Chapter 2
As Hermione walked swiftly to her transfiguration class, she was abruptly yanked from behind. A not insignificant part of her was disappointed when she met Ron Weasley's angry blue eyes and not the teasing green of Harry Potter.
She let Ron pull her into an empty classroom and yanked her arm away once the door closed. "You know, there's a thing called asking?"
"I just found out you met Potter last night. I'm supposed to be helping you, Hermione. How can I do that when you don't tell me what you're doing?"
"I don't even understand what you're supposed to help me with anyway— I don't need you interfering. I can get the information easier without you hovering over me."
"Dumbledore asked me to watch out for you — Potter is dangerous, and from the way you act, it's like you've forgotten that."
Hermione controlled a flinch at that accusation. Perhaps she had. Potter was interesting.
Smart.
Hot.
When he had been so close to her and touching her — it had been a struggle to remember who he really was. Who he was associated with. Who had raised him.
Ron took her silence for agreement, and he reached out again to grasp her arm firmly. "It doesn't matter how nice to you he is — he's hiding his true self from almost everyone. You want to know who he truly is? Go look at the papers and read about the Muggleborns or muggles found dead or missing— that's who the real Potter is."
Maybe that wasn't Harry. Maybe he was trapped and didn't really support those kinds of actions — otherwise, how could he have acted that way with her during tutoring? Even more reason that he would be persuaded to her side, right?
"Hermione." Ron gave her a little shake. "Are you even listening to me?"
Aggravated Hermione pulled out of his hold again. "Stop grabbing at me. You're always touching me, and I don't like it."
There was a glimmer of hurt in Ron's eyes, but he nodded, dropping his hand. "I'm sorry, but it just seems like you're not even paying attention to me."
"I am paying attention."
"Then tell me what happened last night?"
"Nothing — just a tutoring lesson."
"He didn't say anything about you know who?"
Hermione frowned. "It's not going to be that easy — do you think he would just be like, 'Here's how to adjust your wandwork and by the way I'm planning a raid with you know who?"
"Did he flirt with you?"
Hermione remembered the teasing glint in Harry's eyes as he said in a low voice,It's a date.
"I don't see how that pertains to anything," Hermione replied calmly.
"He did then. Of course he would." Ron muttered almost to himself. He dragged a hand through his hair and paced in front of her. "You're supposed to be smarter than this, Hermione. You are smarter than this."
Hermione stiffened. "I don't know what you're insinuating—"
"I'm not insinuating anything, I'm saying it. You're getting fooled by the act he puts on in front of you. Dumbledore never should have asked you to do this."
"I've had one private meeting with Potter— you're blowing this out of proportion."
"Then tell me exactly what he said."
"Nothing! He told me how to hold my wand — he was just nice to me."
"I'm supposed to give Dumbledore updates on your progress. You can't meet with Dumbledore as much, or it will look suspicious — and you're telling me all I can say about a private meeting between you and Potter that lasted hours was that he only corrected how you hold your wand and was nice to you?"
Hermione brought up her hands to massage her temple. "I know what I'm supposed to do, and getting information like that doesn't happen instantly. I have another study session with him next week, and I'll keep getting close to him so he'll trust me."
Ron ran his hand through his hair again, looking pained. "You have to be careful. Don't get caught up in who he pretends to be, Hermione."
"I will, and if this is going to work with you helping me and reporting to Dumbledore, then you have to trust I know what I'm doing."
Ron stopped pacing and stepped close to her. "I do trust you. It's Potter I don't trust." He raised his hand to touch her cheek, and Hermione jerked back. His hand dropped to his side.
Hermione shook her head. "This isn't about your feelings or even my feelings. This is about strategy — about gathering information to help our cause. And Icando this. Just let me and don't pull me into classrooms where anyone might see."
"Because Potter might find out?" Ron sneered.
"Yes," Hermione said flatly. "The same way I shouldn't be seen meeting alone with Dumbledore too much to avoid suspicion, meeting alone with you is just as suspicious. It makes it seem like there may be something between us."
"Maybe that's a better idea." Ron brightened. "You can just try to be friends with Potter — and I can be your pretend boyfriend so he doesn't go too far with you— you'd be safer that way."
"I don't need you protecting me," Hermione said, struggling to contain her irritation — her transfiguration class was going to start soon.
"I know you don't need me to protect you, but I want to. I don't want you to end up a casualty of this war. "
There was a heavy intimacy in the way Ron said it and the raw, unguarded longing in his eyes as he looked at her. Dumbledore should never have assigned him to be her contact.
Hermione took a step back from him. "If you can't control your feelings, then I'll be the one telling Dumbledore that this can't work with you assigned to me. I know he's trying to keep the members of the Order secret, but there have to be other students who've been inducted into the Order and not just me and you."
"I know you don't want to be with me. This isn't about that. But fine." Ron swallowed and nodded jerkily. He gestured to the door. "I won't do this again, and I'll report what you said to Dumbledore."
Ron practically ran from the room, and Hermione sighed heavily. How was she supposed to concentrate on Harry when Ron was behaving like that?
Hermione waited a moment longer to make sure Ron would be long gone from the corridor. She'd had enough of him for today.
She exited the classroom and came face-to-face with Harry Potter, who was leaning casually against the wall opposite the classroom. A snitch fluttered in his right hand, trying to escape.
He pushed off the wall the moment her eyes met his— his expression was unreadable and his green eyes so dark they almost looked black. He released the snitch, and it flew only half an arm's length away before his hand snapped out, capturing it again without looking away from her.
Her stomach dropped to her feet, and chills broke out on her skin. The air felt colder as she froze for a moment, scrambling to pull herself together. "Harry." She swallowed. "How long have you been there?"
Harry's mouth curved, his lips thin. "Long enough."
Hermione felt the blood drain from her face, and her hands tightened on her book bag to keep from trembling. How should she respond to that? The silence stretched between as she felt trapped and unable to look away.
After a long minute, Harry finally released her from his dark gaze, glancing down the empty corridor. "We're going to be late to Transfiguration. We should go."
Hermione's heart was pounding so hard it felt like her entire body was vibrating. She was scared, and she couldn't even quite explain what she was so afraid of. Harry had never given her a reason to fear him.
Harry gestured for her to start walking, and then he fell into step beside her, moving silently like some guard escorting her to her destination.
Her mind was completely blank — she had absolutely no idea what to say or do, so they walked silently to class. Blast Ron.
They entered the classroom together, and everyone noticed—including Professor McGonagall. She frowned severely at them both. "Class began two minutes ago. Five points from Slytherin and five from Ravenclaw for your tardiness. Don't do it again."
Hermione nodded and rushed to take her seat, still unsettled from her interaction with Harry. Padma leaned over to whisper, "Where were you?"
Hermione's eyes darted to the side to where Harry sat, and Padma smiled. "Oh."
Hermione shook her head. She didn't have the words to explain exactly what happened to Padma when she wasn't quite certain what had happened between her and Harry herself.
Professor McGonagall immediately jumped back into her lecture after giving out the punishment. The class was a continuation from the last lesson, as only half the class had managed to transform their hand into the required steel.
Of the Slytherin trio, only Harry had managed the transformation; Draco and Nott had only managed to get a few fingers to transform, but not their whole hand.
Hermione concentrated on helping Padma, who had the same issue.
"You're focusing too much on where you're going to impact the nail— that's why there's only a partial transformation right here—" Hermione pointed to Padma's pinky and the underside of her hand. "Stop thinking of the nail and just focus on your hand. Imagine each cell in your hand transforming into steel."
Padma frowned in concentration and flexed her hand, trying to focus on getting her whole hand to transform into steel. Silver crawled further over her hand slowly.
"Nearly there," Hermione whispered, staring at Padma's hand.
"Theo, don't!" Harry's authoritative voice sliced through their concentration, and Hermione glanced over to the Slytherin table.
Theo Nott was bringing his half-transformed hand down on the nail swiftly. Harry's hand snapped out and caught Theo's hand, but not before it almost impacted, and the nail went partially into Harry's knuckle.
"Stupid!" Draco snapped, shoving Nott so hard he almost fell out of his chair before turning to look at Harry's hand.
Hermione jumped up with her wand and rushed over to Harry's side, "Let me see."
"Sorry, Harry," Nott said sheepishly, but Hermione ignored him; her gaze focused on the blood welling from the back of Harry's hand. She didn't like seeing him hurt.
Harry had no expression as he held out his hand for her inspection. She cradled his hand carefully, waving her wand over the wound and casting cleaning and healing charms. "That's better." She said after a moment, squeezing his healed hand. "It doesn't hurt anymore, does it?"
Harry hesitated only a second before smiling at her. "No, it doesn't hurt anymore."
"What's going on here?" McGonagall approached, having finally noticed the fracas on their side of the class.
"This daft muffin tried to hammer his nail when his hand was only partially transfigured," Draco answered, pointing at Theo, who turned red. "Harry should have let the nail go through his hand."
"Not a wise decision, Mr. Nott." McGonagall frowned before turning to Harry. "But good job, Potter, not letting your friend get hurt."
"Hermione healed me," Harry said.
McGonagall gave a tense smile. "That's good—good teamwork." She turned around to walk back towards the front of the class, saying in a louder voice. "Remember, true learning often requires relying on others—their guidance, their strengths. No one improves as quickly on their own."
Hermione realized she was still holding Harry's hand. His hand was so much larger than hers, and there were calluses on his palm, probably from so much Quidditch.
Hermione released him abruptly, her face heating up. "Sorry." She wasn't sure what she was apologizing for— perhaps holding on to his hand like a nitwit.
Harry lowered his hand to his lap, all his focus on her. "Thanks for healing me." He said softly.
"You're welcome."
There was a warm look in Harry's eyes that made her temperature go up, and Hermione busied herself with her notes.
Padma leaned toward her. "Nice move."
Padma's comment didn't sit right with Hermione. It hadn't been just a strategy for her to heal Harry. She hadn't wanted to see him in pain. Was simple kindness now a strategy to get him to trust her?
The whole situation seemed wrong.
But then it didn't matter how she felt about it — there wasn't a choice. She had to do it to help the Order and ultimately other Muggleborns like herself.
OOOOoooOOOooOOOOOoooOOOO
The sun was low in the sky and a chilly breeze ruffled their papers, but Hermione, Padma, and Luna ignored that as they sat beneath a large tree near the black lake. It wouldn't be long before the cold would be too bitter for studying outside, so they each wanted to take advantage of it while they could.
Padma and Hermione had the same class schedule since they both wanted to join the Department of Mysteries. Luna, who was a year below them, took different subjects since she was interested in becoming a magizoologist.
Luna was reading a treatise on merpeople for an upcoming paper. Padma was working on a transfiguration essay while Hermione worked on a magical history scroll.
"I can't believe McGonagall wants an eight-foot essay," Padma grumbled, holding down her parchment while she scribbled furiously. Even with a self-inking quill, it was a pain.
Hermione, who had finished her essay yesterday, said nothing. While all areas of magic fascinated her, transfiguration held particular allure because of the fantastical nature of transforming objects into something else — or transformingyourselfinto something else.
Hermione was particularly interested in attempting to become an Animagus. Although she didn't have time for it currently with her studies and preparations for NEWTs, she thought she would try the process after graduation.
She shook off the hopeful thought and went back to focusing on the third era of magical revolution that happened during the peace following the goblin wars.
The wind blew, causing ripples across the black lake, and a tentacle curled upward before flopping back into the dark water.
Luna looked up at the noise. "Horace must be so lonely," Luna said contemplatively.
"Horace?" Hermione asked.
"The giant squid in the black lake."
"You named him Horace?"
Luna gave a tinkling laugh. "No, that's his name."
"Did he tell you that?" Padma asked mischievously.
Luna nodded serenely. "Not that Horace can speak, of course. That would be silly. Squids don't use vocal language."
"Maybe he needs a Miss Horace," Hermione said with a little smile.
"Or just a friend," Luna said, staring toward the water. "Friends are very important."
Padma and Hermione exchanged glances, and Padma reached out to squeeze Luna's shoulder. "Is everything alright, Luna?"
Hermione and Padma had to watch out for Luna as some of the other students had bullied her terribly. The bullying had stopped in Luna's third year, which both Hermione and Padma were grateful for — it had been hard watching out for Luna when she was a year below them and not in the same classes.
Luna nodded slowly. "I made a new friend."
"Who?" Hermione asked.
"Draco Malfoy." Luna looked over at Hermione. "He asked about you."
Hermione felt a shiver go down her spine. "What did you tell him, Luna?"
"He wanted to know if you'd ever been mean to me." Luna's eyes widened a bit comically. "I told him, of course not, you're my best friend."
Padma frowned, looking at Hermione. "Do you think Potter put him up to it? Trying to get more information about you?"
"Maybe," Hermione said quietly. "Or maybe Malfoy is acting on his own. He seems protective of Harry."
"I don't like this." Padma put aside her quill and parchment. "Do you think they know something?"
Hermione didn't know. She remembered how dark Harry's eyes had looked when she came out of the classroom where she had talked with Ron. She turned to Luna. "When did he ask you this, Luna?"
"After lunch today. He was very nice to me." Luna fiddled with a piece of grass. "He told me to be careful walking alone in the evenings."
"Luna! Have you been walking in the dark forest again?" Padma exclaimed. Both Hermione and Padma had tried to get Luna to stop taking her evening walks in the dark forest, but it was difficult with someone as stubborn as Luna. She simply smiled and went about her business.
"The only time you can sometimes see Nargles is at twilight."
"Oh, Luna," Hermione said. "We just worry about you."
"I'm very careful." Luna smiled. "I told that to Draco, too."
Hermione frowned. After lunch would have been after transfiguration class. Had Harry seen Ron leave the classroom first? Had he heard anything?
Blast Ron. This was the last thing she needed.
"Are you going to tell Dumbledore?" Padma asked, watching Hermione with concern.
"No. This doesn't change anything. I still need to see if I can get him to trust me and see what I can find out — I won't stop."
Padma swallowed. "The rumors are that Potter is dangerous, Hermione."
Luna nodded. "Most snakes are."
"You mean because he's in Slytherin?" Hermione asked, confused.
"No." Luna shook her head. "Potter is like a snake. An ambush predator — he waits for the right moment." Luna's head tilted thoughtfully. "He seems very territorial, too."
That Hermione could believe. A chill wind blew past them, colder now that it was later and the sun had started to sink beneath the horizon.
"We should head in," Hermione said, starting to gather her things. The other two girls nodded and started packing up their study items, too.
As they walked slowly back to the Ravenclaw dorms, Padma fell into step beside Hermione while Luna wandered ahead.
"I'm worried about you. At first, this seemed kind of exciting — a secret mission for a secret organization." Padma glanced at Hermione. "But if they're already asking questions…"
"If they're asking questions, it means they don't know anything yet. Maybe they suspect something, but that's all."
"Still, I don't like that Malfoy went to Luna." Padma persisted.
Hermione frowned determinedly. "I won't be scared off so easily, Padma."
Padma bumped Hermione's shoulder gently. "I'm just worried. Promise me you'll be careful— especially when you're alone with Potter."
Hermione gave her a small smile. "I'm always careful."
Ahead of them, Luna stopped and waved behind them. Hermione and Padma looked back and saw a tentacle stretching out from the black lake, and it almost looked like it was waving back.
"Poor lonely Horace," Luna said, drifting past them and humming under her breath.
Before stepping inside the warmth of the castle, Hermione looked back one more time at the still black lake. The water still glimmered faintly with the last rays of the setting sun.
It looked deceptively peaceful.
Harry was an ambush predator, Luna had said. Hermione inhaled slowly; the cold air stung her lungs.
If Harry Potter was an ambush predator, then she'd have to strike first.
OOOoooOOOOOooOOOOO
At the front of Hermione's Charms class, Professor Filius Flitwick lectured from on top of a stack of books next to his desk. The professor was half goblin and stood only three feet tall.
"Non-verbal spells are about your deliberation and intent — our magic will bend objects to our will as long as you can commit yourself to the task," Flitwick said authoritatively from on top of a stack of books. "Now this is easy with one object—" He waved his wand at a pineapple on his desk, and it sprouted squishy yellow hands and feet. The pineapple took a bow to the class before it started to dance to scattered laughs.
Flitwick waved his wand again, and the pineapple started gaining in size until its crown of leaves brushed the ceiling. "Imagine what I could do with the pineapple now?"
"Eat a lot of pineapple!" Called Seamus Finnegan, a Gryffindor sitting next to Ron Weasley, and both broke out laughing.
"Yes!" Flitwick exclaimed, then frowned. "No, not what I was meaning, Mr. Finnegan. With this technique, you can create your own armies — your own servants — your own helpers! The possibilities are endless!" Flitwick waved his hands in the air excitedly, and the giant pineapple next to him mimicked the action, flinging pineapple juice all over the students in the first row. For once, Hermione was glad she hadn't taken the front seat, which she normally loved, and instead sat further back so that Padma could sit next to her twin Parvati in the only class the twins had together.
It was difficult to pay attention to Professor Flitwick's lesson when Hermione knew that as soon as classes were over, it would be time for another tutoring session with Harry. He'd caught her eye several times during the week and given her little smiles, but hadn't approached her since that day he escorted her back to transfiguration class.
She couldn't come up with another plausible reason to approach him, so she decided to wait for their next lesson. It would be stupid to approach Harry for more tutoring, not to mention that she was the top student in the rest of her classes.
Hermione almost jumped when Padma brushed her arm to get her attention.
"Are you okay?" Padma asked, concerned. She knew Hermione was stressed about the situation with Potter.
Hermione gave her a reassuring smile. "I just got a little sidetracked."
"In the middle of a lesson?" Padma had a knowing glint in her eye that said she knew exactly what was distracting Hermione. "Okay, then, I just wanted to make sure it was okay that I team up with Parvati? Unless you need me—"
Hermione looked around and realized everyone was pairing up. "No, that's fine, I'll find a partner," she said, and stood up to look for someone.
Padma smiled at Hermione, then stood up to make her way to her twin's side. As soon as the girls were next to each other, their heads tilted close together, and they started whispering to one another.
Hermione hadn't moved a foot before Ron Weasley stepped into her path, holding a rock.
"Let's team up." He said, walking around her back to her desk.
Damnit. She hadn't wanted to be teamed up with a Gryffindor — and especially not Ron Weasley.
Ron placed the rock between them on the table and leaned forward to speak in a low voice. "I spoke with Dumbledore and told him about the tutoring lessons."
"Oh." Hermione tensed up at the thought, then forced herself to relax. "What did he say?"
"He says you're doing a good job— you should start asking him questions about you know who—"
"That's really subtle." Hermione interrupted sarcastically.
"I wasn't done," Ron said irritably. "He says by asking Harry who he was raised by might be an in — like asking about his home life, especially early on."
That actually wasn't a bad idea. She'd been debating how to approach asking for more information, and asking about his parents felt like a fairly normal discussion topic. "I'll do that."
Ron nodded, looking down at the rock between them. "You want to try first?"
Hermione nodded and raised her wand as Flitwick raised his voice over the classroom din, "Remember! Deliberation and intent — your magic should flow naturally toward the rock!"
Hermione focused on the rock, taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out as she pictured it growing legs and arms. Maybe it should even have little pebble-shaped toes and fingers.
The rock twitched on the table and started to reform— and Ron blurted out at the same moment, "Do you think it's true? That Potter was actually raised by you know who?
The rock flopped over, and a tiny crack formed on the side. "Ron, can you not interrupt me when I'm in the middle of a spell?"
Ron didn't look apologetic as he continued. "I'm sorry, but I just don't understand how you can stand to be close to someone like that. It's like you're trying to seduce you know who himself. I told Dumbledore about my idea of you pretending to be my girlfriend so you're safer —"
"I told you that wasn't going to happen." Hermione interrupted firmly.
"I'm trying to keep you safe! Neither of us really knows what Potter is capable of."
Hermione carefully placed down her wand so she wouldn't be tempted to cast a hex and got very, very close to Ron's face. "I need you to listen to me very carefully. You're here to carry messages to Dumbledore and help me — not try to protect me from my own mission. I don't care what you think of Potter. I don't care what you think of me. Stop giving me your ideas like I care."
Ron looked like he'd been slapped. Red crawled up his face to the tips of his ears.
"You— " He began heatedly.
"We've had the same conversation where you complain about what I'm doing or how I'm feeling multiple times, and I'm tired of it. We aren't friends, we just belong to the same organization." Hermione picked up her wand and waved it toward the rock. Her magic lashed out like a whip, and the rock cracked in half with a defeated puff of smoke.
Flitwick, who heard the noise, came by and stood on his tiptoes to see the top of the table and the two pitiful rock halves. "Too much tension, Miss Granger— intent doesn't mean magical strength, it means the strength of your deliberation for magic to do your will."
Embarrassment rushed through Hermione at doing so poorly in front of Flitwick. "Sorry, sir. I'll get another rock." She murmured, getting up from her chair.
Flitwick frowned. "No, this is fine, it's the same principle, even though the rock is smaller, you each can take a half and work with that."
Hermione took her smaller rock piece, scooted further away from Ron, and ignored him for the rest of the class.
OOOOoooOOOOOoooOOOO
Anger still sizzled along Hermione's nerve endings as she strode into the empty classroom for tutoring with Harry. Her skirt swished back and forth agitatedly along with her mood, and her hair was even bushier than usual.
Objectively, she could almost understand Ron's harping on the subject, but at the same time, nothing he suggested was workable, and his own objectivity was compromised because he couldn't divorce his feelings from the issue.
Harry was waiting, relaxed in the middle of the classroom, a snitch fluttering in his hand again. He made eye contact with her as he let it go, and then caught it without looking away from her. "Are you alright?"
"Of course, why do you ask?"
He tilted his head, inspecting her while the snitch fluttered helplessly in his hand. "You look irritated."
Hermione shook her head, trying to throw off her mood. She needed to focus on Harry and the mission. "Charms class was just — nothing. Never mind."
Harry didn't move. "Don't you have Charms with the Gryffindors?"
Hermione turned away from him to put her bookbag on a desk pushed against the wall. "Yes."
"I guess that's enough to irritate anybody," Harry said lightly, and when she looked back at him, he had already put away the snitch and had his wand in hand.
Hermione gave a slight laugh at the sentiment. Gryffindors were very exuberant. "They're a lot sometimes, but they're okay. Some are my friends."
"Which ones?" Harry approached her slowly, and her heart rate sped up the closer he came. His green eyes were mesmerizing, and it was hard to break his stare as he barely blinked, keeping eye contact with her. "Weasley?"
Harry saying Ron's name was a jolt, and she looked away, knowing she had to say something. "No, he's not my friend."
Harry was only a breath away now, and he reached for her hand, holding her wrist lightly. His thumb stroked along her skin. "Oh?"
Her hand trembled in his, and she wanted to snatch it away as the sensation felt like too much, but she forced herself to relax. The truth of hers and Ron's relationship would work here— or at least a piece of the truth. "He has a crush on me, and I don't — I'm not interested. He's been persistent."
Harry's other hand came up to cradle her shoulder. He seemed to darken as she looked up at him, all the shadows in the room crawling over him. "I'll talk to him."
"Oh, you don't have to — I took care of it myself." Hermione looked up at Harry earnestly. Her plan to interrogate him wasn't going well. She had to get the topic of conversation away from her — and away from Ron, judging by the dark look Harry sported. She had to get the information she needed and stop answering his questions. Strike first, she reminded herself.
Harry made a noncommittal noise and stepped back from her. "Are you ready to begin? I was thinking of dueling low-level spells to make sure you have the motion down — then progress to layering."
A part of Hermione wanted to verify that Harry wouldn't say anything to Ron, but bringing Ron up again didn't seem like the right move. So she let the topic go and nodded, positioning herself on the north end of the classroom while Harry stood at the south.
"Ready?" Harry asked, raising his wand.
Hermione nodded, her focus on Harry.
Harry sent a laughing jinx slowly toward her as if she were a first-year. She batted the spell away irritably. "Don't play with me."
Harry gave her a playful grin and shot the next jinx lightning fast. Hermione ducked out of the way and sent her own hex back. Harry's wand batted the spell away, and it splashed harmlessly against the wall.
The duel heated up as they traded spells lightning quick. Hermione felt a flare of satisfaction when Harry cast the first Protego. But the momentary gratification was gone instantly when he dismissed it with the same slash that arrowed a dancing jinx toward her.
Her answering spell collided with his in a shower of multicolored sparks, only a foot away from her. That had been close. Harry's grin sharpened as they traded spells faster — each one summoning a protego when they couldn't divert the spell or duck out of the way.
Hermione felt sweat slip down her back as the duel continued longer than any she had in class. In a split-second decision, Hermione layered her spells, a tripping jinx with a leglock. It should trip him and then lock his legs together, preventing him from moving.
Harry narrowly deflected the twin spells arrowing at him, and they ricocheted upward, smacking into the ceiling with a crack.
Harry laughed in exhilaration. "Ambitious. Well done."
The praise rushed through her as if he'd shot a warming spell at her, and her cheeks turned pink. Hermione tried to control her breathing, but it was loud in the classroom's silence.
Harry looked unruffled as he walked toward her. "Let's take a little break."
It was sunset outside, and the deep orange rays of the setting sun hit the floor of the classroom through the windows. Harry stepped into one of those rays of light and sat down in the square of light it made on the floor.
Even though she tried not to, Hermione felt a laugh bubble up.
The sun haloed around him as he looked up at her with a smile. He was golden, just like Luna said. Harry patted the space next to him, inviting her to sit beside him. "What's so funny?"
She sat down, carefully arranging her skirt. "You reminded me of Crookshanks for a moment; he likes sitting in the spots where the sun hits, too."
"I hate the cold," Harry confessed, leaning back on his hands.
Hermione licked her lips. "I don't mind it. The cold always reminds me of Christmas and being with my family."
Harry said nothing, watching her.
Strike first, she told herself, gathering her courage for her next question. "D-do you stay with your family for the holidays?" God, that sounded so stupid. It was a struggle to keep her face serene as she looked back at Harry.
Harry gave her a slow smile and leaned forward with an interested expression. "You're muggleborn, right?"
Hermione felt startled at him broaching that subject, but nodded.
"Isn't it strange at your house with no one else able to do magic? Do they make you hide it?"
"No — well, I don't really use magic at home." Hermione fumbled with her response, frustrated that he'd ignored her question and turned the conversation back to her so easily.
"Why not?"
"It's just not necessary."
"I find magic very necessary. Are you sure it's you who thinks that and not your parents making you think that?"
"No, what kind of parents do you have? My parents love me." She said, trying to keep from getting heated.
"Muggles don't understand that we don't just do magic — we are magic." There was some emotion in Harry's eyes that she couldn't read. Was it anger? His green eyes were dark as he stared at her.
Her parents loved her — they supported her. Of course, they didn't truly understand magic, but that was fine. She shook her head at him in denial. Harry leaned close and caught her chin, stopping her movement.
"They'll never understand this part of you," Harry whispered to her. "Deep down, they know you're part of something bigger than their little lives."
He was finally saying things that seemed to echo blood purity, and Hermione could feel her heart sinking. "Just because they're not magical doesn't mean they're dirty or unworthy."
"Of course not." Harry agreed easily.
Harry's agreement startled her, and he noticed, tilting his head, his eyes fixed on her with that unnerving stillness he sometimes had. "Being different isn't wrong. It just is. Your magic sets you apart from Muggles." He looked away. "Some of them get angry over that difference."
"Did someone get angry at you?" Hermione whispered, seeing his jaw flex. "For being different?"
He looked back at her. "Some muggles think we're freaks. They'll try to kill us if they can."
"Harry… my parents love me— most muggles aren't like that."
Harry didn't respond, looking at her with dark green eyes.
Hermione continued, "We don't have to understand everything about one another to love each other."
Harry considered her, calculation flickering in his eyes as he asked," Would you marry a muggle?"
Hermione reared back. "What?"
"Would you choose to spend your life with someone who could never be part of your world?"
"I— I—" She'd never considered marrying a muggle. Every time she'd pictured her future it had been with someone magical.
"The magical world is your home— and it could never be theirs. They don't belong here."
"I don't need to choose one world over the other." She'd had a foot in both worlds for years; she could continue that way forever.
"You will." He said with such certainty that it made her heart tremble. "One day."
When she kept quiet, he seemed to understand he'd pushed her off center. Harry's posture softened, and he came even closer— as if he was going to kiss her. "Hermione…. I'm not trying to upset you."
"Then what are you trying to do?" She asked, unable to keep the tremor from her voice.
"Trying to make you understand." He said at last. "You… you're extraordinary."
Her breath stuttered at the admiring look on his face.
His hand came up to cradle her cheek. "You're meant for far greater things than can be found in the Muggle world."
"That's not for you to decide." His hand was hot against her skin, but she didn't move away. It was like the sun itself was reaching out to her.
"You said your parents love you — maybe they do." He murmured. "But they can never love you fully because they'll never know all of you the way someone magical can."
Shadow drifted over the classroom as the sun was obscured, and Harry's golden glow disappeared. The classroom was suddenly too small, too hot, too dark. The sun was setting, and the torches had lit. Candles flared in the classroom, making it too intimate.
"I — I need to go," Hermione said, scrambling up and leaving Harry sitting on the floor watching her. "I have to study— I have a test."
Harry didn't move as he watched her grab her bookbag.
Hermione stopped at the doorway, one hand clutching the frame to brace herself. "Next week then?"
Harry smiled at her with dark green eyes. "Next week."
OOOOooooOOOOOooooOOOO
Hermione lay in bed that night with Harry's words running circles in her mind. She picked up the pillow and smashed it over her head, and then pulled the blanket up as if she could hide away from her own thoughts.
They'll never understand this part of you, Harry's whisper echoed in her ears.
Hermione remembered coming home after her first term at Hogwarts. How excited she had been about everything she had been learning.
Only for her parents to give her tense fake smiles as they tried to ask about English or Maths. She remembered how hard it had been to convince them to let her go back to Hogwarts.
After that, she had been more circumspect with what she told her parents — mostly about magical history, as that was the easiest for them to relate to. Her parents were in the dark about almost everything happening in the magical world, including the war and the fact that she'd joined an organization fighting against a dark wizard.
Your magic sets you apart from them.
Her parents loved her— Hermione knew they did. They didn't know everything, but that was fine. That didn't diminish their love.
But they can never love you fully because they'll never know all of you the way someone magical can.
"No, no, no." Hermione whispered to herself, turning on her side. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to forget the looks of confusion on her parents' faces whenever she spoke about something from her world.
No. That was wrong; it wasn't her world or their world. There was only one world and everyone had to live in it together.
Harry was wrong. She was stronger for knowing both worlds. The magical world would be stronger if it learned from the Muggle world.
Some muggles think we're freaks. They'll try to kill us if they can.
The conviction with which he said it made it sound personal— as if a muggle had tried to kill him. But who? And why? Voldemort hated Muggles, so how would Harry have had contact with them?
Nothing made sense.
Hermione flopped over onto her back and stared up at the Ravenclaw blue of her canopy. Her thoughts were tangled and running in circles. And superimposed above everything were Harry's words slicing through her convictions.
Her parents loved her.
They did.
Even if they didn't understand magic, they understood Hermione. They listened to her.
Harry's voice crept in, cracking her conviction, soft and so very confident: They'll never understand this part of you.
Hermione wrapped her arms around herself. She tried to focus not on herself and her family but on what it meant that Harry said those things — that he believed those things.
Was it just indoctrination, or was it something more?
The canopy blurred above her as her eyelids grew heavy. Her thoughts drifted, unable to draw a conclusion. The sound of her own soft breaths lulled her to sleep.
She dreamed of Harry standing too close to her, his breath brushing against her cheek as he whispered silkily to her, "You— you're extraordinary. You're meant for far greater things." His arms wrapped around her too tightly, cutting off her air supply. But she didn't struggle as she suffocated, mesmerized by the darkness in his green eyes. "No one will ever love you the way that I can."
OOOOooooOOOOOooooOOOO
The Ravenclaw common room was a large circular room done in tones of silver and blue. The walls were lined with bookshelves, and the lighting was bright enough for reading but not headache-inducing bright. It had the atmosphere of a library and tended to be quieter than one more often than not.
Many Ravenclaws preferred studying in their own common room with each other and not the library when possible. Hermione was an oddity in that she preferred going to the library to study.
Today, however, the common room was almost empty as it was the first Saturday that students had been allowed to go to Hogsmeade. Usually, Hermione would have been one of those students eager to explore the shops, but instead, she planned to hide away in the common room and study for Charms.
She sat curled in an overstuffed blue armchair, staring blindly at her Charms text. The other day, she'd cancelled her tutoring session with Harry. Harry had only nodded when she slipped him the note, his dark green eyes watchful.
But she'd needed more time away from Harry after the intensity of their conversation last time. His insinuations chiseled away at the foundations of beliefs she thought were solid—assumptions she hadn't questioned. There was even the question of why his words impacted her so much. Why couldn't she disregard what he had said? Why did it linger in her mind?
So she'd stayed away from Harry, and he'd just watched her patiently as if waiting for his moment. It was aggravating and unnerving at the same time, waiting for that moment to come.
Ron had been a big surprise, though these past days. Perhaps after she told him off in Charms class, he'd had a change of heart? Or more likely, he just liked that she was staying away from Harry for a bit. Either way, he hadn't bothered to tell Dumbledore about her behavior yet. It was a miracle Hermione knew wouldn't last, and she was running out of time before Ron either approached her or told on her.
Crookshanks took it upon himself to distract her by walking across her textbook and waving his tail in her face. "Mew."
"I'm studying." She muttered to him, lifting him and settling him on the floor, where he turned and stared at her.
Padma, overhearing the exchange, came closer. "He's probably worried because you've been so distracted lately."
Hermione signed. "I just have a lot on my mind."
"I know," Padma said meaningfully.
"Mrrrow." Crookshanks let out a growly meow as if agreeing with Padma and rubbed against Hermione's legs. Hermione leaned down and petted him reassuringly.
"Are you going to Hogsmeade?" Hermione asked. She'd been so distracted she'd thought they'd left already.
"Yes," Padma answered as Luna came out dressed for the walk to the little village. "You should come with us."
"I don't really feel up to it," Hermione answered, staring back down at her text.
"And that's exactly why you should come," Padma announced, reaching forward and closing Hermione's book. "It will distract you, and you can get some sugar quills — I know you love those."
"The fresh air always helps me feel better." Luna offered cheerfully from Padma's side.
Hermione sighed and gave in. Maybe the walk could help her clear her head. She put away her books and got her coat, hat, and gloves, joining Luna and Padma as they walked down to Hogsmeade.
An early snow had swept in only a day ago, and the ground outside was still pristine white and picturesque. Their feet made crunching sounds as they walked slowly along the snow-laden trail to Hogsmeade.
Hermione breathed the chill air in deeply, enjoying the shiver that went down her spine. She smiled at Padma next to her. "You were right. I already feel better."
"See, I'm always right, I keep telling you this," Padma said teasingly.
Hermione laughed. "Well, it was getting out here, and also the idea of getting some sugar quills that made me feel better. I love those things."
"I want a butterbeer," Luna murmured.
Padma looked over at Luna. "That's perfect— we'll do some shopping, then finish up at the Three Broomsticks and get some butterbeer before we head back to Hogwarts."
At the entrance to the village, standing stiffly at attention was Professor Snape. Each weekend, one of the professors served as a monitor to ensure students didn't misbehave. Not that it was particularly effective, since there was only one person for an entire village.
Hermione didn't particularly like Snape. She didn't think Snape was a competent teacher despite his skill with potions. Snape hated children too much to teach effectively.
Still, as they passed by Snape, Hermione nodded politely.
"Miss Granger," Snape said lowly, catching her attention.
Hermione looked back, surprised. She hadn't expected him to talk to her. Luna and Padma stopped a few steps ahead of her, having heard Snape, too.
Snape gestured with his head further down the street and said meaningfully, "You might want to stop by Spintwitches Sporting Needs."
"Why would I—" Hermione stopped as she realized why Snape had said that. Harry was here, and he was at Spintwitches.
Reading the realization on her face accurately, Snape sneered. "Exactly, Miss Granger."
Hermione nodded at him and stomped forward, moving past Padma and Luna, who trailed her, looking curious about the puzzling exchange.
"Why would we visit Spintwitches?" Padma said, amused at the thought.
Both the book shop and the candy shop were right past Spintwitches. Blast it. She'd have to walk very quickly past.
"I'm going to Tomes and Scrolls first," Hermione announced to her friends, walking determinedly in that direction and not looking left or right.
"Whoa. Slow down, Hermione." Padma said, speeding up to keep pace with her.
Luna, not bothered by Hermione's rushing, wandered slowly a few feet behind them.
Hermione almost thought she had made it past the sports shop without incident when Luna exclaimed. "Draco!"
Both Padma and Hermione looked back to see Luna smiling up at the blonde boy. A bell tinkled as Spintwitches' door opened, and both Harry and Theo Nott stepped out next to Draco.
"So that's what Snape was talking about. You should have told me." Padma whispered at her side.
Harry's eyes met hers for just a second before sliding away. Neither Harry nor Theo approached Hermione or Padma; instead, they stood beside Draco while he spoke with Luna.
"I saw you looking for your Nargles again," Draco said reprovingly to Luna.
Luna smiled at him. "If I don't look, how will I find them?"
Theo laughed. "Yeah, how will she find them? Maybe you can help her, Draco. Both of you can go look for the Nargles in the evenings."
Draco shot him an annoyed glance.
"Theo," Harry said quietly, drawing Theo's gaze. Theo heaved a put-upon sigh but changed the subject.
Theo looked at everyone speculatively. "Would you look at this! Three of you and three of us. We should all go on a date. We can promote interhouse unity one Slytherclaw couple at a time." Theo said slyly.
"Oh, I don't know— " Padma began, but Theo stepped closer to her and batted his eyelashes.
"Pretty please? You wouldn't leave me alone with just them, would you?" He gestured to Draco and Harry.
"I want butterbeer," Luna announced again.
Draco, eager to leave Theo behind, gestured her in the direction of the Three Broomsticks. "Let me buy you one."
Luna nodded cheerfully, following him down to the pub.
Theo, seeing them break off to get a drink, stepped even closer to Padma. "We should go to Madam Puddifoots, I hear she's got a new herbal tea on the menu that's absolutely brilliant."
Padma's eyes widened in interest, but she looked back at Hermione and stepped away from Theo. "No, it's okay, we're going to the bookshop."
Hermione knew Padma loved trying new tea varieties and also had a crush on Theo. She'd be a terrible friend if she kept her back from the invitation even though she wanted to.
Hermione pasted a smile on her face. "Go on, Padma, I don't need an escort to the bookshop. We can catch up later."
Padma leaned closer, whispering, "Are you sure? I can stay with you."
"No, really, I'm fine," Hermione whispered back, patting her hand.
Padma gave her a bright smile and turned back to Theo. "Okay! Let's go!" She said excitedly, linking arms with Theo as they strode in the direction of Madam Puddifoot's.
Hermione finally looked at Harry; she had the feeling he'd been looking at her the whole time. "Well. I'll see you around." She said to him shortly before she turned and strode toward the bookstore.
Harry fell into step beside her.
"After tutoring you, I think I would at least rate a hello."
"Hello." She said quietly. It came out less confident than she liked.
Harry huffed, not quite a laugh, not quite a scoff. "The way you're acting, it's like I did something terrible to you."
Hermione didn't know how to respond to that, so they walked in silence for a few more steps. The sound of snow crunching under their feet was loud — but the silence between them was louder. Harry easily kept pace with her quick stride and seemed to almost stroll leisurely to her quick march.
"Why are you avoiding me?' he asked at last.
"I'm not avoiding you." Hermione lied instantly.
He looked over at her, not saying anything, and one brow raised slowly. Hermione could feel the heat rising in her cheeks.
She pressed her lips together. "I've been busy."
"Busy canceling tutoring sessions," Harry murmured. "Busy avoiding me. Busy running past Spintwitches so you wouldn't see me."
Hermione stopped walking and faced him. Harry paused when she did, looking down at her. He wasn't wearing a cap, and small snowflakes settled in his black hair, melting slowly. She hadn't thought she had that power, but there was an unmistakable thread of hurt in his tone. "I didn't mean to upset you."
"You didn't upset me." There was a shadow in his green eyes, as if he was shielding his emotions from her. "You just disappeared. And I thought—" He cut himself off and shook his head. "Never mind."
Looking into his dark green eyes, Hermione was reminded of her dream. No one will ever love you the way I can. She shivered, and not from the cold.
Harry's eyes flickered, and his cheekbones turned redder.
"Harry, the last tutoring session… Your words were a lot for me to process. I needed to think." She confessed.
He studied her carefully. "And did the space help you think?"
"No." She admitted.
A slow, gentle smile tugged at Harry's mouth. "You didn't have to run, you know. You can tell me if I'm being too much."
"I don't run." Hermione disputed immediately.
"You sprinted," Harry said straight-faced. "Right past Spintwitches."
Hermione glared at him, but a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
Harry's face relaxed into a grin. "C'mon. Let's go to the bookstore— I promise I'll behave."
Hermione scoffed at the thought of him behaving and then blushed.
Harry laughed. "I promise for today I'll behave with you." His voice softened, and the laughter slipped away. "I just want to talk to you."
Her heart fluttered at the earnestness in his voice. She nodded, and they fell into step with each other again, more slowly this time.
Harry talked about their classes — about Theo driving Draco mad — which made Hermione laugh. He spoke about Quidditch practice and how, as the Slytherin captain, he had to kick so many arses to keep them in line.
When they entered Tomes and Scrolls, the little bell above the door tinkled, letting the shopkeeper know they were there—and a voice called from the back of the shop. "Let me know when you're ready, and I'll come to the front! Or if you need help!"
"Okay!" Hermione called back, and they made their way toward the aisles of books.
Hermione enjoyed Harry's quick mind and wit as they moved through the bookstore leisurely, discussing their classes. After an hour of browsing, as Hermione was flipping through a treatise on potion making, Harry asked quietly. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"
"Of course you can."
He reached over her, pushing the book into the shelf near her shoulder. Then he left his hand there, leaning over her. "Why did what I said that day bother you so much?"
"Wh— what?" The question took Hermione off guard since she thought the subject had been dropped.
"Is it because what I said was true?"
"Harry…"
His head lowered, his lips too close to her. "Don't shut me out, Hermione."
"I'm not." But the protest sounded weak even to her own ears.
"I want to be your friend, Hermione." He confessed so close she could smell mint on his breath.
Friend was too small a word to contain Harry.
When she didn't speak and just stared up at him, mute, he hesitated before pressing again. "Will you be my friend, Hermione?"
"Yes." The answer slipped out before she even thought it through, and it felt like she was agreeing to more than just friendship.
Harry smiled at her and stepped back, finally letting her have breathing space. "No more cancelled tutoring sessions then?"
Hermione shook her head.
"Okay." He glanced around the empty store and frowned as if realizing the time. "Actually, there's something I need to go do — I'll see you back at Hogwarts, okay?"
It felt like an abrupt shift from his tone just a few moments before, but Hermione nodded. "Do you want me to go with you? You came with me to the bookstore…"
"No." He answered swiftly before softening it. "Just some Quidditch stuff I wouldn't want to bore you with."
"Quidditch doesn't bore me." Quidditch completely bored her.
Harry grinned at her knowingly. "Friendship is occasionally suffering through boredom, but I won't put you through that quite yet— I want you to attend my game after all."
"What game?" Was there a Quidditch game soon? She never kept up with that scheduling.
"The first Quidditch game in November — we're going to be facing Gryffindor." Harry's eyes were light with anticipation. Then he shook his head as if trying to focus. "But I have to go, okay?"
Hermione nodded. "Okay…" Hadn't he just left the sports shop?
He gave her one last smile before turning away. "Bye, Hermione."
"Bye, Harry." But she said it to herself because he was already gone.
OOOOoooOOOooOOOOOoooOOOO
When Hermione finally left Tomes and Scrolls, the streets of Hogsmeade were strangely deserted. She didn't find Luna or Padma as she strolled slowly past the shops. So she visited the sweets shop for her sugar quills and then walked back to Hogwarts on her own.
The dorms were empty when she arrived back. Thinking she'd just missed Padma and Luna, she put away her purchases, popped a sugar quill in her mouth, and took out her books to resume studying in the Ravenclaw common room. Crookshanks came over and settled comfortably in her lap.
Not long after, a rush of students entered the common room along with Padma and Luna. Everyone was having a hushed conversation, and the noise level of the common room rose to an unusual level.
"Where have you been?" Padma demanded as she leaned over to give Hermione a brief hug.
Hermione looked at Padma, bewildered. "I've been here studying. I couldn't find you in Hogsmeade, so I just came back here."
"You didn't hear, did you?"
Hermione frowned. "Hear what?"
Padma looked around the crowded common room. "Let's go to our room."
Padma's face was serious and slightly pale. Looking at her, Hermione had a sinking sensation in her stomach. Whatever Padma had to tell her wasn't good.
Hermione closed her book, shifting Crookshanks off her lap to follow Padma into their room. Luna trailed silently behind them.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Padma whirled on Hermione. "You know Ramona Hughes? The muggleborn Gryffindor?"
The vague image of a girl with straight black hair and dark eyes came to mind. Hermione didn't have any classes with her this year, but she'd had several with her in fifth year. "Yes?"
"Her family had been given permission to visit her in Hogsmeade — I don't know why, but Dumbledore made some special exception for her. And they were attacked."
"Attacked? In Hogsmeade?" It didn't seem possible — Hermione hadn't seen or heard a thing.
Padma nodded, "Close to Hogsmeade Station. Her parents were badly injured, and I heard they are pulling her out of Hogwarts."
Stupidly, the first thing that occurred to Hermione was that the girl wasn't going to be able to graduate if her parents pulled her out. But she shook off the thought to concentrate on the incident. An attack so close to Hogwarts was very bold of the Death Eaters. Everyone knew Dumbledore was against their ideology, and Dumbledore was a powerful wizard.
It was scary to have the war come so close to Hogwarts. Being in Hogwarts sometimes felt like being enclosed in a protective bubble where you heard of the frightening things happening outside the school; however, it always seemed far away. But this incident was right at their front door.
Fear whitened Padma's face as she asked, " Did Harry stay with you the whole time you were in Hogsmeade?"
Actually, there's something I need to go do — I'll see you back at Hogwarts, okay? Harry couldn't have attacked a Muggleborn's family— could he?
"He said he had to go do something for Quidditch?" Hermione answered numbly, her mind whirling with what it could mean.
"That doesn't make sense— we met them outside the Quidditch shop, remember?" Padma pressed. "Theo and Draco left, too, a while after we separated."
Hermione's chest tightened; she'd thought Harry's excuse for leaving was strange. Why would he have to visit the sports shop twice?
Luna nodded. "Draco said he had something to do."
"Something like attacking a muggleborn's family," Padma said grimly.
Hermione remembered Harry's teasing and the smile he gave her, trying to get her to agree to be his friend. How could he have gone from her to attacking Muggles? It was almost unbelievable."We can't just assume—"
"I'm not assuming — I'm making a logical deduction which you would too if…" Padma trailed off.
Hermione felt the words hit her like a slap. The instinct to defend Harry surged up, her heart scrambling to convince her mind he couldn't have been responsible. But the evidence lined up too neatly, too convincingly. Padma was right.
After a moment of silence, Padma continued in a softer voice. "It fits Hermione. Given who practically everyone in Slytherin aligns with — given they all left at the same time for some mysterious errand— and then there's an attack on a muggleborn's family?"
"Coincidences do happen," Luna said, drawing their gaze. "But I don't like this one."
Harry had attacked a Muggleborn's family with other Death Eaters.
Right after being with her. Right after asking her to be his friend.
Betrayal tasted bitter in her mouth. Why did it feel so terrible when she'd only approached him because he was associated with you know who?
"Right after smiling at me and asking me to his Quidditch game, he joined up with other Death Eaters, and they attacked that family," Hermione said the truth out loud, numbly. Padma nodded grimly while Luna looked troubled. Hermione sat down on her bed slowly, her legs feeling too shaky to hold her up.
Harry had seemed… normal wasn't quite the word. He always had this underlying intensity that did sometimes unsettle her, but she'd never physically feared him. And yet he'd gone from teasing her in the book shop to attacking a Muggleborn's family. Was it because in his view, they didn't belong in the magical world?
"How badly were they hurt? Do you know?" Hermione asked in a scratchy voice.
"Just badly beaten. Broken bones and the like." Padma said quietly.
Hermione's stomach twisted, and she wrapped her arms around herself. "It's so stupid. I've barely been talking to him, but it hurts that he did this."
Padma sat down next to her and wrapped her arms around her. "We knew what side they were on; this was just a wake-up call for us so we don't get taken in by their charming smiles." There was a thread of self-disgust in her voice, and Hermione remembered how flattered Padma had been when Theo asked her to tea.
"I don't know how I can act normal with him— pretend this didn't happen and still try to get him to our side."
"Maybe you shouldn't," Padma said.
"What do you mean?"
"He's flirting with you — he wants to be close to you — if you show him you're disgusted by this, it might make him change what he's doing. It just depends on how much influence you have over him."
Hermione gave a light scoff. The dynamic between her and Harry was lopsided, and it always seemed as if he held all the power when they were together. "I don't know that I can influence him at all."
"You can," Luna said, breaking her silence. Padma and Hermione turned toward her curiously.
"What do you mean? How?"
Luna looked away from their gaze, her fingers playing with the ends of her hair. "What do we know or suspect Harry has done for you?" She held up a finger. "We strongly suspect he got rid of Umbridge because of the blood quill incident."
"We don't know that for sure!" Hermione protested as her hand with the light scarring clenched involuntarily.
"As soon as you asked him for tutoring, he agreed." Luna held up another finger. "You just said he asked you to his next Quidditch game." She held up another finger. She wiggled her fingers at Hermione. "What does this tell us?"
"That he's murderous and likes Quidditch?" Padma offered, and Hermione elbowed her in the side.
"Yes." Luna nodded. "But it also suggests that he's highly motivated by Hermione."
"So you think if I make it known that the incident upset me, he might just change?" Hermione snapped her fingers. "Just like that?"
Luna shrugged. "What have you got to lose?"
A hell of a lot, Hermione thought to herself.