Delays, Disappointment, and Dating - Part 2

"Will you two be quiet," Hermione hissed. "Do you want to wake up the whole house?"

Laughing, Ginny walked over and took her bra from Harry and Ron. She lightly pecked Harry on the nose. "You're cute when you're embarrassed," she said.

Suddenly realizing he was standing there in his boxers, Ron grabbed the pink flowery blanket and wrapped it around himself. "What are you two doing in here?" he asked. "We're not dressed yet."

"I can see that," Ginny said dryly. "I wouldn't suggest wearing that color though, Ron. It clashes with your hair. That's why I gave it to Hermione."

Hermione giggled, her cheeks very pink. "We've got the stuff all ready. We'll meet you downstairs in five minutes. Hurry up," she said, staring pointedly at Ron. "Your mother is usually the first one awake."

The girls went downstairs while Ron and Harry quickly dressed. They met Hermione and Ginny in the entrance hall.

"Are we ready to do this?" Hermione asked. Now that the time had come, she looked wary and uncertain.

"Yeah," Harry said, infusing his voice with a confidence he didn't really feel. Hunting the Horcruxes would feel better than waiting to do it, he was certain. Putting his hand on the door, he took a deep breath, and the four of them stole quietly into the gray pre-dawn light.

They soon reached the address that Mrs. Granger had given them for the orphanage, but it was still too early to enter. They bought some muffins at a nearby café and sat down at a table on the sidewalk with a clear view of the orphanage. Harry narrowed his eyes, studying it. There was a vague resemblance to the building he remembered seeing in the Pensieve, but there was something different that he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

"It's definitely the right address," he said slowly, "those steps going in are the same, but–"

"It's been renovated," Hermione said. "The article my mother forwarded to me said it was completely redone in 1972. They kept some of the old building and added that section over there." Hermione pointed to the other side of the building that stretched further down the block than Harry had realized.

"They've renovated it? How do we know they even kept the section where Riddle lived?" Harry asked, alarmed.

"We don't," Hermione said, shrugging. "But we have to check anyway, don't we? It's not like there's anything we can do about the fact they renovated, Harry. After all, it's been ages since Riddle was here. There would have to be some changes for it still to be open."

"Yeah, well, even the renovations were done before we were all born. They're probably due for more," Ron said around a mouthful of muffin.

Harry shrugged. Hermione was right; he didn't know why he hadn't even considered the possibility. Riddle would have first been here over sixty years ago, everything couldn't stay the same."

"How are we going to get in?" Ginny asked. "They're Muggles, but they must have security."

"Yeah, but I think I can get past it," Harry said. "Dumbledore used a blank piece of paper to convince the headmistress that Tom Riddle was supposed to go to Hogwarts. I think I can do the same charm. Once I'm inside, I just need to find a secluded spot where we can Apparate later. I think it'll be better if we go back tonight with the Invisibility Cloak."

"That's a good idea," Hermione said. "We'll go rent a couple of rooms for the night. It'll give us a place to wait."