8 Colloportus
Hermione left the History of Magic class thinking about Ron. Normally she kept her feelings about Ron on a tight rein. But she realized that she would have to--,
A Slytherin boy grabbed Hermione's wand and shoved her into the courtyard. He slammed the big iron gate and snapped the lock shut.
"Colloportus," he shouted. "You're going to be late for Arithmancy. First time for everything, Granger," he sneered at her.
Hagrid and Seamus were on their way to the Great Hall when they heard Hermione yelling. Seamus spotted the source and pointed to the courtyard.
Hagrid dropped his pack, rushed up and pulled open the wrought iron gate easily, even though it was charmed and bolted.
"Don't you dare prank Miss Granger, she's a prefect," Hagrid said angrily.
The Slytherin boy was terrified and turned to run. Seamus stepped in front of him. "It's not good to upset the friends of a man who's ten feet tall. Or me."
"What are you going to do?" he said in a defiant tone.
"Nothing," he said. "It's her you've got to worry about. She knows spells even the teachers can't undo. Remember Marietta Edgecombe?" He handed Hermione her wand back. The boy's eyes were fixed on the wand.
Ron and Harry came running up, anxious looks on their faces. Hagrid filled them in on the situation. A crimson faced Ronald Weasley grabbed the boy and threw him into the courtyard. Ron snarled and pulled out his wand.
"So you think you're the next Draco Malfoy? Good. I've charmed this gate not to release you until you've told the next ten passersby that you're a Malfoy wannabe." Ron growled. Unable to meet Ron's glare the boy glanced at Harry. The look on Harry's face frightened him more than anything Hagrid, Ron or Seamus had said.
"If you want to take Malfoy's place, you're going to have to do better than that." Hermione quipped. "Oh, and by the way, I've already finished my classes for the afternoon. Arithmancy was yesterday."
The boy just kept staring at the wand.
"OK, Hermione?"
"Fine, Ron."
Ron flicked the iron bars with his index finger.
"You're not the only one that can charm gates, mate." Ron said as he and Harry walked off for class.
Hermione helped gather the contents of Hagrid's pack; books and parchment mostly. She noticed notes on dragon keeping in Hagrid's improving script, corrected by Seamus. Hermione stared at the parchment.
"You've been teaching Hagrid to read?" she said to Seamus a little too calmly.
Hagrid looked hurt.
"Now Hermione, it's not that I can't read. I just need a little help sometimes."
"Hagrid, why didn't you come to me? I would have helped you!"
Hermione was in tears before she could raise her guard. She rarely cried anymore and usually had enough self control to reach a private place when she did.
The great emotional dam built by her massive intellect had suddenly burst over a small point of pride. The fact that she could not anticipate or prevent it made her cry all the more. Hagrid wanted to speak but couldn't find the words. He looked helpless.
"Let's go to Hagrid's cottage," Seamus said, putting his arm around Hermione. She shook him off and kept her head down but followed them nevertheless.
No one spoke along the way. Once inside she dropped unceremoniously into Hagrid's huge chair. Seamus glanced at Hagrid and put the kettle on.
"Hagrid didn't want you involved because it concerned dragons. You would have worried and fretted and nagged and not let it drop."
"That's not good enough, Seamus!" Hermione cried. The kettle was coming to a slow boil. Seeing the cleverest witch in their class distraught upset Seamus but he kept his head.
''Hagrid loves you like a daughter. It would have broken his heart to have asked for help and then disappointed you. He admires you and wanted to be a little bit like you. He wanted to study up on dragons to learn how to better care for them like a healer, just like you would have done."
"Like I would have done? Dragon keeping has been illegal for--"
"That's not the point, Hermione. He thinks the world of you and always has."
"It's true, Hermione." Hagrid croaked. "I just wanted take better care of creatures in my charge and show you a little book-learnin'."
A teary eyed Hermione jumped up and wrapped her arms around as much of Hagrid as she could reach. Seamus poured the tea, said his goodbye and slipped quietly away.
