A/N: Ok here it is, what you've been waiting for...actually it's not, sorry, but this is the last chapter before that chapter. Thanks once more to Lady Starlight for her help with this fic, it is appreciated.
Chapter 19: The Calm Before the Storm
**********************Hogwarts, Room of Requirements**********************
September 20, 1997
7:00 am
Hermione dove under a yellow bolt from a masked Death Eater, and waved at a stack of books over to the side. They shot sideways like a horizontal blizzard of leather-bound hail and pummeled the specter. A shimmering, silver beam hung in the air over her shoulder for a millisecond and the Eater collapsed. She slid next to Harry as he conjured a silver shield on his left arm and took several hits with corresponding loud gongs.
His hand dipped to a pouch at his hip and three silver discs howled back, expanding to the size of normal Frisbees before they had gone a foot. Two shot past a Death Eater to imbed themselves in the wall where they continued to hum with identical, high-pitched whines, while the third neatly decapitated a Death Eater in a spray of simulated blood.
Harry dropped his shield as Hermione's wand flashed and stones shot from the walls to pile in a four-foot revetment for them to hide behind. Harry dug in his pouch again and tossed a silver-black ball over the wall and hugged Hermione to him. A second later it went off with a roar that shook the room, and if this had been other than the Room of Requirement, probably the castle. Shrieks of pain echoed from beyond the fortification as Hermione tossed a small, marble-sized, blue ball over the wall and flicked open a mirror. After a moment's examination, she held up three fingers, lowered one and motioned to the right, dropped the other and waved to the left.
Harry gave her a nod and pointed to himself and then to the right, then at her and to the left. Hermione rolled her eyes before nodding. She dug into her pack and pulled out a pair of black-framed glasses. She slipped them on and smiled slightly as Harry tapped the sides of his own and took a small, black pellet from his pocket.
She gave him a nod, and he tossed the pellet.
The room went black, and they MOVED. Harry rolled over the top of the wall, and dove to the right, Hermione around the side and to the left. She reached her target first, slipped sideways, a blade flashed in the darkness and the Death Eater crumpled. Harry reached his a moment later and sliced up and right, rotated his wrist and cut back to the left. A simulated head fell away from the second as the first dropped face first to the floor.
The pellet's effect vanished a second later to reveal their handiwork. Harry nodded grimly as he looked warily around the room, not trusting the scenario to be over. It was, however, as the room flickered a couple of times before becoming the normal training room of the DA.
Hermione flicked her wand and tossed Harry one of the water bottles that appeared. She gave him a tired smile as Lupin and Tonks appeared from seemingly out of nowhere. "Wotcher," Tonks grinned as she took a drink from a mug of something steaming that she held in her left hand. "I'm amazed that you two can walk this morning, let alone take down that scenario...it's a graduation level Auror one."
"Ha, ha," Hermione replied and took a drink of her water, "I'll have you know that we got at least two or three hours of sleep." She waggled her eyebrows and Tonks brayed a laugh. Lupin grabbed onto her coffee mug worriedly as she leaned against him, cracking up.
"Are we done Moony?" Harry asked as he knelt down to retie his trainers. He looked up at the Lycan, who shrugged.
"Yeah, Harry," he smiled mischievously, "go forth and be merry."
Hermione glanced at him and her eyes twinkled, "We'll see, Remus." The pair left the room with a pair of towels still around their neck as Tonks stepped away from him and walked around the room. She started perusing the Dark Arts books on the wall as she thought, looking for something interesting.
"Remus?" she asked as she removed Splinching Spells, How to Recreate an Accident on Purpose, and turned to him, "I was thinking."
"Are you sure you should be doing that, luv?" he quipped as he leaned against a training dummy.
"I sure didn't agree to marry you for your sense of humor, Remus," she shot back and stuck out her tongue. She placed the book on a convenient table and walked over to him, and took his hand. "I think that they had the right idea of it Wolfie."
He sighed and ran his hand through her chartreuse hair. She smiled up at shyly and sighed softly as he kissed her forehead, "If you really want to go through with it, Nymph...we can."
"I wouldn't have said yes if I didn't mean it, you prat," she snapped and stepped back a bit, still holding onto his hand. "So when then?"
"Depends," Lupin waved his free hand non-committedly as she looked on. He looked down at her hand in his, watching the stone in her ring cycle through colors for a moment, "Do you want a big wedding or do you want to just get eloped? It's the same to me, Nymph as the end result is the same."
"I don't know, Remus," Tonks replied honestly, "I would love to have it at Grimmauld with mum and all of them there, Harry has already restored her to the family in his role as Lord Black, just to spite Bellatrix and Narcissa, but, we can't until it's over."
Lupin nodded and kissed her, "Think about it and let me know when and where I'm supposed to show up then." She punched his shoulder lightly before nodding.
****************************Hogsmeade*******************************
11:00 am.
Harry looked back and helped Hermione from the carriage and with a small, shared grin they headed into the village. She waggled her eyebrows at him after a minute and he laughed out loud. Parvati and Lavender who seemed to be traveling in a cluster of Gryffindors including Seamus, Dean, Neville, and a tall, black-haired, sixth year girl named Honor, which was just an outstanding name for a Gryffindor, along with Seamus' impromptu bed-mates of the opening night party, Ellen and Gretchen, looked at them oddly as they passed. Neither of them noticed the girls whispering excitedly behind their hands.
Harry stopped after a moment to look back towards Hogwarts, where the castle could be seen looming over the village, and just to one side, one could see the top curve of the Quidditch Stadium. If one squinted they could see little dark dots flitting about over the stands. "You miss it, don't you Harry?" Hermione whispered, knowing the answer.
"Sometimes, Mione, yeah," he responded as he turned on his heel and strode towards the village. She frowned and followed; Hermione had wholeheartedly agreed with Harry not playing, they really didn't have time. In fact, in her mind, Ron shouldn't be playing either, but she hadn't fought him over it, Harry was feeling bad enough about it as it was. Ron had further railed on Harry about him having to find a new Seeker and a new Chaser. An argument in which Ron had brought the old, morose Harry fully back, after which Harry had left bitterly, snapping at his friend. Harry gone, Hermione had then let fully into Ron, berating him in at least three languages, one of them dead, about dumping on Harry, and 'wasn't he happy anyway, he was the fucking Captain now?' as Harry felt he had let them down by not playing. Hermione had shot a parting spell gluing Ron's feet together and left to find Harry, still cursing redheads under her breath.
In the end, though, Ron had had to find not a Seeker and a Chaser, but two Chasers. Ginny had moved back to Seeking, and while Ron griped about her not being as good as Harry every time the subject came up, he knew not to push it.
"So where are we going, Harry, on our..." Hermione glanced around, "date?" she finished in a hush, her eyes grinning. Harry laughed and shrugged.
"I don't suppose that you'd want to visit Madame Puddifoot's?" he teased back as they headed down the gravel track to the town. He reached out and played with one of her braids.
Her eyebrow crooked, Only if you like sleeping on the couch...without me. She giggled as Harry gave a highly exaggerated grimace and shake of his head.
"So, the bookstore?" Harry replied quickly, he glanced down and looked at her hand, she returned a knowing look, "Shall we?" She nodded and they walked past the Three Broomsticks and took a left into a small, two-story shop. Harry was immediately hit with the smell of leather and parchment and grinned as he saw Hermione's face light up. She smiled up at him, and he waved towards the innards of the store, "Go ahead I'll amuse myself." She started to move to kiss his cheek, but paused, shrugged slightly and did so anyway, even if she lingered just a hair too long for "friendship."
Harry watched her climb a ladder to a loft filled with rare volumes, with a more or less disguised appreciation of the fit of her jeans. He laughed at himself as he walked into a section of the shop dedicated to Dark Arts and began to browse. He could feel the happy overlay of her emotions as she skimmed titles, occasionally picking one up, sometimes blowing the dust off and reading a paragraph or chapter. Mione do we have a copy of Offensive Offense?
She thought for a second, running over a mental catalog of her books, which were scattered among those in two bedrooms, a common room, those loaned out to Remus, Tonks and McGonagall, those at Grimmauld and a few that were at Godric's Hollow. Second Edition, Harry, if it's newer get it.
It's a fourth edition, claims to have improved projectile spells. Harry replied as he tucked it under his arm and felt her nod. He looked a bit longer, eventually picking up Explosive Spells for Fun and Dismemberment and Playing with Sharp Objects, a reprint of an old manual of arms by a G. Gryffindor. Mione, dear, I love you but I'm getting hungry.
He felt her sigh; I can't decide, she admitted after a moment, I have five, but they are all expensive...
Hermione, we can buy the shop out of our pocket change, Harry reminded her as he rolled his eyes, causing a fifth year to look at him oddly. She felt her sudden shock and he knew she was looking at the rest of the loft with new eyes. We don't have space, Hermione Jane.
Damn, she replied and he laughed causing the fifth year near him to think even more that the 'Chosen One' was a touch daft. He watched as she climbed down the ladder, the books she had chosen floating at her shoulder. She reached out and handed them to him. She watched with a little smile as he walked over the counter and paid for their purchases. A wand flick later and the books vanished to their rooms.
"Let's go eat," Harry laughed as Hermione's stomach agreed with him. She shot him a glare as she spun on her heel and stalked out of the shop, knowing full well that he could read her true feelings. He caught up with her as they reached the door of the Three Broomsticks and a subdued Rosmerta waved them to seats at the back, a cozy two-person booth set against the back wall.
Rosmerta came up the table and dropped a par of butterbeers on their table. "What'll you have?" she asked quietly. Rosmerta had been very withdrawn since her recovery from the spells she had been under last year. She was still jumpy and Harry knew that she was reported to have a guard troll hidden out of sight somewhere.
"What's on special?" Hermione inquired as she looked up at the witch, whose dressing habits hadn't followed her new shyness. Over in the corner booth, which was filled with the seventh and sixth year Gryffindors that weren't at Quidditch practice, Lavender elbowed Parvati and nodded in the direction of their table. The dusky-skinned girl grinned hugely and made a kissy-face for a second before returning to the conversation with Seamus and Dean, which would have given any of their parents heart attacks if they had heard it.
"The mutton is not bad today, or we have some Dragon steaks in from the coast," Rosmerta replied.
Harry and Hermione shared a look as they remembered the greenish steak that Hagrid had had over his eye fifth year, "The mutton please," they replied together. She left them to their devices and Hermione's wand flicked under the table casting a Distortion Charm around them, so they could talk in peace. "Where to next Harry?"
He grinned, "Well we could check out the Shrieking Shack..." Hermione muttered something about splinters and he laughed, a happy sound that caused her to smile. "Seriously...let's just walk around if you don't mind. Maybe we can head up to Dervish and Banges to see if they have any of those micro Sneakoscopes in." They paused in their conversation as a young, twenty-ish girl brought their orders and they each took a few bites.
Hermione swallowed the bite of mutton she was working on and looked over at him, "Alright, I need to go into Scrivenshaft's for a bit." She paused, "This is a tad annoying." She looked over that the Gryffindors and then around the room, pointedly.
"You mean the lack of us being able to snog at the table, or the fact that you wore jeans?" Harry said quietly with a twinkle in his eye that did odd things to her heart rate. She glared at him, but didn't mean it. She didn't talk to him as they finished their meal, but he could feel her laughing.
She stood, pulled several Galleons from her pocket and laid them on the table, "Let's go Harry," she commanded and he followed without a word. He barely took two steps out of the crowded pub before she grabbed his hand to drag him into a blind alley. Harry distantly felt his back crash against the wall as Hermione threw her arms around his neck and proceeded to make him forget the last several minutes. She took a deep breath to slow her heart rate as she licked her lips as she disengaged them from his. "What had it been?" she whispered.
"Like three, four hours," Harry replied, he leaned forward to kiss her again, more or less chastely, before he stepped back to run fingers through his hair, a lost cause. Hermione just grinned as she pulled her jumper straight, pulling the hem down to meet the waistline of her jeans. She took his hand once again as they left the alley, looking both ways as they exited, after all, 'friends' hold hands, Hermione rationalized.
A brief flicker of light danced near the eves of the inn.
They worked their way down the High Street, picking up a new, micro Sneakoscope at Dervish and Banges, and a half dozen quills at Scrivenshaft's. After meandering past the street leading to the Hog's Head, Harry looked up towards the base of the mountain overlooking the town. He pulled on her hand and she followed.
After several minutes of walking, and climbing a bit, they slipped into the cave where Sirius had hidden for so long. Bits of trash and windblown leaves were scattered about the floor. Yellowed Daily Prophets looked up at them, with pictures of Harry and her under Rita's three-year premature byline decorating an unfolded one on top. Hermione flicked her wand and cleaned a spot for them. She gave him a small encouraging smile as Harry slid to the ground and sat down on his lap, straddling his legs. She kissed his nose as his hands slipped under her sweater, before they proceeded to make out for a bit; somehow neither of them thought Sirius would mind terribly much.
***********************Quidditch Pitch, Hogwarts**************************
October 4, 1997
11:55 am
The first game of the season featured Gryffindor against Hufflepuff. In more normal times, this game would have been a run-away for Gryffindor, a 'gimmie' as Harry would have dominated the sky against the Hufflepuff Seeker, leaving only the final score in the hands of Ron and the Chasers. This year was anything but normal.
This year, Harry was sitting in the stands, much like he had done the majority of fifth year, watching. But this year, unlike then it was by choice rather than punishment. He waved to Ron as Ron led the team onto the field, as Captain now that Harry had surrendered the title as well as his spot on the team.
Harry handed Hermione a mug of Hot Chocolate he had conjured on this blustery, almost cold day in early October. She gave him an appreciative smile as he turned to talk to Hagrid. "'It's a ruddy shame that you're not playing 'arry." Hagrid boomed, and several rows away he could see Umbridge turning to him with a simpering grin. He didn't see the lethal glare Hermione retaliated with for him, but he didn't need to see it to know either. Harry looked over to the announcers box to see Luna perched at the microphone, Flitwick next to her. Luna had taken permanent ownership of the announcer's job at the start of the year. While no one seemed to be able to convince her that a three-foot, lion's-head hat might show a bit of bias, no one else really wanted the job, either. The aforementioned hat was sitting behind her, roaring occasionally.
"I was just too busy Hagrid," Harry responded and the half-giant nodded his great, shaggy head. They both turned to the game, Hermione gave him a supportive glance as the Quaffle was tossed up and the game began.
Immediately Harry knew that the Quidditch season could be a long one. Hermione let a small wince escape as the Snitch hovered behind Ginny's ear for a good thirty seconds, about twenty more than it would have taken Harry to catch it, and darted away.
"Gryffindor has the Quaffle...they lost it...darn..." Luna commented as the Quaffle was knocked from Demelza's grip into the hands of the Hufflepuffs. "Hufflepuff has the Quaffle...OH MERLIN WHAT A SAVE BY THE KING...." Luna screamed, jumping up and down as the Lion Hat roared.
They both jumped to their feet as Ron snagged a shot on goal, and beat it away with the tail of his broom, knocking it the length of the Pitch to slip neatly through the center hoop. Harry whistled loudly as Demelza, Ron's only returning Chaser as Katie had graduated, stole the Quaffle and groaned as a Bludger took her in the back causing her to drop the ball.
"Gryffindor has the Quaffle...well they did...And at this point it should be mentioned that the Bludgers used by Hogwarts were carefully inspected by myself and Ronald just this morning just in case they were transfigured Dodos as that would be...not so good." Hermione rolled her eyes as Luna commented, and shook her head.
"Guard your Chasers Peakes!" Harry yelled as Peakes and Coote flashed past the stands. He looked down to see a small hand on his arm and he calmed down. They watched, for the remainder of the game, a game that lasted almost four hours, as Ron valiantly kept the Hufflepuffs from scoring more than four times, while the Gryffindors only managed seven. Harry just sighed as both of the Seekers let the Snitch escape again.
"Weasley lets the Snitch go again...Snitches do make wonderful pets..."
Finally, Ginny spotted the Snitch and dove, the Hufflepuff Chaser, Nathan Forest, on her tail. The two of them bumped several times on the way to the pitch, Ginny stretched out her hand and plucked the Snitch from under his nose, which met the turf of the Pitch an instant later as Ginny used her small size to her advantage and pulled out of a dive that Forest had too much mass to abort.
"Gryffindor...wins...HI RONNIE...." Luna dropped the magical microphone on the table in her booth, causing a loud, booming sound to fill the air before Flitwick could shut it off, as Ron waved to her from the Pitch and she left the booth almost as fast as if she had Apparated away.
The crowd erupted and Harry clapped for a moment before giving Hermione a glance and left as Luna ran out onto the field and tackled Ron.
Hermione caught up to him as he reached the steps to the castle, If it helps, you can put on your jersey and I'll shag the conquering hero. I always wanted to, she admitted, with a faint blush coloring her cheeks. They headed up the stairs towards Gryffindor tower as Harry cracked a smile which had been her intention, though the comment and the offer were both real.
Sounds good to me, Harry winked and vanished in a fall of color as he triggered his pocketed Portkey. Hermione laughed and followed, the rush of wind of her vanishing disturbing several wall tapestries.
**********************Gryffindor Common Room*******************
October 4, 1997
8:00 pm
Gryffindor was celebrating their first win of the season, their first win without Harry Seeking when he could have played, in seven years. He stood aside and watched as Seamus and Ron were tossing back butterbeers in the midst of a crowd of admirers. Unlike Harry, Ron had not stopped playing Quidditch, and his Keeping today, had been stellar. Without Harry playing, Ginny had once more returned to Seeking, and had eventually captured the Snitch, though well after Harry knew he could have ended the game.
He took a sip of butterbeer as he leaned back in a corner watching, ever watching. Despairing of living a normal life. He sighed as Ron laughed to something one of the admiring fifth years said and pulled Luna to him. They kissed to the accompaniment of the cheers of the Gryffindors and few scattered Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs crowding the common room. Luna was now, after her stance at the Ministry and then later being one of the few who actually fought the Death Eaters at Hogwarts, more or less an adopted Gryffindor. Privately, Harry wondered if her quick acceptance was as much a function of the Gryffindors' shame as it was her bravery. The reconstituted DA was proof as almost every Gryffindor above third year had appeared, ready and willing to fight.
Ginny was laughing in the midst of a group of boys. Periodically she would dance with one of them to the music from an enchanted Muggle CD player that Dean and Seamus had begged Hermione's help with installing. Harry glanced up to see a Snitch flash past his face. His hand shot out and captured it, and let go before anyone noticed. "Hey Hermione," Harry said quietly as she walked up to him.
She was not dressed for a party, her frayed and worn jeans with the knees ripped out and an old, too large Gryffindor Lions sweatshirt that was secretly Harry's, was much more appropriate for a night of studying. She had her pack slung over one shoulder, with the corner of an old, leather-bound tome peeking out. "You alright?" Their gazes encompassed Ron as he pulled Luna down onto his lap on the couch, their couch, and she writhed slightly as Ron's hands ran up the back of her jumper and the blond and the redhead's lips met.
You mean am I jealous of Ron, Mione? Harry asked as he glanced at her. He could see the jewels of her engagement ring and the glimmer of the twin bands dancing in the firelight, only for him of course. A little, yeah...not about Luna though, he added quickly. Would I like the freedom to at least kiss you in public...yeah that would be nice. You going to go study?
Yeah...I thought I'd go work on that essay for Lupin. I don't feel much like partying, Hermione replied silently. She shuffled slightly on her feet and gave him a quick, fleeting smile.
Harry tipped up his butterbeer and finished it in two gulps. I'll come with you. He flung out his hand and watched as the portrait door to the Head's Suite opened for a second as his pack shot out of it and to his hand.
I knew you would, Hermione admitted as she led them to the portrait hole and out into the hall beyond.
In the midst of the crowd of partiers, Ginny watched them leave; she growled something under her breath and the fifth year boy she had been dancing with rather closely looked at her oddly. The song ended and she left to go to the girls' loo. Finding the stalls empty, she chose the one furthest from the door and slightly isolated from the rest by a support column for the floor above. She closed the door and did her business; dressed and stood to leave when she heard the door open and a pair of new voices entered the room. An odd smacking sound came from the direction of the mirrors and then
"Did you see them leave?" Lavender said haughtily.
"Yeah," Parvati answered slightly breathlessly. She laughed, "It will be nice for them to just admit it and get it over with. Her voice deepened a half octave, "Oh Harry...you survived again. Let's go and make babies." Her voice rose slightly to her normal register. "Seriously, hun, I'm happy for them, Merlin knows the poor boy has needed some happiness and we both know she's been pining for him since like...first year."
"Yeah," Lavender replied, "I never did get the whole Ginny thing last year. She is cute and all yeah, and what is that Muggle expression Dean said the other day?"
"I dunno, I was drunk remember? And you were the one..." Parvati shot back snarkishly with an undertone that told Ginny she didn't quite have the whole story.
"Oh yes," Lavender said loudly, ignoring her friend, in the voice of one who might be a touch around the bend, "It was 'I wouldn't kick her out of bed for eating crackers.' I admit that she is delectable." Ginny's eyes widened.
"So you want the set of both brother and sister?" Parvati growled back, giggling.
"Nah, too much hassle at family reunions...trust me," Lavender replied knowingly and the two erupted in laughs. "So how long do you think?"
"Till what, they snog, make out in the middle of Tonks' class what?"
Ginny's eyes narrowed and she bit her lip as a low hiss tried to escape. We'll see about that, I'll just have to remind Harry what he's missing. She probably wouldn't even kiss him if she had the chance...that bookworm. A dark seething feeling clouded the back of her mind.
"Let's say snog," Lavender replied after a moment.
"Christmas. You know Harry, he'll probably stay here, the poor boy doesn't have any family to go home to, and I bet she stays, probably claim something about homework even though she'll already have it done," Parvati replied with a tone of utter certainty.
"Five Galleons? I say it'll be before," Lavender replied.
"Done." In the stall Ginny heard the odd smacking noise for several seconds again along with a slight grunting sound. "We should probably get back."
"Yeah." The door opened and closed again and Ginny growled as she came out of the stall and checked her makeup. She brushed her hair back behind her ears and headed back to the party as well.
***********************Hogwarts**************************
October 5, 1997.
9:45 pm
Hermione yawned and glanced over at Harry. His normally disheveled mop looked more like the nest of a slightly drunken condor as he ran his hands fitfully through his hair. The large, back table they currently occupied was Hermione's favorite, one that very few other students would even dare to inhabit even if she were not here. It had the dual advantages of privacy from the occasionally raucous tables in the more open part of the library that were usually filled with students more concerned about the color of their parchments than what was on them, and convenient access to the Restricted Section, which Harry and Hermione enjoyed as Head Students.
She glared as a giggling fifth year Hufflepuff paused at the entrance to the cul-de-sac and looked at Harry, longingly. The young blonde left abruptly, and Hermione carefully hid a grin. She knew there were rumors about her and Harry, there had always been rumors about her and Harry, but she was pretty sure that none of them were anywhere near the truth. Parvati and Lavender had asked her rather pointedly about it, as soon as it was blatantly obvious, anvil-sized hints rather; that Ron was with Luna. She had just shrugged and given the standard 'Harry's my best friend' line. It was true after all, just not the whole truth, not in the least, the other half of my soul maybe. She thought absently as she ran her thumb over an invisible band on her left hand. There wasn't a day that the 'Chosen One' wasn't hit on or otherwise propositioned in the hall and she gave him a small smile, as she knew that he wanted to come out in the open as much as she did.
In a way, it was Percy, as much as Ginny who had caused their current predicament. If it hadn't been for the late, third Weasley brother and his letting the Death Eaters past the Burrow's defensive wards, for whatever reason he had done it, the situation would be different. In some way, in that tiny corner of her mind, that had never given up hope, that had led the fight against Ginny's talisman, she had always thought that if she were to have to hide a relationship with Harry, it would be because of Voldemort. That wasn't the case. Between their linked minds and radically boosted powers due to their finally being free of their shackles and the simple fact that it was as dangerous to Tom as it was to Harry to force a connection these days, Voldemort's spying into Harry's mind was pretty much a non-issue. Besides, though she would never tell Harry, she had an odd suspicion that Voldemort already knew. She knew, now, that she was already in love with Harry, fifth year, and at the back of his mind, the part that even then had talked in her voice, he had known then as well.
No, she was pretty much a target, but not any more so than Ron or Harry, himself. Their current issue was that they hid for Ron's sake, not that they would say as much. His family was already fractured. The kids pretty much were of a mind that Percy had been a Death Eater, initiated or not, while Molly clung to the belief that he had been forced into it. The Ginny situation only looked to make things worse, and the clock was running. Ron knew of Hermione's ultimatum of right before school started. He knew that his best friends were not going to pull back from it, and though he had never said so, he also knew the only reason that they hadn't already squashed her was the fact that they had been desperately hoping that she would move on and forget this. And he also knew, when the time came, which side he would choose.
Even so, Hermione thought as she looked back down at her book and scratched out a note about possible means of containing the released sprit of a Horcrux, so it could be crushed without the energy release that had cost Dumbledore his hand, and almost cost her, everything. Harry needs to relax. She glanced up, You ok baby?
I'm fine Mione, Harry replied without looking up. Just tired of looking at spells. Hermione Granger, the most studious person in this school nodded and stood up. Her eyes flitted around the room and finding no one, she kissed him on the top of the head.
I'm going to go look up another book. Then maybe sneak down to grab a snack and bring it back, you need anything? Hermione asked as she placed the notes and the book she had been reading into Harry's pack. Harry shook his head and dropped it into the cradle of his arms. She glanced at the stack of combat magic books stacked next to Harry and sighed as she headed back into the stacks. Truthfully, either her or Harry could have probably already stood almost any of their NEWTs right now, except maybe humorously enough, Care of Really Dangerous Creatures. Even Ron was pretty much beyond NEWT level in DADA and Charms, his Transfiguration and Potions were still a touch weak, but she knew he was ahead of most of his classmates in those as well, or he was when he bothered to study.
Hermione headed forward into the front part of the Restricted Section, the part where she could see the rest of the Library to find that it had emptied out. She shook her head and started to search for a book on binding spells, when a hand touched her on the shoulder. She whirled, her hand blurring for a wand, with the other already coming up for a strike to clear her area, when she stopped abruptly. "My apologies Madame Pince," Hermione said in a whisper, "you gave me a fright."
"I am getting ready to close up for the night," she said in a harsh whisper, the type of voice one gets from talking that way all the time, "I assume that you and Mr. Potter will be leaving soon?" Not only did Pince dislike the Head Students having full access to the Restricted Section, but also she also really didn't like them having access to the Library at any hour. Unfortunately for her, that was not a condition that Harry and Hermione had imposed, but rather one that had been in place for many, many years.
"Yes, ma'am I expect that we will about another hour," Hermione replied with absolutely no idea how much longer they would stay before surrendering for another day before they left to go collapse on top of each other for the night.
Pince left with a slight huff and Hermione returned to searching for her book. Finally after ten minutes of increasingly annoyed searching, the Restricted Section books tended to rearrange themselves, she found Restraining and Imprisonment Spells hiding behind a series on werewolves, and a rather thick book called Coital Thaumaturgy, that she marked for later, leisurely perusal, and headed back towards her table, having decided just to take Harry home and get out of here for the night.
Hermione paused as voices came from the direction of the table. Harry's and one that she really didn't want to hear at this moment...
"So what are you working on Harry?" Ginny said softly. Her voice was almost a half octave low as she attempted her inveiglement. Hermione took a silent step backwards and stood out of sight. She spied Harry's pack sitting on the floor under the table, and crouching down, she flicked her fingers at it. A very tightly folded and shrunken cloak shot across to her along the floor and vanished into her hand. She smiled tightly to herself as she remembered that they had only brought Harry's stuff here.
I'm not here Harry, Hermione sent silently and his eyes didn't even flicker in recognition.
"Just some stuff for DA," Harry replied vaguely. He turned the page he was looking at and glanced up at Ginny. Harry swallowed softly, and Ginny's lip curled. A hint of black lace was visible under the open neck, and loose tie of her school uniform, and her skirt seemed to be one that she had had as a third year. "Do you need something Gin, I am kinda busy." Hermione silently applauded as she stepped around the edge of the stacks, totally invisible.
"Can I help?" Ginny asked as her brown eyes locked to Harry's.
No, Hermione, Harry thought forcefully as he could feel the magic start to concentrate behind Ginny's back.
Under the cloak, Hermione shook her head vigorously and returned, No, actually I have a better idea. Without another word, she dropped to her knees under and crept under the edge of the large table without a sound. Now be quiet...
What...OH FUCK...Harry's eyes widened for a second as he felt a cloak being tossed over his lap and a zipper being slowly lowered. His other fist clenched under the table as he felt himself respond to a small, invisible hand. Hermione bent her head and licked the tip of his suddenly erect member. Harry's eyes crossed slightly as he looked down at his book.
"Are you alright, Harry?" Ginny asked and below the table Hermione giggled without moving her head. Harry tasted blood as he bit his lip.
"Umm...Yeah, I'm just fine," Harry replied in a voice that was almost normal. Ginny smiled down at him and leaned over the table to examine the book he was looking at, and just so happened to give him a small flash. He felt his heart thump in his chest and thin sheen of sweat popped on his brow as something hot and moist surrounded him below the table.
"Why are you sweating?" Ginny asked suspiciously. A series of vibrations shot up his core as a new series of giggles vibrated down low. A rush of air and then a cat-like tongue sliding languorously up his length.
You are evil... "It's a touch hot in here," Harry replied very quietly, and slowly. "I really need to get this done, Ginny," Harry said truthfully as he looked back to his book, and fought desperately to keep his breathing level, and to keep seeing in fact, as his vision was starting to gray out. Ginny looked as if she wanted to say something else, but shook her head slightly.
"Ok, then Harry," she replied, disappointment readily evident in her voice. She moved off, and out of the little cul-de-sac.
Hermione started moving faster, sucking a touch with each stroke, and a moment later, Harry dropped his head to the desk as he exploded...bucking up or at least trying to, out of his chair. He fell back into it a moment later, panting, desperately trying to replace starved oxygen as an invisible body slid up his body, pushing him away from the table. A fall of chestnut curls became visible as she swept the hood of the cloak off and crashed her lips to his.
Harry growled slightly as his her tongue slipped home to meet his and he tasted himself on her. His heart hammered against his chest and Hermione grinned like Crookshanks with a canary, as she settled herself on his lap. Shall we continue this?
Definitely, but lets go back to our rooms. Harry felt a reaction to her in his lap, And you really need to get off my lap right now...or we won't last that long.
Spoilsport. Hermione shot back but slipped to her feet and cleaned them up with a spell. After fixing himself, Harry stood and vanished their books and his bag with a flick of his wand. Harry took her hand and led her out of the Library, pausing to Nox the lights and lock the door with a spell. Hermione glanced up and down the hall and seeing no one, threw her arms around Harry's neck and kissed hard enough to crash backwards against the doors.
Pulling back Harry brushed a lock of hair out her face and behind an ear, before taking her hand again and heading off down the hall towards the rest of the castle, the castle that by now was emptied of wandering students.
Except for one, a hard eyed, fire-haired presence slipped out from a dark crevice and shimmered as a disillusionment field faded away. That fucking bitch, Ginny hissed in her thoughts. She pondered for a moment, before turning and running in the other direction, towards the seventh floor and the Room of Requirement.
She paced to and fro three times in front of the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, thinking hard, and an old, oak door appeared. A single desk was sitting in the center of an otherwise barren room. A sourceless spot of light illuminated the desk, which contained a single sheet of parchment and a envelope.
Ginny looked down at the parchment, it was a letter, note really, that Harry had sent her over the summer after the Basilisk, asking how she was, because...he was Harry:
Ginny,
I hope you are ok, I hear from Ron that you sometimes have problems sleeping. If you need someone to talk to let me know.
Your friend,
Harry.
Ginny smirked slightly as she drew her wand and placed the tip of the worn, ash wand in the center of the parchment. "Vicissitudo." As she watched, the letters, Harry's own handwriting moved and changed, the letters rearranging, morphing into others and attaching to different letters. A moment later it stopped:
Hermione,
Meet me in Lupin's class tonight at 9; I've been talking to Remus and he wonders if we can modify it to work against other creatures Ton might have under his control
Love,
Harry.
Now, I'll just send this to her, when I know Harry's otherwise occupied and we'll have a talk...
Ginny crept out of the Room of Requirement, and slipped down the hallway to Gryffindor Tower, and for once, not a familiar, Professor or ghost was between her and her goal.
A/N: DUN DUH DUN....ok, ladies and gentlemen, in this corner.... Do I REALLY need to expound on next chapter, nah....