The Transfer

Disclaimer- I wish I owned this. But I don't, so I'll not be profiting from it.

Temptation. Yes, what a teaser of a chapter name huh? This is a fairly major event from HBP as seen from a different point of view. Hopefully it won't disappoint. Count on Ron to get you into trouble…

CH11 Temptation

“Vinny!” cried Hermione as I headed back to the Charms classroom to collect my books. She, Ron and Harry stood outside the door with worried expressions as the other students filed out to their next class. “Oh, Vinny I'm so sorry, I--,”

“No, no! It's ok, Hermione. No one died. My parents are alright.”

The color returned to their faces as they absorbed the news, Hermione especially seemed to brighten.

“Then what did McGonagall need you for, Vin?” asked Ron as he handed me the bag I had left in the classroom.

“Thanks, man,” I said as I took it from him, “Well, it turns out that my Dad got fired. My parents are leaving for America tomorrow, but I am going to stay on and finish the year here at Hogwarts.”

“Fired, you mean like sacked?” asked Harry incredulously.

“Yeah, I guess he crossed some people he shouldn't have crossed. He says that nearly a third of the Ministry are in league with Voldemort, somehow,” I said, slinging my bag over my shoulder and walking down the hall with them.

“What? But that's…” cried Harry, trailing off as his face fell.

“I dunno, man. That's just what he said,” I offered.

We rounded a corner and I saw the door to the greenhouses waiting for them at the end of the corridor. Ron shook my hand and offered his condolences for my father while Harry simply nodded and headed off down the hall towards their next class.

“Vinny, I'm so glad everything is ok. Well, at least everything is--,' said Hermione with a shrug as she waited behind with me.

“No, everything's fine. As long as they are ok, everything is fine. America's relatively safe, at least compared to London. They'll be safer there,” I said, putting my hands on her shoulders. “Are you ok? You looked at little shook up when I left the classroom?”

“Oh Merlin, you're asking me if I'm ok after it was your parents that we all thought were dead,” she said, rolling her eyes at her own behavior and hanging her head.

“Look, about last night,” I began, her head popping back up with an intense look on her face, “I know I said some things I didn't mean, and I'm sorry for it. It looks like I am gonna be here for the rest of the year, do you think we can forget last night and try and get along together?”

It was a pretty weak apology considering what I had said to her. She was in a forgiving mood though, and launched herself at me in a fierce hug.

“Oh, Vinny,” she began, her face buried against my chest, “I--,” but the bell rang and she loosed herself from my grip.

“Well talk about this later, I promise!!” She ran down the hall, flinging the door open and disappearing behind it.

Hermione Granger was never late for class! I thought to myself.

I smiled after her as the door went shut, feeling like I had made the right choice regarding my time at Hogwarts, but as usual, questioning Hermione's priorities.

Unfortunately, Hermione's promise went unfulfilled for a few weeks as Snape went out of his way to make everyone's life miserable. The worst part was, it was all my fault. He had been pushing me a little harder each class; challenging me above everyone else, even Harry and Hermione, with special tasks and questions. It's like he was trying to teach everyone else one lesson and then another, more advanced lesson for me. At first, I almost found the attention flattering. Almost. Snape didn't seem to know how to flatter.

When I knew the bubblehead charm, how to conjure flowers from the end of a wand: Orchideus!, and the Locomotor charm, he didn't smile and nod approvingly as Professor Flitwick might have. Instead he sneered, staring at me then turning his back and moving quickly to his desk with his robes flowing behind him.

As if sudden inspiration had struck, he whirled back around, catching everyone's attention with his dramatic movements as they all looked up from the quiz they were taking. “Tell me Mr. DiFranco,” he said, his lips curling again in a sneer, “What would you do if you were attached by a hungry Lethifold as you slept? Hmm?”

I heard Hermione gasp at the next table over and looked to find her with her hands over her mouth, the answer nearly escaping before she managed to hold it in. She had known every question that Snape had asked me so far, but he wasn't interested in her answers for some reason, he wanted to hear mine.

Let's see, Lethifold… Lethifold. It was unfamiliar. I had never heard of the creature before, why ask about that? What difficult spell or charm would I need to chase off a Lethifold…? It had to be something unique, something specialized that not everyone knew how to do.

“Offer it a sandwich?” I joked aloud, trying to buy some time.

The room broke with chuckles as Snape growled, “Silence.” He moved back down from his desk and glared down at me in my seat saying, “I'm still waiting for your answer, Mr. DiFranco.”

I could almost feel the nervous energy coming off Hermione two seats over as she struggled with all her might to keep from yelling the answer to Snape's question, but I could only mutter, “Umm…” I didn't have any idea what a Lethifold was, and the more I sat there, feeling Snape's eyes bore into me, the more annoyed I became. It was like a kindergarten staring contest; I wondered if I could just keep from blinking for the last fifteen minutes of the class, maybe he wouldn't want to hear my answer.

But I must have blinked first because after a long, excruciating moment, he whispered, just loud enough so that I, and maybe Ron next to me could hear, “So, we've finally found the limits of your capabilities, have we?”

He spun back around and moved to the front of the classroom where he tapped his wand to the black board so that it read `The Lethifold—Behavior, Diet and Reproduction. 10 inches of parchment, on my desk by next lesson.'

“It seems there are still a few things that you need to learn after all, Mr. DiFranco,” he said as he moved back behind his desk. “Of course, it would be a shame to deny your classmates an opportunity to better themselves, so I think everyone should come to the next lesson with ten inches written on the Lethifold.”

A quiet groan came from the class. It was loudest from the Slytherine side, of course, but the Gryffindors weren't happy either. Dean Thomas looked over his shoulder at me with distain before turning back to his quiz.

All the while, Snape sat behind his desk with the most illustrious, contented look on his face. I just wondered what, other than being sorted into Gryffindor, I had ever done to merit his hatred

“Man, fuck that guy,” I muttered as we left the classroom. “How was I supposed to know that the hell a Lethifold is? There are no Lethifolds in America, not that I've ever seen anyway…”

“Well, I wouldn't say they're common here either,” said Hermione, trying to be consoling.

“Sure Hermione, but I could tell you knew the answer, Snape could tell too, did he ask you though? Noooo.”

“Don't worry about it, Vinny,” said Harry, coming out of the classroom with Ron in tow. “He hates everyone in Gryffindor. He's a git like that.”

“Yeah, besides,” added Ron, “It's a rubbish question anyway. What do Lethifolds have to do with Defense against the Dark Arts? Is You-know-Who training an arm of them or something?”

“Yeah! Exactly!” I cried, Harry and Ron's empathy cooling the hot indignation burning in my belly. “When did this class become Care of Magical --,”

But Goyle bumped his shoulder hard against me as I was speaking. “Fine work, DiFirst year,” said Malfoy as he and his usual pack pushed by. “Thanks to you're ignorance, we've got an extra ten inches to write, and due tomorrow no less.” He turned back to face us, Goyle and Crabbe like giant bookends on either side, “They did teach you how to write at your school back home, didn't they? They didn't seem to teach you much else.”

I started to reach for my wand, but Harry suddenly yelled, “Shut up Malfoy! He seemed to know a fair deal more than you about silent spells, didn't he?”

Malfoy started to say something, but I wasn't in the mood to hear it, “Yeah Malfoy, shut-the-fuck-up! If I want any shit from you, I'll squeeze your head!”

I heard Ron snort and cover his smiling face as Crabbe and Goyle brandished their fists and made to take a step forward. Harry and I held our ground, staring across at the two great lummoxes as they approached, though Hermione had grabbed his arm and was trying to pull him away from the doorway of the classroom.

A moment later, as I heard Snape's voice, I realized why. “I believe you all have an essay to write, do you not? If you think you have enough time for conversation in the halls, I could assign a few additional inches…”

“Move, you twits,' muttered Malfoy as he grabbed Crabbe and Goyle by the arms and led them away. Harry, Ron and I followed Hermione back to the common room to start on what would undoubtedly be the most difficult assignment I'd had the whole year.

Little did we know, we'd only seen the tip of the iceberg when it came to Snape's unreasonable homework assignments. From then on, regardless of whether I could tell him about his topic of choice or not, he assigned inch after inch of parchment on the most ludicrous of topics. Wand making, cauldron thickness, hand position while stirring potions, animagus versus animal transformation spells, vanishing spells versus invisibility clothing, there was nothing to obtuse or unimportant for him to want ten stupid inches of parchment on.

So, nearly two weeks later, I sat in the common room hammering out Snape's latest assignment while I waited for Hermione to get back from the library. She seemed to prefer staying there to study, while I had grown fond of the common room, as it allowed me to interact with my housemates as they came and went. Besides, recently, when I had chosen to sit in the library with Hermione, there was no talking allowed. She was there to work, not talk.

That was how things were those days. No talking. We hadn't even discussed my parents leaving or the Christmas party like she'd promised we would. I could have blamed it all on Snape's essays and the lack of free time the left us all, but deep down, I suspected she didn't want to talk to me about the party because it would have forced her to either invite me, or admit that she didn't want to invite me.

The portrait door opened and Dean came in, looking tired and dirty from Quidditch practice. He had been added to the squad to replace Katie, who was still not back from the hospital. Whatever curse that necklace had on it, it was a doosie.

Lavender and Parvati greeted him from the love seat nearest the door, but he just nodded absently at them and made towards the staircase for the boys dorms.

“Alright Dean?” I asked as he passed.

“Uh, yeah. Yeah--,” he said without much feeling and marched up the steps.

I shrugged at Parvati who was looking at me questioningly, and went back to finishing my essay.

A few moments later the door opened again and Hermione came in. I noticed that Parvati didn't bother to greet her as she crossed the room and sat across from me at the table.

“Snape's essay?” she asked looking down at the parchment in front of me.

“Yeah, “ I replied, writing out the last line and looking it over. “I've got this one finished, but I haven't even started on the Runes paper that's due day after tomorrow.”

“See, you should study in the library, you'd get more done down there. Less--distractions.” She didn't gesture or nod at them, but I could tell she was trying to indicate Lavender and Parvati.

“I haven't said a word to them since I've been here, and even if I had, what would it matter to you?” I said, feeling a flare of annoyance in my gut, like someone had just struck a match there. “Or were you planning on inviting one of them to the Christmas party now?”

She was taken aback for a small moment, but her composure didn't stay cracked for long, “Ah, so we've come to that, have we?”

“Well it's been two weeks since you said-- no actually, since you promised we'd talk about it. I suppose it's about time we've come to it.” I put down my quill and directed my full attention to her. Good news or bad, anything was better than not knowing at that point.

“Vinny,” she breathed, moving from the chair across from me to the one next to me. She looked out of the corner of her eye at Lavender and Parvati, who were in turn looking at us. “I'm glad you didn't leave with your parents. I hope you at least know that. I really did just ask Ron to the party to shut him up about it. I didn't think it would upset you because of how you acted with Slughorn in Hogsmeade. I didn't think you cared about the party.”

“I don't Hermione,” I said, turning to face her in my seat, “We've talked about this—well yelled about this, already. I only cared about the party because I wanted to go with you.”

“I remember,” she said, cheeks pinking as she spoke. “I've thought about you and I going to the party together and—“

The portrait door opened again and Ginny came storming in with tears in her eyes and her nose cherry red. Lavender and Parvati didn't say anything to her as she passed but turned to each other and immediately began speculating as to what Ginny and Dean could be fighting about.

“Ginny? Are you all right?” asked Hermione.

“No--yes, I don't know. Effing Ron—,“ and she climbed the stairs to the girls dorm without another word.

“Ron?” I puzzled. “Dean just came in a moment ago with about the same expression. Well, minus the tears, of course. I wonder what happened at practice.”

“I'll have to ask her later,” said Hermione, looking back at the stairs Ginny had just marched up. “Anyway, the party would be—“

It would have been funny if I was talking to any other person about any other subject, but when the portrait interrupted Hermione again as Ron and Harry entered, I definitely wasn't laughing.

“Hey, there he is,” said Ron as he caught sight of me and started toward the table. He came to the love seat where Lavender and Parvati were seated and offered a weak wave as he passed. Harry looked around the room and then at the stairs where Ginny had gone just before he came through the door. He slumped his shoulders down low and trudged up to the boy's dorm as Ron plopped down in the seat across from me.

“Hey guys, not talking about anything important I hope?” he began brightly. He seemed to be in a good mood at least.

“Actually Ron, Vinny and I were in the middle of an important discussion, so if you could—“

“Oh please, Hermione,” he interrupted, “I'm sure whatever swotty, mind boggling assignment Vector or Fenella has given you can wait a moment.” He looked over at my completed essay as he spoke; obviously thinking we were talking about homework.

“Actually Ron it can't,” I growled, “So if you don't mind.”

“Please Vinny! I need your help again. I hate to ask you while you're studying, but I'm desperate!” The happiness on his face a moment ago was long gone as he took on a much more frantic demeanor.

I wanted to tell him to go to hell, since Hermione had asked him to the party and started this whole chain of events that had put me off for the last two weeks, but Hermione seemed to sense it was a losing battle.

“Fine Ron, heaven forbid anyone or anything get in the way of your happiness!” she spat, standing up from the table.

“Well good Hermione, we finally agree on something,” he said, either not sensing her animosity or simply ignoring it.

“No, Hermione, please,” I grabbed for her arm as she stepped away from the table, wanting to punch Ron out and stuff his unconscious form under the table.

“Oh, let her go Vinny,” said Ron, trying to get my attention, “I need another one taken for the team!”

I froze, praying to God that Hermione's grasp of American slang wasn't proficient enough to comprehend what Ron had just blurted out.

But then, this was Hermione Granger we're talking about. I was starting to think proficient was her middle name.

“Take another what?” she said, turning back to the table. “What are you on about Ron?”

He could have just been quiet, tried to play it off like he was joking around, anything but what he did next.

“Yeah, Vin here has been helping me talk to Lavender, he runs interference with Parvati while I chat her up.”

Hermione glared at me, her face frozen in a mixture of anger and soured disappointment. I stood up, reaching for her to pull her back to the table, but she took a step back, avoiding my hand.

“Hermione, I only did it once. Right before try outs so he would have a little self confidence. I don't like her, you know that. We've already talked about this.”

Her expression didn't change, and I wasn't even sure if she was more upset that I was talking to Parvati or that I was leading her on with no intention of ever following through.

“Well then, I better leave you too it.” She whirled on the spot and bounded up the stairs, hurrying to get out of earshot so she wouldn't have to hear me beg for her to stay.

I turned on Ron and yanked him up by his robes. “Ron, I'm going to go and talk to Parvati for you, but this is the last time. Do you understand?”

He nodded happily, oblivious to what had just happened with Hermione. The small match stroke of annoyance I had felt towards Hermione was now an inferno, redirected at Ron and consuming my insides.

“In nine months she better be squeezing out a red headed baby that you will name Vinny, whether it's a boy or a girl, you dig?”

He chuckled and marched me over to the love seat where the girls sat, watching us as we crossed the room.

“Hi Lav,” he said sweetly, looking at her like she was something roasting on a spit over a fire and he hadn't eaten in a week.

“Oh, hi Ron,” she replied in mock surprise, having just watched us walk across the room from the corner of her eye, “How was practice?”

“It was, “ he began, but he seemed to realize that I hadn't said anything to Parvati yet and elbowed me, as subtly as he was able, in the ribs.

“Parvati,” I spat, that air knocked out of me, “Would you like to take a walk around the lake with me? It's not quite sunset yet, we could probably get a lap in if we hurry.”

“Oh!” she said, getting up from the couch, “Sure! Let me go get my cloak. Be right back.”

She hurried up stairs and Ron fell into her seat like he'd been waiting for her to get up. I scowled at him, picturing myself and Hermione cuddled on that couch instead of him and Lavander. Luckily for both of us, Parvati didn't take long retrieving her cloak, and she and I exited the portrait door as Ron put his arm around Lavender.

The two of us walked in silence through the castle, I couldn't think of a thing to say to her, I was too pissed off at Ron. She seemed to notice this, but instead of asking about it she simply walked along next to me, keeping her eyes down as we went.

I pushed open the oak door of the castle, holding it for her as she passed through to the front steps.

Finally she said, “Oh, the sunset is lovely, isn't it?”

She was right. The grey skies that lingered all day had waned slightly as the sun dipped to the horizon. A small gap in the cover had formed just over the mountains to the west, and the sun peaked through like a nosy neighbor, holding his blinds apart to peer though them.

“Yeah, I keep forgetting the sun shines here,” I joked lethargically, “It seems like it's always grey.”

“Not, like southern California?” she asked, turning to me with a sparkle in her eyes.

“Or Bangalore?” I offered, suddenly feeling guilty that I had asked her on the walk. Hermione was right to be angry with me for this. How would I feel if someone was leading me on with no intention of ever really wanting to be with me?

She smiled and looked out at the lake and I saw the sunset reflecting off the water, shining on her face and in her hair. I couldn't do it.

“Parvati, I need to tell you—before you think that I--,”

“Fancy me?” she said, looking back at me. She wore a serious expression that I had never seen on her before. Up until right then, she had always been generally carefree and light.

“Yeah,” I replied, wishing I was back in the common room by the fire and cursing Ron for having me do this. “Look, it's not that I don't—,”

“I'm not as daft or ditsy as you think I am,” she said suddenly, raising her hands to stop me speaking and letting them fall to my shoulders. “I know how I must look, putting on my `giggle sisters' routine with Lavender all the time.”

“No Parvati, it's got nothing to do--,” but she moved her hands up my shoulders, around the back of my neck, running her nails through the short hair along my collar.

“I've seen you with Hermione too,” she said. My face went red but she continued, “It's not like you've been secretive with your feelings about her is it? Spending so much time together, getting all cheesed at her because she asked Ron to that stupid Christmas party. Pretty transparent, I'd say.”

“You're right,” I said with a sigh.

She pulled me close, standing on her tiptoes to whisper in my ear, “It doesn't need to be like that, you know. Confusion, complication, frustration. It shouldn't be like that.” She brushed her lips against my neck and I felt my arms go around her waist trying to push her away, but not finding any strength. “It should be simple and pure. I fancy you and you fancy me and that's it.”

“Parvati,” I whispered back to her. She was making this so easy. Her skin was still like silk, and her hair smelled of something exotic that I couldn't place. Something from Bangalore, I reasoned.

“It could be easy, “ she pulled back and looked up at me, the last light of the day in her eyes as she moved her face to mine and touched our lips together. It was a short, almost chaste kiss and I could tell she was feeling me out, trying to gauge whether or not I wanted things to be this way between us.

I looked down at her and felt a strange resolve wash over me. It could be easy. But that's not what I want.

If I was the wrong kind of guy, I would take her up on her offer. Kissing her, touching her, even sleeping with her just to add another notch on my belt. But that wasn't me. I knew plenty of guys who had done that to plenty of girls, and in the end they were never admired or respected the way they thought they would be. Eventually the truth about them got out, and when they did find someone who meant more to them than just a fuck, they had a lot of baggage to deal with.

“It could be easy,” I said to her, putting her at arms length with sudden newfound strength, “But it wouldn't be right.”

She sighed, and surprisingly, smiled.

“You're not mad?” I asked, almost afraid that she was holding back some deep rage that would come bursting out at any moment.

“No, not angry. Disappointed, but not angry.” She released me and crossed her arms against the darkness and the drop in temperature it brought. “Like I said, I've seen you and Hermione together, Vinny. I know how you feel about her. While I would have liked it if you had decided to--,” she motioned between us, “Well you know-- part of me would have been a little suspicious as to why.”

“The thought crossed my mind,” I offered, trying to make it sound complimentary.

“Well, just know that I am not upset about it. I hope Hermione comes to her senses and puts you out of your misery.” She looked back out over the lake, but the sun had set and the clouds had moved back into position, leaving us standing in the dark. The small respite of sunlight was over.

“We never made it around the lake,” I said lamely, trying to end the lengthening silence.

“Oh, that's alright,” she said, “Come on, we'd better get in there and make sure Ron doesn't propose or anything.”

Remembering my comment about the red headed child they'd name after me, I agreed and we slipped back inside the front door.

The portrait swung open revealing Ron and Lavender entwined like vines of Devil's Snare on the love seat, kissing furiously.

“Oh hell,” I muttered, not really having expected anything less, but now that it was right there in front of me...

Parvati giggled, though I could tell she was a little disgusted as well. We walked past them, completely unnoticed, and I said, “Well Parvati, thanks, for—understanding I guess is the best way to put it. There is a part of me that wishes things could be easy, you now?”

She smiled at me with a warmth that I could feel like the last rays of the sun as it set behind the mountains and took me in a tight embrace saying, “You're very sweet Vinny.” Then she looked at her shoes for a moment and said, “If you do change your mind… well, you'll know where to find me.”

I felt horrible for some reason, but all I could think to say was, “Thanks Parvati.”

AN- Hope you all enjoyed. I know there was practically no Harry (as usual) in this chapter, but next time in Chapter 12 Quidditch, Harry will have plenty to say.