Chapter Sixteen
A/N: Thank you! That's really all I have to say. I will, however, elaborate. CatatonicReaction, your review was lovely and welcomed with open arms. I was wondering when someone was going to slam my story. I'm glad it came this soon; God knows my ego could use a good squashing about now. Sorry if it was a little too romancy for you, however this is a romance fic… I hope that if you kept reading that the plot picked up. Again, thank you kindly for your review, it was much appreciated. I've noticed that the reviews I'm getting are telling me more and more of my faults, THANK YOU! I hope this does not sound sarcastic. I really enjoy hearing what your guys truly think.
Disclaimer: I am extraordinarily broke, so it would be fruitless to sue me. . . that and I DON'T own the characters.
"Why is Harry so mad at us?" Hermione pondered later that day in Potions. She and Ron were working on a variation of a truth potion.
"I don't know. He wouldn't even talk to me after we left McGonagall's."
"I know things haven't been easy for him lately. . ." Hermione bit her bottom lip, "Do you think that all this stuff with Neville's parents is making him think about. . . Voldemort, and what . . . happened?"
"Could be." Ron shrugged. "I just hope that he's not mad at us forever."
"Harry!" Hermione caught up with him after class. "Harry, wait!"
Harry stopped in the middle of the hall. "What?"
"I need to talk to you."
"What about?"
"You! What is with you? You're not talking to us anymore, Harry. I'm worried. Is it something we did? Because if it is I'm really sorry Harry, honestly."
Harry looked down into Hermione's pleading eyes.
"Please, Harry, tell me what's wrong." Hermione placed a hand on his arm.
Later that night in the common room, after all had gone to bed, Harry, Ron, and Hermione stayed up talking.
"I mean, really, who does Dumbledore think he is?"
"He's just looking out for Neville." Hermione said.
"I don't think that he's looking at all sides of the situation properly." Harry grumbled.
"Harry, you've been pouting like that for the past hour, mate. Give it a rest." Ron said from his flopped position on the couch.
"I have not been pouting. Tell him I haven't been pouting Hermione."
"Ron, really, be more sympathetic, would you? Harry is making a good point."
Ron made a noise from the back of his throat but said no more.
"I think I'm going to turn in." Harry announced.
"Are you sure you're going to be okay now Harry?" Hermione asked, grabbing his arm so that he could not evade her question.
"I'm fine, Hermione." Harry smiled a genuine smile at her. He knew his friends were just concerned for him. Really, without his friends, he'd be stuck. It was nice to have them around, and to be on speaking terms. "Goodnight." He patted her hand and then headed up toward the boys' dormitory where Neville, Dean, and Seamus had disappeared to not so long ago.
All was quiet for a moment. Ron and Hermione simply sat staring into the crackling fire.
"Do you really think I'm not that sympathetic?" Ron questioned.
"Ron-"
"I'm serious, Hermione. I can be a sympathetic guy."
Hermione said nothing.
"Ouch."
"What?"
"That hurts."
"What hurts?"
"That you don't believe me."
"Ron, I haven't said anything."
"Ah, but I know what you're thinking."
"How can you know what I'm thinking?"
"I know you better than you know yourself, remember?" Ron sat up at pulled at the necklace he had given Hermione for Christmas.
Ron suddenly realized at what a close proximity he was sharing with his female best friend. His stomach preformed the familiar lurch that he had become so accustom to.
"Um. . . yeah. . . I suppose you're right. . ." Hermione whispered. "You do know what I'm thinking."
"You'd figure I'd be getting better marks in Divination, then."
Hermione giggled.
Ron gave her his familiar lopsided grin.
Hermione grabbed his hand. "I really do hope Harry is okay."
"I think he'll be just fine." Ron said, not really wanting to discuss his other best friend at this particular point in time.
They sat in silence for a moment before Hermione spoke. "I. . . well. . . I should be getting to bed. It really is bad to stay up late, you know. It has a drastic effect on your grades." she stood up and instantly became the business-like Hermione Granger that he was so familiar with. "Goodnight, Ron." she stooped low and planted a kiss on his cheek before disappearing up the girls' dormitory staircase.
"Night. . ." Ron said, somewhat dazed.
The second Hermione opened the Daily Prophet the next morning she let go of it as though it had bitten her.
"What is it?" Harry asked, picking up the copy of the paper. His eyes went wide.
"Well tell me!" Ron exclaimed, grabbing the paper from Harry's hands. He almost fell off of the bench he was sitting on.
"B-brake outs. . . Azkaban. . ." Hermione stammered.
"But how?" Harry asked. "They've got powerful witches and wizards guarding Azkaban. How could someone possibly get out?"
"Has it got a list of the people who escaped?" Hermione asked nervously.
Ron nodded. He traced the list with his finger. He came to the end. His mouth went dry. "He escaped." Ron nodded, knowing just what Hermione was about to ask. Ron pointed to the very end of the list. The name at the bottom clearly read Lucius Malfoy.
Harry looked over to the Slytherin table. In the center he saw Draco Malfoy. Around him sat his very smug looking cronies. Malfoy caught Harry's glance and smiled maliciously while holding up a copy of the paper. "This isn't good." Harry said.
"This isn't good at all." Ron agreed, casting a worried look at Hermione who was deeply involved in reading the article. The words of Draco Malfoy reverberated in his mind: Mudbloods and Muggle-lovers first. . .
"Harry, I need a word with you." Professor Lupin bade him over after class.
"Yes Professor?"
"The staff and I were speaking earlier today, Harry. We feel that, well in light of recent events, that is would be beneficial to the school if you were to start up the DA again. Overall, we feel it would be best if the students were to receive some hands on defense training…just in case."
"Did Dumbledore think it was a good idea?" Harry asked. Lupin missed the slight bitterness of his tone.
"He was the one who suggested it. But what do you think Harry? Are you up for it?"
Harry pondered this. True, he had had fun last year teaching everybody… and this year he wouldn't have to hide from Umbridge… "Yeah. Yeah, I'll do it."
Lupin smiled. "Excellent! I'll be sure to tell Dumbledore. I'm sure that there will be a recommended list of things for you to teach, but it is your club."
Harry nodded. "Of course. When do I start?"
"When do you want to start?"
Harry sat with Lupin for quite some time hammering out the more petty details such as time and place. They even banged out a small outline of a curriculum that would coincide with Professor Lupin's classes, as to allow for a fuller learning environment for the students.
Harry left Lupin's office feeling better than he had in the past few days. Most of his anger at Dumbledore had melted away. However, he still couldn't deny the tugging feeling he felt at the back of his brain… like he was overlooking something… something that he was sure he didn't want to forget…
A/N: I don't feel that this is one of my better chapters. I'm actually quite ashamed of it. It's choppy, and really messed up. The story really isn't going the way I hoped it would. I have no clue as to what my characters are up to. At the moment I feel as though they are leading me on a wild goose chase.