Author: Lenuvira Dostar
R-English-Romance/Adventure
Summary of events: Ok, so last chapter Harry is in the hospital wing, he had broken two ribs from the fall. Draco brings Harry's broom and watches Madam Pomfrey put ointment on Harry to help him heal and they both see that Harry is wearing the allemotion. They don't know what it is, but now they both know about it and the fact that it glows different colors. After a while Harry wakes up and Draco starts talking to him while Madam Pomfrey goes to get a potion, after wards Draco leaves. Well that's it in a nutshell, enjoy this next chapter.
Chapter four-The beginning of something
I can feel the magic floating in the air,
being with you gets me that way.
I watch the sun light dance across your face
and I've never been this swept away…
All my thoughts just seem to settle on the breeze,
as I'm lying wrapped up in your arms.
The whole world just fades away,
the only thing I hear is the beating of your heart.
-Just breathe, Faith Hill
Harry woke up on the Saturday morning, the hospital wing completely quiet except for the birds outside the window that had woken him up. Shifting up slowly he noticed that his abdomen didn't hurt as much as it had last night…last night.
Looking down at his chest he picked up the small orb of the allemotion, and turned it over in his hand as he remembered what had happened, just a few hours before. Why had Malfoy acted the way he had last night? Why had he himself acted in the way that he had? As he processed his thought of the Slytherin and his own interaction with him, he noticed the orb start to come to life as well. A deep crimson color starting to spring up in the depths of the crystal sphere.
Letting it drop once more onto his bare chest, Harry sat up completely and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He was only dressed in a pair of pajama bottoms that looked like the ones used in muggle hospitals, then again he was in the hospital wing. Finding his glasses on the nightstand where he had left them before he went to sleep, he put them on and got off the bed. Then lifted his arms up and started to stretch gingerly in different directions, testing his abdomen and seeing if it would be ok. After Malfoy had left Madam Pomfrey had told him that he had broken two ribs and had forced him to drink the healing and sleeping potion she had brought up for him.
He was expecting to feel a nasty tug on his stomach any time now, expecting pain to shoot out from his injured area, instead he felt more at ease and nimble as he stretched his muscles.
Looking around after he had done that for a couple of minutes, he spotted his black school robes on a chair next to the bed, the same chair Malfoy had sat on the night before. There he went again, the Slytherin just kept popping into his mind, what was going on?
Shaking his head, Harry started to put his robes on and tie the laces on his shoes, before getting up once more and walking down the rows of beds. Madam Pomfrey had given him permission to leave as soon as he woke up in the morning, that way he could have breakfast with his house in the Great Hall.
Pushing the door wide open he stepped into the corridors and started to make his way swiftly down the staircases to the first floor. He passed one or two groups of students, each stopping and congratulating the Gryffindor on a job well done yesterday in the match. Harry felt a blush come along each time that he was stopped by the students, but had grown used to it after years of the same treatment.
As he was walking away from the last group of Ravenclaws that had stopped to talk to him, he felt something in his pocket move. The black fabric of the robes started to shift more and more before Harry stopped in the middle of the hall and opened the pocket.
Out burst the golden snitch, glinting in the light of the morning sun that had been leaking in through the windows. Harry stopped and looked at the fluttering ball before he jumped up with his out stretched hands and caught it in mid leap. His hands holding onto the fluttering object as his feet hit the floor once more.
"Harry's back, nice catch mate!"
Turning around, Harry saw Ron and Hermione start to come his way from the direction of the hospital wing. Hermione was holding a big book, as usual, and Ron was holding his Firebolt. Smiling at his friends he said,
"Thanks…oh…and thanks for bringing my broom, I guess I left it in the hospital wing."
Hermione shook her head at Harry with a grin on her face as she said,
"We went there early to see if you would be coming to eat breakfast with us, but when we got there Madam Pomfrey said you had already left. It was Ron who saw your broom and brought it."
Harry took the Firebolt from his friend's hands as Ron offered it to him. Smiling at the two again Harry nodded his head down the stairs, motioning for them to go down to the Great Hall. The three of them started to descend the stairs together, Ron and Hermione talking about the celebration party Gryffindor house had had the night before.
Apparently, Seamus had put a bit of firewhiskey in the butterbeers that Ron had brought up from the kitchens. The house had gotten a little too rowdy and Hermione was forced to put a silencing charm on a couple of people, surprisingly, one of them being Neville. It seemed that Neville had had one too many of the spiked butterbeers and had gone off saying a couple things about Professor Snape, after Parvati had said she still had an essay to write for the teacher. Ron then said in an amused voice,
"Honestly, the language that he was using was...well I've never heard Neville talk like that."
Hermione though was giving Ron a stern look that could have rivaled Mrs. Weasley's, before she shook her head saying,
"Ron, we shouldn't talk like that about anyone, especially a friend."
The boy's ears went red as Hermione talked to him in that stern voice that fit the Head Girl so well. As the three of them kept walking down the stairs they started to talk about something else, Ron later whispering to Harry that he would tell him the details of the party later.
As the three Gryffindors reached the bottom of the stairs that where next to the Great Hall, Harry suddenly felt the allemotion sphere start to glow vibrantly under his robes. Turning to see why, he saw the reason walking up to the door of the Great Hall up ahead. Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins where strutting up from the dungeons and had stopped, just as their Head Boy turned to see the Gryffindors opposite them. The Slytherins shifting to stand behind their leader and Hermione stepping forward in front of Harry and Ron. Placing her hands on her hips there was a twinkle as her Head Girl badge caught the suns rays.
"Malfoy, lets not start anything today. Leave us alone, we don't want any trouble."
Behind her, Hermione could hear Ron whisper to Harry in a disgusted manner,
"She should speak for her self. I'd like to teach him a lesson for what he did."
Harry turned to his friend in a puzzled sort of way; his brows knitted as he absent mindedly reached up to his chest with his left hand and placed it over his heart, right on top of the glowing sphere. Turning back to face the Slytherins Harry asked Ron,
"What did he do?"
Ron stepped back suddenly in a startled manner, his mouth wide open in shock as he yelled out,
"Harry! He pushed you off your broom, broke two of your ribs and has been a git ever since we met him and you ask me what he did!"
Everyone's attention was now back on the two boys behind Hermione, some of the Slytherins snickering, and others like Crabbe and Goyle, cracking their knuckles and scowling at them. Harry himself was startled by his friend's outburst, shaking his head he looked at Ron, completely ignoring the other people around him.
"I know he did that Ron. What I meant to ask was if he had done anything else?"
"What else do you want him to do mate, tie you up in devils snare and push you off the astronomy tower?"
Ron wasn't paying attention to Hermione, as she started to shake her head in a startled fashion, while the Slytherins stood up straight and placed a grin upon their faces. Harry himself was looking at the reason why they had suddenly started to act this way, but Ron kept on yelling out at him, oblivious to the fact that Professor Snape was walking up to Ron's turned back.
"Ron, shut up."
Harry whispered insistently at Ron, but his friend was still ranting out and saying,
"Don't tell me to shut up, this insufferable son of a bludger has done enough to us all, what more do you want him to do. He hasn't done anything yet today but we shouldn't give him time to cook up a nasty plan to throw at us again. His and the rest of that filthy Slytherin lot headed by that bloody damn git, Sna…"
Harry held his breath as Professor Snape came to stand right behind Ron and clear his throat loudly behind him. Ron froze in mid sentence as his face turned ashen white. His face started to scrunch up as he prepared himself for the blow he would probably receive in about five seconds. The only thing that followed that, was a snicker or two from the Slytherin group behind Harry as he faced Professor Snape, who was scowling at the three Gryffindors in a triumphant manner. Speaking to them all in a slow and cruel tone that flowed around them like poison,
"Mr. Weasley… I dare say your parents wouldn't approve of what you have just said. Howling in that manner out in the hall, you always had a big mouth, but I never realized how big of a temper you had. You better watch out Mr. Potter, it seems you have some competition in that aspect."
Both boys had turned to face the Professor, Ron with his head bowed and still wincing from when Professor Snape had emphasized the word "Howling". No doubt he was remembering their second year when Mrs. Weasley had sent him the howler after crashing the Ford Anglia on the Whomping Willow. Harry was starring at Snape as the Professor mentioned his temper and felt the glow of the allemotion change slightly under his robes.
"I believe that will be 30 points from Gryffindor for being rude to another house member. Oh and of course another 30 points for the act of insulting a Professor, maybe that will teach you a lesson. Be glad I'm in a good mood too, other wise you would have gotten a detention."
Stepping aside and walking towards the Slytherins, Professor Snape made his was towards Malfoy, nodded his head, and changed direction to go into the Great Hall, being followed by the amused lot.
Harry was left outside the door alone with Hermione who was looking at the 60 rubies in the hourglass drifting back up to the top and subtracting points from their house. Ron was still red in the face and muttering to him self, all Harry could make out was the odd words of,
"…bloody hell…sixty points…all my saves…temper indeed…good mood my…"
Harry didn't realize he had been squeezing the snitch tightly to the wood of his broom in his fury as he had faced the potions teacher. Relaxing his grip once more he put the snitch back in his inside pocket, this time buttoning it up so the ball couldn't get out. Turning back to his friends he shook his head at the two and started to go into the Great Hall.
Hermione wasn't talking to Ron as he followed behind Harry, still muttering under his breath. Making their way towards the reasonably empty house table, they sat down, Harry on one side and Ron and Hermione on the other. Ron was apparently still in a bad mood seeing as how he wasn't really eating, Harry was very hungry though and started to load up his plate with toast, eggs, waffles and sausages. Hermione was starting to pour herself, Ron and Harry some orange juice before looking at Ron as he rolled a sausage across his plate.
A couple of minutes passed and she had started to read her book by now and taking bites off of the toast in her plate, when she looked over at the boy next to her, slammed her book down and picked up one of the plates that held the eggs. Scooping up some she plopped them on to Ron's plate, doing the same with the sausages, ham and potatoes.
Ron had been surprised at the sudden movement from Hermione as she did this, looking over at Harry with a puzzled look set in his face. Harry just smiled and shrugged before he took another bite off his waffle.
Once Hermione was done with this she picked up Ron's fork and placed it onto his hands before she said harshly,
"Eat!"
Ron just looked from the fork in his hand, to the filled plate, and them at Hermione, startled and bewildered before she sighed and said a little more gently,
"Please…come on Ron, it will be fine, if Snape contacts your mum, I'll send her a letter explaining everything, alright."
It seemed like Hermione, as always, had indeed guessed correctly that that was what was passing through Ron's mind. The other boy relaxed considerably and leaned over to give the Head Girl a hug and a small peck on the cheek, before turning to the food piled up on his plate and starting to eat.
Harry simply shook his head in a stunned manner and turned back to his own plate of food, just as he saw Hermione lift up the book once more to cover up the slight blush that had spread over her cheeks. Ron rarely showed emotions towards Hermione in any way, and to see him kiss her on the cheek, well it was surprising indeed. They did act like an old married couple and all, bickering over insignificant things, and they did seem to balance each other out, but that still didn't change the fact that they rarely showed their emotions to each other, let alone in public.
Harry was about to reach over for the potatoes when a familiar swoosh of wings and hooting announced the arrival of the mail that morning. Looking up to the ceiling he saw all the huge barn, great horned, tawny and his own snowy owl come down and glide over to their owners. Hedwig came fluttering down to the table and landed softly on Harry's right shoulder. She brought no messages or notes that morning, but Harry was used to it now, the owl usually just came down to visit her owner now and then, and get a bit of something to eat.
Harry smiled at the snowy owl as she rubbed her soft feathery head on his cheek affectionately. Harry reached down and picked up a piece of sausage and fed it to the bird just as another flutter of feathers came to stop right in front of him.
Their where many people who owner eagle owls in the school, but none of those owls where as well trained as the one in front of Harry at that moment, there was no mistaking the fact that this was Malfoy's owl.
The owl folded it's wings gracefully and held out it's left leg to Harry, balancing perfectly on it's right leg as it waited for Harry to take the note that was tied to it. Ron and Hermione had stopped eating and reading when the owl had landed at their table, and where watching Harry and the owl with interest as he took the note. Once the owls leg was free it started to spread it's wings once more and beat them as he took off. Hermione watching it through narrowed eyes as she said to them,
"That was Malfoy's owl, what does he want to send you Harry?"
Ron was looking at the note as if it was probably going to chew Harry's hand off if he opened it. Harry though wasn't looking at his friend and only shrugged at Hermione as he opened the note that read,
PotterI'm challenging you to a wizards duel. No seconds, we duel to the end. Send reply as soon as you can, if you agree we'll meet at Hogsmead tomorrow, if you don't, you don't deserve to be in Gryffindor.
Malfoy
P.S. Just you and me, no Weasley or Granger, no Crabbe or Goyle.
Harry read through it twice before he found that Ron had take the note away from him and was reading it with Hermione leaning over his shoulder and doing the same. After a moment she had placed her hand over her mouth in shock as Ron took a sharp intake of breath. He dropped the note and they both started to whisper intently and furiously at Harry, Hermione speaking first and then Ron as they said,
"Harry, you can't…"
"It's a trap mate…"
"You can't trust him…"
"He's a Slytherin…"
"You'll get caught…"
"Then again it would be nice if you finished him off."
"RON!"
Hermione was beside herself as Ron said this, turning away from the red haired boy next to her she continued talking to Harry in a matter of fact like tone,
"Harry, this is dangerous, what if it is a trap. I mean it's at Hogsmead, anything could happen, remember our first year, remember what happened. He could turn you in again and say he just heard you talking about that and…Harry you just can't."
Ron was reading through the note once more, running his fingers through his hair as he said,
"Well either way Harry, you're going to have to tell the slimy rodent what you choose."
Harry was appreciative that his friends where so concerned for him, but thought that they really should let him decide the matter, but what would he do about it. The scene of last night in the hospital wing popped into Harry's head, followed by the quidditch match, the tryouts and finally on the meeting in the Hogwarts Express. A glazed like look had come over his eyes as he remembered what he had felt in all those encounters. Looking up at Ron and Hermione he ran his own fingers through his unruly hair, Hedwig shifting on his shoulder. Harry reached over to Ron and took the note back again, reading it over once more. Looking up from it again he shook his head and pivoted in his seat, looking across the room to the Slytherin table.
There was the white blond hair of the boy, facing him and stroking the eagle owls feathers as he fed it a piece of ham. Harry stared at him for a while, willing him to look up and across at him, hoping that the Slytherin would notice him at that moment. Hedwig was shifting on his shoulder just as Malfoy lifted his head and stared across at the Gryffindor with his friends.
The silver eyes of the Head Boy locked in with Harry's jade green as they looked at each other for a moment, the sphere on Harry's chest burning fiercely. Harry then lifted the note and waved it at the Slytherin indicating that he had received it. The other boy just nodded and lifted a delicate eyebrow as if asking,
"And?"
Harry then looked back at the letter, turned to his friends and then back at the Slytherin across the room, hesitating a bit and then remembering something the other boy had said last night in the hospital wing,
"I'm not playing a game…"
But was he, was he just playing a vicious merciless game with him, had he started to last night? The orb burned once more underneath his robes, remembering the allemotion he wore, Harry turned his back to the Slytherin and lifted his robes out from the neck of the fabric just enough so he could see what color it was at the moment. His eyes where flooded once more with the deep crimson light, the same hue it had been the night before. Thinking of the other night and what had happened and had been said, only cemented Harry's decision more.
Finally turning back to face the Slytherin, his lip turned up at the corner in a half smile as he gave a sharp nod to the other boy. Immediately the results of his decision started to unfold. The Slytherin boy nodded back with a grin, at the same time that Ron and Hermione, who had been watching him intently started to talk at the same time,
"You'll kill him mate…"
"Harry no, I can't believe your doing this…"
"Crush him Harry, get him back…"
"I'm not letting you do this…"
"Stop it Herm, he's made his decision."
"Ron, he could get killed…"
"He's against Malfoy…"
The two of them went on like that for a while, neither really listening to the other as Harry shook his head and fed Hedwig a bit of sausage before she spread her wings and left.
No one in the hall noticed anything else going on early that morning at the house tables. No one was really paying attention to the two boys opposite each other, the Gryffindor and Slytherin having agreed to meet and duel alone tomorrow, was a fact only known by the two participants and the two best friends of one participant, who where currently off in their own world.
Harry was starting to think that the fight in between Ron and Hermione was going to take forever, when just as Hedwig disappeared through the rafters, a great big horned owl swooped in to the Great Hall carrying a rather big scroll. The chattering of the two people across from Harry stopped when the owl flew smoothly towards Hermione and stopped right in front of her holding out the big roll of parchment. The seal on the wax sported a fancy letter 'K'.
Harry was holding his breath now, he could see another argument coming up in between the two as Hermione untied the scroll from the owl with a blush just as Ron asked in an insulted voice,
"Is that from Krum!"
Harry started to slowly get up and walk away, picking up his Firebolt just as he heard Hermione mutter something about having kept contact with Victor the whole entire summer.
Across from the Gryffindor table, Malfoy caught Harry's eye just as he was getting up himself, he was saying something to his housemates just as Harry stepped out of the Hall and headed up to the stairs. Running footsteps where heard as Malfoy burst through the open doors of the hall and came to stand at the bottom of the stairs,
"Potter…"
Harry stopped in his tracks, leaning himself on his broom as he turned around to face the boy that had called his name. The sunlight was reflecting off his face and white blond hair, making him look almost angelic as his robes fluttered around him while he climbed the stair to stand in front of Harry. Harry hadn't realized his breath was coming short or that Malfoy was trying to avoid his eyes until they where face to face, an arms length apart. They stood there looking at each other for a split second, the air around them as charged with energy as ever,
"It would be better if we meet at night."
It wasn't really a question as more of a statement that came out of the Slytherins lips. Harry just nodded and looked at him in a quizzical look that matched Hermione's when she was studying. After a couple uncomfortable moments he asked,
"Where in Hogsmead, at what time?"
The boy across from him shrugged and turned his back to him, starting to walk down the stairs, his voice flowing back to Harry's ears as he said,
"I'm free when ever, you decide the rest, send me an owl."
Harry just shook his head at the manner that Malfoy had said this, as if he where talking to a servant and he was giving that servant a great honor. Shaking his head he started to turn around and head back up the stairs towards the common room.
He was still running his hand inattentively across his chest right where the sphere was, when he came upon the portrait of the Fat Lady,
"Password"
She said in a bored manner,
"Firewhiskey"
Ron had told him that they had changed the password after the whole incident with Neville and the party last night. The Fat Lady rolled her eyes and whispered loud enough for Harry to hear,
"I could use some…"
As the portrait swung open, Harry stepped through the hole and into the common room, which thanks to the house elves, bared no sign that a party had been held the night before, except for the odd person sleeping on the couches, like Neville, Ginny and Collin.
Making his way up to his dorm room Harry started to change into some of his muggle clothes. With the help of Hermione they had shrunk Dudley's old hand-me-downs to fit Harry just right, and in some cases changed the color of the fabric.
"It's a simple spell really, I'm surprised at how few people know it."
She had said as she had changed an ugly mustard color sweater into a soft red color that complimented Harry's vivid green eyes. Harry had changed out of the black robes and was starting to put on a pair of worn out jeans, zipping them up he thought Hermione might have over done it a bit with the shrinking. The pants where not uncomfortable, but they did seem a bit tight. Rummaging around in his trunk he took out a white T-shirt, that had once been a brownish green and pulled it over his head, this was the perfect fit, not to loose around his body, but not to tight either.
As he bent down once more to close the lid of the trunk he felt his abdomen twinge a bit in protest of the bending movement. Straightening up slowly he walked over to the bed and picked up his school robes, throwing them over the clothes he had just put on, just for a bit more warmth, yet not bothering to button it up.
At that moment he felt his pocket quiver once more, he had forgotten all about the snitch, and going to kneel down by the trunk once more he took out a small box. It was just big enough for the snitch to fit into it. Taking the lid off he unbuttoned the pocket of his robes carefully and reached in. He felt the fluttering object inside and secured his hand on it with a firm grip, taking his hand out he saw the snitch once more trying to get away from his grasp.
Stuffing the struggling ball into the small box, Harry quickly put the lid back on and closed it. There was a bit of red string like ribbon that he had in his trunk, taking it out he started to tie it around the box so it would remain closed. That finished, he started to put the box back into the trunk along with his Firebolt that he had left at the base of his bed.
Starting to get up once again, he saw the Marauders map to one side of the trunk, and was reminded of Malfoy and what they had planned for tomorrow. How would they get to Hogsmead, where would they meet once they got there? Harry had a couple options open for him, but how would that work out for Malfoy. They could go together so that the chance of the Slytherin double crossing him would be less, yes that would be best. The question still remained as to how they would get to Hogsmead? Once again Harry had a few ideas popping into his head, they could go through the Whomping Willow, and they could duel at the Shrieking Shack, or maybe they could go through the passage that went from the one eyed witch and then duel somewhere else, but where? Harry still thought the Shrieking Shack would be the best place for the duel, but should they risk going through the Whomping Willow or going through the Honeyduckes passage.
Harry was still feeling sore and if they tried to go through the passage under the Whomping Willow and failed to get past it, he would be in a lot of trouble, physically. That settled it then, they would go together by the passage of the one eyed witch, go to the Shrieking Shack and duel there. The thing was, could Harry trust Malfoy to keep that passage a secret or not. As that thought crossed his head he remembered the conversation they had had the night before,
"…I know you don't trust me."
"And you trust me?"
The sincerity of that moment he had been shown with Malfoy, the way the boy's eyes had sparkled when Harry had asked that. It was as if, yes he did trust him, and that was the reason why he was having Harry choose the final details of this duel. I guess I could try and trust him, he thought.
Harry stood in the middle of the room, he had been pacing as he had thought this all out, and now the only question left was to decide on the time that they would both meet at the one eyed witch.
He lifted up his left hand to take a look at his watch, but had forgotten he wasn't wearing one, it was still broken, after the second task in the Tri Wizard Tournament and all, and he hadn't gotten a new one. Looking over at Dean's bedside he saw his dorm mates watch on the nightstand and read that it was now about ten in the morning.
"What time does it start getting dark at?"
He asked himself, as once again he started to pace that floor of the dorm. The sun now a days started to go down at around seven, they all had to be in bed by ten the latest, even if you where a Head Boy or Girl. He really didn't know what time he should have them meet at the one eyed witch. Perhaps he should make it to be around midnight, that way Filch would be tired and there wouldn't be many people around him. He could also take the Marauders map along, but could he trust Malfoy if he used the Marauders map?
Questions kept popping up in Harry's head and for a second he wished he could borrow Dumbledore's pensive. Looking around Harry tried to find some parchment, finally bending down to find his book bag under his bed and pulling out a piece of parchment along with an ink bottle and a quill. Taking this out he crossed his legs on his bed as he sat comfortably on it. Everything in the room was silent, except for Harry's quill scratching against the parchment as he wrote Malfoy a note with the time and palace of the meeting.
Harry had to admit, it was a short note and quite vague, but he didn't really want to tell Malfoy where they where going to duel, he didn't think the Slytherin would like it very much.
Putting the ink bottle and quill away he started to roll up the note and tie it with another bit of the red string he pulled out from the trunk. Closing the trunk lid, he got up and started to walk across the room and towards the door. Closing it firmly behind him he started to head down to the common room, voices floated up to meet his ears from down below. No doubt Neville, Ginny and Collin where up by now.
Walking completely into the light of the common room he saw that indeed Neville and Ginny where up, but not Collin, the poor boy looked as if he would still be sleeping for a good while.
Ginny and Neville had been sitting together and talking when Harry had come in. Ginny looking up and seeing him, starting to blush a little more than she usually did. She shifted around as to get up, but thought better of it and smiled at Harry as she said,
"Hello Harry, how's the injury?"
Neville turned around startled, and seeing Harry looking at the two of them, he too started to blush a bit. He looked down and away from Harry, perhaps he thought that the news of him and the whole incident with the firewhiskey had spread to reach the Quidditch captains ears. Smiling kindly at Neville Harry said,
"I'm fine Ginny, never felt better. How are you two?"
Neville looked up to face his dorm mate and said in a gruff like tone,
"Fine, why wouldn't we be? I'm fine, and so is Ginny, and Collin…well he's asleep, but he's fine."
Harry just shook his head and started to walk off towards the door waving good-bye before he was stopped by Ginny who said,
"Wait…Harry…do you know the password? We where asleep when Ron changed it and…didn't pay attention when he told the whole house."
Harry smirked at her and nodding, turned to face Neville as he said,
"Firewhiskey"
Neville's face started to go red once more just as Harry turned around and walked out of the portrait hole. The opening closed behind him as he started to walk in the direction of the owlery. The passages where starting to get a bit more filled up, as the rest of the castle woke up and started to head downstairs or outside to the enjoy the bright morning sun before the bitter fall winds started to settle in.
Harry climbed the rest of the steps up towards the owlery, his fingers playing with the red string that was tied around the note. As he opened the latch to enter through the ceiling of the owlery tower he stepped into the midst of all the owls around him, some nestled in their nests starting to doze off, others coming in through the window with mice in their beaks.
Hedwig was at the other end of the window starting to drift off into sleep when she gave an excited hoot as she saw Harry approach her with the note. She got up from the nest immediately and started to balance her self on her right leg as she spread her wings in a stretch. Harry tied the note to the owl's leg before caressing her in the head as he said,
"Take that to Malfoy Hedwig. I'm counting on you."
The owl nipped at his fingers in a caring manner before she flapped her wings and began to soar out the window. Following his owl with his gaze he went over to stand at the ledge of the opening she had flown out of and looked down at the grounds. Two people where walking down to the lake, one with bushy brown hair, and the other with flaming red hair. Ron and Hermione where headed off to the edge of the lake towards one of the trees that stood at the opposite end of the castle. The Head Girl was still holding the roll of parchment that had arrived for her at breakfast, but she didn't seem to be yelling at Ron, nor him at her. That was a good sign Harry thought, at least he could live with them for a while longer. Smiling at them he started to make his way back down the owlery stairs and out to meet his friends at the lake.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you Herm. I just don't know what you see in Krum that you don't…never mind."
Ron had looked away from her in a hurt manner as he had said this, Hermione in turn had started to look down at the roll of parchment she was still holding in her hands. Turning it over and over again, Victor had invited her over for Christmas and had asked her if she wanted to be his girlfriend, she really liked him, but as a friend really, just like she liked Ron or Harry. Yet looking back at Ron she saw his hurt face and observed the way he walked beside her, and what had that been all about at breakfast, she had forced him to eat and then he had hugged her, he never hugged her, unless you counted the times he was trying to force her to do something, like flying.
Her cheeks felt hot and she guessed correctly that she was blushing once more, just as she had when Ron had pecked her on the cheek. She didn't feel that way with Harry, who was a close friend almost like a brother, let alone Victor, he was just a friend to her, nothing more and nothing less.
Ron on the other hand, well she didn't know what to think of him, she enjoyed his company, even though sometimes he was down right annoying, but she was too, as Ron had so kindly pointed out. At that instant she saw Ron raise his head towards her as she tried in vain to control her blushing. He looked at her with eyes that where more in amazement than anything else, he stopped in his tracks as she kept walking.
Realizing that he had fallen behind, Hermione turned back and looked at the boy in front of her. He was still looking at her in that manner, his mouth slightly open as if in shock. Finally blinking and leaning himself on a tree facing the castle. He kicked a rock into the lake as he turned gloomily and said to her,
"Do you like him? I mean do you…"
"Ron…"
She cut him off sharply and started to continue, more hesitantly this time,
"…he asked me to be his girlfriend."
She bent her head down and stared at the roll of parchment in her hands, her feelings and emotions starting to over flow, she couldn't look at the boy she had hurt, she couldn't lay eyes on Ron anymore because if she did she was afraid…
The boy started to slide down the trunk of the tree at her words. A couple minutes passed in silence before his voice drifted over to her as he asked in a jerky whisper,
"What are you going to do?"
Hermione turned to him just as he lifted his head up and saw his shimmering eyes pleading at her, yet not pushing her into making a decision. She looked back at the roll of parchment in her hands and then back at Ron, she was shaking slightly now as she closed her eyes and grasped the roll in her hands, tightening her grip on it. Opening her eyes once more she saw Ron look away from her and back out towards the surface of the glassy lake.
Walking swiftly to the edge of the water Hermione lifted her hand up and with a great heave, she threw the roll across the water as it landed with a splash. She felt a breeze flutter around her making her hair move back and away from her face as she turned around to see Ron, looking up at her with a confused look. She started to walk towards him, and knelt down before him, a tear starting to roll down her rosy cheek,
"Herm…"
"I'm sorry Ron! I didn't want to hurt you. I guess the truth is, I've liked you for a while now, not just as a friend, but…when I'm with you it's different that when I'm with Harry or Victor, yes we fight but it's those fights that bring us together. Remember this summer when I told you I didn't want to fly and you taught me anyways, I was mad but happy that you had forced me to get on the broom with you. Fourth year when Krum took me to the Yule Ball, I was hurt you didn't ask me first and was shocked when you had glared at him the whole night. When Sirius took you down the Whomping Willow and attacked you to get at Peter, I was worried out of my mind and was scared that something had happened to you. First year when you had insulted me, I was really hurt and then you came to rescue me from the troll, you didn't even care if you got hurt in the process. Second year when you and Harry kept coming to visit me at my bed, even though I was petrified and couldn't do anything. And last year when we where in the department of mysteries and we fought together side by side. Ron…I feel different when I'm around you, I feel like I can be myself, I feel stronger, as if I where special and… I'm just sorry I didn't tell you this sooner, I'm sorry I hurt you, I never wanted to do that to you, Ron I…"
She stopped talking as Ron's warm arms wrapped around her shivering body and brought her closer to him, their eyes close to each others, as their lips touched the others. A slight pressure was felt as Ron leaned in towards Hermione and she wrapped her own arms around the boy's shoulders. The wind making their robes flutter slightly as the tender kiss deepened, Hermione's lips starting to feel warm with the friction of Ron's lips on hers. A rush of emotion was filling the two, as they held each other close and let it lead them into the sweet action that was the kiss.
Slowly breaking apart they both looked at each other for a moment before Hermione hugged Ron and he held her close to him, feeling as though that instant in time would never be forgotten, and that it was just the beginning of something bigger and better to come.
Somewhere behind the trees, Harry had been listening and watching the whole thing, as his friends talked and finally kissed. Harry's smile flashing at his friends, who didn't have a clue they where being watched. Starting to slowly walk away, in order to give his friends more privacy, he felt the glow of the allemotion burn under the white T-shirt, and if he had looked down, he would have seen a familiar color, glinting back at him from the orbs surface.
Note from the Author: I'm really sorry but I probably won't be able to update this any time soon, with final exams and other things I have to do for college and all. i'll be working on it in my spare time, if I have any, and I promise to update it ASAP, but unfortunately that won't be for a while. To all of you who have gotten this far, thanks bunches, and loads of huggles to you, I really thank you guys for everything. once again I'm sorry for the inconveniance but i'm sure you'll survive, unlike me I'll probably pass out from all the studying ;)