My next class was Arithmacy , and it passed by quickly. Terry was in that class too, much to my dismay. Before I knew it I was heading towards Potions. The dungeon was already full of bubbling potions, all of which I immediately recognized and hoped we weren't making. Some of the hardest potions to make were in this room. I caught a glance of Amortentia and felt a shiver run through me. Please don't let us have to make those potions! I thought desperately as Harry and Ron fetched there supplies from the cupboard.
"Now then," Slughorn said as Harry and Ron returned to my side. "I've prepared a few potions for you to have a look at just out of interest you know." I let out an audible sigh of relief and felt myself smile. This was already promising to be a much better lesson than Snape's. "These," Slughorn continued. "Are the sort of thing you'll be able to make once you complete your NEWTs. You ought to have heard of 'em even if you haven't made 'em yet." He pointed at the first potion and my hand was already reaching for the air before he finished the question.
"It's Veritaserum, a colorless, odorless potion that forces the drinker to tell the truth." I answered quickly, smiling happily when he nodded.
"Very good!" He pointed to the next one and said something ,but my hand was already up into the air.
"It's Polyjuice Potion, sir." I answered, remembering the time I had brewed it with a wry smile. I shot my hand in the air again as he pointed to the next potion.
"It's Amortentia!" I exclaimed, smiling happily.
"It is indeed. It seems almost foolish to ask," Slughorn said, smiling amusedly. "but I assume you know what it does?"
"It's the most powerful love potion in the world!" I said, taking in a deep breath.
'Quire right! You recognized it, I suppose, by its distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen?"
"And the steam rising in characteristic spirals" I said. "and it's supposed to smell differently to each of according to what attracts us, and I can smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and -" George, I could smell George. I shut my mouth quickly, a blush coloring my cheeks as I realized what that last scent was. A wonderful woodsy smell with a hint of cinnamon. It made me want to smile and laugh and cry all at the same time. Oh how I missed him so much already! It felt like I hadn't gotten to see him for years, not days.
I took another deep breath and let the scent fill my nostrils. How was it that I recognized George's scent in that potion? I had smelled Amortentia once before, years ago, I had gone into the Apothecary during my first trip to Diagon Alley and the worker there had been brewing the potion. He'd been kind enough to let me smell it, and it had smelled the same then as it did now. How had I not recognized it before? How had the potion even known I would be in love with George?
Wait, love? Where the bloody hell had that word come? How had I gone from George's scent to love? Part of me knew it was silly, but a larger part of me knew it made perfect sense how I had arrived at love.
"May I ask your name, my dear?" Slughorn asked, completely oblivious to my eternal dialogue.
"Hermione Granger, sir." I said, no longer paying attention. My mind was reeling with what I had just discovered.
I did indeed love George.
This revelation distracted me during the entire rest of the class. Harry won the potion, but I didn't care too much, I was still shell shocked. How had I not realized I'd fallen in love with George?
For that matter, when had it even happened? When had he become the most important thing in my life? When had he stopped being some one I liked, and become the man I loved? I started playing the last few weeks back in my head and realized that I hadn't noticed any other guys. Bill used to make my stomach flop any time he was in the room, I mean, the curse-breaker was incredibly handsome. But I hadn't felt anything over the summer. I'd only missed George. Was I actually in love? How did one even tell? I felt stronger for him than I had ever felt for anyone. I wanted to see him more than I'd ever wanted to see anyone else. I would do more for him than anyone else…
"What's going on with you?" Ginny finally asked me Friday night after supper. I was sitting curled up in a corner of the room working on an essay for Potions. I couldn't blame her for asking, I'd been distracted all week.
"Umm, nothing." I said, after glancing at Harry and Ron with a meaningful stare. They didn't notice but Ginny did.
"Oh!" She said, looking at the clock, "it's gotten late, weren't you supposed to Owl Angelina and Fleur, and write to George before bed?"
Write to George? I couldn't write to him, I loved him and he had no idea! What if he didn't return the feelings? Merlin, why did my life have to be so complicated?
"This is bloody brilliant!" Ron said suddenly. I whipped my head towards him, thankful for the interruption. They were pouring over some book Harry had been looking at all day. I stood up from my chair and walked up behind him, grabbing the book out of his hands as I did so.
"What's this?" I asked as I read the cover. Since when was Harry into potions? Harry grabbed the book out of my hands and glared at me.
"It's my potion book." He said, looking oddly guilty. Ginny came up behind him, but he didn't see her. She snatched the book from his hand and flipped through its pages quickly, looking worried.
"Who's the Half Blood Prince?" She asked, pointing to the back cover. Half Blood Prince? I'd never heard of anyone by that name. Harry stared at Ginny with hurt eyes and she instantly gave the book back.
"Be careful Harry, you know how dangerous books can be." She said softly before running upstairs. I turned on Harry angrily, pointing at the book.
"Is this how you've been doing so well in potions?" I asked. He nodded his head, looking frightened.
"How could you Harry? You've been listening to a book!" I nearly shrieked, I couldn't help it. Had he learned nothing from Riddle's diary? I mean really, what did it take to get through his thick skull?
"It's not like that." He insisted, opening the book and pointing to the margins. "The prince just wrote some notes in the margins, he hasn't done anything dangerous." I huffed, not believing him and grabbed my books to my chest.
"Get rid of that book Harry." I warned before I ran upstairs.
I threw my books on my bed, drawing my curtain shut tight around it before I grabbed a quill and some parchment. I knew just who to write to, two women who already had gone through this. I wrote a letter to Fleur first, asking her advice for what to do about George before I typed one out to Angelina. I sent Fleur's to the owlery before I sent Angelina's. Now all I had to do was wait for their responses.
I had been reading for only about five minutes when my Galleon buzzed. I smiled happily and reached into my pocket, expecting to see a message from Angelina.
Hi Mi, (he he that rhymes)
Just wanted to check in and see how you were doing, haven't heard from you since school started. Is Snape being to insufferable? I can send you some nose-bleed nougats if you need a break. I know Hogsmeade weekends aren't until October, but I wanted to go ahead and ask you if you would mind meeting me at the three broomsticks during the trip? It's okay if you have other plans.
Are we still on for the Day Dream charms tomorrow night?
Waiting eagerly for your reply,
Your incredibly handsome and smart George.
His message made me smile; he always could make me smile. I quickly responded that I'd love to meet him for Hogsmeade weekend and that I was eagerly awaiting the Daydream charms tomorrow night. I had honestly forgotten about the charms, but the thought of taking them thrilled me now. It would be another month and two weeks before I got to see George again… I'd probably be using lots of charms.
I didn't receive any message reply from either Fleur or Angelina that night or the next day. Harry had to leave to for his lesson with Dumbledore that evening and I felt it was the perfect excuse. I excused myself and ran up to my dorm, plunking down on my bed and drawing the curtains shut. I cast a silencing charm and an impenetrable charm, just in case.
I popped the charm into my mouth after checking the time and sucked it slowly. It tasted like cherries and strawberries, with a slightly citrus after taste. The moment I swallowed it my surroundings grew hazy. I blinked twice and then found myself by the black lake. It was night time, and the full moon reflected prettily in the still water of the lake. I got up from the ground slowly, taking in my surroundings. I was wearing a long peau de sois satin gown, it had an open back and a flowing train that started base of the back, dramatically cascading to the floor. It was a deep emerald green and I fell in love with it immediately.
I looked around the lake, my eyes searching for George, but I couldn't see him. I started to feel disappointed when warm hands grabbed me from behind and pulled me into a hard chest.
"Hello Hermione." George's voices sounded in my ear, low and husky. The sound of it caused shivers of delight to go down my spine. He turned me around in his arms, his hands holding my hips, and claimed my lips in a passionate kiss. He pulled me even closer to his chest, running his hands up and down my side. I raised my hands to his hair, wishing I could lose myself in him, loving the warm feeling of his hands on my back. I pushed him away after a minute or two and took in the sight of him.
His ginger locks were wind blown and shaggy, hanging around his head in a hap hazardous way that was incredibly attractive. His grin was large and toothy, making me ache at the familiarity of it, but it was his eyes that made me truly gasp. They were perfect, the exact shade of blue that I so loved in my boy friend. They were deep and dark, stealing my breath with the desire in them. He pulled me back into the kiss, smothering me with his desire and need.
I kissed him back with abandon, losing myself in the feel of his mouth against mine. He lowered me to the ground gently, his lips never leaving mine. He kissed me slowly and sweetly, leaving me hot and breathless. I ran my hands up his chest, noting that he was wearing a tight green shirt I'd seen him wear during summer break. My hands frantically went at it, unbuttoning it with speed I hadn't known I had.
I pulled the shirt off, running my hands up and down his firm chest. He wasn't as ripped as Bill, but he was strong, with sleek muscles lining his arms and chest. He was beautiful to my eyes and I drank in the sight of him. He kissed me again, eliciting a moan from me as he ran his hands up my leg. His hands left a trail of fire in their wake, and I felt that I would burst if I couldn't touch him, feel him.
"I love you George." I breathed, kissing him firmly on the lips. I knew I did, there was no doubt in my mind now. I loved George.
He broke the kiss, pulling back from me far enough that I could see his beautiful blue eyes, and smiled his toothy grin.
"I love…." Everything grew hazy as I struggled to maintain my hold on him. But it was for naught, he faded away with everything else. I felt like crying into my pillow as the vision faded. I'd forgotten it wasn't real.
"Hermione!" A voice called from downstairs. Oh god, it was Ron. I had completely forgotten about Harry and his lesson. I gripped my galleon in my hand as I got out of my bed. I typed a message to George before I ran downstairs to join the others.
That was wonderful, I can't wait to do it again.
Miss you bunches,
Hermione
A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys, and thanks Smeg Head for pointing out the mistakes. Feel free to let me know if you see any others. I hope no one minds that I changedthe timeline where Hermione finds out about the Half Blood Princes potion book...
Keep up with any ideas or suggestions you have!