Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me; therefore I am not attempting to infringe on an copyrights, contracts, etc. or to make any money. I'm just having fun.
A/N: Hmm, for once I don't have much to saw. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Hopefully there aren't too many errors, but I did post this as soon as I finished, after giving it one last glance for glaring errors, so forgive an that are left. I'll probably go back and edit a little later. Enjoy! Review! Be merry! (Okay, I lied, I did have a lot to say).
Chapter 8 - Indiscreet
Harry and Hermione walked down the hall towards Transfiguration. Ron had forgotten a few things for another class later than day, and had told them to go on ahead and save a seat for him. Harry glanced over at Hermione as they walked along the castle hallway and smiled, admiring the way the light streaming in through the castle windows made her hair look more gold than brown. There were few times in his life when he'd felt so happy and content. Despite all he'd lost, the girl he really cared for finally knew it and returned his feelings. She blushed slightly under his gave; unaware of how beautiful she looked to him at the moment.
Impulsively he pulled her into his arms and kissed her tenderly. Her mouth was warm and hot against his. After a few moments he felt hers curve into a surprised smile beneath his kiss. He pulled away, and grinned. She gazed at him for a moment, slightly puzzled. Harry was hardly one for initiating a hug, and rarely a kiss, not that she minded, but physical intimacy had made him slightly uncomfortable in the past. This was probably a good sign though, she thought with a little smile to herself. She hugged Harry tightly and returned his kiss, pushing him up against the wall as she did so. Both of them were so completely wrapped up in each other that it took them a few moments to hear someone clearly her throat, trying to get their attention.
"Miss Granger, Mr. Potter, I fear that you will be late for class if you continue with that," Professor McGonagall admonished them, she was frowning, but they both saw her eyes twinkle for a moment in amusement.
The pair turned radish red. Hermione made an attempt to smooth her rumpled uniform. Looking up, she noticed that Professor McGonagall hadn't been the only witness to their hallway snog. Several other Gryffindors stood watching the little scene going on, many of them smirking in amusement. Apparently they already knew he was with Hermione, or it had been more obvious to everyone else in the school than to each other that they fancied each other. Lavender was a member of the crowd, but she hardly looked amused. Hermione grinned, noting that the foul girl looked like she'd ingested a bucket of slugs.
"Well, we best find a seat," Hermione whispered to Harry, tugging at his sleeve. As she did so, her lips brushed against his ear, causing him to loose focus on what she was saying.
"Hmm, what?" he answered distractedly, causing her to sigh and roll her eyes. She slid her bag more securely on her shoulder and took off towards the Transfiguration classroom, hoping Harry could figure out the rest from there. He did and quickly walked after her. The room was already pretty crowded when they got there. Even Ron had managed to arrive before them; he waved to two seats next to him when they spotted him.
"I heard you two were nearly shagging right there in the hallway," Ron whispered wide-eyed to Harry and Hermione. The pair exchanged embarrassed looks.
"I see gossip gets around this school as quickly as ever, and the truth manages to get as convoluted as ever," Hermione complained as she pulled her book and a quill from her bag, trying to ignore the curious glances of others who had clearly heard the rumor.
"Sorry, Hermione," Harry whispered. "As you know from past experience, if I am involved the rumor spreads twice as fast and gets even farther from the truth than an ordinary rumor."
Hermione managed a smile, remembering Rita Skeeter's attack on her their fourth year during the Triwizard Tournament, claiming she had broken his heart, after ditching him for Viktor Krum. She looked over at Harry. They had been linked by people for so many years, she wondered at the fact that it had take them this long to get together. Her thoughts were interrupted by Professor McGonagall beginning class. She smiled at him and Hermione for a moment, and he swore he saw her give a small little wink. At least one of his teachers was happy about his new relationship, unlike Snape who was using it to mock him.
Harry opened his book. "Unfortunately, today I have a lecture prepared for you all, as there is a problem I need to address within the school," McGonagall announced, flicking her wand at the board. Scrawling handwriting appeared, forming the outline of her lesson.
They all groaned as they discovered they would not be learning a new transfiguration spell, but rather had to listen to a lecture of the misuse of certain transfigurations. Apparently several students had been using them on each other recently. Harry thought that he'd seen a fourth year with a mushroom for a nose, as well as several other odd things. He looked over at Hermione who was of course listening with rapt attention, her quill scribbling furiously. He tried to pay attention, but after the first few minutes, the only thing that kept him awake was Hermione's sharp little elbow jabbing him in the ribs every so often.
Finally class was over. Ron and Harry were both quick to shove their book and notes into their bags, despite Hermione's look of disapproval.
"Potter, can I see you a moment?" Professor McGonagall asked, looking up over the top of her glasses, as she sat at the desk. His two friends looked at him questioningly. Harry shrugged, not sure of what he could have done to cause trouble that day.
"We'll wait for you outside Harry," Hermione told him, giving him an encouraging smile and gently squeezing his hand.
"It'll be fine. It's like she'd Snape or anything," Harry assured them, trying to bolster himself as well.
"Maybe she'd going to tell you that she and Snape are getting married," Ron whispered. "Snape had an awful lot of that love potion sitting around in his room after all." Hermione rolled her eyes and Harry held back a laugh as he turned to meet with Professor McGonagall.
"Is everything all right, Professor?" he asked, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he stood in front of her desk.
"Oh, Potter. Sorry, I got caught up in these papers for moment. Don't worry, aren't in any sort of trouble, for once," she looked up at him with a grim smile.
"I just wanted to let you know that although Dumbledore is no longer with us and Voldemort are gone, it doesn't you won't still have the occasional problem, though I know you have a friend and a girlfriend who are there for you. I just wanted to say, please don't hesitate to come to me should you need anything," she told him.
Harry smiled, surprised but touched by her words. "Um, thanks, Professor," he replied awkwardly. She smiled.
"Well, that's all Potter. Don't want to keep your friends waiting for too long."
Harry smiled and headed out into the hallway, where Ron and Hermione were waiting for him, looking rather anxious.
"Don't worry I haven't gotten into any trouble that you two didn't know about. She just wanted to talk to me for a moment," he told them.
Hermione looked at him quizzically, but didn't press him for more information, appreciating the fact that he tended to be a private person. He would tell them when he felt like it. The trio headed back to the Gryffindor common room to get a little bit of work done before their next class. All the teachers had given a load of homework that day, and if they didn't want to be up all night it would be best to start it all soon. They took a longer way back, though a usually deserted hallway.
They all paused though before rounding the corner, at the sound of lowered voices. The three all exchange a glance, as they recognized one of the voices as Draco Malfoy's. Hermione frowned at Ron who was breathing rather loudly for her liking. They pressed against the wall, wishing for some Extendable Ears.
"Malfoy, when did you last hear your father? We heard from a trustworthy source, that he is mounting an attack on the wizarding world along with former Death Eaters," one of the voices demanded. Hermione gasped involuntarily, and grabbed Harry's hand. The thought of him being once again in danger made her stomach flip and twist into knots. He reassuringly squeezed her small hand that fit perfectly in his. He was all too well aware of what was probably going through her mind at the moment. Ron didn't looked upset by the new as well, his freckled face had blanched several colors lighter than its normal shade. Harry patted his best friend on the back and motioned for him to stay quiet.
"I told you all a thousand times you, my father rarely talks to me anymore. Not after how I messed things up during the Dark Lord's final days. The last thing he'd do is reveal some big plan to me before anyone else," Draco explained irately.
"You know more than you're telling us," protested another voice. Hermione thought the boy sounded a lot like Crabbe. Harry met her eyes, clearly thinking the same thing.
"Come on Draco. We're all on the same side here! At least tell us what you know. My dad thinks I'm too thick to be trusted with anything information, so I never know what's going on." Hermione smiled to herself, that one had to be Goyle or Crabbe, if the other one wasn't.
Draco and his friends were silent for moment. After waiting a minute, Draco continued. This time his voice was much softer. The three eavesdroppers had to strain to hear.
"Listen, my father may not tell me much, but you are right that he is planning something. He can't stand that filthy Mudbloods like Granger are still at the school, and that that annoying Potter still lives. Something is going to happen this year. I just don't know where and when my father is going to carry it out," Draco confided to his dimwitted friends. The two chuckled.
Hermione felt like she was going to be sick at the sound of their laughter. Despite the fact that Ron was there, Harry pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head, trying to comfort her. One his hands clenched into an angry fist. He was so tempted to blow their cover and hex Malfoy within an inch of his life. He was used to Malfoy's comments, but he would never excuse anything said against Hermione.
"We better get going. Someone might come walking through here," Draco whispered to his companions. The three breathed a sigh of relief, as they heard the groups footsteps take off in the other direction. Ron carefully poked his head around the corner in an attempt to catch a glance at who had been involved in the conversation.
"Looked like Crabbe, Goyle, Malfoy, and two other Slytherins I didn't recognize. They looked like right foul gits though," Ron reported to Harry and Hermione.
"No surprise there really," Harry said angrily.
"You don't look so good. You alright, Hermione?" Ron asked, as he took a closer look at her. Her face was buried in Harry's robes at the moment, but her face looked rather pale. Harry's soothingly ran his fingers through her hair.
"She just looks the way we all feel at the moment, Ron," Harry answered for her. Hermione slowly pulled away, taking a deep breath to collect herself. She had felt like she was going to loose it for a moment there, but she'd managed not to cry.
"Why can't that foul man just give up?" she exclaimed suddenly, leaning against the wall for support.
Harry looked out the window, deep in thought. This year was supposed to the first one he could enjoy without having to worry about Voldemort, the dream year he had envisioned was quickly slipping through his fingers. Ron put a hand on his shoulder, bringing him back to the moment.
"It might just all be big talk, Harry," Ron said encouragingly, attempting to stay positive, despite what they'd just heard. Harry smiled weakly, but was gratefully for his best mate's support.
"Maybe, Ron's right, Harry," Hermione added, though she still felt sick to her stomach. When Voldemort was around, Harry's life had always been in danger, and now it seemed it was again. The thought was terrifying.
"Thanks guys. I know that however this turns out, I can count on you both, as foolish as that sounds," Harry replied. He turned away from the window, grinning weakly at them.
Voldemort may have taken a lot away from him, but he hadn't managed to rob him of two of the greatest people he had ever known.
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