20 Chapter 5 – Introspection of the Broader Hogwarts. Part 2

During breakfast Neville asked, "Would the two of you come with me after lunch to check on Luna?"

Harry and Hermione nodded simultaneously. Harry added, "In fact I can do you one better, we can eat lunch with her."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "You expect Madame Pomfrey to let us barge into the Hospital Wing with food and be perfectly fine with it?"

Harry grinned impishly, "Absolutely! Well done Ms. Granger, 50 points to Gryffindor for excellent reasoning."

Hermione rolled her eyes, so much so that Harry suspected that her eyeballs were stuck at the back of her skull. Hermione queried, clearly still unconvinced, "Pray do tell me where you are going to get food for four people?"

Instead of Harry, it was Neville who answered. "Dobby Hermione! Dobby can get us food for her." He glanced towards Harry for confirmation who nodded back. Neville quickly added, "That would a great idea! Especially after what she went through yesterday, wouldn't she feel better if we ate with her?"

Hermione frowned, "But using Dobby like that is still…"

Harry countered, "I am still paying for his services. We can always ask him and if he denies it, then we will find another way."

Hermione slowly nodded, "Okay. I am still not comfortable asking Dobby to something like that."

Harry smiled, "One of the conditions I hired him under was that he reserves the right to say no to a task he does not want to do. I thought it would be a decent work-around for the magically enforced slavery."

Neville shrugged, "It should be."

Hermione still looked a little uncomfortable. Harry sighed, "Hermione let's take a walk after breakfast. I haven't had a good chance to talk to my best friend in a while." Hermione quietly nodded and the trio were quiet for the remaining duration of breakfast.

"Well then, I will see you two at the Hospital Wing, or do you want to meet at the entrance to the Great Hall?"

Harry replied, "Lets meet in front of the Great Hall."

Neville nodded, "Well then, you two go take a walk. I still have a few things to do in the greenhouse."

"See you later Neville."

Harry and Hermione are walking down the Transfiguration Courtyard, the persistent silence from breakfast still lingering in the air. Harry silently directed Hermione to an isolated bench in the courtyard and they sat in silence. Harry was content to wait in silence, it was better move than to convince her to speak. Force would not do good when she in this kind of a mood,

Finally, after a half hour period of silence, she spoke. "Aren't house-elves like muggle-born witches and wizards Harry?"

Harry looked up at the clear blue sky. "In a sense if you think about it. House-elves are supposedly destined to be slaves for the wizard kind, while the muggle-born are forced to be second class citizens in their own society. You mean something like that?"

Hermione nodded, scooting a little closer to Harry, "Yes. It is like some sort of magical fate forces us to be that way."

Harry turned his gaze towards Hermione, "Do you believe in fate?"

Hermione leaned back on the bench. "That is what Divination is. Divination nothing but foresight onto the threads of fate, or so I have read. Completely different from how I was raised, mind you. My parents are Atheists, they do not believe in a religion. They say that almost everything in this world has some explanation and not caused by some supernatural force. My dad told me 'if you go through all those years in dentist school, you will be sure of one thing and that there is no god'."

Harry chuckled, "That sounds like a heavy conversation to have with a kid. But you still get Christmas presents from them, right?"

Hermione smiled, "Yes."

"Then what about when they found out that you can use magic?"

Hermione laughed, "They tried really hard to find an explanation to every bit of accidental magic. Once I summoned a book from the other side of the room, Daddy was convinced that I pulled it with a magnet or a remote control."

Harry smirked, "Daddy's girl, eh?"

Hermione huffed and swatted his shoulder. "Behave Harry Potter! Or I might decide your ear is too nice for your head."

Harry raised his hands in mock resignation. Hermione huffed and continued, "The moment they found out about the magical world, they were both worried and excited for me. Two years into the magical world, I understand a little bit of where their worries come from." Hermione remained silent at the end her statement, while her gaze was directed beyond the courtyard.

Harry and Hermione remained in silence for a few minutes. Harry decided to break the silence. "What was your favorite T.V. show that you watched with your parents?"

Hermione was taken aback, "I'm sorry?"

Harry grinned, "What was your favorite T.V. show that you watched with your parents?"

Hermione smiled, "It was Mind Your Language, I used to watch the re-runs with my parents before. Have you seen it before?"

Harry nodded, "I used to sneak a peek while my relatives were watching the tele, that show was hilarious. Though it can be mean sometimes."

Hermione nodded, "It was kind of, wasn't it? But it was funny."

Harry looked around for other people. He clasped his hands above his head and mimicked his best Indian voice, "A thousand apologies, forgive me for my ignorance."

Hermione laughed and swatted his shoulder, "Pratt, don't be so rude!"

Harry started to laugh and poked her shoulder, "But you laughed anyways"

Hermione swatted him again and ever so eloquently struck her tongue out and Harry doubled over laughing. Hermione paused; her visage took on a more serious expression. "Why did you have to sneak around to watch the tele?"

Harry froze. I let that little tidbit out, didn't I?

"Better talk about that stuff for another time. Let's just say that my relatives are not the best of what you consider human."

Hermione looked like she wanted to press further, but the firm expression from Harry dissuaded her from pushing any further. Harry held a hand up, "One day I will tell you, today is about you. You just came back from being petrified and I do not want to lump my troubles onto you."

Hermione gave a silent nod. Harry sighed, "Back to what we were talking about, I do not think that fate and destiny rule our lives."

Hermione tilted her head slightly. "What do you mean?"

Harry looked up at the sky, "We are all destined to die anyways, but does that mean that we should live our lives thinking that nothing but death matters?"

Hermione slowly nodded, "No. That seems like a really dull way of living."

Harry chuckled, "Isn't it? If we are to die anyways, we should first live the most out of our live, shouldn't we?"

Hermione looked at him quizzically, "Since when did you get all philosophical?"

"Since I nearly lost my best friend and my own life to a basilisk."

"I am glad death made you use the two brain cells in your brain."

"Hey! I will have you know that I am from the finest stock!"

"What are you, a horse? No, you sound like the worst bottle of vine from a vine cellar!"

"That does not even make sense!"

"It does too!"

Harry huffed and turned away, while Hermione laughed at his expense. A few moments later, she stifled her laugh to a few giggles. "Thank you, Harry, for raising my spirits."

"My pleasure, mademoiselle."

"French? Such a cultured man."

"I try sometimes. Maybe."

Harry shot her an impish grin while broke into a fit of giggles. He drew in a breath and exhaled. "You know, maybe we should find a way to make the house-elves life better in the future."

Hermione turned her head at speed that Harry swore he heard her hair crackle like thunder. "How so?"

"We could work on ways to make their life easier, like working on rules to make sure they are treated better or even better, a way to make them less reliant on our magic, if it is even possible."

"Is this what you meant by not being tied by fate?"

"Yep, and we should also try our best in making life fair for everyone out there. Muggle-born, elves, squibs, or anyone getting the short end of the stick. I think that's the world my mum and dad sacrificed their lives for."

Hermione pulled him to one of her trademark hugs. She pulled away after a couple of minutes and smiled, "I will be there every step of the way."

"I expect no less from the brilliant Ms. Granger."

Hermione stuck her nose up and claimed, "Naturally, otherwise who is going to keep you from jumping without thinking."

Harry smirked and mimicked her voice, "Get us killed or worse, expelled!"

She rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I wonder why I keep a prat like you around."

Harry put on a doe-eyed expression, and expressed innocently, "Because I am amazing, and you wouldn't know what do without me."

"Yes, yes Mr. Potter, whatever that makes you sleep better. Just remember what you said the next time you need my help."

And so, the two friends bantered, conversed, and laughed through the rest of the morning. Harry reminisced a handful of times where he had been so carefree around his friend, less so in his later schooling years. Harry smiled as he looked up at the sky to see a few school owls flying around the castle. Had I always been so burdened with life, that I truly have forgotten to live? I know that there is still war in the horizon. I know there is darkness just around the corner. However, can I fight for a better future if I truly never knew how to live?

Hermione observed the thoughtful look in Harry's countenance. She quirked an eyebrow and inquired, "Penny for your thoughts, Harry?"

Harry held his smile and directed his attention towards Hermione and sang melodiously, "Yes, I think to myself, what wonderful world."

Hermione paused for a moment and stared at Harry. She was happy that her friend seemed genuinely content for the first time since she started to associate with him. This was on top of her delight of having a more open Harry than the Harry before her incident. Yet, him singing that line just made him different and she cannot wrap around the reason why. She could try poke him for an answer, but she felt she would get nothing. Instead, she chose to smile and answer, "Yes it really is."

Harry got up and held hand to his friend. "It is almost lunch; shall we go get Neville and go check on Luna?"

Hermione took his hand, stood up and straightened her robes. She nodded and the two of them walked over to the Great Hall. Half-way to the hall, Hermione realized that they were still holding hands and made no move to change their status quo. If he is not bothered by this, then why should I? She smiled inwardly to herself and just basked in the moment. Harry, on the other hand, was still deep thought about his little flash of insight earlier.

As they approached the Great Hall, they saw Neville already standing next to the entrance. He walked towards then and together, they walked towards the Hospital Wing. When they neared the giant doorway leading to the Hospital Wing, they found Madame Pomfrey standing in front of the entrance.

"Ms. Granger, Mr. Potter and Mr. Longbottom, I had a feeling you would be here sometime today. I will have lunch delivered to you while you are here, along with some for my new charge."

Hermione hurriedly raised her hand. "That's not necessary Madame Pomfrey- ", only to be betrayed by the loud rumbling noise of hunger from Neville. He gave a sheepish grin towards Hermione.

Madame Pomfrey rolled her eyes. "That settles it. You three are getting lunch. Healers orders and all that."

The three mentioned students intoned, "Yes Madame Pomfrey."

Satisfied with her work, she turned around and walked towards her office. The trio walked towards Luna's bed. Her left arm seems to be heavily bandaged, but her eyes seem to hold the ethereal gaze that Harry was used to in his previous timeline, over the look of distraught and terror yesterday.

She turned her gaze to face them and brightly smiled, "Hello Neville, Hermione and Harry. It is good to see you three. The nargles told me that you would be coming."

Hermione walked over to her bedside and sat down on a stool next to Luna's bed. She reached out and gently held Luna's right hand. Hermione smiled, "How are you doing Luna?"

Luna's smile grew wider, "I feel much better today. Madame Pomfrey spent a good part of last night healing me, she said that I can remove the bandages on my arm tomorrow and I will be released by dinner today. She is amazing, isn't she?"

Harry chuckled, "With the amount of time I have been here, I agree. Though I wish her medicine were less bitter."

That was when Madame Pomfrey decided walk by. "Well Mr. Potter, I had been hoping that my bitter medicine would keep you away. Much to my disappointment, you keep finding new ways to end up here."

Neville and Luna chuckled while Hermione rolled her eyes. Harry gave an impish grin and held a hand to his heart and retorted, "You wound me Madame! Here I thought I was your favorite!"

Madame Pomfrey rolled her eyes and ignored him. "I will be heading to the Great Hall for lunch, you will receive your lunch in a few minutes. I trust you four to behave while I am gone," she stated and waited for no response as she turned around and left the Hospital Wing.

Luna broke the silence that pervaded after the healer's exit. "Thank you for helping me yesterday and thank you for visiting me, you didn't have to. Especially since you helped me."

Harry waved his hand, as if to dismiss the notion, and replied, "Nonsense, we have to come see you. You are our friend now and that means we have to see you". The other two nodded in agreement.

Tears pooled at the corner of Luna's eyes. Her lower lip trembled, and her eyes light up with hope as she repeated his words uncertainly, "Y-you w-want to be my friends?"

The trio nodded and Luna fiercely hugged Hermione with her right hand. Hermione gently rubbed her back and the two boys stood by the bed silently. A pop echoed through the Hospital Wing and Dobby was holding a food basket. Now Harry was confused.

"Uh Dobby, I don't think I asked food from you. Though we did want to ask you to get us food earlier."

Dobby sniffed imperially, "No elf brings food to the Great Master Harry Potter sir without my permission."

Harry rolled his eyes. "How does that even work, and please could you stop calling me that at least when we have company?"

Dobby struck his nose up and sniffed again, so much so that Harry was worried that he would spill out his lungs this time, "Great and Chivalrous Master Harry Potter sir, you really must be drinking mer-people moonshine sir. Sometimes Dobby worries about your sanity. Dobby must explicitly state how great his master is."

Dobby smirked, Harry turned away and muttered away about demented elves, Neville let out a snort, Hermione giggled lightly, and Luna stared the elf in wonder. Luna exclaimed, "Mr. Dobby, your outfit really keeps the Umbugular Slashkilters away."

"Dobby makes his James Bond outfits himself, yes he does," his tone indicated no small amount of pride. Suddenly, he turned serious and said, "I am Bond, Dobby Bond."

The two magically raised had no clue what Dobby was going on about, but the two mundane raised chuckled at the antiques of the elf. Satisfied with his job well done, Dobby gave an exaggerated bow and popped away.