A/N: Thanks to everyone for the great reviews! I said in the last chapter that this would be seven chapters, but I must have been confused because its only six. So, obviously I'm not going to go into a lot of background on certain charecters, so if there is anything you have questions about, just ask. I'd be happy to answer. Also, the story is done so I'll be updating either every day or every other day.
Chapter 2- Harry's Gift
Hermione's plan began the next morning when Harry stopped by her office to withdraw some Galleons.
"So, I've decided what I want from you for my birthday," she said as she handed him the requisite forms.
"Oh really?" Harry asked arching an eyebrow as he scrawled his name on the parchment. "That's unusual for you. Normally it's like pulling teeth to get you to make up your mind. So what's it going to be?"
Hermione smiled at him, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "Quidditch lessons."
"What?" Harry nearly shouted looking up from his parchment. "What do you want to do a thing like that for? Hermione, you hate flying."
"I know. That's why I want to do it. You know, try something new."
"But I'm not even sure how much I can teach you. I mean, you can't really learn Quidditch you just sort of do it."
"Well," Hermione said, thinking, "Perhaps you could just teach me to do something really exciting, like how to dodge a Bludger or do that Wronski thing you and Ron always talk about."
"Hermione, are you feeling alright?" Harry said suddenly appearing concerned, although Hermione could see a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Why would you want to learn something like that? I mean, what if you broke your hand and couldn't turn the pages of a book?"
"Oh, very funny, Harry," Hermione said sarcastically. "I just thought that, well, I might explore some aspects of wizarding life that I haven't paid much attention to before."
"Well, alright, if you're sure about it," Harry finally said. "But you can't fly that Comet 290 you have."
"What's wrong with it? It was their latest model when I bought it!"
"Yeah, ten years ago. Hermione, if you tried a Wronski Feint on that thing you'd get plowed into the ground. Assuming to you could accelerate fast enough to even get that far. I still have my old Firebolt; you can borrow that."
"Great!" Hermione grinned and Harry couldn't help but smile back. He couldn't remember the last time Hermione was so excited about something.
"Okay, why don't we meet on Saturday at the Burrow? Fred and George had hoops put up there last summer. It's not regulation or anything, but it should work."
They agreed to meet at ten o'clock Saturday morning and Harry left, leaving Hermione to her boring four walls and her thoughts. But at least she had something to look forward to now and for once the day did not drag quite so slowly.
At ten o'clock Saturday morning, Hermione Apparated to the Burrow. She had not been there in several months and the familiar sight of the crooked house and overgrown garden made her feel lighthearted, almost as if she were a teenager again. She walked up to the house and knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" called the familiar voice of Molly Weasley.
"Hermione," she called back and the door flung open to reveal the short red-headed woman. She was grayer and more tired looking these days, but that was to be expected having lost both her husband and Charlie in the war. Still, she flung her arms around Hermione giving her a hug and kiss worthy of one of her own children.
"Come on in, dear. I haven't seen you in ages. Would you like a bite of breakfast?"
Hermione was about to refuse when a large plate of eggs, sausages and toast was set in front of her. Unable to find a way to avoid it, she began eating and realized that she was a bit hungrier than she expected. As she ate, Molly continued to chat as she bustled about the kitchen.
"Harry told me that you wanted Quidditch lessons for your birthday," she said setting a cup of tea in front of Hermione. "I can't imagine what you're thinking! Of course any excuse that brings you to the Burrow is a good one to me. I just hope that you are careful. Those kids play so rough!"
Hermione had to smile. The youngest of the 'kids' had just turned twenty-eight the previous week. Molly didn't notice though as she continued talking.
"I'm sure you heard about Harry and Ginny's big announcement?" she asked looking up and Hermione nodded. "Took him long enough didn't it? It will be nice to finally have him officially a member of the family; not that he really needs to be. Harry will always be family to us. And you too dear," she said with a smile. Hermione knew Molly had been disappointed when she and Ron had broken up, but in time she had come to know Luna and she seemed perfectly happy with the situation now.
She was just finishing her last piece of toast when Harry and Ginny walked in the door, broomsticks in hand.
"You ready?" Harry asked after they had greeted Molly. "I hope you don't mind, but Ginny wanted to join in. And I think Ron might be coming by too. Nobody can believe you're going to do this."
Hermione laughed. "Honestly, Harry, I'm just going to do a bit of flying."
The group was just heading out to the field behind the house when Ron also showed up.
"Where's Luna?" Hermione asked as Harry handed her his old Firebolt.
"She had a story due for the Quibbler," Ron said getting ready to mount his own broom. "Besides, she's always been more of a Quiddich…uh… spectator, rather than a participant. She said to tell you good luck, though."
"Alright, Hermione," Harry said as she began to mount the broom. "Now, the important thing to remember about a racing broom like this is that it's very sensitive. A small movement of the hand is all it takes for it to move in a different direction, ok?"
Hermione nodded and pushed off. That was all it took for her to remember why she didn't like flying. She soared up in the air until she was above the trees looking down at her friends with a panicked expression. Harry saw her look of terror and quickly joined her.
"You alright there?" he asked as she tried to keep the broom steady. She jerked her head in as close to a nod as she could manage without taking her eyes off her broomstick.
"Alright," Harry said but he didn't sound convinced. "Now, the first thing I'll teach you is how to avoid the Bludger." He nodded to Ron down below who let the Bludger out of the box and grabbed a bat before coming up to join them along with Ginny.
"Okay, Hermione," Ron said as he reached them. "Now you and Harry go over there and I'll hit the Bludger in your direction. Not right at you, of course, but enough so Harry can show you what to do."
Hermione followed Harry to a spot several yards away. She was beginning to feel more comfortable and was even beginning to think that perhaps she could do this after all.
"You just follow me, okay?" Harry said and then he turned back around. "Alright Ron," Harry yelled and as soon as the Bludger was within swinging distance, Ron hit it toward them.
Before Hermione had a chance to think, Harry was taking off, diving toward the ground. She gritted her teeth and followed after him. It seemed that she was freefalling they were going so fast and just when she was sure she was going to lose that breakfast Molly had fed her, Harry was evening out. She followed his direction, just barely holding on to her broom as the force of her weight continued to want to go downward. Before she had a chance to breathe, though, Harry was suddenly zigzagging and climbing back up. She followed as best she could and when they finally stopped next to Ginny (who calmly knocked the Bludger away) she was out of breath and her hands were slippery with sweat.
"Not bad!" Harry said, also out of breath. "Okay, you handled that pretty well, so next I'm going to teach you the Sloth Grip Roll."
"What's that?" Hermione asked feeling a fluttery feeling in her stomach. She didn't think the word "Roll" was a good sign.
"It's a way to avoid a Bludger where you roll upside down." Harry said this as if it was not a death sentence. He saw the look of apprehension on Hermione's face. "If you don't feel comfortable with it, we can do something a little easier."
"No!" The last thing Hermione wanted was to be a coward about this. "It sounds like… great fun."
"Okay. Now, it's really just like any other bit of flying you would do. You just use your hands and your body weight to pull you upside down. You just have to make sure you have enough momentum to pull you back up again. Ginny, you show her how to do it."
Hermione watched as Ginny effortlessly flew out in front of them and rolled upside down and then back right side up again. It looked like it took no work at all.
'I can do this,' Hermione thought to herself. 'That looked easy.'
She moved out and using her hand and body weight, flipped over onto her back just as effortlessly as Ginny had. There was only one problem. She couldn't seem to get back again. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pull herself right side up. After several long seconds she realized that the dampness of her hands was going to be a serious problem. As her hands slowly slipped from the broom, the last thought she had was that freefalling really was much faster than flying.
"I can't believe you taught her that, Harry!"
"She said she wanted to learn something exciting! How was I to know…"
"Merlin's beard Harry! It took me three months to get it right!"
"Poor dear! She's lucky she wasn't hurt worse. Nothing a bone mending charm couldn't fix."
Hermione could hear voices long before she had the strength to open her eyes. When she finally did, she peered up into the concerned faces of Harry, Ginny, Ron and Molly.
"Hermione! You alright?" Ron asked; his face pale.
"Urgh…" was all Hermione could manage to groan out. "Am I still alive?"
"Yeah," Harry said, breathing out a sigh of relief. "You scared us, though. Good thing Ginny keeps her wand with her when she flies. She was able to soften the fall a bit."
"Thanks," Hermione croaked out and Ginny smiled. Molly suddenly pulled a bottle of potion out of her apron.
"Take this, dear. It's for the pain."
Hermione took the potion from her, swallowing some. That taste was horrible but as soon as it was down, she began to feel a bit better. She laid her head back on the pillow and closed her eyes for a moment.
"So how many bones did you have to fix, Molly?" she asked reopening her eyes. She saw the four exchange glances. "What?" she asked feeling nervous.
"Well," Molly began, "I just had to mend your arm, leg and nose. But… well… you're face is a bit bruised. I'm afraid I wasn't able to do much for that."
"What?" Hermione asked sitting up in bed, which she immediately regretted from the stabs of pain that she felt. "Let me see."
Ginny handed her a mirror and she put it up in front of her face.
"Oh Merlin," she mumbled as she stared into it. She had two black eyes and her lip was puffy. "I look like I've been in a fist fight."
"Well, look on the bright side," Ron said cheerfully, "You definitely did something different for your birthday."
Harry and Ginny snickered at this and, as Hermione lay back on the pillow, she looked up at her friends and couldn't help but laugh as well.
Severus Snape walked swiftly through the imposing front door of Gringott's at precisely 4:42 the following Monday. A couple of people nodded at him and he took pleasure in ignoring them. There was a time all he wanted was recognition from wizarding society, but that time was many years past and all he wanted now was to be left alone. They were hypocrites, all of them. How many of these people would have snubbed him fifteen years ago? Before he had helped to destroy the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters; before Harry Potter had so publicly declared that he was not a traitor? There were very few people that he could tolerate anymore and he was going to see one of them.
Severus would never go so far as to say that he enjoyed Hermione Granger's company, but at least she did not make his days any more miserable than they already were. She was fast, efficient, reliable and, most importantly, silent. She was also one of the few people with whom he had regular contact. He took pleasure in the routine of his life and this was part of it. Every Monday afternoon she was waiting for him with the same amount of money and the forms already waiting for his signature.
He supposed it also didn't hurt that she was one of the few people in the world who actually knew him. Or, at least knew him as well as anyone. She had been his student for six years and then fought along side him in her last year at Hogwarts. They had even been in the same ward of St. Mungo's after the final battle, along with half of the rest of the Order.
So, as Severus walked down the hall and stood in front of Hermione's open door, it was with a certain amount of surprise that he took in her appearance. She was never a very attractive witch, although she looked better than she had as a student. Her teeth were no longer so large and she had a pleasant face, but her hair was just a frizzy as it had ever been and she always looked a bit too thin. Still, he was completely unprepared for the current state of her face. It looked as if she had been hit with a Bludger.
"Come in Professor," she croaked looking rather pitiful as she glanced up from her papers.
"What happened to you, Miss Granger?" he asked, a little surprised with his own curiosity.
"Quidditch lessons," she said, her face turning an interesting shade of pink. He raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Maybe she did get hit with a Bludger. He sat down in the chair as she handed him over the parchment.
"The usual withdrawal?" she asked and he nodded signing the paper. As he finished she handed him the velvet bag with the Galleons. When he did not immediately stand, she gave him an inquisitive look.
"Is there something else I can do for you, Professor?"
"I am just wondering what would posses a level-headed witch such as yourself to do something as foolhardy as take Quidditch lessons? As I recall, you are an abysmal flier."
Hermione was unsure whether to feel complimented that he thought her level-headed or be insulted by his comment on her flying skills. Considering the current state of her face, she ignored the insult and accepted the compliment. He stared at her waiting for her reply.
"I…um… well, I asked for them for my birthday," she said as proudly as she could manage.
"I see," Severus said, but in truth he couldn't see at all. It was a completely illogical thing for her to do and Hermione was, if anything, always logical. "Well, I suppose I should wish you a happy birthday, then."
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wondered what possessed him to say such a thing. He never wished a happy anything to anyone. Perhaps she just looked too pathetic sitting across from him, her eyes so swollen she had to squint just to see him.
"Oh, my birthday isn't for another month," Hermione said, feeling even more embarrassed. "I just got a… uh… head start."
"Well, Miss Granger," Severus said deciding he had had enough conversation for one day, or one week for that matter, "I will not take any more of your time. Good evening."
"See you next week, Professor," Hermione mumbled. He rose and walked out of Gringott's in the very same fashion he had walked in, his mind still trying to process what had happened to the reliable, efficient… even boring… Hermione Granger. Oh, true she had gotten into her fair share of trouble when she was a student. She was always following Potter and Weasley's lead and that inevitably involved a trip to the hospital wing. But in the years since she left Hogwarts, she had settled down and become more the kind of person she would have always been had she had more sensible friends. He had seen her every week for three years and he had never seen her the least bit unruffled or unprepared. Something, clearly, was changing.