Recap: Sighing deeply, Draco nodded to Ginny to say he was okay, before enjoying the silence with her.
Posted: 7-4-2005
Mad About You
Chapter Seven: Surprise?
Number 12 Grimmauld Place
Draco slipped into Harry's room surreptitiously moving to the bed where the brunette lay, moaning in his sleep as he tossed and turned. It was a familiar process now; a week had passed since that first nightmare he had woken Harry up from and the Gryffindor had another every night.
Sitting down next to Harry on the bed, Draco grasped his hot shoulder to hold the thrashing boy still.
"No… I didn't mean to…!" Harry gasped. Tears clung to his lashes and he was once again ghost-white. As if sensing Draco, his free hand that wasn't clamped around his forehead latched onto the blond's forearm. Responding, Draco pushed his hand away from his forehead, replacing it with his own as he'd done every morning that week. Harry's thrashing calmed as the coolness woke him. Green eyes met grey, shining with tears, pain, and gratefulness.
"Harry, everything's okay now." He whispered. Harry's grip did not lessen. He closed his eyes, waiting to calm. Given time, Draco noticed that the blanket was off the side of the bed and the white sheets were tangled between Harry's legs, his torso fully exposed. He looked much better than he did those first few days. Draco made him eat as much as he could, every meal. He still appeared a bit peaky, but Draco still found the sight exhilarating.
Draco swallowed and forced his eyes to Harry's face, only to find his eyes open once again and watching.
"Thanks." He murmured in a low voice that sent a shiver down Draco's spine.
"Think nothing of it." He smirked, brushing at Harry's fringe.
It was strange really, in all ways. They'd been at Grimmauld for little over a week and they'd grown close – closer than Draco could have ever hoped. He suspected it had something to do with Harry pushing away and avoiding Weasel and Granger. According to Harry, the duo had been too involved in each other, and 'he'd also… something.' That was the response from Harry lately – an incomplete 'I-don't-want-to-talk-about-this-now' answer. Figuring he'd eventually tell him, the Slytherin let it be.
"That makes oh, seven mornings I've woken you. Planning on this for the rest of the summer vacation?" he asked. Part of him knew and dreaded the answer, the part that hated seeing Harry in this state. The other wanted it selfishly to happen so he could have the small joy of seeing Harry in bed. 'No, I'm not pathetic at all,' Draco thought to himself with a silent snort.
He let go of Harry's forehead as he sat up unconsciously kicking at the sheets to straighten them out. "You should know –"
"You don't plan anything." Draco said in a voice that suggested otherwise, raising a knowing eyebrow.
"But it most likely will happen." Harry scrubbed his face with both hands, sighing resignedly. He reached a shaky hand over to the table for his glasses, slipping them on to bring the blond into focus. Draco, as every morning, just appeared concerned.
"So what's planned then for today?" He asked in place of his curiosity.
"I don't know," Draco answered truthfully. "I woke up and came straight here. Are you up to eating… downstairs?" He asked, the last word said distastefully. They'd only eaten breakfast downstairs a few times since Draco was discovered by Ron, but he'd taken to eating dinner with them since Harry confessed hating evening mealtime the most, with everyone there. 'He's not going to love tonight,' he thought. Ginny had told him yesterday what the Mother Weasley was planning for Harry's birthday: a party. His job, she said, was to distract Harry. 'Distracting him would be most enjoyable if it was a whole different type of distraction.'
"I guess I'm up for that." Harry said. Draco looked at him, afraid he'd said it aloud, before realizing he wanted to eat downstairs. The dark haired boy moved out of the bed, pulling on a random dark shirt from the armoire. His jeans went on slower, giving Draco time to have a good look at Harry's backside again. This time Harry made sure to tuck his wand into his pocket. He hesitated before following Draco out the door and down the stairs to the kitchen.
The plump redheaded woman standing at the stove turned as they entered. Ron and Hermione were sitting at one end of the table, eating. Draco sat down at the opposite end and smiled at Mrs. Weasley as she handed him a plate with breakfast pancakes. Harry sat next to the blond and received a similar plate.
"Thanks."
They ate in dead silence, avoiding looking at the other group. The tension was thick around Harry. He could feel the questioning eyes of Mrs. Weasley but he didn't dare speak up.
Ron ate slower than usual, glaring off to the side of the table. Harry hadn't spoken to Hermione or him since he blew up at him in the drawing room. While it only fueled his belief that Malfoy was tricking him, feeding him lies, Hermione insisted they didn't confront Harry again rashly, without proof since he'd just get angrier.
"Harry, dear," Mrs. Weasley caught his attention. "Albus would like you to sit in on the Order meeting this afternoon." Draco, Ron and Hermione all looked towards the dark haired boy who had paused to look up at the woman.
"Sit in?" Harry asked. Why? Had something horrible happened?
"Yes, sit in. He wants you to be included in the meetings from now on." She answered. So that was it. Dumbledore wanted Harry to be in the meetings so a repeat of the Department of Mysteries accident wouldn't happen again.
Harry paled further at the thought, a flash of Sirius in his mind. It had been his fault. He stared down at his plate, gripping his fork. Mrs. Weasley looked to the blond next to him, who was watching him intently. "Draco, you're also to sit in."
He turned his gaze from Harry to her, opening his mouth to speak. Ron beat him to it, "WHAT!"
Okay so maybe it was exaggerated a bit from what he had been about to say.
Mrs. Weasley gave Ron a stern look, "Hush, Ronald."
"Wait, no, he gets to be in Order meetings and we," Ron cried out, motioning to himself and Hermione, "Don't? That is so unfair! His father's a Death Eater!"
"Ron!" Hermione tried hushing him.
"Ron, mind your own business!" Harry stood angrily. "If Professor Dumbledore wants him at the meeting, he'll be there! There's nothing you can say that will change matters anyway."
Ron glared at the two of them, before storming out of the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley stared after him as Hermione excused herself, got up and followed to do some damage control.
Sighing heavily, she murmured, "He'll calm down in awhile." Looking at the two remaining in the kitchen, she added, "It's none of your fault, boys. Ron's just being hotheaded."
Draco glanced up at the woman. "Thank you Mrs. Weasley." She smiled, swelling with pride at the ever-rare gratitude from a Malfoy.
"Well, you best be off if you're done. They'll all be around for lunch. We're all keeping strange hours these days…" She trailed off, turning back to the stove.
It was then that Harry noticed how tired Mrs. Weasley appeared, and how her usually fiery and boisterous demeanor had changed. She never would have dismissed Ron's behavior as 'hotheadedness.' Her face was permanently creased with worry and her eyes were dulled of the liveliness of the Weasley woman. It saddened Harry, to know that it was because of him the woman he considered close enough to the title mother was worried and fretting over the safety of her family. …Everyone was fretting over the safety of his or her family, because Harry couldn't and hadn't killed Voldemort. Yet. It was all a matter of time, wasn't it? He'd have to kill Voldemort, or die at his hands.
Die, be killed, perish, be destroyed, dee –
Draco shook him out of his stupor, "Come on." He stood with him and they left, Harry still deep in thought.
They did not return to their rooms as they usually did, but instead went out the backdoor to the yard. It was still as dismal as when Draco found Harry out there, yelling his rage. A few days ago, they'd gone out again, if only for a change of scenery. It was then that after a conversation about the state of the garden, Harry told Draco he'd show him later how to garden.
Flashback
"You like this dead place, don't you?" Draco sat on a bench, staring at a nearby pot with browned, crinkly foliage spilling out.
"It's not really dead… just dormant. With a little care, it could be green again." Harry responded, sifting his fingers through a few dead leaves.
"I hardly think so. It's been ruined for years if what you've told me about the place is true. No one's bothered to care for it at all." Draco drawled, watching Harry's face grow determinedly sad as he stared at the gnarled, leafless bush of sticks. "Even if nothing grew back, it'd still take a miracle to plant the whole garden back to what it was, Harry."
The Gryffindor sat next to the Slytherin, looking him in the eyes before around the garden, saying softly, "Maybe I'll teach you, after all of this." He didn't have to elucidate what he was referring to. "I'll show you how to garden, Draco."
Grey eyes watched the boy's face next to him thoughtfully, considering his words. He was saying their truce would last long enough for an 'afterwards', that he'd still want to be around Draco after Lord Voldemort's ordeal was over. Draco would hold him to his word, deep in his heart. He wanted to say something - anything – about how he didn't have to, that it was enough he was just with him right now, but instead he said, "Extra Herbology lessons, Harry? Malfoys don't play in the dirt."
Harry gave him a small smirk that made Draco think he knew what he'd been thinking.
"Then we won't play, we'll be serious in the dirt."
Rolling his eyes, trying to stop his heart from skipping a beat at the smile and joke, Draco replied, "Such a Gryffindork."
End flashback
Harry sat down on the stone slab, leaning back on his arms. His eyes studied the blue sky as his head fell back. 'So carefree, yet so heavily burdened at the same time,' Draco thought. The blond sat next to the dead pot, deftly picking up a twig to twirl in his hand.
They sat in silence for a long while in that same position before either spoke.
"Do you think they've got news on your mother's condition?" Harry asked with his head still back. He slid off the bench onto the ground, leaning his head against the side of the slab.
Draco paused mid-twirl thoughtfully. "They must have, if they want to see me. Unless they're finally going to tell us about the safe room…" He trailed off, before saying in a more morose voice. "Or they may just want to ask me questions."
Tilting his head to the side to look at the boy, Harry frowned. "Dumbledore probably already knows everything. He usually does."
"He didn't know you were being mistreated, Harry." Draco said in a vehement voice, scowling. Harry opened his mouth to add something but came up blank. He hadn't, had he?
Instead, Harry shook his head. "No, but they got me anyway."
"Does he know about your dreams?" The blond stared intently at the brunette, growing angry at the old man Harry looked up to. The old coot was senile just about, and using his Harry for the war. Harry met his stare.
"No he doesn't, not the recent ones." He didn't want to go through Occlumency again, so he didn't want to bring the dreams to the Headmaster's attention.
"Then it's possible he doesn't know everything." Draco said as he held Harry's gaze until the other boy looked away.
"Alright." Harry conceded, staring once again at the sky. "I'll have to tell him about the visions at any rate. Just not now."
The Slytherin nodded in agreement. He didn't have to trust the old professor but Harry's visions were important to their cause. The dreams were more personal.
Ron stormed up to the drawing room, followed closely by Hermione.
"Why the hell does that ferret get to be in the meeting? Why is Harry hanging out with him! I'M his best friend!" He raged after the door was closed quietly, whirling to face Hermione with an angry, helpless look.
Pacing the room, he glanced at her every-so-often. "I don't like this at all. Malfoy's – MALFOY'S – with Harry right now. And Harry hasn't spoken to us all week since he's been here."
Hermione sat down and said to Ron, "I don't think he liked all of what we said a week ago, Ron. We were accusing Malfoy the second he was in the room."
"We had no reason not to!" Ron said in defense. "Harry would have done the same thing last year!"
She sighed heavily as he sat down with her. "This isn't going anywhere at the rate we're going. He's avoiding us and blowing up at him doesn't help." She looked at him and he flung up his hands in defeat.
Ginny went down the stairs in a trot, trying to find Harry and Draco for the Order meeting. They weren't in Harry's room but when she'd checked Draco's room, she'd seen them out the window in the backyard.
She jumped the last two steps and walked out the back door. The blond and black-haired boys were sitting on the bench, facing the opposite direction, the blond looking at the other, the other looking up at the clouds in the sky.
"Oi, Harry, Draco," She called. The boys turned around at her voice. "The Order meeting is about to start. You should get inside." She ducked back inside.
Draco stood immediately, holding out a hand for Harry, pulling the Gryffindor up from the ground when he accepted it.
"Come on, can't kept them waiting." The two of them headed inside. Harry looked downright sullen. In the house, Ginny pointed them towards the unused dining room, near the kitchen. The room was filled with select Order members Harry had met or seen, and some others he'd never. The Professors, Aurors, Remus and Mundungus, the Weasleys (minus three) and others were all stuffed into the one room.
The wizard heading the Order of the Phoenix, dressed in purple robes with silver stars, stood at the front of the room. Wizards and witches were sitting in the chairs in front of him, around two enlarged tables, and some stood around the walls of the room. Harry gripped Draco's forearm at the sight of the silver-bearded Headmaster. Neither had seen Professor Dumbledore during their stay, and Harry hadn't been able to apologize, nor get any of the questions burning in his head answered. Until now.
"Hello, hello. Once everything's quieted down, we'll start up the meeting." The elderly wizard called out. Upon spotting Harry and Draco, he said to them. "Ah, gentlemen, if you'd like to take a seat? I'm happy you were informed of the meeting." They stood behind the Weasley clan so as to see everyone in the room. Dumbledore nodded and stood.
"Alright. We're just here for updates today. Kingsley?"
The tall bald Auror inclined his head and began his report. He was one of the head Aurors in Azkaban, in charge of the Death Eater security. Harry was brought back suddenly to his visions. Voldemort was planning the breakout soon, but the exact day hadn't been mentioned. For all Harry knew that could have meant tomorrow, a week, a few months – there was no telling. He did know they were planning a night assault, before a shift change. Draco looked over at him while Kingsley spoke; he knew of Harry's visions content.
Harry sighed heavily to himself as Kingsley ended, speaking up. "Sir?" Professor Dumbledore glanced at the boy. "Yes?"
"I… I have reason to believe there may be an attack on Azkaban, an attempt to release the Death Eaters." He met Dumbledore's eyes, urging him without speaking to know of his visions. The Order members – the Weasleys especially – appeared unsettled by Harry's announcement. They shifted in their seats, quiet. Lupin, who stood next to Harry, placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. Why was everyone so quiet?
Dumbledore seemed to come to his conclusion. "We'll strengthen protection and security around the floors and outside of the prison. More Aurors and Elemental Mages." He nodded to Kingsley. "Go back with Nymphadora and Alastor after the meeting and send word to the Mages." Kingsley sat back down as Tonks and Moody nodded their agreement to the order.
"Shall we continue then?"
The meeting continued with reports and Harry listened intently, though Dumbledore's orders whirled in his head. Elemental Mages? He could only guess what they were, but they sounded vaguely familiar. He'd ask after the meeting; he didn't want to bring attention to himself again.
After about half an hour, the meeting adjourned and people began leaving.
"Harry, Mr. Malfoy, if you'll please stay behind." Professor Dumbledore called out over the din. Draco shot Harry an unhappy look as they stayed standing with Lupin.
"Do you know what this is about?" Harry asked him. Watching Dumbledore approach, Lupin murmured, "I have a vague idea."
Dumbledore motioned for the boys to sit down as he addressed Lupin. "Remus, you're sure you're well enough to visit with some of the known werewolves? You can take a day or so to rest." He clasped his hand on the other man's shoulder.
"I'm fine, Albus." He answered. As it would turn out, the full moon was just days ago. Remus had returned looking more haggard than ever; another impact of losing Sirius again for the man. It weighed on Harry's mind after seeing him so worn, knowing it was worse because his stupidity took away the one connection Lupin had to his human side during those nights. Sirius…
Sirius is dead because of you, the voice intoned in the back of his head.
"Still I should like you to remain here for a day…" Sirius is dead. Sirius is dead. Sirius is dead…
"Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore's voice broke into his thoughts. Harry looked to Professor Dumbledore, now sitting across from them. "I suspect you would like to hear news of your mother?" A small smile appeared on his face.
Draco's face lit up with hope and worry all at the same time. "How is she?" He asked, forgetting anything his father had taught him about pretenses and masking emotions.
"Narcissa is alright. Her condition has not worsened at all, but she's still comatose." Dumbledore answered carefully. "She is stable, though."
Slipping slightly into a frown, Draco tugged at the hem of his shirt as he took that in. "Do they know what curse it was?"
"They've crossed off the worst of them. We still don't know which one though, I'm afraid."
Draco nodded and swallowed. Harry squeezed Draco's forearm encouragingly. He could sense that Dumbledore was trying to be honest and upfront with the two of them, but there still seemed to be something he wasn't saying.
"Will I be able to see her?" The blond finally asked.
"Ah, yes. You may visit her tomorrow if you wish, but I will be giving you a guard." Harry almost dropped his head to the table thinking of Moody making Draco go all over London before St. Mungo's.
Dumbledore smiled, almost sadly. "This leads me to you, Harry. The guard is for both of you tomorrow. Harry," His smile was very sad now. "Harry, before Sirius died, he'd made sure you wouldn't have to worry about anything in such case where he wouldn't be able to take care of you."
Harry's heart froze. Sirius is dead because of you. 'Before Sirius died… in such a case where he wouldn't be able to…take care of you…' Dumbledore's words rang in his ears. He gripped his knees as he listened to Dumbledore numbly. Remus put a hand comfortingly on his shoulder.
"He wrote a will last year while he stayed here. He'd been updating it for quiet a few years actually." Dumbledore steepled his fingers, leaning his elbows on the table between them. "He left everything to you, Harry: The vault at Gringott's, the house and its titles – everything."
"What?" Harry blurted.
"Sirius left you everything, Harry." Lupin repeated for him, smiling despondently.
"But.. no. He couldn't have. Why would he do such a thing?"
"Harry, do you honestly think he'd leave you nothing? That he wouldn't want to support you in any way he could?" Dumbledore asked. "He loved you."
Harry looked down at his clenched hands, fighting not to cry in front of Dumbledore, Remus, and Draco. He refused to. He was supposed to be strong, wasn't he? He had to face Voldemort, he had to be strong.
Dumbledore continued, "Tomorrow, the guard will escort you to Gringott's to sign everything over. I'm sorry for your loss Harry, truly I am, but these things must be taken care of."
"I know." Harry admitted bitterly. "Do they know he's innocent?"
Lupin shook his head. "Not yet, but we've petitioned for it. They have yet to review. Since he is gone though, the goblins have unfrozen his accounts."
"Okay…" He stood abruptly. "So we're going to Diagon Alley and St. Mungo's tomorrow then."
Lupin touched his arm and tried changing the topic, noticing Harry was close to snapping. "So what did you think of the meeting?" Draco nodded slightly to Lupin, to show his concurrence of the topic change, knowing it would calm him down.
"It-It answered a lot of my questioned about what the Order's doing." Harry's eyes met the Headmaster's. "Thank you."
"You're welcome my dear boy." Dumbledore answered. "How about you, Mr. Malfoy? What did you think?"
The Slytherin leaned back in his chair. "The meeting was just an update, right? It was enlightening." He was back to the Malfoy manners then. He could open up to Harry and even Ginny, but not the Headmaster of Hogwarts and a former professor.
"Well, if that's all then, I must get going." Dumbledore stood along with Lupin, winking at Harry, heading out the door. Remembering what he wanted to do, Harry turned to the old wizard.
"Professor Dumbledore, sir?" Dumbledore and Lupin stopped and looked to Harry. "I'm sorry, about last year. I never – "
"Harry, what happened was my fault. I should not have kept things from you. You were forgiven the moment it happened." With a smile, he turned and continued out the door, placing his hand on Lupin's shoulder to take him out too. He waved to Harry as the door shut, who slumped down into his seat next to Draco, before noticing the blond held onto his wrist. 'When did he grab my wrist?' Harry wondered. He hadn't been paying much attention to the blond as he heard what the Professor had to say.
"Tomorrow's going to be busy, right?" Draco said lightly.
"Yeah," Harry agreed. His mind settled with a bit more peace than before, having finally apologized to the Headmaster. "Let's go back outside. I don't want to think about it."
"He's close to going over the edge, Albus. Any mention of Sirius… you saw him in there." Lupin explained to the other wizard.
"No worse than can be expected. I seem to recall you were also terribly distraught after losing Sirius, Lily, James and Peter so many years ago." Dumbledore watched through the window as the subject of their conversation moved into view with his apparent ex-school rival. "He just needs time, Remus."
"I don't want him to need time, Albus! He shouldn't have to deal with so much death and responsibility, ever! He shouldn't use time to numb out the pain of losing Padfoot – "
"You cannot replace Sirius in his life, Remus, as even Sirius could not replace James." Dumbledore acknowledged, turning back to look at the man sadly.
"I don't want to! I could – I just want to be Remus in his life. He wants that."
"His restlessness and short fuse are rubbing off on you." Dumbledore observed. "It adds into your agitation and incites your irritation quicker."
"Don't be one to state the obvious, Albus." Remus ran a hand through his dark blond hair. It was a bad habit of his, running his hands through his hair. "What am I to do, then?"
"I would like you to go as part of the guard with them tomorrow before continuing on to your task, if that is, you still do not want a break before the task. Harry will need you at Gringott's, and possibly the hospital."
"And as usually, you won't explain any further." Remus dragged his hands back through his hair, completely worn. Dumbledore just smiled and looked back down to the two boys in the yard.
"You're catching on, Remus."
Ginny flung herself onto her bed, bouncing the quill, parchment and closed ink bottle. She'd intended to write her boyfriend Dean for a few days now, but with Harry and Malfoy arriving, Ron's storming around, and cleaning duties, she'd hadn't the time. Since breakfast, she'd helped clean the kitchen and listened to Ron rave about Malfoy going to the Order meeting. Ginny secretly wished he would shove a sock in it. At any rate, she knew Ron would probably never get over the enmity between him and Malfoy.
Uncapping the ink she dipped the quill tip in and began writing. In about an hour, she'd have to cue Draco so she could help her mum set up for the party. Not only in celebration for Harry's birthday, but it was also a crafty way of releasing some of the tension that had been building up between the older teens.
A sudden knock sounded on her door. "Come on in," She said, not looking up from the letter.
"Ginny?" Hermione opened the door and stuck her head in.
"Yeah, come in Hermione." She capped the ink and set her quill down, watching the brown-haired girl shut the door.
"I thought I'd come up and see what you were up to. Mrs. Weasley snagged Ron to help her for a bit." She said, walking into the room.
"I'm just writing a letter to Dean." Ginny said, pointing to everything spread out before her. "So what's going on with you?"
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, nervously tugging at a strand of her hair.
"You and Ron, being attached at the hip. Everyone's noticed and wondering about what happened to 'Harry, Ron and Hermione.'" She answered. Ginny already knew something was going on between the two of them, but she wanted to coax it out of Hermione. She thought Harry also might be a bit suspicious about it and that's partially why he was avoiding them.
"Attached at the hip? We are not – well, not really. We just, Ron and I… If-If Harry would just listen to us, we could try to sort things out." Hermione stammered, flustered by the question. "If anyone's attached at the hips, it's him and Draco!"
"Yes but, while it's nice knowing you want to sort things out, that didn't answer my question, and you're rambling." Ginny smirked. "Harry and Draco are friends now. We're the only people he's been able to talk to besides Professor Lupin, and for some reason, the twins."
"He's been talking to Lupin?" Hermione sat down on the side of the bed. This was the most she'd heard about Harry outside of Ron's rants. At least, Ginny was speaking civilly.
"Yes. He spends some time with Lupin, so Draco and I sit around and talk. When Lupin leaves, he usually joins us. Fred and George have come by every-so-often and cheered him up with some of their new inventions, and they talk about Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. Most of the time, he's alone with Draco while I do chores." Ginny filled Hermione in, feeling sorry for her a bit. It wasn't her fault Ron had blown up and messed things up, even if she had said she wouldn't accept Malfoy into their group anytime soon. That, Ginny knew from Draco, seemed to hurt Harry.
"At least he's not been alone." Hermione said wistfully.
"So, answer my question. Has my blockheaded brother finally realized he likes you and asked you out?" Ginny said boldly. She didn't want to say any more about Harry, since it was his business.
Hermione blushed scarlet at her words, tugging harder on her hair. "Maybe. Well… yes. He asked me at the beginning of the summer, when I came to Grimmauld."
Ginny grinned. "Well, finally! When are you going to tell Harry?"
Frowning, Hermione said slowly, "Well, we weren't going to until we found the right time. We didn't want him to feel like we were trying to upset our friendships or push him away – "
"Hermione," Ginny looked over to the window, facing out where the boys were before looking back at the girl. "He already feels left out of something. I think that's part of why he was getting so angry."
"Really?" Hermione blanched. "Oh no, I have to go find Ron so we can tell him."
"You shouldn't just yet. Maybe you could tell him tonight, after his birthday party?" Ginny suggested. "Who knows how he'll react."
"Yes, you're right." Hermione said, thinking about it. "It probably wouldn't be a very nice surprise for him right before his party."
"'Surprise! Your two best friends are dating now and they'll probably need a bit more alone time with each other, and that's why they've been so weird these past few days! But don't worry, you're still all friends and you'll always, mostly, have them to confide in! Oh, and we still can't really accept your choice of other friends! Happy birthday!'" Ginny said with false enthusiasm. Hermione's reply was to smack her forehead and groan.
A/N: Chapter Seven anyone? You've waited long enough for it! (ducks the large books being thrown) Anyway, since it's summer, expect the next chapter faster. It's Harry's party! WEEEE! We finally know that Ron and Hermione are together - but Harry still doesn't! Huzzah! Thank you for all your reviews, they're awesome. As the drill would go, reviews brighten my sad days!