The Boy Who Lived and the Hobbit. (A Harry Potter/Hobbit Crossover.)

Chapter 16: Lake Town.

Bard's Bulge had now come towards a heavy early morning fog that had just rolled in.

"Well, it'll give us some cover from any unwanted eyes." Harry commented.

"I hope we don't run into a Borda." Luna said.

"A Borda?" Bilbo asked.

"It's a creature that lives in fog. Comes out and lashes at unwanted visitors. Not very friendly." Luna answered.

"Are you sure you can see through this fog, Bard?" Hermione asked.

"Watch out!" Bofur suddenly exclaimed as a large stone from an old ruin appeared right in front of the boat.

But without much of a struggle, Bard maneuvered to get past the stones no problem. 

"What are you trying to do? Drown us?" Thorin asked furiously.

"I was born and bred on these waters, Master Dwarf." Bard explained. "If I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here."

"Well that's reassuring." Ron sarcastically commented. 

Harry continued to look at Ginny who was just sitting and looking over the water. He had feelings for Ginny, but he just had difficulty trying to see if Ginny returned the favor. "You alright there, Master Potter?" Bard asked.

Harry was snapped out of his trance. "Oh, yeah. It's nothing." He answered.

But Bard could see Harry was looking at Ginny. "Ah... I see."

"See what?" Harry asked.

"Does she have someone already close to her?" Bard asked.

"It's complicated." Harry answered looking down. "And there's another thing with Ron. He's my best mate and everything and-"

That was all Bard needed to hear to understand. "You won't know for sure unless you talk." He replied. "Best thing you can do is be patient and be calm."

Harry nodded. For some reason, Bard reminded Harry of his Godfather, Sirius Black.

"Oh, I've had enough of this lippy lake-man. I say we throw him over the side and be done with him." Dwalin grumbled.

"You mental?" Neville asked.

"Bard." Bilbo suddenly said. "His name's Bard." He told the Dwarves.

"How do you know?" Bofur asked.

"I... asked him." Bilbo answered.

"I don't care what he calls himself, I don't like him." Dwalin retorted.

"We do not have to like him, we simply have to pay him." Balin reminded while he counted the coins to pay Bard.

"Well I rather like him. He seems nice." Luna said.

"Come on now, lads. Turn out your pockets." Balin urged the Dwarves.

And the Dwarves started looking for coins in their pockets. "There's not by any chance he takes, Galleons? Does he?" Ron asked.

"I don't think so." Harry answered.

"Good, because I don't really have any." Ron said.

"How do we know he won't betray us?" Dwalin whispered.

"We don't." Thorin answered.

"If he was going to betray us, he would've done so already. He doesn't seem like someone to betray us to me." Harry said.

"How do you know?" Dwalin asked.

"I just know." Harry answered awkwardly.

"There um, just wee problem. We're ten coins short." Balin interrupted.