Hermione's Happy Face Quiz
ShadowRomantic
It felt like everyone in the Gryffindor common room was in some kind of relationship. Some students were flirting. A couple were teasing each other. Others were studying together, though Harry wouldn't have been surprised to find that they were just writing notes back and forth. There were a few students who weren't with members of the opposite sex. Hermione and Ginny were the two most notable exceptions.
Harry stared around the common room, watching couples sit together enjoying one another's company. Briefly he wondered if Cho was in her house's common room, maybe snogging with some guy. He remembered, bitterly, how open she was to public displays of affection. He shoved the thought aside knowing that ruminating on Cho and their failed relationship was foolish. Instead he just watched the other happy Gryffindor couples.
Two sixth years were off in the corner playing a game of wizard's chess. They had added a new rule, whenever a piece was captured they would kiss. Harry noticed that they were playing footsie under the table.
There was another couple sitting into two cushy chairs. Both had books open, but they kept sneaking glances at one another. Anyone who bothered to look would notice them. They're attempts at secrecy were blatant at best.
Harry was torn. Both couples looked incredibly happy. Their lips were constantly cracking smiles; their eyes glittered like new stars. It was frustrating. Harry thought he had found someone special in Cho; obviously he hadn't.
He tried to console himself with the knowledge that he shouldn't be with anyone. The darkest and second most powerful wizard in the magical world wanted him dead. It seemed likely that Voldemort's death eaters would be looking for him. If they found out he was in love with someone, they would strike at her. Harry clenched his eyes shut as memories started to flutter through his skull. He fought them back, building walls between himself and those images. Seeing Cedric die hurt; remembering that Sirius was gone hurt a lot more. It was the difference between boiling water and acid against flesh.
"Harry, are you alright?"
Slowly he opened his eyes. Hermione stood before him; it felt like her eyes were trying to get through whatever façade he put up to get at his real feelings. Hermione was always looking for the right answer whether it was an equation from arithmancy or her friend's psyche.
"Fine," he quickly answered, "I'm fine, just a little tired."
"Have you been sleeping?" Her tone echoing concern.
"Yes." It was the truth; nightmares sometimes plagued his sleep, but more often he had trouble fighting back the memories that came with living. Just seeing a Hufflepuff would make him think of Cedric. Anything remotely canine brought Sirius' face to the forefront of his thoughts.
Hermione tilted her head, like she wasn't entirely sure she had found the correct answer. At the same time though, Harry figured she knew that she shouldn't pry any more. She sat across from Harry. "Mind helping me with something?"
Nodding, Harry asked, "With what?"
"In Muggle Studies we're going over muggles' teenaged relationships. I'm writing an essay on their magazines."
"Sounds interesting," Harry lied. Being reminded of the opposite sex did not appeal to him right then. He wanted a relationship, someone's hand to hold, someone to gently kiss, someone to care about. Maybe he just wanted someone to open up to, but he wouldn't let himself realize that. "What do you want me to do?"
"Those same beauty magazines often include quizzes for the teenagers to determine whether or not they are interested in someone and to what degree that interest extends." Hermione crossed her arms across her chest. "I wrote a quiz and charmed it."
"Doesn't sound very muggle-like."
"True, but this way I can turn the quiz in for Muggle Studies credit and Charms credit. It's much more efficient that way." Her face was beaming triumphantly.
"So what do you want me to do?" Harry asked, hoping that she wouldn't ask him to take the quiz. Somewhere inside he knew that he would if she asked, but the idea of focusing on matters of the heart for any length of time wasn't appealing.
"Would you mind testing my quiz?"
"Sure."
Hermione clapping her heads with an excited grin on her face. "Okay, I had Ginny test it for me and it seemed to work for her--"
"Who interested her?" Harry asked before he could stop himself.
Hermione grinned at Harry; Harry had no idea why. He was curious about Ginny's relations with the opposite sex. They were friends, they had fought together, he had no idea why his curiosity would arouse a grin.
"You should ask her yourself," Hermione answered, Harry nodded and she continued, "As I was saying, I had Ginny test it and it seemed to work for her. Now I'd like a boy to test it. You."
"Me. One thing though, why not have Ron test it?"
Hermione blushed and her voice rose an octave when she answered, "I couldn't find him."
"I just saw him in the library an hour ago," Harry pointed out.
"Thank you, but you are here and he is not. So, if you wouldn't mind, I would like you to help me. Unless, of course you have other obligations that require your attention?"
Harry glanced around, wondering if he had any excuses. After half heartedly looking he gave up and nodded.
Hermione smiled again. "I look forward to seeing how my quiz works. Doing the girl's half was not very difficult, but then I am a girl. Reading a guy's emotions might be more difficult."
"How did you enchant it?"
"The quiz will ask you one question after another. Each question might lead into several different inquiries. Eventually you'll end up with your status and if you are actually interested in someone, whether you realize it or not, it will tell you. The quiz, I named it Happy Face, will judge your answer's content in conjunction with response times."
Taking a deep breath, Harry nodded. Hermione pulled scroll from her pocket and handed it to him. "Say the words 'Meta Amore.'"
"'Meta Amore,'" Harry repeated. The scroll unrolled on his lap. At first, written in Hermione's handy writing, there were several runes inked onto the page. A heartbeat passed and the runes melted and started to shift around. The ink coalesced into a happy face. Two vertical lines made eyes. Another vertical line created its nose. Last, Happy Face's mouth was made from a downward slope.
"Sorry," Hermione told Harry, "But I'm not much of an artist."
"It's fine."
"I'll leave you two alone."
"Your name?" asked Happy Face.
"Uh, Harry, Harry Potter."
"Ah, I see." Happy Face's curved lips sloped more deeply downward while the ends of the line stretched up towards its featureless cheeks. "Very good. This shall prove most enjoyable. Let us hope it turns out well for all." Happy Face paused for breath and then, "Your favorite color?"
"Red."
"Favorite candy?"
"Chocolate frogs."
"Think of love."
"Okay. Uh, win."
"Ah, very interesting."
"What's interesting?"
"Did you know that you are indeed interested in a member of the opposite sex."
"What? Who?"
"Do you know anyone who's name rhymes with 'win'?" asked Happy Face, his grin line longer than ever.
"Nope."
"You decieve yourself Mr. Potter."
"Maybe Hermione made a mistake when she enchanted you."
"You're in denial."
"I am not!" Harry shot back brusquely.
Hermione wandered back to Harry and the scroll. "How did it go?"
"I think your quiz doesn't work on guys."
"I do too!" Happy Face contested hotly. Harry grabbed the scroll and started to roll it back up.
"Hey, stop that young man, you can's just treat me--" his lips were gone into the roll. Harry handed the scroll back to his friend. "You might consider reworking him."
Hermione nodded, her eyes locked onto Harry's fierce expression. "What did he say to get you so upset?"
"I'm not upset."
"Okay, I'll go work on him. Want to come to the library with me?"
"No thanks." Harry wasn't entirely sure, but he got the impression she was relieved. Then he remembered that Ron was probably still the library working on that Potions essay for Snape.
Harry took his seat again as Hermione wandered away. Despite himself he fell back into watching the other couples.
He jumped when someone put her hand on his shoulder. "Harry?"
"What? Oh, Ginny, what's going on?"
"You're pretty good at Trasnfiguration, right?"
"I did okay with it."
"Would you mind helping me with this essay. I wouldn't ask but Hermione isn't around and no one in my year really knows what we're doing."
"Sure Gin, I'd be happy to help.
Feel free to review. Thanks.
ShadowRomantic
It felt like everyone in the Gryffindor common room was in some kind of relationship. Some students were flirting. A couple were teasing each other. Others were studying together, though Harry wouldn't have been surprised to find that they were just writing notes back and forth. There were a few students who weren't with members of the opposite sex. Hermione and Ginny were the two most notable exceptions.
Harry stared around the common room, watching couples sit together enjoying one another's company. Briefly he wondered if Cho was in her house's common room, maybe snogging with some guy. He remembered, bitterly, how open she was to public displays of affection. He shoved the thought aside knowing that ruminating on Cho and their failed relationship was foolish. Instead he just watched the other happy Gryffindor couples.
Two sixth years were off in the corner playing a game of wizard's chess. They had added a new rule, whenever a piece was captured they would kiss. Harry noticed that they were playing footsie under the table.
There was another couple sitting into two cushy chairs. Both had books open, but they kept sneaking glances at one another. Anyone who bothered to look would notice them. They're attempts at secrecy were blatant at best.
Harry was torn. Both couples looked incredibly happy. Their lips were constantly cracking smiles; their eyes glittered like new stars. It was frustrating. Harry thought he had found someone special in Cho; obviously he hadn't.
He tried to console himself with the knowledge that he shouldn't be with anyone. The darkest and second most powerful wizard in the magical world wanted him dead. It seemed likely that Voldemort's death eaters would be looking for him. If they found out he was in love with someone, they would strike at her. Harry clenched his eyes shut as memories started to flutter through his skull. He fought them back, building walls between himself and those images. Seeing Cedric die hurt; remembering that Sirius was gone hurt a lot more. It was the difference between boiling water and acid against flesh.
"Harry, are you alright?"
Slowly he opened his eyes. Hermione stood before him; it felt like her eyes were trying to get through whatever façade he put up to get at his real feelings. Hermione was always looking for the right answer whether it was an equation from arithmancy or her friend's psyche.
"Fine," he quickly answered, "I'm fine, just a little tired."
"Have you been sleeping?" Her tone echoing concern.
"Yes." It was the truth; nightmares sometimes plagued his sleep, but more often he had trouble fighting back the memories that came with living. Just seeing a Hufflepuff would make him think of Cedric. Anything remotely canine brought Sirius' face to the forefront of his thoughts.
Hermione tilted her head, like she wasn't entirely sure she had found the correct answer. At the same time though, Harry figured she knew that she shouldn't pry any more. She sat across from Harry. "Mind helping me with something?"
Nodding, Harry asked, "With what?"
"In Muggle Studies we're going over muggles' teenaged relationships. I'm writing an essay on their magazines."
"Sounds interesting," Harry lied. Being reminded of the opposite sex did not appeal to him right then. He wanted a relationship, someone's hand to hold, someone to gently kiss, someone to care about. Maybe he just wanted someone to open up to, but he wouldn't let himself realize that. "What do you want me to do?"
"Those same beauty magazines often include quizzes for the teenagers to determine whether or not they are interested in someone and to what degree that interest extends." Hermione crossed her arms across her chest. "I wrote a quiz and charmed it."
"Doesn't sound very muggle-like."
"True, but this way I can turn the quiz in for Muggle Studies credit and Charms credit. It's much more efficient that way." Her face was beaming triumphantly.
"So what do you want me to do?" Harry asked, hoping that she wouldn't ask him to take the quiz. Somewhere inside he knew that he would if she asked, but the idea of focusing on matters of the heart for any length of time wasn't appealing.
"Would you mind testing my quiz?"
"Sure."
Hermione clapping her heads with an excited grin on her face. "Okay, I had Ginny test it for me and it seemed to work for her--"
"Who interested her?" Harry asked before he could stop himself.
Hermione grinned at Harry; Harry had no idea why. He was curious about Ginny's relations with the opposite sex. They were friends, they had fought together, he had no idea why his curiosity would arouse a grin.
"You should ask her yourself," Hermione answered, Harry nodded and she continued, "As I was saying, I had Ginny test it and it seemed to work for her. Now I'd like a boy to test it. You."
"Me. One thing though, why not have Ron test it?"
Hermione blushed and her voice rose an octave when she answered, "I couldn't find him."
"I just saw him in the library an hour ago," Harry pointed out.
"Thank you, but you are here and he is not. So, if you wouldn't mind, I would like you to help me. Unless, of course you have other obligations that require your attention?"
Harry glanced around, wondering if he had any excuses. After half heartedly looking he gave up and nodded.
Hermione smiled again. "I look forward to seeing how my quiz works. Doing the girl's half was not very difficult, but then I am a girl. Reading a guy's emotions might be more difficult."
"How did you enchant it?"
"The quiz will ask you one question after another. Each question might lead into several different inquiries. Eventually you'll end up with your status and if you are actually interested in someone, whether you realize it or not, it will tell you. The quiz, I named it Happy Face, will judge your answer's content in conjunction with response times."
Taking a deep breath, Harry nodded. Hermione pulled scroll from her pocket and handed it to him. "Say the words 'Meta Amore.'"
"'Meta Amore,'" Harry repeated. The scroll unrolled on his lap. At first, written in Hermione's handy writing, there were several runes inked onto the page. A heartbeat passed and the runes melted and started to shift around. The ink coalesced into a happy face. Two vertical lines made eyes. Another vertical line created its nose. Last, Happy Face's mouth was made from a downward slope.
"Sorry," Hermione told Harry, "But I'm not much of an artist."
"It's fine."
"I'll leave you two alone."
"Your name?" asked Happy Face.
"Uh, Harry, Harry Potter."
"Ah, I see." Happy Face's curved lips sloped more deeply downward while the ends of the line stretched up towards its featureless cheeks. "Very good. This shall prove most enjoyable. Let us hope it turns out well for all." Happy Face paused for breath and then, "Your favorite color?"
"Red."
"Favorite candy?"
"Chocolate frogs."
"Think of love."
"Okay. Uh, win."
"Ah, very interesting."
"What's interesting?"
"Did you know that you are indeed interested in a member of the opposite sex."
"What? Who?"
"Do you know anyone who's name rhymes with 'win'?" asked Happy Face, his grin line longer than ever.
"Nope."
"You decieve yourself Mr. Potter."
"Maybe Hermione made a mistake when she enchanted you."
"You're in denial."
"I am not!" Harry shot back brusquely.
Hermione wandered back to Harry and the scroll. "How did it go?"
"I think your quiz doesn't work on guys."
"I do too!" Happy Face contested hotly. Harry grabbed the scroll and started to roll it back up.
"Hey, stop that young man, you can's just treat me--" his lips were gone into the roll. Harry handed the scroll back to his friend. "You might consider reworking him."
Hermione nodded, her eyes locked onto Harry's fierce expression. "What did he say to get you so upset?"
"I'm not upset."
"Okay, I'll go work on him. Want to come to the library with me?"
"No thanks." Harry wasn't entirely sure, but he got the impression she was relieved. Then he remembered that Ron was probably still the library working on that Potions essay for Snape.
Harry took his seat again as Hermione wandered away. Despite himself he fell back into watching the other couples.
He jumped when someone put her hand on his shoulder. "Harry?"
"What? Oh, Ginny, what's going on?"
"You're pretty good at Trasnfiguration, right?"
"I did okay with it."
"Would you mind helping me with this essay. I wouldn't ask but Hermione isn't around and no one in my year really knows what we're doing."
"Sure Gin, I'd be happy to help.
Feel free to review. Thanks.