Dealing Without Harry

Hermione tried very hard not to be sick as three different potions got forced down her throat. She was shocked that Dumbledore made no move to stop Umbridge and also made no word of protest to stop the toad faced woman. Hermione was forced (and Hermione suspected the use of magic) to swallow every last drop of the potions, but nothing happened except that she was filled with warmth. It was so much that Umbridge actually stopped touching Hermione and took several steps back. The whole room started to spin and turn black, and she almost fell to the ground, but was caught by Dumbledore.

"Well" began the Headmaster, "Miss Granger is really who she said she is. If you have no objection I am going dismiss Miss Granger" and Dumbledore helped Hermione back to her feet, and told her to return to Gryffindor Tower and to take the day off. Her teachers would be informed of why she was not attending lessons for today.

"If it's all the same, Professor" Hermione said, "I feel well enough to attend my lessons" she added suddenly feeling defiant towards Umbridge.

"I think that you should recover from the potions, Miss Granger" Dumbledore said again.

"That is for you to think, Professor" Hermione said, a little bit more forcefully then she was used to, and she wondered where it had come from. "I am going to go to my first lesson" and she turned and walked out of the room leaving two startled Professors behind her.

# # # # #

Over the next few weeks, Hermione tried to adjust to Harry's absence but found that she couldn't accept the fact that Harry might be dead. She hadn't written to Sirius yet but knew that it wouldn't be too long before she would have to do so. Most of the school had now got used to the fact Hermione now seemed to have Harry's hair and scar, though some still stopped to stare. It was afternoon when Hermione glanced over at the notice board in the Gryffindor common room, and found that she had not seen a small note pinned to it.

Quidditch Try-Outs

Try-Outs for the positions of Chaser and Seeker will be held today this afternoon.

All those wishing to try for the above positions, come to the Quidditch pitch at 1.45pm.

Signed

Angela Johnson

Gryffindor Quidditch Captain

Hermione looked at her watch and saw that it was almost 1.45 already, and Hermione made a decision. Hermione nearly missed the start of the try-outs, and was greeted by several of the existing team.

"Hello Hermione" Fred Weasley said, as soon as he saw her. "You come to watch the try-outs?" he asked, then did a double take at the sight of Hermione holding a broom. Upon closer inspection it appeared to be Harry's Firebolt, and Fred couldn't believe his eyes. Hermione loved flying almost as much as Neville liked Snape.

"I've come to try for a place" she said, then turned and crossed over to where Angela was busy taking people's names and asking which position they wanted to try for.

"Name?" she asked, not looking up from the clipboard she had.

"Hermione Granger" Hermione said, suppressing the urge to laugh.

"Hermione……" Angela's voice trailed away as she looked up from her clipboard. "What in Merlin's name are you doing here?" she asked Hermione.

"I've decided that I want to try out for the Seeker position" Hermione replied.

"But you don't like to fly" Angela pointed out, but Hermione shook her head.

"I've changed my mind" she said, and then mounted the broom and flew high into the air as if to prove the point. Hermione made several complete laps of the pitch then stopped and made one more but this time in reverse. Angela asked Hermione to catch the snitch – or at least a gold coloured golf ball which had been charmed to fly. However, when Angela threw it into the air, Hermione didn't make a move until it was three quarters of the pitch away from her, and then set off in hot pursuit grabbing it out of the air with seconds to spare before she hit one end's goalposts.

"Wow" the team breathed collectively.

"Was I any good?" Hermione asked as she landed.

"The only other person who could have done that is Harry" George said, then looked at Hermione with a look of regret. "Sorry" he apologised and it was one of the few times he meant it truly and sincerely.

"Forget it" Hermione said, and she mounted Harry's Firebolt and flew away from the pitch, and only landed when she reached the entrance doors. She rushed up to the Gryffindor tower with tears running down her face, and ended up in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady. In her currant state, Hermione couldn't remember the newly changed password. "Great" she muttered, but the Fat Lady did something she had only done for a few select members of Gryffindor House.

"No need for a password today" the painted woman said kindly, then swung open to allow Hermione to pass through. She didn't care who saw her crying, all Hermione wanted was to be left alone. She ran up the stairs, went into her dorm – slamming the door shut with a bang, and flinging herself onto her bed. She drew the curtains and put Sealing and Privacy charms on them so she wouldn't be disturbed. With all this in place, she let all of the held in emotion out in one colossal fit of anger and grief in that Harry might not be coming back. The release of pure magical energy cancelled out the wards Hermione had placed around her bed but nothing happened to anything in the room. Hermione just cried and cried and cried until she cried herself to sleep, thoughts of Harry running through her turbulent mind. When Parvati and Lavender found Hermione's bed's curtains closed, they could only guess what was happening to her, and respected her privacy. For several days afterward, Hermione would not speak to George or the other members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team because she felt so angry – worse then she had ever been before in her life. It was morning four days after the incident when Angela approached her with trepidation on her face. She clearly wanted something that was for certain.

"Can I help you?" Hermione asked, looking up from her porridge.

"I wondered where you were" Angela began.

"I'm here" Hermione said, "Where else do you think I am going to be?" but Angela shook her head.

"I meant that you should be down at the pitch" the girl replied.

"Not watching that match" Hermione told her.

"Not as a spectator – as a player" Angela said, then braced herself for an outburst.

"What do you mean?" asked Hermione with an air of suspicion on her face.

"In ten minutes you will be playing as Seeker" came the information. "We've been trying to tell you that, but you haven't been speaking to us" Angela said.

"What do you expect after the 'Oh-So-Casual' manner George Weasley talks about Harry?" Hermione said hotly, though keeping her voice in a low tone.

"I'll expect you at the pitch" Angela said, then turned and walked away from the Gryffindor table.

"Are you going to play?" asked Ginny. She had been watching the whole thing with interest.

"I don't know" Hermione replied.

"Harry would want you to be happy" Neville said from Hermione's other side. Neville suddenly found himself wanting to know how the Shield Charm went – one did not get on the bad sad of Hermione Granger and live to tell the tale.

"Would he?" asked Hermione quietly. Harry had been the subject of many of her thoughts over the last few months. 'Oh where are you?' she asked in her mind.

'I'm closer then you think' came an oddly familiar voice