A Happy Birthday to Harry, and in the REAL Potterverse, he is celebrating with Hermione, not that redhead ho. Hope you enjoy this chapter and please review!
Harry stopped as Parvati's twin sister blocked his path. "Hello Padma," he said quietly.
Padma glowered at him before stalking out of the cafeteria.
Harry sighed and stood there for a moment looking after her. The Patil family hated him, and rightfully so, he figured. But he wanted to try and at least make peace with Padma, considering they were both working in the Ministry.
But that didn't seem possible given the look on her face just now. He wanted her to know that if he could, he would change things.
Sometimes part of him wish he'd never pursued Parvati. She'd still be alive and happy if she had never been with him.
"Poor Harry," Lavender commented watching as he silently joined the queue.
Hermione had also witnessed the scene. "I didn't realise Parvati had a twin," she said quietly.
Eloise nodded. "She works here at the Ministry in the Wizengamot."
"Wow," Hermione was impressed. "That's quite a job to get right out of school."
"She's super smart," Lavender confided. "Parvati was too, in her own way, but Padma was a real overachiever."
"In Ravenclaw," Eloise added. "The smartest house at Hogwarts."
"She blames Harry for what happened to her sister," Lavender said shaking her head. "There wasn't anything he could do."
"What... what exactly happened?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Well," Lavender said. "After our sixth year, Harry decided he was going to leave school and go off in search of Voldemort and the horcruxes. Ron and Parvati were going to go with him and he did everything he could to talk them out of it."
"I read about those," Hermione nodded. "I take it he couldn't dissuade them?"
"He thought he had," Lavender continued. "He left in the middle of the night without their knowledge. When Parvati found out, she was a wreck."
"I remember that," Eloise nodded. "She wouldn't eat for a week."
"So what happened?" Hermione asked.
"She left," Lavender said. "During a Hogsmeade visit."
"She'd overheard Professor McGonagall talking about his whereabouts," Eloise said.
"So she went after him," Lavender said. "That was... that was the last time any of us saw her alive."
"But she chose to go after him," Hermione commented. "He didn't make her go. Her parents and sister shouldn't blame him for that."
"They do though," Lavender looked over at the black haired young man.
Hermione could understand their grief, but their anger was completely misplaced. Her heart went out to Harry. From what she knew of him, she had a feeling that he too blamed himself for what happened.
"He had so much to contend with already," Lavender said sympathetically.
Hermione had a newfound respect for Lavender since it was obvious she didn't blame Harry for her best friend's death.
"I sometimes talk to Padma, but she and I were never close." Lavender finished. "And she doesn't like the fact that I don't share her opinion of Harry."
"It's been a year," Eloise said. "I would have thought she'd have time to realise he didn't do this. He had no idea she'd even left Hogwarts."
"Did they ever meet up again before she died?" Hermione asked softly.
Lavender shook her head. "When Harry found her, she was already dead. Voldemort got to her first."
"That's horrible," Hermione said, also turning to look over at Harry, who had sat by himself at a table in the corner.
"Her parents wouldn't even let him come to the memorial service," Eloise said sadly.
Despite her earlier misgivings about Harry, Hermione felt nothing but sympathy for him now. It was obvious he'd been through some rather tough obstacles in his life. "And now he's got to deal with prats like Ernie," she said to the two girls.
"Ernie and Harry have always had a rivalry," Lavender said. "Even more so now."
"Why?" Hermione asked. "After everything Harry's done, Ernie still hates him?"
"Jealousy," Lavender replied. "It's as simple as that. Ernie likes to be the best."
"I always thought Ernie had a thing for Parvati," Eloise confided.
"Really?" Lavender asked.
"Just a feeling I always had," Eloise was eager to gossip.
"Parvati only had eyes for Harry," Lavender said. "I imagine if this hadn't have happened, they'd be engaged or something by now."
Hermione bit her lower lip and looked away. She didn't like that this news upset her.
"Hopefully, he'll find someone else," Lavender said. "And I can say with confidence, it's not going to be Megan Jones."
"I hope not," Hermione muttered before she could stop herself.
Lavender looked quizzically at her.
Hermione blushed. "Sorry... I started thinking about something else. About um... our flying lesson this afternoon."
"It's not going to be that bad," Lavender assured her. "And I'm sure you're going to be fine on a broom. If you're not, just ask Harry. I'm sure he'd be happy to help you."
"We'll see," Hermione said absently, her mind on what she'd just learned.
Later that afternoon, she joined the rest of her trainees outside on the Ministry lawn. They all had their brooms and Hermione felt a pang in her stomach at the thought of getting on it. She liked being in control and on a broom she had absolutely no control. The last thing she wanted to do was make a fool of herself in front of the class.
"All right," Harry said. "One of the most important things is knowing how to fly, and knowing how to fly fast. You sometimes have to go really high up, so a fear of heights, if you have one, is something to get over."
Eloise definitely had a fear of heights and she looked like she'd rather run a mile than get up on her broom.
Hermione didn't fear being high up, but worried that her lack of control over her broom could cause her to fall.
"Everyone mount your brooms," Harry called out. "We'll do a few laps around the Ministry."
Hermione pressed her lips together and picked up the handle.
"That's not how you do it," Ron informed her.
Hermione glared back at him. "Well if you're so smart, you do it."
"Unlike some people," Ron said smugly. "I know exactly how to do it."
"Then do it," Hermione challenged.
"I think I'd like to watch you give it a go," Ron countered. "Come on then."
Hermione hated the redhead with every ounce of her being, but she put her hand over the broom like she'd been taught so long ago. "Up..."
Ron laughed when her broom stayed on the ground. All around them, the others were taking to the sky.
"Prat," Hermione hissed.
Ron took off with the rest of the class, leaving Hermione all by herself on the ground. "Up!" Hermione repeated. "Come on! UP!"
Harry looked down and saw Hermione struggling to get her broom into her hand. He flew back down towards her. "Need some help?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, thanks. I-I can do this."
Harry nodded. "Okay..." he looked at her expectantly.
"UP!" Hermione repeated in a pleading tone. Why wasn't the damn broom responding?
Harry got behind her. "You really have to feel it for the broom to respond," he said.
"Feel it?" Hermione asked, her breath catching in her throat at his closeness.
"Yeah," he answered softly. "It sounds a bit strange, but you really have to want to get on the broom."
"Well, there's my problem," Hermione said with a slight laugh. "I don't really want to get on the broom."
Harry half smiled at that. "If you want to succeed, you have to."
He lifted her arm and placed his arm over hers. "Now, say it."
Hermione took a deep breath. "UP!"
To her delight, the broom rose from the ground and into her hand.
"There you go," Harry said encouragingly.
"I think that's the easiest part," Hermione said. "I---I really am completely rubbish at this. I have no sense of control."
Harry nodded. "If you want some private lessons, all you have to do is ask."
"From you?" Hermione asked.
"If you want," Harry rubbed the back of his neck.
"I'd appreciate the extra help," Hermione said. "But, I'm sure you're too busy to do that and perhaps it's not the best idea given---"
"We moved on from that, remember?" Harry asked, looking away.
"Right," Hermione said softly. "Um, well, then I suppose if you're offering to help, then I accept."
Harry nodded. "Good. We'll start tomorrow after the lesson."
"Thank you," Hermione said smiling at him.
Harry nodded and smiled back. "We should get up there."
"Oh, right," Hermione said. "I was hoping you might have forgotten about that."
"Not likely," Harry replied. "Come on... you'll be fine."
Hermione wished she shared his confidence. "O-okay."
"You're going to be fine," Harry impulsively reached for her hand and squeezed it.
Hermione looked at him. "You promise?"
"Promise," Harry said. "You can do it."
Hermione nodded. "So--what's the best way to do this?"
"Get on, for starters," Harry answered. "And then just pull up on the handle. You'll go right up in the air."
Hermione did as he told her and said a silent prayer that she wouldn't take off too fast and crash into a tree or something.
"Good," Harry mounted his own broom and followed her up.
"How do you get it to turn?" Hermione shouted out to him.
"Guide it," Harry flew up beside her. "Just like this..."
Hermione tried to mimic his movements, but she'd turn a little too fast and her broom shot off to the right.
Harry still followed behind her. "Just pull a bit to the left," he shouted over the wind.
"What?" Hermione couldn't hear what he'd said. She tried to pull up on the handle but that only made her go faster for some reason. She was heading straight for the brick walls of the Ministry.
Harry flattened himself against his broom and flew along side her. "Pull left," he shouted. "Do it now!"
Hermione's hands were shaking as she gripped the handle and jerked it to the left.
To her relief, the broom turned away from the Ministry building.
"Good," Harry was still alongside her. "Now gently, pull up."
Hermione pulled up gently on the handle. "Can we land?"
Harry nodded. "You can stay on the ground, but I'll have to go back up with the others."
Hermione looked over at him. "How do we land?"
"Push down... gently." Harry told her, demonstrating.
"Gently," Hermione said nodding. "Okay...I like that."
"That's good," Harry nodded as he showed her how to land gently on the ground.
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief when she felt her feet firmly on the ground. She was still a little shaken by what had almost happened. If it hadn't been for Harry, she would have hit that wall.
Harry landed beside her. "Just take today and watch." he told her. "I'll catch you up tomorrow..."
"Thank you, Harry," Hermione said quietly.
He nodded. "Um... I really have to get up there."
"Go," Hermione told him. "I'll be fine down here."
Harry got back on his room and after one last look at her, flew up to join his students.
Hermione set her broom down and sat down on one of the benches. She looked up at the sky where the class was flying. She hoped no one had seen her close call.
Ron smirked. "Granger have a bit of trouble?" he asked when Harry joined them.
"She's fine," Harry said shortly.
"Can't handle herself on a broom, obviously." Ron replied.
"Leave her alone, Ron," Harry warned.
"You partnered me up with her," Ron retorted.
"Which means you are to work with her, not make snide comments about her or try and get a rise out of her," Harry countered.
"Whatever," Ron muttered. "Can we just get on with the lesson?"
"Right," Harry said. He spent the next forty-five minutes going over flying while simultaneously performing the disillusionment charm they'd learned that morning.
"This is too hard," Eloise complained.
"Just don't try and over think it," Harry told her. "You've already come so far just by getting up here as high as you are, Eloise."
Eloise nodded. "Okay..."
On the ground, Hermione was watching as best she could. She hated missing the lesson and hoped that Harry would be able to help her catch up during the extra lesson tomorrow.
Someone sat down beside her and Hermione turned to see Ernie. "How long have they been up there?" he asked her.
"Almost an hour," she answered.
Ernie sighed. "I'm supposed to wait down here like a good little boy and then apologise to Potter. Can you believe that?"
Hermione shrugged. "You shouldn't have been insolent to him earlier. Whether or not you like him, he's still your instructor."
Ernie rolled his eyes. "You sound like Justin."
"Yeah well, he's not the one in trouble." Hermione answered coolly.
"I told you I was going to be a good little boy and apologise," Ernie said. "I'm going to be an Auror and I'm not going to let Potter stand in the way."
"Then don't," Hermione replied. "Treat him with some respect. He sacrificed a lot for everyone, and he's just trying to teach some of what he knows."
"Whatever," Ernie grumbled.
Hermione rolled her eyes and ignored him.
A few minutes later, the rest of their classmates landed.
"That was good, everyone." Harry said. "You all did great for your first time."
"Was it good for you?" Ron asked winking at Lavender.
Lavender rolled her eyes. "Better than you were," she retorted.
"Okay, okay," Harry said stifling a laugh. "I guess I'll see you lot tomorrow morning. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon with Lupin."
Hermione got up and followed the rest of the class inside. She was angry with herself for not being able to be part of the lesson.
"Potter," Ernie called after him. "Can I have a quick word?"
Harry turned. "Yes?"
Ernie plastered an apologetic look on his face and then approached him. "I'm sorry for my behaviour this morning in class. I was out of line."
"I'll say you were," Harry replied coolly.
"Look, you and I have never been friends," Ernie said trying to keep his anger in check. "I'm trying to be the bigger man here and apologise."
"Fine," Harry replied. "Apology accepted. Don't act out in my class again."
"I'll be on my best behaviour," Ernie said in a smart-ass tone. "Let's just hope the same can be said for you."
Harry's eyes grew dark. "Don't forget that I'm the instructor. I'm here to teach you some of what I know. If you don't want to learn it, then stay out of my class. If you do, then I'll see you there tomorrow. But I will not tolerate any more of what you did today."
Ernie gave him a mock salute and then strode back toward the Ministry.
"Asshole," Harry muttered.
Ernie gave him one last look before entering the building. Harry Potter had to have some skeleton in his closet. Mr. Perfect couldn't get away with everything all the time. He was going to slip up about something and Ernie was going to be there when he did.
*** *** ***
After Lupin's portion of their lesson the next day, Hermione headed back outside. She tried not to dread flying again, but after her close call the day before, she really had no desire to get back on a broom.
She just hoped that the rest of her classmates stayed inside. The last thing she wanted or needed was having to endure Ron Weasley's teasing.
Harry was already waiting for her, two brooms by his side. "Hi," he stood up as she approached.
"Hi," she said looking with a frown at the brooms. "Um...you know, maybe this isn't such a good idea. I'm sure you're busy and I have some reading to do for Lupin's class...."
"You need to know this to pass the course," Harry interrupted.
"Right," Hermione said taking the broom he offered her.
"You're not scared of heights," Harry commented. "So, I can't really see what's the problem."
"I just..." Hermione tried to find the right words. "I don't like not being in control."
"But you are in control," Harry pointed out. "You're in control of where it goes. You decide how high or how low you fly."
"I wasn't in control yesterday," she muttered.
Harry looked at her. "Okay, Granger. Tie back your hair and then we'll begin."
Hermione sighed. She supposed there was no way of getting out of this.
Harry waited for her and tried not to watched as she pulled back her hair into a ponytail.
"Okay," Hermione grumbled.
"All right," Harry said. "You're going to do what I showed you yesterday. Hold your hand over the broom and say up."
Hermione set the broom down on the ground and then held her hand over it. "UP!"
The broom didn't move. Hermione huffed. "Come on you, bloody broom! UP!"
"You have to feel it," Harry said patiently. "Remember..."
Hermione nodded and took a deep breath. She wasn't used to failing at anything. "Up!"
This time, the broom shot directly up into her hand,
"There you go!" Harry said.
"I did it!" Hermione exclaimed, her eyes shining as she looked at Harry. "I can't believe I actually did it!"
"Good job," Harry nodded. "That's the first step right there."
Hermione smiled at him. "Probably the easiest one, right?"
Harry smiled back. "Pretty much. We'll take it slow up in the air."
"Right," Hermione said mounting her broom just as he did.
"Just pull up gently," Harry said. "Gently..."
Hermione pulled up a little on her broomstick and felt her feet rise off the ground. This wasn't that bad so far, she thought.
"Just keep it slow," Harry rose up right alongside her.
"Slow is really, really good," Hermione called out to him.
Despite himself, Harry chuckled. "Wait until you get used to flying," he said. "You'll want to go as fast as you can."
"I wouldn't count on that," Hermione said. "Baby steps."
"Just trust me," Harry said with a grin.
Hermione did trust him even though she barely knew him. "Okay...so if we wanted to go higher, we'd pull up gently like...this?"
"Right," Harry stayed right alongside her. "You're doing a good job."
"It helps that you're patient," Hermione said. "At Beauxbatons, our flying instructor was Madame Fournier."
"Was she that bad?" Harry asked.
"She was terrible," Hermione answered, relaxing a bit. "Screamed her head off if you weren't up in the air within five minutes our first day."
Harry laughed. "I bet it sounded worse in French, right?"
"Oh you'd better believe it," Hermione answered.
"I think her long lost brother taught at Hogwarts," Harry said. "Severus Snape."
Hermione wrinkled her nose. "Lovely name."
"If you ever saw him, you'd know the same suits him," Harry said. "Completely pale, sour look on his face all the time, dressed all in black. Long, greasy hair. Hates me because my last name is Potter."
"He hates you because of your name?" Hermione asked as Harry steered them around in a wide circle. "That's ridiculous."
"Well, apparently he and my dad were at school together," Harry told her. "They didn't get along. And I guess the sins of the father..."
"Are just passed on," Hermione finished. "You don't seem the troublemaker type, though."
Harry laughed. "I broke a few rules in my time."
"I was the good student," Hermione recalled. "Never stepped a toe out of line... never got into trouble..."
"I know," Harry said without thinking.
"How did you know?" Hermione asked.
"Uh..." Harry turned a bit red. "Lucky guess..."
"You've read my file," Hermione said looking at him. "Haven't you?"
"I sort of peeked at it," Harry said sheepishly. "After we... after you stayed over, I was a bit curious about you."
Hermione blushed. "Um...so why don't you know show me how we turn?"
"Right," Harry focused on the task at hand. "You just carefully pull your handle in the direction you want to go. When you get more accustomed to speed, it'll be easier."
"Like this?" Hermione asked doing as he instructed.
"A little too much," Harry had to turn sharply to keep alongside her.
"Sorry," Hermione called out. "I sometimes get ahead of myself."
"It's okay," Harry caught up to her.
"You know the other day when I was watching you with the class, you looked so...free," Hermione said. "Like you were having the time of your life."
"I love flying," Harry replied. "It's one thing I was able to do well right from the start."
"Youngest seeker in a century," Hermione said remembering something she'd read about him.
Harry smiled. "That seems so long ago. Almost a different lifetime."
"Can I ask you something?" Hermione asked. "Ron Weasley...how do you stomach him? He's insufferable!"
"He's really not so bad," Harry told her. "I think you'll be a good influence on him."
"Is that why you made us partners?" Hermione asked point-blank.
"Yes," Harry answered.
"So far his sole purpose seems to be to drive me insane," Hermione said with a sigh. "He never takes anything seriously. He's always talking about food and his girlfriend and Quidditch. And this morning he nearly jumped down my throat because I didn't know what a wonky feint was."
"Wronski Feint," Harry corrected her. "It's only one of the most amazing Quidditch moves in the world!"
"You sound just like him," Hermione said rolling her eyes, but there was a smile on her face.
"Surely not all bad?" Harry joked.
"No," Hermione laughed. "Not at all bad."
Harry smiled at her again and found himself wishing once more than she wasn't in the program- that she was just some other girl. He hadn't been interested in anyone since Parvati but Hermione was different.
"So if I wanted to the disillusionment charm while I'm up here," Hermione said. "What would I do?"
"You would keep gripping your broom with one hand," Harry said. "And cast the spell with your other."
"Think I'm ready to try that and to fly at the same time?" Hermione asked him.
"You could try it," Harry nodded.
"Okay," Hermione said nervously. She didn't like taking one hand off of her broom. She preferred holding onto it with both hands.
"You'll do fine," Harry encouraged her, flying close.
Her hand was shaking as she reached for her wand.
"Don't think about the fact that you're flying," Harry said.
That was easy for him to say, Hermione thought. She said the incantation, praying that she wouldn't crash into a wall of fall off her broom.
"Just concentrate..." Harry told her.
Hermione felt as if someone had just poured cold liquid over her. She grinned. She'd done it! This was exactly how she'd felt the other day when they'd performed the charm in class.
"Great job!" Harry congratulated her.
Hermione knew he couldn't see her, but she couldn't help beaming at him. She'd never have done this without his help.
"Do you think you can land?" Harry called out. "By yourself?"
"I think so," Hermione replied saying the incantation to reverse the disillusionment charm. "I just...I lower the broom slowly and focus on the spot where I want to land."
"Right," Harry nodded. "You've been studying, haven't you?"
"Maybe," Hermione said with a gleam in her eye.
Harry smiled at her again. "I'll land first. I want to see how you do it."
"Okay," Hermione nodded. "I'll wait for your signal."
"Whenever you're ready," Harry called back.
Hermione waited until he'd landed before she began her own descent.
"Push down and aim for one spot," she recited to herself.
"That's it," Harry encouraged.
Her landing was a bit bumpy, but not nearly as bad as she thought it would be. "I did it!"
"You were brilliant," Harry told her. "I'm proud of you."
"Thanks," Hermione said breathlessly. She impulsively hugged him.
Harry hadn't expected this, but still he found himself wrapping his arms around her and holding her close.
Hermione allowed herself to lose in the moment of being in his arms again.
"Hermione," he said softly.
"We're doing it again aren't we?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah," Harry said reluctantly letting go of her.
"It's hard keeping away from you like that," Hermione said before she could stop herself.
Harry nodded. "It has to be this way though. We could get in a lot of trouble if anyone knew..."
"I know," she nodded and looked away.
"I wish things were different," Harry said.
"You do?" she asked. "With me?"
Harry knew he shouldn't have said anything. There was no need to give her or himself hope for anything more than a teacher-student business-like relationship.
"Blokes don't normally see me the way you looked at me that one night," Hermione said quietly.
"I find that hard to believe," Harry said. "You're very pretty, Hermione."
She blushed. "Sometimes I feel that way..."
Harry smiled at her. "That night?"
"That was one of the best nights of my life," she confessed.
It was taking all that he had not to kiss her. This really was dangerous territory. "Mine too."
"Even..." Hermione hesitated.
"What?" he asked, stepping closer to her.
"Nothing," Hermione said. "It's not my place..."
Harry wanted to press her, but knew it would just lead to something they probably wouldn't be able to stop. No matter how much he wanted her, he wouldn't jeopardise her future for it. "I should get inside. I have a meeting at six."
"Of course," Hermione dropped her eyes away, feeling foolish for hoping that he might kiss her again.
"Enjoy your day off," he said to her. "With---with Justin."
"And you with... Megan." Hermione nodded.
Harry gave her one last lingering look before grabbing their brooms and heading back into the Ministry.