Had it been anyone else, Harry might not have responded so well to the hug. Oh, he would certainly fall into it, let someone hug him, and live through it, but the likelihood of hugging back at the same force is—well, it's slim. He can't kill the questions in his mind, but he does savor the fact that his friend is there at all for a moment.

Harry remains smiling as he pulls back, deciding to go for one of those questions. But which one? Hermione undoubtedly is full of knowledge—better knowledge than some rubbish old note can provide, after all. But where to start?

"How did we arrive here? What I heard back there doesn't make any sense." There, that's a prime place to go. He figures Hermione's just itching to explain, anyway.