Chapter 16: Cancel your plans…
The three were once again busy practicing jinxes and were getting quite good at silent ones, even Ron who always had had troubles with them. Hermione was still giving a 'just talk business' attitude…while shared a joke or two every now or then with Ron. Mrs. Dursley informed Harry that Mr. Dursley, Dudley and herself will be out for dinner with some colleagues' of Mr. Dursley and their families. Therefore Harry was instructed to make dinner himself and not to destroy anything in the house. Harry listened to everything quietly and didn't give any sarcastic replies because he knew they will only get rude with Ron and Hermione. At some time in evening Mr. Dursley showed up – same sort of lectures as Aunt Petunia's were given to Harry along with the his two friends. Finally the Dursleys left for the dinner party leaving them alone at home.
Harry, Ron and Hermione entered the kitchen, once the coast was cleared from the Dursleys. Harry headed towards the kitchen cabinets while Ron got hold of Hermione's hand quietly and headed outside the kitchen. Harry didn't notice them leaving…and continued looking for something edible to prepare for his friends. He opened the refrigerator…
"So what would you like to eat…we can have sandwiches or noodles if you want..." asked Harry while checking out the contents in the fridge.
Hermione had entered the kitchen once again at that very moment…
"How about we order some pizza?" suggested Hermione.
"Oh I don't have any muggle money with me right now…I am kind of poor in this world" said Harry with a smile.
"Well I have it. You order while I go and fetch some money…" suggested Hermione
"Where's Ron by the way?" asked Harry.
"He wanted me to turn on the TV for him…so he is in the lounge…I came in to check if you needed help but then I thought we could always eat pizza …anyway go ahead order the pizza" saying this Hermione left the kitchen
Harry ordered the pizza and joined Ron in front of the TV…he had never really enjoyed watching TV as such but right now he was having a good time. Ron was fascinated…they kept switching channels…finally they decided to watch some sports channel. There was an old Tennis match on at that moment when Ron jumped excitedly …
"Hey I know about this…Hermione told me about it…" said Ron excitedly.
Before Harry could inquire about when did Hermione tell Ron about it…Ron started talking again…
"…this is the game Hermione was telling me about…she loves Tennis, she said she is a good Tennis player…Right Harry?…this is the one? Assuming Harry also knew this little news about Hermione Or was it foot ball…no it was definitely this…Dean was in to football…yeah I remember now…where is she anyway… HERMIONE….HERMIONE?" Ron called out.
Hermione was half way through the stairs when she said I am coming Ron; Harry kept quiet and wanted to listen to their conversation to confirm that Ron wasn't making it up. For some odd reason it was bugging Harry that he didn't know this little news about Hermione…I never knew she was in to muggle sports…were his thoughts. Harry's train of thoughts was interrupted with Ron's voice…
"Where were you? " asked Ron.
"I just went upstairs to get some muggle money, Ron…Anyway why were you shouting?" asked Hermione
"Hey there is a tennis match on…I just got excited as you told me about it in school remember?...This is what you were talking about right?" said Ron excitedly.
Hermione nodded with a big smile and sat herself between the two, handing out her stick to Harry to put it aside…"Yes this is Tennis…and that's my favorite player playing right now – Andy Roddick…oh but he is going to loose this match…seen it before. I don't like this Fedrer guy…" said Hermione
"Ron told me that you play this sport as well? How come you never told me? ", asked Harry in a mock casual way.
"You didn't know Harry…I thought you knew…Hermione told me in 3rd year if I remember correctly" said Ron. This agitated Harry a bit more.
"Honestly Ron…I told you in 2nd year when you asked me about applying for quidditch…remember?" said Hermione.
(Flash Back: Ron and Hermione were looking at Harry's quidditch practice when Ron asked Hermione if she would like to apply for quidditch in future. Hermione shook her head and told him of her fear of heights and flying was something that really scared her. Ron made fun of her and kept teasing her about it for hours)
"Anyway Harry! Yes I play tennis…use to play it regularly before I joined Hogwarts…now the activity is kind of limited to holidays and that too not much. Hmmm and I didn't tell you because you never asked." Replied Hermione in a slightly snappy tone.
"Ok … yeah I know I never asked. I never ask (Harry got up at this statement with a disappointed look)…I'll go set the table" said Harry.
Ron didn't notice the sad look on Harry's face because of he was too involved in the match…finally Hermione switched the channel and put on cartoons for Ron and got up as well…"I'll go help Harry with the table…" Hermione got up saying this. She saw Harry taking out some plates…she went and stood next to him…helping him take out glasses – they didn't share any words. Hermione decided to put her agitation from earlier that day with Harry, behind her and apologize.
"Hmm Harry? "
"Yeah? ", was Harry's reply.
"I am sorry…didn't mean to snap", she said while placing the glasses on the table.
Harry kept quiet and finished his work; Hermione also helped and once it was done … she sat down on one of the chairs.
"No need to be Sorry Hermione…it's ok! You are right…I never ask you anything…there are so many things that I don't know about you because I never cared to ask…" Harry was interrupted at this point by Hermione…
"No Harry … you are wrong. I never meant it that way. I was just mad at you and I was just acting like a brat…you know me more than anyone. You always have understood me better than anyone…" Before she could continue the door bell rang…
"It's the pizza guy I think" said Hermione. She stood up to get the pizza…when Harry got hold of her hand, "Hermione we will continue this talk … please?" said Harry with a pleading look in his eyes. Hermione nodded and left.
Finally the three friends sat at the table…it was hard to get Ron away from the TV. Ron really liked the pizza and therefore ate more than the other two. They once again took advantage of the absence of the Dursleys and played games on Dudley's play station. They finally decided to clean up the mess and back to their room since it was almost time for the Dursleys to come back.
Hermione left for the bathroom to change in to her night clothes and put on healing ointments on her wound, leaving the boys to change in Harry's room. The boys changed and then got busy with reading more spells from the books … Ron had gotten tired so he stretched his arms and yawned…
"Hey Harry…I don't feel like doing anything right now…I am too tired and sleepy. So Can you ask Hermione to delay the apparition lessons until tomorrow?" said Ron once again yawning
"Me, too pal … me too but I think you should talk to her. Remember Charlie is coming to take her to Grimmauld tomorrow…so she wants us to practice tomorrow…I don't think there's any chance of her delaying it." Replied Harry.
On remembering Hermione's plans with his brother Charlie…Ron got a bit angry and said "Then she has to cancel her plans…" Before he could finish…Hermione had entered the room and caught the tail end.
"What plans…? She asked.
"Well your plans of leaving for Grimmauld place tomorrow…with Charlie?" Ron said last bit in a low voice.
"Why?" asked Hermione and sat down.
"You see Hermione…Harry and I both are tired and we don't feel like doing the apparition thingie today soo we were thinking if you could possible teach us tomorrow… you know instead of going with Charlie…..Ohhh maybe Harry and I can go with you…Hey how about that Harry…what do you think?" Ron asked excitedly.
This idea had entered Hermione's mind but she didn't voice it since she knew Harry won't feel comfortable there without Sirius there. Therefore Hermione just quietly looked at Harry…she knew he didn't want to go there and felt like slapping Ron on his head…she decided to take things in her own hand to relieve Harry from the unease of answering Ron.
"I will cancel my plans with Charlie…it's no big deal. We can work on apparition tomorrow. We won't be able to practice there because of order meetings so it's better if we do it here Ron…I'll write to Charlie right now", said Hermione.
"Ohhh ok then…It would've been nicer to go to that place again but yeah it's ok..I just want to sleep in tonight…I am tired. My legs are hurting from all those jinxes really…" replied Ron.
Harry kept quiet all this time and couldn't Thank Hermione enough, he knew that Hermione understood his unease of going to grimmauld place after Sirius…she would've agreed to Ron's plan otherwise. He was also feeling a bit relaxed now that he knew she was not going with Charlie there. I hope it's Remus who takes her next time…Harry then shook his head as if clearing his mind of his thoughts…and wondering why was he thinking that way.
"Hey Hermione, we were just watching that on TV … weren't we?" Ron asked pointing at her night shirt.
Hermione looked down and then smiled at the Bugs bunny figure that was on her big night shirt…"Yeah Ron...you are so observant…you should be an auror" said Hermione jokingly. Harry laughed over this remark and saw that Hermione was done with the letter and sent it with Hedwig.
"Ha Ha … very funny!" said Ron sarcastically. Hermione then gathered the books from the floor and Harry helped her with the cleaning.
After a gap of 20 or so minutes, Dursleys' returned. Ron had gone off to sleep before they had come while Harry and Hermione pretended to fall asleep, in case Aunt Petunia checks on them. Their suspicions were correct indeed because after a little while…Aunt Petunia knocked and on hearing no reply … she opened the door and saw the three of them sleeping, she roamed her eyes all over the room to see if there was anything out of order or ordinary for that matter, she left upon finding nothing out of order.
After making sure that the Dursleys had fallen asleep, Harry got out of his sleeping bag, he was determined to have his little talk with Hermione or else he won't find peace. He lightly shook Hermione … who immediately got up knowing who it was. Hermione sat with her back against the head board while Harry took the side on her right…he had his back against the wall and could see Hermione clearly. He pulled her a little to his side so they were close enough to talk and not be heard; Hermione complied and finally settled herself by sitting Indian style.
"Thanks Hermione…" said Harry after an awkward silent moment.
"For what?" asked Hermione
"You know for cancelling your plans…I didn't want to go see that place…not when Sirius is not there anymore...well at least not now…" replied Harry with slight discomfort.
Hermione took hold of Harry's hand and said "I know Harry … why do you think I didn't agree to his idea of us going there…"
Harry squeezed her hand back showing his appreciation.
"So you are a tennis player…I thought you were not the sort … you know one in to sports and all…" said Harry
"Hehehe Harry I have always been in to sports just not the wizarding ones or the ones that involve…well which involve hanging in air or something of the sort…" replied Hermione with a nervous chuckle.
Harry who was deep in thoughts … and who apparently was looking at her with a blank look…after a while he finally spoke;
"I never knew…I..I never even bothered to know…But Hermione how could you be scared of flying or as you put it heights…you have been in air so many times…I can easily recall all those times…" said Harry.
" I know Harry…I was scared to death all those times. I know it's stupid…I have overcome the fear to some extent but I don't think it's gone completely…hey please don't think I can't help you with the horcruxes because of this little fault…you know in case we have to use brooms … I can handle one very well…seriously Harry" argued Hermione pleadingly.
Harry was looking at her with amazement…he couldn't find words to say or acknowledge his appreciation. His heart filled with so much warmth that he didn't know how to express himself…He was overwhelmed with emotions…and continued looking at Hermione with so much love and gratitude… ('love', the word surprised him a little but then he decided that he did love her as a friend just like Ron declared he loved her last year…just like he loves her as a friend)
Hermione panicked … taking his silence negatively…
"Harry please, say something. Listen I assure you … I can overcome this fear totally…I really can…trust me…believe me please…saying something Harry…" Hermione was getting a bit hysterical.
Harry moved forward and gave her a sideways hug…he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her head on his shoulder…
"Hermione I don't know how to show you my appreciation or gratitude…all this time…you were doing things that you were scared of…In first year I made you fly back to inform Dumbledore of our situation, in third year you helped me with buckbeak and I thought you were only scared of buckbeak…the thought of heights didn't cross my mind…oh Hermione and then in fifth year .. on thestrals…You had been scared all this time…I don't know what to say Hermione…you ignored your own fear in order to help me…I am .. I don't know what I am…I am truly proud to have a friend like you…" said Harry … he wanted to say a lot more but couldn't find the right words to express himself.
"Harry it's no big deal…I am sure you would've done the same…don't think much about it"…Hermione said this and moved her arm around waist as well.
Harry gave her a gentle squeeze at waist…Hermione winced a little for her wound hurt when he did this. He immediately released her waist…"I am sorry…didn't remember you had wound on your stomach…" said Harry.
"It's ok Harry … "smiled Hermione. Hermione finally decided to lie down while Harry kept sitting…he absentmindedly started stroking Hermione's hair, still in deep thoughts. They both fell asleep in the same position.
Early next morning at around 4 in the morning … Hedwig arrived with Charlie's reply…this woke Harry up … who had an immediate pain in his neck from sitting on the bed in an awkward position…he saw Hermione whose night shirt had moved up; exposing her legs – he saw the bruises on her legs but at the same time admired the shape of her legs…over this he mentally slapped himself for thinking that way and pulled her shirt down…then he covered her with the cover lying at the bed's edge and got up. He took the letter from Hedwig, placed it on the table and went back to sleep in his sleeping bag.
Harry then thought about his conversation with Hermione … when he remembered that he wanted to talk to Hermione about her odd behavior all day…that was bugging her and things shifted to a totally different topic. He remembered that Hermione admitted to being agitated all day due to which she got snappish – and apologized for her behavior...that's when they diverted from the original topic. But he was glad that he had this little talk…he had been really jealous when Ron knew something about her that he didn't. With these thoughts Harry drifted off to sleep once again.
Author's Note: Thank you all for once again the wonderful reviews and thanks for correcting me. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.