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More Important Things	By : twitchelittleferret Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Harry/Hermione Views: 15269 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Holiday Cheer

It's Christmas time again

It's time to be nice to the people you can't stand all year

I'm growing tired of all this Christmas cheer

You people scare me

Please stay away from my home

If you don't wanna get beat down

Just leave the presents and then leave me alone.

(I Won�t Be Home For Christmas—Blink 182)

~*~

�The boy you asssked me about, he did visssit Hermione,� Isis hissed. Harry tensed. The Fucker went to Hermione�s room! The bed rattled violently until Harry took a deep breath then calmed down.

�Did they leave?� he asked.

�No, they were jussst talking.�

Harry looked up from the papers he was reading. He was sitting on his bed in his pajamas, once again secluded behind his bed hangings from the rest of the world. �About what?� he asked.

�Ssshe wasss asssking him about�Hogsssmeade, I believe.�

�Hmm, what did he say?�

�He sssaid he didn�t do it but I�m not sssure what that meansss.� Isis was curled up on his bed.

Harry pulled out a piece of parchment then inked and blotted his quill. �I have a vague idea of what he�s talking about. What else did they say?�

�He mentioned sssomething about helping her but ssshe refusssed him.�

Harry looked up. �Help her with what?�

�I don�t know,� Isis replied. Harry chewed contemplatively on the end of his quill then continued writing. �Watch out for that one Harry. I think he likesss her.�

Harry smirked. �Believe me, Isis. Malfoy is the one person I know who would think twice before making any move on Hermione. Furthermore, the odds of that happening are very slim. I�ve known him longer than you and let�s just say that it wouldn�t benefit Malfoy to go after her.�

Isis uncoiled herself. �I think I ssshall go and explore. I don�t want to be witnessss to the two of you again.�

Harry grinned. The Silencing charm he had put up around his bed only went as far as the hangings, once you went past them, you could hear everything within. Poor Isis had stumbled onto that knowledge when she slithered up Harry�s bedpost one night and through the hangings to find the mattress furiously squeaking, him moaning and Hermione crying out his name. She never seemed the same since.

�I wouldn�t worry about that tonight,� Harry said with a grin. �She tries to make herself available as Head Girl as much as possible and I had some things I needed to take care of.� Harry folded the parchment and addressed it to Brian O�Malley.

�Pity for you,� Isis said.

�You have no idea,� Harry sighed, getting out of bed to retrieve his invisibility cloak. He was going to head down to the Owlery tonight to send out his letter.

~*~

�Fa-La-La-La-La, La-La-La-La,� the pixies sang above them as they chased hapless students, trapping them underneath the mistletoe and releasing them only when they kissed.

There were twinkling lights in the garland that adorned the halls, the knights� armor held candy canes instead of staffs and the giant tree in the Great Hall was decorated splendidly with the help of Professor Flitwick. There was a festive mood in the atmosphere that made it hard to concentrate on studying. Even the teachers seemed a bit distracted, their lectures a little bit light.

Harry stood in front of his cauldron in Potions and wondered why they were making egg nog. Hermione seemed a bit miffed that this really wasn�t a potions class at all. He stirred his cauldron and looked over at the Slytherins who seemed to be adding a bit more of the fermented beverage to their egg nog than what was called for. Harry briefly wondered what Firewhiskey would do to the flavor of this drink. But as alluring of the thought of having drunken sex with Hermione was, the last time they had come close to that, he ended up throwing up everything he had ever eaten in his life and passed out in a bathtub. Not a pretty picture but hey, maybe he could get her to try a couple of things he�d been wanting to do.

The daydream of Hermione�s ankles resting on his shoulders was rudely interrupted by the announcement from the Professor that class was over and to bring their egg nog samples forward in their vials.

Draco covertly watched Hermione leave the classroom, accompanied by the two idiots usually at her side, as Pansy trotted up to him. She cornered and pressed him against the wall in the corridor, sliding her body close to his.

�So are you looking forward to this party tonight as much as I am?� she cooed. The Slytherins were having their usual after-hours Christmas party in their common room tonight. Her hand slipped underneath his robes. There was a burst of giggling and Draco looked over to see that those annoying pixies had trapped Hermione and Potty underneath the mistletoe and that Potty was now disgustingly exploring her tonsils.

He reached into his robes and brought out a small flask of Firewhiskey, taking a drink from it. �I�m starting early,� he said as he slunk an arm around Pansy�s shoulders. The two of them led the Slytherins down the hall, giving scowling looks at the Gryffindors.

*

Knock, knock, knock.

Harry stood at the door to Tonks� office. �You wanted to see me?� he asked.

She looked as if she were busy packing some last minute things before the break. Her hair was red and green for the holidays and looked very bizarre to him.

�Hello Harry!� she said cheerfully. �Sit down for a minute,� she pointed to a chair. Harry obliged her and she walked over to the door and closed it.

�I spoke to Shacklebolt this morning,� she said, turning back to him. �He says you�ve asked that the Granger�s be sent away on some cruise?�

Harry shifted uncomfortably in the chair. �I thought that sort of stuff was classified,� he said.

Tonks smirked. �You�re not an Auror yet, Harry. You still need the little piece of paper that says you�ve graduated.� Harry looked away from her. �Besides, Shacklebolt thought the Order should be involved in this so he told Remus and Remus told me.�

�You guys are worse than a henhouse,� Harry muttered under his breath. �Is he going to do it?� he asked.

�Should accommodations be made for two or three?� Tonks asked. Harry really didn�t know how to answer that.

�Did he tell you about�Dolohov?�

�The Death Eater who has a sick fascination with your girlfriend?� she replied.

�I have to keep her safe. You have to understand that,� he pressed.

�I do understand. Anyone who as ever cared for anyone understands that otherwise Shacklebolt wouldn�t be doing this. But,� she added, �I really think you need to give Hermione the heads up. Let her make the decision where she wants to be.�

Harry sighed and looked out of the window. Tomorrow they would be back on the train, heading out to Grimmauld Place for the holidays.

�So I hear we�re going to have a full house this Christmas,� Tonks said, changing topics.

�Yeah, I invited Ron, Hermione and Neville to stay with us,� Harry replied.

�Well that should be festive,� Tonks smiled. �It�s good for Remus, I think, as well. Poor little wolf is feeling a little lonely in that big old house.� She had a small smile on her face. �And I�ve missed him terribly. I cannot wait to get back to that house, get back into his arms—�

�Okay, whoa,� Harry shot out of the chair. �I think I get the point and this conversation has definitely gone into the weird category.�

�Sorry Harry,� she said with a grin.

*

Ron kissed Luna gently on the lips as he rested by her side on his bed. The guys had given him and Luna some privacy, holding up the guys code not to disturb anyone in the dorm when they had their girlfriends up there with them.

�I�m going to miss you over the holidays,� Luna sighed.

Ron gave her a soft smile. �Yeah, me too.�

She tangled her hands into his copper hair, bringing his head back down to her. Ron obliged her with another kiss, deepening it as he moved his hand to her waist, pressing himself closer to her. She let out a soft moan against his lips when his hand traveled down her thigh to the hem of her skirt, then slid underneath. She lifted her thigh as he moved up, his fingers brushing against the fabric of her knickers. Luna parted her legs slightly, giving him better access as he brushed the fabric aside and slid a finger inside of her. He moaned against her mouth at the feel of her wet warmth and he became incredibly hard.

Luna brought her hand down his chest and began to undo the button on his pants. His concentration of what he was doing to her was nearly lost when he felt her fingers wrap around him and stroke him. He inserted another finger inside her and she broke the kiss to gasp and moan his name. Ron shut is eyes, holding back to urge to spill himself all over her hand.

�Don�t stop,� she said breathily. Her hand left him and moved to hold on to his shirt. She bit her lower lip and arched her back off of the mattress as Ron felt her become even more hot and wet. She called out his name and he nearly lost it again. He removed his fingers and captured her lips again in a heated kiss, the sensitive head of his penis rubbed against the fabric of her skirt.

�I want you to come,� she whispered.

�I will,� he whispered back going in for another kiss but Luna stopped him. �What�s the matter?� he asked.

�Ron,� she said quietly, �I�I�m ready for us to�have sex.�

Ron stared at her. �What?� he asked, not sure if he heard her correctly. She surely couldn�t have said what he so wanted to hear from her.

�I�m ready,� she repeated. �And I want it to be with you.� Her hands moved up to his shirt and began to unbutton it.

*

Draco took another drink of the Firewhiskey as he watched the scene before him of drunken debauchery. Pansy was dancing on the table in the middle of the common room with two other girls as a group of sixth and seventh year boys cheered them on. He watched as Pansy gyrated against one girl as the other girl wrapped her hands around her waist from behind. Pansy was never a good drunk but these parties did have their perks. Draco could guarantee that Pansy was going to end up in his bed tonight. Being Draco Malfoy had its perks as well. Who knows, that sixth year dancing in front of her could be fun as well. She was eyeing him all night, anyway.

But at the moment, it was getting a bit stifling in this room and he needed to get out and clear his mind. That and talk to Granger, though why he needed to do that, he wasn�t sure. Maybe it was the Firewhiskey.

He opened the door and welcomed the cool air on his heated face. The lights were dimmed in the halls and most of the portraits were still asleep. He reached out and traced his fingers against the wall, pressing against it lightly to gain a little balance. Was that footfalls he heard? He wasn�t sure but when he turned the corner he saw�

�Draco are you okay?� Hermione asked.

His white shirt was untucked from his school trousers, the top buttons undone as well as his tie that draped around his neck. His sleeves were rolled to his forearms and he looked as if he was reaching out to the wall for balance. He looked up at her when she called his name.

�Hermione,� he said with a hint of surprise. �What are you doing here?� he asked as he approached her. Hermione could see that his gait was a little off and he seemed to�wobble.

�I�m doing rounds,� she answered. �Are you sure you�re alright?�

�I�ll get back to you on that,� Draco said. Hermione could smell Firewhiskey on him.

�Draco are you drunk?� she asked.

He squinted his eyes in thought. �I think I might be,� he said slowly. Hermione moved away from him as he moved into close proximity.

�You know that you always move away from me?� he pointed out, moving toward her.

�Old habits die hard,� she answered. �We aren�t exactly friends.�

�We aren�t?� he asked. �What are we then?� He moved closer to her. Hermione turned her head to the side.

�I could smell the Firewhiskey on you from around the corner. Let�s get you back to your common room,� she turned him around and moved him forward. �I don�t need you throwing up on me.�

Draco stopped and turned around. �I�m not going to throw up. I just needed to clear my head. I didn�t know that was a crime.�

�Do it upstairs in your room then. There are no students allowed in the halls this late at night,� she sighed. �I feel bad enough having to take ten points from you for this.�

�Ten points? For wandering out in the hall?�

�And for drinking,� she added as she raised her eyebrow. Draco stared down at her.

�How many points get taken away for this?� he asked as he bent down towards her. Hermione�s eyes widened and she was caught off guard when his lips touched hers. She backed away from him quickly. Why did he do that?

�Hermione, wait,� Draco reached out for her but she turned and ran down the hall. �Hermione!� he called out to her. �Damn it!� he cursed silently, grabbing his hair in frustration.

She ran down the corridor and up the moving staircases, through more corridors that made the castle the maze that it was until she literally ran into someone.

�Whoa slow down there,� Harry said when he was nearly bowled over by a cinnamon colored blur.

�Oh, Harry!� Hermione said, eternally grateful to see his face. The memory of Draco kissing her was replaying over and over in her head.

�Hey, are you alright?� he asked with concern.

�No�yes. Now I am that you�re here,� she said as she wrapped her arms around him.

�What happened?� he asked.

�I just�ran into an unsavory character during my rounds,� she sighed. Oh, why did he kiss her?

Harry rubbed her back. �Let me guess. Is this character in Slytherin?�

�Draco is just being Draco,� she replied. �Whatever. I just want to drop it. What are you doing out here?�

Hermione saw Harry�s face darken. �Did he do something to you?� he demanded.

She shook her head. �No, he was just being�intolerable.� She wouldn�t dare tell him what Draco had just tried to pull on her. Harry could be scary when he was angry and Malfoy had a way of just pushing him to the edge. She wasn�t concerned for Draco and what Harry would do to him but for Harry because she didn�t want to get him into any trouble. She had just gotten him back into Hogwarts and back into her life, she didn�t want to lose him again.

�Harry, really, it was nothing,� she said and his face softened. �But, what are you doing here?�

�Looking for you as a matter of fact,� Harry grinned.

�Really? Whatever for?� she asked flirtatiously, tugging at his loosened tie, bringing his lips to hers. She wanted to erase Draco�s kiss from her mind, his taste from her lips. Harry gladly complied, taking it a step further by running his tongue along the seam of her lips. She opened her mouth to him, letting him explore her with his tongue. She caught it lightly between her teeth and gently sucked on it. Harry�s eyes widened.

Whoa. What the hell was that?!

Wherever she learned that it was well worth it, other parts of him were eternally grateful as well as the blood rushed south.

�Wow,� he breathed when they broke the kiss.

�I�m sorry,� she grinned. �What did you want to talk to me about?�
�Uh, at the moment I seem to have forgotten what it was,� he grinned against her lips.

�Well, how about we go to my room,� she kissed his lips, �and make the most of our time together until we leave tomorrow.�

�Mm, that�s what it was that I wanted to talk to you about,� he placed his hands on her arms. Hermione looked up at him and saw the uneasiness on his face.

�Harry what is it?� she asked.

Harry looked around the corridor. �Let�s go in here,� he said, leading her to an empty classroom.

�Harry, what is it? You�re scaring me,� Hermione said.

Harry closed the door behind him and put a silencing charm up. �I asked Shacklebolt to arrange for you and your family to spend the holidays on a cruise.�

Hermione stared at him. �Harry, what happened?�

Harry ran a hand through his hair. �Hermione�your parents� house was broken into awhile ago.�

�Broken into?� Hermione interrupted.

�Nothing valuable was taken and your parents believe it was done by some muggles but�,� he nervously trailed off. Hermione looked at him then her eyes widened.

�Death Eaters?� she gasped, her hands went to her mouth.

�My first unofficial assignment as an auror is to protect you,� Harry said quietly. �That�s why I came back. I�m under orders as an undercover student.�

�An assignment?� she backed up and sat down on a chair by a desk. Harry walked over and knelt down in front of her.

�Not everything was about the assignment,� he said, placing his hand on hers.

Hermione looked down at him. �Harry, why did you agree to this?�

�I had no choice. I didn�t want to come back here. I thought you and Ron had moved on without me and I knew that it would just kill me to see you two�As you can see,� he changed his tone, �you can see why I�m extra unhappy about you taking off into the middle of the night with the Ferret.�

Hermione closed her eyes. �Harry��

�He has something big on you doesn�t he?� he asked. �And something tells me that it has something to do with me.�

Hermione reached out and touched his face. �You know that I would do anything to help you, to protect you.�

�Even make a deal with the devil�s spawn?� he whispered.

�Wouldn�t you do the same?� she asked.

Harry looked into her face. �Don�t answer me if I�m right but�does he have you under some sort of Fidelius or Unbreakable Vow?� She didn�t answer him.

He closed his eyes and sighed. �I want to be the one to protect you. I�m supposed to be the one who is protecting you.�

�And I made a promise to be by your side no matter what,� she whispered.

Harry brought her to her feet then lifted her to place her on a desk. �I swear that I�ll find a way to get you out of it,� he whispered as he kissed her. Hermione wrapped her fingers around his tie and brought him to lie down on top of her.

~*~

Call him paranoid. Call him�whatever. But an unmarked black sedan with dark tinted windows borrowed from the ministry was what was waiting for Hermione when she crossed the barrier from Platform nine and three-quarters. Harry was by her side, his eyes not on her but on the people in the crowd, looking for anyone who would be deemed a threat to her. Harry�s nervousness was making her more nervous. Death Eaters had come after her parents and she was frightened about that. The threat of the wizarding world was coming close to home but would she waver at his side? Of course not. She was by his side no matter what. He didn�t bother hiding his relationship with her. She was already a target for being his best friend. Did being his girlfriend make her an even bigger one? Maybe. But she liked to think of herself as a more formidable foe to Voldemort. It was one thing to get past his best friends to get to Harry. It was quite another to go past a woman who loved him. The last time Voldemort had crossed a woman who had loved Harry, he found his soul badly damaged in a curse gone horribly wrong.

A familiar looking young man that Hermione had met before in Hogsmeade stepped forward. �Harry,� he said as they approached him.

�Hey, Nate,� Harry said. The driver�s door opened and Brian O�Malley stepped out.

�Hey guys,� he said to them.

They were dressed as regular muggles, wands hidden from sight as Nate opened the door and she and Harry climbed in. The two aurors sat up front, leaving the two of them alone in the back. Hermione looked over at Harry who was staring straight ahead. She reached over and clasped his hand in a gesture of comfort. He looked down at the contact then up at her, giving her a soft but troubled smile.

Hermione felt torn. Part of her wanted to stay with her parents, to help protect them while they were in danger. Protect them from the danger of the wizarding world, the Death Eaters who had now targeted her family. And part of her wanted to stay with Harry, to be by his side over this break. To help him work out the horcrux, to share the holidays with him, to make him happy.

The car stopped and she got out to see they were at a harbor where muggles were arriving, waiting to board one of the large luxury cruise ships that would provide an escape from this cold and wintery weather. She buttoned her pink trench, keeping out the cold as Nate and Brian took her luggage from the boot of the car. Harry approached her and put his hand on the small of her back, nudging her gently forward.

�Let�s go find your parents,� he said.

Hermione wanted to talk to Harry, to voice her sudden concern that she should stay with him. But he was lost on conversation, his eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of trouble. But it seemed peaceful enough on the docks as people began to board their ships.

�Hermione! Harry!�

Mrs. Granger�s voice caught their attention and Hermione�s heart swelled at the sight of her parents. It seemed as if forever had gone by since she had last seen them and she felt filled with the warmth that only her happy childhood memories with her parents could bring about.

�Mum! Dad!� she said as she threw her arms around her parents.

�Mr. Granger,� Harry held out his hand for Edward to shake.

�Hello Harry,� he replied kindly and Harry wondered if her parents knew that he was, um, dating their daughter. �Mrs. Granger,� he offered his hand to her as well.

�Please, Harry, call me Jane,� she said, embracing him. Harry had received hugs from few people, motherly ones from Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Granger, er�Jane, was slender woman with her brown hair pulled back and a radiant smile. He realized the likeness between Hermione and her mother and Harry briefly got a glance of what Hermione may look like when she was her mother�s age.

It was nice.

Very nice. Maybe a little too nice since he started to blush furiously since she enveloped him in her arms. Harry stuttered a little and slinked shyly away from her.

�Are you looking forward to this trip?� Hermione asked her parents.

�It was a bit of surprise actually,� her father replied. �I was passing the Travel Agency by my office when I suddenly had the impulse to take your mom on this trip. That and I got a killer deal out of it.�

�Really?� Hermione looked to Harry.

�I wasn�t going to complain,� her mother chimed in. �Who would say no to a little sunshine? I hope you had time to get a bathing suit. Did you have time to pack some clothes for the warm weather?�

�I�ll be fine mum. I had time to pack and I�m sure I�ll be able to buy a bathing suit on board,� she reassured her mother.

�Well, here�s your ticket,� her father handed her an envelope with the image of the ship they were boarding emblazoned on it. �Your mother and I will get in line.�

Her parents left, leaving her and Harry with some privacy. She reached out and hugged him, closing her eyes to commit the feel of him to memory for the next few weeks.

�Oh I�m going to miss you,� she said.

�Me too,� Harry said softly, pressing her closer and kissing the side of her head. �You have no idea how hard this is to leave you with Brian and Nate.�

�I�ll be fine Harry,� she said.

�But just in case,� he reached into his pocket and pulled out a Chocolate Frog card of Dumbledore. �It will activate as soon as the boat leaves the harbor. If anything should go wrong just touch it and it will take you directly to Headquarters.�

Hermione took it from him and stuffed it into her small purse. �Thank you Harry.� She looked up into his emerald eyes, realizing with a pang just how much she was going to miss him. A memory suddenly came forward of the two of them in the garden at Grimmauld Place standing in front of the fountain when Harry propositioned her to take a ride on his broom. She looked up at Harry who had a small grin on his face.

�I think that�s one of my favorite moments with you,� he said softly.

�Mine too,� she smiled back. Harry leaned down and pressed his lips softly against hers. Hermione really had no idea how hard it was for him to put her safety in the hands of Nate and Brian who would be watching over the Granger�s during their vacation. He touched his forehead to hers, his tongue reached out to taste the moisture of her kiss still on his lips. He was to have no contact with her, no owls, no flooing, no phone calls for fear that someone would intercept it. How was he going to survive without her?

He watched as she boarded the Siren of the Sea with her parents, waving goodbye to him as the ship sounded out its departure as if left the docks. He silently prayed, begged, that this would not be the last time he set eyes on her.

~*~

�Here we are!� Tonks said chirpily as she set down her morning�s hard work in front of the stove in front of the four men seated at the table. The eggs looked a bit runny but it could still be edible.

�Looks delicious,� Lupin said loyally. Harry, Ron and Neville brooded into their plates.

�What�s wrong with you three?� Tonks asked as she plopped down at the table. �You�ve been as fun as Professor Binns� lectures.�

�Nothing,� Harry said, grabbing some toast and putting down his coffee, �I�ve got to get to training.� He�d been going to the Auror department to receive more training since he had left Hogwarts for the holiday break.

�I�m going to go check out the garden�again,� Neville said quietly as he too got up from the table.

Ron stood as well. �I�m just going to�yeah,� he turned and walked away with the others.

Tonks stared at the door that the just walked through. �Was it the eggs?� she asked.

�No,� Lupin said, gathering her in his arms. �I think they are just fools in love. Trust me, I know the symptoms of being away from your long lost loved one.�

Tonks grinned evilly. �Oh but I�m here now.�

�Yes you are,� Lupin grinned back. �So why are we wasting time talking?�

�Mmm, good point.�

�Lupin! Tonks!� Moody�s voice barked out loud and Tonks toppled off of Lupin�s lap as he sprinted in the room.

�What? What is it?� Lupin stood.

�Attack at Ottery St. Catchpole,� he announced. Harry, Ron and Neville, who were in hall, froze. Harry�s heart pounded in his chest. What if the burrow had been attacked?

�The Weasleys?� Lupin asked, helping Tonks to her feet, her eyes wide with fear.

Moody shook his head. �The Lovegoods.� Ron grabbed his jacket and headed out the door with Neville and Harry hot on his heels.

�Harry,� Lupin called out to the teen, �wait.� But Harry didn�t heed him, he just looked back once then closed the door behind him.

St. Mungo�s was never a place of happy memories for Harry. The memories of Mr. Weasley�s near-death experience were a little to raw and painful for him. Now, he was briskly walking down the gleaming halls with his two friends with horrible thoughts of what could�ve happened to the Lovegood�s in his mind. Luna was a good friend, innocent, unwavering in her loyalty to him and the Light side. Oh God, was Voldemort going to start coming after his friends for sure now?

All around him, in the Emergency room, were various wizards and witches with various maladies ranging from a single doxy bite to severe injuries from a broom collision. Harry was quietly grateful that he had no aptitude to be a healer.

�Ronald!� a voice cried out and the guys looked up to see a head of blond hair making its way toward them. �Oh, Ronald, you�re here!� Luna jumped into Ron�s arms.

�Luna!� Ron cried out. �Thank Merlind you�re okay.� He set her down and brushed her hair away from her face. �You have no idea�� he trailed off.

Luna�s face crumpled as she placed her hands on top of Ron�s that were resting on either side of her face. �My father,� she said in a tiny voice.

�Luna, is he okay?� Neville asked.

�They�re working on him now,� she sniffled. �Oh Ron, I can�t lose him! I can�t! I�ll be all alone. He�s all I have left.� She began to sob and Ron held her a little tighter. Ron looked back at Harry and Neville, giving a Harry a pleading look.

Harry became a little angry. What the hell was he supposed to do? He wasn�t a miracle worker, what the hell did Ron want him to do?

�Miss Lovegood?� a mediwizard approached them and Harry swallowed nervously.

�Yes?� Luna asked in a quiet voice, Harry could see her fingers digging into Ron�s arms, clinging to him as if he were her last hope in the world.

�It was a long session and took a great deal of spellwork and potions. Your father had extensive injuries that were sustained in the blast. But he will recover,� the mediwizard said in a businesslike tone. Harry wondered if he had to train himself to be unfeeling when delivering such news. How many times a day did this man have to come to families waiting in the waiting rooms to give them a thumbs up or a thumbs down on a loved ones condition.

�We�ll take him upstairs to recover,� the mediwizard said, �although, I would suggest that he receive only a few visitors at a time.�

He gave them the room number where he would be resting and Luna finally broke down and cried, as if the news was only now just sinking in. Harry watched her quietly. The Lovegoods had been lucky. And as he looked around at the wan and hopeful faces that filled the waiting room, waiting for word on their loved ones. He wondered who would win this lucky lottery next�and who would lose. His eyes fell on a pretty young woman with brown hair tied back sitting in the room, clinging to her robes on her lap. She seemed to be staring ahead while at the same time not seeing anything. She would once in awhile look down at the shiny gold bands on her left hand, her quiet fa�ade breaking just a little before she stared straight ahead again. She didn�t seem that much older than they were and Harry felt an immediate connection to her because she reminded him of Hermione. Harry looked at the rings on her left hand and thought, was she waiting for news on her Harry?

�Harry?� Neville�s voice broke his thoughts and Harry turned his attention from the young woman to his friends. They were leaving to go upstairs and Harry followed, looking back once at the young woman and silently wishing her good luck.

The recovery rooms had a more different atmosphere. These were the lucky ones and there was a feeling of hope in the air. Families and friends gathered by their loved ones to rejoice in the renewal of life and second chances.

�Oh Daddy,� Luna cried out when she saw her father. Neville and Harry hung back in the hallway, while Ron went in with his girlfriend.

�Why do you suppose they did it?� Neville asked Harry, who sat down on a bench just outside of the room.

He shrugged. �I dunno.�

Neville leaned against the wall and stuck his hands in his pockets. �I wonder how many times we are going to end up in this hospital before this war is over.�

�That�s a morbid thought,� Harry said, annoyed.

�Sorry,� Neville said abashedly. �It�s just�it�s times like this that you hope and pray that the ones near and dear to you are safe and protected. I hope Ginny is okay.�

�Ginny�s fine. The Burrow is very protected,� he replied.

�And I�m sure Hermione--.�

�Is so far away from me on some boat that I have no idea if she is safe or not because I left her safety in the hands of Aurors fresh out of training who have no idea what it�s like to battle Death Eaters!� Harry snapped, getting to his feet. �So don�t tell me that Hermione�s okay because I have no idea if she is! For all I know the boat is crawling with Death Eaters and I�ve just sent her away to her death!�

Neville looked stricken. �Harry, I�m sorry. I didn�t��

Harry ran a hand through his hair. �Don�t,� he said. �Just�I can�t sit here anymore. I�ve gotta go to training.� He walked past Neville then stopped. �Luna can�t go back home so offer her a place to stay with us�or with the Weasley�s.�

Harry continued on his way. He needed to get out of here. He didn�t mean to snap at Neville but not having any contact with Hermione was taking its toll on him. He made his way downstairs and crossed the waiting room. His eyes once again fell on the Hermione-look-alike. The mediwizard was kneeling in front of her and she was hunched over crying. Harry caught the words of her Harry�s fate when the mediwizard frowned and said, �I�m sorry. There was nothing more we could do.�

*

There was no news from the group on the ship with Hermione and her family. Harry supposed that was a good thing. No news was good news. He had to resort to the muggle news to see if there were any stories about attacks on ships, murders on ships, sinking ships. It was all very morbid and Harry left his training that day feeling emotionally drained.

There was the sound of laughter coming from the kitchen and the wonderful scent of food. The Weasley�s were at the table, the twins, Ron and his parents, Ginny was sitting next to Neville and Luna was sitting next to Ron. Lupin and Tonks were there as well. He had gone undetected and he didn�t feel like joining them so he silently crept upstairs.

He flopped onto his bed, belly down and facing the foot of it. He didn�t feel sleepy just�drained. His attention was drawn to a spider that was scuttling across the floor. It was a good sized one. He shouldn�t tell Ron or else the poor guy wouldn�t get any sleep but he should find a way to flush out any others. Although, if Luna was indeed staying here, Ron�s attention may be elsewhere. A conversation between the two of them a few days ago had revealed that Ron and Luna had taken their relationship a step further in the�er, bedroom.

�So�Weasley really is her king then?�

�Shut up Harry.�

�Make it danccce,� Isis hissed, calling Harry�s attention.

�What?� he asked the snake who slithered on the floor to him.

�I sssaid, make it danccce.�

Harry looked to where her attention was drawn and saw that the spider was doing somersaults across the floor and that his hand was doing lazy circles in the air. Harry immediately dropped his hand and sat up in the bed. The spider quickly scuttled across the floor, continuing its journey in haste. What the�? Did he do that?

�Aw, make it do it again,� Isis hissed. Harry stared at the spider and held out his hand. The spider got up on two legs and did a can-can while Isis hissed in delight.

There was a knock at the door and he jumped. �Harry?� Luna said from the other side of the door. �Are you okay?� she asked. His concentration broken, Harry scrambled to the door and opened it.

�Yeah!� he said quickly. �Yeah, I�m�fine,� he swallowed.

Luna stared at him.

�Did I�uh, receive any messages from the Ministry?� he asked.

�I don�t think so,� she said slowly.

�Oh�okay.� He began to feel awkward under Luna�s stare.

�I just wanted to thank you for allowing me to stay here,� she said.

�No bother,� Harry said with a genuine smile.

�Are you sure you�re alright?� she asked. �Do you want to come down and join us for dinner?�

�Nah, I�m not hungry,� he said as his stomach gave a loud growl.

�Okaaay,� she replied.

*

He stayed holed up in his room until he heard everyone go to sleep then he crept downstairs into the kitchen for some leftovers. He was still expecting a letter from the Ministry telling him he was expelled from Hogwarts and that Aurors were coming to arrest him for casting an Unforgiveable but he really didn�t know what the regulations were. That was for the Regulations department, Aurors just had to evade them. Besides, maybe it was a fluke. Maybe he was just messing around and came across some sort of charm somehow.

He took a page out of Hermione�s book and went to the books the next morning. Hermione had convinced him and Lupin that the books here should not be thrown out no matter how dark the subject material was. Although, she did eye them cautiously when they were researching a way to get Voldemort out of Ron�s head. Right now, Harry was reading Unforgiveables and Other Misunderstood, but Clever, Spells disguised as a DADA book.

�Channeling Hermione?� Ron asked.

�Very funny,� Harry muttered. He was currently teaching Luna how to play Wizard�s chess as they all sat in the drawing room. Neville and Ginny were huddling over an odd looking plant.

Luna looked up at him and the book he was reading. �Have you given any thought to starting up the DA again?� she asked and Neville looked up hopefully. They were the only two loyal and hopeful members.

�No, I haven�t,� he replied and turned a page in his book.

�Well, it would make sense,� Ron added. �I mean, now that you have some Auror training, I�m sure there are new talents you have that you can share with us.�

Harry looked up at Ron. He wasn�t sure what kind of look he gave him but it caught Ginny�s attention.

�Harry?� she asked with concern. He blinked and forced his concentration back on his book and not on the fact that he could be prone to cast Unforgiveables.

�There are no ratsss in thisss houssse,� Isis hissed morosely as she slid over the back of Harry�s chair.

�Believe me, that�s a good thing,� Harry hissed back as he reached for a cup of water. It was just out of his reach but it slid into his hand. Ginny and Luna exchanged uneasy looks. Ron and Neville had made an uneasy peace with Harry�s ability to speak Parseltongue but Ginny frowned upon it as did Hermione. Luna seemed ready to join their camp as well.

Ginny had convinced her mother to let her stay with Luna and keep her company over the holidays so the two girls shared a room. Harry was beginning to feel a little left out when they were all gathered in the Drawing Room, he sort of felt like a third wheel, the odd man out, not that he shouldn�t be used to that by now. Luna told Lupin and Moody that the Death Eaters who had attacked them, did so on Voldemort�s orders because of a contest that was to be held on how many words could be formed using the letters from Lord Voldemort.

�He has no sense of humor, I guess,� she sighed.

�It�s the name,� Harry spoke up. �He takes pride in his name causing fear.�

�I�ve got Love,� Ginny spoke up, whipping out a quill and putting LORD VOLDEMORT at the top. Neville took the quill and wrote Mold underneath Love. Luna grinned.

�Troll,� Ron added helpfully.

Harry�s brooding mood didn�t mix well with the good spirits in the room so he left them at it and went into the garden. It was snowing and Harry cleared off the bench so he could sit and take in the silence. He lifted his head up to the sky and felt the soft icy touches of the snowflakes as they landed on his face. It was so peaceful out here and the silence let his feelings sink further into him. He felt so alone and he desperately missed Hermione.

But, the hairs on the back of his neck prickled, letting him now that his quiet sanctuary was being violated. Reluctantly he brought his head forward and opened his eyes.

�Hermione,� he said softly.

She was standing in the middle of the garden looking tan and with highlights in her hair. He wondered if he had somehow manifested an image of her there.

�I couldn�t stay away,� she spoke at last. �I missed you so much. I hope you don�t mind, I took the portkey you gave me and��

He reached her in two strides, gathering her in his arms and bringing his lips to hers. She complied immediately, bringing her arms around him in a tight embrace.

�Are you really here?� he whispered when he broke the kiss, his forehead resting on hers. She brought a hand up to stroke his cheek.

�I couldn�t stay away, Harry. I missed you terribly. I asked Brian and Nate to watch over my parents. They were a little disappointed but they understood. Oh, Harry, I missed you so,� she said, throwing her arms around him. Harry held her close, letting this ray of sunshine break through the dark mood he had been in since she had left.
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