Severus Snape waited till he heard Harry climbing the stairs before opening up the storeroom door. Hermione sat in the corner, her eyes closed as though she was afraid to look at who was at the door.
"Why are you hiding from Harry?" asked Snape getting straight to the point. Hermione got up off the floor and walked over to him. He could see the tears in her eyes.
"What is it, what happened?" he asked concerned. Hermione sniffed.
"Harry kissed Cho, down by the lake!" she cried. Severus looked at her stunned. In fact he couldn't believe it. He quickly wrapped his arms around her.
"Hermione, you cannot trust boys like that," he said cynically. Snape knew this was his opportunity.
"But, but after everything that is happened I thought-" she stopped to upset to continue.
"Hermione what are doing over Christmas?" Snape asked, a plan forming in his mind.
"Nothing, staying here I guess, why?" she added as afterthought.
"Well, Dumbledore suggested the other day that you could go home, if of course you were under teachers supervision, I would be willing-"
"Oh, Professor, that would be wonderful" Hermione said excitedly.
"I will start arrangements then, a break will be good for you," said Severus with a genuine smile.
* * * * * * * ** *
Harry walked in the Great Hall only to see Cho heading his way.
"Hi Harry," she said and kept on walking. Harry watched her leave slightly mystified.
He quickly walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down. Hermione was sitting across from him reading while she ate. She did not look up at all. Ron was also there but in conversation with Ginny about something Harry sighed and started dishing up some steak and kidney pudding. Ron eventually looked over at him with a rather menacingly glare. "What?" said Harry annoyed trying to concentrate on his food.
"It's not enough for you to have Hermione, that you have to go and kiss Cho too?" Ron said remotely.
"But, she kissed me, and I didn't want to really," Harry said wildly looking from Ron to Hermione. Hermione eyes were now on him, but instead saying anything to him, she got up and stormed out the hall. Ron looked at him confused.
"What happened?" he asked. Harry smiled at him trying to warm up the situation.
"Cho kissed me when we down by the lake, it was weird. One minute she was talking and then she kissed me," Harry explained hoping Ron would understand.
"Oh," Ron said feeling a little guilty for blowing up at Harry like that. He gave Harry a smile and soon the two where back on good terms. After lunch, Harry went to find Hermione but she was nowhere to be found. He searched the library twice and then headed for the common room. He was about to go through the portrait when he remembered his ring. Merlin had said that he could call people to him. Harry closed his eyes and called Hermione out aloud.
"No, that is the password," the fat lady in the portrait said curtly. Harry opened his eyes.
"Yeah right, allegiance," Harry muttered as the portrait flung open.
He came face to face with Hermione who had nothing on but a towel wrapped around her.
"Harry, what's going on, I was about to get into the shower-"
"Sorry Hermione, it was, I the ring," he said interrupting her and pointing to his hand. Hermione glared at him, quickly turned raced up the stairs, leaving most of the occupants in the common room gaping after her. Harry had turned pink with embarrassment.
He quickly walked over to where Fred and George where sitting.
"Um, don't we need to start with Quidditch soon, we also need to do trials don't we?" he asked them trying to act like nothing had happened.
Fred and George nodded simultaneously.
"Actually we have nominated you as Captain, Harry," said Fred eagerly.
Harry was about to protest but decided he wouldn't mind being Captain.
"Well we will need a new keeper and two chasers," said Harry smiling.
"Agreed," said Fred and George together.
"I will go speak to Professor McGonagall about arranging for tryouts tomorrow," said Harry enthusiastically. Harry did so that afternoon. Soon the whole of Gryffindor house was a buzz with the news of Quidditch trials.
"I am going to tryout for keeper," declared Ron. Harry looked at him surprised. He then remembered that many times when they had played at the Burrow that Ron always played keeper. He was actually quite good.
"Pity Oliver Wood was not around to teach Ron some moves," Harry thought happily to himself.
* * * * * * * * *
When Hermione finally came down stairs it was almost dinnertime. She ignored Harry but sat down next to Ron on the couch. He quickly told her about the Quidditch tryouts the following day. Hermione was pleased for Ron, and secretly pleased that Harry was going to be Captain. He loved Quidditch; it would be a wonderful thing for him. But her thoughts slowly darkened at the thought of Cho. She was on the Hufflepuff team meaning that she could spend time with Harry. Ron started to mumble something about going to the Great hall after a few awkward minutes when Hermione said nothing.
"Yeah let's go," said Hermione snapping out of her thoughts.
Ron and Hermione got up, but Harry said he wanted to talk to George quickly and that he would follow. He didn't fancy walking with them, because he knew Hermione would ignore him.
* * * * * * * *
Cho went to her room and lay down on her bed. She was not feeling well. Earlier she had woken up and she was lying on the grass down by the lake. She did not know how she got there or what had happened. Instinctively she knew that she had been under some type of curse. What worried her is that she was sure that Draco Malfoy was behind it all.
He was the last person she spoke to before she woke up on the grass.
* * * * * * * *
Draco had seen everything. The kiss, how upset Hermione was and Harry very confused about what had happened. He needed to separate Harry and Hermione as much a possible, even get them to dislike each other. So far so good, things were starting to take shape.