taking control

Chapter 19: Show Me Your Secrets

She caught the ball and let it roll off her fingers towards Neville. Her aim was true, and Neville did not need to move to catch the ball. Neville had come a long way since their first flying lesson six years ago, but he was still not natural in the air. He had trouble managing the broom with just one hand, and his taking both hands off the shaft for a moment to catch the ball was asking for trouble.

Luna, surprisingly, had very little trouble controlling her broom while handling the Quaffle. She was not as adept as the Quidditch players, but Harry was pleasantly surprised to see her holding her own. Her passes, on the other hand, were not always the most accurate, but Harry found that he enjoyed having to chase down the ball. Besides, his own throws were not always on target. Neville was the only one who seemed fazed by the inaccurate throws, though he never said a word about it.

They tossed the Quaffle around for a bit before Harry took another turn around the pitch and performed a couple dives. He let Ron have a shot at the broom next, and he played catch with the others as Ron tested out the broom. When each of his friends had taken a ride on the new broom, Harry reclaimed it. As the afternoon waned, they played around a bit longer before finally heading in to wash up for supper.

Later that night, Harry was reading in the common room when Hermione approached him asking if he had a moment to talk. When Harry replied affirmatively, she asked if they could take a walk. She was acting a bit peculiar, so Harry, curiosity piqued, agreed. He quickly packed up his things and ran them up to his room. Coming back down the stairs, Harry escorted Hermione through the portrait hole. He had no particular direction in mind, so he let Hermione set the pace and course of their wanderings.

After a minute of silence, Harry finally let his curiosity get the better of him as he asked, "What is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Hermione looked to him for a moment before turning her attention to the floor in front of her. She seemed nervous and unsure of herself, making Harry wonder just what was going on with her. He kept his silence as she seemed to be mulling over how to broach the subject at hand - whatever that subject might be.

After another minute she stopped walking and turned to him. She hesitated a moment as she looked into his eyes before a steely look suffused her face, and she asked, "Did you mean everything you said to me on Boxing Day?" Harry wracked his brain to figure out what she was talking about. She must have noticed his confusion for she added, "About Ron."

"Oh," Harry said in surprise. He had not been expecting her to bring that up again. "Umm - Yeah, I did mean what I said," he stated.

"So you think I'm being unfair to Ron?" she prodded.

"If it makes you feel any better, I think Ron's being unreasonable as well," Harry stated with a lopsided smile.

The corner of her lips twitched into a small smile. "Maybe a little bit."

Harry chuckled lightly at her admission. His laughter died quickly, though, and a silence fell over the pair. "So what is this really about?" Harry finally asked.

Hermione took a deep breath and started walking again. Harry matched her pace as she began to speak. "I've been thinking a lot about what you said and about Ron and everything. I like Ron," she admitted. "I cannot tell you exactly why I like him, but I do." She was quiet for a short moment before continuing, "I think I want to give things a chance with him."

Harry felt a smirk tug at his lips. "You think?" When she turned to look at him, he cocked an eyebrow at her and added, "I will fully support you whichever route you choose. Just make sure this is what you want."

She nodded at him. "I do want it. I just worry about how things will work out. And what will happen if things don't work?"

Harry could almost have laughed at the irony of the situation - he, Remus, and now Hermione all sharing similar thoughts, afraid to begin a new relationship. So he gave her the same advice he gave Remus, the same advice he received from both Remus and Sirius. "If you let your worries and fears dictate your decision, you might spend the rest of your life wondering what could have been. If you truly want this, then go for it."