The New Marauders

Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long since my last post for this story, I promise I haven't disappeared or anything, I just haven't been able to write for a while. Been in the grips of writer's block. By the way, I made McLaggen the same year as Hermione and the new marauders. He is also Head Boy, which is why he isn't in the seventh year boy's dormitories.

Chapter three

Your eyes are brighter than all the stars in the sky,

Your hair is a wild mane of gorgeous curls,

Your skin looks softer than velvet,

And all I want to do when I see you is tell you how I feel.

-your secret admirer.

I hate to see you scowl,

It breaks my heart when you are unhappy,

Who hurts you? What hurts you?

I wish I could make it stop for you.

-Your secret admirer.

Nothing would make me happier than to walk the halls hand in hand with you,

To hold you close when you're feeling lonesome,

To study with you instead of watching you sit there all alone,

To eat every meal with you and feign frustration every time you steal a bite of my food.

But If I told you who I am, would you want the same thing?

-your secret admirer.

It had been almost a week since Harry sent his last letter, and watching Hermione had been making him uneasy. She looked frustrated, upset even. Just after his last letter she was bright and smiling and had been that way for a day at least. Then she just seemed to be watching everyone with suspicion. Maybe it was time to send her a letter, or perhaps he should have never started the hobby of writing to her and not leaving his name.

Was she angry with him over it? Did she think he was a creepy stalker? Was he scaring her? Was she just frustrated that she hadn't figured out who he was yet? Harry wasn't sure but he was worried nonetheless.

Then at least one of his suspicions was confirmed. During one of Hermione's study sessions that Harry was shamelessly spying on, the brunette was approached by Cormac McLaggen. "Granger," he said and Hermione looked up at him in irritation. "How would you like to come to Hogsmead with me next weekend?" He asked with that smug smile that always reminded Harry of Lockhart.

Hermione shut her book with her index finger between the pages and stood up. "I'll say yes if you can answer one question correctly." Harry's blood ran cold as McLaggen smirked and told her he'd answer whatever question so perfectly she'd beg him to give her all his attention. Hermione rolled her eyes at him and crossed her arms. "How would you describe my hair?"

McLaggen shrugged. "It's crazy and curly I guess. Why?"

Harry sighed in relief as Hermione giggled. "Well that's a relief, obviously you're not who I'm looking for, but nice try. If he doesn't show himself I may indulge you in a pity date. After I've died three times over."

Harry couldn't help watching Hermione strut all the way out of the library, her hips swaying ever so slightly with what Harry assumed was her growing confidence. He was beyond relieved that Cormac had failed to answer her question correctly, and was far too proud of the fact that she was finally revealing that she had a secret admirer and that she was trying to find the guy by using the letters. Maybe it was time to make it more interesting…

Hermione was growing more and more frustrated as the day went on. Her "secret admirer" hadn't sent her a letter in five days and she hated that it hurt. She was also disgusted with McLaggen and relieved that he had answered her question wrong. Her only clues toward finding her secret admirer was to use his writing, his compliments, hopes, and worries to filter through any and all blokes that approached her. Whoever this young man was, he had a unique way of conveying his messages. He wouldn't have called her hair crazy and curly if she was trying to point out to him that she was searching for him. He would have quoted himself, because he obviously means what he says.

But why had he gone silent? Was he suddenly afraid of what he'd started? Did he worry that she wouldn't want him because he presented himself differently in person than he did in writing? Was he someone she genuinely disliked?

For the first time in her life, Hermione had run into a riddle she could not solve on her own. But she was also worried about showing the letters to anyone else, especially Ginny or Luna. Luna was far too intuitive and would likely figure out who it was in an instant. Ginny was incredibly popular with other girls and most of the boys she ran into. It would be over too quickly and easily if she showed the letter to either of her friends and she wanted to figure it out on her own. Call it stubbornness but the way Hermione saw it this was her mystery and she was the only one with the right to solve it.

And then it happened. After all of her classes had ended, she had finished dinner, taken a bath in the prefect's bathroom to relax herself and made her way back to her dormitory to sleep, she found another letter on her pillow.

She nearly tore it open she was so excited, and she almost forgot to scold herself for letting some mystery boy affect her so much.

I want you. I need you.

Please smile again, it lights up my world.

I saw McLaggen corner you.

I know you're looking for me.

I don't plan to show myself.

Find me, and I won't hide.

From now on I'll give you a clue until you approach me.

One of my favorite fantasies is holding you close in our common room,

Seated close to the fire as it burns as relentlessly as your spark.

The spark in your heart that makes you unique.

Find me, and I'll fan the spark into an everlasting flame,

As strong as what I feel for you.

Hermione's eyes welled up with tears and she pressed the parchment to her chest. His clue wasn't much, but it narrowed down her search. He was a Gryffindor.

Harry rolled over in bed and sighed. "What is it this time Harry?" Ron asked and sat up in bed, trying to see what was wrong with his friend.

"I just sent her another letter… I'm worried she won't figure out the clue I gave. Or that she will and she'll know it's me and wait for me in the common room just to confront me and tell me to stop. What if she's only looking for me to tell me off?" He asked rather worried.

Ron gulped. "She's looking for you?" he asked.

Harry nodded. "McLaggen approached her today. She tested him by asking how he would describe her hair. What he said didn't match what I said, so she sent him away."

Ron shrugged. "So? Maybe she just didn't like him and decided to see if he would give her a worthwhile compliment."

"She told him that was a relief he wasn't who she was looking for, then told him off and made her way out of the library."

Neville joined the conversation at that point. "Why don't you just walk up to her and tell her the truth then? This has been going on for over a month and you still haven't done anything to get into her good graces except put Ron's sister on the team, which is a definite step up from Katie, but still."

Harry shrugged. "I don't want to trick her or reveal myself too soon. I want her to figure it out on her own." He sighed and rolled his eyes. "I'm giving her another clue tomorrow. What should it be?"

Ron smirked. "Something about Quidditch. You're trying to narrow down her search and that would narrow it down a ton."

Harry shrugged. "Maybe she'll figure it out before the big game this Saturday."

Teddy grumbled and rolled over in bed. "Great, then you can beg her to wear your extra jersey and pray it helps you play better. Go to sleep you love sick puppy!" He cried and flopped onto his pillow with a groan. "And let me sleep too while you're at it."

The marauders laughed together and each one drifted off to sleep one by one. The last of them left awake was Harry, staring up at his ceiling and wishing Hermione was his.