©Sunrisepainter: Because of Snape
A/N:
Dear readers,
thank you for all your support until now, although I'm still lacking in many ways. I especially would like to thank Emmeline's Embers, . , FortBeaulieu, Fat Old Sun & Chuu112 for the first seven reviews. I also want to say thanks for 10 Favs and 8 Follows so far. So,please enjoy the next chapter, because it's dedicated to all of you :).
Sunrisepainter
The Almost Kiss
Happily, Hope and Cormac strolled the way back to Hogwarts. He continuously talked while gesticulating rapidly and made her laugh from time to time. Yesterday, she would not have though it but now she was actually enjoying his company. She watched him inconspicuously from the side. His eyes were shining while telling her about a Quidditch game of the "Wired Birds" (His favourite team) which he saw with his father the year before.
"...and then, although they were still fifty points behind the other team, Aaron Johnson caught the Golden Snatz! You should've seen how he picked this thing right in front off Klasnic's nose! Nuts!"
Hope had to smirk. She had never seen him this excited before.
"You seem to like Qudditch very much!"
"Who doesn't? There are try-outs next week and I'll give it a shot. I want to become the keeper."
"Good luck then!"
"Thanks, but I don't need luck. Will you come to the games and see how I block one Quaffle after another?" He smirked.
"You're not even a little self-conceited, are you?", she laughed.
"No, I call it a good sense of self- assessment. So?"
"To tell the truth, I've never been to a Quidditch- game and I don't really plan-"
"WHAT? You've never been to a game?"
"So what! I don't like Quidditch that much..." She said defiantly and crossed her arms. He stared at her in disbelief.
"But, but, that's the best game of the world!"
"Sorry, to me it's just violent and barbaric!"
He shook his head as if she was some kind of unknown species to him, but then this typical Comarc- smirk spread on his face.
"So, I guess it's time for you to finally see a game. Next week, Slytherin will play against Gryffindor. I insist that you absolutely have to come to my first game ever,"
In the meantime, they had reached the castle. Filch, carrying his cat Mrs: Norris in his arms, stood in front of the great gate and controlled the pupils who passed him by.
"Well, I guess I have to think about it first." Hope said.
"Oh, come on! Didn't you also enjoy spending time with me today?" He looked at her with a pleading expression and playfully fluttered his eyelashes. It made her laugh once again.
"All right, I can't deny it."
"See?"
"Fair enough." She eventually admitted defeat. "I'll go see the next game."
"That's very reasonable of you." He laughed, but he soon became serious again.
"So, what do you actually think about me now? After all, I've invited you to Hogmead to show you another side of me." She thought about his question for a moment.
"I still think that you're a pompous, self- centred idiot!" She said and it sounded more than convincing. He slouched his shoulders Hope smiled:
"However, you're a nice, funny, pompous, self- centred idiot!"
"Really? You think I'm funny?"
"Yeah, quite hilarious, believe me"
He smiled back at her and for a moment they faced each other in silence. Her grey eyes were magically drawn to his green ones. Why did she never notice up to now that his eyes had some kind of warm sparkle to them? Slowly, he leaned in and his lips came precariously close to her own...
Though, did she wanted them to touch? Did she really wanted to kiss him? No!
"Stop it!" She pushed him away and looked at him with rigid eyes.
"I'm sorry, Cormac. That's just too soon and I'm not ready for this. Let's take some time to get to know each other better first, okay?"
He did not even try to hide the disappointment on his face. For a moment it seemed as if he was a little bit annoyed, too. No, she must have seen wrong. He sighed:
"You're right. I apologize for acting so rashly."
"Are you mad?"She asked quietly. He shook his head and smiled:
"No, I understand." They finally reached the wooden gate.
"We'll see each other tomorrow for Poisons, I guess." Hope said her farewell.
"Yeah, see you tomorrow."
She got onto her toes and softly placed another kiss on his cheek. As a compensation. Then, she ran away without saying anything else. Cormarc gazed after her with a nasty gleam in his eyes.
"Just wait and see, silly thing. Soon, I'll have you where I want you!" In his rage, he did not even notice the shadow which had been lurking from the wall the whole time and which now moved towards the greenhouses.
Fred still did not put his plan into action. First of all, he had discussed every detail with George to make sure they would watch for an opportunity. Seamus told them eventually that Cormac nearly managed to sneak a kiss from Hope, but she it seemed she backed down in the nick of time. Fred was pleased when he heard about it. Nonetheless, the twins did not want to take any risks. They would go all out to keep Hope and Cormac apart. Gradually, of course. Primarily, Fred wanted to take care of the potion for Snape. He and Hope agreed to consult Professor Sprout after Herbology. When the lesson was done, they waited patiently until all pupils left the greenhouse before they approached their teacher who was busy sorting out flowerpots for her next lesson with two-graders. When Hope and Fred appeared in front of her, she raised her head and smiled warmly at them.
"Ho may I help you, my lovelies?"
"Could you please tell us something about Cytrillkraut?" Hope asked zealously.
"Cytrillkraut? Well, that's quite difficult to explain. Why do you need this information?" They did not even mind that their professor was suspicious of their motive.
"We have to brew a potion for Professor Snape's lesson and Cytrillkraut seems to be one of the ingredients."
"That's pretty unusual! This kraut is actually particularly used to cure severe brain diseases. Often, it's also used as an antidote treatment against memory charms. What's the name of the potion if I may ask?"
"Amourosis, the love potion." Fred answered quick like a shot. Professor Sprout frowned:
"You should brew something dangerous like this? This potion is actually only brewed by Masters of Potions. It's very inappropriate of Professor Snape to entrust you with something difficult like that, honestly!"
"So, can you help us out with the Cytrillkraut? We really need it and there was no book to give us any hints where to find the kraut." Hope looked at her teacher pleadingly.
"Cytrillkraut only prospers in dark, moist places. You can only see it at full moon, though. The moonlight has a magical effect on some things. My children, you may have heard about it. The moonlight is the secret ingredient which makes the Cytrillkraut effective. I know only one spot where you may find this special plant, but it's dangerous, very dangerous."
Hope gulped whereas Fred's eyes started to fill with excitement. He loved to put himself into danger.
"Where can we find it?" The voice of the young girl was barely a whisper-
"In the Forbidden Forest, of course. In a rock shelter. I can mark the spot on a map for you. However, I would advise you to take a teacher with you as this area is also called Wolfscrag. Of course, you know what that means!"
"It means it's the home of a wolf pack." Fred reasoned factually. The professor nodded her head making her grey locks bounce drolly.
"W-would y-you please ac-accompony us, Professor?" Hope begged. She was obviously uneasy. Unfortunately, Hagrid had to be on a mission right when they needed him the most. She trusted all her teacher, of course, but she was not sure if they knew the woods as well as Hogwarts best gamekeeper since 1874.
"I really regret to tell you, my lovelies, that I have to meet my dear aunt Olivia Sprout, the next full moon."
"I see." Hope sounded crestfallen.
"However, you may ask around the teaching staff. Maybe, another teacher may have time for your little request. Oh, you certainly have to hurry up now or you'll miss your next lesson, my lovelies!"
The two Gryffindors nodded their heads, took their bags and set off to Defence Against The Dark Arts.
"Meeting with aunt Olivia, my foot!" Fred huffed. "She's nothing but a coward!"
"And who do we ask now?" Hope looked helpless. Fred just shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, Snape, Umbridge and McGonagall are excluded at any rate. I would rather go by myself than taking obnoxious Snape, old hag Umbridge or strict McGonagall!" Hope grimaced.
"That's it!" Fred's face lit up- "You're a genius, Hope!" She raised an eyebrow in presentiment:
"What are you planing?"
His grin was all mischievous now:
"Let's just go alone!"
She looked at him shocked for a second before she crossed her arms forcefully in front of her:
"Oh no! Never in a million year!"
"Why not?"
"For it is just completely insane! You've heard clearly what Professor Sprout said. Two seventeen year old wizard can't possibly take on a pack of wolfs! Moreover, I rather risk getting a bad grade Potions than roaming with you trough the Forbidden Forest at night!" Fred grimaced angrily:
"I thought we're long over the I-rather-would-die-than-being-near-you-stage!" He growled. She lowered her head:
"I know, but..."
"You're scared." He concluded dryly.
"I don't!" She hissed and tried to withstand his gaze.
"Really? Then, why are you resisting so much?"
"I'm not scared at all!"
"I why does it look like you're shuddering all over?"
"I. Am. Not. Scared!"
"If you weren't scared, you would come to the woods with me at the next full moon."
"I AM NOT SCARED!"
Smirking, he leaned down to her, so that the tips of their noses were almost touching:
"So, what is it now? You're coming or not?" She gulped.
"I'll even promise you that I won't let anything happen to you." His stare became more intense. She looked back, trying to find any hint that he was lying right now. She found none. His eyes looked as serious and honest as she had never seen them before.
"Okay." She whispered. "But you'll take responsibility if anything goes wrong!"
"Great, but now we really need to hurry, because we're already running three minutes late now and Umbridge won't be amused at all."
Two days later, Hope was just at the breakfast table eating a butter toast when the post owls appeared. At first, she did not take notice of them as there rarely was post for her, except for a letter from her mother from time to time. However, she had just received one the other day, so she was not expecting anything.
"Hey Hope, I'll think this may be yours." Alicia nudged her roommate lightly and pointed at a grey screech owl who was heading for Hope. Curiously, the blond Gryffindor raised her head in time to just see the small owl smack right into Lee's cereals. Half of it ended up in his face, the other half on his cloak.
"My gosh, this little thing might just be as bright as Errol." George laughed at his friend.
"Perhaps, you should teach these stupid creatures how to fly!" Lee ranted while he cleaned himself with his wand. In the meantime, Hop had freed the screech owl from the bowl and from the piece of paper on its claw. The fowl, who had already recovered from the shock, ascended towards the ceiling again and flew away while complaining about its own mess-up.
"Who is it from?" Alicia nosily bend over to Hope to get a better look.
"No clue!" While praying secretly that it was not another message from her father, Hope unfolded the piece of vellum. The ink was smeared a little, because of the accident, but it was still readable.
"Appointment. Library, right table, left corner. 4 pm. C.M."
"C.M.? Who's that?" Alicia wondered. Hope grinned. She knew exactly who had sent her this message.
"You don't need to know everything, my dear Alicia." She said mysteriously and put it in the depth of her skirt pocket. Alicia only shrugged.
Right on time that afternoon., she sat at the mentioned table in the library and waited for anything to happen. She let her eyes wander around the room and tried to survey the scenery. At an opposite table, she could see Hermione, as usual. The younger girl was feverishly writing an essay while absentmindedly twirling a strand of her brown hair around her finger. That was one of her quirks which Hope noticed for a long time now. She let her eyes wander some more and hesitated.
George Weasley sat at another table. He had his book placed upright in front of his face and pretended to be reading. However, if you took a closer look, you could see that his eyes were on something- or rather someone- else. Incessantly, he was starring at Hermione. Hope could not hold it any more, she had to chuckle quietly. She never would have expected that! George Weasley was crushing on Hermione Granger. How cute!
Thereupon, she was distracted when she heard the voice of Fred:
"Hi McLaggen, say, how are you doing?"
"I'm fine, Weasley. What about you?"
Nexto to her and behind her were only shelves. Consequently, the boys had to be on the other side of the bookshelves. Actually, it was not her intention to eavesdrop in the first place, but what could she do when they were talking this loudly?
"Me too. So, how was your weekend?"
"You see, Weasley, how you probably have heard, I've been to Hogsmeade. With Shycates."
"Oh, did you pay her to join you or did she come out of her own free will?"
"Not that's your business or anything, but yeah, Weasley, she was even happy to come with me!"
"And?"
"And that wasn't the whole story, yet. I almost made her kiss me." Cormac sounded do self- satisfied that Hope was tempted to jump over the shelf and smack him right into his ugly face. However, that was just the beginning of her suffering.
"Yeah, almost!" Fred sneered.
"Rubbish, she's already all into me. It won't take long for her to fall head over heels for me, worshiping me like her god, this stupid woman! After that, I'll win my bet, dump this shrew and you have to do my homework for the rest of this school year!"
Hopes body started to tremble with fury. The last pieces of Cormacs statement darted trough her mind: "head over heels", "stupid", "bet", "shrew".
Tears welled up in her eyes, making it hard to see anything clear any more. What an impostor! Everything he said or did was nothing but dirty lies. He did not really like her at all. Oh no! He had made a stinky bet with Fred. She was boiling with anger now.
Still fuming, she jumped onto her feed, roughly wiped the tears from her eyes and made her away around the shelves. There he was! Leaning nonchalantly against a shelf!
" YOU!" She screamed, pointing her shaking index finger at him. Startled, he looked back at her.
"H-Hope", his voice slightly trembled now.
"YOU WRETCHED BASTARD! EVERYTHING WAS JUST FOR SHOW! THE DATE IN Hogsmeade! JUST A STUPID GAME! A LIE! YOU NOW WHAT YOU ARE? A MAGGOT! A SCUMBAG!"
And she slapped him in the face as hard as she could.
"DON'T EVER THINK ABOUT COMING NEAR ME AGAIN!" Now, she really burst into tears and before Cormac or Fred could see her weakness, she was long gone.
"Hey, what happened?" Angelina asked her concerned as a completely wrecked and tear-stained Hope entered their dorm.
"I-I d-don't w-wanna talk about it!" Hope sobbed while she fetched her guitar case from under her bed. Music! That was the only remedy that she needed now.
End of Chapter Ten.