"Did you know that you-know-who's mother was actually a key person in
the defeat of Grindelwald in 1945?" Ron was flipping through a thick red
book.
"Really? Let's see." Hermione snatched the book from him. She scanned the pages for a moment and then looked at Ron. "This is a picture book you moron. It doesn't have anything about you-know-who in it."
"But still, look at these pictures! Have you ever seen the evolution of lawn-gnomes in such snapping colour?"
Hermione rolled her eyes and sat back down.
"You should have known that Voldemorts mum died before Grindelwalds defeat." Harry said, tossing a Quaffle up and down.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "So what are we going to do this afternoon?"
"Hogsmeade." Harry and Ron replied in unison. Harry watched Hermione to gauge her reaction.
"You're going to wear the invisibility cloak right?"
"Yeah, I guess I have to." He smiled slyly. "Unless you'll deign to perform an invisibility charm."
"Ooo! You know just how to try me don't you?" Invisibility charms were forbidden in Hogwarts, but that hadn't prevented Hermione from teaching herself to do one. A standard invisibility charm enabled the spell caster and one other person to see the invisible person.
Harry smiled and arched one eyebrow.
"Well, come on, let's get going before Lupin decides to check up on you."
Harry rolled his eyes. There were people standing beneath every window in Gryffindor Tower and someone guarding the door. Lupin had promised he wouldn't come into the tower or the Prefects washroom. "Everywhere else is fair game." He had said, looking pointedly at Harry and Hermione, who blushed.
Hermione performed the spell and they walked out of the tower.
"Where are you two going?" Snape asked.
"The Prefects washroom." Hermione said.
"Don't you get around." Harry heard Snape mutter. He had to stifle a laugh.
They got to the statue where the entrance to Honeydukes was and Harry stopped.
"Lupin wouldn't leave this entrance open. He knows we know about it." He trailed off.
Just then Lupin rounded the corner. "Uh-oh." Hermione said softly.
"I can only guess what you two are doing here."
"We're sorry, Professor. We really are. We were going to go to Hogsmeade and get some sweets, maybe something from the joke shop to pass the time. We know we should have asked for an escort but Ron and I figured that if we went without Harry we would be okay, seeing as we aren't wanted or anything." Oh god, please believe her, Harry thought as Hermione finished.
Lupin smiled gently. "Hermione, I appreciate how frustrating it must be to be in your shoes but please, allow me to go to Hogsmeade for you. Believe it or not, Voldemort is after you. You could lead him to valuble information about Harry."
"We're very sorry Prof-"
"Remus, until school starts. I feel old when you call me Professor."
"Sorry." Hermione blushed.
"Anyway, please stay within the confines of the school. Please."
Hermione and Ron nodded and they walked back to the tower.
Snape looked up from his book but said nothing. They walked back into the tower and Hermione reversed the invisibility charm. "That was close."
"Very close."
"I have no wish to repeat that experience."
"No wish."
"Shut up Ron."
"Okay."
At around nine thirty Lupin came in with a mass of sweets and items from the joke shop. They thanked him and played around for about an hour before Ron went up to bed. Harry and Hermione stayed up and made out for a bit before Hermione turned to him suddenly.
"What did it feel like? The Cruciatus curse I mean?"
Harry looked at her. "It was, undescribable. Like hundreds, thousands of white-hot knives into my flesh. I wanted to die. I honestly wanted to die right then and there. No one should have to feel that kind of pain. No one."
Not even you-know-" Hermione took a breath. "Not even Voldemort?"
Harry inhaled deeply. He didn't look at Hermione. "No. No, that kind of pain should not be experienced on Earth. No earthly force can create that kind of pain. It's what I imagine you feel in Hell."
"Oh Harry, I'm so, so sorry."
"Don't be. You couldn't have changed anything. You would have ended up like Cedric."
"Oh Harry! But still, I never bothered to ask..never even thought to ask what happened down there..I am so sorry."
"There's only one person I want to apologise and only one person who never will."
"Oh god Harry. I never-"
He kissed her soundly. "Shut up."
She smiled and kissed him back. "Okay."
"Really? Let's see." Hermione snatched the book from him. She scanned the pages for a moment and then looked at Ron. "This is a picture book you moron. It doesn't have anything about you-know-who in it."
"But still, look at these pictures! Have you ever seen the evolution of lawn-gnomes in such snapping colour?"
Hermione rolled her eyes and sat back down.
"You should have known that Voldemorts mum died before Grindelwalds defeat." Harry said, tossing a Quaffle up and down.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "So what are we going to do this afternoon?"
"Hogsmeade." Harry and Ron replied in unison. Harry watched Hermione to gauge her reaction.
"You're going to wear the invisibility cloak right?"
"Yeah, I guess I have to." He smiled slyly. "Unless you'll deign to perform an invisibility charm."
"Ooo! You know just how to try me don't you?" Invisibility charms were forbidden in Hogwarts, but that hadn't prevented Hermione from teaching herself to do one. A standard invisibility charm enabled the spell caster and one other person to see the invisible person.
Harry smiled and arched one eyebrow.
"Well, come on, let's get going before Lupin decides to check up on you."
Harry rolled his eyes. There were people standing beneath every window in Gryffindor Tower and someone guarding the door. Lupin had promised he wouldn't come into the tower or the Prefects washroom. "Everywhere else is fair game." He had said, looking pointedly at Harry and Hermione, who blushed.
Hermione performed the spell and they walked out of the tower.
"Where are you two going?" Snape asked.
"The Prefects washroom." Hermione said.
"Don't you get around." Harry heard Snape mutter. He had to stifle a laugh.
They got to the statue where the entrance to Honeydukes was and Harry stopped.
"Lupin wouldn't leave this entrance open. He knows we know about it." He trailed off.
Just then Lupin rounded the corner. "Uh-oh." Hermione said softly.
"I can only guess what you two are doing here."
"We're sorry, Professor. We really are. We were going to go to Hogsmeade and get some sweets, maybe something from the joke shop to pass the time. We know we should have asked for an escort but Ron and I figured that if we went without Harry we would be okay, seeing as we aren't wanted or anything." Oh god, please believe her, Harry thought as Hermione finished.
Lupin smiled gently. "Hermione, I appreciate how frustrating it must be to be in your shoes but please, allow me to go to Hogsmeade for you. Believe it or not, Voldemort is after you. You could lead him to valuble information about Harry."
"We're very sorry Prof-"
"Remus, until school starts. I feel old when you call me Professor."
"Sorry." Hermione blushed.
"Anyway, please stay within the confines of the school. Please."
Hermione and Ron nodded and they walked back to the tower.
Snape looked up from his book but said nothing. They walked back into the tower and Hermione reversed the invisibility charm. "That was close."
"Very close."
"I have no wish to repeat that experience."
"No wish."
"Shut up Ron."
"Okay."
At around nine thirty Lupin came in with a mass of sweets and items from the joke shop. They thanked him and played around for about an hour before Ron went up to bed. Harry and Hermione stayed up and made out for a bit before Hermione turned to him suddenly.
"What did it feel like? The Cruciatus curse I mean?"
Harry looked at her. "It was, undescribable. Like hundreds, thousands of white-hot knives into my flesh. I wanted to die. I honestly wanted to die right then and there. No one should have to feel that kind of pain. No one."
Not even you-know-" Hermione took a breath. "Not even Voldemort?"
Harry inhaled deeply. He didn't look at Hermione. "No. No, that kind of pain should not be experienced on Earth. No earthly force can create that kind of pain. It's what I imagine you feel in Hell."
"Oh Harry, I'm so, so sorry."
"Don't be. You couldn't have changed anything. You would have ended up like Cedric."
"Oh Harry! But still, I never bothered to ask..never even thought to ask what happened down there..I am so sorry."
"There's only one person I want to apologise and only one person who never will."
"Oh god Harry. I never-"
He kissed her soundly. "Shut up."
She smiled and kissed him back. "Okay."