Son of Hogwarts

Chapter 4: Experiments in Being Lucky or Good

A Harry Potter Fanfiction

By: Legato Deathscythe

Dear Mum and Dad,

It's getting closer to the holidays and I can't wait to see you two. I've missed you more then I thought I would when I left. And honestly, I've met some very interesting people. I finally have people I can call friends here. If only because of that I'm happy I decided to take the chance when that letter was delivered.

One of them is the boy I told you about from the magical history books, Harry Potter. I'll tell you right now, he's nothing like how the history says. His biggest claim to fame is for simply surviving when he was three months old. It's lead to a lot of people having great expectations of him. Expectations he works hard to meet. Sometimes too hard. I really worry about him at times. You always tried to get me to get out and away from the books for my own good.

Thing is for me at times those books were the only friends I had. Harry has it worse. When he was five the professors pushed to get him admitted to school early. They pinned their hopes on him exceeding everyones expectations of a child in this school so that they might be able to start with teaching kids earlier. Because of this, there are times where he pushes himself way too hard.

One example is this project he's working on. He decided to try to bring another of my classmates, Neville Longbottom, parents back from a horrible crime that left them completely incapacitated. Neville visits them frequently, but from what I know, they never even know he's there. Harry is trying to perform what can only be described as a miracle. His attempts so far however have met with failure. If it weren't for his other friends and I he'd forget to eat, let alone continue with his regular studies.

Just the other day I found him in his workshop after having missed another meal. It took some convincing, but well I got him out of where ever it is he goes when he's deep in thought.

–

Hermione walked into what had become known to her as Harry's Laboratory to find the young man starring at a vile of silvery fluid. She came up and gently shook him to get his attention. It was as if he hadn't even heard her come in when he jumped slightly. Harry blushed and smiled at her, "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"You missed dinner, so we wanted to check on you. Draco went to check the library, Fluer your chambers, and I came here," Hermione said.

"I did it again didn't I," Harry asked.

"Yes, you're becoming the Absent-minded Wizard."

Harry chuckled and set the vile down in a holder, "I just finished brewing the Felix Felicius potion. I've pretty much guaranteed my grade in potions this term."

Hermione gave him a look, "I thought it was illegal to use it for competitions, elections, most importantly in this case examinations."

Harry smiled at her, "It is, unless the examination is that you can produce it."

A light of understanding lit over Hermione's mind as she understood, "So that's the sample you're going to turn in?"

"Yup. Packaged and ready for Professor Snape. I ended up making twenty doses. Needless to say, I know what I'm giving everyone for Christmas," Harry said.

Hermione smiled and patted his hand, "So what about your other project?"

Harry sighed, "Still no luck there. I've tried every combination of ingredients I know. Every method of distillation and brewing, and yet Wilbur is no better."

He picked up the vile and looked at it, "I've spent the last few hours wondering if I should just down a dose of this stuff and try again. This one vile holds enough to give me perfect luck for a whole day. Still, I'm hesitant to take it."

"Why is that?" Hermione asked.

Harry sighed, "Because I should be good enough to figure this out without having to take an artificial method of finding the answer."

Hermione took the vile from him and set it down. She then took his arm and pulled him away from the workbench and said, "Maybe if you just rest. Walk away from this for now and come back fresh in the morning, or in a week. Maybe it will come to you then? If not, than maybe you should try it."

Harry looked at her questioningly, "Why? Why should I fall back on something like luck?"

Hermione gave him an understanding smile, "Because there was a muggle that once said, 'I'd rather be lucky then good.'"

Harry smiled at that and assented to the young girls attempt to get him out of there. So he scratched Wilbur behind his pink ear as the pig continued it's conversation with an imaginary spider it called Charlotte. They walked down the corridors, discussing everything but the project. They discussed the various work they were doing in Transfiguration. Turning something from what it is into something else was extremely interesting to Hermione. Harry had taught her some more advanced transfigurations in his spare time, as well as many charms and potions, even worked with her on Ancient Runes.

She had been getting better. She knew everything that the books said, could recite the steps in perfect order, but found that when she actually tried to do some of them, especially ones that required her to do some complex wand movement, that she had problems. Harry explained it as just needing the experience. Knowing the theory was only part of it.

Half way to Harry's chambers Fluer joined them. She shook her head and threw the pair a look. It wasn't a look of a girl who thought her boyfriend was cheating on her. It was more of a, "I should have known he'd be stressing over something else," look. She slipped her arms over both their shoulders and they went the rest of the way.

Just before they got there however Fluer said, "Dobby brought you something to eat to your sitting room. He brought your favorite, and since he's the one that fixed it I'm pretty certain it will be good. Dumbledore should consider trying to hire him from you. He could keep the other elves in line."

Harry smiled, "Only if he wanted to organize the Great House Elf Rebellion."

The two girls chuckled. The got to Harry's room and Hermione was about to head off to Gryffindor Tower when Harry said, "Why don't you come in and join us?"

Hermione blushed a little and stammered, "I wouldn't want to... you know... intrude."

Fluer smiled softly at her and said, "Nonsense, 'Ermione. If you would be intruding you would not be invited in."

Hermione nodded and entered Harry's chambers with him and Fluer. While she didn't see anything beyond his sitting room she had to admit it was a very nice resting area. It was like a small one bedroom flat. The sitting area was decorated with pictures and a fire place sat near the back of the room casting an invitingly warm glow over everything. There were bookshelves along one wall. When Hermione looked at them she noticed that there wasn't one single book of magic there. These shelves were filled with fiction, tales from various centuries, genres, and authors. She easily recognized Dante's "Inferno" sitting next to Jules Verne's "From the Earth to the Moon".

She mentioned his library and he said, "I don't do any school work in these rooms. I keep this place as a sanctuary against everything else. Sort of the only rule for coming in here. You can read anything you want, as long as it's not for school."

Hermione nodded in understanding and sat down in a rather comfortable chair near the fire as Fluer and Harry shared a small love seat. Harry ate politely while Hermione and Fluer sipped at simple drinks. The door opened a moment later and Draco came through. Exasperated he said, "There you are. I should have known one of the girls would have found you."

They laughed a bit as Draco fell into another chair. They spent the rest of the night before curfew just talking back and forth. Hermione had never felt as accepted as she did that night. The three long time friends included her in the conversation, explained certain things to her that she might not understand due to their different childhoods, and smiled as she talked about what she had done in her earlier years. Still, the time came for them to separate for the night. Draco and Hermione left the other two to exchange their good nights in private.

Hermione couldn't help but be slightly envious of Fluer that night. The older girl after all had won that boys heart before Hermione had even met them. She was taken from her thoughts as Draco said, "So he let you in his chambers huh?"

"Yes. Even gave me a password to get in if I need to get away from the rest of the school."

Draco raised an eyebrow at her, "Really? He never gives anyone that sort of access."

Hermione blushed at the thought of being one of the few chosen to enter there. Draco continued, "In all the time I've known him he's only allowed two other people who aren't professors in his private chambers, Fluer and myself. If he's that trusting of you, then you must have struck a special cord with him."

Hermione sighed, "He's in love with Fluer. Even if I was interested in him in that way, I'm not the kind of girl who would come between two people just to get what she wants."

Draco smirked at her, "Maybe, but Fluer is weird like that sometimes. Harry is kind of weird himself. I suppose it comes from living with a bunch of school teachers. Still, I wouldn't count on anything you would expect being the truth right now."

Hermione turned on the blond boy and set her hands on her hips, "We are much too young to be thinking about anything like that. Besides, any girl who would try to break up a couple for her own wants isn't worth the effort of letting her in your room."

"Maybe not, or maybe it doesn't matter how old we are. After all, girls mature earlier then boys. Hell, you are appealing for more then just your mind, if you know what I mean," Draco said, smirking at her as his eyes ran up and down her form teasingly.

Hermione blushed a bit at that. Draco couldn't help it and laughed at her reaction. "All I'm saying is that I've never known him to open up to any other student around here. And I know he wouldn't trust you if Fluer didn't trust you. Hell, he wouldn't trust you if I didn't. Now, I may be wrong and admittedly I don't really know, but I would say that Fluer has been giving you certain looks when you don't notice."

Hermione started blushing again, remembering certain dreams she had been having, "Looks?"

"Yea, and they aren't the kind a girl gives another if she thinks they are a potential rival either," Draco said.

"What kind would you call them?"

"The kind a girl gives another girl if she has a taste for them... in that way," Draco said.

Hermione coughed and stuttered but nothing came out except choked syllables. Draco patter her on the back and said, "Take it easy, I didn't tell you that to see if I could make you remove one of your organs orally. She'd never do anything unless she was certain Harry wouldn't be offended by it. That witch values him way too much to risk it for a tryst with another girl. Of course, who knows what she's thinking. She could very well want you to join in with the two of them. If that happens, let me know. I'll have to give Harry no small amount of shit for being a ladies man."

"First off how can you even imply such a thing. And secondly, if it did happen what makes you think I'd tell you anyways?" Hermione said, her voice both showing how embarrassed and offended she was.

Draco just smirked at her, "It's easy to imply such a thing about those two. I've known them way too long. As to the second, would you deny a young man knowledge into the romping of his best friend?"

Hermione only said one word, "Yes."

Draco placed his hand over his heart and said, "Oh, it hurts, right here."

"You'll live."

–

The dynamic between the three of them, I probably should say four of us, is strange. Draco and Harry could be brothers the way they tease each other and fight. But I wouldn't be surprised to see them jump in front of a curse to protect the other either. They grew up together, children from different sides of that war I told you about. Draco always says that fate would only afford them two options. They could be brothers-in-arms or arch-nemesis, nothing in between would do.

I sometimes wonder about Draco Snape honestly. His biological father is currently in Azkaban Prison for life, and his Step-Father was a Death Eater that turned on his comrades. There a few students whose parents were sympathetic to that side during the war. Many of them treat Draco with contempt, feeling he's betrayed all of them by renouncing his bloodline. He doesn't act like it bothers him. Blows it off in some way every time someone brings it up.

Still, there are times when I can see the weight of that past press down on him. Maybe it's why he's such good friends with Harry. Neither of them ever talk about their biological families. Draco will talk about something his mother told him, or something his half-sister did, but when it comes to the man who fathered him...

I honestly don't know. They act almost ten to fifteen years older then they really are. Old souls as Grandma used to say. I don't know what to think sometimes. Like the other day. We had just sat down to dinner when...

–

Draco seemed extremely excited as he sat down at the Gryffindor Table in the Great Hall for dinner. He wouldn't tell anyone what had him in such a state of excitement, only that they would find out soon enough. Ron had long since decided to just sit with his brothers during meal times. He was overlooked most often, even if he wished it were otherwise. Neville stuck close to the other four students. They didn't make him feel as if he was a barely capable squib, unlike everyone else.

Harry's tutoring, along with the hope the young sixth year had given him, helped Neville more then he could ever repay. He was slowly starting to at least feel comfortable with what he was learning. That in and of itself was another thing Neville's Grandmother approved of. Harry had long since found the youngest Longbottom's best subject, Herbology. Neville seemed to be a natural when it came to plants. It hadn't taken Harry very long to convince Professor Sprout to take Neville under her vines so to speak.

Harry had even taken to bringing the four others into his workshop after classes. The three first years would study, getting occasional assistance from Harry and Fluer, who always asked Harry questions. Harry seemed to have little effort getting his classwork done while he kept trying to come up with the break through he needed to heal Alice and Frank Longbottom. He still hadn't taken the Felix Felicius and was trying more exotic combinations of ingredients and brewing methods. Some had shown small success.

After dinner was finished, Dumbledore stood up and addressed the students, "Before we settle down for the night, I would like to announce that we will be having a ball for all students the night before you are dismissed for the Holidays. All students are welcome to attend, and the dance will not be formal, so our female students need not worry about looking their best. This is after all, a celebration of the season."

The entire hall burst into excited whispering and chatter about the idea of a Holiday ball for the school. Many girls went on about having nothing to wear, in spite of Dumbledore's assurances. Draco sat there with a triumphant smirk as Neville turned to him and said, "You pulled it off?"

"Well, once I got my Dad and Uncle Sirius in on it, Dumbledore had to admit it was smashing idea. Not just a goodbye feast, but an actual party for everyone before we head off. The best part is going to be the chance to get a date for this thing," Draco said.

Before Neville could say anything else Draco slapped an arm around his shoulders and said, "We're going to need to find you a nice girl to escort to this thing fast. All the good ones will be taken if you don't act soon."

Before anyone could save him, Neville found himself dragged off by Draco. The whole way out of the hall the blond gave his friend advice and ideas that might not have been appropriate to either give to or be coming from a child of eleven. Harry, Hermione, and Fluer just shook their heads at the sight. Hermione sighed and asked, "We don't actually have to have a date to this, do we?"

Harry chuckled, "No, but I don't think that's going to stop the Captain there."

"Of course, you have a date whenever you wish, mon cher," Fluer said.

"You're right, it's good to knew Hermione is there for me when I need her," Harry said, his tone of voice clearly jesting.

Fluer looked at him and smiled, "What makes you think she wouldn't rather go with me?" Fluer asked.

Hermione was starting to get embarrassed again. Though the idea of dating Fluer was making her feel weird inside. Her blush was seen by everyone around them.

Harry ignored the other observers and answered, "Because I'm cuter."

Fluer smiled and said, "Yes, you are cuter. But I'm hot."

"There is that," Harry said, smiling at his girlfriend.

Hermione just decided to try to end this public humiliation as quickly as possible, "Why don't we all just go together?"

Harry smiled, "I like that idea."

"And what other ideas do you have," Fluer asked, her voice had acquired a teasingly suggestive tone to it.

"Wouldn't you like to know."

–

That's something else that's been bothering me lately. It's clear that both Fluer and Harry like to tease each other. Draco joins in often and I'm going from embarrassingly speechless, righteously outraged, and peculiarly curious all at once. I honestly don't know how to explain it all in a letter. Fluer is a conundrum. She's the second best student in her year, only a Hufflepuff named Cedric Diggory is scoring higher. She's more then capable in her school work, and at the same time she seems to let all of it go when she gets Harry away from his work.

Not to mention that at fourteen she could blow away most super models with her looks. I know I'm just a kid, but she has a figure I'm envious of already. I never have cared much about my looks, but she doesn't seem to care for my attempts to play it off. She's insisted at times that I join her in some makeovers. Somehow she actually helped me get my hair under control. That right there was a magic trick in and of itself. If someone said beauty was skin deep, then Fluer's skin is extremely thick. She doesn't just primp herself to perfection, she drives you to do so as well.

And she's still an extremely understanding girl. She's spent just as much time with Harry as she has on school work. I came into Harry's sitting room one day and found her stroking his hair as he slept. He had simply given out from exhaustion, and neither one of us wanted to disturb him. Still, at some point he did wake up. There was one peculiarity though...

–

Harry slowly woke up to the soft comforting touch of Fluer as he opened his eyes. He smiled as he looked up into her eyes, and took her hand in his. He kissed her fingers then sat up on the couch. Hermione had come in at some point, and was apparently enjoying his copy of "Don Quixote." He yawned a bit, then pulled his arms over his head to stretch them out. Before he could say anything, Hedwig flew in and dropped a letter off for him. After getting an owl treat for her trouble she hopped off of Harry's shoulder and flew to the hearth of the fireplace.

"Careful there, Hedwig. You'll singe your feathers..." Harry said, but drifted off as he finished the sentence.

Hermione caught the way his voice just died off, as she looked up she could see Fluer looking at him concerned. Hermione also started to worry, but then he muttered, "Singed feathers... That's it!"

He sprung out of his seat, ran to Hedwig and kissed the snowy owl on the head. He then ran to Fluer and kissed her deeply on the lips before running to Hermione. She expected a hug, she didn't expect the kiss he placed on her lips before running out the door. Both girls looked at each other as Harry's voice drifted back, joyously yelling, "Singed Feathers!"

Hermione was in shock as she said, "So... he kisses like that all the time?"

Fluer smiled and said, "Yes."

"For a first kiss... it wasn't that bad."

"Perhaps the second kiss will be sweeter," Fluer said, smiling while one of her eyebrows arched up.

Hermione blushed, "The next boy will have a lot to live up to."

Fluer slide up to her and smiled, "Who said you couldn't kiss 'Arry again?"

Hermione blushed hard, "He's your boyfriend and I won't get in the way of that."

Fluer patted her on the cheek, "So you wouldn't do anything that I disapprove of with my 'Arry then?"

"Absolutely not. I would never hurt my friends like that," Hermione said.

Fluer chuckled before whispering in Hermione's ear, "So how much do you want to kiss him again?"

Hermione couldn't answer that question. Not without possibly destroying a friendship she valued too much.

–

I really don't get her attitude towards her relationship. Maybe it's because she's French. Or maybe she just does it to show she isn't holding it against me. I think I'd rather it be the second. I'm just so confused and I don't know what to think. I hope we can talk about it some while I'm at home. I really need someone to talk to about this.

Well, I will see you in a few weeks.

Love,

Hermione

–

The night of the school Christmas party was a joyous affair. All the classes had been canceled so everyone just had to pack and get ready. Draco had in fact done as he said, and Neville was escorting one Susan Bones to the party as her date. Neville was extremely nervous, but the tips and advice Draco, Harry, and even Oliver Wood had given him helped calm him down. The biggest thing all of them had told Neville was to relax and enjoy the party.

Draco had snagged a date with one of the prettier first year girls from Gryffindor, Lavender Brown. He spent most of the night chatting her up, and taking her around the dance floor several times. They seemed to be having a very good time throughout the night.

Hermione had joined Harry and Fluer and walked in as the party was in full swing. Hermione was a little curious though. Her friends had been acting strangely, as if they knew some great truth and refused to share. When she asked Harry what was up all he said was, "You'll see."

It was about an hour into the festivities when Harry excused himself and went to the doors of the Great Hall. Fluer and Hermione could see him talking to Professor Black and Professor Lupin, but had no idea what he was saying. When he finished with them, both men giving him a nod of understanding, he went to the front of the Great Hall. He spoke to Professor Snape and Dumbledore for a second. With both of them seemingly assenting to what he had asked he stood up before everyone.

Harry put his wand to his throat and, using a Sonorous charm, said,"Excuse me, everyone. May I have your attention please?

"I hope everyone is having fun before heading off to see your families and enjoying this wonderful holiday. I hope all of you take this time with your families to really see them and show them how much they truly mean to you."

Draco smirked as he shouted out, "Don't be too free with that around my sister, Potter!"

Everyone including Harry had a laugh at that. After he got his own laughter under control he said, "Draco, you don't scare me. Neither does your dad or uncle. You're mother however terrifies me!"

Once again everyone laughed at the exchange. Snape was chuckling hard as Minerva shook her head, but she couldn't hide her amusement. Harry continued, "Still, I know there are a lot of people we all want to be with us that can't. A lot of us have lost someone close to us, or more then a few people. I just wanted to offer a toast to those who can't join us during this celebration. Those loved ones we miss may be gone, but not forgotten."

Everyone smiled at that and drank the toast to lost friends. Harry wasn't done however, "Now, I know it's a little early for this. But fact is I have a gift for someone here, and it just wouldn't keep until the twenty-fifth. Neville, I hope you like what I got for you. I didn't have time to wrap it, but I figure these two old relics I dusted off were just perfect for you."

On queue both Remus and Sirius opened the doors to the Great Hall and through it, being pushed in their wheelchairs but Neville's Grandmother Augusta and Uncle Algernon were Alice and Frank Longbottom. Neville looked at them, and was stunned. They weren't looking towards him, through him, or wherever they had been pointed. They were just sitting there chomping on bubblegum randomly or making strange sounds.

For the first time in Neville's entire life, his mother and father were looking right at him. For the first time he could remember they actually saw him. And as the tears started to flow down his cheeks, for the first time Neville Longbottom saw his mother and father smile at him. He ran up to them and hugged them tightly. The pair held their son as much as they could.

Neville let go of them long enough to turn to Harry and said, "Thank you, I don't know what to say."

Harry just smiled, "Just say that you'll have a Happy Christmas, that's all I ask."

Neville smiled at him and nodded. The Great Hall burst with applause as the family shared a heart felt reunion. Susan smiled and stuck by Neville's side the rest of the night. Later, as they were walking back to Harry's chambers Hermione asked, "So what was the secret?"

"Phoenix tears. It was staring me right in the face the whole time," Harry said.

Hermione understood. Phoenix tears were said to have wondrous regenerative powers. But Phoenix's were rare, just seeing one in a lifetime was an achievement. To get tears from one took extreme luck. The healers at St. Mungo's had access to such things, but it was for extremely dire cases due to the sparsity of them.

"Where did you find a phoenix?"

"Professor Dumbledore has one, named Fawkes. It's his familiar. I've played with Fawkes for years, and when I finally figured it out I went to him and asked for his help."

Fluer smiled, "You seem to have done the impossible, 'Arry."

Harry smiled, "As long as people don't start calling me the Miracle Worker I'll be happy."

Hermione smiled, "That was extremely lucky to both think of that and to know where to get what you needed."

Harry grinned, "Yes it was. And I didn't even need a dose of 'Liquid Luck' to pull it off."

He kissed Fluer and went into his quarters for the night. Before he could leave though, Hermione gave him a congratulatory kiss on the cheek. He wished the girls goodnight and his door closed. The pair started on their way back to their dorms, both smiling and still filled with the joy of the evening. IT was a pleasant walk, and nothing was exchanged between the two of them.

When they got to the common room they found it still empty. All the other students were either still at the party, or sleeping for their early train. Fluer turned to Hermione and said, "I hope you have a pleasant evening."

"You too. And Happy Christmas."

Before Hermione could move though, Fluer bent down and kissed the young girl on the lips. It was a shock for a moment, but Hermione found herself giving in. Her eyes closed as she returned the older girls kiss. It seemed like forever, and when it ended she couldn't have told you anything else. Fluer just smiled at her and whispered in her ear, "As I said, the second kiss would be sweeter. Perhaps, we shall see how much sweeter they can become for you when we come back. 'Arry and I will be more then happy to help you find out."

With that Fluer left the common room heading for her bed. Hermione stood there for a moment completely stunned. She had been kissed, rather deeply, by another girl. She had kissed a girl back. She liked it, and said girl had not so much implied as flat out said that both she and her boyfriend wanted to kiss her again and again.

She couldn't tell you how she got to the Owlery that night. Or where she had found the quill and parchment. She quickly scribbled a note, gave it to an owl, and sent it off. She went to bed and had a horrible time trying to sleep. Thoughts of kissing both Fluer and Harry keeping her up through the night.

–

Dear Mom,

We really REALLY need to talk.

Hermione.