Disclaimer: the characters belong to J.K.Rowling.
Chapter I - An Offer that Cannot Be Refused
Hermione Granger, the Gryffindor Head Girl was speechless. The head-hunter of the prestigious Morgana Institute of Magical Research was non other than the debonair Quidditch maniac Gryffindor heartbreaker Oliver Wood.
"You've changed, Miss Granger" he addressed her in his insufferable patronising manner "You were never one to be lost for words"
"I expected someone else"
"Did you imagine they'd pull Dr. McNaulty out of his experiments to come and assess whether you're Morgana material or not? You have quite a high opinion on yourself!"
"Mr. Wood, how can I persuade you I am indeed Morgana material?"
"That is completely up to you! We have an impressive number of candidates this year" he smiled.
This was a huge lie. Hermione Granger's place at the Morgana Institute was certain. Even a junior trainee like Oliver Wood knew that, but he felt like teasing her.
In spite of his striking good looks, Oliver was not used to talk to girls. He only had two girlfriends at Hogwarts and his submissive, nice guy behaviour made them unbearably bossy and controlling.
This job gave him an unexpected independence. He had to take decisions on his own and he was beginning to enjoy it. He was now in danger of passing in the other extreme. For the time being his assertiveness had a soothing effect on Hermione's temper. He gave her the impression he actually knew what he was doing. When she saw him, she was afraid that the Institute might have considered lightly her application.
"Miss Granger, the Morgana Institute is considering offering you a scholarship to the Cairo University. Due to your excellent curricular and extracurricular performances"
"I am honoured, Mr. Wood. Your letter made me very curious. Why Cairo?"
"We have a long term cooperation with them and we were informed of some recent discoveries, which could change dramatically the way we see magic today. However, the Institute feels it is wiser to have one of our own trusted students there and not rely wholly on their collaboration. Obviously, you will be bound by a magical contract of exclusivity with the Institute"
"Oh, I see. It is an impressive offer, but it's so far from home… I need some time to think about it"
"As long as you understand that we need to know right after your graduation. There are other candidates and we need to make the best choice. If you feel the distance from your family and your friends might affect your concentration, you should refuse. I'll be here on your graduation day for the answer"
"That's in two weeks. Plenty of time. Thank you for telling me this personally, Mr. Wood"
"Call me Oliver. What's the difference between us, two years?"
"Nearly four. You may call me Hermione, too" she smiled, showing him why she starred in so many boys' fantasies.
This was settled, but the atmosphere remained tensed. Oliver tried to make some pleasant conversation, but it wasn't really working.
"I hear Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup this year."
"Yes, Harry's unbeatable"
He felt a little bitterness. This implied that winning the Cup these past few years was solely Harry Potter's merit. Nothing to do with his own efforts.
"The new keeper is not as good as you" she went on.
His face brightened a little, only to plunge into a gloomy grimace at her next words
"That's what Harry says"
They finished the butterbear and said good bye awkwardly. Oliver Wood was still looking at her when he dissaparated. He wondered briefly if he had revealed too much of their objectives. Taking into account that he knew very little himself, there was only a slim chance of any real damage.
Hermione' s mind was filled with questions about her future. She had sent an application at the Morgana Institute hoping for a scholarship, but she had assumed that they would offer it to a European University. Egypt… Quite a challenge.
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"Egypt? Are you crazy? That's a million miles away! And do you know the weather? Bill says it's frightfully hot and there is sand everywhere"
"I thought he liked Egypt"
"He does, but the fact remains that it is a dreadful place"
Ron was mad. He had imagined they'd go to the University together. That was one of the main reasons for his effort to secure the aid of the Ministry of Magic. They had accepted his application to become an Auror and agreed to help with his University tuition. Ron had pretty much planned out his future. He felt he had a birth right to spend his life with her.
"It's a huge opportunity" Harry's voice was not convincing.
"Who's side are you on anyway?" Ron asked him angry.
"I'm on her side. She should do what's best for her"
Since his contribution and injuries in the latest battle against Voldemort, Ron was increasingly authoritative. This bothered Hermione most of all, who had the most to endure because of this change. His new, controlling attitude was driving her away.
"I haven't decided anything yet"
"You should have refused" Ron didn't accept her attempt to close the argument.
"How is Oliver?" Harry tried to change the subject.
"He's grown up" was all she could say.
This was not intended as a derogatory remark to Ron's childish outburst. Oliver Wood's appeal exerted on the female population of Hogwarts was well known and she just tried to stay away from any such feelings. Successfully. All she had seen in Oliver earlier that day was a suit. This was a Muggle way to put it. All she saw was his robes. She had stubbornly closed her eyes and her mind to his personal charm.
"Think what your parents will say!" this was Ron's last desperate attempt to help her take the right decision.
The door slammed behind him and neither of his friends ran after him.
Alone with Hermione, Harry felt odd. They had never talked about it, but they could both feel the innate affinity between them. The possibility of her leaving him completely, the idea of seeing her once every ten years, married, with children, was too much for him. Unfortunately for them both, Harry was now mature, almost old. His continuous fight with evil had taken its toll, snatching his innocence. He couldn't bring himself to start a war with new demons. Hurting Ron would certainly bring onto him the deepest darkness. Harry didn't have the strength to offer Hermione his half soul, his dark side.
"Do you want to go?"
"I don't know… I'd miss you all so much! But it is a huge opportunity… You said so yourself"
It was aching him to agree.
"You should do what you think it's right"
"Thanks, Harry. You're a great friend"
She hugged him briefly, kissing him on the cheek and left. A never-started story ended in the Gryffindor boys' bedroom, swept in a neutral dimension of the Universe, where all things that could have happened eventually end up. The Bad Timing Continuous just got richer with the improbable story of Harry and Hermione.
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All the unsaid words were spinning around in Harry's mind. He needed to talk to someone. Sirius was still fighting a guerrilla war against the few surviving Death Eaters. His godfather's blind obsession with the revenge on Pettigrew had brought him once more on the Ministry's black list. It had taken all of Dumbledore's influence to keep him from becoming a target for the Aurors and Dementors again.
His legs carried him to the Headmaster without realising. In front of his office, Harry pondered. All Dumbledore could say was that he should listen to his conscience. In the unlikely case he'd ever dare to approach the subject in front of the old wizard. No. He needed to talk to someone who wouldn't lecture him. Not about right and wrong at least.
In the Dungeons, Harry had the strangest non-conversation with Snape. The gist of it was that he had to be sure of what his feelings were. If he truly, deeply loved her, no other considerations should interfere. If not, he'd better nor hint to anyone about it.
To his regret, Harry buried any trace of romantic feeling he had for Hermione, resolved to look at her as the sister he never had.
Back in the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry ran into Ginny Weasley. After a cup of tea and a game of wizard's chess, things didn't seem all that bad anymore.
Ginny's secret crush on the Potion Master seemed a distant memory in this enchanted evening. Feeling Harry open up to her, she remembered the sheer agony that almost tore her soul when she had seen him unconscious. She had noticed Snape's body in the same condition only when Harry was awake again. In that moment she knew where her destiny stood.
She could still feel a strong attraction for Professor Snape, but this was only one of life's provocation. Harry's touch, the sound of his voice, his smile, his hair, the way he moved, attracting the all the light in the room to him, Harry's entire presence could disperse these temptations.
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Hermione found Ron in the DADA classroom. Lupin had given him permission to use it whenever he needed.
Looking at the beautiful girl who had been his for the past four years, Ron understood.
"Harry's right. You should do what's best for you"
"Ron, you don't love me. You just got used to me. It's OK. I understand"
"Things have changed so much… I do love you, Mione. I just don't know if this kind of love should stay at the foundation of a lifelong commitment"
"I love you, too. I always will. As a friend"
"I feel the world crumbling around me. I know Harry and you don't want to become Aurors, but at least I thought we'd have the University together. I feel like someone is trying to take away a part of my future"
"I haven't decided anything Ron. I still have two weeks to think about it"
"I know you. This challenge is what you crave. That stupid Wood knew exactly how to entice you! You've always wanted to take part in something great, something matching your intellectual abilities. If I know anything about you, eventually, you'll decide to go"
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