[A/N: Alright, here it is, book 3. This is just one big moment, none multiple. Hope you guys like it, see ya in a review maybe?]
Chapter 3: Keeping One's Mind on the Task at Hand
"This is it Hermione -"
Just by the tone in Harry's voice she knew that at this moment nothing would be able to take his mind away from the task at hand. Once again his determination amazed her. After this whole ordeal, the running, the cuts, the bruises, the running, the revelations, and more running, he could still manage to do everything as if he was in top form.
But that's how Harry is, she thought, he'll put himself through anything and everything to save his friends, or in this case, his family, that is to say his godfather, Sirius Black.
Hermione had learnt that and many more things about Harry over the 3 years of their friendship, that had started after he and Ron had saved her from the troll in 1st year.
She remembered how awkward it was at first, and then how inseparable they became, earning themselves the nickname "The Golden Trio". They had had many adventures, filled with dark creatures and evil wizards, and had come out of each with an even stronger bond of friendship.
She set her mind back to the task at hand, saving Sirius, as Harry gave her a leg up so that she could get onto Buckbeak, then seated himself in front of her.
"Ready? He whispered to Hermione. You'd better hold onto me - "
Hermione didn't need telling twice and fastened her arms around his waist as they soared into the dark sky. She tightened her grip around him as they went higher and higher, and closed her eyes while expressing her dislike at the present situation - she was afraid of heights…
With her eyes still closed, she tried to forget about the fact that she was getting farther and farther away from the ground, trying to relieve the slight headache brewing in her mind. She suddenly realized how close she was to Harry. She could feel his stomach muscles, tensed to stay straight on Buckbeak as his wings raised powerfully, and she started picturing him without his shirt on. Damn it Hermione! Snap out of it! she scolded herself, you haven't thought of Harry like this since you were in first year!
Well…maybe second year…
And..and a bit of third year…
Who are you kidding, you dreamt of him just last night!"
She tried to concentrate on something else.
She took a deep breath to try and breath away her thoughts. But failed spectacularly . She could smell his scent, but not the smell of perspiration or dirt, but his Harry-scent, and she inhaled a big waft of it, and it soothed her, made her melt, made her all mushy. She gave up trying to fight it.
She kept her eyes closed, but not out of fear anymore, she wanted to concentrate on the terrific scent tickling her nostrils, and loosened her grip slightly as she leaned more into his back, hoping that he would see this as her being scared, and not suspect anything.
We' re here again, back to your feelings about Harry…
She had thought long and hard about what Harry meant to her. It had started as a simple schoolgirl crush, like any other left out girl, she was attracted to the first boy who was nice to her, and that boy had happened to be Harry. She had thought that's all it was, a simple crush, nothing more nothing less.
How wrong she had been…
As she got to know him, she realized just what an amazing person he was. She got to know the Harry underneath the image that people had of him, though they weren't that far off, he really was worthy of admiration.
Her analyzing personality picked up on all his small habits and little defaults, because she wanted to know all about him. She never wanted to forget a thing about him, she wanted to be able to know what he was thinking with just a look.
So she studied him like she studied a book, drinking up every detail about him, though all the same making sure he didn't notice her doing it. Her "evolved crush" - as she sometimes called it - was under no circumstances meant to be known by anyone else.
She didn't want to be rejected, and so she kept it to herself, staring at him whenever she had the chance.
When he talked to her, she would stare into his eyes, so that he knew he had her full attention. But Hermione wasn't really looking into his eyes, she was examining all his hand movements - he was so energetic when he talked - she was examining how his eyebrows moved ,how he ruffled his hair from time to time, careful to replace his fringe to cover up his scar.
She was brought back to the present situation as Harry quickly pulled backwards on the rope attached to Buckbeak so that he would stop. Luckily she was holding tightly on to him so her body just followed his movement.
She opened her eyes, they were at a stop, well as much as you can be with huge wings flapping on the sides of you as you hover in the air.
Harry peered into a window and pointed at it, shouting "He's there!". He managed to tap sharply on the glass and Sirius looked up. His jaw dropped, and he ran to the window. He tried to open it, but couldn't manage.
Finally, something I can help with! she thought happily as she shouted to Sirius to stand back. She took out her wand, still keeping an arm around Harry's waist, even if she was perfectly balanced, she just liked having her hand there. "Alohomora!". The window sprang open but Black continued to look amazed and just stared at the Hippogriff.
"How - how -?" said Black weakly.
"Get on - there's not much time, you've got to get out of here - the Dementors are coming."
Black finally came to and managed to squeeze through the window and swing a leg over the Hippogriff's back, pulling himself straight, sitting behind Hermione.
"Ok Buckbeak, up!" said Harry, shaking the rope around his neck. "Up to the tower - come on!"
Buckbeak began once more flying upwards, this time towards one of the towers. He landed with a clatter on the West Tower while Hermione and Harry slid off instantly.
"Sirius, you'd better go, quick!" Harry panted.
But he still didn't move, incredulity still visible in his eyes. He started asking questions and the two kids yelled at him to leave straight away, lest someone notice that he had escaped.
"GO!" Harry and Hermione shouted together.
He finally got it and wheeled Buckbeak round to face the open sky.
"We'll see each other again," he said "You are - truly your father's son, Harry…"
And with that, he left, and they both watched him fly off, slowly becoming a black dot in the sky, until he disappeared behind a cloud and was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly Hermione realized that they too had very little time.
"Harry!"
She tugged at Harry's shirt until he came back to his senses and they immediately ran down the stairs as fast as they could.
They had 10 minutes.
They heard voices and flattened themselves against the wall just at the bottom of the staircase. They recognized the voices as Snape and Fudge, and waited for them to pass to start running in the opposite direction, towards the hospital wing.
They crossed staircases and corridors, both of them ignoring the stitches in their sides that they had and continuing to run as if they were being chased by a werewolf. They heard a loud cackle ahead. Harry directly pushed Hermione into an empty classroom just in time as Peeves bounced around in the corridor.
Hermione could feel his breath on her, his breathing fast, as he pinned her to the wall, staring into space, concentrating on the sound in the corridor. Hermione tried to do the same, but the close proximity of Harry face was overwhelming. She couldn't concentrate on anything other than what was right now inches away from her face. It took all the control she had to stop herself from leaning in, fulfilling the growing desire inside her. His scent once again made her melt, and she felt all the muscles in her body relax as it filled her lungs, and flowed through her veins like a drug. She took deep breaths, saturating herself with his scent, that wonderful smell. She just stared at those ensnaring green eyes, alert and worried. She wished she could comfort him, but found she had lost the use of her limbs, and just silently and contently watched him.
Merlin how I wish this could have been in a different situation, without the worry and haste around us, so that I could do things to Harry that would so totally betray my image of a geeky know-it-all that- Peeves' cackles snapped her out of her unholy thoughts.
Three minutes left.
They were running again, I'm gonna lye in my bed for a week after this, it feels like all I've done all day is run! she thought, unable to talk because of her panting. Peeves had passed and they were again rushing along corridors and stairs towards the hospital wing.
1 minute…
And they got there, and met Dumbledore at the entrance. He listened through the door, and then opened the door to let them in when he was sure that their counterparts had left. They quickly and swiftly climbed back inside their beds as the lock behind them clicked. Hermione had only just hidden the Time-Turner back under her robes when Madam Pomfrey came striding out of her office, in a very bad mood.
They both thought it best not to test how angry she actually was and accepted the chocolate she offered them without protest. When she returned to her office, a loud moan from the end of the wing brought their attention to Ron, who had just woken up.
He sat up, looking blearily around while rubbing his head. "What - what happened?" he groaned.
Harry and Hermione looked at each other, reading each others' thoughts, and they couldn't help the grins they showed.
"You explain" said Harry helping himself to some more chocolate.
[A/N: I skipped the part where Snape bursts in shouting at everyone, because there's no interesting way to change it and since it doesn't really change anything in the story I just didn't write it. Hope you guys don't mind, and hope that you liked the chapter. Please review!]
-->