Chapter One... 'The Muggle Swimming Carnival'
Hermione Granger was not exactly known as the best swimmer. She had a fear of deep water, hated the muggle swimming classes she was forced to go to as a child and most of all, had hardly ever been to the beach in her whole life.
Ron Weasley however, was a different story. Over the summer holidays his family, and Harry Potter, had gone on a holiday to Australia after Fred and George won an inventing competition the previous year. Most of the money had been used for the holiday, which they had all thoroughly enjoyed however the mischievous twins had made sure they kept some aside for their next project... opening a joke shop to rival Zonko's in Hogsmeade.
Because of this exciting Australian adventure all of the Weasleys and Harry were now very much experienced at swimming and going to the beach. It was infact, Harry and Ron who suggested the swimming carnival to their Muggle Studies teacher, Professor Agate.
Most of the class had been riveted by the idea of a 'muggle like swim carnival' and a lot of the girls had been discussing what sort of 'bathing suit' to wear. Some had conjured up the most exotic of suits including a one-piece fit for a flamingo and a bikini so small that not even Ginny, Ron's tiny sister would have fitted into. Hermione on the other hand, could not think of anything worse. Having to swim in front of everybody at Hogwarts was a big deal but having to wear something so... small was even worse.
"Oh cheer up Hermione," said Ron as they strolled down the dim corridors of Hogwarts having just finished another wonderful Great Hall dinner.
"Easy for you to say," replied Hermione as she stared at Ron's tan. He sure had grown taller over the summer, he was hardly recognisable except for the honey tan, however he still had that fire engine red hair which made him (and the rest of the Weasleys) stand out. Harry too, had grown taller and was a good fifteen centimetres over Hermione's bushy brown hair.
"You know, you should have come to Australia with us," said Ron. "Fred and George did offer remember?"
"I remember," said Hermione, as they reached the portal to the Gryffindor Common Room. Gryffindor was one of four houses at Hogwarts and all of the Weasley children, Harry and Hermione were in it. Apparently, it meant that they all displayed bravery and this was something they were very proud of. None of them could have beared being put in Slytherin, the house of what they called 'evilness'. Draco Malfoy, their arch-enemy was a Slytherin and they all seemed like him... nasty, slimey and greasy bullies. Hermione continued. "But Mum and Dad couldn't afford it."
"Your parents didn't have to pay," added Harry and Ron at exactly the same time. It seemed they had become even closer friends over the holidays having spent nearly every waking moment together.
"But," Hermione sighed. "Oh don't worry."
"Password?" snapped the Fat Lady portrait who was obviously sick of waiting for slow children to enter. "Come on, I haven't got all day you know? Martha is having a party over on the Second Floor. I'd rather like to go but you lot keep me standing here all day. It's time for a new Password Portrait I'd say!"
Hermione, Harry and Ron ignored her lecture that continued for another three or four minutes. After she'd finally finished (and hardly taken a breath), Harry said the password.
"Bunny Hop," he said loudly.
"And about time!" the Fat Lady replied, swinging the painting out of the way so they could crawl through. As they did, they heard her mutter something that sounded a bit like, 'silly children... hmph'.
It was still in the first week of the new year at Hogwarts and they were all very glad to be back. Hogwarts was unlike most schools and all of the students (even the Slytherins) had to admit they enjoyed being there. They were enthusiastic about MOST of their classes and a lot of them even did their homework on time. There were a very exceptions of course, like Professor Snape's Potions class but no one could argue that Hermione was not the smartest of them all. Yet even the smartest had downfalls. Hermione's was water.
"I still don't get it," Ron was saying as they sat down in front of the fireplace which had kindly been lit by one of the house elves who worked at Hogwarts. It might even have been Dobby, a house elf who Harry and his friends were quite good friends with. Dobby had been of some help to Harry during the Triwizard Tournament, something that had resulted in the death of a student of Hogwarts... Cedric Diggory. Hermione fought back a tear as his memory seeped into her mind. "Why are you afraid of water?" Ron asked.
"I don't know how to explain it," Hermione retorted, fiddling with a Wizard Chess piece that had been left on the carpeted floor, all by itself. It was a Knight and a grumpy looking one at that. His head was a bit cracked from being dropped and it seemed eager to find the rest of it's friends. Hermione carefully placed it on the coffee table incase it tried to hit her or something.
"Well why don't you try?" Harry asked, just as curious as Ron but slightly more tactful.
Hermione sighed. She obviously wasn't going to be able to get anywhere until Harry and Ron had a satisfactory answer. So she took a deep breath and began. "I really don't know. There is something about water that scares me. I don't like being near it, except in the shower and drinking it of course but it's almost like an invisible wall. There is something inside that acts like a barrier, not letting me go near it... it's almost like it won't LET me in water." She blushed. "I know this must sound awfully silly," she added when she caught a glimpse of Ron who was struggling to fight back the giggles.
"Don't worry Hermione," said Harry. "It's just a dumb swimming carnival. There is nothing to be afraid of. You had muggle swimming classes didn't you?"
She nodded.
"Well you will be better than a lot of the other girls then won't you? Some of them have never swum in their lives!"
"I'm sure they are in the library right now, looking up some sort of magical spell to make them swim like a fish!" Hermione replied.
"Not everyone spends their life in the library," Ron muttered under his breath, a little louder than planned.
"I heard that!" Hermione said, quite upset but not letting it show... too much.
"Heard what?" asked Ron, an innocent, boy-like expression appearing out of nowhere on his freckle covered face.
"Calm down!" Harry interrupted, aware of the glares that were crossing the table between Ron and Hermione. Arguements were very common between those two and Harry had a feeling that if he wasn't there all the time to sort them out that someone was going to lose an eye one day.
Ron and Hermione fell silent. They both looked anywhere except at each other as Harry spoke.
"The swimming carnival is tomorrow and there is nothing any of us can do to stop it. Hermione, I suggest you try and get over your fears because in no sense will you get hurt. Dumbledore and the teachers know that not everyone can swim and will be taking all security measures," he too began to think about Cedric and the Triwizard Tournament. "Ron, you need to stop pestering Hermione about her fears. Everyone has some sort of phobia and I distinctly remember you have a great dislike of spiders. Now do you both understand me? Is this all clear?"
There was a silence so Harry took this as a 'yes' from both parties. "Good, now it's getting late and we all need a good night's sleep. So we better get a move on to bed."
They all rose from their chairs and Hermione couldn't help but notice that the Knight Chess piece was gone from the coffee table, he must have started an adventure to find the rest of the board.
"Good night," Hermione muttered to Harry and Ron.
"Good night," Ron muttered back.
"Sleep well," added Harry as they disappeared up to the separate Girl's and Boy's dormitories.
Author's Note: Tell me what you think about this story so far. It has a lot more in plan but I need to know whether to continue it or not. I am very excited about this one, the idea just CAME to me and I sat up till God knows when typing out my ideas and re-writing them over and over again. I personally think this story has the potential to be my best but I want to know what you all think too!
Hermione Granger was not exactly known as the best swimmer. She had a fear of deep water, hated the muggle swimming classes she was forced to go to as a child and most of all, had hardly ever been to the beach in her whole life.
Ron Weasley however, was a different story. Over the summer holidays his family, and Harry Potter, had gone on a holiday to Australia after Fred and George won an inventing competition the previous year. Most of the money had been used for the holiday, which they had all thoroughly enjoyed however the mischievous twins had made sure they kept some aside for their next project... opening a joke shop to rival Zonko's in Hogsmeade.
Because of this exciting Australian adventure all of the Weasleys and Harry were now very much experienced at swimming and going to the beach. It was infact, Harry and Ron who suggested the swimming carnival to their Muggle Studies teacher, Professor Agate.
Most of the class had been riveted by the idea of a 'muggle like swim carnival' and a lot of the girls had been discussing what sort of 'bathing suit' to wear. Some had conjured up the most exotic of suits including a one-piece fit for a flamingo and a bikini so small that not even Ginny, Ron's tiny sister would have fitted into. Hermione on the other hand, could not think of anything worse. Having to swim in front of everybody at Hogwarts was a big deal but having to wear something so... small was even worse.
"Oh cheer up Hermione," said Ron as they strolled down the dim corridors of Hogwarts having just finished another wonderful Great Hall dinner.
"Easy for you to say," replied Hermione as she stared at Ron's tan. He sure had grown taller over the summer, he was hardly recognisable except for the honey tan, however he still had that fire engine red hair which made him (and the rest of the Weasleys) stand out. Harry too, had grown taller and was a good fifteen centimetres over Hermione's bushy brown hair.
"You know, you should have come to Australia with us," said Ron. "Fred and George did offer remember?"
"I remember," said Hermione, as they reached the portal to the Gryffindor Common Room. Gryffindor was one of four houses at Hogwarts and all of the Weasley children, Harry and Hermione were in it. Apparently, it meant that they all displayed bravery and this was something they were very proud of. None of them could have beared being put in Slytherin, the house of what they called 'evilness'. Draco Malfoy, their arch-enemy was a Slytherin and they all seemed like him... nasty, slimey and greasy bullies. Hermione continued. "But Mum and Dad couldn't afford it."
"Your parents didn't have to pay," added Harry and Ron at exactly the same time. It seemed they had become even closer friends over the holidays having spent nearly every waking moment together.
"But," Hermione sighed. "Oh don't worry."
"Password?" snapped the Fat Lady portrait who was obviously sick of waiting for slow children to enter. "Come on, I haven't got all day you know? Martha is having a party over on the Second Floor. I'd rather like to go but you lot keep me standing here all day. It's time for a new Password Portrait I'd say!"
Hermione, Harry and Ron ignored her lecture that continued for another three or four minutes. After she'd finally finished (and hardly taken a breath), Harry said the password.
"Bunny Hop," he said loudly.
"And about time!" the Fat Lady replied, swinging the painting out of the way so they could crawl through. As they did, they heard her mutter something that sounded a bit like, 'silly children... hmph'.
It was still in the first week of the new year at Hogwarts and they were all very glad to be back. Hogwarts was unlike most schools and all of the students (even the Slytherins) had to admit they enjoyed being there. They were enthusiastic about MOST of their classes and a lot of them even did their homework on time. There were a very exceptions of course, like Professor Snape's Potions class but no one could argue that Hermione was not the smartest of them all. Yet even the smartest had downfalls. Hermione's was water.
"I still don't get it," Ron was saying as they sat down in front of the fireplace which had kindly been lit by one of the house elves who worked at Hogwarts. It might even have been Dobby, a house elf who Harry and his friends were quite good friends with. Dobby had been of some help to Harry during the Triwizard Tournament, something that had resulted in the death of a student of Hogwarts... Cedric Diggory. Hermione fought back a tear as his memory seeped into her mind. "Why are you afraid of water?" Ron asked.
"I don't know how to explain it," Hermione retorted, fiddling with a Wizard Chess piece that had been left on the carpeted floor, all by itself. It was a Knight and a grumpy looking one at that. His head was a bit cracked from being dropped and it seemed eager to find the rest of it's friends. Hermione carefully placed it on the coffee table incase it tried to hit her or something.
"Well why don't you try?" Harry asked, just as curious as Ron but slightly more tactful.
Hermione sighed. She obviously wasn't going to be able to get anywhere until Harry and Ron had a satisfactory answer. So she took a deep breath and began. "I really don't know. There is something about water that scares me. I don't like being near it, except in the shower and drinking it of course but it's almost like an invisible wall. There is something inside that acts like a barrier, not letting me go near it... it's almost like it won't LET me in water." She blushed. "I know this must sound awfully silly," she added when she caught a glimpse of Ron who was struggling to fight back the giggles.
"Don't worry Hermione," said Harry. "It's just a dumb swimming carnival. There is nothing to be afraid of. You had muggle swimming classes didn't you?"
She nodded.
"Well you will be better than a lot of the other girls then won't you? Some of them have never swum in their lives!"
"I'm sure they are in the library right now, looking up some sort of magical spell to make them swim like a fish!" Hermione replied.
"Not everyone spends their life in the library," Ron muttered under his breath, a little louder than planned.
"I heard that!" Hermione said, quite upset but not letting it show... too much.
"Heard what?" asked Ron, an innocent, boy-like expression appearing out of nowhere on his freckle covered face.
"Calm down!" Harry interrupted, aware of the glares that were crossing the table between Ron and Hermione. Arguements were very common between those two and Harry had a feeling that if he wasn't there all the time to sort them out that someone was going to lose an eye one day.
Ron and Hermione fell silent. They both looked anywhere except at each other as Harry spoke.
"The swimming carnival is tomorrow and there is nothing any of us can do to stop it. Hermione, I suggest you try and get over your fears because in no sense will you get hurt. Dumbledore and the teachers know that not everyone can swim and will be taking all security measures," he too began to think about Cedric and the Triwizard Tournament. "Ron, you need to stop pestering Hermione about her fears. Everyone has some sort of phobia and I distinctly remember you have a great dislike of spiders. Now do you both understand me? Is this all clear?"
There was a silence so Harry took this as a 'yes' from both parties. "Good, now it's getting late and we all need a good night's sleep. So we better get a move on to bed."
They all rose from their chairs and Hermione couldn't help but notice that the Knight Chess piece was gone from the coffee table, he must have started an adventure to find the rest of the board.
"Good night," Hermione muttered to Harry and Ron.
"Good night," Ron muttered back.
"Sleep well," added Harry as they disappeared up to the separate Girl's and Boy's dormitories.
Author's Note: Tell me what you think about this story so far. It has a lot more in plan but I need to know whether to continue it or not. I am very excited about this one, the idea just CAME to me and I sat up till God knows when typing out my ideas and re-writing them over and over again. I personally think this story has the potential to be my best but I want to know what you all think too!