The savage salty breeze caught Harry and Hermione unawares as they emerged with a soft pop on the rock. Harry gripped the folds of the Cloak tightly before an errant gust could dislodge their protective shroud. His every sense was wired as adrenaline surged through him at their rapid, sudden evacuation. Hermione's firm grip relinquished from his arm and she regarded their surroundings. Harry did the same, only he flicked out his wand towards the ramshackle hut perched on the rock before them.
"Homenum revelio. "
The flash of the spell revealed no one on the island other than themselves. He let out a breath of relief, a sound that he heard repeated from Hermione as she pulled the Cloak off them and squinted about them.
"Where on earth are we?" Hermione asked, astonished, her voice nearly drowned by the sound of the waves and the wind. Harry looked around, stunned, as he climbed up the uneven rock surface, approaching the hut that he could so vividly remember from his eleventh birthday. Only then, it had been shrouded with sheets of rain, plunged in the deepest, darkest night. In the brilliant sunshine of the afternoon, it's ridiculously dilapidated condition was fully exposed. It looked even more abandoned than it had done six years previously.
"It's a good question. I don't actually know, which makes it a pretty safe location now that I think about it," Harry told her, raising his voice over the crashing of waves. He turned, seeing her below, cautiously climbing up the rock to reach him. He crouched down, extending his hand down to her to help her up. She grabbed his offered hand and he assisted her. The rock was very slippery.
When she reached his side, he led her towards the hut. "Let's go inside and figure out what just happened." Hermione nodded. They reached the tired, rotten door, finding the hut unlocked. Pushing it open, it sagged on the hinges, nearly coming off all together.
"I think it's safe to say that no one has been here in a long time," Harry remarked as he stepped inside, nose wrinkling at the strong stench of seaweed.
"Did you want to stay here or try somewhere else?" Hermione asked him, shutting the door behind them. The sound of the waves diminished a little.
"I… I don't know," Harry ran his fingers through his hair as his adrenaline started to wane. Shock and fear were his primary feelings now. "How did they find us? Neither of us said his name." He glanced around the hut, seeing that what little furniture had been within the two sparse rooms had been cleared out. It very much appeared abandoned.
Hermione remained where she was, hugging her arms tightly around her. Neither of them were suitably dressed for the cold and it was cold. Even out from the sea breeze, it was very chilly.
"What did we do differently?" Hermione asked as she shivered. "The hexes outside the tent?"
"I was casting a lot more yesterday and it wasn't picked up," Harry told her, "and besides, I don't have the trace anymore, if I did… we would have had Death Eaters crawling all over us much earlier." He saw Hermione's reluctant nod as she agreed with him. Seeing her trembling with the cold and with fear triggered a desperate need to protect her. He crossed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her, hoping that his embrace gave her some comfort. Her arms unfolded and drew around him at once.
"It can't have been the Portkeys either," she said softly when she burrowed her head into his chest. His heart rate picked up again, but now for a different reason. He bowed his head down over hers, pressing his face into her soft curls.
"Whoever it was," his low voice was slightly muffled as he spoke into her hair, "they didn't see us. They headed off in the opposite direction."
Hermione sighed into his chest, the tension leaving her a little. "They were alone as well. If they knew where we were, they would bring a lot more down on us, especially after yesterday."
Harry found himself smiling. "That's true."
"I don't want to chalk it down to a very unlucky coincidence that someone just happened to apparate a few yards from where we were camping, but… what else could it be?"
Hermione pulled back from his chest, looking up at him. He let out a breath, listening to the sounds of the elements battering the hut and the vulnerable island out in the middle of the sea. He brought his hands up to cup her face in his. She gave him a soft smile in response to the gentle touch. Her face was so cold. He brought his head down, his forehead pressing against hers, staring down at her.
"Even if it was just a wandering wizard, we can't be spotted by anyone. I'm far too recognisable and they'll know you're with me."
Hermione gave a thoughtful hum as she gazed up at him. He felt himself starting to calm down. The brush with danger had brought home just how much peril they were in. It was too easy to forget about the world while pulling apart Dumbledore's riddles and while enjoying the company of his brilliant Hermione.
My brilliant Hermione.
He kissed her then. The moment their lips met, relief swelled within him. Her arms tightened around him with the same insistence as twines of Devil's Snare. Their breaths were hot against their cooled skin. Hermione's kiss deepened, grew more hungry, more desperate. Before he knew what was going on, he was staggering backwards as she pushed him back. He collided against the stone wall, his shocked breath puffing out. His eyes were wide, stunned at Hermione's sudden desire. Her hands were now running up to his face, her fingers touching his stubble. Their lips parted and they stared at each other. Hermione's pupils were fully dilated as she drank him in, her nostrils flaring a little as she breathed heavily. Harry felt a now all too familiar tightening in his boxers.
"I've missed your lips, Harry," she said softly.
The response was electrifying, synapses firing in rapid succession as his own desire ignited like fireworks. He ducked his head down to her neck, breathing in her, brushing his face against the soft, supple skin of her neck. He pressed his lips to her skin, feeling the rapid racing of her pulse against his lips.
"They're right here," he moaned against her skin then peppered her neck with soft kisses, then he grinned as he recalled the bright red mark on his own neck in the same spot. He deeply kissed her skin, sucking hard. Hermione went rigid in his arms, gasping at the pressure on her neck. He didn't linger too long, not wanting to hurt her. Hermione's hands came up to his shoulders, pinning him against the wall.
He drank her in: her flushed face, her eyes alive with lust, her hair escaping the bun in soft tendrils that hung down her face, her dark pink lips that were glistening, moist. He felt it then, the sexual awakening, the animalistic urge deep within him. There was something about her taking charge that turned him on in ways he had never felt before. It made him feel like she wanted him. She desired him. It made him feel light-headed.
His gaze then went down to the mark he had left. It set loose in him a surge of pleasure. She had marked him, now he had marked her as if they were animals marking their territory, a sign to others that belonged to each other and no one else.
His mouth curled up in the corner.
"Now we're even."
Hermione went to touch her neck, feeling the tender spot. Her eyes darkened and she smiled provocatively. The look made Harry's penis twitch uncomfortably in his tight jeans. They stared at each other, breathing hard, now flushed and warm where they had been cold. Hermione eventually dropped her arms down, leaving Harry against the wall. He let out a long breath. Hermione turned from him, looking around at the hut properly for the first time.
"Harry… why do you know about this place?"
"Well… this is actually a very important place… believe it or not." Harry said. "This is where I learned that I'm a wizard. It's where I saw magic properly for the first time and where I read my Hogwarts letter."
Hermione's face fell. "We… we can go somewhere else if it's…"
Harry smiled at her concern for him. "Not at all, it's a good memory. I was set free here." Her gaze met his and she brought her hand up to his face. He lifted his hand up to her's, holding it there. "Although… since we have the camp packed up and you sort of blew up the Biography you wanted to read…" Hermione gave a soft chuckle. He turned his face so he could kiss her hand. He brought it down, holding it. "I think we should get our supplies now and… I'd feel more comfortable being on the move, doing something."
She bit her lip, brushing her teeth along the skin, peering up at him. "What's the time?" He frowned at the question but checked anyway.
"Hmm… coming up to five, why?"
"Most clothes shop close at five and you wanted to buy some jeans."
Harry laughed. "I don't have to buy jeans. I'm sure they can last a bit longer."
"But you don't have that many clothes. I didn't pack a lot…"
Harry's smile faltered a little, "no… you packed everything I brought with me."
"It's only going to get colder. You need something more suitable," she said to him, frowning up at him. Harry sighed.
"No, I'd rather we use your money for things we actually need."
"Exactly, Harry, it's my money, so I say I'm buying you some clothes."
Harry groaned, dropping his head. He knew he couldn't win against that argument. She brought her other hand up to his face and stepped up to him, her body pressing against him. She rose on her tiptoes, her lips claiming his. He sighed into her kiss.
"I can think of ways you can pay me back."
Arousal roared through him and his kiss shifted with his need. His teeth brushed over her lip. Hermione's breath caught in her throat.
"Can you?"
"Hmmhm… I am rather smart, you know," her voice low as she paused between kisses to speak. "And… I think we should plan it… going for supplies again. We need to write a shopping list, make proper plans…"
Harry groaned in his throat as her thumbs brushed over his cheekbones. He drew back his head, staring intently at her.
"Right as always, Miss Granger," he said huskily. She gave him a wonderful smile, her eyes dancing as they roamed around his face. "We'll stay here for now and plan things out properly."
Hermione let go of his face, leaving his glasses a little lopsided where he had dislodged them in the rush.
"You can make a start by sorting the charms outside," she ordered him, "I'll sort out the tent."
Harry scowled. "Why am I the one going back out there?"
"Because I might slip," she said, "you're a lot more agile than I am, Mr Gryffindor Quidditch Captain."
Harry threw back his head, laughing breathily. "Well, after a compliment like that, I can't say no now. Fine, but I'm putting on a coat. It's bitter out there."
At that, Hermione backed from him so he could free himself from the wall. She opened up her bag, taking out Harry's rucksack. He ripped it open and grabbed his only coat, pulling it on. He then drew his Invisibility Cloak around his shoulders. Hermione turned from him, preparing to expand the tent and erect it. He smiled at her, thrumming with affection and arousal, but he kept himself in control.
Safety was the priority, not his urges.
Off he went to apply the many protective charms around their island getaway. He pushed back out into the salty cold air, hunching against the strong wind as he slipped outside. He shut the door firmly. Hugging his arms around himself, he carefully climbed up the sloping rock to get a better view of the rocky outcrop. He hadn't seen it properly the first time and now, looking at it, he realised how bloody stupid his uncle had been to bring his family to somewhere so dangerous. Behind him was a sheer drop of about thirty feet. The waves crashed under, reminding him very strongly of the place he had travelled to with Dumbledore on the hunt for the horcrux.
He backed away carefully, checking the ground. It was hard rock underfoot, but he didn't want to risk the ground coming away and plunging him to a rather embarrassing death. Instead, he walked around the island, finding the jetty where the boat had been moored the last time. It was completely barren, no signs of life other than himself and Hermione.
"Who would build a hut here?" Harry mused to himself, baffled. Really, it was the perfect location for them to hide. That being said, his uncle had thought the same thing before Hagrid caught up to them. He frowned. How had Hagrid tracked him down? The address on the envelope had been very vague.
He shrugged. Whatever method he had used, it couldn't work now. Likely it had something to do with the Trace.
Heading back to the hut, he raised his wand and started the ritual of protective charms. He paced around the hut, waving his wand.
"Salvio Hexia… Protego Totalum… Repullem Muggletum… Cave Inimicum… Muffliato… " The air around him simmered as the magic bloomed out of his wand, settling in place as he paced, marking out the perimeter of their wards. He repeated the spells as he walked, adding layer upon layer, feeling the pull on his own magic as he charmed up their defenses. By the time he completed the circle, he had a headache from the complicated charm work. He took a few steps back and added a few extra defenses outside the hut. A trip alarm that would go off if anyone passed the boundary.
He returned inside the hut, turning to the door.
"Colloportus ." It sealed fully, the whistling wind now blocked off. He was greeted with a very bizarre sight of a tent being pitched up in the middle of the room. He noticed that Hermione had fixed the pegs into the solid ground with magic. She was nowhere to be seen so he assumed that she was inside their home.
He pushed through the tent flap, sighing in relief when greeted with the familiar living room and the sound of Hermione's blue bell flames flickering in the glass bowl. He heard the clink of crockery from the kitchen, giving away where Hermione was. He pulled the Cloak off, hanging it on the coat hanger. He grimaced when he saw the disarray of their study area. In their haste to leave, they didn't pack away everything. Objects were strewn around from where they had been dislodged. It was only their belongings that were all over the place. Everything else in the tent was charmed to stay in place when the tent was packed up.
He took out his wand and started to tidy up.
"Oh, there you are," Hermione said, entering from the kitchen, "I was starting to think I would have to check that you hadn't fallen in the sea."
He glanced over his shoulder, seeing that Hermione had made them some tea. She put their cups on the coffee table and joined him, waving her wand as she gathered up the books.
"I had a look around. This place is very deserted, but it's also pretty dangerous. We should avoid going out at night."
He saw Hermione's grin. "Is that you saying that we can't stargaze tonight?" He felt a surge pulse through him at the memory of their passion-filled night.
"If it's okay with you, I'd rather kiss you without running the risk of falling to my death."
"That would spoil the mood," Hermione agreed. Harry summoned more books from around the room. He caught them deftly, setting them neatly on the table. Hermione brought over the last of the books that had ended up sprawled all over the living room. They looked down at their restored study space.
"Did you want to continue?" She asked him, gesturing at his notebook. Harry rubbed at the back of his neck.
"Maybe not tonight. I've got a bit of a headache and I… I don't know. I wasn't getting anywhere and you sort of…" He met her gaze. "Blew up our lead."
Hermione dismissed the point with a wave of her hand. "I got out of it what we were after. Besides, the next two chapters were about the worrying relationship between Albus Dumbledore and his favourite student, Harry Potter."
"Huh, sounds boring," Harry remarked, his stomach clenching at the thought despite his feigned disinterest.
"I think I've got a more reliable source of information on that topic than Rita does," Hermione said, shooting a glance across at him. "Besides, I don't want to give that woman any more attention. Especially after what she did to Bathilda."
Harry gripped the back of the nearest chair, gritting his teeth. He met her look and nodded. "I can't argue with that."
"Then how about we swap?" Hermione said, gesturing at the books that were at their places. "You can look into Grindelwald and I'll see if I can find anything in my books about the other Hallows. I've heard of famous wands before… but I admit, I've never come across the Elder Wand."
"I suppose if they were easy to find, it wouldn't be a quest," Harry said, disgruntled, "but I guess it makes sense for me to learn how Dumbledore defeated the last Dark Lord seeing that I'm meant to defeat the current one."
Hermione patted his hand. " We are going to defeat him, Harry, the both of us." He looked across at her, his heart leaping. "You're not doing any of this alone. We'll find these Hallows, then we'll find the horcruxes… then…"
"We kill Tom Riddle," Harry gave a soft laugh, "sounds simple enough… but first things first," he grinned at her, "we have a shopping trip to plan."
Hermione kissed his cheek. "I like your priorities."
After plotting their most high risk operation yet, purchasing clothes for Harry, the pair settled down for a rather mix-matched dinner of soup, bread, and the remainder of their fruit. Hermione barred Harry from the kitchen as he had cooked more meals than her and she struggled to think of a meal to make with what supplies they had. Harry didn't complain, gratefully eating his two apples after gulping down a bowl of chicken soup.
Once it was nine o'clock, they settled down for their favourite hour - hot chocolate hour. Harry carried the mugs into the living room, giving a laugh when he saw that Hermione had enlarged her chair so they could both fit in it.
"Why not transfigure it into a sofa?" He asked her, approaching.
"I like this chair," she said, shrugging, then patted the space next to her. He grinned, face flushing at the anticipation of spending more time being close. He handed her over her mug and sat down next to her, summoning one of the blankets so they could tuck it around their legs. It was a little warmer in the tent with the added protection of the hut they were within, but it was still cold. They were both wearing jumpers, their noses pink from the chill.
Harry brought his arm up and over Hermione's shoulders. She immediately responded, cuddling into him. He saw her eyes close at the contact and felt a thrill at witnessing how his embrace made her relax. She felt safe around him.
"What do you fancy doing?" She asked him in a slightly hushed voice. Her eyes remained closed. "We could watch a film together, maybe eat ice cream?" Harry gave a laugh.
"Is this where you tell me you have a tele in your handbag?"
Her giggles reverberated through him.
"Damn, I knew there was something I forgot." Her eyes then opened and she looked up at him, giving him a longing look that sent his heart racing. His fingers played with her hair which was now loose over her shoulders.
"Speaking of which, I'm also a little… unprepared in a different department." She said, her voice low, tentative. Her teeth chewed on her lip in that adorable way that made him want to chew on her lip himself. Her cheeks were starting to glow from her embarrassment.
"Oh?"
"I don't have any of the potion." Her eyes searched his. Harry was clueless. He looked back at her, trying to understand what she was saying. What potion? They had Polyjuice Potion and Essence of Dittany. He knew that she had pepper-ups and other remedies. Then he studied her lip, seeing her nerves, her discomfort.
Then it hit him.
A sudden memory struck him. He had this conversation before with a different girl. One with red hair and blazing eyes.
His back had been pressed rather uncomfortably against a bucket as Ginny's legs pressed on either side of him, her hair tickling him as she brought her head downwards towards his belt buckle. With a tap of her wand, his belt and flies were undone. His face was flushed with arousal.
"If you want to go all the way, Harry, I'm on the potion…" She said to him.
"Potion?" He had stupidly asked. Her head flashed up, shooting him a stern look.
"The contraceptive potion. You know… so we don't have to worry about any complications."
He had gaped like a fish. "What?"
"I started taking it this year. Mum said it was a good idea…"
Funnily enough, the mention of her mum had rather cooled Harry's blood.
"Oh, well… that's good to know, I suppose… but I don't think we're ready for that…"
Returning from that memory, Harry could see that his silence worried Hermione. There was confusion and even a little hurt in her eyes.
"Oh, right," Harry said eventually and his gaze dipped lower to the area between Hermione's legs. It bounced back up again to her face. "I guess this was a bit unexpected." He then reached up to twist one of her curls in his fingers. "If… if that is something you do want to try with me, I'd rather we do it when we're ready. And if you're worried, I have had the ' talk' ." He smiled sheepishly. "Many many times over."
Hermione's smile changed from shy and nervous to amused.
"Why so many times?"
"Well, as the typical person to give me the 'talk' wasn't around, a load of adults decided to take it upon themselves to do it. I've had the talk from Mr Weasley, Sirius, Remus, even Hagrid. "
Hermione brought her hand up, laughing. "Hagrid talked to you about sex?"
"Y-yeah," Harry was struggling to talk through his laughs. "I was stuck with the mental image of him and Madame Maxime for days."
Hermione wheezed, nearly spilling her mug. " Harry no!"
"But really, I knew about it all before I knew I was a wizard. The benefit of a muggle education, I suppose. I had Sex Education lessons in year six." Hermione blinked and nodded.
"Me too," she said, "the magical world is pretty behind when it comes to that sort of education. Biology goes a bit beyond analogies around 'the wizard's wand' and 'the witch's cauldron'."
"I don't know. Sirius was pretty detailed," Harry remarked, flashing her a grin. "My godfather certainly knew his way around a woman's body. He even gave me diagrams. Remus had looked like he wanted to melt into the ground."
"They gave you the talk together? "
Harry ducked his head, sighing. "I got the Marauder treatment, alright. I'm fairly certain Sirius was trying to make me and Remus as embarrassed as possible. He certainly succeeded."
Hermione drank her hot chocolate, smiling at him. "I can imagine."
"Yeah, so… don't worry. If we're not prepared, then we wait," he stared at her, "I can wait…" Then he kissed her, butting his forehead against hers by accident. "Oops."
"A bit too eager," Hermione observed. Harry smiled and kissed her again, tasting the hot chocolate on her lips. He pulled back and settled back against the back of the seat. Hermione rested her head on his shoulder.
"You know… if we do want to do it, there are non-magical methods."
Harry considered her, startled, his breathing elevating as he realised just exactly what Hermione was implying. She wanted to have sex with him. She found him sexually attractive. At the thought, his anatomy betrayed his previous statement of being about to wait. It immediately rose to the occasion.
You and I are going to have words. He thought, glaring down at the growing bulge. Hermione was continuing, oblivious of Harry's increasing predicament.
"As we're doing a supply run tomorrow, there's no reason why we can't embrace our muggle roots a little more." She drank some more of her hot chocolate, her weight shifting against him, causing his jeans to move, the cloth shifting against his now very sensitive area. He bit on his lip. Hermione turned her head to look at him, seeing his reaction, then she looked down. She then raised her head, lifting an eyebrow at him questioningly. He gave a guilty shrug.
"Unfortunate side effect of being a horny teenaged boy. It wants it all the time. Do you know that Ron once had a boner in Potions?"
Hermione barked out a laugh. " No! "
"Uh-huh. It was hilarious. I couldn't stop laughing the whole class. Got a detention, of course, for not paying attention, but it was worth scrubbing some cauldrons."
"So that's why you were laughing," Hermione gasped, nudging him, "I thought you had accidentally spiked yourself with something."
"Nope, Merlin knows what caused it to happen. Especially when it was Snape, but sometimes it happens for no reason at all," he said with a shrug, "though I can safely say that this is entirely your doing." He dipped his gaze down to his issue. Hermione wore a rather proud look. He then remembered what she had been saying. "Right so… you want to… pick up some condoms?"
Hermione flashed him a look and her teeth worried over her lip, setting alight his desire once again.
"If… you want to take this that far," she said quietly, "I know it's early but… it's good to be prepared." Harry softly snorted, but then he looked at her, breathing deeply. Intense nerves flickered through him all of a sudden. The furthest he had gone sexually had been in that broom cupboard with Ginny. She had given him a couple of blowjobs and showed him how to pleasure her in return. It had been incredible, but it had never felt all that intimate. Exciting and pleasurable, but nothing like how he was feeling at the current moment. He was scared of disappointing her, hurting her… and embarrassing himself.
"I'm nervous too," Hermione said softly, picking up on his anxiety, "but I know that, when we're ready, it'll be perfect. You will be perfect."
Her lips pressed against the corner of his mouth and he moved at once to accept the kiss. He let her affection roll over him, comforting his nerves, building him up. They stopped, returning to finish their drinks. Harry stretched out his legs, propping his feet up on the coffee table, gulping down his warm, sweet beverage, trying to not dwell on sexual thoughts that were popping into his mind. Hermione finished hers and she put her empty cup on the table. She turned to him, snuggling against him, resting her head on his chest. He brought his free hand up to her hair, running his fingers through the curls.
He looked down at the girl laying on him, his mind struggling to comprehend that this was Hermione, that he was embarking on a romance with his best friend, his partner-in-crime. This was the same girl that once thought that getting expelled was worse than death, now she was risking her life for him. This was the girl whose boggart had been failing a test, now she was facing up against the most powerful wizard alive. His heart swelled and he finished his hot chocolate, eager to have both his hands free. He set his cup down and edged closer to Hermione, using his now liberated hand to tilt her chin upwards so her eyes found his.
"I can't believe you blew up a book to make me feel better," Harry said suddenly. "Of all the wild things you have done, that is up there for me."
Hermione smiled, closing her eyes.
"You are very special," she said, her hands caressing his torso. "I'm… starting to feel glad that Ron left. It likely makes me a terrible person, but… I know we wouldn't have made half the progress we have with him here."
Harry kept stroking her hair, taking in not just how beautiful she was, but how brilliant. Her brilliance inspired him, made him want her to be as proud of him as he was of her. Her encouragement, her support and solidarity bolstered him in ways that no one else could.
"Maybe we would, maybe we wouldn't… it doesn't matter bec-."
Whatever Harry was about to say was drowned out by an awful screeching sound. Hermione screamed in shock, scrambling up off Harry, who sprung into action. His wand was in his hand in a blink.
"Someone's here."
His eyes darted around as he thought rapidly.
"Wh-what is that noise?" Hermione shouted, pressing her hands over her ears.
"Alarm." Harry was crossing the living room, half running, grabbing his Invisibility Cloak. He stepped into his shoes.
"Where… no, Harry! You can't go out!"
"No one knows where we are Hermione and yet, right now, there is someone out there. I put a trip alarm up… I thought I was being paranoid."
He could hear something under the shrieking. Was that shouting? He planted a kiss on Hermione's scared face. "I'll move faster under my Cloak on my own."
"Harry, please… don't go out on your own…"
He listened to her voice, glancing over to her. Then he nodded. "Alright, follow me out but don't pass the wards unless I'm attacked."
Hermione pulled on her boots. Harry took a deep breath, throwing the cloak over his shoulders. He pushed through the flap, stepping into the pitch black darkness of the hut. He didn't dare light his wand and give himself away. His ears were ringing with the sound of his alarm hex.
He cancelled the spell blocking the door and pushed it open. The din of the alarm slammed into him.
"Finite ." He said at once. All he could hear now was a shrill ringing. He squinted at the darkness, seeing the stars glittering overhead.
"Homenum revelio. " He muttered. A white haze lit at the end of his wand, marking three lives present in his vicinity. Him, Hermione and one other. They weren't alone.
He heard Hermione at his back and he glanced over, unable to see her in the darkness. He knew she was there. He turned back around and saw then a beam of wandlight. Hermione gasped behind him.
"How…?" She gasped, just as shocked as he was. How had someone found them again? They were being so careful with not breaking Taboo and yet, here they were, tracked down again.
The only way to find out was to confront their pursuer. Harry had the upperhand. He was invisible and not alone.
"Stay here and cover me," Harry said over his shoulder to Hermione.
"I will. Be careful," she replied. Harry carefully stepped onto the rock, his body immediately battered by the wind. He slowly approached, seeing now a figure silhouetted against their wandlight. Then Harry heard them.
"Bloody hell… where are they?"
Ice locked Harry's limbs and he jerked to a stand-still. His cloak nearly came free as he lost his grip in shock.
"Harry! " The man before him shouted his name, his voice hoarse, rough. "I'm sorry! Please… show yourself."
Harry watched as Ron Weasley searched the rocky outcrop with his wand, oblivious that Harry was standing right in front of him. His gaze travelled to where he knew was a sheer drop. Sighing, his heart thundering in his chest, Harry pulled the cloak off himself.
"Stop!" Harry shouted, his voice cutting over the crashing waves. Ron froze, turning. Harry threw his hand up to shield his eyes as Ron show his wand right into his face.
"Harry?"
"Lower your wand," Harry said at once, staring at Ron, waves of disbelief crashing over him as he listened to the actual waves. The light dropped, no longer dazzling him. He could see Ron cautiously approaching. Harry then raised his own wand, pointing it at his former friend.
"No closer."
"Harry…" Ron swallowed, searching behind him. Harry knew who he was looking for and anger blazed through him. Before he made a decision about what to do about Ron's impossible return, he had to check.
"What was my first Chocolate Frog card?" Harry demanded. Ron gaped at him, his freckled face pale.
"Wh-what?"
"My first card, who did I have?" Harry said again, raising his wand so he was pointing right at Ron's face.
"Dumbledore."
That was one obstacle dealt with. Now the other.
"How did you find us?" He kept his voice curt while his heart was racing and his mind screamed at him. He didn't want to have to deal with this, with Ron. Not now, not just as he and Hermione were discovering something that he dared to never dream was possible. Not for him. His chest was tightening as his anger built with every second, his resentment.
He knew that Ron could see his hostility as he didn't come any closer. He also didn't raise his wand, knowing that he could never draw or cast faster than Harry. Ron slowly raised his left hand, showing Harry a small object. There was a click and a white orb of light shot out, hovering above them, illuminating them.
"I heard you talking… both of you," Ron said, "the first time, you said my name and something about a bed."
Harry remembered. He had shrunk Ron's bed and told Hermione, who then said that he should have burned it down. He stared at the object, the deluminator. Ron had heard them from it?
"Then again, I heard you both. You said something about… me being one and then Hermione said that I was her choice."
Harry was bewildered now. What was he talking about? Then it hit him. When he and Hermione had hexed the book, then both said that they would picture who they wanted to hex the most… both choosing Ron.
And out of context… that would have sounded like.
Shit.
"I activated it and a light left it, like it always does, only this time, it went outside and I followed it," Ron explained, his face tense as he kept his eyes on Harry's wand. "It went… to my chest and it was bluish, like the like a Portkey gives off. So I apparated and ended up in the middle of some forest."
Harry listened with shock. The deluminator gave Ron a way to apparate to people who said his name.
"So that was you."
The voice came from behind Harry. Cold and harsh. He didn't turn as Hermione drew up to his side. Ron's eyes went wide as he took in Hermione, stepping out from behind Harry, moving into the light. Her wand was also raised, pointing at Ron.
"Your charms work, by the way," he said, swallowing tightly, "I couldn't see you… or hear you… so I sat under a tree and waited to hear you again."
Neither of the three of them spoke as Harry and Hermione processed what Ron was saying. He had come back, he had searched for them and he had found them. Harry glanced over at Hermione, seeing her pursed lips and hardened eyes. His heart fluttered with hope. She was livid. He folded his Invisibility Cloak, eyeing Ron while Hermione kept him in her sights, and stuffed it under his jumper.
"I… I know I really messed up," Ron said, his voice rough, uncertain. "The moment I apparated, I knew… and I tried to get back but I ran into some Snatchers."
"Snatchers?" Harry repeated.
"Yeah, bounty hunters, pretty much," Ron said, his voice a little stronger. "They were pretty thick and didn't know who I was. They just thought I was skiving off school and were going to turn me over to the Ministry. I managed to get free and grabbed a wand. I apparated back to where you were, but you were gone…"
He then turned to Hermione. "I get it that you're mad at me. You… were right to stay and I should… should have."
Harry edged over to Hermione, turning his mouth over to her ear.
"I'm not deciding anything out here in the open," he said to her quietly, "and the moment he knows that we're together, he's going to flip out."
He saw her chin dip in agreement. He looked back to Ron.
"Come on. It's dangerous out here. It's a miracle you didn't blunder off the cliff," Harry said, gesturing to the drop behind Ron. "We're in a hut this way." Hermione spun sharply on her heel and marched off back to the hut, not waiting for Ron. Harry watched her go, knowing that most of her anger towards Ron was on his account.
Ron gave him a grateful look at the olive branch Harry was giving him. He stepped up to Harry, moving to follow Hermione, but Harry stopped him with a firm hand on his chest. He drew himself up to the red-head.
"I'm willing to listen, but that's it. I'm making no promises," Harry said to him, "this wasn't a spat between friends. You broke Hermione's heart and you broke my trust. It is going to take a lot more than just turning up and expecting to be welcomed back with open arms."
Ron's face hardened and the two boys stared at each other. Harry oozed threat, his green eyes narrowed; Ron's blue eyes were stony, defensive. But then Ron's expression slipped, a flicker of shame and hurt passing over his face. He clearly expected a warmer welcome, perhaps even relief at his safe return. Instead, he was met with indifference and resentment.
Harry dropped his hand from his chest and turned, leading Ron up to the hut. Back turned, he openly panicked, having no idea what the hell to do with Ron and how to handle the explosion that was imminent. He didn't know which of them would ignite first.
He grimly thought that he would rather take another round with Voldemort than deal with this drama.
