Rating:
R
House:
Schnoogle
Characters:
Draco Malfoy
Genres:
General Romance
Era:
Multiple Eras
Spoilers:
Philosopher's Stone Chamber of Secrets Prizoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire Order of the Phoenix
Stats:
Published: 12/31/2003
Updated: 04/18/2004
Words: 181,191
Chapters: 46
Hits: 99,765

Harry Potter and Unexpected Beginnings

dan's girl62

Story Summary:
The summer after OoTP, Harry discovers he has control of his connection with Voldemort, and uses it to his advantage. With the help of his friends, and an unexpected joining of their team, Harry and the gang return to school for their 6th year and go in search of a way to defeat Voldemort. However, when teenage hormones set in, can Harry find room in his heart to love, or will he reject her based on fear of a prophecy that dictates his future...or lack thereof. Rated R for future chapters.

Chapter 35

Posted:
03/12/2004
Hits:
1,442
Author's Note:
Thank you so much to "D" for all your editing, help, suggestions and friendship.


Chapter thirty-five

Harry stood by the door to the locker rooms, waiting impatiently for Ron to arrive. He was supposed to be there ten minutes ago. After Quidditch practice, he disappeared, instructing Harry to wait for him. It was important he told him. So here Harry stood, tapping his toe on the stone path that surrounded the locker rooms, alone, waiting for his friend and brother to the girl he was late meeting for their scheduled date.

"Hey, Harry," Ron shouted from across the Quidditch pitch. He ran to his friend's side, out of breath and very flushed. "Thanks for waiting," he gasped, holding onto the stitch in his side.

"You're lucky I'm still here," Harry snapped. "I was about to leave. I have a date with Ginny, and you're making me late."

"Sorry, but I had to talk to you before you spoke with Ginny. What are you two doing for Valentine's day next week?"

"That's what was so important? We haven't made any definite plans. We were going to discuss it tonight, until you made me late."

"How about spending the evening in Hogsmeade?" Ron asked, ignoring his friend's irritation.

"That would propably be one idea, why?"

"George and Fred are having a Valentine's party this Saturday, and invited us. It's a real party, Harry, with food and music and dancing. They've already invited over a dozen couples, and Oliver Wood will be there, along with Angelina and Katie. It's a party for couples only. Think about it, a real adult party for lovers. Great idea, huh!"

"Are you sure they want us to come? It may be another of their tricks."

"I promise. Even Bill and Charlie will be there, they have dates and everything."

"I don't know Ron. It sounds a little weird coming from Fred and George, if you ask me."

"Come on Harry, it's all on the up and up. It'll be fun. I've never been to a real party before, at least not since the Triwizard Ball."

"But you hated the Triwizard Ball, remember?"

"That was because I wasn't with Hermione. How would you feel, seeing your girl with a famous Quidditch player?"

"But she wasn't your girl, Ron. You had the chance to ask her out, and you kept dragging your feet until it was too late."

"I didn't know how to ask her. You remember what she was like that year, bossy and all."

"She's always bossy, Ron. That's what makes her Hermione."

"Yeah, well I guess I was just scared. Don't you remember how beautiful she was?"

"Your girlfriend, mate, not mine. Anyway, I'm still not sure about this party. I mean, it's your brothers, the world's most notorious pranksters."

"What could happen? We'll be together; and Bill and Charlie will be there, they won't let anything happen."

"Well..."

Ron looked serious as he stared at Harry. "Come on Harry. We can talk it over with the girls, and let them decide."

"Do you really think Hermione would rather go to a party at Fred and George's, or have a quiet romantic dinner with her future husband?" Ron blushed with the term his best friend used.

"She'll love the idea."

"This is Hermione Granger we're talking about, Ron. She has never really approved of the twins' antics."

"Trust me, she'll love the idea." With that said, the two hurried back to the castle, Ron practically bubbling over with excitement. He was positive the girls would love the idea of going to Hogsmeade for Valentine's Day.

"Have you lost your mind?" Hermione snapped some fifteen minutes later.

"But 'Mione, it'll be fun," Ron pleaded as Harry and Ginny looked on silently. "It's a real party, couples only. You said the other day you wished the school would have another ball, so we could go dancing. This is even better, it's for adults only. No snickering little kids hanging around."

"But Ron, it's your brothers," Hermione echoed Harry's words from earlier.

"I promise everything will be okay," Ron pleaded. "We have spend some time there, and if you're not having a good time, we can leave and I'll buy you the best dinner in town. What do you say?"

"I don't know," Hermione said, glancing across the table to where Harry and Ginny sat listening. "What about you two? Are you going?"

"Ginny said with Bill and Charlie there, Fred and George would have to behave themselves," Harry told her. "So I guess we're going, but we aren't staying if they pull any pranks."

"Come on 'Mione, what do you say?" Ron pleaded again.

"Oh, all right, but if I'm not having a good time, we're leaving."

"Straight away, I promise," Ron said hugging his girlfriend. "This is going to be so much fun. I can't wait." With that said, Ron kissed Hermione's cheek and headed for the stairs. "I have to make sure my dress robes look good, wouldn't want to look like a slob.

"I don't know why he's so excited," Hermione grumbled watching the tall red head bound up the stairs to his dormitory. "With Fred and George planning this whole thing, Merlin only knows what's going to happen."

"It's more Angelina and Katie who are planning it," Ginny said with a warm smile. "I think they are anxious to show the boys what good hostesses they can be."

"It's hard to imagine Fred and George having girlfriends," Hermione said bitterly. "I'm amazed Angelina and Katie would even associate with them, after all the pranks they pulled in school."

"That's just it," Ginny said with a wicked smile. "I think they pulled so many, in order to get the girls' attention."

"And they say Ron's mental," the bushy haired girl said, folding her arms across her chest.

Saturday evening found Ron standing in front of the full length mirror, combing his hair flat against his head. He had used so much Sleekeasy's Hair Potion, his hair was plastered against his head tighter than Malfoy ever hoped to have his.

"Capillus Reparo," Hermione said, having seen the conditon of Ron's hair.

"Why'd you do that?" he grumbled, though thankful to know his hair no longer looked like it had been painted on his head, but angry that she felt it necessary to rescue him.

"I like your hair like this," she told him, ruffling the top with her fingers. "Besides, you looked like you had a red tortoise shell sitting on your shoulders instead of a head."

"Thanks a lot," Ron grumbled, then smiled when she leaned up on her tip toes and kissed his cheek. "It's nice to know you care so much."

"I do care, and you've been up here far too long. I was beginning to feel like an old maid, waiting on you."

"If this is what an old maid looks like, I think an awful lot of blokes are going to be in trouble." Ron smiled as he pulled the beautiful girl in his arms, taking notice of her own appearance. "How did you get that stuff to work?" he asked, looking at the sleek, smooth hair that cascaded down her back and across her shoulders like a satin sheet.

"I've used it before," she told him. "I know what to expect. It takes a long time, but I suppose for special occasions it's worth it."

"I think I knew I loved you, the first time you used it. Remember, at the ball in fourth year? I never thought anyone could be so beautiful."

"Then you approve?" she teased, watching the wicked gleam cross his eyes.

"I'll show you how much I approve later," he promised, kissing her briefly before turning and heading back down stairs to the common room.

Harry and Ginny were already waiting for them, when they arrived. They were dressed in their new dress robes that Harry had purchased at the end of summer. The aroma of lavender was eminating from Ginny's hair, which Harry was currently running his hands through.

"Ready?" Ron asked, holding Hermione's hand.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Harry said, looking at Ginny longingly.

"Come on, it'll be fun," Ron said, ignoring the whistles Seamus and Dean offered as they stepped through the portrait hole.

"Whoa, Weasley look at you," Seamus said with a smirk. "I guess being the Minister of Magic's son, has really paid off."

"Don't be an arse, Finnigan," Ron said with an evil frown.

"Just calling it as we see it," Dean said, stepping to Ron and smoothing out his lapel on his robes. "You look like a million bucks, or did you get a raise in your spending money?"

"Bugger off, you two," Ron growled, pushing away the boy's hands, smoothing his robes and walking with Hermione to the portrait hole. Harry smiled at the teasing expression of the boys, as he and Ginny followed his two best friends.

The party was much as Ron had hoped. Oliver Wood was there, along with his wife of three weeks, Margorie Wagtail who stated that her little sister was a first year at Hogwart's, and was in Gryffindor. Harry frowned. He remembered hearing the name at first night back to school, but hadn't paid much attention to the little blond haired girl, though he had seen her often enough in the common room.

"Margie's dad is someone you'll probably be interested in knowing," Oliver said with a warm smile to the attractive blond next to him. "He's part of the Weird Sisters."

"Bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed. "Your dad is Myron Wagtail."

"I know that," Margorie smiled.

"He's the lead singer," Ron said again.

"Yes, he is. Do you like my father's music?"

"Are you mental...I mean yes, yes I do," Ron said again, slightly embarrassed.

"Well, perhaps you'd like an autograph?" Margorie asked.

"Are you kidding? I'd love one."

"Then may I ask you to do me a small favor?" Ron frowned at the attractive girl, feeling his face redden. "Sabrina isn't a very forward child, she's really shy and she hasn't been doing very well socially at school. She's homesick and she says she hasn't any friends, except those who know whose daughter she is and wants to cash in on it. If you would help her fit in, I'd be most grateful."

"Poor thing," Hermione gasped.

"We'll all help her," Ginny assured the girl's sister.

"I appreciate it. I'm going to stop by the school and see her tomorrow before I go back to London. Perhaps we can all have lunch."

"That would be great," Ron said.

"Hey Harry," Oliver said, eager to change the subject. "Congratulations on making team captain. I knew you'd do it, I always knew the job was suited for you."

"It's been hard, but I'm trying to make it work."

"Harry, you're too modest," Ginny said in a soft whimsical tone that surprised Harry, he'd never heard her act so...girlish. He loved how forward and forthright she was, and this was a side of her he didn't know if cared much for.

"Yeah Wood," Ron said. "He's a great captain. We've won every game so far, and it looks like the House Cup will stay with Gryffindor."

"I'm proud of all of you," Oliver said. "It's so good to know how well you've kept up the team, dispite that horrid Umbridge last year. She's a real cretin. I had to deal with her a couple years ago, when the Puddlemere United had to get Ministry approval to go overseas. I didn't think she was going to let us have the authorization. If it wasn't for Ludo Bagman's interference, I doubt we'd have ever been approved."

"Well, she got hers," Ron said with a smirk, clicking his tongue to sound much like horse hooves, causing an eruption of laughter from those gathered around.

Harry and Ginny smiled, turning and mingling among the other guests. Harry felt a little guilty for having doubted the twins' sincerity. They had been there nearly three hours and were having a wonderful time. Angelina and Katie had managed a wonderful dinner, complete with games and music. Harry and Ginny danced so much their legs felt like lead and they were forced to take time out, to relax a bit. Ron and Hermione had spent a great deal of the evening with Oliver Wood and his new bride or dancing themselves.

Ron and Hermione left the center of the dance floor Angelina and Katie had conjured up for the evening. They stepped to the table of refreshments, looking over the assortment of cakes, cookies, pastries, Fire Whiskey, champaigne and butter beer. Ron desperately wanted to try his first fire whiskey, but knew it wouldn't pass his brothers, who seemed to be watching him intently. He reached across the large platter of chocolate covered strawberries and retrieved two bottles of butter beer. He popped the caps off and handed one to Hermione, feeling awkward at the way the twins continued to watch him.

Hermione smiled at Ron, the two of them having already made plans to meet up later that night in the room of requirements. Harry told them just how helpful of a place it was - away from classes and D.A. meetings. Emotions were running high between the two, and Ron was actually considering making their escape, regardless of how desperately he wanted to be there in the first place. They took a drink of their butter beers, their eyes meeting as they swallowed, immediately finding the others lips, pressing into a very deep, passion kiss.

Harry stepped to their side, shaking his head as he reached for two bottles of butter beer for himself and Ginny. Perhaps it was the idea of the party, but he had never seen Ron kiss Hermione so openly before, especially in front of his brothers.

"You two need to get a grip," Harry teased, glancing to the shocked look on their faces, a muffled grunt echoing from their sealed lips, as their eyes searched Harry's expression. Ron's face was a bright red, his ears flaming and Hermione wasn't much better. They stared at Harry, their lips still tightly pressed, a look of horror in their eyes. Harry frowned as he looked at the two.

"Are you all right?" he asked, watching as they tried to shake their heads, still grunting. "What's wrong?" he asked again, touching Hermione's shoulder and hearing an outburst of laughter echoing from behind him. He turned to see Angelina and Katie staring blankly at the hysterical antics of Fred and George, who were laughing so hard, they were doubled over, gasping for breath.

"What did you do?" Ginny snapped at her brothers, looking at a horrified Ron and Hermione, still connected at the lips.

"Pep...Pep..." Fred tried to say around his laughter.

"Sticking...Peppermint..." George tried to add, but was unable to sound much more than his twin.

"Bloody hell," Bill said, setting his glass on the table and grabbing George by the arm. "Did you two spike the drinks?"

"Just theirs," his brother exploded again in laughter.

"An attraction spell on the bottles," Fred said with a gasp of air, still trying to regain control. "They had to chose them."

"What did you do?" Charlie insisted.

"Peppermint Sticking Charms," Bill answered, shoving George into a chair so hard it tipped backward, hitting into a wall.

"You two promised you wouldn't play any pranks tonight," Katie snapped at her boyfriend.

"We couldn't resist," George said, ignoring his younger brother, hoping to stop laughing long enough to sooth his girlfriend.

"It's a new line of drinks for the reluctant lovers," Fred said with a bright grin.

"We'll deal with you two later," Charlie said, hurrying behind Bill who was already at Ron and Hermione's side.

"We'd better get the basic antidote potion from the medical kit," Bill said with disgust. "Hold on you two, we'll have you apart in a minute." Five minutes later, Ron was rubbing his lips, trying to get feeling back into them, as Hermione was trying her best to hide her embarrassment.

"It would have worn off after ten minutes," George told Katie, who was so angry he thought she'd spit fire.

"It was just a joke," Fred told Angelina through a locked bedroom door. "Honest, honey, it wouldn't have done any harm, just a little quality time."

"We had to try it out on someone," George was telling Katie. "Who better than our little brother?" Ron heard this, and found his face flaming red again, this time more from anger than embarrassment. He stepped up to his brother's side, pulling his fist back and letting it hit the older boy with full force in the face. A sickening crack resounded from George's nose, as blood began dripping from between the fingers that quickly covered the throbbing pain in the middle of his face. Without a word, Ron turned and left the flat where they lived above the joke shop. He was so angry, he didn't hear Hermione calling to him, or see Harry and Ginny running after them.

"Ron, wait!" Hermione said, grabbing the young man's arm and pulling him to a halt in the street out front of the store.

"I am so sick of being the arse of those two's jokes," Ron growled, his fists rolled tightly by his side.

"Ron, relax," Ginny said as she and Harry neared him.

"Relax? What would you know about it? They never pulled stupid jokes on you. You're the sweet little sister, so cute and nice, they wouldn't dare do anything to you. But no, let's just terrorize Ron, he's a patsy, he'll fall for anything."

"I've had my fair share of their attacks," Ginny said angrily. "I've spent more time looking under my bed, and sprinkling a basic antidote potion in my food and drinks, since I was three. Look at how many times, they've placed charms and hexes on my stuffed toys."

"Stuffed toys, do not compare to what I've had to put up with," Ron snapped, matching Weasley anger to Weasley anger. "Would you consider an enchanted toy dragon, with being lip-locked to your girl in front of a room full of people, a fair comparison?"

"Calm down, Ron," Hermione told him. "Let's go to the Hog's Head and get a drink, that isn't enchanted."

"We'll spend the rest of the evening together, celebrating Valentine's day as friends," Harry suggested, tucking his hand inside the angry girl's hand next to him.

"Sure, we still have a few hours left," Hermione said hoping her calm voice would help sooth things with the boy who was fuming beside her. "We can share a nice drink and go back to the school, and finish our evening the way we planned." Ron ground his teeth, looking at the attractive girl. He couldn't speak, but he did nod, and the four of them walked silently down the small narrow road to the Hog's Head. They would have normally gone to the Three Broomsticks, but considering how late it was, they knew it had closed over an hour ago. The Hog's Head however, was open until the wee hours of the night.

They stepped into the tavern, looking around at the nearly deserted surroundings. There was an old witch in one corner, her hat filthy and torn, her clothes soiled and tattered. In a booth not far from her were a pair of gruff looking wizards playing a game of cards, and the shadows of a young couple in a dark corner far from the door. Harry indicated a finger toward a booth near the front, and sat down next to Ginny. The old man behind the counter stared at the four, watchng them extremely close as they sat down and discussed what they were going to drink. Ron still wanted Fire Whiskey, but decided to settle on an un-enchanted bottle of butter beer. Harry cautiously stepped up to the counter, and ordered four bottles of chilled butter beer.

The barman was a grumpy-looking old man with long gray hair and a beard. He reminded Harry of Professor Dumbledore, in many ways. He was tall and thin and as Harry continued to watch him prepare their drinks, he couldn't help but feeling again, that the old man looked familiar. He remembered feeling this way during fifth year, when he first met the old man, but he couldn't put his finger on where he knew him from. Harry took the drinks and paid the old man, who continued to stare at him, making him feel awkward and uncomfortable.

Back at the table, Harry found the tension as thick if not more so, than it had been when he left them. The three sat in silence, refusing to look at each other, as they took their drinks from Harry.

"This is ridiculous," Harry said. "All right, so the twins turned what was a really nice evening into an excuse for a bad practical joke. It's over, forget about it and let's have a nice night. And anyway, I think Angelina and Katie will make them pay, for ruining their party, don't you?" Ron glanced up at Harry and gave a small smile, thinking about the revenge his brothers' girlfriends would no doubt have in mind.

"Harry's right," Hermione said, leaning closer to Ron. "We're going to have a great ending to a very nice day. I have something for you," she told him, pulling a small package from her inside robes.

"What is it?" Ron asked quietly.

"Well, open it," she told him, watching as the boy unwrapped the brown paper and pulled out a small vial of Wizard's Delight, the newest men's cologne. Ron smiled at the girl, uncorking the bottle and sniffing the spicy scent.

"Thank you," he said softly. "I really like it."

"I have something for you, too," Harry said, reaching inside his robes and pulling out red velvet wrapped package for Ginny. She smiled awkwardly, accepting the gift as she retrieved a rolled up parchment from her own robes.

"It isn't much and it isn't expensive, but I hope you like it," she said with a warm blush. Harry smiled back, slipping the string off the parchment. It was a handmade greeting card, complete with small cupids that flew around the page, flinging little arrows at the photo of the two of them that she had gotten from Colin Creevey. Along the top were the words, Our First Valentine's Day Together. Harry smiled, reaching out and hugging the girl to him tightly.

"It's the best gift I've ever gotten," he told her, kissing her passionately. A few minutes later, Harry released her, allowing her to open her own gift. Inside was a small silver box containing a small skeleton key. Ginny frowned at the gift, looking at the strange expression on Harry's face.

"Thank you," she said politely, causing Harry to laugh out loud.

"It's the key to a very special place," he told her softly. "I'll show you later." Ginny blushed, looking across the table at the lip-locked couple again. Harry followed her eyes, seeing the bottles open in front of them and fearing the worst.

"Hey, not again," he said. "You guys all right?" Hermione and Ron pulled apart reluctantly, looking to their friend.

"Yeah, why?" Ron asked with a wicked smirk. Harry glared at the two of them, shaking his head.

"What a night," he said quietly. Ron smiled brightly, leaning into Hermione and kissing her neck.

"What do you say we finish up here, and head back to school?" Ron asked quietly, glancing across to see Harry and Ginny also engaged in a little snogging of their own. Hermione smiled with a blush to her creamy complexion, and looked up as the young lovers in the corner stood and began to walk past them.

"Malfoy?" she said, much louder then she had intended. The young blond stopped and looked at the four who were staring openly as he walked hand in hand toward the door with Parvati Patil.

"What are you doing here?" the blond asked, a little shocked, a blush of embarrassment crossing his face.

"Celebrating the holiday," Ron said. "What are you doing here, with one of us?"

"That is really none of your business, Weasle," he snapped. "Just because the governors mistakenly chose your father as the Minister of Magic, does not give you the right to question my goings on."

"We're just curious," Hermione said, putting a strong hand on her boyfriend's arm. "We weren't aware a Slytherin would associate with a Gryffindor outside of school."

"There's more to life than petty house rivalries, Granger," Malfoy told her, less bitter than he normally would have, neglecting to call her his favorite nickname.

"I couldn't agree more," Hermione added with a polite smile.

"So you sneak around, hiring postal owls ot deliver your mail instead of using the school's birds, you hide in closets snogging and heaven knows what else, and now you're hiding out in the Hog's Head," Ron said, summing up the boy's activities. "I wonder, what evil plans are you concocting now?"

"Unless it has to do with the disposal of the likes of you, then it's none of your business. I suggest you four return to school soon, before you get detention again. You are breaking curfew, you know?"

"We have permission to be out," Harry said. "What about the two of you? Any problems sneaking off school grounds?"

"We weren't sneaking Potter, and it's none of your business either. Keep your nose where it belongs, or you may get it burned." Malfoy and Parvati turned, completing their path and left the tavern, and the four other Gryffindor's to watch their departure.

"What the bloody hell is he up to?" Ron asked.

"He's starting to really get on my nerves," Ginny said. "Why is he sneaking around so much, and why with Parvati Patil? It just doesn't make sense."

"Let's not worry about it," Hermione said. "We have to be going, or we will get in trouble. We have rounds to make in an hour, anyway." Ron glanced up at her and frowned. It wasn't their night for castle rounds, but seeing the look in her eyes, he understood why she wanted to leave. There was a room waiting, with their name on it.

"You're right," Harry said, reaching out and squeezing Ginny's tiny hand. "We'd better get going." They stood and started to the door, when an odd feeling came over him. Harry felt the prickling of hair on the back of his neck, as if he was being watched, deliberately. He looked back but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. The only thing that seemed to stand out, was the way the bar keeper continually wiped the same spot on the counter.

"What is it Harry?" Ginny asked, slipping her arm inside his. Harry frowned, looking down to her delicate features.

"Nothing," he told her, taking one last glance around the tavern, and forcing a smile on his face. "Let's go." Harry and Ginny left the Hog's Head, followed by a pair of eyes that looked out from beneath a dark, worn cloak.

Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, even when he shouldn't have. There was something the boy had to know, but the secret keeper was frozen to his seat in fear. Harry Potter was very powerful, more so than anyone had anticipated. There may be hope for the future, the cloaked figure thought, reaching an unsteady hand toward the glass of Fire Whiskey, lifting it to his lips with trembling fingers. He had to know what was happening, but the last time they had met was not exactly on very pleasant terms. But there was a debt to pay, and it was wizard custom. A custom that would have to fulfilled, regardless of the fears that held the figure firmly in his seat. Perhaps tomorrow, when the day was fresh and the fear of shadows did not matter, the debt would be rectified. Perhaps tomorrow, a new day would really begin, for them both.


Author notes: Thank you to everyone who continues to R/R. I appreciate and love hearing from everyone.