text stringlengths 12 10.4k |
|---|
Hermione looked up. "To Quidditch trials?" |
Ginny’s eyes gave a quick, purposeful flick to Bellatrix before she smiled. "Yeah. Gotta see us beat all the boys." |
Hermione frowned, looking to Bellatrix, uncertain of what Ginny was trying to say. |
"I have study to catch up on." |
"Bring it with you!" Ginny said. "It’ll be fun. You’ll watch a bunch of second years catastrophically fail, and a few third and fourth years turn out to be good. In between it all, you can do your homework." |
It sounded disruptive, but...maybe Ginny was trying to say something purposeful? She looked at Bellatrix, who was playing with her food. Did Bellatrix want her there? She looked to Ginny, the witch’s eyebrows raised, giving the nod as if to say, go on. |
There was a muted expression, but Hermione could see something in her eyes. She hadn’t spoken about it with her, but there was a chance the witch was doing this to find something out about herself, and while Hermione disapproved of her reasons for wanting to be a beater...should she stand in the way of self-discovery? |
Maybe she was overthinking this. |
"Of course, I’ll be there," she smiled. Bellatrix’s posture relaxed, and Hermione felt a warmth fill her. It was such a small thing to notice, but Hermione knew Bellatrix wanted to be friends. Whatever fear she had of Bellatrix turning evil again faded away. |
They went up to the Quidditch pitch, and Hermione wished both Ginny and Bellatrix luck before taking her seat with her homework. She’d barely started on Transfiguration when the loud noise of giggling hit her ear. Looking up, she could see Harry asking everyone to move into groups of ten. |
Romilda Vane stood with a group of her peers, giggling and Hermione bit her cheek to avoid rolling her eyes. She knew many of the people attending were here to see Harry, but it was frustrating, from her point of view, to see so many turn up for that sole purpose. |
Hermione watched as the first two groups were quickly dismissed, coming to sit in the stands near her. Hermione could see from where she was that many of the people in attendance weren’t even in Gryffindor. It took Harry another exacerbating fifteen minutes to notice before he loudly told them up, causing much of them to disperse. |
The chasers and beaters travelled together, and Hermione watched as Bellatrix and Ginny went onto their brooms amongst the others. |
Setting her homework aside, she watched as Harry threw the quaffle in the air. Ginny snatched it first, darting around the team as the bludgers were released. |
Mitchell Robertson, a fifth-year, flew into a bludger and fell off his broom barely three feet into the air. Nikita Watson managed to hit the bludger towards Katie Bell, but Bellatrix flew fast, striking it back and working to knock it against Ginny’s broom, setting her in a curtail. The quaffle was dropped, and Demelza Robbins slipped beneath Ginny, grabbing the quaffle and going for the goal. Next round, Ginny went harder, not falling for the trick of the bludger this time. |
Hermione stared in awe, watching as the quaffle flew through the air. Ginny wasn’t just good, she was incredible and Bellatrix didn’t hold back in her trials. The other trialling beaters had nothing compared to her, only one managed to at least block the other players from being hit, but Bellatrix was uncanny. She sped through the players, knocking a bludger against the quaffle in the middle of a pass as if anticipating the chasers" move. |
It was strategic and fast, and even Ron’s "bloody hell she’s good" could be heard. |
"Was she in the Durmstrang team?" One of the Gryffindors was asking his mates |
"Didn’t know Durmstrang had quidditch." |
"Cause they do, you nut! Where do you think Krum got bleeding scouted from?" |
Other people were coming to watch, too, and Hermione could hear them whispering not just about Bellatrix but about Ginny, too. "Good luck to our team," a seventh-year Ravenclaw said. "They’re gonna be royally screwed facing that." |
The Keeper trials came next, and Hermione watched as Ron stood in line with the other Keepers, looking a particular shade of green. Hermione watched as Ginny threw penalty shots at the others and knew Ron had a chance...until it was McLaggen’s turn. |
Hermione had witnessed McLaggen’s anger issues first-hand when she’d deducted points for being out past curfew. Hermione knew he would be a terrible teammate and was horrified to notice as he managed to save four penalties. Hermione knew in that instance that he would be chosen as Keeper as he went for the fifth. Quickly making sure no one around her was noticing, she lifted her wand, quietly cast confundo and watched as the ball went left and he went right. |
When it was Ron’s turn, she tucked her wand away, confident that Ron could save them and was thankful to see that she’d been right. Five out of the five goals had been saved, with the one for Ginny nearly slipping through his fingers. |
Hermione whooped at the catch and caught Ron’s eyes looking at her, a proud look in them before she moved to sit back down with her homework, where Lavender Brown gave her a fowl look. Hermione frowned, ignoring it as she cleaned up her homework and went down to the pitch to congratulate her friends. |
Ginny made the team with Katie Bell and Demelza Robins. Ron was announced as the Keeper, but Harry seemed to hesitate around the beaters before declaring Jimmy Peakes and Bella Black (though he didn’t disguise the distaste in his voice). |
"Congratulations!" Hermione said to the new Gryffindor Quidditch team, beaming at her friends. "Ron, you flew so well!" |
"Thanks, Hermione," He said, seeming to not mind being so close to Bellatrix. "I thought I was gonna miss that fourth penalty." |
Demelza flushed at the compliment before asking when their practice would be if they needed to purchase uniforms. Hermione moved to stand near Bellatrix and Hermione both as Harry went through the finer details. "You smashed it out of the ballpark," she said. |
Bellatrix gave her an odd look. "What even is a ballpark?" |
"Never mind, you were sensational. You and Ginny both. I don’t think the other teams stand a chance with you two." |
Ginny laughed, knocking into her, which accidentally shoved her into Bellatrix. Hermione scrambled back, apologising as she fixed her robes, only to watch as Bellatrix shifted on her feet, giving her a raised brow look. |
"Come on," Ginny said, "We can study for a bit before lunch by the lake. Today’s pretty nice." |
Hermione followed Ginny, moving out on the lake. She watched as Harry and Ron headed to Hagrid and felt a pang of guilt. Perhaps she should visit Hagrid sometime and apologise for not taking up Care of Magical Creatures...though she wasn’t sure she should feel guilty. |
Care of Magical Creatures wouldn’t get her where she wanted to be once she finished at Hogwarts unless she aimed for a specific district at the Ministry. It had been safer to choose the other subjects which would come in handy. |
"Harry’s been a bit odd, hey?" Ginny asked. |
Hermione looked at her friend. "A bit," she said, giving a shrug. "I mean, I wouldn’t know. He won’t...talk to me." |
Ginny frowned. "His loss," she said, taking out her wand. "If Ron and Harry can’t get over their jealousy, that’s their problem." |
Hermione pressed her lips together, pulling out the books she was meant to be studying. She didn’t believe Harry and Ron were jealous. Only protective and hoping she would come to her supposed senses, similar to how Hermione felt. |
Bellatrix shifted next to her, and Hermione avoided the witch’s eye. Bellatrix knew why they were avoiding her, and Hermione didn’t want her thinking that she in any way resented her for what was, essentially, the boys" own choice. |
As it was, she listened as Ginny practised spells, and soon Bellatrix was helping her, teaching her how she’d taught Hermione. Hermione paused from her study to watch annoyance rise in her chest as she watched Bellatrix correct Ginny’s wandwork. |
"Could you guys keep it down? I’m trying to read." |
Ginny gave her an amused look, whereas Bellatrix only frowned. "Perhaps you could do with a lesson," the witch said. |
Hermione glared. "My wandwork is fine," she assured. |
"Perhaps your non-verbal defensive could use practice." |
While it was not permitted to use magic in the halls, the grounds were allowed, so as long as you were careful to mark your space and be mindful of the people around you. Hermione shifted her books, moving to stand. |
Angry, she looked at Bellatrix, who shook her head. "No, go against Ginny. It’d be good for you both to practice." |
Hermione balked, lowering her wand as she looked at Ginny. "Non-verbal isn’t until next year for Ginny." |
"I told you it’s good practice to go against different people. Ginny can be verbal, and you can be non-verbal. It’ll be good practice for you both." |
Hermione knew she wasn’t wrong, yet as she shifted before her friend, there was awkwardness. Duelling with Bellatrix had been more straightforward, somehow. Though maybe not in the beginning. |
But it had been something that was theirs and now she was inviting Ginny into it. |
Hermione swallowed, realising how jealous she sounded in her own head. "Good idea," she said, standing tall as she swallowed back the bitterness in her throat. "We’ll do ten paces and then start?" She asked. |
Ginny grinned. "You sure, Granger? I give a wicked hex." |
"It’ll be good practice for the both of us," Hermione assured. As it was, she was up to date with all of her readings and was only in the process of attempting to work ahead. It wouldn’t hurt to switch to practising for another class. |
They stepped ten paces, and Hermione tilted her head, catching Bellatrix’s eye. The witch was leaning against a tree, arms folded as she grinned at her. If she wanted to see how they performed, then so be it. |
Hermione’s heel turned on the tenth step, her wand casting petrificus totalus. Ginny bounced the spell easily, casting out loud her bat bogey hex. Hermione flicked it, throwing it wide into a tree as she threw her own hexes. Quickly, she found a rhythm, dancing around Ginny’s hexes and flicking them back. |
Ginny was placed on the defensive, walking backwards as Hermione headed forward, casting rapidly until her stupefy flicked off Ginny’s shield in a lucky shot, rocketing back towards Hermione. |
Hermione darted out of the way, tripping over a tree root, and it was all the time Ginny needed to stun her. |
There was applause, and Hermione watched as Bellatrix undid the stunning spell, helping her to stand. "That was well done," Bellatrix said. "Something must have gotten you riled up." |
"I lost," Hermione pointed out. |
"You were working completely non-verbal against someone throwing some of the meanest hexes I’ve seen," Bellatrix said. Hermione flushed at the comment before becoming aware that Bellatrix’s hand was still holding hers. Letting go, she stepped back, wishing Fred and George hadn’t found a way to worm their words into her head. |
"Thank you," she said, offering a smile. "Maybe one day I’ll become better than you and teach you how to duel better." |
Bellatrix gave a loud, barking laugh and Hermione realised that she and Sirius shared similar laughter. "Perhaps," Bellatrix said in a patronising tone. "If you keep up with your studies." |
Hermione’s humour faded for a moment as she crossed her arms. "Is it so out of the realms?" |
"Don’t think this about anything less than the fact that I know there are few duellers better than me." |
Ginny whistled at that comment. "Bold statement," she said. "You should put some money into that and set up a duelling club. Really find out if you’re the best." |
"I am the best," Bellatrix assured, and whilst she smiled when she said the word, Hermione couldn’t help but hear how serious she was about it. There was no use denying that Bellatrix wasn’t good, but even Hermione suspected that there could be others who could beat her. After all, Hermione had won against her a few times. |
"You don’t believe me," Bellatrix said, eyebrow-raising. "Why don’t we go and duel again!" |
Hermione winced at the comment. "Look, it’s lunch and my ankle’s sore from tripping. We can duel another day if it matters so much." |
"It does matter if you don’t believe me," she said rather fiercely, and for a moment, Hermione shivered at seeing a bit of the old Bellatrix come through. |
"Don’t get angry at me," Hermione bit back. "If your pride is so fragile you have to prove your ability, then I want no part in playing against you," she said, snatching up her items. "I’m heading off to lunch, and you can either follow or sulk. |
Bellatrix chose to sulk. Sitting down at lunch, Hermione ate a small amount before heading to the library to study. It was on her way back, as she was heading towards dinner, that Professor Slughorn invited her to supper with a few other so-called "rising stars’. |
Hermione hadn’t taken to Slughorn very well, finding him quite choosey with the people she chose to interact with...similar to how Bellatrix could be, in truth. |
"Thank you, sir," Hermione agreed to, anyway, hoping at least Harry would be there. |
"Oh, and your friend. Miss Black. If you see her, I would also like to extend the invitation to her. I heard marvellous things about her last Defence class." |
"Of course. Thank you, Professor." |
Hermione’s stomach twisted at the thought. Returning to the Gryffindor Common Room, she made her way up to dinner, where she couldn’t see Bellatrix or Ginny. Perhaps she’d been rather heated, Hermione realised. Bellatrix was suffering amnesia, and one of the few things she knew about herself was that she was an accomplished duellist. It was reasonable that she would take a personal attack against anyone threatening that. |
Hermione would apologise once she found her...if she could find her. |
"Where’s your new mate?" Ron asked, looking extremely grumpy as he sat down, his arms crossed. |
"We’re not inseparable," Hermione stated though she gave an anxious look down the tables again to see if she’d missed her. |
"Could have fooled me." |
Hermione frowned, looking at Harry. "Is everything okay?" |
Harry shrugged. "Slughorn asked if I could go to some supper event. I take it he invited you, as well?" |
Hermione nodded. |
"Well, he...didn’t invite Ron," he explained, quickly glancing at Ron, who was moving quickly from angry to seething. Hermione could understand Ron’s pain, but it only further proved how narrow-viewed Slughorn could be. He only invited Harry because of his deceptive potion skills, and a few others were only invited because of their family. "Anyway, I can’t go because I have detention with Snape." |
"Oh," Hermione said before remembering the incident last week. "Surprised Slughorn didn’t try to fix that for you." |
"He did, but I doubt Snape will listen to them," Harry said, looking up at the staff table. Professor Snape wasn’t sitting there as he usually refrained from attending dinner. But it was the first time Hermione noticed that only half of the teachers were there. |
They were probably out patrolling to keep Hogwarts safe. |
"Have you seen Hagrid, by the way?" Harry asked. |
"No, but I saw you both visited him after practice. Is he okay?" |
"He’s fine, Aragog is unwell, and he’s...taking that a bit hard." |
Hermione blinked. "Well, Aragog would be reaching the end of his life. Acromantulas tend to only live for thirty or so years. Aragog surpassed that age quite extensively from what I understand, so Hagrid shouldn’t be surprised." |
"Aragog was the reason he was expelled from school. Hagrid protected him," Harry reminded. "They’re friends...in a sense." |
Hermione deflated at the comment. Yes, they were, and despite how strange and monstrous Aragog seemed, he had been otherwise a good friend to Hagrid. |
"Of course," Hermione said, picking at her food as she looked for Bellatrix. In her mind, she promised herself that she would visit Hagrid tomorrow. Maybe study out on the lawns again. Since the boys had mostly been avoiding her, Hermione found herself further ahead than usual without having to correct their homework and help them to understand some of the more complicated readings for class. It left Hermione with a guilty worry that maybe they would fall behind... |
Over dinner, she went over the homework they had to date, fixing everything up. |
It was only as they were heading back to the Gryffindor room did Hermione come across Bellatrix again. She was in the middle of a conversation with Ginny and Luna as they came around the corridor. |
"There you are!" Hermione said, splitting from Harry and Ron, heading to her. "I...noticed you weren’t at dinner," she said. From the corner of her eye, she saw Ginny grab Luna, leading her away. Hermione ignored them, fixing the strap of her bag. |
"You were in a foul mood," Bellatrix pointed out. "I didn’t feel particularly invited." |
Hermione deflated. No, she didn’t. "I’m sorry for what I said. It was mean. I’m not used to someone being better at me so easily. I know Harry’s better than me in Defence, but your leagues ahead of him, and..." she trailed off, looking aside. "I’m sorry for what I said." |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.