Madam Puddifoot's
Summary: A take on Ron and Hermione's Apparation Lessons and Tests in Hogsmeade, and a visit to the cozy, Madam Puddifoot's Tea Room. Takes place in HBP. R/Hr.
Author Note: It seems like all the ideas have already been done, but I haven't seen this one yet. The story will be a ThreeShot, possibly a FourShot. So, anyway this is my first HP story. I love Ron/Hermione and hope to achieve justice in my writing.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Characters, Settings, etc.
Chapter One: The Lesson
A spring breeze swept across the lake, brushing against the Giant Squid's many tentacles and onto the Hogwarts grounds, where young students gathered, sorting wizard cards and scribing the last bits of their Defence Against the Dark Arts essays. It carried its way through the blossoming branches of the Whomping Willow, adorned with pink buds and green sprigs. It blew all the way to Hogwarts Grand doors which Professor McGonagall had just swung open, revealing the majority of the sixth years gathered in the Entrance Hall. They instantaneously pulled their cloaks tighter around them. For although the wind was refreshing, it still held the memory of chilly nights and snow.
"Attention," Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, "Because of recent affairs, you are to be escorted to and from Hogsmeade by myself and Professor Flitwick. Under no circumstances are you to leave Hogsmeade unaccompanied by your fellow sixth years, and without teacher supervision. After your lesson you will have till 11 o'clock to tour the shops. You are to meet outside the Three Broomsticks where we will then make our way back to the safety of the Hogwarts Grounds. Right this way then," and Professor McGonagall began to lead the sixth years through the Secrecy Sensors where Filch had already started jabbing a group of Hufflepuffs and looking disturbingly pleased when a student winced and a sharp prod.
Ron and Hermione stood with Harry near the back of the group, saying their farewells and giving him advice.
Hermione rolled her eyes as Harry depicted his plan to try to return to the Room of Requirement while they were away.
"You'd do better to go straight to Slughorn's office and try and get that memory from him," she instructed with a knowing air.
"I've been trying! He doesn't want to talk to me Hermione! He can tell I've been trying to get him on his own again and he's not going to let it happen!" Harry whispered, obviously irritated.
"Well, you've just got to keep at it then, haven't you?"
The line was filing out and Ron and Hermione were nearing the doors. Harry didn't answer in fear of being overheard.
"Just…," Harry trailed off, "Well, good luck then, see you at lunch," Harry finished speaking a little louder.
Hermione gave him a quick hug and hurried on to Filch, followed closely by Ron looking slightly annoyed. They stepped out onto the thawing grass, and looked up at the clear sky.
"It's a shame Harry can't come, he'll have to take his lessons by himself now in the summer. Although I suppose he could always take them with Neville," Hermione sighed.
"Yeah, okay," Ron mumbled looking distractedly at a group of girls ahead, craning his neck to see if Lavender was amongst them.
Hermione took no notice and continued on, "Harry didn't seem too fond of Apparation, he may just have had a few bad experiences with Dumbledore though. He always has brooms to fall back on as a means of transportation of course, where as I…" Hermione didn't finish her sentence looking suddenly worried.
"Destination, Determination, Deliberation," she whispered under her breath, repeating it many times.
"Hermione," began Ron suddenly coming to his senses, "Since when have you never passed something?"
"Oh, I don't know, but I'm bound to make a mistake eventually. This could be that one time…"
"Please Hermione, with every test you write it's like you've drank a flask of Felix Felicis. Let's see, 60/60 on the healing powers of morning dew, 40/40 on transfiguring garbage into useful items, and 69/70 on your Potions essay, ouch Hermione, you're slipping," Ron said listing off her accomplishments on his fingers.
Hermione caught Ron's eye and gave him a modest grin. He opened his mouth as if to say something, when a peel of girlish laughter sent him scurrying in front of Hermione as if to hide from the attackers. His attempt was offhand seeing as how he stood at least a foot taller than Hermione, his flaming hair still visible to all in the grade.
"Relax, it's only Hannah and Susan," Hermione said giving him a withering look, the smile gone off her face.
"Oh, right," he said with a peevish smile and straightened himself back into a dignified manner.
The steeples and rooftops of Hogsmeade were now visible, and few houses still had smoke billowing from their chimneys. Ron had lured Hermione into a conversation about house elves in order to escape her complaints about the Prince, which were started when she realized that she had in fact only received 69/70 on her essay. A topic Ron found to be only slightly less annoying.
Upon entering the village they found the streets almost entirely deserted, except for the stray elderly witch, and Professor Twycross with a man who appeared to be his assistant. They stood in the center of the square talking quietly, brought out of the conversation only once most of the students had congregated around them. The wooden hoops had made another appearance and were laid neatly out on the ground.
"Come in closer, yes, yes that's it," Twycross ushered.
"This here is my assistant, Mr. Tooke, he will be observing your attempts, failures and triumphs and telling you what to improve on. I will be available on request if you have any difficulties. Now then, can you please recite what we learned last lesson."
There was dead silence as the students looked around.
"The three D's…" Twycross prompted.
Looks of realization commandeered the young faces.
"1…2…3"
"Destination, Determination, Deliberation," the students echoed. Hermione threw a glance at Ron who had instead said "Destination, Divination, Definition."
"Excellent, excellent! Today we're going to start off practicing the basics, just as we did last time. Find a spot and focus on apparating a meter from that spot."
The group split up, and scattered themselves amongst the area, Ron and Hermione choosing a spot over near the boarded up Zonko's.
"One: Fix your mind determinedly upon the desired destination."
Ron stole a glance at Hermione who was staring at the ground across from her as though trying to penetrate through the cobblestone with her eyes.
"Two: Focus your determination to occupy the visualized space. Let your yearning to enter it flood from your mind to every part of your body."
Ron pictured Hermione's body, still staring at the patch across from him. He glanced again at Hermione who he noticed was staring at him. Blushing furiously he tried to clear his mind. Apparation didn't seem all that different from his usual daydreams.
"Three: When I give the command, turn on the spot, feeling your way into nothingness moving with deliberation! One…Two…THREE!"
Ron did a small spin and felt himself being strangled around the middle, he tried to kick his feet but couldn't. It was as though he had been glued into a stiff board. The next thing he knew he had landed right beside Hermione, dangerously close. He looked back to where he had just been standing and realized that he had carried himself on an angle to Hermione's destination. Blushing, he ran over to his original intended place, feigning as though he himself had apparated there perfectly.
He could feel Hermione's eyes on him; he looked sideways and caught a smile on her lips. Naturally, she had done it perfectly.
"Well done Ms.Granger! The rest of you…keep practicing…" Twycross bellowed, turning back to continue to compliment Hermione.
Ron scowled and walked back to his starting position. Over the course of the next 15 minutes, he had succeeded in landing a meter away from his spot, but not without mistakes. His hand was the first to be left behind, and then his ears, causing him to become deaf and not knowing the proper countercharm to re-attach them he had to be pulled aside and have Mr. Tooke put them back on, much to his displeasure.
Hermione stifled her laughter as he returned, his cheeks a deep scarlet.
"Alright, please find a partner. Stand directly across from each other," Twycross instructed.
Hermione gave Ron a small smile for confirmation that they would be partners. They stood across from each other and waited for the next instruction.
"On the count of three, I want you to switch places with your partner by apparating, ready, 1,2,3!" Wilkie Twycross said briskly.
Ron was caught off guard and before he had even focused on his destination, Hermione had apparated right on top of his feet. Ron stumbled backwards causing him to sprawl right out onto the cobblestone with Hermione tumbling down right on top of him.
Blimey, you idiot. Should have paid attention. But at least I broke her fall, yeah right, I broke her fall.
Hermione was now blushing and attempting to scramble off of him. Ron could hear Seamus laughing at them from across the way.
Ron stood up and offered a hand to Hermione, then said in a voice very much like Twycross,
"Disastrous, disastrous! Work on your landing Ms.Granger, you're likely to put someone in the hospital wing with that kind of carelessness."
Hermione fumed and was about to retort when a shriek from nearby caused both of them to whirl around.
Dean had apparated only his torso and head while his legs wandered away from him. Twycross and Tooke rushed over heaving Dean's torso up.
"Oh dear, oh dear, class dismissed!" called Twycross running a wrinkled hand through his wispy hair.
Professor Flitiwick was spotted coming out of Honeydukes with a very large bundle of sugar quills with red ink, something rarely stocked.
He announced that the students may now do as they please for the remaining 40 minutes.
The group was starting to congregate around Honeydukes, and Ron spotting Parvati Patil tried to make a quick exit by grabbing Hermione's hand and leading her inside the Three Broomsticks.
AN: The next chapter will be set inside the three broomsticks, then the next one at Madam Puddifoots. Please review, they keep me writing.