This chapter is dedicated to Thanfiction, the amazing author of Dumbledore's Army and the Year of Darkness. he will probably never read my work as i am sure he is very busy but he is one of my absolute favourite authors on FanFiction. More will be explained in my authors note over why this chapter in particular in dedicated to him.
Chapter Nine – Merry Christmas
"So I'll see you soon," Hermione said, smiling at the two boys.
The three of them were standing in the entrance of hall. Lessons had finished yesterday and at eleven o'clock today the train departed from Hogsmede station. Around them people stood waiting for the doors to open, a few of them, like Hermione, saying goodbye to people staying at Hogwarts over Christmas.
"Yes, have a good Christmas Hermione," said Harry
Ron nodded "Yeah, have a good time,"
"And you promise to both keep looking for Nicholas Flammel?" Hermione asked
Ron groaned "It would be you to set us homework over Christmas!"
"Do you not want to find out who he is, I'm going to look over all my books to see if there's any mention of him." Said Hermione crisply
Both boys grinned as Professor McGonagall called over the crowd
"The carriages are here, please don't all rush at once,"
Hermione looked at the boys and smiled "Merry Christmas" She said happily
"Merry Christmas Hermione," They chorused. Harry bent down and lifted up her trunk for her, handing her the handle. Hermione beamed a thanks and turned to go with a cheery wave. She was one of the last to leave the hall and as she passed the doors she called to Professor McGonagall.
"Merry Christmas Professor,"
Professor McGonagall nodded her head at Hermione and replied "Merry Christmas Miss Granger,"
Hermione walked down the steps, slipping slightly on the snow that had coated the ground since mid-December. The cold air bit at her nose so she pulled her scarf up higher over her face and climbed into the nearest carriage, which held a few other people who had stayed behind to say goodbyes. Ten minuets later she was aboard the train and searching for a compartment, like she had months before. After a short while she came across the girls in her dormitory sitting happily in a compartment of their own. Hermione slid open the door and smiled at the girls before heaving her trunk into the luggage rack with a helping hand from Parvati. She sat down with Lucy and Julie on her left, facing Lavender and Parvati. Tucking her legs underneath her she opened her copy of Hogwarts: A History and began to read. After about half an hour she was interrupted.
"Hermione?" It was Lavender
"Yes,"
There was a pause where Lavender glanced at Parvati, who raised her eyebrows slightly.
"What's Harry really like?" She asked quickly
Hermione was taken aback "What do you mean?"
"Well is he brave and heroic, or big-headed or….scared of everything, or anything like that?"
"No! No he's none of those things, well I mean I assume he's brave as he's in Gryffindor, but no he's just normal," Answered Hermione
"Does he remember You-know-who?" asked Julie, who had been playing exploding snap with Lucy, in a hushed voice
"I haven't asked him, that would be horribly rude!" Said Hermione, quite aghast
Julie looked a little disappointed.
"What about Ron, what's he like?" Chipped in Lucy
"Again, quite normal." Said Hermione, beginning to get annoyed now.
"Which one do you like?" Asked lavender
"I like both of them of course," snapped Hermione
Lavender shrieked with laughter, Julie and Lucy snorted and even Parvati looked like she was trying to stop a grin.
"What?" Asked an exasperated Hermione
"You misunderstood," said Lavender, still shaking. "I meant which one do you like?"
"Wha – oh neither, they're both just friends!" Said Hermione
"Oh come on, you hang around with two boys all day and you don't have a little crush on either of them?" Wheedled Lavender
"Yes, Not the famous Harry Potter?" said Julie
"Or the cute Ron Weasley," Said Lucy
"No! They're my friends, I wouldn't…..I mean I don't….I….NO." Hermione yelled the last bit.
All the girls looked a little shocked at Hermione's outburst. Lavender said in a small voice.
"We were only messing around Hermione,"
"Well it wasn't very funny," Said Hermione standing up with her book and sweeping out of the compartment. Angry that they had all ganged up on her like that.
Once out in the corridor Hermione swept along, looking for a compartment that held people she knew, finally towards the end of the carriage she came across a compartment filled with Neville, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan and two boys that Hermione was pretty sure were called Micheal Corner and Terry Boot. Sliding open the door Hermione asked timidly.
"Would you mind if I sat in here,"
The boys all shook there heads and a few of them smiled at her. Hermione smiled quickly back and sat down opposite Neville opening her book again and beginning to read. Around her Micheal and Terry spoke quietly about different lessons whilst Dean and Seamus were much more rowdy in their conversation. Neville would occasionally chip in with comments but mostly kept quiet, staring out of the window. A few hours passed before the lunch trolley rolled up to the door. Hermione selected a few things to keep her going until she got home, where her mum had promised in her last letter to cook Hermione her favourite meal, a chicken and ham pie. The boys however, all took mountains of sweets and ate them greedily around her. Hours more passed and Hermione's eyes began to grow tired from reading for so long. When the five minute announcement came Hermione got up to collect her trunk. Saying goodbye and wishing all the boys a Merry Christmas.
When she reached the compartment door she felt apprehensive, not really wanting to see the girls again, but she didn't have a choice so she slid open the door and stepped inside. All the girls immediately turned to look at her and fell silent. It was Lucy who spoke first.
"Hermione, we're really sorry about earlier, we were just curious about someone being friends with boys and I guess we got a bit carried away,"
"Yeah, we didn't mean to upset you," said Julie timidly.
"Sorry Hermione," Chorused Lavender and Parvati sadly.
Hermione felt satisfied with their apology and believed that they hadn't been doing it just to be cruel to her.
"That's ok, thank you." She said as she reached up for her trunk.
"Are you doing anything in particular over Christmas?" Parvati asked gently
Hermione shook her head "No, staying at home and seeing family, that's all,"
As she finished her sentence the train came to a halt and everyone moved towards the doorway. Heaving their trunk Hermione and the girls got swept out the train and onto the platform, where a wizened old guard was letting them through the barrier in twos and threes. After a lot of jostling Hermione, Parvati and Lavender stepped through the barrier back into the muggle world, where parents were milling around waiting for there children. It was then that Hermione heard it.
"Hermione, Hermione!"
It was her mother's voice calling over the crowds, it was then Hermione realised just how much she had missed it, the written word could only go so far in satisfying how much she had missed her parents. With a quick 'Merry Christmas' to the girls Hermione quickly weaved through the crowds until she spotted her parents, who were waving frantically at her. Hermione drank in the sight of them and half ran towards them, landing in their outstretched arms, her trunk clattering to the floor behind her.
After a while they let go of each other, but her mother held her at arms length and stared deeply at her.
"You've grown," she said quietly
Her father walked behind them and picked up Hermione's trunk.
"Shall we go home?" He asked softly
Hermione nodded and linked arms with her mother, walking through Kings Cross and out to where the car was parked. Here no snow lay on the ground and the air was slightly warmer than it had been in Scotland. The Grangers packed into the car and her father held up a CD to show Hermione.
"Recognize this Shakes?"
"The Christmas album!" Said Hermione excitedly
Her father nodded and slid the CD into the slot. Soon Christmas music was merrily filling the car and the three Grangers sang loudly as they drove home. Hermione leaned back and felt at home, of course the castle was beautiful and that also felt like a home, but not like this moment, sitting in the car with her parents, just being themselves. In what felt like no time, they arrived back and Hermione's heart leaped at the sight of her house. She rushed to leave the car and get inside and her mother laughed at her eagerness as she opened the door. Hermione stepped over the threshold and breathed in the familiar smell of home.
"There are no Christmas decorations up," She said to her parents as she looked around.
"No, we wanted to wait for you, we'll spend tomorrow putting them up and buying a tree," Said her mother
Hermione followed her parents into the kitchen where her mother put the kettle on and they all sat round the table.
"So tell us all about it then!" Burst out her mother
Hermione's father laughed and Hermione launched into repeating what she had already told her parents in her letters home, but in much finer detail. Hermione barely noticed when her cup of tea was replaced with her mother's handmade pie as she talked about lessons, the castle and Ron and Harry until she was slightly hoarse. It was only when her father glanced at his watch that Hermione's mother realised how late it had got and screeched that Hermione must go to bed as she had had a very long day. Hermione loved collapsing into her bed that night, feeling totally at peace.
OOO
The next few days were a blur of Christmas festivities and catching up with her parents and before Hermione knew it, she had awoken on Christmas morning. As she had every Christmas she could remember she ran downstairs to the tree in her sitting room where presents from family where piled high. Then, as she had for the last few Christmases she went to the kitchen to make tea for her parents and herself before bringing them up to her parents to help wake them up. Ten minuets later all three Grangers sat in the living room with cups of tea, still wearing their pyjamas.
"So you're just opening the ones from us this morning, alright Hermione," said her mother
"Yes mum," Hermione laughed, her mother said the same thing year after year.
Hermione began to carefully unwrap the presents from her parents, making sure not to rip the wrapping paper too badly. Twenty minuets later Hermione was surrounded by new books, fiction and non-fiction, a few more items of clothing, a couple of different sugar free sweets and some new stationary. Hermione thanked her parents with hugs before handing them there presents. For her mother she had made a photo album dating back to when Hermione was born from an old box of photos she had found earlier in the week and she had bought her father a new book he had wanted. Just as her father was thanking her, Mrs Granger shrieked.
"An owl!" and pointed at the window.
"She does that every time," said Mr Granger in an undertone as Hermione walked to open the window.
"Hedwig," She said happily and she quickly opened the window.
Hedwig swooped gracefully into the room and landed on the coffee table. Tied to her leg was a large package. Crossing the room Hermione bent down to retrieve it, inside were two wrapped presents, and one card. Hermione opened the card first and read,
To Hermione
Merry Christmas, hope you're having a good time at home,
From
Ron and Harry
Hermione smiled and passed the card to her mother before turning to the presents. She selected the smaller of the two first and unwrapped it, inside was a bag containing one of a lot of different types of sweets. There was one Chocolate frog, one liquorice wand, one cauldron cake and many others. A note on top said.
Thought your parents might want to try a little bit of everything
Harry.
Now Hermione turned her attention to the next present, inside was a large box of handmade fudge with the note on top.
Made by my mum, I hope that's ok
Ron
Hermione opened the box and tried a bit of the fudge, which was very tasty. Her parents frowned at the amount of sugar Hermione had been sent but after Hermione promised not to eat it all at once they both tried little bits of the different sweets, laughing at the strange flavours. After a quick breakfast they all headed upstairs to change into clothing, Hermione donning a new woolly dress she had received. By early afternoon Hermione's aunt and uncle who lived in Manchester and her grandparents had arrived. Hermione's other grandparents, the ones on her mum's side, had both passed away when Hermione was seven and her other aunt, who lived alone, was seeing other family. As she had for many years, Hermione helped her mother in the kitchen cooking the Christmas dinner whilst the others stood around chatting merrily. At three o'clock an enormous dinner of turkey with all the trimmings sat in front of them and Hermione's family all sat and pulled crackers, donning the colourful hats within.
Hours later still they all sat around the Christmas tree, swapping presents and jokes alike. Her grandparents fell asleep in front of the fire as they did every year and the rest of the family played games like charades, until finally, overcome with tiredness they managed to drag themselves upstairs where they promptly fell into a deep sleep.
OOO
Hermione couldn't decide whether the Christmas holidays passing quickly was a good thing or a bad thing. On one hand, she wanted to get back to Hogwarts and carry on learning spells, and searching for Flammel. On the other she wanted to stay with her parents, just talking and laughing and being together again. Together the Grangers crammed three months worth of excursions and treats into two weeks; they went ice skating, to a few small scale concerts and to see the local Christmas pantomime. But they also did the most normal things as well, they played card games and drank tea together and Hermione managed to play a whole twenty minuets of chess before her father beat her.
"I don't know what this Ron Weasley's done Shakes, but I can't believe quite how much you've improved in chess! Does he give you nightly lessons or something?"
Hermione laughed "No, he just gets how to explain chess to me. He comes up with ways of explaining that are easy for me individually to understand,"
Mr Granger frowned "Does he now, so he could beat me at a game of chess could he?"
Hermione looked up into her father's clever face, adorned with his thick framed spectacles he wore for reading, writing and chess playing. She had absolutely no idea who win a game held between her father and Ron. "I'm not sure, I really can't tell whose better,"
"Well maybe one day I'll play him," He said, setting up the board again. "What about this Harry then, is he a chess wizard to?" Her father chuckled at his turn of phrase.
"No, but he's still a lot better than me,"
"Not hard Shakes!" Laughed her father
Hermione kicked him under the table they were playing at.
"Sorry, sorry, So explain again what a seeker does in…Quidetch…..Quiddith…"
"Quidditch dad," And Hermione launched again into the details of a seekers job in a game of Quidditch. A game which Hermione's parents found the thought of immensely terrifying.
OOO
And then it was over, the Grangers were back at platform nine and three quarters for the train that left at eleven o'clock, around them hundreds of families stood, saying there goodbyes.
"So you don't think you'll be coming home for Easter honey?" Asked her mother, with a slightly quivering lip.
"I don't think so mum, I have to revise for the end of year exams and at home I won't have enough books to do that,"
"Are you sure you're ready to be away from home for six months though?"
Hermione sighed and looked up into her mothers face, truth be told she really didn't know how she would manage a whole six months away from her parents, but there was no way she could revise for her exams at home, it would be impossible. So Hermione just nodded bravely as the first whistle blew. Mrs Granger flung herself at her daughter and hung onto her tightly until Mr granger placed a hand on her shoulder and she let go.
"See you Shakes," He said leaning down and kissing Hermione on the head.
"Bye, I love you both," Said Hermione picking up her trunk.
"We love you too sweetie," Mrs Granger said in a wavering voice. "Oh and say hello to Ron and Harry for us,"
Hermione nodded and reluctantly turned around and walked towards the train, turning round at the door to give her parents a final wave before boarding. As she was walking down the corridor the train began to move, leaving Hermione's parents on the platform.
The ride was uneventful. Hermione sat again with Lucy, Julie, Parvati and Lavender who after a few questions about her holiday left Hermione to sit and read her book. The crowd that walked into the entrance hall was a lot more subdued than the one who had left it two and a half weeks ago. They had arrived just in time for dinner, which was a normal affair instead of a feast. When Hermione walked into the hall it wasn't difficult to locate Harry and Ron and the rest of the Weasley family sitting on the Gryffindor table. Hermione smiled as they made room for her in between the two of them whilst the rest of the school all found seats up and down the long tables.
"How was your holiday then?" Asked Harry, whilst pouring peas onto his plate.
"Lovely, mum, dad and I did all sorts together, it was really nice to see them. Oh and they say hello to both of you by the way,"
"Did you get the presents all right? Oh and thanks for the sweets," Said Ron pilling mashed potato onto his already loaded plate.
"Yes Hedwig got there fine, thank you for all of it, my parents found most of the stuff hilarious" Hermione said, mostly to Harry "And my mum adored the fudge, she says she wants the recipe, although she did wonder if it was possible to make sugar-free fudge" Hermione now said turning to Ron.
The boys laughed and began to eat in earnest.
"How was it here then?" Hermione asked
"Fantastic," Harry enthused through a mouthful of food "The food was amazing and we had a snowball fight and…."
"And Harry got the coolest Christmas present ever!" Ron interrupted
"Did you?" Said Hermione, turning to Harry
Harry looked warily around the table before leaning in so that only Hermione and Ron could here what he was saying.
"I don't know who it was from, the note only said it was my fathers originally, but it was an invisibility cloak,"
Hermione gasped, Harry had got an invisibility cloak!
"But they're so rare and so…"
"Valuable? That's exactly what Ron said," Interrupted Harry
"And the note didn't say who it was from!" Said Hermione incredulously
"No, it just said 'use it well'," Replied Harry
"And have you used it?" Asked Hermione eagerly
At this point Ron and Harry exchanged a look, Ron raised his eyebrows and inclined his head towards Hermione, whilst Harry seemed to slump. Hermione wondered what an earth could have happened. Finally Ron spoke up.
"Harry went out with the cloak on Christmas night,"
Hermione narrowed her eyes, "When you say night…."
"Yes, after curfew," Said Harry dully
"After curfew! If Filch had caught you…."
"He was invisible Hermione," Said Ron
"That's not the point, think what could have happened if…"
"Do you want to know what he found" Ron interrupted her for the second time
Hermione sighed, torn between curiosity and annoyance, "Go on,"
"Well, at first I went to the library to look in the restricted section for Flammel," Said Harry quietly.
Hermione lightened a bit, at least he had been trying to do some good.
"But I accidentally opened a book that shrieked really loudly so I ran for it because I could hear Filch coming,"
Hermione gasped and had 'I told you so' on the tip of her tongue, but Harry was soldiering on.
"So I ended up in this old classroom that isn't used any more and in it was this huge old fashioned mirror, so I went to look in it and…I saw my parents,"
"You, you what?" breathed Hermione
"Well not just my parents, my whole family standing around me, not doing anything, just smiling at me, so I stood there for ages until I realised I had to go back,"
Hermione eyebrows had firmly knitted together and she had long ago abandoned the food on her plate.
"But, what was it, I don't understand,"
"I'll get to that bit," Said Harry calmly "So the next night I took Ron with me and we expected that he would be able to see my family as well, or all of his family or something,"
Hermione nodded.
"But when I stood in front of the mirror," Began Ron, Hermione swivelled to face him. "I saw myself as Head boy and Quidditch captain, holding the house cup and the Quidditch cup,"
Hermione was now firmly confused.
"So when we got back I told Harry not to go again because I had a bad feeling about the mirror," finished Ron
"And you shouldn't have been wondering the corridors at night anyway; you could have so easily been caught!" Said Hermione turning back to face Harry.
"That's actually what Ron said as well," muttered Harry
"Good." Said Hermione firmly.
"But he went back anyway" Ron Said
Hermione clenched her jaw but let Harry finish the story,
"So yeah, I went back again and whilst I was this time, Dumbledore was there,"
"WHAT," screeched Hermione, loudly enough that people turned to look. "Sorry, but what" Hermione now whispered.
"Yeah, he didn't tell me off or anything, he told me that the mirror was called the Mirror of Erised and that what it actually does is show your hearts desire. And then he said the mirror was going to be moved and told me not to look for it again because 'it does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live'," Finished Harry, using air quotes on the last part
"Yeah and he was right, you've been having strange dreams ever since," Said Ron.
Harry scowled at him across Hermione.
"And that was all, he didn't give you detention or take any house points for sneaking out of bed!" exclaimed Hermione.
"No, nothing," Harry said.
"Wow, and this mirror sounds amazing, telling you what your hearts desire is," breathed Hermione
She thought briefly about what each of the boys had seen. Harry had never even known his family so he saw himself with them, that was obvious why it was his hearts desire. Ron's was more difficult to work out. Why would Ron, who always thought Percy being a prefect was stupid, want to be head boy? Hermione looked up the table to where Fred, George and Percy sat, then thought of Bill and Charlie, both prefects and one a head boy and the other a Quidditch captain and realised. He felt overshadowed; he had five older brothers to compete with because, really to most people he was just known as 'the youngest Weasley boy'. Hermione had never thought of how hard that must be on him and thought it was no wonder he wanted to be known as his own person by beating all of his brothers. The Hermione realised something else.
"Hold on, even though you've had two and a half weeks and this cloak, you haven't found out about Flammel, have you?"
Hey everyone, this was a long chapter!
So i'm now going to dedicate every single chapter i do to a reviewer/an author/a character on an actor from HP. This chapter is dedicated to Thanfiction because this is the first chapter I mention Michael Corner and Terry Boot. If you have read Dumbledore's Army and the Year of Darkness you will know about these two characters. If you haven't then I implore you to go and read it, it is my favourite fanfiction I have ever read. Basically ThanFiction developed these two characters into two beautiful people who feature heavily in the story, he has also written a lot of one-shots about them. I won't give much more away but if you read it you will understand why I have fallen in love with them and why they may keep cropping up.
This was the first chapter where Harry,Ron and Hermione all have a proper conversation together. YAY! So i hope you enjoyed that.
Please review or drop me a line in any why as i appreciate it so much and i will answer everything.
Oh and thanks to SpiritedWind for the idea of a little bit of drama with the girls, i hope you enjoyed that as well
Hannah x