~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Chapter 9: Secrets Revealed ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Remus walked through the door he had knocked on to find a nervous Harry pacing the living room. He looked at Ron for an explanation.
"Malfoy knows." he stated plainly.
"Draco? How?"
"Our friend here is a little too obvious when it comes to a certain young lady."
Remus smiled, "You wear your heart on your sleeve, Harry. You can't help it. It's who you are."
"He's going to tell her who I am. I wanted to be the one to tell her. I was going to tell her." Harry groaned as he sat on a plushy chair. His face fell in his hands. "She'll hate me. She has every right to."
"Maybe you'll still get your chance to." Remus said. Harry and Ron looked at him puzzled.
"Ginny has just informed me that a certain young lady will be at dinner tonight. And she wanted to tell Ron to make sure a certain friend of his came along."
Harry looked up at Remus hopefully.
"There you go mate. You can tell her then. I'll make sure you two are alone so you can do it then." Ron added cheerfully. "Wow. Hermione hasn't been over to our house for years. Maybe I'll get a chance to talk to her too." he added in an afterthought.
"You know. I think the Weasley's can be trusted with your secret. I also think they would love to know that you're back." Remus told Harry.
Harry thought a bit, "Yeah, I suppose you're right. I'll tell them tonight, too."
"Mom is going to have kittens. And Ginny, well, I don't know what she'll do." Ron was in a good mood.
Harry couldn't help but laugh and smile. It was going to be nice to let his secret out to trusted friends.
"So, that leaves us with, what an hour before dinner?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, I'm starving too. Didn't have a good lunch." Ron said rubbing his stomach.
"That reminds me of why I came here. Dumbledore is very interested in knowing what happened today, and early this morning." Remus inquired.
Harry and Ron looked at each other. Where to begin?
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Harry, Ron and Remus stood outside the Burrow. It was just as Harry remembered it. The sight, the scents, and the sounds all brought his childhood back to him.
"You ready, mate?" Ron asked him.
Harry nodded and Ron opened the door. An explosion of noise and activity hit them.
"Ron! Uncle Ron is here! And Remus too!" small voices trumpeted as a stampede of small red headed children headed toward them.
Harry was floored. Ron and Remus passed out treats and goodies, picking up a few of them to hug.
"Who's this man?" asked a small girl in Ron's arms.
"This is an old friend of mine."
"Hello." she said shyly.
Ron put her down and she scampered with the others who ran to the kitchen to inform their grandmother that he was here.
"You've been away for awhile." Ron explained to the shocked look on Harry's face. "That was Cassidy. She has a twin Candace, both three, and they belong to Fred and Angelina, who are expecting again. George and Katie have Alex who is also three. She's expecting twins in a couple of months. That over there is Bill Jr., he's six. He and Fleur have another somewhere around here…there! That's Pierre, he's four, and they just had one about three months ago. Her name is Belle. Charlie just got married to a muggle named Catherine last year."
Hmm. No mention of Percy, Harry thought.
"Percy still won't apologize. He's never come back." Ron said bitterly reading the look on Harry's face.
"Ron, Remus, you made it!" Ginny appeared from another room. "And you brought your friend. Come on. Let's introduce him."
Ginny paraded Harry around the room; it was a strange feeling being introduced to people you already knew. Ron had an amused look on his face. Harry noticed Mr. Weasley pull Remus into a corner, followed by Bill, Charlie and the twins, talking in hushed voices. Harry desperately wanted to know what they were talking about, but was occupied by Bill Jr. asking him if he played Quidditch. Mrs. Weasley walked into the room.
"Come on. Let's gather around to eat." She walked over to the group of men huddled in the corner, "Not now, do you hear me?" she hissed at them.
They were beginning to settle in, when a commotion was heard outside of the door. Ginny flew out of her seat.
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"I can't believe this, Malfoy, what are you trying to pull here?" Hermione demanded as they landed at the Weasley's doorstep.
"Can someone please tell me what we are doing here?" Neville asked.
"We're here to get the truth, Granger, since you're too stupid and stubborn to figure it out for yourself!" Malfoy yelled back.
"Don't call her stupid!" Neville interjected.
"The truth? The truth about what? Do you know something about this Viktor?" Hermione demanded.
Viktor opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the front door flinging open.
Ginny's jaw dropped. "What are you guys doing here?"
Malfoy pushed her aside and walked in pulling Hermione behind him. The group followed, with Ginny vainly trying to stop them.
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The Weasley's stopped what they were doing to stare at the unlikely group of guests that had walked into the dining room. The women gasped and the men stood, wands drawn, as Malfoy, Neville and Viktor Krum walked in.
"Ginny. What's going on?" her father demanded.
"Take the children upstairs." Ron said as the mothers gathered their offspring. Molly stayed behind.
"Our business isn't with your family, Weasley." Malfoy directed at Ron. "It's with Jameson."
"Michael?" Arthur asked, the others at the table throwing confused looks at him.
"Jameson. It's a clever name isn't it?" Malfoy continued.
"Malfoy, don't do this." Viktor said weakly, his face pale and he looked like he was going to faint.
The air was thick with tension, nobody said a word. Suddenly, Malfoy reached behind him and thrust Hermione, in her beautiful red dress, forward in front of everyone. Everyone stood there mouths hanging open in shock.
"Hermione!" Molly cried and made a motion to go to her, but was stopped by her husband.
Harry lunged for Malfoy, but Ron and Lupin held him back.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry growled.
"Tell her. Tell her who you are, or I will." Malfoy answered threateningly.
"Michael?" Hermione's voice trembled. This couldn't be happening, this can't be happening, she kept repeating to herself.
Harry looked around the room at the puzzled faces, then hung his head in defeat.
"Damn you Malfoy. Ron, Remus, please cover all the windows."
With a flick of wands the curtains sealed shut. Harry sighed, took his wand out, and tapped himself on his head. His shoulder length dirty blond hair shortened to messy black raven hair, and his eyes changed from brown to brilliant green. Harry then took out his glasses and put them on his face. All hell broke loose.
"Harry!!!" Mrs. Weasley cried out, running to him and wrapping her arms around him in a bear hug.
Harry hugged back; it had been so long since he felt this kind of motherly comfort. She was followed by Mr. Weasley, who clapped him on his back and gave him a hug as well. Molly didn't seem to want to let go as Bill, Charlie, Fred and George all surrounded him. It was a flurry of hugs, tears, kisses (by Mrs. Weasley) and questions that bombarded Harry, before the crowed parted to reveal a stricken Hermione who looked like she was being held up by Neville and Ginny. The crowd quieted down as Hermione walked toward Harry then stopped directly in front of him.
"Hermione—"Harry began softly, but he didn't know how to continue as he looked into her eyes.
SMACK!!!!
Harry's cheek stung where her hand made contact. He half expected it, he just didn't think it would hurt like it did. She had slapped him…hard.
She glared up at him. "Damn you, Potter." she spat. She then turned around and walked out of the room.
Nobody said a thing, they were too shocked. But Ginny walked up to Harry.
SMACK!
Ginny got the other cheek.
"What was that for?" Ron asked bewildered.
"That was for what you did to Hermione, Harry." She then turned and stomped off. She stopped and turned around again. "Welcome back, its good to see you." she said in a strained voice, then continued on her way.
"Ahem. Well, uh, it's good to see you again Harry." Neville said as he walked up and shook Harry's hand. "We'll, um, catch up sometime." He then turned to follow Ginny. He opened the door, and Harry could hear a snippet of conversation outside.
"You're too upset to apparate home. Let Neville take you there." He could hear Ginny soothing an upset and crying Hermione.
Harry's heart broke at the sound of her sobbing. He looked at Viktor, who had sat down in one of the chairs, still pale.
"Viktor, will you please take Hermione home? See that she gets there okay?"
Viktor nodded then walked out of the room. Harry then looked at an extremely satisfied Malfoy.
"You've had your fun. Now get out." He snarled at Malfoy.
Malfoy's eyes followed Krum out the door, then never one to pass up an opportunity to kick Potter when he was down, turned back to Harry a malicious grin on his face.
"Very trusting of your friend aren't you?" he asked smoothly.
Fred stepped in front of Harry as if to protect him. "Leave, Malfoy." He warned.
"I suppose you'll tell him then." He said to Fred.
Harry moved Fred aside and stepped toward Malfoy.
"Tell me what?" he asked dangerously.
Malfoy looked at Fred and George who loomed behind Harry. He was no fool. He looked pointedly at Fred and George before looking at Harry.
"I'd take a closer look at that file if I were you, Potter." He advised casually before he apparated out of the room.
"What's he talking about?" Ron asked.
Harry and Ron looked at the twins, who suddenly found the floor very interesting.
"Sons, answer the question." Mr. Weasley commanded.
"Er, well…" Fred began.
"Um, you see…" George continued.
Harry didn't wait for an explanation as he walked up to the fireplace, grabbed some floo powder, and flooed himself back to his and Ron's flat.
He dusted himself off when he arrived then ran to his room and locked the door. He spun around. Where did he put the file? He reached for the robes that he had worn earlier and took out the thick file. He stared at it, afraid to open it. What did Malfoy mean? Maybe he was just having a go at him? No, he had to find out. He opened it, carelessly whipping through the pages before a packet fell out. Harry looked at the manila envelope on the floor and set the file down on the chair. Harry picked up the envelope and sat on the bed. He flipped it over to read the writing on the front: Hotel Paris Republique, April 2000. He played with the envelope flap for a little bit. Somehow he knew this is what he was looking for and he felt terrified to open it. But he did open it, reached in and pulled out its contents. It was a series of wizard photos in black and white. Harry slid off the bed and onto the floor. All the breath was taken out of him, and he felt like a bludger had hit him in the stomach at top speed as he flipped through the photographs.
Hermione was standing outside on a balcony in a white bathrobe taking in the sunlight. Viktor walked up behind her, also in a bathrobe, and slid his arms around her nuzzling her neck. He spoke a few words and she laughed. She turned around to face him, kissing him intensely as he lifted her up, wrapping her legs around him, and carried her back into the room. As he slid the door closed, the curtain was caught and pulled back, but they didn't seem to notice as he laid her back down on the bed. They continued to kiss some more as Viktor undid the knot on her robe belt. He opened the robe to reveal a naked Hermione underneath, and he began to kiss her neck, chest, breasts, everywhere he could. He settled himself between Hermione's thighs and kissed her neck again as he moved against her. She closed her eyes and arched her back…
Harry couldn't take anymore. He threw the photographs away from him and scrambled to his bathroom where he vomited into the toilet. Oh God, oh God! Please don't let it be true! He thought when he stopped heaving, but his stomach still lurched. No! Not Hermione! Not Viktor! He threw up again. He forced himself to calm down, flushed the toilet, walked over to the sink and rinsed his mouth. He splashed some water on his face, then, as he dried he looked at himself in the mirror.
"Watch over her for me. Keep her safe. Please. I trust you."
Those were the words he had spoken to Krum five years ago. A rage boiled in Harry. He punched his reflection in the mirror, shattering the glass. He stormed into his room, tearing it apart. Tossing, kicking tearing. He screamed in frustration and heartbreak, tears pouring down his cheeks as he dropped to his knees. He saw the scattered photos on his floor then crawled around picking them up. He then crawled back to his bed, placing the photos on top. He sat back on his haunches then threw his arms and his face onto the bed, crying.
"Hermione." He sobbed as his mind took him back to that fateful night.
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Next Chapter: Harry's point of view on that night so long ago. J
Welcome to the story new reviewers! Welcome back faithful ones! A happy wedding anniversary to FayeValentine00. ;) Finally, a long overdue H/Hr scene, but don't hate me afterwards.
