Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
When they arrived through the floo, they both felt suddenly uncomfortable seeing the eerily empty Infirmary. It had been fixed up completely since their last stay and seemed as shiny and bright as a brand new golden galleon. It was of no surprise to either of them that the school nurse had turned what was a war torn and broken hospital for the Light side of the war into what was now an immaculately clean infirmary for the children of Hogwarts. Harry and Hermione both paused before stepping into the room, however, as they felt they could still see the blood and tears of the people they watched die and suffer in the room before them.
They both told themselves that it was the floo ride with two people that made them feel sick – not their memories.
"There you two are. I don't think you need an invitation, come on." The familiar voice jolted them out of their thoughts and they saw Madam Pomfrey on the far side of the room, getting things ready. Obediently, they both walked over to her, seeing that she was preparing an enlarged hospital bed for them.
"Thank you for seeing us on your holiday, Madam Pomfrey." Hermione told her quietly, earning a wave of dismissal from the medi-witch that made both Harry and Hermione smile at one another.
Some things never change, they both thought happily. Their smiles vanished at the woman finally turned to give them her full attention.
"Now, let's see your hands. I'll never understand how you both haven't the sense to come here first." She told them impatiently. Hermione put the sack of food down and they lifted their hands up to show her their predicament. The older woman narrowed her eyes at the sight and tapped their hands a few times with her wand. For about a half hour, they sat in front of the older witch and watched as she went through the paces of investigating their problem, hissing in pain as some of the spells she used tended to sting their hands.
They exchanged a curious look between them as the nurse put her hands on her hips in frustration.
"I would have thought you'd be of a better mind not to go placing extremely potent charms on yourselves. It's bad enough you tried to stick to one another but to use the spell at it's maximum power is ridiculous!" She chastised. Harry and Hermione both spoke at the same time, arguing that they hadn't wanted to get stuck to anything but that Ron had cursed them. She listened to them for a few seconds before waving her hand to silence both of them.
"Fine, you didn't do it to yourselves. Regardless of who is at fault, it seems that we're at your worst scenario for this charm as there is nothing I'll be able to do tonight or tomorrow night." She told them in a voice that could only be determined as one a dry sort of pity.
"You mean, we'll be stuck like this for three days?" Harry asked, his eyes wide; Hermione's jaw dropped as he spoke, hoping he was wrong. A wave a relief surged through them as the woman in front of them shook her head at the both of them.
"Unfortunately, Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger, I won't be able to do anything for sometime. What I meant to say is that if you're both extremely lucky you could be stuck like this for the next three months." She told them quietly, watching as both patients seemed to have lost all color in their face.
"Three…three…three…" Harry closed his eyes, repeating the word aloud as if he didn't understand it.
"Months...three months…" Hermione mumbled, her eyes wide as she did so.
"Yes. You see, the only known antidote for this of sort sticking charm is a paste that has to be applied not only on a full moon but takes a month to make it remotely powerful enough to undo."
"The last full moon was two days ago!" Hermione cried, feeling as if she were about to start hyperventilating.
"Exactly. Add onto the fact that even if we started the paste tomorrow, we'd still miss the full moon probably by three days. The problem, Ms. Granger and Mr. Potter, is that this is a very complex paste that requires a few very rare and very expensive ingredients. The crushed unicorn horn alone is three times the going rate of a student's wand. You'll need to hope that Professor Sprout's greenhouse still has the more rare plants we need but since the war destroyed so many parts of the castle, well, I highly doubt it will."
Harry found himself glad that they hadn't eaten very much of their dinner as he felt ready to throw up all over the sparkling clean floor.
Madame Pomfrey looked over the young witch and wizard and realized that she may have been too blunt too fast. She took their connected hands and gave it a squeeze, surprising them both. While they were both on good terms with the mediwitch there were only few memories that either had of her being as openly comforting as she was now.
"There's nothing more to be done today. You both should rest and we'll talk about it in the morning when I come to check over you. Until then, well, you know where the baths and the loo are." She let go and the warmth on her face turned back to its usual stern look as she noticed that if it were at all possible, their faces both grew even paler than they had two seconds earlier.
"Come now, speak up. It's not the end up the world." She told them, sounding exasperated.
"Doesn't that mean we'll have to-" Harry cut himself off, feeling too embarrassed to finish his sentence. The medi-witch nodded, looking more annoyed and impatient than anything else.
"Yes, Mr. Potter, you'll need to bathe together and accompany one another to the restroom. I'll send up one of the house elves to help you in and out of your upper garments." She paused to see the reddened faces of both students and shook her head at them.
"You're both adults, I'm sure you can handle it. And if you can't, well tough dung, you're stuck like this. I'll fetch you in the morning when the professors arrive." The older woman turned on her heel, leaving them to their thoughts as she dismissed herself for the night and retried to her quarters. The two Gryffindors sat on the enlarged hospital cot with wide eyes and red cheeks as the realization of their situation began to fully sink in.
They sat that way for a while, not talking and certainly not daring to look at the other. It felt suddenly like their first night on their own had: silent. Before they had left on their quest, there had always been the comfort of noise, especially at night. For Harry, he had felt the comfort of the loud television shows that Dudley or Vernon would watch until the late hours of the night, the sounds of his Gryffindor classmates snoring or the constant noise of the Burrow. Hermione wasn't much different in that sense, falling asleep with ease at the sounds of the busy streets of London or the chattering of Lavendar and Parvarti. The lack of sound had been almost painful for the three of them on that first night and for the many nights that followed. It had been a constant reminder that they were completely alone and it felt as if something were crawling under both friend's skin as the silence of the practically empty castle settled over them.
"I don't want to be the one to explain this to Ginny and Ron." Harry said finally, sounding dejected and worried.
"I don't think Ron has any right to be angry at this point." Hermione told him, not bothering to hide the bitterness in her voice. She was more worried over telling her parents than anything else and didn't want to imagine the looks on their faces when she explained to them that it was Ron who had caused it in the first place.
"He's your boyfriend, he has SOME right to be mad-"
"Why do you always defend him over me?" Hermione asked him suddenly, sounding exasperated and a bit hurt as she spoke. He wasn't sure if it was the question that threw him off guard or the amount of hurt on her features that caused him the surprise. She looked away from him, shaking her head a little as Harry stared at her blankly. He was silent as the moment replayed in his head as he tried to think of why Hermione would ask that. He had always thought he treated both friends equally; he never took sides.
As if sensing that she was not going to get the answer from him, Hermione began talking once more.
"Here's what we're going to do: We'll talk it over with Professor McGonagall and Sprout tomorrow and then we do our own digging. If we can destroy Voldemort, we can undo this ourselves." She said, moving their hands as if she were trying to shake him off. The movement brought him out of his thoughts and looking over at her once more, he laughed at her determined expression to remove him. They both chuckled a bit and though they both knew that the moment had passed for them to talk about it, the question still played heavy on their minds.
"If we can't fix it ourselves-" He stopped when Hermione suddenly shifted on the bed, her eyes wide. She opened her mouth and closed it again and her face began to redden.
"What?" Harry asked blankly, raising an eyebrow at her.
"We have a more pressing problem." She told him, shifting once more on the bed. His brow furrowed and he motioned for her to continue and secretly wondered what could be more of a problem than what was going on now. He watched as she groaned, hanging her head down in embarrassment.
"I have to pee."
"I really don't want to do this." Harry said finally, standing outside the bathroom door.
"I am not going to pee with the door open, Harry Potter! It's bad enough that I have to do it with you in there!" Her voice grew high and she shifted on her toes as the uncomfortable sensation filled her body. She hadn't realized how badly she needed to go to the bathroom until they had both relaxed on the cot. Now that they were standing in front of the restroom door, she began feeling like a four year old on a roadtrip who just couldn't hold it.
"I-" Harry started, only to be interrupted by Hermione throwing the bathroom door and pulling them into it. She pointed to the back of the door with a look so serious that Harry thought he might turn to stone.
"You stare at the door and I'll put a deafening charm on you. I'll tap you on the shoulder when I'm finished." She told him quickly. Harry gaped at her and shook his head feverently.
"There's no way you're going to put a deafening charm on me! I've been charmed enough for one day, thank you!" He cried, his free hand instantly moving to cover his ears. Hermione stomped her foot on the ground in frustration, fighting the urge to wiggle helplessly.
"Harry, it won't be permanent! I have to pee and-and-and if you don't do as I say...well then I'm going to be lugging around a dead Harry Potter for the next three months!" She told him, sounding more desperate than angry. Harry groaned loudly and turned around, feeling awkward and tired.
"Fine, just do it." He told her, resigning to their fate. He felt a bubble of complete silence overwhelm him and it was akin to the feeling of having earmuffs on during their mandrake lessons. He could feel Hermione moving behind him and grew infinitely glad that she could take care of her business with one hand. The idea of having to help her out of her jeans was one that he couldn't fathom at this point of the night. He stared at the door to the bathroom stall and focused on the spot of chipped paint in the corner.
As Hermione stood up, her face already red, she found herself in a spot of trouble. While she had no problem undoing her jeans with one hand, she found she couldn't twist her hand the right way in order to button up with one hand. It was almost painful stopping the urge to stomp her foot once more.
"When I see YOUR best friend, I'm going to kill him! Then, I'm going to bring him back to life and kill him again!" She grumbled, trying to bend awkwardly in order to button her pants. Her joined arm felt stiff and underused after just one day and she fought the urge to pull her hand over and help her situation.
"Did you hear what I-" She rolled her eyes at herself as she realized that Harry was still in a deafening bubble. A flick of her wand and she watched as her best friends shoulders sagged in relief at hearing sounds once more. He turned around red faced and raised an eyebrow at the look on her face.
"What now, Hermione?" He asked impatiently, quite aware that he was whining and not caring.
"I need my hand." Hermione told him, suddenly feeling as if the bathroom was shrinking. She grit her teeth and pulled at the waist of her trousers causing him to look down and drop his shoulders once more.
"I hate Ron." He grumbled, causing Hermione to take it as a sign of surrender. The tips of his fingers touched her lower stomach as she zipped and buttoned her pants as quickly as possible and they both threw their arms out between them as soon as she finished. She felt goosebumps under her jeans and where he accidentally touched and chose to happily ignore it.
"Well, that was relatively painless." Hermione announced as they walked out of the bathroom. Harry snorted a laugh and the two stood awkwardly for a moment before Harry nudged her shoulder playfully.
"Not what I had planned for tonight, I'll tell you that much." He joked. Hermione laughed and began walking towards their bags when she felt herself being pulled back. Her brow furrowed and she looked up at Harry wide eyed this time. She groaned and turned towards him with a hand on her hip.
"What?" She asked him. He gave her a dry laugh in return and his free hand moved to the back of his neck.
"Now I have to take a leak."
The sound of Hermione groaning could be heard as he pulled her into the bathroom.
Although they had figured out a semi-successful way of using the bathroom the duo found short lived relief in their accomplishment. They made their way over to the hospital baths and stood with blank stares at the large walk-in tub that was only a bit smaller than the Prefect's bath.
"You know, I really never thought I'd say this but...I think we should tell Ginny and Ron before we bathe together." Hermione told him, staring at the shiny looking bathroom that on any other occasion would be a welcome sight. Harry swallowed nervously but nodded in agreement, not wanting to even imagine the reaction both Weasleys would have.
The two walked away from the room and back to their belongings which were back to their enlarged sizes and laid out on the cot next to theirs. The two rummaged through their clothes and picked out something to sleep in.
"I thought Madam Pomfrey was going to send a house elf-" Just as Harry finished his sentence, two pops were heard in the air and before them stood a very small elf accompanied by a familiar big brown eyed one.
"Winky is here for Harry Potter and his Hermy." The elf squeaked proudly. The two stood dumbstruck for a moment before Hermione's loud gasp filled the air and she threw her arms (and Harry's too) around the unsuspecting elf.
"Winky! It's so good to see you!" The witch lifted the small creature off the ground and held her tightly. Winky yelped at first and eventually gave Hermione a pat on the back. Harry smiled at his best friend's reaction and gently pulled her away from the elf.
"She needs to breathe, Hermione." He told her lightly, the same tears threatening his own eyes as he looked at the elf in front of him. It was the first one that either had come into contact with since Dobby had died saving them. While he was happy that Winky was safe (as she had been missing during the battle) he found it hard to look at the elf without thinking of his dear departed friend.
Hermione wiped her eyes quickly and gave him a watery smile, the look in her eyes showing that she was thinking along the same lines. Winky waited patiently as the both of them tried to laugh off the surge of emotion that seeing her had caused. They took in her appearance, her skin tone lighter and her face no longer gaunt looking as it was during her depression. She wore a dark blue toga-like dress that was very unlike the rags they remember her proudly donning and she even wore a pair of bright pink flowery flip-flops.
"Winky, you're wearing clothes." Hermione exclaimed, a fresh batch of tears ready at the sight. The elf nodded and ducked her head bashfully.
"Missus Hermy is right. Winky is wearing clothes and is not thinking she is a bad elf any more." Her voice, while still high pitched, was much easier to understand without the constant hiccuping from before.
After sharing a surprised glance they both smiled proudly at her, Hermione letting the tears in her eyes slide down freely. She sniffed, smiling and laughing at herself for a moment before bending down and looking at the very small elf that currently latched itself onto Winky's leg.
"And who is this?" She asked curiously, her tone the same as if she were speaking to a shy child. Harry looked on curious as well, watching as Winkys face broke into a proud smile.
"She is being Mitsy. Winky and Dobby's daughter."
Their jaws dropped in return and they exchanged looks of disbelief.
"Yours and Dobby's daughter?" Harry asked, earning another patient nod.
"I-I- Dobby never said..." Harry stuttered, feeling flustered over thinking of his brave friend. Winkys ears fell slightly but she nodded sadly.
"Mister Harry Potter was much more important than house elves. Winky and Mitsy understand. Dobby is hero to house elves and is making elves proud." She told them, her voice was sad for a moment and a look of sorrow passed over her. Almost instantly as it came it was gone again and her ears perked up once more and this time she threw her shoulders back, standing up a little straighter.
"House elves are just as important as-" Hermione stopped when she felt Harry squeeze her hand gently and she looked up to see him fighting back his own tears at the little family before him, shaking his head at her. Although she still wanted to argue with the elf, Hermione gripped his fingers back and nodded in understanding before turning back to Winky and Mitsy.
"He was the bravest person I ever met." She told Winky, she bent down low as to look at Mitsy better and smiled sadly. "Mitsy, your dad saved me from a very evil woman. He saved our lives." The little elf's ears perked up and she stepped away from Winky. She looked almost exactly like Winky did with a round nose with wide round eyes and lighter skin. Harry thought it was fitting that she inherited Dobby's sea-green eyes. A pink bow was magically firm atop her head and she wore the same toga styled dress only with pink and white polka dots.
"Mitsy's first job is to help Harry Potter and his Hermy." Winky announced, proudly. They both smiled and bowed at the young elf.
"We're very honored."
They found, much to their surprise, that getting dressed was much easier that using the bathroom as long as the "keep all eyes away" principal was used. The two elves helped magic their top attire off and on and it was easy enough to change their trousers. Seeing one another in sleeping clothes hadn't been much of a problem as they had lived in such close quarters where Hermione was accustomed to seeing Harry and Ron walk around in boxers before and after bed. For Harry, however, he found it to be a strange feeling as once again she used both hands to pull up sleeping shorts which ended in him trying not graze the length of her leg with his fingertips.
While he had always known and admitted that Hermione was an attractive girl, he never bothered to realize that she was slipping into being an attractive woman. It was a fact that he was starting to see in many colors after only one night as her attire seemed horribly flimsy even if it was still tasteful.
They slipped into the bed, glad to reach the easiest part of their tasks. Sleeping near one another had never been a problem - at least that's what they both reasoned to be true. They'd fallen asleep on the floor of the Burrow together or atop the couch in the common room while next to one another. Yet now, they found themselves feeling as if they'd stumbled on an entirely too intimate situation. They laid on opposite ends of the bed, both wide awake as the only light was the dim moon.
Harry shifted carefully, feeling as if every move he made sounded ten times louder than it actually was. Hermione moved as well and both attempted to get comfortable without touching the other until Harry finally sat up.
"This isn't working." He grumbled, feeling a headache coming on. Hermione sat up slowly, nodding and yawning in response.
"Agreed."
Harry laid back once more and rested on his side in order to face her; Hermione mirrored his movements. They moved their intertwined hands so that their arms were bent between them, resting against Harry's chest.
"This is better." Hermione told him, yawning once more.
"Yeah."
The two laid there quietly, both with their eyes closed though neither sleeping. It wasn't that they weren't physically comfortable but that the idea of being stuck together for so long began to run through their brains. Harry thought of not being able to become an Auror and told himself it wouldn't be that bad. He would be able to join the next training in January if all else failed. He thought of Ginny and sighed as his current attachment meant that they could no longer be physically intimate. A soft sigh from his best friend made him smirk a bit as he thought that at least that meant Ron would be in the same boat as he was.
Hermione's mind ran a different track. She thought of the rumors people would start about them if they knew and about all of Harry's adoring fans that would send her scathing mail once again. After the war, it seemed that the lives of select "war heroes" had become insanely interesting to the wizarding public. Everyone wanted to know their dark personal story, wanted their baby pictures, wanted to be their best friend and as much as they all loved a nice story about their current whereabouts, they all loved a slip of usually unflattering gossip even more. In fact, Witch Weekly had their own column dedicated to friends and family of the three wizards called "Trio Watch."
She began worrying over everything again when Harry's voice interrupted her.
"Do you believe in heaven, Hermione?" He asked, surprising her enough to make her open her eyes and finding Harry staring back at her.
"I- well- we know that something exists. You saw it when you died." Hermione told him carefully. The words fell off her tongue uncomfortably as she hated thinking about that night.
"Right..." Harry answered, trying to close his eyes again. His eyes shot open as he felt Hermione's free hand cup his face.
"It's not your fault that Dobby isn't here with Mitsy." She told him quietly. He found himself leaning into her familiar comforting touch and sighed loudly. He wanted to curse himself for being so obvious when it occurred to him that there was no point in trying to be vague around the clever bookworm.
"Isn't it though? If he hadn't saved us-"
"We'd be decorating the dungeon floor in Malfoy Manor." She said firmly, causing Harry to look at her in surprise. Hermione had been through a lot with him during the war and while he knew her war stories pretty well, there were things that she just didn't talk about with anyone. If he had to put a number one to her list of things not talked about, Malfoy Manor would have it with a gold star.
"If it weren't for him, we wouldn't have won the war. Dobby didn't just die for you, he died for Mitsy and Winky's future. He died for all of us." Her voice, while softer in tone was still strong and he felt the sting of tears as he stared at her.
They didn't say anything else for the remainder of the night and eventually fell asleep with foreheads touching and limbs tangled.
"I told myself after living in a tent for almost a year that I would always make time for a bath or at least a shower." Hermione told him wrinkling her nose as she said so. "I feel positively rank."
Harry grinned as he watched her pull at her clothes uncomfortably and nodded in agreement.
"You smell positively - OW!" He yelled out as Hermione punched him in the arm.
"Don't finish that sentence." She told him warningly, her face threatening to break out into a smile. Harry grinned and rubbed his arm.
"I actually feel bad for Malfoy. Are you sure you don't wear invisible brass knuckles?" He asked her teasingly, the reminder of her previous punch causing her to blush before she rolled her eyes.
They had woken up in better spirits than they had expected, having slept well for their first night of being stuck together. Neither had commented on just how comfortable they had gotten in their sleep and had no intention on mentioning it all. Harry had woken up with Hermione's thigh between his legs and his free arm holding her to him by his waist. The only thing that seemed to be between them were their connected hands that pressed into their chests. He had woken up to the tickling feeling of curly brown hair on his cheek and when he moved away tiredly he found Hermione's eyes fluttering open as well. The two stayed still for a moment before they heard Madame Pomfrey bustling outside of their privacy curtain, eventually pulling away.
After another fiasco with the bathroom and Harry making fun of the way Hermione brushed her teeth, they found themselves waiting anxiously on their freshly made hospital bed for news from the school nurse.
"Are your parents going to be angry with you?" Harry asked curiously, remembering that it was her plan to leave the Burrow that had essentially caused Ron's outburst. She sighed and shrugged her shoulders.
"Probably not angry but disappointed. They were looking forward to spending time with me but that can't be helped. We need to start researching antidotes or reverse charms so that we can get out of this and Hogwart's had the best library. Besides, I don't think my father will take kindly to me sleeping with a boy in the same bed under his roof and there's no way we could walk around my muggle neighborhood like this."
Harry was about to say something when they heard the infirmary doors open and saw their old professors walk in. If it weren't so rude, Harry might've snickered at how strange they looked all together. Professor McGonagall walked in the middle, thin and tall with the same stern look on her face that they'd seen for so many years and her hair in a tight professional bun. Professor Sprout stood at her right, short and rounded with now black and white curly hair going every which way and a cheery smile on her face (not to mention a smudge of dirt by her jaw). The lastly, Professor Flitwick who now walked with a sort of limp stood at the headmistress' left, his short frame barely going past her hips.
The two stood up quickly and greeted them with a smile.
"It's nice to see you Professors, Headmistress." Hermione told them cheerfully while Harry nodded in agreement. The older wizard and witches smiled at them both, exchanging pleasantries before summoning a table and chairs.
"So, what have you got yourselves into this time?" Professor Sprout asked, eyeing their hands carefully as they slid it over the small table.
"They've been charmed together with an Epoximise Maxima spell." Hermione explained, nodding to Filius as his eyes widened.
"Who would do something so silly? Surely they know how permanent that spell is." The charms professor asked in shock. Hermione shook her head while Harry gave off a dry laugh in response. Hermione swore she heard Harry say "one would think" under his breath but chose to ignore it.
"Bill Weasley said that Ron performed accidental wandless magic." Hermione said blandly, not missing the look of annoyance coming from the headmistress.
"How...unfortunate." Professor Sprout mumbled, looking at their hands once more.
"They're going to need to make an extremely strong Gluten Amotio paste that's charmed on the next the next full moon." Madam Pomfrey told them, looking over at the newly arrived professors expectantly. "Pomona, do you have the more rare plants available?"
"Well, the most basic ones I've got in supply but you'll be needing a lot of Luna Drosera root that I don't have and you'll be needin' a mess of moon flower petals that I have but I don't know if they'll be in bloom by next month. Plants do things on their own time, we can only guide them and hope for the best sometimes." Harry looked at her blankly before nodding as if he knew exactly what she was talking about.
"Is that why we need to wait until the full moon? All of these, uhh, luna plants?" Harry asked carefully, praying to Merlin that he didn't ask a stupid question. It was the opposite, however, as even Hermione looked pleased that he'd asked the question.
"Yes, unfortunately that is the reason. Those plants release certain reactions under the full moon that enhance their magical qualities." Professor Sprout informed him, looking happy that he showed even a slight interest in her line of work.
"The magical pull that the moon has on many things still baffles us today." Professor Flitwick commented. Harry watched as Hermione nodded with interest as if she were yearning to ask more questions but was biting her tongue.
"Neville will be here in a week and I'll have him work on this at the start of his apprenticeship. The other plants you'll need will be matured so he'll be able to focus on the ones we're unsure about. I'll do a bit of digging for the Luna Drosera and see if I can get a good supply as soon as possible."
"Now, I've already sent word to our dear Professor Slughorn. He'll be the one that will make the paste for you two, though I expect he'll like to see you both personally from time to time to assist him as he is doing this in his spare time." The headmistress rolled her eyes as the word 'assist' rolled off her tongue and the glued students returned the look as they knew what they would have to endure from the man.
"So, that's it then? There isn't any other way out of this other than waiting for the paste to work?" Harry asked them pleadingly. The older witches and wizard looked at him with an amount of pity that annoyed him more than consoled him and he took their silence as a sure answer.
"Surely there has to be something, I mean, Harry and I could research it straight away to try -" Hermione was cut off by the former transfiguration professor.
"I wish there were something else to be done but you know as well as I that we would have the solution by now if there were. Obscure remedies like these are talents of both Horace and Pomona and this really is the best that can be done." She told Hermione curtly, sounding a bit annoyed with the fact that she was doubting their knowledge. Harry looked over at his best friend and found that she had hunched her shoulders a bit after the comment was made, her eyes downcast.
"I might have a charm that could prove helpful." Filius chimed in suddenly, causing both of them to look up with hope in their eyes.
"Really?"
"What is it?" They asked simultaneously.
"I could try to see if the spell reacted just to your skin. If it did then I might be able to help so that you can move around easier by confusing the charm into being fufilled as long as you're touching." He told them, piquing Hermione's interest.
"You mean we'd still have to maintain skin contact at all times but we could, for instance be leg to leg and our hands would be free?" They both smiled as he nodded.
"In theory, yes. I'll have to do a bit of research on the spell so it might be a few days before I can do that." He told them carefully.
"Wow, I'd read all about charm confusion but-" Hermione had begun talking excitedly when Madame Pomfrey gave her a meaningful look that it was not the time. Harry watched as the excitement left her face once more and she stopped herself, suddenly feeling bad for her. It was obvious that she was hungry for knowledge and that she was trying her best to be respectful of the people she was sitting amongst. It made him realize how much of a right decision it was for Hermione to go back to school.
"Well I guess, that's that. When Professor Slughorn gets here tomorrrow, I'll have him give you a list of potion's ingredients that you'll need to get." The Headmistress stopped herself from continuing and looked at the other professors who took the hint that it would be their time to take their leave. With short goodbye's, the charms and herbology professors walked out of the infirmary alongside the school nurse. A heavy feeling sat in their stomachs as the headmistress eyed them both carefully before continuing.
"I'm sure you're both aware of what it means to be attached in such a way." Her voice was careful and forced, almost as if she didn't want to have this part of the conversation. Hermione's face scrunched up confusedly and she chanced a worried look at Harry as it sounded like she wasn't just referring to how close they'd need to be for the next few months.
"I was under the impression that you would be joining the Auror's in just a few months, Mr. Potter." Hermione looked over at him silently as if appraising the level of distress that she assumed would surface. Harry shifted uncomfortably under their gaze and nodded affirmatively.
"I was- I mean, I am planning on it but if there isn't anything we can do about this then I'll have to start training during their next enrollment in the Winter."
Though he had spent the previous night mulling over the fact, he suddenly felt tired now that he had said it out loud. There had been such excitement for he and Ron when they had gotten their acceptance into the fall program at the Auror Academy and now it would not be a reality for almost another five months. It also meant that he wouldn't become an officer alongside his other classmates that had chosen the DMLE as their choice of occupation and the thought annoyed him greatly. He suddenly wanted to curse both of his best friends for not being able to control their arguing.
Hermione looked at him concernedly and was about to ask if he was alright when the headmistress spoke again.
"I wish your case was as simple, Ms. Granger."
The younger witches face turned to one of shock as she whipped her head back to the direction of the sad looking woman.
"What do you mean? Just because we're stuck together, well it shouldn't effect my studies, I-"
Words began spilling out of her mouth in protest before she could control herself as the idea of not being able to attend school suddenly struck her like a ton of bricks. She felt the same helplessness that had attacked her during her their hunt for the horcruxes and Harry thought that she suddenly looked like a scared animal being backed into a corner.
"There are a lot of issues with you being...attached...like this, as I'm sure you know. If you were to attend school, both of you would have to attend all classes together even though you both aren't on the same academic level. Also, there would be suspicion from the students as to whether one or both of you were cheating due to the fact that you were attached. I'm sure you're also aware of the schools policy on any intimate interactions between students..."
"Professor, surely you aren't suggesting that Harry and I-" Her face was red at that point and the Harry stayed silent as she began getting frustrated.
"I'm not, Ms. Granger but as Headmistress to this school need to be able to address the accusations the school will encounter. You both naturally attract media attention and we're both aware that by the end of the first night of school parents and magazines alike will be receiving the news that the two of you are physically attached to one another. I have to think of the influence that you'll have over the other students, even if you don't mean to." While it looked as if the strict Headmistress sounded firm, Harry could tell that she was remorseful in the way she looked at both of them.
Hermione, on the other hand, seemed to be at the strange stage of panic that came before hyperventilating. She began bouncing her leg nervously and Harry could feel her hand ball in and out of a fist as she tried to let the information sink it.
"But we - isn't there any possible way to make an exception? I worked so hard, professor. I-" Hermione's voice began to crack and Harry watched helplessly as her eyes began to glaze over in the way that made his stomach clench uncomfortably. While he hated it when any woman, girl or child cried - he especially hated it when Hermione cried.
It was at her plea that the Headmistress sighed and her usually perfect posture broke into a tired slump.
"Ms. Gra- Hermione... with this being the first year after the war, Hogwarts and the wizarding world has an image to rebuild. With the fame you've both been thrust into, it's a distraction to the other students to have something like this in the hallways and in the classrooms. I've already gotten reports of students trying to purposely scar their foreheads. I don't know what how the school can survive if students start gluing themselves to one another. The school needs to take an immediate stance on equality for all students across the board. You know what people say about women who sleep with men-"
"Professor! We didn't chose this! Hermione isn't some common slag!" Harry suddenly interjected, growing angry at the implications behind what she was telling them. The woman narrowed her eyes and straightened her shoulders before answering.
"I know that, Mr. Potter, I thought I made it quite clear that I don't wish to do this. I wasn't suggesting that she was." She told him curtly. Harry stared at her for a moment while Hermione bent over the table, hiding her face in her hand.
"I'm sorry, Hermione but the school governors have been very clear on what they want done this school year. You can take your N.E.W.T's once we've taken care of this problem but as you'll be missing a third of the school year by the time we hopefully remove the spell..."She trailed off and looked at Harry tiredly. He turned his head away, not wanting to look at her at the moment. The three sat there in a prolonged awkward silence until the headmistress stood up to leave.
"You're welcome to stay here in the guest wing until September 1st. It will give you both two weeks to acclimate to your situation before having to be in the public eye."
She reached out and put a hand on Hermione's shoulder and squeezed it tightly for a moment. The younger witch froze for a moment before she began shaking silently and the professor left without another word.
Harry suddenly felt trollish for being annoyed with her earlier. Hermione looked so small in that moment, worst than she did when Ron had left them during their time on the run. He pulled her to him and although it was awkward because of the way their arms were stuck together, he let her throw her free arm around his neck and cry into his shirt.
It's what best friends are for.
A/N: Thank you for reading. Please review. -Lyssa