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09. 04. 91
"I've been flying ever since I could." came the loud, obnoxious voice of Draco Malfoy from the opposite work table to hers. It irked her to no end that she and Entwhistle had been placed at the table facing Malfoy and Goyle's.
"My father's just bought me the Nimbus 2000, I bet I could beat anyone here at a match." the boy said proudly.
Hermione frowned, "Why does having a better broom matter so much?" she whispered to her partner, "Talent is indispensable, no matter what the sport is. A prize stallion is worthless if its rider doesn't know how to steer the reins."
"What was that, Granger?" sneered Malfoy from the other table.
"Nothing, Malfoy," she sniffed prissily, "I was just saying that anyone can have a good broom, but it doesn't matter if they don't have a lick of talent in their bones. Honestly, you sound so horribly nouveau riche, with all the bragging you're doing Malfoy."
"My family goes back three centuries, Granger. We're anything but nouveau." he growled.
"Mine goes back nine hundred years." she said matter-of-factly. "So you're still nouveau compared to me."
"Silence!" snapped Professor Snape at the teachers table, making them all fall quiet.
Hermione eyed the dormant broomstick warily. If her father had had his way, she would be sitting out of the class, away from the risk of falling twenty feet from a broom. In her mind, she had taken to chanting that it was just like riding a horse, except it was a broom, and it had no reins, and was a hundred percent more dangerous.
The rest of the first year class was lined up around her, in varying states of enthusiasm. She could see Ernie Macmillan at the end of the line looking like he was close to an apoplectic fit from all the waiting.
"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch, a silver haired woman with brilliant green eyes, "and say UP!"
"UP!" everyone shouted around her while she said it half-heartedly.
The broom only twitched a little, but other than that, stayed motionless on the grass. Looking around, she saw most of the class hadn't gotten it on the first try either. Choruses of even more "Up's!" arose from the group, and when all of the class finally had their brooms in hand, Madam Hooch ordered them to get on and hover.
Filled with doubt, she put a leg over the broom and held it as it hovered under her. Just as her feet began to lift off the ground, Madam Hooch called for everyone to stop.
"Come back, boy!" shouted the gameskeeper. Hermione's attention was then drawn to a Gryffindor boy, who she had heard the others call 'Navel?'. The boy was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle - twelve feet - twenty feet. His scared white face could be seen even from the ground a his broom wavered unsteadily - and WHAM - a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay facedown on the grass in a heap.
Madam Hooch quickly walked to the groaning boy, "Broken wrist," they heard her mutter "Come on, boy - it's all right, up you get."
She turned to the rest of the class. "None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."
As soon as the two were out of earshot, Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherins broke into laughter.
"Did you see his face, the great lump?" Malfoy howled.
"Shut up, Malfoy." snapped Parvati, who had been standing next to the injured boy.
Hermione drowned them out as one girl taunted Parvati. Her eyes drawn to a shining orb on the grass. Right before she could mention to Anthony Goldstein, who stood beside her, it caught Malfoy's eye.
"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."
"Give that here, Malfoy." said Harry Potter.
Padma had told her all about Harry Potter, and how his parents had sacrificed their lives to save him in the last days of Voldemort's terror. The orphaned boy had been adopted by his godfather right after, but the infamy of having his parents be the last people killed by the Dark Lord stuck with him.
"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find - how about - up a tree?" Malfoy said, smiling nastily.
"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he could fly well. Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"
"Are they allowed to do that?" she hissed to Anthony, who was busy watching the two boys zip through the air.
"I reckon they aren't." Anthony said, "But Potter can sure fly. Oh, look at that!"
Hermione turned to watch just in time to see Potter lunge for the Rememberall, catching it right as it was about to drop just a foot from the ground.
"HARRY POTTER!"
They all turned to see a frazzled looking Professor McGonagall running toward them. Hermione hid a smirk, although she was glad that Potter had retrieved the Rememberall, she hated when rules were broken. The whole class watched as the professor led Potter back into the castle.
Padma approached her friend as the chatter and excitement died down. Madam Hooch still hadn't come back, so they were all just waiting around in groups.
"So, how did you like your first try at flying, Hermione?" asked her friend. The rest of the Ravenclaws turned to listen in.
"I can't decide for sure, since it was only really a second in the air," she smiled honestly, "But I think I'd much rather ride my horse than a broom."
"You ride horses?" Kevin asked, eyes wide.
"I do," she said, grinning proudly, "I've had Frost, my horse, ever since I was a little girl."
A huff sounded from one of the other Ravenclaw girls.
"Is something wrong, Lisa?" she asked, frowning at the blonde. The other girl hadn't talked to her very much, even though they shared a dorm, and always seemed so cold towards her.
"Oh, it's nothing," Lisa said, "I just find it hard to believe that you have a horse, is all. They're incredibly expensive, you know."
Hermione frowned even deeper, "Yes, I know, but Frost was a gift from my grandfather."
Turpin rolled her eyes, "You expect us to believe that?"
"Are you suggesting that I'm lying?" she said, taken aback.
"Of course not, I'm just saying that it's a nice story." the snooty girl said.
Hermione's eyes narrowed with barely concealed rage. It took all she had to turn to Padma calmly and say she was going to the loo. Once she and her friend had entered the castle, she let out an angry huff. Her temper wasn't one she could control even at the best of times, but for the sake of her image, she had to reel it in. It wouldn't do well to throw a tantrum and expose herself.
"Are you alright, Hermione?" Padma asked.
"I'm fine." she sighed, "I just don't understand why Lisa would think that I'm lying."
Padma patted her shoulder consolingly, "She's just jealous, Hermione. Don't let her get to you."
"But that doesn't mean she can be so horrid to me." Hermione pouted.
"It's just the way it is." Padma said sadly, "It doesn't matter anyway. Lisa hasn't really made any friends since the start of school, so I don't think anyone will believe all that poppycock. You've been so nice to everyone, really, and you haven't given us a reason to think you're lying at all. I for one, don't think you are. I'm sure Lisa was just making things up. How much can horses be, really?"
Hermione bit her lip, "I -I'm not sure, but I think I heard my father sell one of our prized stallions for two thousand pounds which is about a hundred and fifty or so galleons?"
Padma's eyes seemed to widen in alarm, "Oh! Well, I - I wasn't expecting that." she said, chuckling, "Well, never mind that, it's almost time for Charms."
09. 19. 91
Hermione walked into the Great Hall after getting ready for the day, she had sneaked in an hour of ballet practice before breakfast and was planning on another hour during her break after lunch. Joining Padma at the Ravenclaw table, she poured herself a cup of tea. She didn't expect anyone to know what today meant for her, truly, since she hadn't told anyone. Which was fine with her, it wasn't much of a big deal.
That train of thought left her as the daily mail owls started flying into the Great Hall. A group of six owls had flown in, carrying with them a large pale blue parcel. Several students turn their heads to see who the recipient was, and when the owls landed right in front of her, she flushed in embarrassment and glee. Neither her father or mother mentioned anything in their last letter to her, and it was a pleasant surprise that they had sent her something.
She plucked the note hanging from the white silk ribbon wrapped around the box.
'To our dearest Hermione,
Happiest of birthdays, to you. We miss you so much, little love. Your father had Leopold bake a little something for you and your friends - one of your favorites! Have a blessed birthday, dearest.
Love,
Mother
She smiled happily, setting the note aside to open up her present.
"Hermione!" Padma gasped, "You didn't tell me it was your birthday!"
She smiled sheepishly, "It slipped my mind?"
Padma shook her head, but grinned nonetheless, "Well, happy birthday, then! Go on, open your present, everyone's waiting!"
Hermione paused in her unwrapping to see that most of her friends had stopped in the middle of her meal to find out what she had gotten. A chorus of 'Happy Birthday!" was heard as they realized they had been found out. She let out a bout of thanks and resumed untying the pretty bow on top of the box. When it was undone, the four sides of the box fell open to reveal dozens of pink religieuse pastries on top of a two tiered crystal serving tray. Under the pastries were two smaller presents waiting to be opened.
She slid the presents out from under the serving tray, and onto her lap, and placed the pastries in the middle of the table, smiling at the surrounding students, who were eyeing the pink and gold confections in awe.
"Would you like some?" she asked, "Mother told me they were meant for sharing."
"What are they?" asked Mandy Brocklehurst, one of her dorm mates who was quickly becoming known for her hip length, raven colored hair.
"Religieuse pastries," Hermione replied, "they're basically cream puffs with rose petal icing and sugar pearls."
"Can we really have some?" asked Terry Boot, who was gazing at the pastries longingly.
"Of course," she grinned, "I can't possibly finish it myself."
The other Ravenclaws grinned at her thankfully and suddenly in was a flurry of hands as they all clambered to get a cream puff. Shocked, Hermione leaned back, never having seen such atrocious manners. When the chaos subsided, and just a few pastries were left on the tray, Padma laughed at Hermione's look of shock.
"Come on, Mione, you still have two more presents to open!" the other girl said, pointing at the boxes in her lap.
Hermione grinned at her friend, and proceeded to carefully unwrap the gifts. She pulled out a pair of deep blue and bronze silk robes from the bigger box, knowing immediately that it was from her mother.
"Those are beautiful." Padma gasped, touching the cloth, enamored.
Hermione smiled, "They're from my mother. She loves that wizarding clothing is so different from muggle clothing. She was playing around with different designs over the summer. I told her our house colors the moment I was Sorted."
"I've never see robes like that at Madam Malkin's." Mandy said, finishing off the last of her cream puff.
"No, I don't think you would." Hermione nodded, "Mother's a bit picky about clothes. She has someone make them for her, I think. I've never thought to ask."
She set aside the large box, and began opening the smaller one, smiling happily at its contents - a new set of oil paints and brushes.
"You paint, Hermione?" asked Padma in surprise.
"Yes, but I haven't really found the time recently." she lied, thinking about the unfinished painting in her secret studio.
"That's too bad." Padma frowned.
"Lisa?" Hermione called to the girl on the opposite side of the table, "Didn't you get a pastry?"
The girl in question had had her eyes narrowed at the almost empty tray of cream puffs for the past five minutes. Hermione hadn't seen her take one. Even though the girl had been quite rude to her ever since, Hermione wasn't one to hold grudges easily.
"I don't want one." Lisa huffed, crossing her arms.
"Why not? Are you allergic?" asked Hermione worriedly.
"No," Lisa spat, "I just don't fancy my friendship bought over by a few fancy pastries."
Hermione's eyes widened in shock, "I - I'm not trying to buy anyone off!"
Lisa sneered, "It seems that way to me, little Miss Perfect, but I think you're forgetting that I'm a Muggleborn too. Am I supposed to believe you're so incredibly fancy when your parents are dentists?"
Hermione gulped, trying not to express the horror she felt. Had she already been found out?
"Remember what I said Hermione." Padma whispered, "Don't let her get to you."
She nodded stiffly, but stood none the less, her bofy felt like lead standing up.
"I'm just going back to the tower." she said lamely, "Excuse me,"
"I'm telling you." she heard Lisa say as she walked away, "She's lying to all of us."
As she walked out of the Great Hall, busy trying to tamp down the feeling of unease at how careless she had been, she never noticed the calculating pair of silver eyes that had been following her every move since the owls had brought in the extravagant birthday present into the room.
a/n: this story is beginning to sound very self-indulgent. it makes me cringe when I re-read it to edit.
edit: thank you dannyderailed for pointing out a historical error! Slight oversight in that I forgot to doublecheck before posting the chapter.