The next four days were very much the same for Harry and Hermione. Harry still slept restlessly, so Hermione took to letting him sleep an hour later in the mornings. Harry also began to take naps in mid-afternoon, becoming exceptionally cranky if he did not sleep at least forty-five minutes. Fortunately he had stopped waking up screaming during the night; something everyone was happy about.
Harry and Hermione would spend the mornings separate, with him playing with toys and her reading. By now, Harry’s mind was very much thinking he was a little kid and the toys kept him occupied for extended periods of time.
In the afternoons, Hermione and Harry would spend time together, whether at the park or playing games at home. They would eat dinner with the family, then either watch television or do something else with Mr. and Mrs. Granger. At nine, Harry was given a bath and sent to bed.
At least once a day Harry would have an emotional breakdown and cry for a while. Hermione had become quite adept at comforting Harry and helping him through his fears. They were both accustomed to this by now; it was like a routine for them. In fact, Hermione once pulled Harry into a tight, comforting hug before he even began crying. She had surprised even herself, and spent the rest of the day in awkward silence around Harry.
This routine was interrupted one afternoon, however. Harry and Hermione had just finished lunch when a Great Grey Owl swooped onto the ledge outside the dinning room window. “Hermione, there’s an owl outside,” Harry exclaimed, bouncing up and down. The part in the back of his mind still a teenager made him aware of his foolish behavior and he quickly stopped.
Hermione opened the window and collected two letters from the bird’s leg. The owl immediately took flight as Hermione pulled the letters inside and closed the window. She turned the letters over and gasped. “Harry, I think these are our O.W.L. results!” She handed the one addressed to Harry to him and began to slowly break the seal on her own.
Harry experienced an odd tingling sensation all over his body as he examined the envelope addressed to him. He had just flipped it over and seen the seal of the Ministry of Magic when Hermione let out a shriek of joy. She abruptly scooped Harry up and twirled about the room with a smile that positively frightened Harry. Hermione composed herself and set Harry down. “Sorry. I’m just so excited!”
“How’d you do?” Harry already knew the answer.
“I got an ‘Outstanding’ on all ten of my exams! Come on, open yours Harry!”
Harry slowly put his finger under the seal and was about to break it when he noticed Hermione looking over his shoulder. “I gotta go to the bathroom,” he lied, rushing upstairs, the letter still in his hands. He locked the door and sat down on the floor. He did not want Hermione to see his results until he did. Hermione seemed to understand this, because she left him alone.
Harry slowly tore upon the envelope, fingers trembling, and a piece of parchment fell out. He looked at this first.
Dear Mr. Potter,
Enclosed you will find the results of your O.W.L. exams. As these results will influence your future schooling, you will receive a letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry within the next few days. You will be required to indicate the courses you intend to proceed in for your last two years of schooling. A copy of your results was sent to your head of house.
Sincerely, O.W.L. Evaluators
Harry set this aside and reached into the envelope for his results. He pulled out a folded piece of parchment. Apprehensively he unfolded this and read.
Astronomy: Acceptable (Harry did not finish this exam, and what he did complete we know to contain errors. It is still a pass, despite Umbridge’s treachery.)
Care of Magical Creatures: Outstanding (One of Harry’s favorite subjects. Being friends with Hagrid should have helped.)
Charms: Exceeds Expectations (Not his best subject, but he had so much practice in year four.)
Defense Against the Dark Arts: Outstanding (Well, uh … Patronus bonus point!)
Divination: Acceptable (He no doubt did better than Ron, but he does not like the subject anyway. Grade probably came mostly from theory test, not the practical.)
Herbology: Exceeds Expectations (We didn’t get much information about this test, but given his experiences since first year, Harry should do fine.)
History of Magic: Dreadful (Sleeping through the test? No way he could have passed. Oh well, Professor Binns is boring.) Harry groaned at this. He had previously been filling with happiness.
Potions: Outstanding (I’m really giving Harry the benefit of the doubt here. Otherwise, he cannot take N.E.W.T. Potions.) Harry let out a whoop of joy upon reading this, utterly amazed.
Transfiguration: Exceeds Expectations (Again, I’m hopeful here. He isn’t the best transmutist, but knew to study for this one. Professor McGonagall had told him he was “Acceptable” but needed this to get in her N.E.W.T. class.)
Final results: Eight O.W.L. s. One Fail.
Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He had done it. He now only had to get Exceeds Expectations on five N.E.W.T. s, but that was almost two years away.
Harry opened the bathroom door to find Hermione standing outside. “I thought you had to go to the bathroom?” Harry could tell by her smile, she knew exactly what he had done. “So, how did you do?”
Harry handed his results to Hermione. “Wow, you did good too Harry. Well, except for History of Magic.” Hermione had a look of pity in her eyes. She had just reminded Harry why he failed that exam, and she could see this by his watery, green eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s ok,” Harry said, furiously wiping his eyes. “You’re right, I should be happy. I got the grades I needed to get.”
Hermione and Harry set their results on the dinning room table and went back upstairs. They started to play some board games together, both very excited and happy. They played games for a couple hours, but Harry was becoming tired, despite his excitement.
Hermione returned from getting her and Harry a snack, around three, to find Harry curled up and asleep on her floor. She put the game they were playing away and sat the snack on her desk. She draped a blanket over Harry, who was shivering, grabbed a book and laid on her bed to read. She too fell asleep minutes later.
“Hermione. Hermione, wake up.”
Hermione turned her head, and looking through her sleepy eyes, made out her mother. She was smiling brightly at her daughter. “What is it mum,” Hermione asked, stifling a yawn.
“I saw your exam results,” Mrs. Granger replied excitedly. “Congratulations!” She pulled her daughter into a tight hug. “I saw Harry’s too. You both did so good. I think a celebration is in order.”
Hermione looked on her floor to see Harry, still asleep. He was clutching the blanket tightly, his thumb in his mouth. Mrs. Granger bent down and shook Harry softly. He merely whined in his sleep and pulled the blanket tighter. “How long has he been asleep,” Mrs. Granger asked.
“About two hours,” Hermione replied, looking at her clock and stifling another yawn.
Mrs. Granger picked up Harry from the floor and cradled him in her arms. “Poor dear. We’ll go ahead and let him sleep until your father gets home. Go ahead and get dressed. We’re going to go out and celebrate tonight.”
Mrs. Granger took Harry to his room and put him under the covers of his bed. He whimpered softly, but remained asleep. She went to leave the room, to get herself ready for the evening, when she heard something. “Mommy.” She turned around, but Harry was still asleep, completely motionless. She left the room, not entirely sure she had in fact heard him speak.
(This is a great place for a chapter break. Don’t you think?)
(Unfortunately, this next part does not go very good by itself.)
Harry opened his bleary eyes to find Mrs. Granger changing his clothes. He laid motionless as she put him in some nice, presentable clothing. She then picked him up and held him, so his head was on her shoulder. Harry fell back to sleep as Mrs. Granger carried him out of the room.
Harry remained asleep during the drive to the restaurant. He finally woke up as Mrs. Granger was carrying him through the restaurant. “Where are we,” Harry asked in a whisper.
“Oh, you’re awake,” Mrs. Granger said surprised. “We wanted to celebrate yours and Hermione’s good exam results.” She sat him down in a chair and sat to his right. Hermione sat on his other side, smiling brightly and wearing a beautiful dress.
Harry had of course never been to a restaurant. Thusly, it did not occur to him to complain or protest when he was handed the children’s menu. He was too tired to have cared if he had known.
Dinner was a very quiet affair. The Grangers and Harry talked quietly to each other, while eating. The parents wanted to know what courses Hermione and Harry planned to take when they returned. Hermione said she would be continuing all of her classes. Harry said he would continue with everything but Divination and History of Magic, which he could not continue in. The conversation continued with school for some time.
After dinner, the four drove to an ice cream parlor, and finally went home. Harry was now wide-awake, due to sugar from his ice cream and because the Grangers let him have soda to drink at dinner.
Harry protested loudly when Mrs. Granger told him it was bath time. “But I’m not tired.”
“Well, you need your sleep, so you don’t nap all afternoon like you did today. That’s why you want to stay up now.” Mrs. Granger had easily enough gotten Harry to the bathroom by carrying him. He was fighting her so determidly however that she could not remove his clothes.
“Stop it right now Harry, or you’ll be in trouble.”
“But I’m not tired,” he whined, allowing her to begin bathing him.
“You can stay up a little later tonight, once you’re clean. But just tonight, and only because you did good on your exams.” Mrs. Granger finished bathing Harry, dried and dressed him for bed. “Ok, you can come back downstairs after you brush your teeth and go potty.”
Mrs. Granger only let Harry stay up another half hour. “I don’t wanna go to bed now.” He whined and pouted as Mrs. Granger took him upstairs and tucked him in bed. Harry laid awake again that night. His mind wandered over many things. From his O.W.L. results, to whether he would even be able to return to school, to … Sirius. Harry closed his eyes tight, but the tears seeped out anyway. He drifted to a sleep not at all sound or silent.