Chapter 2 – After the Duel (1st Year)

(A.N. I apologize to anyone that has got the impression that 'May I Ask a Question' is a new story; it is not! It is a bunch of scenes scattered throughout the entire series of books where Harry asks questions that could have made a difference in how things turned out. The chapters are not written to lead to somewhere other than Harry's better understanding of things going on around him and some possible changes in the plot. In lieu of my obvious oversight I offer the following what-if.)

The duel at midnight had turned out only to another trick by Draco Malfoy to get Harry and Ron in trouble and to have them caught out of their dorm by Filch and Mrs. Norris. The trouble was that Hermione and Neville had also accompanied them and they all heard Filch. In their rush and scramble to avoid being caught and thereby punished the four had opened a lock door and found out what Dumbledore had cautioned everyone about during the Welcoming Feast. A giant angry three-headed dog had threatened to eat and dismember the foursome and they were lucky to escape with their lives. When they had finally returned to the Gryffindor common rooms, Neville had gone directly to bed but Hermione vented her anger directly at Harry and Ron.

"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We all could have been killed – or worse, expelled. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed." (Ch. 9 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)

Ron had muttered something about how barmy the know-it-all was and fled up the stairs in front of Harry. He was quickly asleep but Harry had more than a few things on his mind. What was that thing and why was the huge dog in such a tiny room inside? What was the dog guarding? What was under the trapdoor that only Hermione had noticed? And WHY did the most logical and smart schoolmate he had, Hermione Granger, insist that there was something worse than being killed? Trying to figure out these questions kept Harry from sleeping almost all night.

The next morning came much too quickly and Ron woke up Harry talking about the wonderful adventure they had had. Harry privately thought it wasn't much of an adventure but more of a warning about not listening to Malfoy and listening to Hermione. He came down to the common room to see Hermione and Neville talking together but they only stared at them before turning and hurrying off to breakfast.

Following along with Ron, Harry ran up and tried apologizing all over again to Hermione and Neville for dragging them into the wild chase and exposure to the deadly creature. Neville seemed to believe Harry's sincerity but Hermione only nodded her head once and continued walking to the Great Hall.

Neville and Hermione sat down together and Harry made a point to sit across from them even if Ron didn't want to get anywhere near the girl. They began eating and Hermione finally broke her silence. "Ron, please keep your mouth closed while you chew or talk. Nobody wants to see that."

"Whazyrpoflegm?" came the garbled reply from the red-head and most people along the Gryffindor table turned away from sight of Ron Weasley's lack of table manners. Harry could see that Hermione wanted to switch seats but there weren't any open spaces nearby. She compromised by pulling out a textbook and setting it up like a shield between her and Ron.

Harry rolled his eyes and tried moving his plate to avoid the possibility of the things that were flying out of Ron's mouth landing in his food. Down the table Harry could see Fred and George just shaking their heads in sadness (or was it disgust?) as they looked at their brother. Harry had an idea. Well, the start of one anyway.

"Excuse me a second" Harry said as he stood. "Official team business." Ron didn't notice as he was trying to get Neville's opinion on which of the three heads on the dog was the biggest or had the sharpest teeth. Harry walked down to where George and Fred were and they spread apart a little bit to let him sit down. Harry got right to the point. "Can't you guys do anything about that? It's downright revolting and quite splendid for putting everyone off their appetite."

"There's an idea Harry…"

"…we'll send little Ronniekins over to eat at the Slytherin table the day of the Quidditch match against them. If they all get sick…"

"…maybe they'll forfeit the match."

"Never happen" Harry said. "If Snape even allowed Ron within five feet of their table, he'd find an 'official' reason to reschedule the match."

"And probably dock you a handful of points Harry" Lee Jordan said from across the table.

"So, seriously guys, why does Ron eat like that?"

The twins looked at each other a little guiltily and Fred (or was it George?) spoke. "Partly our fault, we've been trying to train Ron's reflexes for years for Quidditch by stealing stuff off his plate every chance we get."

"Well you quit doing that!" Harry spoke rather quickly between clenched teeth. "He's in public now."

"Sorry about that. And to get yourself heard at the Weasley table you have to talk loudly and do it quickly. Ron learned to speak by taking the spaces when everybody else was chewing; even if he was chewing myself."

"Aaaargh! That is so wrong. Thanks for the information. I guess I'll try my luck."

Harry walked back to his place and sat down next to Ron. "Hwedzatfror?" Ron said.

Harry grabbed Ron's hand that was holding his forkful of food. And held it. Ron reached for a sausage to try and stuff in into his mouth with his other hand. Harry quickly plucked it out of Ron's hand and threw it upwards. One owl had just dropped off a letter to Daphne Greengrass over at the Slytherin table was the one that grabbed it and ate it out of mid-air.

"Why did you do that Harry?" Ron demanded.

"Because I'm a little hard of hearing with all the people in here talking and I can't hear you when your mouth if full of mush."

"Really?"

"Really."

Hermione peered over the top of her book and smiled at Harry. "I have the same problem too Ronald."

"We've been here how many weeks and this is when you bring it up?"

Harry tried to look embarrassed. "I was hoping I would get used to the noise but I guess not. There's also something else."

"What?"

Harry moved closer and then whispered a few sentences into Ron's ear. To Neville and Hermione's complete surprise, Ron dropped his fork. He looked around the Great Hall and noted all the people that were staring at him. (They were actually staring mostly at Harry but Ron didn't know the difference.) Ron's face whitened and he took a breath.

It was at that point that three owls descended toward the Gryffindor table carrying a package. A long thin package was dropped off into Harry's hands. Harry read the note from Professor McGonagall and then showed it to Ron, Hermione and Neville. Harry had to stop Ron from tearing the wrapping off right there at the table because he was so excited. Ron insisted on going back to the dorms and 'helping' Harry unwrap the Nimbus 2000. He was so excited in fact that he forgot about finishing his breakfast.

Neville and Hermione were both curious to see it too so they joined Ron and Harry in leaving the Great Hall. Draco Malfoy, as per his usual pettiness and timing, tried to get Harry in trouble for having a broom as a first year but Professor Flitwick took two points from the Slytherin for bothering him about something inconsequential. Malfoy stalked away, angry and upset, as Flitwick winked at the four Gryffindors. Harry handed off his 'package' to Ron and said he would be up to his room in a few minutes. "I think Hermione wants to yell at me some more for last night."

"Better you than me" Ron said as he started walking away with Neville in tow. Harry stopped him before he got too far away.

"Ron, if you unwrap that before I get back to the dorm, you won't get to take a spin on it until after the twins graduate."

Ron's eyes bugged out a little bit but he nodded that he understood the threat. Harry watched his two dorm mates until they had climbed out of sight and then turned to Hermione. They stared at each other nervously for a few seconds and then both started speaking.

"Hermione, I'm so – Harry, that was"

Both stopped abruptly and Harry ducked his head a little bit. "Ladies first. I insist."

"I didn't want to yell at you any more Harry but thanks about thinking about a way the two of us could talk by ourselves. Ron is so. So…"

"Yes" Harry said simply.

"That was a great idea about being hard of hearing to Ron. He actually swallowed his food before he talked to you."

Harry cupped a hand around the ear closest to Hermione. "Huh? You said something?"

Hermione actually giggled; something Harry had never heard come out of the studious girl's mouth before. He thought he liked it a lot.

"So can you tell me what you whispered in his ear? It's okay if you don't want to." Hermione looked nervous as if she had somehow overstepped their relative unfamiliarity with one another.

Harry looked around at all the students passing by them and pointed over to the nearest wall. Hermione followed him over to a more private area. "I told him something I heard my aunt tell my cousin as he's starting to go to a new school himself this year. Aunt Petunia told my cousin Dudley that although he was too young and innocent to think about girls 'that' way, the same might not be true for some of his classmates that were female."

Hermione seemed interested by this conversation "And…?"

"She said that some girls our age, whether by design, self-motivation or curiosity might be looking at young lads with the eye to judge whether they might make a possible boyfriend or even husband in the future."

"You told him that?"

"Almost word for word. And I did mention that Millicent Bulstrode seemed to like the way Ron ate now because she was always seating herself so that she could get a good look at him."

Harry watched Hermione Granger stuff a fist in her mouth to stop from laughing out loud. Her face got very red for about ten seconds before she got herself back in control. "That's two things I'll have to tell Lavender and Parvati."

"Please, it may take all of first year Gryffindors to keep Ron's eating habits in check. I'll let Dean, Neville and Seamus know tonight if I can."

"You're pretty smart Mr. Potter."

"I'll accept that compliment from my superior in the knowledge department."

A faint blush came to Hermione's cheeks. "It was nice of you to say that Harry."

"I meant it. But could you use some of those smarts to explain your statement of last night; about you being killed or worse expelled? I didn't quite make sense of it."

"I, I was just upset and worried and tired. I said things backward I'm afraid."

"The Hermione Granger I've observed doesn't make mistakes like that. It was deliberate." Harry saw how nervous she suddenly became and tried to back off. "If you want to I mean; I don't want to be pushy since we're talking so nicely."

Hermione stared at him for a while trying to make a decision. "Okay, I know ghosts are real now so if I had been killed last night by that beast, I would hope I would be able to come back as a ghost and finish at least listening to classes here. I couldn't do that if I was expelled."

"Oh that makes sense if you think about it that way. I'm sorry I've delayed you. You're probably going to the library to revise or work on homework now."

Hermione nodded and Harry waved goodbye. He hadn't taken a step when he felt the robe on his arm grabbed. He looked back to Hermione to see she was chewing on her lower lip in deep thought. "Promise you won't tell anybody what I'm about to say?"

Harry nodded.

"Please, if anybody knows we'll both get made fun of."

Harry crossed his index finger over his heart which seemed to satisfy Hermione. "I fear getting expelled more because this is the first place I've felt at home with other people our age. I'm making friends; a little slower than I hoped but some friends anyway. Lavender and Parvati try to talk to me and I'd miss the friendship I hope I will have with them."

Harry nodded in agreement; he knew exactly how Hermione felt.

"I'd also miss you and Neville and I guess Ron too in his own weird way."

"I'd miss you to Hermione if you were expelled. I think there are a few things we have in common. And… and I think it would be nice if we became better friends to each other. If that's okay with you I mean?"

"That would be nice Harry. I'd really like a good friend here. But you better get going before Ron goes spare up in your dorm."

"You are probably right. As usual. What are you going to do in the library?"

"I was going to research and write that essay for Professor Flitwick."

"I'm probably asking too much but would you like some company and help? Maybe we could work on our essays together?"

Hermione smiled and Harry definitely knew he liked seeing that. "I'll be a while with Ron though.."

"And your new broom." Hermione said with a little tease in it.

"Yes my new broom. And just in case you were wondering, I'm going to send an owl to Gringotts later to have my account manager take money out of my vault to send to Professor McGonagall. I can't just let her pay for an expensive broom like that."

"Do you always try to do the right thing Harry?"

"I try; I don't know enough yet to make good choices all the time but I hope I'm getting better at it."

"Then I'll see you later?"

"Yes and I'll at least get to the library in time so we can walk down to Herbology together. Neither one of us should be walking around alone with Malfoy and his goons on the loose."

"That's for sure. The library can be on the way up to the Gryffindor tower; I can walk with you at least that far if you don't mind going that way."

"Sounds like a plan Miss Granger. Shall we?"

Hermione and Harry walked off down the corridor talking together. Neither one noticed the smile that came to the face of their Head of House and Transfiguration Professor as she watched them go. Professor McGonagall thought two strangers to the magical world would make a great pair of friends after all was said and done.