Hi, readers.
This is my first Harry/Hermione story. I stand by my opinion that Hermione deserves more than Ron. And even Rowling confessed that there was always a pull between Harry and Hermione, no matter how hard she tried to keep them apart.
So though I love their friendship and the platonic relationship and wouldn't change it in the books, it calls for a little fun in fanfiction.
This story is inspired by a Harlequin book I read long ago, where two people investigate a castle. All credit goes to JKR and the writer of the Harlequin book. I do not own anything, except the plot points.
Hermione got out of the train and stretched, taking in the small station she was in. She loved travelling by train, especially because of her childhood journeys to and from Hogwarts. Because of that, she always felt trains were somehow all part of a magical journey, and it gave her a thrill to watch the countryside whip past her window.
A man approached her. "Miss Granger? Lady Grey asked me to escort you up to the castle."
Hermione smiled politely at him, and said, "Thank you."
He proceeded to hoist all her luggage(there was a considerable amount of it) onto his head, and walked out of the station. Keeping an eye on the pile tottering on his head, Hermione followed him. She climbed into an impeccably clean, yet old-fashioned carriage, remembering fondly, once again, the Thestral rides to the castle.
For the past year and a half, she had been working at Hogwarts as the Charms teacher, after Professor Flitwick decided to retire to his summer villa in Hawaii. A few weeks before the start of another school year, Headmistress McGonagall had approached her. An old friend of hers, the last in the line of X, feared her home was haunted by a poltergeist.
Minerva had reminisced fondly about her friend, "Vera was one of my only Muggle friends who truly knew what I was. She never held my magic against me, though. Probably because her family lore paints her ancestors to have magical powers."
Minerva had further explained that she wanted Hermione to investigate, and to try and kick the poltergeist out of the castle.
"Castle?" Hermione had asked.
"Oh, yes, dear. Her late husband, Mark, was the Lord of Sherrington, which lies in the mountains. They own a castle there. I was hoping you could stay in their castle and investigate?"
Hermione had agreed, and now here she was, being trundled up to a castle, in a horse-driven carriage, from a railway station, in a town that was a curious mix of the old and the new.
She opened up her letter from Lady Grey, reading it again.
Dear Hermione,
Minerva has explained that you are her best student and that there is no one better to help me. I should explain the situation to you. The Historical Board of Sherrington wants to purchase the castle and convert into a museum, or to dismantle it and sell it to bidders. But this is my home, and I shall not let that happen. What first started as rumours about a haunting at the castle, has turned true. A ghost seems to walk the corridors, though Minerva says I should call it a poltergeist. I cannot leave the castle, as that means the Board will take over. So please help me get rid of the poltergeist.
For sake of appearances, we shall pretend that you are my friend's daughter, come to visit me for the summer holidays.
Thank you,
Vera.
She realised the carriage had stopped, and the door opened. She climbed out, and was met by a slim, pretty woman, in her mid-forties. Worry lines had deepened the few wrinkles she had, and her hair was artfully pinned up. She was dressed, however, in a modern blouse and skirt.
"Hermione! Welcome, dear, and thank you once again for coming."
Her smile brightened up her face, and Hermione immediately liked her.
As they walked up the pathway, Vera said, in a low voice, "I should have telephoned ahead. There has been.. a complication."
"Already?" asked Hermione.
"Yes," said Vera, looking around subtly to see if they were being watched. "The Board hired a paranormal activity detective. I am afraid he will be a hindrance to you."
They reached the steps leading to the huge front door.
As they climbed it, Vera muttered, "He was supposed to be here to greet you. No punctuality, I suppose."
Suddenly there was a ear-splitting creaking sound. A dark figure dashed towards her from behind a pillar and plowed into her, sending her crashing onto the floor a few feet away.
And part of the wooden beam from the roof collapsed on the very spot she had been standing, a second ago.
Hermione realised she was panting in shock. She took deep breaths to calm herself, and suddenly realised that she was lying atop her rescuer. Her legs were entangled in his, and her hair was all over his face. Whoever he was, she owed her life to him. She raised her head shakily, trying to meet his eyes and thank him.
She froze. That unruly spread of jet-black hair, with that patch that stuck up in the back, and those piercing green eyes behind those skewed spectacles.
She clambered off him with a speed that must have made her look comical. He got up slowly, brushing dust off his formal shirt and pants, as Vera said, shakily, "Thank goodness you were here, Mr. Potter. Hermione, this was who I was just telling you about. Mr. Potter, this is Miss Hermione Granger."
He stretched his hand out towards her, a small smile playing on his lips.
"Call me Harry."
There is fraction of plot in this story, but also enough smut to keep us happy. After all, what's sex without a fight?
Read the next chapter to find out why Hermione's shocked to see Harry, and why Harry is so cool to her. What's he doing as a paranormal activity detective anyway?
Review! Please! Also check out my other stories!