Title: Hobbled (1/?)
Author: elgatoneun
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: It's going to be Harry/Draco
Summary: The ancient practice of hobbling is discovered. Several of Hogwarts' finest find that they have not been living up to their full potential.
Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me.
Spoilers: Everything up to and including book 4.
Feedback: Would be appreciated
Notes: This takes place during the gang's 6th year. The year before was relatively quiet with no overt Voldemort activity.
"It's so unfair!"
Harry Potter looked up calmly towards Hermione, placidly munching on his toast slathered in red jam. It might have been raspberry or strawberry, he never could tell.
"Here she goes again," muttered in an exasperated air by the tall redhead sitting next to him. Ron and Hermione were forever on and off since last year. Currently, they were decidedly off.
She leveled an evil look in his direction. Ron shut up and scowled down at his porridge. On or off, it was not wise to get on the bad side of Hermione. She looked around the Gryffindor table, clearly expecting a response.
Harry sighed mentally. He finished chewing.
"What's so unfair, Hermione?"
"Just look at the head table, Lauren is sitting there all by herself. It's just not fair. She should be sorted and be able to go to classes. She looks so lonely and miserable."
In unison most of the Gryffindors turned to look at the petite teenager sitting at the end of the Headmaster's table. Lauren Jamison had come to Hogwarts a week after the term had started. She was the niece of the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Helen Connor.
Professor Connor had taken over after the predictable exit of the DADA professor of the previous year. Most of the students had been sorry to see Professor Frampton leave. He was not as knowledgeable as Lupin, but neither was he as cracked as Moody nor as ridiculous as Lockhart. It had looked as if he might last.
While Hermione continued on, passionately advocating Lauren's participation in the regular school curriculum, Harry glanced over at the Hufflepuff table.
Some kind of incident last April with the third year Hufflepuffs, one of Hagrid's fully grown Blast-Ended Skrewts, an ancient Muggle device called a catapult and balloons filled with bubotuber puss brought an end to poor Professor Frampton. Not literally of course, no one was able to ascertain what had really happened. The old classroom had been destroyed. Bits and pieces of Skrewt had become embedded in the walls (Hagrid had cried for two days) and the Professor had gone into petrified shock for a week. Thereafter, he refused to go within 50 feet of those "cursed, vile, vicious monsters (the Hufflepuffs)."
Professor Snape had taken over teaching the combined third year Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff DADA class. Somehow, the Ravenclaw third years had been individually locked away in the various dungeons located in the castle on the day of the Incident (as it came to be known). It took seven hours to find them all. They never said who had incarcerated them but had given their Hufflepuff counterparts the silent treatment for weeks.
Harry was brought back to the present by Hermione's continuing diatribe.
"I think we should generate a petition to demand that she be allowed to enroll in Hogwarts with all the same rights and privileges as the rest of us." Hermione sat down triumphantly, sure that her point had been made.
"But what if she doesn't want to go to classes?" piped little Dennis Creevey. He was not so little anymore, as he'd just had a growth spurt, but he was still on the smallish side. Dennis was known for embracing danger with rapturous abandon; the persons sitting immediately next to him scooted away. Hermione in a pet was not a pretty sight.
Surprisingly, instead of blasting young Creevey for his impertinence, she merely looked thoughtful.
"Hm, well, I hadn't thought of that. Thank you, Dennis." The rest of the table resumed eating, while Dennis beamed at his older brother Colin. He had a not-so-secret crush on the older girl.
Several days later, copies of the petition were floating around school (literally) bombarding students as they made their way to classes. Hermione was traversing the halls with Lauren collecting the petitions that were full. She was also keeping up a running commentary on the different classes and subjects that Lauren might possibly take.
"I think you might fancy Potions, Snape is extremely difficult, but, considering your … um … history, you might do very well there." Hermione broke off awkwardly. After having determined that Lauren was indeed interested in socializing with the other students, Hermione made it her responsibility to befriend the shy American girl. Lauren was a year younger at fifteen, and until last year had absolutely no formal magical education.
Lauren Jamison had lived her first fourteen years with her maternal Grandmother in Las Vegas. Her grandmother had been a non-magical person in a largely magical family, a Squib as it were. Hermione disliked using that word; she felt most magical terms in reference to Muggles were derogatory. She had tried to start a movement to call Muggles NMP (nimp) for Non-Magical Person, but as it sounded like "an imp" to most, confusion abounded. Not to mention the fact that it offended actual imps, they were sensitive creatures, and so the matter had been dropped.
"It's okay. I'm not ashamed or anything. Potions seems to be a lot like Chemistry and I'm pretty good at Science." Lauren was very soft-spoken. She was pretty in a quiet sort of way. She seemed very wholesome.
"Well, Muggle Studies might be interesting for you, it's fascinating to look at the regular world from a magical perspective. Herbology, too, is very useful. If you're good in Maths, you might like Arithmancy, it's …" Hermione was interrupted by the large form of Gregory Goyle, who bumped into her thereby knocking her down.
"Watch where you're going, you big … oh, it's just Granger. Good work." Draco Malfoy's distinctive voice cut through the air. He walked around the body of his large companion and smiled down at her, delighted to see her sprawled on the ground at his feet. It was where she really belonged in his opinion.
Lauren helped pull Hermione up. She brushed away some of the dirt that was smudged on the back of her robes. Hermione glared at Draco and the monstrosity he called friend. The monstrosity … um … Goyle blinked.
He sheepishly mumbled an apology, causing Draco to grimace at his friend's cowardice. Hermione really had gained a reputation through the years.
"Well, it's nice to know that some Slytherins have manners." She looked pointedly at Draco and then she gestured to Lauren.
"Goyle, this is Lauren. She'll be taking some classes here." It was a bit awkward, but Goyle stuck out his hand. Lauren shook his hand, charmed by his boyish reluctance.
"It's Gregory, um, I'm Gregory Goyle." He bared his teeth in what was presumably a smile.
"Nice to meet you, Gregory." Lauren tugged politely, but her hand was held firm. The two other members of this little tableau were discomfited by this unlikely interchange. Draco rolled his eyes impatiently and finally disengaged Goyle's meaty paw from the girl's more delicate grip. He pushed impatiently at Goyle's left shoulder, urging him to move.
"Good Lord, Goyle, get a move on. Crabbe is still in the infirmary." Draco paused thoughtfully, "I don't know how he got his face stuck to that portrait again. I wonder how much skin they had to rip off this time. C'mon now, let's go." Draco demanded impatiently. He was finally successful in getting his large friend to move. He shot a dismissive glance at the girls. They left the girls standing in the hall looking after them.
"Honestly, that Malfoy, he's so annoying," fumed Hermione. She fought the urge to stamp her foot.
"He's kind of cute." Lauren caught Hermione's horrified expression.
"Well, he is, even if he is sort of a jerk." Hermione saw the stubborn set of the younger girl's jaw. She sighed and patted Lauren on the arm maternally.
"Lauren, my girl, you have so much to learn."