Chapter forty - 'Your turned on Harry!'
"Harry, over here!" Lupin called moving through the crowds to find Harry looking around feeling somewhat lost. For a brief moment then he had the horrible feeling as he looked at all his friends that he'd been forgotten about or not even wanted for the holiday and maybe he should just get back on the train and go back to school. Sirius had been busy last night when Harry got in touch and had just said someone would be waiting for him on the platform and that he was sorry but he really had to go.
Harry looked over at Hermione, she looked different somehow to what Harry remembered from before Christmas, all his friends did but Hermione the most of all. She was standing with her parents chatting happily away about the plans they had made for the holidays, most of it seemed to be treats and relatives from what Harry had heard with a hefty few hours of homework Hermione always seemed to manage to fit in. Harry looked over at Ginny now who was hugging Charlie warmly, he'd come especially to see her, Ron was guiltily and secretly enjoying the attention he got off his mother as she fussed over him even if it was at the expense of his sister being ignored, but Ron comforted himself that she had Charlie and he did deserve it for a change.
This left Harry stood on his own and a little unsure as to what to do, fresh off the train with his case in tow looking about for someone he recognised before finally spotting Lupin coming towards him with a little sorry smile. Moving along with his case to meet him, Harry soon noticed he was closely followed behind by Moody while Tonks looking very discreet stood up against a wall to his left apparently having been watching him ever since he opened the door to help Ginny get her case down without him even realising.
She nodded to him and he smiled back carefully so not as too much draw attention to her like she wanted. Harry became increasingly aware that there were probably more order members hid around the platform but still tried not to think about it too much in case he noticed them or something and so tried to direct his attention away from Tonks and towards Remus and Moody finally in front of him.
"Hello Remus." Harry replied standing his trunk up and smiling softly as he saw Cho deliberately hugging her current useless boyfriend behind Remus in an attempt to get Harry's attention. This one as Hermione informed him had a cousin who played Quidditch in some league or other and supposedly looked somewhat like Harry who could only think to smile sweetly back at her whenever he saw her and now never opened his mouth to her after Luna had explained that Ginny didn't like him talking to girls throwing themselves at him. Harry could never tell who was and who wasn't but Cho was one of those on the list it was best to keep away from for Ginny's sake.
"Err, sorry we're late we didn't expect you to be at this end of the train. Anyway if you've got all your things Patience is waiting and we hoped to get off quiet quickly while London was still busy."
"Oh sure, I've said good bye and stuff I was just waiting for you that's all." Harry replied quickly as he buttoned his jacket up again, he knew Patience would worry if he saw Harry coming in from the cold outside without his coat done up properly and didn't want to cause him anymore trouble. Harry was perfectly well and had been for weeks and the last thing he needed was Sirius worrying away about him and ruining a perfectly fun holiday.
"Let me lighten that Potter, in case we get any trouble!" Moody grumbled pulling his wand out quickly and taking Harry's case.
"It's ok, anything I really want is in me bag, so IF we get any trouble, then we can always just ditch it if you want!" Harry explained casually as Moody lightened his case and shrank it a bit before passing it to Lupin so Harry wouldn't have anything holding him back, just in case.
"Ok, you ready?" Lupin asked as brightly despite the upcoming moon he had to worry about.
"Yeah." Harry sighed, yanking his bag on more and following Lupin to the barrier with Moody behind him and Tonks subtly heading out after them through London. Meanwhile Podmore, Kingsley and two other order aura's Harry didn't know slipped off in different directions after them.
"Harry!" Sirius called just as Lupin bolted the door behind them and Sirius grabbed Harry into an impatient hug like normal.
"Hello Sirius." Harry grinned allowing himself to be hugged and then lead upstairs with his case floating along behind them, the case drifted slowly up into his room as Sirius took Harry into the living room which had cake sat ready and waiting.
Much to Moody's annoyance Sirius had stopped making firewiskey cakes completely now as with the agreement of Woolnough, the completely t-total health buff, who had decided that Harry really shouldn't be drinking alcohol at all weather he was old enough to or not. Therefore whenever Harry was around or might be around Sirius wouldn't allow alcohol out weather it was hidden in a cake or not. This annoyed Tonks greatly as apposed to Harry, who didn't really care much, but Sirius's annoying over affectionate manner seemed to stretch to her not having any alcohol either.
Remus however, was considered, much to Remus's annoyance, an old man in Sirius's book and therefore quiet aloud to drink when ever he felt like it as long as it wasn't directly in front of Harry.
After several attempts and constant bits of cake been past around to anyone daft enough to say they fancied a bit, Sirius had finally perfected one of Harry's favourites, chocolate and banana, Victoria sponge. Tonks had however decided not to eat any of Sirius's attempts until he made one just for Harry because only then, could she be sure that Sirius hadn't put any revenge in it for some trifling jam roly-poly incident Sirius still hadn't forgiven her for yet. Lupin had however twisted Sirius's arm so he'd be more encouraging of Tonks's cooking technique as so far Sirius was the only one with a strong enough stomach to eat most of it other than Hagrid and unfortunately for him, Kreasher as well. Something else Harry recently discovered was that apparently a house elf could eat practically anything in moderation regardless of how under or over cooked it was.
"So do you want some cake?" Sirius asked taking Harry's coat from him and smiling slightly as he through it on the opposite sofa. Moody had wondered off to hang his cloak up and go to the toilet while Remus and Tonks had disappeared into the kitchen just out of sight to make out for a bit under the pretence of fetching some glasses that Sirius had deliberately forgotten so he wouldn't have to look at the pair of them.
"You've had sex since I last saw you!" Harry suddenly asked blankly as Sirius quickly dropped the plate he was holding and willed himself not to blush in the cheeks like Tonks always did.
"What... makes you say that... Harry?" He asked carefully trying to sound as off hand as possible but failing quiet miserably as he did his best not to look at Harry however much he wanted to, he was sure no one knew about it.
"Twice.' Harry added smugly. At this Sirius dropped the second plate with a loud agreeing clatter which brought the attention of Lupin who was sure there was no way Tonks could knock something over when she was pinned to the wall for a long kiss by Remus, but then it was Tonks.
'Arrr! Look at him blush!' Harry giggled taking the knife off Sirius to cut the cake so there wouldn't be another more serious accident. Sirius just sat in stunned silence as Harry cut the cake up and called through to Lupin and Tonks.
'Oi you two, hurry up the cakes done! And don't forget the glasses!" He added quickly. Remus deciding it was probably best that he carried the glasses quickly headed calmly into the living room while Tonks quickly straightened her clothes better after Remus had mucked them all up with his roaming hands.
Sirius however was still in stunned silence for several minuets when Moody reappeared in the hopes of cake only to be utterly disappointed yet again. It was only when Harry hadn't brought the subject up for quiet a while did Sirius finally sigh a little sigh of relief that Harry had had his fun of embarrassing his godfather and wouldn't wind him up about it anymore because thankfully, he wasn't James after all. Well at least not for today anyway.
"Sirius, do you really not mind me going?" Harry asked carefully as he looked for a jumper.
"No of course not Harry, you go see Fleur and Bill while I get some stuff done and then when you get back we'll have some dinner and scoff at Remus and Tonks for a bit." Sirius explained honestly really not sure about this worrying Harry seemed to do so much about him.
"You sure you don't mind coz you've been very, well, normal recently and I'm not sure it suits you?" Harry continued to wonder suspiciously. Not that it was odd seeing Sirius acting weird and fussing over him a lot, it was just the way he seemed to like spending time by himself these days and quiet happy to be alone sometimes in the afternoon while Harry read a book or slept or something. Even Remus had mentioned how Sirius had been spotted more than once since Harry had gone back to school sat in a corner reading a book and refused to make dinner until he'd finished his chapter despite Tonks coming to see them both with a new film Sirius actually wanted to watch.
"What?" Sirius asked still completely confused by some of the comments Harry made about him while he fished around for a jumper suitable to where in front of Ginny. So far he'd found three relatively clean ones but wasn't happy with wearing any of them, this was partly due to the shabbiness and partly because none of them were long enough to cover lower than his stomach very well.
"Err, well never mind. I don't think I can stand too much of Mrs Weasley so I'll definitely be back later." Harry explained firmly as Sirius sat on the bed and tried to understand how one small case could create so much mess as it steadily exploded on to Harry's floor. He was beginning to wonder about his it's-your-mess-I-don't-care rule was really such a good idea by the way Harry wasn't troubling to hang anything up at all. So far he only used his wardrobe to hang his mirror on and put Hedwig's cage on top of and apart from the odd minor (sometimes major) explosion of it, it wasn't used for anything else.
"Even if Ginny's there?" Sirius wondered aloud earning him a little slap around the shoulder and a rather saucy cross look. He'd only recently felt happy enough about Harry's confidence to start winding him up about things playfully and so far he was loving every bit of it despite the little slaps he regularly seemed to get round the head.
"Piss off you and besides, Ron and Hermione are going too!" Harry snapped back crossly, he hated being wound up about Ginny. Apart from Ron all the other boys in his dorm wound him constantly up about her, even if it wasn't anything to do with her the fact that he was a little late coming back from somewhere.
"Ron lives there Harry." Sirius added thickly.
"I know that." Harry snapped again slapping Sirius again on the arm.
"But what about Hermione? I do hope you haven't left her to the tender love and care of Mrs Weasley for all the holiday?" Sirius wondered as he hoped he'd find some way of winding Harry up about her too at least once over his stay.
"No I haven't, her mum and dad are gonna drop her off for the day and then come pick her up later. They've gone rambling or something for the afternoon and Hermione's not much a big hill walker." Harry sighed finding a jumper and deciding it was clean enough to wear out in public and stylish enough and long enough to wear with Ginny.
"I guess. Anyway don't go wondering off out the garden on ya own and don't forget to take your potion if you end up stopping a while after tea. In fact don't go out the garden at all.' Sirius explained firmly as Harry merely rolled his eyes somewhat when he had his back turned but unfortunately he was facing the mirror.
'And most importantly, don't you dare invite that wretched women back here for whatever reason, I don't care if you and Tonks burn's her house down or anything, she isn't welcome!" He added pulling the door open and waiting for Harry to grab his jacket.
"Have you been spending too much time with Kresher again? You're getting ever so, erm, bossy Sirius?" Harry finally aloud himself to ask as they were halfway down the stairs and earned himself a rather cross remark back.
"Harry!" Sirius half snapped trying not to sound bossy but still a bit annoyed Harry would mention something like that he wasn't bossy and Kresher was a house elf it was his life to take orders whatever Hermione said about it. Sirius was sure the little shit was there just for him to kick.
"I had to ask, seriously. I mean, I've got an excuse for being normal now, I take those rather mangy potions, but you? You're not supposed to be anything but weird and it's a bit un-nerving to see ya behaving like a bit of an old man, maybe you are spending to much time with Remus after all?" Harry wondered glad Remus wasn't in the room. He liked Lupin a lot, he always had in a way, it was just the way that he always seemed so together and calm that made Harry wonder about him being odd, no wonder he never guessed about his werewolf side and now thanks to Harry, it takes that much longer for everyone else to guess too.
"I'm not an old man!" Sirius snapped as they reached the dinning room down stairs. But Harry noticed that there was something in his voice that made Harry wonder weather Sirius was questioning his own apparent age.
"Well that's why it seems so odd. Tonks agrees with me, there's something odd about you these days. And I don't think it's all to do with screwing, what was her name again?" Harry asked subtly turning to face Sirius who went slightly pink in the cheeks which was actually bright red for him and quickly had to sit down on the spare chair to compose himself again for a second.
"Harry, I'm just not as wound up as I used to be stuck in here. It's actually getting a bit annoying having so much company all the time." Sirius half sighed looking forward for the moment when they all left to go to the Weasley's and he could curl up quietly in the bath for a few hours with his book.
"I'm annoying?" Harry suddenly asked a little surprised, not exactly hurt but disappointed that maybe Sirius didn't like him so much when he was coping by himself and now the novelty of his friends son had finally worn off, he might be a bit board with the idea of having a godchild that must seem so sodding needy all the time.
"No Harry, you're not annoying at all. And I still think I don't get to see you enough, but I can put up with it seen as you really should be at school it's where you belong Harry. It's just Remus is getting on me nerves again, he keeps wanting to talk to me and eat meals and be sociable and stuff!" Sirius shrugged sitting down on the sofa now to wait for said annoying person to stop making out like a school boy with Tonks in his room and come and get his coat and shoes on. To be fair though on Remus's behalf, Tonks having worn a lovely little blouse today in an attempted to look girly was really making it hard for Remus not to behave like a randy school boy around her.
"Well you do live together and he gets lonely when Tonks is away as I'm sure she's not around half as much as you are. And besides, after months, well years of been stuck wanting someone to talk to and now you finally finding it too much and want to be left alone." Harry sighed making such a Hermy face it would have had Ron in stitches for hours to see it.
"Yeah well, I'm used to being in here now. I'm quiet happy with the situation well in a way. Apart form the fact that me paws miss the grass.' He paused to find the right words sure he should really explain this fully to Harry so he wouldn't get the wrong idea about Sirius's life and hopefully wouldn't worry so much about his godfather's wellbeing.
'Well its comfy Harry, I never have to sleep in some grotty little hole. It's always nice and warm, I can get about during the day and don't have to hide in some tiny little corner for hours on end so no-one sees me. I can eat food when ever I like and it's always cooked and it always tastes nice. Well except when Tonks cooks then really it's a good job I have a strong stomach.' Sirius put in honestly checking Tonks wasn't about to walk through the door.
'And although I don't really understand it, I do actually like reading books. I missed out on so much Harry, stuff that I don't want you to miss out on, but I did, I never really knew it until I got to know you properly but I'm sort of trying to compensate for it now. Remus thinks it's just me coming out of puberty but other times he thinks I just have a lower mental age than you to start with!" Sirius explained not sure that quiet made sense to Harry but judging by the look he got back Harry seemed to understand better than he did.
"Well you do Sirius!' Harry said blankly giving him a very Hermione-ish and patronising look.
'So you really are quiet happy been stuck here aren't you?" Harry finally accepted hoping the calmness he saw in Sirius was really there to see.
"I'm not that happy Harry but there are far worse places to be and well, I like being lazy and comfy. I don't have the same amount of things to worry about like before and well, it's not as if I'm going to get out of this situation anytime soon so I might as well be comfortable with it." He sighed gently rubbing Harry's shoulder a bit to show that he really was quiet together inside these days.
So much so, Harry took an extra sniff of his breath to see if he'd been smoking too much 'home-grown-fun' again. Sirius had never dared do it in front of Harry in case a lightning bolt hit him in the arse like Lupin always teased him would but Harry had caught enough of Tonks's conversation with Lupin to guess what he might like to do in the lonely hours of the night with a highly suspicious old Quality Street's tin that smelt dodgy.
"Well I suppose, at least your not starving again and this place does seem a lot better than when I first saw it. You looked so miserable then." Harry remembered how disappointed he was to see Sirius the first time here looking cold, tired and completely fed up while Sirius remembered the first time he'd seen Harry again. Out on his own having run away from the Dursley's miserable, cold and then almost got run over by a speeding three story purple bus.
"But I'm not miserable now Harry, which is good. Now have you got everything you want and go have some fun with Ginny today. Or maybe Hermione too if that's more your thing." He added with a quirky little smile that Harry was sure didn't suit him. Within a few minuets though he was off with Remus, Moody and Tonks to the burro and it wasn't much longer after that, that he was being grabbed hold of tightly by Fleur to say hello.
"Oh hello Fleur." Harry smiled back but looking a little sheepish towards Ginny and Ron as Hermione merely rolled her eyes in the background. He never could quiet get over the odd way Fleur had of greeting people or at least the way she always greeted him with a hug.
"'Ello 'Arry. You remember my 'little sister Gabrielle." She smiled leaning back gracefully as a young girl popped out from in the kitchen to see Harry and smiled when she recognised who it was she was being shown to.
"Hello there." Harry added smiling back at her and not exactly sure what to say.
"Ello." She whispered back then quickly disappeared back into the kitchen to her mamma.
"She is very shy these days. My mamma wish's to see you too but I am not sure where she is at the moment. Why don't you go 'ave some cake with Ginny? I made it 'dis morning and I would like to come talk to you later." She smiled with a little wink as she headed back into the house. As soon as she was gone and Ginny was sure her mother was inside talking to a rather annoyed Tonks she quickly turned around and hugged him warmly only to receive a disapproving look from Ron as he looked determinedly the other way.
"You best not be making out!" He added firmly as Ginny kissed him gently on the cheek and let got to stand sensibly next to him holding hands together behind her back.
"Don't be so daft Ron!" Harry replied as Ron turned back to them and Hermione continued to sigh loudly.
"Well I never know wit you two. After some of the hints and things I've been hearing recently you aren't exactly as subtle as you used to be. Making out every chance you get like a couple of... I really can't finish that sentence but you know what I mean. Is a wonder mother's not had her two penny's worth put in yet." He added a little too firmly as Harry merely grinned a bit and then tried to look as casual as possible.
His friend was odd sometimes, Harry could never understand why Ron was so bleeding difficult about it but Hermione merely pointed out it was another family brotherly affection thing over sisters that Harry just sort of missed out on. Hermione even mentioned how unfortunately it extended to older close cousins and even very close family friends which is why Tonks had to suffer from it despite been an only child.
"I really don't know what your talking about Ron!" Harry smiled cheekily taking the time to check what Ginny was wearing out of the corner of his eye.
"Yeah you do, I've seen that look when you come back to bed late on. Your all, 'chirpy'!" Ron complained.
"Apposed to normally when I'm a miserable git?" Harry sighed back heading over to some of the garden chair's Mr Weasley had fished out for the day with unfortunately some help from Fred and George, the result was quiet rightly a hell of a lot of testing by people before actually plonking there bottom's on a chair.
"Yeah!" Ron answered before he'd really thought it through.
"So how's things back there then Harry?" Hermione asked nicely pushing the conversation along as Ginny and Harry looked in very great danger of sneaking off soon to 'talk together' quietly in some corner.
"Oh fine. He's fine too. I think he's been a bit odd recently and Remus think he's err. Up to something, and well, other than that its quiet nice being back again." Harry explained carefully not wanting to go into too much detail outside.
"Oh well I'm glad he seems ok. So what do you think to Fleur and Bill finally getting married then?" She continued having deliberately sat between Ron and Harry.
"Yeah I was wondering about that. They've been engaged ages, how come it's only now that they're having a party for it?" Ron asked dumbly ignoring Harry's hand sitting comfortably in the small of Ginny's back and rubbing little circles like she liked.
'Well at least he's not groping her arse again!' Ron decided flatly in his head.
"Well Fleur's mother, Jasmine, wants to meet our mother properly before they actually get married and well, Fleur and Bill don't want the two getting too chatty in case they can't stand each other for no good reason, so you lot have all been invited as a sort of distraction to buffer things a bit. And a bunch of other people are hear coz it's Harry."
Ginny explained looking at Ron and thinking about Harry, Fleur had been having a bit of a woman to woman talk with her this morning before everybody arrived and it seemed to be having the opposite effect than intended. Ginny was very grateful Fleur had taken the time to talk to her sensibly about how boys think and how best a young lady should handle there inappropriate behaviour, moving her right up next to Tonks on her respect scale, but that didn't mean she was going to take a blind bit of notice of the most important point. Which basically went along the lines of keep your legs shut to absolutely everything until you've left school and you won't have a problem.
"I'm surprised Tonks and Lupin turned up. I thought the pair had been attempting to hide as best they could since you were err, ill over Christmas?" Hermione continued carefully having long since decided her two male friends and Ginny were behaving very childishly, she often found herself longing for more mature company but reminded herself that these were her friends and despite there faults she cared more about them than anything else at Hogwarts, even her good grades.
"Well I'm not aloud to go out on me own and well, Snuffles is making her so she twisted Remus's arm we could come." Harry explained.
"Twist her arm so she'd twist his?" Ginny asked curiously well aware what Tonks might do to convince Remus and it certainly had nothing to do with twisting 'his arm'.
"Well to be perfectly honest, Tonks is a bit of a horny lass from what I can tell, but Remus's doesn't like anybody knowing about it, so I'm gonna keep Snuffles busy a lot so he doesn't happen to stumble in on them accidentally and then I get stuff back in return. Like a new bed that's a bit bigger, doesn't smell so off and a chance to come here." Harry explained with a bit of a grin mainly at Ron's slow face.
"Well I suppose it's understandable, is he as affectionate as ever?" Hermione wondered never quiet sure she understood why Sirius was so excessively affectionate over Tonks in particular, she always thought he'd be closer to Remus but when push came to shove, Tonks was noticeably more dearer to him.
"He makes Ron look supportive bordering on over enthusiastic about things!" Harry stated flatly as Hermione giggled slightly.
"Cricky poor Remus!" Ginny laughed taking the time to deliberately lean in closer to Harry.
Not long later when they'd sufficiently chatted about everything necessary, the friends split up to talk to everybody else. Ginny went to talk to Tonks with Hermione listening in but looking very distracted about something. Ron went off to talk to Charlie about general brotherly things, while Harry found himself in the front room with Mrs Weasley hovering in the hallway as he was introduced to the most beautiful over forty woman he'd ever seen. She was about as beautiful as Harry's own mother and Harry was sure only Fleur could produce a women such as this as an older relative, after all Harry's mother still looked mid-twenties at the oldest to him, this women couldn't be but that didn't stop people from guessing wrong. To top that off Harry had the greatest suspicion that he'd been watched by her already and despite whatever Mrs Weasley thought, she was highly intelligent too.
Jasmine was only just his height and probably older than she looked but she had long soft blonde hair that faded gently into white in places, a smart pale green, simple dress on and matching jacket. A little green hat on over the back of her hair, big blue eyes and a warm welcoming smile as she moved over to kiss Harry gently on each cheek like Fleur always seemed to do whenever she greeted him.
"Hello, you must be Harry." She smiled with a very soft accent and clearly far better English than Fleur had managed to master yet. Fleur was getting better every time Harry saw her but Charlie was suspicious that she kept the heavy accent for her William's sake who quietly, got quiet turned on by it and according to the rest of the Weasley brothers, noisily acted on it as often as he could.
"Yes that's me, you must be Fleur's mother." Harry smiled nicely sure that it was perfectly obvious who he was talking to, she was by far the spitting image of Fleur and her sister.
"Yes that's right but please, you can call me Jasmine." She explained softly touching him gently on the arm with an extra bit of smile.
"All right then. You have very good English Jasmine, far better than I could ever manage at French." Harry began moving over with the two ladies to sit on the sofa while Gabrielle smiled sweetly from the corner with a little plate two napkins and a small piece of cake to eat. He wasn't sure what to say to her in this weird sort of interview but so far Jasmine had every intention of making it as easy on him as possible and put him at the greatest of ease with very little effort on her part.
"Why thank-you, but it comes with practice. My first husband was English and I picked it up off him many years ago."
"See didn't I tell you how nice 'ee was?" Fleur put in quickly after her mother had given her a clear look of approval across to her. Harry was sure he hadn't been there long enough for her to know him properly but it seemed Jasmine could usually tell the worth of a man within the first few moments, and the way they reacted to her many subtle little tests that Harry had no idea had happened around him.
Harry was doing brilliantly so far and if only she had a suitable daughter to marry him she would feel quiet content to push the matter. As it was her eldest was married her middle was engaged to a very well mannered respectable man (despite the mother-in-law-to-be) and her youngest was still to young to consider marriage about or at least marriage to Harry.
"Yes I can see that. Fleur has been telling me about the wizarding tournament you were in with her. How you and Ron helped rescue my little Gabrielle?"
"Oh well it was nothing really. I just helped her back up to the surface and Dumbledore wasn't going to let anything happen to her anyway."
"Well unfortunately Dumbledore is not all powerful or all knowing, he is just a respected man after all. But I'm still very grateful you helped her. She is not the swimmer that her sister is." Jasmine continued respectfully less smiley until Harry replied.
"Well Fleur was very good, better than I am anyway at swimming." At this they both laughed at Harry who had unfortunately missed something but to be fair, most people were better swimmers than he was.
"Oh no, not Fleur she never likes to be in open water too long, I was meaning my eldest daughter, Aurora." Jasmine smiled.
"She wanted to come too but 'er husband does not want 'er travelling while she is pregnant." Fleur put in with a big soft smile.
"Oh well that's understandable. And congratulations, how far along is she?" Harry asked sure that was the sort of thing you were supposed to ask about pregnant women, not having much experience in the matter, he hadn't a clue what to do if he met one, shockingly even Ron seemed to have more idea than he did and that was saying something.
"She is only about five months on, but her health is not what it used to be and her husband is ever so protective, even more so now they know it is to be a baby boy."
"Oh well good for her." Harry finished brightly just as Bill came striding in to see them past his mother and ignoring her little squibs of disappointment as she was firmly kept at arms length and the door closed as best it could be on her.
"Oh good you got a chance to talk to him properly then." He smiled standing to face them with a plate in each hand which he past over to Jasmine and Fleur as she quickly got up to stand with him proudly.
"How long are you planning on staying or are you just here for the day?" Harry wondered feeling if anything a little more at ease now Bill was in the room, he was sure too much female part veeler company would go to his head one way or another whether he could tell what it did to him or not.
"Well we are intending to stop in England a few days and see the sights, William has been showing us around London."
"Are you staying here or somewhere else?" Harry wondered not sure he could quiet imagine such beautiful people squashing in with the Weasleys.
"Oh no not here, we are stopping in a charming little bed and breakfast near their flat." At this they heard a little clatter as something dropped on to the table suddenly and Mrs Weasley quickly muttering as she tidied things up.
"I see you haven't told her you're living together then yet?" Jasmine wondered with a gentle look of sarcasm Harry decided to her daughter.
"Well shee' knows now." Fleur pushed on firmly linking her arm in to Bill's who looked if it was even possible, even happier than what Remus did when Tonks came rushing in to see him after a long shift, sweaty and grubby and absolutely delighted to see him before practically dragging him into bed.
"Ginny was looking for you Harry." Bill put in politely looking over to Jasmine who seemed quiet pleased now at having finally met Harry and willing to let him go. At this though Harry felt his face go a little warmer and left the room quickly heading quietly up the stairs to find her where he hoped she'd be waiting by the bathroom for him.
"Ahh, look at him blush." Jasmine smiled sitting back down with Fleur now as Bill took Harry's empty space between them. He however sat back comfortably with his arm around Fleur unlike Harry who had stayed very still and up right on the edge politely not leaning in too much to either of them.
"I believe 'ee has gone to find 'er in particular. She seems ever so quiet and pleased whenever anybody mentions 'im. I have been trying to tell her the ways of horny men but I don't think she has been listening very much." Fleur added deliberately in French so Bill wouldn't understand as her mother merely laughed knowingly. Ginny was after all his little sister and like Ron, he was exceptionally fond of her although more mature at displaying it, however the idea of her dating the same sort of randy boy he could be was a little bit too much to take without some loud noise and threatening behaviour.
"Oh Harry you came." Ginny whispered quickly taking hold of Harry's hand and moving him closer to her and as far from the stairs as possible.
"Of course, I always come." He smiled back sliding his hands around her waist and pulling her close for a kiss.
"Hmm, I've missed you." She whispered cuddling up to him and deliberately sliding one of his hands further down to hug her bum.
"I've missed you too. I love going to see Sirius but I really wish you'd come too. It's ever so empty that place at night when we all go to bed." He whispered back moving round to kiss her neck softly making her let out a little quiet gasp as he did just as Hermione came walking up the stairs.
"Honestly don't you two ever stop? Or are you joined at the mouth these days?" She asked a little less sarcastically than normal. Harry however let go of Ginny but deliberately stood behind her. Making it clear that Hermione had no intention of going, Harry quickly sat down on the floor by the foot of the second staircase to look from Ginny to Hermione not sure who he was supposed to be talking to but glad for the quick cover on the floor.
"Erm Ginny, do you mind if I sit and talk to Harry for a bit I need to ask him about something?" Hermione asked carefully as Harry quickly pulled his jumper down over his lap to get more comfy. Dam she was good at teasing him.
"Oh well no I suppose not. I'll come find you later then." Ginny replied pleasantly looking to Hermione's slightly stressed face as best she could and then to Harry's slightly puzzled look, who merely shrugged before Ginny headed back down the stairs a little put out by the sudden interruption.
"Is there something the matter Hermione?" Harry asked carefully sitting up better and looking at Hermione who started opening all the doors on the landing and checking no-body else was around.
"Well I'm not sure Harry. I sort of wanted to ask you something because I'm hoping, you won't laugh at me like everybody else would." She sighed in her odd mood she had today. Harry had seen this mood a couple of times recently at school but he never really understood it but was sure it had more to do with it than Ron's answer of 'weird female hormones, best keep out the way'!
"Why would they laugh at you?" Harry asked plainly as she came to sit down opposite him, she sat crossed legged and started twiddling with the zip on one of her boots.
"Well they just would Harry, it's sort of personal and well you're really quiet mature these days, well compared to what you used to be. Or at least you seem a bit calmer and things so I was hoping you might be able to give me some advice." Harry wasn't sure what she meant by 'he seemed calmer these days' but knew from past experience of talking to other people, that apparently, now he takes his potions everyday he has a different personality to before when he didn't. He couldn't tell because he always felt just like himself, he was normal and everyone else was weird except Sirius who normally stayed exactly the same to what he usually expected even now.
"Oh well if something's bothering you then I'll listen to you and try and help, but if its err, 'personal' then wouldn't you be better talking to another girl."
"Well that's just it, other than Tonks and Ginny I don't have any sort of girly friends. It's you and Ron that I'm closest too and your both stupidly male."
"Well I had noticed that. But we can't help it! I mean, Ginny's battled a hell of a lot a gene's to come out a girl hasn't she?" Harry shrugged then continued to follow Hermione's serious looks.
"Well its not exactly personal like you'd think. Well it is, and yes it is a bit girly but I'm just a bit unsure that's all. I know it shouldn't really bother me and it doesn't really bother Tonks but he's so much older some times in his ways, that's all. I'm just not used to it, what with you and Ron being such younger idiots all the time, well Ron mainly but you must admit you aren't exactly all-knowing and mature are you?" She sighed as Harry guessed this had something to do with Victor.
"Oh well I suppose so but we don't really want to be that mature Hermione. But what is it then?" He asked sure Victor had nothing much going for him that Hermione would like but still, she was obviously still quiet smitten with him sometimes, like a loveable puppy or something.
"You promise not to laugh at me?" She snapped quietly.
"Of course. I can keep a straight face if I have to, I listen to all Ron's problems too! Come on, tell me and I'll do me best. But I don't know him that well remember." Harry replied as Hermione shuffled round to lean against the wall with Harry before she suddenly noticed something she didn't really want to.
"You're turned on Harry!" She complained tutting her eyes again.
"I can't help it. I was enjoying that with Ginny until you came up and it takes a while to well, go back down again that's all. And don't tell Ron, or Ginny for that matter she thinks it's funny to see me trying to hide it half the time. Why do you think I always have a book handy? She's a pain in the arse for it sometimes you know." Harry explained with a quizzical look. He was expecting her to laugh at him now but it seemed to be the last thing on her mind at the moment.
"Well I suppose. But that's what I mean. You sort of understand how lads think don't you. So you might be able to understand how, well, how Victor thinks?"
"Well, I guess I am a lad Hermione most me life actually. So what's the matter then? I didn't think you see him very often. You always tell me and Ron you just write to each other as friends?" Harry wondered sure half of this conversation wasn't going to be repeated to Ron under Hermione's instruction.
"Well not exactly Harry. I see him quiet often one way or another. And every now and then it does tend to be a bit more than friends. I just couldn't stand the way Ron is about him. And at first I agreed, he probably was too old for me and I'd hardly ever see him and well, maybe his life is very different and it would be better just to be friends. And although I couldn't quiet bring myself to admit it properly, maybe he was just sort of using me so he could have a date for the ball and maybe something else afterwards as a bit of fun. I mean, out of all the girls he picked me, I might have just been a good enough easy target to use for a year. But then he was so sweet and sensitive about it when he thought I was thinking that."
"What you asked him if he was just using you?" Harry wondered not entirely sure where this was going but curious to know just how much Hermione had been keeping quiet about her relationship with the famous quidditch star. Most people had been quiet curious or jealous of her but she was always very quiet about it and never told anyone anything about him. Which made Harry rather suspicious that like him, Victor may value a welcomed silence on his personal life rather than having it quoted to him while he ate his breakfast from some slimy git that wanted a pick-me-up at his expense.
"No well, yes sort of, but I didn't quiet put it so bluntly as I did to you, but he's such a sweet thing really and well, he never seems to mind much when I say no and when he says he just wants to see me for a few hours to talk well. That's usually all he's asking for. That's all we do."
"Oh well, what's the problem then?" Harry asked still a bit unsure as to what could be causing Hermione so much distress, she was twitchy, irritable, quiet, un-opinionated too, very un-Hermy-like Harry was sure.
"Well remember after the tournament he invited me to come stay. Well I didn't go for a week like I promised it was just a long weekend in his err, second summer house.' She explained carefully as Harry raised his eyebrows slightly at 'his second summer house' how many had he got?
'And well I suddenly got this horrible feeling he was going to want to do... stuff!" Hermione explained slowly.
"Stuff?" Harry repeated sure he was getting close and trying his very best not to image him and Ginny doing 'stuff' when he was nearly back to normal, it wasn't working to well so far.
"You know stuff, like people do. Well at first I was alright about it but then I got really nervous and well, I couldn't bare being around him. He just made me so nervous for no reason every time I started kissing him, so in the end he had Spud take me home early like I wanted and he was ever so disappointed, and I really didn't want to go, I just couldn't pull myself together. Then, not long after I went here and then to Sirius's with you and I couldn't bare to tell you how stupid I was because he wrote to me before I went back to school saying how sorry he was and that he didn't mean to upset me and things." She explained quickly sure the quicker it came out her mouth the quicker she'd get an understanding answer from Harry never mind the time it took for Harry to processes startling new information about his friend.
"Oh well do you think he really meant it?"
"Well not at first, but then I wrote back and sort of explained why. I've never had boyfriends Harry, you know that. I mean, I scoff at Ron all the time because he must be jealous of you and Ginny despite the sister thing, but other than him, I've never really had anyone proper either. You're the only one with people interested in you and you never did anything about it. And then you pick Ginny of all people, I mean I know she's really nice and she makes you happy I can see it, but still, you don't half play it safe close to home Harry. Didn't it ever occur to you to ya know, go for someone a bit different to her?" Hermione sighed, this had never occurred to Harry before but he was sure later on weather it was in a few hours, a few days or even a few years, he was sure he'd remember it and wonder in an understanding way about what she'd said.
"Yeah I know but me and Ron decided that we probably wouldn't like anybody you went out with, so figured it would be best to keep out the way. That's why I stopped asking about it and I was fed up of the arguments you had with Ron over it so made him stop too." Harry explained something Hermione neither knew nor understood about boys, why would it bother them who she dated, wouldn't they be interested like any other friends?
"That's why I never tried to talk to you about him before. Anyway, after a while he wrote to me more often and I wrote back and most of the time it was just about everyday normal stuff, until he sent me a Christmas present. It was just a little necklace that probably costs a hell of a lot more than I think it does but I hadn't sent him anything, so I sort of mentioned how it would be nice to see him seen as he was in England over the holidays and it sort of went from there. I told mum I was going to Ron's to see you pair for the weekend when actually I went to see him and she never guessed."
"Hermione Granger you little fibber!" Harry teased gob-smacked at what he was hearing now from her, he and Ron really had being a bad influence on her.
"You said you wouldn't laugh at me!" She snapped sadly and Harry noticed.
"I'm not, I'm just a little surprised that's all, now carry on where's this going to because there must be a reason for it all?" He pushed on gently.
"Well yeah, it's all going towards something. Well, I went to see him and I was determined to be a lot less nervous but after we'd started kissing and things it was him that didn't want to, you know, go any further, he was the one sort of holding back a bit and I couldn't work out why. I tried telling him that it was ok but he said he didn't want to push me into something I didn't want to do like before. He said he didn't want to hear about me getting upset and things again so seen as we hardly ever see each other he wanted to stay more friends for now."
"Oh well I guess that's better than trying to make you do things you don't want to." Harry decided thoughtfully trying to get the image of Hermione half naked out and the image of Ginny in whilst still letting all this information sink in and keep in control of all his bodily functions.
"Yeah well he wasn't that well behaved. I mean, I wouldn't do some of those things with you or Ron as friends. It's just, well, after we had dinner and gone to bed and then the next day, he got up to go training and stuff. Well we didn't end up spending that much time alone, as such, so it sorted past by really quickly and then he was dropping me off at home and I was telling mum how nice it was seeing you two again."
"Oh well I guess, so has it just ended there?" Harry asked moving on from the blatant lies Hermione seems to tell her mother.
"Well not exactly, we carried on writing to each other and well, I got ever so upset when we found out how sick you were and I couldn't help it. I wanted to have him around and he sort of came to see me on a Hogsmade visit. He has a sort of friend that lives in the middle of the village, so I met him there and spent a couple hours talking to him and ended up getting a bit upset. He was ever so nice about it, but he told me how much he missed me and how fed up he was in his off time with no one to talk to except Spud. Apparently there team isn't doing so well at the moment or something and his dad's thinking about taking him off the team for good or something like that and he isn't sure about it, he likes flying I know he does. But I don't know what the problem is with him having a break for a while, well, you know I don't really understand quidditch, it seems such a brutally complicated game."
"And yet you chose to date a quidditch star?' Harry wondered rolling his eyes a little, surely she'd got her head round it a bit more than that by now!
'Oh well, you have to understand Hermione, however much he likes you, he's male and he's a quidditch player and he's very good at it, so he's probably got a whole bunch of people around him that stand to make a lot of money from him doing well pressuring him to always win and always be the best and it must be hard to cope with sometimes. He may not get much time off from it if he's always training and flying and in matches and things, he must think your a breath of fresh air been so dim about quidditch all the time."
"I know Harry, he doesn't often talk to me about quidditch as such but sometimes his manager has a go at him for trying to have a bit of a life. And well he sort of keeps anything to do with me a secret coz really, he's not supposed to be around girls at all, weather they're just friends or not. The only girls he sees as much as me these last few years are his sisters and apparently some are married and some are quiet a bit younger but I get the impression there are quiet a few of them by the way he talks about them all."
"Well I guess that's not so bad." Harry decided, still leaning back causally and deliberately not looking directly at Hermione as he tried not to image Ginny in anyway shape or form. It was very difficult, he kept catching a whiff of her from her room two doors down and was worried that just as he'd calmed down it'll all start again and turn him on.
"Well the thing is, well the reason why I'm talking to you, is because I know you and Ginny were doing a hell of a lot more than talk when she spent that night first night of the Christmas holidays with you at Sirius's and well, what was it like?" She asked quickly taking Harry a little off guard.
"Err, what exactly are you referring to there Hermy?" Harry asked sitting up properly and turning to face her properly as she twiddled with the hem of her skirt now.
"Well, I really don't want you to tell anybody at all about this, but it's not mum and dad that are coming to pick me up tonight."
"It's not?" Harry suddenly realised where this might go and was to be honest a bit shocked at first by his friend but then slowly managed to understand and be more comfortable with it all.
"No Harry. Victor's coming to meet me in the village in his, well in his car and well, he was going to take me home in a longish kind-of way."
"What time is he coming?" Harry wondered getting over his momentary shock.
"About seven-ish, unless I get a letter from him soon saying something else."
"Oh, and what time do your mum and dad think you're going to be home?"
"They think Mr Weasley's bringing me home about midnight-ish when the party's over." She sighed finally looking up at Harry's still slightly surprised face. She looked somewhere between excited and miserable with a whole load of confusion thrown in the middle.
"Oh. Well I guess, has he come to meet you like this before?"
"Well not exactly, he's brought me home and things or he's met me somewhere quiet and we've sat and talked and things but this is the first time I've just met him in his car somewhere for a couple of hours on my own. Well, we sort of just agreed to pull up somewhere for a few hours and maybe have a bit of something to eat and sit and talk but well, I haven't got that much to say to him and if he's a bit tired, I end up talking because his English suffers when he gets tired and he's always been a bit of a 'physical being' hasn't he?" She finished and Harry had the distinct impression he wasn't supposed to answer that last question, he was supposed to of answered another one mingled in there somewhere that unfortunately he didn't understand at all.
"What exactly do you want me to tell you?"
"Tell me it's ok to go meet him like this. Unless of course you think I'm completely barmy and then tell me if I should maybe try a bit more than plain conversation with him?"
"Oh well, if you're happy enough being around him, which it sounds like you are, then I guess it's ok you go meet him, and well, I can't really comment on lying to your parents about things I've never really been in that sort of situation?"
"I know Harry but don't worry about them. Not to bring up unpleasant things for you, but if you had them around like I do, then you'd know what you could get away with and what you can't and mum does know more than I sort of tell her so that'll be ok."
"I know, I mean it's not that bad I can talk about them, it's just. I don't really know what it's like having parents and things. Ron's always seem to get in the way of things from what I can tell and yours seem ever so, erm, supportive but not so pushy.' He wondered and if she wasn't feeling so difficult she would probably have laughed a bit at his obvious confusion.
'Well if you do like him, and you want to, then I think you should maybe have a go. But only go as far as you want to and try not to be so nervous, it's actually really rather nice." He finished smiling at his friend and finally getting over his shock of having such a conversation with Hermione Granger the girl who seems to know everything because she's read it in a book.
"What exactly did you do with her to say it's actually rather nice?" Hermione asked carefully.
"Well I had a go. I mean, I'm not gonna go in to detail but I had a go at things and if we liked it, we did some more and if we didn't then we stopped. And then Sirius woke up and well, he was a bit tetchy with me at first." Harry sighed contentedly.
"A bit tetchy?" Hermione wondered sceptically.
"I put Fred and George's super sleeping draft in his drink and it zonked him out until late on the next morning, it was so he wouldn't err, get in the way or anything."
"You did what?" She asked having her turn to get completely shocked by something her friend had secretly done.
"Well I really wanted to spend some time with her while I had the chance and I didn't want Sirius suddenly going all parent-y on me for no good reason. So I slipped it in his drink and left him sleeping in the salad bowl all night until Remus came back and woke him up!' At this though Hermione merely started laughing so much that it was actually starting to un-nerve Harry a bit.
'Well I was really horny, so one minuet I was fumberling around under the table with Ginny's leg and the next he's zonked out and I'm upstairs climbing into bed with her." He explained honestly, still really quiet sure that wasn't the sort of thing he would do, but still, very glad he had.
"Well I guess, I mean, last thing you want is him walking in on ya both but err, Harry, can I ask you something else now?"
"Yeah sure what is it?' At first Hermione was just going to ask straight out but though better of it and leaned up close to Harry's ear covering it with her hands she began to whisper.
'Well it's ok, well from what I can remember, it's actually really, really nice but to be perfectly honest, it's a bit patchy in places. I remember, remembering it but I don't actually remember doing it.' Harry sighed but Hermione continued to ask about something else.
'Oh well I was kind-of on the other end of that Hermione I'm not sure about it. I liked doing it but I think she liked having it done a lot more than I liked doing it but it wasn't so bad that I wanted to stop." At this Hermione finally sat back and looked thoughtfully for a moment before continuing.
"Well it's just, I know now that's what he was heading to do the first time I saw him outside school, but because I was nervous I didn't know what he meant so he stopped and made me dinner instead, he can make lovely pasta's."
"Oh well have you tried it since. I mean, has he suggested it or anything?" Harry asked not sure as to why she would suddenly ask about that in-particular.
"Well no not as such, in fact, he never suggests anything, he just sort of wonders in that direction or something and stops for a kiss to see if I say no or not. Sometimes I think he thinks that it would be obvious what he's suggesting, because well, he's been with other girls. But it's not to me because well you know, first time and all sometimes I don't know what the hell he's suggesting he doesn't really explain it in detail."
"Well does he stop if that's what you want?" Remembering that little tactic for the next time he got to be really alone with Ginny and got a bit nervous about saying things out loud.
"Well yes of course he does Harry! I was just wondering what it was like because well, it might make me a bit less, you know, nervous, and then maybe we could try something other than just talking later."
"But why that in-particular though?" Harry continued really struggling to imagine Hermione as a girl like his Ginny that did that sort of thing with some randy lad in the back of a car, but of course the weirdest thing of all at the moment was the fact that Hermione seemed very determined to get his opinion on the matter.
"I don't know it was just something that cropped up before and it seemed like it was something he wanted to do. He might still want to."
"Well to be perfectly honest Hermione. If you want to then I say have a go. But if you don't then don't and make sure you look after yourself. I know he's ok with me but just remember, he's a randy bloke and we aint exactly known for our sensitivity now are we!" Harry explained finally standing up comfortably and leaning down to help Hermione.
"Oh Harry, I'm so glad, you're not completely insensitive. You never have been, its just Ron's bad influence on you." She grinned looking thankfully to Harry much happier now and smiling broadly.
Offering her a hug Harry soon found her arms rapped tightly around his shoulders as she gave him a little kiss on the cheek and turned to go back down stairs only to find Mrs Weasley looking very firm and difficult towards them. Harry's first thought was 'how much did she hear' but judging by the way she was only just coming up the stairs with some things to put away she probably hadn't heard anything and merely 'caught them' hugging and what-not on the landing.
"What are you two doing up here?!" She quickly spat out almost annoyed by the lack of embarrassment on the two friends faces as she was about finding them alone with arms around each other and kissing.
"We were just talking for a bit. Is Ron down in the kitchen still?" Hermione asked firmly and calmly heading to the stairs.
"Hmm, well down stairs the pair of you, and I don't want to catch you pair sneaking off again. This isn't the Black house, so I want you downstairs behaving where everyone can see you!" She snapped waiting for them to pass and watching them both head into the living room before going about her little jobs that kept her busy when she was feeling particularly stressed.