Courting Magic - Chapter 1

I'm rewriting this, decided it needed it as I didn't actually like the original... Hope you guys like this improved version.

After checking the time and realizing the conversation had taken up the rest of her classes she hurried up to the Gryfindor common room. She stopped to say hello to Ron and Harry who were playing wizard chest once again instead of doing their homework. Some things never changed.

"Hey Hermione," Ron said, "D six." a rook moved along the board.

Harry turned to her, "Hey, so what did McGonagall have to say?"

"She just needed to talk to me about the classes I decided on to make sure it went well with my career choice." Hermione lied while turning her eyes away, which she hadn't meant to do as it told him right away that something was off. "I have to go but I'll see you tomorrow." Her words cut off his own before he could even speak. She turned around, her eyes settling on a blaze of red hair. As she walked by Ginny she whispered, "meet me upstairs in a few minutes I have to tell you something."

Walking quickly up the steps Hermione turned into the girl's hall and threw her door open to go and sit down on to her bed glancing around the room wondering how she was going to do this with the time given. Just clam down she told herself. Everything will be alright, you have seven months afterall it should be plenty of time to find your mate and make them fall in love with you. It should be being the key words. It could be a total mess. She may not find her mate. She-

Breath Hermione. Taking in a slow breath she blew it gently out and muttered, "I can do this." to herself just as the door opened.

"Do what?"

"Oh Ginny! Sit down, please." Looking up she spotted her friend and directed her over to sit on the bed opposite of her own.

"I heard you had to go to McGonagall's office. What happened that's got you all stirred up?" She began to open her mouth to answer the ginger but then hesitated. "Hermione?"

How was she suppose to go about this? It was so sudden. She had just figured out what she was barely an half hour before when that dicussion with McGonagall had concluded. Calm down. She took in another breath to prepare herself to just go with it. To just blurt it out. That would be the best way, right? But what if it wasn't? What if...

Just say it. Her mouth started moving before she even knew what was happening at the silent command to herself. "McGonagall called me in because I'm a quarter Veela." Ginny's eyes widened drastically, mouth dropping open to look like a gaping fish. Hermione guessed this is what she must have looked like when the professor had told her. "It was just recently discovered that my grandmother was a Veela. I have seven months to find my mate, there is a fourty percent chance that they are in another House and a twenty percent chance they're not even at Hogwarts, which means I would likely find them in Hogmeade..." she took a breath reminding herself to press forward, "I know it's true too because of how tired I've been after my birthday." Glancing at Ginny she slowly reached out a hand to wrap around the other girls hand, slightly unsure of this now that she had said it. She had to know something though, "You won't be mad at me if it's not Ron will you?"

"Mad?" The surprise washed away from Ginny's face and she seemed to regain control over her mouth. "I could never be mad at you Hermione. Who cares if my brother isn't your mate, I like having a friend that's alive. Besides, isn't this, kind of exciting?" She had a giddy expression now as she spoke growing increasingly excited. Hermione couldn't help but find that reaction slightly confusing. Not that she didn't appreciate that her friend wasn't mad at her. Just wondering what there could possibly be to be excited about. If she didn't find her mate in time-no stop it Hermione.

"I suppose it is but, I won't be here exactly anymore. If there in another house or not we'll have our own room because of the contact I need for energy and... other things." She could feel a blush rising to her cheeks at that implication. Well, mates did uh mate for lack of better word. And she thought her vocabulary was good? Dictionary reading time tomorrow then...

"That's fine. You need that since you are a Veela, even if only by a quarter." Apparently that last implication hadn't been lost on Ginny either as she was blushing as well. Hermione wondered for a moment if she was thinking of Harry in that moment before the red head started talking again, "I always found the part of a Veela finding it's mate romantic. Don't you?"

"I-" Hermione started, then smiled. "I suppose so. It is exciting." she admitted. Though she didn't know what to expect. Sighing she began twisting her fingers anxiously as she practically whispered, "Who do you think it is? I hope it's not a Slytherin. Definetly not Malfoy. Hopefully."

Ginny laughed and it sent a spark of hope through Hermione. "I doubt it. Your mate should be perfect for you, a good match." Ginny gave her a reasuring look while she squeezed her hand back. "It may be a Slytherin sure, but it definetly wouldn't be Malfoy or any of his pack. Ooo, there's that cute six year Ravenclaw boy too. Maybe it's him?"

It was her turn to laugh. A nice thing to hear rather than everything that this change would mean for her life. "It could be anyone is the thing. I haven't even started searching. I'm not sure how I should search. I've read up all about Veela but they never mentioned how a Veela knew who their mate was or how they found them." That was her main troubling thought. If you didn't have a way to find your mate then how did a Veela do it? That dead in seven months thing wasn't very reassuring. If she had more time, say years she was sure she wouldn't be so anxious about the whole ordeal.

There was a soft sigh across from her. "Honestly Hermione you just found out today no one expects you to know everything about this. To have found your mate yet. Let's just think for a moment. You mentioned-uh, some energy thing?"

She began to nod then blinked, visibly perking up as she ran the information through her mind, disecting it every which way. "If I get energy from my mate then when I touch them I should feel less tired and more-"

"Awake! Yes, that's the spirit!" Ginny cheered.

"But, I can't necessarily go around touching every boy in sight-" Ginny giggled at the slight innuendo and Hermione's face flushed. "That's not what I meant! Just like a, tap on the shoulder or something. Wherever there is skin for my fingers to brush against-"

"Or lips." Ginny said with a smirk shortly laughing at Hermione's expression. "I'm sorry. I think it's a great idea. When people are walking in the halls they touch hands accidently all the time. You'll find your mate within the month." That was true. Accidental.

Perfect solution.

Hermione smiled back at her. This was progress. Which was great. "It is simple, isn't it? I don't know why I was so worried before-" She stopped midsentaance as Ginny was giving her an odd look. "What?" she asked curiously.

"You have to tell Harry, and especially Ron."

"Oh, we can do that right now." she glanced down at her fingers still dancing together now seperate from Ginnys. "They can be my first test subjects." she muttered under her breath. Ugh, what a terrible start of such a simple plan.

Ginny's smile evaporated within the second. "Don't joke like that. If Harry ends up being your mate I'll-I... well it'll be bad for you."

Looking back up at Ginny she couldn't hold in her laugh and hurried to stop it and reassure her friend, "I've been brushing fingers with Harry since I got here and he needed me to check an essay. It's not him."

Ginny had begun to smile but then it disapeared again, realization dawning on her face. "Then you know it's not Ron either."

Hermione sighed. "No, it's not him." She felt bad about it. But there was nothing she could do about it. If the part of her didn't care for him then that was that. "Well, I suppose it's time for me to go down there and stomp his heart out."

"Hermione it's not your fault." Ginny insisted.

"I know that." Though she still felt bad about it. Not able to control one of the most important aspects of her life. It throughly sucked. "Come down with me?"

"Sure."

They hurried down the staircase to their friends. It took a minute for the two girls to convince them to go outside somewhere secluded but soon they were on their way to Hagrid's hut. The four sitting admist the garden waiting in silence for a moment.

"Ron," Hermione began.

"What? Is something wrong? You're using that serious voice of yours. I knew something was up." Ron interupted to go on a mini tirade.

She fought back her urge to laugh at this rather expected reaction. "Nothing's wrong. It's just that, I guess you could say we have to break up." Seeing he was about to start up again at those two little words Hermione quickly continued before she could be interupted, "When I went to McGonagoll's she told me I was a quarter Veela, and Ron, well, you're just not my mate."

"A Veela?" Ron sounded rather astounded. "You?"

"No, the tree behind you." she said with a roll of her eyes. Why did the fact that she was a Veela surprise everyone? She wasn't but ugly or something! "You understand what I'm saying, don't you?"

Ron frowned and was quite for awhile but ulimately nodded. "Just promise me something."

"What is it?" Hermione asked, now curious as to what he would want to make her promise about. Though she doubted it was anything to important on her end of the stick.

"When you find you're mate you'll tell me who it is."

Her face set into a scowl quickly. Of course. Nothing to do with her safety but his ego. Why would he ever think about anything else? "I'm not going to let you beat up my mate Ronald Weasely."

Ron opened his mouth and fumbled for words at her accusation. "I-I wouldn't-never-" Harry and Ginny began laughing. "Okay, fine. I won't beat up your mate." He looked to the ground dejected but his head shot back up quickly. "As long as it's not a Slytherin."

She sighed offering up a smile after a moment. "You have my full permission to punch my mate once if it's a Slytherin but you better hope he doesn't tell me about it and that I'm not around." Hermione was sure to make that threat clear in its intent.

"I'll be careful of that." Ron replied in all seriousness.

The group of friends begun laughing. In the back of her mind though Hermione remembered one major thing she hadn't told them yet. Not even Ginny. Best to knock multiple birds down with one stone. "You can't tell anybody about this. It's top secret. Okay? Swear it." she added quickly.

"I swear." Ron and Harry replied after her.

Hermione looked to Ginny who winked at her. "I also swear myself to secrecy." She smiled at this.

"Okay, we should get back to the common room then, Harry and Ron still have essays to finish I believe."

"Oh just the one for herbology is due tomorrow." Ron began to say calmly but then panic crept into his face and he got up quickly to walk away, Harry followed a second after and soon they were running back up the hill to the newly constructed bridge.

"He seemed to take that well." Hermione conceded.

"In the inside he's screaming like a little child, and I'll think he'll punch your mate wether they're a Slytherin or not." Ginny said with a little laugh stopping only when Hermione gave her a pointed look. "Just saying, he's freaking out inside. I'll make sure to go check on him and tell my brothers-if that's okay with you."

"It's fine." Hermione replied. It would be best if the Weasely family knew that she hadn't dumped Ron on purpose or meant to hurt him for that matter.

"They're good with secrets, plus they don't even go to Hogwarts anymore so it won't be a problem at all. Oh, I'll have to tell mom and dad too so they understand why you-"

"It's fine Ginny. I understand. Come on." she said and they went back to Gryfindor tower to get some rest.

The next morning Hermione woke up and hurriedly put on her robes and went down to breakfast. Sitting at the table she glanced around the room wondering who her mate could possibly be. It was both exciting and frightning, all the possibilities that she would slowly tick off until she found him. Not that there was much students to look at right now, she had come earlier then most. Her eyes trailed over the Slytherin table in a single glance seeing it was just a couple fifth years and Malfoy's friend Zabini. Her mind didn't dawdle on him though, skipping over to the Ravenclaw table where about twenty people were. Including the sixth year Ginny had spoken of. Out of all the Houses they were the most likely to be here early. Only a single person was at the Hufflepuff table and it was a girl.

Sighing Hermione looked back to her plate, picked up some toast and began spreading jam ontop of it with a knife. She bit into the piece of bread when done eyes wandering over to the Professors table. McGonagall was sitting there with Trelawny who's class she still found ridiculous. Divination, right. She had begun to roll her eyes as she remembered the time in third year but her gaze halted on the side door as it opened and Snape walked into the Great Hall with his cloak billowing around him in the typical fashion.

She took another bite of her toast, gaze on the Potions Professor as he sat down at the table nowhere near the other two. His head turned toward her as if sensing her looking at him. Hermione's mouth froze midbite when their eyes met. He had such a steely gaze, always looking somehow angry at the world. His eyes started to narrow at her...

"Good morning Hermione," a voice came from her left and she whipped her head around in surprise.

"Good morning Neville." she said almost choking as she coughed on a stray piece of bread in her mouth.

"You okay?" He asked leaning forward. Hermione made a small noise in the back of her throat. Neville grabbed a glass of water on the table and handed it to her, fingers brushing over her own outstretched hand for the glass. Taking it from him she took a quick gulp to force the bit of food down her throat. "Fine now?"

"Yes. Thanks." She picked up a napkin dabbing at her mouth lightly trying to forget that stupid incident. Then her eyes widened and she smiled. She hadn't felt anything when Neville touched her hand. One down, a few hundred more to go! Hmm, that a bit more depressing than she thought it would be.

The Great Hall had begun to fill up after Neville had come in. Ginny sat herself opposite of Hermione and leaned forward. "So?"

"I can't work that quickly." Hermione answered watching as Ginny just grinned wickedly back at her.

"Please don't tell me you've started some project for fun again." Seamus said as he sat down next to Neville.

"Of course not." The two girls replied innoccently.

"You're insane."

Hermione smirked and glanced up when Harry sat next to Ginny. "Morning Harry."

"Morning Hermione, Ginny. Ron isn't coming down, he's rather mad about yesterday." Figures.

"See? I told you how he would be." Ginny said with a smile. Having just bitten into her jam toast again Hermione just scrunched her nose up at her in response.

"What happened yesterday?" Neville asked glancing over at the two and smiling slightly to find the girls making faces at eachother. "Ron practically had steam coming out of his ears all night."

Swallowing down the bread and promptly sticking her tongue out at Ginny she turned to Neville to answer his question. "I-" She hesitated for a moment. "I broke up with him."

"Well that explains it." Seamus huffed.

Hermione ignored him then glanced at the jam infront of her. "You want any jam Seamus?" He glanced at her almost suspiciously then nodded. She handed it over being sure to do a casual brush against his hand as Neville leaned back to not get hit by the jar. Retracting her hand she glanced over at Ginny and smiled. She lifted a finger at the side of her plate at the questioning girl's gaze and wagged her finger back and forth. Nope. Wasn't Seamus, thankfully.

Breakfast was soon over and she took in a breath. Here came the real search for her mate. For a second she was overwhelmed by the fact that only four people were marked off her long list but she just grinned after a second. If she was lucky she would find him today. Getting up from the table she walked with Ginny and Harry to their first class seeing as Ron hadn't shown up for breakfast. That boy was going to regret it to and then they would have to listen to his stomach growl all day till lunch. She grabbed a pear quickly and stuffed it in her bag while passing by the table. There, now he couldn't complain as much and hopefully wouldn't stay upset at her for much longer.

Please review!