Disclaimer: You know already, all HP characters don't belong to me.

Author's Note: This is an alternate universe where there's no Voldemort, Hermione is a pureblood and Harry's parents are still alive.

Author's Note: Those words in italics represent French.

Thank you all for your reviews!

Chapter 2: The Additional Subject

"Professor McGonagall wants you to see her? Why?" asked Hermione during breakfast, the next day.

"No idea." lied Harry, not wanting to tell Hermione the reason.

"You didn't get into trouble again, did you?" asked Hermione, frowning.

"Recently? No, I have already done my last detention for hexing Malfoy in class." said Harry.

He then put down his toast and got up. "I better go."

"You will be fine, Harry. Tell me what happens when you get back." said Hermione.

Harry gave Hermione a slight smile before he left.

Harry stood outside Professor McGonagall's office and took a deep breath before he knocked the door.

"Come in." said a voice inside.

Harry went in. "You want to see me, Professor?"

"Hm-mm. Close the door."

Harry closed the door and went to Professor McGonagall's desk.

"Sit." said McGonagall simply.

Harry sat down on the seat across the Deputy Headmistress.

"I believe Mr Weasley has told you why I want to see you."

"Yes." said Harry slowly, clutching his hands together in nervousness.

"Well then…" started McGonagall.

"They have rejected me, right Professor?" interrupted Harry. "My application to be an Auror has been disapproved, right?"

"Err…" said the Professor.

"What am I going to do after graduation, Professor?" asked Harry in panic. "I can go and be a professional Seeker, but I don't want to be apart from Hermione, all those international matches and stuff! I'm good at nothing except defensive spells and Quidditch! I…"

McGonagall held up her hand. "Stop!"

Harry shut up.

"Calm down, Potter. Who told you that your application has been disapproved?"

Harry thought for a while before he looked down and mumbled, "… Nobody. I just thought…"

McGonagall said, "As the matter of fact, Potter, the application has been approved."

Harry looked up. "Really?"

"The Ministry has given you the approval for taking the Aurors Headquarters' entrance exams after your graduation. Since you will be taking those exams, you may be excused from your N.E.W.Ts."

Harry was beaming now. "All right!"

McGonagall smiled. "You better study hard for them right now. You will be tested on all your knowledge on Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms and Potions."

Harry nodded, still smiling.

"And you will be tested on one more thing that Hogwarts has never taught you before."

"What is it?"

McGonagall looked at him. "Languages. Being fluent in English isn't enough for an Auror. You can choose to be tested on French, Spanish, Italian, or any other languages that both wizard and muggle can speak."

Harry's mouth dropped open. "You mean I have to learn a language from scratch?"

McGonagall nodded. "But it will be easy if you just try."

"I don't think so, Professor, I…" started Harry.

"Potter, if you want to be an Auror, you have to work hard to be one, understand?" asked McGonagall sternly.

Harry had no choice but to nod. "Yes Professor."

"A foreign language, huh? That's going to be tough. I remembered Percy learning Irish for his entrance exams for the Department of International Magical Co-operation, and he only managed to learn one sentence properly after a week." said Ron during Advanced Charms class.

Harry sighed. "Well, if I want to be an Auror, I have to do it the hard way. Any suggestions on what language I should learn?"

"How about Irish? Percy can teach you." said Ron.

"You might as well send me for detention. Your brother is extremely boring when it comes to academic stuff." said Harry.

"Hm, I have never thought of that." said Ron and thought again. "French? Fleur can teach you."

Harry placed his hands on his cheeks. "No way, she will kiss my cheeks whenever she has the chance to. No offence, Ron, but your sister-in-law is a bit overfriendly."

"Oh yeah, she is a bit overfriendly… Who else do we know has learned foreign languages…"

For a moment, Harry and Ron were silent.

"I guess there's no one else." said Ron finally.

WHACK

"Ouch! What the…" started Ron and rubbed the back of his head in pain.

"Why didn't you ask me?" snapped Hermione as she put her Charms textbook down.

"What?" asked Ron innocently.

"I happened to learn French when I was a kid, you know." said Hermione. "And I went to France before our third year, remember?"

"So what? I went to Egypt at that time and I didn't know a single word of Egyptian…" started Ron before Harry pushed Ron aside impatiently and asked excitedly, "Hermione, did you say that you know French?"

"I just did." said Hermione.

"Can you teach me then?" asked Harry eagerly.

"Well, I'm rather busy with my preparation for N.E.W.Ts…" said Hermione slowly.

"Please?" asked Harry.

Hermione smiled. "All right."

Harry smiled back. "Thanks."

Harry thought that learning French from his girlfriend would be a blast, but he was terribly wrong. Hermione didn't care whether he was her boyfriend or not, she showed no mercy and drilled him with loads of French words and phrases. She sometimes made Harry to say the same word over and over in French until he got it right. So far, Harry could speak a few French words, but he still couldn't speak one proper paragraph.

"Je appelle Harry Potter. J'ai 17 ans…" started Harry when Ron came into the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Still trying to introduce yourself in French?" asked Ron.

"It's tough." said Harry. "And I thought single French words are bad enough. Hermione, can't I take a rest?"

"Non." said Hermione.

"S'il vous plait?" asked Harry.

"Non."

"Tu débloques." Harry muttered.

Hermione gasped and tugged Harry's ear. "Qu'est-ce que c'est!"

"Ouch! J'ai mal ici!" yelled Harry.

"Err, guys?" asked Ron, confused. "Since when did you two start to speak French?"

"What?" asked Hermione, letting go of Harry. "I figured that Harry and I should speak French as often as possible, so that Harry could practice."

"Oh."

"Continue, Harry." said Hermione.

Harry sighed and read his French textbook (provided by Hermione) before he started introducing himself in French again.

Harry learned French whenever and wherever he could. He learned it secretly in class, on his bed and even in the bathroom. He read the same phrase out loud for so many times that he annoyed Ron and the other Gryffindor boys.

Thanks to Hermione's hell-like teaching and Harry's determination, Harry had managed to talk French fluently and was now starting to write French.

Hermione was amazed, it usually took herself three months to learn how to speak French but Harry managed to master it in just 1 month.

Harry and Hermione sometimes talked in French whenever they could, which, to Harry, was good, because he and Hermione could now talked bad things about Professor Snape and no one could understand what they were saying, not even Snape himself.

"Harry?" asked Hermione as Harry tried to write a brief introduction of himself in French in his notebook.

"Hm?"

"Why do you want to be an Auror?" asked Hermione.

Harry paused and put down his quill. "Because I like it."

"And?"

Harry took a deep breath and faced Hermione. "Because I have to get a good, steady job,"he said in English."Otherwise my status won't match your family's standards. What would your parents say if they found out that their daughter's boyfriend has a lousy job?"

Hermione sighed and took Harry's hand. "Harry, I don't care if you have a lousy job. I made my choice to be with you and my parents will support my decision."

"You sure?" asked Harry uncertainly. "So even if I don't get to be an Auror?"

Hermione laughed. "Harry, you worry too much. My family and I don't care if you have a good job or a lousy one."

Harry sighed in relief. Hermione leaned onto Harry. "All we care is that how much you love me."

Harry put his arm around Hermione's shoulders. "I can handle that. I will tell your parents that I love you as much as the amount of money your family has."

Hermione giggled. "What if my family has gone broke?"

"Then I will tell them that I love you as much as the amount of money your family USED to have."

Hermione looked at Harry. "Prove it."

Harry lowered himself and gave Hermione a long, lingering kiss. After that, Harry smiled.

"How about teaching me how to do a French kiss?" he asked mischievously.

Hermione responded by slapping him gently on the head.