Chapter Eight: A Decision on My Own



Harry narrowed his eyes as he watched his two best friends sitting across from him at their usual library table. He was feeling very bitter towards Parvati Patil for bring their abnormal behavior to his attention. They kept touching each other, and giggling over what appeared to him to be nothing.

Hermione tapped Ron gently and nudged at page of her book under his nose. They both let out a slight chuckle and Ron motioned her face to move closer.

Harry felt his heart constrict in his chest and he said those words before he knew what he had said. "[Y]ou two aren't going to snog in the middle of the library are you! ?" he exclaimed in a loud whisper.

"Mate, are you okay?" Ron asked as a startled and confused Hemione glared at Harry.

"Nothing," Harry said quickly, wishing he hadn't let his words slip.

Hermione, who was always too clever for her own good, shook her head, "You don't believe all the rumors going around, do you?"

"What, that you and Ron are going out?" Harry said rather coldly.

"Yes, that rumor," Hermione affirmed, "Oh Harry, you of all people should know better than to listen to the gossip in the halls of Hogwarts."

Harry knew she was right, after all the rumors that had been spread about him the past six years, he did know better than to listen to what the mindless gossip bug at Hogwarts was saying. Yet, something was bothering him, why wasn't Ron protesting. In fact Ron wasn't being vocal at all.

"I'm sorry Hermione, I don't know what I was thinking," Harry said, although he was still skeptical on the status of Ron and Hermione's relationship.

"I ran into Hannah Abbott and Ernie MacMillian today and they both asked when you were planning on starting up the DA again." Hermione changed the subject.

"I didn't realize I was planning on starting it back up," Harry confessed.

"WHAT!" Ron said a little to loudly, receiving some nasty looks from a few Ravenclaws at the next table. "You have to start it back up, the darkest wizard of all time is out to kill you. You need all the practice you can get."

"Ron!" Hermione warned, "You really have no persuasion skills, did you know that?"

Ron crinkled his nose but didn't argue about what she had said.

She turned her head back to Harry, "You're a wonderful teacher, and with everything going on in the wizarding world, it is your responsibility to help us prepare."

"My responsibility," Harry muttered hatefully.

Hermione continued, "You might even talk to Professor O'Riley and turn it into an actual school club."

You don't have to live with the knowledge that you can either kill or be killed by Voldemort he thought hatefully to himself.

"Why don't you restart it, you probably know more about Defense Against the Dark Art than I do anyways," Harry spat at Hermione.

"It was just a suggestion, you don't have to bite my head off you know," Hermione said hurtfully, "Anyways, at least think about it okay?"

Harry nodded in agreement, but he already knew his mind was made up.

Hermione and Ron gathered their book, and Harry bit them goodbye as the left the library and headed for their prefect patrol. A terrible image of Ron and Hermione holding hands and kissing while they hide in dark corners in the hallways.

"Stop it," Harry said to himself a little to loudly.

"Talking to yourself Potter?" Ginny asked as she smiled at him.

"Hey Ginny," Harry greeted, feeling slightly embarrassed.

She took a seat next to him, "Stop what?"

"Nothing," he said quickly.

Ginny glared at him skeptically, "Are you worried about that Ron and Hermione thing?"

Harry hated the way Hermione and Ginny always seemed to be able to deduce his thoughts..

"I just can't get it out of my head," he confessed.

Ginny placed a sympathetic hand on Harry's arm, "It's perfectly normal to feel this way, I mean imagine how odd it will be to see them kissing, or what if they start wanting to spend time together alone!"

"I know, two's a company, three's a crowd," Harry groaned annoyed at Ginny's statement.

"Are you jealous?" she asked curiously.

"No, of course not. I don't like Hermione if that's what you'reasking," Harry said quickly.

"Oh course," Ginny laughed.

Harry shook his head, "It just doesn't seem right. I mean, Hermione is like a sister to us. It would be like me and you dating."

"So, you think of me as an annoying little sister," Ginny accused.

"Well, uh," Harry started feeling rather awkward.

"It's okay Harry, I'm flattered you think of me in that way," Ginny assured him.

Ginny didn't turn red or giggle, much to Harry's liking. She simply sat there like she was deep in thought.

"You know," she finally said, "You could make your social calendar a bit more active."

Harry's head shot up and he looked at her mortified. His head came up so fast his glasses didn't make it and fell onto his lap.

Ginny laughed, "I'm not asking you out Harry."

"I knew that," he insisted.

"Let's see," she mumbled looking around room in a desperate search, "Parvati likes you, you could ask her out."

"I don't like Parvati," he said instantly, "in that way."

Ginny smiled and shook her head, "I know, what about Cho, her and Michael are broken up now."

"Ginny," Harry warned, but was cut short by the evil smirk on her face.

She rose to her feet and started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Harry asked desperately.

"Just getting myself into some good old fashioned Weasley mischief," she said slyly.

Harry didn't have to look far to see what mischief Ginny was talking about. His heart stopped cold in his chest as he saw Ginny approaching none other than Cho Chang.

"Please don't," he willed silently to himself.

He didn't blink as he saw the two girls chatting, and his stomach hit the floor when he saw Ginny motion her head in his direction.

"No…" he said silently.

It was too late, Cho was already approaching.

"Hello Harry," she said blushing furiously. "I'd love to."

"Love to what," Harry said stupidly.

Cho looked confused for a few minutes, "go to Hogsmeade with you. Ginny just told me you wanted to ask me, but were too nervous to."

"I did?" Harry asked again in a stupid tone.

Cho bit her bottom lip, "It's okay if you don't want to, I understand."

She turned quickly on her heels and Harry heard those familiar sobs creeping into her voice.

"No, I did want to ask you," Harry said suddenly, seeing Ginny's death glare from across the room, "I just wanted to ask you myself."

Really smooth Harry, he thought to himself.

Cho turned back around her face now the color of a ripe apple, "Great, we'll have such a good time."

"I can't wait," Harry said slightly sarcastically.

Cho gave him a girl wave and walked away, glance over her shoulder nervously ever few steps.

Harry shook his head and looked back down at his book, "I dare that Weasley to come over here now, I'm going to give her a huge piece of my mind."

But Ginny never returned, leaving Harry feeling very bitter about being forced into another doomed date with Cho Chang.

Things couldn't get much worse, and after he had cooled off a bit he gathered his books and headed back for the Gryffindor common room, contemplating every possible excuse known to man to cancel his impending date. Cho just annoyed him with her girly tears and sobs.

"Whomping Willow," Harry muttered as he reached the portrait of the fat lady. She eyed him carefully before swinging open and allowing him access.

I wish Sirius was still around, he could help me out of this, Harry thought to himself.

He felt a wave of depression sweep over him as he thought about his fallen God Father. Harry knew he missed having Sirius's advice on important things like how to stay alive, but it had just dawned on him that he might needed an older male figure to talk to about other more adolescent type problems.

Harry looked up long enough to wave a pleasant hello towards Neville and the Creevey brothers who were examining Neville's new plant.

Neville approached, "Harry, I'm so excited, I can't wait until tomorrow." He gave him a chubby wink and walked away, when he looked over at the Creevey brothers they also gave him a thumbs up of excitement.

What's up with them? Harry asked himself.

He felt a feminine pair of arms wrap around him and he turned around quickly to see a smiling Parvati Patil, " I think it is a wonderful idea! I knew you'd start it back up sooner or later!"

"Thanks," Harry said confused.

She batted her eyes, "Did you see the announcement for the first Hogsmeade visit."

Harry may not be the smartest chap when it came to girls, but he knew where this was leading.

"Yeah, I saw it," he said shortly scanning the room in search of an escape.

"Well," Parvati insisted.

"Well, are you still coming to Quidditch tryouts Friday?" Harry tried desperately to change the subject.

He felt her hand slip into his and he close his eyes wishing he were somewhere else, anywhere else.

"I know you're shy," she whispered into his ear, "but I'm not."

Harry felt a gigantic lump catching in his throat that was keeping him from finding his voice.

"I'm asking you out, Harry," she said bluntly.

Help me someone anyone, Harry prayed to himself.

Harry felt her face near his, and he could hear her breathing in his ear.

He thought bitterly to himself, I thought girls were suppose to be passive.

"I'd love to, but I already have plans," Harry finally blurted out, regretting it instantly.

Parvati turned cold and pulled back so viciously that it gave Harry the chills, "Who are you going with?"

"No one you know, just a friend from a different house," Harry said in an abnormally high voice.

Her face seemed to melt a bit as she heard the word friend, "Maybe we could meet up in Hogsmeade for lunch or something?"

Harry felt his gut wrench at her suggestion, "Yeah, maybe."

Parvati grinned again, and moved her lips close to his ear "You know Harry, I love a challenge."

She released his hand and walked away toward Lavender and Seamus sitting on the couch in front of the fire. Harry watched her nervously, trying to figure out what he had done so wrong, to endure this type of torture.

Harry finally found his feet and walked over to the boys dormitory stairs, he was ready for this stressful day to end. He entered the room and walked over to his four corner post bed, nothing else could possible go wrong.

"Nine O'Clock tomorrow right?" he heard Dean ask suddenly.

Harry turned his head over toward Dean's direction, and saw he had once of Hermione's charmed coins in his hand.

"Huh?" Harry asked, starting to put two and two together.

Dean narrowed his eyes and put the coin back into his pocket, "Is it still in the Room of Requirements?"

Harry didn't answer he just mumbled the word, "Hermione," under his breath.