"Who is it?" Hermione peered over his shoulder, eying the map in interest.
Harry sighed. "a couple of 4th years."
"Where are they?"
He pocketed the map and set off, "the Astronomy Tower, you coming?" He asked when Ron didn't follow.
The redhead shook his head, his hair falling into his eyes slightly. "I was hoping if I could speak to Hermione?"
Harry paused, he glanced at Hermione who returned his surprised look. "You don't need permission from me," Harry shrugged, looking towards Hermione. Ron had been a jerk to both of them. Not just Harry.
Hermione smiled slightly at Ron's hesitation, "sure, Ron... but..." She looked at Harry.
He grinned, "it's ok. They'll be fine. I'll go and get them and meet you both in the Hall in 20."
The brown haired witch smiled at him and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. It still left a tingle. "Be safe." She whispered quietly into his ear as she pulled away.
He found the two in a vacant classroom. He didn't really know them that well but had seen them in his DA. Morgan and Lewis. A Ravenclaw and a Slytherin.
"I know you're in here." He called out as he entered. He had checked the map before entering, and their name's was in the corner. There was no response. "I would give you points for such an effective disillusionment charm." He started, "but then I'd also have to dock points for ignoring the evacuation protocol."
He sat on the table, his legs stretching out in front of him. No response.
"I get it." His voice was quiet. "I get that you want to stay." He sighed, "I would be doing the same thing. 100%. But..." his eyes landed on the corner where he knew they were. He could see a blurry outline of a figure as it crouched down low. "I wouldn't be doing my job. You're not of age. You cannot be here when he comes." He waved his hand and softly cast a spell. They came into view suddenly, eyes wide.
"Potter. C'mon." It was Lewis, the Slytherin who protested. He had dark hair, and dark eyes. "We just want to fight. Let us."
Harry shook his head as he stood up. "You know I can't let that happen." He bit his lip, "you're underage. The only way you could stay was if your parents gave explicit permission."
"Well that's unlikely." Morgan muttered. "Please. Let us stay. Let us fight!"
"You know we can make a difference." Lewis tried again, "you've seen us duel. We're good! The others want to stay too!"
Harry nodded. They were among the stronger group of 4th years. "I know. I get it. The answer is still no." He paused, "the others? How many of you are there?"
"What would you do if you were us?" Morgan asked, pointedly ignoring the question. The Ravenclaw's eyes sharp and thoughtful.
Harry quirked an eyebrow. "Well, not get caught for one."
"How did you know exactly where we were?" Lewis asked, eying the black haired wizard with interest.
"Head Boy perks." He flashed them a grin. "C'mon, I think there's another emergency Portkey you might be able to access." He directed them to the door and they reluctantly conceded. They had seen Harry duel in the DA and knew better than to challenge him. They walked in silence, the only sound was that of their shoes as it echoed on the stone floor. Harry's mind was whirling. These were two strong fighters and he was about to send them home. they wanted to fight. They wanted to stay. He couldn't fight the feeling in his stomach. The feeling that said to help them. "What would I do?" Harry though out loud. Gosh, he better not regret this."Well. I'd pick a hiding place that wasn't a vacant classroom, for one." He sent them a sideways glance and fought a smile as their faces flushed in embarrassment. "Nah, if it was me. I would go to a place that can be hard to search, you know. Because it can be used for so many things." He looked straight ahead but could sense their backs straighten. The Room of Requirement.
"Wha-?"
"Do you hear that?" Harry feigned interest in the corridor leading in the opposite direction. Confusion flitted over their faces. "I better go and see what that is. I trust you to go straight to McGonagall right?" He levelled them with a stare. Morgan understood before Lewis, her blue eyes dawning in realisation.
"Of course, we understand." She grabbed Lewis by the arm and with a grateful look, quickly departed.
Harry stood there for a moment. Elated yet worried. He still had some of his recklessness in him but it was definitely tempered by caution. He hoped he'd made the right choice. He felt that he did. They had a voice. And they had a wand. And they wanted to use both. He checked his watch, he'd been gone a lot longer than 20 minutes. Cursing quietly, he sped up his pace and entered the Great Hall. A few older Wizards lingered at the top of the Hall and their eyes followed his. He met and held the eyes of the Minister. He looked haggard and tired, a crease in the middle of his forehead. He felt eyes on him and had the distinct feeling he had walked in on something, or they were talking about him. He made his way over to where his friends sat, eyebrow creasing when he didn't spot Hermione.
"Where have you been?" Ron asked. He was shovelling a large piece of pie into his mouth.
"It took longer than I thought. Where's Hermione?" Harry asked, still standing as worry swept into his bones at her lack of presence.
Harry didn't miss the look that passed between Ginny and Draco. "I think she headed back up the dormitory."
Harry's eyebrows creased, "why?"
"Well. She…" Ginny paused, struggling to find the right words.
"She might've flipped out a bit.… Called the Minister a greedy, narcissistic parasite…" Draco continued for her. "It was bloody amazing."
"It was rather impressive." Ginny nodded, "she's pretty upset though. Didn't want us following her."
"What happened for her to do that?" Harry asked, Hermione usually had a pretty good reason for doing what she did.
"Thjkf Minslfter wash talkgsgn akfiut ortiu." Ron replied. Or so he thought. Harry looked at him as though he'd grown two heads.
"Pardon, Ron?"
Ginny followed his gaze and gently rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Ron. Some decorum would be nice."
Ron blushed slightly as he shrugged and swallowed, "could be our last meal."
"Ron!" Ginny was caught by surprise at the flippant remark, "don't be so callous."
"He's right, Ginny." Draco looked at the redhead.
Ginny flushed slightly, "well we don't need the constant reminder. I think we're all well aware."
"Hermione?" Harry prompted, beginning to lose patience.
"I think your name might've come up a few times…" Ginny tilted her head to the side.
He could hear a soft sound coming from the common area, the sound of music floating down the passageway. He leaned against the wall, eyes drawn, as always, to her. She was seated by the window, a book lay open in her lap. Her head leant gently on the window pane, her eyes appeared far away as she looked across the street. She was wearing an oversized jumper, her hair piled messily on top of her head, held together by her wand. He could see an old muggle radio beside her, charmed to work in the magical castle. He felt his heart warm as a memory of last year came to his mind, in the library of Grimmauld Place. When he was only starting to figure out exactly what she meant to him. For the first time since Dumbledore died, he felt calm. He watched her more closely, watching as a tear leaked from her eye, silent.
"Hermione?" His voice was soft, almost like he didn't want to spoil the moment.
She turned towards him, her hand coming up to wipe her cheek. She sent him a shaky smile. "Hey, you."
He stepped into the room and came to sit opposite her, his legs crossed.
"You ok?"
She tilted her head at him, her eyes sad and tired. "I've felt better." She nodded toward the door, "I assume you heard about my little display?"
"I did." Harry nodded, tilting his head to match hers. "I thought those kinds of displays were what I bought to the relationship. You're stealing my moves, Granger." He sent her a soft smile as his words had the desired effect. Her shoulders slackened slightly in response. He moved to sit beside her, "Come here." He put his arm around her and pulled her close. She fell into him gratefully, her head turned into his chest as she took a deep breath, inhaling his scent.
"I've never felt more angry in my life." She murmured into his jumper. He lent his head against the window, eying the grounds of Hogwarts. He tightened his grip around her.
"Even more than when you punched Malfoy?"
"Way more." She answered and he could detect a smile in her voice. She sighed quietly, "It just makes me so mad. The way they talk about you, as though you are a weapon at their disposal, as though you have no agency or no voice in anything."
He closed his eyes as he dropped a kiss to her head, "I know."
"I just couldn't sit there anymore and listen to their… rubbish ideas." She sighed, "now they probably just think I'm this hysterical teenager."
"Who cares what they think?" He pulled her closer, "thanks for standing up for me."
"Politicians kinda suck."
"I haven't had much luck with Ministers, that's for sure." Harry recalled, memories of Fudge drifting to his mind. He squeezed her shoulder, "maybe one day you could change it."
He felt her stiffen in surprise. "Change what?"
"Politicians sucking." He smiled even though he knew she couldn't see it.
"Me? A politician? C'mon, Harry."
"Why is that silly?" Harry wondered curiously.
Hermione shrugged. Even now she was full of doubt. It surprised him.
"I'd vote for you." He whispered.
"Well then, there's one."
"You'd be good for this world." Harry continued softly.
She shook her head and raised her eyes to his. "What makes you think that?"
He felt his heart ache. "Because you listen to people when they talk, Hermione. You don't just listen to respond. You listen to understand." He played with an errant curl, "I think that's what's missing. People don't listen. Not really. You always listen." He met her gaze, green eyes shining brightly. The music filled the room, the sound filling the room. Despite the looming danger. He felt at peace.
She watched him quietly as he took the book in her lap, marked her page and placed it to the side as he stood up, before he held out a single hand, palm upturned.
He then levelled her with a look, green eyes sparkling, his crooked grin sliding into place. "Dance with me?"
Her eyes crinkled then, brown eyes lighting up in response. She slipped her hand into his as she stood up. She was barefoot, her feet quiet on the stone floor.
He sent her a grin, moving his arms as he pulled her this way and that, moving their bodies with no real finesse as the music rose and fell. Hermione let out a laugh, the sound loosening the ache in his chest. His grin turned into a smile then. He spun her, then spun himself and let out his own laugh to match hers before he pulled her towards him, her cheek coming to rest on his chest. He knew she was listening to his heartbeat. He moved them slowly then, his arms wrapping around her.
"Hermione…" She tilted her head towards him at his voice, her eyes golden and bright and so full of life and love that it made his breath catch. He rested his forehead on hers and whispered, "don't let go."
She sucked in a quiet breath, her eyes suddenly glistening with tears. There was understanding in her gaze at his words. Don't let go. Don't let go of him. Of them. Don't let go of hope.
"There is still hope, Hermione." He continued in a whisper, his eyes bright and fierce. A fire behind them. A light. "I'm right here."
"Harry…" She hugged him tightly. A classic Hermione hug. It left him breathless. "I've been researching spells. And I found this." Hermione started as she retrieved a small vial from her pocket and held it up, "It's similar to a pensieve. I spoke to.. " She paused here, "I spoke to Dumbledore about it and he helped me."
"Hermione?"
"You'll see memories. From my perspective. How I saw them." Her eyes glittered, "but we added something else."
"What?"
"Emotion." She sucked in a breath, "You'll experience how I felt at that time." She placed the vial in his hand, curling his fingers around it gently. "I want you to know just how much you mean to me," Hermione started as she retrieved a small vial.
"Hermione. I know you love me. You don't need to…" Harry started gently before he was interrupted.
"I know." Hermione gripped the vial in her hand tightly, "I just… I'm not good with words. Not really. I don't… I'm not good at expressing how I feel."
"Maybe that's why we're so good together." Harry quipped softly, smirking slightly. "And I think you're much better than you think you are. And you're tons better than I am."
"Well that's a low bar." She muttered, matching his smirk. She paused, her eyebrows furrowing as she continued. "I don't think words do it justice."
"Do what justice?"
"How you make me feel, Harry." Hermione answered simply. "There aren't enough words." She gently passed the vial to him, holding his hands as she did so. "And going into this fight? I want you to know. To feel it it as I do." She blinked, a tear falling down her cheek. Harry stepped forward slightly, as she continued, more tears continued to flow. "To know what it feels like to see you smile, how my heart stutters when you look at me, or when you walk into a room. Even now. After knowing you for 7 years. What you look like to me when you're flying or duelling. How I feel when I wake up and your eyes are the first thing I see. What it's like when you're tired and grumpy, or annoyed." She mustered a smile. "I need you to know. When you're in a place that feels dark and unhappy and completely endless." A tear fell from her eye. "That you are loved, Harry."
He felt it as soon as he woke up. That feeling. That gut instinct that today wouldn't be like any other. He felt a strange calmness. He watched her sleeping for a moment, the room still and quiet. Peaceful. He slowly tread down the stairs, the vial Hermione had handed him in his hands as he positioned himself in front of the fire. Crookshanks settled next to him as he looked into the dying embers. With a deep breath, he drank the small amount and was instantly transported. Just like it was with Dumbledore, but Hermione was right. He could feel how she felt.
Nerves. Unbridled nervous anxiety was shooting through him as she watched as the train pulled away from the station, the smiling faces of Mr and Mrs Granger fading into the distance.
He knew what was behind the compartment door even before she opened it but it still surprised him. It was strange looking at himself through another person's eyes. Hermione didn't know who he was yet. He remembered being small but he looked tiny sitting there next to Ron. Old baggy clothes and broken glasses. He could feel Hermione's heart beat with nerves as she conversed with the two boys, her words rushing out quickly.
"Have you seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one."
Another memory. Hard and fast. He watched as it slowly shifted from friendship to something more. There were so many moments. Moments he didn't even remember. Studying together in the library, sitting across from him in the common room as he played chess with Ron. Times when he was convinced she was immersed in her work. She was conscious of him. Of his body, how it moved in a room. How a certain look he gave affected her, how his crooked smile disarmed her, how the sound of his laugh filled her stomach with butterflies, the mix of admiration and anxiety she felt when she watched him fly, how the sound of his voice calmed her, how he challenged her thinking and the irritation she felt when he would shut himself out. He felt it all. Happy, calm, warm, worried, annoyed, wanted, accepted, desire and love. He fought to catch his breath against the onslaught. She loved him. He knew that. But to feel it as she did was something else. He felt how her heart skipped a beat when he looked at her. How she constantly sought contact with him, wanting and itching to be near him. How her heart lifted whenever he walked into the room. The ache she felt when he wasn't with her and the worry. The constant worry how that he wasn't safe. Safe. She felt safe. How utterly and completely safe she felt when she was with him.
He sat there for a while after the memories had faded, a lingering ache in his chest. Crookshanks purred beside him and he scratched the feline's head absently. His eyes scanned the room and rested on the tall class window. It was still dark out. The thought of her in bed pulled him from his thoughts and he stood up, making his way back across the room when he saw her.
She was on the steps and was slightly taller than him. He looked at her for a moment. Eyes open and vulnerable. He loved her. Completely. Just as she loved him. Her brown hair fell loosely about her shoulders. She was dressed in muggle clothes, his scarlet Gryffindor jumper. A pair of woollen grey socks and black shorts. Her legs seemingly going on forever, tinged golden. Her memories assaulted him and he felt his heart twist. He was loved by her. How lucky was he?
"Hey." He walked over to her slowly and held her gently by the waist. His fingers skimming against her hips. He felt her shiver as she raised her hands to his face. She brushed at his hair, her brown eyes looking at him intently.
"Do you get it now?" She whispered, searching his eyes.
He felt his eyes mist slightly, his heart aching. "I get it."
She sent him her own little crooked smile before leaning forward and claiming his lips with hers. She pulled back a fraction, her eyes glittering. He could feel her breath on his lips as she gripped the front of his shirt. "Good."
Another update! Whoa!
Please R/R
