CHAPTER TEN: TRYOUTS AND GIFTS
~~~~~September 14th, 1996~~~~~
Harry and Ron stood outside the changing rooms at the Quidditch pitch looking out over the assembled Gryffindors. They would all be trying out for a spot on the quidditch team and neither Ron nor Harry looked hopeful about the group assembled.
Ginny and Parvati stood together towards the side of the pack with Dean, Neville and Seamus. A group of five third years and six fifth years were the mentioned pack, and the Creevey brothers were also there taking turns in looking excited and looking like they'd be sick.
Hermione and Lavender strolled from the direction of the castle towards Harry and Ron, both stiffling giggles at the beaten looks on the boys faces.
"Looks good." Hermione smiled. The comment only earnt her glares.
"Don't worry too much about it, I'm sure with enough training any one of them would be alright." Lavender told them trying to brighten the mood.
Harry looked at Ron and sighed. "I suppose we should do this, mate."
Ron just let out a large breath and nodded. Hermione and Lavender sat on the bench outside the changing rooms and watched the pair drag their feet over to the group of hopefuls.
"Alright!" Harry got their attention. "We've got a seeker and a keeper so if you're not a chaser
or a beater you might as well leave."
Nobody moved so Ron picked it up. "Righ then, we'll be doing beaters first so all you chasers go over and wait by Hermione and Lavender."
Seven from the pack, along with Ginny, Parvati, the Creevey brothers and Dean headed off the field. Ron saw that all those trying for beater already had a bat so he opened the box and got ready to release the bludgers.
Before he did Harry told the group, "To the air. We just want you guys to bat them around a bit first."
The beaters and Harry mounted their brooms and took off while Ron released the bludgers and followed. Ron and Harry flew around the lot, having to dodge a few bludgers, and observed their beaters.
One of the fourth years was pretty good, but most of them were either having trouble on their brooms or with their aim. Neville and Seamus were just down-right impressive. Since the Ministry battle Nevilles self confidence had improved greatly, he was rarely scared of anything anymore. The other day he didn't even back down from Snape when the older wizard upped him.
Neville and Seamus seemed to have an unspoken understanding of eachothers actions in the air, and they were working brilliantly together. Harry pointed this out to Ron.
"Yeah, they are doing pretty well. We'll probably give it to them, but we at least need to give the others a chance." Ron replied and then went to holler out for everyone to stop.
The group did so and made their way to were Harry and Ron were hovering. Ron explained the next part of their tryout; they would have to knock the bludger through the centre hoop to see how their aim was.
Once again Neville and Seamus were obviously the best of the lot, although they could still use a bit of work with their aim. Harry and Ron got everyone on the ground and told them that they were done but were more than welcome to watch the chasers.
The choice for chasers was obvious as well, especially after Dennis Creevey successfully knocked his own brother off his broom while attempting to pass the quaffle, and one of the third years very nearly collided with a stand.
Harry and Ron dismissed everyone and walked back up to the castle just behind Hermione, Lavender and Ginny.
"What do you think, mate?"
Ron didn't even think before answering, "I thought it was pretty obvious. Neville and Seamus as beaters, Gin, Parvati and Dean as chasers."
"My choice as well. You think we got a chance?"
"With training we could probably get ourselves that cup. And with the good mood McGonagalls been in lately then winning the cup might be just enough to help me pass transfiguration."
Harry laughed, "Just enough, mate. So I'll put the sign up announcing the team in the common room, when do you want to train?"
"Let's go every Saturday afternoon, unless it's a Hogsmeade weekend."
"Good. I'll also put up a sign about the DA too, although I'll put that up outside the Great Hall so that
everyone can see it."
"When will that be?"
"Wednesday nights. So what did you get Hermione?"
"For what?"
Harry just shook his head, "It's her birthday next week, Ron, you clown."
"Oh, I forgot. I dunno what I'll get her, I'll owl Mum I think and ask her to send some sweets or something."
"I know! You could set up the party. Sneak in the butterbeer and get the food from the kitchens. We'll make it a surprise. You think you could do that."
"No worries at all." Ron told him with a grin. "What are you getting her?"
"I have no idea."
Harry pondered what he'd get Hermione for her birthday all the way to the common room and came to the conclusion that he'd never figure it out. With a sudden burst of inspiration he ran up to his room and emptied out his trunk. There at the bottom were fragments of a mirror.
"Mirror Reparo." He muttered and watched the pieces put themselves back together. He smiled and picked it up. "Remus Lupin."
Nothing happened for a few seconds but then Remus' smiling face appeared on the mirror where Harry had just been looking at his own.
"Harry! I thought you'd forgotten about me. It's good to see you." Lupin grinned.
"It's good to see you too, Moony. I need some help."
"Anything."
Harry got on his bed and made himself comfortable before speaking. "Well, Hermiones birthday is next week and I don't know what to get her and I don't have a chance to get her anything."
"You want me to get her something and owl it to you?"
"That would be great, but I have no idea what."
Remus' brow furrowed and he concentrated. "Well...." He started and then turned back to Harry with a smile. "Tell me how much she really means to you Harry."
A small smile came across Harrys face, he blushed a little and cast his eyes downward, "I care for her more than anything Remus."
"You're in love with her." It wasn't a question.
When Harry looked back at Remus he saw the werewolf was grinning. "Yeah, I am. I let myself look towards my future the other day, Remus, and she was there. I always knew if I lived then she'd be in my life, but what I saw was more than that, she wasn't just my friend, Remus, she was my wife."
Remus was slightly shocked at this, but knew that Harry was just like James, therefore he would only ever give his heart away once. "I'm happy for you, Harry. And I pray to whatever god or deity will listen that you get to marry that girl. Now, as to her birthday present....tell me, Harry, does she know how you feel?"
"I'm pretty sure she does. Why?"
"Well, if she doesn't know then you don't want to get her something too intimate, but since she knows I think you should get her something special, jewellery or something like that. I'll go to Diagon Alley tomorrow and have a look around, and if nothing strikes me then I'll check out some muggle stores. When I think I've found something, I'll contact you, how does that sound?"
"That sounds great. Thankyou so much, Moony."
"There is something I want to give Hermione, but I'll need your permission."
Harry nodded so Remus went on to explain. By the time Remus stopped speaking Harry was smiling brightly, "I think that would be wonderful, Remus and it would mean alot to Hermione, I know that."
"Good. I'll talk to you soon."
"How do I cut the connection?" Harry asked.
"Just say your own name and it'll go back to being a mirror."
"Alright, thanks Remus. Harry Potter."
Harry watched as the picture of Remus faded to black and then his own face reappeared in the mirror. He slipped it into his pocket, now intent to always carry it, and went back down to the common room.
Ron was gone but Hermione was still there sitting in front of the fireplace ready a very thick book, this was a sight that always made him smile. Her unquenchable thirst for knowledge was one of the things Harry loved the most about her; how something unknown could light up her face when she learnt it, or seemingly impossible puzzles could click her mind over like nothing else.
She didn't need to look up to know that he'd just sat in front of her, they knew eachother too well for that. She finished her paragraph before finally looking over at him. He had a dreamy expression on his face while he was watching her.
"Harry, it's kind of creepy when you stare at me."
Harry just smiled lazilly. "You're so cute when you're reading. I can practically hear the cogs clicking in your mind and I think it's beautiful."
Hermione blushed slightly and went back to her book, splitting her attention between Harry and the words on the page. "Are you training with the professor tonight?"
"Yeah, wandless magic again. It's definately the hardest of them."
She looked up slightly and spoke with a smile. "You'll get the hang of it."
"You've always believed in me. I don't know what I did to deserve you Hermione, but I'll try to keep doing it."
Hermione closed her book and reached over to take his hand. "You're doing it Harry, just by being you. You're a good man, Harry, you're caring, kind, brave, and I must say rather sexy when you fly. You're going to have hard times and you're going to come out of it scarred, but stronger. You'll do great things, Harry."
Harry smiled a little and sqeezed her hand, then asked a question that had popped into his mind ever since he had imagined his future with Brodsky that night. "Mione, do you think I'll make a good father some day?"
Hermione just smiled, "You'll be a wonderful father Harry, of that I'm certain."
"But I don't know what a fathers supposed to be like, I've never had one. All I know is what I saw at the Dursleys."
"And that's why I know you'll be a great father." Hermione said and went into further detail at Harrys confused look. "Harry, you saw what not to do as a father. You'll never be anything like them. You want your children to grow up in a happy, safe and loving home. I don't even know what you're worried about, you'll be amazing."
She moved back and opened her book, once more splitting her attention. Harry felt a few happy tears work their way to his eyes. "And you'll be a wonderful mother." He muttered.
"Sorry?" She asked, hearing his mutter but not its content.
Harry bit down on his courage and spoke louder and clearer. "And you'll be a wonderful mother, Mione."
Looking into his eyes she saw what he didn't say. Once more the electric feeling filled them as they stared at eachothers souls, time slowing around them. It was only Ron returning to the common room that broke them.
"I've told McGonagall the team and our training plan. She not so subtly told me that she very much wanted the Quidditch cup back in her office." He announced, completely oblivious to what he had just interupted.
"She happy with the team?" Harry asked after tearing his eyes off Hermione who'd gone back to her book.
"She seemed happy enough, wants us to train hard though. She dismissed me saying that she was going to make a very
large bet with Snape."
Harry laughed at this. "It's good she's got faith in us then. Now all we gotta' do is win."
The nineteenth of September rolled around quicker than Harry had thought. He checked his pocket every few seconds to make sure he had Hermiones present with him, since he was carrying it all day to make sure he didn't forget.
Harry had been nominated to keep Hermione busy while Ron, Ginny and a few others set up the common room for a party. So that Thursday after classes, he caught up with her while she was going back to Gryffindor Tower after she'd finished Ancient Runes.
"Hermione!" She turned and smiled at him. "Hey, come for a visit with Hagrid?"
"Sure."
They walked out onto the grounds and down towards Hagrids hut. The half-giant was sitting outside on the stairs.
"'Ello, yeh two!" Hagrid greeted happily. "I hear someone turned sixteen today."
Hermione smiled and then moved into his embrace when he held out his arms. When she moved back he withdrew a rectangular wooden box, with intricate flower carvings on it and a dark polish. Hagrid handed it to her and when she pulled the lid back she saw a mirror on the inside of the lid. It was a jewelery box.
"Made that for yeh meself. Happy Birthday." Hagrid told her.
With tears in her eyes Hermione launched herself on him for another huge hug. "Oh, Hagrid. Thankyou so much. It's beautiful!"
Hagrid smiled when she pulled away again, "Well, yeh only turn sixteen once, don't ya. Special day it tis."
"Thankyou again, Hagrid." Hermione said, wiping a tear away.
Harry smiled and put an arm around her. "I think she likes it Hagrid."
"Like is an understatement. I can't believe you made it, it's just too precious."
"No trouble at all. Rather enjoyed doin' it actually."
They talked with Hagrid for a good while before saying goodbye to him. Harry led her through the trees to their spot by the lake. They both enjoyed this little place they'd found. As far as they knew, noone else knew about it, and the trees offered quite a bit of privacy.
Just like they had the last time they were there, Hermione stood at the shore and Harry wrapped his arms around her from behind. She leaned into his embrace and sighed. The sun would start going down soon and they'd have to return to Gryffindor Tower, but for right now she was content to just feel his arms around her. They stayed silent for a long time.
"What are we doing, Harry?" Hermione asked, a hint of worry in her voice.
"What do you mean?"
"This, us, if there even is an us."
"There is definitely an us, Mione. There's something here that neither of us completely understand yet, something powerful. You know how I feel about you and I know how you feel about me, but I guess we're just waiting for the right moment. Like the other day right here, it was the right moment, but we were interrupted. We'll get there, Mione."
She didn't say anything just dug herself deeper into his embrace, so Harry changed the subject. "Would you like your present now?" Harry whispered in her ear, causing a shiver to run down her spine.
"I was starting to think you'd forgotten." She smiled.
Harry grinned and reached into his robes. "Never." He held a small, long box in front of her.
Hermione didn't bother to take it out of his hold, she simply, yet slowly, opened the lid. A soft gasp escaped her mouth when she looked inside. She reached out, but didn't lift the white gold necklace inside. Instead she ran a finger along the chain and around silver the heart pendant which held a black and white wizard picture of the two of them in it.
Harry took it upon himself to remove the necklace from the box. With one hand holding the chain he slipped the box back into his robe pocket. He then undid the chain and slipped it around her neck, brushing her hair to one side and marvelling at how soft it is.
Once it was clasped back up he turned her around. The heart was sitting right above her highest buttoned button.
"Beautiful." He said, looking into her eyes and not just referring to the necklace.
Hermione looked down at it and smiled. "Yes, it is. Thankyou Harry, I love it."
"I'm glad you do."
He again moved in closer and both their hearts started pounding. As his lips got nearer to hers, her eyes slipped closed and 'This is the right moment'ran through his mind. Once more they were on the brink of intimacy and were disturbed. A ruffling of wings made Hermione open her eyes and sigh when she saw Hedwig land on Harrys shoulder.
Harry rested his head on hers as he took a few deep breaths and then smiled at her, both so frustrated by their bad luck that it was funny.
Eventually Harry reached out to Hedwigs extended leg and took the note. Reading over it quickly he put it in his pocket and took her hand, leading her away.
"What was that?" She asked.
"Rons birthday present is ready."
"Is ready? What is it?"
"You'll see." Harry told her with a smile.
They made their way back to Hogwarts and into Gryffindor Tower. The Fat Lady smiled at them as she opened the portrait hole. Hermione almost jumped a foot in the air when just about every Gryffindor as well as a few Ravenclaws shouted, "Happy Birthday!"
Ron stepped forward with a grin. Hermione looked at him amazed, "You did all this?"
He nodded and she gave him a hug which made him go red. "Happy Birthday, Herms. This is my gift to you."
"It's wonderful, Ron."
They settled into the party that stepped up a beat when a charmed c.d. player was turned on. People kept coming up to wish Hermione a happy birthday. After she'd done most of the rounds Harry took her over to a quiet corner.
He'd raced up to his room to grab Remus' present and had waited for a time to give it to her. He handed her the package which was wrapped in plain brown paper, "This is from Remus. It was left in his possession years ago and he wanted you to have it, and I agree."
Hermione was very curious but she still was careful when she undid the wrapping. It was a leather-bound notebook. Still being careful Hermione opened the cover and gasped when she read the first page.
Property of Lily Evans-Potter
It was obvious that the Potter had been added on later. Hermione looked up at Harry with tears in her eyes.
He just smiled gently, "It was my mothers research notes. All of her magic experiments and things like
that."
"Harry, I can't - -"
"No, Hermione, you can. Remus said that it belonged to the smartest witch of his time and now it should belong to the smartest witch of my time. My Mum would have wanted you to have it, Mione, both Lupin and I think that. And we want you to have it."
The tears were pouring down her face now. Harry wrapped his arms around her and held her for a while. When she pulled back she was smiling.
"Harry you have no idea how much this means to me. From everything I've heard your mother was...brillaint. And I know how much her memory means to you. This is so....Merlin I don't even have the words for it."
"You two had some things in common, then."
"What?"
Harry almost lost himself in her eyes again. "Both brillaint. Both mean the world to me."
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A/N: I'm sorry it wasn't as quickly as normal guys, but I did warn you, life is getting hectic at the moment. I'm getting married and I thought all I had to do was show up, but my girls got other ideas. Anyway, tell me what you think about this chapter too as I wasn't too sure if I got the flow of it the way I wanted it, but you guys are the judge, so let me know.