Chapter Five: Revelation and Deception
"Mione, my Mione, you were amazing up there!" Harry and Hermione were sitting out by the lake, and both had dipped their feet into the water. Harry had his arm around the brave, spirited woman who he loved.
"Thank you Harry," Hermione leaned her head back on his shoulder, and Harry slipped his hand through her chocolate waves. Hermione relaxed under his caresses. "Harry. I need to tell you something." She lifted her head and gazed at him intently. His emerald eyes soothed her, so understanding, always so understanding. "Harry. Viktor said something odd before he was taken away."
"Yes?" Harry encouraged her.
"He, he said that it wasn't him who attacked me. He said it was Voldemort." She suddenly looked very thoughtful.
"You don't honestly believe that, do you Mione?" Harry wrapped his arm over her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. Hermione snuggled close. God, he smelled good. Like a forest, all woodsy and natural. She sighed, and slipped her arm around his waist.
"Well. Not really, it is just rather odd. And he didn't seem angry at all at the trial. When he spoke to me I thought he would try to be violent, and the guards would have to pull him away, but he was more hurt than mad."
"Hermione, you read into things far too much. Come on, he was just sad to think of his future in a dark, gloomy cell in the wizard prison." Harry stood up. "Shall we go inside?"
"Harry. What if he was under the power of Voldemort when he performed the Cruciatius curse? Maybe he wasn't being violent of his own accord."
"Mione, dear, even if that was so, he'd be in worse trouble for being in league with the Dark Lord." Hermione kicked at a clump of grass.
"Oh, that is utter rubbish Mione. Come on, it's getting late. We need to go back to our dormitories." Harry gently tugged on her arm.
"No!"
Harry looked at her curiously. Why was she behaving so oddly? Why was she suddenly trying to defend her attacker? Harry was an intelligent young man, and he could not comprehend any of this.
"Harry he attended Durmstrang, and they are rumored to teach dark magic there."
"But that is only a rumor Hermione," Harry said, impatiently trying to reason with her.
"And their headmaster Karkaroff was a death eater once. and I am willing to bet he still is! Maybe he had something to do with Viktor attacking me!" Hermione felt like an enlightened being, suddenly understanding why her seemingly nice boyfriend had committed a crime of violence against her.
"Hermione. Let's go! You must be tired, because you are making absolutely no sense!" Harry tugged on her arm. When she adamantly refused to move he lifted her into his arms, determined to carry her, if he must, back into the castle.
" Harry, stop it! Why won't you listen to me?" Hermione exclaimed in utter exasperation.
"Hermione." he frowned. "You need some sleep! Come on."
"No Harry, what I need is for you to listen to me like you always used to! You used to be my confidante, but now that we are going out you think I am just some silly woman who you own!"
Harry felt as if he had been slapped in the face.
"Hermione!"
"No! You listen to me, right now!" She shrieked. "I want to investigate this! I believe that Viktor was innocent, that someone else was using him to get to me!"
"Viktor?" Harry looked down at her with disgust. "I thought he was unworthy of that name. I thought he was just a Krum to you!"
"Oh Harry! I think you are jealous because I want to help a friend who I just realized might have been in the right. And now if I can prove him innocent he can help me find out who is really behind the attack against me!" Hermione spat out.
"Jealous?!" Harry exclaimed. "Of him?! Why, are you two timing me? Do you still love him?"
"I never loved him Harry! I thought I loved you, but maybe I was mistaken. I want to help Viktor if he is innocent, and try to save myself, because whoever was using him will find someone else to get to me through! I want to help protect myself too!"
"Hermione. You really are confused. Honestly, some sleep might cure you, because I know you are a bright witch. After this ordeal, no wonder you are so lost." Harry laughed, condescendingly, Hermione thought.
"You prat!" Hermione slapped him across the face. "Just because you are the boy-who-lived doesn't mean you are above everyone else. I am not confused, you are just upset because I want to help someone, and have friends other than you. You aren't the only man in the world Harry!"
Hermione started to run away from him, to try and clear her mind. She had never known him to be so self-absorbed. She had thought he would want to help her, and she was more disappointed than anything else. Why were men such prats? She could have sworn at that moment that they would say anything, whether or not it made sense, to behave superior to women. They refused to accept being mistaken, so they would try to twist the story so the woman was made laughingstock and ridiculed. She was disappointed because she had thought Harry was above that, but apparently not.
"Hermione?" She hadn't even realized that she was in someone's arms, until she heard a voice. She looked up; it was Ron, dear Ron.
"Ron?"
"Hermione what the.Bloody hell Harry, what happened to your face?" Hermione's hand had left a red mark on his cheek.
Both Harry and Hermione refused to speak.
"Guys? You never fight. What on earth?" Ron was at a complete loss. "I mean, I see couples fighting all the time, but you guys aren't a couple." Suddenly the realization hit him. "Harry and Hermione. Potter!" He shook his head. "My two best friends, well I thought they were my best friends. Oh yes, friends tell each other things!" Ron crossed his arms over his chest. "Well you guys did a bloody good job deceiving me, for who knows how long. Years, months, weeks, days? Congratulations, you have won the prize!" he said snidely.
"Ron. Please, we meant to tell you," Hermione clutched at his arm desperately.
"Oh I am sure you did." Ron pulled his arm out of her reach. "I always knew that Hermione was a conniving little snob, but never Harry. I guess his fame finally got to him."
"You prat! Both of you!" Hermione shouted. "I can not believe either of you!"
"Oh no, did you get into a fight with your boyfriend here Granger?" Ron shook his head, feigning concern. "Dear me, isn't it a pity you haven't a shoulder to cry on. I'd offer you mine, if I still considered you a friend."
Hermione grabbed both Ron and Harry by their shoulders. "Okay. We need to talk. Right now!"
Ron tried to pull away, but Hermione was strong. She held them both firmly in place.
"Now. Harry and I meant to tell you about our relationship Ron. We only got together a couple weeks ago, and most of the time we were busy planning for the trial while you were busy pursuing that Ravenclaw girl!" Hermione glared at him. "So it is partially your fault you didn't find out earlier. And Harry and I are no longer considered a couple because he refuses to respect me as a woman, and as a friend! Now then, at least you two can be happy, make up. I guess I will go join my conniving and snobby friends. Good night!"
Hermione turned on her heel and left.
Ron seemed to have forgiven Harry, well mostly due to the circumstances. He felt bad for the poor guy.
"What did you do to get her that mad, mate? Even I have never gotten to her that much!" Ron lay his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Don't worry, I am sure we can find a way to apologize to her mate." He squeezed his best friend's shoulder. "I am exhausted, and I don't think it would be overly pleasant to be caught out here by Filch at this hour. I don't think we want to make our night any worse."
Harry nodded, and followed Ron silently and cautiously to their dormitory. In bed he thought about Mione, and he hoped, prayed rather, that he hadn't lost her for good.
"Mione, my Mione, you were amazing up there!" Harry and Hermione were sitting out by the lake, and both had dipped their feet into the water. Harry had his arm around the brave, spirited woman who he loved.
"Thank you Harry," Hermione leaned her head back on his shoulder, and Harry slipped his hand through her chocolate waves. Hermione relaxed under his caresses. "Harry. I need to tell you something." She lifted her head and gazed at him intently. His emerald eyes soothed her, so understanding, always so understanding. "Harry. Viktor said something odd before he was taken away."
"Yes?" Harry encouraged her.
"He, he said that it wasn't him who attacked me. He said it was Voldemort." She suddenly looked very thoughtful.
"You don't honestly believe that, do you Mione?" Harry wrapped his arm over her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. Hermione snuggled close. God, he smelled good. Like a forest, all woodsy and natural. She sighed, and slipped her arm around his waist.
"Well. Not really, it is just rather odd. And he didn't seem angry at all at the trial. When he spoke to me I thought he would try to be violent, and the guards would have to pull him away, but he was more hurt than mad."
"Hermione, you read into things far too much. Come on, he was just sad to think of his future in a dark, gloomy cell in the wizard prison." Harry stood up. "Shall we go inside?"
"Harry. What if he was under the power of Voldemort when he performed the Cruciatius curse? Maybe he wasn't being violent of his own accord."
"Mione, dear, even if that was so, he'd be in worse trouble for being in league with the Dark Lord." Hermione kicked at a clump of grass.
"Oh, that is utter rubbish Mione. Come on, it's getting late. We need to go back to our dormitories." Harry gently tugged on her arm.
"No!"
Harry looked at her curiously. Why was she behaving so oddly? Why was she suddenly trying to defend her attacker? Harry was an intelligent young man, and he could not comprehend any of this.
"Harry he attended Durmstrang, and they are rumored to teach dark magic there."
"But that is only a rumor Hermione," Harry said, impatiently trying to reason with her.
"And their headmaster Karkaroff was a death eater once. and I am willing to bet he still is! Maybe he had something to do with Viktor attacking me!" Hermione felt like an enlightened being, suddenly understanding why her seemingly nice boyfriend had committed a crime of violence against her.
"Hermione. Let's go! You must be tired, because you are making absolutely no sense!" Harry tugged on her arm. When she adamantly refused to move he lifted her into his arms, determined to carry her, if he must, back into the castle.
" Harry, stop it! Why won't you listen to me?" Hermione exclaimed in utter exasperation.
"Hermione." he frowned. "You need some sleep! Come on."
"No Harry, what I need is for you to listen to me like you always used to! You used to be my confidante, but now that we are going out you think I am just some silly woman who you own!"
Harry felt as if he had been slapped in the face.
"Hermione!"
"No! You listen to me, right now!" She shrieked. "I want to investigate this! I believe that Viktor was innocent, that someone else was using him to get to me!"
"Viktor?" Harry looked down at her with disgust. "I thought he was unworthy of that name. I thought he was just a Krum to you!"
"Oh Harry! I think you are jealous because I want to help a friend who I just realized might have been in the right. And now if I can prove him innocent he can help me find out who is really behind the attack against me!" Hermione spat out.
"Jealous?!" Harry exclaimed. "Of him?! Why, are you two timing me? Do you still love him?"
"I never loved him Harry! I thought I loved you, but maybe I was mistaken. I want to help Viktor if he is innocent, and try to save myself, because whoever was using him will find someone else to get to me through! I want to help protect myself too!"
"Hermione. You really are confused. Honestly, some sleep might cure you, because I know you are a bright witch. After this ordeal, no wonder you are so lost." Harry laughed, condescendingly, Hermione thought.
"You prat!" Hermione slapped him across the face. "Just because you are the boy-who-lived doesn't mean you are above everyone else. I am not confused, you are just upset because I want to help someone, and have friends other than you. You aren't the only man in the world Harry!"
Hermione started to run away from him, to try and clear her mind. She had never known him to be so self-absorbed. She had thought he would want to help her, and she was more disappointed than anything else. Why were men such prats? She could have sworn at that moment that they would say anything, whether or not it made sense, to behave superior to women. They refused to accept being mistaken, so they would try to twist the story so the woman was made laughingstock and ridiculed. She was disappointed because she had thought Harry was above that, but apparently not.
"Hermione?" She hadn't even realized that she was in someone's arms, until she heard a voice. She looked up; it was Ron, dear Ron.
"Ron?"
"Hermione what the.Bloody hell Harry, what happened to your face?" Hermione's hand had left a red mark on his cheek.
Both Harry and Hermione refused to speak.
"Guys? You never fight. What on earth?" Ron was at a complete loss. "I mean, I see couples fighting all the time, but you guys aren't a couple." Suddenly the realization hit him. "Harry and Hermione. Potter!" He shook his head. "My two best friends, well I thought they were my best friends. Oh yes, friends tell each other things!" Ron crossed his arms over his chest. "Well you guys did a bloody good job deceiving me, for who knows how long. Years, months, weeks, days? Congratulations, you have won the prize!" he said snidely.
"Ron. Please, we meant to tell you," Hermione clutched at his arm desperately.
"Oh I am sure you did." Ron pulled his arm out of her reach. "I always knew that Hermione was a conniving little snob, but never Harry. I guess his fame finally got to him."
"You prat! Both of you!" Hermione shouted. "I can not believe either of you!"
"Oh no, did you get into a fight with your boyfriend here Granger?" Ron shook his head, feigning concern. "Dear me, isn't it a pity you haven't a shoulder to cry on. I'd offer you mine, if I still considered you a friend."
Hermione grabbed both Ron and Harry by their shoulders. "Okay. We need to talk. Right now!"
Ron tried to pull away, but Hermione was strong. She held them both firmly in place.
"Now. Harry and I meant to tell you about our relationship Ron. We only got together a couple weeks ago, and most of the time we were busy planning for the trial while you were busy pursuing that Ravenclaw girl!" Hermione glared at him. "So it is partially your fault you didn't find out earlier. And Harry and I are no longer considered a couple because he refuses to respect me as a woman, and as a friend! Now then, at least you two can be happy, make up. I guess I will go join my conniving and snobby friends. Good night!"
Hermione turned on her heel and left.
Ron seemed to have forgiven Harry, well mostly due to the circumstances. He felt bad for the poor guy.
"What did you do to get her that mad, mate? Even I have never gotten to her that much!" Ron lay his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Don't worry, I am sure we can find a way to apologize to her mate." He squeezed his best friend's shoulder. "I am exhausted, and I don't think it would be overly pleasant to be caught out here by Filch at this hour. I don't think we want to make our night any worse."
Harry nodded, and followed Ron silently and cautiously to their dormitory. In bed he thought about Mione, and he hoped, prayed rather, that he hadn't lost her for good.