Best Friends
Chapter 11
By: Rodare
My one and only Beta: Rage
DISCLAIMER: Read the previous chapters! If it wasn't mine back then it still isn't now…geez…
I KNOW!!! FINALLY!! LOL. I absolutely deeply apologize… I have many valid reasons for not having updated until now…it would take too long to write them all and in the end many of you wont even care…My life became a scarily accurate work of fiction except it was real life…honestly…I could have made a H/Hr story out of it… lol… honestly… they're reasons but there is no excuse for having left my faithful readers as I did… for that I apologize…
As some of you may have noticed this is the first chapter that has been beta'd by someone besides myself…my friend, Rage, was kind enough and patient enough to help me get this FINALLY to you guys…All mistakes are still mine specially since I added some stuff and in my haste to update I didn't send it back for inspection…sry! Feel free to drop a review and tell me what I did wrong… I don't mind… I rather appreciate learning…So, thanx in advance!
As is, I'm back and I'm here to stay! Whoohoo! The next couple of chapters are done so review a lot and you'll get them quickly!
Yes, DH was a good book from my opinion but JKR, as much as I love and admire her, has no idea how to write romance and should let that to the professionals! Us! Because we're the ones that saw the signs and read them right, no matter what others say or made themselves think. Perhaps, we are delusional, but who cares really? I don't and I'm sticking to Pumpkin Pie …
**To Ruben: You know this is for you, hun!!! Love ya! Couldn't have done it without you!**
To my readers: THANK YOU!
To the_scribbler: I know I gave my word…and I kept it...but life is such that this had to be delayed…sry
To all of my faithful readers and specially to all of you that take the time to review this story…I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!
To my Anonymous-ses: Thanx for leaving reviews..lol…Leave a name or sign so I can tell the difference between u guys will u? lol..u guys are like ghosts! But I luv ya too!
And to the reviewers that have left reviews in other languages…I can understand English/Spanish/French… so leave it in whatever u feel more comfortable with…and if I don't know what it says I shall find out! Lol…no seriously and if u have questions feel free to ask me in a review or email me…I will answer ASAP!
Now, I've rambled long enough and I know most of you just kinda ignored this tidbit…but whatever…
~*REVIEW*~
CHAPTER 11
"You spent a week with Viktor Krum?" Harry asked. She watched him warily as if she feared his reaction. "Why? Why didn't you tell me…us?"
"I don't know why!" she said as if furious with herself. She turned and what he saw in her eyes scared him because for the first time since he knew her he couldn't tell what to expect from her. She looked him in the eye before she whispered, "I …I slept with Viktor, Harry."
----
"What?" Harry asked looking at her as if she was some strange magical creature in Hagrid's class. She opened her mouth but he shook his head furiously, throwing his hand out in a motion to stop. "I…wait…just…"
"Harry," she said softly taking a step toward him. He looked away from her with a deep frown clouding his features. She stopped once more as he kept her away with his hand held high. "Harry, please…"
"Just…give me a second," he whispered as if it was inhumanly impossible to comprehend what she was saying. She waited and watched him silently.
Harry didn't know what to feel. His brain couldn't even process what she had said. He felt horribly numb. He felt jealousy…anger, even, but not at her. He felt angry…just angry, and that was all he was sure of. He couldn't be mad at her. He wasn't capable of it, especially if it was about something that had happened years ago.
It was just like the time in sixth year when Ron was mad at her because Ginny told them that Hermione had snogged Krum in fourth year. He hadn't been able to tell her then the true reasons of Ron's anger toward her because he didn't think it fair the way Ron was acting. He had felt embarrassed of Ron back then and he had been incapable of making her feel bad about something that had happened when Ron was nothing of hers but a friend. How could he possibly be hypocritical enough to be angry with her now when he was in the exact same position? He turned to look at her as if that would help make some sense of his world.
To say that he was shocked by the look in her eyes was a complete understatement. She was looking at him with wariness as if expecting him to strike at her somehow. There was a defeated stoop to her shoulders. No, not defeated, it seemed more resigned disappointment than true defeat. It was as if she was expecting the exact reaction he was having, and although it obviously pained her, she was ready to take it.
"Mione?" Harry whispered again. The tone of his voice made a flicker of hope cross her gaze, and in that instant, he felt like the biggest git in the whole world. He lowered his hand, which had been keeping her at bay. With a soft, dry sob, she launched herself at him and before he knew it, she was on her knees between his legs as she buried her head against his abdomen and hugged his waist tightly. "Oh, Mione. Don't cry. Please, don't cry."
"I-I'm sorry, H-Harry," she said pushing back her sobs, unsuccessfully. "I-I'm sorry."
"Shh, it's alright," he muttered lovingly as he stroked her hair lovingly. "I…you took me by surprise. I didn't …I thought you and Ron…I mean, Krum?"
"Ron and I never…" she muttered through sobs. He bent his head and kissed the top of her head. That more than anything allowed her to get a grip on herself. She pulled back a bit and wiped her tears away from her face. It broke his heart to see her crying. He had to stop her from hurting so he did the first thing that came to mind. He kissed her lips without thinking wishing he could take some of her pain away, especially since he knew that he was the cause of it, at least mostly.
She moaned against his mouth and he closed his eyes instantly melding into her embrace. She pulled back breathlessly and looked at him a bit confused. He brushed his knuckles against her soft cheek and sighed when the confused look in her beautiful face didn't go away. She made to speak but he silenced her with his finger on her lips. He took his finger off and placed a soft, almost fleeting, but loving kiss on her lips before he pulled away.
"You don't…You don't have to tell me anything," he said with a half-shrug. She watched him to see if he was being sincere, which he was, but she knew better. She knew that he would always be plagued by his own curiosity about the subject. He would never mention it again, but it would always be a gap between them. He saw her thinking and he shook his head as he watched. "No, don't think about it so hard. I can live with it. You don't have to …"
"I know," Hermione said looking deep into his eyes. "I think…I think its better that you know. I-I don't want there to be secrets between us and…well…This is something that no one knows, but me. Will you hear me out?"
"I don't want secrets between us, either," he said holding her face with his hands. "I don't, really. It's just…I…can you not…"
"No details?" she asked. For the first time, some of the tension dissipated. She smiled a little and he gave her a lopsided grin. She leaned up and kissed his lips tenderly. "I love you a lot, Harry."
"I love you, too," he murmured against her lips.
"Okay," she said resting her head on his lap. He smiled down at her, and she closed her eyes. "I got a letter from Viktor about three weeks before school ended sixth year. He invited me to Bulgaria again. He said things were the same there. The Bulgarian Ministry was refusing to acknowledge Voldemort's return. They weren't too concerned, you see they thought that Voldemort was just Dumbledore's concern, so…Anyhow I said I couldn't, that I was going to spend summer with my parents. That I would probably go to Ron's for a while with you. He said it was alright but he said that his offer still would stand if I were to change my mind."
She sighed before continuing, "Things changed, Harry. I…I went back home. I was so confused, so scared of what would happen. I was scared you would…I was home for about six days when…," she opened her eyes and moved her head up from his lap. She sat back on the floor in front of him with her feet tucked under her. She placed her hands on her knees and he frowned at her hesitation. "Professor McGonagall and Kingsley showed up then, Harry."
"What?" he asked completely surprised.
"They told me that they had come across some information. Apparently, Snape or perhaps Wormtail…they didn't really know," she said rubbing his knees gently. "The fact is that someone told Voldemort that the way to get through you would be to hurt me. I don't know why, but they insisted you were most attached to me. The Weasleys were a given and Snape knew you were dating Ginevra, but they thought I was a bigger weakness for you. Besides, they knew that I …let's just say that they knew I was the brains that always tried to help you. I don't know what they thought. The point is that McGonagall was concerned. She insisted that I was in danger, and that I needed to hide out or something of the sort. She said I was a sitting duck in a Muggle neighborhood without protection, but my own wand.
"I couldn't go and hide out," she said looking down at her lap. "I couldn't let you fight alone, but Kingsley insisted that I had no choice. Still, I wasn't going into hiding, leaving you on your own. Therefore, they said it would be better if perhaps I could go on a trip somewhere before the Weasleys could take me in. My parents couldn't leave because they were filled with appointments at the time, and I couldn't stay and put them in danger. I thought about what to do and I remembered Viktor's offer.
"I asked them what they thought," she said softly. "I asked if my parents would be safe if I was to go. They thought they would be, and they said so would I. Viktor has no family and he never knew if they died as victims of Death Eaters, or whether they were Death Eaters themselves. He was a little boy when it happened. His guardian was Karkaroff, but when he came of age he took control of the family fortune again and his estate. He lived alone but he had guards and Bulgarian Aurors at his disposal. Kingsley knew some of them and he thought that I couldn't wish for a better place to be at."
"Bloody hell," Harry muttered wondering why she had kept this from him.
"I left, Harry," she continued ignoring his comment. "But, first I made Kingsley and McGonagall give a magical oath to not tell you."
"Why?" he asked. He reached out to raise her chin so she would look at him. "Why on earth would you not let me know? If I'd known, you were in danger I would've…Oh."
"You would have left me behind," Hermione said looking at him. He looked at her, how does she know what I will do, or what I'm thinking before I do? "You would have left me and Ronald if you found out we were in the Death Eaters hit list. Even though a part of you knew we were there already, knowing for sure would have made it a reality. You would have left without us. Wouldn't you, Harry?"
"Yes," he answered unwillingly.
"I did what I had to do," she said. "I did it to protect my family and I did it so I could go with you. I knew I couldn't keep you from harm, but I could make sure you didn't dive head first into it without me by your side. The point is that I went there. We used an illegal portkey that Kingsley provided. Viktor was waiting for us, and they left me. He gave me a room and he showed me around the castle. He was happy to have company."
"I bet," Harry said heatedly. "Bloody bastard. You just wait till I get my hands on …"
"Harry," Hermione said and he shrugged. She sighed but continued. "For the first four days all we did was stay at home. We would talk about what we had done for those two years. It's different from just reading a letter, and he is really a nice person," Harry snorted in disbelief. Hermione decided to ignore him again. "On the fourth day I got yours and Ron's letter saying that we could get you out of the Dursleys' in three days. I was happy that I could go back and see you two. Viktor was a little sad and he asked me to go out with him to some Quidditch pub as a type of goodbye outing. I accepted and well… he convinced me to try the firewhiskey, Harry."
"He…what?" Harry asked feeling his temper rise instantly. "That bloody, sweet talker got you drunk, didn't he? No, don't tell me…I'm going to …"
"Harry, will you listen to me?" Hermione interrupted through his tirade and made him look at her again. He felt his jaw tighten at the thought that Krum had taken advantage of her, but he nodded. "Once I got through the first one I started to feel numb. All the sadness in me, all the fear, and the concern…all the pain in my heart went to sleep, and for the first time I realized why people use alcohol to drown their sorrows in.
"Merlin, Harry. I liked the numbness. I liked not being able to think straight about what we would have to go through. It was a first for me, to not be able to think for a moment. I knew by the next day I would regret it and the rational part in me knew it's foolish to get drunk, but there is power in being numb. I wanted the power you get from not being able to feel the fear. You better than anyone knows what it feels like to need that.
"Fear makes you be careful, but it also gnaws at your insides until you're weak and you cave in. I caved in. I started to drink, and he tried to stop me. He did try but you know how hardheaded I can be. In the end he took me back home…I don't know how it happened, but suddenly he kissed me…," she said finally looking up into his eyes once more. A tear escaped her eyes and she chuckled, a sad, bitter sound. "Oh, God, Harry. Do you know what I did?"
"No," he answered truthfully. She smiled sadly at him and her face contorted as if she was trying to hold back her tears again. "Oh, Mione…"
"I thought about y-you," she said softly, smiling that sad smile that broke his heart as tears spilled from her eyes. "I thought about y-you and how…how I w-would n-never have a c-chance with y-you. I…I was so drunk! Me! I still…The last thing I remember is seeing your face, your eyes… Next thing I know I'm awake with the worst headache imaginable and I realized I wasn't in my room. He wasn't there and when I found him he was strange and even a little cold, but then he went back to normal. I suppose he acted that way because of my regret. We didn't really talk about it…he saw how bad I took it and he was put out by it, but…he said…said it was okay and that we could forget it happened, that we could still be friends if I didn't want to be anything more. He told me he loved me, but he still let me go. He promised me we could still be friends and he would never mention it again."
"Mione…" Harry said clearing her tears away. "T-thank you for trusting me so much. I know a selfish part of me would always…wonder why. But the part of me that loves you, the part of me that hates my selfish part…that part of me knows that the past is that; the past. I've lived my life and there is no reason why you shouldn't have. You've never blamed me for anything, so how can I? I just…I just wish that you could have better… memories? It was your first…and… Merlin, I'm awful…"
"No, no, you're wonderful," Hermione said rising on her knees and kissing him. She kissed him and that kiss meant more to her than a lifetime of `better memories' could have. "I …"
"Shh," Harry said kissing her back. "The only things that matter now are the memories we make together."
"When did you get so smart?" she asked laughing and loving him more than life itself.
"That was smart?" he asked laughing.
"You are wonderful," she said. He grinned cheekily and pulled her in for another kiss.
*~*~*
"HARRY!!" a cheery, although, overly loud voice cut through the silence of the castle.
Harry and Hermione stopped on their tracks and turned to the right where none other than the Creevy brothers were running towards them, Colin's large, magical camera swinging wildly as they rushed toward them.
"Hey, Harry, Hermione," the brothers chorused staring at their long-time hero with the same avid attention they had when they were kids. Harry shuffled his feet a bit and his hand instantly went up to scratch his head nervously.
"Hello, Colin, Dennis," Hermione said politely and Harry nodded. "Did you two need anything?"
"Well, we kind of wanted to see if we could get Harry here to pose for some pictures for our portfolio," Colin said in a rush. He blushed slightly although not as noticeably as Harry. Hermione smiled. "It's for our new advertising company…we thought if Harry...well…"
"We understand," Hermione said and Harry glanced sharply at her.
"We do?" he asked her raising an eyebrow. She nodded and smiled.
"Of course we do, Harry," Hermione said. She turned to the expectant brothers and sighed. "Unfortunately, Colin, Harry here agreed to a previous engagement this morning."
"Oh," Colin said looking instantly put down. He looked back up at Harry almost sadly and Harry looked quickly to his feet. They weren't lying to Colin but he knew that they were only giving him a half-reason as to why Harry couldn't be in their photo shoot. It was because it made Harry uncomfortable not because he couldn't make it. If that was the case they could arrange any other time. Harry felt guilty and because of it he glanced at Hermione quickly and tried to think of a way to make it up to the Creevy brothers. "It's alright…"
"Listen, Colin," Harry cut in and the young man's eyes lit up instantly. "Look the Weasleys and some other friends, we're going to have a bit of a pick up game in a little while. I mean, Hermione and I, would love it if you and Dennis here came to watch, right, Mione?"
"Oh?" Hermione said looking at him questioningly. He looked at her pointedly and she smiled turning to the Creevys with a smile. "I mean...of course, we'd love for you two to come."
"You mean it?" Dennis asked excitedly and after the two in question gave a nod he grinned at his brother. "We can take the photos there, Colin. The youngest Seeker in century…"
"Who are you playing against, Harry?" Colin asked eagerly, his eyes glinting joyfully.
"Probably, Viktor Krum," he said, his voice slightly colder. Hermione flinched knowing the reason behind it, and the two brothers grinned at each other. "Uhmm… him or Draco Malfoy."
This was going to be great. The youngest Seeker in a century against the best Seeker in the world, this was something dreams were made out of. Not to mention that Harry's childhood nemesis, and later turned acquaintance would also be present. The pictures they could take would be to die for, and it would boost their profits by the galleons. They already had permission to be the only recorders inside the castle walls. No one else from the media had been allowed and they had the best pictures the world had ever seen of the most celebrated figures of their time. Colin and Dennis exchanged mirrored looks that told the other they were thinking the same thing.
"Uhmm, Harry?" Dennis asked brightly.
"Yeah?" Harry asked glancing distractedly at his watch as he noticed Hermione glancing toward the Entrance Hall.
"Harry," Hermione whispered to him. "We really need to get going before the others begin to miss us."
"You don't mind if we bring a friend or two, do you?" finished Colin for his brother.
"What?" Harry said and then shrugged not really focused on what they had asked. "Uhmm, sure…listen we'll see you guys there, ok? We really need to get going."
"Of course, Harry," Dennis said brightly… a little too brightly. Harry glanced at him but Hermione was already waving at the brothers and tugging on his arm to get him to move.
"Give everyone a good show, Harry," Colin piped in as he was dragged away. Harry raised his hand to wave and then frowned.
Everybody?
*~*~*
"Where the bloody hell are they at?" Ron asked Luna as he sat on the steps beside her, they had been waiting for the past fifteen minutes and Harry, Hermione, nor Ginny had shown up yet. Luna leaned into his side and kissed his cheek.
"Relax, Ronald," Luna said dreamily. "Perhaps they're changing…"Ron looked at her and wondered how anyone could ever think she was loony when she was one of the smartest… "Or, maybe they saw some nargles lurking around the castle and they just had to go and follow them." I remember now, Ron thought smiling lovingly at his girlfriend.
"There's Gin," Ron said pointing toward the entrance of the school. Luna turned and followed his gaze, and even she was surprised when none other than Draco Malfoy came behind her with a grin plastered on his face. "What the bloody hell is he doing with her?"
"Relax, Ronald," Luna repeated but every trace of her dreaminess was gone. She stood and held Ron's bicep to keep him from throwing himself at Malfoy.
"Ron, Luna," Ginny said with a smile as she spotted them. "Where's everyone else?"
"They're all on their way to the Quidditch pitch," Luna answered before Ron could even open his mouth. "Ron and I were waiting for you, Harry, and Mione."
"Where are they at?" Draco drawled with a strangely knowing glint in his eyes as he looked at Luna.
"Where the hell were you at, Gin?" Ron finally snapped. His sister turned to him and glared angrily.
"None of your…" Ginny began as Luna and Malfoy exchanged glances. Luna looked up and spotted Harry and Hermione making their way toward them hurriedly. Harry was holding two brooms as he ran behind Hermione.
"There's Harry and Hermione, now," Luna said cutting Ginny of before they could get into another row with one another. Luna smiled as she saw just how good her two friends looked together. Harry was carrying two state-of-the-art broomsticks making Ron goggle. "Did you guys get delayed?"
"Yes, we met the Creevy brothers on the way," Hermione answered. She smiled at Luna and shrugged. "They were trying to convince Harry to do a photo shoot for them."
"Rea…?" Luna began but was cut off by her boyfriend who seemed to have snapped out of his reverie.
"Harry, mate, is that a…" Ron asked pointing to the broom in Harry's right hand. He turned and looked back at his best friend. "Is that the Omega 300?"
"What do you think, mate?" Harry asked with a wide grin. Hermione and Luna rolled their eyes while the other four looked almost reverently at the broom.
"But why did you bring your Firebolt for when you got the best broom ever built in your other hand?" Ron asked as he reached for the Omega. Harry handed it over and turned to look at Hermione who was standing next to Luna.
"The Omega isn't mine, Ron," Harry said and everyone turned to gape at him.
"What do you mean?" Ron asked looking perplexed.
"I mean, it's not mine," Harry said with a shrug. "It's Hermione's."
"WHAT!?" Ron, Ginny, and even Draco asked in unison.
"I asked Mione what she wanted for her last birthday…" Harry started.
"She asked you for an Omega?" Ginny half-shrieked looking scandalized. Hermione's eyes flashed furiously and she looked immediately affronted.
"You know she wouldn't," Luna cut in. She saw the look in the brunette's face sensing the danger as usual, and interfered before blood could begin to flow. "Now could all three of you let Harry explain before we get all infected with ektelonitis?"
"Ekte-whatis?" Ron asked looking at his fiancé.
"I agree with Luna," Harry said quickly and everyone nodded, although Hermione's look didn't disappear completely. "As I was saying, Mione told me anything was fine, but I insisted and she finally told me to give her flying lessons."
"Right," Ron said with a frown as he glanced at his two best friends. "So, Hermione, who may I mention is bothered about flying asked for Quidditch lessons? This involves her owning an Omega, how?"
"I've never said I was bothered about flying, Ronald," Hermione cut in, eyes blazing. Luna sighed wondering how her boyfriend could be so thickheaded and yet so alluring, while still managing to maintain her dreamy, uninterested façade on the outside. "I was just never comfortable enough about my skills, and for your information, I had absolutely well enough marks with Madam Hooch. Besides my trepidation about flying was mostly about watching one of my best friends try to get himself killed playing Quidditch more often than not. Then you had to decide you wanted in on it on sixth year."
"You've never liked Quidditch, Hermione," Ginny cut in. Hermione turned to face the red head, her face filled with barely concealed contempt. "Are you still trying to be perf…?"
"Don't you finish that sentence, Ginevra," Hermione hissed quietly. Ginny blinked completely taken aback by Hermione's sudden wrath. "I'm tired of your assumptions. I have never told you I don't like Quidditch. Besides, who made you Queen Bee of Quidditch or flying? I don't need to explain myself to you or anybody else. I have the Omega because Harry tried to give me his Firebolt! Obviously, I wasn't about to accept something so precious so he made me go to Quidditch Quality Supplies with him for my birthday. He got the bloody Omega against my wishes! Now, if you don't mind the others are waiting for us."
And with that, she snatched the broom out of Ron's hands and strode toward the Quidditch Pitch while they all stood there rooted to their spots. Luna was the first to break out of the shock of Hermione finally putting Ginevra in her place even if for a little while, and she snatched up her Nimbus 2001 from its spot against the stairs and followed her friend at a run. Harry sighed and walked off after Luna. Ron and Ginny exchanged looks of disbelief and then guilt, both in equal quantities, before looking quickly to the ground as they followed after their friends. Draco smirked, sure he was on the good side now…mostly, but that didn't mean he didn't appreciate a good spat between Gryffindor any day of the week. He shouldered his old Nimbus before making his way luxuriously over after his now…friends. He smirked at the thought once more and for the first time in a while felt content.
*~*
"Merlin's beard!" Hermione whispered as they all walked inside the Quidditch Pitch and saw that half the stands were filled by what appeared to be most of the guests that were staying for the weekend.
"Ugh… seems like the Creevy brothers spread the word," muttered Harry, "Doesn't it?"
"Very observant of you, Potter," Draco drawled as flashes went off and they were able to spot the two culprits by the commentator stands.
"Vhat do ve do?" Viktor asked and Harry nearly scowled before he felt Hermione bump her broom against his leg in warning.
"We play," Ginny said with a shrug. The rest of them nodded and tried to focus on anything but the cheering crowd.
"Right," Ron said taking charge of the situation as they all stood in the middle of the field. "How
are we going to do this?"
"Let's make it old Gryffindor," Fred said.
"Against the others," finished George.
"Gin can replace Alicia since she's not here," Ron said nodding. "Neither is Wood. I'll be keeper instead of him on the old team."
"Lav, Luna, and…" Ron began but Draco stepped in shaking his head.
"We can appoint our own positions, Weaselbee," Draco said smirking at the angry look in Ron's face. "Thanks for the thought but no thanks."
"Ve vill discuss this vith each other," Krum said standing next to Hermione who was still looking not even slightly mollified. Luna, Lavender, Dean, Seamus, Draco, Hermione, and Krum moved a little farther away from the Gryffindors to discuss their game plans.
"Right, as you all know, I've played Seeker during Hogwarts," Draco said and the Gryffindors smirked knowingly, while Luna and Krum nodded. He glared at the Gryffindors and continued. "I'm better as a Chaser though. Lucius …well, you all know damn well what that was about…"
"Trying to best, Harry," Luna surmised. Draco and the others nodded in understanding. Luna continued calmly, "I'm a Chaser, too. Mom, thought me when I was little before she died in that accident. She used to play for Ravenclaw. I hadn't been on a broom until the War began. I never did try out for the team though. Daddy wouldn't let me. He said it was too dangerous, and I was all he had. What about you, Hermione?"
"I don't know really," she said with a shrug and her anger deflated a little while she wasn't looking at Ginny or Ron. "Harry said I would make a fair Chaser, but you know Harry. He's always…never mind. You, Lav? "
"I'm a Keeper," she said flashing her winning smile. "I played that position about a month ago, at a gathering with Parvati's cousins, and I'm pretty damn good at it, even if I do say so myself."
"Dean and I can be Beaters, mate," Seamus said with a goofy grin. "Bout time the Terror Twins get what coming to them, I say. Eh, mate?"
"You can be our star Seeker then, Viktor," Draco said once they stopped laughing. Krum nodded with a smile and glanced at Hermione.
"You `ave succeeded in learning to fly, yes?" he asked her with a grin. She smiled showing him the broom. His grin grew making him slightly more appealing seeming less imposing and intimidating. "No'fing but the best vould be vorthy of you, yes?"
"I…Thank you, Viktor," she said remembering how Harry had spoken those exact words to her while they had been getting her the Omega. She stopped smiling as her anger came back in full force toward the two younger Weasleys. She would show them both.
"You ready over there?" Angelina called toward them. They nodded but Draco stopped them once more. Luna asked what he wanted this time.
"We need a name," he said with a shrug, "and a captain."
"Vou be captain, yes," Krum said pointing at Draco. "You make decisions very vell, I think."
"Okay," Draco said as the rest nodded. He tried to suppress the smile he felt tug at his lips as he felt the rush of warmth at knowing that the others trusted him. He'd never felt that sort of feeling ever in his whole life and it was great. "What about the name…"
"Furor," Hermione said with a strange glint in her eyes. Luna saw her looking at a distance and followed her gaze. Ginny was holding onto Harry's arm as she kept herself from falling while she laughed. The rest of the Gryffindor team was laughing just as heartily at something one of the twins had said.
"What does it…?" Seamus began but Luna answered him before Hermione could.
"Its Latin for rage," she answered. They all looked at each other and then at Hermione who was now looking toward the sky.
"Are we mad or something?" Seamus asked.
Hermione laughed and looked at him looking so beautiful and dangerous at the same time that he gulped audibly. It was a look he had seen in Lavender, which had been more than the cause for him to fall head over heels over his gorgeous girlfriend, but Hermione…Hermione made it look…she made the look almost…predatory.
"Rage, does in fact means extreme anger," she said with a strange smile adorning her lips. "It also means force, intensity, but it also means a strong, sometimes overwhelming passion, desire, enthusiasm."
"Er…" Seamus said and Hermione grinned at him in the most un-Hermionish way possible.
"For winning, of course," she said, but Luna knew better as the rest of them agreed. She knew why Hermione had chosen that exact word; it defined perfectly all the emotions running through the brunette. Anger toward Gin and maybe even Ron, force and intensity to whatever was growing between her and Harry, and a strong, sometimes overwhelming passion, desire, toward the object of her womanly love.
"How do we distinguish each others team?" Lavender asked, as they all stood facing each other once more. Ginny grinned wickedly.
"Shirts and no-shirts," she said excitedly eyeing more than just her boyfriend.
"Wicked!" the twins said with identical grins.
"Is that really a good idea?" Ron asked glancing at his girlfriend, his sister, and his best girl friend, and then at all the guys. "I mean…"
"I think Ron's right," Harry began as Ron glanced at him for support.
"I think it's a splendid idea, don't you, Hermione?" Draco asked enjoying the glint of anger in Harry and Ron's eyes. Though on the contrary, he had to admit, he did love the barely concealed jealousy in Ginny's eyes as he put his arm over Hermione's shoulder.
"What-?" Hermione said pulling out of Malfoy's reach as she glanced at him.
"You're scared of loosing the coin toss, Hermione?" Ginny smirked.
"I'm not scared, Ginevra," Hermione answered looking affronted.
"In that case why don't we forgo the coin toss then and your team…" she said coolly nodding her head at the others without taking her eyes off Hermione's, "loses their shirts, then."
"Fine," Hermione almost hissed angrily.
Before anyone could intervene she did something no one could anticipate. Without further ado she reached for the hem of her sweatshirt and pulled it over her head dragging her simple white tee along with it. She was so angry and the rest of them were so flabbergasted that they barely registered how she threw both garments angrily toward the entrance of the locker rooms.
Harry felt his breath leave his body in that very second. Whether it was because of the surprise of seeing her doing something so reckless or because of his admiration of a body he'd never truly cared to appreciate when he was a boy.
He couldn't help but stare at the heavenly sight that she provided. She was beautiful. She was small and skinny but delightfully so. Her jeans were hanging low on her slim hips. Her arms were toned, her belly flat and smooth. Her breasts were small and he remembered the way they felt in his hands as he… He stopped his thought process abruptly and forced himself to drag his eyes away from her serviceable black bra where the aforementioned rested.
She turned and summoned her broom to her hand as if she'd been playing her whole life. That's when he noticed something so un-Hermione that it didn't even compare to the fact that she was half-nude in the middle of a crowded Quidditch Pitch. Hermione Jane Granger had a …
"Is that what I bloody think it is?" Ron whispered apparently as baffled by their best friend as he was.
"Y-Yeah," Harry managed. Ron cursed under his breath in surprise.
"Will you look at that?" Fred asked behind them as Hermione marched of with the rest of her team toward the other side of the pitch.
Luna and the rest of them had done away with their own shirts but none of them drew their gaze as Hermione did. Perhaps it was the fact that she would never do things of that sort before or at all. Maybe it was the fact that she was…
"Granger is sexy after all," George finished for him.
"I mean, we kind of noticed before," Fred said nodding as Harry kept his gaze locked on her.
"Especially with that little black dress," George continued with a smirk.
"Of course but that," Fred said pointing at the one feature of Hermione Granger that they never thought she had. Even from a distance it grabbed their attention.
"Is another thing in and of itself," George finished solemnly.
"Why did neither of you say something about that before?" Angelina asked almost rhetorically making all four of them jump. She smirked and pointed her wand at George with a raised eyebrow. "I suggest all of you get your bums moving before I hex you out of your stupor."
"Of course, luv," George said quickly moving to take her hand. She shook her head but smiled all the same as they began to follow her.
Harry stood transfixed watching Hermione and wondering for the first time why it wasn't that he didn't know about that. Ron must know after all he'd been more than her …
"I didn't know about it, Harry," Ron muttered as he watched his friend. Harry blinked wondering if Ron had been practicing Legimency, but discarding it quickly as he continued, "I could see it in your face, you know. You had that funny look you get when you're feeling betrayed. You are my best friend after all and I'm not as dense as I was a couple of years ago. I was as surprised as you were, remember?"
"I know, I'm sorry," Harry muttered.
"You have it bad, mate," Ron sighed uncharacteristically serious. Harry almost his neck as he turned to face his best friend. Ron chuckled and shrugged. "I do know you, maybe not as much as she does, but…with a little push now and then I can tell a lot."
"Ron, I…" Harry began hoping he could avoid getting a punch from Ron.
"Look, you don't have to say anything, Harry," Ron said raising his hand to keep his argument away, "At least not to me. I know no one deserves to be happy more than you do, and because I know that I won't force you into something you don't want. Just don't hurt Ginny or Hermione. They're both my sisters, you know that, so please, whatever you do make your decision quick. I don't want either of them getting their hearts broken. I'm going to have to pummel you if you do, mate."
"I…I'll fix things," Harry promised. Ron nodded and patted his shoulder.
"Come on then we have a Bulgarian arse to whip," Ron said. Harry nodded and smirked. He would make sure Krum got his arse handed back to him soon enough. Then, he would personally deal with this new facet of Hermione Jane Granger.
***Pretty please don't leave without leaving a review! I need to know I still have people reading this story! If you skipped the above author's note… the next couple of chapters are done..the more reviews the faster I will update! Thank you in advance!*****
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