Harry skipped Quiditch practice on Monday and Tuesday (as Madam
Pomfrey had told him to). Harry noticed that Hermione was extremely moody
on Monday and asked Ginny about it on Tuesday night in the common room.
"You don't understand it, Harry?"
"No, I don't. Would you mind explaining it?"
"Since it's you . . ." She grinned. "Okay, Hermione feels threatened by Luna."
"Threatened by her?"
"Sure. Luna came in and took her job." She laughed at the puzzled look on Harry's face. "Harry, how does my mum treat you when you're with us?"
"Really good. Like I'm her son too." He wondered where this was going.
"Exactly. How does Hermione treat you?"
"Like she's one of my best friends; which she is. Well, most of the time, but sometimes she treats me like she's my sister or my mum."
"Yep. She's very protective of you. Always looking out for you and trying to help. But she feels like Luna's taking her job. Not only was Luna able to help you with your Occlumency lessons when Hermione couldn't but you didn't even ask Hermione for help. You always ask her. And you didn't tell her when somebody else was able to help you, as if you didn't trust her."
"But I do trust her! Completely. I didn't want to hurt her feelings."
Ginny shrugged. "Then there was the business with the Shrieking Shack. Luna smoothed things over, taking quick control of the situation. And Ron was telling me that when you were sick Luna made you better just by talking, but Hermione insisted you see Madam Pomfrey. He said this out of Herm's earshot of course."
"Hermione just told all this to Lavender and Parvati? That doesn't sound like her at all."
"Of course she didn't. These are my conclusions. Hermione was complaining about Luna to Parvati and Lavender. They got sick of listening and asked me to talk to her."
"Have you?"
"Not yet. Hermione doesn't like feeling useless, and that's how she feels right now. But there's nothing I can say that will really help her feel better. All I can do is offer an ear for her to vent to so that maybe she won't rant to Parvati and Lavender so much." She sighed. "It doesn't help that she misjudged Luna from the start. I don't blame her, Luna is a bit batty; but if she wasn't so smart in the first place she wouldn't have gotten into Ravenclaw, which is something Hermione missed in her judging her. Now Hermione's got to completely reevaluate her."
"I see."
"Is Hermione going to come to the lesson tomorrow?" asked Ginny.
"I think so." He looked troubled.
She patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Harry. I'll talk to her tonight and Ron and I'll run interference tomorrow. I'll go talk to her now."
"Thanks, Gin." He gave a grateful smile and she went off in search of Hermione.
* * * * *
Harry got to McGonagall's room and discovered he'd been beaten. It was barely 7 o'clock but Ron, Ginny, Hermione, and Luna were already there. Luna looked completely at ease, sitting on top of McGonagall's desk as usual. Hermione was tense and her jaw was set in determination. Ginny and Ron were alert, ready to break up any fight that should starts.
"Er, let's get started," Harry said.
Ginny explained, "We've been discussing ways to clear our minds. That seems to be the biggest block when it comes to having trouble with Occlumency. People have trouble leaving their emotions out of things." She glanced at Hermione. "We've been trying to decide how to best start. Luna says there were a couple of different methods she tried with you, Harry, but she suggests we start with meditation since that seemed to be the most effective."
Luna's gaze passed over each of them before she asked, "Ready? She paused, "Stand and come in front of the desks."
Harry and Ginny did so without question, Ron looked puzzled but obeyed anyway. Only Hermione was reluctant, but she moved slowly from behind her desk and came to stand between the Weasleys.
The desks and chairs scooted back some three or four feet. "Sit or lie down. Shut your eyes and breathe. Breathe. Focus only on your breathing. In and out. If you're particularly stressed, or angry, or otherwise upset, lie down." Harry opened his eyes slightly and saw that Hermione was the only one not lying down. "It'll help relieve tension if you're lying down. That puts you in a very relaxed state," she addressed no in particular, but Harry saw again out of the corner of his eye that Hermione was still sitting. Gritting her teeth, she lay down when Ginny tugged on her arm. "Breathe. Deep, slow breaths. Cleansing, rhythmic breathing. Eyes closed. No thoughts but the air coming and leaving your body. Deep breaths. Slow breaths. Good. Focus solely on your breathing. Shut your eyes, Hermione! I told you to focus!" Luna snapped uncharacteristically. Harry opened his eyes just enough to see Luna produce a scarf and bind it around Hermione's eyes. "It's charmed. Won't come off until I untie, so don't bother trying. Focus now. Breathing. In and out. Deep breaths."
Harry wondered at Hermione's anger. She wasn't normally prone to it. Sure she was bossy, controlling, and nagging; but not usually bitter or angry. He couldn't be worried now though. He had to concentrate. The air tasted stale inside the classroom. He breathed.
Hermione sat up. "This is stupid. If someone tries to break into our minds we are not going to be lying down concentrating on breathing."
"Hermione, you are having enough trouble with Occlumency when you're stressed or under pressure. If you can manage it not under pressure then you can try under normal circumstances. Calm down," Luna's voice was sharp.
Hermione made no reply. By now the others all had there eyes open and were watching the two of them.
"Class is over for tonight," Luna said carelessly. "Now that we've got the basics of meditation, next time you should be able to get yourself down into a calm state sooner and without having to go through the preliminaries we used today."
Hermione didn't move, it wouldn't have been smart of her to anyway; she still couldn't see. Ginny and Ron seemed to hover and want to wait for her but Hermione whispered something to her and she left reluctantly.
Harry didn't get up, and hoped Hermione wouldn't realize he was still there.
"Out, Harry," said Hermione and Luna both, as Luna knelt down to untie the scarf from around Hermione's head.
Harry left slowly, hoping to find out what was going on. They didn't say anything until he was out of the room. He waited just outside the door, watching and listening through the crack.
"I know what you want," Luna said complacently. "You want a fair shot at me."
"What?"
"You underestimated me and now you need to test and see just how much of an opponent I am. Whether or not you're better than me. The same's happened before. You come to see how I fit into the equation now that you realized you misjudged me before. Kalos kagathos."
Hermione repeated the two last words. "Kalos kagathos. The outside reflects the inside. Greek isn't it?"
"Yes. Normally you don't judge books by their covers but in my case you made an exception: I looked stupid, therefore I must be stupid."
"I didn't mean to . . ." Hermione began.
"It's alright. Opponents are less dangerous when they underestimate you. What'll it be? Dueling, flying, comparing test scores, or should I just try to break into your mind? You won't be happy until you test yourself against me."
Harry opened the door a little more to see better and be ready to run in if anything happened.
"Occlumency," Hermione said finally. Harry didn't know Luna's skills with a broom, but Hermione's weren't very good. Test scores Hermione had to know that she had higher than Luna. Dueling. . .Harry wasn't sure why she didn't choose that. "But on one condition."
"What's that?"
"Full force. You don't go easy on me."
"Deal." Luna retreated until she stood a good 6 feet or so from Hermione. "On three. One. . ."
Harry inched forward. He'd have to stop this.
"Two. . ."
He felt Ron's hand on one of his shoulders and Ginny's on the other. She whispered, "You've got to let them do this, Harry."
"Three. . ."
Harry nodded and the three of them watched in suspense.
"Legilimens!" cried Luna.
Hermione shouted something that Harry couldn't quite hear and a curse was flung at Luna but it missed her by nearly a foot.
Sweat began to bead Hermione's head as they struggled. Soon Hermione was reduced to crying on the floor. Harry and Ginny were barely able to keep Ron from running inside to comfort Hermione or curse Luna; they held tight to the back of his robes. Harry held his breath and watched. Luna reached out a hand to help her stand. Harry couldn't hear the words, but whatever Luna was saying calmed Hermione down considerably.
Harry and the Weasleys backed away quickly so Hermione and Luna wouldn't know they'd been listening. Something about Luna's face told Harry that they knew. Luna wandered off to Ravenclaw without a word. The Gryffindors returned to the common room. It seemed to Harry's eye that Hermione was somewhat humbled by her confrontation with Luna; not much of course but as though she'd lost several chess matches (of course chess was all she ever lost at).
*
*
*
* "Kalos kagathos" is (I'm pretty sure) a Greek term that means something along the lines of "your beauty on the outside reflects the beauty on the inside". We're reading the IOdyssey in my English class and it's a theme that keeps repeating.
"You don't understand it, Harry?"
"No, I don't. Would you mind explaining it?"
"Since it's you . . ." She grinned. "Okay, Hermione feels threatened by Luna."
"Threatened by her?"
"Sure. Luna came in and took her job." She laughed at the puzzled look on Harry's face. "Harry, how does my mum treat you when you're with us?"
"Really good. Like I'm her son too." He wondered where this was going.
"Exactly. How does Hermione treat you?"
"Like she's one of my best friends; which she is. Well, most of the time, but sometimes she treats me like she's my sister or my mum."
"Yep. She's very protective of you. Always looking out for you and trying to help. But she feels like Luna's taking her job. Not only was Luna able to help you with your Occlumency lessons when Hermione couldn't but you didn't even ask Hermione for help. You always ask her. And you didn't tell her when somebody else was able to help you, as if you didn't trust her."
"But I do trust her! Completely. I didn't want to hurt her feelings."
Ginny shrugged. "Then there was the business with the Shrieking Shack. Luna smoothed things over, taking quick control of the situation. And Ron was telling me that when you were sick Luna made you better just by talking, but Hermione insisted you see Madam Pomfrey. He said this out of Herm's earshot of course."
"Hermione just told all this to Lavender and Parvati? That doesn't sound like her at all."
"Of course she didn't. These are my conclusions. Hermione was complaining about Luna to Parvati and Lavender. They got sick of listening and asked me to talk to her."
"Have you?"
"Not yet. Hermione doesn't like feeling useless, and that's how she feels right now. But there's nothing I can say that will really help her feel better. All I can do is offer an ear for her to vent to so that maybe she won't rant to Parvati and Lavender so much." She sighed. "It doesn't help that she misjudged Luna from the start. I don't blame her, Luna is a bit batty; but if she wasn't so smart in the first place she wouldn't have gotten into Ravenclaw, which is something Hermione missed in her judging her. Now Hermione's got to completely reevaluate her."
"I see."
"Is Hermione going to come to the lesson tomorrow?" asked Ginny.
"I think so." He looked troubled.
She patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Harry. I'll talk to her tonight and Ron and I'll run interference tomorrow. I'll go talk to her now."
"Thanks, Gin." He gave a grateful smile and she went off in search of Hermione.
* * * * *
Harry got to McGonagall's room and discovered he'd been beaten. It was barely 7 o'clock but Ron, Ginny, Hermione, and Luna were already there. Luna looked completely at ease, sitting on top of McGonagall's desk as usual. Hermione was tense and her jaw was set in determination. Ginny and Ron were alert, ready to break up any fight that should starts.
"Er, let's get started," Harry said.
Ginny explained, "We've been discussing ways to clear our minds. That seems to be the biggest block when it comes to having trouble with Occlumency. People have trouble leaving their emotions out of things." She glanced at Hermione. "We've been trying to decide how to best start. Luna says there were a couple of different methods she tried with you, Harry, but she suggests we start with meditation since that seemed to be the most effective."
Luna's gaze passed over each of them before she asked, "Ready? She paused, "Stand and come in front of the desks."
Harry and Ginny did so without question, Ron looked puzzled but obeyed anyway. Only Hermione was reluctant, but she moved slowly from behind her desk and came to stand between the Weasleys.
The desks and chairs scooted back some three or four feet. "Sit or lie down. Shut your eyes and breathe. Breathe. Focus only on your breathing. In and out. If you're particularly stressed, or angry, or otherwise upset, lie down." Harry opened his eyes slightly and saw that Hermione was the only one not lying down. "It'll help relieve tension if you're lying down. That puts you in a very relaxed state," she addressed no in particular, but Harry saw again out of the corner of his eye that Hermione was still sitting. Gritting her teeth, she lay down when Ginny tugged on her arm. "Breathe. Deep, slow breaths. Cleansing, rhythmic breathing. Eyes closed. No thoughts but the air coming and leaving your body. Deep breaths. Slow breaths. Good. Focus solely on your breathing. Shut your eyes, Hermione! I told you to focus!" Luna snapped uncharacteristically. Harry opened his eyes just enough to see Luna produce a scarf and bind it around Hermione's eyes. "It's charmed. Won't come off until I untie, so don't bother trying. Focus now. Breathing. In and out. Deep breaths."
Harry wondered at Hermione's anger. She wasn't normally prone to it. Sure she was bossy, controlling, and nagging; but not usually bitter or angry. He couldn't be worried now though. He had to concentrate. The air tasted stale inside the classroom. He breathed.
Hermione sat up. "This is stupid. If someone tries to break into our minds we are not going to be lying down concentrating on breathing."
"Hermione, you are having enough trouble with Occlumency when you're stressed or under pressure. If you can manage it not under pressure then you can try under normal circumstances. Calm down," Luna's voice was sharp.
Hermione made no reply. By now the others all had there eyes open and were watching the two of them.
"Class is over for tonight," Luna said carelessly. "Now that we've got the basics of meditation, next time you should be able to get yourself down into a calm state sooner and without having to go through the preliminaries we used today."
Hermione didn't move, it wouldn't have been smart of her to anyway; she still couldn't see. Ginny and Ron seemed to hover and want to wait for her but Hermione whispered something to her and she left reluctantly.
Harry didn't get up, and hoped Hermione wouldn't realize he was still there.
"Out, Harry," said Hermione and Luna both, as Luna knelt down to untie the scarf from around Hermione's head.
Harry left slowly, hoping to find out what was going on. They didn't say anything until he was out of the room. He waited just outside the door, watching and listening through the crack.
"I know what you want," Luna said complacently. "You want a fair shot at me."
"What?"
"You underestimated me and now you need to test and see just how much of an opponent I am. Whether or not you're better than me. The same's happened before. You come to see how I fit into the equation now that you realized you misjudged me before. Kalos kagathos."
Hermione repeated the two last words. "Kalos kagathos. The outside reflects the inside. Greek isn't it?"
"Yes. Normally you don't judge books by their covers but in my case you made an exception: I looked stupid, therefore I must be stupid."
"I didn't mean to . . ." Hermione began.
"It's alright. Opponents are less dangerous when they underestimate you. What'll it be? Dueling, flying, comparing test scores, or should I just try to break into your mind? You won't be happy until you test yourself against me."
Harry opened the door a little more to see better and be ready to run in if anything happened.
"Occlumency," Hermione said finally. Harry didn't know Luna's skills with a broom, but Hermione's weren't very good. Test scores Hermione had to know that she had higher than Luna. Dueling. . .Harry wasn't sure why she didn't choose that. "But on one condition."
"What's that?"
"Full force. You don't go easy on me."
"Deal." Luna retreated until she stood a good 6 feet or so from Hermione. "On three. One. . ."
Harry inched forward. He'd have to stop this.
"Two. . ."
He felt Ron's hand on one of his shoulders and Ginny's on the other. She whispered, "You've got to let them do this, Harry."
"Three. . ."
Harry nodded and the three of them watched in suspense.
"Legilimens!" cried Luna.
Hermione shouted something that Harry couldn't quite hear and a curse was flung at Luna but it missed her by nearly a foot.
Sweat began to bead Hermione's head as they struggled. Soon Hermione was reduced to crying on the floor. Harry and Ginny were barely able to keep Ron from running inside to comfort Hermione or curse Luna; they held tight to the back of his robes. Harry held his breath and watched. Luna reached out a hand to help her stand. Harry couldn't hear the words, but whatever Luna was saying calmed Hermione down considerably.
Harry and the Weasleys backed away quickly so Hermione and Luna wouldn't know they'd been listening. Something about Luna's face told Harry that they knew. Luna wandered off to Ravenclaw without a word. The Gryffindors returned to the common room. It seemed to Harry's eye that Hermione was somewhat humbled by her confrontation with Luna; not much of course but as though she'd lost several chess matches (of course chess was all she ever lost at).
*
*
*
* "Kalos kagathos" is (I'm pretty sure) a Greek term that means something along the lines of "your beauty on the outside reflects the beauty on the inside". We're reading the IOdyssey in my English class and it's a theme that keeps repeating.