THE PHOENIX

Chapter Seven


The next morning, Hermione woke up feeling a bit stiff, but looking forward to the day. She did her morning rituals then looked into the mirror. “I wonder if I should heal these,” she said to herself as she poked at her now very black eye.

“Talking to yourself now Granger?” Draco said as he leaned against the bathroom door in jeans and a dress shirt.

She smirked his way. “As long as I’m not answering back....I’m okay.” She took out her wand from her robes to do the healing charm.

“Maybe you should leave it for now. Some of the professors may want proof that you were hurt also.”

“Like Snape?”

“That’s one of them, I’m sure. The other professors have probably heard about it by now,” he said. “Do you have any shaded glasses?”

“Yes. I’ll just get them from my room,” she said as she rushed off leaving Draco in the bathroom to finish getting ready.

When she finished going through her trunks for her sunglasses, she placed them on her nose and made her way out to the common room. Harry and Ron were sitting talking to Draco while they waited for Hermione.

“Hey guys,” she smiled.

Harry got up and walked to Hermione. “How you doing, ‘Mione?” he asked as he lifted her glasses.

“I’m fine. A bit stiff, but I’ll live.”

Harry prodded her cheek carefully. “That’s good to hear,” he smirked as he kissed her cheek affectionately.

Draco stood back, watching as Harry seemed to caress Hermione’s face. “Well, let’s go then,” he grumpily said.

“You could have gone,” Ron said as he walked behind Harry and Hermione.

“I wanted to make sure she was okay. Is that all right with you Weasel?” he sneered.

“Sure. No problem Malfoy,” Ron grinned back at Draco. “You know, you should really do something with that temper of yours Malfoy.” Draco just glared at him and walked on, wanting to punch the red head on the nose.

The four of them entered the Great Hall together. The majority of the students stopped talking as they looked up. By now, the whole school had found out about the way Hermione had fought three girls on her own, and won. Hermione adjusted her glasses and made her way to the Gryffindor table. She happened to glance to the faculty table to see Snape glaring at her, McGonagall looking disapproving, and Dumbledore smiling at her. She felt a bit of a relief and dug into her bacon and eggs for breakfast, trying to eat in between answering the questions about the fight from the students around her.


The first class for the day was double potions with Snape. The class was a bit tense to say the least. Right when Snape barged into the classroom, he rounded on Hermione. “Miss Granger,” he drawled, as he rounded to her desk, “another Gryffindor celebrity. One hundred points from Gryffindor for injuring my students.”

“But sir.....” she began but was immediately cut off.

“Silence. You and the other students that were present last night are to meet in the Headmaster’s office after this class,” he sneered. “Now, as there is no sunlight in the dungeons, you will remove those glasses at once,” he ordered.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders, not wanting her house to lose anymore points and tipped the glasses up so they sat at the top of her head. Snape stepped back a bit at the amount of bruising and the red at the white of her eye. She faced the front so the students who sat at the back of her wouldn’t see it clearly, as the others were looking her way.

“Perhaps, Miss Granger, you should wear the glasses until after the meeting with the Headmaster,” Snape said as he turned his back.

“Thank you sir,” she said respectively.

“Now, we’ve wasted enough time. Today we will be starting a potion that will be required for you NEWT exams at the end of the year......” He droned on as the instructions appeared on the board with a wave of his wand.

At the end of classes Hermione, Harry, and Draco made their way to the Headmaster’s office. When they arrived there were about seven Slytherin students, Ron, Ginny, Lavender, Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall, Madame Pomfrey and Dumbledore.

“Come in and have a seat......except you Miss Granger,” Dumbledore said as he motioned for her to stand before them. “Now, I do see some bruising on your upper cheek, but I will need for you to removed the glasses.”

She removed them as requested and McGonagall shared a look with Dumbledore. “Are there any other injuries?” he asked.

She slipped her school robe off and pulled the hem of her shirt up to show her side where a rather large purple and blue bruise appeared. “That’s all sir.” Hermione said as she pulled her shirt back down.

“This is all rather minor compared to what you did to the other three girls Miss Granger,” Snape said as he stepped forward.

“I did not start it.....sir,” she glared back.

“The three girls are still in the infirmary, at your hands,” Snape said.

“Well they shouldn’t have started it.....I was defending myself.”

Dumbledore stood up to silence the two. “Enough Severus. I have talked to the three girls and the students here about the incident. To be sure I would like to see the memory of last night.” He moved his pensieve forward and stood before Hermione. “With your permission of course Miss Granger,” he said as he looked to Hermione.

Hermione nodded her head and then Dumbledore placed his wand tip to her head. She closed her eyes as he pulled a long silvery thread of magic away to dip it into the clear liquid of the pensieve.

The students stood back as the professors and the Headmaster replayed the events of the night before, from the time she entered the pitch to when they left. The professors looked to Hermione then to Draco who looked to the floor after they finished viewing the events.

“So was that kiss worth it Miss Granger?” Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling in that maddening way of his.

Hermione looked straight on and smiled. “Yes, it was,” not seeing Draco look up suddenly at her.

“Well, we clearly saw that you did not start it......although you did provoke it,” McGonagall stated.

“There will be detention for those of you that were involved in the fight. Your head of house will determine the punishment,” Dumbledore proclaimed. “Miss Granger we would like a private word with you.....the rest of you may go.”

Madame Pomfrey came over to Hermione and healed her wounds, then left muttering to herself on the immaturity of the students today. Hermione then sat down waiting for the others to leave while the professors waited until it was clear for them to talk. “Now, Miss Granger, I need your promise this won’t happen again.” Dumbledore said.

“I promise not to provoke Pansy anymore. But I cannot help the way she thinks – that Draco belongs to her.”

“Well, stay away from him then Miss Granger.” Snape sneered.

“In case you haven’t noticed professor, we share the same dorm,” she said smirking at Snape. “And I happen to enjoy being around him lately.”

“Well, just tread carefully Hermione,” Dumbledore said. “Now, the press has found out about our fund raiser and some were curious if ‘Phoenix’ will be making an appearance.”

Hermione grinned. “How do they know ‘Phoenix’ is a witch?”

“No idea,” he said mysteriously.

“Phoenix? Why would Miss Granger know anything about her?” Snape asked clearly confused and not liking it one bit.

“Because......I am her, Professor.”

“What? You can’t be.” Snape said.

“Why ever not?” She said smirking at the confused professor.

“Prove it,” he sneered.

“Fine.” She turned and pulled the back of her shirt up and tugged the back of her jeans a bit lower where her phoenix tattoo clearly showed. “Check the magazine if you want to verify this. This tattoo is the only one made. It was designed specifically for me.” She tugged her shirt down and faced Snape. “I would appreciate it if the other students didn’t find out about this just yet. They’ll know soon enough at the fund raiser where I'll be racing.”

Dumbledore smiled as Snape sat down. “Miss Granger, you may go.” He waited for her to leave before taking out the magazine. “Here are the pictures Severus, proving she is indeed the ‘Phoenix’, although she charmed her appearance for these photos.”

Snape had heard of the ‘Phoenix’ and knew of her racing abilities, and was quite surprised to realize that Miss Granger and Phoenix were one in the same. He looked at the barely dressed Gryffindor and the racing insets, and a reluctant new found respect was beginning to form for the Hogwart’s Head Girl.


Thanks to Lessa, my beta. hope the last paragraph is better.