Harry was back on the Hogwarts Express for his sixth year, but this time, he felt a burden that weighed heavily on his shoulders. He'd lost his godfather, Sirius, and the destiny he'd long tried to escape seemed to be tightening its grip. The journey to Hogwarts was a mix of excitement and apprehension.
As he moved through the bustling train, Harry decided to hide in the rearmost compartment. He concealed himself beneath his Invisibility Cloak, seeking solitude from his friends and the world outside. The memory of Sirius's death and the looming war with Voldemort had created a need for a moment's respite.
He could hear his friends' laughter and chatter in the distance, but he tried to block it all out. He needed time to sort through his thoughts, to process the pain and loss he felt. Harry believed that his friends would be better off not seeing the turmoil that raged within him.
But soon, he heard footsteps approaching, growing closer. The feet of his Invisibility Cloak were sticking out from under the compartment's door. He froze, realizing he'd been discovered.
The door slid open, and there stood Hermione, her eyes sharp with concern.
"Harry," she said, her voice gentle yet probing. "I knew I'd find you here. Why are you hiding?"
Harry hesitated for a moment, debating whether to confide in Hermione. He knew he couldn't hide forever, but the vulnerability of his emotions made him hesitate. In the end, he decided to push her away. "I'm fine. I just need some space. Please, just leave me alone."
Hermione's expression turned from concern to frustration. She wasn't fooled by his words. She stepped into the compartment, closing the door behind her, and moved closer to Harry. "You can't just shut us out," she said firmly. "I know something's bothering you. You're not alone in this."
Harry grew defensive, pushing back against Hermione's persistence. "I told you, I'm fine. I don't need anyone hovering over me right now. I just need some space."
Hermione leaned in closer, invading his personal space. Her voice was unwavering as she responded, "You don't get to push me away like this, Harry. We've been through too much together, and I won't let you isolate yourself. Tell me what's really going on. I want to be here for you, will you let me do that?"
Their eyes met, and Harry could feel the tension rising between them. Their close proximity sent a shiver down his spine. But he couldn't let his feelings show. "You need to leave. It's better for everyone if I'm alone."
Hermione narrowed her eyes. She grabbed Harry's cloak and threw it off. "Stop pushing me away! I care about you, Harry! Don't you get that?"
Harry could feel his own anger rising as well, along with his heart rate. "Well, you shouldn't!" he shouted back at her. "Unless you have a death wish you'd do well to stay away, you and Ron."
"Oh, so that's what this is about, you trying to protect us?" Hermione scoffed. "We can take care of ourselves, you know!"
"Like Sirius did?!" Harry retorted, unable to control his emotions any longer. His grief boiled over, erupting in rage. "He didn't need protection, yet he's gone anyway. Do you really think you'll survive a battle with Voldemort? He's too powerful, too evil. And he's after me, that's why people around me die."
Hermione stood in silence, unable to respond. She saw the pain in Harry's eyes, and her expression softened. She scooted closer to him. "Harry," she said, her voice shaking slightly. "I'm sorry. I know how hard this must be for you. Sirius meant so much to you, and you've lost your last connection to family. But you have us. Ron, me, we're your family now too."
"Don't say that. Any family I have or discover get killed. Stay away from me."
Hermione took hold of Harry's hand, lacing their fingers together. She looked deep into his eyes. "I can't just stand by and watch you suffer in silence. If you shut me out, I won't allow it."
Harry, looking thoroughly annoyed, withdrew his wand and pointed it at her and shouted "Petrificus totalus!" She was paralysed and fell backwards against the cushioned seats. "Sorry," he muttered. He picked up his invisibility cloak and exited the compartment.
Hermione was lying paralyzed on the bench seat of the train compartment. She wanted to scream and shout, but no sound escaped her lips. All she could do was lie there, motionless, thinking about what Harry had said to her. She knew he was in pain, and that he was only pushing her away to try to protect her.
'That git. How dare he,' Hermione thought to herself.
She lay there for a while, stewing in her frustrations. Eventually, her mind settled down, and she started to appreciate the view before her. From this vantage point, she could see out of the window, looking out at the passing scenery.
The sight was beautiful. The rolling green hills were painted in the fiery glow of the setting sun. It looked like a painting, a snapshot in time, preserved perfectly for eternity. She found it relaxing to stare out at the landscape, admiring its beauty.
After some time passed, Hermione heard the compartment door open. She strained her neck to look, and saw a pair of black boots enter. They came closer to her, and she recognized the familiar face of her best friend, Ron.
He froze in his tracks when he saw her lying there. "What the... Hermione, what happened to you?"
Hermione couldn't talk, but her eyes conveyed her message.
"You need me to undo the spell, right?"
Hermione blinked twice, 'yes'.
Ron fumbled with his wand, making a clumsy attempt to release the curse. "Sorry, never tried this spell before. Not sure if I can do it properly."
Hermione had faith in Ron. After several attempts, he finally succeeded. She gasped as her limbs unfroze.
Ron helped her sit up, then asked again. "What happened here? Who did this to you?"
Hermione took a moment to catch her breath. She wasn't sure how to explain to Ron what had just transpired. "Harry. He did this."
Ron's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Harry? Why would he do that? Why would you let him do this to you?"
"It's complicated."
"Does he need help? Is he in danger?"
"No. Well, maybe, but not from anyone here."
"I don't understand. What's going on, Hermione?"
Hermione sighed heavily. She didn't know how to tell Ron. "Look, you and I both know that Harry has been through a lot this past year. He's lost his godfather and he's facing an evil wizard bent on killing him. He's taking this really hard. I went in here to confront him and he kind of lost it. He thinks he's protecting me, and he's trying to push me away. I just... I don't think he should be alone right now, and I can't let him be alone."
"So, what do you need me to do?"
"Just let me handle this. I've got a plan to deal with Harry."
"Sure, but what are you going to do? Are you just going to let him treat you like that? And you expect me to just stand by and do nothing?"
"Of course not. I'm not letting him off the hook."
As the Hogwarts Express neared Hogsmeade Station, Hermione's plot formed in her mind. She smiled to herself, certain she could convince Harry to stop being so stubborn. She was determined to break through his wall of self-loathing and despair.
They departed the train, and walked in the direction of the castle. As they passed through the gates, Hermione wished she known of a spell that detected invisibility cloaks. Her head turned side to side, but Harry remained undetectable. Sighing, Hermione relented and led her group towards the castle.
Once they entered the Great Hall, Hermione kept scanning the room, knowing Harry would have to remove his cloak eventually in order to eat. She planned to seize her opportunity the moment she saw him.
As they ate dinner, Hermione conversed with her friends. Her eyes, however, searched every corner of the room. Finally, she saw Harry sitting alone in the far end corner of their house's table and away from the prying ears of their inner circle. Perfect.
"I'll be back," she said to her friends, and immediately marched toward him.
Harry looked up. "Please leave me alone. I just want to eat in peace." Hermione's rage boiled to the surface. Using the book she'd been reading earlier, she began smacking him repeatedly. "Ow! What are you doing?!" he cried out.
"Harry-James-Potter! You-dense-git! Stop-isolating-yourself!" She hit him each time she enunciated a word. Harry was flinching in pain. Realizing she looked like a crazed, angry girlfriend, she stopped, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment. She lowered her voice, speaking in a more composed manner. "You need to get over this whole martyr complex thing you have. You can't save everyone, you know. It's not your job to protect me."
"Well.. I'm making it my job."
Hermione slapped her hands to her forehead before sitting herself beside him. "Argh! You are so frustrating! Fine, I know there's nothing I can say that will change your mind. So, instead of talking about this, I have another proposal."
Harry looked up, intrigued. "And what's that?"
Hermione swallowed nervously, steeling herself, she said. "Its simple. You want to protect me, but I don't want your protection. Instead, we can trade. If you promise to stop trying to protect me, then I'll let you make it up to me..." Harry nodded, listening intently. Hermione's heart pounded as she continued. "by fulfilling my deepest fantasy."
"What? I don't understand."
Hermione cursed to herself. Then, gathering her courage, she leaned into his ear and whispered, "You're the Boy-Who-Lived. You defeated the Dark Lord once and you're destined to do it again. I want to fulfill the fantasies of the chosen one."
Harry looked more than confused at Hermione's words. "Er.. still not following."
Hermione sighed, frustrated that she needed to spell it out. "I'm saying... I want you to have sex with me." A Gryffindor boy to Hermione's left who had been eavesdropping dropped his goblet, spilling its contents.
"Wha..." Harry froze.
Hermione whipped her head around to the 3rd year boy, fixing him with a glare before turning back to Harry and lowering her voice to a whisper.
"Harry, I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm almost 17, and I can make decisions for myself. I know this is sudden, but... I think this would be a good experience for the both of us, too. Don't you agree?"
"Hermione, I... I'm not sure."
She grabbed his hand. "Aren't you at least a little curious? In fact, its quite normal for people our age to experiment like this. Especially with someone we're really comfortable with."
"Wait, whats with that chosen one fantasy rubbish?"
Hermioen blushed. "It was a joke." She said quickly, "I just meant I wanted to help you move on and have some fun. Does that... would that interest you?"
Hermione bit her lip as she watched the cogs turn in Harry's mind.
"Okay, well, um.. that's not the reason why I'm hesitant, Hermione. I just... I've never done anything like that before."
"Neither have I," she stated matter-of-factly. "Well.. think about it. I'll see you later." Hermione said, rising to her feet and walking away. Harry's eyes followed her as she made her way back to where she sat moments ago.
Hermione sat with her friends again and her adrenaline subsided. Did she really just profess her fancy of Harry by asking him to have sex with her? While her proposition sounded practical in her head, the execution felt so wrong. She was mentally kicking herself for her inelegant wording.
Her eyes flitted back to Harry. He was still staring at her. It felt odd, seeing him sitting where he was and having his gaze fixed on her while she sat among their friends.
Ron followed Hermione's gaze and noticed him too. "Oi, Harry! What are you doing over there? Why don't you come sit with us?"
Harry didn't reply, choosing instead to return his attention to his plate.
"Leave him alone, Ron. I'm sure when he's ready, he'll join us." Hermione scolded.
"You let him leave you lying around in a body bind and you're still defending him!?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I already told you. It was a misunderstanding, okay? Just forget it."
Ginny asked, "So, what were you two talking about anyway?"
Hermione hesitated. "Er, it was nothing really. Just some boring class stuff. Say, you never did tell me what your summer was like. Do you want to talk about that instead?"
Her attempt at deflection worked. Ginny spent the rest of the meal recounting the Weasleys' shenanigans during the holidays. Hermione pretended to listen, nodding her head and making noises of interest and encouragement as the others talked, but her thoughts where elsewhere.
In her mind, she played out various scenarios and possibilities, considering how her actions might change things between them. As she pondered these ideas, she slowly came to a realization: her feelings for Harry ran deeper than she thought. She wondered if she'd simply gotten carried away, caught up in the idea of helping him work through his grief, or whether her words had betrayed a deeper desire.
After the welcoming feast had concluded, Hermione made a hasty exit to her dormitory in the Gryffindor tower.
Hermione sat on her bed, waiting for Ginny to join her. The girls in the room chattered about classes starting tomorrow and who would be teaching which classes. Hermione had no interest in the gossip.
When Ginny arrived, the two of them changed into their pajamas. Ginny yawned as she slid under her blanket. "Excited for the new term?"
Hermione replied, "Yeah, I suppose." She got into her own bed and reached for the lamp. Before turning it off, she added, "Hey, Gin? Can we stay up for a bit? I need to talk to you about something."
Ginny's eyes lit up, "Sure, what's up?"
Hermione took a deep breath before confessing. "Harry and I had a bit of an argument. I was thinking, maybe some extra studying might help us both calm down a little."
"Um, okay. Sure. That sounds reasonable."
Hermione paused, wondering if she should tell her the truth. After a moment's consideration, she decided against it. This wasn't something she wanted spread around.
"Um, yeah. I thought so too. Thanks Gin, goodnight."
Hermione reached to turn off the lamp. Her thoughts continued to race, but she forced herself to try and get some rest.
Hermione Granger sat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, her eyes glued to the parchment that held her 6th-year class schedule. Her anticipation was palpable, her fingers trembling with a mix of excitement and nerves.
The Great Hall buzzed with the chatter of students from all four houses, and the enchanted ceiling overhead mirrored the clear, sunny day outside. Hermione couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia, knowing that this year would be different from the rest. Their looming N.E.W.T. exams would shape their futures, and the dark cloud of Voldemort's return hung over the wizarding world.
As Hermione unrolled her parchment, her gaze flickered between the neat rows of courses and their associated professors. Her schedule seemed daunting but thrilling at the same time. DADA, Advanced Transfiguration, Charms, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Potions—her list went on.
Hermione's mind began to drift as she thought about her favorite classes and her hopes for the year. However, amidst her academic musings, there was a persistent, nagging thought that kept creeping into her mind. She glanced at Harry, who was engrossed in his own schedule. He had chosen to sit with their friends this time, next to Ron, his presence a silent acknowledgment of the shift that had occurred between them because of her absolutely mental proposal.
"Have you two seen this? I've only got three classes with Harry this year! Three! And Hermione, you've got all but two classes with him. It's like I'm the odd one out."
Ron, with a sour look on his face, continued to grumble. "I mean, what happened to the 'Golden Trio,' eh? It's not the same when we're not in most of the same classes."
As Ron continued to voice his frustration, Hermione tried to offer reassurance. "I'm sure you'll be fine, Ron. Besides, we can meet up between classes, and then—"
She froze. Suddenly, Harry's eyes were burning a hole into her skull. Hermione averted her gaze. She hoped Harry didn't catch her slip up. She hadn't even planned to see him until class this evening.
Hermione looked up again. Harry's gaze remained locked onto her, his expression inscrutable.
Ron noticed the tension. "Is something the matter? Are you two fighting again? I swear, you two have been acting weird ever since last night. If you're mad, just tell me, alright?"
"We're fine," Harry said, though his tone implied otherwise. He looked back down at his schedule. "I'm going to go see McGonagall."
Ron called after him as he stalked off. Hermione watched him leave, the uncomfortable silence hanging over their heads.
"Are you sure everything's fine?" Ron asked, his brows furrowing.
Hermione gave him a small smile. "Of course, we just had a little disagreement, that's all."
Hermione excused herself soon after. She needed to get to her first class, and she still needed to change out of her robes.
On her way through the corridors, Hermione bumped into Harry. They stood awkwardly facing each other, neither quite sure how to continue from here.
Harry cleared his throat. "I, er... I'm sorry."
Hermione grimmaced, feeling thoroughly humiliated. "It's okay," she said softly, refusing to make eye contact, she brushed past him to continue on her way.
Harry had began saying something but she was gone before he could finish.
As she walked away, Hermione took a moment to collect herself. She knew that Harry's reaction wasn't personal. Rather, it was perfectly understandable and she couldn't blame him, she was completely out of line.
Hermione sighed heavily, resolving herself to put her embarrassment aside and move forward.
Inside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom; the room had an eerie, dimly lit atmosphere, casting long, unsettling shadows across the walls. It was a stark contrast to her previous experiences with Defense Against the Dark Arts professors. She couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as she took her seat.
Snape's presence in the front of the room added to the foreboding atmosphere. His dark, penetrating eyes seemed to bore into every student as they settled into their seats. Hermione couldn't deny the sheer intelligence and expertise that Snape undoubtedly possessed. She had seen his prowess as a Potions Master, but his reputation as a strict and formidable instructor had followed him to the Defense Against the Dark Arts position.
As the class began, Snape's voice was as cold and cutting as ever. "I am aware that this is your first class with me, and I am not keen to start the year with inane questions about my methods."
"However, it seems that Professor Dumbledore has made a habit of hiring incompetent fools in the Defense Against the Dark Arts field," He swept his eyes around the room, challenging any of them to contradict him
"To put it simply, I have no patience for dull-witted, arrogant students." fixing Harry with a piercing stare. A few people snickered, making Hermione's skin crawl.
"Professor Dumbledore has asked me to instruct you in the theory of defending yourself against the Dark Arts, and I intend to do so. That means that you will attend class, you will hand in your assignments, and you will pass your exams. If you do not, I have the authority to expel you."
There were murmurs and whispers throughout the classroom, but none dared to speak out. Snape scowled. "Now that I have your attention, we will begin with a lecture on the Imperius Curse.
"As many of you know, the Imperius Curse is one of the three Unforgivable Curses. It is also one of the most dangerous curses, as it gives the caster complete control over the victim. It is notoriously difficult to resist, and it can only be reversed by another wizard or witch of equal skill."
He paused, surveying his class before continuing. "Let us practice. Who can tell me the counter-curse?"
Hermione raised her hand tentatively, but before she could answer, Neville Longbottom blurted out the wrong response. "Er.. Reverso Imperio?"
"No, you blithering idiot!" Snape barked, his tone dripping with disdain. "There is no counter-curse, otherwise, the Imperius Curse would not be classified as one of the Unforgivable Curses," he hissed through gritted teeth.
Neville shrank back into his chair, embarrassed. Hermione felt a rush of sympathy for him.
"The counter-curse to the Imperius Curse," Snape sneered, "is resistance. Resistance through your willpower alone. Understand this and you will stand a chance of surviving my lessons."
Snape went on to describe the inner workings of the curse and how it controlled its victim. He demonstrated the spell on Harry, much to everyone's amusement. Harry managed to resist, and the lesson ended without incident.
Despite her earlier concerns, Hermione was looking forward to the year.
That evening, Hermione was sitting in the common room, studying for her upcoming Charms test. It was late, and the soft glow of candlelight illuminated the empty room.
She felt a light tap on her shoulder. Glancing up, she saw Harry standing beside her, holding a piece of parchment.
"May I join you?"
Hermione gestured to the armchair opposite hers. "Be my guest."
Harry sat down, placing the parchment on the low table between them. He picked up his quill and resumed writing.
Hermione leaned over the parchment, curious to see what he was working on. Her eyes widened as she realized it was his Transfiguration essay.
"Is this your assignment for tomorrow?" Hermione asked, surprised. Harry usually procrastinated and left assignments to the last minute.
"Yes. I've been thinking, if we both did our homework together, we might have more time to..." he trailed off, but Hermione understood his meaning.
"Oh," she replied, feeling flustered. "Wait, does this mean... you want to?"
Harry blushed, averting his eyes. "Er... well, I mean.. yeah.. do you? I just thought... since you suggested it, and I don't really have a reason to say no..."
"Harry, I was out of line. I shouldn't have pressured you like that."
"No, it's not that. I just wasn't expecting you to ask." But before they could continue their discussion, Ron barged in.
"What are you two whispering about? Were you talking about me? You were, weren't you?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Not everything is about you, Ron."
Ron sighed. "You're right. Sorry. Anyway, I was just coming to tell you I'm going to bed."
Harry shook his head. "I'm gonna stay up for a while longer. I need to finish this."
Ron eyed the two skeptically before shrugging. "Okay, suit yourself. See you later."
Hermione and Harry returned to their tasks. Hermione found it hard to concentrate, however, knowing that Harry's intentions had changed.
They sat in silence until Harry spoke. "So, uh... about what you said at the feast. Are we still... erm... are we still on for that?"
Hermione bit her lip, her thoughts racing. Once she had time to dwell on it, she hadn't expected him to actually be interested in what she offered, but now that he was, she didn't quite know how to proceed.
After a moment, she responded. "Erm... okay... yeah, if you want to, then yes. We can."
Harry gave her an awkward nod, and they both got back to their essays.
An hour later, Hermione packed away her things and stood up. "Well, goodnight."
"Night."
As Hermione climbed the stairs to her dormitory, she wondered what it would be like to take things further with Harry. Would she regret it? Would she lose her best friend?
As Hermione drifted off to sleep that night, she couldn't help but feel conflicted. On one hand, the prospect of becoming physically intimate with her best friend was exciting. On the other, the risks involved scared her.
After some deliberation, Hermione decided to take things one step at a time and see where things led. She would be lying if she said she wasn't excited, but she was equally anxious about the consequences.
