Chapter Five:

Honestly

Hermione walked down the hall with her head stuck in a book. She was crying slightly, but it was only because the book was so sad. She was crying and her tears dripped peacefully down her cheeks and hit her page. She stopped walking and put her back up against a wall and slid down to the floor. She sighed.

She read on and she felt herself being trapped inside the very pages of the book. She couldn't tear her eyes away from it, something about it made her stick to it. She felt her mind race through all the details and all the reality that it made her cry. Thank god it was a book and not actually happening.

"Hermione," A voice said from the hall. She looked up and smiled weakly.

"Oh, sorry, Harry." She said and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I thought you were sleeping." She said softly.

"I was, but that's not the point." He said quickly and knelt down in front of her. "What's wrong?" He wondered.

"Oh, nothing," She laughed. "A book got to me." She giggled.

"That's a first." He said and she nodded.

"It's a powerful book." She said.

They laughed and Harry kissed her softly on the cheek. She smiled back in an indication that showed she was alright. He patted her head lightly and stood before he said something. Hermione, though, wasn't listening until she heard the last two words.

"Good Bye," Harry said and Hermione jumped.

"What?" She said. She shook her head. "Sorry, I wasn't listening." She apologized again.

"It's alright," He laughed. "I have to go to Potions now," He said. "Aren't you coming?" He wondered.

"What time is it?" She asked.

"Almost four." He responded and Hermione jumped to her feet.

"We better get going then!" She said hastily.

Put your faith in me,

And I'll have to let it be.

She pulled him down the hallways and skidded into the classroom just as the bell rang and she sighed heavily. She whispered 'We made it,' and took her seat next to Harry. Her fingers were still entwined with his own as he watched the teacher closely. Snape, oh god, what could get any worse?

"Welcome class," He started with a snap. "Directions are on the board so begin!" He hissed.

Harry got straight to work and figured he had everything good to go because he had spent enough time just reading the board. He started and for basically the first time he had done everything right. He bottled the contents and jumped when the dungeon door had swung open. He sat down quickly then stood back up.

"Professor," A small shaky kid asked. Harry thought he looked about second year.

"Yes?" He wondered as his cold black eyes stared down at the boy.

"P-P-Professor D-Dumbledore n-needs to s-see H-Harry P-P-Potter." He stuttered and shook as Snape glared at him.

"Potter!" He hissed and turned to him. "Bottle your potion and get out of my sight!" He demanded and Harry did what he was told.

"See you later Hermione." He whispered before running out the door with a smile on his face.

He seemed overly happy for being called down to the headmaster's office without explanation. The student, who told Harry that he needed to go, had automatically lunged down a different hallway and out of sight. Harry shook his head. He didn't like Snape when he was that young, but he never seemed that scared of him. Or maybe it wasn't Snape the boy was scared of, but Harry himself.

Harry wandered up the hall, knowing precisely what this meeting was about, and hopefully everything went as planned. It was less then a week till Graduation, and he needed to get this done now. When he got to the gargoyle at the end of the hall he sighed. Guessing time.

"Er-," He started with wonderment. "Fizzing wizzbees, cockroach cluster, finger crunchers?" He needed to think. "Strawberry tart!" He shouted and the gargoyle sprung to life.

He stepped on the bottom stairs and waited patiently until the gargoyle had stopped at the top. As he went up the stairs he thought of how good this day would be, but maybe he was just imagining the greatness. He hoped not as he went to draw a hand to the large golden door, but the door had opened willingly. He stepped in and looked around, no one was there.

"Professor?" Harry called into the emptiness.

No one came, but Harry had sat down to wait. Then a small door at the top of a banister flew opened. An old wizard with sagging robes of dark blue velvet walked out. His beard was as white as snow and was pointed to the length of his stomach. Harry looked up with a smile and Dumbledore had spoke as he began descending down the stairs to the right of Harry's seat.

"Harry," Dumbledore said cheerfully. "Minerva said you needed to speak with me, is this true?" He asked gently.

"Yes, but what I wanted to ask is sort of well- difficult." He said.

"Harry, nothing is more difficult then what you have been through at Surrey." He said was a twinkle in his eyes. Harry nodded. "Now, please go on." He ordered.

"Well, I was wondering if you could get me out of classes for a couple days and send me to the ministry." He said hopefully.

"Interesting," Dumbledore said wisely. "Why do you ask?"

"I wish-" He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he spoke. "I wish to be an Animagus." He opened his eyes.

Dumbledore held no smile or frown, but stared at him. Harry wasn't sure if he was delighted, disappointed, or mad at the fact that he was seventeen and wanted to become one. Dumbledore sighed gently and looked at Harry with a wise look of opportunity and fearless ness. He smiled.

"Harry, you are only seventeen." He said.

"I know." He said exasperatedly. "But I need to learn, please? I can't get it done without your consent and approval on the matter. Please?" He begged.

"What possibly are you thinking about that would require for you to become one so quickly?" He asked. "Tell me why I should give you permission."

"I-I've been having visions again." He said sadly. "I need to learn so I can protect someone." He said hastily.

"Who?" Dumbledore asked in surprise.

"My girlfriend." He spoke softly.

Anytime the times get too tough,
Anytime your best ain't enough
I'll be the one to make it better,
I'll be there to protect you,
See you through,
I'll be there and there is nothing
I won't do.

"Ms. Granger?" Dumbledore asked and Harry nodded.

"Yes," He said with a large sigh. "I've been seeing visions and I think he is out to get her. I need to be an animal that might be useful and can save lives." He said.

"Do you have one in mind?" He asked.

"I thought about it a lot lately. Then I realized it." Harry said with power in his voice. "In my all my years at Hogwarts, only one animal has saved my life, and I want to be that animal!" Harry said.

"Sorry," Dumbledore spoke softly. "Excuse an old man's memory." He smiled sheepishly.

"It's alright," Harry nodded. "Professor, I wish to become a…" He said the answer in a whisper and his voice had so much desire. Dumbledore was the only one that had heard him.

"I see," Dumbledore said with a smile. "I completely understand, and I will send you for five days. Be aware that they might not accept you, but go straight to Kevin Helser, the new minister, and get his permission. Have him send me a note." He said with a wink.

"Alright, Thank You!" Harry said joyously as he gave him a tight hug.

"You're welcome." He winked. "You shall go by floo powder to Hogsmeade and apparate from there to the ministry. I'll send a note to your teachers and I shall have them assign you a person from each class to catch you up." He said.

"Alright," Harry said quickly. "But, can you keep this between me and you?" He wondered.

"I haven't heard anything but you saying you needed to go to St. Mungo's." Dumbledore winked. Harry smiled.

"Oh," He said as he pulled an envelope from his pocket. It was tied with a gold ribbon and in a messy script of writing it said a name. "Can you give this to Hermione?" He asked.

"Certainly," Dumbledore said as he pocketed the envelope.

"Thank you," He said.

"You're Welcome," Dumbledore smiled. "And Good Luck!"

Hermione walked out of Potions and no sign of Harry. He wasn't in his classes all day, nor was he at breakfast. Hermione was worried more then anything as she let out a growl of fear and marched herself to the head table at dinner. Before she reached the table, though, she had her answer already.

"Could I have your attention please?" Dumbledore asked after McGonagall had tapped her fork gently at the rim of her glass. Hermione took her seat back at the table and listened carefully. "A few things have been going on at Hogwarts. Earlier this evening I had a meeting with Harry Potter, and I am sadly saying that he will not be joining us until the last day of term."

"NOT FAIR!" Draco Malfoy had yelled and all the Slytherins had shouted in protests and agreements with Draco.

"Please, Mr. Malfoy, he was sent to St. Mungo's for testing." McGonagall said sharply and Draco had stood on the bench of his seat.

"Testing?" He asked. "Testing for what, retarded ness?" He snickered.

"Mr. Malfoy, see me after Dinner!" McGonagall hissed and the Gryffindors started howling in laughter.

"Fine," He hissed back with no regret. "I just don't understand why he gets to miss a whole week of term when we have a million exams!" Draco sneered. "Just cause he's your pet doesn't mean you should send him away and weasel him out of tests!" He glared at Dumbledore.

"Mr. Malfoy!" McGonagall warned.

"Shut it, you old hag!" Malfoy sneered and jumped off the table while pulling the tablecloth with him. "Fuck all of you, and have great lives with your retarded tests. Mr. High-and-Mighty Potter won't be here to enjoy it. Let's all clap for the kid who graduates for being lazy." No one clapped.

The whole table's food had shifted and fallen down and every Slytherin had jumped from their seats. Drinks were pouring onto each person's lap and food was falling to the floor. Draco spent no more time complaining about it not being fair when he marched straight out the door with a smirk of jealousy. Food was flung in different direction and trails of Pumpkin Juice were slowly sliding towards the other tables. Pansy Parkinson let out a scream as a chicken leg had fallen down her shirt. She then slapped Goyle for trying to remove it, amusing.

Hermione looked around in disbelief as she turned back to her non-touched food that she had not yet consumed. She couldn't help but wonder why Harry went to St. Mungo's without explanation. She couldn't care less that people behind her were trying to create a food fight. She just sat there and picked at her food with the sharpened tips of her silver fork. Hermione took a quick sip of her pumpkin juice and swirled around when she heard a couple of words:

"STOP THIS!" McGonagall yelled and after looking around everyone noticed that Hermione Granger was the only one sitting, not throwing anything, and not talking. People stared at her in unbelief. "Could I have the Head Girl up here?" McGonagall asked. "Please?" She asked looking sternly at Hermione, but because of Draco and the other students.

Hermione nodded infuriatingly and stood from her seat. Many heads had stared at her to find her response as to why she was called up, and to why her boyfriend was at St. Mungo's. People were beginning to wonder if Harry had eventually lost it. She followed her orders and walked to McGonagall with a look of repugnance towards Malfoy.

"Thank you," She said lightly. "I'm going to need you to find Mr. Malfoy and get him into my office. I'll have my word with him there." She said and Hermione nodded. "Use any magic you can to get him to stay there." She said and Hermione nodded.

"Ms. Granger," An old voice said to her as she was about to walk down from the head table. "Mr. Potter asked me to give you this." Dumbledore winked and handed her a letter that was tied with a now gold ribbon. Did the ribbon change colors?

"Thank you," She said gently, he nodded in return and he resumed on with his conversation with Madame Pomfrey about an operation.

She walked off the steps in front of the head table and proceeded towards the entrance to the Great Hall. She stood outside the entrance as the doors closed and put her back to a wall. She took the note and she decided to read it before she went looking for Malfoy. She pulled in a breath and ripped open the letter. There was the messy, yet quite familiar, script of handwriting. It was written in fresh, shiny, and golden colored ink that made Hermione feel a little relieved for some odd reason that even she couldn't explain.

Dear Hermione,

I'm sorry I had to go on such short notice. I shall be back in five days. I can't tell you exactly why I have left, but I can tell you that I certainly have not gone to St. Mungo's! I know Dumbledore told you that, because he promised me he wouldn't say the truth. I will see you in the five days and I will explain everything then. I've gone to find myself and I will come back a totally new person. I will be different and I'll need you to adjust. I will give you one clue as to what I am doing and nothing more. I love you with all my heart and I'll see you again soon. I really love you, and I'll miss you.

Love forever and for always – Harry.

P.S. The one clue is that I am making this change to protect you.

Hermione read through the letter probably a hundred times before she had the strength to tear it away from her view. She folded it neatly and put it in the envelope and stored it in her pocket. The envelope then glowed gold and sealed itself once again. What did she need protecting from, or maybe meant to ask herself whom he was protecting her from.

I will shield your heart from the rain

I won't let no harm come your way

Oh, these arms will be your shelter

No, these arms won't let you down

She touched her pocket again. She wanted to feel the letter to reassure her that his heart still lay with her at all times. Something else crossed her mind: What was with all the gold in the letter? She sighed after giving up on a hypothesis, now was the tricky part of the day. She had to follow Professor McGonagall's orders and find the only person who she ever considered an enemy: Malfoy.

When she tracked him down she saw him hastily walking towards a wide portrait of a soldier with a look of disgust on his face. Hermione had to stop him before he entered other wise she would not reach him. She stood in the open hallway and spoke right before he was about to say the password.

"Malfoy!" Hermione ordered and he turned on his heel.

"GRYFFINDOR?" Yelled the soldier as the look watched Hermione like a hawk. "This is not where you brave people should be! STOP DISTURBING THIS HALL'S LOYALTY!" He hissed even though it practically didn't even make sense.

"If Crabbe or Goyle become portraits and stand in front of the Slytherin Common Room, I won't be surprised." Hermione mumbled.

"Granger," Malfoy said with a smug smile. "What are you doing in the Slytherin hallway?" He asked with a look of hatred towards the girl.

"I am here to follow orders and take you to McGonagall's." She said simply. He just sneered at her.

"I'm not going anywhere." He said stubbornly and rather childishly in her opinion.

"I thought this would happen." She sighed. "Silencio!" She caste and he fell completely silent. His mouth was flapping like an overgrown flubberworm. How she missed those days.

He went to lunge at her, but she had caste another charm and he was then bound in a link of invisible chains. He couldn't move and Hermione felt herself have an advantage. She walked forward and grabbed a chunk of his hair. She dragged him down the hallway. Luckily there was a silence charm on him or he'd probably be heard over fifty miles away.

She threw him into McGonagall's office like a large, useless log that she was trying desperately to get rid of. She slammed him into a chair and soon had removed the silencing charm so he could at least talk. She just stared at him and refused to unbind him from his situation. She couldn't help but laugh at him.

"You have a lot of nerve." Draco spat in an unlikely manner. "Bitch," He hissed.

She ignored his comment completely as she headed for the door. The subject of Harry was, once again, on her mind and in no matter what situation it wouldn't leave. It stayed with her like a dog to it's master. She was surprised at this. She kept walking towards the door with a sigh as a screech echoed through the Transfiguration room.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS MUDBLOOD!" Malfoy shouted. "YOU WILL!"

Hermione grew bored of the rest of the week. It was strange and Harry's absence was really taking it's toll. She sat in the garden of Hogwarts and she kept her head in a book with a sigh. Even though she was reading, her mind was completely in a different place then with her. Then she sighed again.

Then suddenly she screamed. Two hands covered with black gloves had seized her. She screamed, but then they covered her mouth. Her screams were muffled and her vision became blurry for some odd reason. She felt herself being dragged deep into the forest where no one could hear her screams. She opened her eyes again and found herself bound to the trunk of a tree. Then the voice spoke.

"I told you you'd pay." The man spat and Hermione blinked as her vision returned to normal.

"Malfoy?" She asked in utter disbelief.

The man had nodded and Hermione's heart jumped in her throat. He had removed his cloaked face to reveal his bleach blond hair and his silver, cold, and evil eyes. She let out a laugh and he looked at her awkwardly. She stopped laughing and looked at him with amazement.

"Why do you care so much about being caught?" She wondered. "Are you scared of McGonagall?" She asked with a laugh.

"No!" He protested. "I'm getting revenge for you binding me and pulling me into a classroom by my hair!" He sneered.

"I thought you looked a few strands less." She smiled, but suddenly was stopped.

Draco had cast his hand up and slapped her promptly across the face so hard that her other cheek crashed into the bark of the tree. A thick stream of blood was slowly flowing out of the corner of her lip and she began trembling. He stared at her with hatred. He grabbed her by the chin and yanked her into facing him.

"You will regret this mudblood." He hissed and Hermione shook her head.

"I regret nothing." She sneered. "You will pay for this Malfoy. You will pay for everything you have ever done to me. I know who'll become your worst nightmare." She threatened and tried jumping at him, but was pulled back by the chains.

"Who?" Draco asked, curiously. "Your boyfriend?" He asked.

She winced a little as he pushed her shoulder into the bark and held her there. She then felt something cold reach her neck and she looked down to see a sharp, steel knife raised to her throat. She gulped.

"Sorry, but he wouldn't even dare to come near me." He sneered. "He doesn't even care about saving you!" Draco insisted.

"He does!" She cried and she felt the knife graze her skin a little harder. "He promised he'd protect me, and he will!" A stream of tears fell down her cheeks.

"Just what I thought," He said.

Hermione screamed as he brought the knife along her wrist and cut a large gash in her wrist. Blood poured from her cut and she began to cry tears of pain. Draco growled loudly as he brought the knife to her throat. He was threatening to slit it, and she began to tremble.

"Please," She begged. "Don't do this." She cried.

"It's too late you worthless mudblood." He said. "Have fun in hell where you have always belonged. You'll be the next nearly headless person after I slit your throat." He smirked and Hermione winced.

The cool metal had sprung against the skin of her throat again and she felt the blood flow down her neck. It pierced the skin, but she promised herself she wouldn't die. Harry promised he would protect her, but there was no hope now... she was going to die here in the hands of Draco Malfoy.

He pressed harder and Hermione let out one last scream as a fountain of blood flowed down her neck and stained her white clothing. She dripped with blood and tears and ever one last press she would be dead. She could just barely breathe and she was taking small, and safe breathes every few minutes. She was running out of air quickly. She felt him raise the knife again, but then something unusual happened.

A large golden bird had swooped down between them and stole the knife from Draco's hands. Draco began to swear at the bird as it dropped his weapon into the darkened forest. A golden light glowed from the bird as it lunged at Draco and scratched his cheek. A greenish liquid began to flow from his cheek and he ran away, screaming.

The bird was covered in golden color and looked like a child tried gluing sequins all over it. It was shiny and its large wings spread over seven feet long. Its beak was a darkened black color, but what was unusual is that its eyes were green. Bright, crystal clear, eyes stared back at her and she sighed in relief. She couldn't find the words to thank it enough for her.

It had a stripe of maroon across its back, and on its left wing was a small shape of a scribble mark. She hadn't even bothered to notice, or otherwise she would have known almost instantly where it had come from. She hadn't thought though, and she had no idea where this bird had come from. It hummed a song, a familiar song, but she didn't pay attention to that either. She was too busy about the slits in her throat and wrist as she was trying her hardest to hang on for her life. She bent over a little and coughed as a ball of pure blood rolled off her bloodstained lips. She sighed with tear in her eyes, she was dying.

I'll be there to protect you, see you through
I'll be there, and there is nothing, I won't do
I will cross the ocean for you
I will go and bring you the moon
I will be your hero, your strength, anything you need
I will be the sun in your sky
I will light your way for all time

Hermione thought she had died, but she felt relieved when she felt a few drops of water upon her neck line. She felt the instant relief as her gash had suddenly disappeared. She looked to her side and saw the golden bird flap its wings in front of her so it held itself parallel to her face. She breathed. A deep, heavy, and fresh breath had filled her lungs and she fell into complete relaxation.

"A phoenix?" She asked in confusion. "Fawkes?" She wondered hopefully so she knew she wasn't dreaming.

The bird had somehow understood her and shook its head. For some reason it could understand her language. It cried a couple more tears upon the gash on her wrist and that had instantly disappeared too. It then grazed its feathers along her body and she was freed from her binds. She was free!

She stood and looked at the bird that was right in front of her. This didn't make any sense to her. Why did it save her? She didn't call it, and it wasn't Fawkes. She hadn't even seen it before. Why was it here? Her confusion was quickly increasing, but soon it died. The bird had swooped down and brushed its golden wing across her face as it nipped her cheek affectionately. She smiled. It had green eyes.

"I knew it!" She said as she patted the bird. "You're a sly devil! The eyes, the letter, and most of all the gold! You didn't go to St. Mungo's after all... you went to the ministry to be a registered Animagus!" She shouted. "Didn't you, Harry Potter?" She asked as she crossed her arms in glory.

The bird swirled around for a second then a bright white light began to glow from it. It was spinning when it had melted into a silver metallic like substance that was slowly forming from the shape of a bird to the shape of a boy. Hermione smiled as the boy gained full appearance and smiled slyly at her. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Strange, after doing it for the first time, I mean." He said shaking his head. "It feels quite awkward, actually."

"I knew you were up to something!" Hermione smiled and Harry nodded.

"I told you I'd keep you safe, so I did." He said. "I'm just sorry you went through as much as you did." He sighed sadly.

"I was so scared and I thought I was going to die!" She said because she really wasn't in the mood to fight about whether he was on time or not. Then she spoke something that was a complete random comment: "I love you," she smiled.

"I love you too." Harry said and Hermione had crashed her lips so hard into his that he was surprised his lips weren't bruised.

"Thank you," She said. "For saving me. You're my hero."" She smiled.

"Anytime," He said sweetly. "You know I'd die for your life." He said and Hermione thought for a moment.

"Honestly?" She wondered.

For you I will, lay my life on the line
For you I will fight,
For you I will die
With every breathe, with all my soul
I'll give my world
I'll give it all

Harry had replied in the one and same word:

"Honestly."

Author's Notes:

I'm sorry I haven't updated, but I seriously had no idea what to do with this story. I am in the process of writing three stories at once, and I keep getting the same ideas over and over and over. This is suppose to be different then all my other stories! Lol. Well I hope you enjoy this chapter and sorry it took so long to post! I WILL NOT BE UPDATING NEXT WEEK, because of the new Harry Potter book.

Song: For You I Will - Monica

Airalynn

UPDATED: (SATURDAY) JULY 9, 2005 –

6 DAYS TILL HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE!

To My Reviewers:

dreamergirl86 – Trust? I think they are way beyond that step, lol. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Mysteriouscharm – What's a story without a little fluff? Lol. STORIES ARE NO GOOD WITHOUT IT:P

Ellimere Ancelstierre – I don't know why, but I love in the actual books the mysterious side of Harry. He always has a snooping sort of way and gets into the worst sort of trouble! I dunno, but I like it.

PrincessLuckyCML – I know -sigh- isn't it wonderful? Lol.

The-shadowed-one – Sextreamely? Hahaha, gotta remember that one. Lol, thanks. But it's not all that great of an idea.

Amelia Black Chancery – Well I slowed down and used mostly dialogue, but I guess it turned out alright in the end.

Ms. Sakura Moon – Woah yourself. Calm down chicka… don't have a heart attack on me! Lol.

Toga Party – Well he is hott. And how could someone be in Author's Denial about description? O.o