What I\'ve Always Known

Disclaimer: Still don\'t own any of the original characters. I\'ll let you know if I ever do though.

A/N thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter one. It made me all warm and fuzzy inside.


Chapter Twp: A Rushed Decision

“Bloody weather! I say we move to the Bahamas Ginny” Hermione said, wringing her hair out in the Entrance Hall.

“Can I come too?” Neville asked sulkily. He entertained them for a few moments by creating quite the show; he was trying to keep a firm grip on his toad Trevor with one hand, and ring out his hood with the other hand at the same time, to very little success. Finally Ginny took pity on him and went to help him while Dean and Seamus went to find seats in the Great Hall.

Hermione watched Ginny practically hang Neville before turning to follow Dean and Seamus when a loud voice rang out through the Entrance Hall;

“Hey! Hermione!” For the second time that night Hermione turned to search out a familiar voice in a crowd. Her eyes fell on a pair of two 16 year old boys; one a bespectacled boy with black hair and brilliant green eyes. The other lanky, freckled, and with flaming red hair.

“Harry! Ron!” Hermione shrieked, sprinting over to them and throwing her arms around Harry’s neck. He was the shorter one, and she had to stand on tip toe to hug Ron after Harry.

“Oh it’s so good to see you both!” Hermione exclaimed, barely remembering to be awkward with Ron. He had, after all, written a letter to her over the summer that was a good six inches of parchment long (quite the achievement for Ron), telling her that he felt they had grown closer than friends over the past year. Hermione did not feel the same, and had to settle for appearing politely ignorant in such a public setting.

“Well it’s great to see you too! We’d written to you all summer, but you never responded. Ron suggested we ring you up, but of course I wouldn’t let him anywhere near the telephone. We all remember how the last time turned out.” Harry said, throwing a glance in Ron’s direction that made Ron’s ears resemble the color of boiled beets. The first, and last, time Ron had ever used the phone was to call Harry at his muggle aunt and uncle’s house in the summer of their fourth year. The mere memory of the incident still made Harry go a touch weak in the knees. Harry and Hermione spotted Ron’s ears at the same time and lapsed into laughter while Ron shifted uncomfortably.

“Did you say you’d written?” Hermione asked when they had finally regained control.

“Yes but, like Harry said, you never answered” Ron said, eagerly steering the conversation away from his crimson ears. Hermione frowned, wondering what had happened to them. Hedwig hadn’t made a mistake, she couldn’t have, and she had been to Hermione’s house too many times over the past years to have delivered them to the wrong person. Then realization hit her; Dan.

‘Of course’ Hermione thought bitterly. ‘My father would have given up drinking before letting me have contact outside my own house’ Hermione looked up and for the first time that evening, she met Ron’s eyes, and his letter came rushing back to her;


Dear Hermione.

I know this may be sudden and a little much to handle, but I need to say this to you. I think you are over all the years I’ve I’ve never known someone quite like you before. We started out as friends, and that’s exactly what I thought we would always be. Until last year that is. I grew closer to you and found qualities about you I never knew you possessed. I have cherished I do cherish our friendship, but I think we could move beyond that, take the next step….

And on and on it went, over almost a full roll of parchment. Right down to:

Please write me back as soon as you can. I would rather do this face to face or at least a better way, but Harry still won’t let me near that fellytone. I don’t know why though. He seems to think I’ll do something foolish. Prat. Well I guess I’ve left you with enough to think about.

Love...Sincerely...Yours Truly...Best Wishes...Er,

Ron

Almost as if he read her mind, Ron dropped his gaze to the floor and turned red from the neck up. Hermione herself feigned fascination with Harry’s shoelaces and turned pink while Harry tried to clue as to what was causing the thick silence. His eyes suddenly grew wide and he swept the Entrance Hall with his eyes, as if searching for a topic.

“Well, erm…we’re the last ones out here. Shall we go find seats?” Harry asked, sounding as though he was fighting the urge to just run into the Great Hall and leave them standing there.

Ron and Hermione both nodded their consent and Harry led them into the hall. Just before they entered, Professor McGonagall came out, carrying a patched and dirty hat on a three legged stool.

“What are you three doing out here? You’ve missed The Sorting! You most certainly are not going to miss the headmaster’s speech however!” The strict professor snapped, and pointed at the doors. Harry, Hermione and Ron almost flew into the great hall as she surveyed them sternly from behind her square spectacles.

Many heads turned as they entered and a silver blonde glint in the corner caught Hermione’s eye as she made to sit down at her table. Fighting the impulse to look, Hermione tried to ignore the feeling of being watched and instead turned her attention on the headmaster; Albus Dumbledore.

Professor Dumbledore threw his long silver beard over his shoulder and rose from his spot at the head table, instantly silencing the crowd with one look through his half moon spectacles perched on his long crooked nose.

“At last the Great Hall is full once more” Dumbledore smiled, his blue eyes twinkling at them “For some of you, welcome to Hogwarts! For the rest; welcome back! It is indeed a pleasure to see familiar faces in these halls once more. I have full confidence that this year will be both a productive and enjoyable time in our lives. Dark Arts are making a startling comeback, and is pressing in on wizard kind, influencing many. But the walls of Hogwarts have guarded well against the perils of the dark side for many years, and will for many years to come. Do not stray from the path of courage and honor-” Hermione took the chance and smirked at Draco from across the hall. Draco caught her sarcasm and promptly turned the satisfying shade of a sick frog out of anger “- and we will be united from within.” Dumbledore looked ominously around the Great Hall.

Both staff and students remained stone still, sensing the seriousness of these heavy words. Suddenly Dumbledore’s expression cleared and he opened his arms wide to the hall.

“On a happier note, we have found a replacement for the Defense against the Dark Arts post! Please Welcome Professor Bludwerth to our staff this year.” He indicated to a woman sitting at the very right of the staff table. Seated next to Hagrid, this woman looked like she could be Professor McGonagall’s sister. Clad in robes of deepest purple, the woman sat almost unnaturally straight and observed the room through dark, sharp eyes. Her hair was tucked up so tightly under her matching hat; it was hard to tell she had any. Hermione would have thought she was bald except for the dark contrast of her black hair against her light skin. Professor Bludwerth acknowledged her introduction with a stiff nod, and continued surveying the hall, severe features completely void of emotion.

“I think McGonagall may have found a friend.” Harry leaned across the table to whisper grimly to Ron and Hermione as the Great Hall applauded. Ron looked horrified at this prospect but Hermione couldn’t help but feel anticipated to prove herself to this new teacher. She was already known as a brainiac, so why fight it?

“As a last note before we dive into our sumptuous feast, a notice, and warning, to all students; as of this year, all prefects will be patrolling castle corridors from the hours of 9PM to 6 AM. Any students out of bed, or any irregular activity will be reported immediately and the consequences will be most grave, more than likely resulting in expulsion. I wish it were not so, but as a result of the dangers abroad…” He trailed off significantly. “But enough of this talking. Eat, drink and catch up on your summers!” Dumbledore seated himself again and looked expectantly at the platters on the table.

As if the dishes were waiting for their que, they magically filled themselves with mountains of food. Bowls, platters, tureens, and jugs that were moments ago empty, were now filled to the point of exploding with such things like steak, beef and chicken casseroles, boiled vegetables, fried chicken, and potatoes done in almost every style. Hermione and Harry both reached for chicken and nothing else, while Ron seemed to be struggling deeply with the decision between steak and chicken-carrot casserole. For several minutes, he sat there, sighing and looking longingly from one to the other until Harry finally got annoyed and just dumped both on Ron’s plate for him. Shrugging, Ron picked up his knife and fork and set to work on his steak.

“So Hermione, what were you doing all summer? No one seems to know how you were or what you were doing.” Harry finally asked, making Hermione’s stomach twist.

“Oh you know…” Hermione’s brain was working so hard she was frightened Ron, who was sitting by her might hear it clunking around in her skull “I was just busy with-“

“Reading.” Ron and Harry finished for her, grins playing on their lips. Hermione grinned back; relieved they accepted her feeble excuse so easily. Suddenly she turned on the pair of them like a mother hen about to scold her baby chicks.

“So, now that you’ve avoided the question so marvelously, how did you get to school?” She asked, wary of the answer.
Ron and Harry exchanged grins before Harry turned to Hermione, pulled a package out of his pocket and held it out to her. Hermione reached her hand out and took the small plastic package from Harry. Before she could read the label, Harry started to explain;

“It was brilliant Hermione!” Harry said eagerly, apparently missing the look of dismay on Hermione’s face “Fred and George made them! They’re getting really far along with this Weasley Wizard Wheezes! They’re trying to develop these things called Transporter Bubbles.”

“Oh no…” Hermione moaned. The word ‘rules’ was probably not even in Ron’s older twin brother’s vocabulary, let alone something they took into consideration when the issue had to do with the joke shop they were developing. “Do I even want to know what Transporter Bubbles are?”

“Yes! Yes you do!” Ron said, obviously not recognizing a rhetorical question when he hears one “They’re these little blue bubbles that look like little soap suds. All you have to do to use one is tell it where you want to go, place it on the palm of you hand and…SMACK!” Ron slapped on hand against the palm of his other one and made everyone in the vicinity jump and scowl at them “You pop it and it takes you there!”

“They needed testers, and Ron and I were finding we were at a shortage of the Galleons dear Hermione. “Harry waggled his eyebrows at her.

The topic of Transporting Bubbles carried them through the feast and out into the hall, up the marble staircase and to the Fat Lady’s portrait.

“Aconite” Harry spoke the password and the Fat Lady swung forward on her hinges to admit them to Gryffindor Tower.

Hermione bade the boy’s goodnight and climbed her staircase ahead of several other girls, too tired for any thoughts except those of her warm bed, only feet away. Parvarti Patil and Lavender Brown followed Hermione into their dormitory and Hermione couldn’t help but yawn when she saw her cozy four poster bed, waiting for her with soft white sheets and downy pillows. Hardly aware of what she was doing, Hermione took of her robes, pulled on a night shirt, exchanged garbled goodnights with the other girls and climbed into her bed. Hermione laid back and sighed contentedly.

‘Well, even if I eventually do have to spend hours alone with that ferret’ Hermione thought as she drifted off to sleep, ‘at least I know I can make him angry…’ Hermione thought of his expression at dinner and grinned to herself. She yawned widely and pulled the covers up to her chin, instantly falling into a dreamless sleep.


~*~*~*~*~*~


The next morning dawned cold and grey, and the dark sky held the threat of rain as Hermione made her way down to the Great Hall for breakfast before the days lessons. Seating herself next to Harry, she smiled good morning at him and exchanged discomfited nods with Ron.

“McGonagall came by with theses a bit ago” Said Harry, once again making a brave stab at covering up the awkward silence, and handing Hermione a schedule.

“History of Magic, double Transfiguration with Ravenclaw, double Herbology with Hufflepuff. Hey, No Slytherins’!” Hermione grinned at the other two.

After a quick breakfast, the three of them made their way up to Professor Binns classroom on the fourth floor. As soon as they stepped in the door, all hopes of an enthralling lesson vanished. Professor Binns, their long dead transparent teacher was hovering at his desk, notes laid out before him as always. For the past five years, Professor Binns had always managed to make even vicious giant wars and blood thirsty goblin rebellions sound as dull as instructions on how to water a plant. Many students wondered if their ghostly professor even knew he was no longer part of the mortal world. He blinked blearily at them as they sat themselves down and pulled out parchment, quills and ink, preparing to take notes. Without even the slightest hesitation, Professor Binns immediately launched into a extensive spiel about the origin of werewolves, yet another fierce topic made dull by the professor’s bored drone.

Hermione bullied her brain into focusing as she moved her hand over the parchment, recording important dates and location, while scowling at Harry and Ron who were playing X’s and O’s on Harry’s parchment. Scowling right back and Hermione, Harry crossed off another winning row and made another grid.

“You would think that after five years of knowing us, our precious Hermione would know that we do nothing along the lines of focusing in that class.” Harry said innocently an hour later as the Gryffindors made their way up two more flights of stairs and along the Transfiguration corridor to Professor McGonagall’s classroom.

Much to Hermione’s dismay, Transfiguration passed much the same way; Hermione listening to McGonagall’s lecture about her expectations of them in their sixth year, while Ron and Harry wrote notes back and forth about Quidditch. Two hours later however, Harry and Ron were begging Hermione to tell them about the switching spell. Professor McGonagall had assigned them an essay on the incantation and wand movement for a very advanced switching spell after discussing it for over an hour. Harry and Ron of course had been doodling.

“Come on Hermione!” Harry pleaded, rolling up his very detailed drawing of Malfoy’s gruesome death during a Quidditch match, and stowing it carefully in his bag as though it were the Holy Grail “You know we won’t pass unless you take pity on us”

Despite herself, Hermione could not contain a tiny smile as she considered just how correct he was. Before they made it out of the doors on their way to the greenhouses, a hand on Hermione’s arm made her stop. Turning, she found herself face to face with Padma Patil, Ravenclaw prefect.

“Hermione, I need your help” Padma said urgently, disposing with any type of greeting.

“Too late Padma! We’ve already got Hermione to help us with the essay!” Ron said happily, poking his head around Hermione’s shoulder.

Hermione expected Padma’s face to fall, but on the contrary, she shook her head violently and continued in a rushed tone.

“No it’s not that. Tonight is my shift, you know, for patrolling the corridors?” Hermione nodded “But I can’t take it because of Quidditch try outs! Ravenclaw’s keeper graduated last year, and they’re holding the first try outs tonight! Please Hermione, I’m begging you, could you please take my shift tonight?” Padma implored with her eyes full of desperate tears, her hands on Hermione’s shoulders.

Hermione was about to decline, saying she had the essay, when she noticed how distressed Padma seemed.

“Of course I will, but I really have to get to Herbology…” Hermione said, nodding at the door.

“Oh Hermione, thank you! Thank you so much! Ernie will tell you where you should meet Anne tonight! Thank you!” She called again as Hermione sprinted across the lawns with Ron and Harry.

“You three are late! Please take your seats” Professor Sprout said disapprovingly as Harry, Hermione and Ron entered greenhouse five.

The three of them mumbled apologies and went to their bench near the middle. Without further ado, Professor Sprout had them all spreading dragon manure over Bubotuber plants. Hermione took the advantage to tell Ron (while staring only at their plant) what Padma had meant by ‘Shifts’.

“Brilliant. You both are going to have to spend nine hours alone with Malfoy almost every month for the whole year.” Harry said, wrinkling his nose in sympathetic distaste. Ron looked like he might be sick if he opened his mouth and didn’t speak even when the bell rang and they had started to make their way out of the greenhouses.

“Oh, wait! I forgot to ask Ernie where I’m supposed to meet Anne!” Hermione sprinted to catch up with Ernie who was almost halfway to the castle by now.

“Ernie! Wait!”

Ernie stopped and looked around, smiling when he saw Hermione.

“Hey Hermione, how are you?” He asked her.

“Fine, thank you. Listen, I’m taking Padma Patil’s shift tonight and I was wondering where we were supposed to meet Anne.” Hermione asked, trying to ignore Harry clicking his tongue impatiently and rubbing his stomach at Hermione behind Ernie, urging her to get a move on because he was hungry.

“Oh, you just have to go to Professor McGonagall’s office at ten minutes to nine tonight. Your partner will be waiting for you there.” He told her, starting to walk towards the castle again.

“Who’s my partner by the way?” Hermione called after him.

“Draco Malfoy!” He called back.