Chapter Fourteen.
Relationship Advice.

The weeks went by and it was getting nearer to the Christmas holidays. Harry had been desperately trying to find out how to find Aberforth; it seemed like when Aberforth wrote him the letter Neville had given him in the three broomsticks, Aberforth had thought Harry would already know where to find him. Harry, Ron and Hermione were spending all their days in the library but found nothing. Until a week before Christmas when Harry received a letter from him, Harry had read the message again and again comparing the handwriting to check it was the same. It read:

Harry,
I'm sorry that I haven't been in contact beforehand. I thought Albus would have already told you before he died who I was; as you have not come to see me I wondered if the letter I left with the young boy didn't get to you or perhaps you do not know where to find me. You can find me anytime in the Hogs Head. It would be better if you came during the Christmas holidays. I can't say too much, you will realise why when we meet.

It wasn't signed by anyone, but Harry knew the small tidy writing instantly. He wondered why Aberforth hadn't signed it this time. Hermione seemed to think it was in fear of it being intercepted and that as there were no records of the whereabouts of Aberforth Dumbledore anywhere, maybe his identity had been kept a secret for his own safety. Harry had decided to take Aberforth's advice and go with Ron and Hermione during the Christmas holidays. Even though they had not been invited, Harry knew that whatever Aberforth had to help him with, Ron and Hermione would need to be there. Other than that the past few weeks had been uneventful, Harry was continuously having dreams of Sirius and now Dumbledore's death and it was making him worn down, he did not tell Hermione or Ron about this as he knew Hermione would just go on at him to tell someone. Ginny was continuing to ask Harry about the things he hadn't told her and he was getting very agitated with her, not knowing whether to tell her. He knew if he told her about the prophecy she would be horrified and if he told her about the horcruxes she would insist on helping. One thing that had annoyed Harry was Smith's comments whenever he passed him in the hallway. Harry and Ron many times had pulled out their wands and performed a few jinxes on Smith, which Hermione didn't approve of. She had warned them that when they least expected it Smith would get them back.

A few days before the holiday's Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny were in Lupin's office, which he had allowed them to use for practice of certain spells. Harry was trying to teach them how to conjure a patronus. Though they had already done this already in the DA they knew it wouldn't hurt to keep trying so they were ready when it was real dementors they were facing.

"What memory do you use Harry?" Ginny asked him curiously. The four of them were sitting at Lupin's desk. Hermione impressively took out her wand and conjured a jug of pumpkin juice and four glasses.

"When we won the quidditch cup…or when I saw my parents in the mirror of erised. But it's mostly different every time now. It's getting easier." Harry smiled at Ginny, he had never told her about the mirror before.

"The mirror of erised" Ginny said looking at Harry with a confused expression.

"It's a mirror that shows you your deepest desires." Hermione informed her.

"Oh yeah…I remember when I looked in it. For an incredible moment I thought I was seeing my future." Ron said gulping down some pumpkin juice with a dreamy expression on his face.

"What did you see?" Hermione asked Ron now looking curious herself.

"He probably saw him and phlegm getting married or something stupid like that." Ginny said rolling her eyes. Hermione looked dismayed at the thought.

"Oh, and you wouldn't of seen you and Harry getting married, you were obsessed with him before you knew him. Now that's mental." Ron frowned at Ginny, as she turned slightly pink at his words. Harry picked up the defence against the dark arts book Hermione had given him for his birthday and flicked through it, he had been looking at it a lot for spells that could help them defend themselves. One he really wanted to learn was the Eyendeio spell, which made the other person go completely blind for ten seconds.

"You know, we haven't had a party in the common room in ages, why don't we throw one at Christmas?" Ron said thoughtfully now pouring more pumpkin juice.

"Ron, most people will go home for Christmas, I doubt anyone would be in our common room." Hermione told him.

"Actually Hermione, most people are staying for some reason." Ginny said.

"And Neville could invite Luna…those two have been spending a lot of time in each other's company recently." Ron sniggered.

"Really?" Harry said surprised. He found the idea of Neville and Luna as amusing as Ron did. He smirked at the thought.

"It's sorted then, I'll get the food from the kitchens. Will be easy with the house elves practically giving food away…." Ron stopped himself from saying what he was about to say after seeing the look on Hermione's face. " I mean…we should ask the house elves to come, after all they should be treated equally." Ron finished, giving Harry a look that said he would rather starve than invite house elves. Hermione who didn't see this beamed.

"I love you Ron." Hermione said absent-mindedly, she suddenly realised what she had said and looked at the floor uncomfortably. Ron's ears turned red and Harry suppressed a grin at this moment and glanced at Ginny who was doing the same.

"You reckon we should go back now, it's getting pretty late." Ginny said breaking the silence. The four of them got up and walked slowly back to the common room. Harry and Ron were in the boy's dormitory. Ron had hardly spoken all the way back to the common room.

"What's the problem with what Hermione said?" Harry said bemused sitting on the bed next to Ron.

" She's just...never said it before, neither have I actually."

"Yeah, you said it to her last year" Harry said finding Ron's reaction to this amusing.

"That was different. Now she expects me to say it back doesn't she?" Ron said hopelessly.

"Well…you do. Don't you?" Harry was now starting to feel uncomfortable; giving relationship advice to his best friend was not his idea of a good conversation.

" I dunno, I've never really thought about it." Ron sat in silence for a moment and didn't speak to Harry about it again that night.

Two day's later a few people were getting ready to leave Hogwarts for the Christmas holidays. Harry, Ron and Hermione who were invited to the burrow for Christmas decided to stay, as they couldn't miss meeting Aberforth. They had decided to go and see Hagrid as they had hardly seen him since they had returned which Harry felt guilty about. He hadn't really spoken to Hagrid since the night of Dumbledore's death. They walked through to Hagrid's hut after the last lessons before the holiday's had ended (Ron had received detention from Mcgonagall for forgetting to do his homework.) Harry pulled his scarf tighter around his neck as he walked through the snow with Ron and Hermione. He saw the lights were off in Hagrid's cabin and banged on the door. No answer. They carried on banging for five minutes hearing barks from fang on the other side.

"He's obviously not here." Harry said disappointedly.

"We'll try again tomorrow." Hermione said turning around and trudging back through the snow. They returned back to the common room, all the way back wondering where Hagrid was. Hermione thought he could be doing something for the order, or just patrolling the grounds. Harry agreed with her though he was still not sure. Ron looked at his watch.

"I'm ten minutes late for detention, Mcgonagall's gunna kill me." Ron said leaping up from his armchair and running across the common room. Harry laughed watching him. He took his opportunity to talk to Hermione as Ron climbed out of the portrait.

"Hermione, can I ask you something about Ginny." Hermione raised her eyebrows at him and smirked.

"You want relationship advice?" Hermione said looking at him knowingly.

"Er…yeah sort of. Ginny keeps asking me about what we did the night we went to Grimmauld place and what it is that I've told you and Ron that she doesn't know. I avoided the question at first and now she just won't let it drop." Harry said awkwardly.

"Well, we know we can trust her of course. But if you want me to, I'll talk to her." Hermione offered.

"Thanks Hermione." Harry exclaimed.

"Now, I need to ask you something about Ron." Hermione leaned forward's in her chair opposite Harry's. Harry was taken aback; Hermione surely wasn't going to ask him for advice on her and Ron.

"Hermione…do you really need to do that?" Harry groaned. Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

"I don't want advice or anything, it's just…has he said anything to you since the other day when I told him that…"

"Yeah I know." Harry interrupted her. "He hasn't said anything but I wouldn't worry. You know what Ron's like, can be a bit slow at times."

"Oh, he's just been a bit weird since I said it, but I'm sure your right." Hermione looked relieved and sat back in her chair. Harry quickly changed the subject.

" So when are we going to see Aberforth then." Harry asked her eagerly.

"Well…we could go tomorrow…it is the start of the holiday's then." Hermione said thoughtfully.

The next day Harry awoke early feeling excited. He had told Ginny they were going somewhere but that it wasn't dangerous, she had seemed annoyed at Harry when he left. The three of them walked down to where the Ford Anglia was hidden and Ron flew it to their usual spot outside the grounds. Harry was feeling excited to meet Dumbledore's brother and wondering what he wanted to help him with. They apparated easily and quickly to Hogsmeade and made their way back through towards the hogs head where Aberforth Dumbledore was waiting.