"Is everything okay?"
When Harry Potter walked out of the lift to Level Two of the Ministry, he was expecting the usual controlled chaos of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Instead, he was met with worried faces and an ominous silence as his coworkers sat on their respective desks, reading and writing on parchments as several paper planes flew around the office.
He had stared for a second before his face hardened and his steps carried him to Jane, the receptionist at the front desk that looked irritated and afraid, and he asked his question in a rush.
She stopped reading for a second before shaking her head. "Head Auror Potter is waiting for you in his office. It's urgent. Any and all other responsibilities you have right now have been relegated to others."
With that, she went back to read and separate the papers on her desk as she wrote several notes. Harry stood there for a second, frowning, before he adjusted his robes and walked around the front desk. His eyes kept staring at the other Aurors on their cubicles, working in silence but with an air of anxiety around them; the black haired man couldn't help but lift his eyebrows in surprise. He didn't remember the last time when his office was this quiet…it was uncomfortable.
Arriving to the middle of the hall, in front of a large and shiny wooden door, Harry knocked swiftly and entered through when he received an exclaimed 'come in'. The office of the Head Auror was spacious, with a large mahogany desk located in front of the three big windows that covered the whole far wall in front of the entrance. On the right wall was a large bookshelf full to the brim, and on the opposite side were several, deep grey and medium sized filing cabinets, some of the drawers opened with folders that looked ruffled through. A tea table was located on the left corner, with two small chairs and a teapot and several cups around it, along with a French press and a small bag of coffee.
The man sitting at the desk was on his forties; his black hair was unruly and on the longer side, with his bangs reaching below his eyebrows. The sideburns at the side of his face were bushy and groomed, and his jaw was shaved but with the slight shadow of a beard. The circular glasses perched on his nose resembled those of Harry himself, and his hazel eyes welcomed the young man with warmth as he signaled to one of the chair in front of his desk.
Harry sighed inaudibly and sat down, still frowning as he gazed at his father and direct boss. He looked as he always did; with a shine on his eyes and a good natured smile, but today it looked forced and out of place next to the deep worry lines that ran around his eyes and forehead.
"How are you?" James asked, letting down his quill as he stretched his arms above his head until his bones popped.
"I'm good," Harry answered. "I'd like to know why it was so urgent to see me, thought."
"Yeah, that," James sighed, rubbing his face with both hands before continuing. "You've been assigned a new case, top priority, but you'll need to keep it under wraps at all costs. It's a very…temperamental criminal we're dealing with."
Harry frowned even more. "I'm still working on the assault cause on Diagon Alley. I can't just leave it like that, I'm close!"
"I know, I know. I've reassigned that case over to Tonks. The case I have for you…there was no one else that could've taken it, kid. It needed to be you." James stated, his smile dropping completely.
"Why?"
"Because nobody knows more about this case than you," With that, the older man grabbed a thick folder from the right side of his desk and passed it over to his son, whose confused expression remained until he skimmed the details of the open investigation.
"This is…" Harry whispered. "This—It's exactly like the case from a year ago."
He suddenly realized just why the Auror Offices had been so quiet.
"Same modus operandi and everything, except for the fact that it appears they've gotten slightly sloppy this time." James explained. "So, you see? You were after these guys for months, and you would've caught them if not for…you know…Madam Bones and I agree that you're the best man for the job." He smiled proudly.
Harry nodded, throwing him a look before returning his attention to the file on hand. "I'll need help, though. Who's my partner on this?"
"You can pick whoever you want to help you, kid, but you have to make sure they can keep a secret. We can't allow another mistake like the one that was made with Malfoy." James stated.
Tonks was first on his thoughts, but Harry dismissed it as soon as he remembered she'd be busy with his old case. Shacklebolt would be a good option; in the few times he had worked with the man Harry had found that the wizard was smart, serious, and very skilled. He was also quiet and could keep a secret extremely well, according to his father. Apart from them…
Well, there was somebody that'd be the perfect partner.
Would she want to work together again, though?
He doubted it…but that didn't mean he couldn't try, right?
"Does it have to be an Auror, the person I'd like to work with?" Harry asked, leaving the file back on the desk and giving all his attention to the older man.
James raised his eyebrows in curiosity. "Not really, but it'd be preferable."
"But is it allowed if I want to work with some non-Auror employee, yes?"
"Yeah, I guess," James frowned. "Who's that, though?"
Harry bit his lip slightly, debating with himself, but ultimately sighed. "There's another person that knows this case better than me, Dad. I want to work with her."
For a moment, the older man's eyes shined with confusion before his son's words sunk in. His eyes widened for a second before his brows furrowed even further. "Harry…"
"I know what you're going to say," Harry interrupted. "But if you want this solved quickly and secretly, she's the one I have to work with."
"She messed up with Malfoy and he got away free," James stated. "How is she going to help this time?"
Harry sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, willing the familiar guilt and ache attached to the memory of a year ago to go away. "A mistake was made, alright? That's not a secret, but Dad…She's brilliant. The most brilliant person in this whole department—Hell, I'd bet she'd scare Fudge with a five minute meeting to talk about the taxes imposed on magical creatures."
James shrugged with one shoulder. "Fudge is easy to scare though."
"That's not that point," Harry grumbled. "The point is that…she's extraordinary, Dad, I know you know she is, and she was my partner for the Malfoy case. I'm willing to bet anything she still has the files and the notes memorized. There's no one better than her to help me with this."
James sighed heavily and leaned back on his chair, looking at his son; a carbon copy of himself, except for the short beard on his jaw and his emerald eyes, the young man looked slightly anxious as his eyes pleaded for a positive answer. The older man debated with himself for a long minute, all the while never taking his eyes off of the one before him, before his lips released another long breath.
"Fine," James said. "If you really think she's the best choice for this, I'll allow it, but you need to get clearance with Amelia first."
"What, why?" Harry asked. "You're the Head Auror!"
"Yeah, and you're the Auror that wants to work with the woman that caused the last lawsuit that the department fought and lost," James retorted. "It's a risk, kid, one I can't take without having the support of my direct boss."
Harry groaned for a second before his face hardened in determination. His hands grabbed the file of the open case as he got up from the chair. "Alright. I better get going then."
"Good luck."
The younger man nodded and walked over to the door, flashing one last smile to his father before leaving the office. The atmosphere of the working environment was still the same: quiet and anxious, but this time Harry felt all of his coworkers eyes on him as he strolled further into the hallway, eyes locked into the last office at the far end.
An even bigger door than the one on his father's office, Harry knocked softly on the wood and waited until an affirmative response welcomed him into the room. Spacious, bright and with several bookshelves and filing cabinets, the office of the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement reflected the status of its holder. The large, oak desk was positioned parallel the big windows that covered the wall directly in front of the entrance. The bookshelves stood tall, completely covering the wall in which they resided, and the filing cabinets were small but deceiving; Harry knew they had several expansion charms on them.
The woman sitting at the desk was the image of seriousness; her short cropped hair was white with speckles of grey, with her eyes the color of ash, the right of them being covered by a gold-framed monocle whose chain reached and hung around her neck. Her face was frozen in an expression of determination; the wrinkles on her forehead and mouth were prominent as she turned her head and faced him. Her robes had no crinkles on them, perfectly decent and a deep and rich red color. Her gaze found Harry's as the young man scuttled closer to the desk, taking a seat when he was permitted to.
"What can I do for you, Auror Potter?" Amelia asked, her voice deep and sharp.
Harry took a deep breath to steady himself before depositing the file of his current case on the desk. "I've just been reassigned to this case a few minutes ago. I was told I was specifically required for it since I have…previous experience with the offenders."
"Ah, yes," Amelia conceded, her hands opening the folder and skimming through it. "I spoke with Head Auror Potter after we got wind of this situation. What seems to be the issue?"
"Well," Harry cleared his throat. "I was told I'd be able to pick anyone to be my partner for this case, and I pleaded my choice with the Head Auror but I was told I needed to get your permission first since my choice of partner isn't an Auror nor works in this department at the moment."
Amelia lifted an eyebrow in curiosity. "Oh? And who do you think would be the better choice to work with you."
"Hermione Granger, ma'am." Harry answered, holding the gaze of his superior. "She knows the ins and outs of their modus operandi, has practically memorized every single detail on the case from a year ago and I'm sure that, if we give her twenty minutes, she'll memorize this one too. She's fierce, and brilliant, and if you want to get this solved quickly and quietly she's the best person for the job."
Amelia lifted her eyebrow higher; if Harry would venture a guess, he'd say she looked slightly impressed. The older woman hummed softly before returning her gaze to the file, eyes jumping from word to word as Harry released an inaudible breath, mentally arranging his arguments to get the approval he needed.
"Very well," Amelia said, opening a drawer on her desk and taking out a blank form."
"Ma'am, I know she was demoted because of a mistake but she's the best person for the job, the way she fights cases and tracks down criminals is a huge asset and—wait, what?" Harry rushed out, so into his thoughts that he didn't registered the positive answer until a few moments later. "Really? I can work with her?"
"Yes," Amelia nodded, writing on the piece of parchment she had taken out. "Of course, she'd need permission to be meddling with our affairs, but lucky for you I'm already writing and signing it."
"Oh, that's—Thank you, really," Harry breathed out, relieved. "I was ready to argue my way through this meeting."
Amelia hummed, a small smile on her face as she pushed the freshly signed paperwork to the man. "I've always liked Miss Granger. She has a fire to her, a desire to help people and the backbone to support it. She made a mistake, but I dare say she's more than paid for it."
Harry nodded, releasing a breath and grabbing the paper, shoving it inside the folder of the case as he expressed his gratitude. He got up from his chair, intent on wishing his superior a good day and leaving the office to head to his next target before the woman's voice stopped him.
"I have to say, Auror Potter, you've just regained my respect." Amelia stated, staring at him.
Harry cocked his head to the side, frowning. "I'm sorry…regained?" He wasn't aware he had lost it.
Amelia smiled again, but now it held a hint of disappointment in it. "I know more than I let on, Auror. I just wish that the determination to defend Miss Granger that you showed today would've been present a year ago."
Harry opened his mouth but no words came out, and eventually he just sighed and closed his eyes. She knew. Of course she did. The guilt he had been carrying around for months now felt like lead pressing down on his chest, and as his eyes opened again and stared at the older woman, the black haired man nodded defeated.
"You and me both, ma'am." Harry admitted
Amelia nodded and adjusted her monocle. "Now, run along. You have a witch to intercept and convince."
The dismissal was clear; Harry cleared his throat and mumbled a 'good day, thank you' before scurrying out of the office, his heart beating quickly and breath growing shallower.
Merlin, Madam Bones was right. He still had to convince Hermione to say yes.
As he walked back to the Auror Offices, Harry's eyes zeroed in on the coffee machine perched on the small table right in front of the cubicles of the Aurors. His mind lit up with an idea and, putting the folder he was carrying on his robe pocket, he set out to prepare to cups of coffee.
0o0o0o0o0o
The Administrative Registration Department was located inside Level Two, passing through the Auror Headquarters and the other several divisions, right at the end of the bigger hallway that connected every part of the department.
Harry, standing outside of the door marked Administrative Registration Department in gold letters, took a deep breath and double checked the two cups of coffee he had spelled to float behind him, making sure none of them had spilled on his walk to the office.
He pushed the door opened, being welcomed by a small desk in which an elderly lady sat, reading several papers. To his right was a small waiting room with several chairs and a sofa, in which a set of parents and their child were sitting on. To his left was a hallway with about fifteen doors, each of them marked with the name and occupation of the employee.
The black haired man cleared his throat; the receptionist stopped her chores to look up, eyes widening slightly at the sight of red Auror robes. "Hello dear, what can I help you with."
"Is Miss Granger in?" Harry asked. "I have something I need to talk to her about."
The lady nodded as her hands skimmed through a parchment with names and time stamps on it. "She is currently free at the moment, yes, would you like me to call her?"
"No!" Harry exclaimed before wincing slightly and clearing his throat. "No, no. It's better if it's in private, thank you. Is it okay if I go to her office?"
"Sure, sure, it's that way, last one on the right," She pointed her finger quickly and nodded at him.
Harry gave her a smile and a nod, and he set off on the small walk through the hall way. Before long he was standing in front of an old wooden door with a name plate that read Hermione Granger-New blood registration. His hand hesitated three times before he took a deep breath and knocked softly.
"Come in," came the muffled answer.
Harry nodded to himself and pushed open the door; the office was small. The pine desk was the width of the wall it was located in front of. A small bookshelf that Harry was sure could never hold every single of Hermione book's was located opposite the desk, and the two small windows parallel to them gave the office a bright look.
The woman sitting at the desk turned to him; she was in her mid-twenties, just like him, with a head of untamable, dark brown curly hair that came down to her shoulders. Her brown eyes found his and Harry saw the moment they widened before hardening into a stare. The black haired man cleared his throat as he shut the door behind him, coming to stand in front of the desk and grabbing the cups of coffee from the air.
The woman said nothing but merely signaled to the only chair in front of her desk, on which Harry promptly sat and deposited one of the cups on the surface of the desk.
An uncomfortable silence descended on them; Hermione didn't do anything more than stare at the man that had entered her office while Harry tried and failed to come up with the words he had rehearsed before to her. A minutes passed, then two, and finally three before Harry cleared his throat again and spoke up.
"New blood registration?" He winced softly at the way his voice broke slightly at the end.
"For wizard and witches born to non-magical parents," Hermione answered, never taking her eyes off of him. "I help with their registration in the magical world and speak to them about the next steps after they discover their kid has magic running through his veins."
Harry nodded. "Better than the old visit from McGonagall when they're eleven, right? This time, at least they know a little more before—"
"Why are you here?"
The black haired man closed his mouth at the question. Her tone of voice was calm, and if he didn't know her any better Harry would bet she was having a normal conversation with her, but he was capable of the detecting the hint of confusion and resent that laced her words. He sighed and took a sip of his own coffee, absently noting that Hermione hadn't even touched the cup he had brought to her.
"I came here to…to ask for your help." He admitted.
Hermione's eyes widened again before she scoffed. "Excuse me?"
"I've been assigned to a case this morning, and—"
"I don't work cases anymore, Auror Potter, you know that better than anyone."
Harry nodded defeated. "I know, but this one…it's a case eerily similar to the one from a year ago, Hermione. I'm sure that Malfoy has something to do with it."
The woman sighed heavily. "I don't care. That's not my job anymore, I can't just drop everything here and help you. The Department won't allow that."
"Madam Bones gave you permission," Harry blurted out, taking out the folder and searching for the slip of paper he had been giving moments before. "She signed this—it gives you temporary status as a prosecutor."
Hermione stared at him before her hands grabbed the offered paper; he was telling the truth. Amelia's signature was on the dotted line.
"Who's working on this?" She asked, frowning. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't considering it—the opportunity to return, even if it was temporary, to her prosecutor duties was incredibly tempting.
"Just me…and you, if you say yes, of course," Harry admitted, and his heart broke a little when he spied the way Hermione's eyes hardened even more and the curious shine on her eyes extinguished.
"I'm going to have to decline, Auror," She stated, voice sharp as she pushed the paper back to him. "I have duties here I need to attend."
"Hermione, please—" Harry started. "I know I'm the last person you want to work with in this whole department—"
"You're correct—"
"—But, listen, they want this case solved quickly and in secret." Harry sighed. "You're the best partner I can ask for in this case, Hermione…"
The woman stared at him, and for a second the black haired man swore she was considering it before she scoffed softly and shook her head. "I can't. If that'll be all, I'm going to ask you to leave now."
"Hermione—"
"Don't make me raise a formal complaint, Auror."
Sufficiently threatened, Harry sighed defeated and got up from his chair to walk towards the door. His hands gripped the folder on his hands until his knuckles were white, and before he could leave the small office he turned around and walked over to the desk again.
"Auror Potter—"
"It's Harry, for Merlin's sake," He grumbled, depositing the folder again on the desk, he stared at the woman with pleading eyes. "Please, think about it. I really need you with me on this."
With that, Harry turned around and left through the door, all the while missing Hermione's gaze on his back as he retreated.
0o0o0o0o0o0o
"So…how was it?"
Harry scowled at James. His father was sitting down on the younger man's chair, inside his cubicle. He had his feet up, propped on the surface of the untidy desk belonging to the younger Auror.
"It went just fine," Harry grumbled, pushing his father's legs off of his desk and leaning into it, crossing his arms.
"She said no, didn't she?"
The younger man's scowl deepened further for a second before his shoulders slumped, defeated, and he sighed. "Yeah…She immediately refused when she found out we were going to be working together."
"Ouch." James winced.
Harry hummed. "But I asked her to think about it. I'm hoping she'll say yes."
"I still don't get why it's so important for you to work with her," James sighed. "I know you were friends, son, but she's not the only employee that worked on that case, even if you two were the main ones. Anybody would be happy to assist you."
Harry groaned and shook his head. "Yeah, I know, but Hermione…trust me. Hermione is the best choice for this."
"Really?" The hint of skepticism on his father's voice immediately enraged him.
"Yeah," He answered. "She is. Losing the case against Malfoy shouldn't be the end of her career. She was a brilliant prosecutor, and I know you thought that too. Stop being so hard on her."
James eyebrows raised to his hairline, surprised at the fierce show of commitment from Harry. The younger man blew a breath out of his nose and rubbed his eyes tiredly.
"You're right." James admitted. "I'm sorry, it's just…if we don't catch them again…"
"We will," Harry interrupted. "Stop having so little faith in me, alright? Now leave me alone. I have paperwork to finish."
"And what of your partner?" The older man got up from the chair.
"I…I'll ask her tomorrow, see what her answer is."
James nodded slowly and promptly left the cubicle, while Harry slumped on his chair and ruffled through the papers on his desk. His mind, not quite on the information he was reading, started to think on just what he was going to say to the bushy haired witch the next day.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Hermione's shift ended at five sharp. There were still fifteen minutes to the anticipated hour, but she had already packed everything into her drawers and was now standing, shrugging in her coat and grabbing her briefcase.
A knock interrupted her thoughts of dinner, and wondering who might be, Hermione walked over and opened the door.
Standing in the entrance to her office was Amelia Bones, the Head of the department herself, and her former boss.
"Madam Bones," Hermione said, surprised. "Come in. What can I help you with?"
"Well," Amelia said, walking inside the office and signaling to the chair in front of the desk. When the younger woman nodded, she took a sit swiftly and looked at her companion. "I was wondering why I hadn't seen you around the Auror Office today. Did Auror Potter failed to tell you about his choice of a partner?"
Hermione sighed irritated. "No. He came in before lunch and told me everything."
"And?"
"I refused."
Amelia nodded, an amused glint on her eye. "I figured. May I ask why?"
"I don't think I can work with him again," Hermione mumbled. "Not after…"
"Ah, yes, after the whole incident with the Malfoy case, yes?" Amelia asked.
"Right."
The older woman said nothing as she stared at the bushy haired witch, thinking hard on her next words. "Mistakes are made all the time, Miss Granger. One of them shouldn't define your career."
Hermione scoffed. "Yeah, well, everyone but you seems to think so, ma'am."
"Auror Potter was adamant that he get you as his partner for the case," Amelia commented. "We both know he's not blameless for your situation. I think this is his way of trying making up for it."
"It's not enough," Hermione whispered.
"I never said it was, I said he was trying," Amelia conceded.
The bushy haired woman wringed her hands nervously, her eyebrows furrowing even more with each passing second. "I don't know if I can go back to work the case knowing that I'll be back here afterwards. Don't get me wrong…This office is important, but…"
"But it's not what you want to do, and it's not what you worked for. I get it." Amelia stated. "Between you and me, though, there's no guarantee that you won't stay as a prosecutor after the case."
Hermione reaction was instant; her eyes widened and her mouth dropped. "I can get a transfer back to the main part of the department?"
"Yes, if you do a good job on the case, which you will," Amelia smiled. "I think you've been out of your prosecutor robes long enough, don't you? Work the case with Auror Potter and I promise you you'll be back to your old office with your job back."
As Hermione nodded, eyes unfocused, Amelia got up from the chair and walked over to the door, opening it quietly and standing at the entrance before speaking again.
"I know that there was nothing I could've done a year ago," She said. "My hands were tied, but I know you'll work as hard as you always did on this case, and you'll show everyone why you deserve a spot on this department."
Hermione watched as the older woman threw her another small smile before leaving, the door shutting behind her. The bushy haired woman did nothing but stare at the door, thoughts swirling around her mind.
The moment Amelia had said she had an opportunity to get her old job back, Hermione knew that she'd take it no matter what…even if it meant working with Harry Potter again.
With a heavy sigh, Hermione stood up again and grabbed her briefcase, heading out the door. She smiled and waved at Judy, the elderly lady that worked at the front desk, before leaving the Administrative Registration Department and walking through the long, large hallway that connected every division under the supervision of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
With her quick steps it took her two minutes to arrive at her destination; the Auror Offices looked as chaotic as ever, with several wizards and witches in deep red robes walking from one place to the other, consulting papers, and writing memos that flew away in the shape of a paper plane.
Her heels clicked on the tile floor, and with each step she took towards the back of the cubicles, Hermione felt eyes on her and heard the noise level drop. Some whispers reached her ears, but they weren't loud enough to be deciphered.
Arriving at her destination, she stood next to the desk and knocked on the plastic walls of the cubicle belonging to one Auror Harry James Potter.
He was hunched over his desk, muttering words to himself as he crossed sentences or circled passages on a large piece of parchment full of information. The knock on his cubicle startled him slightly, and he turned around with a curious expression to be met with the face he had seen just hours before.
Harry blinked once before clearing his throat and getting up from his chair, patting down his wrinkled robes and smiling nervously.
"Hey," He whispered. The sudden realization that there was almost no noise coming from the office spurred him to look around; all his coworkers stared at them, but immediately ducked their heads when they realized they had been made. Eventually, and it only took a couple of moments, everyone went back to their respective job.
"Can I help you?" Harry asked, signaling to the small stool he kept next to his desk.
Hermione shook her head, declining the invitation to sit. "I just came by to tell you that I'm in."
"On the…?"
"Case? Yes. I'll work with you." Hermione nodded.
Harry sighed, relieved. "That's—That's great, truly. Thank you."
"Hmmm, see you tomorrow then? I'll need you to bring me up to speed after I finish reading the file," Hermione stated, and Harry hated the way her voice sounded so polite and distant, as if she was talking to a stranger.
"Yeah," He coughed. "We can meet up tomorrow morning. I'll have everything related to the case out for you and we can go over it."
Hermione nodded. "See you tomorrow, then. Good evening, Auror Potter."
"Goodbye," Harry waved.
Nobody spoke until Hermione had made her way out of the offices and into the lift, and when it disappeared upwards Harry found himself the subject of multiple eyes as they stared at him, willing the black haired man to tell them what had happened.
Harry scowled lightly and huffed, returning to the information he had been reading earlier, but his chest burst with small hope at the thought of working with Hermione again.
0o0o0o0o0o
Hermione Granger wandered off the carriage and towards the Hogwarts entrance, eyes traveling to every place she could as she tried to take in the surroundings of her new school.
Beauxbatons grounds had been sunnier and brighter, and while there was a certain heaviness to the fogged and cold atmosphere of the castle, Hermione could hear the laughs and see the hugs of the students in front of her, and that made the tall building look a little less frightening with each step that she took.
She was sorted in private, as was the custom of new students that were beyond First Year, and as her robes lining changed to crimson red—Gryffindor's colors—she made her way through the entrance of the Great Hall along with the other students and found a place at the large Gryffindor table.
Her nerves started to act up as she watched everyone mingling; friends catching up with each other, couples reuniting, new acquaintances solidifying their friendship…it seemed as if everyone here knew each other—of course they did—and Hermione's heart started to beat faster at the thought of having to put herself out there to meet new people.
She had very few friends, but they were all back in France while she was here in Scotland, and she suddenly wondered if moving to her home country had been the best idea—
She cut off that thought. It had been. Her mother needed her. She could survive a year without friends…she'd done it before.
The Sorting Ceremony was fascinating to watch; all of the small kids seemed happy to sit with the talking hat and walk to their respective tables, and Hermione found herself clapping along her house as she watched several new lions join them. When all was said and done, Headmaster Dumbledore raised his hand and signaled the start of the feast.
Hermione's nerves were still present, so she tried her best to compose her breathing and served herself a hearty meal as her eyes traveled through the whole room, taking in the decorations and the ancient stone structure of the—
A sound to her right snapped her out of her thoughts and her head turned around to see a black haired boy sitting next to her.
"I'm sorry for this but can you please pretend you know me?" He rushed out, and before Hermione could react another girl showed up next to them.
"So, Harry, you're free then?" She asked, voice sickly sweet as she baited her eyelashes at him.
"Um, no," The boy, apparently named Harry, answered. "My friend and I need to, uh, catch up."
"Your friend?" The girl turned towards Hermione and sneered.
The bushy haired girl lifted an eyebrow; the girl reminded her too much of some of her classmates back at Beauxbatons, and not in a good way.
"Your friend can wait, can she not? I'm sure you'd rather go with me." The girl was insistent, and Hermione felt bad by the way Harry tensed up and was clearly displeased.
"Actually," Hermione spoke before she could think about it. "I haven't seen Harry in years, I've only come back to England this summer. I've been dying to catch up with him for weeks."
Harry turned to her and she caught his relieved and grateful expression as he smiled. "That's right! I've missed her all these years, so I'm going to have to decline for the time being. We have a lot of things to catch up on!"
The girl was clearly angry, but she huffed and threw one last glare at Hermione before she stormed over back to the table with the blue lined robes, and the bushy haired girl lifted an eyebrow at the boy sitting next to her.
"I'm sorry for that," He whispered, smiling at her. "She's been after me for months and as much as I'd love to do something about, she hasn't been mean enough to warrant a spell or something. She's just…"
"Annoying and making you uncomfortable?" Hermione supplied.
"Yeah, that," He laughed a little and then turned to her. "Oh, I'm Harry. Harry Potter. Thank you for the save, truly."
"It was nothing," Hermione waved it off. "I'm Hermione Granger, it's nice to meet you.
"So… you're new here, right?"
Hermione smiled and nodded, and from then on conversation flowed easily between them until dinner ended.