Chapter Seventeen - Reunion of Friends
Harry could not remember a bleaker Christmas. He woke to find no Dobby dangling socks in his face. He did not wake to smell the glorious essence of gingerbread and cinnamon-a smell so strong from the kitchens, you could smell it anywhere in the castle. Rather, he woke with a stuffy nose, hoarse throat, and a terrible arm cramp. And the lack of a white Christmas made him mope even more.
It was not the beginning of a happy day. While he tried to relax his cramp and blow his nose off, Lavender came racing into their dorm, crying about how much she missed Parvati. Harry did not know how to respond, and rather than comforting her, could only sneeze. She seemed quite offended with his lack of compassion, and went to her own dorm in a huff.
But the worse of all was not finding Hermione hovering over him when he woke. He had imagined Dumbledore's words as action, and dreamed of her smiling face staring at him as he awakened from his slumber. Ron was just as upset: never had Harry seen Ron so crestfallen on a Christmas day. He refused to open his presents, and Harry decided to also boycott the presents until Hermione was back.
"Nothing from Sirius," Harry noted as he scanned his pile of letters and gifts. He curled up in the bed and sighed loudly.
Ron didn't say anything.
"I wish it were snowing. A good snowball fight is exactly what I need right now."
Harry glanced at Dean, and shrugged. "I guess."
Dean sighed, frustrated. "Come on you guys. She'll be back soon."
Bursting into life, Ron shouted, "Dumbledore's a liar!" and stomped out of the room.
Harry went after Ron, still in his pinstripe pajamas. He walked out, got into the common room, and found Ron standing completely still, his back to Harry, staring at something across the way.
"Ron, what-" Harry began, but then he looked over Ron's shoulder, and found a very pretty girl with extremely pale skin, hands folded on her lap, and hair curling in a frame around her face, sitting in the couch, staring into the fireplace. "Hermione?"
The girl turned her head and smiled. "Hello, boys. Happy Christmas."
Harry was the first to jump into action. He hurled himself towards her, and hugged her so tightly she couldn't breathe through her laughs. He then suddenly pulled away, and with a furrowed brow asked, "I'm not hurting you, am I?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, although I am still a bit sore. Healing quite well though. Madam Pomfrey has instructed me not to do any heavy lifting, though. But I have to! How else am I supposed to carry all my text books?"
"That's why you have us," Ron suddenly said, coming to life since he left his dorm. He slowly moved to her, his expression of disbelief still plastered on his face. "You're...you're alright."
Smiling softly, Hermione whispered, "Yeah, yeah, I am."
They looked around uncomfortably, and Harry had to control himself from yelling at them to get over their pride. But eventually, they relaxed, and the three spent the whole morning talking about what was going on while Hermione was in the infirmary. She was delighted to hear about Lupin's release, and commented, "It shouldn't be long for Sirius to be released now!" Harry wished he could agree.
Soon after discussing what homework and lessons Hermione had missed ("Oh no! I missed the Zodiac lesson? How terrible!") Dean and Lavender discovered her and fought for a few brief minutes on who would hug her first. After Lavender won because of a great push she gave Dean, nearly throwing him into the fire, and after Dean pushed Lavender back to get to the returnee, Hermione stood and announced that she was ready for some breakfast. The five hustled, loudly, down to the Great Hall to flaunt their returned friend.
Walking in, Hermione beamed as the teachers stood and clapped, and her sickly pale skin glowed red. There were few students (most had taken the chance to save themselves from attacks) so there was only one table harboring the students and staff. In fact, the only other students that had decided to grace Hogwarts with their presence were Ruby, Draco, and Ginny.
Ginny squealed when she saw Hermione, and the two chatted happily with each other across the table. Hermione squeezed herself between Ron and Lavender, while Ginny, Harry, Ruby, and Draco took the other side. Dean planted himself, hesitantly, next to Lavender, and on the other side of Professor McGonagall.
"Lovely to see you, Miss Granger!" Dumbledore cried, and Harry could have sworn he saw a small tear in his eye. "Madam Pomfrey has clearly done a fantastic job-again."
Poppy blushed into her coffee. "Albus! Stop it..."
McGonagall smiled lovingly at Hermione. "I'd think it impossible for you to stop smiling." She then took a look at Harry and Ron. "Same for you two! I'm glad to see so many happy faces. It's been so glum..." she coughed and dabbed the corners of her mouth with her napkin. "Albus, could you please pass the syrup?"
*^*^*^
Days turned to weeks, weeks to dull adventure-less months. Not one attack in Hogwarts, and Lupin got his potion directly from Snape. Halls were not tense with fear, and beside prayers no longer included the wish not to be killed in the night. Hogwarts was quiet and safe once again.
The Quidditch pitch was bright green and littered with cumbersome dandelions before nocturnal fears rose again. But those fears lacked involvement from Voldemort. Rather, most students feared-
"O.W.L.s," McGonagall announced, "are on your tail. You all are required to take them, or you will not graduate Hogwarts." Harry's paranoia swore she glanced at him as she said that. "You must take these tests seriously. They determine your job-your future."
For the first time in years, the thought "if I have a future" didn't pass through Harry's mind. Instead he smiled at an excited Hermione and a sick- looking Ron.
"I believe some of you (this time Harry was positive she glanced at him) should ask Miss Granger here about her study habits, since all of her practice O.W.L.s have been full marks."
Ron prodded Hermione in the side and she blushed proudly. Harry looked at her with admiration and was about to comment, when Dobby burst into the classroom.
"Professor! Urgent meeting in the Headmaster's office! Students are to report to their common rooms right away!" he squeaked then ran out, off to the next full classroom.
McGonagall jumped into action right away, directing the students to go to their house and stay until further notice. Harry, Ron, and Hermione packed their things quickly and followed the rest of the Gryffindors back to their house.
"What do you suppose.?" Hermione asked, her feet quick to keep up with Ron and Harry's long strides.
"Who knows?" Harry answered uncertainly. "But I have a bad feeling about all this."
Harry could not remember a bleaker Christmas. He woke to find no Dobby dangling socks in his face. He did not wake to smell the glorious essence of gingerbread and cinnamon-a smell so strong from the kitchens, you could smell it anywhere in the castle. Rather, he woke with a stuffy nose, hoarse throat, and a terrible arm cramp. And the lack of a white Christmas made him mope even more.
It was not the beginning of a happy day. While he tried to relax his cramp and blow his nose off, Lavender came racing into their dorm, crying about how much she missed Parvati. Harry did not know how to respond, and rather than comforting her, could only sneeze. She seemed quite offended with his lack of compassion, and went to her own dorm in a huff.
But the worse of all was not finding Hermione hovering over him when he woke. He had imagined Dumbledore's words as action, and dreamed of her smiling face staring at him as he awakened from his slumber. Ron was just as upset: never had Harry seen Ron so crestfallen on a Christmas day. He refused to open his presents, and Harry decided to also boycott the presents until Hermione was back.
"Nothing from Sirius," Harry noted as he scanned his pile of letters and gifts. He curled up in the bed and sighed loudly.
Ron didn't say anything.
"I wish it were snowing. A good snowball fight is exactly what I need right now."
Harry glanced at Dean, and shrugged. "I guess."
Dean sighed, frustrated. "Come on you guys. She'll be back soon."
Bursting into life, Ron shouted, "Dumbledore's a liar!" and stomped out of the room.
Harry went after Ron, still in his pinstripe pajamas. He walked out, got into the common room, and found Ron standing completely still, his back to Harry, staring at something across the way.
"Ron, what-" Harry began, but then he looked over Ron's shoulder, and found a very pretty girl with extremely pale skin, hands folded on her lap, and hair curling in a frame around her face, sitting in the couch, staring into the fireplace. "Hermione?"
The girl turned her head and smiled. "Hello, boys. Happy Christmas."
Harry was the first to jump into action. He hurled himself towards her, and hugged her so tightly she couldn't breathe through her laughs. He then suddenly pulled away, and with a furrowed brow asked, "I'm not hurting you, am I?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, although I am still a bit sore. Healing quite well though. Madam Pomfrey has instructed me not to do any heavy lifting, though. But I have to! How else am I supposed to carry all my text books?"
"That's why you have us," Ron suddenly said, coming to life since he left his dorm. He slowly moved to her, his expression of disbelief still plastered on his face. "You're...you're alright."
Smiling softly, Hermione whispered, "Yeah, yeah, I am."
They looked around uncomfortably, and Harry had to control himself from yelling at them to get over their pride. But eventually, they relaxed, and the three spent the whole morning talking about what was going on while Hermione was in the infirmary. She was delighted to hear about Lupin's release, and commented, "It shouldn't be long for Sirius to be released now!" Harry wished he could agree.
Soon after discussing what homework and lessons Hermione had missed ("Oh no! I missed the Zodiac lesson? How terrible!") Dean and Lavender discovered her and fought for a few brief minutes on who would hug her first. After Lavender won because of a great push she gave Dean, nearly throwing him into the fire, and after Dean pushed Lavender back to get to the returnee, Hermione stood and announced that she was ready for some breakfast. The five hustled, loudly, down to the Great Hall to flaunt their returned friend.
Walking in, Hermione beamed as the teachers stood and clapped, and her sickly pale skin glowed red. There were few students (most had taken the chance to save themselves from attacks) so there was only one table harboring the students and staff. In fact, the only other students that had decided to grace Hogwarts with their presence were Ruby, Draco, and Ginny.
Ginny squealed when she saw Hermione, and the two chatted happily with each other across the table. Hermione squeezed herself between Ron and Lavender, while Ginny, Harry, Ruby, and Draco took the other side. Dean planted himself, hesitantly, next to Lavender, and on the other side of Professor McGonagall.
"Lovely to see you, Miss Granger!" Dumbledore cried, and Harry could have sworn he saw a small tear in his eye. "Madam Pomfrey has clearly done a fantastic job-again."
Poppy blushed into her coffee. "Albus! Stop it..."
McGonagall smiled lovingly at Hermione. "I'd think it impossible for you to stop smiling." She then took a look at Harry and Ron. "Same for you two! I'm glad to see so many happy faces. It's been so glum..." she coughed and dabbed the corners of her mouth with her napkin. "Albus, could you please pass the syrup?"
*^*^*^
Days turned to weeks, weeks to dull adventure-less months. Not one attack in Hogwarts, and Lupin got his potion directly from Snape. Halls were not tense with fear, and beside prayers no longer included the wish not to be killed in the night. Hogwarts was quiet and safe once again.
The Quidditch pitch was bright green and littered with cumbersome dandelions before nocturnal fears rose again. But those fears lacked involvement from Voldemort. Rather, most students feared-
"O.W.L.s," McGonagall announced, "are on your tail. You all are required to take them, or you will not graduate Hogwarts." Harry's paranoia swore she glanced at him as she said that. "You must take these tests seriously. They determine your job-your future."
For the first time in years, the thought "if I have a future" didn't pass through Harry's mind. Instead he smiled at an excited Hermione and a sick- looking Ron.
"I believe some of you (this time Harry was positive she glanced at him) should ask Miss Granger here about her study habits, since all of her practice O.W.L.s have been full marks."
Ron prodded Hermione in the side and she blushed proudly. Harry looked at her with admiration and was about to comment, when Dobby burst into the classroom.
"Professor! Urgent meeting in the Headmaster's office! Students are to report to their common rooms right away!" he squeaked then ran out, off to the next full classroom.
McGonagall jumped into action right away, directing the students to go to their house and stay until further notice. Harry, Ron, and Hermione packed their things quickly and followed the rest of the Gryffindors back to their house.
"What do you suppose.?" Hermione asked, her feet quick to keep up with Ron and Harry's long strides.
"Who knows?" Harry answered uncertainly. "But I have a bad feeling about all this."