Decreta Conciliorum Non Ligant Reges Nostros

Chapter 4

Wherever, whenever

We are meant to be together

I'll be here and you'll be near

And that's the deal my dear...

- Shakira, Laundry Service

"Tell me Harry, would you like to spend the rest of your vacation at Grimmauld Place? Ms. Granger has promised to come down immediately if you do. Mr. Weasley and Ms. Weasley are in Romania at present, so they cannot come immediately. If you would like to come, I shall write to her. It is your house after all..." Dumbledore said softly.

"Hermione will be there?"

"Yes."

"She knows you are here?"

"No. She wrote to me the day after your vacation began to tell me that if I thought of sending you to Headquarters, I should send her an owl and she would come there as fast as possible."

Harry's fondness for Hermione redoubled. She had offered to give up her vacation with her parents...for him. he remembered last Christmas...she had abandoned her Skiing trip and come down to London because she had been told that he was hiding...she had come down for him...

"Where is Remus?" he asked, pushing his feelings for Hermione aside. He wasn't sure what he was feeling for her. She was one of his best friends, that was for sure...and she was fancied by his other best friend, too...for Harry was quite certain that Ron had developed a crush on Hermione ever since the Fourth Year Yule Ball...

"He is there."

"I'll go. Anywhere is better than here..."

"Good. I shall be able to see you more often, then. I don't want to repeat last year's mistake..."

Harry, worried that Dumbledore would start rambling about his mistakes again asked quickly, "Sir, won't I be sent to Azkaban?"

"No, Harry. What you did went totally undetected. How you managed it, I have absolutely no idea."

Harry's head reeled.

"When can we leave?" he asked weakly.

"Whenever you wish to."

"Give me a few minutes to pack..."

Before Harry could move, however, Dumbledore waved his hand and Harry's things stood packed and shrunk, ready to leave. A flash of fire occurred and an old scroll with Fawkes' tail feather appeared.

"Our Portkey," said Dumbledore, "and before you ask, yes, a similar one has been delivered to Hermione simultaneously." Both of them touched the scroll and Harry grabbed Hedwig's cage as Dumbledore pocketed his belongings.

A familiar tug at his navel transported Harry and Dumbledore to the noble and most ancient house of Black. Lupin stood there, smiling slightly at them. His eyes widened in pleasure as he saw Harry.

"Harry! How are you?" he asked, looking pleased to see him. Harry noticed that Remus didn't seem to be coping all that well with Sirius' death...he looked weaker than usual...after all, he'd lost his only friend whom he had regained after twelve years...

"Fine, Remus. How are you?"

"I'm ok. Glad to have you here. You won't believe this - a most peculiar thing has happened here...I had gone out, and when I returned a while ago, I found this place like this...totally clean out and all the unpleasant things removed...and I haven't seen that foul elf, either..."

Harry shot Dumbledore a guilty look. Dumbledore shook his head almost imperceptibly.

"Shall I call Kreacher?" Harry asked.

"Sure. I think he'll listen to you...you're the new master of the house after all..."

Harry noticed that Remus was wearing new robes...so Sirius had left him something...that was good.

"Kreacher!" he called loudly. The House-elf arrived immediately.

"Yes, Master?"

"Did you clean up everything?"

"Yes, Master."

"Thank you, Kreacher. You have done a very good job."

The old house elf looked at Harry gratefully. Harry gave him an appreciative nod.

"Very well done indeed, Kreacher," said Dumbledore.

Kreacher nodded.

"Yes, thank you, Kreacher," said Remus.

The elf nodded again.

"You may leave," said Harry and the old elf went off.

"I wonder who gave him that armour to wear..." said Remus.

Harry and Dumbledore were saved from answering by the arrival of Hermione.

"Harry!" she cried and threw herself at him, enveloping him a tight hug and nearly asphyxiating him with her bushy brown hair.

"Let Harry breathe, Ms. Granger," said Dumbledore, smiling. Hermione blushed and disentangled herself from him.

"Good morning, Professor Dumbledore," she said nervously.

"A very good morning to you, too, my dear. We are very glad to have you here. Specially Harry."

Harry found himself going red. Hermione flushed as well and turned to wish Remus.

"Good morning, Remus."

"Good morning, Hermione. Tell me, how did you manage to convince your parents to let to go at 3 am?" he asked curiously.

Harry started. He had totally lost track of time. Hermione's parents had allowed her to leave at that ungodly hour? Hadn't she been sleeping at that time? Hadn't they been sleeping?

"Well, I...I told them that it was important for me to go...and I showed them the Port-key as well...so that they knew that I would only be going back to where I had been last summer...and, they...er...I find it helpful to keep them thinking that things like this are normal in the magical world..." she said, going even redder.

The three males in the room laughed and Hermione relaxed. Harry saw her shoot a concerned glance at him.

"I think we'd better go to sleep," said Remus. Harry suggested that Dumbledore remain there for the night and he readily agreed.

"Kreacher!" Harry called. Hermione shrieked when she saw what he was wearing.

"Who made him wear that?" she cried.

"Kreacher likes his new dress," said the elf haughtily. Everyone except Hermione laughed.

"Kreacher, take Hermione's things to her room, please."

"Yes, Master," said the old elf and vanished with the baggage.

Hermione threw Harry a questioning look and he answered her with a tell-you-later look.

Kreacher set up a room for Dumbledore as well. After everyone had retired to their respective rooms, Harry knocked at Hermione's door.

"It's open," called a voice from inside. Harry went in. Hermione was sitting on the bed in pale pink pyjamas, looking very pretty with her curls around her face.

"I was waiting for you to come," she said, and moved a bit to make place for Harry to sit on the bed next to her. He did so.

"What's this all about? And why does Kreacher call you 'Master'?"

Harry looked away. Part of him felt like running away to his own room, part of him insisted that he tell Hermione the truth. He started his story haltingly - right from the revelation of the prophecy in Dumbledore's office. Hermione listened quietly, not interrupting him at all. Harry couldn't see her face; he was staring at the bed-sheets as he spoke. He looked up when he finished his tale - right up to his arrival at Grimmauld Place.

Hermione had tears in her eyes. She stared at him for a whole minute and then flung her arms around him.

"Oh Harry! What you must have been through! You should have told me earlier - you wouldn't have had to bear this all alone!" she cried.

Harry wiped his eyes and disentangled himself from her, the fragrance of her shampoo not escaping his nostrils.

"Thank you, Hermione," he said sincerely. She nodded tearfully and dried her eyes.

"I'm glad Dumbledore took you out of your Aunt's house," she said.

"Yeah, me too."

They sat quietly for sometime.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"You're a great wizard."

Harry blushed and Hermione giggled. Her laugh was infectious. Soon, they were both laughing. Harry felt as if a great load had been lifted from his soul. Hermione hadn't rejected him. They were still friends.

"I didn't want to lose my friends, Hermione," he said quietly.

Hermione's eyes flashed.

"After going through such a lot together, Harry, do you think we'd ditch you just because you have a prophecy hanging on your head?"

Harry didn't reply. Hermione moved closer to him and put an arm around his shoulder.

"I am destined to be a murderer, Hermione. And as if that wasn't enough to worry about, today I learnt that I am a descendant of Grindelwald!" he said bitterly.

"So what?"

Harry stared at her in shock. She smiled slightly and shrugged.

"This is war, Harry. You have to do what must be done to end it. That does not make you a bad person or a bad wizard. You were straddled with the responsibility; you didn't ask for it. Even so, you have to take up the job and save the magical world - because no one else can. You're a hero. For the greater good, you have to do something bad at times. Destroying Voldemort is the only way to restore peace and order to the world. It is not by choice that you will go to kill him, it is out of necessity."

She had spoken earnestly. Harry felt his eyes water.

"I'm glad you're here, Hermione."

"Me, too. Friends are meant to be together. I'll always be around for you - and don't get these stupid ideas that we're all going to hate you for something beyond your control."

"But what I did to Bellatrix and Kreacher?"

"They deserved it. And I doubt if you'd have done it if you knew it was real."

Harry hung his head.

"Harry?" Hermione prompted, looking worried. When he didn't look up at her, she reached out and touched his shoulder. He looked up.

"I would have."

"What?"

"I would have done it, Hermione, even if I'd known that it was real - may be I'd have been a little less intense, but I would have punished both of them...."

Hermione nodded silently. She wasn't sure that she understood, but she knew that Harry needed her at present, and she wasn't going to back out merely because of an insane Death Eater and a shrivelled House-elf. She would always stand by Harry, no matter what he did.

"That's natural, I guess," she said slowly, not sure if it was the correct thing to say.

"Natural! Natural, 'Mione? Is it natural to want to hurt people? Is it natural to want revenge? Is it natural to enjoy revenge?"

Hermione's mouth fell open. Speechless, for once, she wrapped her arms around her friend.

"I probably would have done the same thing, Harry," she whispered in his ear.

"No, you wouldn't have. You're good; I'm bad - that's it."

"That's not it, Harry."

"The Sorting Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin, you know...."

"I'm glad it didn't, then. I doubt if we'd have been friends otherwise," she said flippantly.

"It didn't put me there only because I asked it not to. I begged."

"Slytherin doesn't signify evil, Harry. Good and bad isn't that simple."

"I'm a Parselmouth. Only Dark wizards ever are."

"It's a gift, you idiot."

"From Voldemort, yes, I know," he said sarcastically.

"What are you talking about?"

"Dumbledore said that Voldemort gave me parts of himself when he tried to kill me as a child..."

"Oh..."

"Tom Riddle told me how alike we were in the Chamber of Secrets..."

"Superficial resemblance isn't everything, Harry."

"Voldemort and I share wand cores...Fawkes' feathers...and now we share blood, too..."

Hermione's eyes were brimming. She was recalling what Harry had told them about the graveyard...

"And I'm a Grey Wizard, 'Mione."

Hermione nodded. He'd already told her that a while ago. Of course, she was amazed - grey wizards were very powerful and very rare. Well, she'd always known that Harry was a very powerful wizard. Right from the moment she'd set her eyes on him in the train compartment almost six years ago. Hermione had always felt the power levels of magical people. She hadn't known exactly what she'd felt for quite some time. She remembered what had been going on in her mind when she'd first seen the thin little boy called Harry Potter. He's got some power! She remembered being all excited to see Dumbledore at Hogwarts, having read so much about him. And she remembered being disappointed because a certain insignificant-looking boy had given off more power than the great Headmaster...

"I've always suspected it, you know," she said softly.

"What?"

Hermione launched into an explanation. Harry stared at her in awe.

"You never told me!" he cried.

"Would you have ever believed me if I told you that I thought you were more powerful than Dumbledore?" Hermione snapped.

Harry shook his head disbelievingly. They were quiet for some time. Hermione broke the silence.

"You're harping on it too much, Harry. It isn't worth this much thought."

"Hermione, do you realise how dangerous I'm going to be if I'm evil?"

"You're not evil, Harry."

"Easy for you to say. Just look at me."

"Harry, listen to me. You're definitely NOT evil. You're a very nice person who has been through much more than anyone ever should, and you still manage to be kind and good and sweet. Evil is the last term I would associate with you."

"I'm a descendant of Dark wizards," he said stubbornly.

"I'm a descendant of Muggles. Does that make me magically stupid and inefficient?" she shot back.

Harry was effectively rendered speechless. He shook his head very slightly.

"Harry, there's nothing wrong with being a Grey wizard. Having a bit of darkness in you does not make you evil. The lightest of wizards can be evil, and the darkest of wizards can be decent. Dark and light magic does not necessarily correspond with evil and good. Of course, more dark wizards turn evil because dark magic is powerful, and power corrupts."

Harry stared at her for sometime. When he spoke, his voice was soft, cold and powerful. It was a voice that sent shivers down the spines of many in the future.

"There's no good or evil. There's only power and those too weak to seek it..."

"I'm not sure I agree with that, Harry," said Hermione meekly. For the first time in her life, Hermione felt scared of Harry instead of for him.

Harry didn't seem to have heard her. She shook him slightly. He started, as if jolted out of a reverie.

"Tired?" Hermione asked solicitously. He did look very frail and exhausted.

Harry shook his head.

"Got carried away...."

"You're letting futile guilt consume you, Harry. Get out of it. Everything is not your fault."

"Dumbledore..."

"...is a very sick old man," Hermione finished for him.

"Have you ever heard..."

"About the Scimitar? Yes, I have. I'll have to look it up properly, though. We'll find a way out, Harry, don't worry. We're not going to let go of Dumbledore that easily."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome, Harry."

"I'm sorry, 'Mione."

"It's all right, you know. I'll repeat my words - they deserved it."

"Dumbledore didn't think so."

"Dumbledore thinks you are a paragon of virtues. He couldn't imagine that his darling boy could have a revengeful streak in him. He loves you too much, and I think that makes him blind to any vices you might have. You are an angel to him, and seeing you perform dark magic, which is detrimental to your mental health, made him angry. He can't bear to see you hurt, Harry."

"What are you saying?"

"The truth. Dumbledore loves you, Harry - much more than he would love an ordinary student. He cares for you as he would care for his own child - maybe even more."

"How do you know this?"

"You think I've spent the past five years not observing the people around you?"

Harry sighed.

"I don't know what to say, Hermione."

"Then don't say anything," said Hermione, and kissed his forehead lightly, "and go to bed like a good boy, ok?"

Harry nodded and returned to his room.

They all woke up quite late the next morning. After a huge breakfast, Dumbledore departed - promising that he'd visit again as soon as he could get off. Then Remus bade them good-bye; he had some work at the Auror Headquarters. That left Harry and Hermione alone with Kreacher. The old elf disappeared, muttering about cleaning up. Harry and Hermione found comfortable chairs to sit on and talk.

"Should I tell Ron?" Harry asked suddenly.

Hermione shrugged.

"It's your decision, Harry. It's your story to tell."

"What if he rejects me?"

"I think you're underestimating your friends, Harry."

"I don't want to lose the only people I've ever cared about in my life, Hermione."

Hermione reached out and placed her hand over his.

"You won't," she said sincerely, "you and Ron and I are the best of friends, Harry. It'll take much more than a stupid prophecy to tear us apart."

"What about fourth year?"

"Honestly! Are you still harping on that, Harry? We were kids at that time."

"Barely two years ago."

"But such a lot has happened since then. We have grown up."

"Hermione...I am scared...I don't want to do this...all I ever wanted was to be normal..."

Hermione got up and knelt in front of him and held his hands in her own.

"I know, Harry. I can understand. But we'll always be there with you. I'll always be there for you, with you. Remember that we're meant to be together."

Harry nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He looked at Hermione and found her looking steadily at him. Her eyes held a strange expression.

Harry couldn't control himself. He bent forward and brushed her lips with his. Hermione gasped and Harry's senses returned, and he withdrew. They both looked away, hearts thumping away in their chests. Harry finally gathered up enough courage to open his mouth.

"Hermione...I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

"Don't you?" she asked quietly.

Harry nodded guiltily.

"I...I have been thinking about you for...quite sometime now..."

He was blushing furiously. Hermione smiled slightly.

"Me too, Harry, me too."

"Huh?"

"The feeling is mutual."

Harry's face broke into a relieved grin. Hermione liked him. She liked him more than as a friend. Hermione liked him. Hermione liked him. The smart, pretty, intelligent, wonderful Hermione liked him! He couldn't help his grin broadening; he was too happy.

Hermione smiled at him, relieved beyond words. Harry liked her! He'd noticed her! She could hardly believe it...the brave, naïve, awesome Harry - her best friend Harry - he liked her!