Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling deserves all credit

When Nightmares Are A Good Thing

Chapter 12: Dinner Set Ups

The kitchen table was slightly emptier than it had been the night before, Harry noticed, as not everyone in the Order resided at Headquarters. Already seated were Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Remus, and the Headmaster and Headmistress. The absence of Tonks was odd, but not unusual. She did have a family to visit and Mad Eye tended to have missions for the order at night.

Harry hastily took the seat next to the headmistress leaving a seat temporarily empty between Mrs. Weasley and himself, which was thankfully taken up by Ginny. He had decided last night to try and stay out of Molly Weasley's eyesight when it came to eating; therefore sitting across or next to her was out of the question. Ron, who was now sitting across from him, was his best friend but his barbaric eating patterns would make Harry's own bird like appetite seem far worse, if they were seated side by side. Remus was to one side of Ron and Hermione to the other. The only real problem Harry had with the table arrangement was that he had wished to be seated further away from his "Grandparents". Then again, he had evaded them long enough. Dumbledore was bound to have words with his sometime tonight. At least this way there was a possibility of getting it over with while in the presence of others.

Like most dinner conversations at Grimmauld 12 Place, there were many. It always seemed like people were conversing with the person all the way across the table rather than those that were next to them. It gave Harry a pleasant homely feeling, like Hogwarts.

The skinny boy put some meager helpings on his plate and slowly began eating a little bit at a time to keep up the appearance, all the while discussing Ron and Hermione's "relationship" quietly with Ginny.

"Do you think he'll ever realize that he likes her?" Ginny asked.

Harry considered before saying, "He either has already and won't admit it out of fear of rejection or hasn't figured it out because he's that thick."

Ginny's snort of laughter was thankfully not audible to the rest of the table over Ron and Hermione, who were bickering over whether or not "shan't" was a word or not. Sometimes the things they fight over were just plain ridiculous.

With a silly smile Ginny whispered, "I think he just might be that thick."

"Well then, we'll just have to help him realize it because I, for one, refuse to spend another school year with them arguing over the dumbest topic known to man. Really, one day the got into it over where toilet paper comes from! Honestly!"

The snicker that his statement forced from Ginny made Harry's stomach tingle in joy. He watched as flipped her hair over one shoulder and turned to look him in the eye sporting a grin so mischievous one would wager that the Marauders and the twins had taught it to her.

"You have to make him jealous, Harry. Make him jealous about Hermione and then point it out to him. Maybe then he'll do something about all this," She said, gesturing under the table up at the couple in front of them.

Harry smiled at her before he turned his attention to Hermione. Due to his life in a cupboard and a neglectful family, he had never been open about anything, especially emotions. He wasn't really sure how to flirt or what to do that would make Ron jealous, so he stared. It only took a few moments before Hermione noticed.

"Are you all right, Harry?"

Still smiling inwardly at the thought of his and Ginny's plan, Harry shook his head to regain his ability to not stare.

"Um, yeah, it's just you look so beautiful, Herms. I don't know why I never noticed it before!"

Hermione blushed the same color as Ron's ears.

"Oh, no, I'm not. It's just-"

"Yes, you are. You're the most gorgeous almost sweet sixteen year old girl I have ever had the pleasure to set eyes on," the green-eyed boy cut her off. With that, Harry leaned across the table and placed a chaste kiss on Hermione's cheek. Out the corner of his eye he saw that his best friend was about ready to explode. When he pulled back, he stared into Hermione's chocolate brown eyes as she stared back.

Suddenly there was a loud noise as Ron's chair was pushed back from the table forcibly.

"Excuse me," Ron spat through gritted teeth. He stormed out of the room almost slamming the door to the kitchen in the process.

Mrs. Weasley seemed very upset at her son's behavior; she apologized to the table thoroughly by offering to go calm him down. Ginny only laughed at the table's responses to the scene.

"No, Mum. I think this is my, ahem, "cue" to do a sisterly duty," she spoke.

Harry scoffed, "Oh sure! Take all the fun jobs, why don't you!"

"So you'd like the honor, then?"

"Um...no. You go right ahead."

"I thought so. Harry Potter an amazing guy all around is scared of his best mate!"

Harry, not even catching the compliment replied with, "You're just trying to push it off on me, now!"

"Obviously!"

"You'd better hurry before he gets violent!"

Ginny mock glared at him as she left the room in search of her brother. Harry chuckled as he turned back around to face a table full of confused witches and wizards.

"So, um, how long have you been here Hermione?" Harry asked to dodge questions.

It seemed that she was still working out what was going on because it took a minuet for Hermione to answer his question with a simple, "three days."

Nobody said much else until Ginny strode back into the room looking confident.

"What's the verdict?" Harry asked when he saw Ron had not accompanied her in.

"He's wallowing in his self denial. He's mad at you as well."

"Well I knew he would be, but what else?"

"Oh, you'd probably better plan to speak with him in the morning when he's cooled off. He had Krum's figurine out again."

Harry winced. "Didn't he smash that in our fourth year around the time of the Yule Ball? I could have sworn I stepped on his head four or five time that winter."

With a smile she responded, "Yes, but I think he uses 'Reparo' on it after he vents his anger. I'll bet he owls Fred or George in the morning to put it right again so he can throw it at the wall once more."

He nodded his agreement as he said, "Yeah, I'll bet. I'll speak with him after breakfast. He only got in his first two helpings of dinner down. I wouldn't ask a mountain troll to face Ron when he's hungry. Have you already brushed the finer points of what he needed to hear?" Harry saw Ginny nod her head proudly.

He stole a look across the table at Hermione, who was smiling broadly behind her glass of pumpkin juice having caught on to the two were up to.

Suddenly a wave of guilt flooded through him. He had been mad at Hermione just this morning for doing the very thing that he had decided to allow people to do with him at the beginning of the summer; save the world. It was when he took a study break from his book that he remembered his promise unto himself. Hadn't he agreed to take all the pain from the world and manage it himself? So why had he gotten angry with Hermione and Ron? They were doing just what he was supposed to be doing. Why make Lee Jordan tell the story of the Umbridge and her evil ways? He was already in pain; a little more wouldn't kill him, right? It was then that he came to the conclusion that he had, once again, hurt the people around him unintentionally. When his best friends came in to apologize he quickly accepted to set things right.

Now, he had all but told Hermione that he was just trying to get Ron jealous. Shouldn't she be accusing him of lying about her beauty? He decided to apologize anyway.

"Look, Mione, I really did mean what I said. I just normally wouldn't have even thought about saying something like that-"

Hermione cut him off, "I know, Harry. I've been your best friend ever since you saved my life from that mountain troll. I think I know you better than you think."

"Better than me even," Harry muttered under his breath, the memory of Hermione explaining his "hero complex" before he forced them all to fly to the Ministry of Magic still fresh. It seemed as if nobody had heard his statement, but Ginny gave him a questioning look.

Dinner carried on for a while longer; with Harry listening to the rest speak of this and that all the while trying to force himself to actually eat. He caught Remus looking at him with a closed expression many times during dinner but had little time to consider what it was all about.

A throat was cleared softly to the right of Harry. A glance at his right told him it had come from the Headmaster. Harry knew what was coming but did nothing to encourage it. He stared one of Dumbledore's midnight blue sleeves and focused on it intently. The Professor had wanted to play games last year and Harry was following the rules; don't look into the other's eyes and avoid any conversation, explanations, or exchange of any sort.

After a few moments Professor Dumbledore said softly, "Harry, please look at me."

Harry brought his eyes up to look at a part of the wall just beyond the old man's head. He heard him sigh and Professor McGonagall shift uncomfortably next to him. He was sure the rest of the room was waiting on tender hooks to see what would happen. The room had fallen completely silent.

"Very, well. I do wish to speak to you when you finish your dinner, Harry. I'll be in the drawing room," Dumbledore said in a slightly regretful sounding voice.

Harry watched as the Headmaster stood up from the table, thanked Mrs. Weasley for the delicious meal, that Harry couldn't even taste, and left the room. Harry balanced out his choices. On one hand, he could get up now and go face his doom. He would get out of dinner but only to have words with Dumbledore. On the second hand, he could drawl out dinner and have less time with the Headmaster. The risk in his appetite being noticed was too great in the latter so Harry summoned all the calmness he possessed and then some. After an appropriate amount of time, he too stood up and thanked Mrs. Weasley before leaving the room and taking his time to hum a melancholy tune as he approached the drawing room.