"You did a wonderful job watching Harry last night." Hermione said to Ron. They were at breakfast, Harry was still sleeping and Hermione was upset with the way last night went….but at least he spoke. Hermione had resolved to talk to Ginny once they both had a free period. And of course, it would have to be a time when Harry couldn't see that she was talking to Ginny. Hermione did not need to lose Harry's trust.
"Oh thanks, it was really not that bad, he fell asleep as soon as he hit the bed." Ron said not catching the hint of sarcasm in Hermione's voice.
"Yeah I suppose the
snoring was very annoying."
"Harry doesn't snore." Ron
stuffed his mouth with a bit of muffin, still completely oblivious.
"But you do…..Harry snuck out last night under the invisibility cloak, you nit. You let him get right by you. I can't believe you didn't check his bed. But thank goodness he goofed….I heard his cloak rustling and caught him." Hermione was a little ticked at Ron but she couldn't blame him for what happened. Ron was absent-minded and didn't think of all the things she did, she couldn't blame him for that. Hermione knew Ron was very concerned about Harry too. He had been up every night with Hermione and tried everything he could think of to win Harry over but nothing ever seemed to work.
Hermione looked at Ron, considering telling him what Harry had talked about the night before. Hermione then dismissed the idea; she couldn't betray a best friend. She had to keep the information from Ron. He had too big of a mouth sometimes and Hermione could never face Harry if he believed her to betray his trust.
"What happened? What did you do?" Ron was looking at Hermione wide eyed, he didn't even seem to care that he had let Harry from his sight.
"Well I told him I knew he was there and I pulled the cloak off of him. He sat with me for a few hours and then went to bed. I'm dead tired…..and its all your fault." Hermione knew her way out of this now. Ron would not ask her questions if he thought that she was angry with him. "I understand that its been tough for you but you just can't slack off that way….Ron we could lose him"
Hermione's voice broke Ron's heart when she said the last part. It was true they could lose Harry if they didn't watch over him. Harry had said he wouldn't come back to Hogwarts this year….and yet they all had. Hermione and Ron were both very sure that Harry hadn't forgotten his promise to them. Maybe Harry was just waiting for the right time to leave.
"I'm sorry Hermione, I really am. Look, I'll go back up to the dormitory and sit on my bed until Harry wakes up, I promise I won't leave." And with that Ron grabbed two more muffins and left the table. Hermione had gotten what she wanted; no questions as to what happened.
Hermione was trailing Ginny as she walked down the hall. Ginny turned a corner, so did Hermione. Ginny turned down one hall and Hermione took the shortcut to head her off, in doing so she found herself bumping into a very lumpy something. Hermione steadied herself so she wouldn't fall and looked around the passage. There was seemingly no one there but Hermione knew better then that. She whipped out a hand and pulled off a silky something from something solid. There in front of her in the cold, dark passageway was Harry. Hermione looked at him in shock. He stood looking at her for a moment, holding the Marauder's Map for dear life. Harry's hands were shaking with so much force Hermione thought for a moment that he was having a seizure.
"Don't you dare talk to Ginny!" And with that Harry pushed past her and through the passageway. Hermione stared after him, invisibility cloak in hand. Harry had obviously been tracking her every movement since he woke up. Ron was going to get a surprise when he went to check on Harry in the dormitory…. Hermione held the invisibility cloak in her hand and left the passageway, Ginny was going to have to wait. But Hermione would tell her what happened, she had to. Ginny had been losing sleep and getting so thin. She hadn't been the girl she was before Harry. She was no longer the Ginny that wanted to date around, she hardly ever laughed, her studies were all she worked on and she was seen carrying an old picture of Harry with her a few times in the common room late at night.
Hermione looked around the hallway, Harry had been watching her from the Marauder's Map…..she would never get to talk to Ginny…..something had to be done…..
