Disclaimer: I am obviously not JK Rowling, therefore canon Harry Potter isn't mine. This story is though!
A/N: Hope you all enjoy the chapter! Keep reviewing and reading ;) I really, really love getting reviews! Seriously even if you just write a one line review, it will make my day. The more reviews, the more likely is to give the story a try.
I may do a bit of a bit of a rewrite with this and other chapters, so I just wanted to warn you all in advance! Thanks
Chapter 7 - Unbreakable Bonds
Hermione and Harry casually walked into Potions class together. Hermione looked around anxiously, hoping that her face wasn't getting red. Of course she was overjoyed to finally be with Harry, but they had both agreed not to flaunt their relationship to the public, as Ron didn't know yet. She had attempted to track down Ron earlier but with no luck. It made her edgy thinking about how Ron would react to her new relationship with Harry. Ron had seemed to sense that something was going on between her and Harry since the beginning of term, even whiles his friends had been too thick to notice it themselves.
She glanced over at Harry and smiled. He beamed at her as he pulled out his Potions book and her heart fluttered. Hermione set about getting her own things out for class, still smiling to herself. No matter how Ron or anyone else reacted, nothing could tarnish the knowledge that Harry felt the same way she did about him.
The class buzzed with the usual chatter, but no one said anything to Harry and Hermione about being together. It seemed no one had seen them snogging in the hallway. All conversation died at the sound of the door's creaking hinge. Everyone knew it was Professor Snape, he was always punctual. He walked into the room without a word, his pale face more sullen than usual, not that he ever showed any remote enthusiasm for teaching them.
Harry groaned, far from excited about starting another class taught by one of the people he loathed most in the entire world. Hermione looked around the room, as Snape made his way to the front of the room. Ron was nowhere to be seen. She chewed her lip nervously. For Ron's sake he better get to class soon. He certainly couldn't use the first year `I got lost' excuse, not that Snape cared when they were first years anyway.
"Where's Ron?" she whispered to Harry. Snape cleared his throat, and she looked up to see his cold eyes locked on her. She moved away from Harry and returned his gaze with equal frigidity. Snape's eyes narrowed.
"Miss Granger, I am sure we would all appreciate if you and Potter save your lovers activities for times when you're not in the classroom," Snape admonished her contemptuously. "Oh, and 20 points from Gryffindor," he added, as he made his way back to the front of the class.
Snape's lesson was interrupted once again though, as a frazzled looking Ron came bolted into the classroom, taking a seat at a table behind Harry and Hermione. Neither of them managed to catch his attention as he passed them. Ron plopped down in his seat breathing heavily. Snape sighed loudly, and dropped a book to his desk with a thud. The whole class was now looking with interest back and forth from Snape to Ron.
"Mr. Weasley. Why are you late to my class?" Snape demanded. Most everyone in the room felt sorry for Ron at the moment, they all knew that no excuse would placate Snape.
"I um, forgot my book in my room," Ron muttered. His face had gone so pale that his freckles stood out as though someone had gone and colored them all.
"Yes, likely story. Detention this Saturday, Weasley, oh and I think your friends Granger and Potter should join you. They started the trouble even before you get here," Snape told him, the closest thing to a smile Snape ever managed crossing his features.
Harry and Hermione groaned. Hermione swiftly elbowed Harry, silently reminding him not to even think about starting any arguments with Snape. Harry frowned and rubbed his side. Hermione grinned and turned her attention to class.
"Today," Snape announced, his expression stony, "we will be making Amortentia, or love potion-"
"But Professor," Hermione interrupted loudly, "Professor Slughorn already went over it with us last year."
Harry rolled his eyes, "Now who is the one starting trouble?" he whispered.
Snape gazed at Hermione in irritation. "That interruption will cause our class know-it-all 15 house points, as I was saying we will be making Amortentia." Hermione's face darkened in anger.
Harry could see that Hermione was fighting the urge to remind Snape how hazardous love potion could be if recklessly used. Ron suddenly burst into a fit of laughter. Hermione turned around and looked at him as if he'd finally lost it.
"What's so amusing Mr. Weasley?" Snape snapped, coming over to stand directly in front of Ron. "Perhaps you should share with the class." Ron gulped, the smile fleeing his face. He did want to explain that the thought of Snape making and then using love potion on an unsuspecting woman, had been a hilarious mental image.
"My quill tickled my noise?" Ron croaked, less than convincingly. Harry looked on edge as though he would challenge Snape if he dared hassle Ron further. Harry had been spoiling for a fight with Snape ever since the beginning of class.
Snape gazed at Ron grimly for a few moments, but abruptly turned away, surprisingly seeming satisfied by the answer. Ron looked as if he couldn't quite believe his luck. He had expected at least another detention or two.
"Hopefully I will be able to finish class without anymore interruptions from Potter and his cast of annoying friends. I believe Amortentia will appear in some way on the N.E.W.T.s so I demand that you know this potion well," Snape told them. Hermione began scribbling furiously on the parchment in front of her, apparently finding nothing to argue with in Snape's justification.
"This potion is fairly complex to make. Most of you, no doubt will fail, but I expect you all to attempt this potion." Snape flicked his wand, and the directions and ingredients for the potions appeared on the board at the front of the room. The class groaned as they noted the complexity of the potion. Harry grimace and hoped that Hermione was right in saying that he may have inherited some of his mother's talent for Potions.
Hermione busily began to prepare her ingredients and carefully read through the steps of the potion before putting anything in her cauldron. She paused for a moment to look over at Harry's progress. He seemed to have his ingredients prepared already and it appeared that he done so correctly. Ron moaned and she noticed that he seemed to be struggling quite a bit. Only Neville seemed to be having a more difficult time of it.
Shaking her head, she turned back to her own potion, which already seemed to be suffering from the few seconds of inattention. The classroom was silent, other than the bubbling of potions and the sound of stirring; everyone was completely wrapped up in trying to master the difficult potion.
Snape imperiously strode around the class, as people began to add the ingredients to their potion, peering into cauldrons as he went along. He stopped suddenly, astonishment registering briefly on his characteristically unemotional face as he stared at Harry's potion.
Snape leered. "Well, Potter. It appears as though someone's made this potion before. Perhaps, to ensnare your previous girlfriends I suspect?" Snape commented maliciously, not about to lower himself to praising Harry's work. Hermione saw Harry's face flush crimson with anger and mortification. She peeked over into his cauldron and felt just a shocked as Snape. Harry's Amortentia potion was already showing signs of developing its distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen. Looking at her own again she noted that it was only a dull, milky white.
Harry still looked furious, but rather than starting an argument with Snape he continued to carefully tend to his potion. Hermione was shocked. Perhaps for once Harry had decided that some the advice she'd given him was actually good to listen to.
Snape continued to walk around the, predictably praising Malfoy's potion, which didn't look nearly as good as Harry's. Hermione frowned. Even if he was Ginny's boyfriend, she still found the Slytherin completely insufferable.
Impatiently she brushed a frizzy strand of hair from her eyes, concentrating on her own potion, something she hadn't been doing very well this class.
After what seemed like only a few moments, rather than another half an hour, Snape announced that he needed to collect their potions now. She glanced into her cauldron at her adequate, but now where near perfect potion. It had a slight sheen to it, but it was sure not enough of one to get her full points.
Harry was pouring his into a glass container, as he did so she saw the characteristic spirals wafting out of his cauldron. Snape better give him high marks for that, she thought with a sigh. At least Harry had done well today, even though it rankled her slightly that she hadn't done well. Snape walked over, as he must have noticed the spirals from afar.
"Well, miracle that it is, Potter seems to have most accurately prepared the potion," Snape announced. "Now, I think he should try it out."
"What!" Harry and Hermione shouted together.
"Professor, it would be completely against the school rules to have a student drink Amortentia," Hermione protested, looking incredibly agitated. Harry looked rather panicked as well. The quill he had been holding snapped in half in his fist.
Snape waved them away nonchalantly. "Foolish girl, I merely meant that he should smell the potion. Surely he knows the dangers of it anyway, as he's clearly used it before on someone anyway," Snape told her disdainfully.
Harry looked as though he'd rather fight Voldemort again than be humiliated by Snape in Potions class.
"We're waiting Potter," Snape demanded.
"Just do it Potter!" Malfoy shouted. He and his group of friends seemed not to have lost their fondness for seeing Harry upset.
Harry gulped, leaning forward and using his hand to waft the scent of the potion.
"Well, um, I smell paper, ink, and vanilla I think," Harry stammered, looking more mortified as he went along. Hermione smiled sympathetically, but couldn't help but note with pleasure that all the think he named related to her.
"Sounds like he's in love with a librarian," hooted an obnoxious boy from Slytherin. Suddenly Hermione felt a dozen sets of eyes looking over towards her direction.
"Or Granger," Seamus piped in. Harry and Hermione exchanged a nervous glance, not daring to turn around and look at Ron at the moment. Snape looked completely smug.
"Potter must have gotten some brain damaged when he fought the Dark Lord," Malfoy said with a sneer.
Harry jumped up from his seat. Hermione grabbed his hand, which she saw going for his wand.
"Do us all a favor and shut-up Malfoy," Harry yelled, his green eyes flashing dangerously.
"Ooooo, I'm scared," Malfoy said with a laugh.
Hermione grabbed Harry, and turned him away from Malfoy. "Ignore that foul little weasel. It's really not worth Harry."
Snape surprisingly didn't attempt to break them up; he seemed to be enjoying watching Malfoy taunt Harry. Hermione couldn't understand why they'd let him come back. Not only were his loyalties unclear, but he was an unfair teacher, who often mocked his students. It wasn't only Snape that bothered her though. Something about Malfoy was bugging her. He hadn't seemed to have changed at all.
"Thank you for demonstrating Amortentia for us Potter. The rest of you can go after leaving your potion at my desk. For next class I want two rolls of parchment on the misuses of love potion." Snape marched back the front of the class, examining the vials of potion that people were turning in. Some students frantically tried to improve theirs before turning it in.
There was a loud grown from behind her. She turned to look, as did Harry. Ron and Neville were both pouring out some of their potions. They exchanged horrified glances. Ron's was a strange bluish color and appeared to be letting off little sparks. Snape probably wouldn't even accept it. Harry gave Ron a look of sympathy. To Hermione's relief, Ron didn't look angry with Harry, as he shrugged and turned glumly back to his potion. They walked with Ron to the front of the classroom, going up with him to turn in their potions. Ron looked like he was going to be ill, as he watched Snape examine the contents of the container he'd handed in.
"Weasley, what is this?" Snape demanded.
"Love potion?" Ron answered quietly.
"Did you add all the ingredients?" Ron looked up at the board. He looked relieved after he finished reading through the list.
"Yes, sir, I did," he said confidently. Snape looked at him and sighed as he put the container on his desk. Harry gave Ron a thumbs-up.
"Fine, Weasley. You and your friends can go." The three friends quickly dashed out of the classroom.
"He took it!" Ron told them, looking completely thrilled.
"He would have never taken that if it was mine. You got really lucky mate," Harry said, with a hint of envy. Ron shrugged and smiled.
"You're pretty lucky yourself mate. I wouldn't complain too much," he said, glancing significantly at his two friends and managing a smile. Hermione felt a wave of relief.
"How'd you know we were together?" Harry asked, puzzled.
Ron rolled his eyes. "As Hermione would say, it's was so obvious. After the little scene in the Great Hall this morning, I figured you two finally stopped being dense about each other," Ron explained.
Harry and Hermione smiled and the trio headed to lunch before their next class. Harry reached down and grabbed Hermione's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. She smiled content with the knowledge that their new relationship wouldn't break them apart from Ron. Of course there was always the rest of the school to deal with.
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