Sorry this took so long- I've been really busy! (You can probably tell that but the fact that I've got two more stories up now). And then there's homework, coursework, blah, blah, blah...
Disclaimer- Everything you recognise from the Harry Potter books is from the Harry Potter books- (You see the connection there?)
Dear Hermowninny...
Harry and Ron made it up to the common room quite fast, given the fact that Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were all trying to get close to them to offer congratulations. But they were eager to get up to Gryffindor Tower- they wanted to get the party started and, obviously, gape at Hermione in disbelief.
When they entered the common room, the Gryffindors who had arrived before them burst into applause and started cheering. Harry and Ron grinned and went straight up to their dormitory to get out of their muddy Quidditch robes. When they got back down to the common room, it was packed by celebrating Gryffindors. They all cheered again when Harry and Ron entered, and Angelina threw them a butterbeer each. Harry's slipped through his fingers as he went to catch it, but Ron managed to save it before it fell onto the floor.
Fred grinned wickedly and said; "You see Harry, that's why he's the keeper and you're not." The Gryffindors started laughing and even Harry joined in. Ron's ears went red but he grinned too.
Just then, the portrait door opened and Hermione, Daphne and Lori climbed through, all looking a bit flushed. A few people who had witnessed what had happened at the match started applauding them too, but Hermione just smiled slightly and made a beeline straight for Ron and Harry. They watched her approach. She looked a bit worried.
"Hey Herm! That was so funny at the end- the look on Malfoy's face!" It was George. He, Fred, and the rest of the Gryfindor team were seated in front of the fire, all with big grins on their faces. Hermione smiled slightly. "Er, thanks Fre-, er, George." She said, tucking a stray bit of hair behind her ear. That was when Harry and Ron knew something was up. Hermione was better than Ron at telling the twins apart; she made it a big thing to always get it right.
Harry nodded over to a spare table in a corner, set apart from the main party. They walked over and sat down. "What's wrong?" Said Ron straight away. Hermione shrugged. "We'll, maybe it's nothing, but I thought I'd better tell you both that Malfoy is planning to kill me." She said casually.
Harry chuckled, but Ron leaned forward. "What's wrong with your arm?" He asked suddenly. Hermione had been unconsciously clutching at her left arm. She withdrew her hand quickly and said, very unconvincingly, "nothing."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Have we ever told you how bad you are at lying?" He said with a grin. Hermione sighed. "Alright, alright." She launched into her story.
"We left the pitch pretty late because everyone was standing around talking. We were just going up the marble staircase when Malfoy came up behind us. I heard him coming though. So I turned around and asked him what he wanted. He gave me this really nasty look and told me it was none of my business. Then he gave Lori the evil eye and said he wanted to talk to her. God, he sounded so nasty. So I stood in front of her and told him that as a prefect it was my duty to accompany them back to Gryfindor Tower. So he told me to stay out of his way and leave his sister alone, and that as it was the middle of the day she could go wherever she liked. Which is technically true, of course, but I told him it was Gryffindor tradition to hold a party after a victory, something he probably didn't know about as Slytherin house didn't get much chance to celebrate a win."
At this point Hermione stopped as Harry and Ron had started laughing. The image of Hermione telling this to Draco Malfoy was just too much. Remembering the look on his face, Hermione allowed herself a grin as well. When the boys had recovered from their laughing fit, Hermione continued:
"So anyway, he pulled out his wand on me and said that I'd better watch it, because a filthy little mudblood such as myself wouldn't stand a chance against him." This statement wiped the grins off of Harry and Ron's faces very effectively. Both gritted their teeth and clenched their fists. Hermione ignored them and carried on:
"So I pulled out my wand and asked him if he'd like to test that theory, without chickening out at the last minute and not showing up at the trophy room." Ron and Harry grinned again; that incident had happened way back in the first year, back when Hermione wasn't even their friend. "So then he went mad and tried to put that big teeth charm on me again, for old time's sake I presume, but I dodged it and the sparks got my arm. So I quickly put a jelly-legs charm on him and we all ran. He knew the counter-curse though, so he was after us pretty quickly. The bad thing is, he followed us almost all the way to Gryffindor Tower, so now he knows where it is, and, he might have even been close enough to hear the password. I just don't know." Hermione frowned and rubbed her temples. As she lifted her arm, her sleeve fell to reveal a small, but nasty- looking burn just above her wrist. She glanced at it and sighed again.
"Guess I'll have to go and see Madam Pomfrey." She said, standing up reluctantly.
Ron and Harry stood up as well to go with her, but she told them not to. "This party is for you, do you realise that? You can't just leave your own party. Oh, by the way, well done, both of you, you were really good." She gave them a big smile and left. Harry and Ron glanced at each other, and stood up at the same time.
~*~
Hermione climbed out of the portrait hole rather awkwardly- her arm was hurting her more than she had let on to Harry and Ron. This was mainly because she knew what they would do, and she wasn't in the mood today for a fight. She didn't know what had got into her at that Quidditch match, why on earth had she shouted like that? Maybe it was something she ate. She'd been feeling funny since breakfast.
Hermione closed her eyes in horror. At breakfast that morning, Lee Jordan had offered her a roll that he had said he didn't want. She had, stupidly, taken it. Hermione had always vowed that Fred and George Weasley would never trick her, but it seemed they had- they had obviously put something in the roll and given it to Lee Jordan to trick her with. She was going to kill them...
Hermione suddenly felt someone grab her from behind. She barely had time to register what was happening when suddenly she found Draco Malfoy had her in a headlock, and was holding his wand up against her neck. She could hardly breath, but the more she struggled, the tighter the headlock became. Her eyes started to water and he started laughing.
"Well, will you look at this? The little mudblood who I thought could beat me. Well, that's what she said anyway. What's the matter Granger? No witty comebacks? Oh what a shame." He laughed again. Hermione looked at him fearfully as she struggled to breath. But there was something else in her eyes- hatred. Draco shook his head slowly.
"Never try to make a fool out of me you mudblood. Draco Malfoy always- Ahhh!" Hermione fell to the floor in surprise as she was released from the headlock. She coughed and spluttered, taking in big gulps of air. Her neck was very sore. She rubbed it and looked up.
Malfoy was rolling around on the floor, clutching the side of his face, where a livid bruise was already forming. Standing over him was Ron, rubbing his fist and looking down at Draco with pure fury all over his face. Harry was standing next to Ron, wearing an equally angry expression and pointing his wand steadily at Malfoy. He held out his spare hand to Hermione, and she took it gratefully, pulling herself up. She looked down at Malfoy.
He looked absolutely pitiful, and she did almost feel sorry for him. Almost. His cheek was a nasty shade of purple where Ron had punched him, and it looked as though he had broken his jaw. Malfoy looked up at the three of them with hatred in his eyes. Harry, Ron and Hermione just looked at him as he got up awkwardly and, with a last glance in their direction, walked away. Hermione looked over at her friends, and found that Harry was holding tightly onto the back of Ron's robes to stop him going after Malfoy.
She cleared her throat and they looked at her. "Thanks" She mumbled. Harry let go of Ron's robes. Hemione looked down the corridor that Draco had disappeared down. "Did you have to break his jaw though?" She said to Ron. Ron stared at her in disbelief. "He was trying to strangle you." He said angrily.
Hermione grinned. "I know," she said. "But couldn't you have broken his leg?"
Harry started laughing, and soon Ron joined in. The three of them made their way to the Hospital Wing. "Why are you two out of the Common Room?" Hermione asked curiously, even though she thought she knew what the answer was.
Ron gave her a sceptical look. "You had just told us Malfoy wanted to kill you, and then you expect us to let you wander the corridors alone?" He said. Hermione sighed heavily. "Good thing you two know exactly when Malfoy's gonna attack then." She said with a smile. They had reached the Hospital Wing.
"You can go back now." Hermione said to them as she pushed open the door. Harry and Ron looked at each other. "Not a chance." Harry said and they followed her inside.
Madam Pomfrey was her usual irritable self, and seemed very surprised that the three of them were there because Hermione was hurt, and not Harry. She made Hermione sit down on a bed and bustled off to find the cure for burns.
Ron and Harry sat down next to her bed. Harry frowned. "Hermione, why were you yelling like that at the match? We almost fainted." He said, folding his arms. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"I think Fred and George put something in my breakfast. I've been feeling really funny since then." She answered. Ron and Harry looked surprised. "They actually got you?" Ron said in disbelief.
Hermione nodded glumly. "And before you ask, they didn't do anything to Daphne. She's just like that naturally." Harry and Ron started laughing. Hermione joined in. Madam Pomfrey came in and gave them disapproving looks. They stopped laughing as Madam Pomfrey applied a thick, gooey, orange paste to her burn. Harry recognised it from the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament, when Cedric Diggory had got burnt. After she had finished, Madam Pomfrey bustled away into her office.
The door of the hospital wing opened and Professor Lupin walked in, followed by `Snuffles'. He spotted them and a look of surprise appeared on his face.
"What are you... Hermione! What happened to you?" He asked, concerned. He and Snuffles walked over and stood by her bed. "I..." Hermione began, but she was cut off by a harsh voice behind her.
"Get that dog out of here Professor." The four of them, (five if you included the canine) looked up to see Madam Pomfrey looking at Lupin furiously. She hated having animals in the Hospital Wing. Snuffles whined pathetically and walked slowly out of the Wing, his tail between his legs. Hermione, Harry and Ron had to work hard not to laugh.
Professor Lupin turned back to Hermione as Madam Pomfrey turned to go into her office again. "I got burnt." Hermione finished with a smile. Lupin raised an eyebrow.
"I meant, what happened to your neck?" He said. Hermione looked across the room to where a mirror hung on the wall and paled. Her neck was bright red and looked very sore. She swallowed painfully and looked at Harry and Ron for support.
"Malfoy tried to strangle her." Harry said casually. Hermione looked at Lupin quickly, expecting him to act all teachery. But he didn't.
"How'd you get out of that one?" He asked with interest. Hermione looked surprised. "Um, Harry and Ron came along and found me." She said. Lupin grinned. "I'm surprised Malfoy isn't in here as well then." He said with a wink at Harry and Ron.
Harry grinned. "Oh, I think he will be soon. Ron broke his jaw." Lupin started laughing. "I'm suddenly getting a feeling of déjà vu. Back in our third year here, one of Snape's friends, Jefferson, he was beating up Peter. Now, Peter was about four feet tall and Jefferson was about six. He didn't stand a chance. But me and Sirius found them and Sirius broke Jefferson's jaw. He got a month's worth of detentions, but it was worth it just to see the look on his face whenever Sirius clenched his fist."
Ron and Harry started to laugh loudly, but stopped abruptly when the door opened and Draco Malfoy came in with a dark look on his face, his cheek very puffed up and swollen, and a nasty shade of purple. Crabbe and Goyle were just behind him. Draco looked over at them with narrowed eyes. Harry gave them a sarcastic wave.
Madam Pomfrey came in just then and gave a cry of horror when she saw Draco. She ushered him over to a bed in the corner and told him to sit completely still. Then she came over to Hermione. Madam Pomfrey removed the orange paste to reveal Hermione's burn-free, mended skin.
Hermione, Harry and Ron stood up to leave as Madam Pomfrey bustled over to Malfoy again. Lupin had come to get a headache cure from Madam Pomfrey, so he said that he would see them later. The three of them went out of the door, careful to look anywhere but at Malfoy, who looked simply murderous.
Outside the door they almost fell over Sirius, who was in his human form and sitting on the floor, stretching his legs.
"Sirius? What are you doing? If someone sees..." Harry began frantically, but Sirius waved his hand dismissively. "I'm fine. Jeez, you sound like your mother did whenever we transformed in a public place." Harry smiled and Sirius grinned. "I saw that beauty on Malfoy. Who's handiwork was that?"
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "It was Ron." She said disapprovingly. Harry and Ron rolled their eyes at her. Draco had just tried to strangle her, and she was acting as if breaking his jaw was wrong. Where was her pride?
There were footsteps below them and the sound of chattering students. Sirius disappeared and was replaced by Snuffles just as a group of First-year Hufflepuffs came around the corner. They stopped dead when they saw Harry and Ron and started whispering. Harry caught the words `Quidditch' `Wronski Feint' and `good keeper'. Harry glanced at Ron and saw that he looked deadly embarrassed. He had to have time to get used to his status as Gryffindor Keeper. Harry grinned and started to walk up to Gryffindor tower. Hermione and Ron followed him.
They had reached the corridor that the Fat Lady's portrait hung on when the owl came. It was a grey eagle owl, with flashing black eyes and a sharp looking beak. It flew through the open window and dropped a letter at Hermione's face before landing on a side table and straightening his feathers.
Hermione glanced at Harry and Ron, and bent to pick up the letter. She put it in her robe pocket. "Aren't you going to read it?" Asked Ron with a frown. Hermione shrugged. Later, and when I've got some privacy." She answered. Ron chuckled. "If you think you're gonna get any chance to read that letter in the common room, then you're mad. Besides, it looks like Vicky, sorry, Viktor wants an answer." He nodded towards the owl, which was watching Hermione beadily.
Hermione sighed heavily. "Alright. Fine. I'll read my letter, but you two can go and join the party." Ron opened his mouth, presumably to protest, but Harry grabbed his arm and pulled him through the portrait hole. A loud cheer greeted them.
Celebrating Gryffindors, thrusting butterbeers and sweets into their hands, very quickly surrounded Ron and Harry. They sat down by the fire with the rest of the team and joined in the conversation.
A few minutes later the portrait opened and Hermione pulled herself through. She spotted them through the crowd and waved. Then, choosing to stay out of the fun as usual, she sat down in the corner with Daphne, Lori and some of their friends. Ron and Harry extracted themselves from the crowd and made their way over to her.
"So what did Viktor say?" Asked Ron as soon as they were within earshot. Hermione frowned. "Not that it's any of your business, but he said that he misses me so much that he's transferring to Hogwarts as soon as possible." She replied calmly.
Ron looked as though she had slapped him. "He, but, you're not, are you kidding?" He stammered. Hermione grinned, and then started laughing. Harry joined in. Ron looked furious. "You're so gullible." Hermione gasped, with tears forming in her eyes. Ron gave her a withering glance and looked away.
"Anyway." Hermione said a while later, once she had stopped laughing. "Viktor invited me to Bulgaria for Christmas, but I said no."
"Why?" Ron said curiously, although he looked a bit suspicious. Hermione smiled thoughtfully. "I already have plans. I'm going home this Christmas." She said, sitting back in her chair.
Ron and Harry looked at Hermione in surprise. None of them had gone home for Christmas since the first year. They always stayed at school.
Hemione took a deep breath. "Well, Daphne's parents are going away this Christmas on a second honeymoon, so my mum said she could stay with us, and that I'd be there too. Of course she didn't know that Daphne was going to Hogwarts, and we could stay here, but I think my parents do want me at home for once." She shrugged.
Ron looked a bit dubious. "Are you sure it's safe though? I mean, leaving Hogwarts and stuff?" He asked. Hermione sighed. "Yeah, I'm sure it's fine. And anyway, I'll have you and Harry there to break jaws for me anyway, won't I?" Harry and Ron looked at Hermione with bemused expressions. She rolled her eyes. "Do. You. Two. Want. To. Come. And. Stay. At. My. House. This. Christmas?" She said slowly and clearly.
"You want us to come? Um, well sure. I'd like to." Said Ron with a grin. He looked at Harry, but was surprised to see his friend looked very downhearted. He realised what was going on in his head and quickly added; "But only if Harry is allowed to come." Hermione nodded. She turned to Daphne.
"Daph? Harry and Ron might be coming too this Christmas." She said. Daphne smiled happily. "Good! The more the merrier!" she said. Hermione looked at Lori with a smile. "Do you want to come to my house this Christmas? You're very welcome as well." She said.
Daphne looked at Lori eagerly, but her friend looked very uncomfortable. "I'm sorry Hermione. I, I can't. I have to, to go home this Christmas. Father said so." Lori swallowed hard and looked away. But Hermione saw the fear in her eyes. She sighed and looked at Daphne with a small smile. Daphne looked very disappointed that Lori couldn't come but knew better than to say anything. Lori was very guarded about her family life.
At that moment, Ginny Weasley came bounding over with a piece of parchment and a quill in her hands. She stopped in front of Ron and bowed with a giggle. "All hail the Keeper. Can I have the first autograph?" She held out the parchment, but Ron gave her such a furious look that she just shrugged and dropped her hands with a grin. Hermione laughed.
"Would you like to come up my house this Christmas Ginny? It'll be fun." She asked. Ginny spun round to face Hermione with a beaming smile on her face. "Really? Your house? I'd love... Oh. I can't. Sorry Hermione, but Lisa has to stay at school this Christmas and I promised her that I`d stay too." Ginny looked very disappointed, but soon produced her smile again. "Oh well. Maybe in the summer. See ya!" she winked at Hermione. As she went past Ron she ruffled his hair playfully, but he pointedly ignored her. "Sisters." He muttered under his breath.
Wow that was long. Oh well, if you haven't fallen asleep, please review!
Thanks to all my reviewers so far, maddy, tabi, Fehrlyevil The Unstoppable Demonic Queen of The Underground Region of In-Duh-Viduality, (great name!) moodyirishbabe, Kstarr74, Angie, fang, Tracy, RiddleStar and Jivanna. Love ya all!
Disclaimer- Everything you recognise from the Harry Potter books is from the Harry Potter books- (You see the connection there?)
Dear Hermowninny...
Harry and Ron made it up to the common room quite fast, given the fact that Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were all trying to get close to them to offer congratulations. But they were eager to get up to Gryffindor Tower- they wanted to get the party started and, obviously, gape at Hermione in disbelief.
When they entered the common room, the Gryffindors who had arrived before them burst into applause and started cheering. Harry and Ron grinned and went straight up to their dormitory to get out of their muddy Quidditch robes. When they got back down to the common room, it was packed by celebrating Gryffindors. They all cheered again when Harry and Ron entered, and Angelina threw them a butterbeer each. Harry's slipped through his fingers as he went to catch it, but Ron managed to save it before it fell onto the floor.
Fred grinned wickedly and said; "You see Harry, that's why he's the keeper and you're not." The Gryffindors started laughing and even Harry joined in. Ron's ears went red but he grinned too.
Just then, the portrait door opened and Hermione, Daphne and Lori climbed through, all looking a bit flushed. A few people who had witnessed what had happened at the match started applauding them too, but Hermione just smiled slightly and made a beeline straight for Ron and Harry. They watched her approach. She looked a bit worried.
"Hey Herm! That was so funny at the end- the look on Malfoy's face!" It was George. He, Fred, and the rest of the Gryfindor team were seated in front of the fire, all with big grins on their faces. Hermione smiled slightly. "Er, thanks Fre-, er, George." She said, tucking a stray bit of hair behind her ear. That was when Harry and Ron knew something was up. Hermione was better than Ron at telling the twins apart; she made it a big thing to always get it right.
Harry nodded over to a spare table in a corner, set apart from the main party. They walked over and sat down. "What's wrong?" Said Ron straight away. Hermione shrugged. "We'll, maybe it's nothing, but I thought I'd better tell you both that Malfoy is planning to kill me." She said casually.
Harry chuckled, but Ron leaned forward. "What's wrong with your arm?" He asked suddenly. Hermione had been unconsciously clutching at her left arm. She withdrew her hand quickly and said, very unconvincingly, "nothing."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Have we ever told you how bad you are at lying?" He said with a grin. Hermione sighed. "Alright, alright." She launched into her story.
"We left the pitch pretty late because everyone was standing around talking. We were just going up the marble staircase when Malfoy came up behind us. I heard him coming though. So I turned around and asked him what he wanted. He gave me this really nasty look and told me it was none of my business. Then he gave Lori the evil eye and said he wanted to talk to her. God, he sounded so nasty. So I stood in front of her and told him that as a prefect it was my duty to accompany them back to Gryfindor Tower. So he told me to stay out of his way and leave his sister alone, and that as it was the middle of the day she could go wherever she liked. Which is technically true, of course, but I told him it was Gryffindor tradition to hold a party after a victory, something he probably didn't know about as Slytherin house didn't get much chance to celebrate a win."
At this point Hermione stopped as Harry and Ron had started laughing. The image of Hermione telling this to Draco Malfoy was just too much. Remembering the look on his face, Hermione allowed herself a grin as well. When the boys had recovered from their laughing fit, Hermione continued:
"So anyway, he pulled out his wand on me and said that I'd better watch it, because a filthy little mudblood such as myself wouldn't stand a chance against him." This statement wiped the grins off of Harry and Ron's faces very effectively. Both gritted their teeth and clenched their fists. Hermione ignored them and carried on:
"So I pulled out my wand and asked him if he'd like to test that theory, without chickening out at the last minute and not showing up at the trophy room." Ron and Harry grinned again; that incident had happened way back in the first year, back when Hermione wasn't even their friend. "So then he went mad and tried to put that big teeth charm on me again, for old time's sake I presume, but I dodged it and the sparks got my arm. So I quickly put a jelly-legs charm on him and we all ran. He knew the counter-curse though, so he was after us pretty quickly. The bad thing is, he followed us almost all the way to Gryffindor Tower, so now he knows where it is, and, he might have even been close enough to hear the password. I just don't know." Hermione frowned and rubbed her temples. As she lifted her arm, her sleeve fell to reveal a small, but nasty- looking burn just above her wrist. She glanced at it and sighed again.
"Guess I'll have to go and see Madam Pomfrey." She said, standing up reluctantly.
Ron and Harry stood up as well to go with her, but she told them not to. "This party is for you, do you realise that? You can't just leave your own party. Oh, by the way, well done, both of you, you were really good." She gave them a big smile and left. Harry and Ron glanced at each other, and stood up at the same time.
~*~
Hermione climbed out of the portrait hole rather awkwardly- her arm was hurting her more than she had let on to Harry and Ron. This was mainly because she knew what they would do, and she wasn't in the mood today for a fight. She didn't know what had got into her at that Quidditch match, why on earth had she shouted like that? Maybe it was something she ate. She'd been feeling funny since breakfast.
Hermione closed her eyes in horror. At breakfast that morning, Lee Jordan had offered her a roll that he had said he didn't want. She had, stupidly, taken it. Hermione had always vowed that Fred and George Weasley would never trick her, but it seemed they had- they had obviously put something in the roll and given it to Lee Jordan to trick her with. She was going to kill them...
Hermione suddenly felt someone grab her from behind. She barely had time to register what was happening when suddenly she found Draco Malfoy had her in a headlock, and was holding his wand up against her neck. She could hardly breath, but the more she struggled, the tighter the headlock became. Her eyes started to water and he started laughing.
"Well, will you look at this? The little mudblood who I thought could beat me. Well, that's what she said anyway. What's the matter Granger? No witty comebacks? Oh what a shame." He laughed again. Hermione looked at him fearfully as she struggled to breath. But there was something else in her eyes- hatred. Draco shook his head slowly.
"Never try to make a fool out of me you mudblood. Draco Malfoy always- Ahhh!" Hermione fell to the floor in surprise as she was released from the headlock. She coughed and spluttered, taking in big gulps of air. Her neck was very sore. She rubbed it and looked up.
Malfoy was rolling around on the floor, clutching the side of his face, where a livid bruise was already forming. Standing over him was Ron, rubbing his fist and looking down at Draco with pure fury all over his face. Harry was standing next to Ron, wearing an equally angry expression and pointing his wand steadily at Malfoy. He held out his spare hand to Hermione, and she took it gratefully, pulling herself up. She looked down at Malfoy.
He looked absolutely pitiful, and she did almost feel sorry for him. Almost. His cheek was a nasty shade of purple where Ron had punched him, and it looked as though he had broken his jaw. Malfoy looked up at the three of them with hatred in his eyes. Harry, Ron and Hermione just looked at him as he got up awkwardly and, with a last glance in their direction, walked away. Hermione looked over at her friends, and found that Harry was holding tightly onto the back of Ron's robes to stop him going after Malfoy.
She cleared her throat and they looked at her. "Thanks" She mumbled. Harry let go of Ron's robes. Hemione looked down the corridor that Draco had disappeared down. "Did you have to break his jaw though?" She said to Ron. Ron stared at her in disbelief. "He was trying to strangle you." He said angrily.
Hermione grinned. "I know," she said. "But couldn't you have broken his leg?"
Harry started laughing, and soon Ron joined in. The three of them made their way to the Hospital Wing. "Why are you two out of the Common Room?" Hermione asked curiously, even though she thought she knew what the answer was.
Ron gave her a sceptical look. "You had just told us Malfoy wanted to kill you, and then you expect us to let you wander the corridors alone?" He said. Hermione sighed heavily. "Good thing you two know exactly when Malfoy's gonna attack then." She said with a smile. They had reached the Hospital Wing.
"You can go back now." Hermione said to them as she pushed open the door. Harry and Ron looked at each other. "Not a chance." Harry said and they followed her inside.
Madam Pomfrey was her usual irritable self, and seemed very surprised that the three of them were there because Hermione was hurt, and not Harry. She made Hermione sit down on a bed and bustled off to find the cure for burns.
Ron and Harry sat down next to her bed. Harry frowned. "Hermione, why were you yelling like that at the match? We almost fainted." He said, folding his arms. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"I think Fred and George put something in my breakfast. I've been feeling really funny since then." She answered. Ron and Harry looked surprised. "They actually got you?" Ron said in disbelief.
Hermione nodded glumly. "And before you ask, they didn't do anything to Daphne. She's just like that naturally." Harry and Ron started laughing. Hermione joined in. Madam Pomfrey came in and gave them disapproving looks. They stopped laughing as Madam Pomfrey applied a thick, gooey, orange paste to her burn. Harry recognised it from the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament, when Cedric Diggory had got burnt. After she had finished, Madam Pomfrey bustled away into her office.
The door of the hospital wing opened and Professor Lupin walked in, followed by `Snuffles'. He spotted them and a look of surprise appeared on his face.
"What are you... Hermione! What happened to you?" He asked, concerned. He and Snuffles walked over and stood by her bed. "I..." Hermione began, but she was cut off by a harsh voice behind her.
"Get that dog out of here Professor." The four of them, (five if you included the canine) looked up to see Madam Pomfrey looking at Lupin furiously. She hated having animals in the Hospital Wing. Snuffles whined pathetically and walked slowly out of the Wing, his tail between his legs. Hermione, Harry and Ron had to work hard not to laugh.
Professor Lupin turned back to Hermione as Madam Pomfrey turned to go into her office again. "I got burnt." Hermione finished with a smile. Lupin raised an eyebrow.
"I meant, what happened to your neck?" He said. Hermione looked across the room to where a mirror hung on the wall and paled. Her neck was bright red and looked very sore. She swallowed painfully and looked at Harry and Ron for support.
"Malfoy tried to strangle her." Harry said casually. Hermione looked at Lupin quickly, expecting him to act all teachery. But he didn't.
"How'd you get out of that one?" He asked with interest. Hermione looked surprised. "Um, Harry and Ron came along and found me." She said. Lupin grinned. "I'm surprised Malfoy isn't in here as well then." He said with a wink at Harry and Ron.
Harry grinned. "Oh, I think he will be soon. Ron broke his jaw." Lupin started laughing. "I'm suddenly getting a feeling of déjà vu. Back in our third year here, one of Snape's friends, Jefferson, he was beating up Peter. Now, Peter was about four feet tall and Jefferson was about six. He didn't stand a chance. But me and Sirius found them and Sirius broke Jefferson's jaw. He got a month's worth of detentions, but it was worth it just to see the look on his face whenever Sirius clenched his fist."
Ron and Harry started to laugh loudly, but stopped abruptly when the door opened and Draco Malfoy came in with a dark look on his face, his cheek very puffed up and swollen, and a nasty shade of purple. Crabbe and Goyle were just behind him. Draco looked over at them with narrowed eyes. Harry gave them a sarcastic wave.
Madam Pomfrey came in just then and gave a cry of horror when she saw Draco. She ushered him over to a bed in the corner and told him to sit completely still. Then she came over to Hermione. Madam Pomfrey removed the orange paste to reveal Hermione's burn-free, mended skin.
Hermione, Harry and Ron stood up to leave as Madam Pomfrey bustled over to Malfoy again. Lupin had come to get a headache cure from Madam Pomfrey, so he said that he would see them later. The three of them went out of the door, careful to look anywhere but at Malfoy, who looked simply murderous.
Outside the door they almost fell over Sirius, who was in his human form and sitting on the floor, stretching his legs.
"Sirius? What are you doing? If someone sees..." Harry began frantically, but Sirius waved his hand dismissively. "I'm fine. Jeez, you sound like your mother did whenever we transformed in a public place." Harry smiled and Sirius grinned. "I saw that beauty on Malfoy. Who's handiwork was that?"
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "It was Ron." She said disapprovingly. Harry and Ron rolled their eyes at her. Draco had just tried to strangle her, and she was acting as if breaking his jaw was wrong. Where was her pride?
There were footsteps below them and the sound of chattering students. Sirius disappeared and was replaced by Snuffles just as a group of First-year Hufflepuffs came around the corner. They stopped dead when they saw Harry and Ron and started whispering. Harry caught the words `Quidditch' `Wronski Feint' and `good keeper'. Harry glanced at Ron and saw that he looked deadly embarrassed. He had to have time to get used to his status as Gryffindor Keeper. Harry grinned and started to walk up to Gryffindor tower. Hermione and Ron followed him.
They had reached the corridor that the Fat Lady's portrait hung on when the owl came. It was a grey eagle owl, with flashing black eyes and a sharp looking beak. It flew through the open window and dropped a letter at Hermione's face before landing on a side table and straightening his feathers.
Hermione glanced at Harry and Ron, and bent to pick up the letter. She put it in her robe pocket. "Aren't you going to read it?" Asked Ron with a frown. Hermione shrugged. Later, and when I've got some privacy." She answered. Ron chuckled. "If you think you're gonna get any chance to read that letter in the common room, then you're mad. Besides, it looks like Vicky, sorry, Viktor wants an answer." He nodded towards the owl, which was watching Hermione beadily.
Hermione sighed heavily. "Alright. Fine. I'll read my letter, but you two can go and join the party." Ron opened his mouth, presumably to protest, but Harry grabbed his arm and pulled him through the portrait hole. A loud cheer greeted them.
Celebrating Gryffindors, thrusting butterbeers and sweets into their hands, very quickly surrounded Ron and Harry. They sat down by the fire with the rest of the team and joined in the conversation.
A few minutes later the portrait opened and Hermione pulled herself through. She spotted them through the crowd and waved. Then, choosing to stay out of the fun as usual, she sat down in the corner with Daphne, Lori and some of their friends. Ron and Harry extracted themselves from the crowd and made their way over to her.
"So what did Viktor say?" Asked Ron as soon as they were within earshot. Hermione frowned. "Not that it's any of your business, but he said that he misses me so much that he's transferring to Hogwarts as soon as possible." She replied calmly.
Ron looked as though she had slapped him. "He, but, you're not, are you kidding?" He stammered. Hermione grinned, and then started laughing. Harry joined in. Ron looked furious. "You're so gullible." Hermione gasped, with tears forming in her eyes. Ron gave her a withering glance and looked away.
"Anyway." Hermione said a while later, once she had stopped laughing. "Viktor invited me to Bulgaria for Christmas, but I said no."
"Why?" Ron said curiously, although he looked a bit suspicious. Hermione smiled thoughtfully. "I already have plans. I'm going home this Christmas." She said, sitting back in her chair.
Ron and Harry looked at Hermione in surprise. None of them had gone home for Christmas since the first year. They always stayed at school.
Hemione took a deep breath. "Well, Daphne's parents are going away this Christmas on a second honeymoon, so my mum said she could stay with us, and that I'd be there too. Of course she didn't know that Daphne was going to Hogwarts, and we could stay here, but I think my parents do want me at home for once." She shrugged.
Ron looked a bit dubious. "Are you sure it's safe though? I mean, leaving Hogwarts and stuff?" He asked. Hermione sighed. "Yeah, I'm sure it's fine. And anyway, I'll have you and Harry there to break jaws for me anyway, won't I?" Harry and Ron looked at Hermione with bemused expressions. She rolled her eyes. "Do. You. Two. Want. To. Come. And. Stay. At. My. House. This. Christmas?" She said slowly and clearly.
"You want us to come? Um, well sure. I'd like to." Said Ron with a grin. He looked at Harry, but was surprised to see his friend looked very downhearted. He realised what was going on in his head and quickly added; "But only if Harry is allowed to come." Hermione nodded. She turned to Daphne.
"Daph? Harry and Ron might be coming too this Christmas." She said. Daphne smiled happily. "Good! The more the merrier!" she said. Hermione looked at Lori with a smile. "Do you want to come to my house this Christmas? You're very welcome as well." She said.
Daphne looked at Lori eagerly, but her friend looked very uncomfortable. "I'm sorry Hermione. I, I can't. I have to, to go home this Christmas. Father said so." Lori swallowed hard and looked away. But Hermione saw the fear in her eyes. She sighed and looked at Daphne with a small smile. Daphne looked very disappointed that Lori couldn't come but knew better than to say anything. Lori was very guarded about her family life.
At that moment, Ginny Weasley came bounding over with a piece of parchment and a quill in her hands. She stopped in front of Ron and bowed with a giggle. "All hail the Keeper. Can I have the first autograph?" She held out the parchment, but Ron gave her such a furious look that she just shrugged and dropped her hands with a grin. Hermione laughed.
"Would you like to come up my house this Christmas Ginny? It'll be fun." She asked. Ginny spun round to face Hermione with a beaming smile on her face. "Really? Your house? I'd love... Oh. I can't. Sorry Hermione, but Lisa has to stay at school this Christmas and I promised her that I`d stay too." Ginny looked very disappointed, but soon produced her smile again. "Oh well. Maybe in the summer. See ya!" she winked at Hermione. As she went past Ron she ruffled his hair playfully, but he pointedly ignored her. "Sisters." He muttered under his breath.
Wow that was long. Oh well, if you haven't fallen asleep, please review!
Thanks to all my reviewers so far, maddy, tabi, Fehrlyevil The Unstoppable Demonic Queen of The Underground Region of In-Duh-Viduality, (great name!) moodyirishbabe, Kstarr74, Angie, fang, Tracy, RiddleStar and Jivanna. Love ya all!