Chapter 21 -Partnerships
(A/N - Slight change here for this chapter. The single * marks will indicate scene breaks - of which there are a lot this time, and any sections that are the same as canon will be marked with ******. Hope you like the fluff! By the way, Harry's talk with Lupin is coming, later…mostly off screen, it turns out.)
"OOOF! Oh, I do beg your pardon, Miss Puckle, I wasn't watching as I came around the corner…"
Harmony, who had been completely lost in her own thoughts, realized sheepishly that she was probably the cause of the collision in the otherwise deserted hallway. As she started to pick herself up, she felt especially embarrassed when she realized who she had just knocked down, as she had landed right on top of…Remus Lupin!
As she hurriedly got the rest of the way up, she said quickly, "Oh…no, pardon me, Professor! I was the one who wasn't paying attention! Sorry, I…I just received some very startling news, and I needed to talk to the headmaster about it."
"Miss Puckle, is something wrong? May I be of assistance? And, please call me Remus. You're not my student now, you know!" Lupin said quietly, as he stood up and dusted off his robes.
"I should be asking you the same thing! It looks like you got the worst of it when I ran into you …Remus… Sorry about that!" she smiled as she helped him pick up his armload of books. "No, this is something that is between …wait…hold on, did you just say what I thought you said?", she said, now completely caught off guard.
"Whatever do you mean, Harmony…or should I say, Hermione?"
*
"Crookshanks? Crookshanks, come out from under there! Harry, why don't you try? He still seems to be upset with me for some reason. See if he'll come to you!"
Harry, who had followed Hermione back to the castle after Miss Puckle's hasty exit, looked back at her with a bit of exasperation. Sighing, he knelt down by a small door next to the entrance hall. As they entered the castle, they heard what could best be described as a full-out cat war cry coming from the broom closet, and had found Crookshanks when they investigated. He could see the cat's brightly shining eyes and a glimpse of his sapphire collar peeking out from under the supplies in the back, and it looked like his back and tail were quite arched and stiff. "I don't know about this, Hermione. He looks pretty upset to me, too, and I've heard that it's not a good idea to touch cats when they are in a bad mood. I don't want to find out the hard way just how sharp his claws are!"
"I'll have you know, Mr. Potter, that Crookshanks has NEVER clawed anyone! He's a good cat!"
Harry chortled at that. "Hmm, I'm sure that Ron has a different opinion about that. Think back for a minute on the day you bought him? Something about, 'Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me…' if I remember correctly?"
"But that was purely accidental, I'm sure!" she said, defensively. "He smelled Scabbers, and I'm sure he was just acting on instinct when he chased after him. Unfortunately, Ron was in the way. Besides, Ron wasn't hurt, really, just startled! `You know, Harry, you're probably right about one thing. Ron and Crookshanks have not gotten along ever since, and now he's starting to take it out on me."
By this time, Harry had lit his wand and started to crawl cautiously into the closet to see if he could find any way to coax the cat out from his hiding place. He was somewhat distracted as he spoke. "…Well, I was just thinking…Easy, Crookshanks, it's okay, I won't hurt you…they say that people are a lot like their pets…OW! Who put that broom there? Could have poked my eye out! - So the whole… cat/rat thing…Phew! what IS that smell?- you'd think cleaning supplies shouldn't stink like that … you know, it'll never work out anyway."
"Work out…work out how? Harry, what do you mean by that?" Hermione said.
"OUCH!" yelled Harry, followed quickly by a more earthy comment which made Hermione wince, followed by her wincing for a more painful reason. Harry had sat up just a little too quickly as he realized what he had said out loud. Unfortunately, this knocked a large bucket full of cleaning brushes off of the shelf, which landed right on Crookshanks' tail. As a result, Harry had both a sore head and some severe scratches on his arms as the cat decided to exit by the shortest route possible, which was right through both Harry and Hermione. "Well, so much for Crookshanks never clawing anyone, eh, Hermione? I'll have the scars to prove otherwise for quite some time, I'd wager…as will you, it looks like!"
"Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry! I still don't know what's gotten into him! Here, let me help you up and I'll have a look at your arms. They're starting to bleed!" As Hermione reached out to give him a boost, he accidentally slipped on a cleaning brush and pulled her over on top of him on the floor of the broom closet.
*
"Ah, yes…well, I thought something like this might happen when I offered him the position this year." Dumbledore's mustache was twitching quite freely. "However, knowing Remus as I do, I'm sure that he will be…discreet with his new-found information?"
Remus nodded, and smiled reassuringly over at Harmony as he said, "Of course, sir. You know, for a while this year I was beginning to think my werewolf nose was starting to fail me. Yes, Harmony, one of the little 'side-effects' of being a full-fledged werewolf is that some of my senses are heightened even when I am not in my alternate form. I find this useful in some situations, but it does make it very difficult for me to go to any large department store. Those salesladies at the entrance spraying their various scents on unsuspecting passers-by, it almost makes me choke to think about it…sorry, where was I? Oh, yes, anyway, I began to get suspicious back at the beginning of term, you know, that day you were in the staffroom reading when the Slytherin third-year class came in? I just happened to be next to your chair when I saw Mr. Potter smile at you. You pretended to ignore him, but your…well, your pheromones…told quite a different story. I admit I was concerned at first, thinking that we had either an inappropriate teacher-student crush developing, or that possibly you were VERY interested in me for some reason as I passed, but then I noticed that what I was smelling was Miss Granger's scent. She had attended the class the previous afternoon, so I was already slightly familiar with her unique 'signature'. It's instinctual, you know - I promise I don't go around deliberately smelling students! In fact, because some youth around here are still working on developing certain…hygienic habits, I'd rather avoid it completely if it were possible. But, it just didn't make any sense WHY it was happening! From then on, I just couldn't figure out why I could catch a whiff of Miss Granger whenever I was in the staff room or at the head table in the Great Hall, among other places, even when I knew she hadn't been there. However, just now when we …er…met in the hall and I took a deep breath after you knocked the wind out of me, I finally made the unmistakable connection. Of course, I have no earthly idea how you could be Miss Granger, Harmony; I just know that you are. I completely understand if you want to keep the details to yourself, although I admit to quite a bit of curiosity on the subject."
"First Crookshanks, and now, you, and within the same thirty minutes, too!" Harmony muttered under her breath. "Going on three years without any problems, and I'm caught by a nose…well, two noses!" she choked, starting to laugh as her concern turned to relief. "Well, Headmaster, I suppose there's no use in keeping him in the dark any more, besides, I realized just now that he may be able to help me with something this year!"
"Yes, Miss Puck…er…Hermione, I agree. Again, with your unique knowledge of events, I'm sure that you, especially, realize I do trust Remus. The mere fact that I have allowed him to teach here under the circumstances, as I explained to the staff at the beginning of the year, should be proof of that! So, do you want me to do the honors, as it were, or would you like to enlighten your fellow teacher?"
*
"MISS GRANGER! AND…MR. POTTER! JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" Professor McGonagall's voice was barely restrained. She had been walking across the entrance hall when she heard a crash coming from the broom closet, and had nearly been run over by Crookshanks as he left. Then, when she got close enough to investigate further, she saw probably her favorite (although she would have denied it if accused) Gryffindor witch laying on top of a certain young man from…Slytherin House…in a broom closet…on a Saturday…wearing those shameful MUGGLE clothes, mind you! It was very fortunate that most of the students were still outside, or else the entire student body would have found out about what had just happened.
By this time, they had both gotten to their feet, both of their faces turning as red as tomatoes. "Professor McGonagall, ma'am! It's not what you think…Oh, this looks bad, doesn't it!" Hermione sputtered. She was still not quite sure how the whole falling-on-Harry incident had happened, but she couldn't help thinking that it was…really…different. Different… and…satisfying… having Harry's arms around her for that brief moment.
Harry just stood there, stunned, not so much by being caught, but by the feelings he had just had as Hermione had landed on top of him in the broom closet. He could have sworn that she…well, after the initial shock when she tensed up, it didn't seem like she was resisting all that much… And, it was so familiar, somehow…and not only that, it was VERY nice, as if she…well, he really didn't want to dwell too much on those thoughts…no, actually, he did, but not with Professor McGonagall around!
Minerva, however, had been unable to keep from expressing her recent thoughts, although she had lowered her voice to her most intimidating and said, "Yes, Miss Granger, that is an understatement! I'm waiting for a reasonable explanation as to why it looked like you were …well, snogging with Mr. Potter right now…in a broom closet…on a Saturday… wearing those shameful MUGGLE clothes, mind you!"
"Well, you see, Professor, it's all my cat's fault…" Hermione started, realizing immediately how bad that must sound. "She's right, Professor! We were just …" Harry added, trying to be helpful.
"Silence! You two, follow me to my office, now! We'll get to the bottom of this, hopefully without drawing too much attention from your classmates!"
*
"Of all the crazy, wild tales I've ever heard, you two, that has to be one of the least believable!" Remus said, as he stared at Hermione and Albus across Dumbledore's desk. "However, since I trust Albus probably at least as much as he trusts me, and with the evidence staring me in the face, I have to believe the story. I'm not sure I accept it, yet, but I have to believe it. So, Voldemort has resorted to playing with time lines, has he? He must be getting desperate in the time you came from. I must say, this is a stretch, even for him!"
"Well, that's exactly what the future Dumbledore thought." Hermione said. For the first time in over two years in the presence of others, she had reversed her appearance charms and took the aging potion antidote that Dumbledore had in his office, as a final proof to Remus that she was who she said she was. "That REALLY feels good, I must admit" she said, as she reverted completely back to her now 19-year old self. "He kept on saying that Tom's pride in his abilities and his overconfidence may just result in his downfall. Although, by the look of things in my neighborhood when I left, it looked like he had been successful."
Both Dumbledore and Lupin nodded knowingly at each other as they smiled. "Well, my dear, brave Hermione," Albus said, "don't be so quick to assume that things will stay that way." And, the two of them proceeded to explain to Hermione some of the paradoxes involved with time-loop theory…
******
"Of all the crazy, wild tales I've ever heard, you two, that has to be one of the least believable!" Minerva said, as she stared at a chagrined 14-year-old Hermione and a 13-year old Harry across her desk. "However, since I did witness your cat leaving the broom closet as if Hagrid's Fluffy were chasing him, and I did see the floor brush under your feet when I got closer, Harry, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. It helps, too, that you are both bearing other evidence that verifies your story. You'd both better go see Madam Pomfrey - those scratches look pretty deep! Oh, before you go, a word of caution, though. Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, if you ever want to visit a broom closet with each other, PLEASE remember to not do it in the middle of the day!" At Hermione's scandalized expression, Minerva chuckled. "Sorry, Hermione, I couldn't resist taking the mickey out of you just now! But, that does help to confirm your story even more. The shocked look on your face right now would have been hard to fake! As a result, I won't be taking any points from either house, but I will be notifying the Headmaster of this incident. I'm sure he will find the whole thing quite amusing! After you get your wounds looked at, the two of you had better go find Miss Granger's cat. I'm sure Mrs. Norris won't appreciate the competition, having another cat patrolling the halls tonight! Hermione, you'd better take Harry along - if Crookshanks is as upset as he seemed at you, you might need some help. Just don't trap him in a broom closet this time, okay?"
Harry and Hermione both grinned guiltily, but then Harry remembered something.
"Professor McGonagall, ma'am? I meant to ask Professor Snape about this, but seeing as how you're here, I thought I could check with you, since you are the Assistant Headmistress and all."
"Yes, Potter?"
Harry took a deep breath.
"Professor, my aunt and uncle - er - forgot to sign my Hogsmeade permission form," he said.
******- See "The Flight of the Fat Lady" - US edition p. 150 - down until "There was nothing to be done." - with the obvious difference that Ron wasn't egging him on.) ******
"Yes, Hermione, I'm sure I will be able to help you with that part of your plans for this year." Remus said, as they heard someone knocking on Albus's office door. Before Hermione could even start to re-establish her appearance charms, Dumbledore opened the door with a wave of his hand. "Headmaster, wait…I'm not…" she said shrilly, as she started to duck behind the desk.
"You're not what, my dear?" Minerva said as she closed the door quickly behind her. "Don't worry; do you honestly think that Albus would let just anyone in when you looked like that? Oh, hello, Remus…I see you've been officially introduced to our visitor from the future, then? So, what was it, the twin wands or her scent that tipped you off?"
"Wands? Oh, yes…that would be a problem too; I see…well, since I don't make it a point to go around looking at everyone's wand, I guess that must have slipped past me. Of course, it was the scent that did it." Lupin said, tapping the side of his nose.
"Same as Crookshanks, then! Hermione, didn't we discuss staying away from that half-Kneazle of yours? What happened? As soon as I saw Crookshanks tear out of that broom closet I knew something big had to have upset him." Minerva said, waiting for Hermione's expected response.
She didn't have to wait long. "Broom closet? What was Crookshanks doing in a broom closet?" Hermione said, confused.
"Well, it is the identity of the couple that I found on top of each other in the broom closet afterwards that is much more interesting, my dear!" Minerva's eyes were crinkled in one of her rare smiles, as she saw the wheels turning in Hermione's head.
"No…you're not serious…me? And…HIM? On top of each other…in a BROOM CLOSET?" And then, she surprised everyone by letting out a triumphant laugh. "Well, it's about time she put some of our Gryffindor courage to good use! Wish I would have had the guts to do that to him myself, when I was her age! But back then, I wasn't really thinking of him that way yet, come to think of it. Although, that reminds me, I was actually on my way to talk to you about what Harry told me this afternoon…"
*
On Halloween morning, Harry awoke with the rest of his Slytherin housemates and went down to breakfast, feeling slightly depressed that he wasn't going to Hogsmeade, but mainly still feeling confused about what had happened in the Entrance Hall the day before. He tried his best to act normally as he saw Hermione come in. He thought he saw her smile at him for just a second, before Ron walked up.
"Hermione," he said impatiently, "you're still coming with us, aren't you? We're just getting ready to leave. Don't dawdle too long!" he said, looking at Harry. "Too bad you can't come too, Potter! You're missing out!" He headed towards Dean, Lavender, and Seamus, who were waiting at the door.
"I'll bring you back something from Honeydukes," Hermione said, looking desperately sorry for him. "Meet me in the Great Hall after we get back?"
"Don't worry about me," said Harry, in what he hoped was an offhand voice. "I'll catch up with you before the feast, then? Have a good time."
After he watched the group of happy, chattering students until the walked out of sight, he wandered around the castle for a while. He really didn't want to go back to his room (<It's way too depressing to be there by myself,> he thought) so he found himself walking towards the library. "What am I doing, Potter?" he said as he realized where his feet were taking him. "She's not going to be there, now is she? Get a grip!" He turned around and came face to face with Filch, who had obviously just seen off the last of the Hogsmeade visitors.
******CANON - page 153 -4******
"Sit down," said Lupin, taking the lid off a dusty tin. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid - but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?"
Harry looked at him. Lupin's eyes were twinkling.
"How did you know about that?" Harry asked.
"The more appropriate question is, how could I have not known about that, Harry," said Lupin, passing him a chipped mug of tea. "Some of your housemates have a propensity to gossip, as you know, so the story about you having a Grim in your tea leaves has made the rounds quite a few times. I'll admit, it gets more interesting each time I hear it!" He noticed that Harry seemed lost in thought for a moment. "Anything worrying you, Harry?"
******CANON - page 155 -7******
"There you go! I brought back as much as I could. I tried to get Ron to pitch in a little, but he didn't seem all that interested. Besides, he had all of his sweets eaten before we got back to the castle." Hermione said with some disdain as she dumped treats in his outstretched hands. Harry had just happened to be hanging around the Entrance Hall when she got back, her face still pink from the cold wind and with a happy smile on her face as she saw him.
"Thanks," said Harry, picking up a packet of tiny black Pepper Imps. "What's Hogsmeade like? Where did you go?'
"Harry, never mind about that. We can talk about that later. But now, I think we need to discuss something else, just the two of us. Here, have a seat." At the look of fear that crossed his face, she soothed, "Don't worry, Harry, I won't bite…much!" she said, reminding him of what he said to Ginny the previous year.
"Just…the…two of us?" he said with a shaky voice. "Are…are you sure that now is a good time? I mean, we've…I've got to get ready for the feast tonight, yeah, that's right…"
"Honestly, Harry! You'd think I'd asked you to go hunt another basilisk or something! Is the thought of talking to me all that scary?" she said with a touch of worry in her voice.
"Scary? No, of course not…well, maybe a little, depending…" he stammered.
"Depending on what? What are you worried about, Harry?"
"Well, you know…the whole broom closet thing…I'm afraid…you thought I did that on purpose…which I didn't, by the way, and that you might not want to be around me anymore because of that and you are going to tell me to stay away from you or something."
"Oh. Is that what you thought? And why, pray tell, would that bother you?"
"Pray tell? Hermione, why do you have to talk like that? You sound like McGonagall sometimes."
"Don't you dare change the subject, Harry! Answer me! Why would it bother you if I wasn't around?"
"Do I have to spell it out, Granger?" he said with frustration. "Okay, I …like you, Hermione! Of all the students at Hogwarts, you're the one who has been the closest thing I have to a real friend, and you're not even in my house! Blaise is okay, but besides the whole 'despising Malfoy' thing, we don't have a whole lot in common. He is a pure-blood, you know, and I just don't think we'll ever really understand each other."
(<Just like Ron and me…> Hermione thought to herself.)
"…but you," Harry continued, "…you seem to want to know me as me, not as The-Boy-Who-Lived, or even the boy who killed the basilisk last year." He looked up to see her reaction, and what he saw in her eyes encouraged him to continue. "And then, yesterday, when…well, when you landed on top of me in the broom closet, for a second there…well, you know!" His face was starting to noticeably redden.
"Know what, Harry?" she said with encouragement. "What about the broom closet? Go on, you're doing fine."
"You are an EVIL witch, you know that, don't you?" he said with a wry grin. "Okay…well, right after you landed on me, I could have sworn that…that you…well, didn't mind all that much being there. But then, McGonagall came, and you seemed so…upset, I thought that you were disgusted with me for grabbing you like that."
"Oh, Harry…" he could have sworn she nearly purred. "Now it's my turn to be honest with you. Having your arms around me felt…well, pleasant…nice…I don't know quite how to describe it. But, just so you know, disgust had nothing to do with what I was feeling then. What you sensed was probably the guilt I felt when Professor McGonagall caught us that way - nothing at all against you!" she said quietly. "But the question now becomes, what are we going to do about this? I assume from what you said that you didn't mind me being there all that much?"
"So…fishing for something, Hermione? I already told you that I like you. I think someone as clever as you are can figure it out. But, before you ask, it wasn't having you on top of me that made me start to like you. It just woke me up, I guess! It felt like…well, you were where you belonged! Yes, I'll admit, I would have really liked it better if we hadn't been interrupted right then…not that I would have tried to snog you or something," he added hastily, "but I was quite happy as it was," he said as a silly grin appeared on his face. "I don't know, Hermione. What do you think we should do? I mean, obviously we can't ignore what happened, what we both felt, but under the circumstances, you know, us being in different houses and all, it might be a little…awkward?"
Harry could see that Hermione was in deep thought. He barely heard her whisper something that sounded like "…where I belong…yes…" but he wasn't sure. Finally, she noticed that he was still sitting there. "Oh, sorry, Harry, just off in my thoughts for a moment. Yes, well, Harry, I've thought about this a lot since yesterday, and I realized you're probably right. Under the circumstances, it's reminding me way too much of a Romeo and Juliet rehash- you know, the whole "star-crossed lovers, warring houses" thing. And, I sure don't want us to both end up dead because of a misunderstanding like that one!" she laughed. When she saw that Harry looked extremely confused, she said. "Harry, surely you've read…or at least heard about Romeo and Juliet, right? A thirteen-year-old girl falls in love with a prince from another house? You know, the whole balcony scene? Didn't your Muggle school have a section on Shakespeare? Mine did!"
Harry was quite embarrassed. "Well, yeah, I've heard about Shakespeare, and something about Romeo and Juliet, but, no, I've never read that story. Maybe you can tell it to me some time?" he said, hopefully. <Potter, you must have it bad for her…asking her to tell you a love story? You're a thirteen-year-old boy, we just don't DO those kind of things.> And, right then, he had the strangest thought come to his mind that he really wasn't thirteen, but eighteen. Before he could say anything, though, he realized Hermione was answering his question.
"Oh, Harry, I'd love to! Oh, look at the time! We do have to get ready for the feast tonight, so can you give me a rain check on that? We'll do it really soon, Harry," said Hermione earnestly. "I promise."
As soon as she said that, she saw that Harry's face went completely blank, for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, she touched his arm. "What is it, Harry? Did you just have one of your memory flashes?"
Harry nodded, but said quickly. "Hermione, before you ask, I'm not quite ready to tell you about what I just saw in my mind. Someday, maybe, but not yet. I promise you'll be the first to know. I just have to think about it for a while. Is that okay?"
"Oh…sure, Harry, if you think that's best. Just promise me you won't keep it to yourself too long, deal?"
"Deal! And, you've got to promise me that you'll tell me about that bloke Romeo sometime, too!" and with that, they shook hands, stood up, and went back to their rooms to get ready for the Halloween feast.
******
After Harry returned to his room after the feast that night, he was happily stuffed with food and treats, but he was as emotionally as happy as he had been…well, for a long time. He had seen Hermione looking at him across the hall on more than one occasion, but she would look quickly away whenever she got caught. Finally, frustrated by her little game, he looked right at her, winked, and she grinned and winked back before she turned to talk to Lavender Brown and one of the Patil twins - he could never keep the two of them straight in his mind.
He had just started to get ready for bed when he heard a loud voice ring out. "All Slytherin students! Please return to the Great Hall, at once. This is an emergency! NOW!"
When they got to the hall, they found that all of Gryffindor House was already there, and Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw houses were coming in from different directions, all looking extremely confused.