Chapter Thirteen: Hogsmede
There was no other quidditch game involving Gryffindor before the Christmas break. There was a game between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff though which Ravenclaw easily won. Harry thought things were going pretty much according to plan as far as quidditch was concerned. However he was surprised at how quiet Voldemort and his death eaters had been. Had the changes in the ministry upset their plans?
Their es had been going well. Dumbledore turned out to be their best Defense against Dark Arts teacher. Even better than Lupin. Of course his experience worked in his favor. They had completed the counter of the Cruciatus Curse and gone on to advanced hexes. To their delight they could already transform a stone into a dog in transfiguration. In Potions they had done Polyjuice potion and Wolvesbane potion. Hagrid had taught them how to feed a dragon and how to make it go to sleep. Professor Flitwick had finished the theory about apperation though none of them had tried it practically. Occulamency too was going much better than last year. Most of them could now easily resist Snape from breaking into their minds.
Their first Hogsmede visit for the year was approaching. Harry was a little worried that his consent form had become irrelevant after Sirius' death, but no problem arose because of that. Harry was going with Hermione of course though they had decided to spend an hour or two to do their personal shopping separately. They decided that they would first do their shopping and then spend the rest of the day together.
Harry had to buy a lot of Christmas presents. He bought a pocket wizarding chess set for Ron. For Ginny he got a broomstick servicing kit, in fact the same one as Hermione gave him during his thirteenth birthday. For Seamus, Dean, Neville, Parvati, Lavender, Luna, Susan and Colin he got big bags of assorted sweets from Honeydukes and also a pack of chocolate frog cards. The only person for whom he could not think of anything was Hermione. As he was roaming around thinking he looked in through the window of a shop. Hermione was standing there with Parvati. He quickly stepped back and peeped.
'Hermione this necklace looks superb on you' said Parvati delightfully.
'I must say it does. What a wonderful necklace! I'm getting it. I'm sure Harry would like it', said Hermione looking into the mirror. 'Oh dear I can't get it. Its far too expensive', she added showing the price tag to Parvati. Parvati agreed.
'Yes that's far to much to spend on a necklace', she said. Hermione looked disappointed. She had really wanted it. The two of them walked out of the shop. Harry decided have a look at the necklace. It certainly had looked wonderful on Hermione. It was priced at twenty-five Galleons. Harry considered. The maximum he had spent on anybody else' present was sixteen Galleons for Ron's. But after all Hermione was his girlfriend and did deserve something special. He counted the money he had. He could just about afford it. He decided to buy it. He could give it to her away from the others.
Harry and Hermione met each other well before noon. They decided to eat something at Madame Puddifoot's. They were halfway through their coffees and buns when Harry remembered his last experience at this place. First of all the decorations for Valentines Day was not to his liking at all. Then Cho was constantly looking towards Roger Davies kissing his girlfriend and telling him that Roger had asked her out. Finally she constantly broke down into tears while speaking about Cedric. It showed that despite being with Harry Cedric mattered more to her. She just wanted to use him as a showpiece. Harry almost spat in disgust. As compared Hermione was so much more caring, far easier to have a conversation with, really cared for him and was not the one to resort to tears. He wondered why he had ever liked Cho. Hermione woke him out of his daydream.
'What are you thinking Harry?'
'The difference between my two visits to this place'
'Was last time that bad?'
'Don't remind me'
Hermione insisted on paying. Harry let her. They decided to visit Zonko's next. Harry wasn't sure if Hermione would like the idea but she agreed. They looked through the various stuff there. Harry even bought a few things. He remembered that he still hadn't tried 'Aqua Tonic' on Malfoy. He had to do it somehow. Hermione did not buy anything but liked the tricks used in some of the stuff.
Besides Harry and Hermiones other couples were also having fun at Hogsmede. Ron and Susan did their shopping together. Ron for the first time could buy good gifts. He was happy about it. Ginny and Dean had now got very close. In fact Ginny had had a longer relationship than Harry, Ron and Hermione. This was strange because she was a year younger to them. Neville had gone with Luna. Nobody knew if theirs was a couple or not but it didn't matter to them. Draco Malfoy had as usual gone with Pansy Parkinson. Not that Pansy suited Malfoy perfectly but he thought she was the best in Slytherin. To Malfoy everybody outside of his own house meant nothing but someone to bulley.
They came back to Hogwarts in the evening. Everyone wasn't as tired as usual so the common rooms remained noisy places. Professor McGonagall came around collecting names of people who were going to stay during the Christmas breaks. Harry signed as usual. He was surprised to see Hermione sign too. Perhaps she was doing it to be with him. He highly appreciated it. Dean was the only other Gryffindor from their year who was going to stay. His parents were away on buissness matters. Harry looked forward to the prospect of spending two full weeks with Hermione with not too many people around. Again he appreciated her choice of staying with him.
There was no other quidditch game involving Gryffindor before the Christmas break. There was a game between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff though which Ravenclaw easily won. Harry thought things were going pretty much according to plan as far as quidditch was concerned. However he was surprised at how quiet Voldemort and his death eaters had been. Had the changes in the ministry upset their plans?
Their es had been going well. Dumbledore turned out to be their best Defense against Dark Arts teacher. Even better than Lupin. Of course his experience worked in his favor. They had completed the counter of the Cruciatus Curse and gone on to advanced hexes. To their delight they could already transform a stone into a dog in transfiguration. In Potions they had done Polyjuice potion and Wolvesbane potion. Hagrid had taught them how to feed a dragon and how to make it go to sleep. Professor Flitwick had finished the theory about apperation though none of them had tried it practically. Occulamency too was going much better than last year. Most of them could now easily resist Snape from breaking into their minds.
Their first Hogsmede visit for the year was approaching. Harry was a little worried that his consent form had become irrelevant after Sirius' death, but no problem arose because of that. Harry was going with Hermione of course though they had decided to spend an hour or two to do their personal shopping separately. They decided that they would first do their shopping and then spend the rest of the day together.
Harry had to buy a lot of Christmas presents. He bought a pocket wizarding chess set for Ron. For Ginny he got a broomstick servicing kit, in fact the same one as Hermione gave him during his thirteenth birthday. For Seamus, Dean, Neville, Parvati, Lavender, Luna, Susan and Colin he got big bags of assorted sweets from Honeydukes and also a pack of chocolate frog cards. The only person for whom he could not think of anything was Hermione. As he was roaming around thinking he looked in through the window of a shop. Hermione was standing there with Parvati. He quickly stepped back and peeped.
'Hermione this necklace looks superb on you' said Parvati delightfully.
'I must say it does. What a wonderful necklace! I'm getting it. I'm sure Harry would like it', said Hermione looking into the mirror. 'Oh dear I can't get it. Its far too expensive', she added showing the price tag to Parvati. Parvati agreed.
'Yes that's far to much to spend on a necklace', she said. Hermione looked disappointed. She had really wanted it. The two of them walked out of the shop. Harry decided have a look at the necklace. It certainly had looked wonderful on Hermione. It was priced at twenty-five Galleons. Harry considered. The maximum he had spent on anybody else' present was sixteen Galleons for Ron's. But after all Hermione was his girlfriend and did deserve something special. He counted the money he had. He could just about afford it. He decided to buy it. He could give it to her away from the others.
Harry and Hermione met each other well before noon. They decided to eat something at Madame Puddifoot's. They were halfway through their coffees and buns when Harry remembered his last experience at this place. First of all the decorations for Valentines Day was not to his liking at all. Then Cho was constantly looking towards Roger Davies kissing his girlfriend and telling him that Roger had asked her out. Finally she constantly broke down into tears while speaking about Cedric. It showed that despite being with Harry Cedric mattered more to her. She just wanted to use him as a showpiece. Harry almost spat in disgust. As compared Hermione was so much more caring, far easier to have a conversation with, really cared for him and was not the one to resort to tears. He wondered why he had ever liked Cho. Hermione woke him out of his daydream.
'What are you thinking Harry?'
'The difference between my two visits to this place'
'Was last time that bad?'
'Don't remind me'
Hermione insisted on paying. Harry let her. They decided to visit Zonko's next. Harry wasn't sure if Hermione would like the idea but she agreed. They looked through the various stuff there. Harry even bought a few things. He remembered that he still hadn't tried 'Aqua Tonic' on Malfoy. He had to do it somehow. Hermione did not buy anything but liked the tricks used in some of the stuff.
Besides Harry and Hermiones other couples were also having fun at Hogsmede. Ron and Susan did their shopping together. Ron for the first time could buy good gifts. He was happy about it. Ginny and Dean had now got very close. In fact Ginny had had a longer relationship than Harry, Ron and Hermione. This was strange because she was a year younger to them. Neville had gone with Luna. Nobody knew if theirs was a couple or not but it didn't matter to them. Draco Malfoy had as usual gone with Pansy Parkinson. Not that Pansy suited Malfoy perfectly but he thought she was the best in Slytherin. To Malfoy everybody outside of his own house meant nothing but someone to bulley.
They came back to Hogwarts in the evening. Everyone wasn't as tired as usual so the common rooms remained noisy places. Professor McGonagall came around collecting names of people who were going to stay during the Christmas breaks. Harry signed as usual. He was surprised to see Hermione sign too. Perhaps she was doing it to be with him. He highly appreciated it. Dean was the only other Gryffindor from their year who was going to stay. His parents were away on buissness matters. Harry looked forward to the prospect of spending two full weeks with Hermione with not too many people around. Again he appreciated her choice of staying with him.