CHAPTER SIX:
MAKE BELIEVE
At noon, these words they were always familiar with. The castle's clocks all stroked at noon, and everyone always piled in for lunch at noon. People would be gathering in their common rooms or hall ways waiting for friends, at noon. No one really knew why noon seemed so visible to them, they had no clue on why the noticed so many little things at one little time, noon.
Hermione, Harry and Ron sat in the selected people's common room on the next morning. Ron, like always, walked around while he criticized the other chosen people. Harry and Hermione stared into the fire, not knowing what to think or even say to one another. Hermione jumped a little as Draco's door slammed against the wall as it opened, breaking her train of thought.
"Wonder what's up with him," Harry said in a low tone as she watched Pansy walk in, the door slamming shut.
"Yes, he has been acting rather odd lately," she said with a sigh.
"Why do you care?" Ron snipped, turning around and eyeing the Slytherin boy's doorway. Ron turned and gave a confused look to Hermione. "Is there something between you guys that you aren't telling me?" he asked, folding his arms.
"Huh..." Hermione made a loud gulp and sighed. "No... he has just been acting nicer than usual, strange really," She said, covering up that she and Draco were actually dating.
"Oh, alright then." Ron said, turning around and playing with the things on the bookshelf. Hermione slouched in the chair.
"That was close." She mouthed the words to Harry, not making any sound. Harry nodded and rested his back against the couch.
Hermione glanced once in a while at Draco's door, wondering what was going on inside. She wanted to walk in, but she couldn't. Hermione still had her mind on what would happen at noon. It would be an hour until noon would come, but Hermione still wanted to know immediately on what was going to happen.
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The noon gong went off, as Hermione awoke from a morning nap. She sat up with a stretch and found herself in her room. She didn't remember falling asleep in her room, but she didn't look much into it. She stood as she changed into a long white skirt that was covered in lace.
She looked at herself through a mirror as she pulled on a light pink colored shirt. She slipped on high heeled shoes, which their heels were about three inches off the ground. She still stared at the "wall door" connecting hers and Draco's room. She sighed as she looked out the window.
She got up and hurried quickly down the stairs to where the hundreds of people were forcing themselves into the Great Hall. Hermione walked in as Ginny waved her hand in the air. Hermione was still braiding her long locks of hair as she sat down in front of Ginny.
"Hey Hermione." Ginny greeted in a polite voice as she laced her fingers within Harry's. Hermione smiled lightly.
"Hey Ginny, did I miss anything?" she asked as she looked to the head table, watching as Dumbledore took a seat.
"Not really." Harry answered. "All that basically happened was Ron went crazy and started throwing chicken at people." Hermione gulped down a mouthful of pumpkin juice, she coughed a little.
"WHAT?" she asked surprised and still coughing lightly.
"Yeah that's what our reaction was." Ginny started "He just picked it up and threw it in Parvati Patil's hair and then tried telling people it wasn't his fault he threw it. But then he threw one at Snape and boy is he in trouble now." She tried not to laugh, as Harry spoke.
"That's not all." Harry spoke lightly, and Ginny nodded.
"God, there's more?" she asked, looking around like she was horrified.
"Oh yeah... he threw an entire suckling pig at Cho Chang." Harry spoke as Ginny let out a hiss noise as he said the name. Harry rolled his eyes. "Come on Ginny, that was like a year ago, I don't like her anymore." Ginny only rolled her eyes.
"Never mind that now." Hermione spoke "Was Ron like under a curse or was it really him?" Hermione and Ginny and Harry only shrugs.
"It's odd... very odd." Ginny said as they all turned their heads and saw Dumbledore approaching the podium.
"Attention..." He started, like every announcement. "The selected group and the teachers have arranged a contest option. The first, out of four, contest between houses will be held at 4 o'clock tonight." He smiled lightly. "Each selected student will pick one person from their own house to compete. The first one is the best spell. The judges are Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, Professor Sprout, and I."
People around them listened carefully as they all started a conversation on who would be chosen. Dumbledore cast his hands up for everyone to quiet down, and they did so. Everyone watched him closely.
"Those chosen shall report to the Selected People's common room for a discussion. By the end of dinner, I need the names from the Selected People. I will only advise you to choose wisely. Good Luck." He sat down as the loud group of chattering kids started yelling and talking.
Hermione and Harry looked at each other, both thinking about whom to choose. Harry bit a large chunk of chicken off his fork as he stared at the wall across the room, he pictured each and every Gryffindor in the contest... but he couldn't find one to match. He still surveyed each one.
"So.." Hermione started and Harry shook his head out of his daze. He turned to her.
"Er – sorry, what?" He asked and Hermione gave him a confused look.
"So... do you have any good ideas on who should go?" Hermione asked as she brought her fork to her mouth and bit off the meat at the end.
"Not a clue." Harry said as he surveyed each student again.
"Oh." Hermione said as she made a light swallow.
"What about Parvati and you Harry." Ginny recommended, Harry gave her a confused look.
"I rather I didn't do anything, I mean... I always get chosen." He rolled his eyes a little at his statement and Ginny giggled lightly.
"No Harry, maybe she's right." Hermione spoke, as she looked around to the others.
"What?" He said, biting into a piece of chocolate.
"Think about it... you know the most powerful spells, and you can teach Parvati." Hermione insisted as she jumped a little in her seat. "Think about it."
"Well I guess..." He started but he looked around to the other tables. "But what are others going to think?" he wondered.
"Good point." She sighed as she looked down the table rows and Ginny nodded in agreement.
"I GOT IT!" Ginny shouted, not very loudly though.
"What?" Harry and Hermione said in unison.
"Hermione, Harry, think about it. If you pick a girl and a guy from Gryffindor, Harry could teach them." Ginny said and Harry gulped loudly. She patted his back. "You have enough experience!" she insisted.
"Yes, that makes sense... that's marvelous! Ginny you're a genius!" Hermione giggled.
"I guess... but," Harry started and Ginny clasped a hand over his mouth.
"You're doing it." She demanded in a joking way and he rolled his eyes. She removed her hand.
"Who's going to do it?" He wondered as Ginny rested her head on his shoulder.
"Parvati and... umm, how about Seamus?" Hermione wondered, looking at him through the crowd at the Gryffindor table.
"Yes, I suppose that'll do." Harry agreed and got to his feet. "I'll go inform them." Harry climbed over the stool and stood on the floor. Hermione nodded.
Harry walked down the row and stood in front of Seamus and tugged on his arm to stand up. Seamus did so and they both walked to Parvati. She stood from her seat and both her and Seamus gave Harry a confused look.
"What do you want?" Parvati asked in a sweet and polite tone.
"Yeah Harry, what?" Seamus asked, watching as the Gryffindor girls, whom sat next to Parvati, watched them closely.
"Listen guys, Hermione and I want you two to do the task. That is if you want to do it." He spoke silently and Parvati let out a shriek.
"Oh Harry, I'D LOVE TO!" Parvati giggled and Seamus gave a nod and Harry nodded back.
"Alright then, meet me and Hermione in the Selected People's common room, it's in the second corridor on the third floor." He explained and they both gave a nod.
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Hermione and Ginny were watching closely as they saw Harry approach the head table. Hermione gave a confused look to Ginny and Ginny looked back to her with the almost exact look.
"What is he doing?" she asked and she saw Harry turn from the head table. Harry sat in front of Hermione again as she and Ginny gave him a confused look.
"What?" he wondered as he took a sip of his pumpkin juice.
"What were you doing at the head table?" Hermione asked, looking up to the table again.
"Telling Dumbledore our choice but he doesn't want to announce it, he is going to call us all up and each one will tell one person from their house." Harry told them, taking another sip of his pumpkin juice.
"Great." Hermione said with sarcasm and she rolled her eyes.
"I guess it's gonna be soon cause look." Ginny said pointing to the head table and Dumbledore was approaching the podium.
They waited, and when Dumbledore finally reached to podium Harry and Hermione gave each other a look saying that they didn't want to do it. Dumbledore raised his hands up, like always, and everyone immediately simmered down.
"Selects up here please." He said as Harry kissed Ginny lightly and walked up the row while Hermione walked up the row on the other side. People stared at them but nor Harry or Hermione seemed to care.
They all lined in a row. First it was Hermione, then Harry. Then next to them was the Hufflepuffs: Susan and Justin. Then the Ravenclaws: Padma and Terry. And then of course the Slytherins: Pansy and Draco. They were all lined up into a line across the front.
"Now, each of you say one person from your house and those people will proceed to your common room." Dumbledore spoke and everyone nodded and he nodded back.
"Slytherin, Gregory Goyle." Draco said
"Vincent Crab." Pansy said.
"Ravenclaw, Cho Chang" Terry said and Ginny hissed from her table.
"Michael Corner" Padma said.
"Hufflepuff, Hannah Abbot." Justin said
"Owen Cauldwell" Susan said.
"Gryffindor, Parvati Patil." Harry said.
"Seamus Finnigan" Hermione said.
Everyone let out their applause and waited for Dumbledore to speak. Padma was cheering that her twin sister was competing. Everyone that was announced proceeded out the door once Dumbledore waved to them. Everyone walked out and so did the selected people.
By the time Hermione and Harry were at the common room, everyone was waiting outside the door. Hermione said the password and the door swung open. Hermione instructed the Gryffindors to go to her room, since it was a lot bigger.
As they all entered, Hermione shut and locked the door behind them. Parvati took a seat on her bed while Seamus and Harry took a seat on the chairs in the corner. Hermione turned around with a sigh and she took a seat next to Parvati.
"Well, you're here." She laughed, not knowing what to say.
"You're room is awesome." Parvati giggled. "It has a balcony and... IT'S PINK!" she started "I ABSOLUTLY ADORE PINK!" Hermione blinked.
"Anyway..." Harry started "We have chosen you for the task. Do either of you have a spell in mind that you want to choose?" Harry asked and waited for a reply.
"Well, since last year I can do the patronus pretty well." Parvati said is a proud voice.
"But Harry didn't teach only Gryffindors, so others might choose that too." Hermione explained and Harry and Seamus nodded in agreement.
"Well... there is the Zeprianus charm." Harry said, and everyone gave him a confused look.
"The what?" Hermione asked and Harry giggled.
"I know a charm the brightest witch has never heard of? I gotta write that down." He said with a laughed and Hermione rolled her eyes.
"What is it Harry?" Parvati asked and Harry sighed as he started to explain.
He explained to them what it was, and they seemed quite interested. Seamus found it rather difficult so he agreed to go along with the Patronus charm. It would only be a matter of hours before they would be performing it. They practiced and practiced and got better as they tried.
The watch on Harry's wrist buzzed meaning it was only an hour until they were to be on the field. The four of them headed down to the Quidditch field. The Selects were to sit on a bench on the side, watching. When they all took a seat, on the other side was the four judges.
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The judges sat in a row, first was Professor Sprout, then McGonagall, then Dumbledore, and then Snape. Harry and Hermione were talking silently to each other. Hermione looked to the side and saw Draco sneering and glaring at her like before.
She looked quickly back to the judges and wondering what she had done to make him mad. She was a little upset and worried that something was wrong. Dumbledore announced that it was going to start and the first group stepped onto the field.
The group consisted of Gregory Goyle, Michael Corner, Owen Cauldwell, and Seamus Finnigan. Goyle cast up his wand and set a small spell. A great green light spouts out and it turned into a giant snake. Everyone from Slytherin clapped.
Then Michael Corner stepped up and cast his wand in the air. A ribbon of blue light came out and it turned the entire Quidditch field to flashing colors. It would change from blue, to pink, to yellow, to orange, to green and then back to blue. Everyone "owed" and "Awed" and the spell disappeared and everyone clapped.
Then Owen Cauldwell stepped up. He cast his wand in the air and said a small chant and the Quidditch hopes turned into giant watermelons. Hermione giggled, because he had said the spell wrong. Everyone laughed.
The Seamus stepped up. With a loud shout he said "Exspecto Partronum" a burst of white light came out and the light was in the shape of a tiger. Everyone clapped loudly as the tiger opened its jaws and more of the light gust out. When it disappeared, people screamed and yelled in amazement. Though, it really wasn't that amazing.
"Very good, very good." Dumbledore announced. The judges have decided. We are happy to award people out of fifty points. To Slytherin, I award you thirty points. To Ravenclaw, I award you forty points. To Hufflepuff, I award you ten points. And to Gryffindor, I award you fifty points." The Gryffindors screamed in happiness.
The next group entered in. The group was Vincent Crabb, Cho Chang, Hannah Abbot, and Parvati Patil. Parvati was shaking a little, but Harry and Hermione knew she was ready. They watched closely.
Crabb stepped up, casting his wand in the air and said a long phrase. Soon the sky started raining millions of fresh, and warm pastries. Everyone's faces lit up and they grabbed some, biting into them and then screaming with disgust. People began to throw up over the side of the stands and all the Slytherins were screaming with laughter.
Next was Cho Chang, she walked out and raised her wand in the air. She said a short spell and the field began filling up with beautiful red roses. She smiled as some of the judges picked them up and sniffed them. Cho smiled, she knew they liked them.
Then Hanna Abbot stepped up, she cast her wand in the air and a beautiful mist of purple came oozing from the end. It turned the ground into a beautiful lake and you could stand on the surface. She sigh heavily from the beauty of the rainbow colors in the water and everyone was pleased with the spell.
By the time Parvati stepped up, the ground was back to normal. She shook a little but she held up her wand high and spoke loudly in a soothing voice. "Zeprianus Repronus" after she spoke the sky filled up with a pink color and the students looked around, they were no longer in the Quidditch stadium. They were in the middle of an Enchanted Forest.
The golden trees bloomed with bright pink flowers and the ground was full of different kinds of flowers. Everyone was please as they sat on a long bridge that bent over a glittery stream and the silver fish inside swum happily. Everyone was surprised and amazed, except the Slytherins.
"Perfect, and wonderful." Dumbledore started as everyone gave him a noise of disappointment when they found themselves back on the Quidditch field. "Good job, good job." Dumbledore started and all the judges began gossiping.
"Now, I have the points, and the added up points. In forth place, I award Hufflepuff with thirty points, leaving them with forty. In third place, I award Slytherin thirty points, leaving them with sixty points. In second place, I award Ravenclaw with fifty points, leaving you with ninety. And in first place, I award Gryffindor with fifty points, giving them a perfect one hundred." Everyone cheered and Harry and Hermione hugged each other lightly in excitement.
Harry and Hermione ran off the Selects row and out onto the field. They ran to Parvati and Seamus, yelling in happiness. Hermione hugged both of them and Harry shook their hands, typical girl and guy way. They all cheered.
"You guys did awesome!" Hermione said as she hugged Parvati again.
"Thanks Hermione." Parvati said, feeling actually good about herself. Harry shook Parvati's hand and she pulled him into a hug.
"uhh... good job Parvati" Harry said as she hugged him.
"Thanks so much Harry... you taught me a great spell, how did you know about it anyways?" she wondered, releasing him from her grasp.
"Well... I actually designed it." He said, blushing because the spell seemed to be girly, considering the flowers and things. Hermione, Seamus, and Parvati's jaws dropped. Harry laughed. "What?" he wondered as they stared at him.
"You know how to design spells?" Hermione asked in amazement.
"Of course, Dumbledore taught me." Harry said and Hermione gave him a mad look. "What's that face for?" he asked, gulping a little.
"You know how to design spells and you didn't even show me... let along tell me!" Hermione yelled, while she folded her arms. Harry shrugged and walked away.
Parvati gave Hermione a dirty look and walked with Harry. She and Seamus were complementing him on his spell work. Hermione ran up the stairs and into the castle. With out stopping, she ran up the three flights of stairs and into her common room.
She ran into her room, locking the door behind her, like always, and lay down in her bed. She growled in anger and sat up, looking at the wall that separated her and Draco's room with a sigh. Hermione walked over, she put her hand on the gem and walked through the mirror hallway.
She walked to the other wall door and put her ear against the wall. Hearing nothing, she knocked on the wall and heard someone knock back. She opened it and there stood Draco, with a mad face
"Hey." She smiled and Draco gave her a glare.
"What do you want mudblood?" Draco sneered and Hermione looked at him with saddened eyes.
"Wh... what?" she asked with a confused look on her face.
"What are you doing here mudblood, and how dare you enter the Slytherin boy's room? I should have killed you when I had the chance." He gave her a deadly glare and Hermione began to cry.
"I thought you loved me! What happened to you?" she asked, grabbing his wrist.
"Nothing" He sneered taking his hand away. He slapped her against the cheek. "I would never love a mudblood like you, as if. Get out of here mudblood, before I call Pansy to kill you. Love... yuck, you slut."
Hermione fell to the floor and wept with pain. She held her hand to her cheek as a bruise began forming on her cheek. She got up, running through the passageway and closing the door quickly behind her. She switched the gem to "locked" and walked out onto the balcony, crying.
She stood on the railing whispering to her self. She walked to the edge of her balcony's railing. She cried still and felt along the bruise on her face as she cried. She held her head high and took a deep breath.
"I should jump, to prove I'd die for him. I don't know what happened, but maybe it would be better if I was dead." She cried out these words and took a deep breath, and closed her eyes.
She slowly walked to the very tip of the balcony's railing, and jumped. Her eyes were closed as she fell and felt the pressure of the air hit her. She fell with a scream and soon felt a thud, but nothing hurt. She opened her eyes and found herself with Harry on his broomstick.
"H—Harry?" she said as she opened her eyes slowly. She felt his broom touch the ground and she rolled off of it. She was laying face up on the ground.
She opened her eyes part way and found a blurry picture of Harry in her eye sight. She moaned slowly and her eyes fluttered open all the way. She brought her hand to her head and she cried more. She looked at Harry with a pinkish face on her.
"Hermione... are you okay?" Harry asked in concern and setting a hand on her cheek.
"Yes, thank you." She smiled lightly "But you should have let me fall." She sighed, sniffling more.
"No I shouldn't have... What happened?" He asked, not believing what she said.
"I am proving to Draco I could kill myself for him... he wasn't real today. He turned to his normal self and..." she covered her bruised cheek quickly.
"Hermione..." he started and pulled her hand away from her cheek. He saw the bruise in the shape of a hand. "He hit you, didn't he?" He asked, worried.
All she did was nod and cried more. She sat up, crying into her knees as she pulled them to her chest. She wept louder as Harry patted her on the back. She bent over and hugged him, while she cried into his shoulder.
"He didn't really love me," she cried. "It was just... just..." she started.
"Just what?" Harry asked, hugging her close to him. She spoke in a light tone as she cried.
"Make Believe."
Authors Note:
Hello all, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I apologize to those who I told that I would be posting Monday afternoon. Sorry, but I had total writer's block, lol. Well hope you enjoy this chapter! R&R!
Airalynn