CHAPTER 5 - Making A New Friend
It's been about 2 weeks since Harry and his friends went to Diagon Alley to purchase their school provisions, only to be welcomed by a horde of Harry's fans. Tomorrow is the day they have all been dying to arrive: the journey back to Hogwarts.
Harry and Hermione haven't spoken about the gift Harry had given her. And Harry kept on wondering why none of his friends noticed the necklace Hermione's been wearing. It made him even more inquisitive that Ron hasn't made any perception about it either. But as the days passed, Harry just decided to shrug the thought away. Maybe they didn't really notice it.
Harry woke up at the break of dawn. He realized that it was a bit early to eat breakfast because Ron was still snoring on his bed, but he decided to get dressed and go for a walk, just to energize his spirits. He got up slowly, as not to wake Ron; he didn't want Ron shouting at him again for waking him up at such an early hour.
The sun wasn't up yet, but Harry still went out. He felt the strong breeze of morning air as he walked around the lawn. He decided to go to the backyard to watch the sun rise. When he reached the yard, he saw a feminine figure sitting on one of the benches Mr. Weasley, Remus, and Sirius put up. He looked closely to find that the feminine figure was none other than Hermione.
Why is she up this early? And why is she out here? It's too cold outside, she might get a cold or hypothermia or something. Then again, this is Hermione we are talking about. I better go and see if she's okay.
Harry approached Hermione with caution. No, he didn't want to surprise her or anything; he just wanted to make sure that he won't bother her if ever she was thinking about something imperative. Hermione, for that matter, didn't seem to notice that a figure was already standing beside her. She was too caught up with the thought of school starting tomorrow that she didn't realize that her thoughts were already away from this time.
"Uhum! May I ask why mademoiselle is out here alone on the cold?" Harry asked, causing Hermione to shake back to reality. She smiled at Harry's figure standing at the edge of the bench. Harry sat down beside her and sighed.
"I could ask you the same thing, monsieur," Hermione teased, as Harry smirked at her surprised face.
"Well, I woke up a bit early today, so, I decided to go for a stroll around the house just to free my mind of the tension."
"Yeah, tension of having such a big fan base."
"It's not that easy, you know."
"Push off!"
"Well, you started it."
"And now I'm ending it. And what's with the French? Have you been spending too much time with Fleur?"
"No, I'm not spending that much time with Fleur, I just felt like it at the spur of the moment. What's your defense?"
"I've always wanted to see the sunrise during autumn, but I never get the chance anymore since I started going to Hogwarts. I always seemed so busy when it comes to this day. It's as if I never get any break anymore."
"Finally, you've noticed!"
"Oh, shut up!"
"I'm just kidding around, 'Mione, but you shouldn't be out here in this cold. Here, wear this."
Harry took off his sweatshirt and placed it around Hermione's shoulders. She smiled at his nice gesture causing him to suddenly feel butterflies flying around his stomach. Plus, his heart started to beat ten times faster. He smiled at her in return and looked at the sky.
"Harry? About that story you told me about your parents…"
Harry looked back at Hermione's face. He noticed that she was looking at the sky. It was the crack of dawn, but some stars were still seen. Hermione's eyes seemed to dance at the display of them. She's so beautiful. The way she looks at everything so lightly is rather amusing. Her heart flies away every time she ponders on something. Why is it that I feel so comfortable in this arrangement of looking at her face? Hermione is my best friend. She is just like the sister I never had, but, I feel as if things are starting to get dissimilar around us. I don't know if she feels it too, but I can perceive the reality that we're growing into a different condition here. I don't want to deny the fact that I find her attractive, but I also don't know what I think of her as of the moment.
"Harry?"
Harry's thoughts were interrupted when Hermione called him. He realized that she might have been waiting for him to say something. He sighed and looked back up at the sky.
"What about it, 'Mione?"
"Have you ever wondered if it was true?"
"The story?"
"No, the supposed doing of the necklace."
"I don't know. Maybe. I can't really say if it was true or false. I don't have the firsthand experience here. It could be true or not. Whatever it is, we'll know someday, probabaly."
"You're right. Well, have you been receiving any mail these days?"
"Yeah, most of which are from our friends back at Hogwarts. Neville, Seamus, Dean, Lee Jordan, Colin, even Oliver wrote to me. Luckily, none of my fans know where I'm staying."
"That's good. So, what did Oliver wrote you?"
"Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you guys. Oliver said that he was given a great job at Hogwarts. He didn't tell me what it was, but he said he'd see us back there."
"He's going to work at Hogwarts? That's great! We can finally see him again. I remember the last time we saw him: it was at the Quidditch World Cup during fourth year. I also remember you slopping a large amount of water when Cho waved at you and you tried to beckon back. Am I right?"
"Oh, come on! It was nearly two years ago! I think I've already outgrown that incident."
"Yes, you have outgrown it, the question is: have you outgrown your feelings for Cho?"
Harry sat still. He never expected anyone, much less Hermione, to ask him that kind of question. Everyone knew about what happened between him and Cho after Cedric died. He never knew that they'd end up kissing each other during fifth year, but all of that was over. When Cedric and the rest of Voldemort's recent victims were revived, Cho got back, of course, with Cedric and Harry never felt anything for her since. It was as if it all just suddenly came crashing down. Harry never got to talk to Cho even after Cedric's supposed resurrection. He never confided with anyone about it either. Time just took its toll on him and he just realized that he feels nothing for Cho now.
"I have, 'Mione. I have."
"Huh? You have what, Harry?"
"I have, long since, outgrown my feelings for Cho. I've realized that she belonged to Cedric and that kiss on fifth year was a big mistake."
"You think it was a mistake?"
"Yes, the kiss, particularly, but not what happened between us. I believe that that Guy up there wanted for all of that to happen to me. He wanted to teach me something."
"And what is that?"
"I don't know it yet either, but it might come real soon."
"Let me know when it does, okay?"
"Deal."
"So, you've really gotten over her, huh?
"Yeah, it's over. And I think it's better this way. I have more options now."
"More options? You mean more girls to choose from?"
"No, that's not it. It gives me more time for myself, that's what I mean. I love my life now and I want to, just, live it like one normal person would."
"I guess you're right. You do deserve this – after all you've been through."
"I know, and falling in love can just come sweep in while I live my life. You never know. I might end up like my dad who feel in love with my mom when they were still in their teens."
"What, following the footsteps of your father?"
"I think I've already proven that much through experience."
"Yes, that is very evident even when you are just sitting here and talking to me. But, do you really think you will fall in love at this time?"
"Of course I do, 'Mione."
"How can you say that?"
"Because, I think, I'm beginning to."
Harry whispered the last line he said as if wanting to annoy Hermione. He then stoop up and left her all alone at the yard. Hermione wondered what he meant. Harry in love? Impossible! I can't possibly bring myself to believe such a thing. But then again, was he not in love with Cho? Hermione continued to wonder throughout the whole morning, until Mrs. Weasley came looking for her to eat breakfast.
When Hermione sat down, she looked at Harry with wondering eyes that gave her away easily. He was smiling at her with a smirk on his face. He seemed to have noticed that she was still thinking about what he said to her earlier that day. But, because Hermione Granger is Hermione Granger, she just let the discussion pass by like a bird migrating to China.
Their day was mostly composed of packing and running around the house trying to look for something they'd need to bring to school. Harry and Hermione, of course, were already finished with their packing ages ago, so they just sat down at the living room, quietly observing the chaos that was going about in the Weasley home. Hermione was engrossed in reading a book, while Harry was lying down beside her, looking at the ceiling.
"Hey, guys, could you get that for us? We're kinda busy right now," Ron shouted from the staircase.
Harry sat up and walked towards the door. He slowly turned the knob and was shock to fin the faces of his godfather Sirius Black, Professor Remus Lupin, his ultimate school enemy, Draco Malfoy all looking at him with serious faces.
"What is he doing here?" Hermione asked when she saw him enter through the doorway.
Harry wanted to ask the same thing, but he just couldn't say a single word at that very moment. He moved back Hermione's side and waited for any answer from Sirius or Remus, maybe even Draco. He felt his stomach turn when he met eyes with the young Malfoy and glared at him fiercely.
"I think this calls for a meeting. Molly! Arthur! We're here!" Sirius shouted upstairs.
He motioned for Draco to sit down at the chair beside him. Draco sat down willingly and took off his sou'wester, placing it just beside him. He looked back at Harry and Hermione's expressions, and smirked knowingly.
The Weasleys all came down the stairs in a moment. The children stopped short of their way when they spotted Draco sitting at one of the chairs in their living room.. Ron, Ginny, Fred, and George all gagged at seeing Draco inside their very own home. The one home that he never misses to insult whenever they see each other is, surprisingly for the Weasley children, the one Draco was staying in at now.
"Okay, I must be in one of those 'twilight zone' thingies that muggles usually say, because I am actually picturing Draco Malfoy inside our home! I must be having a nightmare," Ron said when he reached Harry and Hermione on the sofa.
"No, Ron, you're not in a twilight zone. You really are seeing Malfoy now," Harry told Ron.
"Oh, alright, that's cool then. WHAT?!"
"Calm down, Ronald. This is not an emergency catastrophe. There is a reason why Dracop is here with us right now," said Molly, trying her best to restrain her children from complaining further more. "I want you children to know that Draco here will be staying with us tonight because he will be joining us tomorrow on the way to Hogwarts Express."
"You can't possibly be serious, Mum. Draco Malfoy, the Draco Malfoy is staying with us here in our home. A Malfoy inside our house," Ron argued.
"Oh, shush, Ron. It's not like it's the end of the world. Draco is just staying with us for one night."
"But really, Mum, why does he need to stay with us?" asked Ginny from behind Hermione.
Draco looked at her with a mixture of surprise and enticement in his eyes. If it was from the perspective of other people, it would've look as if Draco was just wondering why Ginny had said that, but to Harry and Hermione's eyes, it was far more than that.
"I think that's for me to answer," Sirius interrupted.
All of the people inside the room looked at him with anticipation. He sighed heavily and glanced over at Harry and then at Draco then back to the rest. He stood still before walking beside Draco and sighing heavily again.
"As you all know, Narcissa Malfoy is my cousin and it turns out that Draco here is sort of like my nephew. Since Narcissa is still required to take general rest, she asked me to look after Draco for a while. I had no choice, I had to oblige," Sirius explained, not daring to let them speak out. "Narcissa is my cousin and she has done nothing bad to me personally. I wanted to help her recover and start anew. That's why I accepted being the substitute guardian of Draco for now, until she fully recovers and Lucius is completely sane to be a father to Draco."
"So you're saying that he, that good-for-nothing-evil-cockroach is really going to stay with us?" Ron had to ask one more time.
"Yes, Ron, end of story, case closed, this meeting is adjourned. Now let's continue packing then shall we?" ordered Mr. Weasley.
"No, Ron, don't! I think your father just dismissed this case. As of this moment, we can't do anything about it. I advise we just back away," said Hermione, helping Harry and Ginny stop Ron from grabbing hold of Draco and throwing him outside.
The rest of the day pretty much just slumped. Ron kept a good aloofness from Draco, whilst Draco, as Hermione and Harry observed, was somewhat strangely observing Ginny. Ginny, for that matter, remained as close as possible to Ron, much to Ron's persuading. And the twins? Well, they're off somewhere.
Harry and Hermione remained in their position earlier. They didn't say anything when Ron started to mutter incomprehensible words. Hermione kept reading her book all throughout the day, and Harry just lied down beside her and just kept staring up the ceiling. The two couldn't believe how the tension could possibly rise even more between Ron and Draco.
That night, Harry stayed up late by the fireplace. He couldn't sleep because of the fact that he realized that for the first time ever, he didn't have to worry about Voldemort hunting him at his school and possibly hurt his friends. He was happy, jubilant even. It was ecstatic to have that realization. He stared into the fireplace and let his mind roam around.
A ruffle of footsteps was heard coming closer to Harry. His reverie broke and he looked up at the figure in front of him and found Draco Malfoy staring at him with curiosity. Malfoy sat down just a few inches away from Harry and waited a few good seconds before saying anything.
"Why are you up at this time, Potter?" Malfoy mockingly asked.
"You tell me," Harry answered, expecting Draco to insult him.
"I guess, just like you, I couldn't sleep either," Draco began.
"That's new. I would've thought that the famous Draco Malfoy couldn't be bothered by anything."
"What do you think of me: insensitive?"
"Not exactly. I mean, you were always bragging that you were so comfortable with your life, so, I assumed that nothing bothers you anymore, aside from me, that is."
"Of course I get bothered by things. I'm not immune of feelings, Potter."
"That I have seen."
"Huh? What are talking about?"
"The way you looked at Ginny today wasn't exactly the once you usually gave us."
"What the heck are you talking about, Potter? I was not looking at that Weasley girl!"
"Of course you weren't. Yeah, sure. If you weren't, then why are you so defensive? Come on, Malfoy, it's nothing to be ashamed of."
"I am not ashamed of anything. I just did not...realize that someone saw me."
"It wasn't that unnoticeable, you know. I would've expected more from someone like you, Malfoy. But answer me honestly on this one. Tell me straight right now. You like Ginny, don't you?"
"Well, yes, I suppose that's the only possible answer to give you right now since you have caught me in the act of doing something terribly, terribly wrong."
"Wrong? What was wrong with that? It's perfectly normal to like someone, especially now in our age."
"Up to this day you are still dense, are you not, Potter? Our families aren't exactly the best of friends, you know. I and my father have done so many awful things to them that I can't even count all of them anymore, much more remember them. What do you think would the Weasleys reactions will be once they find out that I am liking their youngest girl? It would surely create chaos, and I'm only starting a new life right about now."
"Come on, you can't give up just yet. It's too soon. Besides, you said it yourself, you're starting a new life. I'm sure the changes in you will be seen by the Weasleys, and Ginny too, for that matter. I'm sure once she sees any change in you she'd like you too, I suppose. That is, if you do change, which I think you have since you have not yet really insulted me for the past few minutes we have been talking here. Ginny will come through some time, and the whole Weasley family too. Judging by the way Mr. And Mrs. Weasley treated you today, I'm not going to be surprised that they'd be alright if ever you do end up with Ginny someday."
"You say a lot of things, Potter."
"I'm trying to stay positive here for you, you know."
"Didn't she used to like you?"
"Yes, well, that's all in the past now. Ginny has moved on from that as I have seen. Besides, it's better that way. I don't want to lead her on. You don't know how girls really feel when they're happy, sad, angry, frustrated, irritated, and all that stuff."
"And I suppose you do?"
"No, I don't either. But, I try my best with Hermione. She's always been the moody one – compared to me, that is."
"Tell me, Potter, of all the years you've been together with Granger and Weasley, haven't you had just a tiny bit of feelings developing?"
"What, for Ron?"
"No, stupid, that's repulsive! I meant Granger. Hermione Granger!"
"Hermione? No, of course not!"
"How come I can't bring myself to believe such an artistically crafted lie?"
"I won't make you believe me because I know that you won't. It's just that, it's all so baffling to me. I can't even understand it myself."
"Imagine how Rita Skeeter would grow even more famous when the front page would read something lie this: An Exclusive Expose: Legendary Hero Harry Potter Has Found His Maiden!"
"Quiet down or you'll wake up the whole Burrow! Could you shut up for one second and let me think this through before I say anything?"
"Honestly, Potter, I don't need to be a genius to see how much you care for her. Scratch that! I mean, even a sightless person can know how you feel about her."
"Is my every move really being observed? Does everybody know about my life?"
"You're life, yes, but you're love life, I think we can narrow it down to the residents of this house and probably the populace in Hogwarts, including that of other magical beings there."
"Oh, great, I'm relieved."
"Hey, feel very lucky, Potter, for the reason that, surprise surprise, Granger doesn't know."
"I think I know enough of that fact."
"How so?"
"She's not avoiding me."
"Ha! You think she'd avoid you if she knew?"
"Of course she will. If we start a relationship…"
"Don't start me with that 'things-will-be-ruined-because-we're-friends' crap. For you're information, Potter, we're sixteen year-old wizards living on the 21st century, thank you very much. Things like that aren't that big of a deal anymore. Besides, she's a mud-, I mean, muggle-born. I think she won't be reacting as outrageous as what you presume."
"I don't know yet what I really feel about her. I've been with her since, well, since I began my journey through everything. She's always been there for me, even if I always had her life in danger. But…Cho… I don't want her to think that I'm just using her as an excuse to wipe off Cho out of my brain. I don't know. I think Ron likes her."
"Ron doesn't like her; he likes Lavender. Stop making excuses, Harry."
"This must be a delusion. Did you just call me 'Harry'? And did you just call Ron by his first name? And did you just stop when you were about to say 'mud-blood'?"
"This is not a dream, Harry. Could you not overreact? You're acting like a girl."
"I'm acting like a girl? What about you? You're acting like...like... What's the word I'm looking for?"
"Human. I've realized a bunch of things, Potter. Things that I should have noticed way back, before all the damage had even been done."
"Well, that's a relief. I don't think I'm up to another year of trying to get you out of my hair."
"I could say the same to you. Do you think it would've been different if I wasn't such a dreadful creep before?"
"I think you could've made our lives easier if you weren't so thick. I think you could've made everyone's life easier if you hadn't been spending too much time with your awful father. Oh, I'm sorry."
"It's alright. I understand why you had said that. But, I had to be the awful git you found me to be. Father influenced me into being a Death Eater just like him. I never wanted to, but he was very persuasive that I gave in to his demands of being the way I was. He was my father, and I owed him a lot – not just my life. No matter how many times you turn the world around, he will always be my father. I can't change that."
"Everything's over now. I don't blame you for anything. Everyone makes mistakes. If you say that you will change, then I believe you, and I'll wait until I see the full development. It's time to start a new journey, a new chapter in all of our lives."
"I guess you're right. Well, if we're starting from the beginning, I guess it would be proper if I introduce myself to you in a gentlemanly fashion – better than what I had done before," Draco said, extending out his hand for Harry to shake. "I'm Draco Malfoy."
"And I am Harry Potter. It's a pleasure."
"Likewise."