Another new story, a bit of a twist on the classic Potter tale, and very out of character! But please enjoy none the less :) and please review if you want more!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its affiliates! :)
Chapter Two: Arithmancy
It was almost five as Ron walked down into the common room for his morning jog, dressed in his sweats and small t-shirt. Jumping the last two steps, he yawned and stretched out his arms wide; he reached for his toes then stood straight. Breathing deep he moved to leave but stopped as he passed by the large settee placed in front of the dying embers of a once roaring fire. Hermione was laid sprawled about it, a hand reaching to the floor where a very large copy of Numerology and Grammatica lay, pages bending behind itself. He chuckled slightly and bent over to reach for it, as his fingers brushed the pages, she gave a shuddering breath and shivered slightly. He turned to face her, fingertips still lightly against the spine of her book. Her kimono robes only held onto her by the bottom of her arms was splayed out beneath her, her small nightwear on show and hitched up her thighs, her straps slipping from her shoulders slightly. He moved to kneel before of her, looking her over. He noticed the small bruise that he had left upon her ear, and he twitched slightly. He stared at it, inching forward. He kissed the darkened skin lightly, and then stiffened. He pulled back quickly and wiped his lips with the back of his hand, wide-eyed. He hurriedly pulled her clothes back around her, put her book upon the arm of the sofa next to her head and stood, turning from her and hurrying through the portrait hole, not looking back.
~x~x~x~
Hermione sat with Ginny Weasley in the Great Hall, huddled together fussily looking over a copy of Witch Weekly. They had open a double page dedicated to Denison Frisby, Keeper of the English Quidditch Team. Both with cheek in hand sighed, smiling dreamily. "I like Keepers," Hermione babbled and Ginny snapped her head towards her best friend.
"Oh, you have a thing for my brother, do you?" She snickered, but received a light slap to her arm for it,
"Good Keepers Ginny! Certainly not the kind like Weasley!" She huffed, but turned back towards her magazine. "Now, Keepers like Denison...that's more like it!" She giggled, and Ginny nodded vigorously.
"Ooh, it's a Seeker or a Keeper for me, I'm not too fussy! But since one of them is my brother, Seeker it is!" She waved her hands slightly in delight. Hermione looked confused at her, pushing her glasses over the brim of her nose,
"You mean Harry Potter?" Her eyes twitched in the direction of her long ginger haired friend, who blushed scarlet, looking towards her knees. Hermione broke a smile and took Ginny's hands in hers, "Oh Gin! Since when?" Her hair was mad, big and bushily flailing around her face. "I mean, Harry Potter!" She practically screamed. Those closest to them turned, staring shocked.
"Shhh! Hermione! I haven't even told him yet! You know what Ron would be like, and besides, I'm his best friends little sister, why would he want anything to do with me?" She whispered sadly, a tear threatening to swell,
"Ginevra! Don't be so silly! He's not a manwhore like...well...Ronald...he's nice, just a bit of an idiot. You should go for it!" She reassured her, nodding all the while.
"You think?" Ginny brightened, "But please don't bring up the promiscuity of that moron I'm related to." She added, looking slightly put off.
"How they're friends is completely beyond my comprehension." Hermione folded her arms a little, "But at least there's still Denison though," and she leant forward into the article again, but sighed, "I have Arithmancy now, I stayed up all night practicing for the test, I even fell asleep on the sofa!" She looked up to her friend who had become distant, staring over her head towards the giant doors of the Entrance Hall. Hermione frowned and turned in the direction of her stare, then chuckled lightly. Ron had come through the door shirtless and sweaty only to be clapped about the back by Harry, his mess of jet black hair tangling with ginger as he wrestled him to the floor. "Typical." She smiled and then dragged Ginny back to look at her, "Come on, we'll go over and say hello." She stood, waiting for her open mouthed friend to follow,
"I...we can't Herm...Her...Her...yeah lets..." She drew a great shuddering breath, and stood as well, allowing herself to be led by a tutting Hermione towards the Entrance Hall. The boys were still upon the floor as they reached them, Ginny growing steadily redder with every step they took towards them. Harry looked up at them immediately and scrambled to his feet, trying to pat himself down.
"Err, hey, you er, yeah hey!" He flustered out, making Hermione smile slightly.
"Hello Harry, we just thought we'd come over and say hi. I'm walking to Arithmancy, and Ginny has Potions, would you like to walk with us?" She smiled sweetly and gently nudged her friend forwards towards him. They both blushed and turned to walk up the Grand Staircase but turned back as Ron gave a large yelp, being floored once more. A flash of blond covered his face and Hermione rolled her eyes, realising that Lavender straddles him, clinging tightly.
"Heyy RonRon!" She cried, dragging him into a sitting position. He looked shocked but this soon turned to delight as he stood, her legs still wrapped around his waist. She giggled nuzzling into his neck, causing him to smirk as other boys looked on in jealousy. Both Ginny and Harry looked embarrassed with the situation, shuffling uncomfortably next to one another. Yet Hermione huffed loudly and cleared her throat at the two of them,
"Excuse me? Is this not the second time this week I've had to witness this? Can't you go somewhere private for once?" She cried at them, practically retching. Ron angered, but Lavender simply laughed,
"Listen Granger, just because you're the only one that hasn't been in his trousers, it doesn't make you better than us. It just makes you weird. How could you not want what's in here? Wait...didn't you say she was a man RonRon?" She giggled more, shooting Hermione a filthy look.
"Shut it, LavLav. Why would I want some pathetic excuse for a man that can't keep his pants on? I mean please, you only like him because he's on the Quidditch team, and he's not any good anyway! I-"
"Oi!" Ron cut through her, "What do you mean not any good? Like you'd know, you can't even fly on a broom!" He put Lavender down and moved towards her, fists balling, ears burning scarlet. Lavender still held onto his arm from behind, staring at her nemesis from behind him.
"Anyone is better than you Weasley!" She huffed in his direction and then spun on her heels, walking from them all. He dove after her, but Harry held him back, aided by Lavender.
"Granger! Granger you get back here now! Say it again, I dare you to just say it again you little bitch!" He screamed after her, even though she had already disappeared around the corner and up the staircase.
"Ron!" Ginny slapped him on the back, "Don't you say that about her!" She shot hotly at him. He shook them off violently and then dragged Harry towards Arithmancy themselves, leaving his friend to wave meekly at Ginny, an apologetic look upon his face.
~x~x~x~
Hermione scribbled away furiously, not even flinching as Professor Vector peered over her shoulder, taking a small peak at her answers. "Bridget Wenlock, a dedicated Arithmancer, celebrated as the witch who first discovered the magical properties of the number seven in the 13th century..." She muttered, not once pausing as she continued to scrawl manically. A shiver ran through her, and she sat bolt upright. Whipping her head from side to side she tried to find the source of her discomfort. She tried to shake off her anxiety and return to her test, scribbling once more. Yet there again, someone was watching her intently. She looked about again, nervously eyeing several of her fellow students, but none stirred. She repositioned herself, to begin working once more,
"Finish." Called Professor Vector, who flicked her wand elegantly, causing their papers to fly from their desks and into her outstretched palm. "These will be marked by the time you return after lunch, and I expect all of you to gain at least 80%." She looked at them sternly and dismissed them silently.
~x~x~x~
Both Ginny and Hermione stared open mouthed across the Gryffindor table at Ron. He was busy shovelling large amounts of beef into his mouth, followed by spoonfuls of mashed potato and gravy. "That's disgusting." Mumbled Ginny,
"Do you ever stop eating?" Hermione asked him. He paused his shovelling but continued his chewing vigorously.
"Wath thwong wif eatern Granther?" He choked out through his stuffed mouth.
"Exactly." She looked at his disgustedly, but he shot her an equally revolted look back and continued eating. She folded her arms and stared at him intently, before a small coughing noise from behind them made her turn. Professor Vector stood behind her, her long brown hair swishing in front of her face,
"Granger? With me please!" She turned and began to walk away, a confused Hermione tottering behind her, busily stuffing her bag as she went.
~x~x~x~
"What? How is that even possible? This is my favourite subject Professor! I can't have possibly failed that test!" She slammed her hands down upon the desk in front of her, causing the picture frame upon it to shake slightly.
"Miss Granger! Five points from Gryffindor! Now, if I can continue, the work you presented was 100% correct, but it seems you did not finish in time. I suggest you pick up the pace next time around and do more practicing. I am severely disappointed in this grade Miss Granger, and as punishment, you will be helping Mr Potter and Mr Weasley, who have also fallen short of the mark." She folded her hands and looked intently from under the brim of her red velvet pointed hat, waiting for another outburst.
"But Professor! How can I perfect myself and teach those idiots at the same time! There's no chance! It's not possible..." Hermione cried, throwing her arms up into the air hysterically, her hair growing larger by the second. Her glasses slipped to the end of her nose, her eyes pleading for Professor Vector to change her mind.
"Another five points Miss Granger, and you will do this. I leave it to you to inform your new students." She stood from her large chair and strode around her table, opening her office door and extending an arm out into the classroom, "You may leave!" Hermione stood, still with a look of shock upon her face, "Now!" She took a sharp breath then picked up her bag and proceeded out of the door. Walking down the small staircase she headed for her desk and sat, waiting for the rest of the pupils to arrive back after lunch and begin their next lesson.
~x~x~x~
A small folded note flopped onto Ron's desk, from in front of him. He cautiously looked around, and then slowly slipped it onto his lap before opening it. Inside was a small neatly written note:
Dear Harry and Weasley,
I know you failed the last Arithmancy test; I've been assigned as your personal tutor. Meet me in the library at eight o'clock tonight.
Hermione Granger
He pulled a disgusted face and shot a look in her direction as she nervously turned to face him with a sheepish smile. He nudged Harry on his left and shoved the note into his hand. He however smiled over at Hermione and gave her a small thumbs up of gratitude. Ron snorted and earned a glare from both Harry and Professor Vector, but still gave Hermione a reluctant nod before letting his head fall onto his folded arms.
"I'm sorry Weasley, is my lesson boring you?" Came a stern voice and he shot up looking uncomfortable in front of his Professor.
"Not at all Professor." He mumbled quickly, looking up at her intensely.
"I'm sure that ten points from Gryffindor will help to keep your concentration. It seems that you and Miss Granger share your thirst for losing your House points." She glared at them both, but Hermione shrunk into her chair, embarrassed and ashamed, sighing heavily. Everyone turned to look at her, with mumbles of "Hermione Granger? She lost points?" and "Since when does Granger lose points?" or "I can't believe it! Not her!" A stern glance from their Professor however, earned silence instantly, as she returned to her numerous charts.
Japan's Arc Angel x