Letters and Memories

A/N: Hey you guys, here's one more chapter for your entertainment.
Ps: It was brought to my attention that i use 'in relative silence'
a lot, all i can say is that I'm sorry but i like silence, it's
quit peaceful.


No Hard Feelings


After Ron returned from the owlery, they went down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

“You know, I knew the Great Hall was huge, but it looks to be five times bigger without the house tables,” said Ron looking around as if it was his first time in there. Since there was practically no one in school, the four house tables were gone, all there was in the middle of the room was a dinning table that would sit about twelve adults.

“You’re right mate, not even for the holidays does the Hall look so empty,” said Harry also looking amused.

“Well, it’s summer. Besides it’s only us and some of the teachers,” said Hermione.

“Come lets eat,” said Ginny. At the table Professor McGonagall, Madam Hooch and Madam Pomfrey were already eating their breakfast.

“Morning Professors,” said Hermione. They nodded in acknowledgment.

“Professor McGonagall we were wondering if we could speak to you after breakfast?” asked Harry.

“Yes, my office. But not right after breakfast for I have a floo conference with Alastor Moody, I’ll send Dobby to fetch you once I’m done,” she answered curtly.

“Thank you Professor, we’ll be out on the grounds,” said Hermione.

“I’m sure Dobby will know where to find you, and please don’t wonder off grounds,” she looked very worried about something.

They ate their breakfast in relative silence, except for the ‘pass me this’ and ‘thank you’. Once they were done Ginny was the first on her feet, the others followed promptly. Once outside Ginny was also the first to voice her concern.

“Did you guys notice it too, or was it just my imagination?” asked Ginny.

“Ginny you can be so vague sometimes,” said Ron.

“I mean, did you guys notice that Professor McGonagall looked very worried about something?”

“I noticed it Gin, I can’t really think what about though,” answered Hermione.

“I for one could never tell any expression besides anger and bitterness on her face, even the very few times I saw her smile it still looked like she had eaten some very nasty flavored bearty-bott-beans,” said Ron.

“Let’s go see Hagrid while we wait for Dobby,” suggested Hermione, ignoring Ron’s comment. It was kind of true but she wasn’t about to hand it him.

“Sounds good to me. I think I owe him an apology,” added Harry.

They went down to Hagrid’s cabin but he wasn’t there, neither was Fang so they just assumed that he had gone into the Forbidden Forest, on their way back to the castle they met Dobby.

“Ohh Harry Potter sir, I is so happy to see you, sir, and all of Harry Potter’s friends too, ohh Dobby knew sirs and misses was in the castle but Dobby did not want to interrupt important business,” Dobby squeaked and jumped around.

“It’s good to see you, too, Dobby, is Professor McGonagall ready to see us?”

“Yes, you see, the Headmistress sent Dobby to come fetch you, so follow Dobby please, Harry Potter, sir, and Harry Potter’s friends, too,” Dobby beamed. And follow they did. Once in the Headmistress’ office.

“So what was it that you wanted?” she asked them curtly.

“We were wondering if maybe, you could helps us?” asked Ginny.

“Help you with what miss Weasley?”

“With the memories,” answered Ginny.

“Okay, how can I help?”

“We don’t really understand how those memories are supposed to help us fight against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named,” said Ron.

“Yeah, honestly Professor, I think they were a waste of time,” said Harry.

“Well, I don’t think they were all a waste of time,” said Ginny.

“How so miss Weasley?”

“Well, we found out that Malfoy and Snape aren’t really enemies. And we also found out, vaguely of course, about the Seven Strong.” Answered Ginny.

“And we now know that when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named gave Malfoy the task of killing Professor Dumbledore, he didn’t really expect Malfoy to succeed,” Ron added.

“And we also found out about Malfoy’s prophecy,” Harry finished.

“You seem to have gotten the message well, what makes you think that you need my help?” said Professor McGonagall looking at her students with a glint of pride in her eyes.

“I don’t know Professor but something isn’t right. In the memory that me and Ron shared, there was this part of it that we couldn’t see a thing, it all went smoky-

“As if someone had tempered with it,” said Harry interrupting Hermione mid-sentence.

“What do you mean Mr. Potter?” asked McGonagall.

“When Professor Dumbledore was showing me some memories, there was one that was like Hermione just described, and Professor Dumbledore told me that it had been tempered with,”

“But that makes no sense Harry, why would Professor Dumbledore leave us memories that were tempered with?” asked Ron.

“Because there’s something in there that he doesn’t want us to know,” said Hermione, Professor McGonagall could see that she was putting two and two together and fast.

“That makes even less sense, if there was something in there that he didn’t want us to know than why leave the memory for us to see,” said Ron looking really confused this time.

“All I can tell you now, is that the memories were left for a reason, I don’t know that much about them, for I did not see them. I know Professor Snape and Draco Malfoy are innocent and that they are hiding somewhere I don’t know,” she said simply.

“But Professor, why not just pass along the information? Why leave us these memories?” asked Harry.

“Because Mr. Potter if I had told you two days ago that Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy were cleared of all charges would you have believed me?” she asked Harry but looked at them all for an answer.

“No, we probably would have thought you were under the imperious curse,” answered Ginny for them all.

“But Professor, if they were cleared of all charges, why are they still hiding?” asked Hermione.

“Because they are clear with the Ministry but He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is still after young Malfoy. That’s what I know, now if the three of you will excuse me I’d like to have a word with miss Granger,” she said dismissing them. “Oh and Alastor Moody will be escorting you back to Grimmauld Place, he’ll be here soon, I’ll send him to Gryffindor tower once he arrives.”

“Thank you Professor, but why Grimmauld Place and not the Burrow?” asked Ginny.

“Your Mother thinks it’s best, and with Harry’s consent she plans on staying there until this whole mess is done with,” answered Professor McGonagall.

“Of course they have my consent,” piped Harry.

“That much we figured, but go on I need to speak with miss Granger,” and so they left.

“What was it that you needed Professor?” asked Hermione a bit alarmed by being requested to remain behind.

“By the look on your face earlier I assume that you somewhat know what was said once the memory became unclear,”

“I thought I did but I can’t be right,”

“In six years of having you as a student, I dare say that you were never wrong,”

“Thank you Professor, but the answer to your questions in class I could find them in books, but this is another story. I thought that once the Headmaster found out about Voldemort’s plan that he came up with one of his own, but I don’t believe the plan he came up with ended with him dead.”

“I think you are right, I must ask you not to discuss your findings with anyone as of yet.”

“But why not?”

“Because like you said it’s a thought, and I think that the less people knows about it as off yet the better.”

“Professor what aren’t you telling me?”

“Nothing miss Granger," she hated having to lie to her number one student, but she didn't have a choice, 'it's for the best' she told herself.

“Fine, if you don’t want to tell me then don’t. but don’t ask me to keep a secret from my friends,”

“We all have secrets miss Granger,”

“Yes I know Professor, but if I’m right, he can be of great help to us,”

“That is not my choice to make, but I must ask you not to tell anyone of your findings as of yet,”

“If that’s how you want it Professor, then I shall keep it. But if the time comes when I think it’s time to tell, I’ll do so.”

“Thank you, you may go.”

Hermione left to go find her friends in the Gryffindor tower, but as she thought, they weren’t in the Gryffindor tower, they were waiting for her just around the corner.

“So what did she want Hermione?” asked Ginny.

“Oh she just wanted to feel me in on some Head Girl duties,” and as she had hoped, they fell for it.

“But isn’t she supposed to do that on your first day back?” asked Ron as clueless as always.

“Yeah, but she has a lot on her mind, so maybe she wanted to get a head start,” but this answer did not come from Hermione it came instead from Ginny. ‘Great’ Hermione thought ‘she knows I’m fibbing’

“Come on, Moody will be here soon,” said Hermione hoping to drop the subject. They went back to Gryffindor tower, got their stuff ready for when Moody arrived all they had to do was leave. When Moody and Professor McGonagall came in through the portrait hole, they got ready to leave, they used the fire place to floo to Grimmauld Place.

Once they arrived at Grimmauld Place Mrs. Weasley came to meet them.

“Oh Harry dear, I’m sorry for invading your home like this, but our home is no longer safe. I meant to ask you first but then there was a Dark Mark not too far away from us so this was the only place I could think off,” she said it all in just about on breath.

“It’s okay Mrs. Weasley, you can stay as long as you want,” smiled Harry.

“Mrs. Weasley did you just say that there was a Dark Mark,” said Hermione.

“Yes dear,”

“But mum, we don’t have any neighbors,” stated Ginny.

“That’s why your father and I decided to come here, we think that the Death Eaters were going to attack the Burrow but got lost on their first attempt, you know because of the ‘confundus ward’ your father placed around the grounds,” she said looking distraught. "And we thought they might try again, so thank you dear for letting us stay, dinner will be out soon. Why don’t you guys go get cleaned up for dinner,” she said ushering them upstairs.

“So Harry, what did you tell Malfoy?” asked Ron.

“I told him to come tomorrow early in the morning, sometime around four,” answered Harry.

“Why so early Mate?”

“Because I have to meet him outside and it wouldn’t do to go out in the middle of the day, you know with all the neighbors and all,” answered Harry.

“It’s going to be a bit crowded in here,” said Ginny.

“Yeah you could say that, good thing there’s enough rooms,” said Harry.

“Where’s Malfoy going to sleep?” asked Ron.

“With us,” Harry laughed.

“WHAT?” yelled Ron.

“Oh shush Ron, unless you want him to sleep with us,” said Ginny batting her eyelashes. Hermione and Harry laughed.

“Not funny,” pouted Ron.

“So I take it you’re okay with him sharing the room with us?” laughed Harry.

“Of course. I get the bed by the door,” said Ron.

“I don’t know Ronnie perhaps you want to sleep by our door,” said Ginny.

“I think that maybe I should,” piped Ron.

“Ron, you’ve got post, and the owl won’t let me take it” called Mrs. Weasley from the bottom of the stairs.

“Coming Mum” and he left to get his mail.

“A galleon says it’s from Luna,” Ginny said.

“Who else?” giggled Hermione.

“You girls are evil,” said Harry.

“So who’s it from Ron?” asked Hermione.

“Luna,” said Ron blushing.

“Ask her to come over,” said Harry.

“You sure, mate,” said Ron.

“Yeah I’m sure, Merlin knows when we’ll have to face Voldemort in battle, so we might as well enjoy,” shrugged Harry.

“Great and I get to play fifth wheel,” said Hermione throwing her hand in the air.

“Is that a game?” asked Ginny.

“No it’s a muggle thing,” said Harry.

“Oh,” said Ginny curtly.

“It means to be an extra, I have you and Ron will have Luna, so she thinks she’ll be left
out,” explained Harry.

“You could always go to sleep Herms,” winked Ginny.

“That’s not nice Gin,” said Harry, clueless of what the wink meant.

Harry was anxious; dinner went by like a blur. Everyone went to bed, but Harry couldn’t sleep, he was just about to invite Malfoy into his house. So sleep was scarce. He heard the clock strike four in the morning, and he made his way to the front door. He opened the door and stepped outside into the front yard.

“Potter,”

“Malfoy, I see you have an invisibility cloak as well,” answered Harry.

“You didn’t expect me to hang around here, for anyone to see,” said Draco.

“Point, now come in before the neighbors notice a house that was never here before,” said Harry opening the door and stepping side ways to give Draco room to enter. Once Harry felt a breeze that meant someone had walked by him, he went in and locked the door.

“I haven’t slept yet, so I’m going to do that now, you coming?” asked Harry.

“To sleep with you Potter, no I think I’ll pass,” smirked Draco.

“Fine, suit yourself. Kitchen’s that way if you get hungry,” said Harry pointing to a door to his left. “Do not make any noise or you’ll wake up the portraits, everyone else should be up soon. Which means that Mrs. Weasley will be making us breakfast,” said Harry making his way towards the stairs.

“Everyone else?” asked Draco sounding surprised.

“Yes Malfoy, everyone else. The Weasleys, Lupin, Tonks, Hermione and Luna Lovegood will be coming to stay with us too. So if you want to stay here you best be on your best behavior. And in my house we do not call each other bad names, Merlin knows we get enough of that from the portraits, am I clear?” said Harry a bit irritated.

“Crystal, night Potter,”

“Night Malfoy,” and Harry left for bed. Later on that morning when Mrs. Weasley was on her way down to make breakfast she found the most peculiar thing, from the top of the stair she could see Mrs. Black’s portrait with its curtain pulled open, that wasn’t what caught Mrs. Weasley’s attention. What caught her attention was the fact that the portrait was not shrieking, like it normally does, but it was having a conversation. She walked further down to find Draco Malfoy, ‘that would explain why it isn’t shrieking’ thought Mrs. Weasley.

“Good morning dear,” she said to Draco.

“Blood traitor,” shrieked the portrait loudly.

“Now, Mrs. Black there’s no need for foul names,” said Draco in a silky voice, and as if the portrait had gone under a spell, it quieted.

“Good Morning Mrs. Weasley,” said Draco giving her a curt bow.

“I’m going to make breakfast, would you like some now or will you wait for the others?” she asked sweetly.

“I think I’ll wait for everybody else,” he said.

She descended the rest of the stairs and was just about to enter the kitchen when he spoke again.

“Uhm…”

“Yes Dear?” she called from the doorway.

“Where could I have a shower,” he asked a bit shyly.

From what she knew of the Malfoy family, this was very out of character. “Up the stairs, three doors to your left, hurry there’ll be a line soon.”

“Thank you,” he said going half way up the stairs, before coming back down and closing the drapes over the portrait. He took a quick shower, his hair was wet and he had run out of hair potions, so he just towel dried it and stepped out of the bathroom. Hermione was standing right out the door waiting to go in.

“Good morning Hermione,” he said.

She was speechless, maybe because he had used her name or maybe, it was because he was standing there with black slacks and a white t-shirt looking perfectly ‘eatable’, to Hermione there was no other way to describe him. Well, either or she was awestruck.

“Hermione go put some clothes on,” Ron’s sneer brought her out of dream land. She was wearing the same set of pajamas she had been wearing back at Hogwarts. She looked at Ron and was about to protest, but she looked down at herself and for some reason she felt underdressed, like she was only in her underwear. She turned without a word and darted back to her room.

“What did you do Ferret?” said Ron.

“Good morning to you too, Weasley,” grinned Draco looking past Ron at Harry whom was watching the scene.

“Watch your back Ferret, accidents happen,” threatened Ron.

“Oh do they, I didn’t know. Good Morning Potter, I was just about to remind Weasley here of your little house rule, but perhaps you like to do that yourself,” smiled Draco innocently.

“Ron cut it out, let’s keep it civil now shall we?” said Harry yawning.

“He started it,” whined Ron.

“Yes, don’t I always,” said Draco walking away.

“Ohh, I’d love to do some damage to that zombie pale face of his,” said Ron clenching his fists.

“Yeah, me too mate, but if we are right we’ll need him against Voldemort.”

“Fine, what about after,” said Ron grinning.

“Now that’s another story,” said Harry tapping his friend in the back.

They all sat around the dinning table and Mrs. Weasley served breakfast. Everyone had something to talk about to one person or the other; Harry and Lupin were engaged in a deep conversation, while Tonks and Ginny giggled at Hermione, which for some reason could not carry on a conversation without blushing and choking.

“Dear this came for you while you were in the shower,” said Mrs. Weasley handing Draco his Hogwarts letter.

“Thank you,” he answered simply.

“I see they’re letting the Ferret back in school, if it was up to me I’d give him to the ” said Ron irritated.

“Ronald Weasley,” said Mrs. Weasley warningly. “Girls, Tonks offered to escort you to Hogsmead to get your dress robes for the wedding,” she said to Hermione and Ginny.

“Really, when can we go?” Ginny beamed.

“Sometime this week,” answered Tonks.

“I’m going home,” said Hermione suddenly. In an instant the chatter died away, you could hear the crickets in the background.

“Why?” asked Harry.

“Because I have parents,” she said simply. Harry’s face fell, “Ohh I’m sorry Harry, I didn’t mean to. I just meant to say that my parents are worried about me, and I miss them. If something happens to them and I’m not there, I’ll never forgive myself.”

“Hermione perhaps your parents should go into hiding,” suggested Lupin.

“And live confined inside a house, thank you professor but they’ll never agree,”

“At least they’ll live,” said Tonks looking crestfallen, a look that, to Draco, did not fit her very well.

“If that’s what you want, than that’s what you’ll do. When do you want to leave?” asked Lupin.

“I’ll owl them later on today to find out,” she than turned to Mrs. Weasley, “May I be excused?”

“Of course Dear,” said Mrs. Weasley.

Hermione left the kitchen with Ginny on her heals. Once she knew they were out of earshot, Ginny stepped in front of Hermione.

“Okay, what’s going on?”

“Nothing, I just want to go see my parents,” she said avoiding Ginny’s gaze.

“Than look at me when you say that,”

“Not here,” she took Ginny by the arm and they went to their bedroom. Once inside Hermione cast a silencing spell and a locking charm.

“Fine, no one can hear us so spill,” said Ginny.

“I can’t stay here Gin,”

“And why not?”

“Malfoy,”

“I don’t think he bites Hermione,”

“I know that. How am I supposed to face him?”

“Standing in front of him,” smiled Ginny.

“I can’t, didn’t you see me at breakfast. I can’t even speak around him,”

“That is perfectly normal, I used to be like that around Harry, remember?”

“Yeah but you had a crush on him,”

“And Malfoy loves you,”

“But I don’t love him back, hell I don’t even like him. I think he’s hot, but I don’t like him.”

“Well that’s a start,”

“Oh shut up, that is not a start.”

“Fine, go home a sulk.”

“You don’t have to be so harsh.”

“I’m not, I’m just trying to get through your thick skull. You’re smart, if you don’t like him then tell him so. I’m sure he doesn’t expect anything from you anyway,” she paused for effect, “but I think you would make such a cute couple,’ she finished batting her eyelashes.

“You think?” she asked blushing.

“Yes I do. I also think that you two should talk,”

“NO, I wouldn’t know what to say.”

“Oh by Merlin’s toe nails, do I have to tell you everything,” she mock sighed, than laughed. “How about you say ‘HI’.”

“Yeah but you know Harry and Ron would never allow us to talk,”

“Hermione they’re your friends, not your brothers. Leave them to me,” she grinned evilly.

“Now let’s go downstairs and see if Tonks is still there,”

“Why?”

“Because shopping is the best therapy for witches in doubt,”

“Ginny I think that’s universal,”

They went downstairs hand in hand, everyone was still around the breakfast table, except Mr. Weasley.

“Tonks is it okay if we go shopping today?” asked Ginny.

“That would be great,” she said getting to her feet.

“Can we come too?” asked Ron.

“No, it’s a girl’s day out,” said Tonks.

“Have the girls back before nightfall please,” said Mrs. Weasley.

“Of course Molly,” beamed Tonks.

“I think I’ll accompany you ladies, if that’s okay with you of course,” said Lupin.

“Of course,” blushed Tonks.

“Hey I thought it was a girl’s day out,” whined Ron.

“We could use some bag holders, interested Ronniekins?” said Ginny smiling.

“Eat bugger,” he sneered at her.

“Eat slugs, oh wait a minute, you already have,” she said and ran out the room with Ron right behind her.

They all went after Ginny and Ron, leaving Hermione and Draco behind.

“Congratulations,” he said turning to look at her.

“What for?” sounding crueler than she meant to.

“For making Head Girl,” he shrugged.

“How did you know?”

He stepped closer to her and opened his hand, reveling a shinny silver badge with the initials ‘HB’ imprinted with green sapphire.

“Congratulations,” she said simply.

“I think they are waiting for you,” he said holding the door open for her.

“Did we just have a conversation?” she asked looking him in the eye.

“I guess we did,” he whispered. “By the way, I liked your choice of sleepwear, looks good on you.”

“Come on Herms, we are using the floo network,” Ginny beamed at her.

“Later Malfoy,”

“I’ll be here Granger,”

And she left with her friend.

“So, what did he whisper to you?” said Ginny.

“Nothing,” said Hermione looking anywhere but Ginny’s face.

“Oh really, than you might want to tell me why was it that you blushed like little girl.”

“Oh you need to stop telling me how I blush,” said Hermione trying to change the subject.

“I’ll stop talking about it when you stop doing it.”

“It’s not like I do it on purpose.”

‘Caught’ thought Ginny. “So why did you blush this time?”

“Oh fine, he said he liked my choice of sleepwear, happy now?”

“Yes, quite.”

“Nosy.”

“It’s how I’ve survived growing up in the Weasley house.”

Ginny and Hermione was so caught up in their conversation that they didn’t even notice Lupin leaving them, or Tonks joining them for that matter.

“So who likes your sleepwear?” asked Tonks grinning at Hermione.

“Malfoy,” smiled Ginny.

“I thought so,” said Tonks.

“What do you mean? How would you know?”

“Well you see, during breakfast I was going to offer him my napkin. But I figured that watching him drool over you was funnier,” giggled Tonks.

“Maybe we should buy him a bib,” suggested Ginny.

“No we shouldn’t, but what we should do is change the subject,” said Hermione.

“I think you guys would make a cut couple, and I also think that you would be good for him,” said Tonks.

“And you’ll be the first muggle born to ever date a Malfoy,” added Ginny.

“She’s right you know. There’s never been a muggle born or even a half-blood to ever date a Malfoy,” finished Tonks.

“Are you quite through?” asked Hermione looking livid.

“For now,” winked Ginny.

“You never going to let this down, are you?”

“No, now come on, let’s get you a dress,” said Ginny.

“Even though you don’t want to, I think that you should get to know him better. From what I’ve heard he’s not like his father,” shrugged Tonks.

“Than you heard wrong. Because all I’ve heard come out of his mouth was some very foul words,” said Hermione.

“He said he liked you pajamas, that wasn’t foul,”

“Whatever, can we go buy my dress before I turn 80?”

After getting their robes, they stopped for some ice-cream. All in all they had a great time together.



~*~ Hope you liked it.
Luv Nina ;0)