Disclaimer: I'm getting to old to write these things… see chapter seven, six, five, four, three, two or one if you really want to read one.
Author's Note: Hey guys! I can practically hear you all yelling FINALLY! I know this chapter is a bit late. TRY SIX MONTHS LATE! you all yell. Sorry for being so late, but I had MAJOR writer's block, I couldn't think of anything for months. And even so, I'm still not to pleased with this chapter. Anyway, here it is!
Rocks-my-socks: Thanks for you review! It was what made me want to finish writing this story!
Ruinsul: Thanks for your review as well! They make me feel so loved!
Uploaded: Tuesday, August 2, 2005
Chapter Eight: Tears
Harry woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and oddly content with himself. He remembered that the last thing he did before going to bed was kiss Ginny. He wasn't even regretting it; in fact he was not surprised to find that he was happy with himself for doing it, even though he didn't know if he liked Ginny yet. Harry rolled out of bed and saw that Ron was there. He must have come in after I went to bed, Harry thought. Ron looked happy, even though he was sleeping. He had a slight smile playing about his lips. Wonder what's happened with him? Probably dreaming about Snape being eaten by a giant cauldron or something. Harry put on his robes and stumbled to the Common Room. By the looks of the amount of people there, it was still early morning. Hermione and Ginny were sitting in a corner, chatting quietly.
"And then he- oh, good morning Harry!" Hermione shot a look at Ginny, one that Harry couldn't read.
"Morning," Harry stifled a yawn. Ginny smiled up at him shyly. Hermione and Ginny looked at each other, and then looked at Harry. Ginny stifled a giggle with her school robes. Harry stared at the two girls before him, wondering at their strange behaviour, writing it off to 'girlishness'.
"Where is everyone?" Harry asked, looking around once more.
"Didn't you look at your watch? It's 6:15 in the morning," Hermione grinned. "What are you doing up anyway?"
"Oh, I just woke up. I dunno why." Harry said. "What are you two doing up?" he asked suspiciously.
"Oh-er- we were just talking, you know girl-talk. And we didn't want Lavender or Parvati to hear." Ginny said with a quick smile at Hermione.
"I see." The three sat around talking and waiting for the inevitable, when the students would all get up and rush for the Great Hall. Exactly on queue, students started to file out of their dormitories in hordes. Harry and Hermione waited for Ron to come stumbling down the stairs, and Ginny went off with some of her friends.
"So, er, Hermione, what's going on with you and Ginny? You guys were acting like you were hiding something."
"Oh really?" Hermione asked, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "Nothing's going on, we were just talking, that's all," Harry didn't believe her, the fact that she was avoiding eye contact and was fidgeting gave her lie away. Just as he was about to press the topic, Ron appeared behind him.
"Morning mate," Ron yawned.
"Morning," Harry answered. Hermione uttered a timid greeting and looked away from Ron, and at that instant, Harry knew whatever the girls were talking about, it had to do with Ron. The trio made their way to the Great Hall, intent on getting some breakfast into their empty stomachs. They chose their seats at the Gryffindor table, Harry beside Ron and Hermione sat down beside Ginny. Ginny leaned over to Hermione and soon they were whispering animatedly, resuming the conversation that Harry had interrupted.
"Hey Granger, do you like weasels?" Pansy Parkinson from the Slytherin table yelled across the hall. Hermione blushed and ignored her, continuing to talk with Ginny. Pansy got up from the table and stalked over to Hermione. "I saw you with Weasley last night, what were you two doing, whispering on the bench outside, without Potter?" She hissed. Hermione's face grew redder and she stood up to face the ugly girl in front of her.
"What are you doing, spying on people, anyway? Don't you have some poor Hufflepuff to bother or something? Oh, and I would brush your teeth if I were you, your breath absolutely reeks." Hermione flipped her hair of her shoulder and flounced away, leaving a fuming Pansy, an embarrassed Ron and a confused Harry in her wake.
"I know that many of you want to be Aurors, so I have planned today's lesson based on that." Professor Minerva McGonagall told her class. "Open your 'The Joy of Transfiguration Grade 7' book to page 450. Read the chapter and then practice the Body Transfiguration charm on a partner, but please only transfigure ONE part of the body. Only ONE, please." McGonagall looked pointedly at Seamus and Ron, who were eagerly thumbing through the pages of the book and whispering about what they could transform each other into. The only sound that was heard was the sound of pages ruffling and whispered voices repeating incantations. Soon, the class was filled with shouted incantations and flashes of bright white lights. As Neville Longbottom did not have a partner to work with, he had to transfigure one of his own body parts. As the class filed out of the room for lunch, Neville whined "Professor! I can't un-transfigure my arm! I don't know how!" Professor McGonagall tutted and shook her head. With a flick of her wand, she turned Neville's arm back from a fish fin to a human arm.
"Thanks, Professor. Merlin, I thought that I would have that fin forever!"
"You have to wonder how Neville made it to Seventh Year Transfiguration, don't you?" Ron muttered to Harry and Hermione. Harry laughed but Hermione tutted and said,
"You should be kinder to the less fortunate, Ron."
After classes that day, Harry and Ginny snuck out to the lake for an uninterrupted chat.
"So ummm…. Harry?" Ginny faltered.
"Hmmm?" Harry mumbled, suddenly embarrassed by Ginny.
"Are we… y'know, dating?" Harry looked at Ginny, thinking about what his answer would be. He didn't know if he liked Ginny, but it was obvious that she liked him. And he did kiss her the night before. The last thing he wanted to do was lead her on.
"Well, I guess so. But I don't think Ron is going to be very happy about this." Harry said, hesitatingly.
"For Merlin's sake! Who gives two hippogriffs' bottoms what Ron thinks? I most certainly do not!" Ginny cried, frustration and glee making her face red. Harry could tell that his answer had been the right one and he was happy with himself for making Ginny happy.
"Harry? Harry!" Ginny called.
"Mhmm?" Harry mumbled, not looking Ginny in the eye.
"I was asking you whether we were going to tell Ron about us, when you got a sort of far-away look in your eyes. Are you okay?" Ginny was genuinely concerned and at that moment, Harry knew that he really did like Ginny. She was just like his mother. He thought for a moment and then answered very carefully.
"Yeah, yeah I think we should tell Ron. He's my best mate and I don't want him to find out from somebody else." Harry shuddered to think about what Ron would do when he told him, let alone what he would do if he found out by gossip. Ginny nodded her agreement and together the couple walked up to the castle.
Harry and Ginny climbed through the portrait hole, and instantly they new that something was wrong. The common room was unusually quiet and subdued. Their thoughts were confirmed when they saw Ron's panic-stricken face and Hermione's tear stained one.
"Oh! What's happened, Hermione? Why are you crying?" Ginny crouched beside the tearful brunette.
"My- it's- my-oh!" Hermione stuttered and shook with tears. Harry and Ginny both looked to Ron, waiting for him to explain. Ron took a deep breath, and shakily told them the story.
"It's Hermione's father. He's… he's dead. Mrs. Granger had been out shopping before going home from work and when she returned the- the- the," Ron gulped and continued. "The Dark Mark hung over the house. Even she knew what it meant and she went into the house. She found Mr. Granger on the floor." At this, Hermione wailed and threw herself at Ginny, and the younger girl caught her and held her tight.
"Why did He have to go after my parents? They haven't done anything to Him. It's becausethey'remuggles! He would've killed Mum too!" Hermione cried. Harry and Ron didn't know what to do. So they just sat and watched as their best friend cried as if she were trying to flood the world.