Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. They are the property of J.K Rowling.
A/N- i updated in case there was anybody out there reading my story but just didn't want to review. I encourage you to review! You review; you read more of the story! Enjoy this chapter!
The Two
Chapter 2
Spectacular News
Harry and Hermione said at the same time, "What! What's the news, what's the news?" Ginny practically yelled, "I got called to Professor Dumbledore's office!" Harry threw Ginny a puzzled look and Hermione who said, "That's good news?" Harry followed up with, "What did you do?" Ginny was still glowing and said, "It's good news, and I didn't do anything bad. I've been in the top of my class since my 1st year, but this year I moved to the top of my whole year!" Harry and Hermione started congratulating her but she stopped them and said, "That's not the news. Professor Dumbledore is bumping me up to my 7th year! I am skipping a year!" She started jumping up and down and clapping and Harry and Hermione were shocked, and they showed their expression on their faces. Harry opened his mouth and stared at her with wide eyes. Hermione widened her eyes and stopped breathing. She took a deep breath and then started talking really fast, "Oh my gosh! This is incredible! Ginny! You're going to be moved up a year! We can finally study together instead of me trying to stuffy with Ron and Harry. We'll be covering all the same material! We'll all graduate together! Isn't that fantastic, Ginny?" Hermione hugged Ginny and they started laughing. Ginny said, "And there's more! I am going to be in all of your classes! Professor Dumbledore said that'd it'd be easier for me to catch up on all the material if I could study with my friends. Isn't that absolutely fantastic?" Harry said at once, "Of course! When are you starting in our classes?" Ginny responded, "On Monday, I don't have classes at all today anymore, Dumbledore sent all my teachers notes explaining my absence and removal from the class. I'm going to go tell Ron and send an owl to my parents! They should be just as excited! See you at dinner!" Harry and Hermione said together, "Bye!" They watched her rush off to the Gryffindor tower. Harry looked at Hermione and she was even prettier with a smile on her face. Harry started thinking about the questions he was supposed to ask himself today. Your knees get weak and you can't speak when you see them. Well, he wasn't weak when he saw Hermione and they were when he saw Ginny. Who do you think about more? I've been thinking and staring at Hermione all day long. Who could you spend your life with? Both of them. I can see Hermione and me married, having kids. But I can see Ginny and me at our wedding, her beautiful red hair curly over her shoulders in a white wedding dress, which brings out the color of her hair. Who can you not live without? Well I don't know. I really don't know. I can't see life without Ginny. She brings such excitement to the day. Life without Hermione would be just as difficult, though. She pushes me to do my best before every test, and she's the reason I'm even in my 7th year. Hermione said, "Isn't that great, Harry? Ginny will be around all day long! Isn't that truly wonderful!" Harry said, "Yeah, it's awesome. Her parents are going to be so happy! Can you imagine what Mrs. Weasly will do when she finds out?" Hermione said, "She'll be even more excited than me and you!" Harry said, "Yeah! Her youngest child, and her only daughter, will be moved up into a whole different year! Wow!" Then they walked towards their last class of the day, Defense Against the Dark Arts.
The new Defense Against the Dark teacher was Professor Holden. She was an awesome teacher. She let them actually practice the defense moves. Even Neville was doing well in the class. When they walked in, Professor Holden asked, "Where's the third part of the Dynamic Trio?" Harry answered, "Ron's sick." Hermione said almost as soon as Harry finished talking, "I'm taking notes for him." The professor laughed and said between breaths, "Okay, well you two take a seat and we'll begin." Harry and Hermione took seats in the front row and were eager for the class to begin. Defense Against the Dark Arts had been Harry's best class through all of the years he was at Hogwarts.
They studied a new variation of stunning spells that day and Harry was the only person who mastered it before Hermione. He sure did feel good by then. 45 minutes later Hermione and Harry walked down to the lake to enjoy the end of Friday afternoon. The lake glistened and reflected the sun. The Giant Squid's tentacles were seen pulling down seaweed. Harry started realizing the romantic look the sunset was giving the lake. He looked at Hermione to find she was looking at him. She was looking so sweet and angelic with a Mona-Lisa smile, the half smile that sends off a mysterious look. After a minute of just staring into each other's eyes, Hermione started to lean in. Harry leaned in a little quicker and kissed her on the lips gingerly. He was surprised that she kissed him back. The kiss got more passionate and Harry put his arms around her waist and Hermione put her hands around Harry's neck. They kept kissing, each filling their long-awaited desires.
When they broke apart, Harry felt an unexplainable magic between them. It felt so good to kiss her. She was smiling more now, showing her beautiful teeth. Harry smiled at her and they got up and walked back towards the castle. Harry said to Hermione, "Does this mean we're going out, 'Mione?" She thought a moment and said, "I don't know, Harry. I don't think so. Let's not mention this to Ron, though. I know he likes me. We both would feel awful." Harry just said, "Yeah, let's not tell him. In fact, let's forget this happened…okay?" Harry knew he couldn't forget it, but Hermione said, "Okay, I think that's best." They reached the castle door and headed for the staircase.
"Harry! Today was so awesome! I didn't have to get out of bed all day long. Apart from the house-elf trying to drown me in soup, today was great! Guess what?"
"What, Ron?" Harry asked.
"I saw Ginny after lunch and she told me the most fantastic news!"
"Ron, 'Mione and I saw Ginny in the hall after lunch. She told us already! She's going to be bumped up a year! It's great!"
"Yeah! It's awesome! I just hope that my little sister doesn't outdo me, you know? How embarrassing would it be that your little sister gets better grades than you do?"
"I'm sure it won't be that bad, Ronald."
"Whatever you say, 'Mione."
After about half an hour of talking about how good it was that Ginny would be in their year, Harry suddenly asked, "Hermione?"
"Hmmm?"
"Why were you never bumped up a year? You've been in the top of the year in all of our classes since we were in our 1st year. How come Dumbledore never bumped you up?"
"That's because I wasn't the top in all of my classes."
Ron asked, "What class were you not the top in?"
"Defense Against the Dark Arts" She said calmly, while Ron and Harry just dropped their mouths.
They both asked, "What! Who was top?"
"Harry." Said Hermione, as calm as ever.
Harry was more surprised than he ever was in his whole life. It must have shown on his face because Hermione said, "Well, duh! Didn't you notice? The last three practical exams we took you scored higher than me, and you have been mastering those skills faster than I have. I can't believe you didn't notice!" Harry was still shocked, and Ron said, "I can't believe you are in the top of a class! Wow! Way to go Harry!" Harry just felt that the day was going his way today.
Harry was still in shock when he went down to dinner. Hermione and Harry decided they should when a house-elf came up to feed Ron. Ginny was telling everybody in the common room about being bumped up. They all seemed excited for her. Hermione grabbed Ginny with a cheerful, "Come on!" and they dragged her to the Great Hall for dinner.
During dinner, Ginny started talking to everyone around her about being skipped up a year. Harry asked Ginny, "Have you heard back from your parents yet?" She replied, "No, but I expect a Green Howler tomorrow morning. I am so thrilled!" A Green Howler is like a regular howler except a happy one. It is like the sounds of a party happening. Everybody congratulated Ginny tons of times but then a cold voice said clearly, "So it's true then? The little Weasel's being moved ahead a year?" Hermione turned around quicker than Ginny and found herself face to face with Draco Malfoy. Draco had changed dramatically over the summer as well. He had a strong chest, which meant clearly he had been working out. His blonde hair wasn't slicked back with way too much hair gel anymore, but styled messy. His blue-gray eyes sparkled and his smirk turned into a frown. He said coldly, "What do you want, Mudblood?" Hermione couldn't help but notice how good he looked. Despite how good he looked she said, "I want you to shut your face and go back over to your little table and never talk bad about Ginny or anyone else ever again. What do you want?" Draco certainly looked shocked but he was quick with a reply, "I want you to leave this school and never come back, Mudblood." Hermione was ready with a reply, "Well we don't always get what we want. But I will get what I want, or I'll have to hex you." She smiled sweetly and Draco and his goons, Crabbe and Goyle, backed away and walked back to the Slytherin table. Hermione watched them go and sat back down, still remembering how good he looked. The whole table cheered for Hermione and she felt very good about herself.
That night Harry slept through the whole night and Ron wasn't yelling in the morning. Apparently he didn't have a fever anymore. Harry got up, very excited that it Saturday, and woke up the still sleeping Ron. Ron woke up and yelled, "No! Don't eat me! Oh, it's you Harry. I had the weirdest dream. Do you want to hear about it?" Harry replied, "No. What I want to hear is you getting up so we can go get some breakfast." Ron eventually got up and headed for his trunk. Harry pulled o some clothes and turned around to see if Ron was ready yet. He saw Ron back in his bed, sound asleep. After half an hour, Harry and Ron finally left the dormitory.
Hermione was waiting for them in the common room. She said, "I've been waiting for half an hour. What took you two so long?" Harry explained, "Ron wouldn't get up." Ron looked embarrassed and said, "Well, I'm sorry. Saturday's are meant for laziness. Are we going to get some breakfast or not?" They walked out of the tower and towards the Great Hall.
On the way they ran into a very unpleasant creature. Draco's cold, hateful voice rang down the hallway, "I see they let you kiddies out of your cages!" Hermione came right up with a response, "I see they let you into the sunlight!" The hallway laughed at her comeback, implying that Malfoy was as pale as ever this year. Since he didn't have a reply, he walked off. You could tell he was pissed off. The three walked into the Great Hall right as the mail was arriving. They sat down, anxiously awaiting the Green Howler. They were surprised however, when a letter plopped down in front of Ginny. Followed by a Howler. Not a Green one. There was no doubt that it was a Red one. Ginny just stared at it. The whole table was quiet and watched as she opened them.
A/N- Don't you love that cliffhanger? I thought it might make you anxious for the next chapter. Review lots (and I mean LOTS!) and I'll put up the next chapter! I don't want to update till I've gotten 5 reviews, and remember that my goal is 100 reviews!