money from it, so please Mrs. Rowling if you read this
don’t sue me. A comment or two would be welcome
though.
Please, if you read, take two minutes to review.
Harry woke up the Monday after the ball and resolved that he was going to get at least one of his girl problems figured out. Except for the one time he saw her duck into an empty room when she caught sight of him, he had been unable to find Bridgette. Harry found it funny that she seemed to be pulling back from him, when she had started the whole thing. He couldn’t find any other reason for why she was avoiding him.
Hermione on the other hand, he had a pretty good idea what she was up too. Harry had spent Saturday walking around on edge waiting for something to happen. By Sunday night when nothing had, he had grabbed his invisibility cloak and snuck into the restricted section of the library. It had taken most of the night, but in the end, he finally found the spell he was looking for. Oddly, it had been easy to master.
Harry knocked on the door before poking his head into Hermione and Ginny’s room.
“Morning guys,” he said looking around. “Seen Hermione?”
“Morning, Harry,” Ginny replied brightly. Ron looked up from the chessboard.
“She was gone when I got here this morning,” he said grumpily.
“Oh….” Harry replied.
I think we found her, the voices said together inside his head.
Harry had spent all of Friday and Saturday night, trying to think of how, after the ball, Dumbledore had known Ron and Hermione were hiding behind an invisibility spell. On Sunday night he had found the book that Ginny had used to learn the spell. Buried in the middle of it was a reference to a proximity detection spell.
It had taken a further three hours to find the book that was referenced, but it seemed to have been time well spent now. Harry couldn’t be sure, but he thought Bridgette might have been partially right about Dumbledore bluffing when he had said good night to Ron and Hermione.
Yeah, I can feel something on the chair next to Ron. I can’t tell who though. I wonder if you can start to identify people with this after you get better at it? Harry replied silently.
I guess in the meantime we bluff, the voices said.
“Well, when you see her, because I’m sure I won’t….Ginny….Tell her that I’m getting a little tired of this game, and I’ll be glad to return the dress if she wants.” Ron and Ginny both snapped their heads in his direction when he said Ginny’s name.
“What dress?” Ron asked.
“See you later, Ron.” Harry closed the door and headed for the lake.
“What dress, Ginny?” Ron snapped at her. “And take that invisibility spell off of Hermione.” Ginny waved her wand at the chair next to Ron.
“Never you mind what dress, Ronald,” Ginny replied without looking up.
“Hermione,” Ron growled at her. Hermione sighed.
“Last Friday at the shop, after you two left, things went pretty fast. We were heading out the door when I saw a dress that was beautiful.”
“Hermione, you said he’s not supposed to know,” Ginny hissed. “Let me just wipe his memory quick.” Ginny raised her wand at her brother. Ron threw up a shield spell.
“You wouldn’t,” he said turning white.
“I said he can’t see it, Ginny. It’s ok for him to know I have it. Remember, you wanted to tease him about it,” Hermione replied calmly. Ginny dropped her wand again.
“Oh right, forgot about that I guess.” Ron stared at his sister for a moment longer before turning back to Hermione. He decided to keep his shield up for a while.
“It’s beautiful, Ronald. You’re going to love it. I can hardly wait for you to see it,” Hermione gushed at him.
“Erm….I’m still a little lost here,” Ron replied.
“My wedding dress, Love, Bridgette talked me in to trying it on. Harry must have seen me or got it out of her some how, they bought it for me.” Hermione had moved onto Ron’s lap. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and she was gazing expectantly into his eyes.
“Gezz, Hermione, you’re glowing,” Ginny said quietly, from across the room.
“You….You knew I was going to ask you?” Ron stammered. “Who told you?”
“Ronald, I swear I had no clue you were going to propose to me. It was just a whim that I tried it on. Really, Love, no one gave your surprise away,” Hermione whispered to him.
“You had no clue?” Ron asked again. Hermione shook her head, a huge smile on her face.
“Let me see it!” Ron demanded.
“Nope,” Hermione said brightly, before bouncing up and twirling around the room with her arms out. “You’ll just have to wait, Love,” she teased. Ginny jumped off the couch and grabbed a hold of Hermione’s hands. They twirled around the room together laughing gaily.
“What do you mean no?” Ron asked the surprise evident on his face.
“It’s considered bad luck if you see my dress before the wedding, Love,” Hermione replied, pushing his buttons. Ron’s mouth flapped.
“It’s a Muggle tradition, Ron. Hermione told me about it Friday night,” Ginny teased as she and Hermione tumbled to the floor.
“Oh, I don’t feel so good,” Hermione groaned from the floor before she and Ginny started laughing again.
“A Muggle tradition, but Hermione, you’re a witch,” Ron stammered
“Yes, but I was raised by Muggles. And you should be careful, Muggle women consider it an insult to be called a witch,” Hermione teased him. Ron flapped his mouth again. Ginny was doing everything she could not to laugh at him.
“You’re not going to show me, are you?” Ron asked still surprised.
“Nope….Oh, let’s see what else is there….I want to do the betrothement ceremony and the smoke rings. You know about those having been raised in the magic world, but we’re not using those canned vows that sorcerers do. You’ll have to write your own, Ronald, like the Muggles do,” Hermione said sweetly, while flashing the smile Ron loved at him.
“Write my own vows? What does that mean?” Ron asked cautiously, his mind going a million miles and hour.
“You know the vows, Ronald. Where you pledge your undying love to me, that I am what completes you, all that kind of stuff,” Hermione replied, smiling at him.
“Yeah, there are standard lines we’re supposed to say,” Ron answered, not liking where this conversation was going.
“Well Muggles don’t have standard lines….Actually sometimes they do but usually they write their own. I want something original. So, you’re going to have to write your own,” Hermione finished, her eyes dancing brilliantly.
“You’re nuts,” Ron gasped. Ginny had watched the whole exchange, thinking it was very funny, until she realized what the implications were all about.
“I think I agree with him, Hermione. He’s liable to compare kissing you to belching slugs or something,” Ginny said evenly.
“Nope, I’ve dreamed about this for years. He’ll have to write his own,” Hermione replied seriously. “I’m going to write mine,” she added.
“But you’re a girl. It’ll take you five minutes,” Ron protested. Hermione stood up, crossed the room and kissed Ron on the top of the head before heading towards the bathroom.
“Sorry, Love, but this is non-negotiable,” she called back to him before she closed the door. Ron stared after her for a minute.
“Hey, Hermione,” he hollered at the closed door, “Harry told me to tell you he was looking for you….Take your dress with you and when you find him….Tell him I said he could have you.”
“I love you too, Ronald Weasley,” Hermione yelled back through the door. Ron turned back to the chessboard again and moved one of the black pieces. Ginny watched him closely.
“I must have been mental,” he mumbled.
“You’re white again?” she asked quietly.
“Mmmup,” he grunted studying the board.
“Damn,” Ron slammed his fist on the table, upsetting some of the pieces. The black king turned towards him.
“Do you yield then? Good sir.”
“Yes, I yield….Set it up again,” Ron snarled at the board. The pieces began to take up their places for a new game. A number of the white pieces that had been taken earlier in the game were grumbling about their heads hurting.
“Shut it, and get in place,” Ron snapped at them.
“Ron, I know I’m not that good, but I thought I saw at least one decent play available,” Ginny said quietly.
“I had three good plays, Gin, and five bad ones. The longest scenario had me losing in twenty plays. The worst, I was done in three….And you’re not a bad player….What move did you see, Gin?” Ron asked a second later hoping it was something he missed.
"Your queen’s bishop, taking the black king’s knight,” Ginny replied. Ron smiled ruefully.
“Not many people would see that, Gin. It was the second best play I could make. Giving me a momentary advantage that would be lost two plays later. The whole scenario plays out in thirteen moves.”
“You can keep all of that in your head?” Ginny asked in awe. Ron nodded at her.
“Pawn to E4,” he said to the board.
“What about the other plays you mentioned? Did you have all of that in your head too?”
“Yeah I did.”
“And you calculated that all out, in the short amount of time between moving the black piece and conceding the game?”
“No, I anticipated the move the voices made about three plays before that. I had eliminated six of my possible responses to the move, as being dead, before the play was even made. I didn’t finish calculating out the other two until after the move was made.”
“How are you able to keep all that in you’re mind, Ron?”
“I don’t know, Gin, I just can.”
“Then why are you doing it?” Ron shrugged, he seemed confused at the thought himself. Ron smiled at his sister.
“Don’t know, to see if I can. It’s only a game. I guess I’m pushing myself just like you push Harry.”
“Keep trying, Ron, You’ll get it,” Ginny said, leaning down to give him a hug.
“Any chance you’ll let me sneak a look at that dress?”
“Nope,” Ginny replied sweetly. “You’re going to love it though….I’ll probably have to give you an anti-drooling spell now that I think about it,” she added almost to herself.
“Gin, I’m going to need help with my vows and something tells me Hermione is not the person to ask.” Ginny sat down and pushed the board out of the way.
“This might take a while,” she said. “Lets’ get started.” Hermione came out of the bathroom a short while later. Ron hastily shoved his parchment into his bag.
“What was that?” she asked.
“Nothing,” Ginny replied curtly. Hermione eyed them warily.
“Working on your vows, I guess you don’t really want me to tell Harry he can have me then,” she teased, kissing Ron on the top of his head.
“Any idea where he went?” she asked.
“Nope,” Ron replied brightly, mimicking her display from earlier.
“None,” Ginny added sincerely. Hermione sighed and picked up her bag.
“I better go find him then. I guess it is about time to let him off the hook. See you in potions.”
“I might as well meet you here. Snape is just going to kick us out again,” Ron grumbled to her.
“I know, but we have to at least show up,” Hermione said, closing the door behind her.
Harry sat on the rock, studying his potions notes for class later that day. He cast the proximity detection spell around himself and waited, it was a better spell to use than a shield for this. He wanted to catch Hermione before she got close. With a shield he wouldn’t know she was there until he got hit. This way he could sense about twenty feet into the woods, which started about fifteen feet behind him. Plus it was easy to maintain, taking almost no energy. Harry recast his warming spell. It was cold and he had been there for almost an hour.
We’re going to have to teach this spell to the others after this whole fiasco, the voices said to him.
I know, Harry replied.
Hermione walked slowly down the path. When she had exited the school, she had seen what she thought was Harry’s black hair poking up over the hill. Now, a hundred feet or so away, she peered around the last bend in the path.
That’s him; we’d recognize that messy black hair anywhere, the voices said together....He is cute, isn’t he? they added a moment later.
We have made our choice, Hermione snapped silently at them, a little shocked too.
Well yes, but that doesn’t mean we have to shut our eyes you know, the first voice replied.
I agree with her, the second voice added. Life could get dull if we can’t at least notice someone is cute.
Honestly, what am I going to do with you two? Hermione asked.
He is cute, isn’t he? she added a second later.
Ha, I told you, the first voice said. This means you have to stay up with Ginny next time.
Whatever, the second voice replied disgustedly.
You two bet on me? Hermione gasped, aghast at the idea. What else are you up to that I don’t know about?
Not a thing. Examine us; we can’t hide anything you don’t want to know, the voices replied together.
How did you hide this? Hermione asked, as she mentally probed her mind.
We weren’t, you just weren’t paying attention, they replied. Hermione finished searching her mind.
It is a little odd getting used to you two sometimes. You know that, Herimone said to them. The voices didn’t answer.
Are you both clear on what we’re doing? she asked them.
Yep, he knows something is coming. He hasn’t seen us in over two days so he is probably pretty wound up. This is going to be fun, the voices replied.
“Ok then, here we go,” Hermione said quietly, as she double-checked the area to see if anyone else was in sight before assuming her animagus and moving off the path.
Harry looked up and out over the lake. After testing his spell in the room that morning, he knew that what he had been feeling moving around behind him, were the different birds and small animals that lived in the forest. He had even felt a large presence approach him from the water. It had unnerved him enough that he had scrambled to his feet and drawn his wand before realizing that it was the giant squid that lived in the lake. Now he felt something larger coming from behind him.
It certainly doesn’t feel like Hermione. But then we wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference between Ron and Ginny if we hadn’t been able to see them, the voices said.
Whatever it was stopped moving when we looked up, Harry replied.
Hermione padded slowly through the woods. She could just see Harry through the brush and his head had just come up. Hermione stopped; her right front paw, not quite touching the ground when she saw him move, frozen in place. Her long powerful body sunk down closer to the ground.
Her senses alive in ways that could not be imagined, she caught his scent blown to her from the wind. Breathing it in deeply she could tell he was tense. Hermione rotated her ears, listening to see if there was something or someone around that might have disturbed him. Harry’s head dropped down again. One paw at a time, slowly, cautiously stalking her prey, she began to creep forward.
It’s moving again. Barely though, the voices said to Harry.
I know. I can’t figure what it is. I think it’s an animal though. Ron and Ginny both felt different than this, Harry replied. He waited another moment or two before lifting his head and turning to look over his shoulder into the woods.
Hermione froze; her eyes narrowed to slits, as their bright shine was all that could give away the camouflage of her dark brown streaked coat. She sniffed in the air again, the sweat smell of his perspiration wafting to her. Her tail twitched slightly behind her.
He knows something is behind him, she thought to herself. Harry turned around to face the lake again. Hermione crouched down lower, her belly scraping the ground; she began to angle off to her left.
Getting closer again, the voices said to him. Harry turned his whole body around so he was facing the woods now, but continued to read his notes.
Hermione stopped again and lay flat on the ground not even her head was raised.
How does he know we’re here? she thought, every nerve in her body tingling in excitement. I have to show this to Ron. I wonder if there is a way Ginny and Harry could transform into lions also. They would be amazed at what this feels like.
We could transfigure them, the voices offered.
Maybe… Hermione replied thoughtfully. She then moved forward another foot.
I’m not sure I like this, the voices said to Harry. He was scanning the edge of the woods now.
I don’t think that’s Hermione….I think were being hunted, they added a second later.
Quiet, we have no hope of getting out of here. We need to find whatever it is, Harry snarled, as he removed his wand from his pocket and set it on the rock next to him.
Hermione had inched forward to within a foot of the edge of the woods. She saw Harry place something on the rock next to him. Breathing in his scent again, she noticed it had changed. Something was different; there was still the sense of caution. He definitely knew something was in the woods near him. She racked her brain trying to remember when she had smelt it before.
Last year in the Ministry, when the Death Eaters surrounded us! the voices screamed at her. She recognized it now. Fear turned to determination. He was preparing to fight.
That was his wand he placed on the ground next to him, Hermione thought to herself.
This may not be such a good idea, Hermione. He could hurt us if we try to pounce on him, the voices said nervously. Hermione didn’t reply.
It has to be there! the voices said in a panic, as Harry stared directly at Hermione. Stun it already!
Quiet! I don’t want to hurt Hermione if she is using the invisibility spell, Harry snapped, but moved his hand over his wand anyways. He could feel the warmth radiating up from it.
Two, can you bring up a shield without me picking up my wand? Harry asked the voice.
I’m trying, move just a little closer to it. Harry moved his hand a fraction of an inch lower, and felt the shield go up around him.
Hermione let out an ear splitting roar while standing up and slowly padding into the open.
“ARRRGGGHHH!” Harry screamed clenching his hand around his wand and jumping to his feet before he recognized it was Hermione padding slowly to him.
“You scared the he…well you scared me have to death!” he yelled at her, as he stuffed his wand back in his pocket. Hermione continued to pad over to him. She brushed up forcefully against his legs purring loudly.
“Don’t try and make up with me,” Harry snapped, stumbling back. Hermione’s purring change to a small growl.
“And don’t threaten me either,” he snapped again, crashing to the ground as she bumped into his legs more forcefully. Hermione flopped down on the ground, her head crashed down on Harry’s chest forcing him on to his back. Harry tried to push her off but she was much too heavy.
“I buy you that beautiful dress, you see fit to punish me for two days for it and now you want to make up?” Harry said angrily. But he was now stroking her back. Hermione began to purr again. She stood up put her front paws on his chest, looked around the area and then down at him. Harry wasn’t sure how he knew, but he answered anyways.
“No, I’m positive there is no one else around,” he told her. “You’re awful heavy you know, I can hardly breathe, Mione.” She had lowered her head to within and inch of his face. Horror spread in his eyes.
“Don’t you dare kiss me like that I don’t care if you are a lion. I’ll tell Ron you tried to slip me the tongue,” he yelped while struggling furiously to get away from her. Hermione transformed before his eyes and kissed his forehead.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you, Harry James Potter,” Hermione squealed before lying down on his chest again.
“You’re welcome, Mione.”
“Harry, have I mentioned lately that I love you?”
“I love you too, Mione.”
“I didn’t know friends like you and Ginny existed in the world, Harry,” Hermione said softly.
“Me either, Mione,” Harry replied. They sat there a while resting together before Harry spoke again.
“Um, Mione this is really nice and all, but someone could see us you know. I can only tell what is going on about forty feet out or so.”
“Let them see. You know I don’t care what people think.”
“Well there is the little matter of your fiancé,” Harry answered.
“Oh, ok,” Hermione replied sitting up. “We need to get to potions anyways. That took a lot longer than I thought it would. Besides after the episode last Friday, I told Ron I was giving you a big thank you for something and he might either see or hear about me giving you a kiss on the cheek or forehead.” Harry watched her closely for a second.
“Is that a fact? He knew you were planning something. Remind me I owe him one then,” Harry said picking up his bag and heading up the path. Hermione hurried to catch up and hooked her arm in his.
“Harry, how did you know I was there?”
“I’ll teach you and Ron later today. When Snape throws us out of class….Make sure you thank Bridgette, Hermione. She helped pay for the dress too. Though I’m not sure she will appreciate you kissing her,” he added giving her an elbow in the side.
His hand on her elbow, Harry marched Hermione up to Ron.
“Here mate, I brought you’re fiancé back,” he said letting her go and continuing to walk past him.
“Erm….Thanks,” Ron replied. He was still having trouble getting over the shock that she had actually said yes. Hearing someone call Hermione his fiancé outloud still surprised him. Harry stopped and turned around. He made sure Ron caught him wink at Hermione and clapped his hand on his shoulder.
“Bit of advice. When you make out, use lip balm, it keeps your lips softer. Girls like that….Oh, and open your mouth just a little wider. She said she likes that.” Hermione’s eyes bugged out of her head. Ron’s mouth flapped in the air. Harry clapped his hand on Ron’s shoulder twice more then turned and walked into the potions dungeon.
“He’s joking right? Tell me he’s joking.” Hermione was still too stunned to say anything.
“Of course I’m kidding you stupid git,” Harry yelled back over his shoulder. “Are you two coming or not?” he asked holding the door for them.
“That was not funny, Harry,” Ron snarled, glaring at him as he got close then burst out laughing. Harry joined him.
“Lip balm, I’ll have to try that,” Ron commented, laughing as he took a seat next to Harry with Hermione huffing in indignation across from them.
“Men,” she grumped quietly.
Harry and Ron managed to wipe the smiles off their faces just as Snape walked in the room. A second later when all three of them looked at each other they lost it again.
“Twenty points from Gryffindor!” Snape screamed at the top of his lungs. “Out, just get out!” He spat at them a second later.
“Well, I think that has to be a new record,” Hermione said lightly, as they trudged up the stairs a minute later.
“So tell me about the spell?” Hermione asked, as she added bubotuber puss to her cauldron. Ron was busy chopping moleskin and Harry was stirring the cauldron once every twenty seconds.
“It’s a proximity detection spell. I guess the best way to describe it is like when you get the feeling someone or something is behind you. You know, when the hair stands up on the back of you neck. The spell just kind of extends the range of your senses,” Harry replied. “I had you, Hermione. The voices wanted me to stun you,” he added. Ron looked up at him.
“You were going to stun her?” he asked incredulously.
“I couldn’t tell what was in the woods, Ron,” Harry said defensively. “She stalked me for almost fifteen minutes. I had tried it on you and Ginny this morning. I couldn’t tell who you were without seeing you. But I also felt a third person sitting on the chair next to you this morning. I figured it was Mione and this didn’t feel like that. I forgot about her animagus….It would have been her own fault you know,” he added quietly.
“Ron, Harry didn’t stun me,” Hermione came to his defense. “He could have. But he warned me a number of times that he knew I was there.”
“It was really kind of disappointing not to be able to leap out at him,” she added a moment later, frustration on her face.
“Yeah, that would have been great, giving me a heart attack. Heck, my heart was pounding so hard you might have anyways,” Harry replied sarcastically.
“I know I did, that was the idea,” Hermione replied. “So what’s going on with you and Bridgette?” she asked, changing the subject. Harry sighed.
“I don’t really know. I haven’t seen her since the dance.”
“Oh….sorry, Harry.”
“It’s ok, Mione. I think something is wrong….Maybe for both of us.”
“Harry, remember what I said the other day?” Ron asked quietly.
“No, Ron, I don’t,” Harry replied, shaking his head a moment later.
“It doesn’t have to be Bridgette, Harry. If it’s not, then at least you have come out of your shell some.” Harry sat for a while, quietly stirring the cauldron.
“That’s just it, Ron. I’m not sure I have. I feel really close to Bridgette. We’ve talked a lot about what our hopes and dreams might be. But I’m stuck in this mess. I don’t know. I think I want to let her in. I don’t know if I can though.”
“Harry…” Hermione started
“Look,” Harry interrupted her, “I don’t know what I would do without you two. I appreciate what you’re both trying to do. Maybe Ron’s right, maybe someone else can get in. But Bridgette and I need to talk about this. Not us three.” Harry looked at his two friends desperately hoping they would let the subject drop.
“Maybe we could talk about you’re wedding plans?” he prodded after a few minutes of silence. “I haven’t even heard about a date yet.” Ron looked at Hermione she shrugged nervously.
“What?” Harry asked.
“We just got permission from Dumbledore, to use the Great Hall, the day after term,” Ron answered. Harry looked shocked. It hadn’t really registered with him that Ron and Hermione were going to be married during their last year of school.
“Erm….are you two going to be living together next year?” he asked a moment later. Ron and Hermione looked very nervous now.
“Dumbledore is going to make arrangements for us to have a small flat somewhere in the castle….He hasn’t told us where yet,” Ron answered again.
“Oh,” Harry said quietly.
“Harry,” Hermione said, reaching for his hand, “you’re welcome to stay anytime.”
“Thanks, Mione,” he mumbled quietly.
“Harry, this is really hard for both of us. I don’t know how to make you understand this. But Hermione and I, well we both don’t feel right if we don’t see you during the day. Hermione isn’t telling you to come see us for you. She is telling you that for us.” Harry looked at what had always been his two best friends. Hermione was crying, Ron’s eyes were shining and he himself was having trouble holding back his own tears. Harry couldn’t help starting to laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Hermione demanded.
“Us. You, me, Ron,” Harry replied. “This is all your guys’ fault that we’re standing here blubbering like idiots.”
“Our fault?” Ron asked in indignation. “Why is it our fault?”
“Because you weren’t happy fighting like an old married couple. No, not you two, you had to go and fall in love with each other, when things were perfectly fine the way they were.”
“Well if you would like, we could add the fighting back into our relationship,” Hermione teased him.
“No, I think I prefer it this way,” Harry replied. They finished up with the potions in silence, and started to pick things up for the day.
“I think I’m going to go look for Bridgette. If you see her please tell her I would like to talk with her.” Harry headed for the door.
“Sure thing, Harry,” Ron replied. Harry turned around.
“Ron, Hermione….”
“Yeah, Harry?” they asked together.
“Make sure Dumbledore gets you a big couch,” Harry replied with a smile.
“Sure, Harry,” Hermione answered. They stood there for a while looking at each other. “You want to say something else, don’t you?” she prodded him.
“Erm….Look please don’t take this the wrong way….I just know that weddings are expensive and neither one of you have jobs….I just want you to know that I’ll pay for anything you want. All you have to do is ask.” Harry quickly walked out of the room before they could say anything else.
It was another three days before Harry found Bridgette. Actually, she found him, because he had given up.
“Harry?” Harry looked up from his book he was back down at the lake again. It was becoming his new favorite place, cast a warming spell and even the cold was held at bay.
“I felt someone coming down the path,” Harry replied without turning around. “I didn’t expect it to be you.”
“You felt me coming?” Harry turned around to look at her.
“Yes, I learned a proximity detection spell. I can’t identify who someone is with it. I can tell you that there is no other person within forty to fifty feet of here. There is a fairly large animal about thirty-five feet away in that direction.” Harry pointed. “Probably one of Hagrid’s threstrals, I saw him moving them into that area the other day. I think there is a chance you were right, when you wondered if Dumbledore was bluffing when he said goodnight to Ron and Hermione after the ball.” Harry smiled at her. Bridgette looked at Harry surprise on her face.
“You’ve been avoiding me, do I kiss that badly?” he asked.
“What? No, it was nice.” Bridgette was flustered by the sudden change of topics. Harry smiled and shook his head.
“I told Ginny the same thing when she asked me if I had kissed you. She told me a girl doesn’t want to hear that kissing her was nice.” Bridgette sat down next to him.
“I guess that leaves us in the same place then, doesn’t it?” she asked. Harry didn’t reply. Bridgette sighed deeply.
“I was trying to figure out what went wrong, Harry. I was sure I wanted a relationship with you. That maybe it could lead to what Ron and Hermione have. I asked you to open up and you did. I thought things were going so well….And then we kissed each other.”
“And you’ve been trying to figure out why you felt nothing,” Harry finished for her.
“Yes,” she answered softly.
“Me too,” Harry replied. “I didn’t expect the earth to move. People are always saying things like that. But I thought there would be something. I don’t know if it’s you, or if I just can’t do what you are asking me too.” They sat quietly for a few minutes.
“So what do we do now?” Harry asked softly.
“I think that maybe we quit trying so hard. And maybe come back to it if we feel something change,” Bridgette replied.
“And if we don’t?”
“We move on, Harry.” They sat facing each other for a while, not looking at each other, just letting the other think.
“Harry, you’ve given me something that almost every girl in this school wants from you. You gave me a chance and I love you for that, because I understand how hard it was for you to even try. I told you I could live with the guilt if something were to happen to you. The fact is that we would still both have to go on. But if you die in this war, part of me will die with you.” Harry smiled at her.
“You’re right, Bridgette, we have no choice but to go on. I’m not good with words like you. My feelings are usually in my actions. I have something I want you to have.” Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a chocolate frog card of Albus Dumbledore. Bridgette took the card from him.
“A chocolate frog card?”
“Other than following you everywhere you go, it is the best protection I can give you. Put it in your pocket and never take it out.”
“Harry, I don’t understand, how can this protect me?”
“I make Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna and Cho carry them everywhere they go too. I carry one also. They think I’m nuts, but they do it to humor me. I haven’t even told them as much as I’ve told you. Just carry the card, Bridgette,” Harry replied smiling at her. Bridgette turned the card over in her hand a number of times.
“Harry, does he?” Bridgette asked her eyes growing wide.
“Just carry the card, Bridgette. And don’t even think about what you were going to ask. Erase it from your mind. Remember, we are at war.” Bridgette tucked the card in the pocket of her robes.
“Thank you, Harry.”
“I’m getting cold. Are you coming in?” Harry asked standing up and offering her his hand. Bridgette let him help her up, and they started up the path.
“Are you coming to the DA meeting tomorrow?”
“Do you still want me there?” Bridgette replied.
“Yes, Bridgette I do.”
“I’ll be there then, Harry.”
Harry and Ron sat staring at Ginny and the book, listening to Hermione’s explanation in disbelief.
“This is what pushed Ginny over the edge last year. She found it. But when she read that you had to share the same blood, it was too much for her to take,” Hermione said quietly. “That’s when she came to me that first night. She told me about this a few days later. Ever since, whenever you two were working on trying to make new spells, we have been looking for a way around it.”
Harry looked at the book he had bought Ginny for being named a Prefect. This was the secret that his mother found. It was an ancient text. Buried in it were clues that she had followed to other books. Hundreds of clues, that sometimes had lead his mother and now Ginny to just one word in the instructions for the potion that his mother had administered to him and drank herself.
Because of her love, it had allowed the life in her death to pass from her body and form a protection around Harry. It was possible that the protection existed to this day. The stronger the love of the person who made the sacrifice the longer the protection would last.
It caused a reflection of the death curse that was supposed to have killed the person who cast the curse at Harry. Unfortunately, the precautions Voldemort had taken against death had saved him. He had been condemned to fourteen years without a body. Harry, obviously, had lived also. The price however, was the connection that now existed between himself and Voldemort.
The book had protections built into it that erased the memory of how to make the potion from the person, or persons who did. It would disappear once the potion was consumed by the maker, lost to the world again until it sensed another looking for it, whose love was strong enough that the spell could work. The last protection it had was that even though Ginny had found it once, she would never find it again. Harry snapped out of his thoughts. Hermione was talking again.
“I think this other spell, this Blood Oath, may allow the potion to work for Ginny. Either way, it can’t hurt to try. We have the potion brewed in the bathroom already. It was unbelievably complicated. But we did it, and I’m sure it is right.”
“So you think that if we take this Blood Oath we can all take this potion and give each other the same protection that Harry’s mum gave him?” Ron asked in a bewildered voice.
“Not quiet, Ronald, it will only work for Ginny. She found the book; only she can give the protection to others. We cannot give it to her. She can give the potion to a maximum of three people.” Harry looked at Ron and Hermione and then turned to Ginny. She had not said a word yet.
“There are two requirements to who I share the potion with; one is shared blood, the other is they have to be the people I love the most. I can give the potion to you, Ron, and it will work. But I can’t give it to any of the other people in our family who I share blood with. I have to give it to Harry and Hermione, even if it is a waste,” she said quietly, avoiding his eyes. Ron reached across the table and put his hand on Ginny’s.
“I would have to make the same choice, Gin,” he told her firmly. Ginny smiled weakly at him.
“Thanks, Ron.”
“Ginny, why did you do this?” Harry asked.
“Well, the book found me, as much as I found it. But once I had it, and knew what it was, it was like I was driven to figure it out. I did it hoping I could help everyone I care about. This book is a blessing and a curse. Help people, but only three. And then only if you love them the most and share the same blood as they do.
“That must be why my mum didn’t share it with my father,” Harry remarked quietly.
“We don’t know that for sure. Though you are probably right,” Hermione replied. “Harry, from what I know of your parents’ murder, and what Ginny did to herself to figure this out. I would bet that your mother had just finished brewing the potion when Voldemort showed up. She had known for a year that Voldemort was after you. And if she didn’t have the voices like us, then it would have taken her two to three times as long to decipher this. I don’t think she had time to look for a way around it. Even if she did, she and your father were only concerned with you at that point. I think your father probably went to fight Voldemort so your mother had enough time to give you the potion and drink it herself.” Harry contemplated this for a long time before he said anything.
“I see a problem that I’m not sure there is a way around,” he said quietly, his eyes boring in on Ginny. “If we allow you to do this, I see you being reckless, needlessly sacrificing yourself so the protection is in place for us three. I’m not sure I can do that.”
“I told you, Ginny,” Hermione said quietly. Harry watched Ron considering this new thought carefully. He could almost see him decide there was no way on earth he could be forced to drink that potion. Ginny had obviously given it a great deal of thought too.
“There is nothing I can do to convince you, that that is not a possibility. I have the opportunity to give this to you if you want it. If you don’t, then because I have already brewed the potion, it is too late for me to hold onto the book and see if my feelings change enabling me to give the potion to someone else.
“If the potion is not consumed by midnight, the book along with mine and Hermione’s knowledge of how to brew the potion will be gone. If you refuse to drink the potion, you will forfeit your right to find the book in the future also. You don’t have to feel bad if you don’t want to take it. I would not accept it from any of you for the same reason. I’m sorry to possibly take away your chance to share this with someone. I wanted the book gone. This is the only way to banish it.” Ginny cast her eyes to the floor again.
“Harry, you will not damage the protection your mother gave you when she administered the potion to you as a baby if you refuse to drink it now,” Hermione added. “I have already decided I will not drink the potion. Regardless, I think I would like to perform the Blood Oath. It is supposed to weaken the effects of dark magic because of the love shared by the people who take the oath. The stronger your love for the person you take the oath with, the more protection it is supposed to give.”
“How come everyone doesn’t perform the oath?” Harry asked.
“Well, it is supposed to be nearly unbearable to perform. Also the scar from a successful bond can tingle slightly from time to time for the rest of your life. It is not supposed to be painful, just serve as a reminder so to speak. Last, if when you perform the oath the magic senses weakness in your pledge, the cut can take a long time to heal. Some sorcerers have had to take blood replenishing potions for years because of a failed bond.” Hermione replied. Ron looked at Harry and shrugged.
“I don’t think that should be a problem,” he said.
Harry and Ron grasped their hands tightly together with a six-inch knife blade held between them. They both wrapped their other hand around the handle of the knife.
“Ready?” Ron asked, looking in Harry’s eyes. Harry nodded his head. They pulled the blade together from between their hands. Both their eyes grew wide as the cut was made and the blood began to flow. They dropped the knife to the floor and began to speak together.
With my blood accept brotherhood
I pledge my life to defend yours
I have no right to demand the same of you
This is my gift for you to accept
Harry felt a hot burning sensation begin in his hand it traveled up his arm and spread through his body. He and Ron both clenched their hands involuntarily tighter together. They were driven to their knees gasping in agony before the pain faded slightly from their bodies and focused its intensity on their joined hands. It felt as if their hands had been shut in a blast furnace, finally it began to fade entirely.
Harry let go of Ron’s hand and looked at his palm. There was a long thin white scar where the cut had been made. It continued to tingle slightly as his body relaxed now that it had been released from the magic of the Blood Oath.
“I can see why not many people do this,” Harry said quietly. Ron nodded his head in agreement. Harry then turned to watch as Hermione and Ginny repeated the same process, inserting the word sisterhood for brotherhood into the incantation.
An hour later Harry looked at the three scars on his palm. Each scar continued to tingle slightly. They had each repeated the blood oath three times that night. Even Ron and Ginny, who were already blood relatives, decided to perform the oath together because it would strengthen each other’s defensive abilities. Harry wrapped his arm around Ginny as they sat on the floor watching the book and potion. And then, both the book and potion were gone.
“Thank you for offering that to us, Ginny,” Hermione said softly.
“Do you regret not drinking it?” Ginny asked.
“No,” Ron, Hermione and Harry replied together. None of them said anything for quite some time.
“Harry?” Ginny asked.
“Yeah, Gin.”
“Does this mean you’re going to buy me a different present for making Prefect?” Harry started laughing at her.
“Anything you want, as long as it’s not another book, Gin.”
Author's note:
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I have seen one other story with a blood bonding like this, and the author was berated for it, because of things like aids and hepititis. Please understand I do not condone or encourage something like this blood bonding for anyone.
That said, with the importance of blood in the world JKR has created, the concept that something like this would not exist, and be used by wizards and witches, in my mind is just silly. Remember, before you lamblast me that this is a world of fantasy and people need to use their heads when translating these ideas to the real world.