I can't break my eyes away from hers we watch each other as I advance slowly towards the staff table beside McGonagall, the students are talking in excited tones while watching us walk forward. But still my eyes remain fixed upon hers, so many questions sweep through my mind, why is she here? How did she do it? And why didn't anyone catch on?
When there is only five meters between myself and the staff table, Hermione breaks eye contact and rises quickly exiting through the staff door behind the table. If anyone notices this strange reaction not one person said a word. Luna and Neville make room for me to sit and we talk of what the two teach and how their relationship was going, noticeable enough Hermione's name didn't come up, no one said a word. I did see Neville open his mouth at one point and get a heated stare from Luna. The students begin to leave the room and teachers bid each other farewell to go and prepare for classes. Only McGonagall and Madame Hooch are left.
"Well Ginny if you are ready, we'll head to the quidditch pitch, and get everything sorted." McGonagall as she left the table and walked towards the doors, leaving no room for disagreement. Hooch grinned at me as we walk slowly out the front of the school.
"You'll be taking the chambers that are accessed through the girls changing rooms. We thought you'd like this more, then spending all your time moving between castle and pitch. Also this way Harry can visit you in peace." McGonagall spoke as we walk towards the pitch, nothing had changed from the time I'd been away, well maybe just a new coat of paint.
Stepping onto the pitch memories of games won and lost trainings ran in the freezing, blinding rain and injuries both given and received. That refreshing feeling of a hot steamy shower after training. However the wonderful memories lead way for the more painful ones of a bushy haired bookworm and our times within the changing rooms. Stopping for a moment I struggle to push down the lump forming within my throat, something it seems that Hooch didn't fail to miss. A quizzical look and a tight smile later we keep trailing after McGonagall.
The changing room smell like dirt and sweat, candles flicker to life as we enter, I follow McGonagall as she walks to the far end away from the showers. Finally stopping before a large portrait of a lioness watching over her cubs rolling in the grass. The cubs stopped playing and rushed towards their mother when they noticed them. The lioness surveys the three before turning yellow eyes on McGonagall, "Good day headmistress, this the new cub for my den?" her huntress eyes flick to Ginny staring into her eyes. "Very well, I like her. Now the password please."
"Potter" the lioness nodded and the portrait opened. The sitting room was small but cosy, a fire was going in the hearth casting g a romantic light throughout the room.
"We thought you'd like to set your colours and such, now the door to our right goes to your office where students can met and talk with you, the entrance to it is through the door next to the broom storage. Now the doors to the left lead to your bedroom which includes your bathroom and the other door is to the small kitchen. Sorry we can't stay, Hope you settle in okay, Hooch and I have to return for our classes" and with a smile they leave the room.
I sit heavily on the sofa and summon a bottle of Fire Whiskey from my bags.
The weeks ensuing are a rush of getting paper work together and meetings with McGonagall. Slowly I settle in but the hardest thing to overcome is how when I enter the Main Hall for meals Hermione will escape out the back or just not come to eat, I've been here little over a month and haven't had an contact with her.
Sitting behind my desk I realise I now have to face her here in my small office, along. I had met with all the other heads of houses and decided when their students could try out, each house would try out and then the teams would begin to be formed. How was this going to go, she replied simply to a letter saying she would be down straight after her last class to discuss the try outs. And now I was beginning to worry what would happen, would she yell at me or just go on like nothing happen or maybe... suddenly a knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts, my voice chokes slightly as I speak. "ahr come in please." My hands are gripping the desk edge tightly as the door opens to reveal Hermione. She looks every bit the powerful witch dressed in navy blue teaching robes designed to not allow one's eyes to see what is under them, her hair is tied back in a simple ponytail and reading glasses rise on her head. I'm sure I was staring as she closed the door and walked to the chair across from myself. Finally I find my voice again.
"Good day Professor Granger, how are you?" I wasn't going to drop the formal names until she does, I notice she seems to be rigid and not relaxing in the chair.
"I am well Professor Potter, but can we just get onto business. I have a large number of OWLs level essays to mark and a lesson plan to complete." Her voice is clipped and cold, I feel as though a bucket of ice water had been thrown onto me. "Umm yes, right away." I move some papers around on the desk as I feel her eyes watching my every move, "well all the other houses have picked their days, so really all that is left is next Sunday for your students. Now I ask that you send your whole team I would like to assess their skills and then go from there. Now any student from third year onwards can try out. They are to be here at 7am sharp and must have permission from you to attend and I ask that you also be here to watch." I look up from the paper to see emotions flash across her face before she covers them again. I hand the paper towards her and gasp when her hand brushes my own earning me a hard look from her.
"Thank you Professor, until next Sunday." Standing quickly she is out the door before I have a chance to reply, I sink back into my seat and the emotions suddenly overwhelm me. I begin to cry, what have I done?
