cahpter 8
WEDNESDAY, March 29th, 1995
Hermione was trying not to look nervous as she and Ginny entered the Great Hall of Hogwarts for breakfast. She hoped she was succeeding, but she could not ever remember feeling this nervous before. Today was the day that one way or another was going to change her life forever. She and Ginny walked along the table and gazed around the Hall. Most of the rest of the Club were already there having breakfast. They would be using the abandoned classroom Harry and Hermione had been using all year as a place to wait while this day moved forward for them. She saw Harry sitting next to Neville eating and she and Ginny sat across from them.
"Morning Harry!" she said trying to sound "normal" and cheerful.
"Morning," Harry said as Neville and Ginny exchanged their greetings to each other. "I hope you found loads of useful stuff. I definitely want to use this break to get ready. You will promise me one day off?" Harry added hopefully.
"Yes Harry," Hermione said. "And it's yes to all of that. Maybe a trip into Hogsmeade?"
Harry nodded.
"Not today, of course."
"Of course," Harry chuckled. "My lovely task master is not about to let me slack first and study later."
Hermione ignored it. She knew it was a joke. "Oh, and Ginny found a wonderful new place where we can train." This wasn't true. Hermione had 'found' it, but she needed it for what was coming.
"Oh? What's wrong with the old one?"
"For what we were doing, nothing. But I came across some books with more powerful spells and dueling techniques and we needed a much bigger space. This one is perfect for us."
"McGonagall didn't say where," Harry nodded. "Only to be sure it's not being used."
"Great! I'll show you after breakfast."
"Oh," Harry said after getting a nudge. "You think Neville could join us? He's willing to be a practice partner."
"I'm not very good at anything that's not Herbology," Neville said softly. "But I want to help. I can just study and watch, can't I?"
Hermione smiled. Ginny probably smiled as well. "I think that's an excellent idea, Neville! I'll figure out how to work you in, no worries. There's plenty of room so if we are not using you, you can practice on your own. I'm sure a lot of your trouble is lack of practice and that you find doing something you don't know in front of loads of others intimidating! It's a pity we didn't have a decent practice room First Year!"
"Thanks, Hermione," Neville said.
"But we are going to be at it all day," Hermione said.
"I do need the help. If all day every day helps, I'm for it."
"Harry?"
"I think it's brilliant as usual," Harry said with a grin.
Hermione had been worried about how to include Neville. Technically, the permission was for her and Harry, although McGonagall didn't actually say it was limited to the two of them. Harry had not asked her to include anyone else earlier so she had been worried he might not want anyone else involved. But apparently Harry had beat her to that. At least this part turned out easy. Then, just as one worry vanished without her having to try anything, another one showed up and sat down next to Harry. Ron didn't even bother to say hello and began piling food on his plate.
"Ron," Ginny said, "I thought you were going home!"
"You're not!" Ron said.
"That's so sweet!" Ginny said sarcastically. "My big brother wants to spend quality time with me!"
"Don't be mental! Just saying you're not. Why?"
"'Cause I want to study," Ginny said.
"What? We both know you're near the top of your year!"
"And the ones who are ahead of me are here as well! I'm not near the top of my year because I'm some sort of genius! I'm there because I work hard to be there! I've been doing it ever since First Year 'cause I never want another year like that again!"
"Don't think You-Know-Who's gonna try and possess you again…"
"That's NOT the point! I spent most of last year trying to catch up for all the work I didn't do that year!"
"Something you should consider," Hermione said dryly. "I assume you're going to study."
"Are you mental?" Ron said. "Actuall, Dean, Seamus and I are leaving for the Burrow later. Had to get McGonogall's permission for Dean to use the floo otherwise we'd be gone already. You're coming too, right Harry?"
"What?" Harry asked in shock.
"What'd'ya say? Few days shot of this place at the Burrow. We can play Quidditch all day long. Maybe head into Diagon Alley. Five days with no worries!"
"I've made plans, Ron," Harry said.
"So change them!"
"I'm not going to! I made these plans a while ago. When'd you come up with this one?"
Ron shrugged. "What plans?"
"I'm gonna spend the weekend training for the Tournament."
"What? You're going to study?"
"Learn new stuff – I hope – yeah."
"What the bloody hell for? The next task is ages away and you seem to figure the last two out just find without working all the time! And it's not like you have to sit for any exams." The last statement was clearly tinged with jealousy.
"The reason I'm exempt from exams is so I can study and train my arse off! Not so I can play wizards chess and talk Quidditch all the time. You're my friend, Ron. But I worked harder for the first task than for the second and even then, I was more lucky than anything else. It may seem like there's loads of time, but I'm in over my head. I started out behind and I'm further behind! I need to train!
"I found out about the Dragons no thanks to you 'cause Hagrid couldn't keep it quiet even if he wanted to. Even then, I had nothing! All Hermione and I could come up with is the Summoning Charm and I was pants at that! I spent days working on it and it was only the night before that I even got the bloody spell to work and it if hadn't, I'd be dragon dung 'cause I had no backup plan other than to run away and hide!
"I thought I had loads of time to prepare for the Second Task. Turns out, it wasn't nearly enough. When I walked to the lake I knew what I had to do, but had no idea how to do it! I knew you and Hermione were down there – or at least I was pretty certain you were – and I had no idea how to get to you without drowning. I can't swim! And I knew no magic that could help! If it wasn't for Dobby who heard something about what Neville was doing and who used that to get me some Gillyweed just before I got to the lake, Fleur's sister would be dead. I'm not waiting until the last minute this time! To be quite honest, I need to stop slacking and start training hours a day NOW!"
"Dumbledore told us it was safe," Ron began.
"For you," Hermione said, "and Cho and me. Gabrielle's part Veela. Water will kill her like that. Unless they pulled her out right away, she would have died. The idiots running this Tournament either did not know that or did not care!"
"Fine. Still, I'm sure you can just hop on your broom this next time and…"
"And I'm sure it either won't work or will be against the rules," Harry said. Ron stared in disbelief. "The tasks are based on the Four Elements: Fire, Air, Water and Earth."
"How…?" Ron and Hermione began.
"Makes sense," Harry shrugged. "First Task Dragons. They breath fire and fly and – by luck – I chose the right way to deal with a dragon where you didn't want to kill it. Second Task was water. That leaves Earth, but I have no clue what that could mean. I don't intend to keep having no clue! From now on, I train hard and that includes all day on days off from school! Now, you're welcome to help, but that means training and study, not Quidditch or chess!"
"You could do that at the Burrow," Ron began.
"I'm sure you're Mum will let me cast spells for hours a day," Harry replied.
"Oh."
"You're free to stay here and help," Harry continued. "But after breakfast I'm going to train until lunch. After lunch I'm going to train until dinner. After dinner, I'm going to train some more and if I don't it's 'cause I'm too tired and am going to bed. And it will be the same tomorrow and the day after and the day after and maybe, just maybe, I'll take Sunday off."
"You're spending way too much time with Hermione," Ron said shaking his head. "I get it. You need to train. Bloody useless tournament. But I'm going barmy here. Besides, the twins are staying which can only mean their cooking something up. The best way to avoid being a prank test subject is not to be around! Sorry Mate. What about you, Neville?"
"I need to study too," Neville shrugged. "Besides, if I went with you without telling Gran and she found out – and she always does – we'd find out whose Howlers are more terrifying, your Mum's or my Gran's. Personally, I got my money on my Gran, but I really don't want to test it."
"Study…" Ron began.
"Just because you don't take school work seriously doesn't mean everyone is like you, Ronald!" Hermione began.
"Stop it," Harry interjected. "I really am not in the mood for the Ron and Hermione Show this morning."
"What?" Ron asked.
"What's going to happen next is you're going to put Hermione down in some way," Harry said. "Then she's going to try and prove you wrong, which while true is useless. Then you'll put her down again, she'll have a snappy if insulting comeback and you'll really say something that you hopefully don't mean but will be about as dumb and hurtful as Malfoy and she'll either go off on you or get up and leave and I'll spend the rest of the month trying to get the two of you to act like friends again and I don't have time for it!"
"I…," Ron began.
"Sad but true," Neville said with a shrug. "While entertaining at first, after almost four years you two bickering has become annoying."
"But .. but I thought she …"
"Enjoyed it?" Hermione began.
Harry held up his hand in hopes of stopping the tirade. "Even if you had not been such a worthless, backstabbing git when my name came out of the Cup, that changed everything. You came around, but if you think things will ever be like they were before, they won't. I don't have time for the way things were and, to be honest, I'm losing patience with it. I'm still your friend, Ron, and you know it. But you must know that Hermione's my friend too and she's trying to help me and I can't have her in a snit with you. She's useless to both of us then. Don't make me have to choose between the two of you. You won't like the result."
"You'd choose a girl…?"
"I'd choose the friend who has never abandoned me ever, Ron. You've done it. More than once, to be honest. I know you really don't mean to and it's just you being you and most of the time you're a great Best Mate. But I don't need the other times. All I want is to be normal, Ron. I don't want anything that I have aside from my friends. I don't want to be rich or famous. I just want to hang out with my friends. I want to be able to kick back and not care for a while. Unfortunately, that's never been my life. I don't know why I'm in this stupid tournament. I didn't want it. I wanted to be like the rest of you, up in the stands wondering what the Champions would do and maybe betting on them. Instead, I get stuck facing dragons and such and I'd rather spend my time with Madam Pompfrey… Hermione? You think we can convince the Judges that the Third Task should be who can stand staying in the Hospital Wing the longest without hexing someone?"
Everyone got a laugh from that.
"Doubt it," Hermione said. "That wouldn't be fair to the others at all."
"No it wouldn't," Ron said. "They really ought to put a name plate over the third bed on the right, Harry. 'Reserved for Harry Potter – Professional Patient'."
Harry chuckled. "I'd love to be able to just have fun and be normal. But someone's trying to kill me. That's the only reason they would have wanted me in this tournament…"
"You think it's You-Know-Who?"
Harry shrugged. "Possible. But it really doesn't matter, does it? I need to take this seriously and that means I need to train my arse off. I've been lucky twice. I can't count on a third time."
Ron nodded. "Sorry Mate. Didn't think about that and I understand. But I need to get out, you know? You don't mind, do you?"
Harry shrugged. "No. Hope you Seamus and Dean have a good time."
Ron nodded and finished his breakfast in silence. From Hermione's perspective a potential disaster averted. Ron was fun, when he wasn't being a total git. But Harry needed to focus now and Ron was mostly a distraction. Besides, what she was really planning was not for Ron's entertainment.
Harry, Hermione, Neville and Ginny were on the First Floor. Hermione was taking them to the new training room, although Harry was certain this must be a mistake. He did not know of any unused classrooms on this floor at all. "You sure we're going the right way?" he asked. "And why is Ginny with us?"
"Yes," Hermione answered, "and you'll find out. Here we are."
Harry looked. There was no door or anything. "We're going to train in a corridor?" he asked in disbelief.
Ginny handed Harry and Neville a piece of parchment. "Read this," she said.
Harry looked at his.
The Clubhouse is the South Wing of Hogwarts Castle.
When he finished, he spoke. "South Wing? How could I have forgotten that? I ducked in there to hide from Filch First Year. Snape was threatening Quirrell in there and I ducked into an abandoned classroom to avoid them. That's where the Mirror of Erised was! But…" Harry looked up and there was now a large door where none had been before. "How?"
"We'll tell you inside, Harry," Hermione said as she opened the door.
Harry followed the others inside and everything was different than he remembered. True, it had been in the dead of a cold night the last times he had been here, assuming this was in fact the South Wing. But where was the corridor where Snape had confronted Quirrell? This was a large room which went from one side of the wing to another with large fireplaces on either side and huge windows looking out at the world. There were chairs and couches and tables. While it did not scream wealth, it was elegant in a way. The walls, however, were bare. There was not a single painting which was so unlike Hogwarts where aside from the dorms and baths, paintings or at least tapestries seemed to be everywhere. What decoration there was, aside from the carpets and curtains, were swords and other ancient weapons.
"This isn't what I remember," Harry said.
"We've made some changes," Hermione replied.
"Some? You and Ginny did all this?"
"Okay, a lot. And we had help." She closed the door and a bell of some kind sounded.
"You expect us to practice in this room?" Harry said.
"Don't be silly," Hermione said. "This is a sitting room. You sit, meet people and talk in here. Your practice rooms are elsewhere in the Wing."
"How much did you change?"
"Oh… the whole Wing," Hermione said. "There's a lot we might never need, but a lot we will use as well. Better too much than not enough, don't you think?"
"How?"
"Magic. And before you ask, McGonagall did say we could use any space to train provided no one else was using it. This wing was not being used."
"I'm pretty sure she didn't mean the whole wing."
"Well, her bad then," Ginny said. "Hermione may have taken a little liberty, but it's within the scope of the permission."
"Now, to your original question," Hermione began. "Why did you forget about this Wing and why did Ginny have to give you a note to remember?"
"Actually, I think my question was not that…"
"But it was at least what you were thinking."
"You can read minds now?"
"No. It was just what anyone would think. Do you have the map?"
Harry nodded. "Should never have let Moody have it. I doubt he'd have given it back if I hadn't pointed out it was not against the rules and it was a family heirloom." Harry pulled the blank parchment out of his robes. He looked at Hermione and she nodded at him. Harry shrugged and pulled his wand. "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." The blank parchment now filled with writing and markings.
"What's that?" Neville asked. "Who're those names?"
"This," Harry said proudly, "is the Marauder's Map. It's a map that shows all of Hogwarts including its secret passages – well at last as much as the four inventers knew. They never found the Chamber of Secrets so it's not here nor were they ever down the trap door on the third floor so what's down there isn't here either. You know Mooney. He's Professor Lupin."
"Really?"
Harry nodded. "The four were the Weasley twins of their day."
"Somehow, I don't see Professor Lupin as a Weasley twin."
Harry shrugged. "Prongs was my dad. Padfoot was his best friend in the world. His real name is Sirius Black."
"The murderer?" Neville gasped. "The one who betrayed your parents?"
"Sirius did neither of those things," Harry said. "The fourth name was the one who did that. Sirius was framed for it all. Wormtail was Peter Pettigrew who, despite common belief, is unfortunately alive and well. You've met him too."
"I have?"
"He lived in our dorm almost three years. You knew him as Scabbers."
"I thought Crookshanks ate him!"
"Unfortunately, Crooks didn't," Hermione said.
"But that story's for another time," Harry said. "This map also shows you where everyone is in the castle at any time. It's practically useless for finding someone unless you already know where to look, but if you're trying to avoid people…"
"That's how you sneak around?"
"It's one of my sneaking secrets, and a very useful one. Now why do I need the map?" He added turning to Hermione.
"Show us the South Wing," she said almost smugly.
Harry looked at the map. He knew where the wing was and had no idea why Hermione wanted him to point it out because she knew too. Except… "It's not there! I know it' there! I've seen it before!"
Hermione nodded. "It was there and now it's not and yet it is."
"What's that?"
"Give Ginny the map," Hermione said more as a suggestion than a demand.
Harry did so. Ginny pulled out her wand and looked at Hermione with a slightly skeptical expression before waiving her wand over the map and saying "Permission Granted to Those With Permission." She then looked at the map and smiled. "It worked!" she said handing the map back to Harry.
Harry looked and the South Wing was back. He looked at Hermione in confusion.
"The whole Wing is under the Fidelius Charm," Hermione said. "Ginny gave you two the note because…"
"She's the Secret Keeper," Harry said. "But why? Why would Dumbledore…?"
"It wasn't Dumbledore," Ginny said. "Hermione cast the charm."
"What? How?"
"Surely by now you know that if Hermione wants to learn to do something, she will."
"It wasn't easy," Hermione said. "The warding is wickedly hard to learn and even if you do learn it the conditions needed for the charm to even work are not at all common."
"Fidelius Charm?" Neville asked.
"They call it a Charm," Hermione said, "but while you cast it like one, it's really a ward. It hides a place from anyone except those whom the Secret Keeper allows. To cast it, the caster needs a real reason to hide it, not just that they want it hidden. Moreover, a caster can't be the one who needs it hidden. And, the person who needs it hidden has to have more reason than anyone to know where it is. It's hard to explain, really. For example: if Harry wanted to hide the Burrow so he had a place to spend the summer by himself, the Charm could not be cast because his need for the property is not greater than the Weasley family's need. Likewise, tempting as it might be, you can't use the Charm to hide the Slytherin dungeons from them as they have the superior need. Your need to hide it must be greater than anyone else's need to use it and your reason must be to avoid some danger usually of the mortal kind. This Charm only works if the person with the need to hide is hiding from someone who wants to harm him."
"That person is me?" Harry asked. "And it's Voldemort who wants me dead."
Hermione nodded. "And since no one else in the Castle was using this place, it could be warded. The only people who even know this Wing exists are those Ginny has told."
"And I also took an oath that prevents me from telling just anyone," Ginny added. "I told you, of course, and Hermione once the spell was cast and some others we trust who are helping us. You will know of this place and always be able to enter it, but you can't tell anyone where it is even if you want to. I can. But it must be my own free will. I can't be forced to tell anyone. Even then, and as you are well aware, I could in theory tell Malfoy, right?"
Harry nodded.
"Dumbledore should have thought of this," Hermione practically growled. "Pettigrew could tell Voldemort if he wanted to or anyone else for that matter. Ginny took an oath that basically prevents her from telling anyone the secret unless you, Neville and I all agree that she can. But, even then she can refuse to. For example, the three of us could say that she can tell Ron, but she does not have to. A protection on a protection on a protection. A secret within a secret within a secret. Hogwarts is said to be the safest place in magical Britain. This wing is now the safest place in Hogwarts at least for you and us."
"Was this necessary?" Harry asked.
Hermione shrugged. "Actually, we hope we went overboard. Better safe than sorry, you know. That and considering what we've done here, we're certain if Dumbledore finds out, he'll take it away."
"Why would he do that?"
"Any other reasons aside," Ginny said, "it's a bit much for a handful of students. Why don't we show you around and you'll see what we mean."
Over the next three hours, Ginny and Hermione led the boys on a tour of the South Wing. They deliberately omitted certain places. They did not, for example, show the boys the Hospital Wing. That might raise questions they were not yet willing to answer and there was the added concern that Harry might think that they thought he was bound to get hurt. They also only showed the boys the boys' suites and their own, not the other eight "wives' suites" on each of the floors. Those rooms were explained away as being available if needed. The two guest floors were also ignored, again more space if needed. Neville was stunned at the greenhouse, as Ginny had expected. This led to the next big question.
"Okay, I'm impressed," Neville said looking at the massive greenhouse but knowing that it would be month or longer before anything really could come of it. "But why do we need this? We're only going to be here a few days at most, right?"
"A few days isn't nearly long enough," Hermione said. "I'd even say a few months isn't. This Wing was remodeled with far more time in mind."
"Hermione," Harry said, "we can't just drop off the face of the earth until we're sure I'm ready! The Tournament is a magically binding contract! I was tricked into it I suppose, but once I accepted my fate I have to compete! Whether I like it or not, in less than three months the Third Task will be here! I can't just run from that even if I wanted to!"
"You're assuming time moves the same way in here as it does in the rest of the world," Hermione said with a smirk.
"What? You made this place the world's largest Time Turner as well?" He then told Neville what one was.
"Let me ask you this, Harry?" Hermione replied. "How long do you think it took us to remodel this place?"
"Don't know. You used magic. A few hours?"
"I had hoped that would be the case too," Hermione sighed. "Even magic has limits. We began working on this a week ago Sunday and spent the hour before dinner each day working on it, at least as far as you or anyone else outside this wing would have noticed. But it took Ginny and I and fourteen House Elves and sixteen others who were helping us over eleven months of our time to do this."
"What?"
"That explains the extra rooms," Neville said.
"Who were they?" Harry asked.
"You'll meet them later," Hermione said somewhat dismissively, but Harry either didn't catch it or ignored it. "This whole wing is under a time compression ward. Time moves here at a different rate than on the outside of this wing. What time is it?"
"Sorry," Harry said. "My watch broke during the Second Task."
"About one," Neville said.
"It's about one o'clock in here," Hermione nodded. "When the door closed Time Compression activated. It was around nine when it did. Right now, assuming it was exactly nine o'clock when the door closed, if Ron were to look at his watch, it would be twenty seconds later."
Harry's mouth dropped open.
"One hour in here is five seconds outside, Harry. One hour outside is thirty days in here. If you need months and months to get ready, you now have them and that is another reason we don't think Dumbledore should get this place back anytime soon."
"Whoa!" Neville said. "H-how long?"
"How long what?"
"Will we be under this Time Compression thing?"
"Ah! Well, we have it set up to shut down at ten o'clock real time. That for us will be thirty days from now."
"Can we stop it?" Harry asked.
"D-do you want to?" Hermione replied.
"No. Just asking."
"Unfortunately no. And the door is sealed. We can't move between regular time and accelerated time. If we tried, there's an effect called temporal sheer and it would probably rip us to pieces."
"Ouch. So we're kind of stuck here for a month then?"
Hermione nodded. "With plenty of time to train."
"Wicked!"
"Only a month?"
"Actually our plan is more ambitious," Hermione replied. "We'll resume normal time for ten minutes to allow someone to get us if need be. We don't expect that to happen, but you never know and we didn't want to be totally stuck, as it were. At 10:10 normal time, if nothing requires us to leave, the Ward activates again. Of course, the Twins are planning a birthday bash for themselves tonight even though they won't turn seventeen until Saturday, so we took that into account. Their party begins at eight. So that gives us nine sessions to train."
"Nine months in one day?"
Hermione nodded.
"That's amazing."
"And explains this Greenhouse," Neville said. "It's useless for a few days, but in nine months?"
"We provided it and all the other recreational stuff for just that reason," Ginny said. "We'd all go bonkers if it were just a classroom or something."
"And what will we be doing with this time?" Harry asked.
"Well today – as in real today not our today and yes that will take a little getting used to – we going to get both of you up to speed on what I'll call the basics. You're going to learn occulmency first."
"What's that?" both Harry and Neville said.
"It's a mind magic," Hermione said. "It's designed primarily to defend your mind against and external mind probe or attack…"
"Like Snape," Ginny said. "The soap-aphobic git probes our minds all the time. Fred and George taught themselves this First Year 'cause he was always catching them and they're smart enough to figure out how. Hermione and I learned it starting when your name came out of the Goblet of Fire."
"But another benefit of it is it organizes your mind in a way. It makes it easier to learn and remember things and you're supposed to be less addled by fear or stress. If nothing else, you'll be able to think clearly and quickly when others are shaking in their boots."
"That and Snape will have a much harder time getting you to mess up in Potions," Ginny added.
"Which is something else we'll be going over," Hermione said.
"Why potions?" Harry asked. "I haven't needed that for the task and I doubt I will."
"We don't know that, do we? I doubt you'll have to brew one, but you might need to be able to recognize one or something. I want to be thorough, not hope for luck as you said. Anyway, we'll also be doing Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, studying curses and hexes and dueling and Arithmancy and Ancient Runes."
"Again, why?"
"Today is just the basics. Before this break is over, I hope you'll be able to do some Curse Breaking and you need a grounding in those topics."
"Oh."
"How about we get some lunch?" Ginny suggested.
"Sounds like a plan," Neville said.
"But if we can't leave…" Harry began.
"We have that covered," Hermione replied. "Winky?"
There was a pop and Winky appeared dressed in a blue dress. "Yes Miss Grangy?"
"Okay," Harry said slowly.
"This is Winky, Harry," Hermione said. "You remember her from the World Cup?"
Harry nodded.
"Winky be Miss Grangy's elf now!" Winky said with pride.
"And what happened to spew?" Harry asked.
"It's S.P.E.W," Hermione said, "and it's alive and well, thank you very much. Just a change in objectives."
"And having a House Elf changes it how? And if you're under Polyjuice, does that wear off in normal time or our time?"
"I learned a lot about House Elves, Harry. It's kind of hard to promote their welfare if you don't have a clue about what they are. And for your information, it would wear off on our time.
"I still believe that what Mr. Crouch did to Winky was wrong and the way the Malfoy's treated Dobby was wrong. All other considerations aside, we should treat them with respect and appreciate them for all they do for us rather than like a farm animal and as being too far beneath us to care. That being said, they need to be bound to a witch or wizard. Without the bond, their magic fades away and they die! That was what was happening to Winky when I met her a few weeks ago, Harry. She was a free elf and she was dying and if I didn't try and help her I'd be just as bad as those other so called wizards!"
"But Dobby is free!"
"Call him," Hermione said. "Call him!"
"Dobby?"
There was a pop and the mismatch sock wearing, lederhosen clad elf in a union jack tee shirt appeared.
"The Great Harry Potter be calling Dobby?" he said hopefully.
"A House Elf can only be called – or will only respond – to the family he is bound to," Hermione said.
Harry's mouth dropped open.
"But I didn't…"
"When you tricked Mr. Malfoy into freeing Dobby, he bound himself to you, Harry. He banished Mr. Malfoy when he tried to curse you, right?"
Harry nodded.
"A House Elf can only respond like that in defense of his family, Harry."
"But then why did he come here? Why is he being paid?"
"'Cause that be what the Great Harry Potter wishes," Dobby said.
"But I didn't want you to be a slave again, Dobby."
"Dobby not being slave because the Great Harry Potter not wanting a slave. Nasty wizards be wanting slaves. The Great Harry Potter be wanting friends. Dobby being the Elf of the Great Harry Potter and Dobby being friend too! Although if Dobby being unworthy…"
"No Dobby! No. I just didn't know. Of course you're my friend. You could have told me, though."
"Dobby being afraid the Great Harry Potter not understands and gives Dobby clothes."
"But you are wearing clothes! I gave you socks for Christmas!"
"As a gift! The Great Harry Potter gave as gift, not as punishment. Not to get rids of Dobby. Nasty wizards tosses worthless book at Dobby 'cause Dobby be worthless and it has sock! That be breaking the bond. The Great Harry Potter give Dobby socks because he gives gifts to all his friends."
"It's not just giving clothes that frees and elf," Hermione said. "It's the meaning of the gift. Given in spite, the elf is freed. Given as a friend, then it's just a gift, not a punishment. The truth is and he won't tell me, I think he was trying to get you to free him from the Malfoys when you first met him. Maybe he didn't know it at the time, but what he did – warning you about some plot by his Master – is out of character. Deep down, he was already preparing to bond with you and was hoping for clothes."
"Dobby?" Harry asked.
Dobby hung his head. "It be true. Dobby hoped. Dobby hoped the Great Harry Potter mights be saving Dobby. Dobby never believed it woulds happen, but it did. Dobby be a bad elf!"
"No Dobby," Harry said. "You're a wonderful elf and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I am proud to have you as a friend, so long as you're not plotting to save my life," Harry added with a chuckle.
"And the clothes? Dobby and Winky were dressed in pillow cases and the like before," Harry noted.
"They are in clothes because that's what you and I expect of them, although in Dobby's case, you never told him how to dress."
Harry chuckled. "No I guess not. And I really don't care as long as he's happy. But the pillow cases?"
"Certain families who call themselves proper expect that," Neville said. "To dress an elf means you respect their dignity and those families respect no one who's not like them. House Longbottom elves dress properly. My elf Darda dresses proper or appropriately all the time. When we work in the gardens, he's dressed for it and when we're in the Manor, he's dressed for that as well. I've known him my whole life. He was my first real friend."
"It was a lot for me to take in at first as well," Hermione said. "But the type of bond you have with Dobby and I have with Winky and I suspect Neville has with Darda is really powerful and wonderful. It's almost like you and Hedwig. She seems to know you need her before you do. Dobby knows you need him even if you don't which is why he's a part of this and has been for a while. He wants to help you too."
"Lunch?" Ginny said.
"Oh! Sorry! Winky?"
"Yes? Miss Grangy be wanting lunch for four? Main dining room or private quarters?"
"Main dining room," Hermione said. "A table by the window I should think."
Winky nodded and she and Dobby popped away.
"So what is for lunch?" Harry asked.
"No telling," Ginny replied, "but so far it's always wonderful."
chapter 9
WEDNESDAY, March 29th, 1995 – FIRST TIME COMPRESSION.
The four of them sat around a small table by a large window overlooking the Black Lake. Hermione had come to love the remodeled wing if for no other reasons than the view was arguably the best in the whole school, although she was sitting with her back to the window as was Ginny. They both agreed the two boys deserved to enjoy the view as they had not spent ten months here already. Lunch was served and Harry spent the time telling Neville the true story of Third Year and Sirius Black, including the Time Turner since that had come up at least in passing as well. Hermione was not listening too closely being lost in thought.
The easy part was done, she thought. Everything up to today had been easy compared to what lay ahead for her and Ginny although to be honest she figured Ginny would have the easier time of it. Neville was already at least unofficially Ginny's boyfriend and although he was not tongue tied around the petite red head, he was clearly smitten by her. Hermione had Harry to contend with. She had already come to grips with the truth: she loved and was in love with Harry. Maybe that was the problem. She wanted to be Harry's forever. On the other hand, she wanted to be Harry's because he wanted her, not because she tricked him. This contradiction had been bothering her for some time now and had she not had an incurable case of Helping Harry, she would have not gotten into this as well. But that side of her kept her from turning away. She needed to be his friend and by his side always and she knew he needed to get out from under the control of adults who thought they knew better but did not know him at all and made up their minds without bothering to consider his needs.
She would much prefer to be in Ginny's shoes in a way. Not with Neville of course, but she was pretty sure Neville would make the first move with only a little encouragement. Harry was another problem altogether. All the others were certain Harry was in love with Hermione. Hermione hoped this was true. But she also knew Harry well enough that he probably could not see his feelings for what they were. His relatives had left him if not emotionally stunted, intimacy stunted. She knew she was the first person who he could remember ever giving him a hug. He used to flinch when she did that and still did if it was anyone else. She was also the first person to kiss him although that was only on the cheek at the end of last year (and in front of her parents, although she only learned that much to her mortification on the ride home from King's Cross). Insofar as kisses were concerned, she was still the only. Harry had never initiated either a hug or a kiss. This made things difficult particularly because Hermione did not see herself as being sexy. For this plan to work, she had to be intimate with a boy who all but feared intimacy and she had to do it within the next twenty days to ensure it happened at the peak of her fertility. How? He'd probably freak if she just threw herself at him and to be honest that was not her style at all. Harry was still the only boy she had ever hugged and meant it. Victor had hugged her and kissed her on the cheek at the end of the Ball, but that was for being a friend, not potential love interest. Ginny had an idea and Hermione thought it might work. But still … if she had to, she would tell him what was really going on and hope he understands.
At the end of the meal, Winky appeared with three small vials.
"Miss Grangy, Miss Ginny and Master Harry be needing their potions now," Winky said before popping away.
"Potions?" Harry asked. "What for?"
"Female issues for us," Hermione said indicating Ginny as well.
"Oh," Harry said as he and Neville blushed.
Hermione had seen that countless times. "Female Issues" could shut her father up like no one's business most of the time – all of the time if there was no reason to suspect a cover.
"And mine?"
"A form of restorative draft," Hermione said. "I don't know everything about what your relatives were like, but from what you've said to me and Ron and Ginny I can guess. It's not good when Mrs. Weasley has to send you food so you can get something to eat during the summer and from what I've heard you always seem to lose weight from the time school ends until you get away. My guess is they never fed you proper."
Harry snorted. "Yeah. Then again, if Dudley size is being fed proper, I don't mind."
"This potion with proper eating should recover whatever their diet cost you physically. For all we know, you are where your body would have been in any event. Then again, maybe you're supposed to be taller and broader or something. You might not change at all or you might be six inches taller or something. If your body is stunted, your magic is as well and we need to fix that. If nothing is wrong with you, the potion won't change you a bit."
Harry frowned and Hermione knew it was both because of the Dursleys and because he needed to take potions. "How long?"
"Every day for the next six months," Hermione said. "You never took this before?"
Harry shook his head.
"We thought as much. We Muggle Borns are notoriously abused as children. Well, I wasn't, but it's not uncommon given Muggle revulsion to magic. Sally-Anne's parents have practically disowned her altogether since they learned she was 'a spawn of Satan.' She spends her hols with Lavender or Parvati. You were supposed to have been on that First Year."
"Why wasn't I then?"
"Don't know. It could be because of your parents you're not considered Muggle Born and they never thought that your being Muggle Raised is the same thing. It could also be Madam Pomfrey was told not to."
"So Dean and Katie," Harry began.
"Child Abuse is almost unheard of in the magical world," Ginny said. "Some of the supporters of You-Know-Who used the fact that some Muggles abuse their own children as further justification for their beliefs at least when talking to people who were not on their side."
"It's true," Neville said. "Although that rule applies to magical children. If you're a Squib or they think you are, all bets are off. My Uncle used to do some nasty things to me until I had an outburst of accidental magic. He tossed me into the ocean once. I finally expressed magic when he pushed me out a third story window and I bounced."
"As for Dean and Katie no," Hermione said. "Not all Muggle Borns are abused, not even most. It's just that some are and that's far out of the norm for the magical world and usually causes some damage even if you can't see it."
"Oh," Harry said downing his potion. "That wasn't too bad!"
"I think they make those taste good to lull you into a false sense of security about potions," Hermione chuckled as she finished her own. "I can tell you mine tastes like dragon dung or at least what I would imagine that would taste like. Not really a good dessert."
"So what's the plan?" Neville asked. "We start training now?"
"Actually no," Ginny said. "Ron was almost right. We can all use a few days to relax and get settled in and used to each other's company, after all, Hermione and I are the only other people the two of you will see for a long while."
"I could get used to that real quick," Harry said with a smile at Hermione.
"Ginny is right," Hermione said. "A few days to settle in and get comfortable. Besides, Ginny and I have been hard at it for eleven months or so in this place already and we could use a short break. I figure five days off will due. After that, we train. Five days in a row for eight to ten hours a day followed by a day off. That gives us twenty days of hard training with two days to relax at the end. But we can probably start on occlumency today, if you like. The relaxation exercises are actually … well … quite relaxing.
"We were thinking of spending this afternoon on the balcony."
"It is a nice day out," Harry said, "if a bit chilly."
"We have warming charms set up. It's more like a nice summer day out there."
"Hermione and I are going to go up and change. These school robes are not good for lazy, sunny days," Ginny said as the two girls got up. Ginny gave Neville a quick kiss on the cheek.
Harry was then surprised when Hermione did the same thing to him, not that he minded.
A half an hour later, Harry was on his private balcony staring out at the lake and the mountains beyond. He really enjoyed this view. For some reason, the girls had chosen the private balconies for their day in the sun. If Harry had to guess, he figured that was because Ginny wanted some alone time with Neville. Although their relationship was supposedly a secret, about the only one in Gryffindor who had no clue was Ron. Then again, everyone knew Ron would go mental if anyone touched his sister and people liked Neville. If it had been Seamus the Broom Closet King, the secret would have lasted only long enough for someone to find Ron and tell him.
This got Harry thinking about Hermione. She was his best friend, bar none. But he knew there was more to it than that. Ron was his Best Mate, but he knew that could go away and he would get over it. His one real falling out with Hermione thankfully was not. That was last year when she turned his broom over to McGonagall. Yes he was angry about it. But deep down he knew she was right and he was too stubborn not to side with Ron on that even though he knew Ron was wrong as usual. He should have asked her to the Yule Ball, but for some reason he could not. Still, the image of her in that dress was amazing! He had always seen Hermione as a girl, but that was the first time he had really seen it. He could have had the most beautiful woman on the face of the planet as his date (not that Cho or Parvati were not very pretty), but he was so worried about how that would work. Besides, she had a thing for Ron, didn't she? She never said or hinted at it, but it would explain her being all upset about him and the Ball, wouldn't it?
"It's really pretty, isn't it," he heard her angelic voice say softly and very close by. Harry turned and she was standing beside him looking out over the lake, the sun shining in her face highlighting everything. In this light, her hair was amazing and she looked every bit the angel perhaps even prettier than she was that night and Harry immediately tried to stop thinking that way about her. She was his friend! Not some girl he could drool over!
"It is indeed," he said not even sure if he meant the view. No, he was sure he meant her deep down. She turned and smiled at him. It was one of those smiles that went all the way to her hairline and she was just so …
She turned away slightly and walked towards one of those lounge like things Harry had seen in other people's yards where they would relax on a sunny day like this one. She was wearing a short robe and below that was nothing but her bare legs and Harry tried to stop thinking about her like that. When she got to the lounger, the robe came off and … there was a small, light blue fabric that only barely covered her bum and a similarly colored string tied behind her back just below her shoulder blades. Harry stared as she turned and faced him as she sat into the lounger. There was little left to his imagination and truth be told, he never imagined she was that … curvy. "Hermione?" he squeaked.
She looked at him in some confusion. "What?"
"Y-y-you're, you're…"
"It's just a bikini, Harry. Honestly! You'd think you never saw one before!"
"I – I – never thought …"
"That I'd wear one?"
Harry nodded.
Hermione rolled her eyes and settled in to the lounger still looking at Harry. "Well, that's because it's usually too chilly up here for anyone to even think of it. Besides, I don't think the girls who were magically raised would dare. They are so old fashioned about some things, don't you think? Wouldn't do it at the Burrow either. Mrs. Weasley would have a cow and Ron would probably get a very, very wrong idea like I'm trying to come on to him or something. But I am Muggle Raised and my parents and I do go to the beaches. Now if I were to go swimming, I wouldn't be wearing this. Mum told me while it technically is a swim suit, these have a nasty habit of coming off if you dive into the water or get hit by a wave. But there's no way I'd wear a one piece to tan! Shouldn't even bother. If it shocks you, just be glad this isn't France. I wouldn't even have bothered with the top there."
"I … I … I," Harry began.
"I don't mind if you look, Harry, although I'd rather have you look me in the eye when talking to me. Probably didn't know I had something like this beneath my robes, did you?"
"Er … no."
"If you ask me, I'm convinced our school robes were designed so that if we had anything worth showing off and were inclined to do so, we can't. And I'm not exactly the most impressive in this regard, if you must know."
"You're not exactly unimpressive either."
"So you're not minding the view then?"
"No. Just didn't expect it is all."
"You can sit down, Harry and you don't have to be so far away." Hermione hoped she sounded calm. She knew it was an act. She was more nervous than she could ever remember being. She wasn't going to tell Harry everything, but she had to tell him some. She couldn't lie to him. Unfortunately, she was afraid of what telling him even some would do. Harry pulled up a chair and was facing her. "Until the Ward lifts, Harry, there are only four people in our world. Ginny and Neville and you and I. And you and I are sharing a flat for all practical purposes so we have to get used to being … er … I guess closer than we've ever been in a way."
"I don't mind that," Harry said.
"You don't?"
Harry smiled and shook his head. Maybe this would be easier than she thought.
"How can I?" Harry said with a smile. "In addition to the fact that I think you're … well … quite … er … beautiful, you're also the only person I can really talk to and really want to talk to. I suppose Sirius could be that way too, but I don't know him like I do you."
"You talk to Ron," Hermione countered.
"I talk with Ron," Harry replied. "It's not the same. I don't tell him my problems or concerns about things. Never had. Waste of time, if you ask me. You, on the other hand … you know that little voice in your head that yells at you when you're about to do something you know you shouldn't do?"
Hermione nodded.
"Maybe it's my imagination, but I seem to hear your voice. It probably is my imagination. Probably because in a way you've done it practically from the day we met and you're the only one I'm likely to listen to when you do. Even last year when you turned my Firebolt over to McGonagall, I knew deep down you were right. I'm sorry I got mad at you."
'You weren't nearly as mad as Ron was."
"No one can be as mad as Ron can," Harry said with a chuckle, "or at least Evil Ron."
"Evil Ron?"
Harry nodded. "The Ron who gets jealous of me about things I either can't control or don't want and the Ron who gets mad at you just because he can. Sometimes I wonder if he has a schedule as to when to let Evil Ron out. Don't get me wrong. When Evil Ron is caged, Ron's actually a pretty good bloke. But his jealousies, insecurities, and seeming belief at times that the world is unfair 'cause it doesn't revolve around him … I'm tired of it! There are times like this morning when I wonder why I bothered to let him apologize for being so stupid about this Tournament in the first place. I still don't believe him! Deep down I think he still believes I had something to do with getting in. I also believe that he believes everything is back to the way it was before he stabbed me in the back. Guess what? It isn't! It never will be! You know, if it wasn't for him and the fact that I never had a friend of any description before him I would have been your friend a lot sooner! I wanted to be, but he … I don't know."
Hermione was stunned, although not as surprised as she thought she would be as she also felt Ron had drifted away, assuming he'd ever truly been a part of "them." "But he's your Best Mate," she began reverting to her own role as trying to keep them together.
"By default," Harry said. "Maybe always by default. You never saw me as this Boy-Who-Lived thing. He did and he still does. Not even Ginny does anymore, but he does. My first day here Malfoy told me I shouldn't … what did he say? … hang around with the wrong sort? Well, Malfoy certainly is that. But Ron can be too and I'm tired of it. Every year he's managed to piss me off either with his jealousy or his insane need to hurt you! Ron thinks he fancies you, but he sure acts like you're nothing more than a tool for him. Then again, what you see in him…"
"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?"
"Er … well I thought that…"
"That I fancy Ron?"
Harry nodded.
"Don't be daft! The only reason I'm even willing to talk with him most of the time, much less sit within fifty feet of him when he eats, is because he's your friend! I swear, he sucks the intelligence out of the room! Parvati thinks he's part dementor," Hermione then added with a laugh: "She said she knew you two would not become an item or anything, which was actually one of the reasons she went to the Ball with you: you were a safe date. But she also said she was actually having a good time, right up until the point when you decided to talk to Ron and he sucked all the fun out of the room."
Harry chuckled. "He certainly managed to do that. So, Victor then?"
"Is just a friend and I mean that," Hermione said. "He asked me to the Ball because I was safe. I was the only girl here who was not trying to … well …"
"Get in his pants?"
"Or something like that. Victor's engaged, you know?"
"He is?"
"It's not common knowledge here, but he and his Katya have been best friends as long as they can remember. She's a year younger than he is. They were both betrothed to others as children, but when she started Fourth Year, they came out publically as a couple and their families gave them their blessing. Apparently you're not allowed to even date there before Fourth Year. But they did in secret. Victor wanted to have Katya as his date for the Ball, but his Headmaster refused to allow it. Apparently he has an issue with the fact that Katya's Mum is a Muggle Born."
"Since we already know Karkarov is a former Death Eater," Harry said, "no surprise there. So you're telling me that aside from Lockhart there's no one you've ever fancied?"
"Please! That was just a crush!"
"Yeah, like Cho Chang for me," Harry said.
"Oh?"
"Come on! The one and only time I said anything to her more substantial then a hello was when I asked her to the Ball! I know nothing about her aside from her House, Year and position on the Quidditch team and would not know her House and Year aside from Quidditch. For all I know, she's a weepy, clingy, airhead who cries all the time and for all the wrong reasons and is only happy when a bloke pays attention to her all the time and whose idea of a date is that gag response inducing Madam Puddifoots! It was a crush!"
"You've been to Madam Puddifoots?"
"Please, Hermione! You've been with me every time I've been to Hogsmeade – even last year when I wasn't allowed! But I've heard about and we have passed by it. I wouldn't be caught dead there."
"Now Harry," Hermione teased, "you know there are a lot of girls who think it's the ideal place for a date."
"Looks like I won't be doing a lot of dating then," Harry frowned. "Then again, I really have no idea of what a date is supposed to be, do I? It's not like the Dursleys would tell me that stuff and Mrs. Weasley probably assumes that sort of thing doesn't happen."
"Well, my Mum says a date is supposed to be a chance for a couple to get to know each other. She also said something about if you don't like the person as they are now, don't bother because you can't change them. Hence, I won't date Ron because I don't need to get to know him and I don't consider him perfect boyfriend material now. That, and there is the fact that I never fancied him. How can I? He only likes me when I do his homework for him and puts me down because I actually like to study and want to be smart. I honestly think he wants someone like his Mum and I am not nor ever will be like that! I can't cook and really have no desire to learn and spending my life cleaning house? I want to do something with my life! And unlike her, I believe I can be a Mum and have a career, after all my Mum did. Then again, if I really want to follow in Mum's footsteps – and no I don't want to be a Dentist – I probably need to learn to cook."
"You have a House Elf," Harry said.
"Just saying."
"I actually like to cook," Harry said. "I'm pretty good at it, I think. Then again it was the one time the Dursleys left me alone. I guess they didn't want to be too close to me when I had knives and hot pans at my disposal." Harry then chuckled.
'I didn't know that!"
Harry shrugged. "And how would you find out? I doubt Mrs. Weasley would let me, although I would have if asked and the only other chance was the World Cup…"
"Where Mr. Weasley insisted on trying it 'The Muggle Way' and burnt everything in the fire," Hermione finished. "Even I could have managed better I think."
Harry laughed at the memory, but it was suddenly cut off as a cloud seemed to descend on his face.
"Harry?"
"I wish it was really like before," Harry said sadly. "I wish things had not changed between the three of us. I've been forced to think about everything ever since my name came out of that damned goblet. But the more I've thought about it, the more I realized that the life I had was a lie of sorts. I was clueless and was being led around in a way. That life was a sham and I'm tired of living that way too.
"When I found out I was a wizard - oh, you have no idea what that meant! I could get away from the Dursleys! I had a chance to make friends and maybe find … I don't know … that I belonged somehow? Ron was the first person my age who … well didn't either try to beat me up or avoid me. I guess I saw that as friendship. Don't get me wrong. I still consider him a friend of sorts. But this Best Mate business died back on Halloween and his so called apology hasn't changed that really. I can forgive a lot, Hermione. Given my life before, I know that 'cause I really should be a total arse and I don't think I am."
"You're not."
Harry gave her a small smile. "Thanks. As I said, I can forgive a lot, but not a betrayal. That's what Ron did. He came close a couple of times before but this last time he crossed a line with me. Remember this morning at breakfast?"
Hermione nodded, although she could not say what Harry meant.
"I told Ron not to make me choose between him and you 'cause he wouldn't like the answer?"
Hermione nodded.
"That was a bit of a lie. I made my choice a long time ago. Certainly Second Year and maybe even as early as the Troll, deep down I chose you!"
Hermione gasped, cursing the fact she had not been using her Occlumency as that tended to suppress such emotional clues, but it seemed Harry either did not notice or did not consider her gasp important enough to stop his rant.
"I suppressed that for so long," Harry continued. "To favor Ron over you - which I would not have done - would have crushed you, I think. To favor you over Ron would have destroyed what little he thought he had and while I wasn't thinking that way, I guess deep down I understood that. This year changed everything. Ron's showing his true colors and I don't like them at all! You, on the other hand, are still the Hermione I knew, even if you've grown up some. I can't believe you seem to have so few friends aside from Ron and me - and Ron can't really be counted. True, you can be a bit … er … pushy at times and too full of rules and schedules, but that's who you are and I'd hate to see that truly change. You care! You care more than anyone I've ever met and not just about me. You care about House Elves. You care about so many things. You want this world to be a better place in the end. There are so many who only care about themselves and whatever and Ron is one of those. You've taught me to try and care. Ron's only taught me about Quidditch to be honest. Deep down that bugs me to no end!
"Since Ron's betrayal - and that's what it was - I've been forced to think things over. Have you ever noticed how this works, Hermione? I get in a fight with Ron and what do you do? Do you take sides? Maybe deep down you do, but to me you try and get things back to normal, whatever that is. I seem to be there more often as Ron seems to need to - er - fight with you. Outwardly, I do the same thing. I don't pick sides and try to get the two of you back in. Inwardly, I've always had a side. It was easy really. You understand me and we're both Muggle Raised and … inwardly, I was always on your side. So what happens the one true time you and I have a fight? Does Ron try and play peacemaker as you and I have done? No! He encourages me to hate you for turning that stick of wood - true it is a brilliant one - over to McGonagall! I thought to myself who does not fit in this picture?
"Then there was this year. You believed me when no one else would! You believed that I did not want to be a part of this!"
"Harry, there are others who saw the truth as well even then."
"Yeah. Neville did."
"There are others as well. They came to me one by one or so and they've been helping me help you."
"Oh?"
"Later. You were talking about Ron?"
"Um … right. I gave the git the benefit of the doubt, you know. You said Parvati thought we were having a good time at the Ball and we were until I made the mistake of trying to be Ron's friend. You were having a good time too, weren't you?"
Hermione nodded.
"Why does he have to ruin it for everyone? I thought that, you know. Should've asked you to the Ball myself, but I didn't. As brave as people say I am, asking a girl to a Ball - even you and I did think about it - well, I'd rather have gone and played with that dragon again. You were so beautiful that night and had such a smile. I wouldn't have taken that away for anything, Hermione. So long as we remained friends, all I wanted is for you to be happy and you looked it and Ron … the Git went out of his way to ruin your night. Even if it was just a night between friends, he had no right to do that to you, or me, or Parvati, or Victor or treat Padma like dragon dung. No right at all!"
"No, it wasn't," Hermione agreed.
"And the more I've thought about it, the more I've come to realize that if anything his reactions to things and especially to you seem to have been getting worse over the years. I mean think about it! He refused to believe you had a date. I didn't. Nor did I press you. I figured there was a reason you didn't tell us and - well considering Victor was probably the Number One date for the unattached witches - your being his date was bound to raise some eyebrows and even telling Ron and I might have caused some problems."
"Actually, I might have told you," Hermione said. "But Ron's reaction to the news that I had a date stopped me and … I am sorry about that Harry."
"Don't be," Harry said. "I'd've been upset if Victor had tried something, but he didn't, did he?"
Hermione shook his head. "He was the perfect gentlemen although he did give me a kiss on the cheek at the end of the evening. I enjoyed his company. His English needs work and he knows that, but we still had a wonderful time. Apparently Katya is quite the linguist and he's trying hard because she wants him to and he wants to do it for her. I hope to meet Katya someday. She sounds like a very impressive young woman."
Harry nodded not so much as in agreement as because it seemed the thing to do.
"But," Hermione said, "this isn't about the Yule Ball, is it?"
Harry shook his head. "It was a part of a puzzle. I never understood your relationship with Ron and such and that seemed even to me a bit out there. It was a few weeks ago when I learned why and came to the conclusion that Ron's a total idiot."
"Oh?"
"You had a fight with him about homework a few weeks ago where you told him that if he wanted you to drop everything to help him he needed to pay you, right?"
"I told him I had things to do but if he wanted to hire a tutor, I'd be willing to do it on my schedule for a fee," Hermione said. "How did you know?"
"Got an earful from him later," Harry said. "He said you knew nothing about magic and our world as he put it which I found odd considering I probably know even less than you do. He conveniently forgets I'm as close to being a Muggle Born as you can be without being one yourself. He said you owed him a life debt from the troll and you should know your place or some such. Basically, he said he could have you do anything to pay him back including marry him."
"WHAT? I have absolutely no interest in him that way!"
"Which only proves he may be a Pureblood but knows nothing as well," Harry finished.
"What do you mean?"
"At the end of last year, Dumbledore told me Pettigrew owed me a Life Debt. He didn't really tell me what that was and I had to wonder. He also really didn't tell me what that means or could mean so when this year began I actually researched it. Ron said his Mum was certain you owed him a Life Debt from the troll. She obviously had no clue as to what really happened. To gain a Life Debt, you have to save someone from imminent peril."
"And Ron did," Hermione said. "He knocked out that troll!"
"But he wasn't the only one there, was he? You can't owe two people a Life Debt for the same thing. The debt attaches to the one who took the greater risks. Ron was not in immediate danger at any time. He stood by the open door and could have gotten away if he had bothered. I, on the other hand…"
"Jumped on its back," Hermione finished.
"And there's another thing about Life Debts," Harry continued. "Even if Ron did save your life, because he was the reason your life was in danger in the first place, he can't claim a Life Debt. I was the one who came looking for you, Hermione. He was the reason I had to in the first place. His actions earlier that day placed you in a life threatening position. So, you owe me a life debt for that. But even if you owed Ron, that debt was cancelled last year when I saved us from the Dementors. You can't owe more than one Debt at a time and I'm certain that one is your current one - unless someone saved your life more recently and I'm not aware of it."
"The Second Task?"
"Your life wasn't in real danger, was it? We didn't know that but you did."
Hermione nodded. Her life was not in danger and neither was Ron's or Cho's. Gabrielle was another matter altogether, but Harry didn't need to know that just yet.
"And what does owing a Life Debt mean?" Hermione asked.
"Depends upon the strength of the debt," Harry replied. "It also depends upon the people involved. It didn't make you my friend, Hermione. It may have helped, but if you thought I was a total jerk, you still would. We became friends because we did. The Life Debt may have helped, but it's not the reason. It can't make us love each other, Hermione. Thank Merlin for that really."
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.
"I … well … I don't really know what love is. But I think … I think I know. And I think I love you."
Hermione gasped. "Harry? I … I don't know what to say."
Harry looked extremely disappointed. "Well, I suppose we can still be friends then."
"No!" Hermione panicked. "It's just … I'm surprised is all. You're so guarded with your emotions. Not that I'm all that open either. Harry? I've always hoped to hear that from you, I suppose. I know I've loved you since First Year and I know now I am hopelessly in love with you. I couldn't do anything about it before 'cause your friendship means everything to me. So long as I remained your friend, I'd only want you to be happy even if that meant I'd never be your … erm … girlfriend. And I know I began having feelings for you before the troll. They just grew stronger after."
Harry visibly gulped. "S-so does this mean … does this mean you're my girlfriend?"
"No, it doesn't," Hermione replied almost haughtily. "It means I can be and will be if you want me to."
"Er … what am I missing?"
"You haven't asked me," Hermione giggled. "That and you haven't kissed me properly, or at all, but definitely not properly."
"Properly?"
Hermione nodded. "On the lips and not just a peck. It doesn't have to be a full on snog, but it has to be more than a friendly peck."