authorsnote: update time
this chapter is slightly shorter and ngl was harder to write, but here we go!
also I'm totally not slightly panicking because I made an aim to update everything before the year and it's somehow the 30th, ahahahaha not panicking I promise!
do leave a review, fav/follow for updates and most importantly of all - enjoy!
songrecs: ordinary day - vanessa carlton
The next morning everyone around her still has a stupid grin plastered onto their faces that would make her grin were she not to sleep deprived (and caffeine deprived) to do so.
Harry is smiling from ear to ear as they bound down to the common room, a bounce in his step she was happy to see. As the Marauders met them in the common room, they were all smiling, and the Quidditch talk started immediately, far too soon. She was thankful she could ignore it, and just follow behind, it being far, far too early to hear about Wonky Feints and some kind of roll.
Quidditch talk was something she ignored when awake and alert, never mind half asleep and yawning.
It's was only two cups of tea and some toast later did she feel revived, though no matter what she had eaten she was never ready to delve into talk about broom models and practice sessions and instead found herself reaching for a book – 'Charmed! Common Charms Misconceptions' that she had found in the Charms classroom and borrowed; it was an interesting read.
In fact, it got her all through breakfast, and then she was on to Defence, the Quidditch talk somehow still going as she followed them all to the classroom. She was smiling now though, even more so as Harry turned to check she was still there.
She offered him a grin but didn't intervene, happy to be with her own thought as James and Sirius pulled Harry back to talk more about his 'Awesome, dare devil tryout' as they were calling it, whilst Pettigrew and Lupin seemed to be chatting about Hogsmeade.
She smiled, knowing Harry was overjoyed with his tryout and placement on the Quidditch team, and she was overjoyed for him.
This was why they had come back; this was what made it worth it. That was the mantra in her head, as she tried not to dwell on how difficult things would be, that they were facing down impossible tasks after all, but she had to remember Harry's smile, his joy, and hers by extension.
Once they arrived at Defence, Hermione slid into a seat next to Harry, shot him a grin as he was practically beaming, before turning to the front of the class. The teacher was an Auror for the Ministry, someone called Thorn, he was gruff, but explained the theory clearly, and today was just a theory lesson, which allowed Hermione to settle in, take her notes and focus.
It had been a whirlwind in coming back to the past, not just emotionally, but she was sure she had some kind of time travel jet lag, she was still getting used to things, and today was the first day she felt more back to herself.
And so, she went through the day, more of a spring in her step, especially as Harry was practically bouncing.
It would be hard, she knew that, but they were settling in, and that was all they could do.
For now.
Lessons that week went on as normal, well as normal as Hogwarts could be.
The curriculum was no less strict nor the lessons any easier than their time, if anything she found herself challenged more, thanks to not being so far ahead of everyone. Yes, she'd already say her OWL's, but her classmates, particularly Remus, Sirius, James, Lily and Snape were giving her a run for her money.
In Transfiguration, James was very, very good, almost as good as her. A wave of his wand and a teacup on the table was turned into a teapot and back again with a swish. Another swish and the teacup was a teapot again, dancing on the table. Hermione offered him a smile, even though his arrogance had her adding a billow of steam coming from hers.
Well, it was 20 points to Gryffindor thanks to both of them, even if she had been showing off, just a touch.
In Charms, Lily was fantastic. She seemed to put almost no effort in at all, as she waved her wand, charming bubbles into the air that sang and then popped. Hermione could see past it though, could see the determination, the concentration behind her seeming lack of effort. It was something Hermione sometimes did herself. Being a Muggleborn, Mudblood, had that effect, to not only prove you were the best, but that you were doing it without trying.
Hermione managed that same composure herself, as she made her bubbles flash lights. She would have been ashamed, if not for another 20 points for both of them, and the thrill as Professor Flitwick (who looked alarmingly the same), complimented her at length.
Well, she'd always been a teacher's pet, at this point she couldn't help herself.
In Potions, Snape wasn't even worth competing against, he blew everyone out of the water. As she stirred her Dreamless Sleep Potion, and the purple sheen shimmering overhead was not quite the deep purple, she couldn't help but shoot Snape a jealous glance, as his gave off the purple tell-tale mist. She even scowled as Harry's was as good as hers, perhaps something had carried over from his 6th year.
When she stomped to her next class, she was grumpy. She never liked being beaten.
In Runes, she and Sirius were evenly matched. They both were fluent, both picking apart the combinations, and Hermione found herself easing off competing just a touch as they paired up to take on an extremely difficult problem. Sirius flirted with her outrageously, and she coped more than one dirty look from the other girls in class, but she just rolled her eyes.
She had no interest in any of that, not at the moment.
In Arithmancy she was thankful to be the best, Lupin nipping at her heels yes, but not quite catching her. It was almost like breathing a sigh of relief, three days into the week. Yes, she liked competing, and she'd felt an urge to prove herself more this week than anytime she could remember (perhaps bar her first year at Hogwarts and her OWLS), but she was feeling tired, passing out in the dorm room before Harry even joined her.
In Herbology she was good, one of the best, but had never been a passion subject for her, that had been Neville's territory. She smiled then, to think of Neville, so shy, so brave, only to see him now. Harry shot her a look as they pruned their Venomous Tentacula together, both thinking the same thing.
And in Defence Harry was of course the prodigy. Hermione knew she was good, but Harry's natural talent was unbeatable, she just didn't have the duelling skills he did … she supposed facing one of the most powerful wizards of all time, only second to Dumbledore, helped that.
He beat Sirius with a grin, especially as his Godfather looked near gobsmacked. Hermione found herself actually losing to Lupin but managed a smile and to let it somewhat go, vowing to do better next time (as she told Lupin who laughed), Harry, James's and Pettigrew's teasing of Sirius taking the edge off a touch, though she still hated losing.
On the Friday as they settled down for dinner Hermione was smiling, it had been a hard week, but good, though she was ready for the weekend, very ready.
It had been challenging, but that was good, she was pushing herself well into NEWT material and beyond to stay ahead, even more than her 6th year, and that was what she thrived on, the challenge.
Hermione had always thrived on a challenge, left to be bored and not rested she would rot, like a flower ignored on a stand with no water or sunlight. She needed it, the stress, the challenge, the tests, needed it to improve.
In a way Harry was the same. No, he didn't like exams nor lessons (though she noted he was making far more of an effort than she could ever recall him doing, something she couldn't help but tease him about with a grin), but in stressful situations Harry always came out on top, his mind working quickly when pressured.
Hell, in timely situations she could sometimes fall apart, she'd need Ron to remind her or Harry to take charge. Academic stress was her ballgame, whilst situational stress was Harry's.
A good compliment to one another, as they did on so many ways
A good compliment as they sat together, Harry chatting happily to James, he'd always been more social than her, introverted as she was. Still, she found herself pulled into a chat with Lupin and Sirius about some Rune combinations that saw them through pudding.
"Early night again Blishwick?" Sirius mocked as they made their way to the common room, to which she rolled her eyes. Sirius was a terrible flirt, but she knew he wasn't serious, just fond of riling people up. She'd have called him on it, would It not feel slightly weird to do so to her best friends Godfather.
Yes, she still had some adjusting to do.
Harry though? He was thriving, so happy to be with family, smiling from ear to ear as he chatted away to James about his first Quidditch practice tomorrow.
"Hmm tonight I might go a little wild, stay up past 10" She said scornfully, to which Sirius and James laughed.
"Don't go too crazy Hermione" Harry mocked then, her friend always one to tease, "You'll wind up in detention with such wild ways" He grinned, and she gave him a friendly shove, missing the look Sirius, James and Lupin shot one another, Pettigrew too as he followed along.
They'd shared a few of those looks that Harry and Hermione missed as they were looking at each other. Looks that saw something even she and Harry didn't, even though they were the subject.
They made it the Common Room quickly, and it looked as cosy as ever. Hermione didn't plan an early night tonight but could see herself curling up in front of the fire, book in hand, wiling the night away among the pages of a book. It sounded perfect.
Though that clearly wasn't quite what the Marauders had in mind, shocker.
"Wild is the word" James said with a grin, "It's party time this weekend, back-to-school party"
"Didn't we crash the back-to-school party?" Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow, "Last weekend?"
"No" Sirius said with an eye roll, "That was the first weekend back party, this was the first week of school"
Hermione hated the certain logic to that and offered only an eye roll herself.
"They're usually pretty wild" Pettigrew said with a grin, and Hermione managed a smile back. She was having to make an effort to not be outwardly hostile to Peter, it was easier, with him looking so different and innocent now, but it was still an effort, she knew it was for Harry to, though easier, he was always quicker to forgive.
Yes, she was the one of the two to hold grudges, Rita Skeeter came to mind.
"Hermione's favourite thing" Harry mocked, and Hermione again was tempted by a shove.
Instead, an hour later she was somehow not curled up by the fire with a book, wrapped in a cosy scarf, but instead being handed a butterbeer by a laughing James, as Harry chatted away with Sirius about something, Pettigrew interjecting now and then, Lupin chatting happily to a girl with dark hair and darker eyeshadow, who stood next to Lily, who was watching Harry again.
Thankfully the butterbeer had gone to her head, and she found herself chatting, laughing, and smiling, not dwelling on things for once, just this once.
It was difficult, striking the balance between experiencing this time along with Harry, and planning for the future, whilst concealing their true selves. She wanted to let loose, as she so rarely did, but something niggled at her, stopping her.
Which would become apparent, as she watched Lily forty minutes later chug the rest of her drink in one go, as though determine to do something, said something becoming apparent minutes later, as she stormed straight over to Harry, ignoring James's attempt at conversation in the process, focused solely on the son she didn't know she had … or would have.
Time travel could be extremely confusing at times.
As she reached him, Hermione heard the fiery redheads, "We need to talk" Before Harry was being dragged away, awe struck as he always was around his Mother, happy to follow her.
Hermione immediately stepped forward. Part of her knew it would be suspicious to intervene, she and Harry were supposedly best friends, jointed at the hip but not completely inseparable, she hadn't stopped him chatting to anyone else, as why would she?, and yet.
Of course, she followed.
She had to, she had seen the looks Lily had shot Harry, had seen the way she acted around him, a touch confused and as though she knew him. Hermione had seen James's get that look a handful of times, but for Lily it was every time she saw Harry. Was it Mother's instinct? Hermione didn't know, and for the moment she didn't care.
They had identities to conceal, it was vital they did so, and so yes, Hermione followed.
sooo thoughts?
yes I know this is slightly shorter and filler, but I was struggling to move the story along, and wanted something out before the end of the year, so here we go! I do hope you enjoy! these little chapters are important to pace the story well!
as always, do fav/follow, leave a review if you've got the time, and I promise to update asap!
speak soon