Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter
Author's Note: Sorry for the delay of updates, I've been pretty busy with school and there's been a lack of communication with my co-writer
Behind Closed Doors
Chapter Two
Hermoine found herself mesmerized by the feeling of serenity the crystal blue hue of the sky gave her. Her eyes dreamily followed the puffy shapes that the clouds made in the sky. First it took the shape of a rabbit and then it morphed into a dragon. The unstructured figure then started to morph into something that looked awkwardly familiar. It took on an oval shaped head with unruly locks of hair, square masculine jaw with the lips that would cause temptation left and right. It then twisted to form two orbs for eyes.
She gasped suddenly realizing what her mind had conjured up in the clouds. After her shock had subsided she smiled slowly and rested her cheek on her palm languorously; eyes closed as she entered a fantasy world all her own. She could hear her heart thumping tenderly, she felt the rise and fall of her chest, and she sensed someone staring at her.
"Ms. Granger… Ms. Granger". She could hear a voice repeating her name but it seemed so distant that she didn't bother paying attention to it. Her mouth parted slightly as she thought about his lips, the soft caress of a finger, the feeling of embracement.
"Ten points from Gryffindor! Ms. Granger wake up or I'll take off ten more." Hermione's eyes opened just enough so that she could see Professor McGonagall in front of her, a cross expression plastered on her face. Hermione's eyes opened wider as she noticed a crumpled piece of parchment in her hand. 'Great,' thought Hermoine. 'My first day back and all ready I have to serve detention.'
"I'm so sorry, Professor, I swear I am! I didn't get enough sleep last night and-". Hermione's dramatics were cut short by Professor McGonagall.
"Hermione save your endless excuses. You have detention with me for two days! Now back to my lecture and Hermione I suggest you take out parchment and write down the notes you missed."
Hermione looked up at the ceiling, staring at the nothingness that seemed to keep her mind occupied. She sighed deeply, blowing a piece of thick hair out of her face. Homework, she'd done it all twice already. Twice in case she lost the first copy by any chance or just in case Ron had the sudden urge to copy, he could just take one.
"Hermione could you please get your feet off of the desk, we need to study," demanded an irritated voice. Hermione's eyes tore from the ceiling and looked at Ron, whose face was hidden behind a shower of freckles. She lifted her feet off of the desk and stood up, ready to go lock herself in her room.
"Wow, you're actually studying for a change? Nothing against you guys," she said pausing to look at Neville and Dean, "but Ron on the other hand is the sorriest things to look at in this world." With that Hermione turned on her heels and headed for her room.
"Really, she's taught me to be patient in so many ways. Well, we don't need that bushy, buck-toothed, git here anyways," Ron yelled dismissively, obviously wanting Hermoine to hear the comment. He slammed his books closed getting ready to take a break, Neville Longbottom and Dean Thomas following.
"I'm not deaf you know!" Hermione's shrill voice yelled from the girl's dormitory.
"Oh, really! Well, that's news to me!" Ron retorted, equally as loud.
"Anything is news to an idiot like you!"
"Look who's talking!
"If I were an idiot I wouldn't have been the valedictorian of our house last year!"
"Go shove your nose in book and stay there!" Ron yelled, trying to keep himself from laughing.
"At least it would be better than having to look at your hideous face!" Hermione bellowed, stomping on the floor angrily. She was already 17 and Ron could still get her too act so childish. She hated him for it.
"If I'm so hideous, Hermione, then how in the life of Merlin did I manage to get five girlfriends during summer break!"
"Because you were lucky, Ron, to have been around girls who couldn't have been any smarter than trolls!"
"Why don't you guys go and get a room!" Someone yelled from a one of the dormitories, roars of laughter following from crowds of people all over the common room.
Hermione blushed profusely, embarrassed that everyone had heard her and Ron bicker like an old married couple. She wanted to start screaming at everyone. She wanted everyone to mind their business and leave her alone. She looked down at Ron, whose haughty glare bore into her until she felt the need to open her mouth and start yelling once again. Taking a deep breath she decided against it and walked back to her room, closing the door quietly.
She leaned her back against the door and closed her eyes, practicing a breathing routine she had read in a book back at home with her parents. Why was she acting so hardheaded? Lately she wasn't feeling like herself. She was usually the normal quiet, problem solving person who didn't care much for arguing or socializing. All of a sudden the quietness evaporated and left behind a more assertive person. Hermoine wondered what could have made such a significant change. Nothing extraordinarily odd had happened during the summer for her to change so dramatically. 'Except, of course, for those stupid blank outs,' she mentally reminded, still leaning against the door with her eyes shut.
Her curtains were drawn to the side, letting the warm sunshine spill into her room. She looked outside as people walked back and forth on the campus lawn. She could see the leaves on the trees sway back and forth as the breeze threatened to make them fall. It was getting chilly outside as autumn was quickly approaching, bringing her eighteenth birthday and her graduation along with it. This was it; this was the year where everything counted. After this she would have to go and face the real world, no longer behind the school's protective walls. Hermoine had yet to pick a major, and still had no idea what she wanted to do with her life. She was always the one who knew everything before most everyone else, but now she was stuck on where her life would take her after Hogwarts. Hermione glanced at her watch. Ten minutes until lunch.
She sat against the wall, her head rolling onto her shoulder. Her breathing was heavy as if she had been under water for a prolonged period of time and had just now taken a breath of air. Her eyes wandered over the room, scanning all the detail that she could with her cloudy vision. There was a dusty chair, a bolted door, a musty smelling rug, and a table. There was something odd about the table. She shook her head slightly trying to ward off her foggy vision.
Once her vision cleared she looked up at the table once again. Her eyes grew twice their size and she gasped, inhaling so much of the dusty air that it scratched her throat. There was a limp body positioned on the table. At first Hermione's innocence lead her to believe that the person was asleep but at further inspection she noticed it wasn't sleeping, it was dead.
The body looked to have been thrown on the table instead of placed, blood tricked down its hand, making small dripping noises as the droplets hit the ground. A head, with its eyes closed, and a dangling arm was all Hermoine could see. As she attempted to get up and further inspect the body the bolt on the door levitated itself, leaving the small room vulnerable. An unwelcome rush of cold wind blew into the room penetrating through her cloths and making her teeth start clattering.
The door then fully swung open, revealing a dark menacing figure. She gasped slightly, an unusually chilling sensation running up and down her spine. She started to panic as the figure started moving toward her. She tried once again to get up but her limbs wouldn't move. Where was she? What was happening? Hermoine opened her mouth to scream for help but nothing put puffs of air came out.
The figure was now uncomfortably close, so close that she could hear its raspy breathing. The breathing became even louder as long, boney fingers reached out to touch her. Hermoine closed her eyes tightly, tears squeezing there way through her eye lids. What was happening?
Hermione's vision drifted in and out. She blinked continuously, trying to drive away the horrible dream that she couldn't quite remember. Suddenly she heard her name. At first it was a faint whisper. The whisper than became a louder more frantic one.
"Hermione… Hermione, could you please get off my backpack! I have potions in there! Professor Snape will kill me if you break them! Move, move over, come on move!"
Hermione felt her body being shoved aside harshly. Her eyes opened now revealing a perfectly clear vision. She looked around and tried to gather her surroundings before looking up at Lavender Brown, who was nervously rummaging through her backpack in search of her flasks.
"Lavender, why am I on the floor? Why am I in lying in the middle of the Great Hall?" Hermoine asked, still a bit dazed. Hermione stood up and brushed off the dust that had collected on her skirt.
"How should I know what you were in here for? Here I was, minding my own business when you just walk into me and collapse on my backpack. Oh, Hermione you've done it! You broke one of my flasks! And that was the hardest potion out of the four. I don't even have the ingredients! And you just stand there like some fool and don't even apologize? You've done it now!" Lavender stormed off, murmuring 'you've done it' to herself repetitively.
"I'm so sorry Lavender! I didn't mean to, I swear! I'll make it up to you, promise; I'll do all your potions over ten times if you want!" Hermione pleaded. Her words were echoed as she screamed out for Lavender in the middle of the Great Hall. The portraits near her hissed unpleasantly, claiming that she was being excessively loud and disturbing their time of peace.
"˜Damn it! What's wrong with me today?" she asked herself, a flood of emotion washing over her, causing an uncontrollable outburst of tears. Everything was going wrong today, everything was her fault, and no one wanted to be near her. She sat in the corner on the floor, hugging her legs in an attempt to hide her sentiment from everyone else. People walked by her countless times never seeming to notice her or probably noticing but just not caring enough to stop.
"Hermione, what are you doing on the floor all alone? Are you crying?"
That voice, it sounded so familiar. It soothed her, made her warm inside, almost as if arms were being wrapped around her reassuring her safety and happiness. She looked over at the person who had spoken and was surprised because it was the person she had least expected.
"Professor Hairee? I mean Potty…no Potter. P-P-Professor Harry Potter, uh I was just… I mean I… found… I don't know what I'm doing here," Hermione admitted wiping away the tears from her eyes. His eyes were a mesmerizing shade of green and she found herself staring into them, trying to read their expression that seemed like a complex riddle waiting to be solved. She realized he was amused, obviously adoring her state of confusion.
Her heart suddenly rattled in her chest just as it had done earlier this morning during transfiguration class. She couldn't help but scan his face repetitive times; greedily taking in any and every detail she could, storing it in her memory for later use. Her nipples hardened uninvitingly causing her to blush all over. She felt her face heat up profusely and looked away from him, trying to hide her state of lust.
"So, you don't know why you're sitting in the middle of the Great Hall? That is one of the worst excuses I've heard in a while and I'm an Auror so believe me- I've heard plenty. Oh, that reminds me," Harry smiled sticking his hands in his pockets searching for something that he'd just remembered was important. He took out a small slip and gave it to Hermione, running his fingers through his hair in the process.
"I'm having detention with you? But I thought it was with Professor Mc-." Harry shook his head and interrupted.
"Professor Mickey's busy. She had to go to some sort of meeting with the headmaster tonight. You know how these sorts of things are. Are you okay? You look a little dizzy. I think you should come to my office and have some chocolate, always works like a charm". He stated turning his back to her and leading the way to his office.
The trip would have seemed longer if she hadn't had such a good view of his perfectly sculpted rear. Soon they stopped in front of a door and she waited patiently. She watched him wordlessly as he rumbled through every pocket he had on his body until he finally found the key. As soon as he pushed open the door Hermoine was assaulted by the strong, unpleasant odor of brandy and liquor. She felt her throat tighten causing her to start coughing, despite her resistance to be disrespectful. Harry laughed and with a wave of his wand, the windows opened to let fresh air come into the stifling room.
"Thanks," Hermione murmured as he gave her a chocolate frog, "I missed lunch and must've passed out."
"No problem", he said with a trace of drowsiness in his tone.
Harry walked over to his desk and sat down on his plush chair. He propped his feet up on his desk wearily and closed his eyes. Hermione, taking advantage the situation, looked around at the interesting surroundings. Something that caught Hermione's attention immediately was the portrait that stood atop his desk. The portrait was that of a woman with a pair of whimsical pale eyes and a crooked smile.
"Who's that lady? Is she a cousin of yours?" Hermoine asked hopefully.
"Not exactly… she's actually my fiancée," he replied opening his eyes to look at her.
"Oh...she looks really familiar but I can't remember where I've seen that face before," she stuttered, hit with a pang of jealousy that even she didn't understand.
"Yes, well, she's the President of the Quibbler newspaper, author of the books How to Get Revenge in 20 Days, and A World Discovered, a World of the Unknown."
"Luna Lovegood, yes I've read all those books. Well, actually I'm finishing up the world one. It's… very explicit and informative about," Hermione paused, feeling embarrassed about her revelation to him. This conversation was definitely heading onto thin ice.
"Sex? Yeah well Luna has a certain interest in that area. She'll actually be coming to Hogwarts to teach you seventh years a thing or two.
"Well you certainly should know a thing or two about sex, no?" Hermione paused, noticing how awkward that must have come out. "I mean… being the husband of a sexual consoler and such".
"I know a little something something," he replied half jokingly and half coyly. Hermoine laughed freely.
She loved how open and completely uncensored he was acting around her. He almost made her feel like an adult rather than the child everyone thought her to be. She started to relax feeling a sense of equality surrounding her. The emotion was so unexpected that it made her especially giddy.
"Do you want a mug of brandy to wash down that chocolate frog?" Harry asked casually, pouring himself a mug full of brandy.
Hermione shook her head and smiled. "Professor, are you drunk? Brandy is definitely something I don't look forward to tasting."
"Why not?" Harry asked her mockingly, taking a swig from his mug of brandy. She gasped at how easily the liquid seemed to go down his throat.
"Well, because brandy, rum and all those other types of liquors are a vile thing that turn even the noblest of gentlemen into barbarians," she explained indignantly.
"So what am I now? A barbarian? A threat?" Harry paused and drank a gulp more before continuing, "A pedophile?"
Harry stared at her; his green eyes making her feel as though they were trying to see right through her. He did seem tipsy, one eye slightly bigger than the other. But nonetheless he was breathtakingly attractive with his dark locks hanging charismatically over his brows. He scratched his chin and laughed, seeming as though he didn't take her remark seriously.
"You're right, you are totally and completely correct. Sixty points to Gryffindor." Harry said sounding satisfied. He was now swaying side to side slightly.
"Professor, sixty points? For what?" asked Hermoine in complete shock. What was wrong with him? He seemed incoherent all of a sudden.
"I'll add another twenty points to Gryffindor for your modesty," he blabbed taking another sip of brandy.
"What? Eighty points, are you kidding me!" She noticed Harry had his eyes shut and his head was moving from side to side rhythmically. Hermione's eyes widened as she finally put two and two together. 'He's drunk! He's completely drunk!' she thought outraged, 'so all that familiarity was because he was drunk?'
"Err, I have to go brew a few potions for someone...uh, I guess I'll see you in detention," she mumbled, grabbing her books and heading out the door.
"You really don't have to come tonight. I'll just say you came and did your time". She should have taken his offer; she should have just walked away. She stopped and stared at him just as she had earlier, taking in all the details of his face. Her breathing became heavy as she started to imagine him in her room; his eyes would be closed, just as they were now, his lower half barley covered, his lips on her lips then on her neck and then…
"Oh, really its fine, detention really isn't a big deal," Hermione said, still flushed. 'Wait, what're you saying? What if this is all just a lie. He's drunk,' her practical-sensible side said alarmingly.
Just then he opened his eyes slowly; staring at her intently as if undressing her with his eyes. Her heart jumped into her throat and she swallowed hard. Her body temperature rose a good ten degrees; her body burned from the inside out. She had to get out of there before she melted under his gaze.
"Bye Harry," she whispered hoarsely turning around abruptly and starting to head out the door.
She headed to her next class quickly, all the muscles in her body were tense and her heart was thumping wildly. She couldn't understand why she was so shaken. Her curly hair bounced at her side as she hurried on, eyes facing the ground uncomfortably. 'No,' she thought, 'maybe I shouldn't go to detention tonight. Maybe I should just work on Lavenders potions. Or maybe I should just take a nap'. She shook her head, knowing very well what she would start to think of if she laid down in her bed.
Hermoine then decided to just walk, not really knowing or caring were she was going just as long as it took her away from him. Before she knew it she was standing in front of Professor Snape's classroom, which was coincidentally her next class of the day. She walked in and was surprised to see Ron sitting at a desk.
He must've also skipped lunch because he was usually the last one in Snape's class. She walked in and sat next to him. 'I really should try to get along with him,' Hermione thought.
"Ron, I just wanted to say sorry for today," Hermione blurted out trying to silence the voices running through her head. She avoided his eyes, not wanting him to see her frustration.
"Apology accepted." Ron said sternly, taking out his quill and cauldron. Hermione waited several seconds for the apology she was sure would come from him and was disappointed when it hadn't.
"Ron, where is my apology? I'm waiting for it." Hermione said, anger edging its way into her voice.
"Don't bother waiting any longer for it because I don't think it's coming around the corner just yet".
Hermione looked at him and saw a smile on his face. She blew out an agitated breath of air not wanting to bother with the situation any longer. She took out her quill and cauldron and proceeded to take down the notes that Snape had started lecturing. Minutes later Snape stopped abruptly and stared at Hermione with a disgust that was more than he had ever shown towards her.
"Hermione the next time you walk in my class, come prepared for matters that will keep everyone from being embarrassed for you." She followed Snape's eyes that looked at her feet and she gasped loudly. Blood was dripping between her legs. 'How did I forget to wear a tampon! How embarrassing!'
HA! I had to end the chapter with a lil comedy. I worked really hard on this story and my co-writer edited lots and added her own stuff to it, also so I would greatly appreciate it if I got feedback. Did you like it? Did you hate it? Be honest. Leave a review. Thanks for reading. Chapter three will not take as long to update, hopefully.
