Chapter 3

Harry was a little sad when it came time to leave his new home. Lhara assured him the cottage would still be waiting for him when he finished this upcoming term. She'd become a good friend to Harry over the past few weeks. They talked for hours about everything and nothing. He even confessed his feelings for Hermione.

"I know what you mean. I had feelings for a friend at school too. Only, I never told him." She looked down at her tea. "I never told him. And now I can't."

"I'm sorry. Is he … dead?"

She shook her head. "But he might as well be."

"What happened?"

She smiled sadly. "He was a year older than me. Great Quidditch player. Popular, smart, funny. A friend of your father, too. But he … he did something … horrible. Unforgivable."

Harry got a sudden prickly feeling on his neck.

"What was his name?"

"Promise you won't tell? Sirius Black."

Harry nearly jumped out of his chair.

"Sirius! He's my godfather!"

"Oh" she looked concerned. "You know about that?"

"Yeah, I know. So - So you care for Sirius Black?" Harry asked excitedly.

"I can't believe the things they said about him. It just … it just doesn't seem possible."

"That's because it's not! Sirius was framed by Peter! He didn't betray my parents!"

Harry poured out the story of poor Sirius to Lhara. She listened carefully, not interrupting and wiped away a tear at the end.  "Oh Sirius. I should have never doubted you."

"And I don't know where he is. But Hedwig is able to find him if I want … or, if YOU want …."

Lhara looked at Harry sideways.

"Are you becoming a matchmaker, Harry?"

"I just think he'd like to know there are other people that believe in him. Don't you?"

Lhara nodded.

So on Harry's last day in the cottage, Lhara tied a note to Hedwig's leg and set her loose. Lhara escorted Harry to the King's Cross Station and met Mrs. Weasley and the Weasley horde. While Lhara and Mrs. Weasley talked, Harry and Ron greeted each other.

"Hey! What's going on?"

Ron's new pet owl was locked in its tiny cage, squawking nosily as the people rushed around them. Ginny and the rest of the Weasleys waved hello.

"Percy finally left for his internship at the Ministry of Magic. His girlfriend Penelope is driving us crazy with her wedding plans. Ugh. At least we won't have to put up with his 'I was Head Boy' preening this year, eh?"

"Yeah." Harry looked over Ron's shoulder (which was at least an inch higher than the last time he'd seen him) and saw Hermione arrive with her overloaded cart. She waved to them.

"How was your vacation, Hermione? Read much?" Ron teased.

"I didn't get all of the books read on our list. I couldn't find Mysteries of Mummies and Ghouls. And then I had to get a new set of robes. And-"

Ron shook his head as she went on earnestly.

"Same old Hermione." Ron muttered, rolling his eyes.

Harry smiled and nodded. Yes. She was the same Hermione. They had sent a couple of owls during these past few weeks. Harry had increasingly looked forward to each one. He wondered how they'd tell Ron about their 'change in status'. Hermione apparently had the same concern. She met his eyes eagerly, but didn't hold his hand or anything like that.

The conductor announced the train was leaving and suddenly everyone was saying good-bye all over again. Mrs. Weasley and Lhara waved happily as the train pulled away.

It was only after they'd found an empty compartment on the train that Ron suddenly noticed something.

"Hey, where's Hedwig?"

"She's delivering a letter to … You-Know-Who."

Ron opened his eyes in shock.

"What!?"

"No, not that You-Know-Who. The other You-Know-Who."

"Ooohh." Ron said with a nod. "You let him know you're starting school?"

"Um. Not exactly."

Harry then told the story of Lhara and Sirius and her unrequited feelings.

"How romantic!" Hermione said.

Ron shrugged and opened a Chocolate Frog. Hermione and Harry looked at each other and decided that now was the best time to tell Ron.

"Something else happened, Ron."

"Yeah, what?" Ron looked up from his card – Dumbledore again – to see Hermione and Harry holding hands.

"You're kidding! Well, it's about time." He opened another Chocolate Frog.

Hermione and Harry looked at one another, a bit confused by Ron's reaction.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"Well its obvious isn't it? I mean everyone else knows. We were just wondering when you two would figure it out. Mind you, I thought you two'd have figured it out before now. We even have a pool going. Dang, I think George is going to win! He had 'start of Year Six'."

Harry and Hermione started laughing and Ron joined them. Hermione leaned her head against Harry's shoulder and the rest of the train trip went by in a blur.

As much as Harry enjoyed living in the cottage, he liked it more at Hogwarts. He couldn't wait to get back to the Gryffindor dormitory and see all of the students and teachers again – except for Snape, of course. The feast welcoming the students back was a favorite tradition. Dumbledore, still full of energy and enthusiasm, gave his speech after the Sorting ceremony when the new First Years joined their respective houses. Hermione, Ron and Harry ate until they were full then trudged up the ever-changing stairs to the Gryffindor dormitory. The Fat Lady portrait greeted as usual. Hogwarts was Harry's real home.

The Gryffindor Common room was a large gathering room with a huge fireplace and an equally large couch facing it. Several tables and chairs for studying filled the rest of the room but everyone knew the best place was on the big couch.

Ron was excitedly talking to the rest of the house Quidditch team. He'd been practicing all summer on an old broom, playing with his brothers whenever he could. Ron would be starting as a Chaser. George and Fred were still the best Beaters but this would be their last year.

As the night wore on, everyone started drifting up the stairs to the separate boys and girls dorms. Eventually it was just the threesome left. Ron yawned loudly and got up.

"Alright. See you two in the morning."

At the stairs, however, he turned around and made loud kissing noises.

"RON!" Hermione and Harry both yelled. Ron laughed and ran up the stairs, noisily kissing the back of his hand.

When they were sure they were alone, Hermione slid over to Harry's side of the couch and into his waiting embrace. He kissed her softly then she laid her head against his chest, his arms encircling her. He rubbed his cheek again the top of her head as they sat watching the fire.

"This is going to be a good year, isn't it Harry?"

"Yeah. I think so."