mirrorball

chapter ten

"Hey, so why are we all sharing a room?" Clara asked. "Not that I don't like being roommates or anything, but this place is huge. Surely Charlie or Bill wouldn't mind letting someone sleep in their rooms for a week?"

"Oh, this isn't our house." Ginny said nonchalantly.

"Ginny!" Hermione said.

Confusion spread across Clara's face. If this wasn't the Weasley's house, then where were they?

"What? You really think Clara doesn't know that we can't afford to live in a place like this?"

Hermione let out a sigh and Clara raised her eyebrows.

"So if this isn't your house, where the fuck are we?"

Hermione and Ginny quickly jumped into a lengthy conversation about a secret order, Voldemort, a mission from Dumbledore, and Sirius Black. By the time the two finished the sky was black and everyone in the house had gone to bed. According to Hermione and Ginny, this house was a safe place for the 'Order Of The Phoenix' to hold meetings about defeating Voldemort. Clara's brain felt fuzzy and she had an overwhelming feeling that perhaps this information would put her in some danger.

"Only, don't tell Harry we told you. Everyone else is fine but- well you know how Harry feels about you, he'd be furious if he knew we told you. He likes to have his secrets, well, secret."

Clara quickly nodded and the other girls turned over for bed. Sleep did not come to Clara and she spent the whole night rethinking her choices. If Voldemort was as powerful as she had been told, and he was back for good, then everyone she loved was in danger. What would happen if he got to her father, or broke into Hogwarts and hurt Luna? These thoughts occupied her mind until she felt as though she could not think anymore.

The next morning when Clara went down for breakfast, Harry was still nowhere to be seen. This whole making up thing was going to be hard if she would never see him. Hermione let out a sigh and grabbed Clara's wrist. She dragged the girl up the stairs to a black door. Hermione gave a fierce knock and dropped Clara's wrist.

"Maybe he'll listen to me. If not, you'll have to say something." Hermione whispered.

"But what would I-"

Clara was hushed with Hermione's hand as a soft 'Go away' sounded from inside the room.

"Open up, Harry." Hermione said softly.

"What are you doing here?" Harry said through the door.

"Well, to tell the truth, skiing's not really my thing," said Hermione, "so I've come for Christmas. Let's go to your bedroom, Ron's mum's lit a fire in there and she's sent up sandwiches."

"No, I'm fine here."

"How're you feeling?" asked Hermione. 

"Fine," said Harry stiffly. 

"Oh, don't lie, Harry," she said impatiently, her fist resting on the door, "Ron and Ginny say you've been hiding from everyone since you got back from St. Mungo's." 

"They do, do they? Well I plan to keep it that way, so you can go now."

Hermione let out a sigh and gestured to the door. Clara pointed at herself in question and Hermione nodded.

"Ok, I'm leaving. Please come out, Harry." Hermione said before turning away and walking back down the stairs.

A quiet squeak could be heard from inside the room and Clara let out a sigh. She didn't know what to say to make someone come out of hiding. Especially when that person wasn't exactly fond of her.