The first two nights at the Weasley home, Harry slept peacefully in
Ron's room. Not even he could deny that he needed the rest, and the Burrow
was a perfect place to catch up on some sleep. The third night, however,
left Harry back in his old routine of staying up all hours. He left Ron and
the others deep in slumber upstairs and made his way down to the family's
living room, where a fire was always kept going in case of a sleepless
night for one of the Weasley's. "Or in case some death eater decides to
come sliding down the chimney," Harry thought bitterly. He felt annoyed
with himself for being in a bad mood when the Weasley's had saved him from
his stuffy bedroom and shown him hospitality, but once he decided upon a
mood he usually stayed there. Stubborn as he was, he couldn't help but calm
down some as he nestled into a chair in the corner. It would have been a
great opportunity to think if Hermione had not come tiptoeing down the
stairs and that exact moment. Then again, Harry had done enough thinking to
last him a lifetime.
"Harry! What are you doing up so early?" she asked him as he waved to her, still comfy in his spot.
"I couldn't sleep," he answered simply. He turned his head and looked out the window, wanting to avoid her worried glance.
"Ok. Well do you want some hot cocoa? I was getting ready to make some for Ginny and me," she asked him and rubbed her eyes. He sighed and scratched his chin for a few moments before answering.
"I think that would be nice. What are you and Ginny doing awake?" he asked in response.
"Same as you. Ginny couldn't sleep and woke me up, and once I was up there was no going back to sleep. It's just one of those nights I suppose. Hot cocoa always makes me feel better, but only when I make it myself," she said as she got out three mugs and started to boil some water. Harry watched her as she did this, but quickly switched his glance to Ginny as she came stumbling down the stairs. She nodded at him and slumped into a chair in the kitchen, obviously annoyed with her lack of sleep. For a moment no one spoke, as if the silence were enough to imply what he or she was thinking. Ginny mumbled to herself and pushed her hair behind her ears.
"Thanks a lot Hermione. I wouldn't think cocoa would be a solution to tossing and turning on such a hot, dry night, but now I think that it sounds just perfect," she said and let her lips form into a small, closed smile. Harry nodded as if to say he agreed. Hermione beamed at them.
"It's the least I can do. I'm so glad you don't have a house-elf. I wouldn't want to wake them up in the middle of the night just to help me get back to bed. I have hands of my own and am perfectly capable of making my own cup of cocoa," she ranted as she mixed the chocolate powder into the steaming mugs. Ginny, confused at how the topic had just turned into another S.P.E.W. lecture, passed Harry a curious glance. He shrugged at her as he came to sit himself down at the eerily vacant kitchen table. She passed her friends their individual mugs and sat herself down across from Harry. Once again an uncomfortable silence ensued, until Ginny decided to pick up again with conversation.
"I can't believe my 5th year is coming up. Are the O.W.L.s really as hard as everyone says they are?" Ginny asked, directing the question more toward Harry.
"I don't suppose they are that hard if you get in a good amount of study time. I'd suggest studying for at least 15 minutes a night to begin with," Hermione started in. Ginny drowned her out as she and Harry smirked at each other. One thing was for sure; the summer hadn't changed Hermione a bit. Harry found himself remembering his Christmas gift from Hermione the previous year, a homework planner. Ron had received one as well. Harry laughed at the fact he never wrote a single thing down in it, and if he had he couldn't remember.
"They aren't so bad. I think the worst thing you could do is stress about them. Just relax and get some studying in. I'm not saying to slack off like your brother and me tend to do, just don't work yourself up over it. It's a lot easier to choke if you put too much pressure on yourself," Harry announced so they both could hear. He was surprised he had given any sort of advice, but he felt it would help Ginny out some. She thanked him and Hermione nodded in agreement with his statement. Soon they found themselves growing tired and less thirsty. Hermione rose up from her seat at the table and bid the two farewells. She headed back up the stairs as quietly as she had come. Harry took a look outside to see that it was still pitch black outdoors and therefore still fairly early. He hated to admit that Hermione's cocoa had made him slightly drowsy. He desperately desired a blanket and pillow and sighed while he brought his mug to the sink. Ginny remained silent and watched every move he made from where she was sitting. He could feel her eyes boring into him and felt a little uneasy. She must have noticed his discomfort because she quickly spoke up from behind him.
"Sorry I'm just staring at you. I kind of spaced out and you were the only thing in the room moving about. Anyway, I'm going to try and catch up on some sleep if I can. I'm sure Mum wouldn't be happy to hear I'd been tossing and turning all night. Besides, I want to have some energy for tomorrow. You never know what a day will hold with Fred and George around, or even Ron for that matter," She said, rolling her eyes along with her final statement. Harry couldn't help but let out a small laugh when he heard this.
"What about me?" he asked, suddenly feeling left out of the group. Hermione hadn't been mentioned either, but that was for good reason. She was Hermione and that said it all.
"Ah, yes. I suppose you're right. Mr. Harry Potter can brew up some trouble when he wishes. I don't doubt that," she replied with a quick grin. She gave him a nod and an extra smile as she headed back up to her bedroom. He yawned as she passed from his sight and headed back up the flight of stairs himself. It seemed harder to think about hard times at the Burrow, but that was exactly what Harry liked about it. He smiled at a sleeping (and snoring quite loudly) Ron and slipped back into his sleeping bag. He took one last look at his surroundings before drifting off into a dreamless slumber.
"Harry! What are you doing up so early?" she asked him as he waved to her, still comfy in his spot.
"I couldn't sleep," he answered simply. He turned his head and looked out the window, wanting to avoid her worried glance.
"Ok. Well do you want some hot cocoa? I was getting ready to make some for Ginny and me," she asked him and rubbed her eyes. He sighed and scratched his chin for a few moments before answering.
"I think that would be nice. What are you and Ginny doing awake?" he asked in response.
"Same as you. Ginny couldn't sleep and woke me up, and once I was up there was no going back to sleep. It's just one of those nights I suppose. Hot cocoa always makes me feel better, but only when I make it myself," she said as she got out three mugs and started to boil some water. Harry watched her as she did this, but quickly switched his glance to Ginny as she came stumbling down the stairs. She nodded at him and slumped into a chair in the kitchen, obviously annoyed with her lack of sleep. For a moment no one spoke, as if the silence were enough to imply what he or she was thinking. Ginny mumbled to herself and pushed her hair behind her ears.
"Thanks a lot Hermione. I wouldn't think cocoa would be a solution to tossing and turning on such a hot, dry night, but now I think that it sounds just perfect," she said and let her lips form into a small, closed smile. Harry nodded as if to say he agreed. Hermione beamed at them.
"It's the least I can do. I'm so glad you don't have a house-elf. I wouldn't want to wake them up in the middle of the night just to help me get back to bed. I have hands of my own and am perfectly capable of making my own cup of cocoa," she ranted as she mixed the chocolate powder into the steaming mugs. Ginny, confused at how the topic had just turned into another S.P.E.W. lecture, passed Harry a curious glance. He shrugged at her as he came to sit himself down at the eerily vacant kitchen table. She passed her friends their individual mugs and sat herself down across from Harry. Once again an uncomfortable silence ensued, until Ginny decided to pick up again with conversation.
"I can't believe my 5th year is coming up. Are the O.W.L.s really as hard as everyone says they are?" Ginny asked, directing the question more toward Harry.
"I don't suppose they are that hard if you get in a good amount of study time. I'd suggest studying for at least 15 minutes a night to begin with," Hermione started in. Ginny drowned her out as she and Harry smirked at each other. One thing was for sure; the summer hadn't changed Hermione a bit. Harry found himself remembering his Christmas gift from Hermione the previous year, a homework planner. Ron had received one as well. Harry laughed at the fact he never wrote a single thing down in it, and if he had he couldn't remember.
"They aren't so bad. I think the worst thing you could do is stress about them. Just relax and get some studying in. I'm not saying to slack off like your brother and me tend to do, just don't work yourself up over it. It's a lot easier to choke if you put too much pressure on yourself," Harry announced so they both could hear. He was surprised he had given any sort of advice, but he felt it would help Ginny out some. She thanked him and Hermione nodded in agreement with his statement. Soon they found themselves growing tired and less thirsty. Hermione rose up from her seat at the table and bid the two farewells. She headed back up the stairs as quietly as she had come. Harry took a look outside to see that it was still pitch black outdoors and therefore still fairly early. He hated to admit that Hermione's cocoa had made him slightly drowsy. He desperately desired a blanket and pillow and sighed while he brought his mug to the sink. Ginny remained silent and watched every move he made from where she was sitting. He could feel her eyes boring into him and felt a little uneasy. She must have noticed his discomfort because she quickly spoke up from behind him.
"Sorry I'm just staring at you. I kind of spaced out and you were the only thing in the room moving about. Anyway, I'm going to try and catch up on some sleep if I can. I'm sure Mum wouldn't be happy to hear I'd been tossing and turning all night. Besides, I want to have some energy for tomorrow. You never know what a day will hold with Fred and George around, or even Ron for that matter," She said, rolling her eyes along with her final statement. Harry couldn't help but let out a small laugh when he heard this.
"What about me?" he asked, suddenly feeling left out of the group. Hermione hadn't been mentioned either, but that was for good reason. She was Hermione and that said it all.
"Ah, yes. I suppose you're right. Mr. Harry Potter can brew up some trouble when he wishes. I don't doubt that," she replied with a quick grin. She gave him a nod and an extra smile as she headed back up to her bedroom. He yawned as she passed from his sight and headed back up the flight of stairs himself. It seemed harder to think about hard times at the Burrow, but that was exactly what Harry liked about it. He smiled at a sleeping (and snoring quite loudly) Ron and slipped back into his sleeping bag. He took one last look at his surroundings before drifting off into a dreamless slumber.
