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Laughter beamed out from the corner of the Three Broomsticks. Harry, Ron, Neville, Dean, Parvati, Luna, Lavender, and Hermione were all laughing at a joke Seamus had just made without even knowing it. Ron was tearing and taking deap long breaths trying to catch up to where his lungs were at.
Harry was sitting next to Hermione; then Ginny, then Neville. On the other side of the three tables they'd pulled together in the Three Broomsticks sat; Ron accross from Harry, Lavender, Dean, Luna, and Parvati. Over the years they'd all become the group of their class. Since Voldemort's summer defeat Harry was in a hospital bed; Ron also having been wounded accompanied him there; and had gotten out the day he got his letter from Hogwarts. Hermione was okay; but only because Harry had used his Patronus on her every time something was aimed at her instead of himself. He did the same for Ron; but Ron had fought more than Hermione. Hermione had gotten wounded a bit towards the beginning; and Ginny had taken healing classes with Hermione. Ginny was healing Hermione far off somewhere; but Death Eaters had still aimed for them.
The Order had come too; as much that could; but in the end as Harry knew would come; he fought Voldemort alone.
Hermione sighed and started laughing again at the stupid joke Seamus had made at least 5 minutes ago. Everyone couldn't stop laughing; yet poor Seamus sat there with the most confused look on his face that was making Parvati blush.
Once everyone stopped laughing; and calmed their breathing; a young blonde waitress apparated next to their long table.
"Ello misses and sirs. Names' Abigale. How might I help you young lot today?" she asked; a fresh scent of roses illuminating from her. Ginny shuttered; as she reminded her of Fleur. Ron rolled his eyes and Harry exchanged grins with Hermione.
"Eh, sure. We'll all have uhm--" Neville thought for a moment.
"Butterbear!" Hermione; Harry; Ron; Seamus; Dean; and Ginny exclaimed.
Lavender, Parvati, Luna, and Neville just quirked brows at them.
"We like Butterbear." Hermione said with a slick smile that made Harry weak in the knees. Thank Merlin he was sitting.
Ron grinned in his direction and Harry made a face at him. Hermione just shrugged.
"Hi Harry." said a flirty looking blonde 7th year. Her skirt was higher than most; though all of the girls that Harry was sitting with; that including Hermione; cut their skirts a bit so that they werent so far below the knee. Not noticable where as these girls got introuble for it almost everyday, and would wind up getting them sewn back longer with a spell. They'd simply cut them until the teachers put permanent length spells on them.
Hermione glared at them hard. "You know; theyre a bunch of sluts?" she asked sitting closer to Harry subconsiously as the girls walked off after winking at Harry. He'd become quite handsome; well always was; and his grin made any girl falter a bit.
Harry flushed; more at Hermione sitting closer to him; and cleared his throat. Ron tried to stiffle a stupid laugh and Harry glared harder.
Ron gave him a 'you know you like it look' and Harry noticably got up; but quickly sat back down. Very quickly. Lightning quick. Everyone gave him a look; including Hermione, but before he could explain Abigale, their waitress, came sauntering over.
"Ello there. I have ee--nine Butterbears for the young lot; oy--Harry Potter then? Well; you lot can get it free then--"
"Sorry, but I don't accept those offers. I'll pay." said Harry with a smile. The waitress grinned back at him. Hermione glared. Harry hadn't seen it, he'd gone digging in his pockets for his money. He emerged with a bunch; and I mean... a huge bunch; of gold coins. "Here." he said dropping the right amount into Abigale's open hand.
She smiled too kindly at him and walked off.
"Even older wemon are after you 'Arry!" said Seamus with a wide-spread grin.
Everyone laughed again; even Harry a bit but Hermione just sat there glaring at the rose scented abiss Abigale had left behind.
"Was it really all that bad of a joke?" asked Seamus to Hermione.
Hermione jerked back to her friends. "Huh? No haha. Sorry." she said and smiled.
Lavender and Luna exchanged looks and giggled. Ginny grinned broadly.
"Stop!" Hermione said flushing. The boys all sat their; clueslessly.
"Wha?" asked a baffled Dean.
"Nothing Dean. And nothing Ron. Simply nothing." Hermione said flushing a bit more; and getting warmer sitting next to Harry. It was difficult when she felt a physical and emotional attraction to him. She just didn't know he felt the same way.
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"Honestly Ronald! You cannot seem to grasp this, Muggle Studies is a highly respected study in the wizarding world! Its very important to know about how they live! And being someone like me, I suppose thats why I'm taking the class no? Harry, don't you agree with me? I mean after all you are taking the class as well..." Hermione said facing Harry with a red face from trying to prove a point to Ron that Muggle Studies was not just a waste of a good Wizard or Witch's time. She and Harry had decided to take the class, while Ron thought it not important. She was on another one of her rants again.
Harry simply noded afraid that Hermione would launch a fist at him if he said no or in any way agreed with Ron. Harry knew quite well she had an arm, for she'd punched the idiot for brains Malfoy out, so why not Harry? He liked to play it safe, especially around an angry Hermione.
The lot of them; Harry, Hermione, Ron and their friends; were sitting at the Gryffindor Table during a study period. Ron thought Muggle Studies to be a waste; only because he wasn't one which made Hermione launch into a huge explanation on why it should be respected. Much like her S.P.E.W rants; among a whole bunch of other things that she'd thought up over the summer while she would sit and talk to Harry in the Hospital Wards. Ron was asleep most of the time; sometimes he was so heavily medicated that he just drooped.
Harry could handle heavy medication though; too well; and never really fell asleep from it. He simply felt tired. It was probobly because he'd actually started drinking Firewhiskey late in Sixth year, (very late in 6th year) and over the summer. He still drank it now; but its hard during school. When he was drunk Hermione always thought him absolutely adorable. Irresistable. But drinking and getting damn good at holding it all in like Harry could for 5 Firewhiskeys at a time (much like his father) could get you a tad imune to the medications. Ron and him were planning on having a party for Harry recently getting Quidditch Captain, and you could always bet your arse that Harry and Ron's parties would have Firewhiskey or spiked punch now. They were older; more like the Marauders... though Remus was never one to do that as much.
"I'm just saying... its just learning about muggles. And how they live. And what they do to live. And their world." Ron stated. "Theres nothing interesting about it!" he added.
Hermione flushed, then glared. Harry glared a bit too. "Actually... there is. I would know." Harry said quietly.
Hermione nodded in agreement to Harry. "We have to go and talk about... Head... stuff." she said at a loss for words; quite uncommon for her; from Ron's stupidity and yanked Harry's arm from next to her so he'd follow.
"We do--?"
"Yes.. we do. And Ronald won't be comming with us." she said huffy. She turned so her back was to her group of friends, and folded her arms; waiting for Harry.
"Hermione, do you want me to come with you?" asked Ginny wondering how sane Hermione was.
"No. Harry can come. Just him. Your not a Head, Gin. Sorry." she said nicely to Ginny, then at looking at Ron rolled her eyes and went back to her origional stans.
"Okay."Harry said faintly and she grabbed his arm and stormed out of the Great Hall; Harry close at her heals.
After a silence Ron decided to dare speaking. "Did I do something--"
"Yes." said Lavender, Luna, and Ginny. "Really Ron, your sostupid sometimes. Let her rant it off to Harry. He listens unlike you..." Ginny said rolling her eyes.
Ron just stared stupidly at his sister.
"God I just.. I hate him really. Oh no... I don't. But how stupid..." Hermione's voice trailed off as she actually took note of Harry just staring; listening intently to her as she ranted for the past 38 minutes exactly.
Had he really just sat there and listened; not caring that she was probobly wasting good time that could've been better spent? Hermione bit her lip. He probobly thought she was insane; but look at him. He looked like he cared. Like he wanted to listen... as if he thought it might just make her feel better.
"Harry?" she called. He seemed to be transfixed; he always payed close attention when he was being spoken to. Especially with Hermione. Hermione noted that all the time Harry would listen; not tell her how annoying it was to hear her talk about the same dung every minute like Ron.
Harry jerked slightly. "Yes?" he asked. He'd absorbed every word she said. But at her pause; since there were no words to take in; he simply just gazed at her.
"Don't you get annoyed by my ranting? You seem to just listen.. everytime." she said wondering how he did it.
"I don't know. Not really; theyre funny sometimes. In a good way. And I like listening. Then I don't have to think." he said and they both laughed.
Hermione sighed. They were in the Heads Common Room, on Harry's bed; just talking. Well Hermione was doing all the talking. Harry didn't seem to mind though.
"Listen Mione--" but unfortunately, Harry was cut off by none other then their huge group of friends falling into the room. They'd decided to follow back and listen to what Hermione had to say. Ron just glared at the door. But as they fell in they saw a death look accross Harry's face and a surprized one of Hermione's.
Harry was going to ask her to the Masquerade but /no/ Ron Lavender etc. had to interupt it. Oh well; hopefully he'd see her there and things ... might hit off.
"Sorry!" all the girls said at once.
"Eh. Sorry..." said all the boys.
"I hate you people." said Harry as he glared; squinting his eyes to slits; at Ron.
Ron grinned sheepishly. Luna's leg was on his shoulder. Lavender was sitting on Seamus' stomach. Parvati's arm was being occupied but Dean's butt; as he was sitting on it. Ginny wound up on Neville's leg. They all groaned; the pain finally setting in.
Hermione and Harry exchanged looks and rolled their eyes. Hermione went to help up her friends; while Harry helped up his. They both caught each other's eye and smiled briefly.
"Alright; we'll all be over later 'Mione. Girls night over remember?" Ginny asked. Luna, Lavender and Parvati smiled in agreement.
"Yep. I remember. Now; I know you boys spend until 3 AM in Harry's room so don't bother us!" she said with a grin and the girls walked out of Harry's room.
"Mate. You just had Hermione on your bed! What did you do?" Dean asked as Seamus, Ron and him crouded near him. Neville stayed at a normal distance.
"Nothing, nothing." Harry said with a small laugh. "We were just talking--well I was listening." he said with a grin. He really didn't care though. As long as he was around her; he was fine.
"Mhm." Seamus said with a nod. "Right." he added.
Harry rolled his eyes; Seamus was getting into his Sherlock Holmes act. Even though they didn't know who he was... him and Hermione always had a huge laugh over it while the rest of their friends stared blankly and stupidly at them.
Harry shook his head, "So. Lets get the firewhiskey and butterbear ey? We'll talk about planning the Quidditch party tonight." he said and all the boys nodded; grinned; and headed out talking about... you guessed it, Quidditch.
