Courting Magic - chapter 2

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She had taken her usual seat next to Harry and Ginny for Charms. Right before class started Ron rushed in practically collapsing onto his desk after he tripped over an extended foot in the walking lane, causing him to fall up the stairs. The whole class had erupted in laughter at the sight.

Flitwick wasn't as nearly amused as his students but he certainly did chuckle a little at the scene. "Now, now class. Please divert your attention from Mr. Weasely and get out your wands to the ready." he paused to make sure everyone had their wands out then began, "Fire-Making Spell!"

"Incendio!" Hermione shouted with the rest of the class class, flicking their wands up at the pieces of paper that had appeared for them to torch with a flick of the Professor's wand.

"Tickling Charm!"

This time there was no school supplies randomly appearing. Everyone had turned to their partner and shouted, "Rictusempra!" Immediately the class was filled with insane laughter as they all felt tickled all over. Hermione was set in a giggling fit. The first few minutes of class were always like this, going over spells from past years, and weeks of this own school year so everyone remembered them. In all honesty this had to be a favorite class for most students.

Flitwick gave them a few extra moments to calm down and do the counter-curse on their partner to stop the laughter. Once the giggles had died down he shouted, "Disarm-Counter!" flicking his wand from the left side of the classroom to the right.

The left shouted out the spell, "Expelliarmus!" The students on the right going, "Finite Incantatem!" Flashes of brightly colored light lit the room up before going out when the spells both accomplished their due.

The Professor continued with a few more charms before getting serious-or his version of the emotion anyways-and began teaching a new charm. Throughout the class Hermione's eyes flickered from one side of the class to the next wondering if her mate could be on the left or right side of the room. Mostly she was thinking about how she could put her materials into her pack fast and start down the stairs infront of Ginny, Ron, and Harry to brush fingers and wait to see if she felt a sudden surge of energy. She was slightly nervous as the class came to a close whether or not this really was the best course of action. What if her hand moved to fast and she sensed it but didn't know who's palm she had touched? A nervous fluttering was starting through her.

"I'll see you next class." Professor Flitwick announced bringing her back to the present. She blinked in shock that half the students were already gone. Now what? She gathered her stuff quickly and practically ran out of class into the thick of students in the hall. Slipping the strap of her book bag on her shoulder she dropped her hands to press agsinst her classmates as she made her way to the next class, fingers fluttering over bare skin and ignoring the dirty look a Slytherin shot at her.

She hoped she just had to touch them once and then the Veela side of her would instantly recognize her mate after that. It seemed logical to her. She comforted herself with the thoughts while heading into her Ancient Runes class.

After turning in her homework for that day she sat down silently next to another Gyfindor and a member of Ravenclaw. Their Professor, Bathsheba Babbling appeared a moment after the class was settled in from her office hidden by a simple stone wall that would open up to reveal a mass of light within. Hermione simply guessed that there were lots of windows inside to create it.

The students were asked to open their book, Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms to page three hundred sixty so they could start going over the chapter given as homework, answer any questions, and state what they should remember from this chapter-simply put, notes-then continue on with the lesson plan for that day.

While the professor began a lecture Hermione placed her hand at the corner of her desk and simply waited. The Gryfindor boy next to her as usual placed his hand there but looked up quickly at her when he felt her hand instead of the wood. She pretended to be surprised at this and muttered a quick sorry before focusing back on what Babbling was talking about, her quil made quick streaks on the parchment easily taking notes without much concentration. Another down, she mentally made another tally in her collection.

Half way through class she was realizing her fault in the current plan, she didn't have a class with everyone in school that could be her potential mate. Just wondering the halls hoping to touch skin-to-skin would only work for so long.

She drifted through her Defense Against the Dark Arts class functioning only to perform the professors instructions with a defensive spell. Hence the name of her class. They went over a quick twenty minute lecture at the end before being assigned to do an essay as homework over the new spell that they had learned in class.

By the time she got to Arithmancy Hermione was sure she wouldn't know if she had found her mate today or not. She simply slumped into her seat, put a quil in her hand, a parchment down and started writing whatever the professor said not able to diffrentiate between necessary sentances and gibberish as her body started to ache. Even her bones felt stiff and it only made her more aware that she was yet to find her mate. If she had she wouldn't be feeling tired like this. Focusing back on class she listened to Professor Vector thinking what a boring teacher he seemed now that she was half asleep. When he finally stopped talking and the noise of chair scraping back against stone woke her from her half-stupor she followed the rest of them out of class heading back toward the Gryfindor Tower.

Trudging up the stairs to the common room she breezed past her friends, up a simple flight of stairs to the girls dorms, and then she was in her room. Her room with that blessed piece of furniture called a bed. Shrugging off her robe Hermione collapsed onto the bed and sunk into oblivion.

It seemed barely a minute later when a hand was on her shoulder shaking her awake.

"Hermione! Get up!" Ginny's voice filtered through to her slowly, repeating the words again and again.

She cracked an eye open to look at the girl standing next to her bed side. "Unless Voldemort is back please don't do this again." Seeing a smile appear on Ginny's face she smiled back before asking, "How long have I been asleep?" She was feeling somewhat refreshed from her nap. Sitting up she threw her legs over the side before stretching, raising her hands high above her head to feel her muscles tighten on her and she quickly lowered her hands trying to get them to relax. She felt stiff.

"About two and a half hours. I've been trying to wake you for ten minutes."

"So that's why I was suddenly on a boat." Hermione mumbled out before yawning, moving her hand to cover her mouth soon after the sound escaped from her. "Damn." she muttered, "This being tired is getting irritating fast."

"No kidding, when you came through that door everybody mistook you for a ghost at first, and then you didn't just float through the wall and they realized who you were." That sounded like how her classmates would react. Ever since she learned about being a Veela it was as if she got tired faster. It didn't really surprise her that people were starting to catch on that something was off with her.

"Perfect." She muttered rolled her shoulders back trying to get rid of the kink in her back. It didn't work and she just sighed at the dull ache that seemed to spread through her.

"So, how did today go?" Ginny asked, sitting down to perch on the edge of her bed.

"Fine, I got about thirty down." Ginny grimaced slightly at the number. Hermione had to admit it wasn't the best she could have done under the given circumstances. "Just been getting more tired recently." she tried to explain and frowned at just how tired her voice sounded.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Hey, I didn't expect you to find him right away so no one else in the knowing circle would either. It might take a little time, you know that. Still got plenty of time left and today isn't technically over. Plus, the reason I woke you up is dinner. You look like you need the fuel."

"How was Ron at lunch?" Hermione asked remembering how she had given the pear to Ginny after her first class since they hadn't shared another one for today. Tomorrow Ginny would be in most of her classes and have the same lunch period.

"He was fine. I gave him that pear, told him it was from you." Ginny sighed. "He looked real heartbroken, but he said that he doesn't blame you. Said you couldn't help the fact that you're grandma was a veela just wished you had both known earlier so it would have made it easier on him."

"Yeah, I wish I had known before too." she admitted. It would have given her more time and then she wouldn't have to deal with the lack of guilt she felt over Ron. No matter how hard she tried to be guilty over it she just couldn't. It seemed odd to her, not feeling bad about it after everything that had happened between them. It was almost as if she was more Veela than... herself. Like all she could find herself to care for was her mate and everything else could just go to hell.

"It doesn't matter now." Ginny said, interupting her thoughts. "What does matter is getting something in your stomach," a finger jabbed lightly at her ribs, "I think you should eat more than usual from now on to keep your energy level up."

"I consent." Hermione pushed up from the bed and slipped the outer robe back on after picking it up from the floor. "Let's go. I'm famished."

"You're sounding like Ron." Ginny smirked over at her.

She laughed softly. "Your brother doesn't need all that energy. I don't even know where so much food nutrition could possibly go."

"You got me there."

They started a conversation about the charms they had learned in, well, Charms class while walking to the Great Hall. Taking a seat at the Gryfindor table they started to dig into the food waiting ready for them, nice and warm. She pushed the thought of the house elves below working their buts off to prepare this. Hermione routinely had to remind herself that most house elves simply didn't want to be set free by their masters and found purpose working in the school. Besides, Dobby still got paid.

Ron was there but he didn't speak to her the whole time, unlike what he had told his sister he was probably still upset a bit. At least he understood that it wasn't because she didn't love him. Had loved him. Hermione began eating and it wasn't long until she felt full. She drained a glass of water to refresh herself after how fast she had eaten.

"How are you feeling?" Ginny asked from her the seat to her left.

"Like a plump pigeon." Hermione replied with a smile that gradually faded away. "I should go, I need to start on my homework."

"Of course, don't stay up too late this time." Ginny was grinning over at her and she rolled her eyes at her friend in response.

"I won't mother." Hermione grinned back at her as soon as the words left her mouth and got up from the table leaving her friends to finish without her. As she walked up the winding staircases her head spun momentarily when she looked up to see the stairs rearranging themselves again. Her mind was starting to pound at the way the world had turned around her. She grabbed for the chipped stone railing and steadied her breathing, looking away from what had caused this spell. All she wanted was to make this feeling go away. If only she could find her mate in the next few days, it would certainly leave a lot of time for her to make him fall in love with her.

Once her head had stopped spinning she continued up to the Gryfindor tower and went to her dorm to collect her things before going back to the common room. The noise in there should be enough to keep her awake while she got her homework done. That small two hour nap hadn't done much for her unfortunately.

/ ~ \

She stared ahead at the board, not even completely sure how she had gotten to class in the first place. Hermione barely remembered even going to breakfast and waffing down her usual toast and jam along with two hard boiled eggs and some bacon.

McGonagall was currently holding her wand to the board that held magically scrawled chalk going over a transfiguration spell that would make the spoon infront of them a tadpole, then a bowl, and finally a toad. The process of which she was explaining how and why this happened was rather interesting. Atleast enough to hold her attention, it wasn't that she was particularly tired this morning, simply full and felt like taking a long nap. Which might actually be the same thing as being tired in her case. The professor had stopped talking and everyone had begun doing the spell around her. Hermione picked up her own wand and repeated the words to perform the spell, "Ferramentum Rana." The spoon infront of her instantly began the three stage transfiguration spell.

Hearing the professor walk from table to table she glanced up when she heard McGonagall's voice next to the one she had seated herself at. "Very good, Miss Granger." The Professor leaned a bit closer, "How are you doing today?"

"Fine. Thank you." Hermione replied politely not having anything else to say on the matter. She didn't even have an idea of who her mate was.

The professor smiled at that answer and continued going around the room checking that everyone had done it right. In the case they didn't McGonagall told them what they were doing wrong. Soon though the class was starting to learn the next spell along with assigned reading in their textbooks.

Hermione had plenty of times to check other male students walking to her next class considering it was down in the dungeons. It was a long way down the hall along the courtyard, back into the castle, going all the way to the opposite corner from which the Gryfindor Tower stood, then she was going down a spiral staircase with no bars as students moved up and down the thin walkway. She was used to it now, but the first time she had to come down here all the way back in first year she had felt like she would fall right off the edge. The feeling was only increased back then because it seemed likely to happen any moment what with how many students were going up and down the steps at a time. If she had though it wouldn't have been a long fall since there was hardly any opening in the center of the winding staricase. She had measured it third year, aproximately fifteen inches across. Which had put her mind to ease about that.

Hermione continued down a hall when her feet landed beyond the last stair. She was aware of Ginny, Harry, Ron, and a quarter of the other Gryfindors in their seventh year all going to the same destination, Potions. A good amount of them had chosen not to take the class because it was either not part of their required learning, and they did not like the teacher. She didn't really see the problem though. Sure, Professor Snape was harsh on his pupils but all you had to do to pass was memorize ingredient lists, the instruction order in making potions, and follow what the board generally said. There was also notes for when he gave lectures but those were fewer and far inbetween this year so far.

She pushed open the creaky wooden door, stepping into the classroom and quickly found her seat near the back. Ginny sat to her left, followed by Harry. Ron sat to her right but turned to Neville instead of her.

Hermione ignored his childish behavior knowing it would stop in a few days time. She got out her quil and parchment ready for any sudden lecture or as her friends would say, 'heaven forbid a pop quiz'. Snape was notorious for it, and always at the exact moment when even not all star pupils had done the required reading. That was partially why she always read ahead of her classmates. The other reason being she liked to learn. She had finished with the actual class textbook and had started reading more on the subject in the library already. It had been a lot more interesting than the Quidditch talk the boys had on the train here.

The dungeon door banged shut signaling the arrival of the professor. "Stop doodling Miss Taveri." Snape snapped while passing by the Hufflepuff's desk. It seemed someone always got in trouble for something every beginning of class. Hermione mused for a moment how that was possible. Upon reaching the front of the room Snape turned around, surveying the class. "Wipe that grin off your face, Miss Granger." She blinked in surprise not even noticing that she had done that and quickly made the expression on her face neutral. Those cold eyes stopped on a pair of Ravenclaws and they turned away from looking at Hermione back to the front of the class. "Look at the board for todays instructions, and follow them, exactly." he said speaking slowly, in that usual clipped manner of his.

Hermione watched him turn around-waiting for the billowing cape effect-and go to his desk before looking at the board. She pulled out her cauldron and started writing the steps down on her parchment. Harry and Neville had went to gather the ingredients for the five of them. When Harry came back and handed hers over she was soon chopping, grinding, and slicing ingredients as the instructions she had written down said.

Her arm brushed against Ron as she stirred the mixture clockwise and he made a short snort like sound while clearly moving a couple inches out of range for when her elbow came back to the spot. Hermione frowned at him and the action but didn't let it take her attention away from what she was doing.

"Just ignore him." Ginny whispered to her.

"I am." Hermione replied quickly, retracting her hand from the brim of the cauldron to gather up some thiny sliced plant root before putting it in and starting to stir, this time counter clockwise. She kept her head down looking at her potion when she heard the inevitable sound of footsteps coming over. She should have kept her mouth shut instead of responding to Ginny.

"Weasely," Professor Snape marked his next target. "must I remind you again, not to talk in class?"

"No Professor." Ginny replied somehow the girl kept her voice from faltering unlike most students that were put in her situation.

"Then make sure it doesn't happen again." She saw him glance at her friend's cauldron from the corner of her eye. "Even the time instructions must be followed exactly as written on the board." The footsteps continued to stop shortly infront of her own mixture. Hermione refrained from glancing up at him hoping he wasn't here to scold her as well. When he didn't say anything and moved towards Ron and Neville to start critiquing them she smiled softly. She hadn't done a single instruction wrong! That feeling always sent a sense of satisfaction through her.

Once done with what the potion required of her for this class she stuck it in a vial and copied down todays instructions from the board on a piece of parchment. She walked up to the front desk and left her vial there with the few others that had gotten done a few minutes early, but, it looked like not all were correct. That would be disapointing for those students. Hermione turned from the front of the classroom and made her way back to her seat as more students got up to set the finished product on the professor's desk.

In a few minutes they were dismissed and she did what she had done since yesterday, making sure to give her Slytherin classmates an extra tap to recheck. She went to lunch with a smile on her face brighter than the sun.

"You're too happy." Ginny stated.

"It wasn't any of them." Hermione replied gleefully. "That's half of their whole House down."

"Keep it up then."

Hermione smiled back at her for the encouraging words that made her grin even wider. "At this pace I'll find whoever it is in no time." It was a nice thought to have, and it certainly put her in a good mood even if she could already feel that familiar downward tug in her bones.