Hp: Hermione and Darkness

The Advance Guard, made up of Professor Moody, Professor Lupin, Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Emmeline Vance, Elphias Doge, Dedalus Diggle, Hestia Jones, and Sturgis Podmore, departed Twelve Grimmauld Place on brooms headed for Four Privet Drive. The wait was excruciating. Hermione and Ginny tried to play a game of Exploding Snap to keep their minds off what might be happening, but neither was paying much attention. Hermione knew Ginny still cared deeply for Harry but, like she was doing with Ron, tried to keep it as platonic as she could muster. Still, the worry was evident on her face.

After an hour or so, other Order of the Phoenix members started to arrive, including Bill Weasley. Mrs Weasley welcomed him warmly and ushered him into the drawing room. On the other hand, Mundungus Fletcher, a petty thief and all-around lowlife, arrived reeking of Firewhisky and did not get a warm welcome in the least. He had been there a few times before, and Hermione did her best to ignore him. She had no idea why he would be included in the Order. She suspected Mrs Weasley felt the same way, especially since it was Mundungus who had skipped out on Harry's guard duty when the Dementors attacked.

Fred and George disappeared to their room, probably to work on their Extendable Ears some more. Ginny looked to be a nervous wreck and decided to go up to their room to take a nap. Hermione was much too on edge to sleep or be quiet, so she accepted Ron's invitation to come to his room. It would be their first time alone since the night of the almost kiss.

"You think he's gonna be okay?" Ron asked, his voice heavy with concern.

"Honestly?" Hermione replied, meeting his worried gaze. Ron nodded. "I think he will make it here safely... I just don't know what kind of mental state he will be in."

"Yeah, I've been worried about that too," Ron admitted. "He's gonna be right pissed at us."

"Probably, yeah," Hermione said with a sigh. "We're just going to have to make sure he understands—"

The sound of the serpent doorknob creaking open interrupted them. They both turned towards the door as it opened, revealing their raven-haired best friend taking a tentative step inside the room. Hermione couldn't contain herself and shrieked, throwing herself at him.

"HARRY! Ron, he's here, Harry's here! We didn't hear you arrive! Oh, how are you? Are you all right? Have you been furious with us? I bet you have; I know our letters were useless – but we couldn't tell you anything; Dumbledore made us swear we wouldn't; oh, we've got so much to tell you, and you've got things to tell us – the Dementors! When we heard – and that Ministry hearing – it's just outrageous; I've looked it all up; they can't expel you; they just can't; there's a provision in the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery for the use of magic in life-threatening situations—"

"Let him breathe, Hermione," Ron said, grinning as he closed the door behind Harry.

Hermione released Harry and took a good look at him. He looked absolutely horrible. His skin was pale and gaunt, with deep circles under his eyes magnified by his round glasses. His shoulders were tense, and he seemed to be on constant guard. Hedwig flew down from the rafters of Ron's room and landed on Harry's shoulder, and Hermione watched him relax slightly.

"Hedwig!" Harry exclaimed, stroking her feathers. The owl seemed to give him an affectionate little nibble.

"She's been in a right state," said Ron. "Pecked us half to death when she brought your last letters. Look at this—" He showed Harry the cut on his hand from Hedwig.

"Oh, yeah," Harry said. "Sorry about that, but I wanted answers, you know—"

"We wanted to give them to you, mate," said Ron. "Hermione was going spare; she kept saying you'd do something stupid if you were stuck all on your own without news, but Dumbledore made us—"

"—swear not to tell me," said Harry. "Yeah, Hermione's already said."

They fell into an awkward and strained silence. Hermione's chest tightened with stress and guilt. She could feel a panic attack coming on, knowing the mental anguish Harry had been going through. She had to say something. Anything.

"He seemed to think it was best," said Hermione rather breathlessly, trying to pass some of the guilt she felt to the Headmaster (who certainly deserved some). "Dumbledore, I mean."

"Right," said Harry.

"I think he thought you were safest with the Muggles—" Ron began.

"Yeah?" said Harry, raising his eyebrows. "Have either of you been attacked by Dementors this summer?"

"Well, no, but that's why he's had people from the Order of the Phoenix tailing you all the time—" Ron stuttered.

"Didn't work that well, though, did it?" said Harry. "Had to look after myself after all, didn't I?"

"He was so angry," said Hermione in an almost awestruck voice. "Dumbledore. We saw him. When he found out Mundungus had left before his shift had ended, he was scary."

"Well, I'm glad he left," Harry said coldly. "If he hadn't, I wouldn't have done magic, and Dumbledore would probably have left me at Privet Drive all summer."

"Aren't you ... aren't you worried about the Ministry of Magic hearing?" said Hermione quietly. She knew he had a solid defence, but it was still terrifying to think about the alternatives.

"No," Harry said defiantly, then started walking around the room. It was a few moments before he spoke again. Hermione and Ron exchanged nervous glances.

"So why's Dumbledore been so keen to keep me in the dark?" Harry asked, "Did you bother to ask him at all?"

Hermione took a deep breath, but thankfully, Ron beat her to answering.

"We told Dumbledore we wanted to tell you what was going on," said Ron. "We did, mate. But he's really busy now, we've only seen him twice since we came here, and he didn't have much time. He just made us swear not to tell you important stuff when we wrote; he said the owls might be intercepted."

....

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