((HEY was just looking at my story, and noticed that the chapter before
this one (7) has two pages missing. here they are.))
"Harry!" called Ron softly, breaking Harry from the sort of spell he was under.
"Are you nearly done in the there?" "Oh. yea," Harry said, fumbling with the soap. "Just give me two minutes."
He rinsed his hair once more, and turned off the water abruptly. He was immediately freezing and grabbed his towel quickly, drying his upper body and wrapping it around him quickly. He pulled on his gray, faded tee shirt and blue jeans. He didn't bother combing his hair; it was no use. He opened the door and gave nothing but a brief nod to Ron, who gave him the same in return, and stepped down the stairs to the aroma of Mrs. Weasley's pancakes.
"Good morning, dear," said Mrs. Weasley absently. "Grab yourself a plate and a couple of pancakes."
Harry did as he was told and took a seat next to Ginny. He speared the pancake with his fork, and cut it into tiny bits with his knife. Dipping the bites first in butter, then syrup, he placed it in his mouth for a moment. He felt out of touch with himself, as if he had to tell himself what to do.
Chew, chew, chew, swallow. Chew, chew, chew, swallow.
Just as he was taking his last bite, Ron came down the steps, followed by Hermione. Again, there was no communication, only that of a mutual feeling of sorrow and helplessness. Ron grabbed a plate for Hermione and he- a very boyfriend- like thing to do, Harry noted- and served himself a plateful of pancakes. Ron plopped himself down next to Harry, and Hermione next to Ron. Ron ate furiously, Hermione not at all- both lost in thought. Between bites, Ron asked,
"Where's Dad?"
Mrs. Weasley gazed at Ron for a moment and then shook her head, as if just realizing Mr. Weasley was gone.
"Oh. he had to go into work early, he said to have a nice school year and he's sorry he had to miss you leaving."
Ron nodded, satisfied. He took a final bite, and said,
"I think I'll go finish packing," he said, picking up his plate and placing it in the sink.
"Me as well," said Harry and Hermione in unison, mimicking Ron's actions.
Ginny quickly followed, and the four walked up the steps somberly to Ron's room. All four had finished packing already, and so they lay on the bed together.
"God, what a crappy day to go back to school," said Ginny moodily.
They all nodded in agreement.
"It'll be weird, won't it?" said Ron. "Just four people in our dorm?"
"Yea," said Harry listlessly.
And the four sat talking for another hour or so, before Mrs. Weasley called up to them to leave. Before they knew it, they were boarding the train at Platform 9 ¾, going away for another year. But this year would be quite unlike the rest.
"Harry!" called Ron softly, breaking Harry from the sort of spell he was under.
"Are you nearly done in the there?" "Oh. yea," Harry said, fumbling with the soap. "Just give me two minutes."
He rinsed his hair once more, and turned off the water abruptly. He was immediately freezing and grabbed his towel quickly, drying his upper body and wrapping it around him quickly. He pulled on his gray, faded tee shirt and blue jeans. He didn't bother combing his hair; it was no use. He opened the door and gave nothing but a brief nod to Ron, who gave him the same in return, and stepped down the stairs to the aroma of Mrs. Weasley's pancakes.
"Good morning, dear," said Mrs. Weasley absently. "Grab yourself a plate and a couple of pancakes."
Harry did as he was told and took a seat next to Ginny. He speared the pancake with his fork, and cut it into tiny bits with his knife. Dipping the bites first in butter, then syrup, he placed it in his mouth for a moment. He felt out of touch with himself, as if he had to tell himself what to do.
Chew, chew, chew, swallow. Chew, chew, chew, swallow.
Just as he was taking his last bite, Ron came down the steps, followed by Hermione. Again, there was no communication, only that of a mutual feeling of sorrow and helplessness. Ron grabbed a plate for Hermione and he- a very boyfriend- like thing to do, Harry noted- and served himself a plateful of pancakes. Ron plopped himself down next to Harry, and Hermione next to Ron. Ron ate furiously, Hermione not at all- both lost in thought. Between bites, Ron asked,
"Where's Dad?"
Mrs. Weasley gazed at Ron for a moment and then shook her head, as if just realizing Mr. Weasley was gone.
"Oh. he had to go into work early, he said to have a nice school year and he's sorry he had to miss you leaving."
Ron nodded, satisfied. He took a final bite, and said,
"I think I'll go finish packing," he said, picking up his plate and placing it in the sink.
"Me as well," said Harry and Hermione in unison, mimicking Ron's actions.
Ginny quickly followed, and the four walked up the steps somberly to Ron's room. All four had finished packing already, and so they lay on the bed together.
"God, what a crappy day to go back to school," said Ginny moodily.
They all nodded in agreement.
"It'll be weird, won't it?" said Ron. "Just four people in our dorm?"
"Yea," said Harry listlessly.
And the four sat talking for another hour or so, before Mrs. Weasley called up to them to leave. Before they knew it, they were boarding the train at Platform 9 ¾, going away for another year. But this year would be quite unlike the rest.