Chapter Five
Of Owls and Table Talk
The owl, slightly smaller than Hedwig, turned to stare at them as they approached. It immediately offered its leg as Harry retrieved a message and Ron placed five knutts in the pouch. With no more ado the owl turned and flew out the window.
Harry opened the letter and began to read it. It was from Hermione.
"Dear Ron and Harry:
"First, my parents send you their love.
"It's not been as bad explaining to them as I thought it would be. They had been worried at first because of the Daily Prophet (I had a subscription for them). Of course it made everything look very bad. But by the time I arrived home they had already seen pictures of us after the last battle so they knew we were all okay.
"I'm afraid I'll be at least a week delayed in joining you and may not be able to make it at all as they are adamant they want me to go on holiday with them before I start my new job.
"Oh! I almost forgot to tell you. Hogwarts has offered me a job! Yes. Professor McGonagall owled me that they need several new assistant professors! She said this would give me time to decide which field I wanted to teach later as a full professor!
"I don't need to tell you that I nearly fainted at my good luck.
"Take care of yourselves and enjoy your holiday. I look forward to seeing you as soon as I can manage it, or at Hogwarts when you return.
"Love,
"Hermione."
Harry and Ron looked at each other.
"Well I'll be a bogey!" said Ron after a moment. "Course, I always knew that she'd end up teaching or something. I think that library would curl up and cry without her, after all the time they've spent together."
"She'll be a good teacher though, you've got to admit." Harry replied.
"Good? She'll be the best, she will!" Ron wore an expression as proud as a peacock.
For the next hour or so they talked about Hermione while having lunch and later playing a game of wizard chess, in which Ron roundly trounced Harry. They had to admit that without Hermione they both would have failed several classes. They also admitted her valuable contributions to surviving every adventure they had ever pursued. Ron wondered how Viktor Krum would settle into being a Professor's spouse and whether he would like living in Hogsmeade. They were certain he wouldn't like the food.
"For awhile there I thought you and Hermione were going to have some kind of relationship," Harry said watching Ron.
"Relationship? Well we did, didn't we?" Ron replied. "It just wasn't THAT kind of relationship. I mean, yeah, there was a time I fancied her and all. But she and I knew all along that we could only be friends. And then there was Krum. They were so obviously right for each other.
"I can see it all now: 'Herm-own-ninny Dear, Vat wast dat on line tvelf of page 3942 of Hogsvarts: Ein History? Vas it a comma or a semi-colon?'
" 'O no, Viktor dear, it was a hyphen!' "
Harry and Ron both laughed riotously.
"What about you then?" Ron said when they finally calmed down.
Harry looked at Ron for a minute. He studied his face not quite knowing what he wanted to say.
"You've always been kind of quiet about who you've liked." Ron added.
"Oh. Well for awhile there I really had a crush on Cho," Harry finally answered.
"I knew that," Ron replied. "Took you so long to mention it to me I had almost decided that you and she were secretly up to something."
"No, I wish." Harry chuckled.
"Still was there ever anyone else? I mean, it's not like your life is all behind you or anything. But haven't you like anyone else?"
"I guess I sort of also liked Hermione," Harry replied. This conversation was becoming a bit more serious than they had ever experienced. It had been a kind of unspoken rule between them that Harry and Ron just didn't talk much about relationships. But as Ron was game for it, Harry decided to press on.
"There were just so few people I ever felt comfortable around. All that `the boy who lived' stuff. But there was someone…"
Harry trailed off, still not certain what he was going to say. He had suddenly realised that the one person he had ever truly felt comfortable around was sitting across from him.
"There 'was someone'?" Ron grinned. "Come on, out with it!"
"It doesn't really matter... never knew how I felt... never said anything to encourage... and it wouldn't work out," Harry was stammering. He was certain that if he told Ron he what he had been thinking about him since they woke up this morning he would surely think he'd lost his mind. It was as if words were being flooded out by the feelings that were suddenly overwhelming him. He truly didn't know what to say.
"What? Can't tell even me? No fear, bet you I know already," Ron wasn't going to let go of it.
"No you don't, No one knows," Harry tried to sound firm but it came out a bit desperately. "I'm not sure I even understand it," he added under his breath.
"Come on, then, let me prove it to you," Ron persisted.
"Okay," Harry said with some hesitation.
"Right then? Last name begins with a 'W,' doesn't it!
Ron looked triumphant as Harry went pink in the ears. He slowly nodded yes.
"Knew it all along, didn't I!" Ron was looking Harry straight in the eyes.
At that moment Harry felt completely aware of everything around him. As he gazed back into Ron's eyes he was aware of his own body, where and how he was sitting, Ron sitting across from him, and everything in the room. It was both disorienting and somehow intoxicating. He was being driven to a desire he had never considered before. Even now he wasn't certain of its meaning. There was a tension building inside him he couldn't quite grasp.
Of Owls and Table Talk
The owl, slightly smaller than Hedwig, turned to stare at them as they approached. It immediately offered its leg as Harry retrieved a message and Ron placed five knutts in the pouch. With no more ado the owl turned and flew out the window.
Harry opened the letter and began to read it. It was from Hermione.
"Dear Ron and Harry:
"First, my parents send you their love.
"It's not been as bad explaining to them as I thought it would be. They had been worried at first because of the Daily Prophet (I had a subscription for them). Of course it made everything look very bad. But by the time I arrived home they had already seen pictures of us after the last battle so they knew we were all okay.
"I'm afraid I'll be at least a week delayed in joining you and may not be able to make it at all as they are adamant they want me to go on holiday with them before I start my new job.
"Oh! I almost forgot to tell you. Hogwarts has offered me a job! Yes. Professor McGonagall owled me that they need several new assistant professors! She said this would give me time to decide which field I wanted to teach later as a full professor!
"I don't need to tell you that I nearly fainted at my good luck.
"Take care of yourselves and enjoy your holiday. I look forward to seeing you as soon as I can manage it, or at Hogwarts when you return.
"Love,
"Hermione."
Harry and Ron looked at each other.
"Well I'll be a bogey!" said Ron after a moment. "Course, I always knew that she'd end up teaching or something. I think that library would curl up and cry without her, after all the time they've spent together."
"She'll be a good teacher though, you've got to admit." Harry replied.
"Good? She'll be the best, she will!" Ron wore an expression as proud as a peacock.
For the next hour or so they talked about Hermione while having lunch and later playing a game of wizard chess, in which Ron roundly trounced Harry. They had to admit that without Hermione they both would have failed several classes. They also admitted her valuable contributions to surviving every adventure they had ever pursued. Ron wondered how Viktor Krum would settle into being a Professor's spouse and whether he would like living in Hogsmeade. They were certain he wouldn't like the food.
"For awhile there I thought you and Hermione were going to have some kind of relationship," Harry said watching Ron.
"Relationship? Well we did, didn't we?" Ron replied. "It just wasn't THAT kind of relationship. I mean, yeah, there was a time I fancied her and all. But she and I knew all along that we could only be friends. And then there was Krum. They were so obviously right for each other.
"I can see it all now: 'Herm-own-ninny Dear, Vat wast dat on line tvelf of page 3942 of Hogsvarts: Ein History? Vas it a comma or a semi-colon?'
" 'O no, Viktor dear, it was a hyphen!' "
Harry and Ron both laughed riotously.
"What about you then?" Ron said when they finally calmed down.
Harry looked at Ron for a minute. He studied his face not quite knowing what he wanted to say.
"You've always been kind of quiet about who you've liked." Ron added.
"Oh. Well for awhile there I really had a crush on Cho," Harry finally answered.
"I knew that," Ron replied. "Took you so long to mention it to me I had almost decided that you and she were secretly up to something."
"No, I wish." Harry chuckled.
"Still was there ever anyone else? I mean, it's not like your life is all behind you or anything. But haven't you like anyone else?"
"I guess I sort of also liked Hermione," Harry replied. This conversation was becoming a bit more serious than they had ever experienced. It had been a kind of unspoken rule between them that Harry and Ron just didn't talk much about relationships. But as Ron was game for it, Harry decided to press on.
"There were just so few people I ever felt comfortable around. All that `the boy who lived' stuff. But there was someone…"
Harry trailed off, still not certain what he was going to say. He had suddenly realised that the one person he had ever truly felt comfortable around was sitting across from him.
"There 'was someone'?" Ron grinned. "Come on, out with it!"
"It doesn't really matter... never knew how I felt... never said anything to encourage... and it wouldn't work out," Harry was stammering. He was certain that if he told Ron he what he had been thinking about him since they woke up this morning he would surely think he'd lost his mind. It was as if words were being flooded out by the feelings that were suddenly overwhelming him. He truly didn't know what to say.
"What? Can't tell even me? No fear, bet you I know already," Ron wasn't going to let go of it.
"No you don't, No one knows," Harry tried to sound firm but it came out a bit desperately. "I'm not sure I even understand it," he added under his breath.
"Come on, then, let me prove it to you," Ron persisted.
"Okay," Harry said with some hesitation.
"Right then? Last name begins with a 'W,' doesn't it!
Ron looked triumphant as Harry went pink in the ears. He slowly nodded yes.
"Knew it all along, didn't I!" Ron was looking Harry straight in the eyes.
At that moment Harry felt completely aware of everything around him. As he gazed back into Ron's eyes he was aware of his own body, where and how he was sitting, Ron sitting across from him, and everything in the room. It was both disorienting and somehow intoxicating. He was being driven to a desire he had never considered before. Even now he wasn't certain of its meaning. There was a tension building inside him he couldn't quite grasp.