FELIX FELESIS: From Hermione's point of view.
This was one of my favourite chapters in the Half-Blood Prince, and I just wanted to put a new perspective on it.
Disclaimer: Unless I've been sniffing glue lately, i'm NOT JKR, nor do I claim to be. And no, I'm not going to try to sell this either.
Harry told them about his private lesson with Dumbeldore while walking towards the greenhouses for their first period Herbology lesson. He was unable to fill them in over breakfast, Hermione assumed, because he didn't want anyone else to overhear. There were still a great number of hopeful females lurking about.
"Wow, scary thought," Said Ron quietly, his voice an octave higher than usual. "the boy You-Know-Who."
They took their places around a seemingly dead lump of wood which Hermione recognized instantly as a gnarled snargaluff stump.
"But is still don't get why Dumbeldore's showing you all this. I mean it's really interesting and everything, but whats the point?" continued Ron.
Hermione thought hard. Surely there had to be a reason for all this. Dumbeldore wasn't a man with a lot of free time on his hands, so to make time for Harry's lessons just to show him this? There had to be a reason.
"I think its fascinating," She said slowly but honestly, "It makes absolute sense to know as much about Voldemort as possible. How else will you find out his weaknesses?"
She put on her protective gloves.
"So," said Harry abruptly "how was Slughorn's latest party?"
Hermione flared up, but did so internally. She still hadn't asked Ron to go with her to Slughorn's Christmas party, and was hoping this subject could be avoided until the time when she finally did.
"Oh it was quite fun really," She said now slipping on her protective goggles. She hoped by supplying him with this information, he would be more eager to go, unfortunately though, it seemed to have the opposite effect. "I mean, he drones on about famous ex-pupils a bit, and he absolutely fawns on McLaggen because so so "well connected", but he gave us some really nice food and he introduced us to Gwenog Jones"
As soon as the last words escaped her mouth, she wished she could take them back. Ron obviously nursed a soft spot for Jones, bringing her up now would just draw attention away from herself which was the last thing she wanted.
"Gwenog Jones?" he said with a stat. 'The Gwenog Jones? Captain of the Holyhead Harpies?
"That's right." said Hermione darkly. "Personally, I thought she was a bit full of herself but -"
"Quite enough chat over here!" Called professor sprout as she came hurrying over. "Your lagging behind, everybody else has started and Neville's already got his first pod!"
They all looked around, and there was Neville with several cuts along the side of his face and a split, bloody lip. He was holding what could be compared to a green water balloon filled with newly hatched anacondas trying desperately to get out. Hermione looked away quickly, quite repulsed.
"OK, Professor, we're starting now!" called Ron. "Shoud've used Muffiato, Harry."
"No we shouldn't!" Started Hermione immediately. She couldn't understand how anyone could approve even the slightest of using spells scribbled down by an unknown in an old textbook. "Well come on .... we'd better get going."
She was going to have to ask him soon. She noticed Lavender was warming up to Ron, and fast. How much time did she have before Lavender decided to move in? She was watching him (as she found herself doing increasingly often) trying to burst the pulsing snargluff pod in the bowl.
"Anyway," She started with a calm voice, although she could feel her own heart pick up speed. "Slughorn's going to have a Christmas party, Harry, and there's no way you'll be able to wriggle out of this one because he actually asked me to check your free evenings, so he could be sure to have it on a night you can come."
Harry gave a little groan, but she wasn't paying attention, Her she was watching Ron again. He narrowed his eyes and put more pressure still on the snargluff pod.
"And this is another party just for Slughorn's favourites, is it?" He asked looking angry.
"Just for the Slug Club, yes." Said Hermione a little cautious.
He squeezed the pod so hard that it flew out of the bowl, hit the greenhouse glass, rebounded and knocked Professor Sprout's hat of herbs of her head, which Harry then went to retrieve. Hermione saw her chance.
"...Ron, actually I-"
"Save it Hermione," He cut her off. "Go to you stupid Snail Gang party or whatever, I really couldn't care less." It couldn't have been more obvious that this wasn't true.
"Look," She rebounded, slightly dis-hearted at his reply. "I didn't make up the name 'Slug Club'-"
" 'Slug Club' " He mocked with a jibe. "It's pathetic."
This wasn't good. Hermione didn't see it like this in her head. Things weren't going according to plan, even though she didn't have a plan.
"Well, I hope you enjoy your party. Why don't you try getting off with McLaggen, then Slughorn can make you King and Queen Slug -"
"We're allowed to bring guests," She blurted out. She could feel herself going quite hot, and judging by the colour of her hands, she was indeed scarlet. "and I was going to ask you to come, but if you think it's stupid then I won't bother!"
There was a pause, and with every passing second, the greenhouse seemed to get warmer and warmer.
"You... were going to ask me?" asked Ron in an eagerly cautious voice.
"Yes!" She said angrily, "But obviously if you'd rather I 'got off with McLaggen'....."
Another pause.....
"No, I wouldn't." He replied in a hushed voice.
Hermione's heart felt like it skipped a few beats. Was it her or did Ronald Wesley just accept her invitation? She wasn't sure. 'No I wouldn't'. What did that mean? She looked down at her feet.
Suddenly, a crash brought all of her senses back to her. She looked around hastily, only to find harry standing there looking indifferent.
"Reparo" He muttered. The bowl instantly flew back together.
How long had he been standing there, she hadn't even noticed. How much had he heard? Flustered, she skimmed through 'Flesh-Eating Trees of the World' for the best way to burst gnarled Snargluff pods.
"Hand that over Harry," she said, still a little pink, "it says were supposed to puncture it with something sharp...."
Over the next couple of days, Hermione noticed a slight change in Ron's and her own relationship. It wasn't major, but at least it was something. A few extra "pleases' and 'thank-you's' here and there, and, this was only very minor, a slight let up of awkwardness, but very slight.
"No more letters from Dumbeldore?" asked Ron in a quiet voice as they were walking to Transfiguration one day.
Harry shook his head
"Come to think of it," he continued, "I don't think I saw him at breakfast this Mor-" But he didn't finish the sentence. Lavender brown was walking past arm in arm with Parvati Patil. She flashed a brilliant smile his way and waved whole-heartidly. Ron returned her smile with a confused, cautious one and waved back.
It was as if something inside Hermione broke. She felt her blood boil and her hands clench into fists, and fought off the bazaar urge to let Crookshanks loose on Lavender's hair. Ron automatically puffed out his chest and straightened his posture, he began to walk a little faster, taking bigger steps as he went along. She looked to Harry for help, but her mearly shrugged his shoulders. She glanced over her shoulder, and to her surprise, Lavender was doing the same thing. She gave Hermione a kind of smug look then turned back. Ever since Ron became keeper, there was tension in the girls dormitory.
Transfiguration passed that day rather quickly. Hermione for once in her life, couldn't give an exact summary of what Professor McGonigall was saying. This was because she was mostly daydreaming and staring at the back of the red head in front of her. Fantasies were swimming around in her mind like tornadoes, the worst part is that she didn't want to stop them.
" - But perhaps Miss Granger could show us how it's done." Finished Professor McGonigall. Hermione looked up, startled. Every eye in the room was on her, Including Ron's. However McGonigall didn't look stern, in fact, she looked down right amused. Her eyes flashed from Hermione to Ron and back.
"Uh..." Hermione stuttered as McGonigall raised her eyebrows, still looking amused.
Hermione drew her wand, concentrated, and thought 'Oppungo'. Instantly, a flock of yellow canaries burst out the tip and started to circle around the room. Most eyes turned away, for this was normal. The exception was Ron, he grinned and mouthed 'good one' to which Hermione turned a faint shade of pink. McGonigall chuckled, and the whole class seemed a little taken aback. McGonigall was NOT the one for a laugh, she would only break her silence unless she absolutely had to. Hermione heard a little 'humph' from behind her and turned. Lavender was sitting on he stool looking a little grumpy. Hermione returned the smile given earlier. She thought she heard another faint chuckle come from the front of the class.
Harry lagged behind after class, Hermione assumed, to talk about Quidditch with Dean Thomas. Ron had already made a break for the Common room which left Hermione to walk to Ancient Runes alone, her face buried in a book she wasn't really reading.
"Hi, Hermione!" came a voice from in front. She looked up, and sure enough, there was Lavender brown a few paces away from her, feigning a broad smile. Parvati Patil was tugging on her shoulder frantically. And, of course, Hermione smiled back.
"Hi, Lavender," she started, her voice calm. "How are you?"
"Oh, I'm OK, hows Ron?"
She knew it....
"Ron? Oh, he's fine. Why do you ask?"
Lavender gave a little shrug. "No reason in particular," she said, her smile widening. " Its just that I've been down to the pitch a few times, you know, to watch practise, and Ron seemed uneasy. Like there was a lot on his mind, like something was really bothering him." Lavender turned and set of down the hallway again, much to Parvati's relief.
There was a pause..
Something inside Hermione was set loose. Something large with teeth and claws, gnawing and tearing at her insides. It took all of her willpower not to turn Lavender into a ball of yarn for Crookshanks. She began to leave as well.
"Ron is an excellent player," she said, keeping her voice as calm as she could. "he's just a little nervous."
A snigger from behind sent Hermione reeling, she decided to drop the bombshell.
"Were going to Slughorn's Christmas party together, you see."
The foot falls from behind her stopped at once she heard Lavender whirl around where she stood, and even the faint, very faint, sound of teeth clencing together.
Hermione turned,still smiling. Lavender was watching her carefully, her eyes narrowd down to slits. Parvati looked like she was going to faint.
"Is that so?" said Lavender in a hushed voice. She suddenly rearranged her features and beamed, if possible, even bigger than before "That explains a lot." And with a chuckle, she turned away, Parvati at her heels, leaving Hermione in the deserted corridor.
REVIEW PLEASE!! I NEED MOTIVATION FOR THE NEXT PART.
sorry there was a lot of quoting from the book in this one, as i said its just my favourite chapter from Hermione's POV