Author's note: Here is the chapter 3 and it does contain some fluff. It's a bit long so don't mind..... Please Review after u read it. Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
shorD-Manta: Thank you ever so much for reviewing and let me tell you that I can't sleep well until I have finished my work so you can contemplate why I won't let the story hanging in the mid air but it will take sometimes a day or two to update. Sorry!
I don't really own the Harry Potter so no worry........
The Preparations
"Look's like someone should be revealed," Ron heard as he stirred. Light hit him and pained his eyes. His chest felt soaked and heavy and found Hermione's bushy head over it. Ron looked around and saw himself with Hermione still sprawled on the floor in the corner of the hospital wing. He looked around for the source of the voice but he didn't have to. The owner of the voice sat before him on the bed with a pair of twinkling eyes and wide smile. He felt the cloak had slipped off.
The past events of the night came rushing to him and his stomach experienced a gushing feeling of emptiness. He fumbled to get up, stirring up Hermione in the process.
The smile of Dumbledore puzzled him. Did he have just a nightmare? But how was that possible if Hermione too had a confused expression with puffy eyes?
"Sir, Harry......" Hermione stuttered but quietly, a loose tear streaking down her eyes.
"I'm right here!" Harry's face emerged from behind Dumbledore's back, as alive as he could be.
"Harry!" They both screamed aloud as though air had newly been introduced to air. They raced up to his bed and completely threw themselves on top of him. They didn't notice Dumbledore until when he cleared his throat.
"I have the knowledge that Harry is well as alive but he is still injured," Dumbledore said.
"Sorry," Ron and Hermione mumbled not even trying to hide their grins and leaped off the bed. It was true; Harry was still wrapped in bandages and embellished with bruise. They sat on his bed and were unable to neglect their curiosity as in what had happened when they had passed out. Hermione was the first to point it out as she turned towards Dumbledore.
"But sir what Ron and I heard was that Harry's life energy was fading," Hermione asked uneasily. Dumbledore merely smiled and took a glance at the next bed which was covered with the hangings.
"Well, Ms. Granger, Harry asked me the very same thing and I am repeating what I said before. You may call it luck or a second chance but I say, buried feelings," Dumbledore smiled pointing towards the next bed. Still confused Dumbledore continued. "Severus Snape just like Harry's mother transferred half of his life energy to Harry but he is not dead as he transferred half of it." Dumbledore added hastily as Hermione looked horrified. "There seems to be some feelings in Severus for Harry which we can't well define it. But the main thing is that these buried feelings saved Harry's life."
Harry, Ron and Hermione changed uneasy looks as always they had labeled Snape as the least liked person but the fact that he had saved Harry's life for the second time registered the fact that Snape was totally a different person they had come across.
"I better go now as Cornelius Fudge is coming to discuss plans for the new term and may I request you that continue your reunion quietly as Professor Snape needs a lot of peace to restore back to health," and with a nod in the head, he left, leaving behind the three friends in ecstasy of being together once more.
Harry got out from the hospital wing just in time for his NEWTs and the entire seventh year seemed to work like dogs for these. These exams also indicated that now they were being tested for their ability to perform in the real world so no one not even Ron took them lightly.
After three weeks of immense hard work and extreme concentration, the exams came to an end. All of the seniors were seen lolling around the grounds and the castle probably making up a memory of the place they will not come back to. Harry, Ron and Hermione also lazed around, feeding the giant squid their breakfast, visiting Hagrid and doing nothing in particular.
The Graduation Ball was announced by Dumbledore. The ball was to be held in the last evening. The seventh years grew excited yet regretted it especially the trio. Leaving Hogwarts meant leaving a home, home where you had been taught and nurtured for seven years and seven years is a whole lot of time. The teachers, the student body and other staff were now so attached together that Harry found it difficult to imagine a life without them, without Hogwarts.
As the Head girl and Head boy, Hermione and Ron had to take part in decorations and preparations of the Great Hall. Harry was compensated as the Gryffindor Quidditich Captain. During their absences, Harry used to spend time with the fellow Gryffindors like Ginny, Neville or (much to regret) Creevey brothers.
"Accio banner!" a Hogwart's banner came soaring across the Hall towards Ron who was sitting on the table with his wand out flicking it here and there directing the banner to the right place. Hermione, however, was bustling up and down the hall managing everything herself. She seemed quite frantic.
"Ron! Have you the decency to help me here!" Hermione yelled at him as she tried to stand on a stool supporting it with her hands to straighten a crease on the Hufflepuff banner.
"Sorry Hermione I'm busy," Ron grinned at her, pretending hard to concentrate on his yawn.
"Ron!" Hermione screamed with authority.
"Alright," Ron said irritably and got up from the table and went towards her.
"Now hold the stool while I stand up on it and don't let go," Hermione said dangerously. Ron nodded and held the stool firmly. Hermione climbed up the stool and started straightening up the banner. While she was busy, Ron let go of the stool and laughed silently. "Hand me those pins Ron!" Hermione demanded without looking below.
Ron took the pins and handed out to her. Hermione now looked down towards the unsupported stool and screamed.
"RON!!!!!!!! Hold the stool!" She shrieked while Ron laughed out loud.
"How can I? I have pins in my hand," Ron said defensively in between his laughs.
"Give me those," Hermione said crossly reaching for them. As she did so, the stool did a shake and Hermione lost her balance.
"Uh oh," Ron mumbled as Hermione came toppling over him with a cry.
Thud!
Ron lay sprawled on the floor with Hermione on top of him. Both of them groaned as their heads collided together with much force and throbbed painfully. As they both opened their eyes after wincing, they found each other quite close. Their faces were immensely near and Hermione's hair was brushing Ron's face. Ron grew hot as he felt Hermione's body pressed on his. Hermione too went crimson and was about to get up when her lock got tangled with his shirt button. Their eyes met and the awkwardness of the situation increased.
"I'll untangle it," Ron took the situation in his hands and whispered ever so slightly because he had the feeling that if he spoke louder the whole thing would vanish and it was a too beautiful reverie to be taken out of.
His hands fumbled with the lock nervously as his fingers occasionally brushed Hermione's jaw. Ron gave a tug to the lock and it brought Hermione closer, wincing.
"Sorry," but before he could breathe, Hermione was too close to be true. So close that Ron could count her eyelashes in a second, so close that Ron could take a glance at her lips and know that they were red as cherries and so evitable. He stopped fumbling with her lock as he had now been mesmerized by her eyes who were gazing intently at him and the lips which she was currently biting. Unconsciously he moved towards her and Hermione too closed her eyes, ready to meet him.
"Ron, Hermione, are you here?"
Ron and Hermione jerked out of the moment as they heard Harry's voice and Hermione untangled herself quickly from Ron and stood up. Ron,cursing Harry, got up and straightened his shirt. Before him stood Harry looking from Hermione to him in a confused manner.
"What were you doing down there?" Harry asked innocently but smirking devilishly.
"Well...umm..." Ron started but failed miserably.
"Actually the pins fell down so Ron was helping me pick them, nothing much" Hermione stated hastily defending Ron and herself but also failing miserably.
"Yeah...right," Harry muttered doubtfully.
Obviously if two people just stand up from the floor behind a table, all red in the face and their clothes distorted, you wouldn't digest the fact that they were doing nothing.
HOWZAT???????????
More to come!!! Stay tuned
