Chapter 10 – Peas and Peppermint
HG
The first week of class was filled with revisions, seeing what they remembered from last year. Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape even gave them the assignment to write an essay on last year's lessons. Hermione was sitting alone in the common room as she wrote her essay on a sleeping draught. She was curled up in a ball on an armchair close to the fire. The others all went out to practice quidditch before try-outs, she assumed Lee was with them, practicing his commenting because he was nowhere to be seen.
She had just written the last sentence of her essay when Harry flopped down on the couch near her. She lifted the head and looked up at the boy.
"Hi, Harry."
"Oh, hi Hermione." Harry tore his gaze away from the fire and looked at her. "Where is your gang?"
"Gang?" Hermione chuckled. "They are playing quidditch." She pointed out the window. "Where is Ron?"
"Going to get his chess game from our room. He wants to teach me."
"He's quite good at it. I've seen him play when I visited their house." She said as she rolled up her essay and put it in her bag. "So, how did the first few days go?"
"We didn't get lost again, if that's what you're asking." He grinned. "It went okay, it's a lot you know." And Hermione nodded, as she completely agreed. It was a lot harder coming from muggles then for the others. "Professor Snape seems to hate me though."
"Oh, no." Hermione waved her hand. "He's like that with almost everyone."
"Except the Slytherins." He grunted.
"Yeah." Hermione said slowly. "Having any trouble with them?"
"Mostly just Malfoy and his goonies. I think his father works at the ministry or something, because he can't shut up about him."
"I've got it!" Ron's voice filled the room as he bounded down the stairs, holding his chest game in the air.
"I'll let you two play." Hermione said as she grabbed her bag and climbed out of her armchair. "Don't be late for dinner, even with Ron's appetite, he can forget it if he's too lost in the game." Hermione smiled at Harry, who grinned with a nod.
Hermione got her bag and placed it over her shoulder before she headed out of the common room to the library. The common room had gotten too crowded just before dinner, so she needed a quiet place to finish her work. When she entered the library for the first time that year, she inhaled deeply. Taking in the scent of parchment, leather, overall, the scent of old books. Hermione made her way to the back of the library, to her usual spot with Cedric. She was surprised to see it was taken, and not by Cedric, but by the lonely Slytherin. Hermione made a move to turn around and looked for another table when Zabini pushed his books aside, clearing a space for her. She glanced around the library, but since they were in the back, hidden behind rows of books, no one was there. She walked closer and slowly lowered her bag to the ground next to the seat. When the boy didn't say anything, or even look up, she sat down and pulled out her books. She grabbed her Transfiguration paper and started on her Vera Verto essay. The odd pair said nothing as they both worked on their school assignments. Even when Hermione was done with her essay, she pulled out the third-year charms book and started reading it. She felt the eyes of the boy on her and when she peaked above her book, he quickly casts his eyes back down. She didn't know how long they sat there reading, writing but she was startled when some called out for her.
"Mi! I thought I would find you here." Cedric's voice boomed through the silent library; they heard several students behind the rows of books hush him. But he didn't pay them any mind as he looked confused between her and Zabini. "Uhm... Ready for dinner?" He asked slowly, watching the Slytherin.
"Yeah." She packed up her books and stood up. She looked at the boy in front of her, but when he didn't look up, she followed Cedric out the library.
HG
"So," Cedric started after the walked in silence for a few minutes. "Care to explain?" He cocked an eyebrow at her.
"What?" Hermione looked up at him. "He was sitting at our spot when I arrived at the library, and he made room for me to sit."
"What did he say to you?"
"Nothing. No, I mean it." She added at Cedric's disbelieved face. "He just pushed his books aside and we studied in silence." She said as they arrived at the Great Hall. When she turned to the Gryffindor table, Cedric stopped her as he took a hold of her hand.
"This way, remember?" He grinned, giving her hand a pull.
"Oh, right." She grinned sheepishly.
"It's fine really. Come on." He dragged her with him, chuckling. Eyes followed them as they walked to the Hufflepuff table. He only let her hand go as they sat down at the table in front of Gavin and Matt.
"Why is everyone watching?" Hermione whispered to the three boys.
"Well, Cedric here has been the centre of many women's attention this year." Matt explained in a serious tone.
"School has only just started." Hermione grinned.
"Doesn't stop them, they've been following him around like puppies." Gavin laughed.
"You're exaggerating." Cedric rolled his eyes as he filled Hermione's plate before his.
"Really?" Gavin cocked an eyebrow, nudging his head to the table behind him. Hermione and Cedric craned their necks to look past the two boys. A small group of second-year girls were giggling and waving to Cedric. Hermione let out an unladylike snort before she started laughing. The three boys looked at her for a moment before the chimed in.
"What about you two?" Hermione asked the two Hufflepuffs when her laughter died down.
"Matt here, has his eyes on one girl only." Gavin nudged his best friend.
"And who might that be?" Hermione inquired. The boy flushed under the attention.
"Uhm, she's a muggle girl, back home. Her name is Holly."
"But he hasn't mustered up the courage to do something about it." Cedric chimed in.
"Oh, don't you two gang up on me." Matt pointed at his friends. "I don't want to rush things."
"Rush things? You've known her since you were six!"
"Oh, let him be." Hermione chastised them.
"Thanks Hermione." He smiled at her. "I just think we're too young."
"Hm." Hermione said taking the boy in. "You're only 13?"
"Fourteen in two months." He said quietly.
"See, plenty of time." She smiled at him before she turned to Gavin. "What about you?"
Cedric started to laugh loudly next to her. She turned to him in surprise, eyebrows high. "He wishes!" Cedric choked out between laughs; Matt laughed with him as Gavin started to throw his peas at him.
HG
The conversation changed to classes and the new teachers. And while the boys discussed their latest Transfiguration class, Hermione's eyes drifted across the great hall, ignoring the girls that looked at her with a frown. Her eyes found Katie and they smiled at each other. She had told Katie she was going to sit with Cedric, but she just realised she didn't tell the others. When the others saw what Katie was looking at, five additional heads turned to her. She saw Katie's lips move, probably explaining to them why she was sitting there. So, she gave the group a wave. They smiled and waved back, except for the twins, they turned in their seats in an instant. Katie shrugged her shoulders as her eyes went from her to the twins. Hermione shook it off as her eyes drifted once again. Now they found Harry's who was facing her, while Ron had his back towards the Hufflepuff table. Harry looked surprised seeing her at the yellow covered table, his eyes going back and forward from her to the others. Then her eyes found Zabini, he was sitting a little further from the rest of the first years and book propped against his goblet, much like Hermione did, as he read as he ate. His focus solely on the book. She tore her eyes away from him, when she felt a nudge in her side.
"Didn't you tell Fred and George?" Cedric asked, his eyes darted between her and the Gryffindor table.
"I forgot. But why does it matter where I sit?"
"I told you they're very protective of you."
"But I'm sitting with you, what do they think is going to happen?"
"Maybe they're afraid one of Cedric's admirers is going to hurt you for sitting with him." Gavin laughed. Cedric and Hermione grabbed a hand full of peas and both tossed it at him. Just when the peas hit them on the head, the food disappeared as dessert filled the tables. Gavin was still picking peas out of his robes as Hermione ate from her fruit salad, she couldn't contain a chuckle when Gavin's arm disappeared completely in his robes, pulling out dozens of peas from it.
After dessert, Hermione and Cedric parted ways with the two other Hufflepuffs as they made their way to Professor McGonagall's office. The corridor of the professor's office was empty, their footsteps echoing loudly in the hall.
"You can invite the others too, if you want." Cedric said suddenly, his voice sounded loudly in the empty corridor, even though he spoke soft. "At the Hufflepuff table, we don't mind."
"I'll tell them." She smiled up at the Hufflepuff. Cedric stopped walking at knocked on the professor's door.
"Come in." McGonagall's voice came through the closed door. Cedric dropped his hand from the wooden door to the doorknob, pushing the door gently open. The professor stood up from behind her desk, gesturing them over. "I hope you had a nice dinner."
Hermione stiffened next to Cedric as they stopped in front of her desk.
"It's quite alright, Hermione. You can sit at any table you'd like." The professor smiled, and instantly Hermione's shoulders relaxed, sending a small glare to the boy next to her as he whispered.
"Told you so."
'Let's get started. Sit down, please." When the two of them sat down in front of the Transfiguration professor, she offered them some tea, which they both accepted. "Alright." McGonagall pulled out a piece of parchment from her top drawer.
"The essays were all done perfectly, so you don't need to repeat them this year. You have put in your notes that Mrs Diggory helped with the incantations for the potions."
"Yes, professor."
"Professor Snape would like to go over potions with you, not to worry." She added. "He just wants to see if you know how to do them yourself." Her finger went down on the parchment. "Ah, charms. Professor Flitwick was impressed by your extensive essays as was I. And we both like to see you perform the spells you learned about this summer. We'll give you some time to practice them and we'll meet after dinner on the first Monday of October." She looked up from the parchment, her eyes flickering between the two.
"How did it go? Working together this summer."
"It went great, I least I thought so." He grinned at Hermione.
"We make great partners." Hermione agreed.
"Excellent, Mr. Diggory, do you mind helping Hermione learn the spells and incantations the next few weeks?"
"Certainly not, professor."
The professor smiled as she scribbled something down on another piece of parchment. "Professor MacGavin was quite impressed with you this week. He's going to keep an eye on you too, once you've caught up on last year and this year's lessons, he wants to see what you can do from the third-year curriculum." She put all the parchments on a pile as she placed them on the side of the table before she folded her hands together in front of her on the desk. "You two have done great work this summer. Hermione, those extra grades will be inserted at the end of the year, and Mr. Diggory, you will get extra credit too, not only for your help but for your own essays you brought in. This will look good for future job opportunities." She smiled at the two as she grabbed a bowl of sweets. "Peppermint?" She offered. Hermione politely declined as Cedric popped one in his mouth.
"When do I need to go see Professor Snape?"
"Tuesday, after your lesson. You have a free period then, right?" Hermione nodded at the Professor.
"Do I need to be there?" Cedric asked the Professor.
"No, Professor Snape would like to speak to her alone. Mr. Diggory, can I have a moment alone with miss Granger?" The professor asked. Cedric nodded without hesitation, and he grabbed another peppermint before he walked out the room. "Time to refresh your charm on the braces." She smiled. She picked up her wand of her desk and with one swift movement, she had cast the spell. She handed her a note with the incantation and wand movement, so she could practice before the next time it had to be done. After that they stood up and walked over to the door.
"Now you two go back to your common room." The professor smiled at them.
"Good night, Professor." Cedric said, offering his arm for Hermione to take. She looped hers through his, and walked through the corridor, the sky behind the window already getting dark.
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