A/N: I really wanted to get to the dinner in this chapter, really I did, but I just can't seem to get there!! I'm soooo sorry! Especially to GryffindorGoddess28 who begged me very nicely to post before Saturday and I'm sorry to say that is it about 3 o'clock Saturday morning... but I didn't get to the dinner scene this chapter anyway and I'm sorry for it!! I'm not quite sure how or when Sam will get her just rewards, but I'm quite certain that she will! And Mercedes, that's actually your name? I think it's an awesome name, though I can see the downside. I love all y'alls great reviews, you're comments really make me smile! I love how y'all are interested in my story... that's really never happened to me before... sniffles...
Chapter 7
Music softly streamed from the study. Harry, who had just taken a shower rubbed his hair with a towel as he made his was into the room.
"What are you doing Hermione? Don't you think you're hairs curly enough as it is?" Harry asked as he noticed Hermione sitting on the floor in a corner of the room with a mirror and a curling iron looking contraption.
"It's not a curling iron Harry, this is a hair straightener." Hermione said as she continued to lip the words as they flowed from the cd player. Harry shrugged his shoulders and sat on the floor beside his back pack. Ron was sitting on a large comfy chair that was situated in one of the corners of the room, slowly turning a lamp on and off, on and off.
"I'll never understand you muggles." Ron said in awe. "All these objects you have really are quite amazing. The wizarding world could learn a lot from muggles." Hermione smiled as she looked away from her mirror and at Ron.
"I'm surprised you've handled yourself so well." Hermione said and Ron gave her a mean look. "I know you are capable of controlling yourself Ron, so don't give me that look. It's just, when I first visited Diagon Alley and Hogwarts, I was amazed, completely mesmerized. I can only imagine that's how you must be feeling now."
"Well, as much as I hate to admit it, you're right. It is rather hard." Ron said. Harry raised his eyebrows, had Ron just admitted that Hermione was right? "I have been to muggle places before of course, but I've never been up close and allowed to actually touch anything before..."
"Oh! I wish my family wasn't here!" Hermione burst out. "They ruin everything! If they weren't here, I could show you all the muggle devices and things, it would be really fun."
"Don't worry 'bout it Hermione." Ron smiled. "We'll have plenty of chances for that later, and you can still show me stuff when they leave the house." Hermione nodded.
"I suppose so." She said with a sigh as she turned back to her mirror.
"I'm goin' to go shower now." Ron said as he grabbed his back pack and head for the bath room.
"Ron! Wait!" Hermione shouted as he stepped outside the room, causing him to stop and turn around. "Have you got your school uniform with you?" He nodded. "You might want to wear it, minus the robes of course, the family always sort of dresses up for the reunion dinner." Ron nodded again and headed off to take a shower.
Harry stretched and took a seat in the now vacant arm chair. "I wish you had told me to put on my uniform." Harry was wearing jean shorts and a t- shirt. "Sorry, it slipped my mind." Hermione said off handedly, still trying to straighten her curls.
"No offense, I mean, this is your house after all, but why aren't you doing that in your room?' Harry asked with a smile at his naturally curly best friend before adding. "Why are you even doing it at all?"
"Samantha locked me out." Hermione grimaced, Harry knew she was wishing she were allowed to do spells out of school, Alohomora would come in pretty handy right now. "I have to make a good appearance and a good appearance in this family doesn't consist of extremely bushy hair." Hermione replied quite seriously.
"Aw, it's not bushy anymore Hermione, it's calmed down a lot. I like it curly." Harry said, reaching out and hitting an unstraightened curl lightly.
"You may like it and personally I like it now too, but when they look at it, all they see is how much I look like my mother." Hermione said with venom.
"But..." Harry said, thinking, "Your mum hasn't got curly hair, it's rather straight actually." Hermione stiffened and Harry noticed.
"Of course, she has it straightened every so often at the salon. She's always complaining about how annoying it is." Hermione covered, rather calmly she thought, but Harry was staring at her curiously, she could see his reflection in the mirror.
"Why would you care if they compared you to your Mum? You two seem to get along really well." Harry said suspiciously.
"I don't mind, it just gets annoying after a while is all..." Hermione swallowed hard.
"Hermione," Harry pushed on, "why does your family hate you, there has to be a reason, so don't say there isn't one." Hermione sighed frustrated. She had just finished straightening her hair about as good as it was going to get, so she unplugged it and sat it on the ground. Then, taking a deep breath she turned around to face the curious green eyes that were starring questioningly at her.
"Look Harry, you know that absolutely wonderful feeling you get when someone tells you how much you look like your dad and how your eyes are exactly like your mums, because deep down you know that your parents were good people even if you never really knew them?" Hermione asked and Harry nodded, not wanting to interrupt. "Well, it's the exact opposite feeling for me." Harry raised an eyebrow, confused.
"You see, my parents, aren't really my parents, they're my aunt and uncle." Hermione explained and Harry had to bite his tongue to not respond, but shock was apparent on his face. "My real parents were muggle criminals and my family thinks it was a huge mistake for my current parents to take me in. No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, they believe that I will turn out exactly like my birth mum and dad." Tears were now filling her eyes.
"I'm sorry Harry." Hermione said, furiously wiping at her eyes. "I mean, I haven't even thought about my real parents or my extended family in ages. It really doesn't bother me anymore and I didn't want you to feel sorry for me, you've gone through a lot worse things than I have. I'm just being stupid."
Harry let out a sigh before getting out of his cozy spot on the chair and kneeling down next to Hermione, wrapping his arms around her in an embrace.
"You should have told us before Hermione, we're your friends, we want to understand what you're going through. Why don't you ever let us be there for you like you're always there for us?" Harry said, exasperated as Hermione cried softly into his shoulder.
"It would have been selfish of me to just cry about it to you. I mean, I love my current parents a lot and I'm lucky to have them." Hermione said softly as she pulled away from Harry. "It's stupid of me to cry over having good parents who love me while you're stuck with the Dursleys. Sometimes I'm just afraid..." Hermione started, but looked away from Harry, ashamed.
"What Hermione?" Harry asked gently.
"Sometimes I'm just afraid that I'll turn out exactly like my parents, my real ones..." Hermione sniffled and aggravated rubbed at her eyes.
"First off Hermione, you have no reason to feel stupid. I've come to terms with my parent's death and... I've learned that there's no use in looking back, only forward. I shouldn't waste time wishing people who are dead were alive, because the people who are alive might die." Harry said wistfully, thinking of Sirius. "I've learned that I need to enjoy the friends that I have, because I never know when they might be taken from me..." Harry paused and shook his head.
"So don't worry about looking selfish, because I know you're not." Harry smiled, taking Hermione's chin and softly turning her head up to look at him. "You're also not stupid." Hermione smiled slightly. "But most importantly, you're a good person. Don't let your relatives get to you Hermione; you're the best person I know."
Hermione flung her arms around Harry's neck in a grateful hug. "Thank you, Harry."
Harry smiled at her as she pulled away. "Anything for you Hermione." A few moments of silence passed before Harry asked, "Your real parents, are they dead?"
Hermione looked taken aback for a moment or two before she answered. "I don't think so but-" But Hermione was cut off as Ron barged into the room looking refreshed with a smile on his face. He was wearing his grey school pants and sweater vest, white button up shirt and his Gryffindor tie, complete with black dress shoes. His hair was combed neatly and was parted down the middle. Harry grinned at him when he walked in.
"I don't think you have to wear the entire uniform Ron." Harry said, finally letting out a laugh. "You're hair is cute though." Ron's smile faded as he reached up self-consciously and touched his hair.
"Is the vest too much you think?" Ron asked, ears glowing from more than just the hot shower he had taken. Hermione smiled sweetly up at Ron as she stood up and started straightening his tie for him.
"I think you look smashing." Hermione said, as red started creeping into Ron's neck. "I wouldn't change a thing." And as if that settled everything, Ron plopped back into the cozy chair he'd been in before. Harry rolled his eyes and grabbed his clothes before heading to the bathroom to change.
"Your hair looks nice." Ron commented as Hermione grabbed a brush and started running it through her hair. "Actually I really like it the normal way better. Not that this way is bad, it's just different I suppose." Ron shook his head, he was confusing himself. "It does look nice though."
"Thanks Ron." Hermione said with a smile. "I guess I better go make Sam let me in my room, I really need to get dressed."
"You want me to go with you?" Ron asked, making a move to get up. "I mean, to make Sam let you in, not to get dressed."
"No Ron, thank you for the offer though, I'm sure I'll be fine." Hermione flashed Ron one more smile before leaving the room. Ron leaned back into his chair with a sigh.
"What are you doing Hermione?" Harry asked as he exited the bathroom wearing his grey slacks and white button up shirt. Hermione was jumping up and down in the hallway by her bedroom.
"There's a key-" Hermione jumped, "-for my room-" Hermione jumped again, "- above my door." Hermione finished, glaring angrily at the spot above the door where she knew the key was hiding.
"Oi! Ron!" Harry yelled.
"What?" Came Ron's response.
"Come out here." Harry yelled back, you could hear a rustling from the study.
"Harry, please don't tell Ron about my family." Hermione blurted quickly and before Harry could properly respond, Ron had joined them in the hallway. "What are you bloody yelling at me for?" Ron asked in mock anger. Hermione answered him.
"There's a key up there above my door." Hermione said pointing at the spot. "Could you reach it for me?" Without another word, Ron reached easily above the door and brought down a key, holding it out in front of Hermione.
Hermione grabbed for it, but he moved it higher out of her reach. "Rooooon!" Hermione whined.
"How about a thank you?" Ron asked with a cheeky smile. Hermione crossed her arms and muttered a "Thanks."
"Aw, you can do better than that!" Ron exclaimed. Hermione rolled her eyes and then threw her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her level so that she could place a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you soooo much for getting my key down for me!" Ron seemed more than satisfied by this thank you and he quietly handed the key to her.
Hermione grinned in victory and opened her door, entered and closed the door behind her. Ron and Harry waited outside the room, listening intently for any signs of trouble. However, ten minutes went by without a sound and Hermione emerged from her room once more, dressed in a khaki skirt that came to just above her knees and a navy blue short sleeved shirt.
"What did Samantha say?" Ron asked, trying not to notice how wonderful he thought she looked.
"Nothing," Hermione said with a shrug. "She's not in my room. I suppose we ought to head down now and help mum set the table." With that Hermione led the way down the stairs, followed by the two boys.
A/N: So, Harry knows about Hermione, but Ron has yet to find out. I really didn't mean for Harry to find out yet, but I started writing and it just sort of happened. Ah well. I'm so glad y'all are still reading this, y'all are the best! Thanks for reviewing and sorry for not getting to the dinner, next chapter, I swear and I'll try to make it good or else it will have all this build up for nothing. Sometimes I wonder, but, y'all would tell me if this sucked right?
Chapter 7
Music softly streamed from the study. Harry, who had just taken a shower rubbed his hair with a towel as he made his was into the room.
"What are you doing Hermione? Don't you think you're hairs curly enough as it is?" Harry asked as he noticed Hermione sitting on the floor in a corner of the room with a mirror and a curling iron looking contraption.
"It's not a curling iron Harry, this is a hair straightener." Hermione said as she continued to lip the words as they flowed from the cd player. Harry shrugged his shoulders and sat on the floor beside his back pack. Ron was sitting on a large comfy chair that was situated in one of the corners of the room, slowly turning a lamp on and off, on and off.
"I'll never understand you muggles." Ron said in awe. "All these objects you have really are quite amazing. The wizarding world could learn a lot from muggles." Hermione smiled as she looked away from her mirror and at Ron.
"I'm surprised you've handled yourself so well." Hermione said and Ron gave her a mean look. "I know you are capable of controlling yourself Ron, so don't give me that look. It's just, when I first visited Diagon Alley and Hogwarts, I was amazed, completely mesmerized. I can only imagine that's how you must be feeling now."
"Well, as much as I hate to admit it, you're right. It is rather hard." Ron said. Harry raised his eyebrows, had Ron just admitted that Hermione was right? "I have been to muggle places before of course, but I've never been up close and allowed to actually touch anything before..."
"Oh! I wish my family wasn't here!" Hermione burst out. "They ruin everything! If they weren't here, I could show you all the muggle devices and things, it would be really fun."
"Don't worry 'bout it Hermione." Ron smiled. "We'll have plenty of chances for that later, and you can still show me stuff when they leave the house." Hermione nodded.
"I suppose so." She said with a sigh as she turned back to her mirror.
"I'm goin' to go shower now." Ron said as he grabbed his back pack and head for the bath room.
"Ron! Wait!" Hermione shouted as he stepped outside the room, causing him to stop and turn around. "Have you got your school uniform with you?" He nodded. "You might want to wear it, minus the robes of course, the family always sort of dresses up for the reunion dinner." Ron nodded again and headed off to take a shower.
Harry stretched and took a seat in the now vacant arm chair. "I wish you had told me to put on my uniform." Harry was wearing jean shorts and a t- shirt. "Sorry, it slipped my mind." Hermione said off handedly, still trying to straighten her curls.
"No offense, I mean, this is your house after all, but why aren't you doing that in your room?' Harry asked with a smile at his naturally curly best friend before adding. "Why are you even doing it at all?"
"Samantha locked me out." Hermione grimaced, Harry knew she was wishing she were allowed to do spells out of school, Alohomora would come in pretty handy right now. "I have to make a good appearance and a good appearance in this family doesn't consist of extremely bushy hair." Hermione replied quite seriously.
"Aw, it's not bushy anymore Hermione, it's calmed down a lot. I like it curly." Harry said, reaching out and hitting an unstraightened curl lightly.
"You may like it and personally I like it now too, but when they look at it, all they see is how much I look like my mother." Hermione said with venom.
"But..." Harry said, thinking, "Your mum hasn't got curly hair, it's rather straight actually." Hermione stiffened and Harry noticed.
"Of course, she has it straightened every so often at the salon. She's always complaining about how annoying it is." Hermione covered, rather calmly she thought, but Harry was staring at her curiously, she could see his reflection in the mirror.
"Why would you care if they compared you to your Mum? You two seem to get along really well." Harry said suspiciously.
"I don't mind, it just gets annoying after a while is all..." Hermione swallowed hard.
"Hermione," Harry pushed on, "why does your family hate you, there has to be a reason, so don't say there isn't one." Hermione sighed frustrated. She had just finished straightening her hair about as good as it was going to get, so she unplugged it and sat it on the ground. Then, taking a deep breath she turned around to face the curious green eyes that were starring questioningly at her.
"Look Harry, you know that absolutely wonderful feeling you get when someone tells you how much you look like your dad and how your eyes are exactly like your mums, because deep down you know that your parents were good people even if you never really knew them?" Hermione asked and Harry nodded, not wanting to interrupt. "Well, it's the exact opposite feeling for me." Harry raised an eyebrow, confused.
"You see, my parents, aren't really my parents, they're my aunt and uncle." Hermione explained and Harry had to bite his tongue to not respond, but shock was apparent on his face. "My real parents were muggle criminals and my family thinks it was a huge mistake for my current parents to take me in. No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, they believe that I will turn out exactly like my birth mum and dad." Tears were now filling her eyes.
"I'm sorry Harry." Hermione said, furiously wiping at her eyes. "I mean, I haven't even thought about my real parents or my extended family in ages. It really doesn't bother me anymore and I didn't want you to feel sorry for me, you've gone through a lot worse things than I have. I'm just being stupid."
Harry let out a sigh before getting out of his cozy spot on the chair and kneeling down next to Hermione, wrapping his arms around her in an embrace.
"You should have told us before Hermione, we're your friends, we want to understand what you're going through. Why don't you ever let us be there for you like you're always there for us?" Harry said, exasperated as Hermione cried softly into his shoulder.
"It would have been selfish of me to just cry about it to you. I mean, I love my current parents a lot and I'm lucky to have them." Hermione said softly as she pulled away from Harry. "It's stupid of me to cry over having good parents who love me while you're stuck with the Dursleys. Sometimes I'm just afraid..." Hermione started, but looked away from Harry, ashamed.
"What Hermione?" Harry asked gently.
"Sometimes I'm just afraid that I'll turn out exactly like my parents, my real ones..." Hermione sniffled and aggravated rubbed at her eyes.
"First off Hermione, you have no reason to feel stupid. I've come to terms with my parent's death and... I've learned that there's no use in looking back, only forward. I shouldn't waste time wishing people who are dead were alive, because the people who are alive might die." Harry said wistfully, thinking of Sirius. "I've learned that I need to enjoy the friends that I have, because I never know when they might be taken from me..." Harry paused and shook his head.
"So don't worry about looking selfish, because I know you're not." Harry smiled, taking Hermione's chin and softly turning her head up to look at him. "You're also not stupid." Hermione smiled slightly. "But most importantly, you're a good person. Don't let your relatives get to you Hermione; you're the best person I know."
Hermione flung her arms around Harry's neck in a grateful hug. "Thank you, Harry."
Harry smiled at her as she pulled away. "Anything for you Hermione." A few moments of silence passed before Harry asked, "Your real parents, are they dead?"
Hermione looked taken aback for a moment or two before she answered. "I don't think so but-" But Hermione was cut off as Ron barged into the room looking refreshed with a smile on his face. He was wearing his grey school pants and sweater vest, white button up shirt and his Gryffindor tie, complete with black dress shoes. His hair was combed neatly and was parted down the middle. Harry grinned at him when he walked in.
"I don't think you have to wear the entire uniform Ron." Harry said, finally letting out a laugh. "You're hair is cute though." Ron's smile faded as he reached up self-consciously and touched his hair.
"Is the vest too much you think?" Ron asked, ears glowing from more than just the hot shower he had taken. Hermione smiled sweetly up at Ron as she stood up and started straightening his tie for him.
"I think you look smashing." Hermione said, as red started creeping into Ron's neck. "I wouldn't change a thing." And as if that settled everything, Ron plopped back into the cozy chair he'd been in before. Harry rolled his eyes and grabbed his clothes before heading to the bathroom to change.
"Your hair looks nice." Ron commented as Hermione grabbed a brush and started running it through her hair. "Actually I really like it the normal way better. Not that this way is bad, it's just different I suppose." Ron shook his head, he was confusing himself. "It does look nice though."
"Thanks Ron." Hermione said with a smile. "I guess I better go make Sam let me in my room, I really need to get dressed."
"You want me to go with you?" Ron asked, making a move to get up. "I mean, to make Sam let you in, not to get dressed."
"No Ron, thank you for the offer though, I'm sure I'll be fine." Hermione flashed Ron one more smile before leaving the room. Ron leaned back into his chair with a sigh.
"What are you doing Hermione?" Harry asked as he exited the bathroom wearing his grey slacks and white button up shirt. Hermione was jumping up and down in the hallway by her bedroom.
"There's a key-" Hermione jumped, "-for my room-" Hermione jumped again, "- above my door." Hermione finished, glaring angrily at the spot above the door where she knew the key was hiding.
"Oi! Ron!" Harry yelled.
"What?" Came Ron's response.
"Come out here." Harry yelled back, you could hear a rustling from the study.
"Harry, please don't tell Ron about my family." Hermione blurted quickly and before Harry could properly respond, Ron had joined them in the hallway. "What are you bloody yelling at me for?" Ron asked in mock anger. Hermione answered him.
"There's a key up there above my door." Hermione said pointing at the spot. "Could you reach it for me?" Without another word, Ron reached easily above the door and brought down a key, holding it out in front of Hermione.
Hermione grabbed for it, but he moved it higher out of her reach. "Rooooon!" Hermione whined.
"How about a thank you?" Ron asked with a cheeky smile. Hermione crossed her arms and muttered a "Thanks."
"Aw, you can do better than that!" Ron exclaimed. Hermione rolled her eyes and then threw her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her level so that she could place a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you soooo much for getting my key down for me!" Ron seemed more than satisfied by this thank you and he quietly handed the key to her.
Hermione grinned in victory and opened her door, entered and closed the door behind her. Ron and Harry waited outside the room, listening intently for any signs of trouble. However, ten minutes went by without a sound and Hermione emerged from her room once more, dressed in a khaki skirt that came to just above her knees and a navy blue short sleeved shirt.
"What did Samantha say?" Ron asked, trying not to notice how wonderful he thought she looked.
"Nothing," Hermione said with a shrug. "She's not in my room. I suppose we ought to head down now and help mum set the table." With that Hermione led the way down the stairs, followed by the two boys.
A/N: So, Harry knows about Hermione, but Ron has yet to find out. I really didn't mean for Harry to find out yet, but I started writing and it just sort of happened. Ah well. I'm so glad y'all are still reading this, y'all are the best! Thanks for reviewing and sorry for not getting to the dinner, next chapter, I swear and I'll try to make it good or else it will have all this build up for nothing. Sometimes I wonder, but, y'all would tell me if this sucked right?