Caught In Love and Lies
Part One
It was the beginning of Harry's seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Great Hall was filled with hundreds of pupils chattering away to their peers, filling them in on their holiday adventures. The smell of roast chicken and vegetables filled the air and everyone dug into their welcome back feast. It wasn't long before the mouth-watering smell of the main course changed to the sweet scent of cakes and pies as desert was served. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting in the center of the Gryffindor table. Ron was busy arguing with Hermione over an issue that Harry didn't want to discuss.
"I just don't understand! How on earth could they possibly think that PERCY is a spy for you-know-who? It's ridiculous!" Hermione said, looking completely bewildered.
"Who cares?" Ron groaned. He looked over at Harry pleadingly. He simply shrugged and looked over at the new girl sitting opposite him.
"Obviously you do Ronald; otherwise you would be able to look me in the eye." Hermione snapped with a look of satisfaction.
"I don't care what happens to that stupid prick. He got himself into this somehow; we are not going to be the ones getting him out of it!" Ron yelled, diverting his vision from Harry's eyes to somewhere near the floor.
"Don't lie Ron. Look at you. You can't even look me in the eye. You hate how Percy treated your family, and you don't think he deserves your help. But you do want to help him. I can tell that you care and you know he is innocent." A silent tear trickled down Ron's cheek. Hermione leaned forward and hugged him. "I can only imagine what this is like for you and your family. But your dad is doing the best that he can. Try to not let it ruin your last year at Hogwarts." Hermione pulled away gently and gave Ron a comforting smile. "I will always be here for you. We will always be here for you." She said with a sideward glance and Harry; who was still observing the new comer. Apparently neither Ron nor Hermione had noticed her. "Harry!" She snapped. Harry finally broke out of his trance and looked over at Ron.
"Oh, err… Sorry. I was just… Oh never mind." He sighed with one final glance at the girl. "Ron, Hermione's right. You'll just have to try and put it out of your head, for now…" Harry trailed off as Ginny tapped him on the shoulder. He spun around to see her long red hair and large green eyes beaming at him. "Ginny!" He cried, wrapping his arms around her.
"Hey Harry." She smiled, kissing him gently on the lips. "I guess you heard about Percy…" Her smile faded.
"Yes, Ron just told us. How are you?" He asked sympathetically.
"I'm okay." She replied with sadness in her eyes. "I guess it was just a bit of a shock. I mean, come on; Percy a death eater? As if. But I still don't understand why they arrested him when they have evil killers like Snape on the loose." Harry felt like some one had just plunged a knife into his stomach.The mere mention of Snape's name made him want to want to destroy everything in sight. As if he hadn't been thinking about Snape and what he had done to Dumbledore all throughout the holidays. He knew the memory would haunt him for ever. "H…Harry? Are you…? Oh no! Oh, I am so sorry!" Ginny flung her arms around Harry, and suddenly he felt a lot better. Then as quickly as it had appeared, all the food from the table disappeared and a hush spread across the Great Hall. Harry turned to look at the Headmaster's chair with an empty hope that Professor Dumbledore would welcome them all with open arms and read out the new term announcements as he always did - but alas. Harry's hopes were shattered even before they began. Professor McGonagall was sat in the seat once occupied by the greatest headmaster Hogwarts had ever seen. She got to her feet and took a moment to look at the saddened faces of all the students. Then with a deep breath, she began.
"Welcome students. As you all know, Professor Dumbledore is…is…" She coughed and took a breath. "…is no longer with us. So I shall be taking his place, as Headmistress of Hogwarts." Everyone in the hall gave half-hearted applause that died down quickly. McGonagall continued. "So on that note, let us have a minutes silence in honour of a great, great wizard, who graced us with his presence for many years. He shall be greatly missed among students and staff alike…" she said, now choking back tears. "Let us toast." A small glass of Mead appeared before every student. "Professor Dumbledore." Her words echoed around the hall. Harry could feel tears stinging the back of his eyes. Each student raised their glass and toasted to the greatest wizard of their time.
"Professor Dumbledore." The great hall fell silent once more as everyone took a sip of his or her drink. Harry gulped down the contents of his glass and slammed it down on the table. Ginny looked over at Harry worriedly. The atmosphere was so tense it could have been cut with a knife. There were people sobbing all over the place as the moments silence finally ended. Ginny wiped the tears from Harry's eyes and tried her best not to cry. She held him close, unwilling to let go. Harry sobbed onto her jumper, leaving a wet patch on her shoulder, not that she cared.
"As long as we have each other, everything will be fine." Ginny whispered. Harry held her tightly. Hermione watched Harry and Ginny. She felt a sharp pain in her gut. Like envy had taken hold of her. Tears spilled from her cheeks as she looked over at Ron.
"I can't stand this any longer!" she cried as she pushed herself away from the table and ran out of the Great Hall. She sped down corridors and ran up flights of stairs, not caring where she was going. Just so long as it was away from the pain and sadness that consumed the Great Hall. Somehow Hermione found herself in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom; and sure enough, there Myrtle was, floating in and out of the cubicles, humming to herself.
"Oh! Hello. I know you. You're Harry's friend, aren't you?"
"Y…Yes." Hermione sniffed. She walked over to the nearest sink and turned on the tap. She splashed her face with cold water and looked in the mirror. Myrtle was floating behind her.
"What's wrong then? Why aren't you at the welcome feast?" She asked watching Hermione curiously.
"Why do you want to know? It's none of your business. So leave me alone Myrtle. I'm not in the mood," Hermione snapped before storming into one of the cubicles. She slammed the door behind her and burst into tears. She slid down the door and hugged her knees.
"Is it…a boy?" Myrtle asked quietly, poking her head out of the toilet. Hermione sobbed and lifted her tear-stained face so she could see myrtle.
"M…M…Maybe…" Hermione whispered, droplets of water spilling from her eyes.
"Is…Is it him again?" She whispered, watching Hermione's reaction carefully. "You used to come in here and cry a lot last year. I heard you. I think I recall his name…Ron?" Hermionewinced at the mention of his name and her eyes overflowed once more. She wiped her eyes with her robes and climbed to her feet, still sobbing.
"Why is it that, I love him and hate him, all at the same time?" Hermione said, pulling open the door and walking over to the mirror. She dabbed at her eyes with her sleeve and then walked to the bathroom door. "Thank you, Myrtle," she said, before disappearing through it.
The atmosphere in the common room was almost as tense as the Great Hall. A large group of first years were huddled in the corner, whispering and muttering, must likely trying to work out exactly what had happened to Dumbledore; the students from Wizarding families filled in the clueless. Most of the seventh-year students occupied the rest of the Common Room. Harry and Ginny sat cosily in the armchair closest to the fire, while Ron was unpacking in the boy's dormitory. The new girl that Harry had noticed before was sitting in the armchair opposite Harry and Ginny's. Every so often she would glance over at them and smile; then continue to leaf through her new textbooks. Eventually Ron emerged from the boy's dorm and made his way down the stairs. He spotted the new girl and his eyes widened. He slowly walked over to Harry and Ginny, watching her closely.
"Who is that?" He whispered into Harry's ear as he passed.
"She's new here. Why don't you go talk to her?" Harry asked with an amused expression. Ron nodded, still not taking his eyes off the girl.
"One sec." He said before strolling off to the armchair next to her in an extremely obvious manor. He flopped down onto it and gazed over at the brunette, who was now trying to pull her heavy new potions book out of her back.
"Damn it!" She yelled as the book fell from her grip and hit her foot with a thud. "Ouch!"
"Oh! Let me help you with that!" Ron leaped from his chair and lifted the book onto the side table.
"Thanks..." The girl replied shyly, gazing at Ron. "I'm Roxanne. Who are you?" Ron shook his head as if trying to pull himself out of a trance.
"Oh, err...Ron. I'm Ron." He replied sheepishly, scratching his head.
"Great, well call me Roxxy for short. I'm new here from Bauxbatons.My parents decided it was safer here than there. I didn't really want to move. But now I'll glad I did..." She finished, smiling sheepishly, just as Ron always did. She looked up and him and giggled but all Ron could do was just stand and grin at her. They both sat in the armchairs by the fire and talked the night away. It was nearing mid-night before either of them showed any sign of going to bed.
"I guess we better go to bed,"said Ron with a sigh.
"I guess you're right." Roxxy replied. She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek before picking up her bag and making her way to the girl's dorm. Ron felt the place where her lips had touched his skin burn. His heartbeat quickened and he leaped out of his chair and up the stairs, just in time to catch Roxxy before she entered her dorm.
"Wait!" He cried, breathing deeply. "I...erm...Meet me in the common room in the morning. I'll have breakfast with you." She smiled and nodded.
"See you then," she added before disappearing around the door.
Harry tossed and turned in his bed, trying to get some sleep, but he could not take his mind off Ginny. That hair, those eyes, those beautiful lips...but he had to try his best to forget her, just for now. He had lost a night's sleep thinking about her so many times he couldn't count. If only he could be with her now, maybe then his mind would be at ease and he could finally get some well-earned rest. While Harry's mind raced with thoughts of Ginny, he only paused to realise that Ron wasn't in his bed. He sat up and looked around, wondering if he was anywhere in the dorm, but there was no sign of him. Could he possibly still be in the common room talking to Roxanne? Harry bit his lip. I guess that is why Hermione stormed straight up to bed as soon as she saw Ron with the pretty brunette, he thought Suddenly, the door creaked open to reveal Ron. His cheeks were flushed as he smiled dreamily.
"Ron!" Harry hissed. "Ron! Have you only just finished talking to Roxanne?" But it appeared that Ron didn't even notice Harry's hushed question, nor did he notice his bedpost as he walked face first into it and landed flat on his back.
"Ouch..." he groaned sleepily, climbing to his feet and flopping on his bed. He was asleep almost instantly, not even bothering to get into his pyjamas. Harry tutted and turned his back to Ron's motionless body; and slowly his thoughts turned back to Ginny...
Meanwhile in the girl's dorm, Roxanne practically floated over to her bed. She swung around her bedpost and fell back onto her wonderfully comfortable sheets, daydreaming about her newly-found crush Ron and how wonderful it would be if they became boyfriend and girlfriend. That's when she heard Hermione. Roxxy turned to face the girl huddled in the bed next to her own. She had her face in her pillow and was sobbing softly. She swiftly moved over to Hermione's bed and tapped her lightly on the shoulder. Hermione lifted her head slowly and gasped when she saw Roxanne leaning over her. She wiped at her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Hey, err... are you okay? You look really upset. I heard you crying. What's up?" Roxxy said, smiling sweetly. But Hermione felt like she was stabbing her repeatedly in the heart. She sat up quickly much to Roxxy's surprise and whipped her head around, as if trying to find a way out of the questions she had just been asked. But when she saw there was nothing she could possibly change the topic to, she slowly turned back to face Roxxy. Tears spilled out of her eyes at the sight of the girl Ron has flirted with the past few hours. Nothing hurt her more than the thought that Ron could possibly get with another girl, especially after the hurt she had been through with Lavender Brown the previous year, but she decided that Roxxy was a good person; and began explaining the reason for her tears.
"I, well... There's... someone. A boy, I mean. You know him... I think." Hermione sniffed, trying not to give the game away too much. "But, But he err... He likes someone else. It... It's tearing me apart." At these words Hermione couldn't bear to say any more. She slammed down on her bed, crying into her pillow. Roxxy placed her hand on Hermione's shoulder sympathetically.
"I think I know who you mean." She said with a gentle squeeze of her hand. She handed Hermione a handkerchief out of her pocket. Hermione spun around quickly to face Roxxy. She wiped at her eyes with Roxxy's hanky.
"Y...You do?" Hermione sobbed; her eyes widened with surprise.
"Yes, and... well there's not much I can say really. I don't know you well enough, and I don't want to say anything... well you know. He's your friend, not mine. I will try to help you if you like. Although I don't want to ruin anything..." Her voice trailed off and she gave Hermione a half smile. Hermione realized that Roxxy really did like Ron. And it was cruel to ask her to help her get him.
"No, no. It's okay. You don't have to help. But thank you for understanding." Hermione hugged Roxxy and smiled. Maybe she's not so bad after all.
The next morning at breakfast, things were extremely tense. Ron was sitting at the Gryffindor table, munching on a piece of toast with Hermione on his left and Roxxy on his right. They both seemed happy enough, although none of them were talking. Eventually Harry came and joined them, along with Ginny. Just the icebreaker Ron needed.
"Harry!" He beamed as Harry and Ginny took their usual seats opposite him. "Where did you guys get to? I was going to wait for you in the common room but you never came, and you weren't in bed..." Then Ron realized. Harry had looked down, avoiding eye contact and Ginny was bright red. "...on second thought, I don't want to know." He added, stiffening up slightly and watching his friends out the corner of his eye.Harry smirked and scratched his head; where as Ginny flicked head hair and smiled smugly. They looked at each other and Ginny giggled. Harry smiled and looked from the stony-faced Hermione to the smiley Roxxy at either side of Ron. He cleared his throat and decided to talk about last night.
"So, Ron, where did you get to last night? You wandered into the boy's dorm at midnight and walked into the bed post." Ginny and Roxxy tried to resist laughing, while Hermione looked sterner than ever. Harry's smile faded as he looked over at her. Sure she looked angry, but there was something else. Something almost like... hurt. He knew this feeling all to well and gave Hermione a comforting smile, but much to his surprise, a tear trickled down Hermione's cheek. Ron looked at Harry and noticed his look of concern. He looked over at Hermione and gulped. Could she be crying because of him? No way. He shook his head and gazed out of the window, but the thought would not leave him. Suddenly everything made sense. The looks, the cold shoulder when he was with Lavender last year and Roxxy now, the disappearing from the room when he was with other girls... Ron looked at Harry with a look of complete shock on his face. But another part of him felt almost fit to burst. He decided the best thing to do would be to talk to Hermione. Harry rolled his eyes at Ron and smiled. Ron can be so dim sometimes, he thought. He watched as Ron tapped Hermione on the shoulder and whispered something to her. Then he looked over at Roxanne. She was deep in conversation with Ginny, oblivious to Ron's suspicious whispers. Hermione nodded at Ron and he smiled. She looked away and bit her lip.
"Oh! We're going to be late for our first lessons," Ginny said suddenly. "We better get going." She kissed Harry gently on the lips and pushed back her bench so she could leave. Every one got to their feet and followed Ginny out of the Great Hall.
It was 10 p.m., and Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione and Roxxy were the only ones left in the Common Room. The current topic of discussion was Harry and Ginny's upcoming six-month anniversary. When Harry got to his feet and walked over to the nearest table to retrieve his textbooks, Roxxy took this opportunity to 'help' Hermione with her boy troubles. She slipped up behind him and decided to ask straight out.
"So...What do you think of Hermione?"
"Wh...What?" Harry asked, completely taken aback. "What do you mean 'What do I think of Hermione?' She's my best friend." He looked nervously away.
"Well, what do you think?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "She likes you, you know." Harry's eyes widened as he stared at her.
"No Roxxy, she doesn't. You are wrong. She doesn't. We are best friends, nothing more."
"Then how come she was sobbing her heart out in the girl's dorm last night because she has 'boy troubles'?" Harry looked at her, trying not to laugh.
"Okay, so let me ask you this. Did she happen to name the boy she was having 'trouble' with?" Harry copied Roxxy's one-eyebrow-raised face and she bit her lip, looking away quickly. So it's not Harry... She thought. Then placing herself comfortably back in the armchair in front of the fire, Ginny announced that she was going to bed. Everyone decided to join her. Everyone expect Roxxy.
"Aren't you coming?" Ron asked curiously.
"No, no. I think I'll stay down here for a while," she replied.
"Okay," Ron said with a shrug, and ran up the stairs after Harry. Once they were all in their dorms, Roxxy snuggled down in her chair and sighed. What idiot would think that Hermione could possibly like Harry? She thought. They are clearly the best of friends, and nothing more. She sat there for well over an hour consumed in her thoughts, when finally the clock stroked midnight. Roxxy heard a door creak open behind her. She sat still as possible; not wanting to give who ever it was a fright. She heard them creep along the corridor and knock on the other dorm's door. They stood still, listening for a moment. But there was no answer. Finally they began creeping along the corridor, back to their bed. But just before they reached their door, the other door swung open and Roxxy heard a familiar voice.
"Ron!" Hermione cried. Roxxy spun around in her chair, just in time to see Hermione run out of her dorm and into the arms of Ron. He leaned in and kissed softly. Roxxy turned slowly back to face the fire. A tear trickled down her lightly flushed cheek and landed with a silent splash on her black school robes. And now I know, she thought to herself. Now I know...