Chapter Three: Little Lies
"How many times do you get to lie before you are a liar?" — Michael Josephson
Hermione stumbled as her feet hit the Burrow's floor. She felt hands wrap around her waist, to steady her, and saw a flash of red hair as the figure pulled her down onto the couch with him. "George…" she said unable to hide a grin, "George your mother's going to come in here and find us."
"So?"
"George…" she repeated.
"She's right George; trust me I've been there." Charlie said with a smile.
The other apparated in as George reluctantly loosened his grip on Hermione, allowing her to stand up. Ron and Harry didn't look to pleased finding them like that but didn't say anything. Bill and Remus just shook their heads at the happy couple, as Bill warned them not to let Mr. or Mrs. Weasley catch them.
"Hello?" they heard Ginny call from the hallway, "Is that you guys? Are you home?"
"Well that really depends on who you're talking about." Fred called back.
"Thank god it is you." She said coming into the room, "I couldn't stand being the only one here for another day."
"Ginny? Ginny who are you talking to?" Mrs. Weasley voice carried down the hall before she herself entered the room.
"Oh your back!" she exclaimed quickly enveloping the nearest people, Fred and Charlie, into a hug.
"How was your trip?" Ginny asked coming over to Hermione, "Did you all have loads of fun? Or was there nothing to do? Were you bored being the only girl there? Oh you have to tell me everything!"
"Calm down." Hermione said with a sympathizing smile, she knew what it was like to be an only child, "I can only answer one question at a time."
"You all must be hungry!" Mrs. Weasley's voice could be heard over all the commotion, "Why doesn't everyone put there things upstairs and then we can all go and eat."
Hermione took her trunk upstairs to her and Ginny's room while Ginny explained to her what had been happening there. "Mum and dad have been acting really weird and people keep popping in and out. It's like we've become the new headquarters or something."
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know," Ginny said, "but have you ever gotten the feeling that something's happening, you just don't know what."
"Yeah." Hermione said quietly. "I have."
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When Hermione and Ginny finally made their way to the kitchen everyone was already there and Mrs. Weasley was setting food on the table. Hermione took the seat George had saved next to him and began filling her plate.
"So" Ginny said as she and Tonks sat down across from them, "Did anything exciting happen while you were there?"
"Not that much." Ron answered shrugging his shoulders, "We swam in the ocean, played some quidditch, Hermione tried making dinner once, that was pretty funny, but I don't know it wasn't that eventful."
"No one tried to kill us anyways." Harry added with a small smile.
"I think you two might be forgetting something." Charlie said nodding his head towards Hermione and George who were talking quietly, ignoring the rest of the table. Hearing the sudden silence Hermione turned her head and saw everyone's eyes on her and George.
"What?" George asked looking around.
"Oh." Hermione said suddenly realizing what they were all looking at. She and George were holding hands, it was such a normal thing now that she hadn't even noticed it but she was pretty sure that everyone else had.
"Wait a minute you two aren't…" Mrs. Weasley trailed off. "I mean when did…you two...I mean…Oh my." She said setting down.
"So you're dating?" Ginny asked surprised, "The two you?"
"Why does everyone react like that?" George snapped, "I mean you all look as if we told you that we were getting married or that she was pregnant or something."
"Don't worry Mrs. Weasley, I'm not." Hermione said after seeing her reaction to the word pregnant.
The rest of the meal there was a somewhat awkward tension throughout the table. It reminded Hermione of the night a few weeks ago when she had blown up at Mrs. Weasley and Remus. Only this time it was George that was sending Mrs. Weasley the dirty looks not her.
She and George both had expected Mrs. Weasley to be more open and accepting of the idea of their relationship and it hurt George that she wasn't. He hadn't eaten much all night and she knew he had been saying that he couldn't wait for his mothers cooking for the last few weeks. When dinner was finally over Hermione offered to help clear the table and with the dishes but Mrs. Weasley quickly told her no, sending an unpleasant look her way before asking a grumbling Ginny to help her.
"Come on." George mumbled pulling her out of the kitchen. He led her into Ginny's bedroom silently and sat down next to her on the bed. "I'm sorry about my mum." He said with a sad smile, "I didn't think she'd react like that." Hermione had never seen him look this serious before. He almost always had a smile on his face even in the most serious situations. That was part of the reason she liked him.
"She was just surprised George." She said, "That's all. I'm sure once the news sets in she'll-"
"Stop looking like I stole Ron's girlfriend." He said sharply. She wasn't sure what to say to that.
"Is that what this is about?" she asked, "Ron's okay with this. I've asked him, you've asked him, Harry's asked him and he's always had the same answer, it's a bit of a surprise but he's fine with it."
"I just don't get it." he said, "Ron was freaked out at first but within five minutes he was fine with it. He doesn't understand it but he's fine with it. So why isn't she?"
"She'll get used to it." Hermione said, "It might just take her longer then five minutes."
"Now come on." She said with a smile, "Cheer up!"
"I know what will make you feel better." She said moving closer to him.
"Oh really," He said. "And what would that b-"he was cut off by Hermione's lips on his own.
"Can't you wait until later to do that?" she Ginny asked from the doorway. "Or at least pick a different room. Some of us have to sleep in here." She was still surprised about the news but George and Hermione both seemed happy and after the way their mum had reacted, she wasn't going to make a big deal about it.
"So" Hermione said blushing at being caught. "Are things any better downstairs?"
"Not really." Harry said coming further into the room and setting down on the bed across from her. "Right now she's yelling at Bill and Charlie for letting it happen."
"Letting it happen?" George repeated angrily, "What do you mean letting it happen? They didn't let anything happen. It wasn't up to them to stop me or anyone else."
"Don't yell at me." Harry said, "You asked, don't blame me for telling you the truth."
"I don't think she's upset about you two dating." Ginny interrupted, "I think she's just worried."
"Worried about what?" George asked confused.
"I'm not sure." Ginny said, "But while you were all gone Dumbledore and Snape stopped by again. I'm not sure everything that was said but from what I heard they're all really worried, especially about Hermione."
"I don't see what that has to do with anything." George said.
"You're already a target, George." Hermione said quietly, "She's probably just afraid that you being involved with me will make you an even bigger one."
"That's ridiculous." George said, "Why would she think that? You don't think that do you Hermione?" Hermione quickly looked away unwilling to meet his eyes.
"Hermione" Harry said, "George is right. He's in no more danger then he was before. The only reason you're a target is because your friends with me."
"Are you sure about that?" she asked.
"Of course I am." He said, "What are you getting at?"
"They don't know what he wants with me." She said, "It could be just to get to you or it could be something else. But by the way Remus explained it to me…The way he explained it to me it seems like it was something entirely different."
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Over the next few days Mrs. Weasley came around to the idea of George and Hermione's relationship and things were better in the house. She was nicer to Hermione and in return George was nicer to her. The last few days at the Burrow flew by sooner then any of them would have liked and the time to go back to Hogwarts was there. Mrs. Weasley had made them all a nice goodbye dinner, with several of the Order Members in attendance along with the whole Weasley family, something that hadn't happened in a long time.
Knowing that they would all have to wake up early the next morning Mrs. Weasley had sent them up to bed as soon as they were done with dinner.
"I'm glad we're going back." Ginny said her head on her hand.
"Yeah me too" Hermione said with a small smile, "But I'll be sad to see the summer end."
"This is a first" Ginny said with a laugh, "I want to go back to school and you want the summer holidays to last longer. What's wrong with this picture?"
"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked.
"Nothing," Ginny said with a smile, "I just think George may have had more of an effect on you then we all thought."
"That isn't a good is it?" Hermione laughed.
"That really depends on who you ask." Ginny said with a yawn. "Well I'm tired." she said rolling over, "Goodnight."
"Night" Hermione said lying back in bed. She had hoped that Ginny would want to stay up and talk, like she normally did. It used to annoy her because she always wanted to talk when Hermione wanted to sleep, and a majority of it had been about Harry or something that Hermione thought could have waited until the morning but ever since the dreams had started she had come to welcome the distraction.
She hated the dreams. They had started a few days after she had come for the summer holidays; her parents had found her thrashing around her bed screaming. She had tried brushing them off, saying that they were just because of what had happened in the Department of Mysteries, but she knew that wasn't true. It was just easier to believe that it was. The dreams were filled with masked men and dark flowing robes and a coldness that just couldn't be explained. There was never any happiness or hope, just the harsh truth that if anything happened to her, no one would be there to save her.
The dreams drained a lot out of her and sometimes it was as if she didn't get any sleep at all. Viktor's mother had given her some dreamless sleep potion when she had found her screaming in her sleep, but she couldn't bring herself to explain to Mrs. Weasley or anyone else why she needed it. It was just easier to pretend that they didn't happen. Easier to lie when Ginny asked her about them the next morning. Easier to pretend they didn't affect her. And that's what scared her, just how easy the lying and the pretending was.
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No one noticed that she was tired the next day, as they all were. The car ride to the Station was filled with the sounds of Ron and Fred's snores and even Ginny was asleep on Hermione's shoulder. But the car ride was over long before either Harry or Hermione would have liked it to be.
Usually returning to Hogwarts was like returning home for Harry but this time all he could think about was what had happened over the years. Cedric dying, Sirius dying, Voldemort returning…what if he came after Hermione too? He wouldn't be able to live with himself if that happened.
He had had a hard time after Sirius died but Hermione had been there for him. Ron had been there too, but he had been there in a different way. He had been there to play Quidditch when he needed a distraction, he had allowed Harry to blow up at him when he didn't deserve it, he had changed the subject when he noticed the ones around him upsetting Harry. He had been the friend that Harry had needed but he couldn't help like Hermione did. He didn't know how. Hermione had been there to tell him that everything would be okay. She was the one that wrote to him every week, despite her own situation. She was the one who told him that it was okay to be upset, to cry, over Sirius' death. Who would be there for him if she was taken away too? He knew that he wouldn't be able to handle it if she was taken away from him too. Too many people had been taken away because of Voldemort's vendetta against him. How could he allow this to happen to someone else?
"Harry," Hermione said, her voice bringing him out of his thoughts, "Harry we're here."
"Oh, yeah…Sorry." He said, quickly climbing out of the car to allow the rest of the kids out. The people passing watched in fascination as nine people came out of a car that would normally only sit five or six, if pushed. Harry suspected it looked something like a clown car.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley hurried them through the barrier and Mr. Weasley helped them get there things on the train as Mrs. Weasley told them goodbye. She focused more on Hermione then she normally did and Harry couldn't help but notice. She told them all to be careful and not get into trouble, as she always did, but she looked different when she was warning Hermione. He had seen that look in her eyes before; it was the look that she normally reserved for him. It was a mixture of pity and worry about things to come. Harry couldn't forget the look as they made their way onto the train.
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"Ron and I have to go to the Prefects compartment." Hermione said turning to Harry, "Could you please take Crookshanks with you to the compartment."
"Sure." He said as she pushed Crookshanks basket into his hands.
"Thanks Harry." She said flashing him a smile causing Harry to smile back. Hermione didn't seem worried upset or worried about Mrs. Weasley's actions, maybe he shouldn't be. It wouldn't be the first time that he read into something when there was nothing there.
Harry followed Ginny in the opposite direction as Hermione and Ron, she stopped a little while ahead of him in a compartment that Neville was saving for them. Fred and George followed him in saying that everyone that they normally sat with had graduated the year before but it was pretty obvious to Harry that it was because Hermione would be setting in here when she was done with her prefect duties.
George and Fred talked quietly planning something for after the Welcoming Feast, as Ginny and Neville talked in the opposite corner about something involving Herbology and Harry watched the scenery pass by. Maybe going back to Hogwarts wouldn't be as bad as he had worried it would be.
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Ron stumbled into the compartment mumbling something about 'bloody first years' and taking the sear next to Harry.
"Where's Hermione?" George asked quickly, noticing that he was alone.
"McGonagall had her stay after, saying she needed a word with her." He said flopping down on the seat next to Harry, "I thought she would have been back by now though. I had to patrol all by myself! Stupid first years were running all over the place. I'm making Hermione deal with them the next time." Then as if on cue Hermione's voice could be heard from the hallway.
"Thank you for walking with me Cormac." She said with a very forced smile, "But this is my compartment. I should be going in."
"It looks like there are a lot of people in there." he said looking around her, "Are you sure you don't want to come and sit in mine?"
"No." she said her voice just as strained as her smile, "I think I'll be just fine."
"Well if you change your mind-" he said.
"If she changes her mind then she'll let you know." George said suddenly appearing in the doorway. "Now if you'll excuse us, I'd like to talk to her." He said guiding her into the compartment before either of them could argue.
"Why didn't you just tell him to bugger off?" George asked closing the compartment door.
"I was trying to be polite." She said rolling her eyes, "Unlike some people."
"Well I don't like the way he was looking at you." He said.
"He isn't the only one." Ron mumbled under his breath.
"What do you mean he's not the only one?" George asked.
"Ron, I told you that was nothing." Hermione said.
"Malfoy staring at you like that isn't nothing." Ron said. Harry choked on his chocolate frog.
"Staring at her how?" Harry asked cautiously.
"He was looking at her a lot closer then he should have been, that's for sure." Ron said.
"He didn't do anything." Hermione said defensively.
"But isn't that the strange part?" Ginny asked quietly, "I mean normally he takes every opportunity to call you a…well you know what he calls you."
"Professor McGonagall was there the whole time." She said shooting Ron an angry look for bringing the subject up. "He didn't have a opportunity to say anything, once he had the chance I'm sure he'll think of some foul name to call me. We can all look forward to it." She sent them all a glare, instantly shutting them all up before grabbing George's hand and leading him back to seat.
"Hi Neville." She said setting down to next to George, "How was your summer?"
"My summer was pretty good I guess…" Neville said. He went into details describing his stay with his cousins and his trips he took with them. Hermione did her best to pay attention but her thoughts kept wandering back to the dream she had had the night before. It had been different then all the rest. One of the death-eaters' faces had stuck with her. He had hard intense eyes that held a mixture of hate and lust in them directed towards her.
Hate should be expected. She was one of Harry Potter's best friends and a Muggleborn to top it off; it wasn't surprising that they hated her. It was the lust that surprised her. Death-Eaters', the real ones or the dreams ones, shouldn't look at her like that.
"Hermione," Harry said waving a hand across her face snapping her out of her thoughts, "Hermione are you still with us?"
"Oh yes." She said her cheeks reddening in embarrassment, "I was just thinking."
"About what?" Ron asked.
"Umm…school really…I'm just happy that it's starting again."
"But I thought you said--" Ginny began only to be cut off by Hermione's glare. "So what were you saying about your cousin Neville?" Ginny asked quickly changing the subject. She didn't know what Hermione was thinking about but it was obvious she didn't want to talk about it. She just hoped her friend was okay.
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The train pulled into the station and Hermione and Ron hurried off the train with the rest of the prefects to help Hagrid with the first years, while Harry and the other went to save them seats in the carriages. Harry saved a place in his carriage, with Ginny and Neville, for Ron to sit while George and Fred promised to save one for Hermione.
When the carriages pulled in front of the castle a little while later, Harry quickly climbed out, looking around for Hermione to make sure she had made it in time. He spotted her laughing and smiling with George.
Harry had never had romantic feelings for Hermione, partially because he knew Ron would kill him, but when he looked over he wished that things could be like that between them. Neither of them having to worry about being the cause of the other's death, because as much as Hermione may disagree he knew that she worried that if something happened to her he would try to save her even if it meant getting killed in the process. He tried to be reassuring about it with her but he knew that he could never make that promise to her because he knew he could never keep it. He would rush to her aid just as he knew she would.
They filled into the great hall and Hermione walked away from George as he and Fred sat down next to some seventh years he couldn't remember the names of. Harry saw her glance at the staff table and then quickened her pace to get to them. "Do you see who's up there?" she said a huge smile on her face as she sat down across from them.
"I would guess the teachers." Harry said with a smile.
"It's Remus!" she exclaimed, "Or I guess will have to get used to calling him Professor Lupin again."
"I wonder why he's here," Ron said, "I mean when he left he said it was because everyone had found out about…him and that information hasn't exactly been forgotten yet, has it?"
"Well it makes sense." She told them quietly, "I mean it's probably for the best to have as many members of the Order as possible and the position of the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher is the hardest one to fill."
"Well I don't care why he's here." Harry said with a large smile, "I'm just glad that he is."
The sorting didn't seem to take as long as it usually did, and when Harry mentioned it Ron was the one who brought up the fact that parents were probably just being overprotective of there children since it was now known that Voldemort was on the loose. Harry hadn't thought about that before.
The feast was as huge as ever but Harry noticed that Hermione was just picking at her meal, not really eating it. "What's wrong Hermione?" he asked, "Don't you like it?"
"I'm just a little tired." She said, "Its nothing. Don't worry." She took a large bite, forcing herself to eat despite the fact she didn't feel hungry at all. She didn't want Harry to worry because she had had a bad dream.
"Now you have to deal with the first years yourself." Hermione told Ron once the feast was over.
"Why?" he asked.
"Because I have to go talk with Professor Dumbledore," She explained, "Didn't I tell you?"
"No." Harry and Ron said together.
"Oh must have been George." She said with a shrug, "Well that's what Professor McGonagall was telling me on the train. I'm supposed to meet with him right after dinner."
"So I have to take care of them by myself?" he asked, "But I don't know what to do. Last year you did all the talking."
"Well I don't know. Get Ginny to help or something. Bye!" she called over her shoulder before getting lost in the crowd trying to get out of the Great Hall.
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The knowledge that Hermione and George were dating was all over the school by the next day. Hermione had made the mistake of mentioning it in front of Lavender and Parvati and they had managed to tell the whole school by this morning. "Its not like George or I have never dated anyone before." Hermione said slamming her books down next to Ron. Parvarti and Lavender hadn't given her a moment of peace this morning. They had question after question about George and her relationship, none of which she wanted to answer. "I don't know what the big deal is." She said.
"Well the guys are jealous and the girls…well there just doing what they normally do." Ron said searching his bag for his quill.
"Where were you this morning?" Harry asked, "You weren't at breakfast."
"I over slept." Hermione said quickly. "I grabbed something in the kitchens before I came here. Why would the guys be jealous?" she asked looking at Ron.
"Because you're taken." He explained, "Do either of you have a spare quill? I can't find mine."
"Here" Harry said handing Ron one of his, "It's not like you to oversleep Hermione."
"I just didn't get to bed until late." Hermione said.
"Why?" Ron and Harry asked in unison.
"Well my meeting with Dumbledore ran a little longer then I thought it would." She said absentminded, "And then I had to patrol the corridors for a little while and makes sure all of the Gryffindor girls were in there dormitories, which was harder then usual because I had to make sure that I didn't wake anyone up while I was counting them…"
"What happened with Dumbledore?" Ron asked.
"Did it have to do with the Order?" Harry asked quietly.
"No it was nothing like that." Hermione said, "Professor McGonagall's coming, I'll explain later." She said quickly grabbing her quill, ready to take notes.
"You are here because you have chosen Transfiguration." Professor McGonagall said walking to the front of the class. "This year will be much harder then the previous years and I will expect you to work much harder. We will be transfiguring harder subjects this term including each others and ourselves…"
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"I didn't understand half the stuff he was talking about in there." Ron said as they walked out of Charms class.
"That's why you're supposed to read the book before you come to class." Hermione said rolling her eyes.
"Or at least skim through it." Fred said coming up next to them.
"This from the guy that hasn't cracked open a book since fifth year." George said coming up next to Hermione.
"So long time no see." George said grabbing Hermione's hand and pulling her to the other side of the hallway while the others continued.
"We did see each other at lunch." She said leaning closer to him.
"But it's hard to snog with food in your mouth." He said his face inches away from hers.
"That it is." She said kissing him quickly on the lips. He wrapped his hands around her waist pulling her closer and deepening the kiss. "But Harry and Ron…" she mumbled against his mouth.
"Will get to class fine on there own." He said before kissing her again.
Hearing someone clearing there throat they quickly broke apart. Turning Hermione could see Professor McGonagall standing there. "Professor McGonagall!" Hermione said her cheeks burning with embarrassment.
"You two should be in class." She said forcefully.
"We were just heading there Professor." George said with a smile, "Just got a bit distracted on the way."
"There is a time and a place for doing what you were doing but this is neither." She continued.
"I'm sorry Professor" Hermione said, "It won't happen again."
"I should hope not." She said, "As older students you set an example to the others on what is and isn't acceptable. As a prefect you should know this Miss Granger. Now the both you get to class before I'm forced to take unnecessary points from my own house."
Grabbing her backpack from the floor, where she had at some point dropped it, she quickly headed in the opposite direction of McGonagall heading towards her next class, Defense against the Dark Arts, with George following close behind her. "Your next class is in the other direction." She told him quietly suppressing a laugh.
"Oh" he said blushing, "Forgot about that." "See you later." He said giving her a quick peck and then heading in the opposite direction.
"Miss Granger how nice of you to join us" Lupin said as Hermione tried to come silently through the door.
"Sorry Professor." She said quickly heading towards her seat next to Harry, "I got confused to which class I had next and went to the wrong one."
"It's quite alright" he said with a small smile, "You haven't missed anything. We were just discussing the workload this class will hold this year."
"You always know what are next class is." Harry hissed at her while Professor Lupin continued talking, "Where were you really?"
"Like I said I got confused about classes." She told him through clenched teeth her eyes never leaving Lupin.
"You were with George weren't you?" Ron asked.
"Never thought I'd see the day when Hermione blew off class for a guy." Harry said with a smile.
"I didn't blow off class for some guy!" Hermione said quietly but still loud enough to get her point across, and gaining attention from those around them. "As you can see I'm here!" she glared at him, "Now can we please drop the subject?"
"Professor Lupin! Professor Lupin!" a young girl, who looked to be a first year, called running into the classroom. "Peeves did something in the east corridor." She explained, "There's this weird silver gas. No one can get through."
"Well that isn't good is it?" Lupin said with a small smile. "I will be back in a few minutes." He told the class, "I will allow you to talk but are not permitted to leave or make too much noise."
"Come along" he said directing the small girl out the door, "Let's see if we can take care of this." Only seconds had passed since he had left before the class broke out talking.
"So you never did tell us what Dumbledore wanted last night." Harry said.
"Oh yeah I guess I didn't." she said, "He asked me to be a teacher's aid."
"A what?" Ron asked.
"It's like a teacher's assistant." She explained, "Only it will be for all of the professors, not just one. It's a new idea they came up with this year. They chose one sixth year and one seventh year. He's in Ravenclaw…I think Dumbledore said his name was Ted or Ed or Michael…something like that."
"So are you going to be teaching classes?" Harry asked.
"No, or at least I don't think so." She said, "It's more like I help them grade papers, clean up around the classrooms, and prepare for there classes. They divided up the teachers so that I'll have five and he'll have six, seeing as he's not a prefect. And I'll go to one of there classrooms every week night and help them with whatever they need."
"So what professors do you have?" Harry asked.
"Professor McGonagall, Professor Lupin, Hagrid… which I'm not sure how much I'm looking forward to that, Professor Vector, and Professor Snape." She said finishing quickly.
"Snape!" they both said in surprise.
"Well I didn't exactly get to choose the teacher's I'd be helping." She said rolling her eyes, "And I'm sure he needs as much help as everyone else."
"I still wouldn't want that job." Harry said shaking his head, "He'll probably have you cleaning out the caldrons every night."
"I don't think he's allowed to do that." Hermione pointed out.
"Yeah, but it doesn't mean he won't." Ron mumbled.
"If it was Harry that was going I would agree with you that that's what he would do." Hermione admitted, "But seeing as he does hate me slightly less then him, I think he'll only have me cleaning the caldrons occasionally."
"Slightly?" Ron said angrily, "If you had seen the way that he was looking at you then you'd know it was more then slightly."
"How many times do I need to tell you to just drop it?" Hermione hissed. "I did see the way he looked at me and it was no worse then anyone else in the room, including the two of you." She said causing them both to blush at being caught, "Your making trouble where you want to see it, not where it actually is. So get over it already."
Hermione didn't talk to Harry or Ron for the rest of the day, and the only reason she said across form them at dinner was because George was setting there. Halfway through the meal George finally got tired of all the silence and the nervous looks that Harry and Ron were sharing. "Okay, what's the matter with the three of you?" he asked setting his silverware down.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Hermione said taking a sip of her pumpkin juice.
"Yes you do." He said, "Why aren't the three of you talking? Do I need to hit one of them for you?"
"Ask them." She said.
"Okay…" George said realizing he wasn't going to get anything from his girlfriend.
"What did you two do?" he asked them.
"We might have…made her angry." Ron said reluctantly.
"I got that much." George said, "Do you mind explaining how you got her angry."
"The idiots brought up Snape again." Hermione said angrily.
"And you did this because…" George asked turning back them.
"We're idiots?" Harry suggested causing Hermione to give a small laugh.
"We're sorry." Harry continued, taking her laughter as a good sign and hoping that she wouldn't hex him for talking to her.
"We won't bring it up again." Ron added.
"Thank you." She said with a small smile. "Now, Ron will you please hand me the biscuits? I've been wanting one for a while I just didn't want to ask you."
"You are hopelessly stubborn." George said watching her eat the biscuit hungrily.
"But that's why you love me." She said with a smile, causing Ron to choke on his own biscuit.
"So, seeing as you weren't talking to us before, we didn't get to ask you about your other classes." Harry said trying to change the subject for Ron's sake. Dating was one thing. Love was completely different, even if it was just a flippant comment not the real thing. "Do you have a lot of homework?"
"Well I have the transfiguration essay like you guys and I want to get a head start on that essay that Rem-Professor Lupin" she corrected herself, "was hinting about. And I have to translate several pages worth of runes for Ancient Runes."
"And let me guess, your going to the library after dinner to get started on it." Ron said rolling his eyes.
"Actually, I have to go around and schedule the days for my teacher's aid."
"I thought you already knew who your teachers were." George said.
"I do" Hermione explained, "But they get to choose what day they would like the best. I already talked to Hagrid and he chose Wednesday's. He has the first years the next day and he said that way he could run his lesson plans by me first, just to make sure there okay. Umbridge definitely didn't do anything to boost Hagrid's confidence in his teaching skills. I feel guilty that I'm not taking his class this year."
"At least Ron's still going." Harry said. "Right?"
"Yeah" Ron said, "It'll be a bit weird going by myself though." Ron said.
"When is your first class?" Hermione asked.
"Tomorrow afternoon I think." Ron said.
"I have Herbology then." Harry said.
"And I have Ancient Runes." Hermione said. For a minute they just looked at each other. Over the past five years they had each gone to class on their own, Hermione even going to several classes Harry and Ron weren't in, but this was different. They all knew that their schedules were different but it was as it was if there was a sudden realization that they couldn't do everything together. That they were growing up and the days of each other just being a few rooms apart were fading fast.
"We should probably visit Hagrid more this year then." Harry said, "Just so he knows we haven't forgotten about him."
"Sounds like a good idea." Hermione said standing up.
"Where are you going?" Ron asked her.
"To find Professor Vector. I'll meet you guys in the common room later." She said leaning down to give George a quick kiss.
"Must you do that now?" Ron asked, "Some of us are trying to eat."
"Would you like to see it again?" George asked grabbing Hermione's hand so she couldn't leave.
"My brother and my best friend making out, no not really." He said.
"Then I'd recommend not saying things like that to him." Hermione said cutting off whatever George was about to say, "It only encourages him." Hermione leaned down and gave George a quick peck on the cheek, then waved goodbye to Harry and Ron and was gone before anyone could tell her that Professor Vector was still at the high table.
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Hermione was able to find Professor McGonagall and Professor Vector and now, if she was lucky, she just had to find Professor Lupin. If she could find him, then she wouldn't have to go find Professor Snape, something she was not looking forward to. She knocked on the door to her classroom several times but received no response. She went to knock on the door again when she heard someone talking quietly. She hesitated before deciding to go in but decided she had already knocked several times and he obviously hadn't heard.
She followed the voice upstairs to his office where she glanced in, only to find that she couldn't see anyone. She went further into the room and realized that the voices that she had heard before were coming from the record player. She recognized what it was saying and realized that it was a book on tape. The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts to be exact.
"Professor Lupin." she called again.
"Professor Lupin?" she repeated turning around only to find him asleep on the couch. It looked like he had fallen asleep while grading the summer work. There were papers scattered around him and a red quill was still in his hand. Thinking he'd probably prefer not to be woken up, Hermione decided to leave as quietly as possible. She paused at the door, unsure if she should turn off the record player. She didn't want his record to get scratched.
Startled by the sudden silence of the room, from when Hermione turned off the record player, Remus sat up, his eyes darting around the room before they landed on her. "Umm…I'm sorry…I was just going to turn it off so it didn't scratch. I probably should have just left it alone."
"No, no it's quite alright." He said running his hand through his hair.
"So I guess this explains why you weren't at dinner." Hermione said with a smile.
"Yes, well…Is it past dinner?" he asked looking at the clock.
"Yes." She said with a small laugh.
"Well then I'm glad you woke me up." He said.
"Actually I have my own reasons for that." She said holding up a piece of parchment. "I'm supposed to talk to the teachers that I'll be working with and find out what day they want me to come and help." She said setting down in one of the chairs. "I've already talked to most of the other teachers, so you really only have Monday and Friday to choose from. But the only other teacher I have left is Professor Snape, and if you pick a day he'll automatically get the other one, so I won't have to go find him." she finished with a sheepish smile.
"Understandable." He said with a laugh. "So you said Monday or Friday?" He said taking the parchment from her.
"Yeah, the other teacher's took the midweek slots." She said.
"How does Friday sound to you?" he asked signing his name next to the appropriate space.
"Sounds good." She said standing up. The floor swayed beneath her and she stumbled as everything begun to spin.
"Hermione!" Remus said, rushing over and catching her before she had a chance to fall. "Hermione, are you okay?" he asked helping her into the chair.
"Yeah…Yes I'm fine." She said shaking her head, "I just got a little dizzy that all. Nothing to worry about."
"Well it's not exactly normal." He said, "Is it?"
"No, of course not." she said quickly shaking her head. "I just skipped breakfast this morning and I didn't eat very much at lunch or dinner. I probably just need to eat something." She lied.
"I should take you to the hospital wing." He told her.
"I'm fine really" she persisted, "I really don't like going to the hospital wing and if I do go to Madame Pomfry will just tell you the same thing."
"I won't take you this time." He said skeptically. "But only if you stay and let me get you something, so I can make sure that eat something. And if I see you have another dizzy spell I will make sure you go to the hospital wing." He added, "Even if I have to do so at wand point."
"Sounds like a deal." She said with a smile.
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"Have you thought about what you want to do when you leave Hogwarts?" he asked reaching for another biscuit. They had already finished there dinner and had moved to dessert as they continued to discuss anything and everything.
"I've given it a lot of thought." Hermione told him with a smile, "I just haven't come to a decision quite yet."
"Well what have you thought about doing?" He asked with a sympathetic smile. He knew what it was like to have to choose a career. Sirius and James had known what they wanted to do by the time they were fourteen. Remus hadn't been that lucky.
"I think a better question is what haven't I thought of doing?" she said with a small laugh. "Harry and Ron plan on being Aurors and they keep telling me that I should do that. But I don't know…we get into enough dangerous situations as it is, it doesn't really seem like a good idea to get into a career where that's what you do all the time."
"It seems like a good enough reason not to." He agreed.
"Then I thought about becoming a Medi-witch at St. Mungo's, which I think would be a worthwhile career but I don't know, I think I'm better with books and research then I am with people."
"I have to disagree with that Hermione." He told her, "You charmed quite a few people at this school. I'm sure you'd do the same at St. Mungo's."
"While I highly doubt your speaking the truth, I'm never one to turn down a compliment, so thank you." She told him with a shy smile.
"I also considered working at the Ministry." She continued, "Professor McGonagall said that I'm everything that's usually required for an Unspeakable. However, there's not much information out there on Unspeakables, so I don't know quite what I'd be getting myself into if I chose that. Though I do have to admit the mystery is part of the appeal. That and, well finally finding out what some of the stuff we saw in there was. You know me; I never like not knowing something."
"Understandably." He said taking her hand in his own and giving it a gentle squeeze. He could tell that he was thinking about what had happened at the end of last term.
"Yeah, but I probably shouldn't choose a career just for that." She said with a embarrassed smile removing her hand from his. "I also thought of joining the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. You know maybe do some good from the inside. And well…"
"What?"
"I've also thought about becoming a professor" she said not quite meeting his eyes. She had never mentioned this to anyone before. "When I was younger, before I knew I was a witch, I always wanted to be a teacher. I thought that there was no better job. I guess the feelings have lingered."
"I think you would make a wonderful teacher." He told her. "I mean you're the reason that Neville made it as far as he did in Potions. And who knows where Harry and Ron would be if it wasn't for you? And speaking as a teacher, I don't think there is a better job."
"Good to know." She said with a smile. It was nice to know that her career ideas weren't quite as ridiculous as she sometimes thought they were. Harry and Ron were no help. Harry would tell her not to worry that she'd figure it out in the end, but not give her any advice to tell her what she should choose. And Ron would just tell her that she should become an Auror like him and Harry and not even consider doing anything else.
"Looks like we should be getting you back." Remus said glancing at the clock. He hadn't realized how late it had gotten, it was already past curfew. "I'll walk you back."
"You don't have to" she told him quickly, "I'm a prefect and the teachers usually forget to check and see who's on duty what night and just think it's me."
"Actually, I do." He said ushering her out the door, "I've kept you in here after curfew and if you run into another teacher then you'll probably end up with detention, prefect or not. But I'll have to look into that whole what prefect should be where."
"I'll have to warn the other prefects then." She told him with a smile. She liked talking to him; he actually listened to everything she said, not just parts of it.
"Did you read that book a recommended to you over the summer?" he asked as they made there way down the hallway.
"Yes, I just finished reading it actually. It answered several of the questions I had about the Dark Arts."
"Good." He said with a smile, "I was thinking of using a few things from that book for a discussion in class. You don't think it would be over the seventh years heads, do you?"
"Well I read it and understood it and I'm in Sixth year, so I think it would be fine." She told him.
"Well to be fair, you're a bit more advanced then the average seventh year." He said, "That's why I recommended the book to you. Most other students wouldn't have bothered to read it."
"Looks like were here." He said stopping in front of the Fat Lady. "Now we are going to remember not to skip anymore meals, am I correct?"
"Yes, Professor." She told him, inwardly cringing at all the lying she had been doing lately,
"Good" he said, "We don't need anymore dizzy spells."
"Goodnight Professor." She said before muttering the password and entering the Gryffindor common room. She quickly made her way over to Harry and Ron who were by the fire playing chess as Ginny watched. George and Fred were nearby, with there heads together obviously planning something. She hoped that George would remember their pact that she wanted to remain completely oblivious to all of there plans. As long as she was in the dark, she wouldn't have to feel guilty about not stopping them.
"Hey Hermione" George said giving her a kiss on the cheek, "Where have you been?"
"Uhh...I was just helping Professor Lupin. He needed some extra help with a few things for class." She lied. She didn't want them to know about the dizzy spell. She knew that she couldn't lie to them about not eating. They had been there and had seen her eat at least two full meals. But there was also a part of her that didn't want to tell them about talking to Remus. She had really enjoyed talking to him tonight, he was intelligent and witty, and he was easier to talk to then Harry or Ron, or even George. In fact she couldn't remember the last time that she had had a serious conversation with Harry or Ron that didn't have something to with Voldemort or the looming threat of war. And that kind of scared her. How far away had she drifted away from her friends, if she felt more comfortable talking to her professor then her own best friends? How far had she drifted away if the lies came much easier then the truth?
A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed. I love getting reviews and you all made me really happy. I'm really glad that you all like the story so far. I know there wasn't too much excitement in this chapter but things are going to get more exciting soon. I promise. It just takes a little time to get to the excitement. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon but life's kinda crazy right now so I don't really know when I'll be able too.
Please Please Review! It makes me happy!