Take Me Back To the Start
Chapter 6: Love and Quidditch
Disclaimer: Well if the keyboard counts…
P.S. Ok, hi, I only got one review for my last chapter. I am in a severe state of writer's block as a result. Anyhow, if you want the story to continue, please review and say so. Otherwise I'm considering stopping the story. (Well, you know I'd never do that, but I might accidentally have everyone die in a tragic chicken accident if you don't review.) I put a lot of thought into this chapter, so please read with an open mind. Anyhow, keep reading. Comments in . Peace – cm
Reviews
Lili-potter8907 – Sorry really, but it's the way the story goes. I promise it will get better. Please keep reading, I really want you to finish the story. Thanks a million for reviewing, even if it wasn't necessarily positive. (Besides, this is a Harry/Hermione fic. Don't worry, I'll fix it.)
Shit, shit, shit, Hermione said to herself as she walked into the Common Room. He kissed me. Unbelievable. Unbe-bloody-lievable. As much as she talked to herself, she couldn't deny the fact that she liked it. Oh shit, what are Ron and Harry going to think? She scoffed. Never mind, I don't have to tell Harry anything. A nagging voice in her head said that he would probably find out anyhow, seeing as how this would be prime gossip if anyone found out.
"Hey, Herm, how was detention?" Ron said nonchalantly from a cozy chair by the fire, hidden from her view, reading a book.
"Oh, Ron! Heh, didn't see you there," Hermione said uneasily, caught completely off-guard. "It was preat! …I mean gerfect! Erm… it was fine." She finished clumsily.
Ron gave her a quizzical look and put down what he was reading. "Something's up with you, what is it?" He asked.
"Ok, well, it's kind of… well, I don't know, odd," She said nervously. How the hell was she supposed to tell her best friend that she had just kissed their worst enemy? "Well, actually, why don't I just ask you a few questions first? Um, Ron, what are your feelings about Malfoy?"
Now Ron was caught off guard. "Well, he seems to have changed a bit, but I still think he's annoying. Why?"
"Well, I… hm. How do I say this…? I…" Hermione faltered.
"Hermione… did you…" Ron began. "Did you… kiss him?" He asked, as though the words left a rancid taste in his mouth.
Hermione sighed dramatically and flopped unceremoniously onto stray pillow on the floor. She didn't really need to say anything. For a minute, Ron just sat there, turned in his chair, looking at her.
"Wow. That's… interesting," He said, confused, as he turned around in his chair to face the fire. For a while he just sat there and stared fixedly into the flames.
Hermione dragged herself up off the pouf and sat cross-legged next to Ron's chair, her head leaning against the arm of the chair. "Oh, Ron, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, really, he started it, we were standing right next to the Fat Lady's portrait and-"
Ron covered her mouth with his hand. "Spare me the gory details, eh? Anyhow, it doesn't matter if I like it or not. Are you happy?" He asked, turning his head toward her.
She smiled in a guilty way. "Yeah," she said bashfully.
Ron rolled his eyes. "Well I guess that's all that matters. Doesn't mean he's not still a git… Has he asked you out or anything?"
Hermione sat up straighter. "Actually, no. He just… kissed me."
"Sounds fishy," Ron said, eyebrows raised. Hermione just laughed and ruffled his hair as she got up.
"I'm going to bed, Ronald," She said happily. Ron just shook his head as she giggled and skipped off to the girl's dormitories.
Ron closed up his books, and began to walk back up to his room as the fire slowly dimmed. As he walked up the stairs, he could've sworn he saw something move in the shadows. I must be really tired, he thought to himself, and commenced returning to his dormitory.
…………….
Harry woke up after a fitful sleep. His dream was awful.
He had been walking through the corridors in Hogwarts, in a daze. But really it was more like floating. He felt as though he was a video camera, only watching things happening, not being able to react or do anything. He saw all the awful sides of life at Hogwarts. He saw people pining after love lost, small first years being mercilessly bullied by the older kids. Suddenly his dream morphed. It seemed as though he was inside the Fat Lady's portrait. (He tried not to imagine himself as the Fat Lady.) He was watching two people… Hermione and Draco, as he realized after a few moments. Draco leaned forward and… No, Harry thought. It can't be… and he kissed her. Harry was about to scream when Malfoy disappeared, and everything in the dream turned a violent shade of red, leaving Dream-Hermione and Harry quite confused. But then he woke up, only to find that he had ten minutes to get ready and shower.
He was walking into the Great Hall when he realized that an uneasy silence as he arrived. He took a cautionary look around, and saw that Ron and Hermione were exchanging nervous looks. Hermione then scanned the other side of the room, and her eyes settled on the Slytherin table. Harry tried to follow her gaze, but he had no wish to stay standing there any longer, so he went to sit down and his end of the table with Ginny and Luna.
"Guys, what's going on?" Harry whispered to Ginny and Luna. Ginny shrugged.
"I'm not sure, but I think it has something to do with you," Luna said observantly.
Harry gave a heartless laugh. "Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised." Soon the normal sounds of talking and clanging silverware resumed, and the three of them began their breakfast.
Harry glanced at his schedule. He half-smiled to see that today wouldn't be so bad: Care of Magical Creatures, double Defense of the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, and Charms. And as an added bonus, Quidditch practice was today. Harry was obviously the captain.
He talked with Ginny about the new team members, Dennis and Colin Creevey. They had become beaters. And, surprisingly, they weren't too bad.
"They're nothing like Fred and George," Harry retorted. "But did you see them at the game versus Ravenclaw? Fantastic."
Ginny nodded in agreement. "I'm glad I haven't inherited Ron's keeping skills though," she said. "I'm so excited to be a Keeper. Don't get me wrong, it was fun being a Seeker in my fourth year, but I've always wanted to be a Keeper."
Harry smiled. He was secretly very jealous of Ginny for taking his spot in his fifth year. "Yeah, but what d'you reckon we're going to do about Chasers, though? I mean, we still need one more to even out the team." They previously had Pavarti Patil, but she had recently dropped the team for "academic reasons." But everyone suspected her boyfriend, Ernie Macmillan, who was Ravenclaw's keeper, had pressured her to drop. They were having emergency tryouts.
"I suppose we'll have to find out tonight," Ginny said while buttering her toast.
…………….
Somehow, the news about Hermione kissing Draco Malfoy was all over the school. Ron and Hermione had no idea who could've possibly found out, but Hermione wasn't too happy about it.
Hermione had been holding her breath the entire day, just waiting for Harry to find out. She kept imagining him jumping out of his seat and yelling at her in front of everyone. But, to her great surprise and happiness, everyone seemed to know but him.
Admittedly, it was no bed of roses. She had gotten her share of dirty looks throughout the day. Particularly from Pansy Parkinson, but Hermione couldn't understand that, seeing as how she had cheated on Draco to begin with. Ron had done a very nice job of fighting off a couple of nasty Slytherins who weren't too happy about Draco kissing a mudblood.
On her way to her last class, Charms, Hermione was feeling pretty good, all things considered. Her only qualms were that the class was with Slytherin, and she didn't really feel like getting threatened by Blaise Zabini again. She was slightly nervous about a class with Draco, though.
What if he ignores me in front of his friends? She thought fretfully. Well, come to think of it, I don't necessarily want him making a big deal out of it either. Oh, god, what is to become of me?
She entered the classroom and sat down with Ron, a wee bit closer to the Slytherins, Ron noticed. Little Professor Flitwick got up on his stool and told the class about the lesson.
"We're going to be learning a Closing Spell," the professor said. Judging by the confused faces, they didn't understand. "You know," he continued. "Closing doors, books, that sort of thing. Now, watch me carefully now." Professor Flitwick brandished his wand and made a flipping motion with it. "Now you can practice that movement." The class collectively started flopping their wands around.
The professor began again. "The incantation is, 'Colaphora.' Now remember, the emphasis is on the oh part of the word. Try saying it." The class did.
"Excellent. I'm now going to put you in partners to practice the spell," Flitwick said cheerily.
"Oh, can't we choose our own partners, Professor?" Lavender whined from the back of the room. Hermione felt a familiar anger rise in her throat.
Flitwick seemed reluctant at first. "Very well," he said with resignation. "You may find a partner of your choice." Hermione's heart leapt. This was her chance to be with Draco. But suddenly, insecurities leapt to her mind. What will I say? I can't just play it off like we didn't snog in front of the Fat Lady last night, she thought nervously. Up until that point, she had been dead serious, but at the thought she almost laughed out loud. It was just so weird.
Amidst her thinking, she didn't realize the tall figure standing next to her. It said, "Hey, do you want to be my partner?"
Hermione looked up into Draco's angular face. She smiled and nodded. "Let's go over here, in the corner," she said, a bit nervously. As they walked over to a different table, Hermione could've sworn that she saw Ron giving her a wink from across the room.
On each table there was a small miniature door, apparently to be used to practice the spell. They chose to ignore it. Draco cleared his throat. "So, how's your day been going?"
"Well, it's been alright, but people just won't leave me alone, you know?" Hermione replied.
Draco sort of chuckled. "Yeah, actually I do know. You've got no clue what some of the guys have been saying. Hell, I might've lost a lot of friends today. But… it was totally worth it," he said with a genuine smile as he squeezed Hermione's hand under the table. She was smiling too. The entire day was just slipping away.
"Come now, start practicing the spell!" Professor Flitwick yelled over to the pair, who jumped at the interruption. Hermione and Draco laughed nervously and looked away as they reached for their wands.
…………….
Harry was grimly trying to practice the spell with little success. He was being horribly distracted by the scene on the other side of the room. He watched as Hermione practiced the spell, as Draco looked on and smiled. Why isn't he smirking? Harry thought angrily. In his frustration, Harry accidentally jabbed his partner, Neville, in the nose.
"OUCH!" Neville said loudly, holding his nose.
Harry snapped back into reality. "Oh, sorry, Neville."
"It's fide, Harry, don' worry," Neville said unconvincingly, his nose now spewing forth blood.
Professor Sprout quickly bustled over. "Well, for goodness' sake! Harry, please escort Neville here to the Hospital Wing," he said sourly.
"Yes, Professor, Harry said. Sprout ran over to another pair, where a partner had managed to permanently close the other's eyes with the spell. Harry briefly heard Professor Sprout saying something like, "Never had trouble like this with a closing charm…"
Harry held Neville by the elbow and led him out the door. As he left, Harry desperately glanced back at Hermione and Draco, trying to figure out exactly what was going on.
…………….
After the class had ended, Hermione and Draco lagged behind on purpose. When they were assured that Professor Sprout was busy grading essays, they relaxed.
"That was…awkward," Hermione said quietly. Draco smirked in the way he always used to.
"Yeah, but at least I was with you," He said softly. Hermione practically melted. Since when did Draco Malfoy become so darn romantic? She thought.
Hermione sighed. "Well, I should probably get going to dinner… I'll see you later, alright?"
"Okay," Draco said, and quickly pecked her on the cheek before leaving.
Hermione practically pranced out of the room, to find that Ron was waiting for her. He raised his eyebrows in question.
"He kissed me on the cheek," she said squeakily as they set off for the Great Hall.
Ron made a disgusted noise. "You're such a girl…"
…………….
The Gryffindor Common was bustling with activity, as it usually was after dinner. Ginny and Luna had escaped to their dormitories to talk.
"I'm so excited for the Chaser tryouts tonight," Ginny was telling Luna as she put on extra layers to face the 20 degree (Fahrenheit) weather.
Luna nodded uninterestedly. "Do you know who's trying out?" she asked, almost to humor Ginny.
"Well, I know that Vicky Frobisher is trying, and I heard that Euan Abercrombie might show up, but I'm not too sure," Ginny said animatedly.
Luna got sort of quiet. A weird idea had suddenly appeared in her mind. "Wouldn't it be odd," she said quietly to Ginny. "if Hermione showed up?"
Ginny practically died laughing. "Please," she said after a fit of giggles. "Hermione? You probably couldn't get her on a Quidditch pitch for a million galleons."
…………….
Harry approached the pitch with mild anxiousness. He worried about the people trying out for Chaser. After being captain of the team for a few years, Harry found it increasingly difficult to find new players, since everyone brave enough to try out wasn't that spectacular, and most of the first-years with potential were too shy.
He saw four figures standing at the edge of the pitch waiting, and about 15 people up in the stands. Bloody hell, only four people? Harry thought desperately. Well at least it won't be too difficult to choose. As he got closer, Harry saw that two of the people present were Vicky Frobisher and Euan Abercrombie, which Harry had already been expecting. But then he noticed that on Euan's left was none other than Neville Longbottom. Harry began to laugh, but stopped immediately when he saw, that next to Neville was-
"Hermione?" Harry said incredulously. He surprised himself by saying her name. It feels to weird after not saying it for so long, he thought. Hermione gave a stiff sort of nod.
Harry could hardly believe his eyes, and yet she was standing right in front of him with a school broom in hand. Hermione was the last person he'd have ever expected to show up. Oh, god, she'll totally kill me if I don't pick her, Harry thought nervously. On the other hand, if I do pick her then practices will be so bloody awkward…
Harry cleared his throat. "Well, er, thanks for coming, everyone," he began uncomfortably. "Ginny's going to guard the goals, and, well, you guys can just fire away, alright?"
Harry tried to keep his voice under control, and act like 50 pounds were just added to his shoulders as he walked over to release the quaffle. He gave Ginny a thumbs-up, and she flew over to defend goalposts. Harry heard the people cheering in the stands, but his undivided attention was on the first possible beater, Vicky Frobisher, as he blew the whistle.
…………….
Harry blew his whistle one final time. "Ok, everyone, great job, come back down now!" he yelled up to the four people zooming above him. "Great job Ginny, thanks," Harry said in the direction of the goals.
As Vicky, Euan, Neville, and Hermione descended, Harry braced himself in preparation for what he knew he had to do. Neville, Vicky, and Euan had a terrible nervousness on their face, but Hermione looked straight at Harry with a vindictive look, as though she could see what was coming next.
"You all played beautifully," Harry began. "Especially you, Neville, that was a great pass during the last few minutes." Neville smiled bashfully. "However, I can only take one of you. Vicky, Euan, I'm sorry, but you're just not what the team's looking for." The two third-years stomped off to the stands disappointedly.
Harry took a deep breath and turned to face the only two left, Neville and Hermione. "Now, you both were excellent on the pitch, but… Neville, I'm sorry, Hermione out-flew you. Sorry." Neville looked sort of like he had seen it coming, and walked back to the stands. Harry found himself at an awkward moment. It briefly crossed his mind that everyone in the stands would be whispering to each other when they saw that he had picked Hermione.
There was an odd silence. Harry finally cleared his throat. "Right then… congratulations, practice on Saturday." As quickly as possible, he walked off the pitch, leaving behind a triumphant, yet slightly disappointed, Hermione.
…………….
Hermione stood and watched Harry walk, almost hurriedly, to the changing rooms. She was numb from the cold, the shock.
Almost at once, Ron appeared next to her, with the same excited and curious face that she was wearing. He didn't say anything.
Ginny bounded up behind the two, breaking the trance. "Awesome job, Hermione, you'll be a great addition to the team."
Hermione almost instantly snapped back to reality, almost forgetting what she had just accomplished. "Oh, thanks, Gin," she said cheerily. "Yeah, it'll be great." To Hermione's relief, Ginny ran ahead.
"It isn't really great, is it?" Ron said knowingly.
Hermione sighed, and started off for the changing rooms, Ron right behind. "Well I didn't really intend for him to pick me. I don't even know why I tried out. Goodness, it's going to be so… uncomfortable."
Ron nodded in agreement. "But hey, think of it this way: now you won't have to sit in the common room at night stewing," he said with a smirk. Hermione was giving him a don't-push-it,-mister-look, when a thought occurred to her.
"Wait a minute," she said, stopping in her tracks. "If I have detention, then how will I be able to go to night practices?"
Ron seemed to think about it for a minute, too. "I think the only option is to talk to Harry about it," he said resignedly. He knew she didn't want to talk to Harry anymore than absolutely necessary.
"You're probably right," Hermione said. "Well, I've got to change, I'll see you at dinner." Ron nodded in agreement, and they both turned to their separate paths.
…………….
Hermione felt light, but in a nervous way. She couldn't believe what she had just done. Her left brain and right brain were arguing fiercely.
Why on earth did I do that?
Maybe to seek revenge.
Maybe it was fate.
Maybe you need to come back to earth. It's just Quidditch.
But Harry's the captain; I won't be able to concentrate.
Since when does he affect you, huh?
Well, I…
Exactly.
Shut up.
(I don't know, I needed a bipolar-Hermione-moment.)
Just as Hermione began the path back to the castle (it seemed far longer than usual), Lavender appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, right next to her. Hermione tried to walk faster.
"Everyone knows you only kissed Draco for the attention, he doesn't really like you," Lavender said in a taunting voice, still right behind Hermione.
Hermione walked faster and drew her wand.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't you lecturing me on respect and dignity two weeks ago?"
Hermione clenched her fists and kept her eyes forward.
"Who's the slut now?"
Hermione was now struggling difficultly with her anger.
"Oh, yeah, and if you're wondering, I was the one who told everyone about it too. Oops, I'm sorry; did you not want that to get around?"
Hermione stopped, took a deep breath, and turned with her wand out and fired a spell. Before Lavender could say "bad hair day," her hair was on fire.
Lavender, at a complete loss as to what to do, ran around in circles shrieking for the thirty seconds that Hermione cared to watch. Hermione smirked a bit, and quickly ran up to the castle.
As Hermione approached the Common Room, she briefly remembered what Dumbledore had said before. "Oh, and Hermione? If you ever happen to come across Lavender in an empty hallway, I wouldn't mind if you did ruffle her up a bit." Hermione fretted for a moment at the possibility that someone had been watching from the front windows of the castle and had seen her, but the thought was gone in an instant as the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open.
Hermione was just stepping into the room when she heard Harry's voice, and all her feelings of glory and victory vanished in a moment.
"SHE KISSED WHO?"
A/N: Haha … cliffhanger. Hope you enjoyed this, I made it extra long. Another chapter hopefully coming soon, I'm pretty busy lately. But please do review, you really don't want me to kill them all off, now do you? Hope this finds you well- heartcm