Hello again. So I have a very large report due soon. Two research papers, one book to read, two presentations, and two exams coming up in the next few weeks. That means I have got the sudden urge to forget all of it and begin writing new chapters.
Things are beginning to flesh out in my head though I'm still not sure where this is going to go.
TO the wonderful guest who tried to convince me to ship Hermione/Krum: I must say, quite a persuasive argument. I agree with most of what you say. I will consider it for this story. As I have said, I have no end game yet so I'll see where this story goes as I think of it. I do love people talking about their ships though! While most of mine tend to (read: always) be gay ships I can totally get on board with ships like yours. Keep on being passionate! I love it!
TO everyone else who commented: Keep up with the ideas! I'm always looking for people to tell me what they want. It helps me when writing ff as well as when I write in the real world. Plus, when you comment I can prove to my mother that I do something productive when I'm online all day.
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Harry felt much better after he left the library. He had his potions essay tucked safely away in his bag and he couldn't stop the little swell of pride that came when he thought about what he had written. He might even get a passing grade this time. He flashed a smile at Hermione before walking into the common room.
The air that hit him was humid and smelled of butter beer. People milled about as they ate, drank and tried to shout over the music. Harry grimaced at the thought of wading through all those people. Despite being in the wizarding world for four years he was still uncomfortable with large crowds and he did not enjoy the thought of wading through all these people to get to his dorm.
"HARRY!" Came the duo shout from the twins who had spotted him from their vantage point of on top of a table. Suddenly all of the eyes in the room were focused on him and the music had stopped playing.
"There is the man of the hour! Gryffindor's champion! Where did you go Harry, we all missed you after the challenge." Seamus slurred over his shoulder. The Irishman seemed to have dipped into his not-so-secret stock of firewhiskey.
"I went to the library. Listen, I'm tired. Can I go to my room?" Harry sighed, not ready to deal with all these people.
"Don't go Harry!" Dean crowed from under one of the sixth years Harry didn't know.
"Yes yes! You have to tell us all about how you fought the dragon." Lavender pulled on his arm. Harry pulled it from her grasp and tried not to growl angrily.
"Did you not watch? You were all there."
"It's not like we could understand you mate." Fred (or George) said with a smile.
"What do you mean?"
"Harry you were shouting in Parseltongue. No one knew what you were saying." Hermione said to him, nose wrinkled curiously.
"I was?"
"Yeah. I thought you knew. That's why I didn't say anything. I assumed you tried to talk to it in the snake language because snakes are descendants of dragons." Harry had to fight the urge to ask Hermione more before he turned back towards the common room.
"Listen. I'm really tired. Can you guys let me upstairs?" Harry said with a sigh. A confuse murmur ran through the room but eventually path was made. Harry hesitated just long enough for Hermione to pat him on the shoulder before he went upstairs.
With a sigh he heft his bag onto his bed. He lifted the golden egg out and ran a hand across its smooth surface. He wondered what he was supposed to do with it. Harry shrugged and put it on the table next to his bed. He didn't look up when the door opened and shut again.
"Hey Harry." It was Ron. He stood by the door looking nervous but smiling.
"What do you want Ron?" Harry asked waspishly.
"Look, Harry. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. When you were in front of the dragon I realized that you weren't the type of person who would put their name in the cup. Can you forgive me mate?"
"Ron." Harry said, straightening up and turned to look at the red head.
"Yeah Harry?"
"Can you fuck off?" It came out much more calmly than Harry thought it would.
"What?"
"I don't care. You haven't done anything to prove that you are sorry and I'm not going to just roll over and let you do whatever you want." Ron's face turned an ugly red as he shook with anger.
"I apologized!"
"Yeah you did. But you didn't apologize for the right thing. I don't care whether or not you thought I put my name in the cup. That is not the point. If you want to be friends apologize properly. You need to know exactly what you are apologizing for and actually mean it before I even think about forgiving you." Harry sneered, crossing his arms to close the statement.
"What do you want? I already apologized! Do you think you are better than me now that you are a champion? Why the hell are you acting all high and mighty?!" Ron screeched. Vaguely Harry realized that he looked like Dudley when he didn't get his favorite ice cream.
"That is exactly what I mean! You are accusing me of things again without thought! I can't do this anymore! Grow up Ron!" Harry yelled. He sat on his bed and swung the curtain over so he wouldn't have to see the red head.
"Fine! Be like that. See if I care!" Ron shouted before slamming the door shut. Harry watched the ceiling shake with the force of the door. He couldn't bring himself to feel sad that Ron had stormed out. He said he was done with the bull shit and he was going to stick with it. If he could figure out why he should be sorry, maybe Harry would forgive him. Harry wasn't going to allow anything less. With a little moan Harry turned on his side and decided to forget the horrible day in his dreams.
Harry woke up way too early. He hadn't meant to but it was still early in the year and he hadn't gotten out of the habit he developed whenever he went home to the Dursleys. Hermione wouldn't be up for another hour, though that was okay because he wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. He was still mildly seething from the events of the day before and talking to people was only going to make it worse. He hopped out of bed, pulled on his uniform and decided that taking a walk would help clear his mind.
The corridors he was pacing were a bit chilly but he enjoyed the cold. He was about to turn towards the Great Hall when he heard the quick pace of someone behind him. He turned at the call of his name and saw Ludo Bagman running up behind him.
"Mr. Potter! There you are." The man slid to a halt in front of him. "We missed you at the point awarding ceremony."
"I had things to do." Harry said, turning to walk away. Instead of leaving Bagman followed him.
"Yes well I wanted to offer my congratulations. You got first place with forty seven points! Most amazing thing to see how you tamed your dragon. I thought that it was bad to have a child in this competition but you showed that I was wrong. Most wonderful." He gushed.
"I didn't want to be part of this competition. It's still bad that there is a child in it." Harry said.
"Of course, my boy. Of course!" Bagman said placidly, patting Harry on the shoulder. "Either way I just wanted to tell you what the other competitors were told. The golden egg is a clue to the next challenge. Have fun deciphering it! I will be seeing you at the Yule ball of course."
"Mr. Bagman!" Two voices called out and Harry saw the twins turn the corner. With a hard pat on the back and a mumbled apology Bagman practically ran down the hall.
"Bastard. . . Hey Harry!" George, or at least the twin with a G on his shirt, said.
"Hey guys."
"Heard about what-"
"Happened with Ron."
"Don't worry Harry-"
"He is just being-"
"A phenomenal twat." The twins nudged each other as they finished each other's sentences.
"Yeah I know."
"Don't blame you-"
"For wanting him to properly-"
"Apologize. Also, we wanted to say-"
"Congratulations and condolences." Harry looked between them in confusion.
"What?"
"Well congrats on winning."
"But condolences on being picked."
"To be honest-"
"We thought you were lucky-"
"But then we started thinking-" Harry was getting a head ache.
"Rare as that is-"
"And realized that it would stink-"
"To risk your life for something-"
"You never wanted anyway."
"Well thanks guys." Harry smiled a little. "It's nice to hear that."
"If you need anything-"
"Anything at all-"
"We know where to get stuff-"
"And we will be quite happy to help out our favorite Harry." And then the twins were off, leaving Harry feeling like he just walked out of a tornado. He had always been fond of the twins but sometimes being around them was like trying to keep track of seven monkeys carrying wiffle-ball bats.
Harry went to the Great Hall, ignoring the way that everyone stopped to stare at him. He brushed off all of the congratulations before sitting next to Hermione at the far end of the table. He ate breakfast in short, quick bites before dragging his friend from the room. Instead of talking Hermione just grabbed his arm lightly and squeezed in a comforting way.
In the potions classroom Harry sat next to Hermione near the front, avoiding any eye contact with Ron. He placed his rolled up essay in front of him. Snape swept into the classroom the moment that the last person sat down. With a flick of the wand he piled all the essays on his desk. He gave his usual derisive explanation of the potion and sent them all scurrying to the store rooms.
As Harry started chopping his ingredients he noticed Snape staring at him. The blank expression on his face told Harry nothing of what he was thinking. Harry glanced at the essay in the man's hand and recognized his own sloppy scrawl. Harry turned back to his potion and tried to ignore his professor.
His potion turned out alright. The shade was a slightly dark green than the lime green it was supposed to be. Still, for any professor it would be a passing potion. Which probably meant that he would be getting a P from Professor Snape. He stoppered his sample in a vial and labeled it. As he placed his sample on Snape's desk his professor spoke.
"Mr. Potter."
"Yes?" Harry asked, trying not to sound annoyed. He looked up and saw his essay rolled tightly and held in long potion-stained fingers. Softly he grabbed the parchment and tucked it close to his chest.
"Perhaps your interaction with a dragon may have helped you. There may be hope for you yet. We will see if this is a one-time fluke." The man turned back to his book. No one else got their essay back.
Outside of the class room he opened the essay and nearly fell to the floor. In the top of the page in the familiar emerald green ink was an A. Underneath Snape had written a comment.
"For the first time you have turned in an essay that is not a rambling, incoherent, poorly structured mess of a paper. It seems that you are capable of a complete and vaguely intelligent thought. I will now be holding the rest of your work to this standard now that I know there is something more than air in that head."
"Congratulations Harry!" Hermione squealed, peering over his shoulder at the essay.
"Thanks Hermione. Though I'm sure you are going to do better."
"It's not about doing the best out of everyone, Harry. I just want you to do the best you can do." Hermione reassured.
"I feel like you keep having to give me motivational speeches all the time." Harry groaned, tucking his paper away so he wouldn't have to look at his friend.
"So? If anyone needs a few compliments and some motivation in their life, it's you Harry. It's not really a chore for me to give you a compliment when you need one. If it was it wouldn't say very good things about me." Hermione punched him lightly on the arm. "Now come on, we have transfiguration and I don't fancy being late."