Harry Potter and Facing the Challenge - Chapter Two

Soon after, they left, and Hermione went and took a shower. Harry went into his room and sat down on his bed with his Auror book and started reading it from where he had stopped before Hermione's sudden arrival. After half an hour there was a soft nock on the bedroom door and he figured it was Hermione, "Come in Hermione." Harry said while putting the book aside. She opened the door slowly and crept inside, her eyes still a little red from before.

"H--Harry..." she croaked, trying to hold back more tears from making their way out of her eyes.

MY GOD! She is so beautiful, Harry thoughtwhile staring at her small figure walking towards him and suddenly a lump settled itself in his stomach at the prospect of being alone in the same room with Hermione. In the past it would not have made any difference to him but now things were different, she was no longer his best friend – in his eyes she was much more and he silently hoped that she would think like this too.

"Hermione are you ok?" he asked with a tone of concern to his voice "You must be tired. Why don't you go to sleep, we can talk in the morning, you need your rest." He concluded as if to say that she shouldn't argue with him.

A small frown appeared on her face as she said "Well, I guess you are right, it can wait for tomorrow. I just wanted to thank you and say goodnight."

"Hermione, you know its no problem that you are staying here. In fact, I could hardly wait for your scheduled visit in just a few more days...." He said in a soft soothing voice. "Good night Herm, we will talk tomorrow," she went out of his room and closed his door, and as the door clicked shut Harry whispered under his breath "I love you Hermione Granger, I just hope that I will have the guts to tell you." And with that he got into his bed, turned off the lights, and went to sleep.

The next morning, Harry got up at his usual 5:30 in the morning and quickly dressed and went running outside. After an hour and a half he came back and started stretching just outside the house on the front lawn. When he finished he sneaked back into the house and went and had a nice long bath. When he got out only in his boxers and a towel wrapped around his lower body he examined himself in the mirror and for once he was quite pleased with the way that he looked. He was taller, no longer skinny but not too full also. "Healthy," he believed Mrs. Weasley would call it and now his muscles were starting to show.

He got out of the bathroom and headed for his door. When he opened it, he found Hermione sleeping in his bed. When did she get here? He thought, then quickly dressed and silently went downstairs to fix breakfast. He made himself his now usual menu – eggs, bacon, toast, and jam, accompanied with a big glass of orange juice. When he finished he set the table for the rest of the 'family' and then decided that it will be nice to take Hermione's breakfast up to his room.

Suddenly he realized that his cousin Dudley didn't know yet that Hermione had in fact arrived yesterday evening as he was probably outside beating up a ten year old with his gang. He walked to his room with a plate of food and a glass of juice for Hermione and sat it on the table. He looked at his watch and saw that the time was 8:00 and he sighed, there was nothing more that he wanted to do then to let her sleep and just sit there watching her until she woke up but he had brought her breakfast so he thought that she should eat it before it got cold.

He put his soft hand on her back and started rubbing it slowly while calling her name with a soft and calm voice "Hermione... Hermione wake up I brought you breakfast." He saw her open her eyes and smile at him as she got up and sat on the bed.

"Good morning Harry, I came here a few hours ago to see if you were awake but you were not here so I just thought that I can wait for you but just as I sat on the bed I fell asleep. So! Where were you?" she asked.

"A few weeks ago I started going running in the morning while the house is still asleep. I hoe you don't mind." He answered her.

"Here I brought you your breakfast." He said handing her the plate and the glass of juice.

"Oh, Harry you shouldn't have." She said almost on the verge of tears again. She started on her food with such ferocity as if she hadn't eaten in a week,

"Wow Hermione, cool down, the food is not going anywhere you know..." She gave a look that said what he said would have been better if it was said to Ron and not her but she quickly forgot about it and laughed. "Are you okay now?" Harry asked.

"Oh, yes quite fine actually. The food was really good did you make it?"

"Yes, I make breakfast every morning for everyone, you know one of my chores...." she made a sad face before speaking.

"Oh! Sorry Harry I forgot, you know with everything that has been going on..." she finished trailing off.

"Hermione its fine doesn't worry about it. Now, down to business. I promised last night that we would talk in the morning, and look, its morning and we're both awake." He smiled at her "So what did you want to talk about?" he asked.

She looked pensive for a few minutes and then she hissed "Ron...." she left the room and came back a minute later holding a piece of parchment which Harry assumed was Ron's letter to Hermione, but he didn't know which one it was. Hermione handed him the letter and motioned for him to read it while she sat back on his bed.

Hermione!

You will not be going to Bulgaria! You know that Viktor will be there don't you? I mean hell, someone as smart as you must have figured it out by now that if you go there he will think that you like him, as crazy as it sounds.

I am telling you now DONT GO! No good can come of it , why don't you go to Egypt for the holiday instead? I maybe going there as well to visit bill but I don't know about it right now.

In addition, you remember what Harry said he did in the third task to Cedric! He is no good Hermione you must not go!!!

Do you hear me? DONT GO!

Ron

At that, point Harry just lost it. "I can't believe him!!! He wrote me that he sent you 5 roles of parchment, are they all like this one?" He said holding the parchment high up in the air and waving it. She only nodded and then handed him another parchment.

HERMIONE!

I can't believe you!!! I told you not to go and you still went anyway! Why on earth would you do that?

Oh wait! I know why ... because you want your 'Viktor' don't you?

You know, I think the prophet's article from fourth year was right you really are a scarlet woman! And just so you know I will be waiting for your apology for going there after I specifically told you not to.

Ron

Harry just couldn't take it anymore and he punched his fist hard at the nearest wall He tore the parchment and through the remains to the trash and as he looked up at Hermione he saw tears streaming down her cheeks and as their eyes met she ran up to him and started crying on his shoulder. Harry was a little surprised at that but he quickly snapped back to reality and held her close to him.

After a few minutes, Hermione had cried herself out and she sighed and looked up meet Harry's gaze. She withdrew herself a little from him and said, "I really think that I owe you an explanation for that," she said as she started blushing.

"Hermione I really--"

She didn't let him finish the sentence and said "Harry look, I really wanted us to be just friends." At this Harry's world came crushing down on him. "You see, Ron didn't. It was the night after we came back from the Department of Mysteries and I woke up to find Ron kissing me! He kissed me while I was knocked out! And then we started talking and at some point he said that I should forget about Viktor and be his girlfriend and that he liked me more than a best friend." She looked at Harry and he nodded his head as if to say, 'Go on.'

'But then I told him that I only wanted to be friends with him because I liked someone else. He just turned red in the face and started yelling at me and telling me all the things that he thought about Viktor, and also I think that's why he called me a scarlet woman in the second letter." She finished, and the hope returned to Harry heart that she might like him.

"I still can't believe that he said those things to you. I mean okay, he can be hurt and that's okay but c'mon! The things that he wrote are really nasty. Hey! You said in your letter that this had something to do with me also?" She nodded. "So?" Harry asked, he saw Hermione take a deep breath

"Well remember how I told him that I liked another man?" he nodded.

"Well I...."

"You what?" Harry asked almost not believing what he thought that she was about to say.

"I love you Harry!"

At hearing this Harry was shortly stunned; he couldn't believe it, she, Hermione Granger, the smartest girl in all of Hogwarts and in his eyes the prettiest, loved him! Then he thought that this was his opportunity to have a little fun with her. So he asked, "Since when did you know that you loved me?" in a serious voice.

"Since the few months at the end of our fourth year after Voldemort came back, I just knew it, I just knew that I loved you." She answered with a little fear in her voice because of the seriousness of Harry's voice.

"I see," he said and he got up and headed for the door. She took it as a sign to leave but she wasn't going to go peacefully.

As she was at the door she turned around to Harry and said "Harry I... –" but before she could finish what she wanted so say, Harry's lips were pressed against hers and he pulled her close to him, never wanting to let go. Finally they came up for air and all Hermione was able to say was a soft "Wow," but as she tried to speak once again, Harry beat her to it and said "I love you Hermione Granger." All she managed to say right then was "OH Harry!" and they kissed again.

They spent the rest of the day just sitting on top of Harry's bed holding one another and enjoying each other's company and occasionally kissing. They sat there in silence for an hour or so until Hermione spoke the one thing that both of them were thinking, "Harry what are we going to do about Ron?" Right then Harry really didn't want to hear his name but he new it will be only for the best if he will not get angry with him right now.

"Well I guess we have to tell him but I just don't know how because he is still angry at you, and I can only imagine how he will be mad at me once we tell him. But I guess that we can just wait and see."

"That makes sense, okay." They decided it would be a good idea to go outside for a while and catch some sun, but just then Harry remembered that Dudley didn't know that Hermione was here at all, so he and Hermione decided that It will be nice to have a little fun with him. So as they were waking down the stairs Hermione suddenly stopped and said to Harry, "You go and wait for me outside and I will be right there okay?"

"Ok." Harry said and then added, "Love you."

She smiled at him and said, "Love you too." She gave him a kiss and practically ran up the stairs back to her room. A few minutes later Harry was laying on the grass in the back garden waiting for Hermione while making sure that he remembered their plan to get Dudley. Just then Hermione got back out side with a few big towels in one hand and a bottle of something that Harry didn't recognize in the other hand. But what really got his attention was her; she was wearing tight blue Capri's and a t-shirt, but as she came to him, she through the towels onto the grass and took her t-shirt off only to reveal that she was in fact wearing a bikini under it. At seeing this, Harry's jaw hit the ground and he couldn't believe how beautiful she looked and all he could say was "WOW!!!"

At this Hermione blushed deeply and before she could say anything else, he pulled her down to him for a big long kiss.

After they got settled with the towels, Hermione suddenly flipped on to lay on her belly and handed Harry the unknown bottle. "Do you mind rubbing this on me Harry?" she asked. Harry was a little confused at this and asked her "Well when you ask like that you know I just can't refuse, but what is this stuff anyway?" When he finished his question Hermione looked at him a little shocked , "Harry don't tell me that you don't know what a suntan lotion is?"

"Well, actually I don't, sorry. So what is it?"

"Well you rub it on your skin so you can catch some sun but your flesh wont get burned." After hearing this, suddenly Harry got a mischievous thought in his head and he smiled "Let's make a deal. I will rub you only if you rub me also, how about that?"

All that Hermione did was smile at him and flipped back so he can rub her back with the suntan lotion.

After he finished rubbing her, he quickly took off his shirt while she was still with her back turned on him. Harry saw her turn and he gave her the bottle before she looked at him, but as she saw him she gasped and the bottle fell from her hand.

"H-Harry... I...err...." she was speechless. "Oh! Bloody hell; just lay on your back so I can rub you!" He did as he was told and they just laid there in the sun for a long time until the saw Dudley wobble his way down the stairs and into the kitchen. After a few minutes in which he probably finished half of the food in the refrigerator, they saw Dudley make his way outside, "Hmmmm this should be fun...." said Hermione while smiling mischievously.

The minute Dudley came outside he did a double take at Hermione for he didn't know that she had arrived yesterday. "Hey Dudley" she said trying to hold back a laugh at seeing her boyfriend's cousin for the first time. He looked much like Harry had described him only bigger; apparently his diet didn't go to well Hermione thought.

"Who is that?" he asked Harry while still looking at Hermione, "Who is who Dudley?" asked Harry while putting on a bewildered face.

"What do you mean who is who, I am talking to that girl in a bikini laying next to you on the grass, or that you are such a freak that you cant even see that?" At hearing this Hermione made and angry face but decided to let it slide for now so they can continue with their prank. "Why Dudley, who are you talking to? There isn't anyone here but us, is there?"

After hearing this, Dudley's face went red with anger and he quickly grabbed Harry by the neck and lifted him up and yelled, "What did you do to me, I know you have something to do with this, why am I seeing people?" Seeing this Hermione panicked for a minute but remained silent as she saw Harry who was now almost a head taller than Dudley wave his hand towards the air and Dudley then started floating up until he could no longer hold Harry. Harry then waved his hand again and Dudley flew slowly towards the house and landed him near the entrance to the house. Dudley ran inside while yelling to his mom.

The minute that he was out of sight Harry and Hermione fell to the ground in a fit of laughter that lasted a good few minutes and would probably have lasted a few more if Aunt Petunia wouldn't have interrupted them "POTTER!!!" she yelled , "GET IN HERE NOW!!!!!!!" Harry put on a brave face and stood up, as Hermione did too, he kissed her slightly on the lips and said, "Wish me luck, love." They kissed again.

When Harry got inside the house he was confronted by a pale looking Dudley and an enraged Aunt Petunia. He quickly put on a good looking innocent face and asked "You called aunt Petunia?"

Immediately she yelled, "DONT GIVE ME THAT TONE BOY, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF FREAK STUFF YOU DID TO HIM!"

Harry was quick to answer, "Why Aunt Petunia, you know that I am not allowed to do magic outside of school and that if I did I would have been expelled. I think that Dudley here must have been imagining things." Aunt Petunia looked like she could explode at any minute.

"DONT YOU TAKE THAT TONE WITH ME BOY, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID AND THE FACT THAT YOU ARE NOE BEING EXPELLED IS SOMETHING THAT I WILL BE LOOMING INTO. NOW ARE NOT TO LEAVE YOUR ROOM FOR THE NEXT WEEK DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?" she spat.

Harry just smiled and said, "Of course, Aunt Petunia. I understand." Then he looked outside to see Hermione smiling at him and he motioned for her to come with him to his room. She collected her things and came inside the house. "Dudley, I want you to meet Hermione, she is my girlfriend from school. Hermione this is Dudley, my cousin." He waited a minute and then said; "Ok now that you have met I think that I will go up to my room to start my punishment. Hermione are you coming?" she nodded.

They made their way upstairs past the stunned Dudley and Petunia. They probably couldn't imagine anyone wanting to be his girlfriend. When they closed the door to his room, Harry and Hermione practically fell to the floor from laughing so hard. "That was brilliant!" they coursed together between laughs.

The next day, Harry woke up at his regular time only to find Hermione waiting for him down the stairs. She was wearing a pair of shorts and a tight strapless t-shirt, her bushy brown hair was held up in a ponytail. "Good morning, Hermione." he said as he came down and gave her a little peck on the cheek, smiling at the sight of her.

"Good morning to you too," she said. "I thought that maybe I could go out running with you. What do you think?"

"Really? That would be brilliant Hermione." he almost jumped off the ground with happiness, the kind of happiness that Hermione only rarely saw at times like when he caught the snitch while playing against Slytherin and she became a little sad realizing that she is probably the only person in his life right now that could make him that happy.

They went outside and started running, Harry quickly leaving Hermione in his dust and having to stop and run in place to wait for her. "HARRY! Don't go so fast!" she yelled at him while trying to keep up with his pace, he then started running a little slower so that he could run side by side with his new girlfriend. Girlfriend. I have a girlfriend… WOW. He thought to himself as they started their run back to Number 4 Privet Drive.

When they came back, Harry made Hermione do some stretches although she was a little unwilling as she never saw the good in it. "If you don't, your muscles will just cramp up and you wont be able to walk for a week." He said and she looked a little embarrassed for not thinking about that. After finishing their breakfast and their showers, they settled themselves on top of Harry's bed. While Hermione was laying with her head on Harry's lap, suddenly she said "Say, Harry, what was the thing you did yesterday to Dudley? I mean you sort of just waved your hand and he started floating in the air. It was really cool, don't get me wrong but what was it?" At this Harry looked a little amused and he didn't answer her until she got irked at him and snapped, "Why are you looking at me like that?" she tried to say it in an angry tone but she just couldn't be angry with Harry. And upon seeing the smile on his face and looking into his eyes as if she could find the answer there, she melted.

"Oh nothing, I just thought that you would have figured it out by now. It was wandless magic." at this he handed her the book with the passage that he found describing the 'foras virga'. Hermione became silent for a while as she read the page for at least 3 times before she shrieked and threw the book on the bed. She gave Harry a big hug, "Oh Harry, do you realize what's the meaning of this? I mean I am not sure too but I think I have a pretty good idea."

Harry looked a little dumbfounded at this and just shook his head in a very Crabbe-like way, "Ah…. No?"

"Harry if this is what I think it is than you just might be the heir of Gryffindor!!!!" she jumped to his desk, took a piece of parchment and began scribbling furiously. Finally, when she was finished she quickly gave the letter to Hedwig and she flew out of the window into the skyline until she disappeared form view. That left a hurt Vera in her cage, and when she saw this Hermione suddenly realized what she had done. She suddenly looked at Vera and said "Oh! Sorry Vera, I am still not used to having my own owl." Vera just hooted at her and buried her face under her wing and went to sleep.

"Did I hear right? You called her Vera?" asked Harry a minute later when the shock of what Hermione was doing with the letter vanished. "Oh yes I thought it was quite a cute name, don't you?" she asked with a silly grin on her face. "I mean after all you came up with it…."

The days passed rather nicely and when Harry took the time to think about it he realized that so far, this was the best summer yet, even if he had to stay in his room for a week because of the prank that they had pulled on Dudley. They would both go running in the early mornings and then spend the rest of the day in Harry's room reading the books that he got from Remus and Dumbledore. They also finished their summer assignments but as they were now starting their N.E.W.T classes, they really didn't have that much summer homework, but now the week was over and Harry was allowed outside of his room once again. It was a nice, warm day that Harry and Hermione decided to spend in the backyard. And as the house was empty, for Aunt Petunia had taken Dudley to a special place for fat kids to help them lose weight and Uncle Vernon was at work, they made a picnic out of it. So while Harry was setting the towels on the grass, Hermione was in the kitchen making a snack for later. A few minutes later she came back out side holding a brown square basket and again the suntan bottle.

After a few hours of just laying in the sun and relaxing, they were disturbed from their peace and quite from the sound of multiple wings. As they looked up, they could both see a band of four owls that quickly delivered their mail and took flight again. However, one of the owls stayed with them for it was Hedwig.

Each of them got two letters. Harry got one from Hogwarts and one from Remus and Hermione got one from someone that Harry didn't know because Hermione quickly stashed the letter away. Harry decided to open Remus' letter first.

Dear Harry

How are you and Hermione doing? Are your relatives giving you a hard time? Remember, if they do, all you have to do is owl me and we will take care of it.

Now for the more pressing matters. As you know, school is close and I assume that you need to go to Diagon Alley so you can buy the things you need for the upcoming school year. And though I know for a fact that Hermione has all her books already, I am quite sure that she will need a few more once she reads the letter from Hogwarts…

Anyway, owl me back when would you like to go to Diagon Alley so I can plan it with Albus.

See you soon

Remus

P.S.

Hope the books were good.

"I wonder what that was all about." Harry thought to himself but just right then he heard a loud shriek and when he looked up, he saw Hermione with a huge smile on her face. "What is it?" he asked while trying to restrain a laugh.

"Read your Hogwarts letter." was all she would say so Harry complied and opened the envelope with the Hogwarts emblem on it. The first letter was the usual one saying the school year would start on September 1st and all that but then Harry noticed another letter in the envelope and he quickly grabbed it to read.

Dear Mr. Potter

We are pleased to inform you that you, along with ten others have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's Advanced Sixth Year Program. In his program you will study the following subjects in addition with your regular school subjects. The subjects are as follows:

Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts

Advanced Charms

Advanced Transfiguration

You will need the following books for these classes-

Basic and Advanced Dueling Tactics by Alastor moody

The Complete Encyclopedia of Hexes, Curses, and Jinxes Levels 1-4 by Amos Von Marks

Creating Magic: What it Comes Down to by Filius Flitwick

Becoming an Animagus: Firsthand Theory by Minerva McGonagall

Sincerely yours

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

He looked up to see that Hermione still had that huge smile across her face and then she asked him, "Did you get in too?" He nodded. "Oh! Harry that is wonderful!!! This is going to be so much fun! I wonder weather Ron got in or not."

Then she sighed as she remembered that they still hadn't thought about what they were going to say to him. "Listen," he said, "Remus just sent me a letter and asked me when we would like to go to Diagon Alley. What do you say we go there the day before first day and then we can spend the night at the Leaky Cauldron and in the morning we will continue from there to the Platform 9 and ¾. When we get on the train we will tell Ron, okay?"

Suddenly her face lit up and she jumped on his lap and gave him a big kiss and said, "Oh!!!! Harry that would be brilliant!" and she kissed him again. They decided to go back inside and start in on another of Harry's new books and all the while Harry didn't see that Hermione had received another letter from none other than Albus Dumbledore.

The days passed quite fast for Harry's taste and before he knew it, it was already his birthday. Now normally in Number 4 Privet Drive, it was just a day like any other, but this time, Harry felt that it was a little better for he was spending his birthday with the girl that he loved.

Harry woke up that morning only to find Hermione jumping up and down on his bed while trying to wake him up. When he finally gave in and opened his eyes she shrieked with joy and yelled, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY!" and started smothering him with kisses all across his face. For this, Harry didn't object but soon enough he just couldn't take it anymore for he was getting a little hot himself and he pulled her down on the bed , waved his hand at the door which clicked and was locked. After making sure the door was indeed locked, Harry returned his entire attention to the beautiful girl laying across his bed. Suddenly, his mind started filling with thoughts as to what he wanted to do to her that he got a little ashamed at himself just for thinking them. He quickly ignored them and jumped back on the bed only to find that Hermione was waiting for him with her mouth wide open. Their lips met a second later and they kissed deeply for a few good minutes. After, Hermione tilted back her head and let a soft moan of pleasure escape her as Harry moved his mouth down her neck and started planting little kisses at every bare spot of skin there. He trailed back to her ear where he whispered slowly, "You are the most beautiful thing that I have ever had the pleasure to kiss, Hermione Granger. I love you." He quickly returned to the task of kissing her neck before she could even think of an answer to what he had had said to her.

A few minutes later, while her hands were rummaging through his hair, his hands casually slid down to her breast and he cupped one of them with his hand and Hermione let out a soft moan of pleasure. Or pain. He couldn't figure it out so he released his hand from her breast only to find her panting to him, "No…don't stop, this is so nice…." So, like a soldier following his orders, his hand started massaging her breast slowly and gently again. While still kissing her neck and occasionally lifting his head back up to kiss her on the lips, Hermione arched her back and moaned with pleasure until finally she collapsed under him panting heavily from their 'session'.

After a few minutes of just laying in each other's embrace, finally Hermione spoke "Wow Harry...but you do realize that you're the birthday boy and not me? He nodded, "Then how come I ended up getting the birthday gift and not you?" she asked with a devilish smile on her face.

At this Harry tried to suppress a laugh and he answered "Oh! But Miss Granger, this is just the birthday gift the I wanted!" They both laughed a little and soon went back to sleep in each other's arms.

A few days had passed and it was now three days until they would go to Diagon Alley with Remus.

At night and Harry and Hermione had taken to sleeping together (just sleeping mind you!), but this night something was different. As they tucked themselves under the covers, Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, but he just brushed it off for tiredness. "Good night Hermione, I love you." he said to his girlfriend who was almost asleep.

"G'night Harry, I love you too," she mumbled and no more then a minute later they were both asleep.

He found himself laying in his bed with Hermione, when suddenly he heard a series of pops just outside. He got up and looked out of the window and what he saw outside made his face lose all color, for outside were at least 20 Death Eaters led by none other than Voldemort himself. He heard that familiar hiss as Voldemort spoke to himself. "That Mudblood loving fool Dumbledore can't do anything now Potter, and you will die…."

He and all the death Eaters raised their wands and he spat at them, "Remember that this must be done with precise timing for if not, it will not work but it will backfire and kill all of you for you are too weak to stand it.

On the count of three. One…Two…Three…"They began to chant:

"Enversor I detu voco passum dare itaque noceo potter."

The earth shook and lighting erupted from the sky….

"Enversor I detu voco passum dare itaque noceo potter"

Suddenly millions of tiny green skulls appeared out of nowhere and entered the house of Number4 Privet Drive. While Harry watched from his window, he felt the house shake and start to fall apart. Then he heard a voice in his head, "Harry you must escape .you still have time get up and run, NOW!"

"Who is this? How can I hear you?" Asked Harry a little panicked.

"Harry its me Sirius, but that doesn't matter now, you must wake up and run before they come and kill you, you hear me? NOW! WAKE UP!"

"Ok Sirius I…."But just as he tried to finish his sentence his world exploded.

He found himself in his own bed with Hermione lying next to him when suddenly the memories from his vision came back like a flood and he panicked. "Hermione wake up, please this is important." He said as he pushed her with one hand while he waved his other hand and packed his things in his trunk leaving his broom and Invisibility Cloak out.

"Harry… what?" she said groggily with her eyes still shut.

"Hermione there is no time we must go now!"