Magic and Misperceptions
Chapter 15: Duelling
By AddisonJ
Beta: DeeMichelle
Disclaimer: The following story is based on situations and characters owned by J.K. Rowling, Jane Austen, and their publishers.
(A/N: I remember Colin Firth in P&P having a nice sweaty duelling scene. Since I couldn't figure out how to get Harry to do a sigh-worthy swim like the 1995 BBC P&P's Darcy, I snuck in this scene for us fan girls.)
***
Luna Lovegood knew that she could see things others could not.
She could see the fairy-winged Pusselgroves as they fluttered in front of people's faces when they told lies. She could see the snap-headed Bobbletops as they jumped about in the long grass.
She could see how Lavender and Parvati would always scan a room they entered, focus on the fittest wizard there and introduce themselves.
She could see how Ron's eyes would glow when he looked at her, how his voice would go soft when he called her his angel.
She could see how Harry would never approach Hermione first, but would stare intently at her all night.
She could see how Hermione would enter a room, look for Harry, smile, and then walk to the opposite corner as him, but keep looking up for him every few minutes to make sure he was still there.
She could see how they played out this duet every time, and how Hermione would approach Harry by the end of the evening, after she spoke with Padma and Neville, Seamus and Dean, Ernie and Justin, Cormac and Cho. She would always save Harry for last, like dessert.
And when they approached each other, their eyes would hold fast and little smiles would creep onto their faces, like they shared a secret. She would reach out her hand and say some common pleasantry like "Harry, nice to see you again" and he would pull her in to kiss her cheek, but the kiss would always last a little longer than custom, and she would blush a bit, and Harry would stare even more intently at her. They would talk, sometimes for just a few minutes, sometimes for much longer than that, and Hermione would leave him, with another kiss on the cheek. Harry always had Hermione take the lead. Then she would come to Luna and Ron, and give them huge hugs and just … glow.
Luna Lovegood noticed these things.
And she decided to push things along a bit.
"Let's stop at Grimmauld Place. I promised Ron I'd drop off a few things," Luna mentioned to Hermione one lazy Sunday afternoon.
Hermione was in her room, doing some work, but looked up from her desk. "I really should finish these notes …"
"We can stop by Flourish & Blotts," Luna teased. She knew Hermione could never resist shopping for books, as evidenced by the smile that was increasing across her friend's face.
"You know me too well, Miss Lovegood," Hermione responded and threw a pillow at her housemate.
They Apparated to the front of Grimmauld Place where the wards allowed Hermione to enter as well (she noticed they must have been adjusted, because in the past, she would need either Harry or Ron to allow her entrance).
"We can just come in, Ron changed the wards so we can do that." She smiled. "He insisted."
"Shouldn't we yell or something so they know we're here?"
"Oh, I do this all the time. I just call out. Ronald!" Luna raised her voice as they started walking through the house. "He's usually in the kitchen or in the drawing room watching sports on the telly-thingy. Ronald!"
"Over here, my angel," was the response from deep inside the house. "We're duelling. Ouch! Harry! Not fair! You hit me when I wasn't paying attention!"
"That's the point," was the laughing response.
The young women exchanged glances and headed down the stairs.
A large room was fitted with training equipment which seemed to be part of the Auror training course. Targets, dummies, punching bags, even a variety of Muggle weaponry on one wall, from knives to swords to maces. The musky smell of sweat was in the air, and the women covered their noses briefly upon entering.
They were soon distracted from the scent when they saw the occupants of the room. Both were drenched in sweat and shirtless. Luna spent her time looking at Ron's firm torso with its freckles and reddish-gold chest hair, and noted that Hermione seemed fixed on Harry's pale yet muscular torso with its well-developed abdominal muscles and dark hair that spread from his belly button straight downward, into his trousers.
Keeping his back away from Harry, Ron moved to embrace Luna, but she escaped to the side and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. "You smell."
"You should join us, and then you wouldn't notice," Ron responded with a wink. Luna glanced at Hermione.
"You duelled at Beauxbatons, didn't you?" Luna asked.
"Yes, but, I would imagine you're all much more skilled than I," replied Hermione, careful not to mention the War, but she saw the shadow pass over their faces.
"It'll be good practice, then. You never know if might need a stinging hex while you're doing research at the library," Ron joked.
"What? If I have an overdue book?" Hermione replied.
Luna already started taking off her robes revealing a comfortable outfit, similar to Muggle yoga-wear. Hermione, not expecting to dual, needed to Transfigure her shirt and jeans into more appropriate clothing. I don't want to worry about moving gracefully in jeans if I'm already distracted by Harry's chest, thought Hermione.
"How about you two girls warm up together, and Harry and I will continue, and then we'll switch it up a bit? Agreed? Hermione, if you're uncomfortable, think of it as a training session," Ron instructed.
Hermione was uncomfortable. Not only was she about to duel with two Aurors, but they were all veterans of the Second Voldemort War. And she stayed safe in France during the War. Well, most of it. Regardless, they had the training and experience she lacked. But she wanted to learn.
Hermione could tell that Luna was being safe with her, working with her as if she were a fourth year, with some stinging hexes and jelly-legs that Hermione could easily shield or deflect. She tried to get some stinging hexes towards her housemate, but Luna was deceptively fast. Slow-moving in normal life, Luna could be quick while duelling.
Sweat soon followed and Hermione called a time out so she could grab one of the clean towels conveniently placed on a shelf and grab some water. She took off her shirt as well and stayed in her camisole, willing herself not to see if Harry noticed her. He did, because he immediately suggested a change in partners.
"Ron, why don't you and Luna match up, and I'll work with Hermione." Those were Harry's first words since the women arrived, other than a nod in both their directions when they had arrived.
Luna and Ron easily went into duelling mode, whereas Harry and Hermione stood for a bit and stared at each other. "Should we … should we just start?" Hermione finally asked, feeling like a schoolgirl.
Harry appeared to shake the cobwebs from his head. "Yes, of course. Let's just, go for it and then we'll break and discuss? Do you mind? I noticed a few things that could be improved when you were duelling with Luna, but let's start? Does that work? And let me know if I sound too pretentious, I don't want to be."
Hermione blinked. He was afraid of sounding pretentious? She was fully aware that she, the brightest witch of her generation, was in the unlikely situation of being the worst at something. Then she remembered all those times she would lecture people on what they `should' do. Was she being pretentious?
"Yes, yes, that'll do. Right then. Let's go."
It was one of the hardest twenty minutes in her recent memory. Harry tossed her a clean towel at the end of it, and apologised again for those stinging hexes that got through to her.
"That canary hex is cute, not sure how often that would get used with a Death Eater, but could be useful for the everyday. Your use of a shield is okay, but it would slow you down in actual battle. But, since you're kind of an intermediate level, it certainly makes sense when you're with a stronger opponent. Then, it would make sense just to defend yourself and find a way out of there. Don't engage. They could use an Unforgivable and then you're toast. Water?"
Hermione took the glass and gulped it, not worrying how she looked. Harry would stare at her no matter what she did. And she was trying hard not to stare at his chest. She was very aware that they were both near naked, standing in close proximity, already hot and sweaty. She pulled her hair into a tight bun, and Harry was distracted by how tight her camisole stretched across her chest when she put her hands behind her head. He swallowed more water.
"Uh, um, your technique is good, I can tell your instincts are good by the type of hexes you're throwing my way, but you hesitate for a second and that's when you can get hurt, you're giving your opponent an opening then.
"And if you know your opponent is right-handed, you have a good sense of where the hexes will fall. You've got a good stance, I can tell you've done some fencing, but you need to get even smaller, and be less of a target. May I?" Harry moved his hands just above her shoulders. She swallowed and nodded, as he placed his hands on her and moved her torso so that she was in proper duelling position. Hermione swore she could still feel the imprint of his hands on her body even after he moved them. She was sure that her blush matched his.
"I've been out of practice," Hermione replied. "Not many duels in the Department of the Regulation of Magical Creatures."
"Diggory doesn't propose a duel during lunch?" Harry asked, eyebrow raised.
"Gods, Hermione, don't know how you work with such old men! It's a regular geriatric ward over there!" Ron joined the conversation as he continued duelling with Luna. It broke the tension.
"They're all right. They have good background knowledge, and I just focus on why I'm really there, which is not to get dates but to increase rights for magical creatures," Hermione responded. She was pleased to notice a small smile cross Harry's face.
"Oy! The greater good! We know that, eh, Harry?"
"Yes, you all have proven that. So maybe you should work in Magical Creatures and retire early," Hermione joked.
"Ron in Magical Creatures? He'd be snoozing at his desk or eating at the café all day in no time," Harry joked.
"I think Magical Creatures is a wonderful department. Scamander has done a good job heading it. If I worked for the Ministry, that's where I would be," added Luna dreamily. "I think Ronald would be suited for Magical Games and Sports."
"Unfortunately, ferret boy works there," growled Ron.
Harry immediately looked for Hermione's reaction. "I haven't seen you with Draco lately in the cafeteria."
Hermione looked at him, surprised he noticed her dining companions. Harry only seemed to appear in the cafeteria and take items to go.
"She's avoiding him," Luna answered for Hermione. Surprised, the two young men focused on Hermione, waiting for an explanation.
"I have a lot of work to do. I tend to just eat with my department," stated Hermione.
"Draco made her very uncomfortable at the ball," Luna continued to explain. Hermione was tempted to hex her to close her mouth, but reconsidered that it would just cause more questioning. She noticed that Harry's grip on the towel tightened.
"Any other long lost secrets of mine you'd like to share?" Hermione noted sarcastically.
Luna paused for a moment in thought, then shook her head. "No." Her radish earrings swayed.
"Any baby pictures of Hermione you'd like to share? First kiss? First snog? Or, better yet, have you two girls kissed?" suggested Ron, wiggling his eyebrows.
Luna gasped and Hermione hit him in the arm. "Ow!" he cried out.
"You deserved that one, mate," Harry laughed.
Hermione started waving her hand in front of her face. "Is it getting hot in here?"
***
After their goodbyes and the women Apparated home to shower and change, Luna walked into Hermione's room and sat down on the bed, her expression dreamy. Hermione knew there was about to be a talk, so she sat down next to her.
After some moments in silence, Luna spoke.
"You two have a connection."
Hermione blinked. "Excuse me? Who two?"
"You and Harry. I haven't felt anything this strong since Ronald and me, but you two, I'm surprised I never felt it before."
Hermione smiled and shook her head. "I think we're becoming friends. And maybe you sense something on his side, he used to love me."
It was Luna's time to shake her head. "No. No, that's not it."
"Maybe it's all the pheromones in the sweat in that room. I had to wash my hair again-"
"No," Luna interrupted. "Your eyes are closed to it, but one day they'll open."
"You sounded a bit like a Seer just then." Hermione viewed her friend with a little bit of apprehension. "Divination was my least favourite class."
"I'm not surprised since you excelled in Arithmancy. You're quite logical."
"And you're not, that's why we're a great team."
Luna thought of someone else who'd make a great team with Hermione, but she kept her mouth closed and merely smiled.
***
Next Chapter: At the Ministry, Harry and Hermione work together.
Please read and review!
(A/N: Happy Holidays! Which also means things are incredibly busy. Please be patient, but Real Life is busy beyond words at the moment. Hopefully things will be quieter past Christmas. Only four more chapters! And thanks for the reviews, they're wonderful!)
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