Chapter 13: Come Get Me
When it came time for dinner Hermione, Ron and Alexis when down to the great hall ahead of Harry. Harry had decided to develop Hermione's pictures from the tryouts, which wouldn't take longer than ten minutes. Maybe he could use them to support his decision for the chasers. He was trying to think of some reasons why he wanted Ginny and Alexis as part of the team. It was obvious that they both worked good with the rest of the players, and that Alexis was the best flier at Hogwarts, possibly even better than Harry and anyone her age that the black haired boy had ever seen. But would everyone else think that he had picked the two just because they were his friends? But that was one of the main reasons, wasn't it? Being able to be friends?
Fifteen minutes later Harry walked down to the Great Hall carrying his pictures; still pondering about what he would say when he reached the rest of the quidditch team. He was feeling extremely nervous by the time he entered the hall.
"Oy! Harry!" Harry looked around and spotted Ron and the rest of the quidditch team sitting at the far side of the Gryffindor table. He gave Ron a weak smile and wave as he walked slowly forward, still trying to figure out what to say. He wiped his sweaty hands on his robes and reached out to pull a chair from the table next to Andrew Kirke.
"Hullo," was the only word he could force out of himself as he sat down. Harry had a hard time figuring out why Ron was grinning so ecstatically as he wiped his hands on the back of his robes for the second time. "So..." Harry nervously tried to break the silence. "I was thinking that... Well- I have some pictures to show you-" Harry stopped and took a sip of pumpkin juice, laying the pictures on the table, but no one seemed to pay attention to them.
"We were talking about tryouts," Ron grinned even harder as he addressed Harry. "Before you came down, and we've-" he paused and looked around at the smiling faces of the Gryffindor team players. "We've unanimously decided that Alexis and Ginny should be the new chasers." Everyone grinned and Harry instantly relaxed. "Unless you think the others were better?" Ron smiled jokingly.
"No!" Harry said, laughing. "That- that's exactly what I wanted to hear. Alexis and Ginny it is." He smiled. "I'll make an announcement."
Harry stood up on his chair. He clapped his hands to get the attention of the Gryffindor table.
"I'd like to make an announcement!" The whole dinning hall hushed at this and Harry rethought that it might have been better to tell just the Gryffindors in the common room later that night. But he couldn't just sit down, so he continued.
"I'd like to announce the two new chasers on the Gryffindor quidditch team." All the Gryffindors sat perfectly quiet, they're eyes fixed on Harry. Except for one. Evan Fink stood up and raised his hands to the rest of the crowd, obviously thinking that he was one of the two new team members. Harry felt a rush of disgust towards the third year. After the blonde boy had made it clear to the school, he turned to Harry and waited for the older boy to announce his name.
Harry continued, trying to keep a strait face. "The two new Gryffindor chasers will be Alexis Garcia and Ginny Weasley." The Gryffindor table erupted in applause as Alexis gave forth a real, live scream and almost fell backwards in her chair. With tears of happiness flowing from her eyes she ran laughing towards Harry, who she gave a big hug and in front of the whole student body. Ginny smiled shyly behind Alexis as she received a hug and kiss from Dean.
"This is going to be an amazing season." Katie Bell grinned to Alexis as she received her own hug. "We are going to be the best of friends."
When they had finished eating, Harry and the rest of the quidditch team got out of their seats to leave the great hall, Hermione, Dean and many other nonmembers trailing them.
"I have to go tell Nieve!" Alexis was ecstatic. She grabbed Ron and Jack Sloper by their wrists and began dragging them towards the staircase.
"No! Wait." Ron swiveled around. "Hermione. You come too."
"I have to ask Harry something."
"But-" Ron stared at her, trying to read her face, but he was unable to.
Alexis called to Ron; "C'mon," She pulled the taller boy away from his other friends. Reluctantly he turned and followed Alexis, Jack, and Katie Bell up the stairs two at a time. The other quidditch members followed Alexis' procession as Hermione walked Harry over towards one wall of the entrance hall. The black-haired boy put on a slightly puzzled expression.
"I was wondering if..." Hermione paused and looked at the staircase, where Ron was glancing back at them. Finally Alexis gave him a hard tug and he continued his way up to the common room. Hermione turned back to Harry. "I was wondering if you would take me flying. Just once, so I don't get really scared of it. If I don't go now I just know that I'll never touch a broom again."
Harry's eyes softened with understanding as he looked down at his friend. "Hermione, I-"
"Please?"
"Are you sure? Maybe you shouldn't."
"Harry, I won't go off and do something stupid. Just once or twice around the pitch." Harry looked down at her face; it was brave and determined.
"I guess. We'd need to get my broom from upstairs though." He smiled.
"Oh Harry, thank you!" Hermione seemed to glow. "I've already asked Ginny if I could borrow her broom. She's said yes."
The two of them when up to the common room and collected their brooms. No one noticed their quick appearance and disappearances, for they were much to involved in playing with Nieve, who had become the favorite pet in the whole house. Though everyone knew she was canine, not feline, on one would have wanted to turn Alexis in for sneaking such a lovable creature into the castle.
Harry and Hermione hurried down the marble staircase in order to do their laps before the sun set. They walked over the warm grass in silence, Harry watching his feet and Hermione moving Ginny's broom nervously from one hand to another. Her air of security had left.
When the two of them reached the edge of the pitch, Harry stopped and let go of his broom, letting it hover. Hermione stopped walking and looked up at him.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Harry said as Hermione's eyes flashed nervously from her broom, to his face and back to the castle.
"Well, if you really don't want to-" The girl gave an involuntary quiver and stared at her feet.
"No! No- I don't mind. It's just- there wouldn't be much I could do if-" Harry looked at her face. "If something happened." She moved her eyes upward, trying to be brave.
"I know, I just want someone here.." Hermione's voice trailed off and she let go of her broom, letting it hover, as Harry had done for himself, beside her.
"Okay then." Harry knew that it was the best thing to do. He jumped onto his own broomstick and kicked off lightly, hovering in front and ten feet above Hermione.
The girl threw her leg across the shaft of Ginny's Cleansweep and let out her breath slowly. Mounting was awkward since she was still wearing her uniform, a gray skirt with pleats and stockings.
Harry flitted to the right so that he was to her side. As she raised her face towards his he realized that she was shaking violently.
"Hermione-" Harry felt a sudden regret for letting her convince him to take her outside.
"No Harry, I can do this." The girl hissed as she fixed her hands on the shaft, left above right. "All I need to do is kick off," Hermione whispered to herself. Harry could barely distinguish her words. With a quick intake of breath she pushed off lightly. Within two seconds the girl had brought the broom back down again and was dismounting.
"Hermione." Harry brought his broom down gently and jumped off it, slowly walking over to his friend. "If- well- we don't have to do this." He stood beside her as she caught her breath.
"No- Harry- I need to fly. If I don't- well- then I'll never watch another quidditch game in my life- cause I'll think that one of the players is going to whirl off at me- and then- God, I must sound so stupid."
"No, Hermione, you don't." Harry felt a sudden closeness and empathy towards his friend. "But maybe we should put this off a bit." He put a hand on Hermione's shoulder.
"No, I can- I'm going up there." Hermione said with a sudden sureness in her voice as she quickly remounted her broom. Harry backed away, picking up his own Firebolt, and watched as Hermione let out her breath and then kicked off softly.
She hovered about fifteen feet above the grass for several moments.
"You're doing it!" Harry called up to her, smiling. "See, it isn't that hard!"
Hermione didn't answer him, and Harry circled on the ground so that he could look up at her face.
"That was really good Hermione!" He gave her the thumbs up, shading his eyes so that he could see her better. The late afternoon sun exagerated the shadows on her face.
"Do you-" Harry looked up at her confused, "do you want me to come up too?" He walked another five or so feet to the left, again trying to make out his friend's face among the shadows.
"Why don't you do a lap?" His voice trailed off as he noticed how bad Hermione was shaking. She bent forward, covering her eyes with one of her hands.
"Harry-" Hermione choked out. "Harry, I don't want to do this anymore." Hermione's broom shuddered as she bent forward, trying not to look down.
"Hermione-" Harry felt his brows knot. "You're doing fine! Just- just look where you're going!"
The girl bit her lip anciously, urging the broom forward. "I don't-" she swallowed her words as the broom jerked and then stopped. Hermione hugged the wooden shaft.
"Harry-" Hermione stammered. "I- I can't do it. Merlin, I'll fall and die."
"Your fine- just- just try Herms," Harry felt a small pang of annoyance. "I know you can fly well."
"But- But Harryy!" Hermione whailed. "I know I can't do this. I can't move."
"No, be reasonable Hermione."
"What do you think I am right now! This is reasonable! Harry- I really want- believe me!" She crumpled up, beginning to cry.
"Hermione- you're acting childish- really immature."
Hermione whimpered, then emitted a small shriek as her broom jolted upward another ten feet, stopping when she sat up strait again, still shaking like mad.
"Harry- no- really Harry. Come get me. Harry, come get me right now. If I run into a tree or-" She hugged her broom again and sprung further away from the ground, stopping about forty feet from the grass. "Harry- please-" she sobbed. "Harry- I'm going to die. I'm going to fall off."
"Hermione- you can get down by yourself." Harry ran his hand through his hair, still down on the ground, but looking slightly worried. "Look- you've flown before!"
"Last time I- I- Harry! Come get me, now!" Her whole body quivered on the broom. "No- Harry- I'm going to fall off. I know I am. And- and if you don't come get me now I'll jump. I swear I will." Hermione tipped sideways and shrieked again, almost literally falling off her broom.
"Hermione-" Harry said exasperatedly, scratched his head again.
"Harry!" Hermione sobbed. "Please. Please come and get me."
Harry finally gave in and mounted his broom. He, as irritated as he was, leveled with Hermione, who let go of her broom and flung her arms around his neck as soon as he was within reach.
"Merlin- Hermione!" Harry hissed as he pulled her awkwardly off of Ginny's broom, directing it to go back to the middle of the pitch. Hermione's only reply to Harry's outburst was to burry her face in his chest, shaking silently with fear.
Harry looked around them, still feeling annoyed with the girl sitting sidesaddle in front of him, but patting her lightly on the back anyway.
"Harry- Harry- can we go back down?" Hermione whispered into his shirt. "I- I want to go back down."
"I think that you still need to do some more flying." Harry didn't look at her, still feeling annoyed.
"No- Harry-" Hermione pulled away from him. "God. Harry- take me down now!"
"You still need to do your lap." Harry nudged his broom forward, slowly.
"Stop. Being. An idiot." Hermione wriggled in her seat. "Stop it. Harry- I want to go down."
"We're doing a lap. You said that you needed to-"
"No I didn't!" Hermione pushed Harry lightly, almost toppling both of them. "Stop it!"
"God Hermione." Harry grabbed both of her hands in one of his before she pummeled him more, holding her close. Hermione broke down against him as he pushed the broom out from over the quidditch pitch to the lawn before the castle.
"It's alright, really." Harry softened his voice as they swooped gently about twenty feet from the ground. "It's fine." Hermione only refused to look, hugging Harry as tightly as possible.
They flew around the castle for about ten minutes, until Hermione finally loosened her grip on Harry and looked over the landscape.
"Could we- could we go out over the lake?" Hermione whispered softly, drying her tears. Harry smiled at her.
"See? It isn't that bad, now is it?"
Hermione only sniffed and tucked her head under Harry's chin. He took it as a 'yes' and directed the broom over the lake as the girl had asked.
Harry glided the Firebolt low over the water, so that their feet were just a few inches from the sparkling surface. He smiled again as Hermione relaxed against him, but still wiping her eyes every few moments. Finally she straitened up and pointed down at the water.
"Look!" Schools of tiny little fish flitted below the surface among the weeds and water lilies.
"I can't believe I actually swam in there two years ago." Harry laughed and they exchanged a smile.
The two of them continued around the lake for several minutes, and when they had completed a full lap Harry raised up the broom over the trees of the forbidden forest. Birds chattered and flew in all directions as Harry and Hermione flew, silent, in a loop over the green leaves. As Harry turned the broom back towards the quidditch pitch Hermione grabbed his wrist, silently telling him to stop the broom.
"What?" Harry brought the Firebolt to a stop and looked down at her.
"Look," Hermione pointed towards the west, behind the castle. Harry saw immediately what she meant.
"Wow." The sun was just setting, and it illuminated the entire castle in a pink glow; the greenhouse reflecting light in all different directions and the glass top of the Astronomy tower glittering like a huge diamond.
Hermione turned her face up to Harry's, her windswept hair fluttering in the light breeze.
"Isn't it wonderful?" She leaned her head against his shoulder and looked off into the sun, savoring the moment.
"Yeah." It all Harry could manage. That was when he realized that it felt good, being there with her. He rested his head against her hair and took his other arm off the broom, wrapping her in a hug. They hovered like that in mid air for several minutes, then she shifted and he pulled away, fastening his hand on the broom shaft once more.
"I'm sorry- about earlier." Hermione turned to look into his eyes. "I- It was really immature of me to act that way."
Harry just looked out at the castle. When he didn't reply, Hermione continued.
"But- I was- I was really frightened. And I guess I just kept exaggerating- so that- so that- well, because I made myself think that I couldn't get down on my own- without your help. I shouldn't have pushed you." She looked out at the sunset for another few moments until Harry shifted in his seat. Then she turned back to him.
"Forgive me? Please?"
"Alright."
"Thank you Harry." She pulled him into a hug. "I'd- I'd like to do this again. I mean- well- flying- with you." Hermione looked up at her friend. "Would you? I mean- after what a pain I've been today, I can expect you to say no- but still, would you teach me?"
Harry looked down at her and grinned.
"Alright, I'll take you."
Hermione smiled at his words.
"Thank you." She hugged him once more. "I can't wait until next time." They both gazed at the gleaming castle in the light of the setting sun. After a few moments Hermione broke the silence.
"Harry?"
"Hmm?"
"This is beautiful. I wish every night were like this."
Suddenly Harry felt slightly uncomfortable. He jerked and sat up straight, pretending to stretch.
"Um, we should go back down. The others will probably be wanting to know where we've been."
Even though Hermione looked disappointed, Harry directed the broom downward, and they declined slowly. They stopped to pick up Ginny's Cleansweep from where it lay on the grass and then flew together, with Hermione holding the other broom in her lap, to the stone steps of Hogwarts.
"Thank you. That really helped." Hermione gave Harry another quick hug and then they walked into the castle in silence, both thinking to themselves about the many events that day had presented into their memories.