The next few weeks past in an increasing blur. Homework, occasional house games, classes, and food. Millie, Pansy, and Daphne became Hermione's closest friends. The boys became frequent visitors as most of them were all childhood friends, and though Hermione liked them well enough, she still didn't quite consider the boys to be friends yet. Perhaps it was the derision from Draco when he first realised what she was. Or that the boys all seemed rather mean to people they didn't like. Hermione conveniently ignored that her roommates were easily just as mean when necessary.
"Did you hear those idiots? Honest it's a wonder Gryffindor has any points at all. " Pansy was miming the Weasley boy's expression from History Of Magic while the others laughed. He'd managed to snore loud enough to disturb Professor Binns, who had of course detracted points.
"Yes you told us. Anyways we've got flying lessons this Saturday. With the Gryffindors. I told father it's a required class and he agrees that it's quite ridiculous. I could outfly some of the second years, or even third years!" said Draco proudly. Whenever he joined them, the subject of quidditch seemed to follow. This did not very well please Hermione, who was secretly rather terrified of it, and when so far as to say so. "Well, I for one don't plan on riding a broomstick unless there's a very good reason for it. And is this class even necessary?"
Draco laughed. "You're just upset because it's not something you can learn in a book."
"Cheer up 'Mione," said Theo bracingly. "At least we get to see Longbottom and Potter make a fool of themselves."
Saturday morning came around and with it, a very sudden bout of nausea for Hermione. Try as she might, none of the food seemed appealing after the realisation that in less than an hours time, her feet would no longer be solidly on the ground and there was a very real possibility that she wouldn't do well in this class." I mean, flying with fellow Slytherins is one thing. You all are my housemates. But the Gryffindors? This is only going to be ammunition for them. It isn't fair!" She cried, waving around cold sausage on a fork.
"If things were fair, Slytherin wouldn't be the 'evil' house and Gryffindor wouldn't be the favourite. Truly I think we have so many dark wizards because they get tired of playing nicely and still getting jilted. " said Theo. "And enough with that poor sausage. You'll take someone's eye out."
"Theo that's not helpful. "
"We've got ten minutes. Unless you want to be late to your first flying lesson..."
"Oh shut up Draco. We all know you'd be there now if you could. Swot. " said Daphne cheerfully. Somewhere, a bell rang, signalling the imminent class. The first years bolted for the door, running through hallways to get to the quidditch pitch outside.
"Now. I want you all to stand by a broom. Go on, quickly. Hold your hand out above the broom, and firmly say 'up'. "
Simple instructions, but far harder in practice. Some people, like Draco and Potter, had their broom whiz into their hands immediately. Others, like Hermione and Longbottom, had but a little roll from the broomsticks. The less her broom did, the louder and angrier Hermione got, until she was practically shouting at it. Theo looked at the struggling girl a few spots over and quietly slipped in next to her. "Up you go," he whispered to her broom, handing it to her when Madame Hooch looked away. Hermione didn't appreciate the help. Not at all. "That's cheating!" She hissed.
"I don't care. You looked nearly as ridiculous as Longbottom, and frankly that's surprising."
Hermione didn't say anything because Madame Hooch was giving instructions again, but she made up for it by glaring at him. He only snickered and pointedly watched the professor.
"When I blow my whistle, I want you to mount your broom, rise slowly into the air for three seconds, only three seconds! And then come down again."
Clearly Longbottom wasn't listening because he'd already swung his leg over the broom and accidentally begun rising. In panic he jerked the handle around, but it only made the problem worse. Madame Hooch yelled at him to come down immediately, threatening points and detention, but everyone could see that Longbottom simply had no idea what he was doing and couldn't have landed if he wanted to. Below him, students were clustering into two groups of green and red, while above them the flying Gryffindor zoomed wilder and wilder, until he soared up and caught his cloak on a high level torch bracket, the broom dropping away as he hung there. Titters and laughter rippled from the Slytherins and Hermione had to admit, nothing she could do in the class would ever be as bad as this idiot. The boy shrieked loudly and waved his arms and in one long rip the cloak came free and he tumbled to the ground. Madame Hooch rushed over and quickly took him to the infirmary saying 'if I see a single broom in the air, you'll be expelled before you can say quidditch."
It was truly a poor decision to leave maliciously overexcited Slytherins and self-righteously malcontent Gryffindors together.
"The fat lump couldn't even keep hold of his toy. " Draco snorted. Predictably, Potter rose to the claim and defended his house mate, though not terribly well. "Shove off Malfoy!"
"Oh ho. Hermione help me. He's told me to stop, I guess I'll have to, won't I," he grinned at her, then turned back to Potter. "I don't know about shoving off, I always thought it was better to kick off. But then, you've never ridden a broom before have you?" He strode to the remembrall and picking it up, smoothly kicked off the ground and was airborne in moments. "If you're so set on helping him, come and get it Potter. "
"Draco no!" Hermione shrieked. "That's breaking about a hundred school rules and there's no way you can't get caught. Come down!" It was pointless. In the end, Daphne had to shut Hermione up by pointing out that she could only watch and learn right now. Potter, on the other hand, evidently had a poor case of Spanish Honour and refused to leave a challenge. He immediately jumped on his broom and flew after Draco, manoeuvring very well for someone who had 'never flown before'.
"I call liar. Nobody can fly like that without practice. Instinct only goes so far." Said Pansy. Daphne nodded in agreement, watching the pair avidly.
When Draco threw the ball in a perfect long shot, everyone stood, stunned, as Potter chased after it, lying low on his broom and closing distance until he caught it. Anyone could see the sheer skill and talent it took, even Hermione. He landed in a cloud of delighted Gryffindors, congratulating him on defending honour and 'showing Malfoy what's what.' Hermione stood simmering with wrath until Daphne tapped her arm and pointed towards the castle where a very angry looking Professor McGonagall was furiously storming onto the fields. "Potter! Come with me. Immediately!" She glared at the other students for a moment and dismissed class, then took off with the boy in tow.
"Thank heavens he's getting punished." Hermione said in relief. "Though really, you should be too Draco. She said we would be if we had tried to fly...so it's not really fair you get away with this. "
"Hermione don't turn him in." Groaned Theo. "Have you learned nothing about the houses yet? I can assure you, we'll be targeted or punished for stuff that we don't deserve later on, and you can say we deserved it then."
That night, the girls sat in their dorm casually finishing homework and talking.
"D'you really think they'll expel him? I mean, it wasn't that bad a crime."
"They really can't. Why're you so worried about that Potter boy Hermione? And besides, they won't anyways. He's Gryffindor, he's Harry Potter, he's the teachers favourite...not to mention, those Weasley twins do far worse and they're still here. "
"Amen to that." Pansy muttered. "Are the basic properties of a successful charm Speak, Visualise, Wand work?"
"Basically. It's Speak, Visualise/Concentrate (either one works), Wave. The movement for most charms is a wave of some kind, and there's only a few exceptions, so you can just say wave." Hermione explained, neatly avoiding the question of Potter.
"Brilliant thanks." Said Pansy. "Oh, listen, for Christmas, how about we all spend it together? It can be here...or not. Malfoy Manor is cool and might work, but it's also a little creepy. More gothic style if you know what I mean."
"I think that's a cool idea. My family has a wing for guests in the family mansion, plus a large cottage. I might be able to convince them that we can stay in there!" Daphne chewed on the end of her Quill as she added a flourish to her essay, then looked up at the other girls.
"Millie, if we stay at the Greengrass mansion or cottage, do you want to bring your dogs? They're so cute, and would be perfect for a sleepover."
And just like that, homework was forgotten and the girls began dreaming of Christmas, in September.
A/N: Nothing's been working today, I'm sorry. First this chapter was malfunctioning, and then I accidentally replaced this chapter with the next chapter and left the next chapter unedited...yeah. It's been a mess. Sorry. Anyways, this chapter should now be working properly, and revised and edited. Let me know if it's not working, and many thanks to the guest who did let me know about it the first time around.
