Love in Excess 6

A/N: Oops - I forgot to put a slash warning in the last chapter, but seeing as it's just you die-hard f/f loyalists reading, perhaps it can be dispensed with. Anyway, here's some uplift for Bookcat …

Love in Excess 6: Reprieve

For Katie, thinking about Cho had become like touching the tongue to a burn on the roof of the mouth to see if it still remained sore: she did it compulsively and regretted it each time. Recalling the look on Cho's face during their last encounter in the Entrance Hall never failed to make Katie cringe, all the more so because she had no one to blame but herself for making Cho lose trust in her.

But much to Katie's surprise, being away from Hogwarts actually made her think less about Cho. Away from all the surroundings that reminded her constantly of their past moments together, Katie gradually stopped thinking about her so much. And eventually, the niggling pain that always accompanied her thoughts of Cho went away, too. This change was due at least in part to Alicia, who patiently drew out of Katie the misery and the confusion she'd been trying to sort through on her own.

"So tell me again exactly what Hermione said?" Alicia asked. They were lying on the floor in her bedroom, where Katie was spending New Year's Eve.

"I don't know. It was a really complicated spell."

"Hmm." Alicia nibbled at a Jelly Slug. "Do you think she did something to make Cho dislike you?"

Katie rolled from her back to her stomach and looked at Alicia. "Why would she do that?"

"She's jealous and wants you." Alicia raised her eyebrows impatiently.

"Oh, come on. Hermione doesn't have any interest in girls. She doesn't even have any close girl friends," argued Katie.

"She hangs out with Ginny," Alicia countered. When Katie continued to stare, Alicia shrugged and said, "Just an idea."

"No way. I mean, she doesn't even like Quidditch - what could we possibly have in common? There's no way she's gay."

Alicia rummaged through the box of sweets. "You really think Laura likes Quidditch?"

"Well, maybe not. But she does like girls who play it. Hermione can't be bothered with things like that."

"She has a cat. She has been known to wear flannel shirts," Alicia persisted.

"Stereotypes," retorted Katie, but couldn't keep back a laugh as Alicia continued to make her case with increasingly ridiculous examples. "Alright, alright, stop. Even if she were - and I don't think she is, mind you - there's no way Hermione Granger would deliberately sabotage a spell. She has too much integrity."

"Integrity. Is that what you're calling is now?"

"You've been spending too much time with George Weasley. How is he, by the way?" asked Katie, turning the tables on her friend.

Alicia's smiling face faltered. "He's fine," she replied cautiously.

"Fine." Now Katie assumed the teasing expression, saying, "I suppose it is hard to find anyone who can compare after dating me." She glanced over, saw Alicia still wasn't certain she was joking and added, "Seriously, you like him?"

Alicia relaxed, but still blushed as she said, "It's nothing serious. He's just fun to hang out with. I mean, it's not like how things are between Angelina and Fred. They're both staying at school over the holidays, you know."

"Can't stand to be apart?" Katie raised one eyebrow.

"Something like that." Alicia smiled and held out the last piece of candy. "Licorice whip?"

"Thought you'd never ask." Katie chewed thoughtfully for a few minutes, then Summoned a piece of parchment and a quill.

"What are you doing?"

"New Year's Resolutions," replied Katie, scribbling away. "This year I will not use potions to solve my problems."

"And will ask my friends' advice before doing anything stupid," Alicia suggested helpfully.

"And will not fall in love anymore."

Alicia laughed. "You should at least try to write down resolutions you have some chance of keeping. No sense setting yourself up for failure. I mean, what about Hermione?"

"Haven't you listened to a word I've said?" Katie tossed down her quill. "Forget it."

"I've been listening to you," Alicia replied mildly. "I heard everything you've said," she added with a smile, then ducked as Katie tossed the quill at her.

**

Katie and Alicia caught an early train back to school. Both were eager to return to Hogwarts and escape their parents, and even though Katie still felt a certain amount of dread when she thought about seeing Cho again, she would rather risk it than spend any more time under her mother's thumb. Besides, she was looking forward to seeing Hermione again. Not that she put any faith in Alicia's suggestions, she reminded herself hastily. She simply wanted to make sure Hermione no longer thought she'd been putting her down during that last chat with Cho.

A number of other students had already returned, or had stayed on over the holidays, so when Alicia and Katie entered the common room it was almost half full. Katie scanned the room and saw four Weasley heads in a circle by the fire, along with Harry, Hermione and Angelina. Without bothering to remove their cloaks, Katie and Alicia joined them.

"You're back," acknowledged George on seeing Alicia, grinned at her, then bent over his cards with a look of great concentration.

Scowling in mock annoyance, Alicia punched him on the arm and said, "Yes, I'm back. Now shove up and deal me in."

Hermione jumped up. "You can have my chair," she offered, oblivious to the fact that adequate seating space was not among Alicia's concerns.

"Tired of losing?" teased Ron, starting another round of Exploding Snap. "Katie, you in?"

"Um, no thanks. I've got to drop my stuff upstairs." Katie turned away, feeling strangely left out as her two friends settled next to their boyfriends. She and Alicia had spent so much time together over the past weeks, it had seemed just like old times. But now that they were back at school, Katie realised Alicia's attention had a number of demands these days.

The House Elves had brought her luggage upstairs. Katie sent everything to its proper place with well-directed Banishing Charms, then leaned back against the pillows of her bed. Susan Bones' words still came back to her: Better be careful or you're going to get a reputation. She knew Susan was just being friendly, but now Katie wondered if she really did have bad luck.

"Hi, Katie." Hermione had ventured into the room and was looking at her expectantly.

"Come on in." Katie gestured for her to come all the way inside, wondering what the younger girl could want. "Did you stay here for the holidays?" she asked as Hermione sat down on the bed.

Hermione nodded. "Yes. You came back early?"

"Had to get out of the house."

There was a silence. Katie didn't know what to say, and got the feeling Hermione had something on her mind.

"About last term -"

Katie hastily interrupted, eager to put things to rights. "Don't worry about it. It's nobody's fault but mine, what happened with Cho. New Year's resolution: no more potions or love spells. From now on, I'll just have to deal with things more straightforwardly."

"Sounds like my resolution."

"But you didn't make any illegal potions," said Katie, regarding Hermione with increasing puzzlement.

"Not that…just the straightforward part." Hermione's voice was quiet and she had none of her usual confidence. She wasn't even looking at Katie any more.

"Is something wrong?" Katie kept her eyes on her until Hermione met her gaze.

"No," Hermione sighed, twisting her hands in her lap. "I just promised myself I'd do something but now I don't know if I can do it," she concluded, eyes still on Katie.

"You're starting to worry me," Katie joked. "This isn't like you."

"I suppose that's what everyone would think," said Hermione and started to move away. Katie reached out and closed her fingers around Hermione's thin wrist.

"Look, I owe you for everything you did for me. If you want to talk -"

Hermione glanced down at Katie's hand on her wrist, then back into Katie's face. Her brown eyes were open wide, Katie noticed, and her lashes seemed to blink more than usual. "I don't want you to do anything because you owe me." Hermione spoke in a whisper but her voice was steady, and when Katie looked into her eyes, what she saw there made her jump.

Katie stared, wondering if she could possibly be misreading her expression. But by now, she had seen enough girls look at her like that to know what Hermione meant.

The sudden pounding of her heart against her chest reminded Katie of the first time she had wanted to kiss Alicia, how terrified she had been. With Cho it had never felt like that, possibly because with Cho things were always all action, no time for thought. But now, unable to tear her gaze away from Hermione's steady brown eyes, Katie felt nervous.

Desire overcame anxiety, however, and the distance between herself and Hermione disappeared; even a Proximity charm couldn't have brought them closer. Reaching a hand behind Hermione's head, Katie leaned over and kissed her. When Hermione responded Katie's fear subsided a bit, but her heart kept beating just as fast.

And beneath her touch, beneath the kisses, she felt Hermione shaking, trembling harder than she herself had the moment before they kissed. "What's wrong?" she whispered, drawing away a fraction and smoothing Hermione's hair.

Hermione's eyes blinked open. "Nothing," she whispered back, then closed her eyes again and rested her forehead against Katie's chest, and Katie realised she was shaking, too. What was going on, she wondered fleetingly, as they collapsed onto her bed together. Nobody – not even Cho – had ever had this kind of effect on her. And she'd thought the physical connection with Cho had been the strongest thing they'd had going for them. But this – Katie was certain even the strongest love potion couldn't make someone feel desire this intensely.

Katie undid Hermione's school robes with expert fingers and flung them off. Sitting up, Hermione did the same, her mouth never leaving Katie's. Katie returned her kisses, running her hands across Hermione's shoulders before undoing the buttons on her blouse. Midway through this task she had the presence of mind to grab her wand and place a locking charm on the door – her room-mates would be able to break it, but at least it would slow them down a bit. Then she drew the hangings around her bed and pushed Hermione back down.

Hermione smiled up at her, then reached for Katie, running her fingers along the curve of Katie's waist, making her shiver. Katie allowed herself to be pulled onto Hermione, her left knee falling against Hermione's bare legs, her lips brushing Hermione's soft cheek. Turning her head slightly, she felt Hermione's breath hot against her ear. "Touch me here," Hermione whispered, taking Katie's hand and guiding it towards the soft swell of her breast.

Katie complied, felt Hermione sigh and wriggle beneath her touch, and was marvelling at Hermione's boldness when she heard the door burst open. "What's the big idea, locking us out like that?" Angelina groused

Both Katie and Hermione sat bolt upright. Katie pulled Hermione's robes out from under her and draped them around the girl, then hastily struggled into her own shirt.

"Katie?" Now Alicia was talking. "Are you awake?"

Their footsteps neared the bed, and Katie poked her head through a gap in the curtains, holding the edges firmly against her. "Um, just having a nap."

"Why'd you have to lock the door?" Angelina appeared, looking disgruntled. "And where have you been all evening?"

"I was just tired, that's all. Came up here for some peace and quiet."

"Will you stop with the curtains?" demanded Angelina. "I feel like I'm talking to a hand puppet when you do that." She stepped forward and yanked back the hangings. Katie closed her eyes and cringed inwardly.

Thankfully Hermione had located her wand and used it to dress herself quickly. Even fully dressed, however, there was no hiding the hectic flush still in her cheeks, or the way her breath was still coming in quick bursts, like she'd just run all the way up the stairs.

"Hermione?" Both Angelina and Alicia chorused in disbelief. They looked first at Hermione, then at Katie.

Katie twisted around and saw Hermione blushing scarlet. Next thing any of them knew, Hermione had jumped up and run for the door, her footsteps echoing off the stone walls as she clattered down the stairs.

"Wait!" Katie leapt off the bed and darted to the door, but knew Hermione was long gone already. She turned and walked slowly back to her friends. "I'd better go find her," she muttered.

"Unbelievable," said Angelina, looking both shocked and impressed. Alicia appeared to be fighting back a smile and gave Katie an I-told-you-so look.

"Listen, you two – not one word of this to anyone, understood? Not even Fred and George. Especially not Fred and George," she added, shuddering. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to find Hermione."

Katie swept past her two friends and ran downstairs, pausing to knock at the fifth-year girls' dormitory. Lavender Brown opened the door. "Yes?"

"Is Hermione here?" Katie asked, trying to peer past Lavender.

"No." Lavender examined her curiously. "I haven't seen her all night."

"Thanks." Katie nodded at Lavender and quickly turned away, continuing down the stairs. A glance at the common room confirmed she wasn't there either. Ron's red head was nodding across from Harry's as they bent over a chessboard together, but Hermione was nowhere to be seen.

Katie squirmed out of the portrait hole and jogged along the corridors. Despite Hermione's known bookishness, Katie doubted even she would head for the library right now. There was no telling where she could be. Unless –

Katie pelted down the wide staircase, her robes billowing out behind her. She reached the ground floor and pushed through the doors, out to the rose garden where she'd found Hermione reciting the reversal spell.

The night air was shockingly cold and Katie caught her breath as soon as she stepped outside, reminded forcefully that she'd run off without a winter cloak. Blowing on her hands, Katie stomped across the frosty, frozen ground. "Hermione?" she called softly, peering into the shadows.

"I'm here," came a small voice. Katie squinted into the night, then pulled out her wand and commanded, "Lumos." Hermione sat on a cold stone bench, shrouded by an untrimmed hedge.

Katie slid next to her, automatically putting her arms around Hermione and pulling her head to her shoulder. "I'm so sorry about what happened upstairs. I should have used a stronger locking charm." She placed her wand on the bench, lifted Hermione's face and looked at her in the dim wandlight. "Are you okay? With – everything, I mean?"

Hermione nodded and sat up straight. "I wasn't ready for someone to walk in on us, but other than that I'm fine."

Katie stared. "I never thought you'd be like that," she said quietly.

"Like what?" A faint smile played at Hermione's mouth.

"I thought you'd be shy. Awkward, maybe."

"Is that what it was like with Cho?" Hermione asked. "Was she shy and awkward?"

"Erm, no. Not exactly." Katie blushed in the darkness.

"Then why would you think I'd be that way?"

"Unless there's something you haven't told me, you've never been with another girl. I guess I wasn't expecting you to be so…passionate." Katie reached over and took Hermione's hand in hers. "Not that I'm complaining," she clarified.

"I told you there were lots of things you didn't know about me." Hermione's smile increased and she glanced down at Katie's strong hands caressing her own.

"Fair enough. So why'd you run away?"

Now Hermione turned her head away and gazed into the darkness that enveloped the Hogwarts grounds. "Only a few weeks ago you wanted to do those things with Cho," she said in a low voice. "Maybe you still do. I don't want to be with you if I'm just some substitute for her."

"Hermione. You are not a substitute." Katie stared at her until Hermione returned her gaze. "I haven't so much as talked to her since before the Christmas holidays. It's been tough, but I finally had to accept it's over."

Hermione nodded and, withdrawing her hand, dropped her eyes. Talking to her lap, she said, "I just had to know because I – " Now she looked up again, searching Katie's face anxiously. "I think I'm kind of in love with you."

"Kind of?" Despite the seriousness of the situation, something about Hermione's phrasing made Katie smile.

But Hermione, who had jumped to her feet and moved away, didn't see her smiling in the darkness. "Yes. That is to say – I've been falling in love with you all term, I guess, while we were working on counteracting the potion. But you were so gone on Cho, I didn't let myself think – " Hermione stumbled over her words with unaccustomed awkwardness. "Then when you kissed me tonight, I just couldn't help myself."

Katie stood behind Hermione and carefully placed her arms around her waist, leaning against the other girl's back. "I couldn't help myself, either," she murmured into Hermione's ear. "You make me feel like – I don't even know." A shiver ran through Katie just thinking about it. "Like nobody else has."

"Really." Hermione turned slowly in Katie's arms, until they faced each other. She spoke as if Katie had uncovered a fascinating, yet unusual, point in the midst of a class discussion.

"Yeah. Really." Katie peered down at Hermione. A gust of wind came up and knocked her wand off the stone bench, plunging them into darkness once more. Cursing, Katie bent down and fumbled for her wand.

"We'd better go inside," said Hermione when the wand was recovered.

"Okay. Just -" Katie paused, then continued with her question. "Why did you go to so much effort to find a spell that would make Cho immune to the romance repellant if you had a crush on me? You could have just left the potion's effect in place."

"I know. But as I said earlier tonight, I don't want you to do anything because you owe me, or because of a spell. I had to see if you could like me on your own. Besides, you were so miserable. I couldn't bear to leave you like that - or Cho, even." She shrugged and began walking towards the castle.

Katie didn't know what to say to that. She wasn't sure she could have done the same, had she been in Hermione's position. Taking Hermione's hand, she held it tightly, and they walked in silence to the castle doors.

Hermione paused and said, "We'd better be careful walking back upstairs - it's probably past lights-out already."

"How many ways can I get you into trouble tonight?" sighed Katie, holding the door open for Hermione.

A smile flitted across Hermione's face. "Don't worry," she whispered as they climbed the stairs. "I'm a prefect. I can always say I caught you out and will see to your punishment myself."

"Is that a promise?" grinned Katie.

Hermione didn't answer, just nodded pointedly at the Fat Lady, who was staring down at them from her portrait. "What are you girls doing out so late?" she demanded, as she grudgingly let them inside.

Neither girl spoke as they crept through the dark and deserted common room, through the door to the girls' dormitories, and up to their respective rooms. They paused outside the fifth-year dorm, then Katie leaned over and gave Hermione a quick kiss. "Good night," she whispered, and walked quietly up the stairs, not allowing herself to look back.

Because if she looked back, or if she'd lingered one moment longer, Katie knew she could have stayed and kissed Hermione all night long.

**

Lessons started only a few days later. Katie spent her spare time watching Hermione, trying to memorise the set of her chin as she glared at Ron over an off-colour joke, or the way her eyes sparked when she started talking about what she'd just learned in Transfiguration. Katie's gaze lingered on Hermione's fingers now, as she watched her writing industriously at one of the tables in the library, and smiled as she thought to what other uses she could put those hands.

Hermione felt Katie's eye upon her and looked up, smiling. "What?"

"Nothing." Katie tried to suppress her grin and glanced down at her own books.

Kicking her lightly under the table, Hermione asked again, "What is it?"

"I'll show you later," Katie whispered and forced herself to read another paragraph in her History of Magic book.

As the library prepared to close, Katie walked Hermione back to Gryffindor tower, then pulled her into a darkened alcove halfway there for a few moments of privacy. One handy thing about attending school in a castle was the numerous nooks and crannies found throughout the building, good for private moments such as this. Hermione didn't object when Katie pulled her aside; in fact she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed Katie.

"Where'd you learn to kiss like that?" teased Katie, only half-joking. "Not to mention the way you -"

Hermione smiled up at her. "Well, I did spend a fair amount of time with Viktor last year. And he is older than I am."

"Meaning?" asked Katie, pressing one of her knees against Hermione's.

"Not everything I know comes from reading," said Hermione, laughing softly at Katie's expression.

"Hermione - what exactly did you do with him?" Katie spluttered.

"Not that," she assured. "Hmm, maybe I should just show you."

Katie gulped as Hermione moved closer and started to make good on her promise. "Not here," she managed to choke out, holding Hermione's hand steady. "You really surprise me, you know that?" she asked as they resumed walking to the tower.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I know. Everyone thinks I'm a total swot, never thought twice about a boy, certainly never thought once about another girl."

"Shows what they know." Katie swung their hands forward, lightly grasping Hermione's fingers. "So, have you thought twice about, well, about anyone?" she asked in a quieter voice.

"I thought about you, didn't I?" returned Hermione with a smile.

"But before that?"

Hermione shrugged. "There was Viktor, obviously."

Katie glanced at her sideways. "Anyone else?"

"It doesn't matter. If you're asking because you're afraid I'm going to panic and start looking for a boyfriend you needn't worry," Hermione informed her crossly, sounding less like the girl-in-love she'd just been and more like the headmistress-in-training Katie had always presumed her to be. "I'll see whomever I like. And right now it's you."

"I can't argue with that." Katie gave the password and they both entered the common room. "I'll meet you outside your dormitory in ten minutes," she whispered, before sprinting upstairs to deposit her books.

Her own room was quiet when she entered, Angelina and Alicia apparently having already gone to bed. Katie tossed her books into the trunk at the foot of her bed, then at the appropriate time crept back down the stairs.

Just as she was heading down, however, she ran into Fred Weasley on his way up. "Fred -" she started to shout, then clapped a hand over her own mouth, not wanting the entire girls' dormitory to hear her. Lowering her voice to a whisper she demanded, "What are you doing here? How'd you get in?"

He grinned at her. "I have my ways."

For some reason Katie found herself dissatisfied with both his response and his attitude. "Angelina is asleep," she said, feeling suddenly protective of her room-mate.

"Says you. Did you ask her?"

"No," Katie admitted. "But Alicia's there too, you know. It's not as if you'll have the place to yourself."

"She's out with George," Fred informed her, attempting to edge past.

But Katie stood firm, still trying to absorb everything he was saying. It appeared her room-mates had been doing quite a bit without telling her. "You could get in a lot of trouble if someone found you here."

Fred's grin wavered for a moment and an impatient note crept into his voice. "Well, nobody's found me yet, although if you keep standing here talking to me no doubt that will change. Where are you going, anyway?"

"None of your business. This is my dormitory, in case you forgot. Maybe I'm going to the bathroom for all you know."

"Don't think so. Seventh-years have their own, all the way up at the top." His grin returned full-force. "So who is it? Did you finally make up with Cho?"

Katie was not amused. Jabbing a finger at his chest she said, "Listen, Fred - you owe me for not ratting on you, so never mind what I'm doing. But you'd better be gone when I come back."

"And when would that be?"

"Soon." Katie glared at him, not certain she was doing the right thing, but also feeling it wasn't her place to interfere, especially since Angelina obviously hadn't seen fit to even tell Katie of her late-night rendezvous.

She watched Fred quietly climb the rest of the stairs, avoiding the one near the top that squeaked. He's done this before, Katie realised, then shook her head and continued on down, wondering if Hermione was still waiting for her.

She was. "Where have you been?" she whispered anxiously, pushing Katie downstairs and into the common room. "Something weird is going on tonight - I was just opening my door when I saw Fred Weasley going by, but then I heard you talking to him. What's up?"

"He's meeting Angelina."

Hermione looked severe, her prefect instincts obviously kicking in. "And you let him?"

"It was certainly better than telling him where I was going," pointed out Katie. Unless you wanted everyone to know about us?" Remembering just why she'd gone to all this trouble in the first place, she put her arms around Hermione's waist and kissed her, silencing any further protests. "So where should we go? Prefects' bathroom? Surely nobody's taking a bath this time of night."

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. "Are you kidding? That's used for nothing but assignations these days. No guarantee of privacy there."

Katie's eyes glimmered in the shadowy room. "Then let's go exploring," she suggested, took Hermione's hand, and led her out of the portrait hole.

The castle corridors were dark and silent, lit only by sporadically placed candles in sconces along the twisting walls. Hermione knew her way around, being a prefect, and Katie had to admit the younger girl had often surprised in her ability to find remote, private rooms.

But tonight Katie wanted some place new, and some place far from Gryffindor tower. She tried not to think about Angelina and Fred, or worse, Alicia and George but as they walked in silence, hurt thoughts kept creeping into her mind. She couldn't believe they hadn't said anything to her, especially since getting her out of the room seemed integral to their plan.

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked dubiously.

Katie stopped walking and looked around. They were in a far wing of the castle, a place they'd never been before. "This way," Katie said authoritatively, although in truth she had no idea where she was going.

The corridor abruptly narrowed and led onto an equally narrow staircase. Katie didn't think too much of it - Hogwarts was funny that way. She did start to wonder, however, when the short staircase ended in a small landing. Their only options were to go either back the way they'd come or to go up once more, this time using the stairs on the other side of the landing.

It was too narrow to walk side by side, so Katie moved to the front, still holding Hermione's hand. "Are you sure you know where we are?" Hermione whispered, holding on tightly to Katie's hand.

Katie turned and grinned at her. "No, but that's half the fun."

Hermione didn't look as if she agreed, but Katie ignored her doubtful expression and continued up the steep stairs. As the stairs began to twist sharply, she had to let go of Hermione's hand, but could feel the other girl right behind her. At last they came to the top of the stairs. Katie blinked, not quite believing what she was seeing.

"Oh, I don't believe this." Hermione let out an exasperated sigh. "We've come all that way just to a dead-end wall!"

Katie turned and stared at her. "What?" She peered closely at Hermione, then turned back to what she'd been looking at before: a beautiful courtyard lay below them. They appeared to be standing in the open frame of a long window, with flowers cascading from the window all the way down to the ground.

"Can't you see it?" Katie asked, puzzled. She drew Hermione next to her, then stood back and pointed.

"See what?" Hermione's eyes looked blankly ahead, then fixed on Katie's face. "What are you seeing?"

Frowning, Katie put her arms on Hermione's elbows and held her in front of her. "It's a garden or something. We're standing in a window, looking down on it."

She heard Hermione's sharp intake of breath, and knew she saw it now, too. "Take your hands off me," Hermione said, still breathless.

"What's wrong?" Katie asked, hurt.

Hermione shook her head impatiently. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I just want to test something."

Katie did as she was asked, and a moment later Hermione turned around, her face intrigued. "It's just as I thought. When you touch me, I can see what you see, but if we're not touching, all I see is a wall."

"Weird." Katie pulled Hermione protectively to her side. "What do you think it is?"

"Well, I can't be certain, but I think you've come across the seventh-year garden. Helga Hufflepuff created it as a gift for the girls who are in their final year - they're the only ones who can see it, or enter it."

"How do we get in?"

Hermione looked around. "Let's try down that corridor."

Katie looked to her left; she hadn't noticed the corridor before, but perhaps it had just appeared. Feeling uneasy, she led Hermione along it, then down another set of spiraling stairs, and then they were in the courtyard.

"Don't let go of me," cautioned Hermione.

"What do you think would happen?" worried Katie.

"I'm not sure, but I don't really want to find out." Hermione settled gingerly on a carved marble bench and stared.

Katie had to admit the scene inspired staring. Despite it being midwinter, the air felt as warm as a perfect spring day, and everything was in bloom. If she looked up, she could see the window where they'd stood, the flowers spilling out of their box and down the sides of the castle walls. Bright, exotic-looking flowers grew near their bench, or wrapped around ornamental columns. Katie glanced at an intriguing base of one of the columns, then quickly looked away: it was a carving of a Hippogriff attacking some prey.

"How did she do this?" she wondered aloud.

"I'm not sure," Hermione replied. "I've only read about it in Hogwarts, A History. Each of the founders created somewhere special in the school. Salazar Slytherin made the Chamber of Secrets." Katie noticed Hermione shudder as she said this. "And this garden was Helga's idea. I suppose she enchanted the flowers so they'd grow all year round."

"And only seventh-year girls can see it?"

Hermione nodded. "There's probably an equivalent for the boys, but I guess you'd have to ask Fred or George about that. If anyone's found it, I'd bet they have."

"Maybe. But if it's anything like this, I don't know why they're wasting their time sneaking into our dorms." Katie twisted to inspect the pool of water behind them, kept constantly filled by a soothing fountain, taking care to maintain a firm grip on Hermione.

Hermione seemed equally awed. "I can't believe I got in. This is so beautiful," she breathed.

"Not as beautiful as you," said Katie. The warmth of the place, combined with the heavy scent of the various flowers, not to mention sitting so close to Hermione was fast proving intoxicating. She leaned over and kissed Hermione, who blushed at the compliment but didn't say anything.

In fact, neither girl said anything at all, quickly becoming absorbed in each other rather than conversation. Their first kisses of only a few nights ago had been quick and frantic, but tonight Hermione kissed her slowly and deliberately, and Katie felt quite certain that for once, Hermione wasn't thinking about homework or rules or anything but the two of them.

Things continued in this way for quite some time until Hermione sat up and said, "It must be terribly late. We'd better go before we're missed."

Reluctantly, Katie got to her feet and they walked hand-in-hand to the garden's edge. "I hate to leave," she said, casting a longing glance around them. With her free hand she reached out to a large, delicate blossom. "What happens if I pick a flower?"

"Nothing. Only seventh-year girls can take flowers from here, but they can come as often as they like," smiled Hermione. "If you can find your way back again."

"I will," Katie assured her, then plucked the flower and tucked it into Hermione's thick hair, behind her ear. "Perfect."

"Thanks." Hermione smiled up at her, and they got sidetracked a bit from leaving as Hermione expressed her appreciation.

"Okay, let's go," Katie sighed, leading Hermione away from the enchanted garden and back to the castle corridors.

The school seemed extra quiet and eerie after the brightness and warmth of the enchanted courtyard. Katie thought their shoes echoed more loudly than usual as they dashed along the wooden floors, each keeping her eyes peeled for Filch or Peeves. Then they rounded a corner and ran into someone almost as bad, if not worse: Professor McGonagall.

"What on earth -" she began, apparently as startled to see them as they were to see her. "Miss Bell! Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Katie was so afraid she couldn't even stammer out a response. She glanced miserably at Hermione, whose face had gone completely white. Gathering her wits, Katie gasped, "I know it's late, Professor. Hermione found me out of bed - she was just taking me back."

Professor McGonagall now looked at Hermione. "Miss Granger, is this true?"

Although she had dropped Hermione's hand as soon as they came face-to-face with their teacher, Katie could feel her shaking by her side, and fervently hoped Hermione had overcome her reluctance about lying.

"Yes." Katie jerked up her head and regarded Hermione full-on. She spoke the word with such confidence even Katie felt for a moment the story was true. "There've been quite a number of students out of bed tonight, Professor."

Professor McGonagall's expression darkened. "Don't I know it. Caught George Weasley and Alicia Spinnet wandering the grounds only an hour ago." Now she looked again at Katie, not bothering to hide her irritation. "What is going on with you girls? Don't you know how dangerous it is to be out at night? What on earth possessed you?"

"Um…youthful exuberance?" Katie offered hopefully.

McGonagall snorted, but Katie thought her severe expression softened somewhat.

Just as she and Hermione were moving away, however, Katie noticed Professor McGonagall staring at something on the floor. Following the teacher's gaze, Katie saw she was peering closely at the flower Katie had picked for Hermione, which had fallen out of her hair. Taking a step forward, their teacher bent over and picked up the blossom, then held it out to Katie. "I see you've found Helga Hufflepuff's garden, Miss Bell."

Katie fought to keep her voice steady as she replied, "Yes, Professor. I was just coming back and that's when Hermione came across me."

McGonagall looked from Katie to Hermione, then back at the flower Katie cupped in her hand. There was utter silence in the corridor, save for Katie's breathing, which suddenly seemed very loud to her. "So this is what has all you seventh-year girls out of bed tonight? Looking for the enchanted garden?"

Katie nodded. The flower was beginning to feel sticky in her hot palm.

"May I suggest you confine your visits there to the time before lights-out?" Then, with that strange, almost-softening look Katie had seen a moment ago, Professor McGonagall glanced once more at Hermione and said in a lighter tone, "Miss Granger, I will leave the punishment of those caught out of bed tonight to the Gryffindor prefects. I expect a full report of your decision tomorrow."

"Of course, Professor."

When they were finally back inside the common room, Katie promptly leaned her back against the closed portrait-hole and took a deep breath, as did Hermione.

"That was really close," she said.

"I know," agreed Hermione. "We can't stay out that late again. I can't believe McGonagall let you off. I've found people out of bed before and she's given them detention. I wonder what made her so lax tonight?"

"She trusts you," said Katie, taking Hermione's hand and pulling her towards the door upstairs.

"Maybe." Hermoine sounded unconvinced.

"I think the phrase 'don't look a gift horse in the mouth' applies here," Katie pointed out, and together they crept upstairs.

"Goodnight," whispered Katie, giving Hermione one last kiss. "Oh, and don't forget your flower."

Hermione smiled, took the flower, and tiptoed through the door into her darkened room. Katie lingered for a moment, eyes still on the closed door, then began walking up to her own room, wondering just who she would find there.

****

Whew, my longest chapter yet - excess is the key word in this title, in all ways. Thanks for sticking with it thus far. And a box of Jelly Slugs to Wotan for beta-ing this mess and for guessing Hamlet as the source of last chapter's subtitle.