Unofficial Portkey Archive

Chapter 5- Books & Cleverness

The Artemis Saraswati Library was unusually crowded for a Saturday afternoon. Harry inched his way through the masses of wizards that were gathered around the thousands of shelves of the only research center in Hogsmeade. It took him a good ten minutes to make it to the information desk, and another twenty for him to finally find out what section would lead him to information on former Hogwarts students, and most specifically, Athena Helios.

"What House was she in?" The grumpy Librarian asked hastily as her eyes glared at Harry above her half moon glasses.

"Gryffindor." He replied, as he watched her flip rapidly through a large book in front of her. "All right, you'll be wanting section G.G. 1970-1980. That will have all of Godric's graduates from that decade. Move along, then."

"Thank you, Ma'am." Harry answered with a gracious smile, but the old woman just scoffed and began assisting the next person in line.

"So much for service with a smile." Harry muttered to himself, as he once again made his way through the maddening crowds and in search of Lupin's long lost love.

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"G.G. 1930-1940, G.G. 1940-1950," Harry was whispering to himself as he walked along the long aisles of books searching for the correct section. To his surprise, the Gryffindor area was practically deserted. He'd only seen a few wizards walking by since he started way back in G.G. 1100.

"1960-70, ahh, yes!" Harry exclaimed excitedly as he pulled a large, thick book from the shelf and opened its front cover, "A complete listing of the Past and Present Hogwarts students from 1970-1980. Excellent!"

1. Anxious to begin his search, Harry spun around frantically to find an empty study table, only to collide with a young witch passing by.

"Oh! I am so sorry!" Her apologetic voice cried, as she reached down to pick up the array of papers she'd been carrying which were now scattered across the floor. "I was so busy with my work that I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking, please forgive me..."

Harry shook his head in disbelief as he reached down to help pick up the fallen parchment. That voice, that innocent yet seductive voice. That hair, that flowing, silky hair. But it couldn't be, could it?

At that very moment, she looked up at him and all of his minds racing questions were answered.

"Hermione!"

"Harry..." She responded in astonishment. "What are you doing here?"

But he couldn't answer.

The site of her had left him speechless. It'd only been two weeks since he'd seen her last, but somehow; she looked even more beautiful. He watched in awe as she brushed a stray hair from her face, as her eyes twinkled and a captivating smile slowly curved onto her full, sensuous lips. Hermione didn't need a wand, everything about her oozed magic.

"I uhh," He began, clearing his throat. "I was umm, just doing some research on Remus' old girlfriend from school, Aphrodisiac."

"I beg your pardon?" She asked as she gave him a puzzled stare.

"Athena!" He answered quickly, and very loudly as several people turned to stare at him, "Athena Helios, yeah sorry. That's the one."

"Are you feeling all right?" She asked worriedly.

"Yes, fine, fine. Just a little surprised to see you here." He replied as he fidgeted with the string on his cloak and continued gawking at Hermione.

"Now I know you are feeling ill." She said with a laugh, "You're surprised to see *me* in a library? If anything, *I* am the one who should be shocked!"

"Not surprised to see you here, just surprised to see *you*." He said with a nervous grin.

"Well, rest assured this is the *last* place I thought I'd catch up with you or Ron. It's part of the reason I spend so much time here. I figured it'd be safe. Him being allergic to books, and you with the attention span of a blast ended skrewt."

"God, she was sexy when she was insulting him." Harry thought to himself as he gave her the once over. Just watching her stand there was causing him to lose all self-control. It was at that moment he wished he'd paid a little more attention when Flitwick was teaching Composure Charms.

"Harry, are you sure you aren't ill? St. Mungo's is just down the road, I can see you there if you'd like..." Hermione looked at him with concern. She'd never seen him like this before and was really becoming worried.

"No!" He insisted as his voice cracked and she continued to stare at him oddly. "I'm fine, I just really need to help Lupin out. I know he's lonely, especially with Sirius being with Rosmerta now. I'd like to give him a second chance for love. After all, I know what it's to be the third whe-"

"Ahem," She coughed, in a desperate attempt to change the subject as the awkwardness between them escalated to an even higher level. "Perhaps I could take a look then? You know research is my specialty, and I just adore Remus. I'd like to see him happy. I'd hate for *anyone* to feel like a third wheel."

Harry nodded as he handed her the book and watched attentively as she began to peruse through the pages.

"Hmm, Helios, Athena...where could you be?"

But Harry paid no attention to her words; he was too busy staring at the vision standing before him. It was hard to imagine that anyone could be so incredibly tantalizing while lost in between the covers of a yearbook, but she was. Even the way she turned the pages gracefully and gently, was enough to make his mind become so discombobulated that someone might think he'd been struck with an extra potent memory charm. Why was he standing here? He suddenly thought to himself as he watched her turn her head so her hair would fall over her shoulder and her nose grimaced in concentration. He wasn't worthy to be mere inches from this goddess that stood before him. No one was. It was as though Aphrodite herself had fallen from Mt. Olympus and landed by his side. To be this close to something so provocative and enchanting would make any man lose his mind. But it was a small price to pay. Just being in her presence made insanity seem like an eternity in paradise.

"Here she is!" Hermione squealed with delight, causing Harry to back from his trance. "Athena Helios, model Gryffindor. Outstanding Prefect, awarding winning Quidditch Chaser, scored 13 O.W.L.S., and was loved by all of her teachers and fellow students, but none more than Remus J. Lupin!" Hermione smiled brightly as she grabbed Harry's arm and squeezed it tightly. "Oh Harry! Isn't that romantic! It's so uplifting to read a real life love story!"

"Ha, *uplifting*," Harry laughed nervously as sweat formed on his brow, and he looked down at her hand still clutching him tightly. "Good word. *Very* appropriate."

"An excellent Potions student, Athena went on to teach the subject at the Blarneystone Academy for Primary Wizarding Education in Dublin and currently resides at 31 Shamrock Road with her Mother, Desmond, and pet cat, Ashling...Oh look!"

She jumped excitedly, and moved closer to him as Harry felt his heart to pound and his mind race. His thoughts stormed through his head, and suddenly and rather strangely the memory of his first potions lessons with Snape overcame him "Bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses." He sighed "if only she *knew* the effect she was having on him. It was much stronger than anything he could have ever brewed in a cauldron. She was intoxicating and living proof that even The Boy Who Lived had an Achilles' Heel.

"It's Athena and Remus...aren't they just precious!" Hermione exclaimed joyously as she pointed to a black and white picture of the two of them. Remus was smiling happily, his arms around Athena's waist as she looked up at him with complete adoration and her long, raven hair flew through the wind. "Oh Harry, you just *have* to find her! They look perfect together!"

He smiled at her and then studied the picture. They did look as though they were made for each other. So happy, so in love. It reminded him of another duo, currently much closer than Remus and Athena.

"I will." He assured, "I won't let him down. He needs her, and I need to see him happy. Restore my faith in love a bit."

"Things always work out in the end, Harry. You have to believe that." She smiled at him through her own sadness. "Don't lose faith, Potter."

"I won't," He nodded.

"Good." She replied with a smile, handing him back the book, "then I guess I better get going. I only came by to pick up the first few copies of my book, I still have a lot of preparation for class before school starts again..."

"Your book?" He asked curiously.

"Yes," She answered proudly, reaching into her bag and pulling out a rather large textbook offering it to Harry. "I didn't like any of the other books on Arithmancy, so I decided to write my own."

"The Alluring Art of Arithmancy, by Hermione Granger" He read aloud with a laugh. "Pretty impressive, but a bit hefty for the first years, don't ya think?"

"Nonsense! It's only 997 pages long! I read Hogwarts: A History the summer before first year and that was 1,254 pages!" She in a rather defensive tone.

"Hermione, Hogwarts: A History wasn't required first year reading. I do think it was on Filch's list for punishment and torture though..." Harry chuckled.

"Go ahead, laugh it up." She replied as she stuffed her papers into her bag and folded her arms across her chest, "You watch how many students come out of that school as clever as I did."

"I seriously doubt that." Harry replied with a grin.

"Oh really?" She said, not amused with his sarcasm.

"Really." He nodded, "I assure you, Professor Granger, that you are *one* of a kind."

"You know, Harry, *you* should consider teaching." She blushed.

"And why is that?" He smirked, pleased that he was now the one having an effect on *her*.

"Because you've mastered the art of smooth talking." She winked.

He let out a hearty laugh as he handed the book back to her. "I'll let you get going then. I've got to get ready for Dublin..."

"Wait just a minute." She said as she reached in her bag to pull out a quill. "I was going to send this as part of your birthday gift, but since you're here now."

Taking the book from his hands, she opened the front cover and took a minute to sign it before handing it back.

"Autographed, first edition." He grinned widely. "Imagine all the Silver Knuts I could get if I took this to Flourish and Blotts...Kidding! Just kidding!"

Slapping him gently on the arm, she flashed him a warning grin and then put her quill back in her bag.

"It was good to see you, Harry." She smiled, as she embraced him. "Take care."

"You, too, Hermione." He replied as he wrapped his arms around her waist and returned the hug.

After several moments, she pulled away and ran her hand through his hair, and with a smile, placed a soft kiss on his cheek and disapparated.

It took him a minute to get his bearings, as she once again had the effect on *him*, but when he did he quickly opened the book and read the words she'd written just a few moments ago.

"To Friendship and Bravery-

Books & Cleverness