Catching Her Heart Pt. 2

Chapter 96

Over the next few days, the same had happened. Hermione kept her schedule to the library, being there on every break, but Viktor never appeared. She couldn't help thinking that it was due to Rita Skeeter's article about Harry in the Daily Prophet that had mentioned her by name.

"Can I talk to you?" Harry asked, approaching her in after Herbology as they headed toward Hagrid's hut where they met before going into the outer edge of the forest for Care of Magical Creatures.

"Sure," Hermione replied, slowing her pace to match his when she noticed that Ron was passing to walk ahead of them with Dean and Seamus, giving them a dirty look.

She waited, but Harry didn't speak again for a while, watching Ron, Dean and Seamus get farther ahead.

"I - I heard from Sirius," Harry said at last.

"Really? What did he say?" Hermione asked.

"I got an owl from him the night the Prophet had the article about me. I was visiting the Owlery to see if Hedwig had come back," Harry said.

"And to avoid the fallout, I'm sure," Hermione said and Harry nodded.

"A screech owl arrived with a note from him, saying that he couldn't risk sending her back yet because the Ministry has been intercepting more owls since the attack at the World Cup," Harry said. "I wanted to tell you sooner, but thought it best since the article..."

"To keep our distance," Hermione finished with a nod. "I understand."

"Good," Harry replied with a smile. "I hoped you weren't mad at me about that."

"You, no, Colin on the other hand..." Hermione replied.

Harry chuckled.

"Well, don't be too hard on him," he said. "After all, we don't know what he really told her, if anything. After seeing the way she 'reports'," he paused and rolled his eyes. "She could have been making it up."

"I can't even find out what he did say," Hermione responded. "He runs whenever I see him."
"Yeah, from me, too," Harry replied. "Anyway, in Sirius' note, he said that he wanted me to meet him in the common room at one o'clock Saturday night."

"He didn't break into the common room again, did he?" Hermione asked in alarm.

"No," Harry replied. "He just used the Floo to Fire Call."

"Oh, good," Hermione said, sighing in relief.

"He asked if I put my name in the Goblet and I told him no," Harry told her. "He said to be careful, that Hogwarts wasn't safe anymore. He said there were devils inside the walls."

"What?" Hermione asked in alarm, stopping in her tracks to look at him.

"He mentioned Karkaroff," Harry continued, his eyes darting to the ship anchored on the lake. "He said Karkaroff was a Death Eater, and that no one stops being a Death Eater. He also told me about Barty, Mr Crouch, that he'd sent his own son to Azkaban."

"Oh, no," Hermione murmured in surprise. "Do you think Dumbledore knows?"

"I - I don't know," Harry said. "But Sirius told me to keep my friends close. I didn't get to tell him about the fight with Ron, because Ron came down stairs and interrupted us so he cut the connection, not knowing who it was. I - I didn't want to tell Ron because Sirius wanted to talk to me alone. When Ron asked who I was talking to and I didn't tell him, he accused me of practising for my next interview."

"Oh, Harry," Hermione said. "This is just awful! I - I know that you're angry with Ron, but maybe... Sirius could be right. Please don't look at me like that," she said when Harry gave her a hard look. "What I mean is.." She broke off and sighed heavily. "Look, I get it, he's accusing you - us - of things that we haven't done, and it isn't fair and we both have a right to be angry with him, but wouldn't it be better to make up with him and do like Sirius said and keep your friends close? Just... think about it, okay?" she asked when she noticed Harry's look hadn't changed. "I really don't want to be in the middle of a fight, and it stinks. I'm sorry Ron and I put you through this last year. It stinks being Switzerland."