Quidditch & Hangovers
Monday brought the Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff quidditch match and Hermione had promised to be present to both Ginny and Minerva. She'd slept long and heavily and woken up content for at least two minutes before remembering her required presence in class. It was hard work maintaining an attitude that placated both teachers and students, but she got through it by keeping her head down and focusing on the work at hand.
At three she headed down to the pitch with Luna who shared her Herbology class and squeezed into a pair of empty seats. It looked like the entire school had come to watch and when the teams walked onto the field the stadium roared. Hermione clenched her jaw at the noise but waved at Ginny who spotted the two girls.
When the crowd settled, Madam Hooch gave a quick run down of the rules. A clean, fair game was expected, and the captains shook hands. A quiet settled over the stadium until the whistle was blown and Hermione braced herself for the din that followed.
The announcer was a fourth year who managed to keep track of the game much better than Hermione who winced at every eruption of sound.
"Jaqueline Hobart passes the quaffle to Francis, no, it's been intercepted by Hufflepuff chaser, Lucy Parks. And- OH, an excellently aimed bludger to the back of the head for Parks, with love from Mr Sherman!"
Shouts from the Hufflepuff supporters were followed by chanting from the rest and the sound made it hard for Hermione to keep her composure. She chided herself that there was no danger here, just a bunch of over-enthusiastic teenagers. Yet when Ginny scored another goal tipping the score to their favour, the cheers from the people around them brought a wave of sickness that made her dizzy and panicky.
Sensing the older girl's distress, Luna took her hand and squeezed it, eyes still trained on the match as she leaned close.
"Can we leave?" Luna asked.
Hermione looked at her and saw a tightness around the girl's mouth she had never noticed before.
"Of course," she returned and Luna rose, leading them back to the entrance.
"I don't like loud noises either," Luna said, still walking hand in hand.
Hermione followed, the thickness in her throat fading the further from the clamour they got. "Why not?"
"It reminds me of the battle here. You know how it feels when there's a dementor near-by?"
Hermione nodded. They were heading away from the castle towards the edges of the forest.
"That's what it feels like sometimes. You get it too. So does my dad. He says there's a type of Nargle that makes it worse so he uses amulets to make them go away, but I don't think it works."
They were nearly at the tree line when Hermione replied. "Professor McGonagall said it's an illness."
"I think it is too. He hasn't left the house since he got back from St Mungos. They said he was making himself sick with guilt."
Hermione wondered why she hadn't known this before until she realised that her self-isolation had left her friends just as alone. Did this make her selfish? Was she a terrible person? She pushed those thoughts away to focus on Luna
"I'm sorry I haven't been around much."
"You say sorry a lot," Luna said airily as she picked at the grass, "You aren't well either, but I don't want you to get as sick as my dad. All he has is me now."
Thinking back to her seclusion in the Room of Requirements, Hermione realised she understood his position.
"Will you tell your dad I forgive him? I don't know if it will help, but he doesn't need to punish himself for trying to protect you."
Luna smiled a little as she looked up. "I will. I'm leaving school when the Easter break comes. My dad doesn't have anyone else to help him and I want to try."
Hermione's first thought was that her prediction was right – all her friends were abandoning her one-by-one – but it was quickly replaced with a reminder that this wasn't about her. It was about Luna helping her dad.
"I'll write you and visit when school is out," she promised.
Luna hugged her tight. "Thank you for being my friend."
They walked back to the stadium and the game was still on, so they watched from the entrance until the Gryffindor seeker caught the snitch, winning by nearly three hundred points.
After dinner in the hall a celebration in the Gryffindor common room was held. Despite not being part of the house, Luna accompanied Hermione and sat with her through the festivities. It wasn't as bad as she had imagined. They shared an armchair and when someone brought out butterbeer and firewhiskey they both drank, giggling at each other's reactions to the burning drink. There were Weasley Wheezes and an opaque Fred chasing anyone trying to use Zonko's products. An ecstatic Ginny, despite being the hero of the day, managed time to sit and talk to them. With both of the girls keeping her attention, Hermione felt safe, and when someone started lighting miniature fireworks that went off with an alarming bang, Ginny was the one to stop it.
Hermione stayed until she felt her eyelids become heavy with tipsiness. It was after curfew, but she was the Head Girl and was allowed to walk Luna back to Ravenclaw Tower before heading back to the headmaster's office.
She was as quiet as possible as she let herself in, but Minerva was still sitting at her desk. Candlelight danced over her features so beautifully that Hermione almost forgot she was trying not to be caught. A sound came from her throat like a whine. The woman stopped writing to look up with a raised eyebrow and Hermione froze guiltily.
"Did you have fun?"
Shutting the door behind her, Hermione pressed her back against it, willing herself not to slur or show any indication that she had imbibed alcohol.
"Gryffindor was celebrating… I, I lost track of time."
Minerva's lips curled a little, "So long as you had fun."
Thinking back to how her anxiety over the crowdedness had been dulled by the drinks and how her sadness had been suspended by the closeness she had shared with her friends, her mouth imitated the other's smile. Maybe 'had fun' was too strong for what she felt, but it was close.
"I really think I did."
"Then I'm glad you went, darling. I saw you leaving the game with Miss Lovegood, so I was a little worried."
"Oh, right." Hermione moved to the seat opposite the headmistress and sat, leaning forward with her hands between her knees, "we just went for a walk. Luna told me she's leaving school for good." She didn't know why she mentioned that, but Minerva just nodded.
"I'm aware of Miss Lovegood's intentions. She informed me upon her return from the holidays. If she wishes to, she may be able to finish her studies externally."
Hermione looked confused. McGonagall had known one of her closest friends was leaving? "Why didn't you tell me?"
"It wasn't my place to. I believe Luna wanted to wait for the right time."
Hermione didn't respond. It was right for McGonagall to keep Luna's confidence, but she still felt a little hurt that no one had told her until then.
Seeing the sweetly knotted brow of the younger witch, Minerva folded her hands and waited a moment before speaking. "Do you feel bad about her leaving?"
Slowly, Hermione shook her head. She had been thinking about this all day and even though her thoughts were swimming she was grounded enough to say, "I'll miss her, but I can understand why she has to do it."
"And how do you think you would have taken the news if she had told you, say, before the holidays?" There was no response, but it was clear that the message had sunk in. "I very much doubt Miss Lovegood kept the truth from you for any reason but the right one."
Hermione nodded, the negative thoughts quiet for now. She swayed slightly, from tiredness or inebriation she wasn't sure.
"Well," McGonagall said as she rose from her chair, "it is quite late and we both need to rest, so I believe I'll retire for the night."
Hermione stood as well, knees knocking back the chair and her chest warm from both drinking and the affection she felt filling her for the other woman.
Intending to pass by, Minerva felt a hesitant hand on her arm. She turned to face Hermione whose face seemed unsure and determined.
The pause was long and the words wouldn't come until Hermione leaned forward, circling her arms around the older woman. "Thank you for everything."
She was about to pull away when strong arms hugged her shoulders and pulled her closer, Minerva's face pressing into her hair.
When Hermione finally let go, McGonagall pulled back, her hands on the other's shoulders and a mischievous, knowing look in her eye before saying the final words of the night.
"Hermione, you smell like firewhiskey."
Hermione hadn't drunk enough the previous night to warrant a hangover, but by the looks of those around her, she was the only one.
"My mouth tastes almost as bad as Hufflepuff's defeat," Ginny said, nursing her head in her hands.
Other Gryffindors had opted for dark glasses or potions meant to cure day-after sickness. Even Luna looked exhausted and far less perky than usual. Hanging above them, Fred was loving it.
Hermione read as she ate. Most of her professors had offered some leeway for her missed assignments, but she still had to catch up with all of the readings to complete the new tasks. While everyone was preoccupied with the consequences of the previous night's excitement she managed to eat a full meal without feeling as though people were keeping track of her bites.
"Can you please take a break from schoolwork for an hour? Just thinking about reading is giving me a headache. Do you think any of the teachers will be able to tell I'm hungover?"
Without looking up, Hermione replied, "I'm sure they will. Besides, they were students once, so it's not like they don't know what we get up to sometimes."
She was still reading when the flood of owls arrived, dropping letters and packages into the laps or bowls of students who reacted with either joy or a groan. A pudgy grey owl landed between the two girls, a letter with each of their names written in Harry's handwriting.
Hermione hesitated, but the other girl grabbed for it instantly while the bird pecked some bacon from her plate. She handed the second envelope to Hermione who stared at it.
"Aren't you going to open it?"
Hermione had been holding it until Ginny's voice broke her reverie.
The letter she had sent Harry had been difficult to write and she had worried about his response ever since. Every plausible (or implausible) possibility had run through her mind and now she was almost scared to read it.
"Maybe later. I want to finish this chapter first."
Hermione didn't tear open the envelope until lunch break. Instead of going to the main hall she walked to the lake where thick rain clouds threatened to break and she could be alone.
Dear Hermione,
I'm sorry I can't be there right now. We've been learning to track in desolate locations so I only just received your letter. I wish I could see you sooner so we could talk about it. I won't be able to visit until next Wednesday when Ron and I return. We'll be meeting Ginny in Hogsmeade and it would be great to see you there, too. I haven't told either of them what you told me, but I think you should. You don't have to go through this alone.
Ron and I have been doing well. Training is hard- much more difficult than we expected, but we've been doing well and I think we have you to thank for a lot of that. You taught us more about tracking, disguises and protection than any DA teacher. Even Ron says so. He still talks about you all the time and I think if you tell him about McGonagall then he will come around. About McGonagall, if you still trust her, then I'll respect that.
I know you can win whatever fight you're fighting and I hope to see you on Wednesday.
I miss you.
Harry
Hermione wiped a tear from her cheek and folded the letter carefully so she could return it to its envelope. She sat, strung between emotions and wished he was there now.
The first peal of thunder cracked the sky, bringing a steady rainfall. She tucked the letter under her jumper and started back to the school, letting the rain soak her hair. It was almost cleansing.
A/N: Wow, it's been nearly six months since the last update and I'm very sorry for that. I am tempted to explain the issues that hindered my posting, but thankfully I've got a few more chapters already written so hopefully it'll only be a short wait for the next chapter. If anyone is interested in helping me choose what issues to follow up on, please feel free to PM me. Thanks again to everyone reading and commenting!
