Chapter 3
Into The Library
" Harry walk faster, we're going to be late" Hermione yelled as she was running to where the rest of the class stood. Even if it was only Care for Magical Creatures and Hagrid was the teacher, Hermione just couldn't bear the thought of being late for a class. " Don't worry, we won't be late" Ron said as Harry and he broke into a medium paced run. " I hope we're not doing flubberworms again this year" Harry said when they had caught up with the rest of the class. " Me too" Ron and Hermione said simultaneously.
Just then Elizabeth strolled up behind them " hi guys" she said cheerfully " I almost forgot that we had another class, luckily I ran into Malfoy and his goons in the hall. He ever so kindly reminded me that I had another class to get to." " Kindly?" Ron asked in an amazed voice " no it was more like rudely" Elizabeth said " I believe his exact words were, you stupid girl, you're going the wrong way, Care for Magical Creatures is outside" Ron's face turned red, you could tell that he was furious. Just then Malfoy walked up, Ron looked as if he was going to pounce at any moment. " Perfect timing" Hermione mumbled as she and Harry held Ron back.
Professor McGonagall came running up to the class " Care for Magical Creatures is cancelled for today" she announced. " Professor Hagrid is sick and unable to teach today" "what's wrong with him?" Harry asked with a hint of worry in his voice " nothing serious Potter, he just has a cold" McGonagall replied. Behind Harry, Hermione let out a small sigh of relief. " Everyone please fallow me back inside the castle" McGonagall said as she turned on her heal and started walking back towards the castle, the class fallowed her. Most people went back to their common rooms; Harry, Hermione, Elizabeth and Ron decided to go visit Hagrid. When they got to the hospital wing they a snoring Hagrid lying on two-hospital bed that where pushed together so that he could fit. Madame Pomfery quickly shooed them away telling them that they could see Hagrid after dinner, if he was awake.
"I hope Hagrid gets well soon" Elizabeth said, and then added, " He sounds like a really nice guy". " He is" said Ron. When they got to the portrait of the Fat Lady Harry said the password and they climbed in, through the round hole in the wall. Once inside they saw that everyone was crowded around the bulletin board. "What's going on?" Elizabeth asked. " Hogsmead weekend" George Weasley announced. " Good thing to, I need to restock on dung bombs, I'm almost out" Fred Weasley said. " I want to get one of those new Ewey Gooey letters and mail it to Percy" Ron said with a grin. " What is that and who is Percy?" Elizabeth asked. "Well" Ron started to explain "an Ewey gooey letter is a fake letter, which when you open it, it spews green slime all over you, one of Zonkos newest creations. The cool thing is it looks just like your average letter." He continued " and Percy is my older brother, he was Head Boy last year." " Mum's pride and joy" George said with a scoff.
"Harry did you get your uncle to sign your form s?'
"Nope" Harry said with a smile
Hermione looked at him with a puzzled expression on her face " Sirius sent me a signed note that says that I can go" Harry said in a hushed voice. Few people knew that Sirius Black was Harry's Godfather, and it was going to stay that was until his name was cleared.
Professor McGonagall came into the common room, everyone turned to face her " I'll be taking any permission slips you might have. Please pass them up to me." She said after she fixed her hair a bit. " Oh no!" Harry said and made a run for the boy's dormitory. Two minutes later he returned looking disheveled with a sock hanging on his shoulder and a piece of paper in his right hand. " It was at the very bottom of my trunk," he said while catching his breath. He was starting to push his way through the crowd towards McGonagall when Hermione grabbed his arm, " you might want to put this in your pocket" she said lifting the sock from his shoulder and handing it to him. " Oh yeah… thanks" Said a slightly blushing Harry.
Harry handed McGonagall the note, " thank you Potter," she said after reading it, " Dumbeldor has informed me of you're …special… situation." Harry of course knew what she was talking about. " Pro.. Professor?' came a high-pitched voice from somewhere behind Harry. " Yes Longbottom" McGonagall said flatly. " Am … Am I aloud to go to Hogsmead this year?" Neville asked in a small squeaky voice. " Well we'll see, I'm going to have to talk to headmaster Dumbeldor about that." Was all McGonagall said before she turned to clime out the exit.
Elizabeth walked over to Ron, took his hand and led him over to a couple of soft squashy chairs. " Tell me about Hogsmead Ron, please." She said. Ron blushed, looked down at his hand and Elizabeth's turned and even deeper shade of red, and started to tell her all about Hogsmead.
Harry and Hermione decided to go down to the library and get a head start on the potions homework. " Can you believe Snape? First day back and already we have to write an essay on the uses of ringtails in major potions" Harry grumbled as they walked into the library. " I think he's still mad about last year" Hermione said as she took a seat across from Harry.
For the next half hour they sat there in silence working on their essays. Harry suddenly got that feeling in his stomach again. He looked up thinking Cho was somewhere near by, she wasn't. Then he faced Hermione, she looked up and their eyes met. The feeling in Harry's stomach grew stronger Hermione blushed and looked down. Did she feel it to, Harry wondered.
All through dinner Harry wondered whether or not Hermione had felt it, and was this feeling in his stomach or in his heart. Ron noticed the neither Harry or Hermione had looked up from their plates all through dinner, but he didn't think too much of it. He was to busy looking at Elizabeth.
After dinner there was little conversation in the common room among the 4th years. What little conversation there was, was about Professor Honeywell the new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher. Everyone seemed to agree that she was very nice and they where all happy when she took fifteen points from Slytherin because Malfoy had pulled out a bit of Hermione's hair.
Everyone was busy trying to get Snape's essay done, for it was due the next day. " I just can't believe it," announced Ron, who was sitting next to Elizabeth again. "Two rolls of parchment, on a subject which I know nothing about" he continued " and he only gave us one night to do it"
By the time everyone was done, it was past midnight and everyone was really tired. Hermione mumbled " Good night" and went up to her dormitory. Elizabeth came up shortly after her. Elizabeth's bed was on the right side of Hermione's.
Elizabeth was first to speak, " so Hermione, what's up with you and Harry?" she asked. " huh? What do you mean?" asked a confused Hermione. " I mean" Liz explained " are you guys going out or what?" "No" said Hermione a little louder than she had intended to.
" We're not like that, we are just friends"
"Oh come on, it's obvious you're nuts about the guy" Elizabeth said while brushing her hair. " I see big things between you and Harry," she added while getting into bed. " Oh really! And where exactly did you see this" Hermione said in a sarcastic voice. ' Oh didn't I tell you? I'm a seer. As one of you're professors put it I'm in possession of the inner eye. And you where right bout Trelawney, she's an old fraud" she said before closing her hangings and going to sleep.
By falling asleep Liz left Hermione sitting there with a batch of new questions in her head and no one to answer them. Hermione lay in bed unable to sleep until two in the morning. She lay there thinking about what Liz had said. "No it's not possible, I couldn't possibly like Harry like that," she told herself for the 50th time that night. That was the thought that she had fallen asleep with.
" Morning." Hermione was awoken by a cheerful Elizabeth pulling back her hangings and letting the morning sun shine in. " uhg" said a groggy Hermione as she pulled the blanket over her eyes to block out the sunlight.
When Hermione finally walked into the great hall she found that there was only one seat left, the one next to Harry. Hermione glared at Elizabeth, Elizabeth just smiled back at her. Feeling defeated Hermione took her seat next to Harry. " Quidditch tryouts today" Harry announced as Hermione reached for a piece of French toast. " Are you going to try out for keeper?' Elizabeth asked Ron as she poured herself some pumpkin juice. " Yeah, hey how'd you know about Quidditch?' he asked her. " you explained it to me yesterday silly" she replied before taking a sip of her juice. " Think you'll be made captain Harry?" Hermione asked
" I don't know. But wouldn't it be cool?"
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Harry and Ron walked into the common room brooms over their shoulders, they where both very tired but extremely happy. " I'm the new keeper!" Ron said all aglow. Elizabeth instantly jumped up and hugged him. "The results of the vote will be posted tomorrow but Alicia secretly told me that I've been made captain." Harry said with a huge grin across his face. Hermione, fallowing in Liz's footsteps, jumped up and hugged Harry. As soon as Hermione hugged him he felt warmth spread all over him but it didn't last long because Hermione was quick to pull away. Ron gave her a sideways look and Hermione's cheeks turned a bright crimson red.