“Harry,” Hermione said hushed, waking him up.
“Wha-“said Harry, blindly looking around.
“Sorry I thought you were awake,” she whispered. “Meet me outside in the hallway,”
“Okay,” said Harry wondering why she whispered than he looked over to Ron who slept peacefully. A year ago she would have loved the opportunity to wake him up but now so much had changed.
Harry got up and met her; they sat together on the floor in the hallway outside their rooms.
“Are you going on the holiday?” she said looking around her.
“Um” said Harry so slowly that Hermione let out a restrained chuckle.
“What about you?” said Harry who was still smiling.
“I don’t want to” she said, serious now. “I feel like I’m intruding on their family time.”
“Yeah that’s part of the reason I don’t want to go” said Harry.
“Part of the reason?”
Harry cursed Hermione’s knack of never missing anything he said.
She probed him and he knew no way out.
“I just feel a bit guilty sometimes,” he said waiting for her response.
“I nearly just slapped you right then” she said. “What does it take for you to be happy?!”
“I don’t know Hermione but I’m not happy when I look at them and what could have been prevented.”
“What could have been prevented? Nothing. Your being stupid and you know it” she said getting up.
‘No wait.” He said and she slid back down the wall to sit beside him again.
“We could both go for a little bit, I mean we don’t have to stay the whole time.”
“Or we could go later” Hermione suggested. “I want to see my family” she said. “That’ll be my excuse.
“Oh so you don’t actually want to see your-“
“That’s not what I meant”
“Well I’ll say that I want to find the Dursley’s and tell them its safe to go back to their home, Is that believable at all?” asked Harry.
“Hmm, why don’t you say your going to visit your real family,” she said.
Harry felt his face go red, how had she known that’s exactly what he wanted to do? He avoided her gaze.
“C’mon Harry the last time wasn’t exactly as pleasant as it should have been.”
“I know, I just.”
“I’ll come with you again, like last time,”
“No, it’s not that, its just I don’t want to tell them that. I don’t want Mrs Weasley to worry and-“
“You just don’t like talking about it do you?” she said. “I don’t know what you’re afraid of.”
“But that’s alright” she added. “You can tell them your going to the Dursley’s and go to Godric’s Hollow instead. And I want to come with you.”
“What about seeing your family,” Asked Harry.
“I can put it off,” she offered.
“No. How about I go to the Dursley’s while you go to your families then we go together if you insist on coming,” said Harry.
“As if you want to go to the Dursley’s.”
“Can’t be too bad,” said Harry indifferently.
“Okay, so then after all of that we’ll join the Weasley’s.”
She surprised him by giving him a hug.
“Please don’t feel bad Harry. Please don’t feel guilty.” She whispered before getting up to greet Ron who had just got up from bed.
“What was with that,” he asked Hermione.
“Oh nothing, we were just discussing that holiday,” she said and continued to describe their plan to him.
“Hi Mrs Weasley,” said Hermione awkwardly.
“Yes dear,” said Mrs Weasley, bustling around the kitchen.
“Um, Harry and I are just letting you know that we’re not going to come on your holiday, well not for the first part anyway.”
“Ok,” she replied.
“Um, I want to go see my family and Harry thinks it best if he goes and tells the Durley’s that it’s safe for them now.”
“Ok,” Mrs Weasley replied.
“But we want to come after that. Would it be alright if we came halfway through?” added Harry.
“That would be lovely,” she said, less disappointed now.
Harry had time to think as he packed. He thought of all the things that had happened recently and although the thoughts felt unpleasant Harry felt it relieving to think about them.
Hermione and the Weasley’s, except Ron who intended on doing last minute packing, had gone to Diagon Alley for everything they needed for the holiday. Harry stayed behind, not wishing to be seen by the wizarding public.
They walked in looking flustered. It felt weird to Harry to not see them carrying a pile of school books.
Hermione came in last carrying something big under a blanket. Harry went to help her with it but let Ron do it as he came up from behind. As they walked up the stairs Hermione told them of her adventures.
“I am never going back there again,” she said angrily.
“You’d think they’d leave us alone, asking questions all the time about Harry and even me and you Ron.”
Hermione’s package hooted.
“You got yourself an owl?” asked Harry, suddenly reminded of Hedwig.
“Yes,” said Hermione and they followed her into her and Ginny’s room see the bird.
“And I got you one,” she added.
“Wha-“ said Harry, surprised.
When she lifted the blanket there were two owls sitting on one pech, glaring at each other. One had brown feathers while the other appeared smaller and snow-white.
“Thank you,” said Harry, smiling.
“Ginny picked him out,” said Hermione.
Ginny stood watching them all, Harry walked over to her.
“Thank you,” he breathed and then started kissing her. By the time they had stopped the other’s had left, probably from Ron’s disgusted-ness.
“How much was he?” asked Harry.
“She, and your not supposed to tell people how much their gift costs.”
“C’mon I’ll pay Hermione back.”
“Hermione didn’t pay, it was her idea though.”
“You? So why do I need a gift.”
“You’ve done enough to deserve a thousand gifts,” she said.
Harry sighed knowing he wouldn’t e able to win this argument.
“So what are you going to call her?” asked Ginny.
“I dunno, what do you think?”
“Hermione’s called her’s Pidgeon.”
Harry laughed.
“As in pigwidgeon without some of the middle letters, she explained.
“What about Hedwina?” asked Ginny. “Your right it sounds stupid,” she said after he laughed again.
Ginny stared into his eyes.
“Emerald” she said. “Or Emmy.”
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