Disclaimer: You know the drill…………………………………OR DO YOU????
Author's Note: Alrighty, then. I really am sorry about not keeping up, but I swear that this chapter-and especially the next one- is super long (which was why I was dreading typing it) so please, please forgive me. In this chappie, Hermione goes on a rant, Gwen gets some troubling news, and Harry does some re-decorating. I wanted to ask you, the viewer, what do you think of Gwen? Is she too much of a goody-goody? I want people to like her…Anyway…SIGH…Also, please tell me if there should be mind-reading in this story…I'm thinking about it, but I can't quite make up my mind one way or the other. Oh well. Let's watch as the next portion of this glorious epic as it unfolds…
Chapter Ten: A Pleasant Surprise
After dinner, Harry and Gwen went back to their common room to change. Gwen sighed.
"I still have to write my Transfiguration essay tonight. What are you going to do? Head to the Gryffindor common room?"
"Er-no," Harry said, remembering that Hermione wanted to meet him and Ron in the library, "I'm going to the library."
Gwen told the portrait the password and they went inside.
"The library? Well then, you know that tapestry of Doug the Dragon Slayer? On the second floor? If you look behind it, there's a secret passageway to the library. You'll be there in 3 minutes."
Harry looked at her in astonishment.
"Really? H-How do you know that?"
Gwen smiled fondly, and ran a hand along the back of the velvet couch.
"My grandfather's brought me here every summer to visit since I was able to walk. I could draw and label a map of Hogwarts with my eyes closed."
"Are there more secret passages around the castle?" Harry asked, vaguely wondering if she knew about the tunnels leading out of Hogwarts.
"Oh, loads of them," Gwen answered, "Nearly every room in the school has a passage that connects it to another room. In fact, if I really gave it some thought, I bet I could go from the dungeons to the top of North Tower in ...oh...7 minutes." Harry knew that for any other student, that trip would take near an hour.
"Oh, that reminds me," Gwen added suddenly, scribbling on a spare bit of parchment, "Would you mind checking out this book for me? Just tell Madame Pince it's for Zu-Zu and she'll let you." Harry put the slip into his pocket and said, "Sure, alright. See you later," as he headed out into the hallway.
He went to the library via the passage Gwen had told him about. As she had said, he got there within minutes. The passage ended behind a portrait of Ezra the Eternal Sleeper. The occupant of the painting gave a small grunt as Harry closed the portrait hole. Harry stopped, and waited to see if he had woken it up. But Ezra merely started snoring once more, and Harry let out a breath. Even though he technically wasn't breaking any rules by taking a shortcut, Harry was fairly sure that the faculty would be none too pleased if he were found stalking around the castle in hidden tunnels and what not.
Walking around a shelf of books, Harry saw Ron sitting alone at a table. That meant that Hermione was close by. Harry sat next to Ron and asked, "Hello. D'you know what this is all about?" Ron shook his head and shrugged. Over Ron's shoulder, Harry saw Hermione emerge from a row of bookshelves with a very large book in her arms.
"Hello, Harry, glad you came," Hermione said, dropping the heavy book on the table with a KLUNK. Hermione sat, and Harry took a look at the book. It was leather-bound and looked very old, almost ancient. The gold lettering on the cover had been worn away, and it was impossible to read the title. Hermione cleared her throat. "Now then," she told them both, "I've asked you to meet me here so that we can talk about Gwen-"
"What about her?" Harry asked quickly, slightly indignant.
"Yeah, she's nice," Ron piped up.
"I like her, too," Hermione agreed consolingly. She opened the large book and continued. "However, I think it's strange how she came here all of a sudden. I mean, we've never had a transfer student before, and the way Dumbledore put it, this wasn't a planned out thing. They didn't even have time to sort her into a house. I know she's the Headmaster's granddaughter, but it's still quite odd. There must be some underlying plan, some sort of unknown act, that's being set into motion. Between the secrets of Hogwarts and the secrets of the Ministry, there's no end to the schemes that could be set into place ((A/N: Sorry for the interruption, but in this fic, Fudge believes Dumbledore and the Ministry is working with Hogwarts to defeat Voldemort. Just so you know.)). And face it- Gwen could just be the person to start those plots and get them active. Who knows what could happen because of her arrival?((A/N: yes, who knows? Mwahahahaha…)) Now, I found this book on her family and I thought that maybe we could- I dunno- see what we could find and maybe figure out why she came and what she's really doing here…"
"No, Hermione!" Harry said standing, "I don't want to go behind her back and go poking around in her private life. It's her own business and I'm sure that when she's ready to talk about it, she'll tell us. For now, you should just butt out and leave well enough alone."
For the first time in a long time, Harry was angry with Hermione. Gwen trusted them; she was their friend and they hers. The princess was not a topic to be researched or a convict to be questioned. She was a human being with a right to privacy. Harry felt a sudden pang of compassion for Gwen. This was just like when everyone started reading those stupid "Harry Potter: The Boy Who Lived" sort of books when he arrived at Hogwarts. He wondered how many other students had had the same idea as Hermione and were reading all about Gwen even now.
Ron stood as well.
"Yeah, I'm with Harry," Ron said strongly, "Gwen's nice, and if we just give her some time, she'll tell us all we want to know. Just leave it alone for now, Hermione."
"Fine…" she said flipping pages and perusing the table of contents. Harry sighed, and wrenched the gigantic book from Hermione's grasp.
"I mean it Hermione!" Harry warned forcefully, "I don't want you sneaking around and looking stuff up on her. If I find out that you've been reading about her or her family, then you can just consider our friendship over!"
"All right already!" Hermione said standing. She crossed her arms akimbo, and looked out of the window, her face set like a child who had been denied a new toy; nevertheless, Harry saw the surprise her face and noticed the color retreat from her skin when he threatened to cut off their friendship. He really wanted to stay friends with Hermione, but Gwen was completely alone and vulnerable here, and he refused to just do nothing when Gwen needed friends most. Harry placed the weighty tome on a re-shelving cart, and Ron suggested they all just turn in for bed.
"Hold up a minute. Gwen wanted me to get a book for her…" Harry told them.
He walked up to Madame Pince's desk. She was reading what looked like a paperback romance novel.
"Ahem," he coughed to get her attention.
The formidable looking librarian peered down her nose at Harry and asked, "Yeeeess? " in a tone of forced calm.
"Er- I'd like to check out Twenty-two Terribly Tough Transfiguration Tricks for the Troubled……please,"
The old witch raised a single bushy eyebrow and replied coldly, "That's a Restricted section book…"
Harry was growing more and more uneasy by the moment. Desperate, he tried one last ploy.
"Um…You see…It's…it's for………Zu-Zu…" Harry told her cautiously. This tiny sentence wrought quite a change in the old bat's attitude.
"Of course!" the librarian exclaimed jovially, her eyes sparkling with delight, "Little Zu-Zu! Such a darling little angel of a girl! You wait right here, Mr. Potter, and I'll go get it for you!" With that, she bustled off to find it.
Harry was completely startled. Madame Pince hated anybody who would dare touch her precious books, and absolutely dreaded it when a student asked to check one out. When she returned, she stamped it for him and removed the Security spell, and handed the book to Harry over the counter. "Is there anything else, Mr. Potter?" she asked, "Anything at all? Some tea or some bon-bons, perhaps?"
"Er-no…thank you," Harry refused politely, retreating a few steps from the manic smile the librarian was now flashing him.
"Well, tell Little Zu-Zu hello for me, then. Oh- and tell her that her flowers will have to wait another day." Harry turned back.
"Flowers?" he inquired.
"Yes," Madame Pince answered, "The princess placed an order for certain flowers from her home country. They were supposed to arrive tomorrow, but we got a notice saying that they are running late. Tell her it will be another day until they arrive."
"Oh…All right, no problem," Harry said going through the library doors. Ron and Hermione were waiting outside for him.
"What took you?" Hermione asked. Harry told them the message that Madame Pince had asked him to pass along.
"Hmm…." Hermione said, deep in thought.
"What," Ron asked her, "you're not going to turn an order for flowers into some sort of conspiracy, too, now are you?"
"Of course not," Hermione snapped, "I was just thinking that Gwen was very…. natural."
Harry and Ron looked at each other.
"What," Ron said finally, "Like Gwen runs out in the moonlight in her birthday suit ((A/N: For those of you who don't know, "birthday suit" is a euphemism for "stark naked")) or something?" Harry's thoughts were running along the same lines.
"Oh, splendid!" Hermione said, her voice rich with sarcasm, "the dynamic duo actually solved the case!" When they didn't answer, Hermione went into quite a passionate tantrum.
"Don't tell me you didn't notice! Didn't you notice how she takes off her slippers when we go outside so she can walk in the grass? Don't you see how she can call birds and deer to her side just by whistling? Don't either of you know how she can carry on a conversation with a centaur, when no one else we know can get a sensible word out of a centaur's mouth? She's so at peace with nature; she's at home there. I guess she ordered those flowers to feel closer to her home."
These words hit Harry like a swift punch in the stomach. He had never noticed those things. The look on Ron's face told him that he hadn't really paid attention to those things, either; but the way Hermione said it, it made such sense. Now, it was all so clear to Harry. Had he really been that oblivious before?
"Yeah," said Ron after a moment of stunned silence.
"Y'know," Harry mused to his friends, "I just realized how little we know her. I mean, she's nice and all, and really great to be around, but I don't even know her favorite color. On the other hand, it never really occurred to me to try and find out more. When I'm around her, it just feels…right, somehow. I suppose that since I felt that way in my heart, it sort of blocked out any doubts in my mind. So much has happened, and she's a wonderful friend, and I guess I never really questioned it."
"Is it just me," Ron offered, "or is Gwen…I don't know…different?"
"Being from another country can do that to you, Ron," Hermione retorted wryly.
"No, not that," Ron said, trying to find the right words to describe it, "I mean…She's so…calm. It's just when I look in her eyes, I feel…relaxed. And then earlier, I was walking down the hall, and she ran up behind me to give me back some notes I had lent her, but I didn't see her. She grabbed my hand to stop me, and I felt like…everything would be…okay,"
Harry nodded, and, surprisingly, so did Hermione.
"She and I have Arithmancy together," she told them as they walked up the staircase leading to the dormitories, "Lavender Brown had an awful fever and couldn't concentrate. But then Guenivere leaned over and told Lavender to let her see, and when Gwen put her hand on Lavvie's forehead, her headache went away. Just like that. She didn't even need to see Madam Pomfrey."
Harry understood this all too well. He had felt this a few times when Gwen was nearby, this- healing, in a way. Gwen had a special way about her, that was for sure, and Harry thought it was beautiful. If only there were some way…
"Oh, and Harry," Hermione said smiling, "her favorite color is green. Her second favorite is maroon,"
Harry grinned and nodded, then bid farewell to his comrades. When arrived back at his common room and went up the stairs to his dormitory, he found a note fixed to his bedroom door. It read:
Dear Harry,
Thanks again for getting that book for me.
However, I've just received troubling news
from my country, so I've gone to bed.
Sweet dreams,
Gwen
Troubling news? This made it all the better. He flung open his door and grabbed his Firebolt. He headed down the stairs, and stopped in front of the staircase that lead to Gwen's chambers.
He knew that if he tried to walk up, the steps would only turn into a slide. Not only would he never make it up, but Gwen might be awakened by the noise, and that would never do. He would have to fly. Mounting his broom, Harry kicked of softly and hovered smoothly up the stairs; he arrived at her door and opened it as quietly as he could. Harry hopped off his broom with a muffled >fwump! and walked over to Gwen's bed.
The princess' room was a mix of tastes. Near the fireplace and on the mantle sat fans and pots and scarves and pictures that were undoubtedly Oriental. But, next to her desk, there was an array of magazines and musical albums, both wizarding and Muggle, including The Stampede, The Beatles, the London Times, and the Witches Weekly Word. Gwen's canopy bed was hung with white lace curtains, and as Harry drew closer, his heart softened.
There she was, asleep, her cheeks damp with recent tears. Harry sat down beside her sleeping form and brushed some hair out of her eyes. He noticed that she still wore her crimson veil. He longed to remove it, to finally see her face. Yet, when Harry reached out to lift the red cloth, Gwen stirred slightly and let out a soft moan. He smiled. One day, he vowed, maybe when I least expect it, I will see your face.
The mattress lifted as Harry got up and took out his wand. Doing some fancy spell work he never thought would come in handy, he performed a small series of charms around the room. When he was through, Harry went back over to Gwen, lyinging still in her bed, and tenderly kissed her forehead.
"Goodnight, my darling Guenivere," he murmured softly, his eyes scanning her face as though her were trying to learn her by heart.
Harry got back on his broom, and flew light-hearted back to his dormitory. He changed into his nightclothes and went to bed, knowing that when Gwen got up that she would find herself surrounded by roses and lilies and all sorts of other flowers, as well as softly chirping sparrows and nightingales.
…………..
When Harry awoke from his slumber the next moring, he reached over instinctively to his bedside table for his glasses, but he felt paper instead. Harry sat up, put on his round frames and read the simple
Thank You
G.C.
that was written there. Smiling, Harry got up and began to get dressed. Another glorious morning…