AN- Hope you all had a good Easter! Apart from eating far too much chocolate mine was great!
Different time/change in time.
Same time change in place
On with the story!
"Haven't told Ron what?"
"About US! We haven't told Ron about US!"
"Hermione calm down ill write to him before I go up to Dumbledore's office."
"Do you think he will still talk to us! I completely forgot about him!" stressed Hermione
"Hermione, if Ron is as good as friend as we think he is then he will be happy for us. I mean are you going to stop seeing me if Ron does throw a tantrum?" Harry asked
"No…but that's not the point Harry!" moaned Hermione. "Ron has always been jealous of you and not that long ago he admitted…something…to me. But yet again you have got it instead of him" she added quietly.
"What was this 'something' that he admitted to you?" harry asked.
"Well…he just told me that he lik-liked me and he asked me out" Hermione said even more quietly.
"You didn't tell me that!" Minerva said turning to her daughter.
"Well you didn't ask! Anyway I told him that I liked someone else and that I was really sorry and he goes 'it's him isn't it?' I didn't say anything but he got all angry and stormed off!" Hermione said a little more confidently.
"Well we wont know how he will react until we tell him will we? So I'll write to him later. You should eat 'Mione."
"I'm not that hungry I'll see ya when you get back from Dumbledore's office Harry" and with that Hermione got up and left the great hall.
During the afternoon
Harry quickly made his way up to the owlery. Even he himself had to admit he was a little worried about Ron's reaction. 'No' he told himself 'if Ron was a good friend he wouldn't mind at all' but something about that statement didn't seem quite right.
Harry finally reached the owlery and took out the piece of parchment he brought with him, there was already ink in the owlery. Harry started the letter.
Hey Ron
How's your summer going? There's something I need to tell you and I'm not sure if sending a letter with Hedwig is the right way to do this, however I think you should know before you arrive at Hogwarts. You see I spent most of the summer at Mcgonagall's house with Hermione. We got talking and I realized that I really liked her, a lot more than I liked Cho. I guess what I'm trying to say is that Hermione and I have started seeing each other. I hope you don't mind. Don't worry we wont leave you out, you're still our best friend.
HarryPS. Hermione says hi.
Harry sent the letter off with Hedwig and went to search for Hermione.
After hunting for Hermione all over the school, Minerva had told Harry she would look for her and tell her he'd written the letter while he went to Dumbledore's office.
Before he knew it Harry was standing before the gargoyle in front of Dumbledore's office. "Sugar quill" the gargoyle revealed the staircase to the wooden doors.
"Ah Harry dear boy, come in."
Harry walked into the office and closed the door behind him. As soon as he had sat down Fawkes flew over and rested on his knee singing softly.
"It seems Fawkes likes you Harry," said Dumbledore leaning back in his chair behind the willow desk.
"Er…yes. Uh professor is there something you wanted to talk to me about?" Harry asked.
"Yes Harry there is. I wanted to tell you that the ministry has officially cleared Sirius of all charges" the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes seemed to extinguish when he said this.
"It's a bit late now though isn't it" Harry muttered bitterly.
"There is also the matter of his will." Albus said quietly
"What?" Harry looked up in surprise he had completely forgotten that there would be a will.
"As you feature in it you will need to be the reading."
"Oh er…uh" Harry was almost choking on his words. He could feel his chest tightening as if his heart was about to break for the hundredth time.
"Let it out Harry it could do you some good. I know you've been holding up for Hermione after her loss, but you need to concentrate on yourself as well." Dumbledore stood up and lead Harry over to a couch against the wall. Harry started to sob quietly as one of his favorite professors drew him into a warm hug.
"I thought I was coping. I thought I was over it," he said between sobs
"It is fine that you aren't, these sorts of wounds can take a while to heal"
"I miss him. I miss his letters and his stories I just…I loved him. He could tell me about my parents and scare the Dursleys…I'm sorry I shouldn't be doing thi-" boys don't cry he thought darkly, and here you are blubbering like a baby in front of your professor. Harry could sense that x-ray gaze on him.
"We need to practice the occlumency sometime because your wards are down. You're wrong Harry. Boys do cry, and the fact that you can show your emotions makes you human, it makes you strong. And as for your parents, I'm sure Remus, Minerva, Alastor and quite a few others of the order, including myself would be happy to answer any questions about your them." Dumbledore said smiling down at the boy he thought of like his grandson.
"Thank-you" Harry said quietly. At the moment he didn't feel like a 16-year-old male, he felt like he was eleven again and had just learnt of his parents' death.
"Your welcome Harry, your welcome." The two sat embracing each other for a long while.
"Hermione? HERMIONE?" Minerva was starting to worry, she had just seen Harry who said he'd been looking for Hermione for the past hour. Minerva had checked every part of the castle she could think of. Returning to her rooms she saw a mop of curly brown hair sitting on her sofa.
"Harry sent the letter."
"Mmhmm…I was waiting for you." Hermione said quietly trying to explain why she was in the room.
"Are you okay? What happened at lunch?" Minerva asked sitting next to Hermione.
"I'm fine…it's just…I don't want to lose him as a friend. I know we argue a lot but his friendship does mean a lot to me." Explained Hermione
"I know it does but…I have to agree with Harry on this one, if he values the friendship as much as you and Harry do he'll be fine with it." She said hugging Hermione.
"I know, it's just that I don't exactly have many friends and I don't want to wreck the friendships that I already have."
"You have plenty of friends, Ron and harry for a start. Then there's Lavender and Parvati" Hermione snorted at this "Ginny, Luna etc etc."
"Lavender and Parvati are more like acquaintances, they wouldn't know the first thing about me! Luna is…well Luna, honestly a crumpled horned snorkack!?! I know I should be happy with what I have but everything's changed. My parents are dead, I lost my best friend to have him become my boyfriend and make me happy, my other best friend is probably going to hate me for choosing happiness over friendships, Sirius is dead, and on top of it all Voldemort wants to kill my Harry! Why is life so hard so unfair?"
"The joys of being human my darling. You just have to learn to take the good with the bad." Minerva said wisely. "How are things going with Harry?"
Hermione smiled "I really, really like him mum. He makes me so happy! I would do anything for Harry I can't believe I didn't tell him sooner."
"Well it just wasn't the right time then"
"Yea. I'm glad we waited and got to know each other first. It's taken away the awkwardness of getting to know someone."
"I'm glad you are so happy" Minerva said warmly.
"So…how's professor Dumbledore?" Hermione said cheekily.
"Fine I presume. Why don't you go ask him when he finishes with Harry"
"What is he doing with Harry?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Well actually it concerns you too. It will be Sirius' will reading next week and you will need to be there along with Harry." She said sadly
"Oh…speaking of wills…um…-"
"Yes, theirs is also next week" Minerva said quietly
"Oh okay well I'm going to go and find Harry so I'll see ya later okay." Hermione quickly embraced her mother and kissed her cheek then got up to leave. Hermione hesitated when she reached the door and turned around "thank-you"
"Whatever for?"
"Just talking to me, I really enjoy talking to you"
"That's okay I enjoy talking to you to." Hermione left the room leaving Minerva worrying for her daughter. Her only daughter, the one she loved so much.