Puzzle to a Frozen Heart

Chapter 11:

Learning the truth

"It's Weasley and is none of your business. What's the matter with you? This is private!" Hermione barked as she snatched the letter away from him.

"Sorry! I thought it was from Voldemort."

"Well you were wrong!"

"It is my job to protect you and I will go to any length to keep you alive, even if that means reading letters from dear Weasel."

"Weasley!"

'Whatever! It's the same to me. He's a spoiled wizard," the words got out from Harry's mouth before he could call a halt. But Hermione had something to say as well.

"Look who's talking! 'The Boy Who Lived' or should I say 'The Boy Who Ran Away'," she mocked, taking a couple of books and heading to the door.

"Why are you with him?" Harry asked suddenly, grasping her arm before she had a change to get out.

"Because you left, you prick!" she confessed and snatched her arm away from him.

"You say that like it was my fault."

"Wasn't it?"

"They expelled me! And, if you don't mind me saying so, it was all your fault!" he exclaimed, stepping in front of the door to block her exit.

"Pardon me? Since when is your business my fault?" she spat, her voice shrieking in anger.

"Since they wanted to expel you!"

This positively stunned Hermione while Harry sighed. He had waited so long to get that out of his chest.

"Why?" Hermione held a puzzled expression, her anger diminishing, but not for long.

"Why! Why do you think? If you had..."

"Potter, just answer the question."

"Because of Umbridge."

"Umbridge? What does she have to do with everything?"

"Don't tell me you don't know," Harry said, shocked.

"I'm asking, aren't I!" Hermione replied, getting pretty impatient by now. She had dropped her books and was presently taking a seat on his bed. Harry then, proceeded to confess the secret he had held as his own for five years...

**********

Harry woke up to Madam Pomfrey's voice.

"What the..." he started to say, but was suddenly interrupted by her:

"About time! You've been out of it for a week now!" she said, handling him his glasses.

"A week?" he couldn't believe it, but his mind didn't give him time to reflex on this, for a certain bushy haired Gryffindor girl appeared on his thoughts. " Hermione! How is she? Is she well? Where is she?"

"Relax, dear boy," came the voice of Albus Dumbledore, who had just entered the Hospital Wing.

"Professor! Am I glad to see you. I..." Harry tried to talk. He wanted to tell him everything. But the Headmaster wouldn't have it.

"Mr. Potter, I don't have much time so please, I beg you to listen to me," Dumbledore requested, displaying the most serious expression Harry had ever seen.

"What's wrong?"

"The Ministry of Magic has learned of the little incident at the Chamber. As you know, Professor Umbridge works personally for Mr. Fudge. Mr. Potter, she has accused Miss Granger and yourself of breaking all of the school rules and therefore, has started to make the necessary arrangements to expel both of you." At hearing this, Harry's face became pale. Expel him from Hogwarts?

"But Professor, it wasn't my fault! Granger..." He suddenly stopped, memories coming back to him; that amazing kiss they had shared...

"Mr. Potter? You were saying?" Dumbledore urged him to continue, bringing him back to reality.

"Oh, yes. Professor, you can't let her expel Hermione. It was my fault she ended up in the Chamber. It was all my fault and she shouldn't be to blame," Harry finished.

"Are you prepared to take all the blame yourself? You know they will expel you."

"As long as they don't expel her."

"Very well then. I'll go talk to Professor Umbridge about this. I'm sorry it has to be this way."

"Can't you do anything about it?"

"I'm afraid not. I can't go against the Minister of Magic. What I can do however, is enlist you in another school."

"I would appreciate it. Thanks."

"No problem. Now, you rest Mr. Potter. That was a very deep wound you received."

"Professor, I don't understand something. Why didn't I die? The Avada Kedavra was supposed to kill me instantly. Isn't that what it does?"

"You'll know the truth soon enough. For now, all I can tell you is that if Miss Granger hadn't kept you conscious, you wouldn't be here now. Take care." With this said Professor Dumbledore exited the Hospital Wing.

**********

"You shouldn't have done that."

"Oh, well, you should have told me that six years ago," Harry replied with sarcasm.

"What is that supposed to mean!" Hermione asked, jumping from the bed so she was right in front of him.

"You didn't even have the decency to visit me, after I saved your life and neck here at Hogwarts."

"How do you even know that? You were unconscious an entire week! You were in the Hospital Wing for another! You wouldn't even have a clue if I visited you or not," she spat, anger returning to her face.

"Your point being?" he asked her defiantly.

"That you are a bastard! A bastard and a prick! And, you know what? I did visit you. Not only that, I stayed with you that entire week you spent out cold! I never left your side except when I had class and at night when I went to sleep. I barely ate because I spent all my lunch breaks with you!"

"I...um..." Harry was caught off guard.

"Stuff it Potter! I'm not finished! That day, when you woke up, I was ecstatic. I couldn't wait to see you, but I couldn't go because I had class until nightfall. However, I did manage to stop at the Hospital Wing around nine o'clock. I gave up my study time! But you were so busy shagging Ginny Weasley that you couldn't tell the difference between the sound of a door opening or one closing. I couldn't bear to interrupt you! That would have been ill educated of me, wouldn't you say!" she shrieked, before getting out of the room and slamming the door on his face.

"Weasel's sister?" he asked himself. " Why would I...Oh!"

***********

Harry was lying on the bed, just staring at the ceiling, lost in his thoughts, all centered on Hermione: When is she going to come? Does she know they're going to expel me? Why hasn't she come?

A knock on the door broke his thinking, causing a huge grin to show on his face. She's here!

"Hermione?" he whispered, hoping that his crush would step in any moment now. And sure enough someone entered, but it was not who he expected. It was not a brunette but a redhead. Of course, it was not just any redhead; it had to be Ginny, Weasel's sister, who was formally known to be a royal pain in the ass.

"Hi Harry," she greeted him, giggling uncontrollably.

"Oh, hi Ginny." he tried not to sound too disappointed. "Are you looking for Madam Pomfrey, because she is..."

"No. I came to see you", she interrupted him, heading towards his bed.

"Me? Well what can I do for you?"

"How about finishing what we started in the Chamber?"

"Uh?" he didn't have a clue of what she was talking about. By now, Ginny was seated on his bed, almost on top of him, fact that made him really uncomfortable.

"Oh, come on Harry. Why so tense? As if you don't know what I'm talking about," she purred while stroking his chest.

"Ahem...uh... Ginny? What are you doing?"

"Putting that mouth of yours to good use," she murmured, crashing her lips into his. Before Harry could even process this, she was on top of him.

Since Ginny was so busy and Harry too shocked, they didn't see nor hear when the door opened and a mass of bushy brown hair peeked out. If the door was open for two seconds, it closed in half.

At hearing the door slam close, Harry got up, making Ginny fall to the floor.

"What the hell is your problem!"

*******

"That was Hermione?" he asked, once more to himself.