Disclaimer: I don't own anything that relates to the Harry Potter series or franchise.
Chapter 1 - Something to Shout About
The war was over, had been for some time, and life in the wizarding world had returned to something akin to normalcy. After the final battle, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger had decided to go back to Hogwarts to finish their seventh and final year. And now with only a month left to graduation, the three best friends found themselves making plans for the future they had spent the larger part of their childhood to enable.
Harry and Hermione had decided to take up Potions for their last year and had just stoppered the last vial in the last Potions class ever. Harry couldn't walk out the door fast enough when Professor Snape had declared that they all could "get lost," and Hermione had to run after him to catch up.
"Finally, Hermione! Do you know how many subjects we have left before we're out of here forever? Two! And they will be a breeze! I mean, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms, come on!" Harry beamed at her and made a little dance.
When he didn't get any response, he irritably waved a hand in front of her face.
"Hello? Earth to Hermione?"
She blinked at him, returning to the present.
"Sorry, I was just thinking—" Hermione stopped walking and bit her lip. "You know what. Go ahead to dinner. I'll be right behind you," she said and made to double back to the Potions classroom, but before she had put one foot in front of the other, Harry had turned equally as fast and caught her by the elbow.
"Hey! What are you doing?" she shrieked as he pulled her into a deserted part of the corridor, dragging her behind a statue.
"You're not thinking of asking him, are you?" he said and let go of her abruptly.
"Well I have to, don't I?" she said angrily, rubbing her elbow. "I can't just ignore him. I've asked all my other professors."
"I forbid it," Harry said testily.
"You forbid it?" Hermione snorted in disbelief.
"Yes. You heard me. I don't care what he did for us, for everybody, in the war. I don't care that he saved me, us, numerous times and loved my mother and ... whatever. He's still an extremely arrogant, stuck-up git and he'll laugh at you and ridicule you and make you feel foolish for even considering ... this." He made a motion with his hand. "He doesn't deserve it, not from you. It's too ... nice, Hermione."
"Wow," Hermione said and arched her eyebrow ever so slightly.
"Wow, what?"
"You are incredible."
"Wait ... what?"
"Incredibly daft, that is. Stop overreacting. I don't know if you've noticed but ever since I started dating Christopher, you've been overbearingly protective of me."
"He doesn't have anything to do with—"
"I'm not Ginny Weasley, or her mother, or God forbid, Tonks. I'm not a woman in dire need of rescuing or protecting."
"That is really uncalled for. Tonks is more than capable—"
"And also, and let me be perfectly clear regarding this, I'm merely going to extend Professor Snape the same courtesy I've offered to all of the other professors. That's it. I can take care of myself, Harry, as I've proven time and time again."
Harry fell quiet, slightly taken aback. He sighed and ran a hand through his unruly hair.
"It's just ... after all we've been through ... I can't stand the people I love being mistreated. Or made fun of, for that matter. And as long as we're on the topic of Christopher ... You know how I feel about him."
He shrugged.
"There's nothing wrong with him in particular; it's just ... well, he's not ..." He let the issue drop when he saw a sudden flare of anger in Hermione's eyes and attempted a different approach instead.
"As for the overprotecting part, I guess I'm not used to not having the pressure of saving the world on my shoulders anymore. Sometimes I feel like I'm not needed anywhere by anyone."
"I know," Hermione said, anger subsiding. This wasn't the first time they had discussed their difficulties acclimating to life after years of danger and war looming over them. The post-war world was, in some ways, even harder to live in when it was void of the constant threat of Voldemort rising to power.
"But I can't be your pet project until you find something else to do with your time. You need to stop smothering me and start remembering that I fought Voldemort alongside you. I think I'm capable enough to handle anything that life decides to throw in my way. Even snarky Potions professors." She paused. "And I would really like it if you could find it in your heart to believe I possess that capability as well."
Harry gave her a lopsided grin and threw his hands up in a defeated gesture. "I'm sorry. You're right. You always are." He put his arm around her shoulders as they made their way back to the Potions classroom. "I really do need to find something or someone to smother," he said and casually added, "Maybe I should get a cat."
They came to a halt outside the old, wooden door and looked at each other. "We'll be fine," Hermione said and squeezed his hand reassuringly.
"Now leave, and let me make a fool of myself in peace."
Author's note:
Something to Shout About is a song by the Exciters.