Chapter Three – The Cave
"Where do you want to go first, Harry?" Hermione called over the howling wind. They were in Hogsmeade, for the first time this school year.
"The cave...I need to go to the cave...alone." Harry had been struggling with this thought since the trip date was announced and he'd decided he had to do it he had to go to the cave where Sirius had once lived with Buckbeak.
"Harry...I don't think you should go alone," Hermione said, concern in her eyes.
"I'll be fine, this is just something I need to do," Harry faced the others, his face set.
"Alright. C'mon Hermione, we'll go and get a Butterbeer from the Three Broomsticks and wait for him," Ron took Hermione by the arm and steered her toward the popular pub.
Harry headed down the main road and out of the main village. He came to the style where Sirius had met them in dog form two years ago. He headed up the well hidden path that leads to the secret cave. He reached the entrance and after a slight hesitation, continued inside.
The cave looked the same as it had when Sirius and Buckbeak had lived there, with a few changes. In the far corner a large bundle of hay and weeds were former in to the shape of a larger bed. This had been made for Hagrid, who had used the cave last year, while on the run from the Ministry.
Harry slumped against the wall as his emotions overwhelmed him. Tears unexpectedly fell down his cheeks as he remembered Sirius. The picture in his mind of his godfather falling through the veil, the look of surprise as the jet of red light hit him square in his chest played over and over in Harry's head.
***********
Hermione sat anxiously in the Three Broomsticks with Ron, Dean and Seamus Finnigan. They each had foaming tankards of Butterbeer in front of them, but Hermione's remained untouched. She was worried about Harry being alone in the cave. He had been quite distant lately and she knew he'd been thinking of Sirius constantly.
Standing up, she cast a quick 'don't even try to stop me' look at Ron and left the pub. Once outside she practically sprinted out of the village. She reached the sty and quickly clambered up the mountain and into the cave.
Inside she saw Harry huddled in the corner, his eyes closed, tears streaming silently down his face. Her heart ached for him. She crossed the cave and put her arms around Harry. She felt him jump in surprise, he hadn't heard her enter the room. His muscles relaxed under her arms and when she pulled back, his emerald eyes were open and staring back at her.
"I told you, you shouldn't have come here alone," Hermione said quietly as she moved away from Harry.
I'm alright, really," Harry stammered, still starring at Hermione.
She blushed. Harry was starring at her intently, his eyes boring into her with an expression she had never seen before. The look was frightening and she hastily looked away.
"We should go find Ron, I left him at Three Broomsticks with Seamus."
"Oh, yeah, right. Let's go," Harry climbed quickly to his feet, his cheeks only slightly flushed. They headed out the cave, neither looking at the other, walking a good metre apart. Something had clicked just then that neither could explain. It was something powerful, and it scared the two.
***********
The Halloween feast was great, but Harry couldn't concentrate on the food. He was thinking about Hermione and those moments in the cave. When she had entered and thrown her arms around him, it was like alight had clicked on. He couldn't stop looking at her. It was as if for the first time he had seen her as more than his best friend and someone he could spend the rest of his life with.
The thoughts scared him, he'd rather face Hagrid's friend Grawp, than thin about Hermione like that. You shouldn't think that way about your best friend, it wasn't right. Anyway, he didn't want to think about his love life, look at what a mess he'd made of things with Cho Chang, seventh year and captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team.
Last year they had gone on a date in Hogsmeade on Valentine's Day, but Harry had made a mess of things and when Cho had wanted to talk about Cedric Diggory, Harry had completely lost it and in his opinion, stuffed things up for good.
"Pass us a huge lollipop, would you Harry," Ron mumbled through a mouthful of chocolate cake. "What is it with you two tonight? You both love this feast and you haven't eaten a thing!"
Harry stole a quick glance at Hermione. She was starring at her plate (empty of all food) with a miserable expression on her face. Every fibre in Harry's body told him she was having the same thoughts and the same reactions as he was.
Abruptly she got up and left the Great Hall. Harry and Ron starred after her.
"Oi! Where's she off to in the middle of the feast, then?"
"I think she just needs time to think, she looked like she needed to clear his head," Harry replied, trying to avoid Ron's gaze.
"You two have been awfully quiet since we've got back, and you have almost identical expressions on you face. I'm used to the lost look on you, but what's up with Hermione?"
"Nothing, I mean, I don't know what your talking about Ron. Let's go back up to the common room before you decide to eat every last crump here."
The boys headed up to the Gryffindor Tower, where Neville informed Hermione had already come straight through and up to her dorm. Harry decided to follow her example and left Ron to play Exploding Snap with Ginny Weasley and Neville.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two chapters in one day – im proud of myself :) please review – it brings me joy and otherwise I wont continue posting on this site – you can go to HPFF and find it for yourself.
"Where do you want to go first, Harry?" Hermione called over the howling wind. They were in Hogsmeade, for the first time this school year.
"The cave...I need to go to the cave...alone." Harry had been struggling with this thought since the trip date was announced and he'd decided he had to do it he had to go to the cave where Sirius had once lived with Buckbeak.
"Harry...I don't think you should go alone," Hermione said, concern in her eyes.
"I'll be fine, this is just something I need to do," Harry faced the others, his face set.
"Alright. C'mon Hermione, we'll go and get a Butterbeer from the Three Broomsticks and wait for him," Ron took Hermione by the arm and steered her toward the popular pub.
Harry headed down the main road and out of the main village. He came to the style where Sirius had met them in dog form two years ago. He headed up the well hidden path that leads to the secret cave. He reached the entrance and after a slight hesitation, continued inside.
The cave looked the same as it had when Sirius and Buckbeak had lived there, with a few changes. In the far corner a large bundle of hay and weeds were former in to the shape of a larger bed. This had been made for Hagrid, who had used the cave last year, while on the run from the Ministry.
Harry slumped against the wall as his emotions overwhelmed him. Tears unexpectedly fell down his cheeks as he remembered Sirius. The picture in his mind of his godfather falling through the veil, the look of surprise as the jet of red light hit him square in his chest played over and over in Harry's head.
***********
Hermione sat anxiously in the Three Broomsticks with Ron, Dean and Seamus Finnigan. They each had foaming tankards of Butterbeer in front of them, but Hermione's remained untouched. She was worried about Harry being alone in the cave. He had been quite distant lately and she knew he'd been thinking of Sirius constantly.
Standing up, she cast a quick 'don't even try to stop me' look at Ron and left the pub. Once outside she practically sprinted out of the village. She reached the sty and quickly clambered up the mountain and into the cave.
Inside she saw Harry huddled in the corner, his eyes closed, tears streaming silently down his face. Her heart ached for him. She crossed the cave and put her arms around Harry. She felt him jump in surprise, he hadn't heard her enter the room. His muscles relaxed under her arms and when she pulled back, his emerald eyes were open and staring back at her.
"I told you, you shouldn't have come here alone," Hermione said quietly as she moved away from Harry.
I'm alright, really," Harry stammered, still starring at Hermione.
She blushed. Harry was starring at her intently, his eyes boring into her with an expression she had never seen before. The look was frightening and she hastily looked away.
"We should go find Ron, I left him at Three Broomsticks with Seamus."
"Oh, yeah, right. Let's go," Harry climbed quickly to his feet, his cheeks only slightly flushed. They headed out the cave, neither looking at the other, walking a good metre apart. Something had clicked just then that neither could explain. It was something powerful, and it scared the two.
***********
The Halloween feast was great, but Harry couldn't concentrate on the food. He was thinking about Hermione and those moments in the cave. When she had entered and thrown her arms around him, it was like alight had clicked on. He couldn't stop looking at her. It was as if for the first time he had seen her as more than his best friend and someone he could spend the rest of his life with.
The thoughts scared him, he'd rather face Hagrid's friend Grawp, than thin about Hermione like that. You shouldn't think that way about your best friend, it wasn't right. Anyway, he didn't want to think about his love life, look at what a mess he'd made of things with Cho Chang, seventh year and captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team.
Last year they had gone on a date in Hogsmeade on Valentine's Day, but Harry had made a mess of things and when Cho had wanted to talk about Cedric Diggory, Harry had completely lost it and in his opinion, stuffed things up for good.
"Pass us a huge lollipop, would you Harry," Ron mumbled through a mouthful of chocolate cake. "What is it with you two tonight? You both love this feast and you haven't eaten a thing!"
Harry stole a quick glance at Hermione. She was starring at her plate (empty of all food) with a miserable expression on her face. Every fibre in Harry's body told him she was having the same thoughts and the same reactions as he was.
Abruptly she got up and left the Great Hall. Harry and Ron starred after her.
"Oi! Where's she off to in the middle of the feast, then?"
"I think she just needs time to think, she looked like she needed to clear his head," Harry replied, trying to avoid Ron's gaze.
"You two have been awfully quiet since we've got back, and you have almost identical expressions on you face. I'm used to the lost look on you, but what's up with Hermione?"
"Nothing, I mean, I don't know what your talking about Ron. Let's go back up to the common room before you decide to eat every last crump here."
The boys headed up to the Gryffindor Tower, where Neville informed Hermione had already come straight through and up to her dorm. Harry decided to follow her example and left Ron to play Exploding Snap with Ginny Weasley and Neville.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two chapters in one day – im proud of myself :) please review – it brings me joy and otherwise I wont continue posting on this site – you can go to HPFF and find it for yourself.