The Last Year

I Know

Harry didn't sleep that night. When morning finally came, he showered and dressed before throwing his invisibility cloak on once more. He needed to be able to keep an eye on Hermione without endangering her. He knew he should have told Professor McGonagall, but he was afraid James would find out and hurt Hermione. He was going to have to save her by himself.

Harry waited outside the Gryffindor Common Room until he saw James come around the corner. Soon, Hermione appeared. She had that same glazed look on her face as last night when he had first cast the Imperius Curse. He whispered something in her ear, and she suddenly perked up, but still looked out of control, as if he had told her to appear happy. He followed them to the Grand Hall, watching as they ate breakfast together. People looked and pointed. He was sure that soon the whole school would be talking.

Eventually, they finished eating and James escorted her to her first class, making a big production of giving her a long, drawn-out kiss. Harry tried to not gag. Luckily, he and Hermione had the same first class, so he was able to take off the cloak and watch her during class, even though she was still trying to avoid him.

After class, he put the cloak on again and followed them to the Grand Hall once more. This time everyone saw them walk in together, Hermione appearing to laugh at a joke James had whispered to her, though Harry was sure he had just ordered her to laugh. This was all his fault. He needed to let her know that he knew. But how?

He would have to wait till tonight, and he would somehow have to get her out of his spell.

Harry followed them all afternoon, before finally returning to the Head Student quarters. He needed a few moments to himself to think and try to figure out a plan to confront Hermione, to tell her that he understood now. But could he talk to her in her cursed state? Would she understand? Or would that immediately alert James?

Harry paced in the living room for what felt like hours, examining every angle of this issue, trying to figure out what to say, how to say it, and when to say it. This was not going to be easy, and he had to be extremely careful. One misstep could spell disaster for both him and Hermione. He needed to let her know it was okay, without endangering her.

Finally, Harry decided he would go eat and then deal with telling her, even if it meant seeing her with him again. Harry walked quietly and completely alone down to the Grand Hall. However, as he reached the fifth floor, Ginny joined him. She appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

"Hi there," she said with a big grin.

"Hey"

"I haven't seen you at all since Christmas, is everything okay? You're not avoiding me, are you?" She asked playfully.

"No, no, I've just been really busy lately with school... and other things."

"Like Hermione? C'mon Harry, don't talk to me like I'm other people, 'cause I'm not."

"I didn't want to seem like I was rubbing it in your face," Harry replied sheepishly.

"Number one, I'm a big girl Harry, I can handle it. Number two, I was the one who told you to think carefully and didn't want to rush into a relationship. I knew it was unlikely you were just going to give up on Hermione because of one night."

Her candor surprised him, but he was grateful for it. "Thanks, because I have to talk to someone." He pulled her into an empty hallway, "This is going to sound crazy, but you've seen her with that James Rabnott kid, right?"

"Of course, the whole school has either seen them or heard about them now."

"Great, of course, they do. Anyways, I saw them in the library last night, I sort of spied on them, which I know, I know, I shouldn't have but something has been off with her for months. Don't look at me like that Ginny, it was a good thing I did. He has been meeting with her secretly for months, threatening her and me, and using the Imperius Curse on her, even now she is under it."