Disclaimer: Alright, how many more of these must I do? Like I actually own this stuff...Pfft!
A/N: I'm absolutely thrilled to be getting so much response! Also, I'm glad you guys seem to be enjoying this. Now, I've decided how I'm going to do the chapters, and here it is. I'm going to do every two years and am going to attempt to do a summer a chapter, but it's going to be tough! Now that I've babbled for a while, here's the next chapter, have fun!
Chapter Five: Burning Bushes and Brupo Belches
June
"And so, you see, while emotional magic without the use of an instrument is quite commonplace in all young wizards and witches, it is highly dangerous in cases involving extreme passion such as rage, fear, and inconsolable depression."
The sun was high in the clear blue sky, making it around noon-time. Birds chirped and swooped down low to snatch grubs in the lush green lawns. The patio was filled with strolling ladies and noblemen of the courts, taking in the summer scents of growing zinnias, daisies, and marigold with dreamy looks upon their faces.
Unfortunately for Prince Harry Potter of Gryffindor, the summer scene outside the opened castle window was quite the opposite of the ambiance of his current location. He sighed, and observed the room. It was in the oldest wing of the castle, cracked and grimy stone walls in an ugly shade of grey were decorated with ancient tapestries, dustier than the knight-statues in each corner of the room. It smelled of musk, and the days of old when it had been shiny and new, used for a small library.
In the front of the room, an aged woman with abundant wrinkles that matched the cracks in the walls stood primly with a pointer in her hands, thwacking it against various things in the room. She had grayed hair tugged neatly into a tight bun at the top of her head, and wore a plain dress of emerald green.
Professor Minerva McGonagall was the best scholar to come out of Gryffindor since, well, ever. But, of course, at eight years old, Harry couldn't care less. She was dry, stern, and had made a right habit out of giving out punishments.
Didn't she get it? He was the only one out of those forced to go through lessons with M.M. – Magnificent Menace an extra week. Just because he was supposed to grow up and be stupid king someday and have to run a stupid empire shouldn't mean he had to put up with M.M. for any longer than the rest of the nobles that had instruction with her. He wanted to be outside, to enjoy the last of the sunny sky until the he saw Prissy Princess after arriving for his stay in an hour.
Ah yes, another dismal part of his existence. That bushy hair attached to the girl that insisted on following him and Seamus- who, by the way, didn't even HAVE lessons with M.M. - and shoving dolls and lace and girly things into their faces each and every summer.
Oh, he'd gotten revenge for the stunt with his once-prized tree house. Brupo bush leaves had gone into Hermione's soup the summer after the tree house, and she'd burped uncontrollably throughout the welcoming supper at Ravenclaw palace. The memory was a sweet one.
Two Summers Ago....
Harry wasn't sure if he'd ever make it through the welcoming ceremony. He wanted to go straight to dinner, so he could execute his perfect scheme. It had taken him almost all of last fall and winter to come up with the plot, and gather the necessary materials.
Currently, he was standing in front of the Ravenclaw people, next to the elaborate thrones of the King and his daughter. The chairs were nearly identical to that of Gryffindor, the only visible difference being the blue velvet replacing red. The entire hall was large, marble floors and shiny columns reaching to an arched ceiling far overhead. The arched ceiling was a mural, showing scenes of the legendary formation of the Four Empires.
"The people of Ravenclaw Kingdom graciously welcome you to our home for this summer season. We hope you will have a good time, and find the realm accommodating." King David said smiling his warm smile. He opened his arms toward the crowd, and the Gryffindor royals as a sign of reception.
Have a good time? Don't mind if I do! He thought with a smirk. The materials needed- namely the leaves of a brupo bush, were safely tucked into his pocket in a blue velvet pouch. He'd planned to add them to the soup of the young Princess Hermione tonight.
After noticing finally that the crowd had started to move quickly in the direction of the great hall, he followed hastily, dropping majestically- or, maybe not- into his seat with a loud thud. The tableware clattered, and the countertop shook a little.
Across from him, shooting her dagger glare was Hermione. She hadn't changed considerably, but she had some more freckles and grew a portion. Her frazzled brown hair was pulled into some kind of order, crammed roughly in a beaded net of royal purple twine which matched the satin of her dress.
"Sit properly." She growled out, displaying buck-teeth. Her nose seemed permanently stuck in the air, and Harry suspected it grew towards the sky instead of outwards- like Pinocchio's- when she spat out her bossy orders.
Harry smirked, she honestly had no idea she was about to be pranked. He would be the champion again, just watch! "Whatever you say...fair Princess..."
He readjusted himself like she instructed, and tapped his foot under the table in anticipation. The servants had started to bring out the dishes, sweet scents of fresh rolls, turkey rice soup, tender meat, and crisp vegetables and setting them on the lacy tablecloth in front of him. The center pieces were each ice-sculptures of an eagle, the official bird of this realm.
Finally, after what felt like hours, the silver bowls of soup were placed next to them. He smiled brightly, pulling out the satchel of leaves. Checking to make sure the adults were all off speaking to one another, he dropped one or two into his own bowl, and started to sing their praises.
"Mmm...You know, I don't think I could ever eat turkey rice without my seasoning!" Harry chirped.
Leaning over slightly, Hermione stared at the green tea-like leaflets. Her brown eyes were curious, and she looked at them hungrily. He'd hooked her! Time to real 'er in!
"Give me that!" She snapped, yanking the bag from his hand greedily, dragging her sleeve through the butter dish in hurriedness. He'd made an observation about the twig over the few hundred-some meals he'd spent with her. The little thing could eat!
Hermione had spilled the bag in to her soup, swirling the spoon in the jumbo-sized bowl and gobbling it down- daintily, of course. She finished with a satisfied smirk, and had started to compliment him when the brupo leaves went into effect.
"You know, Harry, that was the best turkey rice soup I've ever had, what were those lea-"
BELCH!
"Hermione, how rude of you!" A plump red-headed woman exclaimed, shooting the Prissy Princess a glare.
"I'm sorry but I just-"
BELCH!
"What has gotten into y-"
BLECH!
"I SWEAR POTTER, IF I EVER FIND- BELCH- OUT WHAT YOU- BELCH- DID TO ME I'LL- BELCH- SLIT YOUR BLOODY THROAT!!" Her screeches had echoed in the hallways the rest of the summer, and Harry had gone home victorious.
Back to the Future....
"Prince Harry!" Harry snapped back to reality as the line of servants nearly smacked into him where he'd been standing in the middle of the hallway, dawdling and ignoring Queen Lily's calls. They were loading the carriage, and preparing for the two-week long journey to the Ravenclaw kingdom. With a sigh, he glanced around his castle, savoring every last moment of his time at home.
Jogging out to the stables, he prepared to say bye to Seamus, who was banned by both their mother's due to what they'd done to Hermione back when they were six, and stupid. He didn't understand why he couldn't come; at eight they were all wiser than before!
...And they could totally think of way better pranks to pull than a tomato in the face....
July
"Th-is is tor-tu-re, you kn-ow!" Hermione let out an agonizing groan from where she sat uncomfortably on horseback- or rather, ponyback- riding for the first time in a week. She'd been embarrassed and ashamed to admit to her friend Prince Ernie of Hufflepuff that she hadn't quite mastered the art of equestrian. The Princess was more than a little afraid of heights, something to do with the time Fred and George Weasley hung her and Ron outside the astronomy tower window- it was a frighteningly far drop to the hard ground beneath the tower.
The summer afternoon had cleared up nicely, a breeze rolled through the once insufferably humid air, cooling the children off for the evening. A brook babbled on in the close forest, animals occasionally darting to and from the edge of the woods as if dared to go near the strange creatures called humans.
Now, where the brunette girl of eight sat on a small pony with black spots over her white body, she was painfully being instructed by Ron, the son of her nanny and surrogate mother, Molly Weasley. He, of course, found all this extremely amusing and didn't waste a moment of her predicament to make fun.
"You're so stiff, Granger. Just relax, move with the horse!" Ron said laughing.
"O-oh, r-i-gh-t. I ha-ve a hun-dre-d pou-nd ani-mal under me and h-e sa-ys to re-lax!" Hermione grunted in annoyance, her words broken as she bobbed up and down against the trotting pony's back. Her rear-end wasn't going to be feeling too hot tomorrow, and Hermione was positive the rest of her would be sore all-over.
"Hey, it's Him!"
"Hi-m? Hi-m wh-o?" She asked thickly.
"Him Prince Harry, dolt." The freckled faced boy announced.
Ah, just what she needed. The embarrassment of this was bad enough to experience in front of Ron, her surrogate brother, but it was a totally different thing to be seen by the skuzzy slime ball at a weak moment like this. Harry was also on his own gelding, a sign that they'd arrived long ago. Hermione was surprised he was still riding towards them. Then again, who'd give up an opportunity to make fun of a know-it-all for her lack of athletic ability?
"I see you've got quite a handle on pony riding. Maybe you should try horseback, and compete!" Harry called snidely.
Certainly not him, she thought wryly.
The prince of Gryffindor was an advanced rider, apparently, and was cockily trotting circles around her, making her dizzy and upsetting her pony in the process. Before she or Ron could tell him off, they were interrupted. Luckily for Harry. Ron's ears had gone bright red, a definite sign of his troublesome temper.
"Prince Harry, Hermione dear, the bells call for all little royals to be in bed!" The voice belonged to Molly, her nanny. When she spoke, it was kind, but if you didn't obey, heads would roll. Preferably his. Hermione added to herself. "And you, Ronald Weasley, were supposed to be in bed five minutes ago!"
The children rode back, and sleepy bodies were prepared for bed.
"M-molly...." Hermione said through a yawn, "Do you think I'm pretty?"
Molly smiled and combed gently through the young child's brown hair. "You're as pretty as your mother was. But, 'tis not my opinion you'll want to know of come you're teenage years, darling. Now, off to bed with you!"
August
The summer days were hot and humid, as the scholarly minds of Ravenclaw had all predicted. The nights were warm, and the scents of the flowers and forest rolled into the windows of the large castle, causing lovers in dream-like states to flood the streets in the moonlight. The first weeks of August were creeping in, turning the mid summer into late.
As the weeks flew by, so did the insults, teasing, pranks and screeches of the children. Queen Lily sighed as she witnessed one such spat. Harry was wildly thrusting a torch in and out of Hermione's vicinity. She was shrieking at him, and her odd little freckle faced friend was laughing all the while, as if it was some sort of comedy on the theatre stage for his amusement.
"Stop it! Stop it right now!" Hermione scolded Lily's young son, dodging to and fro to avoid the flames. Lily knew it was all a joke, her son loved a good gag, but rarely went out of line and into harmful behavior, but she was sure Hermione's mind wasn't concentrating on that.
Oooh, not a second too late! The torch had just missed the long flowing sleeve of Hermione's weather-beaten play-dress.
"Watch now!" Lily called out in warning.
The auburn-haired queen moved to stop them, but was interrupted by a pair of passing ladies. They were twins; each dressed fashionably in the long-sleeves with slits up the side and trains on the back of silk gowns. The Trailes Sisters- June and Jane. One in blue- she suspected to be June- who had her blonde hair in a long braid, spoke first.
"Queen Lily, dahling," Jane/June said, speaking with a heavy accent.
"It's been allover the courts, and of course, we thought it only right..." June- Jane- the lass in the pink dress picked up where her sister left off.
"To tell you, that, well..."
"No one thinks the marriage will work!" The one in the pink finally squealed out, as if it was the most scandalous thing to enter the Queen's ear's since last October-harvest when she'd found out the chef and the maid had run away together, taking the...ah...ahem...prized statue of a urinating lawn gnome with them.
"Of course it will! To say it won't is treason." Lily tried to hold in her laughter. These giggling girls knew nothing of the true workings of love, and were notorious for impatience and fickle behaviors. "Besides, look how well they're playing right now!"
The girls turned their pointed noses to the far corner where Harry was still swiping at Hermione with the torch. June and Jane sniffed, almost proven wrong, until, of course, that last second. Harry smirked at the screaming princess- "Aw, c'mon, Princess, it won't hurt...much!" He swung at her, but unfortunately, she'd backed herself into a corner.
Hermione couldn't move out of the way in time. The frizzy ends of her bush of hair caught the dancing flames, and ignited. The fire curled its way upwards, turning her brown head of hair into a thing of the past. Lily shrieked, and rushed forward, but she was too late. The young girl was shrieking and flailing her arms, running about like a chicken with it's head cut off.
"He set me on fire, he set me on fire, he set me on fire!" She sobbed loudly.
Harry had snatched up a nearby bucket of dirtied, soapy water, and dumped the cold mixture over the young princess' head. She stopped short, and dropped to her knees, clutching the burnt ends of her now shoulder-length hair. The scent of burning hair rolled into their nostrils, and a devestated Hermione refused to move.
Lily gulped, as she checked over the shell-shocked, but unharmed princess quickly. The girl was shivering, and glaring angrily at her son. Maybe the Twit Trailes Twins were right. No! Never. Lily would never admit defeat. At least not until they turned eighteen- she still had time to prove those trollops wrong, and thrust the two together. Determination running through her, Lily calmly helped Hermione clean up and smirked. Maybe David and she ought to arrange some chance meetings in winter together...
A/N: I know, I know, each month was like one day or event, but this is seriously long for me! The longest I've written! If it's that bad, and you'd rather I go back to summers split into different chapters, please let me know in a review. I also know there are plenty of you reading and not reviewing. All I can say to you is- review! Even if it's bad, or just a 'Great, keep it up.' I'm glad to get it- I don't bite! Plus, you get a special mention in my review responses, neat, huh?
Reviews:
Hermione Graner Potter: Yes! That is odd... I think I even posted my challenge the same day I was talking about watching Ever After in my author's notes :P. Well, thanks for the response even if you couldn't help me decide, and I'm glad you enjoy the story! If you keep responding, I'll keep updating.
Aradia-Rose88: Thank you for the advice! Here's my update, I hope you like it!
the-power-of-love: Alright! I don't want it to go into an epic story, or end up being too short, so it'll be every other summer now. Hope you enjoy it!
Sally: Ah, thanks for clearing that up, and I'm glad it stood for good. Here's my attempt at one long chapter, I hope it's alright.
pirate-rover: Yup, I'm thinking I'd run out of ideas, just like you would, so this is how I'm doing it if I get positive RESPONSE. I'm glad you love it. To be honest, I didn't think it'd get many reviews at all!
HogwartzBoizRHottiez: Yeah, that's one of my favorite parts in the movie- which I also love- too. I adore the talking animals! How could I do a fic without them? I'm thinking about using the owls and Trevor(Neville's frog) and Crookshanks for those parts... Also, the squid and mermaids will take the place of the crocodiles in the moat/lake scenes.
P.S!!!! I also encourage you all to check out my new story 'And you, Hermione'. Plotline: Basically, Harry feels he relies too much on Hermione, and 'gives her up' for his New Year's resolution, just when Hermione realizes she loves him. Chaos ensues as she tries to tell him, while he tries to avoid her. Please check it out!