There seemed to be a storm raging through the halls of Hogwarts, a swirling vortex of fierce energy that originated on the far side of the castle and had travelled all the way to the ground floor. It was restless, angry and getting worse by the minute. It was making a very strange sound, too, for a storm … it was a single word, being repeated over and over again.

"No."

"Harry, please! We need you!"

"I said no!" Harry snapped again. "How many times do I have tell you? Just go away."

"I wont, not until you agree to do this."

Harry stopped at the final turn of the Main Staircase and glowered at the small crowd of students hurrying behind in his wake. "Lisa … sod off. I'm not doing it and that's final. Just leave me alone."

"Harry, come on," Mandy Brocklehurst cajoled as Harry moved off along the First-Floor corridor. "It's just one time. After that you can go back to the peace and quiet."

"Yeah, because we wont give you any until you agree," Lisa Turpin added eagerly.

"I said no!" Harry yelled, his voice rising significantly this time. "What's wrong with you lot? Which part of 'no' don't you bloody understand? Why cant you get it into your thick skulls that I'm not interested?"

"Because we don't believe you," Lisa persevered courageously. "The glory of Ravenclaw is at stake and I know how much you love the House. Please, Harry, we need you … Ravenclaw needs you."

"Tough luck," Harry sniped. "I'm not doing it and that's the end of it. Now leave me the hell alone."

And with that Harry darted behind a statue that hid a secret passage, slammed the heavy door behind him and finally escaped his pursuers.

The first Hermione heard of the commotion was when it reached the corridor outside of the library. Thinking it was Viktor Krum and his entourage causing all the racket, Hermione got up from her desk and marched outside to tell them off for disturbing her. She'd never done this for interrupting her work before, but this time they'd gone too far.

After all, Hermione was busy penning her reply to Harry's letter and nothing was allowed to get in the way of this most important task.

But as Hermione pulled open the library door, she heard the last of Harry's tirade and was just in time to see him vanish behind the statue. Clearly Harry Potter had more secrets than Hermione had ever expected.

"Don't worry, Mand, we'll get him back at the Common Room," Lisa Turpin was saying in a huff. "This isn't over yet, not by far. Come on."

Then they scuttled off as the crowd dispersed, leaving behind Luna Lovegood, who was curiously examining Harry's escape route with her wand. Hermione ambled over to her.

"Hello, Luna," Hermione began brightly. "What was that all about?"

"Oh, hello Hermione," Luna replied in deep surprise. She hadn't expected anyone to voluntarily talk to her today, unless it was Harry Potter. She looked up at Hermione. "Do you mean all that? Well, that was all about Harry."

Hermione felt herself tauten and realised how odd a reaction that was. But she couldn't help it.

"Is he okay?" she blurted out before she could stop herself.

"Oh, yes," Luna smiled, brightly. "He's just in one of his bad moods. It'll pass. They usually do."

"Usually?" Hermione queried.

"Yes, usually," Luna parroted. "Sometimes they last for days, but then they go away. He probably wont talk to anyone or see anyone till it does, just in case he says something that he doesn't really mean. He does that sometimes. Not to me, though. He always manages to stay nice to me."

Hermione smiled fondly at that. "So, what's he in a mood about?"

"Oh, don't you know? It's been quite the gossip around the school," Luna went on chirpily. "Cho Chang has come down with a serious case of Dragon Pox. Her face is full of angry spots, you know, and she wont come out of her room."

"How did she get Dragon Pox?"

"Well, the most obvious way is from when she's been kissing Cedric Diggory," said Luna, thoughtfully. "People have been seeing them together in shadowy alcoves and broom cupboards and empty classrooms all over the school. That's probably how she got it."

"Does Cedric have the Pox too, then?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know, but I'm not in his House, am I?" Luna replied.

"No, but I'm not seeing the connection here."

"Well, it's like this," Luna began patiently. "During the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament, Cedric Diggory had to steal his Golden Egg from under a dragon, didn't he? And his dragon was sat on the egg most of the time, so it was in contact with the dragon's private bits, wasn't it? Then, when Cedric got it, he kissed it a lot when he was celebrating. Then he went and kissed Cho a lot. And that's how he passed on the Dragon Pox."

Hermione giggled at that. "Yes. I can see how that might happen. Poor Cho. Is she hiding away then?"

"Yes, she's always very concerned about how she looks, so this is the worst sort of thing for her," Luna explained, sadly. "Maybe I'll bring her some cake or something."

"That would be nice. But I still don't understand, Luna … why has Cho having Dragon Pox put Harry in a bad mood? She's … she's not his girlfriend, is she?"

There was something Hermione heard in her own voice then that threw her for a loop. It was a sort of distress, coupled with a nervous hope that what she'd asked really wasn't the case. That unsettled her greatly as she shivered with the echo of her own words.

But Luna didn't seem to have realised Hermione's disquiet. "Oh, no, it's nothing like that. Harry doesn't have a girlfriend, unless it's someone from outside Hogwarts that no-one knows about."

Relief. That was not the emotion Hermione had expected to feel at the declaration. But there it was, and it served only to ramp up her unsettled fidgeting. She didn't like this new sensation one little bit, but she had to stay on point.

"So what's got Harry all upset then?" Hermione pressed.

"Oh, well it's the Quidditch team, you see," Luna elaborated. "Cho is our Seeker and we have a match against Gryffindor this weekend, but now she wont be able to play. And everyone in our House knows how good a flier Harry is, so they are trying to persuade him to take her place, but he's having none of it."

"Because he doesn't like to be on display," Hermione nodded, knowingly. "I see. So he's getting angry at everyone for pestering him?"

"Yes, but also at himself a bit too, I think," Luna mused.

"Why would that be? Why would he be angry at himself?"

"Because I think he secretly wants to play," Luna replied. "He is a brilliant flier and he loves Quidditch. Sometimes, when I used to go to the Quidditch pitch to search for things people had taken from me, I'd see Harry flying around on his own in the twilight. He'd chase the Snitch round and round for ages, and he never once failed to catch it.

"But playing in front of people is different. Like you say, he doesn't like people looking at him and things, so it stops him doing something he enjoys."

"Though you do think he actually wants to play?" Hermione asked, to which Luna nodded back. Then Hermione frowned. "Wait a minute … did you say people steal your things?"

"Yes," Luna confirmed.

"But that's awful! That's terrible! They shouldn't do that," Hermione cried, vehemently.

"I know, but my things always turn up in the end," Luna replied, brightly. "And Harry stops people in Ravenclaw doing it. He's so good, you know."

"I'm starting to see it," Hermione smiled. "It is a shame that he wont let himself play Quidditch though. Is there any way to change his mind, do you think?"

Luna crinkled her brow as she considered it. "I don't know Harry all that well, but I think he stays away from attention because it only adds to his legend, and he hates all of that. I think it might be different if he was playing Quidditch just to play Quidditch, without all of that other stuff on top. But I don't know how that might be done."

Hermione tended to agree, but then a thought crept into her mind. She grinned at Luna as it took root.

"I think I might have a way. Thank you, Luna, for telling me this. I have to go now, I have some work to finish."

"Alright," Luna smiled. "Miss Hermione … would it be okay if I talk to you sometimes? I think I'd like that if I was allowed."

"Of course you're allowed!" Hermione beamed. "You can speak to me anytime you like … but only on one condition."

"What's that?"

"You stop calling me 'miss'! Just Hermione will do."

"Alright, I can do that. Bye then."

And Luna turned and skipped away, leaving Hermione to hurry back to her private booth in the library. Her half-written letter was still in her satchel and she pulled it out quickly, dipping her quill into her ink pot and then promptly snapping the nib in her eagerness to write. She frowned as she looked down at it.

"Oh, bother! And I don't have any spares on me … as usual! Where's Harry when I need him?"

In fact, that was a question that most of Ravenclaw House was also asking. They wanted to continue badgering him to change his mind about Quidditch, but his knowledge of the secret passages was second to none. Even Filch didn't know them as well as he. Harry had explored the castle extensively in his solitary existence at Hogwarts, and soon he had a virtual map in his mind of the labyrinth of underground passages and secret chambers beneath the school. He now used this knowledge extensively to escape crowds and the attention of others.

Plus there was that time in his Second Year when he'd accidentally found the mythical Chamber of Secrets and the basilisk who lived there, but that was another story.

Today he'd used them to escape the persistence of Lisa Turpin and Mandy Brocklehurst. They meant well, but they couldn't half be annoying when they went on so much. It was enough to make the ears bleed. But even that wasn't the main reason that Harry wanted to put distance between them today.

No, that honour fell to the fact that Harry would have loved nothing more than to don the Royal Blue team robes of Ravenclaw House and soar around the Quidditch pitch in search of the Snitch, bringing glory to the House by helping them win the game. It was a temptation so fierce that he might even have given in in the end. But that would lead to toasts and parades and people slapping his back, and Harry was deeply against being fawned over.

And physical contact was an absolute no-no in his world, and the risk of celebratory hugs was enough to make him nauseous.

So Harry used his escape route to get away from the school, only to find himself emerging in the store room of the Quidditch equipment bunker. He pushed his way past the mass of spare brooms and musty old kit and broke out into the fresh air of the pitch itself. From there he hurried up to the stands, deciding that one of the VIP viewing booths was as good a hiding place as any.

Harry looked out at the pitch as soon as he was settled. Gryffindor House were training in the sky at the moment. Harry watched them wistfully awhile, staring at the twin orange heads of the Weasley Beaters, the athletic frames of trio of witches who made up their Chaser division, and the dark-haired witch who they were training as their new Seeker. Her name was Demelza, or something like that, and she wasn't very good. She seemed more suited to Chasing, and couldn't see the Snitch at all by the looks of things.

But Harry could see it, even from inside the viewing booth. It was really close by, its wings flapping rhythmically as it drew nearer and nearer. Harry cocked his head at it. For a Snitch, it was moving very slowly and methodically, not darting around at random to avoid capture, as Snitches were want to do. And it was big, far bigger than it ought to be.

Then Harry realised … it wasn't a Snitch at all … but a letter! One that had sprouted wings and was flying around outside. In fact, it was flying in his direction, right towards him.

Harry watched in a sort of stunned shock as the letter fluttered into the viewing booth and landed deftly in his lap, with the wings disappearing as soon as it had touched down. He recognised Hermione Granger's handwriting straight away as he read his own name on the envelope. His bad mood dissipated immediately. He'd been waiting two whole days for this and was eager to see what had taken so long.

Hello Harry.

Sorry this has taken so long … I had a mountain of homework to do that I needed to finish. Did Professor Moody set your class that essay on the uses of Gillyweed to investigate underwater species, too? That took a lot of research. There was no mention of it at all in our set texts, so in the end I had to look it up in Magical Water Plants of the Mediterranean and Magical Water Plants of the Highland Lochs to find out all about its properties. Sorry if you've been looking for those books, I think I checked out the only copies!

I also have to confess that I have made a considered effort not to write back straight away, even though it was so very hard not to. I thought I enjoyed writing my letter a bit too much, but getting one back so soon was more exciting than I could have possible imagined, so thank you. It was like getting an extra birthday present or something. I wonder if everyone else gets as fervoured when their pigeon holes glow? I hope so, that would really make me feel happy if I've made people feel like that.

Sorry, I was determined to take your advice and not doubt myself so much. Your words were so kind, I cant tell you how nice those things were to read. I've pretty much memorised them at this point! I will try very hard to be a bit more confident in myself in the future. So yes, I'm sure everyone else is as eager to receive their next letter as I am. That said, I don't want you to feel under pressure to reply to me so speedily. That isn't fair and I don't want you to feel any obligation to massage my vanity!

Your letter was surprising, in so many ways, and even though you are understandably guarded about what you are comfortable revealing, I feel honoured that you shared so much of your private life with me so soon. I wasn't expecting that and I am touched that you felt you could be so open with me. I will, of course, never dream of pushing you to elaborate on anything, but just know that I am deeply affected by your revelations, and please, please remember that my ear will always be open for anything else you wish to get off your chest.

I've tried hard over the last couple of days not to think about what you might have been through as a younger child, but just know that you don't have to suffer alone anymore. You need only tell me, and though that may not be much, this will always be sympathetic and safe space. You wont scare me off or overwhelm me I promise. But maybe later, when we know each other a lot better, you'll be more comfortable talking about these things. I'm more than prepared to wait.

I think it is so good how you look after that poor girl, Luna. She is lucky to have someone watching out for her. I'm slightly jealous. Gryffindor House is sadly lacking in the chivalry department just now, so potential champions for me amongst this lot are thin on the ground! I don't get THAT hard a time to be honest, but I know I don't help my cause by being so bossy. I just cant help it … that's simply who I am. I'm pretty good at telling people off, though, so I can assure you that if I hear any bad things being said about Luna, the person doing it will get the sharp end of my tongue!

You've got my interest in you all wrong, by the way. Your story, though fascinating, is only the tip of the Harry Potter-shaped iceberg as far as I am concerned. Of course you don't remember Voldemort … ooh, that felt weird to write, even though I didn't really think about it. I was one of the stupid people who only ever used You-Know-Who, sorry, but mostly because of how squeamish the name makes other people. Ronald Weasley practically faints whenever he hears it. Hey, maybe I'll say it to him more often! Every time he calls me Mione, I'll call him Voldemort. That should shut him up.

But, if you think about it, fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself, which is totally illogical. So no, I'll use Voldemort from now on. Look, I did it there! And I only crossed it out twice, and the second time was without squeaking. That's progress. I'll be calling him 'Voldykins' before we know it!

So no, your legend isn't my main focus. It's always going to be there, isn't it, always part of you? But in no way will it define you. Only you will do that, and there is where my interest lies. And after your first letter, I feel I know you loads better already. Some of it is a bit disturbing, as I said earlier, but if that's part of you too, then I'm not afraid of it, or afraid to know more.

And if what you said is true - that you feel comfortable with me by pure instinct - then you should know that you can safely confide in me whenever you want.

By the way … that was the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to me.

But back to serious business … I cannot BELIEVE that you ignore the instructions in textbooks! I'm genuinely scandalised! Do you write in the margins too, if you come up with something better? I bet you do ... and the idea of defacing textbooks chills me, I wont lie. You know how some people get second-hand embarrassment by hearing racy stories, I've got second-hand shock at this. I'd never dream of doing that, I follow things to the letter. But maybe that's a failing of mine? Perhaps I need to relax a bit and push the envelope … see if I can be as good using your way. I feel another challenge coming on.

For I DEFINITELY accept your suggestion of using alternate ways to get our letters to each other. That's really quite ingenious and I look forward to showing you just how creative I can get. You might live to regret this, Harry. Who knows what you might have awoken by stoking my hidden Ravenclaw side.

That business with your parents is so heartbreaking, Harry. You must allow me to say that. What a betrayal! At least you got to the truth and cleared your Godfather's name in the end. I don't know how you got through last year, thinking he was trying to kill you. It must have been so frightening for you. Of course, it was pretty hairy for us in Gryffindor, too, because he was trying to get in to reach the real traitor. He was Ron Weasley's rat the whole time!

It's quite funny, really, because my cat was always trying to eat him. The rat, I mean, not Ron! I think he must have sensed that there was something wicked about him. I mean, I know all cats chase mice and rats, but Crookshanks was always unusually eager to get to Scabbers. He just wanted to be a hero I think.

Oh, did I tell you I have a cat? Well, he's half-kneazle actually, and his name is Crookshanks, like I said. No-one wanted him when I went to the Magical Menagerie on Diagon Alley to buy a pet, so I had to have him just for that reason. It seemed like we were kindred spirits in that way. How long have you had Hedwig for? She's such a beautiful owl, far more graceful than any I've ever seen. You're very lucky to have her.

You have a homework planner! Oh my Merlin … I cant tell you how much that makes me grin. I sort of thought I was the only one who did that, but I bet all you Claws have them, don't you? Do you colour-code yours? I have a different colour for each of my classes, so it'd be interesting to compare with yours if you do that. I always put Potions in green, Charms in red, Transfiguration in blue, that sort of thing. I'm curious to see how similar our colours would be. Imagine if they were the same? That would be … unusual.

Oh, by the way, if you need any dental work doing in the future, I'll get my parents to do it free of charge. It was very charitable of you to pretend not to have noticed my big front teeth, but we both know they are there. I would get them altered by Madame Pomfrey, but it's for reasons so cosmetic that I'd be embarrassed to ask for it. Besides that, Mum and Dad wouldn't approve. They've always tried to make me be happy with myself as I am, and they'd be disappointed in me for indulging my vanity. If I tried to explain that I'd be doing it for my own self-esteem, I'm not sure they'd believe me. They'd probably think I was doing it to impress some boy or other, and that wouldn't go down well at all. My Mum taught me better than that.

Hold on … there's a big commotion going on outside the library, which is where I am while writing this. I'll be right back … it's probably that bloody Krum fellow and his autograph hunters, who I will most certainly be keeping my wits about me with. Does he really stare at me a lot? I've noticed him looking a bit, but staring? That's creepy. What the hell can he want? Be right back …

You'll never guess what, Harry … I've broken my quill nib again! I'm going to have to scratch the end of this letter in with the spine of the quill, so forgive my writing for going so illegible. You probably think I've had a stroke or something!

But here's my secret for this letter … I actually do like flying. A lot. I'm pretty good too, but I'm afraid I cant race you, Harry. You see, I only race Quidditch players, especially the really good ones. I have to know they are worthy of my mettle, you know? It needs to be a challenge or I'm just not motivated. Pleasure fliers, as you seem to be, just wouldn't be worth my revealing my secret to the world. It's a shame, as I'd quite like to see if you're as good as you say. No-one's ever tried to catch me before, as they know how pointless it would be, but I'd have been willing to give you a chance.

Pity.

That's about as much as this rubbish quill can manage I'm afraid, so I'll have to stop now. Again, don't feel like you have to respond at silly speed. Take your time. I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

Take care.

Yours Sincerely,

Hermione. J. Granger.

Harry folded the letter, huffing with an almost humorous indignation. He put the letter carefully into his bag, stood up, then marched from the Quidditch stands with real purpose. He didn't stop until he reached the Ravenclaw Common Room, where he was greeted by a fresh wave of pleas for him to change his mind about replacing Cho as Seeker. He held his hand up to silence everyone, turning to the one person who hadn't bothered trying to persuade him, certain that it was a lost cause.

"Roger," Harry called over to the Quidditch Captain, Roger Davies, who turned his head cautiously. "About Saturday … I'm in. Let's show those pleasure fliers of Gryffindor what a real Quidditch team looks like!"

Enjoying this story? Check out some of the others in my portfolio and don't forget my crossovers! They're worth a go, honest! Thanks for reading, and stay safe in these wacky times!