Chapter: 8 Honesty.
An: once again typed up on the pda so please forgive any mistakes. Last chapter was a bit short... Okay very short. So I decided to make up for that by posting the next chapter (also short) on the same day! (typing on a PDA is HARD!)
Still own nothing...
Silence.
Absolute, deep, shocked silence.
This was what greeted Harry as he finally managed to sit up and regard the two dumbstruck women before him.
'H-harry?' Hermione managed weakly.
He couldn't help but smile, seeing the brightest witch of their generation with that incredulous look on her face.
What made him smile even more broadly though was the fact that she was unmarked.
Whatever magic he'd done seemed to have washed away all traces of her mistreatment and torture at the hands of the death eaters.
Giving Hermione a final look up and down to make sure she was indeed as well as she appeared to be, he turned one of his famous grins hopefully on Mrs. Weasly.
'er... Mrs. Weasly, I hate to be a bother, but is there any chance of breakfast... I really don't want to bother the Grangers just now... They've kinda been through a lot.'
Laughing at his awkward tone, Molly scurried from the room, looking glad to be doing something she enjoyed.
Harry's smile faded slightly as another redhead peeked around the doorframe. Whilst breaking up with Ginny hadn't bothered him much, he certainly didn't want to be around her.
Especially given what he'd been beginning to feel for Hermione lately.
Giving him a simpering smile, Ginny sidled up to the bed. Trying to look nonchalant as she pointedly ignored Hermione sitting next to Harry.
'Harry...' she began what would no doubt have been a very well rehearsed speech about them getting back together but Harry was having none of it.
'Ginny, I'm not getting into this conversation right now. I came here to help Hermione and I'd like talk to her... Privately.' he added seeing her scowl at the older female Gryffindor but making no move to leave.
Glaring at nothing in particular Ginny strode from the room in a huff, constantly shooting dirty glances over her shoulder.
After she had gone, Harry settled himself comfortably against the oak headboard, regarding the blue bedspreads and comforters curiously.
'These look rather... Ravenclaw Hermione... Something you wana tell me?'
Hermione for her part blushed and looked abashed.
'Well, everyone thought I'd end up in Ravenclaw, didn't they? What with the whole smartest witch of something or other business...'
She was blushing deeply by now.
'and?'
'Well, I changed my mind.'
Harry wanted to ask why, but thought of a more important question first.
His face growing serious he looked guiltily around before asking,
'Hermione, are you and your parents really okay?'
'Of course we are Harry! You saved us! You broke the imperious curse and even managed to heal me and Madeye! But...' she seemed rather hesitant all of a sudden.
'Y-your wand...' she began, holding the burnt husk up for his inspection.
'Oh. Yeah, the wand I know about.' he stated matter-of-factly.
'It sort of burnt my hand when it caught fire.'
Smiling at her disbelieving look at his easy acceptance of his only tangible protection from the madman that was Lord Voldemort Harry shrugged.
'It's a wand Hermione. Nothing but a bit of wood with a part of some magical creature for a core. What is a thing like that worth when compared to the life and happiness of another person? Especially you.'
The words repeated themselves in his mind, the tone startling him even him in its forcefulness.
Especially you.