Harry Potter and the Full-Blood Prince
By Ftmble 1
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.
Spoilers: Books 1-5
A/N: I am so sorry that I've not updated in an age. Two factors - one I am now writing as I am posting, which is taking me longer than a week, and my Dad's surgery was last week. He's doing great, but if any of you have been through taking care of a loved one who is hospitalized, you know that your time is not your own. My family and I are very blessed to have him come through. Back here at PK - our hero and heroine have some more things to figure out. This chapter heats up a bit. Thanks for your continuing feedback and reviews - they help a lot!!!
Chapter 8 - The Polo Match
Back in his flat, Harry was not happy.
Hermione had gone on a date with William behind his back. He felt like the person he trusted most had just stabbed him in the back.
How could she??? Did last night mean nothing to her????
Harry was so hurt and angry, he could hardly breathe.
Why had she kissed him back so passionately last night, just to be with William tonight?
Harry shook his head as he grabbed parchment and a quill from the cupboard and began to write.
Ron -
I'm going to be in Edinburgh on Monday during the day. I heard you were also headed that way - let me drag you away from W3 for an hour and buy you lunch. Please send reply back with Hedwig.
Best,
Harry
When he was finished, Harry let Hedwig out of her cage and gave her the letter. "Don't leave until you get a reply, okay?"
Hedwig merely cooed and then flew off into the night sky.
Harry ran his hands through his tussled mane. What game is she at?
* * * * * *
The next morning found Harry reluctantly reporting to the Royal Protection Squad offices within St. Andrews.
"Morning Harry, enjoy your day off?" Joe Goodrow looked up from the paper that he was reading?
Harry shrugged but said nothing.
If Joe noticed Harry's less than social answer, he didn't let on. "I don't see any mention of your friend in today's paper. That's a bit odd, though a relief."
Harry merely nodded. "So what's today's assignment?"
"You're on Polo duty with me and Gavin. Ever been to a match?"
"I'm afraid not."
"Count on a lot of manure where we are going to be. The Prince has a whole stable of horses for trading out."
"Great," First he takes Hermione, and now I'm getting stuck with horse dung. Harry thought bitterly. That was it; he was getting Kingsley to take him off of this assignment on Monday. Who cared if the entire muggle world was at risk?
That last thought however did make Harry realize he was overreacting. He cared if the world was at risk, that's why he agreed to be an Auror. So that so many families wouldn't be destroyed like his was.
Even if his best friend, the woman who had his heart, was trampling on it like it meant nothing.
Harry sighed. It was going to be a long day.
* * * * * * * *
Hermione arrived at the Polo grounds rather early. It was a beautiful clear crisp morning, so she decided to walk the grounds and make her way to the stables. She had had a surprisingly easy time of it with the lack of press around her flat that morning. She was suspicious that the source of their sudden disinterest had something to do with a dashing young man with ebony hair.
She had such a wonderful time, but even after being kissed by a Prince, she dreamt of Harry.
She shook her head - here what she had been wishing for over a year was finally happening, and another very handsome young man, who lived in a world she had never known, was pursuing her. What was that saying, "when it rains, it pours?"
She thought about the night before last. Could she trust Harry? Should she?
Distracted by these thoughts, she turned the corner towards the back of the stables and collided into the chest of a taller young man who immediately grabbed her arms to steady her.
She caught her breath as she found herself in Harry's embrace.
"Good morning! She found herself shyly smiling.
He immediately dropped his hands, crossed his arms and warily regarded her. "Says you."
Hermione felt a chill come over her. "What's wrong?"
Harry gave her a piercing look. "I stopped by last night, you weren't home."
"I knew I didn't leave the light on!"
"You told me to stop by. Where were you?" Harry continued to glare at her.
"What business is that of yours?" Hermione felt her defenses on the rise again. A few kisses did not make Harry her keeper.
Harry lowered his voice, but spoke with bitterness that Hermione didn't miss "Hermione, what are you playing at? I bear all to you night before last, and you say that you're going to be my partner. That you're going to help. Is your little outing last night part of your being my partner?"
Hermione's cheeks flamed "How did you find out?"
"No Hermione, the question is why wouldn't you tell me? What are you trying to hide? How come…" and he leaned in so close to her that she felt his breath on her lips "… you kiss me so deeply and powerfully on Thursday and go out with him the very next night? You said you didn't know if you could trust me. Why, why should I trust you?"
Hermione's heart raced as she was affected by Harry's closeness. She felt herself start to swoon towards him. "I.. I…how…"
The next thing she knew, Harry was on her, and she was up against the stable wall. His lips were crushing and his hands found their way to her breasts. Hermione gasped as he started to tease her nipple through her cotton blouse. His lips started to trail down her neck and she grabbed hold of his shoulders to steady herself. Her blood burned as her heart soared. She started to feel warm down below and a longing that she only knew in her dreams.
Harry reclaimed her lips and his hands cupped her behind and pushed her towards him. A shock ran through her and all logic was abandoned. She moaned as she wiggled closer, craving his touch.
And then he stepped away leaving her cold.
"What…"
"I thought you were my best friend. The one I could trust the most." And with that Harry walked away and turned the corner around the stable.
"Harry!" she called after him, but he kept walking. Her heart plummeted as tears threatened to spill.
Hermione took a deep breath, and let it out with a whoosh. She quickly looked around to see if anyone had seen. She was blessedly alone and took the moment to straighten her blouse and checked her face in her compact.
As she studied herself in the mirror and wiped away the last of the tears, she got angrier and angrier. She had told Harry she needed time to think it over. Since when did she have to tell him whenever she accepted an invitation?
She turned the corner, ready to hunt Harry down and give him a good piece of her mind, only to see William at the other end of the stables talking with Harry. Before she could duck away, her movement had caught his eye and he smiled and waved her over.
Sighing, Hermione smiled and waved back and made her way over.
"Hermione! Good morning." William took her hand and squeezed it. "I'm so glad you're here - though I didn't expect you until later."
"I'm afraid it's my first Polo match, I wanted to get here early and take a look around." Hermione smiled. Her eyes went involuntarily to Harry. "Hey Harry." she felt her voice waiver slightly as she tried to act as if nothing had just happened.
"Hello." Harry's eyes narrowed.
If William thought it odd that supposed best mates were barely speaking to each other, he was polite enough not to mention it. "Well, that's just great…I have a few minutes still, I could show you around a little if you'd like."
"That would be lovely." Hermione took the offered arm without looking at Harry.
Harry followed behind with a very dark look on his face.
William showed her the stables and explained how he changed horses throughout the match to make sure that no serious injury was done to any of them. Slowly, Hermione's anger dissipated as she fell into learning more about a part of life she had never known. But she always felt those eyes on her.
Sure, they're on you now, you're with William. What happens if you're not?
At that moment, another young man who had come over from a different part of the stables interrupted them. "William, sorry to interrupt, but have you seen the coach? The match starts in 20 minutes and he's no where to be seen."
William rolled his eyes "a little too much rum I'm sure" he whispered conspiratorially to Hermione. He turned his attention back to the young man. "I haven't seen him. What about Harrington, can he fill in?"
The man nodded his head and ran off towards the field house. William turned to Hermione, "I'm afraid that I have to get ready now. I know that Kate and the others will be over at the viewing stands. Why don't you join up with them and I'll see you after the match?" He squeezed her hand again and then leaned into her ear and whispered, "have to be careful with all the cameras luv, you understand?"
Hermione's heart sank a little, but she nodded. It did make sense - and she did appreciate the need for privacy. She bravely smiled and said "good luck out there." Her eyes traveled back to Harry. "See you later, Harry."
Harry did not say anything, but instead fixed her with a smoldering look.
******
Hermione made it to the stands and joined up with the group of women she had met at the party the night before. Kate Middleton greeted her warmly and pulled her near to her.
"So," she smiled. "William made it back to the flat last night pretty smug about his night and not saying a word. I take you two had a nice time."
Hermione smiled weakly as she scanned the field. "Kate," she changed the subject. "when did Mr. Hallett leave last night?"
"The polo coach? He left a little after William with a whole group - Fergus, Rhys and some others. Why do you ask?"
"I was over at the stables with William, and it seems he's not here this morning."
"Well," Kate laughed "Mr. Hallett had a few last night, if you couldn't tell from the songs being sung."
"Yes," Hermione agreed. "but isn't it odd for him not to be here this morning?"
Kate merely shrugged. Anna had been watching their exchange shrewdly and now spoke up.
"So Hermione. Where is this school in North Scotland where you and that yummy chum over there attended? My uncle owns a large estate in the northlands, perhaps I would have heard of your school?"
Hermione's heart sank. This again. She put on her best smile and started to play dodgeball with Anna and Sarah's questions. Even Kate this time seemed a bit more aloof than before.
*****
Harry was positioned further above the crowds so he could keep a good eye on both William and the rest of the field. So far he had been completely bored by the game below.
Big deal, horses and a ball. Try catching a snitch with one hand and bludgers being thrown at you.
His eyes wandered over to Hermione. She was looking a little more frustrated and flustered than usual with William's gaggle of girls.
Women Hermione's voice corrected inside his head.
He sighed. What was he doing, scaring her like that? She said she wasn't sure she could trust that his feelings were for real, and he goes and makes matters worse. Nice job Potter.
Then the back of his hairs went up as a small puff of smoke appeared in the corner of the field. No one else seemed to notice - except he saw Hermione's head turn suddenly as well and the rest of her go perfectly still while her eyes scanned across the field.
Briefly they met his. He put his finger to his lips and she simply nodded and turned her attention back to the ladies. But he noticed her eyes darting, taking everything in.
Just like she always does.
Just then Mr. Hallett walked out from where the smoke had been before. Harry noticed he was unshaven and disheveled.
"Whoa there - start a match without me?" he yelled in a loud voice so that it was heard even over the din of the horses.
A horn was blown and the players brought their horses over to the sides to be switched. Mr. Hallett continued to walk into the middle of the field, splashing mud on the sides of his trousers.
"What's THIS? Starting without me are you? Well I never." Hallett started to walk toward the Prince and Fergus Boyd.
Harry had already started to make his way to the field to join other members of the Royal Protection Squad around William, when suddenly the clear sky filled with dark clouds booming with thunder. The wind became very fierce.
Harry broke into a run towards William. The muggles may have thought this was an early winter storm but he knew better. These clouds had something to do with that smoke and Hallett's appearance.
Harry reached William just before Hallett did. "STUPEFY" he whispered very forcefully towards Hallett.
The red light from the spell was lost in the lighting flashes above. Hallett stopped cold and fell face forward into Harry's arms. Harry lowered him to the ground and let other members of the Royal Protection Squad attend to him. He started towards the part of the field where Hallett had first appeared.
Hermione had run up to him now. "What's going on?"
Harry shook his head, while surveying the grounds. The match had been called, William was being whisked away by the guards, the stands were being cleared as the onlookers ran for the clubhouse. Harry's eyes traveled back to the corner where the smoke had started.
He could swear he saw a shock of blond as a figure ran in the opposite direction from that point. But looking again, there was nothing but leaves swirling in the wind and lightning.
It began to rain. Except rain was too tame a word for the horizontal waves of water shooting at them from every direction.
He grabbed Hermione's hand "C'mon! Let's get to cover!" and together they ran towards the stables.