At the time when I was writing this, there were few stories that weren't almost straight into H/Hr. So I had decided to change the plot line at this point and do something different. I have several Au version of how this fic came into being. One of these days, I plan to put them into word.
Chapter Number: 23
Chapter Name: Hermione doesn't know the answer
When the Dueling class was finished Harry was ready to collapse on the common room couch from drowsiness and that is exactly what he did. The class was mandatory otherwise he could have had skipped it, since he and Hermione had already had those classes. " I'm beat" said Harry.
" Me too" Ron echoed the sentiment.
" Me three" said Hermione.
" That class was hard" said Ron " You two made it seem so easy"
" Don't worry... You'll get the hang of it" replied Hermione in her usual optimistic way.
" If you don't... I'm sure Hermione wouldn't mind having another person on close call to be beaten up whenever she wanted to," teased Harry. He saw Hermione start to go for her wand so he quickly said, " I have to check on the first years. I'll see ya all tomorrow."
He headed out of the room towards the door, confident in the fact that Hermione would not do something behind his back. Fortunately for him Hermione had just changed her mind not to curse Harry even though his back was turned.
" Hey Harry, wait up. I'll join you" said Ron as he quickly caught up to Harry.
" Bye" said Hermione putting down her wand.
The first year students were having a great time in their dorm room. Hermione had given similar advice to the girls, so when Snape asked his questions he was disappointed that the students didn't get them wrong. They had managed to get thirty points off the house for their effort. But the first years were determined not to let that get in their way.
When Harry entered the room he was treated like a friendly big brother rather than the celebrity. All of them were eager to tell Harry of the events of the day. Once all the important parts of the day were covered Harry noticed that it was almost time for their bedtime. " Time for bed" said Harry pointing at his watch. The boys went to their bed happy as clams and eager about what surprises were in store for them. Harry made his way back to the common room careful not to make too much noise.
When he saw Hermione sleeping on the chair by the fire he decided that it was too risky putting her in bed again and neither did he want to wake her up, so he went back to his room and grabbed his second blanket before wrapping it around her. Harry watched her sleep for a while before deciding to go to sleep himself.
It took him a while to get to sleep but once he did he was out like a log. When he woke up at six thirty he looked at where Hermione was sleeping last night. She was still sleeping peacefully. Harry didn't want Ron to become jealous so he went to her and started to vigorously shake her.
" What is it?" she said still groggy from the sleep. She did notice Harry was surprisingly well composed for the time of the morning it was. She had a dreadful thought, ' Sweet Merlin! I must look like a Hag'
" Rise and shine your Royal Highness.... I mean Hermione." She really didn't want to wake up so she closed her eyes again. Harry knew it was time to use the big gun.
" We have classes in about one and a half hours" Hermione's eyes snapped open and her face lit up like a Christmas tree at the prospect of a new day full of things to learn. Noticing her face go from annoyance to excitement because of the words that he had said Harry started to grin broadly. " I thought that might get your attention"
She sat up real quick and headed for the girls dorm. She stopped midway and said as she turned around, " Thanks for the blanket" before she left.
It took them both half an hour to take a shower and get dressed. They waited for Ron for nearly fifteen minutes when Harry found out about her date with Victor. Apparently it was all that she had hoped for and was looking forward to their next one after the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. But all this talk about Victor stopped when Harry noticed Ron come down the stairs. " Hey Ron..." said Harry "... what took you so long?"
" Neville..." he said grumbling, "...that klutz managed to lock himself up in the public showers." Ron turned to Hermione and said, " So what were you talking about before I came in?"
" Oh...nothi..." Harry didn't get to finish his sentence when Hermione barged into the conversation.
" About Victor and my date with him on Sunday. It was really goo..."
Hermione started to walk towards the entrance but she didn't stop talking about Victor. Since she was walking a bit ahead of them she didn't see Harry holding Ron's mouth shut to stop him from saying something that he would later regret. The breakfast went very fast and it seemed that they had only touched their food when they had to start moving.
The history of Magic was a class that no one could stay awake through. It was funny to see that a lot of students had brought their own pillows to sleep through it. Ron always had a spare shrunken pillow in his bag since the second class of that subject they ever had. Hermione however preferred to either work on memorizing that years textbook or just glancing through the latest copy of "Hogwarts: A history".
The class began like the other two classes had begun. Professor Binns went through their homework assignments. Harry and Hermione's papers were good enough that Professor Binns gave them thirty points each. Ron's paper wasn't that good but he earned five points for effort. When Professor Binns told them of their study topic for that year Harry's heart jumped.
" Shozar Wars and events leading up to and consequences of the war"
Harry's throat went dry and for a long time he didn't breathe. Harry took comfort in the fact that everyone would sleep through the classes anyway but he knew Hermione would not and she was the person who was most likely to put the clues together.
' If don't tell her then...' his thought was interrupted as the consequences of Hermione finding out and telling someone intentionally or unintentionally flashed through his mind. 'Thousands dead and millions more affected... No I'll tell her. She'll know why she has to keep secret what she has to.'
He decided to tell her about all that he dared to when Ron was busy doing his practice for Quidditch Trials.
Hermione sitting next to Ron was thinking not about the homework she had been doing, nor was her mind stuck on the topic they were going to study that year. She was still on the 'Victor love train' conversation that she had with Harry and Ron in the morning.
' Hard to believe I turned down Victor three time before saying yes.' mused Hermione as a glazed expression washed over her face.
Hermione had originally wished that, Ron would ask her to the Yule Ball. But when Ron asked Fleur Delacour to the dance, she said yes to Victor.
Krum, the world famous Quidditch player. Her crush on Ron started when they met. She sat next to Ron to pretend that she was interested in Harry. Normally she would stay away from people who were popular or well known before that.
That's also the reason she was deeply upset by the comment Ron had made on the morning of Halloween. She still had the crush on Ron and she knew full well what effect mentioning Krum had on Ron. Though they felt the same way she had decided at the time of the Yule ball that Ron had to admit his feelings for her before she would even consider dating him and Ron would only have his chance when Victor did something wrong.
Victor was sweet, kind and very nice to Hermione, and he was the first person to notice her as a girl, something she remembered. Tired of being one of the guys, she was happy to finally get noticed. She was quite happy to be Victor.
Hermione had been quite surprised to see how hard Harry worked, to stop Ron from saying things to Hermione that might effect whether or not Ron and Hermione would ever become boyfriend and girlfriend.
' I can't believe how Harry's been doing all these sweet things for me and Ron...' thought Hermione. ' Why doesn't anyone see how wonderful he is? Maybe I should find him someone... Yes! That's what I'll do. Let's see now... Ginny is a good choice...er.. no. Wrong approach. I need to find someone who thinks Harry is deserving of love more than what I think who he should go out with...'
Hermione was so engrossed in her thought's she didn't even hear the question that. Professor Binns had asked her. " Excuse me... but what was the question?"
' Did she just say what I think she just said?' thought Harry incredulously. Harry's head twirled around as soon as he had heard Hermione say that. Fortunately for her he was the only person, besides Hermione, awake - that was exaggerating it. He was half way between sleep and awake himself. Her reputation as being a good student and always paying attention in class was still intact.
Professor Binns was also surprised at this question but he repeated the question none the less, " Name the person who was instrumental in capturing Shozar Sebastian?" in his drawling voice.
" I don't know," said Hermione, who was irritated at that moment as she was interrupted from making up a list of students that she though might be interested in Harry - romantically.
Professor Binns was stunned but he turned his head toward Harry who absentmindedly answered, " Harold Parker"
.
It's ironic really that all those Ravenclaws who hated Hermione for getting top marks slept right through the day she actually didn't answer a question. The reason might have been she was thinking about Harry's love life and didn't want to be interrupted but who is to say that Hermione would have had known the answer.... Well you all know that's not true. She always knows the answer. But did she this time?
<<~~~>>
END OF CHAPTER
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