NOVEL WEB Chapter 1: Bonds Tested
Harry Potter awoke with a start, unsure where or, even when, it was. Slowly opening his eyes, he could just make out the fuzzy outline of a bed and room he hadn't slept in almost a year, but knew very well. As he continued to fight off the sluggish sleepy feeling that still permeated his body, the memories of the last couple of days came back to him.
Gringotts bank where they had stolen Hufflepuff's Cup from Bellatrix's vault and had escaped on a dragon, the near capture in Hogsmeade, the passage to the Room of Requirement, the reinforcements showing up, the desperate search for the last Horcrux, the battle, the walk into the Forbidden Forest, Voldemort casting the killing curse, the talk with Dumbledore, and the final showdown with the Riddle. It all came back to Harry.
Voldemort was dead. He was free, finally. Then he remembered the bodies lying in death he had seen. The faces of Remus, Tonks, Fred, Dobby, Hedwig, Dumbledore and even little Colin Creevey swam in front of his face, and a wave of guilt swept over Harry. "Why am I alive and so many people dead?" He sighed.
As Harry continued to lament over the deaths of so many of his friends, he finally realized someone was tapping lightly on the door. Harry recognized that it must have been that noise that had awoken him. He wasn't sure if he was ready to talk to anyone yet, but then he heard a voice calling quietly,
"Harry, it's me. Are you awake?" The voice was like the sun on a cloudy day as it pierced Harry's gloom. The thought of the voice's owner, Hermione Granger, brought a small smile to his face.
"Yes, you can come in," Harry called as he reached for his glasses.
It was only as the covers shifted that he remembered that he hadn't had any pajamas to put on the previous night, and didn't want to ask any house elves to help since they had been fighting as well. After Harry had showered, he had gone to bed wearing nothing. He quickly pulled the covers up higher as Hermione made her way to his bedside and sat down next to hm.
"Hello, Harry," Hermione said looking at one of her two best friends. "How are you feeling?"
"Happy, sad, tired…I don't really know," Harry replied honestly. "Too much, too fast, I guess."
"Yes, I know what you mean," She said. "I can't believe it's finally over."
"Have you been downstairs yet?"
"A little bit ago," Hermione replied. "It's strange. People want to celebrate, but with all the deaths it just doesn't seem right."
"Did you see the Weasleys?" Harry asked.
Hermione nodded. "They were just getting ready to take Fr… to go back to the Burrow."
The remembrance of Fred Weasley dying the night before flashed into Harry's mind, and he had to choke back the wetness that tried to invade his eyes. The thought of Fred brought his mind to their other friend. "Ron's going with them?"
Hermione nodded again. "And Ginny is too, though she wanted to come up and say good bye to you."
"I'll see her soon enough...just not ready yet," Harry replied as he remembered passing Ginny on his way to meet Voldemort.
"I'm sure she'll understand," Hermione replied.
Harry remembered something from the previous evening. "So you and Ron?"
"I guess...maybe," Hermione said hesitantly. She then blushed and looked away as she continued, "He asked me to be his girlfriend this morning."
"And?" Harry asked. "You know he likes you."
"I know. It's…it's…well," Hermione started and her blush deepened. "I really shouldn't bother you," She got up from the bed. "It's really not that important. I'll see you downstairs soon?"
Harry's hand shot out from his side and grabbed her wrist as she turned. "What is it Hermione? What's bothering you? You know there's nothing you can't talk to me about," Harry said as his emerald green eyes bore into Hermione's almond ones. "We've been through too much over too long of a time."
"Not this...not now. It's...it's personal and it concerns...well, never mind," Hermione replied. "Let's talk about something else."
"Hermione, please?" Harry begged.
Hermione hesitated for a couple of seconds, but then sat back down on the bed. "You tell me something personal first then, Harry. Are you getting back with Ginny?"