A/N: THANK YOU SO MUCH!! This last chapter has given me more reviews than
any chapter in a long time, I'm so happy : sniff: anyways, thank u talin,
a VERY Interested Reader and Potterlover (yes, there will be more romance
coming up!!). But most of all, Keep READING!!! Here is the next xhapter,
sautéed with a side of vegetables, for your reading pleasure.
Chapter Nine: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
When Eve returned to her dorm room, (she surprised herself at how quiet she was), Zenith gave a squawk that startled her. She looked at its inky black eyes and they were looking under her bead.
"What is it, Zenith? I'm tired," it said. All she wanted to do was plop onto her bed and think. Think about what happened that night. Her father.
Zenith squawked again. This time it flew off its perch and actually went near her bed, pulling out a heavy book with sophisticated black leather covers.
"My album!" Eve cried. It had belonged to her and her mother. It had all her baby pictures, up to when she was a year old. Her mother had said they never had a camera before then. Indeed, they had started out quite poor, so Eve never had given it a second thought. She loved looking at the pictures.
"Thank you, Zenith. Looks like Dumbledore had it sent over from my house. Funny, there's no note on it from him. And why was it pushed under my bed so haphazardly?" Zenith looked shifty, and flew back to his perch, busying himself with some seeds. Eve raised one eyebrow at it in curiosity and went back to the album. Her mother was so beautiful, especially when she was younger. Younger.. A thought came to her for the very first time. She didn't have any pictures of her mother BEFORE she had Eve. What did she look like as a child? Who were her friends? Where did she live? With an instant Eve surmised that she probably destroyed whatever remnants she had from her magical life. Tragic, she thought, she was an Auror, and I never knew it until she died. Tears started to clog her eyes, as she looked at the frozen images of the past. A loud noise from her window and a squawk made her head snap up.
"Zenith?" but it wasn't him. It was, in fact another phoenix, glittering scarlet.
Eve smiled as if seeing an old friend, "Fawks! Have you come to join us, too? Meet Zentih, my black phoenix." Fawks had flown onto her windowsill, and seeing Zenith for the very first time, gave him an extended, probing look, and then a squawk, as if greeting him. Zenith gave a noble nod, but looked annoyed at the disturbance. When Fawks saw her almbum, it excitedly flew next to her and settled on her bed. Zenith eyed it suspiciously, but continued to chew his seeds.
"Do you like my album, Fawks?" The beautiful bird nodded, and then looked all around the album and on the bed, searching for something.
"What is it?" Eve asked, confused. The bird's eyes went to the fire place, and with a startled squawk it flew to it. Eve immediately followed. Zenith made a warning noise, as if to reprimand Fawks, but he didn't listen and drove straight into the fire. Eve gasped, but then the bird emerged, glittering and more beautiful than ever, with two singed pieces of paper in its beak. Zenith looked startled and dove to Fawks, furiously trying to tear the papers away.
"Stop it!" Eve cried, and both birds froze. "Give me those, Fawks." Zenith regrettedly consented, and Fawks handed her the scraps of paper. It was a letter, from Dumbledore, and a picture. She read the letter first:
Dear Eve:
I paid special attention to make sure this album got back to you, as I guessed it is of great significance to you. I'm even sending Fawks twice to make sure it reaches you. I am regretful to say that some pictures are missing from its pages. I have included one from my own personal collection, and if I'm not mistaken, there should be more like it in a compartment at the back of the album. You need one other, special person to open it, though.
Sincerely, your Headmaster, Dumbledore.
Eve looked at Fawks and gave him and amused smile. The bird beamed proudly at her, indicating a job well done. Zenith looked surly however, and the dangerous looks it was giving to Fawks caused him to squawk goodbye to Eve, and fly out the windowsill. Eve then looked at the picture, and the first thing she noticed was that the figures in it were moving, waving at her and smiling, arm in arm. It was slightly faded, and she could barely make out who it was. The first one was her mother, looking younger than Eve had ever seen her. Suddenly she realized the other person, which made her breath catch in her throat. Her fingers weakened, and the picture dropped floating to the floor, but Eve hadn't seem to notice. It was a beautiful woman with flowing, fiery red hair and emerald eyes, her joyful expression in the picture a stark contrast than what Eve remembered when she saw her last time. She had such an effect on Eve that she had almost fainted when she saw her. It was the ghostly woman she had seen in her vision that very same day. The one who had fixed his watch. The same one who had given Harry a hauntingly sorrowful look of desperate longing...
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Harry was finally able to open his eyes. The pain stopped just as suddenly as it had came. Neville and Seamus, who had seemed to be too frightened to touch him, now came to his side.
"You all right now, Harry?" Seamus asked.
"Yeah," he gasped, as he rubbed his forehead with the back of his sleeve. He took off his foggy glasses and wiped them on his nightshirt.
"I wonder where Ron is. They've been gone a long time," Neville asked wondered worriedly. At this realization Harry bent his head down and ran his fingers through his already thoroughly mussed hair, and gave a long exhale of breath.
"I've got to go look for him," he said.
"Oh Harry, why do you always have to go on trying to be a hero? Let Ron have his go for once. I'm sure he's alright. I wouldn't go to Hermione's room, if I were you," Seamus said.
"Why not? They might be in danger!" Harry cried in frustration.
"I think if you go, you'll be..interrupting something, if you know what I mean," Seamus said with a wink. Harry laughed.
"Please, Seamus. I've known Hermione and Ron for seven years, and if anything were to happen between them it would have already happened by now." But then, Harry realized with a shock, that Ron HAD confessed to him that he liked her. He sank into a thoughtful position, with a bit of a smirk on his face.
"See? Aren't I right?" Seamus said.
"Don't listen to him, Harry! You don't know that for sure!" Neville said.
"I'll take my chances this time, Neville," Harry said with a smile, "Let's all get back to bed. He had an instinctive feeling that somehow Ron didn't need his help this time..
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Much to Hermione's dismay, Ron had stopped kissing her. She was still content with him holding her, though, her head resting on his shoulder. Ron was amazed at how perfectly her head fit in the crook between his neck and shoulder. It were those funny things about girls he liked so much. Like how their hair would always smell so wonderful, even if it was only shampoo. He wanted to stay like that all night, but he broke away.
"I got to go, Harry might get worried," he whispered and then he tenderly kissed her forehead, as Hermione closed her eyes for that instant, trying to revel in it. She opened her eyes and moved her face very close to his, whispering in his ear, "Please don't leave." The moonlight was falling right across her face, making her eyes glitter with reflections of starlight, it seemed. The night was silent except for the leaves gently rustling in the forest. They had never been so privately alone before. Ron wanted nothing more in the world than to follow her plea.
"If he was worried, he'd be here by now," she said, "Stay here with me." Ron smiled. He never thought he'd ever hear a girl say that to him.
He grinned and simply said, "Okay." This time Hermione kissed him, long and passionately, her warm fingertips trailing against his cheeks. She felt his heartbeat against hers, and wanted to get lost into him, forgetting all else. Hermione remembered that she heard somewhere that when two people kissed for the very first time, their souls touched. She understood how that felt now.
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Harry woke up, rubbing his eyes. The morning sun had warmed the whole room, and Neville and Seamus were also groggily getting out of bed. But Ron's bed was empty.
"Don't worry, Harry, they'll show up at breakfast," Neville said hopefully.
"Yeah, and I can't wait to see the stars in their eyes. You'll see Harry. They'll make us all nauseous." Seamus chuckled. Harry hoped he was right.
They went down to breakfast, and as he passed by the Slytherin table, alone, he saw Eve eyeing him with apparent fascination, and Draco giving him a look of hatred worse than Snape's. He sat down, and looked at the two empty spaces next to him usually filled by his best friends. Worry and guilt started to creep into him. But then he saw a flash of red hair next to him.
"Hi'ya Harry!" Fred's voice exclaimed. Harry jumped up and saw two identical faces grinning at him.
"Didn't mean to scare ya, mate." George said with a smile. The other Gryffindors happily surrounded them.
"What are you guys doing here?" Harry asked.
"Well, the joke shop's not off to the soaring start we expected." Fred said.
"Yeah, this git can't come to a compromise with Zonko. He doesn't want another joke shop in Hogsmeade giving him competition, and he has a lot of, uh, friends, you know? We can't get a permit to build our shop for another few months!" George explained.
"So instead, Dumbledore gave us a job here, at our old, dear alma matter." Fred said, looking up at the Great Hall with misty-eyed nostalgia.
"Where's our baby Ronnikins? We want to tell him the good news," George asked.
"Well, if you realize, Hermione isn't here, either," Seamus said with a sly look.
"Yeah, where are they?" Dean asked.
"Well, let's just say Ron crept out of bed last night and hasn't been back since," Seamus replied with a snigger. Harry angrily nudged him in the ribs. He didn't want the twins to know. Now they'd torture Ron something awful.
Indeed, the identical ecstatic looks on their faces confirmed that. Harry could almost imagine the clockwork turning in their scheming brains.
"Never returned, did he now?" Fred said, rubbing his hands together.
"Well, its about time, if you ask me," George said. "I've been telling the stupid prat to get on with it for years, now."
"I wonder what kind of potion he used, and why he didn't tell me about it," Fred wondered. "No girl in her right mind would fall for him on her own accord."
"Oh shut up, Fred," Harry said.
"He's gotten himself into more than he can handle, the poor chap. He has no idea how to handle a girl," George said.
"Yeah, must have been the most excruciating three minutes of Hermione's life, I might say," Fred added as their whole side of the table burst into laughter.
" Here come our lovebirds now!" Fred exclaimed. Sure enough, Ron and Hermione came through the great door together, quite later than the rest of the school. Draco was looking intently at them, and Eve was gazing at them with a curious smile. As soon as they came near the Gryffindors, the whole table erupted in applause, with Fred and George whistling and cheering. Ron looked confused, and Hermione was blushing a deep shade of red.
"Well, well, where have you two been, worrying us to death!" George said with his hands on his hips, with a falsely scolding tone similar to Mrs. Weasley's.
"What are you guys talking about? And what are you two doing back here?" Ron asked.
"Oh, you know what we mean, ickle Ronnie. Stop acting stupid," Fred said.
"He's not acting," George replied with a smirk.
"What, did the school finally realize that you two put a charm on your test papers? Are you repeating the last grade?" Ron said, not looking amused.
"No, we're here running errands for Dumbledore, and to keep an eye on you, baby brother," Fred winked.
"And it's a good thing we came, too. The minute we leave, here you are, snogging girls, you wild animal, you." George said, "Hermione, I thought you had more sense than that," he said disapprovingly. Hermione smiled.
"I assure you, George, nothing happened between us," she said.
"Now wait a damn minute. I'm a guy myself, and if a guy is alone with a girl he's been having a crush on for 3 years for an entire night, by golly, if the girl is unconscious, something will still happen!" George exclaimed.
"You had a crush on me for how long?" Hermione asked, amazed.
"I swear, he's the stupidest prat I've seen. I would have snogged you a long time ago," Fred said to Hermione. Ron gave him a warning look. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"How long have you guys known me? Do you think I'm the type of girl who would, you know.."
"Well then what did happen?" Harry finally asked something.
"Last night I had this horrible pain in my scar, and I remember seeing Hermione in a dream."
"Oh, ya, Herm, what happened, what did you see?" Ron asked her.
"Aha! That proves it, they were busy doing other things, or else Ron would know!" Fred exclaimed in triumph.
"Nothing happened! We just kissed!" Hermione yelled, a little too loudly. Hundreds of heads immediately turned their direction. She was blushing so deeply, she matched the color of the Gryffindor flags. Ron looked at her and shook his head.
"You what! Really?" Neville asked.
"You mean, finally. Nice going, Ron," George chuckled and nudged his brother with an elbow. Hermione made a frustrated noise and the two sat down to breakfast, with many younger years in the hall looking at them and giggling. Then the whole hall fell silent as only footsteps reverberated through the room. Eve was slowly walking towards the Gryffindor table.
"Now, I may be new, but I still don't understand this silly little rule in this school. Why do the four houses always eat separately, with the same people, every single day?" she asked innocently. She charmed a plate out of nowhere and asked Hermione, " May I sit here?"
"No, because we don't want Slytherins spying on our conversations," Parvati said indignantly. All the Gryffindor girls busied themselves with gossiping about Eve, convinced that she was evil.
Eve smiled sarcastically and sat down anyway. "You know, its VERY funny you should say that," she was looking directly into Hermione's eyes. Hermione held her breath. "I don't like being spied on myself, but you Gryffindors can be a very nosy lot, always thinking you should know everything so you can save the world." Her voice was dripping with danger.
"What are you trying to say, Eve?" Hermione said daringly.
"All I want to know is your name," she said, in an icily low voice.
"What?" Ron asked, "You know her name." Hermione was silent.
"I'm not so sure. I need to talk to you. All three of you." Meet me in my private dorm room near the Astronomy Tower at eight. The password's 'seraphim'."
"Why should we come? How do we know its not a trap?" Hermione asked angrily.
"I'm not who you think I am. Besides, I think Harry would like to know, as much as I do, more about THIS," she said as she threw the picture she saw last night on the table. "Unfortunately, I need another person to open more pictures, and I have a feeling that Harry is the one I need," she said, giving Harry her signature stare. He looked at the photo, and saw his mother arm in arm with another woman with blond hair.
"It's my mother," she said. Harry looked up at her, confused.
"If you don't come, you'll deeply regret it," she looked straight at Hermione. "Bye for now, Selene." As she said the last word, her eyes were piercing, . She got up and walked back towards her table, Draco immediately engaging her in a low conversation.
"Who was that?" George asked.
"Yeah, I want her number," Fred said with a stupid grin.
"No you don't. She's You-Know-Who's very own daughter," Dean said.
"Wow. Imagine what picking her up for a date would be like. 'If you don't bring her back by eleven, I'll painfully torture you until you go insane and then send green smoke the shape of a skull into the air'," George said. The others giggled, but Hermione had a very worried expression.
"Herm, what did she mean by all that? Who's Selene?" Ron asked.
All Herm could whisper to herself was, " She knows."
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During Charms, Hermione managed to whisper her whole story about being an Animagus and what she saw in the Forest between Eve and her father. Harry couldn't stop gaping in amazement for about a minute.
"So Eve knows? What do you think she's gonna do?" Ron said. Harry pulled out the picture and thought about what she had said. Their mothers had apparently known each other. What kind of a connection did they have?
"I think we should go," he said.
"Why? It's obviously a trap!" Hermione exclaimed.
"I doubt she'll hurt us. It'll only confirm what everybody thinks: that she's evil. She wouldn't want to lose Dumbledore's trust."
"Well she's going to no matter what. First thing during lunch, I'm telling him!"
Harry reasoned that this was the right thing. But what if Dumbledore immediately had her removed from the school? He had to know the connection he had with her.
"Let's meet her tonight, then tell him. I want to know what this picture means."
"Harry, what if it's a setup? What if she just made this picture up?"
"I don't think so. She seems so.familiar to me. I feel like I've known her all my life, somehow. I'm not sure. But I gotta know, its killing me." Harry said.
"Hermione, if I'm not interrupting your conversation," Professor Flitwick cleared his throat loudly, "Please come to the front and demonstrate a Disappearing charm on this table." Eve had long been removed from the Charms class, as she was clearly too advanced for it. Yet again, so was Hermione, who was an Animagus.
"Too bad human Transfiguration is your specialty," Ron whispered to her jokingly as she went to the front of the class.
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That evening Harry was in his room trying to finish all his homework before his meeting with Eve. Hedwig interrupted him as he flew into his room.
"A letter from Sirius!" Harry exclaimed as Ron came and read it over his shoulder.
Dear Harry:
All this news is very disturbing. First the rising muggle attacks, more suspicious activity, that girl coming to Hogwarts, and now finally Azkaban's break-in. You-Know-Who is working very hard to get dangerous allies to help him. When I was in Azkaba, the prisoners always talked about a fateful day when their master will free them, and then all chaos will ensue. Thankfully it has been averted, at least temporarily.You are in more danger than you realize, Harry. I am begging for you to keep your profile low and not get into too much trouble. I know you're getting too old for these warnings, but all I'm doing is fulfilling my duty as godfather, and I know that you're too much like James. First of all, keep as far away from the new girl as possible. I can't believe what I'm reading in the newspapers about an omen. I feel fairly safe in assuming she has powers beyond comprehension. Keep away, because you don't know what she'll use them for.With his gaining power, You-Know-Who will get more and more daring in trying to kill you, and with a potential follower so near you, you CANNOT take any chances. I'm astonished at how Dumbledore lets her in the school, but I hope his judgement is right in this case. I'm immediately making my way to you, Harry,and you can't convince me otherwise. You're in too much danger. Don't worry about me, I've been hiding from the authorities for four years now. I'll see you soon,
Sirius
After he finished reading the letter, Harry felt a huge surge of guilt. Not only was Sirius putting himself in danger, Harry was about to directly disobey him by meeting Eve, someone potentially dangerous in cataclysmic senses. He looked at Ron.
"Harry, do you really think we should go?"
"Yes," Harry's answer was firm. He could take care of himself. But what about Ron and Hermione? "Maybe I should go alone," he said.
"No way. Hermione is involved in this, too. And if she is, so am I. We're not leaving you alone to face this, Harry," Ron said. They took the Invisibilty cloak and went out to Hermione's room.
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Draco looked out his window, thinking. Eve had invited Hermione, Ron, and Harry to her room that night, to look at her album. He was the one who had thrown the letter and picture in the fire. He was just finishing a meeting with Dumbledore as Head Boy, when he saw him send Fawks in the direction of Eve's room. He immediately went in her room and saw the picture. He threw the album under her bed, hoping she would just think it was with her original things that were shipped at the beginning.
Eve had said that he couldn't come because the Gryffindors would get too suspicious. She'd show him the pictures later. But that wasn't enough for him. He had to keep her away from Harry as much as possible, or he'd be in trouble. In trouble with someone far more frightening than his own father.
Like he said before, he had to hit Harry where it really hurt: his friends. The development of this romance between Ron and Hermione brought up new prospects. He fingered his bookcases filled with ancient, thick books with elegant covers. Finally he pulled an ink-black one titled, "Potent Poisons."
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A/N: gasp! What's Draco going to do?? You're gonna hafta read next week 2 find out!!! Again, much thanks to my loyal readers, who are few but very precious!!! PLEASE PLEASE review, especially if you haven't done so already!!! Tell me how this chapter is!! These reviews totally make my week. I personally respond 2 each of them and email u (if u leave ur address)! I treat my readers with care!!!
Chapter Nine: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
When Eve returned to her dorm room, (she surprised herself at how quiet she was), Zenith gave a squawk that startled her. She looked at its inky black eyes and they were looking under her bead.
"What is it, Zenith? I'm tired," it said. All she wanted to do was plop onto her bed and think. Think about what happened that night. Her father.
Zenith squawked again. This time it flew off its perch and actually went near her bed, pulling out a heavy book with sophisticated black leather covers.
"My album!" Eve cried. It had belonged to her and her mother. It had all her baby pictures, up to when she was a year old. Her mother had said they never had a camera before then. Indeed, they had started out quite poor, so Eve never had given it a second thought. She loved looking at the pictures.
"Thank you, Zenith. Looks like Dumbledore had it sent over from my house. Funny, there's no note on it from him. And why was it pushed under my bed so haphazardly?" Zenith looked shifty, and flew back to his perch, busying himself with some seeds. Eve raised one eyebrow at it in curiosity and went back to the album. Her mother was so beautiful, especially when she was younger. Younger.. A thought came to her for the very first time. She didn't have any pictures of her mother BEFORE she had Eve. What did she look like as a child? Who were her friends? Where did she live? With an instant Eve surmised that she probably destroyed whatever remnants she had from her magical life. Tragic, she thought, she was an Auror, and I never knew it until she died. Tears started to clog her eyes, as she looked at the frozen images of the past. A loud noise from her window and a squawk made her head snap up.
"Zenith?" but it wasn't him. It was, in fact another phoenix, glittering scarlet.
Eve smiled as if seeing an old friend, "Fawks! Have you come to join us, too? Meet Zentih, my black phoenix." Fawks had flown onto her windowsill, and seeing Zenith for the very first time, gave him an extended, probing look, and then a squawk, as if greeting him. Zenith gave a noble nod, but looked annoyed at the disturbance. When Fawks saw her almbum, it excitedly flew next to her and settled on her bed. Zenith eyed it suspiciously, but continued to chew his seeds.
"Do you like my album, Fawks?" The beautiful bird nodded, and then looked all around the album and on the bed, searching for something.
"What is it?" Eve asked, confused. The bird's eyes went to the fire place, and with a startled squawk it flew to it. Eve immediately followed. Zenith made a warning noise, as if to reprimand Fawks, but he didn't listen and drove straight into the fire. Eve gasped, but then the bird emerged, glittering and more beautiful than ever, with two singed pieces of paper in its beak. Zenith looked startled and dove to Fawks, furiously trying to tear the papers away.
"Stop it!" Eve cried, and both birds froze. "Give me those, Fawks." Zenith regrettedly consented, and Fawks handed her the scraps of paper. It was a letter, from Dumbledore, and a picture. She read the letter first:
Dear Eve:
I paid special attention to make sure this album got back to you, as I guessed it is of great significance to you. I'm even sending Fawks twice to make sure it reaches you. I am regretful to say that some pictures are missing from its pages. I have included one from my own personal collection, and if I'm not mistaken, there should be more like it in a compartment at the back of the album. You need one other, special person to open it, though.
Sincerely, your Headmaster, Dumbledore.
Eve looked at Fawks and gave him and amused smile. The bird beamed proudly at her, indicating a job well done. Zenith looked surly however, and the dangerous looks it was giving to Fawks caused him to squawk goodbye to Eve, and fly out the windowsill. Eve then looked at the picture, and the first thing she noticed was that the figures in it were moving, waving at her and smiling, arm in arm. It was slightly faded, and she could barely make out who it was. The first one was her mother, looking younger than Eve had ever seen her. Suddenly she realized the other person, which made her breath catch in her throat. Her fingers weakened, and the picture dropped floating to the floor, but Eve hadn't seem to notice. It was a beautiful woman with flowing, fiery red hair and emerald eyes, her joyful expression in the picture a stark contrast than what Eve remembered when she saw her last time. She had such an effect on Eve that she had almost fainted when she saw her. It was the ghostly woman she had seen in her vision that very same day. The one who had fixed his watch. The same one who had given Harry a hauntingly sorrowful look of desperate longing...
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Harry was finally able to open his eyes. The pain stopped just as suddenly as it had came. Neville and Seamus, who had seemed to be too frightened to touch him, now came to his side.
"You all right now, Harry?" Seamus asked.
"Yeah," he gasped, as he rubbed his forehead with the back of his sleeve. He took off his foggy glasses and wiped them on his nightshirt.
"I wonder where Ron is. They've been gone a long time," Neville asked wondered worriedly. At this realization Harry bent his head down and ran his fingers through his already thoroughly mussed hair, and gave a long exhale of breath.
"I've got to go look for him," he said.
"Oh Harry, why do you always have to go on trying to be a hero? Let Ron have his go for once. I'm sure he's alright. I wouldn't go to Hermione's room, if I were you," Seamus said.
"Why not? They might be in danger!" Harry cried in frustration.
"I think if you go, you'll be..interrupting something, if you know what I mean," Seamus said with a wink. Harry laughed.
"Please, Seamus. I've known Hermione and Ron for seven years, and if anything were to happen between them it would have already happened by now." But then, Harry realized with a shock, that Ron HAD confessed to him that he liked her. He sank into a thoughtful position, with a bit of a smirk on his face.
"See? Aren't I right?" Seamus said.
"Don't listen to him, Harry! You don't know that for sure!" Neville said.
"I'll take my chances this time, Neville," Harry said with a smile, "Let's all get back to bed. He had an instinctive feeling that somehow Ron didn't need his help this time..
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Much to Hermione's dismay, Ron had stopped kissing her. She was still content with him holding her, though, her head resting on his shoulder. Ron was amazed at how perfectly her head fit in the crook between his neck and shoulder. It were those funny things about girls he liked so much. Like how their hair would always smell so wonderful, even if it was only shampoo. He wanted to stay like that all night, but he broke away.
"I got to go, Harry might get worried," he whispered and then he tenderly kissed her forehead, as Hermione closed her eyes for that instant, trying to revel in it. She opened her eyes and moved her face very close to his, whispering in his ear, "Please don't leave." The moonlight was falling right across her face, making her eyes glitter with reflections of starlight, it seemed. The night was silent except for the leaves gently rustling in the forest. They had never been so privately alone before. Ron wanted nothing more in the world than to follow her plea.
"If he was worried, he'd be here by now," she said, "Stay here with me." Ron smiled. He never thought he'd ever hear a girl say that to him.
He grinned and simply said, "Okay." This time Hermione kissed him, long and passionately, her warm fingertips trailing against his cheeks. She felt his heartbeat against hers, and wanted to get lost into him, forgetting all else. Hermione remembered that she heard somewhere that when two people kissed for the very first time, their souls touched. She understood how that felt now.
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Harry woke up, rubbing his eyes. The morning sun had warmed the whole room, and Neville and Seamus were also groggily getting out of bed. But Ron's bed was empty.
"Don't worry, Harry, they'll show up at breakfast," Neville said hopefully.
"Yeah, and I can't wait to see the stars in their eyes. You'll see Harry. They'll make us all nauseous." Seamus chuckled. Harry hoped he was right.
They went down to breakfast, and as he passed by the Slytherin table, alone, he saw Eve eyeing him with apparent fascination, and Draco giving him a look of hatred worse than Snape's. He sat down, and looked at the two empty spaces next to him usually filled by his best friends. Worry and guilt started to creep into him. But then he saw a flash of red hair next to him.
"Hi'ya Harry!" Fred's voice exclaimed. Harry jumped up and saw two identical faces grinning at him.
"Didn't mean to scare ya, mate." George said with a smile. The other Gryffindors happily surrounded them.
"What are you guys doing here?" Harry asked.
"Well, the joke shop's not off to the soaring start we expected." Fred said.
"Yeah, this git can't come to a compromise with Zonko. He doesn't want another joke shop in Hogsmeade giving him competition, and he has a lot of, uh, friends, you know? We can't get a permit to build our shop for another few months!" George explained.
"So instead, Dumbledore gave us a job here, at our old, dear alma matter." Fred said, looking up at the Great Hall with misty-eyed nostalgia.
"Where's our baby Ronnikins? We want to tell him the good news," George asked.
"Well, if you realize, Hermione isn't here, either," Seamus said with a sly look.
"Yeah, where are they?" Dean asked.
"Well, let's just say Ron crept out of bed last night and hasn't been back since," Seamus replied with a snigger. Harry angrily nudged him in the ribs. He didn't want the twins to know. Now they'd torture Ron something awful.
Indeed, the identical ecstatic looks on their faces confirmed that. Harry could almost imagine the clockwork turning in their scheming brains.
"Never returned, did he now?" Fred said, rubbing his hands together.
"Well, its about time, if you ask me," George said. "I've been telling the stupid prat to get on with it for years, now."
"I wonder what kind of potion he used, and why he didn't tell me about it," Fred wondered. "No girl in her right mind would fall for him on her own accord."
"Oh shut up, Fred," Harry said.
"He's gotten himself into more than he can handle, the poor chap. He has no idea how to handle a girl," George said.
"Yeah, must have been the most excruciating three minutes of Hermione's life, I might say," Fred added as their whole side of the table burst into laughter.
" Here come our lovebirds now!" Fred exclaimed. Sure enough, Ron and Hermione came through the great door together, quite later than the rest of the school. Draco was looking intently at them, and Eve was gazing at them with a curious smile. As soon as they came near the Gryffindors, the whole table erupted in applause, with Fred and George whistling and cheering. Ron looked confused, and Hermione was blushing a deep shade of red.
"Well, well, where have you two been, worrying us to death!" George said with his hands on his hips, with a falsely scolding tone similar to Mrs. Weasley's.
"What are you guys talking about? And what are you two doing back here?" Ron asked.
"Oh, you know what we mean, ickle Ronnie. Stop acting stupid," Fred said.
"He's not acting," George replied with a smirk.
"What, did the school finally realize that you two put a charm on your test papers? Are you repeating the last grade?" Ron said, not looking amused.
"No, we're here running errands for Dumbledore, and to keep an eye on you, baby brother," Fred winked.
"And it's a good thing we came, too. The minute we leave, here you are, snogging girls, you wild animal, you." George said, "Hermione, I thought you had more sense than that," he said disapprovingly. Hermione smiled.
"I assure you, George, nothing happened between us," she said.
"Now wait a damn minute. I'm a guy myself, and if a guy is alone with a girl he's been having a crush on for 3 years for an entire night, by golly, if the girl is unconscious, something will still happen!" George exclaimed.
"You had a crush on me for how long?" Hermione asked, amazed.
"I swear, he's the stupidest prat I've seen. I would have snogged you a long time ago," Fred said to Hermione. Ron gave him a warning look. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"How long have you guys known me? Do you think I'm the type of girl who would, you know.."
"Well then what did happen?" Harry finally asked something.
"Last night I had this horrible pain in my scar, and I remember seeing Hermione in a dream."
"Oh, ya, Herm, what happened, what did you see?" Ron asked her.
"Aha! That proves it, they were busy doing other things, or else Ron would know!" Fred exclaimed in triumph.
"Nothing happened! We just kissed!" Hermione yelled, a little too loudly. Hundreds of heads immediately turned their direction. She was blushing so deeply, she matched the color of the Gryffindor flags. Ron looked at her and shook his head.
"You what! Really?" Neville asked.
"You mean, finally. Nice going, Ron," George chuckled and nudged his brother with an elbow. Hermione made a frustrated noise and the two sat down to breakfast, with many younger years in the hall looking at them and giggling. Then the whole hall fell silent as only footsteps reverberated through the room. Eve was slowly walking towards the Gryffindor table.
"Now, I may be new, but I still don't understand this silly little rule in this school. Why do the four houses always eat separately, with the same people, every single day?" she asked innocently. She charmed a plate out of nowhere and asked Hermione, " May I sit here?"
"No, because we don't want Slytherins spying on our conversations," Parvati said indignantly. All the Gryffindor girls busied themselves with gossiping about Eve, convinced that she was evil.
Eve smiled sarcastically and sat down anyway. "You know, its VERY funny you should say that," she was looking directly into Hermione's eyes. Hermione held her breath. "I don't like being spied on myself, but you Gryffindors can be a very nosy lot, always thinking you should know everything so you can save the world." Her voice was dripping with danger.
"What are you trying to say, Eve?" Hermione said daringly.
"All I want to know is your name," she said, in an icily low voice.
"What?" Ron asked, "You know her name." Hermione was silent.
"I'm not so sure. I need to talk to you. All three of you." Meet me in my private dorm room near the Astronomy Tower at eight. The password's 'seraphim'."
"Why should we come? How do we know its not a trap?" Hermione asked angrily.
"I'm not who you think I am. Besides, I think Harry would like to know, as much as I do, more about THIS," she said as she threw the picture she saw last night on the table. "Unfortunately, I need another person to open more pictures, and I have a feeling that Harry is the one I need," she said, giving Harry her signature stare. He looked at the photo, and saw his mother arm in arm with another woman with blond hair.
"It's my mother," she said. Harry looked up at her, confused.
"If you don't come, you'll deeply regret it," she looked straight at Hermione. "Bye for now, Selene." As she said the last word, her eyes were piercing, . She got up and walked back towards her table, Draco immediately engaging her in a low conversation.
"Who was that?" George asked.
"Yeah, I want her number," Fred said with a stupid grin.
"No you don't. She's You-Know-Who's very own daughter," Dean said.
"Wow. Imagine what picking her up for a date would be like. 'If you don't bring her back by eleven, I'll painfully torture you until you go insane and then send green smoke the shape of a skull into the air'," George said. The others giggled, but Hermione had a very worried expression.
"Herm, what did she mean by all that? Who's Selene?" Ron asked.
All Herm could whisper to herself was, " She knows."
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During Charms, Hermione managed to whisper her whole story about being an Animagus and what she saw in the Forest between Eve and her father. Harry couldn't stop gaping in amazement for about a minute.
"So Eve knows? What do you think she's gonna do?" Ron said. Harry pulled out the picture and thought about what she had said. Their mothers had apparently known each other. What kind of a connection did they have?
"I think we should go," he said.
"Why? It's obviously a trap!" Hermione exclaimed.
"I doubt she'll hurt us. It'll only confirm what everybody thinks: that she's evil. She wouldn't want to lose Dumbledore's trust."
"Well she's going to no matter what. First thing during lunch, I'm telling him!"
Harry reasoned that this was the right thing. But what if Dumbledore immediately had her removed from the school? He had to know the connection he had with her.
"Let's meet her tonight, then tell him. I want to know what this picture means."
"Harry, what if it's a setup? What if she just made this picture up?"
"I don't think so. She seems so.familiar to me. I feel like I've known her all my life, somehow. I'm not sure. But I gotta know, its killing me." Harry said.
"Hermione, if I'm not interrupting your conversation," Professor Flitwick cleared his throat loudly, "Please come to the front and demonstrate a Disappearing charm on this table." Eve had long been removed from the Charms class, as she was clearly too advanced for it. Yet again, so was Hermione, who was an Animagus.
"Too bad human Transfiguration is your specialty," Ron whispered to her jokingly as she went to the front of the class.
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That evening Harry was in his room trying to finish all his homework before his meeting with Eve. Hedwig interrupted him as he flew into his room.
"A letter from Sirius!" Harry exclaimed as Ron came and read it over his shoulder.
Dear Harry:
All this news is very disturbing. First the rising muggle attacks, more suspicious activity, that girl coming to Hogwarts, and now finally Azkaban's break-in. You-Know-Who is working very hard to get dangerous allies to help him. When I was in Azkaba, the prisoners always talked about a fateful day when their master will free them, and then all chaos will ensue. Thankfully it has been averted, at least temporarily.You are in more danger than you realize, Harry. I am begging for you to keep your profile low and not get into too much trouble. I know you're getting too old for these warnings, but all I'm doing is fulfilling my duty as godfather, and I know that you're too much like James. First of all, keep as far away from the new girl as possible. I can't believe what I'm reading in the newspapers about an omen. I feel fairly safe in assuming she has powers beyond comprehension. Keep away, because you don't know what she'll use them for.With his gaining power, You-Know-Who will get more and more daring in trying to kill you, and with a potential follower so near you, you CANNOT take any chances. I'm astonished at how Dumbledore lets her in the school, but I hope his judgement is right in this case. I'm immediately making my way to you, Harry,and you can't convince me otherwise. You're in too much danger. Don't worry about me, I've been hiding from the authorities for four years now. I'll see you soon,
Sirius
After he finished reading the letter, Harry felt a huge surge of guilt. Not only was Sirius putting himself in danger, Harry was about to directly disobey him by meeting Eve, someone potentially dangerous in cataclysmic senses. He looked at Ron.
"Harry, do you really think we should go?"
"Yes," Harry's answer was firm. He could take care of himself. But what about Ron and Hermione? "Maybe I should go alone," he said.
"No way. Hermione is involved in this, too. And if she is, so am I. We're not leaving you alone to face this, Harry," Ron said. They took the Invisibilty cloak and went out to Hermione's room.
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Draco looked out his window, thinking. Eve had invited Hermione, Ron, and Harry to her room that night, to look at her album. He was the one who had thrown the letter and picture in the fire. He was just finishing a meeting with Dumbledore as Head Boy, when he saw him send Fawks in the direction of Eve's room. He immediately went in her room and saw the picture. He threw the album under her bed, hoping she would just think it was with her original things that were shipped at the beginning.
Eve had said that he couldn't come because the Gryffindors would get too suspicious. She'd show him the pictures later. But that wasn't enough for him. He had to keep her away from Harry as much as possible, or he'd be in trouble. In trouble with someone far more frightening than his own father.
Like he said before, he had to hit Harry where it really hurt: his friends. The development of this romance between Ron and Hermione brought up new prospects. He fingered his bookcases filled with ancient, thick books with elegant covers. Finally he pulled an ink-black one titled, "Potent Poisons."
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A/N: gasp! What's Draco going to do?? You're gonna hafta read next week 2 find out!!! Again, much thanks to my loyal readers, who are few but very precious!!! PLEASE PLEASE review, especially if you haven't done so already!!! Tell me how this chapter is!! These reviews totally make my week. I personally respond 2 each of them and email u (if u leave ur address)! I treat my readers with care!!!