Harry Potter H&Hr Fluff Collection

II

Chicken Pox For The Bookworm's Soul

Harry reviewed his move. If he decided to move the bishop, Ron might have a chance to capture his queen which leaves Harry's king protected.

“Move” Ron said in near stupor

Dreading what will happen next Harry took his bishop and moved it three squares diagonally blocking his king from harm's way.

Then -

“Checkmate” Ron said triumphantly as he placed his castle seven squares away from Harry's king “I win”

Harry arched his eyebrows in disbelief as he looked at the results. Ron was right. He lost

“I don't get it” said Harry his eyes on his king

“Practice, mate” said Ron fixing the chessboard “Practice”

Harry sighed in defeat as he looked around the common room

It's the Christmas holidays and everyone except for Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and the Creevey brothers went home for the holidays. Two days before Christmas day and Harry decided to test his skills in chess to see if he's gotten better but he now saw that he didn't get any better.

“Dammit” said Harry in a hush voice as he stood up and stretched his arms

“Before I close this board, want another round?” Ron asked grinning as he held the chessboard open

“Nah” said Harry

Then they heard someone coming down the staircase behind them. It was Hermione, she looked disgruntled as she scratched herself irritably while she started mumbling

“Stupid rashes!” she mumbled irritably walking to them “Since when do I scratch myself nonstop?” she added sitting on the couch nearby Ron and Harry

“Er - when you are itchy nonstop?” Ron said unsure of himself

“Ha ha, very funny Ronald” Hermione said scratching her neck

Harry looked closely and saw faint red spots on her neck but not just on her neck, her cheeks, her forehead, behind her ears, everywhere!

“Hermione” said Harry walking to her and sitting beside her “You have er - spots on your face”

“What?” Hermione asked confusingly

“Spots on your face” Harry said as he pointed to the full-body mirror at the other end of the common room “Check it out”

Hermione got off the couch and walked to the mirror. Harry then saw her face in the reflection of the mirror. Her mouth dropped as she gasped loudly

“What is it?” Ron asked looking at her

She turned to them looking shocked

“I-I have the chicken pox!” she cried

“The chicken what?” Ron said unknowingly

“Chicken pox” said Hermione biting her knuckles nervously. Harry noticed she was scratching them with her teeth “It's a viral disease that only occurs” she put her hand down and started scratching her shoulder “in your childhood and since I never had chicken pox” she scratched her waist “since I was one day old it looks like I have it - SCRATCH MY BACK, WEASLEY!” she bellowed

“Alright” Ron said standing up and started scratching Hermione's back as Hermione bit her tongue in satisfaction

“Oh” she said “That's better”

“Is it really that itchy?” Ron asked scratching her back gingerly

“Yes” said Hermione then Harry saw her biting her lower lip guiltily “Oh I forgot, scratching is discouraged… you can stop it Ron”

Ron stopped and rounded her till he was on front of her with Harry beside him

“Are you feeling alright?” Ron asked

Harry saw Hermione calming herself down as she let her hands stay at her sides. Harry noticed her eye was twitching

“By the way” said Hermione moving slightly due to the itchiness “Have any of you experienced chicken pox?”

“I don't recall having an itchy extravaganza” said Ron

“Harry?” Hermione asked

“The Dursley's locked me in a cupboard and when Dudley got the pox I stayed there till his disease subsided”

“So that's a no?” Hermione asked worriedly

“Yup” said Harry

“Oh no” Hermione said staring at the fire helplessly

“What's wrong?” Ron asked looking at Harry

“It means that we are likely to get the pox too since chicken pox is contagious” said Harry “Don't worry, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity” he added

“Does that mean we have to stay away from Hermione till she gets better?” Ron asked

“I'm afraid so” Hermione said “Don't worry Ron, I'll be alright. You'll still see me except only farther and I think I should sleep in the common room then”

“Why?” Ron asked

“Because I know that Neville and Ginny have no chicken pox since there magic parents use magic. I however don't have magical parents” she added rather disappointingly

“How about Colin?” Ron asked “He's here too. So is his brother”

“He doesn't” Harry said “He blabbed it to me years ago. His brother doesn't have it too”

“It looks like I have to be isolated for the whole holiday!” Hermione said in sad sarcasm “Merry Christmas to me!” she added irritably “I think you two should go now before I sneeze because that's how the pox spread”

Ron grabbed Harry by the wrist and pulled him up the boy's dormitory

“Harry. I'm worried. We can't just isolate her like this” Ron said as he sat on his own bed

“But it will only be a month, I think” said Harry remembering how long it took him to stay inside his cupboard when Dudley had his chicken pox

“Bummer” said Ron “Its Christmas and what will Hermione do if we are gonna celebrate it with her when she's twelve feet away from us?”

“I dunno” said Harry looking out the window “I think that's what she wants, I guess”

Harry went down to the common room that night carrying pillows, bed sheets and a blanket that came from the vacant beds of the ones who went home for the holidays. He went down slowly and entered the common room to see Hermione, now sporting red spots on her face, reading a book on the couch. His presence made her look up and said

“Harry?” she asked as Harry put the stuff he was carrying at the opposite side of the couch “What are these for?”

“Since you are sleeping here I think its best that you need to be comfortable as possible” said Harry

Hermione gave him a warm look

“Aw Harry, you're so sweet!” she said as she stood up but paused when she said “I would like to give you a hug but you know, my pox”

Harry smiled and said

“Just have a good rest”

“Thanks, Harry”

- - -

Christmas Eve came and Harry was all but happy when he saw Hermione sleeping on the couch as he came down from the common room with Ron.

“Do you think we should wake her up?” Ron asked

Harry carefully prodded her awake but she just groaned and muttered “I'll be up later, mum” which made Harry and Ron decide to go down to the Great Hall for breakfast

“Hey Harry” said Neville as Harry and Ron sat down in the half-empty Gryffindor table since everyone left for the holidays. Only Neville, Ginny and The Creevey brothers were the only ones at the table. The other houses had the same number of students and unfortunately Malfoy and his cronies stayed for the holidays.

“Hey Neville” Ron replied as he helped himself with Christmas ham

“We saw Hermione at the common room” Ginny said frowning “I hope the pox would go away”

Then cue to this, Hermione came in the Great Hall. She sat down at the most opposite side of the table away from Harry and the others

“Poor thing” said Ginny as Hermione started eating with a look of loneliness

Neville, Ron and Ginny started talking about what type of gift they would want for Christmas

“I wish I had that Self-Watering plant pot for my Mimbulus Mimbletomia” said Neville excitedly

“I wish my sweater was anything but maroon” said Ron

“I think a necklace wouldn't be so bad” said Ginny

Harry looked at Hermione with concern. She was holding her goblet of pumpkin juice with two hands as she took a swig of it. The image of her eyes looking around just above the goblet's rim made Harry look at her with pity.

“Harry, what are you doing?” Ron asked as Harry stood up

“Look, its Christmas” he looked at Ron and the others with a face full of concern “and if we can enjoy it, Hermione can too” without waiting for an answer from the others, he walked to Hermione

“Harry?” Hermione asked as Harry placed his plate of food and goblet across from where she's sitting “What are you doing here? You might get the pox”

“Let's say that there is this guy who doesn't like to die till his friends are all happy” Harry said grinning

Hermione gave him a quizzical look

“What do you mean? You rather get the pox than see me like this?”

Harry nodded sipping into his soup. He looked up and saw Hermione giving him a warm look. A very warm look

“Thank you” she said as if she was about to cry of joy

- - -

Harry, Ron, Ginny and Neville decided to have a small but fun snowball fight. It was very intense as the Creevey brothers cheered on.

“Ha - oomph!” Ron gasped as he was cut off by a hurling snowball by Ginny

Harry laughed and when he looked from afar he saw Hermione watching them from the open double doors of the entrance hall. Harry waved at her and he knew she saw him because she waved her hand in a cute manner. She then turned on her heel and left

Frowning, Harry dropped the snowball he was holding and started following her

“Harry? Where are you going?” Neville asked before he received a snowball shot from Ron who started doing a jig

“I'll be right back” said Harry waving at them as they continued the snowball fight

Harry climbed the Grand Staircase and he already called out the password when he reached the seventh landing to the Fat Lady. The portrait swung open as he clambered in to see Hermione reading. She smiled giving Harry the impression she acknowledged his arrival. She closed her book and looked up

“So” she said crossing her legs forming her sitting position to an Indian sit on the couch “How's Christmas?”

“Anything but horrible” said Harry walking to her as he held her chin while Hermione looked up at him “Say `Ah'”

Hermione opened her mouth with an `ah' showing her mouth's insides. Harry took out his wand and muttered “Lumos” as he checked her like a doctor would do

“You seem to be fine” said Harry “Nox”

Hermione closed her mouth and smiled at him

“Er - why did you come up here?”

“I don't want you to be lonely” said Harry sitting beside her

“But what if you get the pox?” said Hermione worriedly

“Then I would have it” Harry gave her a grin

Hermione bit her lower lip as she hugged Harry very tightly. She looked at Harry with her arms still around him. There faces were very close

“You're such a good friend… I'm so glad `The Boy Who Lived' was my first-ever best friend” she said

Harry smiled then he raised an eyebrow when Hermione was giving Harry a dreamy look

“I love your eyes” she said her face moving closer “It gives the Christmas feel though…” she added

After a long pause, Harry and Hermione pulled away and slightly blushing, Harry squeezed Hermione's knee and told her to take a nap which she did before he stood up.

- - -

On the dinner before Christmas, Harry decided to bring food up to the common room while Hermione was still asleep.

Harry entered the common room to find her napping on the couch in front of the fire. The warm glow that surrounded Hermione made Harry see Hermione's soft features even more accentuated.

He moved forward to her, placed the food on the coffee table nearby and sat beside on the little space on the couch. Harry stroked her soft cheek with the back of his finger and gently moved a strand of hair to the back of her ear.

Harry looked at her and remembered the times when she would comfort him in the hardest of time and now Harry's the one doing it to her. She was with him ever since…

Harry watched as Hermione stirred and slowly opened her eyes. She looked at Harry and smiled.

“I thought you went to have dinner?” she asked groggily rubbing an eye with her left hand. “Is there something wrong?”

“Nothing peculiar” said Harry giving her a soft peck on the lips. Hermione turned a small shade of red but she smiled casually as if this happened on a regular basis.

“Merry Christmas, Hermione” said Harry tucking the sheets under her so she could be warm.

“Merry Christmas too” she replied yawning and holding his cheeks with a very sleepy but dreamy stare “If this was a dream, I wish I wouldn't wake up”

Harry smiled as he took her hand and kissed her knuckles gently and putting them under the sheets.

“Don't worry, Hermione. You won't”

With a nod, Hermione went to sleep.

Harry stood up and walked up to the portrait hole. Before he could climb out, he felt an itchy sensation on his arm while he scratched it.

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