10 Alohomora

Hermione threw herself into a long creative period. She invented new spells and improved old ones. She no longer contented herself with brewing the potions of others. She made her own from scratch quicker and better.

McGonagall had given her free run of Snape's potions dungeon and Slughorn was only too pleased to facilitate anyone who could bring him reflected glory.

And of course there was Granger's Sieve. The research parchment alone had brought her accolades from all over wizarding academia. A working model of Granger's Sieve stood much used in the Department of Mysteries.

One quiet Saturday afternoon Hermione Jane Granger ground to a halt.

She dropped her schoolwork onto her lap and remained motionless. No anger no tears, nothing would come. Surveying her beloved library, she found it to be nothing more than a graveyard of facts. She caught herself looking back at all her achievements as a yawning chasm of malaise.

She thought back to Easter break, wondering how could a cozy, affectionate, perfect afternoon with Ron leave her so unhappy. She couldn't fault Ron. He had been kind and gentle and considerate of her.

What had come over her in that place?

Things were awkward afterwards but Ron did not deny her. She wished for another heated argument with him, an invisible barrier they could fling their passions at without any consequences.

She felt as if she had been freed from something and yet she still had regrets. Before the school term Hermione had been washed clean of her troubles by the fight with Nagini but it hadn't lasted. The old bit about what's really important after a brush with death wasn't working for her. Ron had saved her and Harry from almost certain death with bravery and sheer strength. She had her arms around him in Godric's Hollow and yet could not reach him.

The next few days ran together. Hermione got through her classes in a state of complete detachment, answering questions coolly and handing in her usual first rate parchments. She had little trouble brewing a complex potion for Slughorn though she got no satisfaction from it. Potions class ended and she slowly packed up her school bag. He noticed her dull eyes.

"Why the long face Miss Granger? You look as if a Dementor had got your soul."

"How could you tell?" a girl giggled as she left the classroom.

"That was unkind, ten points from Ravenclaw," he shouted down the corridor. "Now Miss Granger--, Miss Granger?"

She was gone.

Hermione drifted down the halls in an almost ghost-like fashion. Her feet moved with a will of their own and she could not remember how she arrived at Hagrid's hut. He looked up from his parchment and saw her staring dead-eyed outside his window.

"Hermione, are you all right?" She looked right through him. "Merlin's beard," Hagrid whispered. "She's been Imperiused." He rushed outside and wrapped his coat around her. "Come inside, you'll catch a chill." Hagrid made her comfortable and rummaged about the table for a clean piece of parchment.

"Don't no one else need to know about this. I'll send and owl to Madam Pomfrey, she'll fix you up right quick!" Hagrid scratched out a note and went to the back door for an owl.

"Your handwriting is improving Hagrid . . . well done," said a hollow voice.

"Hermione! You're Ok! You're not cursed." Hagrid grabbed her shoulders.

"We'll have some tea and you can tell me what's troubling you."

While they sipped tea together at the table Hermione's eyes slowly became her own again. Hagrid took her hand.

"You can speak to me Hermione. I've never stood in judgment of you. If it's about a boy you can tell me. I'll break the boy in half who breaks your heart . . . and feed him to the Kestrels." he added jovially.

"He'd probably upset the Kestrels too," Hermione jibed.

"You only talk like that when you're really hurtin', Hermione Granger. Sounds like maybe you and Ron got a little too close and now everything's turned upside down," he said gently.

Hermione wiped her eyes. "Look at me, Hagrid. I've gone all blubbing and soppy over a boy."

"Took you seven years to work that out?" he said, not unkindly.

Hermione looked at him in surprise.

"We all tell a tale or two now and again, just not to ourselves." Hagrid said softly. "We'd better get you up to the Great Hall for dinner." He looked her slender frame up and down. "Or you won't make much of a meal to the Kestrels for breakin' a boy's heart."

The two of them trudged up the rain soaked path towards the school.

"Just give it some time Hermione, don't rush things. An' don't let him wind you up."

Hermione huffed and glared up at the half-giant.

"We're talking about a relationship or at least that's what it's supposed to be. It's not like fixing one of Neville's potions."

"Too right Hermione. Unless you've started in readin' schilling shockers, you know things just don't change overnight."

They walked on in silence. A sheepish Ron Weasley accompanied by Harry came towards them.

"There you are, Hermione. I wanted to talk to you about S.P.E.W.."

"Is that the best you can do Ron? I'd thought you'd have the--"

"Enough!" Hagrid shouted. He shoved Ron into the courtyard. He gave Hermione a gentle push. She landed in Ron's arms.

Hagrid clanked the gate shut and waved his umbrella in a figure eight. "I've hexed this gate to not let you two out until you've expressed your true feelings for each other . . . ten times . . . each. Hold hands, or get lovey-dovey, or tell each other ta go ter hell but be done with it. An' don't expect no help from the-boy-who-is-thirsty 'cause Harry and me are havin' a Butterbeer in Hogsmeade." Hagrid made a 'so there' face and stomped off towards the Great Hall with Harry.

As they stood alone in the damp courtyard, Ron pulled her into an embrace. She looked up at him and said nothing. After a moment Ron drew open the gate and gestured with his hand. She smiled at the retreating Hagrid, kicked the gate shut and held Ron as tightly as she could.

Hermione realized a lot of things that afternoon. Sometimes a powerful mind was better at tangling up feelings than sorting them out. Hagrid loved her the same way Mrs. Weasley loved Harry and he would do anything for her. She would pay a little more attention to her appearance, an appearance she had come to accept. Even though she was becoming rather fond of Seamus, her heart was only for Ron.

Her potions and spellwork were at Harry's service. Come what may, she and Ron together were going to see Harry through to the end.