A/N Hi every one, I'm so sorry about the delay in getting this chapter out, just to let you all know, I will be away from the 4TH August so I won't be updating or reading anything. I would usually put review response here, but to be honest I don't have the time. I have to get my College work in ASAP so I hope you enjoy this chapter.
The next morning the trio were sitting at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall with the other fifth and sixth years, most of them were talking about the dance last night. The trio however where talking about what Harry did.
"So what choo do ast ite arry?" Ron asked through a mouthful of scrambled eggs.
"Honestly Ron is it to much to finish what's in your mouth before you start talking?" Hermione quipped whilst wiping stray bits of egg of her robes.
"No, so what did you do last night Harry?"
"Not much, a bit of studying and had something to eat in the kitchens and went for a wander. How was the dance last night?" He answered watching for any unusual response from the pair.
"Oh it was really beautiful, Colin took some pictures, I'm sure he'd show them to you. But not much really happened, Ron went off at Ginny and Dean." Hermione said smiling at Ron.
"Hey, they were dancing way too close. Honestly Harry there wasn't space for a galleon between them."
"So what did you do to him?"
"Nothing Gin sent him away and Malfoy came over before I could do anything."
"Ok, so what about now? Why don't we play with Dean?"
"Harry no, Gin doesn't need you butting in to her love life." Hermione said
"Hey Gin, come here a minute"
"What's up Harry?" the young Weasley asked
"Ron was telling me you and Dean were dancing quite close last night."
"Yeah we were but it was nothing I was uncomfortable with" .
"Ok, but do you mind if we play a little game with him, nothing harmful I promise" he asked
"Harry I don't think that's such a good idea, he's already worried about being sent to someplace called tin-bucketo"
"Timbuktu Gin and don't worry all I'm gonna do is ask a few questions. Please" Harry asked while sticking out his bottom lip.
"Ok, but not to mean" Ginny laughed.
"Thanks come on Ron" he shot up from his seat pulling Ron with him.
Standing behind Dean he cleared his throat, "Ahem"
"Hi Harry, Ron" the group chorused, to which Harry and Ron just smiled.
"Dean can we have a word, in private?" Harry asked and walked to a corner of the Hall, followed by a grinning Ron and suspicious Dean.
"So whats up? Dean asked
"Well do you remember Ron and me telling you to treat Ginny right or we'd hex you to Timbuktu?" Dean swallowed nervously and nodded. "Good well my sources tell you two were dancing very closely and Ron had to stop it. Now you have one minute to tell me why we shouldn't make good on our promise" Harry said while Ron nodded in the appropriate places.
"Okay, well er… we were dancing closely, and Ginny knew that if she wanted me to stop all she had to do was tell me… and I would of. Is she ok, I didn't upset her did I? I didn't mean to can I go see if she's ok?" he spluttered gaining confidence and then clearly worried about how Ginny was.
"I don't know Dean, what do you think Ron, should we tell your brothers?" Harry asked facing Ron with a blank expression winking slightly when Dean couldn't see.
"I don't know, I mean I'd hate to think what Bill and Charlie would do. Well Bill'd probably lock him in one of those pyramids, who know the ones that cause the person to mutate then die painfully, Charlie would make a dragon snack, the twins? I don't even want to think about and Percy, well better be ready for a lecture and they go on for ages." Ron said trying not to grin.
"Please, don't tell them, I'll do anything" Dean pleaded
"It's ok Dean, Ginny told us that she was fine and was having a great time last night." Ron said smiling
"Bu..but?"
"Just wanted to see how you'd react, but we will be watching you. Now go see her she looks worried." Harry said finally allowing a big grin to spread across his face.
Making their way back over to Hermione, they noticed the post being delivered and Hermione quickly hid the paper she was delivered under the table as they approached.
"So what's wrong 'Mione"
"Nothing, why would you ask everything's fine." Hermione said quickly
"Oh come on Herms we saw you hide something under the table" Ron pressed
"Oi Potter do you always share girls with Weasel?" Draco shouted from the Slytherin table.
"Hermione?" Harry asked facing her
"Ok, there's an article in the paper about the 'accident' in Hogsmeade"
"It gets worse doesn't it?" He asked
"Rita Skeeter" She nodded, and read the article out to the group;
The-Boy-Who-Loved?
Yesterday on October 31st, Hogwarts students were to be found milling around the quaint village of Hogsmeade. Many buying sweets, and tricks a few replenishing their school supplies, hanging around in groups with their friends as well as a few couples. What is so interesting you may ask, well your faithful reporter through her super research skills and resources reprts:
I, Rita Skeeter, attractive blond reporter for the Daily Prophet, was going about my usual business yesterday on Halloween (fifteen years after the attack at Godrics Hollow that left Harry without parents and removed the threat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named see page 2), which included running errands in Hogsmeade. Which turned out to be a lucky coincidence for yours truly as walking through the quaint little village, I spotted Harry Potter, aka The-Boy-Who-Lived walking hand in hand with who was believed to be one of his best friends, the pretty and smart Hermione Granger (a muggleborn sixth year and top of her class). This innocent scene changed as the pair stopped for a chat during which they briefly discussed their past adventures, in which Harry insisted he would not of survived if it were not for Miss Granger. A list of what they have faced together is on page 3, a few of the challenges named were: a mountain troll, a basilisk, dementors, death eaters and the TriWizard Tournament, and most recently the exploits in the Department of Mysteries along with four other students. The pair reminisced about how if it were not for the mountain troll that they may of never became friends. From what I overheard, Hermione was crying in the Ladies about a comment Ron Weasley (the other best friend) had made about Her having no friends, unbeknownst to her a mountain troll was lumbering towards her. Not knowing she was in there Harry and Ron locked the troll in the bathroom. When realising the situation, Harry and Ron ran to the rescue, confusing the troll by shouting and throwing things at it, Harry tried to get Hermione to move but she was 'paralysed with fear'. In a desperate attempt Harry ran and jumped on the troll's back shoving his wand up the creature's nose. Meanwhile Ron performed the levitation spell and knocked the troll out with its own club.
I digress, during this break the couple shared several hugs and friendly kisses on the cheeks. However, this appeared not to be enough for the pair as soon after they were photographed sharing another kiss, this time on the lips, after which the pair disappeared in to a local book store.
However, it seems I was correct in my assessment of Miss Granger two years ago, when I reported that she was toying with the affections of Harry Potter and Viktor Krum (for full article see page 4). As when they met Ron in The Three Broomsticks, she confirmed that she was indeed attending the Halloween Party that same day with Ron. More as this story develops. However may I wish Harry the best of luck in this romantic endeavour and see Miss Granger in her true colours or that she change her ways, as many would not mind being Harry's girlfriend instead of her..
Hermione put the paper away and immediately the conversations started, as many people expressed their views on the reporter and her article.
"Harry are you ok?" Hermione asked which seemed to be the cue for everyone to start bombarding Harry with questions.
"Mate, why didn't you tell us you kissed Hermione" came from Seamus.
"Shut up Seamus the article's the main thing at the moment." Ginny snapped
"How dare she, after that exclusive last year" this came from a Ravenclaw, as most of the DA had come over
"We should write a letter of complaint" said a Hufflepuff.
"So are you two a couple then?"
"No!" Hermione said automatically
"That's right, our kiss was an accident, however perhaps that question should be asked of Ron and Hermione" Harry said getting up from the table, turning to leave the Hall, he needed to get away.
"Harry, why would you say that?" Hermione asked shocked from what she heard.
"Perhaps because I saw you two kissing last night" he answered.
Walking in to the entrance hall, he summoned his firebolt, jumped on it and flew out of doors to the quidditch pitch. He flew higher and higher just content to be out on the pitch again. Until he was level with the top of the astronomy tower. He hovered for a few seconds remembering how he and Harry helped Norbert be taken to Romania in their first year. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he pointed the broom straight down to the ground, shooting towards the ground faster than he could remember he watched the ground coming closer, 50 feet, 25 feet, 10 feet, "ARGHHHH!" Harry clamped his hand to his scar as he felt an blinding pain, before he saw what Voldemort was doing.
Harry was standing in a circle, looking round at the Death Eaters that stood silent, "Some of you may be wondering why I have called this meeting" He hissed realising he was seeing Voldemort's thoughts. "Well, one of you has failed me." Murmurs spread around the circle. "Yes, one of you, was entrusted with a most important mission, I sent one of you to spy on Harry Potter and that muggle loving fool to see what has happened, and what happened? You came back to me without any information, not even a whisper, except of course that he is receiving animagus training. Which I knew would happen as it is his sixth year. Now I am feeling somewhat merciful, and am giving you the chance to confess." Looking round the circle, he waited fixing each one with his menacing stare, suddenly one of the robed figures flung himself forward.
"Master forgive I did not mean to fail you, I am sorry master."
"Get up," Harry hissed, as the man stood he raised his wand and cried out "Crucio" The mans' screams filled the clearing, after a few minutes he lifted the curse, "You know you deserve this don't you Fudge?" Harry couldn't help but gasp. "Potter!" he cried before bringing up his occlumency walls.
The next thing Harry saw was the ground coming towards him, before he blacked out.