Acquiring an Ally (Harry Potter, Harry/Hermione #2 news; letter)
Title: Acquiring an Ally
Author: Icy
Pairing: Harry/Hermione
Fandom: Harry Potter
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the world of is ® Warner Bros and J. K. Rowling. No disrespect intended.
Author’s Note: These will connect to form a story, hopefully in chronological order.
The story begins with the end of Year 6. If I don’t get finished by the time Book 7 comes out… Oh well!
Still working, and still unhappy with how they’re coming out. I just don’t like the feel of this story.
(Harry rose to meet the day with a shower; through the window, he could see a cheerful sky brightening with the rising sun, and he felt as though nature were deceiving him, since he was feeling the opposite.
On his way down to breakfast, Harry passed Ron, who gave him a grunt but nothing more, and Harry knew, with another lurch of his stomach, that he must have found out about the previous evening. He felt miserable all the way to the kitchen, because he knew he had hurt Ginny, even though he hadn’t wanted to; however, he kept telling himself, over and over, that it was the kinder way to go, especially when the alternative was just to continue to lead her on when he wasn’t interested.
There were some members at the table, and so Harry served himself a plate of eggs and toast. Mrs. Weasley was nowhere in sight. Harry ate in relative silence, until Lupin appeared in the doorway and took a slice of toast before coming to stand next to Harry. “Harry,” he began, “Miss Lovegood is coming today.”
“Isn’t she at Hogwarts?” Harry asked, suddenly painfully aware of how much of their education Ron and Hermione were missing.
“Her parents are receiving threats, and they’re going into hiding, but she’s just had her seventeenth birthday, and wants to fight.”
Harry sighed. “Alright. Thanks for the heads-up.”
Lupin patted him on the back and left.
Harry watched him go and wondered, vaguely, what exactly his relationship had been with Sirius, not for the first time. He knew they had been friends, but he wondered how close; he and Ron were close friends, but they seemed to fight quite a bit.
Sometime in the morning, after Harry had been reviewing the Protego charm with a group of Order members, an owl arrived with a letter.
Harry read the letter and, with a frown, brought it to Lupin.
“There’s been another sighting of Snape, down by Dover, and Hestia’s the one who’s been on him for the past two weeks, and she says she managed to tail him once through the market, and she heard him telling the shopkeeper of the convenience store that he’d be settling down for a few weeks, just to rest,” said Harry breathlessly, brandishing the letter as proof. “And she wants some of us to go down there and…” He trailed off, nostrils flaring.
Lupin paused. “And how do you feel about Draco being part of our team?”
Harry shrugged. “He’s been doing fine, and he’s obviously genuine, so… I could care less…”
“Well then,” Lupin said, “I say we go.”
Harry nodded, and Mrs. Black’s screeching cut him off from any further conversation. Harry and Lupin emerged into the corridor to find Mundungus holding onto Luna’s arm, and Luna herself blinking around, rather bemusedly.
“Hello there, Harry,” she said as Mundungus struggled with the curtains.
Mrs. Weasley emerged from the kitchen. “Hello, dear. Why don’t you go up to your room? Fourth floor, on the right, third door,” she said.
Harry met her eyes, and she indicated him to come join her in the kitchen, so he left Lupin and followed the woman.
“Harry,” said Mrs. Weasley oddly as they entered the kitchen, “what exactly did you mean by telling Ginny last night that you couldn’t-?”
Harry stopped himself from groaning. “Exactly what I told her, Mrs. Weasley-that I think of her as the sister I never had. I used to love her, but my feelings changed, out of… well, I don’t know how or why, but they did. And I care about her, and I feel awful about the pain I must have caused her, but I can’t be in a relationship where I’m leading somebody on, don’t you understand?”
Mrs. Weasley looked vaguely uncomfortable. “You realize you can’t go back?”
Harry nodded emphatically. “I’m not going to come back and beg for forgiveness, because I don’t think that what I did was wrong. I think it was the right thing to do in my situation, and I’m… done being in a romance with her. She’s my sister now, and if you don’t feel kindly toward me for it, well… I understand and accept. She is your daughter, after all.” He breathed, waiting.
Mrs. Weasley looked even more uncomfortable, but finally she said, “Oh, alright then, as long as you’re still friends with her… I guess you know best…”
Harry smiled in relief, though it was a small smile. “Than you, Mrs. Weasley.” The fact that he had her permission meant to much; he spontaneously hugged her, and exited the kitchen to go greet Luna.
Near the staircase, Lupin interrupted him to inform him that they’d be leaving after dinner to meet up with Hestia, through apparition. Harry said, “So… can I ask you to take care of the plans? I have to go talk to Luna and…” He trailed off.
Lupin nodded. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll take care of it.”
Harry shrugged and proceeded to Luna’s room; as he stood outside the room, he wondered what he was going to say to her. He raised his hand and knocked.
Almost immediately, an answering chirp came. “Come right in!” Harry opened to door and, with shock, saw that Luna was mostly unpacked, and that the room was, definitely, hers. Butterbeer caps on strings hung from the vanity and the back of the chair sitting by the bed; there was a long, trough-shaped bot on the sill, with three exotic plants growing in it; the room smelled faintly spicy, and Harry saw a small glass tub on the nightstand with a bubbling, pale blue liquid in it. The room itself seemed vaguely dim and undefined.
“So,” Harry began. “I’m really glad you came and all, but are you sure you want to put yourself in such danger?”
Luna waved her hand vaguely. “It’s actually safer for me here, you know. I mean, at school there’s a strong Pro-Voldemort sentiment, and it’s really… unpleasant. There’s posters of His face hanging in the halls, there’s badges, and there’s brutal bullying of known anti-Voldemort-ers.” She frowned and shuddered.
Harry felt a dull rage stirring in the pit of his stomach. “Is that really true?”
Luna nodded serenely. “Mum and Dad wanted me to go into hiding with them, but of course, I wanted to come fight, so here I am.”
Harry nodded vaguely. “Well, that’s good. I’ll see you at dinner, then?”
“Yeah,” said Luna. “Nice talking to you.”
Harry closed the door behind him, thinking he aught to let her unpack a bit more; on his way downstairs, he figured he aught to stop by his room and pick up his Encyclopedia of Spells to further review, and prepare another review session. Nerilke had proven herself to be quite proficient at disarming spells; perhaps he could have her teach a lesson next time…
He stopped outside his room, aware of voices, and somebody murmuring what could’ve been his name. Not for the first time since he’d come to the mansion, Harry found himself peering through a crack between the door and the doorframe; luckily, it wasn’t just cracked but had swung open a small bit.
Harry could hardly breathe as he watched Ron and Hermione through the crack; Ron, in his room, with Hermione. As he saw Ron bend his head and meet Hermione’s lips in a kiss, he turned abruptly and headed back for the stairs.)
Author: Icy
Pairing: Harry/Hermione
Fandom: Harry Potter
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the world of is ® Warner Bros and J. K. Rowling. No disrespect intended.
Author’s Note: These will connect to form a story, hopefully in chronological order.
The story begins with the end of Year 6. If I don’t get finished by the time Book 7 comes out… Oh well!
Still working, and still unhappy with how they’re coming out. I just don’t like the feel of this story.
(Harry rose to meet the day with a shower; through the window, he could see a cheerful sky brightening with the rising sun, and he felt as though nature were deceiving him, since he was feeling the opposite.
On his way down to breakfast, Harry passed Ron, who gave him a grunt but nothing more, and Harry knew, with another lurch of his stomach, that he must have found out about the previous evening. He felt miserable all the way to the kitchen, because he knew he had hurt Ginny, even though he hadn’t wanted to; however, he kept telling himself, over and over, that it was the kinder way to go, especially when the alternative was just to continue to lead her on when he wasn’t interested.
There were some members at the table, and so Harry served himself a plate of eggs and toast. Mrs. Weasley was nowhere in sight. Harry ate in relative silence, until Lupin appeared in the doorway and took a slice of toast before coming to stand next to Harry. “Harry,” he began, “Miss Lovegood is coming today.”
“Isn’t she at Hogwarts?” Harry asked, suddenly painfully aware of how much of their education Ron and Hermione were missing.
“Her parents are receiving threats, and they’re going into hiding, but she’s just had her seventeenth birthday, and wants to fight.”
Harry sighed. “Alright. Thanks for the heads-up.”
Lupin patted him on the back and left.
Harry watched him go and wondered, vaguely, what exactly his relationship had been with Sirius, not for the first time. He knew they had been friends, but he wondered how close; he and Ron were close friends, but they seemed to fight quite a bit.
Sometime in the morning, after Harry had been reviewing the Protego charm with a group of Order members, an owl arrived with a letter.
Harry read the letter and, with a frown, brought it to Lupin.
“There’s been another sighting of Snape, down by Dover, and Hestia’s the one who’s been on him for the past two weeks, and she says she managed to tail him once through the market, and she heard him telling the shopkeeper of the convenience store that he’d be settling down for a few weeks, just to rest,” said Harry breathlessly, brandishing the letter as proof. “And she wants some of us to go down there and…” He trailed off, nostrils flaring.
Lupin paused. “And how do you feel about Draco being part of our team?”
Harry shrugged. “He’s been doing fine, and he’s obviously genuine, so… I could care less…”
“Well then,” Lupin said, “I say we go.”
Harry nodded, and Mrs. Black’s screeching cut him off from any further conversation. Harry and Lupin emerged into the corridor to find Mundungus holding onto Luna’s arm, and Luna herself blinking around, rather bemusedly.
“Hello there, Harry,” she said as Mundungus struggled with the curtains.
Mrs. Weasley emerged from the kitchen. “Hello, dear. Why don’t you go up to your room? Fourth floor, on the right, third door,” she said.
Harry met her eyes, and she indicated him to come join her in the kitchen, so he left Lupin and followed the woman.
“Harry,” said Mrs. Weasley oddly as they entered the kitchen, “what exactly did you mean by telling Ginny last night that you couldn’t-?”
Harry stopped himself from groaning. “Exactly what I told her, Mrs. Weasley-that I think of her as the sister I never had. I used to love her, but my feelings changed, out of… well, I don’t know how or why, but they did. And I care about her, and I feel awful about the pain I must have caused her, but I can’t be in a relationship where I’m leading somebody on, don’t you understand?”
Mrs. Weasley looked vaguely uncomfortable. “You realize you can’t go back?”
Harry nodded emphatically. “I’m not going to come back and beg for forgiveness, because I don’t think that what I did was wrong. I think it was the right thing to do in my situation, and I’m… done being in a romance with her. She’s my sister now, and if you don’t feel kindly toward me for it, well… I understand and accept. She is your daughter, after all.” He breathed, waiting.
Mrs. Weasley looked even more uncomfortable, but finally she said, “Oh, alright then, as long as you’re still friends with her… I guess you know best…”
Harry smiled in relief, though it was a small smile. “Than you, Mrs. Weasley.” The fact that he had her permission meant to much; he spontaneously hugged her, and exited the kitchen to go greet Luna.
Near the staircase, Lupin interrupted him to inform him that they’d be leaving after dinner to meet up with Hestia, through apparition. Harry said, “So… can I ask you to take care of the plans? I have to go talk to Luna and…” He trailed off.
Lupin nodded. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll take care of it.”
Harry shrugged and proceeded to Luna’s room; as he stood outside the room, he wondered what he was going to say to her. He raised his hand and knocked.
Almost immediately, an answering chirp came. “Come right in!” Harry opened to door and, with shock, saw that Luna was mostly unpacked, and that the room was, definitely, hers. Butterbeer caps on strings hung from the vanity and the back of the chair sitting by the bed; there was a long, trough-shaped bot on the sill, with three exotic plants growing in it; the room smelled faintly spicy, and Harry saw a small glass tub on the nightstand with a bubbling, pale blue liquid in it. The room itself seemed vaguely dim and undefined.
“So,” Harry began. “I’m really glad you came and all, but are you sure you want to put yourself in such danger?”
Luna waved her hand vaguely. “It’s actually safer for me here, you know. I mean, at school there’s a strong Pro-Voldemort sentiment, and it’s really… unpleasant. There’s posters of His face hanging in the halls, there’s badges, and there’s brutal bullying of known anti-Voldemort-ers.” She frowned and shuddered.
Harry felt a dull rage stirring in the pit of his stomach. “Is that really true?”
Luna nodded serenely. “Mum and Dad wanted me to go into hiding with them, but of course, I wanted to come fight, so here I am.”
Harry nodded vaguely. “Well, that’s good. I’ll see you at dinner, then?”
“Yeah,” said Luna. “Nice talking to you.”
Harry closed the door behind him, thinking he aught to let her unpack a bit more; on his way downstairs, he figured he aught to stop by his room and pick up his Encyclopedia of Spells to further review, and prepare another review session. Nerilke had proven herself to be quite proficient at disarming spells; perhaps he could have her teach a lesson next time…
He stopped outside his room, aware of voices, and somebody murmuring what could’ve been his name. Not for the first time since he’d come to the mansion, Harry found himself peering through a crack between the door and the doorframe; luckily, it wasn’t just cracked but had swung open a small bit.
Harry could hardly breathe as he watched Ron and Hermione through the crack; Ron, in his room, with Hermione. As he saw Ron bend his head and meet Hermione’s lips in a kiss, he turned abruptly and headed back for the stairs.)