Many thanks to those who have reviewed.
Chapter 3: Eyes are the Windows to the Soul
“Anthony! Hi!”
Hermione beamed as she saw Anthony Goldstein approaching the Gryffindor table. It was Monday, and everyone was eating breakfast and talking to each other about their coming lessons and homework.
“Hey, Hermione,” said Anthony as he bent down and kissed her on the cheek. Hermione seemed to flush.
“Potter, Weasley,” he added, nodding at each in turn.
“Guys, you remember Anthony,” Hermione said, inviting him to sit down.
Ron muttered something that sounded like “yeah, sure”, while Harry chose not to reply. He had rather lost his appetite. A minute of awkward silence followed”nobody had much to say. Hermione kept shooting nervous glances at the three guys; Ron kept stuffing his mouth with food so he couldn’t say much of anything, and Harry was trying very hard not to look at Anthony, who now had his arm over Hermione’s shoulders. Luckily the silence was interrupted by Hermione’s squeak as she looked down at her watch.
“Oh no,” she cried, “I’m going to be late for class. I promised Professor Sinistra I would go in early, because she said she wanted to tell me something.”
With that, and a kiss on Anthony’s cheek, she dashed from the hall leaving the three guys in a very uncomfortable state. Ron broke the silence.
“Look, Goldstein”” he began, but he was cut off by Anthony himself.
“Guys, I know how you feel about Hermione. I know you’re like her brothers,” he started to say, “and I just wanted to assure you that nothing is going to happen to her while I’m with her. I really like her, and I won’t do anything to hurt her, believe me.”
“You better not,” Ron muttered under his breath.
“What was that?” asked Anthony from the other side of the table.
“I said that I really hope you’re serious about what you’re saying,” Ron snapped back in an irritated voice.
Anthony looked surprised, so he turned to look at Harry. Not quite trusting his voice, Harry nodded.
Damn, he thought, why the hell am I feeling like this? There is nothing wrong with Anthony and he seems sincere enough.
Seeing that none of the guys were keen on talking to him, Anthony excused himself and went to join his Ravenclaw mates.
“That guy is really getting on my nerves,” Ron said throwing his fork down in disgust. “I just don’t trust him. You know what my dad says about Ginny’s boyfriend?” he added, struggling to keep a straight face. Harry pretended he was interested. “He says ‘He breaks her heart, Fred and George break his neck’. I swear if that guy”” Ron now cut himself off, noticing Harry wasn’t paying him the least bit of attention.
His eyes were glazed over, and he was slumped back in his chair, his messy hair all over his face. Ron found this unusual, to say the least. Then, his mind went back to the way Harry had not uttered a single word while Anthony had been with them, and he hadn’t touched the rest of his breakfast either. Ron was now one hundred per cent convinced that there was something going on, something that involved Harry and…Hermione?
“Well, come on Harry. We don’t want to be late for Snape’s class. Urgh, imagine how many points he’d take off Gryffindor.”
Harry forced himself off his very comfortable chair and followed Ron to the dungeons.
“Potter, kindly go to Professor Dumbledore’s office. He wants a word with you,” Professor McGonagall said to him.
Harry had barely made it inside her class on time, only to be told he needed to go to Dumbledore.
Great.
He slowly made his way to his Headmaster’s office, wondering what Dumbledore wanted to talk about. About something bizarre, no doubt. He gave the gargoyles the password”Sugar Quills”and stepped on the moving stairs. He found the door open, so he simply stepped in. Dumbledore was sitting in his chair comfortably, waiting for him.
“Harry, come in,” he said pleasantly, “and close the door.”
Harry often wondered how Dumbledore could manage to stay so calm in every situation.
“What I want to talk to you about is serious Harry. Now that you’ve mastered Occlumency, it’s imperative for you to know, that the worst is not over. Voldemort can no longer make you see visions that aren’t true, however if one particular feeling or dream of Voldemort’s is strong enough, it may still penetrate your mind. This, of course, will be a devastating feeling, much worse than what you’re usually used to. So I wanted to put you on your guard. Also, if this happens, Harry, you need to come straight to me. You understand why of course. I would also tell Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger, so they can help you out.
"And, Harry, I feel I must also tell you, before I tell the whole school, that on the fifteenth of October, Hogwarts will undergo a thorough search to see if we can find anything suspicious. Students will be asked to remain in their common rooms. Anyone found wondering will be expelled. That goes for everyone, since this is a highly dangerous situation. That will be all." Dumbledore finished.
Harry looked at Dumbledore, not really feeling anything at the moment. So he was going to have to stay inside his common room for a day”big deal. What was really on his mind was the fact that he was going to have contact with Voldemort again. It was something he was used to. He only hoped the dreams he’d have weren’t going to be like the ones about Arthur Weasley or…Sirius.
“I am really sorry you have to go through this, Harry,” Dumbledore said quietly, his blue eyes boring into Harry’s.
Harry took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He felt like his mind was going to explode what with all the homework he had. He looked up and saw Ron completely immersed in his Transfiguration book while Hermione had her usual dozen books spread over her table. Putting on his glasses, Harry found himself looking at the way Hermione’s eyes flicked from one page to the next, the way her delicate wrists moved across her parchment, the way she tucked strands of hair behind her ear now and then.
Man, I really need to clarify my feelings, he found himself thinking. Is…am I…what am I thinking? Am I starting to see my best friend differently? Am I just tired? What on Earth is going on?
Hermione looked up and found Harry staring at her. She smiled at him.
“Are you tired already?” she asked softly.
“What do you mean already? We’ve been doing this for the last four hours!” Ron burst out, banging his book on the table. No one paid him much attention though”they were all used to Ron’s outbursts.
“I just can’t seem to do this,” Harry sighed, frustrated. “My brain is overflowing!”
Hermione got up from her table and sat down on the couch next to Harry.
“I can help you if you want,” she said her voice soft.
“What about m”” Ron began, but was cut off by Hermione’s angry glance. It seemed like she was telling him, “You don’t have to save the world.” Ron silently agreed.
A wave of relief washed over Harry. He could get through anything with Hermione by his side.
Wait, I can only get through homework with Hermione by my side, he quickly corrected himself.
“Yeah okay,” he told her.
“Look, Harry, you worry too much. Seriously, thinking this much will only make situations worse.” Hermione now placed her hand on top of Harry’s.
Harry felt something going through him, like a jolt of electricity.
From Hermione’s touch?
Harry avoided looking at her. He didn’t want to look into her eyes. He didn’t want to see the thing that would prove to him his real feelings for her. Ron, however seemed to notice something, because his eyes widened in surprise and he looked from Harry to Hermione with an amazed look on his face.
“Well,” she said brightly, “better not waste any time. Just give me a minute to finish my Charms essay and I’ll be right with you.”
Harry sighed as she moved away. It was very clear to him now; his feelings for Hermione had changed. He just didn’t know how and what they would mean. He was going to need all the help he could get to figure this out.
Ron got up from his table and sat next to Harry. Looking behind him, he decided to talk”they were definitely a good distance away from Hermione.
“Harry, mate,” Ron started, “look, I may be completely wrong here, but”er”is something going on between you and Hermione?”
Harry looked at Ron, a bit surprised. Did Ron really know him that well? Or had he been obvious?
“Well…” Harry cleared his throat. Was he going to confess his feelings to his best friend? What were his feelings, anyway? “I don’t know, Ron. All I know is that Hermione seems different to me now. I don’t know.”
Ron was looking at Harry with a bit of a funny look in his face.
“If you ask me,” he said smartly, “you fancy her. There’s only one way to find out for real, though. Look into her eyes and then look at what your heart says.”
Harry stared, surprised. Since when had Ron been the expert on feelings?
“Great, I’m done!” came Hermione’s voice from behind him. “Now what’s the most urgent thing you have to get done?”
Harry slowly turned around and faced Hermione. He looked up into her chocolaty-brown eyes…and there he found the answer he had been looking for. The answer he had been dreading.