Disclaimer - Look at chapter one, lazy.
Chapter 11
Despite having been deemed well enough to leave the hospital wing, Harold was still fragile and decided that he would leave flying until Harry had time to help him, and this was very rare because term had really began, and he was as busy as ever. Basically, Harold's job as an assistant teacher seemed to be was marking endless heaps of parchment, with the help of one of the books he had bought in Diagon Alley. This was quite mind numbing, but essential and it freed up some of Harry's time so he could help him in the Kwickspell course. Harold was making astonishing progress on it, and he could now do simple charms. Harry said that the reason he was so successful was because the bite came from a wizard, so he had some wizarding blood in him.
Unfortunately, his mind had not forgotten the forthcoming new moon. There was only a few days left, and he was starting to feel a bit peaky. He grew more and more tired as time went on, prompting him to take his wolfsbane potion.
"Urggg!" He spluttered as he took his first mouthful. "Its worse than what that nurse woman gave me! Who invented this muck? I demand a lawsuit!" The house – elves that had given him the potion dried their long crooked noses. Actually, as he realised with a jump, they were the Siamese twins that McGonagall had told him about. They were dressed in matching tea towels that were sewn together to create a large one bearing the Hogwarts crest and were identical to the very last wart. It appeared that they were joined at the leg though, as the pair seemed to have three legs.
"Namby is sorry sir is not liking his drink. Namby did try to sweeten it up. You need it!" She gave a high pitch attempt of a snigger and the two of them disapparated with a crack that made Harold jump, before returning to his potion.
The day of the next full moon dawned brightly. It was a Saturday, so Harold decided to ignore the feelings in his stomach and go for a short walk around the grounds. Harry had gone on a trip to Hogsmeade and left earlier, but much to Harold's delight, Hermione had come to the school on business for the order, and had agreed to accompany him on a trip round the lake. Harold hadn't actually had a proper chance to thank her for saving his life, and this seemed as good a chance as any. He did, however, find that getting the words out was rather harder than imagined.
"You know, Hermione, what you, well, I just, um, when you, kinda, saved my life back there, I haven't really, said, well, thanks." He paused to actually think about what he was going to say instead of burbling like he just had.
"If it wasn't for you, I would have died. So, thanks for saving my life." Harold finished, chancing half a glance at Hermione, who was blushing like a sunburnt radish. Maybe it was just as uncomfortable for her as it was for him.
"Well." She said slowly, as if she was picking her words very carefully, like the wrong one would conjure up wild demons to pick her up and hang, draw, torture, slaughter and quarter her.
"How could I not? When I saw you falling, I kind of, reacted. It didn't involve thinking. You know you were doing really well out there, until you, well, fell." Harold felt a sudden pang in his stomach that had nothing to do with the oncoming full moon. She looked so beautiful, with her hair blowing in the slight breeze. They had stopped walking now, and were just standing there, by the lake. He smiled nervously.
"I fell for you in the most literal sense." He was surprised at his own bravery; normally he could never admit his feelings for anyone other than his horses. Although it was a very cheesy chat up line, it seemed to have worked. Hermione smiled back at him, a warm smile that turned Harold's exterior into a melted gloop of a microwaved marshmallow. He leaned forwards, towards her radiant mouth. Hermione did not move back. Harold was punching the air inside himself with triumph. Finally, finally something had gone right. He would get bitten a thousand times if he could just…
"Stupefy!" Yelled a deep, gravely voice. And Harold knew no more.
