Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I own only the plot and my devilish mind.
A/N: Oh I just love writing this chapter. H/Hr interaction! Need I say more? *wink*
THE MAGIC OF LOVEBy: Katrina Five Together
"Going to the library again?" Padma eyed Hermione weirdly. "Hermione, I know you like the library and all, but that's no reason for you to skip lunch two times in a row and starve yourself. Besides, I want to hear about the match."
Hermione internally groaned. That was one of the reasons why she was going to the library. To get away from the curious stares of the school. She could just imagine everybody staring at her now. Yes, being saved by the oh-so-hated Harry Potter! She thought sarcastically, but almost blushed when she remembered the peck he'd given her. "I'll tell you later in the common room, Padma," Hermione said, not wanting to be late to the library, but for a more important reason. She had to tell Harry the danger they were in. If that figure hadn't hesitated to try and kill her…she could only imagine Harry's predicament. And it's not going to be in anyway better than mine.
"Oh, all right then," said Padma with a shrug. "But I'm definitely wrapping up something for you. You are most definitely going to need the energy for the rematch." Hermione blinked in confusion. Padma sighed. "Well, Hermione, the score was tied and since the Seekers were rather…" She gave a wicked grin. "Preoccupied, shall I say?"
Hermione flushed. "Umm…Ha-I mean, Potter…I just happened to fall on his broom, all right? It's nothing like what you might read in romance novels…"
Padma cocked her head, the impish grin larger by the moment. "Oh?" she said. "I happened to see you almost fall in his arms." She winked mischievously and stepped away from Hermione. "Well…off to lunch I go!" And before Hermione could do anything, she was out of her sight.
"Hey-" Hermione called, but Padma had disappeared from her view. Shaking her head, she started toward the library, thoughts swimming busily in her head.
Something was bothering her again. About Padma…Hermione frowned. Gee, I am getting too paranoid, she thought dryly. I'm suspecting the closest thing to a friend other than Harry in this place; illusions or not. And speaking of Quidditch…Hermione's heart gave a leap. Her broom was reduced to a heap of cinders, right? So THAT means she didn't have to play! A valid excuse, Hermione grinned to herself. The one good thing that came out of all of these.
The library was just as deserted as yesterday. Madam Pince didn't even bothering acknowledging Hermione this time, since she was busying sorting out books that had been ruined by irresponsible borrowers and fixing them. Hermione looked around the library, hoping Harry wasn't about to pull his Invisibility Cloak Stunt again; after what was happened she might end up screaming and drawing attention to the two of them. Luckily, she spotted the familiar messy hair fairly quickly. Harry was sitting at a table, reading-an interesting surprise-a book that was not related in anyway to Quidditch.
Hermione suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable as she took her seat beside him quietly, pretending to be reading herself so that Madam Pince wouldn't get suspicious that a Ravenclaw and a Slytherin, rival Quidditch captains no less, are congregating together. She wasn't sure why she was uncomfortable. It was just her best friend, who was supposed to be her worst enemy in this world. Not even a world, she reminded herself, staring right through the book in front of her. But…. Hermione thought back to the near-kiss outside on the field. She felt her cheeks burn as she remembered the sensation…and the disappointment when he merely brushed his lips against her cheeks. But you two are in front of the whole school, a voice told her. What? You guys are going to start making out in front of the whole school. And after a slight pause-and don't forget, this is your best friend we're talking about. It's not ethically correct. Hermione smiled grimly. Too right it wasn't! If Harry had liked her the way she thought he did, he wouldn't have tried, at least, to marry Christina. And she didn't like him. As her best friend (platonic), yes, but nothing more.
"So, Hermione, what was it?" whispered Harry as soon as Madam Pince turned around to work on a severely damaged book.
Hermione couldn't look into Harry's green eyes as she answered. "Yesterday I was taking a shower," she said quietly. "It was really dark and as soon as I got into the Prefects' Bathroom, I heard footsteps lingering outside the door and the person, whoever he or she was, knocked."
She stole a glance at Harry. His face was thoughtful. "Couldn't it have been…a student?"
"Well, that 'student', Harry, started knocking incessantly," Hermione continued. "And afterwards…" She paused and tried to remember. "Right, so I said something to the effect that the person left, but when I finished my shower, the person came back as if he knows that I won't be back to my house common room by then. And I think he told me that I'm warned or something." Harry's eyes widened. "And that's not all."
Hermione pulled the parchment from her pocket. "Here," she said. "And you'll understand the Quidditch incident better, I daresay."
Harry's eyebrows were knitted in a deep frown after he finished the note. "I never thought it would be dangerous…" he said softly. "So someone working for Voldemort is already among in our crowds. Perhaps someone we know quite well even." He saw Hermione's perplexed look. "How else would he have known that it was you in the bathroom? And that you weren't back to the common room? Either he's been stalking you, and I hope not because we might be overheard the very minute-"
Hermione jumped with a small yelp. Madam Pince turned around sharply. "Is there a problem, Miss Granger, with Mr. Potter?" she asked, eyeing Harry suspiciously.
"Ah…no…no…" Hermione sat down. "Just some Muggle disease…diabetes," she lied, hoping that the librarian knew nothing about the Muggle disease. Madam Pince shook her head and returned to her books wordlessly. She looked toward Harry. "Stalking me?" she squeaked.
Harry must've seen the look of horror on her face. He gently laid a hand on her shoulder soothingly. Not exactly soothing, Hermione decided, her heartbeat speeding up immediately. "Don't worry," he said. "I won't let him hurt you if I can help it."
Did I hear that? "After all," Harry added. "It is my fault that you're stuck here, and I'll be really livid at myself if my best friend is hurt in anyway because of me." Oh.
"So what's the other possibility?" Hermione asked, not letting any emotion show in her voice. Especially not the same disappointment she'd felt earlier.
"That the person is one of the students, and from the look of things I'll say that he or she knows you to a certain extent." Harry grinned when Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. "And no, Hermione, it's not me. I'm the one who saved you."
Hermione laughed weakly. "Hah, hah," she said. "I don't know anyone who knows me that well."
Harry frowned. "What about that girl who acted so worried when you made it to the ground safely?" he asked. "She seems to be rather friendly with you."
"About the only one other than you," said Hermione with a sigh.
"She looks familiar," Harry said thoughtfully, and his eyes lit up. "Of course, Parvati Patil!"
"Close, but not quite. Padma Patil, her Ravenclaw twin," Hermione corrected, playing with a lock of her hair listlessly. The second time she'd done this gesture. "Well, even if she's just conjured up by spells, she's rather nice and as you can see, is rather nice to me."
Harry seemed to be chewing his lips. "I'm not sure," he said very slowly. "Padma Patil." He shook his head. "I won't worry about that now. So for now, we know that one, we are in danger, and two, someone's after us, and three, we don't know anything else. Not to mention that we are pulled back six years and put in the wrong houses, and I am not so stupid to not notice that I seem to have replaced Draco Malfoy in the sense that half the school hates me. Correction: everyone except my wonderful fellow Slytherins and you and Snape hates me."
"Why do you think that is?"
"I wish I know." Hermione looked at Harry and saw a worried look on his face. "I don't know how it will benefit Voldemort if we just stay here. I mean, is this world the world that's moving along while the real world just froze in time? Or is he just sending me here so he can conquer the world we've left behind?"
"Then why would I be here?" demanded Hermione. "I'm just an Arithmancy professor dealing with letters and numbers and trying to prove that this is a more correct way of predicting than crystal balls! And Harry, as powerful as you are, you are only one Auror, and there are plenty of Aurors left in the Ministry. No offense, but the Ministry will fare rather fair even without you. And not to mention that you are actually safe from the Death Eaters here. Remember, the Death Eater attacks started well into our sixth year, so we're safe for another twelve months or so."
Harry rubbed his scar absently. "Exactly," he mumbled, then shook his head again. "It's too hard to figure out. For all I know, we aren't just pulled into this place for nothing. But there must be someone else pulled into this place with us: your attacker."
"If Voldemort can program the past into having you in Slytherin, I don't see how he couldn't program someone, say Padma, into a murderess," challenged Hermione. "And if that's the case, he won't even sacrifice one of his henchmen if we win and we'll just be stuck here till we die of utter disgust."
Madam Pince had returned to stare at them while mending books. Hermione pretended to be engrossed in the pages while she tried to think. She knew that Ron and Ginny definitely were not Ron and Ginny. The professors? She doubted if anyone of them would be disloyal to Dumbledore. Even Snape was acting human. Even if he is mean to Malfoy, but hey, a nice change. The students? One of them might be her attacker or stalker. Most likely a Ravenclaw. She shuddered, remembering the Ravenclaws in the common room. Anyone of them could be it, or perhaps there were more than just one person involved. Voldemort was no idiot. And wait a minute, she suddenly realized. How are we so sure that it's Voldemort? A stupid question, she decided in a second. The Dark Mark sure gives that away.
She groaned and put her head in her hands, dropping the book with a loud thump. Madam Pince glared at her. And suddenly, Hermione was tired of everything. She would give anything to be at St. Peter's Church again. Even with Christina and Harry snogging away in front of her…as much as it hurts to think about it. She stood up to go, wanting to be alone in the dormitory and not think about everything. Nothing made sense. Absolutely nothing. "Hermione," Harry whispered, grabbing Hermione's hand.
Hermione felt something surge through her arm as she felt the warmth of Harry's fingers on her hand. For a moment, she saw something on Harry's face that suggested that he, too, felt the same thing, but soon she decided she was wrong. She swallowed hard. "Yes?" she said.
"We need to get help," Harry said.
"Who? Who on earth in this place is someone that can help us? For all we know, nobody here is real, Harry! They are just made to look real-"
"Exactly," said Harry. "They are made to look real. So their reactions and such will appear real as well, won't it?"
Hermione thought for a moment. "Theoretically," she said. "But this is not a world where these things work, Harry. This is a world where I won't be surprised if pigs can fly." Harry looked perplexed. "I guess you didn't read that Muggle novel because your relatives won't let you. It's about a girl who went into a world where nothing makes sense. Twice. And there's something in there about pigs can fly and stuff. It's really off topic."
Harry smiled at her. "No…I read it," he said. "I just didn't think you'll…read those kind of books…no offense but I guess I kind of assumed you were born with Hogwarts, A History. Anyway, back to what we were talking about: it's worth a try, and there's really no better alternative. Why not?"
You know, he is right, a voice muttered. Hermione nodded. "And I will assume that you meant Dumbledore," she said.
"Yes."
"Well, let's go then. Maybe we can catch him returning from luncheon." At least we have something to do rather than sit in the library and talk in circles, Hermione decided, following Harry out of the library, growing more and more uncomfortable under Madam Pince's glare.
She didn't hear a shuffle behind her, and nor did she see the swift flash of a camera as Harry took her hand to comfort her.
~*~
It didn't take long to find the familiar gargoyle. As a professor, Hermione herself had visited the place quite a few times and Harry had visited the offices rather frequently during his years as a Hogwarts student, due to his scar and various protection needs. Everything was perfect except for one thing.
The password.
"It's usually the name of a Muggle candy," informed Harry. Hermione rolled her eyes; she knew that from her experience, although a few times weird-sounding wizard candy names are used as well. "I'll say…sherbet lemon."
The gargoyle remained still. Personally, Hermione doubted herself if even a trusting man such as Dumbledore would keep a password he'd used back when they were twelve, almost a decade ago. In fact, Dumbledore had been known to change his password at the most eccentric of times. Harry seemed to have realized the same thing. "Guess I shouldn't try Cockroach Cluster either, then," he said sheepishly.
"It's hopeless," Hermione said with a sigh. "I mean, the password…it can be anything, and literally it can be anything. We should just wait till someone who actually knows the password find us. It could be peppermint humbug for-" She stopped. The gargoyle had come to life and had jumped aside.
Harry and Hermione stared at each other. "Serendipity," said a gentle voice from behind the two, and upon turning around the pair saw Albus Dumbledore, staring at them kindly. "I have nothing against students trying to burst into my office-I've always thought that my passwords are, or should I say were, original for them to guess. I would never imagine the two of you work together, however, just to surprise me." He smiled. "Is there anything I can help you with? Settling the Quidditch dispute, perhaps?"
Hermione's mouth suddenly felt dry. How can I just burst the news on Dumbledore like that? She wondered, but luckily Harry spoke up. "Headmaster," he said carefully, his face showing an expression somewhere between a Slytherin smirk and a Gryffindor smile. "Is it possible if…if we talk inside?"
"I understand," said Dumbledore, "and since my little gargoyle is waiting rather impatiently, we should honor that, shouldn't we?"
With a gratified grin at Harry, Hermione followed the two men up the spiral staircase to Dumbledore's office. Once inside the office, Hermione couldn't help looking around to see if it had been altered. And she was rather relieved to see that it was exactly as she'd remembered it, except Fawkes wasn't there. There was no perch. Before she could voice her surprise, Dumbledore got to the point. "I understand that the Quidditch match has a rather interesting turnout," he said. "But I'm afraid that I won't be able to help-"
"Please, Professor, we aren't here about that," Harry said quickly. Even as a renown Auror, he still referred to the respected headmaster by the title "professor". "This may seem to be an outlandish claim-"
"And it is," Hermione added.
"But we aren't supposed to be here," finished Harry.
Dumbledore stared at the two for a moment before chuckling. "Why, I do believe you are correct," he said. "You aren't supposed to be here. If I'm not much mistaken, you are supposed to be eating your midday meals with your respective housemates."
"But we aren't even from this world or this time period!" burst out Hermione. "I, Headmaster, I am one of your fellow professors where I'm from! I'm Professor Granger, the Arithmancy professor, age twenty-one."
"And I'm Harry Potter, an Auror," said Harry. He paused. "And I am not a Slytherin. I am supposed to be a Gryffindor, and so should be Hermione."
"I'm not a Ravenclaw, nor a prefect-"
"I'm not an evil git like everyone think I am-"
"I do not play Quidditch, let alone the position of the captain-"
"I am not the son of Death Eaters-"
"To sum it up, this world-" Hermione paused, not sure if she should mention that this isn't a world. But then that's real nice to hear, she thought. Imagine if someone tells me that I'm not real. "This world," she continued, more nervous than before. "As much as it seems like our world, it isn't."
There was a long moment of silence. Dumbledore studied Harry and Hermione with his piercing blue eyes. Hermione didn't know what to say. "Do you believe us?" Harry finally broke the silence.
"I cannot say," replied Dumbledore. "There's nothing I can do for you."
Harry and Hermione looked at each other helplessly. "But you can, professor!" Hermione exclaimed fervently. "You can help us find out why we're here-and we aren't here for vacation either. Someone tried to kill me back in the Quidditch-"
"I am aware of that, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said quietly. "However, I must tell you, that no matter how inviting dreams are, they aren't real." Hermione's eyes widened in horror. "Yes, I do understand how hard it is to separate yourself from a realistic alternate world dream back to a reality you may not like. I understand you two imagining your futures and even being put under different houses. But there's nothing I can do for you except to wish you two the best of luck in accomplishing these dreams."
"What?" cried both Harry and Hermione together.
"But Professor," Harry cried. "You must believe us. Look-I know all the answers to the O.W.L.s we're going to have and the N.E.W.T.s…the first question…what drives off an attacking army of dementors and the answer is the Patronus Charm plus the Engorgement-"
The headmaster's eyes hardened slightly. "Mr. Potter, you are known for getting answers for tests we are not to have yet in advance," he said firmly. "I do not think this is a good and convincing piece of proof."
"But Headmaster, why wouldn't you believe me?" Hermione was on the verge of tears. She knew it was fruitless. She knew the character of Albus Dumbledore too well. He trusts; indeed he trusts, but he trusts his instincts more, and as of now…his instincts were against them.
"I wish I could, Miss Granger, but your claim-another world-it simply does not coincide with what I would call something that is realistic," Dumbledore said softly. "And if there is an alternate reality, what ever happened to the Harry Potter and Hermione Granger in this world?" He paused slightly. "Madam Pomfrey had informed me about the same claims, except this time you seemed to have spiced it up slight especially after the incident. I do not blame you two for claiming such a thing, but as I always say, dreams live only in your imagination unless you do something about them." He chuckled. "Except to claim them as truths."
"But-"
"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger." Dumbledore nodded at them dismissively, stopping the flow of words. "I apologize that you may see this meeting as a waste of time, but unless you can provide further evidence you will be forced to attend your regular classes with your regular housemates. I bid you a good day."
Harry and Hermione stood up at the same time and left, the whole way wordless. When they reached the corridor where they must part, Harry sighed. "I'm sorry, Hermione, this is…I really didn't think that…I'm sorry I wasted your time. I should've known better…I've been hoping a foolish hope that Dumbledore was transported too."
"It's all right." And Hermione meant it with all her heart, despite the frustration she felt that her growing hopes had been shattered. Who was she to blame, anyway? Harry tried and she tried; they both tried. She doubted if Dumbledore could help them, and more so that he was transported here as well…but it's my fault just as much as Harry's, she thought. "It's not your fault. If it's anyone's, it's probably mine."
A smile flickered on Harry's face. "Thanks, 'Mione," he said, his voice quiet yet so gentle, caressing on her nickname only Harry and Ron used.
Nobody was around. Hermione couldn't bear holding it back anymore. She wanted to comfort Harry. Merlin knows how much harder it was for him. To be a Slytherin. Despised and hated. And now distrusted as well. At least she had people like Padma, who didn't love her but definitely would not spit upon her. Harry's face told her all she needed to know; his troubles he had never voiced. She stepped closer to Harry and embraced him. "I…I'll always be here for you," she said. "Together we'll figure a way out."
Hermione was again lost in Harry's emerald eyes, so many emotions showing at the same time. He slowly cupped her face in his hands. "Hermione…" he whispered. "I…will be here for you too," he promised.
The two stared at each other. Harry bent down and planted a kiss on Hermione's forehead before putting his arms around her brotherly. Hermione felt safe, although the castle might just tumble down upon them any moment. And then…it was so quick, but it happened. Their lips were touching.
It wasn't anything fancy, like the ones Krum tried to give her back in the summer of their fourth year. There was no tongue. It was just pure. That was all. Pure with…Hermione wished she could say otherwise, but for all she knew it was just friendship. Reality was suspended for a moment as the kiss continued lightly. Hermione closed her eyes and felt Harry's heartbeat, as quick and erratic as her own. And then, simultaneously they broke apart. None of them said anything, but just looked at each other for a long moment.
Hermione was blushing horribly, wondering if she'd done the wrong thing, kissing Harry like that. She wasn't sure what Harry's thinking either; his face was impassive, and his green eyes were unreadable. But he did kiss me back, she thought. "Thank you," Hermione managed to say, not knowing what else to say.
Harry nodded. "You're welcome," he said, and then he turned and left quickly, leaving Hermione to stare at his robes, billowing behind him. When he was gone, she slowly pressed her fingers to her lips, remembering the sensation of Harry's upon hers.
Again, she missed the flash of a certain camera.
~*~
"Where have you been?" demanded Padma as Hermione entered the Ravenclaw common room. "I wrapped up some cakes for you but they all melted, being chocolate cakes."
Hermione smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry," she said. "I was in the library."
"Not the whole time," Lisa put in. "I went there and looked for you; and you weren't there. We thought you were attacked by Potter or something, because he was not there either."
More like the Cupid, Hermione thought. "I then went around looking for a quill I dropped," she quickly made up a lie, something she was becoming very good at.
"Never mind." Padma waved her hand. "Tell us about the match. Who won?"
But didn't Padma already stated that it was a tie and there would be a rematch? Hermione did not ponder long upon the thought. She was too busy remembering Harry's arms around her, his body pressed so close to hers, and the loving look in his eyes she thought he reserved for Christina only. Hermione shook her head slightly and started telling about the match, skipping the part where Harry saved her.
"That's pretty scary," Mandy said. "Well, Padma here's got something that will definitely make you feel better."
Padma smiled slyly. "Check this out!" she said, holding out a camera. "And I took a few pictures of the sceneries around the school-and oh, you can edit these!" She pulled out a picture with Snape dancing almost naked with McGonagall doing the hula hoop beside him.
Hermione stared at the object in Padma's hand. The camera.
Just a simple wizard's camera.
Then what's with the weird feeling I'm getting? Hermione demanded of herself, as flashes suddenly flooded her brain and the face of Padma suddenly materialized in place of the shadowy face of her attacker.
A/N: The kiss…don't tell me it came out too fast! I just had to write something like that. But for now, they think it's just a platonic one…. Hmm, dreaming about Harry and Hermione together. The perfect couple! Back to the plot: now you know who exactly it is that attacked Hermione. Mega points to eddie that he got it!
More kissing coming up. I've started the next chapter already, but it needs a lot of polishing. I've outlined the whole story, and there's about ten more chapters to go!
~Katrina
Immense thanks to:
liedrariddle-yup of course they'll kiss! Like now, and more snogging coming up!
eddie-oh man you read those detective novels too! Lol. You're very right! Glad that my fic is at least okay.
VipyGirl831-everyone hates Harry because…I don't know actually. =P Thanks for the compliment!
wildgoldowl-I bet you know who it is…at least now it's kind of obvious. See, they kissed! Okay? They kissed!
Angel-Wing-yeah I'm doing the suspense okay then! Thanks for the assurance.
E. C. R. Potter-wow thank you for your analysis. I'm happy you found Hermione's feelings realistic and that the Quidditch scene isn't so bad. I don't know how JKR does it but I sure can't! And I'm extremely happy that you really like my portrayal of Hermione. Hope this chapter is better.
ChristinaLupin01442-suspicious? Hmm I guess it is, which is why he didn't exactly kiss her…but I need H/Hr interaction! Lol. Glad you like the chappie.
Eternal Queen-ooh thank you! Of course I'll keep going, seeing all my wonderful readers/reviewers there for me!
Hien Nguyen-wow! Thanks for having such a high opinion of me! I hope the upcoming chapters won't disappoint you.
depth-oh thanks! I was afraid that my plot would never thicken…
simplee-dazed-gee thanks! I hope to update a.s.a.p too but I need to make sure that the chapters are good before I update. Please…don't die on me! =P
Violet Princess-ooh thanks! I'm especially happy that my plot is considered original and complex! *grins like an idiot* Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
If I missed anyone, tell me and then murder me after I add you, okay? =)
