Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Chapter Four - Unexpected
The first six weeks of term were over, and Hermione was already half-relieved that time had passed by so quickly. For the most part, it was an awful experience. And almost every night, Hermione wished that the next day wouldn't come, so she could stay within her dream world instead.
She had been so excited for the first day of school. When she walked in her classroom, her face lit up with a smile and anticipation, she nearly dropped her books, as all the girls were sitting on top of their desk tops. After looking down, she'd realize then that someone had set a cart full of rats into the classroom, and how the girls were able to reach their desks, she wasn't too sure. With a small Transfigurations spell, she quickly turned the rats into goblets.
The next day, she half-expected to find snakes in her room, but she was relieved, when all the girls were sitting properly. However, when she asked a certain student a question, the student would begin to speak, but with no sound evading her mouth! At first she imagined that the girls had decided to prank on their professor. She decided to transfigure a clock into a bat, which suddenly began flying all over the room, elicit soundless clamor around the room. Carefully watching the girls, she'd realize that they were mute. Later, after she was cleaning the room after classes were over for the day, she found wrappers to Silent Screamers in her trash can. With her fingers clenched, she'd decided that the next time she saw Fred and George Weasley, she'd hex them into the next century.
The pranks from the students continued for the most part, and Hermione found herself being manipulated out of control. For once, she craved for the silent anticipation that her Hogwarts students exhibited, and for the warmth and friendliness from the staff, even from Severus Snape. Never in her life had she thought that there could be anyone who was even far colder and much more distanced than her old Potions Master. That was true, until she met Serena Styler, who was the professor of potions at Kingsport. Hermione had once tried to legitimize potions professors and coldness at heart, as cold-blooded Potions professors seem to come a pence a dozen; she later concluded that staying in a dark dungeon for over a normal period of time was bound to cause damage to the friendly spirit.
Serena Styler has a personal agenda against her, Hermione declared once in her journal. This woman, though she was actually quite pretty, and if she would just smile once in a while, her face wouldn't be so stiff. She clothed herself with long, shapeless dresses that were as black as Snape's robes. Her hair was always tied in a bun, so tightly that one could see the scalp of her head. Hermione thought her eyes were beautiful though; beautiful, but ice-pricking cold. When she spoke, she caught the attention of the listener, even though her voice was barely a whisper. After a few encounters with Serena Styler in the first few weeks of school, Hermione decided that Styler hated her with a passion. Why? She'd have to want death sooner than to ask.
There were, however, a few merits at Kingsport. For one, Hermione simply adored Juliet Marceau, a third year in her Transfigurations class. Unlike the other girls, after the first week of classes, Juliet Marceau singly did not partake in any of the pranks. She would listen intently in class, while the rest of the girls were passing notes, throwing wads of papers around with their wands, and eating snacks. And the practical part of the lessons proved just as well. While the rest of the girls still couldn't transfigure a matchstick to a pin, Juliet had already advanced to transfiguring rats into goblets. One of the reasons that Hermione continued with her lessons, despite the poor learning attitude of her class, was because of Juliet. And she had reserved a special smile for her pupil.
And thankfully, not all professors were all cold-hearted as Serena Styler. She found a friend in Sarah Jones, the Charms professor. Sarah and she were about the same age, and Serena Styler had the same disgust with Sarah as she had with Hermione. A petite woman with chestnut-colored hair and hazel eyes, one would never think that crossing this little woman could elicit the most painful hexes that anyone could ever think of. Hermione was very grateful for Sarah, and often, she was reminded of a certain friend back home.
Then she had to lose her writing folder. She remembered stuffing it into her bag at the Floo building, but it wasn't there, neither was it anywhere in her quarters. Even though she had written Arthur Weasley to check for her if anyone had found it, she was sure that it was long gone, and was very distraught over the loss of her writing folder.
However, the one event that catastrophically ruin the day for her was the owl that had just came in with her mail. For the past few weeks, she had mulled over the idea of writing to Harry. She had frequently sent owls to Ron and Lauren, who both enjoyed a two-week honeymoon in Florence, Italy. Most of the time, when she wrote, she'd generally avoided the Harry subject. And though she wondered how her best friend was doing, she couldn't get herself to write him, because every time she thought of him, the image of his heartbroken face wouldn't leave her.
Not only so, she missed him very much, more than anyone else back home. Even after the Harry incident, she still loved him. After seven years of Hogwarts together, it wasn't difficult to learn to love Harry. Most of the girls thought of him as Harry, the boy-who-lived, but she knew him as Harry, just Harry. He was so kind and caring, and oh, his heart was so big. There was so much love in Harry's heart that Hermione often wondered how that could be, especially considering the life he had, up until Voldemort was destroyed. And consider what he had accomplished before his eighteenth birthday. It was also a wonder to his close friends that he was still humble and shy.
When she had first begun to decorate her room with her things, she had unconsciously placed pictures of Harry and her all over the mantel over the fireplace, one on her desk, and a few on the nightstand. By the time she'd realize that she had no room for her parents' and Ron and Lauren's pictures, she didn't want to remove them. Thus, she placed a sticking charm on the other pictures and plastered them on the wall in front of her desk. Whenever she was tired from working or re-writing The Musician's Quest, she'd stare at those pictures and imagine them at home, though most of her time, she was unaware that her eyes were set on the one picture of Harry.
She hadn't opened this letter yet. The handwriting on the envelope was recognizably Ron's. She reached over and fluffed the feathers on the owl's head, and sat on the edge of her bed, leaning closely to the lamp. Slowly she unrolled the parchment, scanning the lines quickly, not expecting tears to be falling down her cheek. When she was finished, she tossed the letter onto the floor, and hurled into her pillows, sobbing.
And the worst of all worst things that had happened to her these past few weeks? She couldn't even put her feelings into words.
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Harry was sitting in the armchair that faced the fireplace in his room. So much had happened, and though being back at Hogwarts was good, he only wished that the woman he loved was with him. However, she was faraway across an ocean, in another country, teaching and writing to her heart's desire.
Ron and Lauren had returned from their honeymoon, only to find Harry passed out in the middle of his flat, with dozens of firewhiskey lying on the floor. The both of them had cleaned Harry up, changed his clothes, and laid him in bed. By the time he woke up, his hangover was so severe, that he had to stay in bed for two days before his head cleared up. And Ron had stayed by his side the whole time. Since then, they'd forbidden him from touching firewhiskey, and though his fingers itched for a bottle, he abided with their rules.
He'd missed his job training as well. The Federation was not so pleased that he had missed out on such an opportunity. Even though they had decided to give him one more chance, Harry decided that it wasn't what he wanted any more. After he overcame his hangover, he immediately wrote a letter to the Head Auror's office, having decided to retire from his job as well. Four days later, Professor Dumbledore came to visit him, offering him to come to Hogwarts. Harry had accepted immediately.
His thoughts went back to the day that he had visited the Grangers. Giving them his ring seem to be a good idea at that time. He knew that they would keep it for Hermione, until she was ready, just as well as he knew deep in his heart that Hermione loved him, truly loved him. She said that she wasn't good enough for him, that she couldn't love him as he loved her. Damn those romantic ideas of hers! They've only dragged her further into her imaginative world!
And all these years, she was perfect in his sight. And she remained by his side, loyal to the end, even when facing Voldemort.
Sometimes, on the rare occasions that he would let his mind venture into the dark memories of facing Voldemort, he thought about the strength behind the power that he had elicit in killing the Dark Lord. When he talked this over with Remus and Dumbledore, they said that they weren't too sure, but perhaps it was channeled through Harry's mother's love, which had saved him the first time.
After seven years of being hunted and chased after by Voldemort, his two best friends stayed by his side through thick and thin. While Ron was loyal to him and fought by his side, it was Hermione who had also worried and cared for him, prepped him, and at the end, nursed his wounds and his hurts. It was no wonder that Remus and Dumbledore didn't understand the true power that existed that fateful night. Because only Harry saw it.
He loved her ever since first year, and he loved her more after seventh year. And he was sure that she loved him too. If only she truly saw….
But never did he expect Hermione to reject him as she did that day at Ron's wedding. And for the first time, he doubted her love for him. Perhaps it wasn't the rejection that broke his heart. It was more so that she had denied the essence of his living.
And Harry knew that there was nothing he could do now. And he didn't want to do anything. He unrolled a piece of parchment out flat, dipped his quill into the inkwell, and wrote the letter that he would never give to Hermione.
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The students had just finished their meal at the Dining Hall and were ready to return to their rooms, until Minerva stood up and asked the students to remain seated. Then she spoke in a clear voice:
"There will be a slight change of events this year. Professor Dumbledore and I have discussed this thoroughly for the past three weeks, and we've decided that it would be good for both schools to have an exchange program. While Hogwarts is a co-educational school and Kingsport is witches only, we thought it might be a good learning experience for both schools to see the different cultures and traditions that both schools represent. And thus, there will be some boys coming to our school for the next month."
The students began to chatter as they heard the last part. Minerva held out her hand and gave them a stern look. Hermione hid a smile behind her hand and winked at Sarah, who was fighting from laughing at Serena Styler's look of disgust.
"As for the students who will be chosen to go on this trip, we shall resort to a fair method. When the Hogwarts students come, their professor-in-charge will bring with them the Sorting Hat. We shall use it to decide for us. And mind you all, I am only allowing third year students on this trip." More groans. "With second years taking their OWLs and fourth years the NEWTs, I don't think any of you should complain. That is all."
Hermione watched the students leave, both excited about meeting other students and disappointed about not being allowed to go. She turned around to look at Minerva, but couldn't get past the cold stare from Serena Styler. Hermione stared back, but gave up when Serena Styler suddenly snorted and left for her office.
As she was ready to leave for her own office, Minerva asked her to follow her to the headmistress' office. Minerva conjured a cup of hot chocolate for Hermione as she sat down.
"What is it, Minerva?" Hermione asked as she took a sip from her mug.
Minerva played with her fingers as she gazed at Hermione, opting to remain silent for a few minutes. They both listened to the clock ticking. Hermione gazed out of the window, and she sighed as the lights that covered the school grounds flickered in the darkness.
"I've heard about what happened to Mr. Potter, Hermione," Minerva said, breaking the silence between them.
Hermione's head turned sharply back at the headmistress. "You did?" she asked carefully.
Minerva nodded briefly. "I'm surprised that it happened, but it was not shocking. Mr. Potter has been pining for you since first year, and when you still didn't respond to his attentions in seventh year, I knew that he was in for heartbreak. What surprised me was that Miss Hermione Granger yourself."
Hermione's eyes opened widely. "Me, Min-er-va?" she stuttered. "What did I do?"
Minerva smirked. "Of course, you. Tell me, Hermione, how many OWLs and NEWTs did you score?"
"Fifteen each." ***
"Right. The record in the entire wizarding community, wasn't it? And tell me, Hermione, what were your grades from your corresponding courses with the university?"
"4.0, but what does this have to do with anything?"
Minerva sighed. "My dear, you are the most intelligent witch this world has ever seen, yet you are the blindest one as well. Ron Weasley has written me. Harry Potter had intoxicated himself with firewhiskey for two whole weeks."
Hermione felt tears stinging her eyes as she whispered, "I know. Ron wrote me as well. Harry also missed training with the Federation of Wizards as well."
"And you're not happy here."
"Why do you say that?"
"It's obvious. But the actual why? You should know yourself." Minerva cleared her throat before continuing. "Anyhow, Professor Granger, since you were once a Hogwarts student and professor, I wanted to talk to you about the professor would be accompanying the visiting students, as well as the Astronomy professor."
Hermione nodded. That was expected. "But why only tell me? It's not that relevant."
Minerva's lips curled into a small smile. "And you're not one bit curious?"
Hermione laughed quietly. "Yes, I am."
"Good. Because that professor is Mr. Potter himself."
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Author's Notes:
I'm sorry for the yucky Chapter Three. That was actually a difficult chapter for me to write, and I had ended it differently than I had planned before. But hopefully, this chapter will make up what the previous chapter three lacks.
*** I never actually understood the canon to the OWLs and NEWTs. What is the max that one can score on them?