was thinking that, Ginny reached her and said in a small voice. "Can… Can I talk to you, please?"
Ron looked on as his baby sister walked up to Hermione and whisper something to her. Hermione replied with a nod and said to them. "Wait for us here a moment, will you. Ginny and I have something to discuss."
"Sure." Harry replied. He placed the trunk onto the floor, Ron following suit.
"Whatever is that?" Ron asked as he watched Ginny and Hermione walk away to the far corner.
"I have no idea, Ron." Harry answered. "It's got to be something serious, though. I don't think I've ever seen Ginny look like that before."
"I have." Ron replied. "When she had done something really bad."
"But what could she have done that would be that bad?" Harry asked.
"No idea." Ron answered. "But we could always ask them when they return."
~~~~~~~~~~
"What is it, Ginny?" Hermione was puzzled. Why was Ginny so nervous? It couldn't have been an attack or she would have told them all instead of pulling her to one corner. Unless it's something even worse…
"Em… Well… it's about Harry…" Ginny began hesitantly. God, She was so nervous. She felt as if her heart would jump out of her chest or something, it was beating so hard.
"What about Harry?" Hermione asked sharply. "Did something happen to him?" If something happened to him…
"No, no." Ginny shook her head. "Nothing happened to him."
Hermione breathed a sigh of relive. "Then what is it?"
"Well… Harry and I are… sort of together…" Ginny said in a rush, the words almost tumbling over each other.
Hermione blinked. "What?" That couldn't mean what she thought it mean…
"Harry agreed to be my boyfriend..." Ginny said miserably, her eyes downcast. 'This is it. Hermione's going to hate me now…'
"Really?" Hermione remarked, her voice surprisingly calm. A little too calm, if that's possible.
"You… you're not angry?" Ginny was shocked, to say the least. Here she's been thinking of how Hermione would kill her when she broke the news to her and Hermione acted like it was nothing.
"You didn't use a love potion on Harry, did you." Hermione asked in that same calm tone.
"Of course not!" Ginny exclaimed. "Who do you think I am?" But Ginny was beginning to feel that there was something wrong with Hermione. Even if Hermione didn't like Harry, which Ginny knew for a fact that she does, she would have had some reaction.
"Then I have no cause for anger." Hermione replied in that same calm voice that was beginning to worry Ginny. "Excuse me. I need to use the toilet." With that, Hermione turned and ran past the two surprised boys and out of the common room. Ginny cursed softly as she realized that her suspicion was correct. Hermione was in shock.
"Hey, what did you talk to Hermione about?" Ron yelled from across the room. "Why did she just run out of the common room looking like she's ready to cry?"
"What?" Ginny yelled back. "She was crying?"
"No, but she's about to." Harry answered.
"How do you know that?" Ginny asked curiously.
"When you're friends with someone for almost five years, you know." Harry replied quietly.
"Oh dear…" Ginny murmured as her brain went into high gear mode.
"Ginny! What's going on?" Ron asked in a clueless voice.
"Harry, I need to talk to you." Ginny said, ignoring Ron completely. Before Harry could answer, Ginny had already pulled him though the portal, which Hermione had left open.
"Great. What a great day." Ron complained to no one in particular, as the common room was now completely empty. "Now how am I suppose to move this darn trunk all by myself???"
~~~~~~~~~~
Hermione ran along the corridor, trying to wipe up her tears that were threatening to fall anytime. She needed to find a bathroom quick so that she could fix her face. She didn't particularly want the whole school to know that she, Hermione Granger, the school bookworm, had almost cried over Harry Potter, her best friend because he chose Ginny Weasley rather than her.
"Hey, Mudblood!" A familiar and hated voice came from somewhere in front of her. "Where are you going in such a hurry?" It was, of course, Draco Malfoy, alone for a change.
"None of your damn business." Hermione snapped. She really didn't want to deal with Malfoy now.
"Manners, Granger." Draco said in a mock teacher's voice. "Good little girls shouldn't swear out loud."
"Out of my way, Malfoy!" Hermione said angrily as she shoved past him roughly. She was just about to continue on when she felt a jerk from her arm. Malfoy had caught hold of one of her arms, preventing her from walking away.
"Now look here, Granger." Draco said in a superior tone. "Don't you at least say sorry when you knock into people?"
"Let go of me!" Hermione yelled, twisting her hand to try to pull it out of Draco's grip.
"Now, now." Draco said, still in his superior mode. "You'll only hurt yourself if you continue."
"What do you think you're doing?!" A voice roared from behind them. Hermione's eyes widen as she recognized Harry's voice. She gave one final desperate pull and managed to free herself. She was out of sight in another moment, having ducked into a nearby room.
~~~~~~~~~~
"What's going on, Ginny?" Harry panted as pounded along the corridors of Hogwarts, Ginny slightly ahead of him, intent on catching up with Hermione. "What did you two talk about?"
"Explain… later…" Ginny replied shortly, having little breath to spare for conversation.
A sudden yell was heard ahead of them. 'Hermione!' Harry's brain yelled at him. Without thinking, Harry lunched himself around the corner just in time to see Hermione struggling with Malfoy. "What do you think you're doing?!" Harry roared at Malfoy. "Stupefy!"
The spell arc its way to strike Draco's body, which allow Hermione to pull her arm away from Draco. She did not stay behind though. In another instant she was gone, having disappeared behind some door. Draco's body tittered for a moment longer before falling face down on the floor with a loud crash.
"What happened, Harry?" Ginny asked as she rounded the corner, nearly banging into Harry's back. "I heard you stunning someone."
"Malfoy." Harry said shortly, still shaking slightly from the adrenalin rush. He pocketed his wand that had somehow appeared in his hands when he cast the spell.
Ginny groaned. "What did he do this time?"
"He…" Harry paused as he heard a soft patter-pat that always preceded Mrs. Norris. "Damn. No time for that now. We better hide." Harry whispered urgently.
Ginny nodded. "This way." She said, pointing to a nearby door. Without farther ado, they both dived in, Harry closing the door softly behind him. He leaned forward and placed his ears to the wooden door, hoping to hear Mrs. Norris walking away. To his disappointment, Mrs. Norris' footsteps stopped in front of the door, as if she could somehow sense Harry behind the wooden barrier. Beside him, Harry heard Ginny curse softly under her breath and was momentarily surprised by the eloquence of her speech. Then he heard her teeth clamp together as another sound entered their ears.
"What is it, my pretty?" the voice of Filch was heard from beyond the door. Ginny began swearing again, still almost too soft to be heard though.
A meow was heard, followed by a soft scratching sound, like claws on cloth.
"What's this? A student Stunned?" Filch's voice said. "Wonder who did. No matter. I better bring him to the hospital wing. You sniff around some more, my sweets. They may be hiding somewhere." With that, they heard Filch grunted as he lifted Draco's body and his slow, heavy footsteps as Filch made his way to the hospital wing. Mrs. Norris meowed a couple more times before her footsteps could be heard moving away from the door.
Harry gave a huge sight of relive and sank to the ground. He felt suddenly drained, as the tense muscles loosen and relaxed. Beside him, Ginny was also on the floor. At the thought of their close escape, Ginny gave a small chuckle. Before long, Harry too joined in, and the room rang with laughter.
"Man, I would love to see Filch's face just now." Harry said through his laughter. "A body Stunned in the middle of the corridor, and no one in sight. How bewildered he must look."
"I'm just glad he didn't decide to look inside this room. We might have a little problem explaining why we're so near a Stunned student." Ginny replied, also getting her laughter back in control.
"We could always say we're snogging." Harry said with a twinkle in his eyes.
"We snogging?" Ginny exclaimed. "To date, we have kissed a grand total of two time. How does that count as snogging?"
Harry suddenly looked a little uncomfortable. "I'm sorry… But I'm really not used to it."
"Don't worry about it." Ginny waved his apologies aside. "I know you haven't had anyone touch you in a way that's not hitting for almost the whole of your life. Believe me. I understand."
Harry smiled at that. "Thanks. I appreciate that."
Ginny returned his smile before getting to her feet. "Well, we better go find Hermione before the rest of the house return."
Harry nodded and stood up himself. But before he could pull open the door, a voice stopped them.
"There's no need to go looking for me. I'm here." It was Hermione's voice.
Harry turned around, taking in the room as he did. It was a toilet. A fact he didn't notice in all the excitement. Not just any toilet, but one that he knew fairly well. It was Moaning Myrtle's toilet. Hermione's voice had came from the middle cubicle.
"If Mrs. Weasley were to hear what you just said, Ginny, you would have had your mouth washed with soap!" Hermione said, opening the cubicle door.
"What do you expect, living with seven brothers?" Ginny replied.
"Of all the places you could have chosen, you've got to pick Myrtle's toilet." Harry added, grinning a little. That grin disappeared when Hermione stepped out, looking like she has been crying.
"You know what they say, misery loves company." Hermione answered as she made her way over to the sinks to wash her face.
"Why are you crying?" Harry asked. "Is it about what Malfoy did just now?"
Hermione shook her head. "Who cares about that creep?"
"Then why?" Harry pressed. Hermione very seldom cried. It would have taken something fairly major for her to shed tears.
"It doesn't matter." Hermione answered, splashing water on her face.
"It matters to me." Harry replied.
"She's in love with you, Harry." Ginny said softly.
"What?" Harry cried, surprised at this information.
"Ask her." Ginny replied before she walked out of the toilet, leaving the two of them facing each other, Harry shocked, Hermione resigned.