Hello there! Here's the next chapter, if you like the story so far: yay^^ I'm really sorry for, well, the comma situation...they are my mortal enemy - what is the english comma? Buuut anyway, have fun!
The night brought lightning and storm with it, the wind howling outside the window so loud that one could barely sleep. The invisible claws kept rattling at the windows, nearly breaking them and tore big branches from the trees, moaning on the castle grounds.
Hermione woke with a start, as a particularly large one hit the window of her dorm. Wiping her eyes she reluctantly sat up to look at the clock – 4.30am. Great. The day couldn't have started any better!
Groaning she buried her head in the pillows only to sit up again after a few moments. She knew she most likely wouldn't be able to fall asleep so she could as well get up and do something more productive than try and ignore the roaring thunder sounding every other second. How the other girls in the room could still be in a, what seemed like a rather peaceful, slumber she couldn't understand.
Morosely she shuffled towards the lavatory.
About fifteen minutes later she was able to marvel at the chaos that had awoken her in it's full glory, as the great hall's ceiling, just like always, depicted the heaven outside. On days like this Hermione doubted that designing it that way had been such a great idea – sure, it was quiet beautiful to enjoy for example the Halloween-feast under a black, star-lit sky, while spilling your cereal because of a lightning bolt flashing blindingly through the entire room, shortly followed by thunder making the old walls tremble wasn't really the most amazing experience.
Well, on the other hand the headmaster always had a little odd sense of what was enjoyable. She remembered all too well how in case of panic he used to conjure some firecrackers to calm down the pupils. One might discuss if that was the best way to calm somebody down, but actually it was this kinda whimsical behaviour that made them all like the old man so much.
Lost in her thoughts she let her gaze wander over the very spare amount of people that frequented the hall at this hour. A few teachers, most likely also involuntarily torn from their sleep sat at the professors' table and a handful of students – a certain dark witch to Hermione's ease not being one of them – at the house tables. The atmosphere this Sunday morning could be described as a little crotchety.
She didn't really have that much to do, only a potions essay. It was somehow weird to just...go to school with only having worry about, well, school. Maybe she should see their time here as some sort of vacation, after all they were in no immediate danger and had no death eaters threatening them – or at least not their lifes.
Smiling cynically at that thought she made her way to the library to start writing this essay. Maybe she should start reading more on the side...
A few hours later – you could hardly tell the time with this kind of weather – steps neared the desk she was working on.
"Hey, 'Mione."greeted Harry. "Thought we might find you here, wanna join Luna and me on a little walk?"
"Thank you, Harry, but I have no interest in swimming through the castle grounds."she answered, scratching part of a sentence and rewriting it.
"Oh come on! It stopped raining a while ago and a little bit of fresh air won't do you bad."
She sighed. "But it's still wet...will you leave me alone or do I have to come with?"
He grinned. "Of course you'll have to."
"I suspected something like that."
"Blimey Hermione! You're worse than any cat."
"I don't get why people don't like the rain", Luna chirped in "it's so refreshing. Gets all the bad thoughts out of your head."
Hermione shook her head, while gathering her stuff. "While I quiet doubt that theory, let's better get going before it starts to storm again."
Despite her resisting earlier she had to admit that the air, still carrying the smell of rain, was quite refreshing. Chatting lightly among the three of them they strolled across the castle grounds enjoying each others company.
Somehow their way took them towards the Quidditch pitch, where even on this chilly day there were some figures flying across it.
Hermione could see the longing look in Harry's eyes, him clearly wishing to join. "Shall we go and watch them for a little while?", she asked.
He cleared his throat "Yeah, think I'd like that."
When they were nearing the pitch, Hermione didn't pay too much attention to the players soaring through the air above her head, just as they settled on one of the upper ranks around the field she made out the green colour of their robes, but what did she care? In her time she might have avoided the Slytherins, but here she had other problems, thank you very much. Like for example how to get back to their own time without possibly destroying the entire time line.
She first looked up when Harry said: "She may be about the second worst person in the world, but she sure as hell knows how to fly."
Hermione looked up. "Huh? What are you talking about?"
"Hello, earth to Hermione!", he pointed up, "You might want to open your eyes."
She frowned, but lifted her gaze nonetheless. There above their heads a figure with a mass of dark curls was searing through the air, Quaffle in hand, so quick, you could barely make out the smile gracing her features as she flew towards the rings.
Hermione sunk a bit lower in her seat – being in spell-reach of the other witch usually didn't end up very well, yet she couldn't help but notice that Harry was right.
"She does.", she murmured, following Bellatrix with her eyes while nervously bobbing her leg. Harry lifted an eyebrow, throwing a questioning look her way.
"Nervous?"
she shook her head. "Not really, I'm just awaiting the inevitable."
"And that would be?"
"I think Hermione means Bellatrix noticing her", Luna chirped in, "although she already did."
Hermione turned to look at the blonde. "What?"
"While you were busy dreaming she was looking your way."
Maybe the dark witch would leave her alone for once. She relaxed a little and let herself be pulled into a discussion about the brooms, the Slytherin team was flying. Harry was firmly claiming they were the same ones, which they would use many years later in Madame Hooch's class...
After about an hour the players started packing up their things and chattering among themselves they made their way towards the castle. The three friends also decided to return into the warmth since the damp chill, slowly seeping through their cloths, a carrier of the nearing cold, was starting to get uncomfortable.
Their conversation had at some point drifted towards them recalling events of the past few years...or rather the years to come in the distant future, laughing freely as they walked along the familiar paths.
"So Tonks, posing as McGonnagall tumbled over Creature while giving a lecture about Ron's lack of rhythm-"her narrative got interrupted by a fit of laughter.
"And then" Harry continued grinning, "the actual McGonnagall along with Moody and Kingsley entered the kitchen, catching Tonks from falling down! The look on their faces! I think, Fred even managed to take a photo..."
"We really gotta ask him when we get back-" she hurried to continue, "Do we actually have photos of the DA?"
They all silently agreed to ignore the topic of their return and Luna answered, "I think that friendly boy named Colin was having a camera."
Harry and Hermione exchanged a look. "Yeah, if Colin's in the room, you can be damn sure there are photos taken – my has never been as documented as in second year, he even outdid Rita Skeeter, I think." Harry said.
Hermione shook her head, smiling at the memory. "Apropos DA, I was thinking – now that we kinda don't have that much to do – we might as well get a bit more into duelling, I mean last year we learnt a lot, but still... when it came to fighting off the death eaters...I never felt that helpless."
"I'd like to continue learning, it was really fun last year." Luna smiled.
"Agreed" Harry said, "You're right Her- Watch out!"
Hermione was in the middle of turning around to see, what was the cause of Harry's exclamation, when something hit her from behind, throwing her right into a puddle. She couldn't do so much as scream before she already sat in the mud.
Jumping to her feet she angrily wiped the hair out of her face, leaving a smear of dirt, a by now all to familiar laughter ringing in her ears.
"Aw, did the poor hubbledehoy trip? But at least you must feel at home, right?" Bellatrix lazily hovering above her asked.
Hermione clenched her jaw in barely contained fury. "Black, you just can't seem to show at least some kind of maturity, be it for one second now, can you?"
The other witch fake pouted. "Are you trying to make me responsible for your incapability to walk straight?"
Hermione snorted. "Is it so hard for you to just leave me alone?"
"Wasn't it you, who came to the Quidditch pit?"
"I exist, get the hell over it!"
"I fear I can't since your mere existence is an abomination."
"In the name of Merlin!" Hermione threw up her arms "Name one thing that makes me inferior to you and now don't even start with the whole "existence per say" argument for it is completely unfounded. Use facts for once!"
Bellatrix was quiet, though only for one moment. "If you're so keen on proofing yourself to me, why don't you take up my offer? Have a duel with me and you'll be shown exactly why you are inferior to me."
Hermione massaged her temple. "I declined your offer once and will do it again – it's completely unnecessary to fight when you can just use words."
Bellatrix shrugged and gave Hermione a smile, which she thought might just make her vomit.
"Your decision, Muddy." And with that she flew off.
Hermione let out a frustrated groan.
"Hey, you did the right thing." Harry gazed at her sympathetically.
She just threw a glare in the direction where Bellatrix had disappeared and marched towards the castle. Her friends caught up to her while she drew her wand to clean herself.
"She's never gonna leave me alone.", Hermione murmured.
"She won't. You're the only one standing up to her.", Luna declared.
"And I most definitely won't stop. What is she gonna do? Try to kill me even harder in the future?
Oh don't give me that look, Harry!"
"I remember that mood you're in...I'm just saying in third year, when you punched Malfoy in the face..."
"God, I'm not gonna punch her." she forced a smile on her lips, "Not my time – not my problem."
Harry didn't seem convinced and to be honest she didn't even believe it herself.
The rest of the day flew by rather quickly and before they knew it was time for dinner. They were about to reach the marble stairs, when to their right a loud voice sounded. A unusually large group of students had gathered in the corridor and cause of the voice, as well as most likely reason for the gathering was Bellatrix Black.
When they approached the group, consisting mostly of Slytherins, Bellatrix widened her arms in a ironically welcoming gesture.
"And our guests of honour for the evening have arrived – the ickle inseparable transfer trio."
What did she want now, didn't she cause enough damsel and distress for one day?
As friendly as can be Hermione asked, "What's the meaning of this?" she couldn't help but feel like walking right into a trap.
"So good that you ask! Now at Hogwarts each and every witch or wizard, even those who lack some of the...abilities of their fellow students find a warm welcome and of course be there disagreements forgiveness. Yet for that to happen conflicts have to be resolved, don't they?"
Hermione flashed an emotionless smile. "I suppose one could say so."
"So you agree with me? How convenient! Friday after classes, you and me duel at the black lake."
It had been clear that something like this would come.
"Let's not forget that conflicts can be solved in many ways, the primitive fight clearly not being the one to favour."
Bellatrix grinned as she most likely expected something like that. "And this, Ladies and Gentlefolk is a perfect example of how the magical blood is weakened by muggles – not only do they possess a smaller range of magical abilities, but also less strength of heart, for they are cowards."
Hermione could take quite a lot, she was not the kind of person to run around like a ticking time bomb just waiting to explode at the first best occasion, but enough was enough.
"Fine! Have it your way then! Friday, no dark curses, official duel rules, agreed? Splendid. Now if you'd excuse us, some people would like to get to dinner in time."
Not sparing the other witch another glance Hermione strode past her fellow students and down the stairs. Yes, she was angry, but a tiny little part of her couldn't help but feel at peace. They would put an end to their fighting and Hermione would be damned before she went down without giving this brat of a narcissist hell.
She and her friends sat down at Griffindor table and quietly loaded their plates. When Hermione looked up, the two others were watching her. Harry cleared his throat. "So much for keeping a low profile, huh?"
Hermione smiled apologetically. "You mean taking up the silly offer of a duel on castle grounds, which most likely will be watched by half of the school might attract a little attention? After all I didn't punch her."
Luna snickered at that, while Harry rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, I bet there will be plenty of opportunities in the future. Anyway, now it's done. So, if you don't mind, kick that arsehole's butt, thank you very much."
Hermione laughed at that. "I'll give my best. About that...you guys wouldn't mind paying the room of requirements a visit in the next few days?"
"Of course we'll help you" Harry stated, "as I will help this poor potato that your currently stabbing. Jesus, what has it done to you to deserve such treatment? Did it question elf rights?"
Hermione threw a piece of broccoli at his head. "Oh shut it."
