Chapter 7- Ulterior Motives
Harry awoke with a start. Seamus Finnigan had accidentally knocked over a package of exploding snaps onto the ground. Harry assumed the castle was under attack, while Neville didn't even stir.
"For Chrissake Seamus! You bloody Irish klutz." Ron rolled over and buried his head in his pillow. He was quite plainly NOT a morning person.
"Sorry guys." Seamus made his way to the door without knocking anything else over, continually murmuring apologies. "Blonde moment."
Harry was almost glad that Seamus had been so klutzy. Almost, but not. He had slept far too late, and had obviously slept through his alarm clock – along with everyone else. He had wanted to wake up nice and early to rifle through some more spell books – despite what Hermione had said. For whatever reason, he couldn't just couldn't stand by and take no action. By looking for a spell, he felt as though he was helping, even though he knew he would never use one. Besides, carrying a wand during the Quidditch game would not be an option, it would be far to difficult. And there was always the fact that Harry and Ron would not be able to steal the needed ingredients in time to give them to Malfoy during the match, especially without Hermione's help.
Harry remained in his bed for a few short moments before pulling on his robes somewhat groggily, running a hand through his ever-messy hair, and heading down to the Great Hall. Judging by Ron's intermittent snores, he had fallen back asleep, so Harry left the room alone.
The Gryffindor common room was unusually silent. Harry assumed that this was due to the party that had taken place the previous night, and most likely had not ended until early in the morning. The embers that remained in the fireplace still glowed red. It had no doubt only been unattended for a few hours.
By the time Harry got down to the Great Hall, most of the Gryffindor team was there- albeit not awake. Alicia Spinnet had probably woken everyone up…except Harry. Hermione, as usual, was already studying. Her head was relaxed on the desk. Harry assumed she was reading a book– probably Hogwart's A History, for the umpteenth time. She was engulfed in her reading as she did not noticed Harry sit down beside her. Mind, she hadn't noticed that Fred Weasley had fallen asleep in his scrambled eggs!
"Working as usual Hermione? What chya reading?" Harry helped himself to some toast. He was determined to have al the energy possible, to kick the snot out of Malfoy.
"Huh?" Hermione looked half asleep. Harry was obviously wrong in assuming she had been reading. "Sorry Professor Flitwick…" Harry let out a much needed laugh.
'Hermione! Snap out of it! It's me, Harry!" Harry grinned and took a bite of his toast.
"Oh, I must have nodded off." Hermione made a futile effort to straighten her hair.
"Nodded off? Hermione, you were fast asleep!" Harry reached for the last egg, but was beaten by Alicia Spinnet, the team's captain. Harry realized that he had arrived just at the end of the first breakfast batch.
Hermione grew very defensive.
"I wasn't anything of the sort." Her hair was still standing on end. "I was working really hard, and I just…lost concentration." Hermione attempted to stand up, but couldn't seem to manage to.
"Hermione? Everything okay? You look a little woozy." Harry took another bite of his toast.
"I'm fine. It's just that…my rear-end is asleep." Harry let out another well needed laugh. For a moment, he had forgotten about all of his problems. Finally, Hermione smiled.
"Hermione, did you even go to sleep?" Harry grabbed an egg. The house elves had obviously refilled the egg plate without Hermione noticing. Harry thanked god that she had been too sleepy to notice. If she had, he would most likely miss the Quidditch game to hand out badges supporting the liberation of house elves.
"Well, I didn't exactly go to bed per say…I was gathering more evidence around the Slytherin corridors…and carefully I might add." Hermione made a grab for last sausage, but was beaten by Fred Weasley, who had at last woken up. "Curses! I really wanted that Fred." Fred smirked and took a big bite.
"Well…what did you find? Don't leave me hanging!" Harry had dropped his toast on his plate and was waiting in anticipation.
"Sorry Harry, nothing yet. Well, nothing solid that we can use at least…" Hermione threw a dirty look at Fred who was now finishing his sausage in peace.
"What do you mean nothing we can use?! Did you find anything at all?" Harry's toast and eggs remained on his plate – inevitably forgotten.
"Well, I while I was walking towards the Slytherin common room, I met Crabbe and Goyle. Crabbe dropped a quill, and I don't know why, but I stopped him to tell him. You know, it was a pretty nice quill, I should have kept it for myself. It was one of those geese strung metallic looking ones with the—"
"Hermione, for god's sake, I don't care what kind of quill it was…get to the point!" Harry rubbed his hand over his scar. The stress of the whole Hedwig situation was giving him more frequent head pains.
"You know, for someone who went to bed early last night, you certainly are irritable." Hermione recomposed herself.
"I wouldn't talk ya know. You're the one who slept on top of a table!" Harry took a bite of his toast at last.
"Fine, whatever. As I was saying, when I called him back, instead of turning around, both of them took of at the speed of light! Kinda peculiar don't you think?" Hermione seemed pleased with Harry's reaction to her findings. Despite Hedwig belonging to Harry, both Ron and Hermione had an emotional connection with her. It was nice to know that she was helping.
"Just a tad." Harry turned back to his no cold toast. He was supposed to be in the dressing room in ten minutes.
"Anyways Harry, let me take care fo the evidence. I feel instinctively that I'll find some concrete proof real soon. Besides, you have to get going…I don't suppose you thought enough to bring your gear with you?" Hermione had a horrific habit of sounding like a mother.
"No, I guess I'd better run. No digestion for me! I've only got 8 minutes left. If I meet Colin Creevy in the corridor, I'm doomed. I'll miss the match!" Harry took some fake pictures in the air using his hand as the camera. Hermione frowned.
"He's not that bad you know. You never even give him a chance." Hermione grabbed the paper from under Fred's arm.
"Hey! I was reading that." Fred made a grab for the paper now in Hermione's hands.
"Sure you were. While it was upside-down? Besides, shouldn't you be on your way to the dressing room?" Fred glared at Hermione.
"We already have a mother, thank you." Fred and George picked up their things and left without another word. Hermione grinned.
"Well, good luck Harry. Gonna go for your third record today?" Hermione grabbed a few sausages at last. The house elves had obviously refilled the breakfast plates without her noticing again.
"Nope." Harry grinned.
"Why not? Third times a charm! Not that I believe in that sort of mumbo jumbo." Hermione frowned disapprovingly at the thought of predictions and astrology.
"I already have a goal for this match. You'll see." Harry turned and hurried out of the Great Hall, while visions of Malfoy in pain pranced though his skull.
Harry awoke with a start. Seamus Finnigan had accidentally knocked over a package of exploding snaps onto the ground. Harry assumed the castle was under attack, while Neville didn't even stir.
"For Chrissake Seamus! You bloody Irish klutz." Ron rolled over and buried his head in his pillow. He was quite plainly NOT a morning person.
"Sorry guys." Seamus made his way to the door without knocking anything else over, continually murmuring apologies. "Blonde moment."
Harry was almost glad that Seamus had been so klutzy. Almost, but not. He had slept far too late, and had obviously slept through his alarm clock – along with everyone else. He had wanted to wake up nice and early to rifle through some more spell books – despite what Hermione had said. For whatever reason, he couldn't just couldn't stand by and take no action. By looking for a spell, he felt as though he was helping, even though he knew he would never use one. Besides, carrying a wand during the Quidditch game would not be an option, it would be far to difficult. And there was always the fact that Harry and Ron would not be able to steal the needed ingredients in time to give them to Malfoy during the match, especially without Hermione's help.
Harry remained in his bed for a few short moments before pulling on his robes somewhat groggily, running a hand through his ever-messy hair, and heading down to the Great Hall. Judging by Ron's intermittent snores, he had fallen back asleep, so Harry left the room alone.
The Gryffindor common room was unusually silent. Harry assumed that this was due to the party that had taken place the previous night, and most likely had not ended until early in the morning. The embers that remained in the fireplace still glowed red. It had no doubt only been unattended for a few hours.
By the time Harry got down to the Great Hall, most of the Gryffindor team was there- albeit not awake. Alicia Spinnet had probably woken everyone up…except Harry. Hermione, as usual, was already studying. Her head was relaxed on the desk. Harry assumed she was reading a book– probably Hogwart's A History, for the umpteenth time. She was engulfed in her reading as she did not noticed Harry sit down beside her. Mind, she hadn't noticed that Fred Weasley had fallen asleep in his scrambled eggs!
"Working as usual Hermione? What chya reading?" Harry helped himself to some toast. He was determined to have al the energy possible, to kick the snot out of Malfoy.
"Huh?" Hermione looked half asleep. Harry was obviously wrong in assuming she had been reading. "Sorry Professor Flitwick…" Harry let out a much needed laugh.
'Hermione! Snap out of it! It's me, Harry!" Harry grinned and took a bite of his toast.
"Oh, I must have nodded off." Hermione made a futile effort to straighten her hair.
"Nodded off? Hermione, you were fast asleep!" Harry reached for the last egg, but was beaten by Alicia Spinnet, the team's captain. Harry realized that he had arrived just at the end of the first breakfast batch.
Hermione grew very defensive.
"I wasn't anything of the sort." Her hair was still standing on end. "I was working really hard, and I just…lost concentration." Hermione attempted to stand up, but couldn't seem to manage to.
"Hermione? Everything okay? You look a little woozy." Harry took another bite of his toast.
"I'm fine. It's just that…my rear-end is asleep." Harry let out another well needed laugh. For a moment, he had forgotten about all of his problems. Finally, Hermione smiled.
"Hermione, did you even go to sleep?" Harry grabbed an egg. The house elves had obviously refilled the egg plate without Hermione noticing. Harry thanked god that she had been too sleepy to notice. If she had, he would most likely miss the Quidditch game to hand out badges supporting the liberation of house elves.
"Well, I didn't exactly go to bed per say…I was gathering more evidence around the Slytherin corridors…and carefully I might add." Hermione made a grab for last sausage, but was beaten by Fred Weasley, who had at last woken up. "Curses! I really wanted that Fred." Fred smirked and took a big bite.
"Well…what did you find? Don't leave me hanging!" Harry had dropped his toast on his plate and was waiting in anticipation.
"Sorry Harry, nothing yet. Well, nothing solid that we can use at least…" Hermione threw a dirty look at Fred who was now finishing his sausage in peace.
"What do you mean nothing we can use?! Did you find anything at all?" Harry's toast and eggs remained on his plate – inevitably forgotten.
"Well, I while I was walking towards the Slytherin common room, I met Crabbe and Goyle. Crabbe dropped a quill, and I don't know why, but I stopped him to tell him. You know, it was a pretty nice quill, I should have kept it for myself. It was one of those geese strung metallic looking ones with the—"
"Hermione, for god's sake, I don't care what kind of quill it was…get to the point!" Harry rubbed his hand over his scar. The stress of the whole Hedwig situation was giving him more frequent head pains.
"You know, for someone who went to bed early last night, you certainly are irritable." Hermione recomposed herself.
"I wouldn't talk ya know. You're the one who slept on top of a table!" Harry took a bite of his toast at last.
"Fine, whatever. As I was saying, when I called him back, instead of turning around, both of them took of at the speed of light! Kinda peculiar don't you think?" Hermione seemed pleased with Harry's reaction to her findings. Despite Hedwig belonging to Harry, both Ron and Hermione had an emotional connection with her. It was nice to know that she was helping.
"Just a tad." Harry turned back to his no cold toast. He was supposed to be in the dressing room in ten minutes.
"Anyways Harry, let me take care fo the evidence. I feel instinctively that I'll find some concrete proof real soon. Besides, you have to get going…I don't suppose you thought enough to bring your gear with you?" Hermione had a horrific habit of sounding like a mother.
"No, I guess I'd better run. No digestion for me! I've only got 8 minutes left. If I meet Colin Creevy in the corridor, I'm doomed. I'll miss the match!" Harry took some fake pictures in the air using his hand as the camera. Hermione frowned.
"He's not that bad you know. You never even give him a chance." Hermione grabbed the paper from under Fred's arm.
"Hey! I was reading that." Fred made a grab for the paper now in Hermione's hands.
"Sure you were. While it was upside-down? Besides, shouldn't you be on your way to the dressing room?" Fred glared at Hermione.
"We already have a mother, thank you." Fred and George picked up their things and left without another word. Hermione grinned.
"Well, good luck Harry. Gonna go for your third record today?" Hermione grabbed a few sausages at last. The house elves had obviously refilled the breakfast plates without her noticing again.
"Nope." Harry grinned.
"Why not? Third times a charm! Not that I believe in that sort of mumbo jumbo." Hermione frowned disapprovingly at the thought of predictions and astrology.
"I already have a goal for this match. You'll see." Harry turned and hurried out of the Great Hall, while visions of Malfoy in pain pranced though his skull.