For the Love of the Land
~I pledge my loyalty to Honor, Justice, and Hogwarts~
Part Four
"I wan' ya to come out together an' study the kneazles an' 'elp me feed 'em," Hagrid said after partnering up the class. Ron and Hermione were partners, and Harry and Neville were partners. Hagrid and the sixth years were raising the kneazles from birth. A relief from terrifying monsters. Neville was extremely pleased with himself, because the kneazles had been his idea in the first place.
"Yer ta come down once a-" but Hagrid was cut off by an owl overhead, which dropped a little red summons into the laps of Hermione, Neville, and Draco.
Hermione tensed. This was the first time she had received a summons in a class she had with Draco. She had already started worrying about Ron and Harry noticing her suddenly being buddy-buddy with the other four Defenders, but as of yet they hadn't noticed anything.
She got up and followed Neville up to the castle, Draco right behind her. They trooped up to Luna's classroom, which second years were filing out of.
Ginny and Cho were already there. They sat at desks in the front row and Luna sat on her desk, facing them.
"So far we've only practiced, and discussed theories on the control of the elements. Today we will begin dueling." Neville gulped and Hermione felt herself shiver. The forces they were dealing with were extremely powerful, and somewhat frightening.
"We'll start off relatively easy. Draco vs. Hermione-"
"How is that easy?" Neville questioned.
"Ice and Water are closely related! The damage is minimal when you can soak some of it up. Now, the other duel, Cho vs. Neville,"
"What about me?" Ginny demanded defiantly.
"You'll be dueling me." Luna said absently.
"WHAT?!" Ginny said, her brown eyes open wide. Dueling a PROFESSOR, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, no less.
"Fire and lightening." Said Cho logically. "It makes perfect sense."
"Don't worry, I'll take it easy on ya," Luna said, winking at Ginny. Hermione and Cho started giggling, Neville grinned, and Draco rolled his eyes. If someone had studied him, not that anyone did, they would've seen a small smile playing at his lips.
Now, I think we'll begin with you two," She said, pointing at Cho and Neville. Draco snorted. He was still absolutely sure that Neville was a squib.
"Bow," Luna instructed as Neville and Cho entered the dueling circle Luna. They did so, not taking they're eyes off one another. "I want you to practice with you Elements, so wait a few minutes for the disarming spell. GO!"
Hexes flew everywhere. Neville's hair was lifted by the wind blowing fiercely in his direction, and Cho was trying to keep her balance as the rock beneath her shifted. They shot curses, more wind and more bits of sod at one another for several moments, blocking and dodging ninety percent of the curses.
"Well, what do ya know?" Draco said quietly to Ginny. "Longbottom's not half bad."
As he said this, the rock under Cho shifted violently, and she lost her balance.
"Expelliarmus!" Neville shouted, and her wand went soaring into his outstretched hand. He was grinning broadly. Ginny and Hermione applauded enthusiastically, Luna let out a long, loud whistle, and Draco nodded approvingly.
"Congratulations." Cho said, as she took Neville's offered hand and stood up. "That was great!"
"Impressive work, Neville." Luna said, smiling. Okay, Hermione and Draco, you're up.
The two of them bowed and raised their wands. At Luna's signal Hermoine's wand spat spells fast and furious. Draco was no slower, and ten minutes later neither had made much progress. Hermione's water was frozen before it hit Draco, and vice versa with Draco's ice.
"EXPELLIARMUS!" Draco and Hermione shouted in unison. The wands switched owners, and the duel continued.
Neville, Ginny, Cho, and Luna all looked at each other.
"EXPELLIARMUS!" The two duelers now had their original wands, and the duel just kept on moving.
"Uh, guys?" Neville said.
"This is getting out of hand." Cho said, as the wands switched, again. Ginny was laughing.
"Okay, okay!" Luna said, fighting for a straight face. Hermione and Draco dodged and ducked, but their wands didn't slow.
"I'm calling this a draw!" She shouted. They didn't quit, Hermione's eyebrows were knitted together in concentration, and Draco was starting to sweat. They didn't appear to hear Luna.
"STOP THIS IMMEDIATELY!" Luna shouted at the top of her lungs. Hermione sidestepped an orange jet of light and lowered her wand. Draco ducked his head and lowered his wand as a blue jet of light went over his head.
"Sorry, what did you say?" He asked. Ginny and Cho, who had been snickering, burst out into full fledged laughter. Neville hid his laugh in a cough, and Luna rolled her eyes.
"Uh, Draco you have my wand, or your wand?" Hermione said. And at that everyone else started laughing so hard they were leaning on each other for support. Hermione grinned as she realized the humor of the situation, and so did Draco as they sorted out whose wand was whose.
"Alright, Ginny?" Luna said, stepping into the ring. She and Ginny bowed. Fire and lightening flew for less than five minutes before Luna had Ginny's wand in her grasp.
"Well, that was interesting." Ginny said, stepping out of the ring as Luna returned her wand.
"Well, THAT was boring." Draco said loudly. Ginny shot him a Look.
"Draco, shut up. Luna would kick your ass in a duel." Hermione said protectively. Neville and Cho nodded their agreement.
"Okay, well, we'll work on this more later." Luna said, checking her watch. The Defenders trooped out of her classroom.
"Time for Transfiguration, Ron!" Hermione said in a sing song voice, coming up to her red headed friend. She was in a very good mood, having just received her response from Aunt Charlotte. As usual, the letter had completely reassured her, and she had sent an owl back right away.
"No it's not." Ron said stubbornly.
"Yes it is!" Hermione shot back, feeling an argument coming on.
"NO IT'S NOT!" Ron shouted.
"And why wouldn't it be?" She retorted.
"Because it's our turn to go down and feed the kneazles!" Ron exclaimed.
"Oh." Hermione said quietly, suddenly feeling very dumb. Ron laughed, and followed her outside the common room.
"It's not funny, Ron."
"Yes it is."
"NO, it's NOT!"
"YES it IS!" Was the conversation Hagrid heard as Ron and Hermione approached his cabin.
"What's not funny?" He asked, then seeing the look on Hermione's face, he amended himself. "Er, I don't want to know."
"Yes you do." Ron said.
"No, he doesn't"
"Yes he-"
"Here are the kneazles!" Hagrid said, much louder than necessary. "Feed 'em up!"
He left Ron and Hermione to their grumblings. Hermione shivered.
"It's really cold." She said, looking up at the sky. It was an endless rolling gray, the sun was completely gone.
"It's going to rain," Ron said.
"Duh." Hermione replied, rolling her eyes.
"Well if you know EVERYTHING, then-"
"Ssshhh." Hermione said, putting a finger to her lips. "Did you feel that?"
"Feel what?" Ron asked, annoyed at being interrupted.
"THAT!" Hermione said, as more raindrops began falling.
"Aaack!" Ron said. "Head for COVER!" He grabbed Hermoine, and they fled to the castle as the rain started coming down in a steady stream. They were almost to the castle when Hermione slipped in a quickly enlarging mud puddle. Ron started to laugh. Hermione did too.
"Here," Ron said, extending a hand. Hermione accepted it and stood up. She grinned devilishly at him.
"What?" He asked.
"TAG!" Hermione shouted, tagging Ron lightly on the arm, and running the other way.
"Oh no you don't!" Ron shouted, running after her. They ran through the muck and the rain, laughing so hard they couldn't breathe as the game continued, until Hermione slipped again.
"Help me up." She demanded.
"But then I'll be it." Ron said.
"Oh, Ron, come here." She grabbed his shirt and forced herself up.
"You're it." She said. She looked up, and her stomach did a back flip. Ron was staring at her in a very strange way. Hermione locked eyes with him.
The rain and wind and mud melted away, as Ron kissed her. Hermione felt as if she were in a dream, she had waited for this for years. She felt herself spinning and flipping and floating without moving at all. She could see spots of red and blue and green against her eyelids, and the world seemed to be spinning the opposite way of herself. It was amazing, exciting, wonderful, frightening, bliss, chaos and a sense of right all in one.
"Hermoine?" Ron said. Hermione opened her eyes, a little disoriented after the kiss.
"Hmm?" She replied.
"Will you go to the Halloween Dance with me?"
"Sure." Hermione replied, blushing. Ron grinned, and raced up the stairs and into the castle.
Hermione followed a bit more slowly. She was aware of the rain, but she didn't mind it. She felt as if she were floating a few feet above the air. She knew there was a dopey smile on her face, but she didn't care. She floated right on up to the Gryffindor common room.
"Hermione, I was wondering if you...Hermione?" Parvati said. Hermione didn't even hear her. She went right up to the dormitory.
"What's her problem?" Lavender asked. She studied her best friend, who was smiling knowingly.
"Hermione Granger has a boyfriend."
~I pledge my loyalty to Honor, Justice, and Hogwarts~
Part Four
"I wan' ya to come out together an' study the kneazles an' 'elp me feed 'em," Hagrid said after partnering up the class. Ron and Hermione were partners, and Harry and Neville were partners. Hagrid and the sixth years were raising the kneazles from birth. A relief from terrifying monsters. Neville was extremely pleased with himself, because the kneazles had been his idea in the first place.
"Yer ta come down once a-" but Hagrid was cut off by an owl overhead, which dropped a little red summons into the laps of Hermione, Neville, and Draco.
Hermione tensed. This was the first time she had received a summons in a class she had with Draco. She had already started worrying about Ron and Harry noticing her suddenly being buddy-buddy with the other four Defenders, but as of yet they hadn't noticed anything.
She got up and followed Neville up to the castle, Draco right behind her. They trooped up to Luna's classroom, which second years were filing out of.
Ginny and Cho were already there. They sat at desks in the front row and Luna sat on her desk, facing them.
"So far we've only practiced, and discussed theories on the control of the elements. Today we will begin dueling." Neville gulped and Hermione felt herself shiver. The forces they were dealing with were extremely powerful, and somewhat frightening.
"We'll start off relatively easy. Draco vs. Hermione-"
"How is that easy?" Neville questioned.
"Ice and Water are closely related! The damage is minimal when you can soak some of it up. Now, the other duel, Cho vs. Neville,"
"What about me?" Ginny demanded defiantly.
"You'll be dueling me." Luna said absently.
"WHAT?!" Ginny said, her brown eyes open wide. Dueling a PROFESSOR, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, no less.
"Fire and lightening." Said Cho logically. "It makes perfect sense."
"Don't worry, I'll take it easy on ya," Luna said, winking at Ginny. Hermione and Cho started giggling, Neville grinned, and Draco rolled his eyes. If someone had studied him, not that anyone did, they would've seen a small smile playing at his lips.
Now, I think we'll begin with you two," She said, pointing at Cho and Neville. Draco snorted. He was still absolutely sure that Neville was a squib.
"Bow," Luna instructed as Neville and Cho entered the dueling circle Luna. They did so, not taking they're eyes off one another. "I want you to practice with you Elements, so wait a few minutes for the disarming spell. GO!"
Hexes flew everywhere. Neville's hair was lifted by the wind blowing fiercely in his direction, and Cho was trying to keep her balance as the rock beneath her shifted. They shot curses, more wind and more bits of sod at one another for several moments, blocking and dodging ninety percent of the curses.
"Well, what do ya know?" Draco said quietly to Ginny. "Longbottom's not half bad."
As he said this, the rock under Cho shifted violently, and she lost her balance.
"Expelliarmus!" Neville shouted, and her wand went soaring into his outstretched hand. He was grinning broadly. Ginny and Hermione applauded enthusiastically, Luna let out a long, loud whistle, and Draco nodded approvingly.
"Congratulations." Cho said, as she took Neville's offered hand and stood up. "That was great!"
"Impressive work, Neville." Luna said, smiling. Okay, Hermione and Draco, you're up.
The two of them bowed and raised their wands. At Luna's signal Hermoine's wand spat spells fast and furious. Draco was no slower, and ten minutes later neither had made much progress. Hermione's water was frozen before it hit Draco, and vice versa with Draco's ice.
"EXPELLIARMUS!" Draco and Hermione shouted in unison. The wands switched owners, and the duel continued.
Neville, Ginny, Cho, and Luna all looked at each other.
"EXPELLIARMUS!" The two duelers now had their original wands, and the duel just kept on moving.
"Uh, guys?" Neville said.
"This is getting out of hand." Cho said, as the wands switched, again. Ginny was laughing.
"Okay, okay!" Luna said, fighting for a straight face. Hermione and Draco dodged and ducked, but their wands didn't slow.
"I'm calling this a draw!" She shouted. They didn't quit, Hermione's eyebrows were knitted together in concentration, and Draco was starting to sweat. They didn't appear to hear Luna.
"STOP THIS IMMEDIATELY!" Luna shouted at the top of her lungs. Hermione sidestepped an orange jet of light and lowered her wand. Draco ducked his head and lowered his wand as a blue jet of light went over his head.
"Sorry, what did you say?" He asked. Ginny and Cho, who had been snickering, burst out into full fledged laughter. Neville hid his laugh in a cough, and Luna rolled her eyes.
"Uh, Draco you have my wand, or your wand?" Hermione said. And at that everyone else started laughing so hard they were leaning on each other for support. Hermione grinned as she realized the humor of the situation, and so did Draco as they sorted out whose wand was whose.
"Alright, Ginny?" Luna said, stepping into the ring. She and Ginny bowed. Fire and lightening flew for less than five minutes before Luna had Ginny's wand in her grasp.
"Well, that was interesting." Ginny said, stepping out of the ring as Luna returned her wand.
"Well, THAT was boring." Draco said loudly. Ginny shot him a Look.
"Draco, shut up. Luna would kick your ass in a duel." Hermione said protectively. Neville and Cho nodded their agreement.
"Okay, well, we'll work on this more later." Luna said, checking her watch. The Defenders trooped out of her classroom.
"Time for Transfiguration, Ron!" Hermione said in a sing song voice, coming up to her red headed friend. She was in a very good mood, having just received her response from Aunt Charlotte. As usual, the letter had completely reassured her, and she had sent an owl back right away.
"No it's not." Ron said stubbornly.
"Yes it is!" Hermione shot back, feeling an argument coming on.
"NO IT'S NOT!" Ron shouted.
"And why wouldn't it be?" She retorted.
"Because it's our turn to go down and feed the kneazles!" Ron exclaimed.
"Oh." Hermione said quietly, suddenly feeling very dumb. Ron laughed, and followed her outside the common room.
"It's not funny, Ron."
"Yes it is."
"NO, it's NOT!"
"YES it IS!" Was the conversation Hagrid heard as Ron and Hermione approached his cabin.
"What's not funny?" He asked, then seeing the look on Hermione's face, he amended himself. "Er, I don't want to know."
"Yes you do." Ron said.
"No, he doesn't"
"Yes he-"
"Here are the kneazles!" Hagrid said, much louder than necessary. "Feed 'em up!"
He left Ron and Hermione to their grumblings. Hermione shivered.
"It's really cold." She said, looking up at the sky. It was an endless rolling gray, the sun was completely gone.
"It's going to rain," Ron said.
"Duh." Hermione replied, rolling her eyes.
"Well if you know EVERYTHING, then-"
"Ssshhh." Hermione said, putting a finger to her lips. "Did you feel that?"
"Feel what?" Ron asked, annoyed at being interrupted.
"THAT!" Hermione said, as more raindrops began falling.
"Aaack!" Ron said. "Head for COVER!" He grabbed Hermoine, and they fled to the castle as the rain started coming down in a steady stream. They were almost to the castle when Hermione slipped in a quickly enlarging mud puddle. Ron started to laugh. Hermione did too.
"Here," Ron said, extending a hand. Hermione accepted it and stood up. She grinned devilishly at him.
"What?" He asked.
"TAG!" Hermione shouted, tagging Ron lightly on the arm, and running the other way.
"Oh no you don't!" Ron shouted, running after her. They ran through the muck and the rain, laughing so hard they couldn't breathe as the game continued, until Hermione slipped again.
"Help me up." She demanded.
"But then I'll be it." Ron said.
"Oh, Ron, come here." She grabbed his shirt and forced herself up.
"You're it." She said. She looked up, and her stomach did a back flip. Ron was staring at her in a very strange way. Hermione locked eyes with him.
The rain and wind and mud melted away, as Ron kissed her. Hermione felt as if she were in a dream, she had waited for this for years. She felt herself spinning and flipping and floating without moving at all. She could see spots of red and blue and green against her eyelids, and the world seemed to be spinning the opposite way of herself. It was amazing, exciting, wonderful, frightening, bliss, chaos and a sense of right all in one.
"Hermoine?" Ron said. Hermione opened her eyes, a little disoriented after the kiss.
"Hmm?" She replied.
"Will you go to the Halloween Dance with me?"
"Sure." Hermione replied, blushing. Ron grinned, and raced up the stairs and into the castle.
Hermione followed a bit more slowly. She was aware of the rain, but she didn't mind it. She felt as if she were floating a few feet above the air. She knew there was a dopey smile on her face, but she didn't care. She floated right on up to the Gryffindor common room.
"Hermione, I was wondering if you...Hermione?" Parvati said. Hermione didn't even hear her. She went right up to the dormitory.
"What's her problem?" Lavender asked. She studied her best friend, who was smiling knowingly.
"Hermione Granger has a boyfriend."