Jezebel
--by Egon Starcollector
Chapter 4: Flights of Fancy
Disclaimer: Is this really necessary anymore? I mean honestly....
Author's note: Be warned, this chapter is fluffier than Hedwig. And how about Harry's POV at first, just for variety?
Rating: PG
Harry wandered aimlessly through the halls. He couldn't believe he'd just seen Hermione and Cho get into a fight--over him, of all people! *And I was too stunned even to stop it.*
"Potter, you look like a zombie."
Harry jumped. "Oh, hello Professor." What was the deal with Snape lately? He was always being nice! Of course, he'd always had a tendency to turn up at the worst possible times...but now he was worse than ever! Harry was starting to wonder if he was accidentally conjuring the man!
"You look worried. I assume that stems from the, erm, fisticuffs earlier?" He looked genuinely concerned.
"Yes, sir." Harry sighed. "I don't know why Hermione thought she'd have to do that...there's no way I'd have gone to the dance with Cho. I mean...I'm just a trophy to Cho; I've figured that much out."
"But is Miss Granger aware of that fact?"
Harry thought for a moment. "Probably not." Snape just nodded. Harry changed the subject abruptly. "Is it strange to think someone's beautiful when objectively she's not even terribly pretty?" *I can't believe I'm confiding in Snape!*
Snape looked pensive. "A Muggle by the name of Antoine de Saint-Exupery said it best: 'It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye.' Miss Granger--I assume that is the person you mean--will probably not win any beauty pageants, but her heart is kind and true. It is her heart that you see, and that is why you consider her beautiful. It definitely is a sign of growing maturity, Potter." For the first time Harry could recall, Snape's tone was actually approving--almost proud!
"Th-thank you, sir."
Snape nodded. "Now back to your dorm before curfew. And remember--Miss Granger may be brilliant, but she is no mind reader."
"All right. Goodnight, sir."
Hermione sat on her bed, unable to sleep despite the lateness of the hour. She still couldn't believe she'd hit Cho--but the nerve of that girl! Thinking she could just walk in and take Harry just because she decided he'd look nice on her arm!
Suddenly, Hermione heard a noise at the window. She poked her head out of the bed curtains to see.... "Harry?" She pulled on her robe, then walked over and opened the window. "What are you doing?" Actually, the "what" was obvious: he was sitting, fully dressed, on his broomstick and floating outside her window. The "why" was what concerned her.
"Care for a flight?"
"Are you mad? We could get caught!"
"I brought my cloak! Hermione, we need to talk--and it really can't wait."
She sighed. "All right; just a moment."
She stepped into the bathroom and dressed quickly. Against her better judgement, she climbed out the window and onto the back of Harry's broom. She put her arms around his waist and squeezed tightly, burying her face in his back so she wouldn't have to see how far they were from the ground. She felt something soft land on her and realized it must be his invisibility cloak. She wondered how effective it would be while they were flying....
She hung on to him, silently praying that the trip was a short one...much sooner than she expected, she felt the earth under her feet again and sighed with relief. "Where are we?"
"Peek out and see for yourself."
"Oh..the lake...I don't think I've ever seen so many stars!"
"Well, I didn't bring you out here to work on Astronomy. Hermione, about that fight earlier...."
"Harry I'm sorry...I don't know what came over me. It's just...you're nothing but a trophy to her! I couldn't stand the thought of seeing you hurt! I...." Her words were cut off by the gentle pressure of Harry's fingers on her lips.
"Ssh. I know. I know that's the only reason she's interested in me. Hermione, I wasn't going to ask her to the dance. Why would I ask her to the dance when I love *you?*"
"Mmf?" Hermione wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly.
"I said, I love you. Looking back, I think I have since you first poked your head into the train compartment--or at least since you fixed my glasses." He felt her smile under his fingertips. "I'm just sorry it took me so long to realize it." He pulled his hand away from her mouth.
"Harry, why did..." He shushed her again...but this time, with his lips. "Harry, you're being very rude," she said when he pulled away. "You aren't even giving me a chance to say that I love you too."
With that, Harry let out a whoop that caused heads to turn all the way to Azkaban, then he pulled her into another kiss.
And poor Filch--who never found the source of the noise--spent the rest of his days insisting that the giant squid could yodel.
Author's note: Five years at the top of my French class and I have Snape quoting Saint-Ex. And next, we dance!
--by Egon Starcollector
Chapter 4: Flights of Fancy
Disclaimer: Is this really necessary anymore? I mean honestly....
Author's note: Be warned, this chapter is fluffier than Hedwig. And how about Harry's POV at first, just for variety?
Rating: PG
Harry wandered aimlessly through the halls. He couldn't believe he'd just seen Hermione and Cho get into a fight--over him, of all people! *And I was too stunned even to stop it.*
"Potter, you look like a zombie."
Harry jumped. "Oh, hello Professor." What was the deal with Snape lately? He was always being nice! Of course, he'd always had a tendency to turn up at the worst possible times...but now he was worse than ever! Harry was starting to wonder if he was accidentally conjuring the man!
"You look worried. I assume that stems from the, erm, fisticuffs earlier?" He looked genuinely concerned.
"Yes, sir." Harry sighed. "I don't know why Hermione thought she'd have to do that...there's no way I'd have gone to the dance with Cho. I mean...I'm just a trophy to Cho; I've figured that much out."
"But is Miss Granger aware of that fact?"
Harry thought for a moment. "Probably not." Snape just nodded. Harry changed the subject abruptly. "Is it strange to think someone's beautiful when objectively she's not even terribly pretty?" *I can't believe I'm confiding in Snape!*
Snape looked pensive. "A Muggle by the name of Antoine de Saint-Exupery said it best: 'It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye.' Miss Granger--I assume that is the person you mean--will probably not win any beauty pageants, but her heart is kind and true. It is her heart that you see, and that is why you consider her beautiful. It definitely is a sign of growing maturity, Potter." For the first time Harry could recall, Snape's tone was actually approving--almost proud!
"Th-thank you, sir."
Snape nodded. "Now back to your dorm before curfew. And remember--Miss Granger may be brilliant, but she is no mind reader."
"All right. Goodnight, sir."
Hermione sat on her bed, unable to sleep despite the lateness of the hour. She still couldn't believe she'd hit Cho--but the nerve of that girl! Thinking she could just walk in and take Harry just because she decided he'd look nice on her arm!
Suddenly, Hermione heard a noise at the window. She poked her head out of the bed curtains to see.... "Harry?" She pulled on her robe, then walked over and opened the window. "What are you doing?" Actually, the "what" was obvious: he was sitting, fully dressed, on his broomstick and floating outside her window. The "why" was what concerned her.
"Care for a flight?"
"Are you mad? We could get caught!"
"I brought my cloak! Hermione, we need to talk--and it really can't wait."
She sighed. "All right; just a moment."
She stepped into the bathroom and dressed quickly. Against her better judgement, she climbed out the window and onto the back of Harry's broom. She put her arms around his waist and squeezed tightly, burying her face in his back so she wouldn't have to see how far they were from the ground. She felt something soft land on her and realized it must be his invisibility cloak. She wondered how effective it would be while they were flying....
She hung on to him, silently praying that the trip was a short one...much sooner than she expected, she felt the earth under her feet again and sighed with relief. "Where are we?"
"Peek out and see for yourself."
"Oh..the lake...I don't think I've ever seen so many stars!"
"Well, I didn't bring you out here to work on Astronomy. Hermione, about that fight earlier...."
"Harry I'm sorry...I don't know what came over me. It's just...you're nothing but a trophy to her! I couldn't stand the thought of seeing you hurt! I...." Her words were cut off by the gentle pressure of Harry's fingers on her lips.
"Ssh. I know. I know that's the only reason she's interested in me. Hermione, I wasn't going to ask her to the dance. Why would I ask her to the dance when I love *you?*"
"Mmf?" Hermione wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly.
"I said, I love you. Looking back, I think I have since you first poked your head into the train compartment--or at least since you fixed my glasses." He felt her smile under his fingertips. "I'm just sorry it took me so long to realize it." He pulled his hand away from her mouth.
"Harry, why did..." He shushed her again...but this time, with his lips. "Harry, you're being very rude," she said when he pulled away. "You aren't even giving me a chance to say that I love you too."
With that, Harry let out a whoop that caused heads to turn all the way to Azkaban, then he pulled her into another kiss.
And poor Filch--who never found the source of the noise--spent the rest of his days insisting that the giant squid could yodel.
Author's note: Five years at the top of my French class and I have Snape quoting Saint-Ex. And next, we dance!