Babbling's class ended requesting that they parse yet another set of words, much to the frustration of the few Gryffindors who apparently had believed one of the Weasley twins about Ancient Runes being an easy option. Although she was currently top of the class, Hermione could only credit that to having read Ancient Runes Made Easy last year. Harry, however, took the challenges in stride.
"What made you want to study this?" she asked as he made for his next class. Harry's sole academic passion had always been Potions and Potions alone.
"There are a lot of potion texts that haven't been translated," Harry explained. Of course. "I'm only staying afloat in the class ever since I decided to drop Quidditch, and I'd only do that if it would help my career chances." Hermione wanted to ask more, but with him going to History of Magic, there was no chance. Instead there was a lunch to eat. As per usual, she had her reading prepared given the extensive assignments in Arithmancy. The number of pages in each chapter seemed small, but the difficulty lay in trying to follow the proofs that often referenced 'magical sequences:' various numerical series that made little logical sense as evidence without knowing Wizard culture.
"Fancy a speaking with friend for a change?" said someone who intruded on her solitude. The auburn hair in a ponytail was a dead giveaway.
"Oh Megan, of course. Sorry just been…"
"Taking too many classes? We know." Hermione laughed albeit weakly. Just taking time to think about her time management since the start of the year made it obvious how tired she truly was.
"Sorry," Hermione repeated and stowed away her textbook.
Megan let out a sinister grin. "How about instead of an apology you make it up to us by spending the Hogsmeade trip with some of your friends here rather than hanging out with your boyfriend?"
"I was going to anyways. Harry won't be able to attend any of them," Hermione answered in what she intended to have sound measured but instead came out as an icy tone.
That probably surprised Megan, who usually would assume that anything she suggested would be met with the heaviest of opposition. Perhaps that was because she always caught Hermione in the middle of her writing an essay. "Aren't you going to do something about that?" asked Megan.
"What?"
"It wouldn't mean much if you decided to spend time with us just because your friend couldn't make it." Hermione rolled her eyes; the idea Harry and her being more than friends had felt like a dream come true, but the summer allowed some breathing room. Like a dream, the likelihood of being together was absurd with the number of girls around him.
"Fine I guess," she said, wanting this topic to be over. Defence Against the Dark Arts continued the theme of studying monsters, and as per usual, she walked over to the library after class to do homework, soon being joined by Harry after he got out of Potions. Transfiguration and Runes were his primary concern while she made up for it by reviewing every other subject. Still, the lunchtime conversation continued to nag her no matter how hard she tried to use History of Magic date memorisation. "Have you talked to Snape about Hogsmeade?" she at last practically blurted out.
"Why would I talk to Professor Snape about that?" Harry as usual disliked the reputation his Head of House suffered from.
"Well perhaps he could make an exemption."
"You know he hates playing to favourites," Harry answered.
Even Hermione knew that much, but it seemed only fair to ask about him first before approaching a slightly more lenient option. "What about the Headmistress then?"
"Just as unlikely. Anyways, that would be disrespectful to Professor Snape if I went straight to her." Unlike the former, that argument was less sound. McGonagall could be firm, but the moments in Transfiguration when her face practically gleamed when a student (such as Hermione) experienced success, it showed a softer side.
"Why not just ask them both?" she said, refusing to lose this spat.
Harry sighed: "What's in it for me?"
Hermione's mind went through the options available. Whatever she said would be an easy way for him to find an out except for one answer. "What are you wanting?" she asked with an innocent smile.
"Drop a class," he said in an instant.
"Fine," she shot back, shocking both him and her. A week ago she would have refused; now she just needed to figure out which to drop. The whole concept of doing that just so that Harry would see about going to Hogsmeade sounded ridiculous to her, but Hogsmeade sounded incomplete without that insufferable prat walking around there. Saturday arrived like most days, and she along with Megan and Lisa went to the Hogwarts entrance.
As it was the first of the year, people were already queuing up for the carriages, and not much to her surprise, Harry was nowhere to be seen. Megan raised her eyebrows. Hermione just rolled her eyes; although there was a feeling of genuine disappointment, she wanted to simply enjoy her time with or without her best friend.