My Blonde Haired Soldier

By Otakuprincess

Author's Note: Well, I'm back again, and with a longer chapter! You won't be hearing from Voldemort today, but we do have quite a selection of character drama . StarAngel613, that which you wish is coming soon, I promise. Probably across the next two chapters. So get ready to celebrate! Everyone else, thank you for all the reviews, and I will write the next chapter when I have 5 new ones!

Hermione looked at Ron rather confused as the red haired Gryffindor led her out of the portrait hole. Ron didn't say a word as he and Hermione carefully made their way down the moving staircases. Once or twice Hermione judged the gap badly and almost fell, but Ron's firm grip kept her going.

"Excuse me, Ron, but where are we going?" Hermione asked.

"I told you, quidditch field." Ron answered shortly.

"Well you could have been considerate and invited Harry. He is your best friend, and I'm sure he would have loved to go flying with you. Ron, he must be so lonely up there, on his own with nothing to do. Poor thing..."

"Maybe I didn't want him to come." Ron answered, still trekking ahead.

"Well why not?" Hermione asked, worried that the two friends were fighting again.

"Because...because..." Ron's ears turned beet red in seconds. "It doesn't matter, just trust me and stop worrying about Harry for a moment. He'll be fine."

"But—" Hermione was cut off as the two of them exited the castle and started towards the quidditch pitch.

"Okay, Mione, close your eyes." Hermione obliged, slightly miffed at being told what to do.

Ron chuckled slightly as he led Hermione carefully over the cobblestone pathway. The sun was shining a deep orange, and a cool breeze played with Hermoine's curls. She shuddered, and Ron tightened his arm on her wrist, slightly. He was more nervous than the day he and Harry had met Aragog...and Ron thought that was the most frightening experience of his life. Why did talking to girls have to be so hard? Harry was right – someone should make a class, "How girls' minds work". Ron chuckled as he envisioned Snape demonstrating why girls like elegant dresses. Hermione scoffed at Ron's laughter, her eyes still shut tightly.

"Excuse me, Ron, but did you say we're going somewhere?" Hermione asked, trying not to become frustrated.

"Oh..yeah. We're here, actually. Open your eyes."

Hermione looked around her and quickly concluded that the two were nowhere near the quidditch pitch. They weren't even in a place that Hermione remembered ever seeing...not Hagrid's hut, or the lake, or even a forbidden forest. No, Hermione and Ron were on the other side of the school, perched on a rocky cliffside overhanging the much larger lake to the south. Hermione had no idea how Ron could have led her over the rocks without falling to his death, first.

"Um..Ron? I don't think students are allowed over here. We're way outside the official grounds." Hermione said nervously. "Is it safe?"

"Don't worry," said Ron. "I came over here a few times last week, and it doesn't seem too bad. That boulder over there moves when you stand on it, though, so be careful."

"Oh..okay." Hermione responded. "Um..what are we doing here, Ron?"

Ron smiled and looked Hermione directly in the eyes for the first time.

"I'm taking you on an adventure."

Back in the Gryffindor common room, Harry paced uneasily. He was bored. All of his friends were out enjoying the sunshine, and he was stuck with nothing to do. Realizing that standing by the fire would do him no good, Harry left through the portrait hole and went to find Cho.

Harry's first thought was that Cho would be working with Professor McGonagall today, and he almost abandoned the idea as he reached the first staircase.

After only a few minutes, Harry found himself at the professor's door, anyway. He knocked and let himself in.

"Yes?" Professor McGonagall asked in her motherly tone.

"Um...Cho wouldn't happen to be here, would she?" Harry asked, playing with his pocket zipper.

"No, I'm afraid Ms. Chang went to Hogsmeade for lunch." the professor replied.

"Oh...thank you, Professor. I'll try and find her when she gets back."

"If you like Potter, you can go over there to find her." McGonagall suggested. "But only if you take Hagrid with you as far as the village. I believe in your strength, Potter, but I'm not stupid."

"Thank you, Professor." Harry said, smiling. He quickly left to find Hagrid.

Ginny looked up at her twin brothers as they sat her down just outside the forbidden forest. Both Fred and George had mischievous sparks in their eyes, and Ginny almost wished she hadn't come.

"We've decided you're the most likely to carry on our legacy at Hogwarts," Fred stated bluntly.

"Other than Peeves, of course, but it's nice to have someone in the family passing our philosophy down through the ages." George agreed.

"Since Harry has the Marauder's map, we couldn't possibly ask him to give it to you," Fred said.

"We can, however, show you a few more tricks of the trade, sister," George winked.

"Um...should I feel honored?" Ginny asked uneasily.

"Well of course!" Fred said indignantly. "We don't tell this stuff to just anyone. Ron, for example, we couldn't possibly leave this kind of thing up to him."

"Poor thing's been too long with his head up his---"

"George!" Ginny warned. "Don't insult Ron while I'm around."

"Um..sure. Well all we're saying is that he really isn't the type. You, however, have potential," George stated.

"And, we believe that we can trust you," Fred added.

"And...?" Ginny said.

George grinned. "We've decided to give you some tips for the rest of your school experience."

"And to tell you why we're really here," Fred added.

By the time Harry made it down to Hagrid's cabin, he was regretting getting up that morning. Would talking to Cho in Hogsmeade really accomplish anything? Maybe Harry was just tired, but he honestly felt bored, and rather abandoned. He knew it wasn't his friends' fault that they had things they needed to do without him, but he still couldn't help but feel left out.

Even so, Harry rapped on the door of Hagrid's hut and was greeted with a wet kiss by Fang.

"Harry!" Hagrid bellowed, stooping down to give his favorite student a very scratchy hug. "I wasn't expecting you over today. Where are Ron and Hermione?"

Harry looked at his feet. "They're...out, somewhere."

"Ah. Feeling lonely, are ya?" Hagrid asked, making up a mug of Butterbeer for Harry.

"Yeah...a bit. I was thinking about going to Hogsmeade to find Cho, but McGonagall asked that I take a chaperone." Harry said.

"Mmm, so you decided to come and drag me outside?" Hagrid asked, slightly sarcastically.

"You...you don't have to take me if you don't want to." Harry said, the disappointment in his voice quite obvious.

"I'm just joking with you, Harry. Let me feed Fang and then I'll take you over there. You don't mind if I browse through the shops while you find your girlfriend?"

"Of course not." Harry grinned.