Weasley and Granger

Chapter 24: Harry's Hearing and the Prefects

For the remainder of the school break the Weasley's, Hermione and Harry stayed with some of the Order at 12 Grimmauld Place. They spent part of it cleaning throughout the house, much to their annoyance. But they still wanted to help, and if this was what they had to do, then so be it. Even if it is pretty disgusting.

While they were kept in the dark a lot from what the Order was doing, Hermione still knew that it would be a more difficult year. 

'Still same old same old,' she thought to herself. 'Voldemort threatens people the year before. People cover it up, or forget, or carry on with their lives. Shit starts to happen and then boom. 'You Know Who' shows and people lose their shit again.'

She and Ron had not mentioned to Harry about his hearing with the ministry though. They were in a silent pact not to talk about it. Although Hermione could clearly tell Harry was struggling with it, she wouldn't ask him about it. He would give her a stubborn answer.

Hermione was still greatly concerned about Harry's hearing outcome. Yes, they had been told that Harry was summoned to a hearing and that Dumbledore would sort it out. But she was still worried. What if his wand was snapped? He wouldn't be able to do magic. Who would stop He Who Must not be Named?

"Poor Harry." She thought to herself as she ate some toast with marmalade the morning of Harry's hearing. He had already left by the time she was up that morning. Hermione was a bit sick to her stomach, so she shook her head and pushed her plate forward. Her appetite was gone. 

With her arms crossed over her chest and eyebrows frowning, Fred nudged her side with his elbow, as he sat down next to her. "What's wrong? Aren't you all about 'breakfast is the most important meal of the day?" 

She shrugged him off. "Harry will be alright. Dumbledore is with him, besides he hasn't done anything wrong." Fred said looking at her. She looked at her right at him, he was right. In her gut, she knew that Harry would be fine. But that gut feeling didn't stop the rest of her being nervous.

An hour or so passed and Hermione hadn't left the kitchen. The others had come down over time and kept her company. They too were concerned about Harry's hearing. But then the door opened to have Harry standing there and being bombarded with questions about his hearing.

"How did it go?"

"Did they kick you out?"

"Was it a fair trial?"

"Who was there?"

He raised his hands and explained to them all that he wasn't convicted of anything. Hermione felt like a giant pang of stress was lifted from her heart. Everything was alright... well not everything but still.

Hermione smiled as Ginny, George and Fred celebrated by doing a kind of war dance. They chanted, "He got off, he got off, he got off" over and over again. Then the trio sat down at the table together. 

They discussed how Dumbledore had helped Harry so that he wasn't wrongfully accused of anything. But then Hermione noticed that Harry had put his hands over his scar, something was wrong. 

"What's up?" She asked feeling alarmed. Harry shook the feeling off and told her it was nothing. Hermione didn't believe, but she pretended she did. 

On the last day of their holidays, Ginny and Hermione were in their room packing some clothes and other things in their room, into their school trunks, when Fred apparated onto Hermione's bed holding three letters. 

"Who wants their Hogwarts letters?" He grinned at them. Hermione was pretty used to him apparating in places now, she had to be since he did it so often. Plucking her letter from his hand, Ginny did the same.