Invisible Hero: Chapter 17

By: Teenlaunch

invisible2u- I'm glad too. Hopefully, I'll keep getting the chapters up about every two weeks.

bms22456- Good for you! Just stay that way!

Noubliz- Yes, I am using NIV, unless I can't find it for some silly reason. I hope you're seeing what I'm trying to get at with each verse.

NitenGale- Finally! So, you still don't have an email address? If you do, please give it to me. I just might give you a challenge or two.

jade-snake- Thanks again.

pixiefromfire- Thank you so much. I'm glad you like it.

PinkTribeChick- I know.

a/n: Hey, this chapter didn't take as long! Yay! Now if I can just keep this up! Thanks for all the support.

Christmas morning dawned bright and early for the girls in Gryffindor Tower. Ginny ran into the room, shouting at the top of her lungs. "Wake up, wake up! No one should be sleeping! It is the day the Lord hath made!" She shook each girl by her shoulders. The girls groaned and got up slowly.

"Gin, why do you do that?" Parvati asked.

"I dunno. It's fun!" Ginny plopped down on Hermione's bed. "Looks like you have a lot of presents." Hermione looked over the edge of her bed and found a slightly larger pile than she usually had. She climbed out of bed and pulled the first parcel form the pile. She opened it slowly.

"It's from Harry," Hermione said. She held up a picture frame with "Family" at the top. There was a picture in it. The picture was not moving. Hermione was standing in between Harry and Ron. Her arms were thrown around their necks. All three of them were smiling broadly. Hermione smiled slightly until she remembered Ron wasn't talking to her.

"That was taken this summer, wasn't it?" Ginny asked. Hermione nodded as she sat it down and picked up the next parcel. She opened it carefully after seeing it was from Ron. Inside the box was a necklace. It had a raindrop pendant hanging from it. The word "friends" was inscribed on it. She found a note in the box as well.

Hermione,

I apologize for everything I said. I was wrong. This necklace is part of a set. I gave Harry, you, and myself one. Please forgive me.

Your friend and loving brother,

Ron Weasley

Hermione shook her head, trying to look happy while hiding her tears as she put the necklace on. She had various other gifts, including ones from her parents, the Weasleys, Hagrid, and many more. At the bottom of the pile she found a small box. She picked it up and opened it. Inside was a gold locket with the letter 'H' on it. A card in the box said, "From: Draco Malfoy".

Eventually, the girls left the dormitory. That is, all except Hermione. She was about to leave when there was a knock on the door. "Come in," Hermione said. The door creaked open and Octavia stuck her head in.

"Hello, Miss. I has your Christmas present." Octavia hurried into the room dragging a box. She placed it on Hermione's bed and stood back. Hermione undid the package's bow and took off the lid.

"Oh my gosh!" Hermione gasped. A black ball of far hopped out of the box. "What is this?"

"It is a black wolf pup, Miss. He hopes you likes him." There was a tag around the pup's neck. It read: Merry Christmas.

"Like him? I love him! R-Ryu got him?"

"Yes, Miss." Octavia hesitantly got onto the bed. Hermione picked the pup up and gently petted him.

"Where'd he get him?"

"He found him. It is only seven weeks old. He was abandoned."

"You're kidding!"

"No, Miss! He had to bottle feed it for weeks! He was quite attached himself. The pup followed him around."" The pup wiggled out of Hermione's hands and went to Octavia. She sat down, startled. The pup tugged playfully on the tea towel around Octavia's waist. "What is his name?"

"I don't know. What do you think it should be?"

"He reminds me of a shadow."

"Then that's what we'll call him. Shadow! You like that?" The pup barked or at least tried to. Hermione and Octavia giggled.

"I must go now, Miss. We is already preparing for the Ball tonight!"

"Okay. Thank you for bringing him, Octavia." The little elf beamed and disappeared.

Hermione picked up Shadow and went down into the common room. It was empty. Hermione sat down in an armchair. Crookshanks hopped onto her lap. He sniffed at the pup. Deciding it was no threat, he curled up beside it. Hermione smiled and stroked Crookshanks as well. Someone came down the stairs and sat in the armchair across from Hermione. Hermione looked up and found Ron.

"Hey," Ron said quietly.

"Hi," Hermione said even quieter.

"You have it on," Ron said quietly as he noticed her necklace. He reached under his shirt and drew out a necklace. It was shaped like a flame. The word "forever" was engraved on it. "Harry's is a lightning bolt."

"Hm...I heard my name." Harry was coming down the stairs. He yawned loudly as he sat down in an armchair as well. "What are we talking about?"

"The friendship necklaces I gave you two."

"Oh."

"Guys, I-I don't know what came over me. I don't like breaking promises and when you ask it's really hard. You know? Can you just start treating me like an equal?"

"Sure, Ron. We're just a bit fed up. This mystery is really out of hand." Harry yawned again.

"I don't think he'll leave you in the dark much longer. He's getting anxious. Oh, by the way, did he give you your-"

"Wolf pup?" Hermione asked. She held Shadow up. Crookshanks protested loudly.

"That's a wolf pup? Looks more like a pom-pom with fur."

"Can I see him?" Ron asked. Shadow was handed to him carefully. "You know, I'm a bit surprised he gave you this pup. I bet if it saw him it would probably go crazy, probably even if he smelled him. What's its name?" Shadow looked at Ron and whined slightly.

"Shadow."

"Hm...He was quite attached to this pup. You know, Shadow? Your Daddy really liked you!" Ron scratched him behind his ears.

"That's it, Ron's lost it!" Harry muttered to Hermione.

"Harry!"

"Well, it's the truth! Next thing you know he'll be playing with Barbie dolls!"

Hermione sighed slightly as she looked herself up and down in the mirror. Her dress was red velvet. A wide strip of gold ran down the middle. It had half sleeves and was full length. Her hair was pulled into a low ponytail. She turned around once. "What do you think?" she asked Shadow. He yipped happily. "I'm glad you think so. Well, I'd better be going." Hermione moved toward the door but stopped when Shadow started whining softly. "Oh, come now. I've no time for this. I've got to go." He continued to whine. Hermione clicked her tongue, thinking. "Alright, I've got no choice. You'll have to come with me. Just make sure to point out 'Daddy' to me. OK?" Shadow yipped again as Hermione picked him up and cradled him in her arms. Hermione entered the common room and found she was not the only one running late. Ron was running to the portrait hole. Harry was behind him, stumbling a bit because he was focused on his tie. Ron turned around and started running the other way. "Harry, Ron, watch out!"

The boys collided, their heads banging against each other. Harry and Ron fell to the floor, both clutching their heads. "Ow..." Harry groaned as he got up. He leaned against a couch and again tried to fix his tie.

Ron remained where he was, staring at the ceiling. "These stars are driving me crazy!" He staggered to his feet and walked over to Hermione. "Like your new tote," Ron said as he stared determinedly at the black ball of fur.

"Ha, ha...I forgot how to laugh!" Hermione huffed.

"What?" Ron asked innocently. "It's a fuzzy, black tote bag!" Hermione glared at him. "Okay, so it's really a wolf pup. Same difference!"

"What does that mean?"

"I'm not completely sure."

Hermione rolled her eyes and walked over to Harry who had finally conquered his tie. "You okay, Harry?"

"If you define okay as the room spinning, yes. I'm perfectly fine."

Hermione touched his head lightly with her fingers. Harry winced. "You've got quite a knot there."

"I'd be utterly surprised if Ron did. He has an extremely hard head, especially when it comes to the subject of Draco and Ryu," Harry added in an undertone.

Until next time!

Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

-Proverbs 27:6

Teenlaunch