Previous Chapter
"Think you know everything about us, do you?"
"Sort of."
"Believe me," Remus said, shaking his head. "You have no idea," as Sirius and James grinned.
Hermione smiled sweetly. "The next time you guys try to sneak into Honeyduke's, don't forget to close the witch's hump," she said, turning on her heel, enjoying their confused silence.
"Okay, into groups, everyone!" Professor Sprout yelled over the talking. Hermione let out a small groan, for Lily had gotten sick from Peter. Hermione looked around for a decent person, and she spotted a single Ravenclaw boy. He had light brown hair, freckles on his nose, and blue eyes. He was rather good looking. Hermione quickly walked over and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Do you want to be apart of a group?" she asked. He gave her a surprised but pleased smile. Hermione grinned right back, and looked for another person, but everyone was already in a group.
"You two can work alone, it's fine!" Professor Sprout said loudly. Hermione nodded, relieved that it was this guy, and not Sirius.
And speaking of which- Hermione thought, spinning her head to glance at him. His face was stony, and Hermione smirked. She turned back to the Ravenclaw boy.
"I'm Hermione Alden-" she started, but was cut off.
"I know. You made quite the appearance last night," he said, grinning. Hermione blushed.
"I'm Stephan Davis," he introduced himself, and outstretched his hand. Hermione took it and shook, still a bit pink.
For the rest of the period, they were to wrestle with a baby Devil's Snare and take notes on it. Hermione scrawled notes while Stephan held the plant down with a complicated hex to keep it still. Everyone else, not knowing the hex, had to use their hands. Hermione giggled as she saw the Devil's Snare slap Sirius in the face.
With Stephan's hex, they were the first to be done. Hermione sighed as they watched Professor Sprout rush their Devil's Snare away.
"Nice hex," Hermione said breathlessly. He nodded.
"Thanks," he muttered. For the rest of the class, they talked about small things: classes, grades, and N.E.W.T.S.
"Er... Are you going to Hogsmeade with anyone tomorrow?" he asked awkwardly. Hermione shook her head.
"Would you, want to come with me?" Stephan said quickly. "It's okay if you don't want to, I was just-"
"I'd love to!" Hermione almost squealed. The boy looked both relieved and happy. Hermione gave him a supportive smile. For the remainder of the class, they talked about what they were going to do tomorrow. They decided to first go to The Three Broomsticks, then Honeyduke's, then the book store. They both shared a love for books, and they planned to spend most of the day there.
Hermione gave him a wave as they walked out of the green houses. Stephan returned the wave, and headed the opposite way. Hermione was grinning like crazy, and was in a very good mood. That was, until a certain long-haired boy turned up.
"Now that we've gotten rid of that creep, let's talk about you, me, and Hogsmeade!" He said, throwing an arm over her shoulders. Hermione pushed it off.
"That's not the way to be!" Sirius exclaimed. Hermione turned her head and walked faster.
"Come on, Alden! That Ravenclaw idiot isn't around to distract you anymore-" Sirius started.
"He's not an idiot! Stephan is really smart and nice!"
"Why'd you call him by his first name?"
"Because," Hermione said slowly, "He's my friend."
"Fine. But, c'mon, Hogsmeade with me will be awesome!"
"I'm going with Stephan," Hermione said with triumph. Sirius looked at her.
"No you're not," he said blankly.
"Yes, I am, Black! You don't control me!" she shrieked. She practically ran towards the Gryffindor common room, raced up the girl's dormitories, and slammed the door shut.
"That Davis bloke? He's an idiot!" Sirius exclaimed to his two friends (Peter was still sick) in the Gryffindor common room. Remus raised an eyebrow.
"This is new. Why the sudden outburst?" he inquired. Sirius huffed like a four-year-old child who wasn't allowed to get his toy.
"He... he just is!" he said lamely. James snorted.
"Rumor is that Davis is going with Hermione to Hogsmeade tomorrow," he informed Remus. He and Remus snickered as Sirius scowled.
"He's just purposely trying to keep Hermione away from me!" Sirius said. James rolled his eyes.
"Loosen up, mate. Just go with Raven, she's free," he told her. Raven Monroe was a pretty Ravenclaw girl with straight black hair and black eyes.
"No."
"Why?"
"I don't like her."
"You sure did the night before Hermione appeared."
"Well, she's boring now!"
"You didn't think that when you had her face smashed to yours."
Sirius opened his mouth, then closed it. He seemed to be lost for words.
"I think he's in love, Moony," James whispered loudly to Remus. Remus chuckled.
"Am not!" Sirius protested.
"Okay, okay, you're not," Remus said, rolling his eyes.
Next Day
"Ready?" Stephan said from outside the Gryffindor common room, where he had been waiting for Hermione. She nodded. Hermione had put on a dark blue cardigan, white tank top, and white pants. She just slipped on a pair of dark blue flats as she opened the portrait.
He grinned, and they walked out of Hogwarts together.
"Where're you going?" James asked to Sirius. They were in Zonko's, and Remus, James, and Sirius were loading up on Dungbombs.
"I'm just going for a walk," he mumbled. James raised his eyebrows, but said no more.
"Alright. We'll be here," Remus told him. Sirius nodded and headed out.
Sirius stuffed his hands in his pockets, and started to walk around. He has been here thousands of times, but he only noticed the little things today: how the bricks on the road were worn down and cracked, and how the shops were falling apart. Then he saw them through the window.
Hermione and Stephan, in the Three Broomsticks. Stephan was talking to her about something, and she threw her head back and laughed. Stephan had casually looped his arm around her shoulders, and to Sirius' surprise and anger, Hermione didn't push it away. On the contrary, she blushed and scooted closer to him. Sirius narrowed his eyes and walked into the Three Broomsticks.
He sat at the bar, and ordered a butterbeer. He ignored the fact that a group of sixth years were sitting at a table, pointing at him, and batting their eyelashes. Sirius looked over his shoulders, and there, Stephan and Hermione were still and nice and snug. Sirius glared at Stephan. The next time Sirius turned around, Stephan and Hermione were getting up to go. Sirius got up as well, and pushed past the sixth year who was trying to talk to him. He followed them into Honeyduke's.
Sirius entered the sweet shop. He scoped the place, until he found Hermione. She was in the back of the shop, looking though some chocolate frogs with Stephan. And they were holding hands.
Sirius pushed past the people in Honeyduke's. It was packed with people, and it was difficult to move. It took Sirius more than ten minutes to push past all of the people, and by the time he had reached where Hermione had been, they had gone out the back door. Sirius cursed loudly before he went after them.
"Hmm..." Hermione muttered as she ran a finger down the spine of a book labeled, Destiny and It's Powers. She handed it to Stephan, who was reading a book on boggarts.
They were in the largest bookstore in Hogsmeade. There were ceiling high book shelves, each one packed with new and old books. Hermione and Stephan had walked in, hand in hand, and their jaws dropped. This was definitely the highlight of their date.
"How's this book, Steph?" she asked in a hushed voice. He smiled slightly at how she used his name. He glanced over it, and he raised an eyebrow.
"It looks mysterious. A must-read," he declared. Hermione chuckled slightly. She walked over to the back of the enormous shop, where there were many large love seats and armchairs. The whole store was hushed, like a library. Hermione already had a small stack of books next to a love seat. Hermione settled down into the cushions, and began to read.
After about ten minutes, Hermione tore her eyes away from her book, for someone had sat down next to her. Hermione smiled.
"Did you find what you wanted, Steph?" she asked. He nodded.
"It's impossible not to, in a place like this. It's huge," he said in a dreamy voice. Hermione chuckled softly. Stephan turned to look her in the eyes.
"I really like you, 'Mione," he muttered.
"And I really like you," she smiled. He grinned, held her chin in his hand, and pressed his lips to hers.
It was what Hermione imagined it to be like: gentle, slow, and kind. It got more intimate as he laced one hand around her waist and ran one hand through her hair, and pulling her closer. Hermione put her arms around his neck, and deepened the kiss.
Then, it all stopped. Stephan pulled away, harshly. Hermione opened her eyes, hurt. But then she saw it- Sirius had pulled Stephan away from her. Stephan looked equally surprised and pissed.
"What were you doing?" Sirius said harshly to Hermione.
"What do you mean, what was I doing! I was spending time with my boyfriend!" she shrieked. Sirius winced at the word, 'boyfriend'. "Let Steph go, Black!"
"So it's 'Steph' now? It's your first date!" Sirius yelled. Stephan had yanked his wrist from Sirius' grasp.
"What's your problem?" he yelled angrily.
"My problem is that you were snogging her on your first date!" he yelled. Hermione's eyes narrowed.
"From what I've heard, you've done more than snogging on first dates, Black!" Hermione yelled. Hermione walked quickly towards Stephan, who had outstretched his hand toward her. But Sirius, out of fury, pushed Hermione back. Hermione, not expecting this, staggered backwards, tripped, and hit her head on the corner of a bookshelf. The last thing she heard was Stephan's cry before Hermione blacked out.
"WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?"
"I WAS TRYING TO PROTECT HER!"
"WELL, LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE! YOU'VE LANDED HER IN THE HOSPITAL WING!"
"SHE WOULDN'T BE HERE IF YOU WENT A BIT SLOWER WITH HER!"
"YOU'RE A LOUSY HYPOCRITE! YOU'RE NOT EVEN HER FRIEND!"
"SO- SO- SO WHAT?"
"Boys, boys, stop yelling! Her head hurts enough without you two screaming. She should be waking up now-"
"Let me see her-"
"She wouldn't want to see you! You almost killed her-"
"I didn't kill her! It was an accident!"
"Let- go-"
"BOYS! Nobody's going to see her just yet! Stay!"
Hermione's head hurt. She moaned as she rubbed the back of her head with her hand. It was silent.
"Hermione? Are you awake?" she heard Sirius call out.
"Hermione? Are you okay-?" Stephan started.
"Shoo! Go! She'll talk to you when she feels better! Go!" a voice that sounded like a younger version of Madam Pomfrey.
Hermione squinted her eyes. She was bent over her.
"Now, now, dear. Don't over work yourself. You cracked your head. I healed it, of course, but you'll need to stay here for the night."
Hermione nodded. "I... I want to see Stephan..." she muttered.
"Are you sure? You don't want to-"
"Please?" she pleaded. Madam Pomfrey looked at her for a minute, then nodded curtly. She walked over and pulled the door to her office open.
"She wants to see Ste-" she started, but he pushed past her. Stephan practically ran over to her, and cupped her hands in his.
"Hermione- are you alright- are you hurt- It was that idiot-" he stuttered, face white. Hermione pressed her index finger to his lips, silencing him.
"I'm fine. I think. And hope. What happened-? It's all so fuzzy," she murmured. Stephan's face went cold and stony.
"That- that- IDIOT- Sirius Black?" he started angrily. Hermione groaned, and leaned back on her pillow.
"God, he's such a prat," she said loudly.
"He interrupted us-" Stephan turned slightly pink,"And he pushed you away- from me. Your head found a mark on the corner of the bookshelf."
Hermione nodded. It was coming back to her now- How wonderful the date had been going, and then the kiss, and then the 'accident'. Hermione's thoughts were interrupted when someone budged in.
"Hermione- I'm sorry- please-" Sirius started. Hermione glared at him. Stephan did so as well.
"Get away from me, Black," Hermione hissed in a low voice.
"Hermione-"
"DON'T- CALL- ME- HERMIONE!" she screeched. "GET AWAY FROM ME! DON'T YOU SEE THAT I'M TRYING TO IGNORE YOU IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE? I- HATE- YOU!" she shrieked. "GET AWAY FROM ME!"
Sirius was taken aback. He blinked, shocked. Stephan looked deadly, as well, but there was a triumph-like gleam in his eyes.
Sirius cleared his throat. He looked at Hermione one last time, and sulked out of the Hospital wing. Hermione watched him leave, stony faced.