A/N: Hello all. I'm trying to revise as quickly as possible. Have a comment and a question..... About the mix up on my part about the number of prefects, I'm sorry. I just cam back to this story and forgot to re-check the changes I made from the original story. If I get a chance I'll go back and fix it...
And my question is, what is this Portkey Awards thing? How can I be nominated or nominate others myself?
Well, please answer review and have a happy new year!
P.S. Sorry, no title for this chapter, couldn't think of a good one!
Chapter 12
The next morning, when Harry awoke he knew who he had dreamed about, but he wasn't ready to admit it to himself yet. Instead, he dressed quickly and headed down to breakfast. When he entered the Great Hall, he saw Hermione at the other end of the table, a book propped up in front of her, reading intently. He grinned and headed over. On his way there, he noticed that two empty chairs had been placed at the Head Table. He wondered who would be taking Moody's place, remembering that he had said he'd only be there for a year. As he sat down, he realized that the other empty chair had been added there, and wondered who would be added to the staff.
"Morning," he replied, reaching for the orange juice. No reply. "Hello? Earth to Hermione?" Harry called, waving his hand in front of her face.
"Oh!" Hermione cried, jumping away, "Oh, hello Harry! I've just been reading this fascinating--"
"--- Book, yeah I can see that. What's it about?" he asked, taking a bite of cereal.
She looked to make sure no one was around. "Merlin. I'm going to trace my roots, to see if I really am related to him,"she whispered furtively. "I got you one about Gryffindor."
"Hermione, if Dumbledore says you're related then you most likely a--" Harry was cut off by Dumbledore standing from his chair and clapping his hands.
"Prefects, attention please. Two notices before we begin the day. Our Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher position will be filled by Arabella Figg. "Harry's mouth dropped as he recognized his next door neighbor walking up to her chair and waving, amidst applause. "Hermione, she's the Dursley's next door neighbor!" Hermione looked puzzled, for she had seen the same lady at the restaurant where she and Harry had gone for breakfast the morning of their food fight. Dumbledore continued.
"And, with much regret," he said with a twinkle in his eye, "our Divination teacher, Sybill Trelawney has left us for a position at an American school. So." He paused amidst the yelling, cheering and applause that this statement brought. "We have hired Samuel Blackwell, who has a background in those arts to fill her shoes." And in walked Professor Blackwell. Harry and Hermione both looked at each other, not wanting to tell each other that this man had been at some of the places where they had gone that summer. And now that Harry had gotten a bit of a closer look, there was an oddly familiar air to the new professor, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "Now please finish your breakfast and head off in your pairs to you're House Heads, who will give you further instructions on your tasks today. That is all." As Dumbledore swept down the aisle of the Hall, he murmured to Harry and Hermione to meet him outside the room in 5 minutes. They looked again at each other, confused, but Hermione closed her book, and they both gobbled down breakfast. Tucking her book under her arm, Hermione walked around to the other side of the table. Harry took her hand, and led her out into the corridor.
***
"Good, you're here," Dumbledore said, "May I introduce you to Samuel Blackwell and Arabella Figg? You may have seen them when you were out and about this summer. With Harry at your house, Hermione, I figured they could come look out for you both. Arabella usually watches over Harry when he's at the Dursley's. So I figured this way, they could keep watch for the Order and take notes on your behavior. They've been observing you both this whole time. And they're not just here to teach. The Order must have you both protected, and I thought there couldn't be any better solution than have them here."
"Mrs. Figg? You're a witch?"Harry asked incredulously.
"Yes, I am. Don't tell the Dursley's that I'm actually a witch. They might move and then where would we be?" Professor Figg replied. Harry nodded unbelievingly.
"Harry, Hermione, I don't want to be pushy, but have you made your decision?" Dumbledore asked gently but firmly.
Harry peeked at Hermione, and a look of resolution was on her face.
"Yes, Professor, we accept,"Hermione said, answering for both of them. The three professors looked relieved.
"Very well then,"Dumbledore said, "You may go to Professor McGonagall now to get your instructions for the day."
Hermione turned on her heel and began to walk away, grabbing Harry's hand behind her, and dragging him away. As Harry turned to look behind him, he saw Professor Blackwell look back as well and give him a familiar grin...slightly wolfish...
"Hermione!" he cried when they were out of earshot, "Why didn't you give me a chance to speak for myself?"
"Because if I didn't answer right then, I would've backed out!" she replied.
"Well, I guess it would've been the same to come from my mouth. So you're forgiven." He smiled a lop-sided grin, and Hermione felt her knees go weak. She smiled back.
"Let's go find McGonagall. I wonder what we have to do."
***
When they finally found her, she had already started giving instructions.
"Potter, Granger, I'm glad you have decided to join us,"she said and then continued. "As you all know, prefects are not usually called this early, but we felt that in light of the Dark events at the end of last year, it would be prudent to call you here two weeks prior to the start of the term. We need to protect the grounds against -- well, the Dark Forces."
"You mean, Voldemort?" Harry asked and everyone but Hermione flinched, " Fear of the name only increases fear of the thing itself."
"Harry's right," Hermione added, "It's not that hard to say the name... Voldemort!" They all flinched. Harry and Hermione both shook their heads. McGonagall continued.
"Well, anyways, I want you, Thomas to go to all the entrances in the school and put Dark wizard penetrators on them. Only students, teachers and authorized people can get in." She explained how to perform the charm and sent him on his way. "Brown, kindly go to the boundaries of the grounds and perform the same charm. Go!" Lavender scurried off. Hermione noticed that Harry's gaze lingered on Lavender's retreating back. She felt like the bottom of her stomach had given out. "Potter, Granger, seeing as you two probably know where all the secret passageways are, please go seal them off. Use the Purseelius Charm... only those with good intentions may enter." After explaining the charm, she added, "I am pleased to hear that you both will be joining the Order with us." And with that she turned on her heel and headed off.
"How do you think she--"
"No clue."
***
As they made their rounds to the various passageways they knew about, Harry noticed Hermione's forlorn face. When he asked her about it, she denied any problem. He wondered what was wrong, and he was so caught up in thinking about it, that he tripped over a folded over edge of a rug. As he went down, his ankle twisted with a hideous wrench. Howling with pain, he fell to the ground and Hermione's face instantly became the epitome of worry.
"Harry! Are you alright?"she asked anxiously.
"Um, I don't think so. I can't move it."
"We need to get you to Madam Pomfrey. Here let me help you," she said. The she added, "I would carry you, but I think I would drop you." Helping him to his feet, she put her arm around his shoulder and they began a slow trek down the hall to the hospital wing. After about twenty minutes of struggling, they had only managed to get to the other end of the hall. They stopped, each trying to catch their breath from laughing so hard.
"How are we ever going to make it to the hospital wing?" Harry gasped, trying to catch his breath.
"I have no idea-- wait, actually I do. Give me your hand," Hermione replied. When he did so, she grasped it firmly and bent over pulling him onto her back. Giggling at the startled noise Harry made, she took off down the hall and in no time at all, they were in the hospital wing, and Hermione was dropping him onto a bed and calling for Madam Pomfrey.
"Where'd you learn that?" he asked admiringly.
"Red Cross training," she replied.
When Madam Pomfrey told him he'd have to stay the night there, Hermione said that she'd go finish performing the charms and them she'd be back.
"Thanks Hermione," Harry said, squeezing her hand. Then he pulled her down and hugged her. She smiled and went off.
***
A few hours later, Hermione returned with a tray of Harry's favorite foods only to find that he was asleep. She smiled and set the tray down next to the bed, and performed an Ever-Warm Charm. Telling Madam Pomfrey that it was there for him to eat when he woke up, she returned to his side and squeezed his hand. For a few minutes, she admired how handsome he was when he slept...how his eyelashes stood out against his skin and his mouth was slightly open. Then she bent down, removed his glasses and planted a kiss on his forehead.
"I wish you didn't have a crush on Lavender," she muttered and walked out of the room.
Just then a very happy (until just a minute ago) boy with messy black hair sat up in his bed. "Lavender?" he said to himself, and then fell back against the scratchy white pillows of the hospital bed, and stroked the spot she had kissed.
***
TBC....Kind of fluffy and yes I know Figg is a Squib but I wrote this before OoTP so you have to forget about it! Please review!