Chapter Two
"What the hell was that about?" Harry exclaimed as they left the Transfiguration classroom. "I mean, it doesn't make sense! We're no more targets than the rest of you!"
"You know that's not true, Harry," said Hermione quietly.
"Yes, well," he fumbled, "of course he's out to get me, but why – and no offence here, Hermione – why doesn't Dumbledore want anyone else around? What difference is another four?"
"You might want to keep it down, mate," warned Ron. People were starting to stare.
"Harry," pleaded Hermione, "I know what you're saying, but Dumbledore hasn't been wrong yet. There must be a reason for it..."
"Like what?"
"Oh, I don't-"
"Hiya, Harry!" Ginny Weasley was walking up the corridor. "Ron, Hermione... Hear about the holidays?"
"Have you?" asked Ron darkly.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Well of course I have, Ron. Will you two will be spending Christmas with us?"
Harry and Hermione glanced at each other. "No-o," said Hermione carefully. "We're staying here."
Ginny looked from Hermione's worried face to Harry's indignant one, taken aback. "Just- the two of you?" she asked with a frown.
"Yeah," said Harry forcefully. "Dumbledore's idea."
Ginny's expression instantly cleared. "Wonder why," she said.
"That makes two of us."
Hermione lay awake for a long time that night. She was going to be spending the whole holiday with Harry - just Harry. She remembered how bored he'd been last time they'd been together for so long. She'd always known, somewhere in the back of her mind, that Harry preferred Ron's company and that hurt. He was so upset at the thought of being with her for two weeks.
It was at that point that she realised that tears were blurring her vision. She rolled over, pulled herself together, and fell asleep with a single thought spinning in her head: this is going to be awkward...
Ron, too was having trouble sleeping. Worrying thoughts about Harry and Hermione had kept him awake before, but now it looked like he had a reason to be afraid. Harry must've noticed - surely he'd noticed- well, he would soon enough. A little burst of jealousy contorted his face and then it was gone: nothing had happened for over a year, so why should he worry now?
But why couldn't he believe that?