On Teenagers and Love

a story by anamatics

part three - the fog

Chapter 25 - On Problems and Departures

AN: A few people have commented asking 'why doesn't Hermione just reach out to someone else to help with the memory charms' and honestly, has Hermione ever done that... ever? She's very authoritarian in the books, to the point where her rule following is her Achilles' heel, yet she's also very willing to break the rules/do things herself if she thinks her actions are justified and within her rights (e.g. the Polyjuice Potion, the curse on the DA list, taking care of her parents memories). I feel like people aren't reading carefully where Hermione very clearly tries to have a conversation with her parents (read back a few chapters) and is effectively shut down by them. She feels she has no choice. I will not be addressing this again because it's a silly complaint/comment that has been addressed in the text.


Hermione isn't sure what to make of Harry's continued lessons with Dumbledore when she hears tell of the next one and of how desperately Tom Riddle tried to get a job at Hogwarts. She understands why, though, as Harry explains the memory Dumbledore's shown him. There's a parallel there that they're all a little bit uncomfortable with. Riddle' journey – Voldemort's journey – is a lot like Harry's in all the ways that Hermione knows could potentially set the same events in motion with him.

It's late, they're sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry's lying on the sofa, his legs draped over the arm, flipping through his potions textbook and waving his wand around mouthing words. Hermione's sitting by the fire, Crookshanks in her lap as Ron scribbled rapidly on a parchment beside her. He'd left his essay for Professor Snape off, and had spent an inordinate amount of time worrying about the upcoming apparition test they were meant to take on 21 April. It was still so far away, Hermione was certain she'd have it sorted by then, but Ron's panicking wasn't so certain. Harry, at least is finished with is essay and Hermione's already checked it over. He's instead deep in thought about how to get Slughorn to tell him the ruth about the altered memory, flipping through and dogearing pages of his book, ignoring Hermione's increasing irritation at his doing so.

"You can't just force someone into doing what you want – the stupid Prince can't help you with that either." She frowns. "The only way to do that's the imperius curse, which is illegal—"

In her lap, Crookshanks stretches.

"I'm trying to find another way, thanks," Harry snaps back.

"You're supposed to persuade him, Harry. It isn't a matter of slipping Slughorn a potion, anyone can do that."

Ron, from the table, frowns at his paper. "I think my quill's acting up, or I'm losing my mind."

Hermione pulls his essay from his hands and frowns. "We were asked to describe how we'd deal with dementors, not dug-bogs…and your name Roonil Wazlib, is it?"

From the sofa, Harry snorts. "Charm's wearing off, Ron."

"Must be." Hermione agrees.

"No!" Ron looks horror stricken. "Will I have to copy it down again?"

Sighing, Hermione nudges Crookshanks off her lap and pulls out her wand. "We can fix it."

"You're a star," Ron says.

"Ta," Hermione answers. "Though, Ron, Lav mentioned something to me the other day."

"What?"

"She was upset, thought I was trying to make a move on you because of what happened in Slughorn's office." Hermione sets the essay down in her now cold lap and taps her wand against the parchment to fix the first spelling mistake. This was going to take some time. "Which is utterly ridiculous."

"Yeah, you have Fleur," Ron agrees. "Though I sort of wish you would – so she'd ditch me."

"Why don't you ditch her if you want to finish it?" asks Harry.

"You haven't ever chucked anyone, have you? You and Cho just —" Ron scrubs a hand over his face.

"Sort of fell apart, yeah," says Harry.

"Wish that would happen with me and Lavender," says Ron gloomily. "But the more I hint I want to finish it, the tighter she holds on. It's like going out with the giant squid."

Some twenty minutes later, Hermione's finished the essay and has passed it and her quill over to Ron so he can finish his conclusion. The paper isn't half bad, and Ron will probably muster an acceptable given how harshly Snape grades. They're alone in the common room and Hermione debates getting up and going to bed when there's a crack and first Kreacher, and then Dobby appear.

"What's going on?" Hermione demands.

What follows is both confusing and also horrifying in equal measure. Harry has evidentially decided that using house elves to follow Draco Malfoy around is a worthwhile way to spend their time. What's more is that he's ordered Kreacher to do it, which Hermione simply cannot stomach. She isn't really listening until Harry starts excitedly talking about the Room of Requirement and how this has to be where Malfoy's been disappearing off to when they can't find him on the Marauders Map.

Soon though, it seems as though Malfoy is the most exciting puzzle for Harry, drawing away from his current task. Hermione got to her feet and stretched. "Harry, before you get all excited, I still don't think you'll be able to get into the Room of Requirement without knowing what's there first. And I don't think you should forget" — she heaves her bag onto her shoulder and stares down her nose at him — "that what you're supposed to be concentrating on is getting that memory from Slughorn. Good night."


"I can't believe you're actually leaving," Ron says. He's sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace and scowling at it. Hermione suspects that he's just had a row with Lavender, given how she'd passed Lavender stomping up the stairs to their dorm, her eyes red and cheeks blotchy. "You never go anywhere at Easter."

"I don't even understand why wizards celebrate Easter," Hermione shoots back. She's carrying her schoolbag, but tucked inside of it is her beaded bag, which Hermione has carefully packed with everything she needs for two weeks in France with Fleur.

And Fleur's family. Hermione swallows.

Ron looks thoughtful for a moment. "You know, I never thought about it that way. I just enjoy the reading time to catch up on work, sleep, eat."

"Fight with Lavender?"

He sighs. "It's alright. I'll get it sorted."

"Be gentle Ron," Hermione says. "For her sake."

He waves a hand and Hermione climbs out of the portrait hole and makes her way down to Professor McGonagall's office. There's a small queue of students waiting outside her door to use her floo. Everyone looks warry, no one is talking. When it's Hermione's turn, she looks down at the address Fleur's sent her and looks to Professor McGonagall. "This is alright for international?"

"To the continent only, further and you'll have to take the train."

Hermione takes a handful of floo powder. "No worries then."

"Be careful, Miss Granger. Give my best to Fleur."

"Of course," Hermione says, and steps into the flames.