Chapter Seven:
The first week of school had gone by quite quickly for Harry. Though he was still getting used to the heavy workload, he found that he was glad to be back. His essay's in Transfiguration and Advanced Potions had been painstakingly slow to finish, but it took his mind off things for a while- somewhat. Luna and Harry had not said one word to each other about Remus since the scene in the Room of Requirement, but when they passed each other in the halls they smiled secretly. To Harry it felt like Luna had understood him, and in return he understood her. They both shared a connection through the people around them, and no words were needed to be exchanged. They had the same purpose: to bring Remus back.
Ron and Hermione had noticed the odd behavior between Harry and Luna. Though the two had both hid it well, they interacted differently subconsciously. Ron had approached Harry on the subject of Luna, and Harry had assured him that nothing was going on between them romantically. It was not a lie.
Harry had been angry at himself upon finding out he still had some feelings for Cho. He could not understand why. After the disaster In Hogsmeade in his fifth year there was no reason he should expect anything to happen between him and her. Still, he thought he saw her throw him a few glances during meals. To his surprise he managed to catch him after breakfast one day.
"Uh...Harry? Could I maybe talk to you?"
Harry spun around in mid-laugher of one of Ron's jokes. "Er...yea." The expression on his face dropped slightly.
"We'll meet you in the common room," Hermione said, pulling Ron and Ginny towards her to walk away.
Harry swallowed with difficulty, "what did you want to talk about?"
"I know this is going to sound strange, but hear me out, ok?" Cho's stare made Harry feeling uncomfortable, but he agreed.
"I wanted to know if you would like to go to Hogsmeade with me. Just as a friendly thing, nothing big or anything." Cho bit her lip nervously.
"I think....I think I would like that, Cho," Harry stuttered.
A wide grin spread across Cho's face. She thanked him and ran off to join her giggling group of friends. She left Harry standing stupidly by the staircase. He shook his head with annoyance, both at himself and Cho's friends, who kept giving him glances only to turn away and burst into fits of giggles.
"Stupid git. Why did you do that?" He asked himself.
Walking up to the Gryfindor tower he decided he had done the right thing. he liked her. There was no use denying it. What possible harm could occur to try out a teen crush?
The answer rang out in the back of his mind.
Voldemort could hurt.
Harry shook his head to get rid of the horrible thought. He was going to attempt to be normal for once. He would not let a homicidal snake-man take away what was left of his youth.
"Harry? wake up, Harry."
"Nmmmmm?" Harry could hear a distant voice calling to him.
"Harry!"
"Wha?!" He jerked away to find Ron hoovering over him. Harry sat up quickly. "What in the world did you-"
His sentence was interrupted by Ron pulling violently at his arm.
"Hey! Ow!"
"Sorry, mate," Ron said, grinning from ear to ear. "Come look. You won't believe it!" Harry slowly untangled himself from his maroon covers, slipped on his glasses, and followed an excited Ron out of the dorm room at his own sleepy pace. Ron lead him to the Gryfindor bulletin board and pointed at a white sheet that hung in the center.
Quidditch Match:
Hufflepuff vs. Gryfindor
Date: 15 October
Gryfindor Team Captain: Ronald Weasley
Note: Captains will be responsible for forming their teams and planning practices. Please see your head-of-house for further details.
Harry's mood dropped slightly at the news of Quidditch. He quickly recovered to congratulate his best friend before he could notice his disappointment.
"I'm captain! Do you know what this means? No more following Bill or Fred or George..."
"That's great, Ron. That's amazing. Really happy for you," Harry managed a wide grin and hoped it was believable.
"Course I'll let you help as well. We should start try outs immediately. Got to convince Ginny to try for chaser. We need new beaters since Fred and George have gone, pity Katie Bell isn't here. Did you hear? Her family moved to France. So we need..." Ron mentally counted out loud, "Three chasers and two beaters...unless Ginny will...two chasers, and-"
"And a seeker," Harry said bluntly. He did not know how else to tell Ron. It had been on his mind for days, but he had been trying to avoid it at all costs.
Ron stopped talking for a moment before saying, "what?"
"You'll need a new seeker too. Sorry, Ron." Harry said quietly, trying to blink away the tears that threatened to form in his eyes. He would not cry about this. It was only Quidditch after all...
Only Quidditch?
"Harry, I think my hearing must be going bad. I could have sworn I just heard you say that the Gryfindor team needs a new seeker, but you couldn't have said that because you're seeker and...the ban..."
"....Hasn't been lifted. I was going to tell you sooner. I just couldn't. Sorry." Harry turned around and walked to the showers, leaving his best friend speechless behind him.
"I am sorry, Mr. Weasley, but rules are rules."
"But they can be broken...er...bent. Just a little, Professor. Please!"
Mcgonagall studied Ron for a moment, trying her hardest not to soften her stern look.
"These are no school rules, which I have noticed quite a few years ago that you have a passion for 'bending.' These are rules enforced by the Ministry. And I am sorry, Mr. Weasley, but those rules cannot be broken."
'There's no way he can play? I mean, what if we just..."
"If Mr. Potter gets on a broom stick, it is likely he will be sent to Azakaban, and I am sure you do not want your friend there."
"Do you think the ban will ever be lifted?" Ron stares at the professor, his eyes showed that he was teetering over the edge of hope and extreme disappointment.
"Only time will tell. Now, if you excuse me, Mr. Weasley, I have a class to get to. I am certain you do not want to miss your first Defense Against the Dark Arts Lesson of the year."
Ron sighed, "No, I don't. Thanks, Professor."
Minerva watched the crestfallen Weasley walk down the hall, his feet dragging behind him.
"Now, pair up with someone- anyone. It doesn't matter who. Quickly now. " Tonks urged her class to find partners for their lesson in dueling. She could not help but notice that Ron and Harry were not paired up together as usual. Instead Ron had chosen dean for a partner, and Harry hurried over to Hermione.
"He's being a-"
"Harry," Hermione cut him off. Harry clenched his teeth together tightly. "He's just upset. Just give him some time," she tried to reassure him.
"He's upset?! What about me? I'm the one that-"
Harry noticed a hush grow over the room. He looked away from Hermione to find that the entire class was looking at him. He unclenched his jaw and stopped talking.
"What's this, Potter? Broke up with Weasley?" Malfoy retorted.
Before Harry could make a come back he heard an ahem in the front of the room. Tonks raised her eyebrows, "May we proceed?" All heads turned towards her once again and she continued the lesson. "Now, stand the proper 15 feet apart. Bow to your partner, and you may begin. Remember to disarm only. If anything other happens you will find that I don't hesitate to give out detentions."
Throughout the rest of the lesson the students had dueled. During their practice duels Tonks had showed them shielding spells, as well as some auror tricks she had learned during her training. When the class had ended Harry stayed behind to congratulate Tonks on her first lesson.
"How was I?" Tonks cringed, though a smile still was evident on her face.
"Great! I mean, I didn't think you'd act so strict and dress so...normally." Harry said for lack of better word.
She looked down at her grey dress and played with a lock of her long, curly black hair. "It's what I really look like. Though the idea for the dress was from Mcgonagall."
Harry sniggered.
"Enough of that. I need a quick word, Harry."
"Sure, Professor Tonks."
Tonk's cringed at the na"I think I'll just have you all call me Tonks. Professor makes me sound old."
Harry laughed at this.
'Harry," she said again, looking serious. "I noticed things aren't exactly great with you and Ron. I assume it's because of the ban?"
Harry nodded, a little angry that Tonks would bring this up.
"Listen, Harry. Take it from someone who knows, apologize."
"What! I didn't do anything."
"I know, but one day you may never get the chance. I know, Harry, it's happened more than once to me. Please, just sit down and talk to him. Try to understand. Understand where he's coming from. He's your best friend, harry, Both of you need each other now more than ever."
Harry stares at a desk top and nodded. He could not meet Tonk's eyes. Part of him wa angry at her for meddling into her business, but another part of him knew she was right.
"Right then, run along."
He nodded, and walked out of the classroom without saying a word.
Harry walked to a beech tree near the lake. Over the past three weeks it had been his sanctuary from the troubles that followed him around every corner of the halls, at meal times, and his sleep. TO Tonk's disappointment he had not yet talked to Ron. In fact, the two friends had not said one word to each other since their Quidditch dispute. Ron had carried on with his duties as captain, and Harry had watched, filled with too much furry and sadness to do anything more. Tonks constantly eyed him in class, and even threatened to engage the two in a conversation through the means of the Imperious curse. Harry knew Tonks had meant well and would do no such thing, but this had angered him nonetheless.
So here he was, sitting alone underneath his usual tree, with no one to bother him. He squinted his eyes in attempt to shield out the sun- with the exception of the giant squid in the lake, who swam happily in the murky water. Harry could see little blurs of the Hufflepuffs on the pitch, practicing for the upcoming match. He quickly looked towards the lake. If he was banned from Quidditch forever, he wanted to erase the memory of it for good.
"Hey," a voice said, "can I sit here?"
Harry motioned for Hermione to take a seat next to him. She took off her pink sweater that was draped over her shoulders, and placed it on the ground before sitting down.
"Nice place you've found yourself. Is this where you have been hiding yourself lately?"
"Guess I need a new spot," Harry smiled weakly.
"Harry, you look horrible."
"Oh, thanks."
Hermione's expression saddened a bit more, "No, really. You weren't at breakfast this morning, and you're wearing the same shirt two days in a row..."
"It's Saturday, 'Mione. No one cares."
"You need to talk to Ron. Both of you are driving me completely mad!" Hermione threw her hand in the air to emphasize her point. "Harry, no. Do not give me that look."
Harry raised his eye brows, "what look?"
Hermione sighed, "why don't the three of us talk over some butterbeer tomorrow?"
"I'd rather just spend the day with Cho," Harry said. "No offense to you or anything," he added quickly. "It's just that I never really get to talk to her and stuff..."
"Harry, normally I could careless. But I find it strange that you're still giving the date a chance."
"Why would you think that?" Harry snapped.
Hermione took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Not that I don't think it's great. I do, Harry. But I thought all the rumors would have put you two off."
"What do you mean?"
"Harry, don't take this personally, but since when have you not cared? Gossip has bothered you for years, and I find it hard to believe that you don't care now."
"You hungry, 'Mione?" Harry hoped this would steer her away from the current subject.
Hermione was perfectly aware of what he was doing, but decided to give in since Harry had not eaten yet that day.
"How about Hagrid's? His rock cakes aren't that bad actually."
Hermione stood up, dusted herself off, and began to march up to Hagrid's. Harry took one last look at the giant squid in the lake, (who seemed to be perfecting its backstroke) and followed.
A/N:
Sorry this one took a week to put up. School has been absolutly draining. I have projects and reports in almost everyclass- plus 8 or so exams to study for. I know some people will be angry at certain things that happened in this chapter (or didn't happen), but there's not plot without conflict, right?
...And sorry for any spelling or grammer mistakes I may have made. Can't think on an empty stomach!
Kyntor- I had not even taken this into consideration, and I really should have. I figured the wards would be strong enough to last a month. Sorry, just take it as a mistake on my part.
Lily and James Potter- YOU MUST TELL ME ABOUT THE PREMIERE!!!
Everyone else- Thanks for your reviews! I hope I can expect more!