~ AN ~ I had to change this chapter because the quotes and everything were
all different symbols and it was really fricking annoying... this chapter
has a lot to do with Harry and Quidditch, but Hermione and Draco are in it
too so... If you want to you could skip to the H/D parts, but you should
really read the end... actually... you should read the whole thing...
okay... maybe I should shut up now and let you read the chapter... yeah...
that sounds like a good idea... ttyl... ~ Dangles ~
*~* Evanescent Enchantment *~*
*~*~* Chapter Eight: Quidditch and Christmas Woes *~*~*
When Hermione suddenly stopped at the portrait hole of the Head Tower, Draco looked at her, puzzled.
"Well go in," he said.
"I kind of can't without the password," she replied.
"Oh yeah, I forgot. 'Evanescent enchantment' is the password. "
"Evanescent enchantment? That's the strongest love potion, not to mention the hardest to make," Hermione exclaimed.
"Know-it-all. Have you ever tried to make one?" he inquired.
"Draco, you know that love potions are strictly prohibited here," she replied sarcastically. "Actually, I haven't."
"Come on," Draco said, pulling Hermione into the common room, laughing hysterically.
*~*~*~* One Week Later *~*~*~*
"You know, Draco, I still haven't heard from my parents," Hermione said while the two were patrolling the corridors.
"Do you think they got the letter?" he asked nervously.
"I hope they did. Vacation starts in two weeks," she answered. "Do you know when the next Quidditch game is?"
"Tomorrow: Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw. You of all people should know that. I mean your two best friends are on the team, right?" he replied.
"I guess. It should be a good match, though," she said.
Instantly, there came a crash in back of the couple. It appeared a suit of armor had fallen over. Hermione suggested that they leave it there for a teacher or Filch to pick up, because it was too heavy for them, but Draco was a little more suspicious.
"Hermione, have you ever seen a suit of armor just fall over?" he asked.
"Well, now that you mention it, no," she answered. "Do you think someone knocked it over intentionally?"
"Yeah, I do. But, the question is, why would they?" he asked in return.
Hermione and Draco walked over to the scene, Hermione realized something about the armor's location: it was concealing one of the secret passageways to Hogsmeade Fred and George had told her, Harry, and Ron about in their third year.
"To get to Hogsmeade in secret," she chanted.
"What?" Draco asked.
"Oh... that armor... it's blocking a secret passage. With access to that passage, anyone can go to and from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts freely," she told him.
"So either a teacher or a stu- Potter! What are you doing?" Draco demanded as Harry emerged from the opening.
"Er... I was buying Hermione a Christmas present," he said.
"Well get back to the tower before we're forced to take points away because of you," she said through a smile.
"See you later, Mione," Harry said as he walked away.
"Bye, Harry," she responded.
"Well, I'll tell Filch about the suit of armor on my way to my tower, since we're done and all," Draco said after an awkward silence.
"Yeah, sure. I'll let you know if I hear form my mother."
"Yeah, cool. Thanks, Hermione," Draco said.
"For what?" she asked.
"For being... oh I don't know... for being, a friend, I guess," he stammered.
"You're more welcome than you know, Draco," she said, kissed him on the cheek, said good-night, and left him standing in the corridor alone.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
When Hermione woke up the following morning, she rushed to get ready. But while she was preparing herself, she couldn't help but think of how she and Draco were getting closer and closer over the past week. Their patrolling duties were the only time they could talk to one another freely, but it was bringing them together.
In the common room, she met up with Ginny, and the pair walked to the Great Hall for breakfast together.
Upon their entry, Hermione spotted Draco sitting at the Slytherin table, and she flashed a quick smile at him, in which he responded with a wink and a slight smile.
After she had been sitting with Ginny and chatting for a few moments, a mass of owls came fluttering into the room, carrying the day's load of mail. Hermione watched anxiously, and quickly shot a glance across the room at Draco, who was also watching the owls nervously. In the instant that she was watching him, she was startled by a large barn owl dropping an envelope in front of her.
Hastily, she tore open the letter and read
Dear Hermione, Your father and I would be delighted to have your friend stay at our house over vacation. He could either bunk in your room, or if it were up to your father, he'd sleep on the couch so he could be watched like a hawk, but we'll leave that decision up to you, as we undoubtedly highly trust your judgment. We'll pick you two up at King's Cross when the train arrives. See you then, honey. Love always, Mum
After she finished reading the letter from her mother, she looked up into the stare of Draco. She nodded with a smile and he grinned with relief. He mouthed something to her, but she couldn't make out what he was trying to say, and sent a puzzled look his way. He shook his head and continued eating.
"Hey Hermione! Who's the letter from?" Harry asked, sitting down across from her.
"My mother, if you must know. She and my father have allowed me to have one of my friends stay at my house over the holiday break," she told him and Ron, who had just sat down next to Harry.
"Who's going to stay at your house? Malfoy?" Ron asked with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"Yeah, but why do you care? " she asked in return.
"Oh, no matter. It's just that he's a pure-blooded git who can't stand Muggles!" he ranted.
"Yeah, well, Ron, we'd better be getting down to the pitch," Harry said, breaking up the argument. "See you after the match, Hermione."
"Bye Harry. Good luck!... Ron," she said.
"Hermione," he muttered under his breath.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Yet again, welcome to another exciting game of Hogwarts Quidditch! Today's match is between Gryffindor, led by Captain Harry Potter, and Ravenclaw!" Seamus Finnigan's voice boomed throughout the entire pitch. After a few more announcements, Seamus shouted, "The Quaffle is released, and the game has begun!"
Not twenty minutes into the game, Gryffindor was up on Ravenclaw 40 – 10.
As time wore on, the game became dirtier. Ron had been hit with a bludger in his left knee, and a Ravenclaw chaser was unable to use his right arm, also due to a bludger.
Out of nowhere, a bludger came soaring towards a Gryffindor beater, fourth year Ricky Lincoln. The bludger, directed towards him illegally by a Ravenclaw beater, connected with Ricky's head. The crowd, minus the Slytherins, who cheered, gasped and booed in a large chorus as he slumped off of his broom and fell to the grass.
Madam Hooch's whistle sounded, and Harry and his teammates rushed to Ricky's side. Momentarily, Madam Pomfry was called to his aid, and eventually, with the help Professor Shinoda, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, escorted an amnesic Ricky to the hospital wing as he was saying something about his brother, who was a frog.
'Great! Just what I need! Now I have to find a new beater, ' Harry thought with a sigh, re-mounting his broomstick and rising into the air. A penalty had been called against Ravenclaw, and the Gryffindor chaser scored, making the score 70-20.
About ten minutes after the game resumed, Harry spotted the snitch hovering above a Gryffindor hoop and darted towards it. Although the Ravenclaw Seeker put up a good chase, Harry beat him to the snitch, allowing Gryffindor to win the game 230 – 30.
As soon as the game ended and they were able to leave, Hermione ran to meet Harry and Ron as they made their way to the hospital wing to check on Ricky.
"Good game Harry! Ron," she said as she caught up to them in a corridor.
"Thanks, Mione, but I don't care about the game. I only care about Ricky's condition right about now. We can't afford to lose our best beater and have to hold tryouts, " Harry raved.
"Well, if you have to hold tryouts, you could always take a look at Mariea," Hermione suggested.
"Oh, yeah! Dumbledore said she was a great beater at her old school, " Ron said, brightening up.
"Yeah, well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it, " Harry said as they reached the side of Ricky's bed. The whole team along with Hermione, Madam Hooch, Professor McGonagall, and a few friends of Ricky's were crowded around the hospital bed, trying to figure out what was wrong.
Ricky, even in his groggy state, showed all of them that he was in no condition to even get out of his bed.
"Madam Pomfry, when do you think he'll be able to play Quidditch again? " Harry asked anxiously as she joined the group.
"Not for a long while, Potter, probably next year. He has a severe case of amnesia and is being transported to St. Mungo's tomorrow morning," she informed them.
"What?!?" they all exclaimed simultaneously.
"You mean that I have to find a new beater?" Harry demanded.
"Yes, Potter, that's exactly what I mean," Pomfry said sternly.
"Great! This day just gets better and better," Harry complained.
"Well, look on the bright side, Potter. At least you won," Draco said as he stood next to Hermione.
"Sod off, Malfoy," Harry snapped.
"Ouch... That was a little harsh," Draco added sarcastically. "You know, Potter, just because you lost your beater doesn't mean you can go around PMS-ing to everyone."
"Now boys," Hermione added with a laugh.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
When Harry returned to the common room from the library, he held a stack of papers in his arms.
"What do you have there?" Hermione, who was curled up in a chair next to the fire, stroking Crookshanks affectionately, asked.
"Flyers... I still can't believe I have to hold tryouts half way into the season," Harry grumbled.
"Oh, Harry, get over it. When are you holding the tryouts?" she asked.
"Monday right after classes," he informed her. "Do you want to come? I could use your input too," he added.
"Sure. I'll try to make it," Hermione said.
"Cool, thanks," Harry said with a smile.
"Well, I should go. I have to patrol with Draco," she said.
"Okay, Mione. See you later."
"Bye, Harry," Hermione said as the portrait swung shut behind her.
About five minutes later, she was walking through the halls with her head down, lost in her own little world.
"Hermione!" someone called her from behind. Whirling around, she saw that it was Draco. "I've been calling you for like two minutes and you didn't know? "
"Yeah... Sorry. I didn't realize you were calling me,'' she confessed.
"So I can stay at your house over vacation?" he asked.
"Yeah. Mum even said you could bunk in my room,'' she added with a sly grin.
"I like the way your mother thinks!" Draco said with a laugh.
"We should probably go to the owlry so you can send your parents an owl," Hermione said.
"I'm way ahead of you, babe. I just came from there," he stated.
~ AN ~ Yeah... that's it for now... I just had to do that for Nikki... make the DADA professor Mike Shinoda... or Nikki Shinoda... I don't know which one yet... ~ Dangles ~
*~* Evanescent Enchantment *~*
*~*~* Chapter Eight: Quidditch and Christmas Woes *~*~*
When Hermione suddenly stopped at the portrait hole of the Head Tower, Draco looked at her, puzzled.
"Well go in," he said.
"I kind of can't without the password," she replied.
"Oh yeah, I forgot. 'Evanescent enchantment' is the password. "
"Evanescent enchantment? That's the strongest love potion, not to mention the hardest to make," Hermione exclaimed.
"Know-it-all. Have you ever tried to make one?" he inquired.
"Draco, you know that love potions are strictly prohibited here," she replied sarcastically. "Actually, I haven't."
"Come on," Draco said, pulling Hermione into the common room, laughing hysterically.
*~*~*~* One Week Later *~*~*~*
"You know, Draco, I still haven't heard from my parents," Hermione said while the two were patrolling the corridors.
"Do you think they got the letter?" he asked nervously.
"I hope they did. Vacation starts in two weeks," she answered. "Do you know when the next Quidditch game is?"
"Tomorrow: Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw. You of all people should know that. I mean your two best friends are on the team, right?" he replied.
"I guess. It should be a good match, though," she said.
Instantly, there came a crash in back of the couple. It appeared a suit of armor had fallen over. Hermione suggested that they leave it there for a teacher or Filch to pick up, because it was too heavy for them, but Draco was a little more suspicious.
"Hermione, have you ever seen a suit of armor just fall over?" he asked.
"Well, now that you mention it, no," she answered. "Do you think someone knocked it over intentionally?"
"Yeah, I do. But, the question is, why would they?" he asked in return.
Hermione and Draco walked over to the scene, Hermione realized something about the armor's location: it was concealing one of the secret passageways to Hogsmeade Fred and George had told her, Harry, and Ron about in their third year.
"To get to Hogsmeade in secret," she chanted.
"What?" Draco asked.
"Oh... that armor... it's blocking a secret passage. With access to that passage, anyone can go to and from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts freely," she told him.
"So either a teacher or a stu- Potter! What are you doing?" Draco demanded as Harry emerged from the opening.
"Er... I was buying Hermione a Christmas present," he said.
"Well get back to the tower before we're forced to take points away because of you," she said through a smile.
"See you later, Mione," Harry said as he walked away.
"Bye, Harry," she responded.
"Well, I'll tell Filch about the suit of armor on my way to my tower, since we're done and all," Draco said after an awkward silence.
"Yeah, sure. I'll let you know if I hear form my mother."
"Yeah, cool. Thanks, Hermione," Draco said.
"For what?" she asked.
"For being... oh I don't know... for being, a friend, I guess," he stammered.
"You're more welcome than you know, Draco," she said, kissed him on the cheek, said good-night, and left him standing in the corridor alone.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
When Hermione woke up the following morning, she rushed to get ready. But while she was preparing herself, she couldn't help but think of how she and Draco were getting closer and closer over the past week. Their patrolling duties were the only time they could talk to one another freely, but it was bringing them together.
In the common room, she met up with Ginny, and the pair walked to the Great Hall for breakfast together.
Upon their entry, Hermione spotted Draco sitting at the Slytherin table, and she flashed a quick smile at him, in which he responded with a wink and a slight smile.
After she had been sitting with Ginny and chatting for a few moments, a mass of owls came fluttering into the room, carrying the day's load of mail. Hermione watched anxiously, and quickly shot a glance across the room at Draco, who was also watching the owls nervously. In the instant that she was watching him, she was startled by a large barn owl dropping an envelope in front of her.
Hastily, she tore open the letter and read
Dear Hermione, Your father and I would be delighted to have your friend stay at our house over vacation. He could either bunk in your room, or if it were up to your father, he'd sleep on the couch so he could be watched like a hawk, but we'll leave that decision up to you, as we undoubtedly highly trust your judgment. We'll pick you two up at King's Cross when the train arrives. See you then, honey. Love always, Mum
After she finished reading the letter from her mother, she looked up into the stare of Draco. She nodded with a smile and he grinned with relief. He mouthed something to her, but she couldn't make out what he was trying to say, and sent a puzzled look his way. He shook his head and continued eating.
"Hey Hermione! Who's the letter from?" Harry asked, sitting down across from her.
"My mother, if you must know. She and my father have allowed me to have one of my friends stay at my house over the holiday break," she told him and Ron, who had just sat down next to Harry.
"Who's going to stay at your house? Malfoy?" Ron asked with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"Yeah, but why do you care? " she asked in return.
"Oh, no matter. It's just that he's a pure-blooded git who can't stand Muggles!" he ranted.
"Yeah, well, Ron, we'd better be getting down to the pitch," Harry said, breaking up the argument. "See you after the match, Hermione."
"Bye Harry. Good luck!... Ron," she said.
"Hermione," he muttered under his breath.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Yet again, welcome to another exciting game of Hogwarts Quidditch! Today's match is between Gryffindor, led by Captain Harry Potter, and Ravenclaw!" Seamus Finnigan's voice boomed throughout the entire pitch. After a few more announcements, Seamus shouted, "The Quaffle is released, and the game has begun!"
Not twenty minutes into the game, Gryffindor was up on Ravenclaw 40 – 10.
As time wore on, the game became dirtier. Ron had been hit with a bludger in his left knee, and a Ravenclaw chaser was unable to use his right arm, also due to a bludger.
Out of nowhere, a bludger came soaring towards a Gryffindor beater, fourth year Ricky Lincoln. The bludger, directed towards him illegally by a Ravenclaw beater, connected with Ricky's head. The crowd, minus the Slytherins, who cheered, gasped and booed in a large chorus as he slumped off of his broom and fell to the grass.
Madam Hooch's whistle sounded, and Harry and his teammates rushed to Ricky's side. Momentarily, Madam Pomfry was called to his aid, and eventually, with the help Professor Shinoda, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, escorted an amnesic Ricky to the hospital wing as he was saying something about his brother, who was a frog.
'Great! Just what I need! Now I have to find a new beater, ' Harry thought with a sigh, re-mounting his broomstick and rising into the air. A penalty had been called against Ravenclaw, and the Gryffindor chaser scored, making the score 70-20.
About ten minutes after the game resumed, Harry spotted the snitch hovering above a Gryffindor hoop and darted towards it. Although the Ravenclaw Seeker put up a good chase, Harry beat him to the snitch, allowing Gryffindor to win the game 230 – 30.
As soon as the game ended and they were able to leave, Hermione ran to meet Harry and Ron as they made their way to the hospital wing to check on Ricky.
"Good game Harry! Ron," she said as she caught up to them in a corridor.
"Thanks, Mione, but I don't care about the game. I only care about Ricky's condition right about now. We can't afford to lose our best beater and have to hold tryouts, " Harry raved.
"Well, if you have to hold tryouts, you could always take a look at Mariea," Hermione suggested.
"Oh, yeah! Dumbledore said she was a great beater at her old school, " Ron said, brightening up.
"Yeah, well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it, " Harry said as they reached the side of Ricky's bed. The whole team along with Hermione, Madam Hooch, Professor McGonagall, and a few friends of Ricky's were crowded around the hospital bed, trying to figure out what was wrong.
Ricky, even in his groggy state, showed all of them that he was in no condition to even get out of his bed.
"Madam Pomfry, when do you think he'll be able to play Quidditch again? " Harry asked anxiously as she joined the group.
"Not for a long while, Potter, probably next year. He has a severe case of amnesia and is being transported to St. Mungo's tomorrow morning," she informed them.
"What?!?" they all exclaimed simultaneously.
"You mean that I have to find a new beater?" Harry demanded.
"Yes, Potter, that's exactly what I mean," Pomfry said sternly.
"Great! This day just gets better and better," Harry complained.
"Well, look on the bright side, Potter. At least you won," Draco said as he stood next to Hermione.
"Sod off, Malfoy," Harry snapped.
"Ouch... That was a little harsh," Draco added sarcastically. "You know, Potter, just because you lost your beater doesn't mean you can go around PMS-ing to everyone."
"Now boys," Hermione added with a laugh.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
When Harry returned to the common room from the library, he held a stack of papers in his arms.
"What do you have there?" Hermione, who was curled up in a chair next to the fire, stroking Crookshanks affectionately, asked.
"Flyers... I still can't believe I have to hold tryouts half way into the season," Harry grumbled.
"Oh, Harry, get over it. When are you holding the tryouts?" she asked.
"Monday right after classes," he informed her. "Do you want to come? I could use your input too," he added.
"Sure. I'll try to make it," Hermione said.
"Cool, thanks," Harry said with a smile.
"Well, I should go. I have to patrol with Draco," she said.
"Okay, Mione. See you later."
"Bye, Harry," Hermione said as the portrait swung shut behind her.
About five minutes later, she was walking through the halls with her head down, lost in her own little world.
"Hermione!" someone called her from behind. Whirling around, she saw that it was Draco. "I've been calling you for like two minutes and you didn't know? "
"Yeah... Sorry. I didn't realize you were calling me,'' she confessed.
"So I can stay at your house over vacation?" he asked.
"Yeah. Mum even said you could bunk in my room,'' she added with a sly grin.
"I like the way your mother thinks!" Draco said with a laugh.
"We should probably go to the owlry so you can send your parents an owl," Hermione said.
"I'm way ahead of you, babe. I just came from there," he stated.
~ AN ~ Yeah... that's it for now... I just had to do that for Nikki... make the DADA professor Mike Shinoda... or Nikki Shinoda... I don't know which one yet... ~ Dangles ~