Chapter Eight
"Back so soon?" Came Mrs. Weasley's voice from the living room.
"Yeah we already picked out our rooms and stuff. Just came back to pack." Said Ron. He grabbed Hermione who in turn grabbed Harry who in turn grabbed ginny and pulled them up the stairs. Hermione shooed the boys off up the stairs at Ginny's door and walked in. She plopped down on the bed and stared around the room.
"Well I guess we should pack then shouldn't we." Ginny said as she pulled out a few duffle bags and her Hogwarts trunk from the closet.
"You mean you should pack all I have is this bag here." Hermione said pointing a bag that lay on the floor next to the camp bed neither of them had felt like vanishing that morning.
"Yeah that is so what I meant." Ginny said as she pulled the lid of her trunk up and tipped the contents over. She pulled the bags open and placed them on the floor. "Pack!" She yelled and she moved her wand in a sweeping motion over the floor. Once everything was in one of the bags she closed the lid on the trunk and zipped up the bags.
"How do you know that spell I only learnt it last year."
"Mum tought it to me." Ginny said these words as though it was a trivial matter. Hermione couldn't remember that last time her Mother had tought ner anything but a new curse word.
A sheppish, "Oh." was all she could mannage. Ginny shrugged and went up the stairs. Hermione went and resumed her perch on the bed not remembering ever leaving it. Harry entered the room a few minutes later and took one look at her before he was kneeling on the floor by her side. A loud crack told Hermione that Ginny and Ron had left. She turned to Harry and he saw tears swimming in her eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing really. Just stupid stuff." She ran her fingers absent mindedly through her hair before pulling him off the ground and grabbing hold of Ginny's trunk. He took the two duffle bags and grabbed her hand with his free one. They too were gone into Ginny's room. Hermione stood in awe before realising that she still had the trunk. Ginny had easily picked out the best room in the whole house. She had found one of the other masters. This one was just black marble. A marble headboard and four poster bed. A marble vanity. Even a marble dresser. She dropped the trunk to the floor and turned to look at Harry.
"Seriously you need to tell me or Ginny or someone what is wrong. Seeing as how Ginny was the last in the room I think she might have unintentionally caused it so I'm assuming you don't want to talk to her about it so tell me what's wrong." Harry said all of this as he slowly moved even closer to her and took her chin in his hand. He tilted it up so she would look at him and she saw that his eyes were full of worry and care. She sighed and told him of how Ginny had said her Mum had tought her somthing. Also how her Mother hadn't tought her anything but new curse words for the longest time. She told him all of the things that she missed and they eventually sat down on the bed and started just talking about everything. They didn't remember that they were supposed to be back at the Burrow with Ron and Ginny to say goodbye until Ginny came bursting into the room. She looked at the laying there on her bed talking and then muttered an appologie before leaving.
"Shit she is going to think your cheating on her. Go talk to her."
"I'm not with her."
"WHAT! You mean you were snogging her for the hell of it? She said you were. God I'm lost."
"She probably thinks we are but we aren't. I really value her as a friend and durring this conversation I have decided not to be with her as more."
"What? Why? I really thought that you two would be great together."
"Well we might have been but I just don't want to lose her again. Not now." Harry shot Hermione a glance from under the hair that had moved in front of his eyes. Hermione brushed it away and looked at his eyes. My god he has beautiful eyes. She didn't know what posessed her to do so but she leaned foward and placed her lips lightly on Harry's. He tensed up and Hermione pulled away.
"I'm sorry. Oh god you just said you didn't want to lose friends. Oh god I'm a horrid person."
"Hermione its okay. I was going to do it just before you did anyway."
"No you weren't your just trying to make me fell bet-" She never got the chance to finish her sentence beacuse Harry had moved closer to her and he had placed his lips softly on hers. She didn't stop the kiss she just melted into him. She really missed being kissed like that. Like she meant to world. It had been such a long time since anyone had kissed her that way. Viktor was the last one who did. She didn't feel bad for doing what she was she felt like the world had dissaperaed and Harry and herself were the only two left in it. A long time seemed to go bye as the two sat there just kissing. Not snogging. No tounge was initiated. Just embraceing eachother while their lips touched. She pulled away and blinked her eyes open. She blushed before standing up. "God I am confused worse than ever."
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have."
"No you are fine. I am just so lost in this world Harry. Everyone seems to be finding their place except me. I don't belong in this world. That is why I did it the first time."
"Did what?"
"Oh shit."
"Did what?" Harry asked a little more forcefully than before.
"Tried to kill myself." She muttered meekly.
"What didn't quite catch that."
"Tried to kill myself." She said loud enough to hear.
"When? How many times?"
"Last summer. Four." Hermione said looking to the ground instead of at Harry.
"Holy shit Hermione. What is wrong with you?"
"I don't freaking know okay? I don't know why I am so screwed up, I don't know why I'm not pretty, I don't know why I am such a bad friend, I don't know why I can't fit in, I don't know why the hell this world isn't the one I know. I just don't know." Her voice died away with each word and she eventually just died of completely.
"Hermione, you aren't screwed up, you are pretty, no your beautiful, you aren't a bad friend, you do fit in, with me. Here now this is the world you know. Someone who cares for you. Someone who is right. You are just lost in a world of people who don't understand. Don't worry. I think you need to get some food." She shook her head and muttered somthing about not being hungry. "Well you at least need to get some water. Come here." He grabbed her hand and interlaced her fingers into his. Leading the way down to the kitchen.
They entered to find Mrs. Weasley, Tonks, Lupin, and Moody. They stopped talking the second the duo entered.
"What are you kids doing?" Asked a stunned Tonks.
"Getting Hermione a drink. She doesn't feel well." Harry answered simply.
"Okay. But why are you holding her hand? I thouhgt you were with Ginny."
"Oh my god why is she telling everyone that? No I am not. I am not with Hermione either. I care about both of them to deeply to risk losing a friendship over dating." Tonks nodded in understanding and watched as Harry pulled a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water. Hermione took a seat at the table across from Mrs. Weasley and Moody. Tonks was seated a few seats down from herself. Harry came over with the water and handed it to her before sitting down next to Hermione.
"So you and Gin aren't together?" Asked a thourghly confused Mrs. Weasley.
"Nope."
"And you aren't with Hermione?"
"Nope."
"So your a player?"
"Nope. Just a very good friend."
"Right."
Hermione watched this exchange with enjoyment. She had never seen anything quite so funny. She finished her glass of water and stood. She walked over to the sink and re-filled it. Once she had drained it a second time she declared she fancied a walk.
"Well take Harry. Be sure you have your wands."
"Okay. Harry you comming?" Hermione asked from the door.
"What? Oh yeah." He stood and followed. He however paused at the door from the kitchen and turned around. "Is there some password we need to know to get back inside?"
"Nope we will just have to questin you when you get back." Came Moody's growling responce from the other side of the room.
"Okay." And with that he turned and interlaced his fingers in Hermione's once more. They made their way across the foyer and out the door. Little did they know that two very angry people were watcing them from the third floor.
They exited the door and Harry turned to face Hermione.
"So where do you want to go?"
"I think there is a park up here. We can swing."
"Okay then."
They got to the playground in less than five minutes. Each chose a swing and sat. They swung back and forth discussing matters of no imprtance. Like Quiddich and class and Quiddich.
"I can't believe we did it." Harry remarked as the Quiddich discussion turned to the house teams.
"Did what?"
"Got
you to care about Quiddich. You hated the sport."
"Well yeah. But watching it all the time with Ron and now watching it by myself has started to peak my interest."
"Oh really?"
"Yup."
They swung in silence for a while before Harry had a sudden idea.
"Hermione who do you like the most at Hogwarts? Like more than a friend."
"Umm..."
"Oh come on."
"Is that a trick question?"
"No."
"Hmm...I don't really like anyone right now. Well I like you. But only as a best friend."
"Oh I see. What would yousay if a I told you I don't believe you?"
"I would say that I don't lie, unless it is absolutly necessary."
"Right."
They swung in silence for a while longer before Hermione spotted somthing in the distance.
"I think we should leave."
"Why?"
"I just do."
So she jumped off her swing and Harry followed suite. Once they had made their way back up the street Hermione was almost sure they were being followed.
"We need to turn away from Grimuald Place." She wispered in a barely audible voice.
"Why?" Harry asked this in a very annoyed fashion.
"Because we are being followed. Don't look just trust me." He didn't turn around he just noded a small nod. They turned right instead of left and halfway down the street the figure followed.
"Who is it?" Harry asked in the lowest possible voice.
"No clue. Lets walk slower and when we can hear it we will turn around and stun it okay?"
"Yeah." They slowed their pace and it seemed that the figure did as well. No footsteps could be heard over theirs. They turned right again at the next street and at the same distance as last time the figure followed.
"Screw this I'm scared out of my mind. Stun it on three. One. Two. Three." They turned and whipped their wands out and shot stunning spells at the target. But it just took them and kept comming.
"What the hell?" The figure had quickened its pace now. Only it wasn't walking anymore. It was gliding.
"Oh shit. Harry this isn't a person it is a Lethifold!"
"What the hell is a Lethifold?"
"It is a creature that suffocates its victims. I don't know why it is comming after us. They usually only go for sleeping people."
"Well how the hell do we get rid of it?" They were now at a stand still in the middl eof the street wands outstreached in front of them. The Lethifold was not gliding upright anymore it was slithering along the ground with enormous speed.
"God I can't remember. Oh my god. Oh my god. How do you get rid of it. Let me think." She put her fingers in her ears and closed her eyes thinking. Lethifolds...god...The Lethifold is mercifully rare creature found only in topical climates. Why the hell is it here then? Oh shit...oh my god...oh my god...Pointing my wand away form myself into the deadly fold of the creature...yeah blah blah blah...shit...Patronus Charm! Hermione summoned the memory of Harry kissing her on Ginny's bed a few minutes ago and she raised her wand high in the air. She opened her eyes to see the creature wrapping itself around the rest of Harry's body having already tackled his face. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" An otter urepted from her wand and ran towards the beast. It gave the thing a few good smacks with its tale before it let go of Harry and started slithering away. The otter followed to be sure it had gone. Hermione rushed to catch Harry before he fell to the ground. She cought him in her arms and noticed with panic that he was unconsious.
