Twin Shadows
Chapter 17 ~ Practice What You Preach
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. This is written solely for the amusement of myself, my niece and all of my readers. Enjoy!
Harry had gotten back to bed rather quickly but his sleep was troubled. He kept having dreams in which Hermione was yelling at him or was constantly mad at him. He couldn't find a way to calm her down or get her to listen to reason in any of these dreams. Harry woke up with a start and looked around at where he was at. 'At least these are milder than most I've had' Harry thought. He was beginning to wonder what had caused all of this when he heard Jamie sigh as he was getting up. Harry shook his head as he headed into the bathroom and wondered what had possesed Jamie to do what he did last night. As he got out of the shower, he decided to confront him about it.
"Jamie, wake up. It's time to get up." Harry probbed him in an attempt to wake him.

"No, just five more minutes sweetie. Please." Jamie pleaded as he tried to push Harry's hands away.

"Jamie, what are you talking about? You never call me sweetie." Harry inquired as he heard gentle snickering around him.

"Huh? Wha...oh, sorry Harry. I was having a good dream." Jamie relied sheepishly as he wrung his fingers.

"That's okay. Jamie, can I ask you a question?" Harry asked and then continued when Jamie nodded his head. "Why did you do that to Hermione last night?"

"I thought you liked her Harry. I was just trying to help you. I'm sorry, I won't do it again." Jamie replied with his head held down in shame. He knew he had done wrong but he was only trying to help. Harry's heart went out to the boy as he pulled him into his lap and gave him a gentle hug. "It's okay Jamie, just next time warn me before you do a stunt like that. Hermione's going to be pretty mad at both of us for a few days for that one. It was kind of funny, now that I look back on it though. Just don't do any more pranks on her right now, okay?" Harry informed him as he gently toussled his hair.

"So you do like her!" Jamie exclaimed excitedly as he jumped up and down on the bed. Harry tried desperately to stop him but couldn't quite get a grip on him. "Harry likes Hermione! Harry like Hermione! Harry likes Her..!" Jamie exclaimed but stopped short when Harry got a hand on his mouth at the last part of it. He grinned mischieviously at Harry as he tried to squirm his way out of his grip.

"Shh! Jamie stop that! You'll wake up everyone." Harry tried desperately to calm the boy down before he woke the whole tower. Just as he realized that Jamie had finally calmed down and might just behave, he pulled his hand off the boy's mouth.

"Just admit it Harry. You like her don't you? More than a friend too, don't you? Come on Harry, you can tell me. I won't tell anybody." Jamie asked quietly while Harry squirmed in his seat. He quickly thought 'what harm would come' if he actually told Jamie the truth. "Yes, I like her more than a friend." Harry told him, but regretted it as soon as it came out of his mouth. Jamie had a huge grin on his face and to Harry, that meant nothing but trouble.
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As Jasmine snuck back into the room, she noticed that Hermione had already climbed back into bed. Wondering what was going to happen tomorrow, she shook her head in disbelief at what had transpired. She quickly strode over to hers and did the same, tucking her 'prize' that she took from the boys into her bedside table and quickly fell asleep.

Hermione awoke quickly to the sounds of two boys arguing. She quickly got dressed and hurried down to the commonroom to see what was the matter. As she came down the stairs, Hermione saw Collin and Dennis Creevy already into a heated arguement. "I can't believe you did that Dennis! Dad spent a whole lot of money on this and YOU BROKE IT!" Collin spat at his brother, rising his voice to a scream at the latter part.
"I didn't mean it. It was an accident Collin, besides you shouldn't leave it lying a round in the commonroom for anyone to trip over." Dennis exclaimed as he pointed where it had been. "I can't believe you would be so careless to just leave IT lying around. I thought it meant more to you than that!" At that last statement from Dennis, Collin got extremely angry at his brother and drew his wand.

"Petrificus Totalus" Luckily for him that Hermione was faster. Hermione put her wand away and crossed over to the two brothers that she had just put the 'full body bind' on and glanced down at them. "You two should be ashamed of yourselves for fighting over something that is so childish. You should know better and besides that, I'm sure that Madame Hooch can repair your broom. I'll leave you two to think about it until I return." With that said, Hermione turned on her heels and went back up to her dorm before anyone else woke up.

As Hermione entered the dorm, she noticed Jasmine trying to put something in her dresser. "Jasmine, what are you doing? Most important, what are you doing with my knickers?" Hermione asked. Jasmine quickly shut the dresser drawer and looked down guiltily.
"I was just returning them." Jasmine muttered.

"What do you mean you are returning them? Why did you take them? Did you give them to Jamie?" Hermione questioned as her temper was starting to get the best of her.

"I didn't take them and I didn't give them to Jamie. I took them from him last night after you left Harry's room." Jasmine flinched from the memory.

"Oh, just wait until I get my hands on Harry! I'll kill him for sending Jamie in here. I can't believe he would do something like that. Urgh! Honestly!" Hermione spat out getting more worked up every minute she thought about it. She quickly strode over to her desk and picked up a brush. She absentmindedly brushed Jasmine's hair as she thought about what happened last night. She knew that Harry didn't have anything to do with it but leave it to stubborn pride to not admit that you are wrong. She shook her head as she finished putting Jasmine's hair up in a pony tail held with a bow made in Gryffindor colors. She knew that she was going to have to appologize to Harry sometime today, 'Well, maybe tonight. Make him suffer a little bit.' Hermione thought as she smirked at herself in the mirror while she headed down to The Great Hall for breakfast.
Hermione and Jasmine walked into The Great Hall and headed over to the Gryffindor table to sit down. Just as they sat down, Hermione felt two hands grab her shoulders and squeeze gently at the base of her neck.
"Good morning, Collin." Ron sputtered out in greeting in between piling food onto his plate.

"Good morning Ron, Harry." He nodded to each of them as he said their name. "Hermione, thanks for the little talk earlier. It really made both of us think. Sorry for acting so childish. Thanks again." Collin whispered to Hermione as he squeezed her shoulders again and went to sit by a very jealous looking Ginny.

"What was that about?" Ron inquired as he shoveled a spoonfull of fried potatoes and onions into his mouth.

"Nothing much. Just a disagreement with his brother, that's all." Hermione informed him as Ron suddenly dismissed it. Harry on the other hand was squirming in his seat.

"Well let's hope for the best, but expect the worst." Harry whispered to Jamie, but a little too loud, for Hermione just glared at the two of them. "So much for the best" Harry muttered as Hermione secretly smiled.

The rest of the day had been awful for Harry. Hermione had ignored him all during breakfast and all of their classes. He was getting desperate to talk to her. She wouldn't even answer any questions he asked her in the commonroom while they were doing their homework. Harry was getting very desperate. He quickly strode up to his dorm and was going to pull out his invisibility cloak to go for a walk alone. As he headed back down to the commonroom he heard Dennis in the hallway.

"Collin, why isn't Hermione talking to Harry? It's so childish." Dennis started telling Collin. Harry never heard the rest of the conversation for he had come upon Hermione and Ron argueing in the middle of the commonroom.

"What did he do to make you so upset?" Ron asked desperately.

"It's none of your business, Ron." Hermione threw at him.

"What do you mean it's none of my business? You two are my best friends! You are MY business!" Ron yelled furriously.

"Ron, I can't tell you. It's...it's kind of personal." Hermione informed him quietly.

"Hermione, you can tell me. I won't tell anyone, I promise." Ron pleaded.

"Fine, shh come here. I caught Jamie trying to give Harry my bra and my knickers. I swear Harry put him up to it." Hermione told Ron and quickly regretted the last statement as she glanced up and saw the invisibility cloak fall off a horror stricken Harry.

"I did not have anything to do with it! How many times do I have to tell you! Apparently it's not enough for you because you still won't talk to me!" Harry sputtered out while his heart was breaking in two.

"Harry! I can't believe you.....!" Hermione started.

"Petrificus Totalus"
The entire Gryffindor commonroom was in shock that anyone would dare do that to Harry let alone Hermione. He would pay dearly when they were both released. Collin walked over to the two fallen, but silent figures and shook his head at both of them. "So childish! The two of you are as bad as Dennis and me argueing over stupid things like you said Hermione. You know...there's an old muggle saying for this...'You should practice what you preach'. Afterall, you did tell Dennis and me that and I quote '"You two should be ashamed of yourselves for fighting over something that is so childish. You should know better. I'll leave you two to think about it until I return."' Collin finished and walked up to his dorm.