Chapter 20 – Drinks and Hinks
Harry woke up late the following morning as the students who had arrived back late the previous evening on the Hogwarts express began their new term. The snow having dissolved into sticky dew overnight left the grounds a shimmering green, refracting the sunlight into miniature rainbows arching around the castle. These colours belied the cold; a chill wind was whistling from the tower eaves down the walls before being amplified in the courtyards and, as a result, there were very few people out doors. Harry, however, spent the rest of the morning helping Hagrid in the forest yet feeling quite warm, courtesy of a useful charm he had discovered in the relaxation section of the room of requirement.
It was just after lunch that Harry learned that there was something wrong. The morning being taken up with creating a small paddock for Hagrid to teach third years about hippogriffs, (Hagrid jokingly suggesting that Harry could help, an idea Harry quashed immediately by pointing out he didn't think Ginny would be too happy if he was being petted by third year girls), Harry emerged from the forest with twigs and bits of fauna lodged in his hair and small scratches on his arms, ready to head up to the castle for dinner, when he discovered Leanne Filroy banging on the door of his cabin.
"I'm over here!" Harry yelled, jogging towards her. "Is everything alright?"
"Oh, Harry!" Leanne exclaimed with relief. "You need to go to Hermione's office immediately. Ginny's there but I think she could do with some help."
"What's wrong?" Harry said, with distinct alarm.
"Something to do with Ron," she gasped, obviously having run the whole way down. "You should transform, get there as fast as you can."
Deciding on the spot that a thestral would struggle in the corridors, Harry transformed into a phoenix and raced towards the sunlit castle. Swooping over some startled Ravenclaws Harry dived around the corner, following the most direct route to Hermione's room. Transforming back, he found the door ajar with some Gryffindor's huddled around it, the audible sound of sniffing coming from within the room. Angrily dismissing the students Harry hurried into the room, closing the door quickly behind him.
Ginny was sat on the sofa, her eyes swivelling over to Harry, her arm around the trembling form of Hermione. Tears weren't so much leaking out of Hermione's eyes as flooding, her head barely supported by clenched fists, a bottle of butterbeer rolling across the floor. Her breathing was ragged, drawn in rapid gasps as if gulping at the air, and her dishevelled hair obscured the little of the wet face that Harry could see. Ginny, with a jerk of her head, indicated that Harry should sit on her other side.
"What's wrong?" he whispered behind Hermione's back as he sat down and put one arm around her waist.
"Ron was kissed by another Auror," Ginny whispered back, "A girl who had apparently had a crush on Ron for a long time." Hermione snorted.
"Was kissed by?" she exclaimed with a maniacal laugh, "Don't be so naïve! You know that he k-kissed her! He knew that she l-liked h-him!"
"Now, now, Hermione, you know that Aaron and Lucy said he didn't kiss back," Ginny assured her, although she looked at Harry and gave her head a very slight shake. "He was just caught off guard." Hermione let out a noise half way between a sniff and another incredulous snort, and grabbed the tissue proffered by Ginny, dabbing at the soft mascara lines weaving down her face.
"Ron's my best mate, and I know he wouldn't do anything to jeopardise your relationship," Harry tried to reassure her. "I know he's tired and you guys… you know, had an argument at Christmas, but he was really cut up about that. You saw him run away from the Burrow that night. Who are you supposed to be teaching this afternoon?" he asked Hermione, but it was Ginny who answered.
"Fifth year Hufflepuff's for an hour about the Impedimenta charm and then an hour with fourth year Gryffindors learning about werewolves," she said, passing Harry Hermione's class schedule.
"Right, I can do those two lessons for you," said Harry firmly. "I mean, if someone who knew Remus for four years and has been using the Impedimenta charm since the Tri-Wizard tournament can't teach others about them then he should have his wand taken away." Hermione's face crinkled into a reluctant, watery smile, and Harry gave her a little squeeze. "This afternoon, you are to read Hogwarts, A History and give me two feet of parchment on chapter seven."
"What's in chapter seven?" said Ginny, confusedly.
"No idea," Harry replied cheerfully. Ginny laughed and even Hermione allowed herself a giggle. Subtly using his wand to tidy the papers strewn around the room, Harry distracted Hermione by asking her to tell him in a little more detail about the upcoming classes, including getting her to produce a register and advise him on any troublemakers. As lunch finished Harry summoned his wizard's chess set with a whip crack that made them all jump and gave Hermione a proper hug. "You two play nicely now," he joked, giving Ginny, (who had no afternoon lessons), a kiss on the cheek, before exiting the room.
*
Having taught the D.A before, Harry had no difficulty with the lessons, and arrived promptly back in Hermione's office before dinner to find it completely empty. Spotting a note on the table, Harry deposited the papers in the armchair before hastening up to the room of requirement. Walking past the door three times, Harry entered to find Hermione and Ginny sat in the relaxation seats, a set of muggle Monopoly perched on the table between them.
"Occasionally," Ginny said, laughing as Hermione unwillingly dragged her boot across to jail, "I can see why dad likes this stuff." Ignoring Ginny's laughter Hermione, who looked a lot calmer, addressed Harry,
"Did everything go alright?" she asked. Harry nodded. "Oh, good. Thanks so much for doing that for me, I really appreciate it."
"It was nothing," Harry said, pulling an armchair over to watch. "I gave them the homework you set, but you must be teaching them well, none of them gave me any trouble. I told them you weren't feeling well, something the Hufflepuff's believed but I think some of the Gryffindors didn't. So I gave them extra homework." Hermione laughed, before suggesting that they all head down for dinner.
"Why?" Harry asked, adjusting himself in his seat. "Let's just get Dobby to bring us some here. Dobby?" There was an instant snap and Dobby appeared in front of him, his eyes slightly glazed as he adjusted to the new room.
"Master summoned me?"
"Yes, thank you for coming Dobby", [Hermione gave an approving look] "we just wondered if you could bring us some dinner?" He turned to Hermione and Ginny. "What do you fancy? Does a full roast sound good?" Hermione and Ginny nodded enthusiastically and, with a brief bow, Dobby vanished, before reappearing a few minutes later with three heaving plates of roast pork, stuffing, crackling, potatoes, carrots, parsnips and a gravy boat, as well as a six-pack of butterbeer.
"You're the best Dobby," said Harry, conjuring an extra table for the food. Dobby gave another excited bow before apparating out of the room. Harry took a bite out of a Yorkshire pudding and sighed contentedly. "He is a good cook," he said happily, before settling back to watch Hermione trounce Ginny with a brave investment on Mayfair and Park Lane.
The entire evening was spent playing games of both the muggle and wizarding varieties separated only by pauses as Dobby brought them pudding and some more butterbeer. Whether it was due to the drink or just all of them overcompensating for what Ron had done, the three of them were all very giggly and, having being defeated by her previously, Harry sided against Ginny during the girl's chess match. He hugged Hermione at every opportunity that she took any of Ginny's pieces, giving her a consoling pat when she lost one, until Ginny became so annoyed that she fell into such an obvious checkmate that Harry was almost howling with laughter.
At midnight, when Ginny was finally showing signs of tiredness, the three of them left the room of requirement, Harry and Hermione bidding Ginny goodbye outside the library where their paths separated. After a hasty kiss goodnight Ginny instructed Harry to walk the mildly inebriated Hermione back to her office. Harry had no problem with this, slipping his arm around her waist, her bushy hair bouncing slightly as she stumbled against him, and they headed down the stairs towards her office. Hermione was gripping him rather more tightly than necessary around his shoulders, and Harry found himself carefully pulling her head against his shoulder.
Upon reaching the office, there was a brief pause but, as Harry reluctantly turned to leave, Hermione took hold of his arm. Harry, assuming that Hermione had been made a little bit unsteady through the substantial amount of butterbeer she had consumed, automatically threw out a hand to catch her. But, as he looked back, he saw that she was looking straight at him, her bright brown eyes gleaming amidst her shining, angelic face.
"I should have done this a long time ago," she whispered and, before Harry could react, she kissed him, not the friendly peck he sometimes received, instead a much more intimate one touching Harry's lips. Harry was rooted to the spot until, a moment later, he kissed her back. There was a few seconds of being lost, the consequences not mattering, all that mattered to Harry at that moment was the girl in his arms, the beautiful girl he had known since he had saved her from a troll. Who was Ginny anyway…?
A few moments later Hermione pulled away, the dazed smile on her face mirrored in Harry's, before she promptly fainted against him. Gathering his wits quickly enough to catch her, Harry guided her, still feeling dazed, onto her bed. Forgoing the normal chivalry of staying on the sofa, Harry left the office, head swimming with something entirely unrelated to his butterbeer consumption, and headed out into the grounds, eventually slumping onto his own sofa and falling immediately asleep.
*
Harry awoke the following morning with his head splitting. Sleepily pushing himself into a sitting position, Harry shrugged off the blanket that Dobby must have covered him with, and allowed his memory to scan the previous evening. Try as he might, he couldn't trick his mind into believe it had been some sort of dream and he was forced to acknowledge the truth: Hermione really had kissed him. He really had kissed her back. Unconsciously he ran the back of his hand over his mouth, pondering what he should do. Was Hermione so drunk that she wouldn't remember what they had done? If so, should he tell her? And what should he tell Ginny or, indeed, Ron? Deciding that the first question was, for the time being, the most important, Harry trudged up to the castle for breakfast.
He had his answer immediately upon entering the great hall. Looking at the staff table, his eyes instantly met Hermione's. She had the look of someone who had slept deeply but was still exhausted, and her eyes swam with tears upon seeing him. She looked away, abandoning her single slice of toast, and hurried out of the great hall without another backward glance. Instead, Harry found himself confronted by his wife. For a moment he thought she must know…
"Are you alright Harry?" she asked, running a hand gently across his face, which Harry automatically took into his own. "You look tired."
"Too much butterbeer I expect," he said, inwardly thanking God that Ginny hadn't realised. "I'll be better in a couple of hours."
"I think Hermione's feeling the effect too," she said, casually looking at the door through which Hermione had just left. "It seems for once I lasted longer than you two!" She laughed with a beautiful, lilting song, and Harry felt guilt rising in him, twinned with the horror of what he had done. Terrified that it might show on his face, Harry made his excuses and, after a moment of deliberation, made his way to Hermione's office. Taking a deep breath, he raised his fist to knock on the door, but it opened before he could touch it.
"I'm so, so sorry," Hermione said, her eyes puffy and bloodshot, trembling from head to toe. "I don't know what happened. I don't understand."
"It wasn't you," Harry said automatically, both of them unable to meet each other's gaze. "I mean, I… I… kissed back…" Her eyes shot up at him for a split second before dropping again.
"Harry…" she started softly, searching breathlessly for the right words, "it… it was a mistake. It should never have happened. I don't know what came over me!"
"Me neither," Harry admitted, feeling immensely glad that Hermione had also found it to be a mistake. "I've never… I mean – no offence – but…"
"You've only ever thought of me as a friend," Hermione said quietly, a small smile gracing her blushing cheeks. "I feel the same."
"So, what, err… what do we do?"
"I don't know. I mean, Ron and I were going through a bad patch but you and Ginny…" she trailed off.
"We've been fine. I know that I've not been too chuffed with that Matt Taylor bloke but she's never given me any reason to doubt her. I love her."
"And I love Ron," Hermione said, that small smile growing a little as she rolled her eyes. "Even if he is an arse sometimes." They both laughed. "Shall we, I mean, I'm not fond of the idea but, shall we, you know, for now…"
"Keep it to ourselves?" Harry asked. Hermione took a deep breath and nodded. "I don't like it either," Harry admitted, "but I can't risk things with Ginny. Or with Ron for that matter."
Before Hermione could respond though there was a loud crack, making both Harry and Hermione jump, and Dobby appeared next to them.
"Master Harry," Dobby said breathlessly, "Mr Moody has asked that you move Mr Hinks from Mr and Mrs Shacklebolt's house to Mr Holloway's. He says he thinks Mr and Mrs Shacklebolt are under watch." Harry and Hermione exchanged alarmed looks.
"You go," Hermione said instantly and, giving her an awkward hug, Harry let Dobby apparate him, (as a house elf, Dobby was not restricted by the Hogwarts anti-apparition charm), to Aaron and Lucy's house. Sending Dobby back to Hogwarts Harry hurried into the semi-detached two bedroom house located in the suburbs of Southampton. Just before he could knock on the door a wand emerged through the post box.
"What was our first alarm clock in Mystearl Peak?" Lucy's Irish lilt floated out of the door. Harry thought back.
"A massive storm," he answered, drawing his own wand. "How did we win our exam?"
"You and Ron wore your invisibility cloak and flew behind them," she answered, unlocking the door. She straightened up and gave him a hug. "How are you? We haven't seen you in ages!"
Harry followed her into the living room. "Been busy at Hogwarts. There's been a lot of things going on, what with extra protection and helping Hermione and Hagrid out with their lessons. But anyway, Mad-Eye's just told me that we've got to move the boy."
"What?" she replied, evidently stunned.
"Well he told Dobby that this place is being watched. We've got to move him to Charlie's."
"Oh…" Lucy seemed surprised. "Mad-Eye didn't seem worried last week…" she smiled slightly. "Well, by his standards at any rate."
"Well, something must have changed. Where is he?"
"Upstairs, doing his maths homework," she answered promptly, and they both involuntarily glanced at the ceiling.
It suddenly sank in that Harry had never physically met this child. Since his vision in the lair of the Secret Elite events had completely driven Brian Hinks out of his mind, and the incident with Hermione the previous night had even made the importance of moving the potential Voldemort seem none existent. But now that he stopped to think about it, the presence of his former adversary swept over him so completely that he had to control the urge to reach for his wand. With a gesture from Lucy Harry headed up the stairs and, briefly glancing out of the rain splattered window, pushed the door open.
Brian Hinks was facing him as soon as he entered the room. His intense gaze was framed by a rigid waxwork face, blonde hair unnaturally plastered against his scalp, and his penetrating green eyes that so mirrored Harry's were fixed directly on Harry's face. As their eyes met, Harry felt his scar give a brief but notable jolt.
"I've never seen him so quiet," Lucy whispered in his eye, obviously very surprised. "It's a bit disturbing, actually." Harry did not have an answer for this and he left the room, leaving Lucy to prepare Brian for the journey. Harry dispatched a patronus to inform Charlie of their imminent arrival, before being summoned back into the room.
"His mother will be home soon, you take Brian and go on ahead. The password is "McMan"."
Harry nodded and gave a small smile before reaching out and taking a grip on Brian's shoulder. He felt a sudden, almost overpowering urge to strike, to hurt the boy next to him, before he told himself that, despite the threat, that the child next to him was just that: an innocent child. Relaxing for a moment, he focussed on Charlie's Luton flat, and apparated. As soon as he landed outside the flat, he pointed his wand at the boy.
"Obliviate!" he murmured, before banging on Charlie's door.
"Best chess player?" came the immediate response.
"Aaron," Harry replied instantly, "receptionist?"
"Sandrine. Password?"
"McMan, now let me in!" Charlie, opened the door, in his dressing gown, beckoning Harry and Brian in. "You only just got up?"
"Hey, I don't often get days off at the moment," he yawned, his cheery grinned lined with stress in a manner which reminded Harry of Ron and Mr Weasley. "Why is he here? This place isn't protected very well."
"Mad-Eye's orders," Harry responded, shrugging. "I'll go and see him now. Shall I get a couple of the other Order members along?"
"I'll summon them in a bit, when I'm…"
"Decent?" Harry filled in, smiling wryly.
"Quite," Charlie said with a smile. Pointing his wand at Brian Harry cast a sleeping charm before carrying the toddler into Charlie's bombsite of a living room. Raising his eyebrows but not saying anything, Harry focussed his thoughts once more and apparated to the ministry.
NB: Right then, next chapter is called "The Traitor". It will be uploaded once I have moved, although reviews with theories would be marvellous…