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What Hermione Wants	By : HermioneCosplayer Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 7039 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 19
- 20
- 21
A/N

I’ve noticed that some of you have picked up that Harry seemed a little flat last chapter. I made a writing decision to not take us to Harry’s point of view while was getting used to the whole “Slytherin Gift” thing. Hermione wouldn’t know his point of view either, she’d have to guess by watching what he said and what he did, and I made the attempt to put the reader in the same position. There is another reason I didn’t let the reader in on Harry’s point of view, and you’ll find that out in this chapter.

I was also glad to see that some reviews picked up that even with Hermione casting the spell (after Harry had to beg her to 3 times), she asked for nothing and he took the lead in everything.

Chapter 19 (First Quidditch Practice)

Hermione awoke the next morning to something she had only dreamed about. Harry was still holding her, but awake. He had been watching her sleep and was stroking her hair. She didn’t ever remember feeling so safe.

Harry looked into her eyes like he was trying to read her mind. “There’s so much more to this very beautiful, very female friend of mine than I ever knew...”

“You don’t hate me?” Hermione asked timidly.

Harry cuddled her closer before answering her. “That depends. You’re not going to use that spell on me in public, are you?”

Hermione gasped in horror and Harry had to laugh.

This confused Hermione. She gave him a questioning look and asked, “What?” wondering why he was laughing, which only made Harry laugh harder. “Now you’re laughing ‘at’ me and I don’t get the joke,” she pouted in a cute way.

“Don’t take this wrong, ’Mione, but you’re the one that seems to be looking at that new power of yours as some kind of... ‘sex toy,’ I was referring to you making me act like a monkey or some such nonsense in the common room.” Harry teased her.

Hermione blushed. She also pondered being called ’Mione. She had never let anyone other than Grawp shorten her name to a nickname before and had snapped at Malfoy when he tried to call her that. She decided she liked the sound of it coming from Harry. It started with something that sounded like the word ‘my,’ like Harry was claiming her. She liked that. She smiled before responding. “Point taken. No, this is private. I won’t use it in public.” Then she gave him an evil grin. “Unless you deserve it!”

Harry laughed. “Who are you and what have you done to the bookworm?” He glanced at her clock. “I have to head to Quidditch practice. First one of the year and we’ll be trying out some potential new team-members.” He kissed her cheek. “I need to go.” He said as he opened the door to leave the room. “Let’s talk later, OK?”

“OK,” Hermione answered.

***

Draco was sitting at the table in the small common room reading the Daily Prophet and eating toast. He wondered if he was going to be treated to a repeat performance of last night, or if Harry would actually remember his team’s Quidditch practice.

When he had returned from ‘patrolling’ last night-- something he and Hermione had totally delegated to the prefects-- he had arrived just in time to hear Hermione screaming out Potter’s name. Judging by the sheer number of times Ginny had met him under the Quidditch bleachers for a shag last year and her all of her complaints about ‘Saint Potter’ and ‘not getting any,’ she must have finally gotten to him over the summer. He hadn’t expected Potter to be adequate enough to know how to produce that kind of response from someone as inexperienced as Hermione; he might actually have taken a bigger risk than he thought. He’d have to Gin Ginny for information, so to speak, and soon. Draco had already decided not to mention silencing charms to Hermione as a simply voyeuristic decision; he hadn’t thought that he’d actually be keeping tabs on any actual competition.

He looked up when Hermione’s door opened. He acknowledged Harry by saying, “Potter,” and nodding to him politely.

Harry did the same but said, “Malfoy,” and headed for the dorms somewhat bewildered at how civil Draco had seemed.

It was at least another half hour before Hermione joined Malfoy in their common room. She had taken a shower and her hair was still damp.

Draco looked up from his paper that he had in actuality finished ages ago and smiled at her, “You didn’t get up in time for breakfast. There’s some pumpkin juice in the cold store and I brought back some fruit.”

“Thanks.” Hermione smiled, poured herself some juice and joined Draco at the table. She selected an apple and started eating it.

“How are you doing this morning, Pet?” Draco asked trying not to let on just how curious he was.

Hermione smiled to herself for a moment and her eyes seemed to sparkle. “I’m doing well this morning, thank you. And you?”

“I’m fine.” Draelt elt that he just lost part of the only real decision he had ever made for himself. If she had to take that bloody Slytherin gift, he should have made sure she had gotten closer to him before he let her go. He covered his feelings with more conversation. “Rounds were boring. I’m glad we delegated that. I spent some time back in the Slytherin common room just listening to the conversations. In Muggle studies we learned about a machine that stores sounds and can play them back later as many times as you want, an audio pensive of sorts. It was kind of like listening to that over and over. ‘My father this, Dark Lord that’...”

“Draco?” she asked.

He put down the paper. He loved the way she didn’t call him Malfoy anymore. “Yes?”

“Why did you change your mind about the gifts? I mean I could understand if you went for Ravenclaw...”

Draco went in for the kill. “I have decided to fight for something that I know Dumbledore would approve of. I’m pretty sure Gryffindor would as well and I’ll need a lot of courage and strength with my background.”

Hermione stood up, “Draco! You’re joining our side? That’s wonderful! If you really mean it, we sure could use you!”

Draco shook his head, “My position on that is NOT changing.”

“Then what?” Hermione asked.

Draco took her hand and answered, “I’m using the gift for you. I want you to fall in love with me and to give me the strength and courage to go against what’s left of my family and make them accept you for what you are...”

***

Harry was hoping he’d be able to just walk to the dorms to get his Quidditch supplies unnoticed. ce ice it was the first practice of the year, he didn’t have any of his workout clothes in the locker room yet and he also wanted to get some clean clothes to change into after practice. He knew that was out the moment he entered the Gryffindor common room and saw Ginny sitting on a plush red chair, dressed for practice, with her broom next to her ready to go.

“Welcome back, Harry.” Ginny stated and looked at him accusingly. “Long meeting with Dumbledore?”

“I need to get my Quidditch things, we don’t have time for this now.” Harry answered and continued walking towards the stairs to the dorms.

Ginny stood up and followed him so she wouldn’t have to raise her voice. “What, no explanations about why you are still wearing the same clothes from last night or why the Fat Lady doesn’t have any record of you returning. Your invisibility cloak is still here so don’t try that one.”

Harry stopped and turned around. “We’re going to be late for practice, Ginny.”

“We have another half an hour. I think that’s enough time for an explanation, and for you to get your stuff.” Ginny argued but she lowered her voice for her next point. “When you didn’t come back to finish Ron’s chess game, we looked for the map. We couldn’t find it.”

“Ginny, just stop it! I have the map in a place where someone won’t just stumble upon it and it’s password protected.” Harry’s frustration with her began to really show. “Would you back off for once? I got hit with some pretty unbelievable stuff last night!”

Ginny responded in the exact opposite way Harequrequested... by not backing off and trying to give him a hug and a kiss. Instead of going along with it, Harry just stood there. “What’s with you, Harry?” Ginny asked, confused. She was starting to show some concern, but it was a bit late.

Harry shook his head. “You’re a bit unclear on the concept of ‘back off,’ aren’t you?” He took a step away from her as she let go of him. “But then from what I hear, you must be unclear on the concept of the number two as well.”

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about, Harry?” Ginny stated. She had an idea what he could be referring to, but it seemed unlikely that he could have found out.

Harry spoke quietly in case he was wrong. “A few weeks before school started, we had a conversation involving your past and you told me about two people. I was surprised to find abouabout a third...”

Ginny knew she had been caught. She tried to explain, “Last year was so stressful and even though we were dating, you were so damn noble about everything.”

He looked at her for almost a minute before he could think of something to say. He spoke with absolutely no emotion, which scared her more than if he had angered. “I didn’t know it was while we were together.” He turned and walked up the stairs to get his Quidditch things.

***

Ron was Quidditch Captain this year, and he and Harry were sitting in the bleachers watching some of the new players fly. Harry could have been captain again this year, but he wanted to give Ron a chance. Harry also was really hoping to find an up-and-coming seeker who could play in most of the games this year, but that was for another day. He was still planning on playing against Slytherin, for old time’s sake, but he had a lot of training to focus on this year. There were his NEWTs to prepare for if he wanted to become an Auror. Besides, the scouts had seen him; he’d have no trouble playing professionally if he decided to have a less serious career.

They needed new chasers, so Ron was quite upset that Ginny seemed to have decided to skive off practice.

“Bloody hell, what’d you tell her, Potter?” Ron asked, annoyed with Harry, but then he was familiar with his sister and her moods. “She was all dressed and ready for practice last time I saw her.”

“Trust me, you don’t want to know.” Harry assured him.

Ron stood up and yelled to the potential Chasers, “Oi! Quit trying to catch the Bludgers! You’re going to get yourselves killed!”

He kept watching the recruits but spoke to Harry again. “Sure I do! Having juicy bits available for blackmail is what older brothers are for. Believe me, I ld kld know. Ginny is the only one I get to do it to, even though I had the wrath of five...no make that four older brothers. Percy didn’t have much in the way of wrath.”

Ron yelled at the players again, “Repeat after me, ‘Catch the Quaffle, Beat the Bludgers!’ It’s not like this is NEWT Arithmancy or something!”

“Let’s just say that maybe you and I didn’t pick the right girlfriends last year and leave it at that.” Harry stated.

“You dumped my sister?” Ron asked. “Oughtn’t it’ve waited till after practice? It would have been good to see how she works with the new Chasers.”

Harry seemed to remember a time years ago that Ron suggested that Hermione needed to get her priorities straight, and though he didn’t show his amusement, inside he laughed to himself and thought that Ron was going to make a great captain. “We haven’t officially said, ‘we’re breaking up,’ but I think she sees the writing on the wall...”

Ron wasn’t familiar with that phrase, so he applied it to the only reference he could remember, “Like in blood with the whole Chamber of Secrets thing?”

Now, Harry did have to laugh a bit, “No, it’s yet another Muggle phrase. This one means that she knows it’s going to happen, though I am a bit nervous that she might try to back me in a corner and use her all too famous powers of persuasion to give her another chance.”

“OK, maybe I don’t want to know about it, but at least answer this. Do Muggles ever just say what they mean? I feel like a need a phrase book just to keep up sometimes!” Ron complained, and then yelled at the potential Beaters, “That’s not bad, at least you’re batting the Bludgers now. Quit trying to get them through the hoops, that’s not how to score. Repeat after me, ‘Chasers score with the Quaffle’. And beaters, you beat the Bludgers away from the Chasers with your bat; quit batting at anything that comes near you! And for Merlin’s sake, quit trying to beat the Snitch!”

Harry had a feeling Ron wouldn’t understand the irony of what he just said combined with all of the Quidditch terminology. Ron really had no clue what all that Quidditch talk would have just sounded like to a first year from a Muggle family.

Ron thought about it. “So Potter and Weasley, unattached for 7th year, huh? Between losing Hermione and you as potential new family members, Mum’s gonna be heartbroken,” he elbowed Harry, “but look at the opportunities for us! We shouldn’t have wasted so much time last year on who we thought were the right girls. This year, let’s spend time sampling what’s out there! Looney Lovegood is calling out to me and I’m dying to see if she lives up to her last name, if you catch my drift.” Ron grinned and Harry tried to appear interested.

His eye caught the regulation Snitch wizz by and Harry decided he had been sitting still long enough. “I’m going to catch my first Snitch of the year, and then I’m going to get out of here. We’ve got plenty of time till our first game and there’s no sense in selecting a team without Ginny.” The recruits were using junior level Bludgers charmed to avoid Senior level equipment, so he knew he’d be able to just enjoy the chase.

Ron nodded, “Harry, before you go, I wanted to remind you to change the password on the compartment in your chest where you keep the map. I checked; you haven’t changed it since you told me last.” Ron noticed the fear in Harry’s eyes, “Blimey, look at you! Maybe I should have taken a look once I chased Ginny from the boy’s dorms! I didn’t let her know I could get at it because she was getting on my nerves, but looks like you were up to more than just Order business with Dumbledore!”

Harry didn’t confirm or deny anything. “Thanks, mate.” He answered as he jumped on his trusty Firebolt. He had thought about replacing it for the past year or so, but it really had all the power and maneuverability he could ever need for school games.

Harry did a quite a few laps just for the pure joy of it. It was almost too perfect of a day for good playing conditions; there was far too much glare off the surface of the lake from sunshine to make it easy to see the Snitch, but he was far too experienced of a Seeker to let that get to him. He easily spotted it and since it wasn’t a competition, he followed the Snitch around for about ten minutes just for practice. Once he tired of that game, he balanced on one arm and reached out for the catch, almost falling off his broom in embarrassment when his mind made the connection that balancing on one arm while having an arm free for...other things...was a skill that he had that he should have tried the previous night...why hadn’t he thought of that? The books he read seemed to have everything else, they just seemed to assume one knew that important detail.

He grabbed the Snitch, stopped only for a moment to strap it back in the box, and then headed back up again. The sky was bright blue with only a few puffy white clouds here and there. He did a few laps just for speed, and then even though the Firebolt wasn’t built for acrobatics, got some altitude and tried a series of corkscrew loops just to see if he could.

***

Hermione wasn’t sure what to say to Draco. She paused while chewing on her bite of apple and stared at him.

He looked in her eyes and spoke gently, “I would have thought you had figured that out by now, love.”

Hermione recovered sufficiently to finish chewing her bite of apple. She swallowed it before speaking. “Draco, before last week I would have been sickened by the thought. Now, I’ve learned enough about you to be flattered, really, but I don’t think of you in that way. ”

Draco raised his eyebrows, “You seemed to be two nights ago.”

“No,” Hermione started, “I did not. I’m sure even you know the difference between love and drunk.” She wiped her apple sticky hands off on a napkin, reached for his hand, and held it. “Thank you for showing restraint, by the way. It means a lot to me that you did. Also, I thought you were going to give me and Harry some time”

Draco sighed. “You win. I’ll be quiet about it for a while, but you asked a direct question and I answered it.” He pulled his hand away and spoke in the menacing voice she was familiar with, but there seemed to be a lightheartedness to it. “I’m going to speak with you publicly, you know.”

Hermione smiled. “I’d expect that. We have been this past week.”

He continued speaking to her like he was dishing out the most disgusting insult ever. “No, not like that. I’m actually going to be friendly and have conversations and get to know the rest of your friends. That should teach you a thing or two!”

Hermione’s smile almost turned into a laugh, “I’m sure. Do be careful, those that don’t end up in the infirmary passed out in shock might try to ship you off to St. Mungo’s.”

He went back to his normal voice. “I’ll take that risk.”

“You seem to be taking a lot of risks lately, Draco?” Hermione half asked, half stated as she got up to leave the room and head outside.

“Yeah, I guess you could say ...&...” Draco answered as she left the room.

***

Professor McGonagall had been keeping an eye on practice from the window in the back of her office. She had certainly loved having the Quidditch Cup in its place of honor there for so many years now, so she had been keeping an eye on practice. When she first saw Harry being so reckless, her heart stopped for a moment, but through her ancient Omnioculars she saw his smile and what looked like a shout of triumph after Harry finished his acrobatic display. A smile broke out on her face and she thought, ‘Bless his heart, he’s playing.’ She couldn’t help but worry a bit, but it had been so long since she had seen Harry with a child-like expression on his face that she put aside any thoughts she had of stopping him.

**

Harry decided to not let the artificial boundaries of the Quidditch pitch hold him in. Hemmedmmed right over the lake’s surface at a slow speed, leaned forward, and let one hand dangle in the water for a bit, making sure to avoid the giant squid. It was relaxing, but suddenly, he was surprised and soaked by a huge splash of water. He turned to see Hermione of all people flying behind him on what looked like a Twigger 90. She was barefoot and had kicked up a wave of water. She was laughing.

He turned around and knowing his own shoes would easily dry, kicked a wave of water right back at her and they both laughed. “When did you learn how to fly?” Harry asked as he got some air between him and the lake surface. It was a nice day, but that didn’t mean he wanted to be drenched.

She followed him a bit behind, “Um, Harry. I’m a witch at a magic school. They teach us that here.”

Harry looked confused. “When?”

“Just because you made the Quidditch team in first year and got out of basic flying class didn’t mean the rest of us did too.” Hermione stated. “What did you think, we got one lesson in first year and they we had to figure it out on our own?”

Harry smiled, “Let’s see what that thing can do then.”

“Harry! It’s not anything like you’re used to, and anything higher up than the castle makes me nervous.” Hermione stated.

“Oh, come on! I’d still like to see!” Harry attempted to persuade her. “Maybe some laps around the lake and show me some turns. Don’t try anything you aren’t comfortable with.”

Hermione was right, the broom was nowhere near the level of a Nimbus, Firebolt, or even the latest Cleansweeps, but she seemed very comfortable and in complete control on it. He guessed the che could have lapped her within two and a half or 3 laps around the lake, but even at almost top speed, her turns were sharp and clean.

Harry caught up with her and they flew around the lake some more. “Why didn’t you ever learn to play Quidditch, Hermione? You’ve got some skills.”

Hermione laughed. “It’s crossed my mind a few times to try to get your attention.” She blushed, “but the whole lack of helmet part scares me. Magical or Muggle healers, brain injuries are still dangerous and my whole identity revolves around being ‘the smart one.’ Even if I could learn to fly on a faster broom and add the other skills, I’m not sure I’d really have the kind of fearlessness and drive a good player really needs.”

“I guess that makes sense.” Harry admitted. “I think part of the appeal of Quidditch is the danger.”

Harry started to head for shore and Hermione followed him. He dismounted and so did she. “You aren’t planning on going through with what you suggested about where you thought I wanted this broom, are you?” Harry asked, intending on it being a joke, but instead it showed a bit of fear and that he remembered how angry she had been at him for not noticing her feelings sooner.

Hermione took a quick look at the broom. “Of course not Harry. That’s not a Firebolt II!” She smiled and laughed.

Harry relaxed and joined in the laughter. They were on the far side of the lake, and Harry started to sit down.

“Let’s go further in. It turns out that last time we were on our own we weren’t in as secluded of a spot as we thought we were.” Hermione admitted.

Harry and Hermione walked a bit into the Forbidden Forrest. They had been at Hogwarts long enough to know that the first 25 meters or so were still protected. They found a nice patch of moss under a huge old tree and both sat down leaning up against it.

“You didn’t have much of a practice.” Hermione stated.

Harry admitted, “No, Ginny didn’t show, and since we really needed her to select new Chasers to work with her, it was kind of a waste. Ron is running them and the perspective Beaters through some drills, then we’ll narrow the field down next time.”

“Did she oversleep or something?” Hermione asked.

“Nope. She just got confronted about something you told me about last night. She didn’t know how little I knew and she spilled. It turns out she was sleeping with him all last year.” Harry still sounded so emotionless about that.

Hermione wasn’t emotionless. “I’m so sorry, Harry. I had no idea it was that bad.”

“Why are you sorry?” Harry asked. “You made sure I knew about it. Even if you didn’t know the extent, I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that it makes the relationship beyond salvaging.”

“Yes and no,” Hermione answered honestly. “I makes it easier not to go behind her back, but I don’t like to see you hurt.”

Harry sighed. “I don’t know how to make this any more clear, Hermione. If you didn’t want to see me hurt, then why did you cast a rape spell?”

Other than Hermione’s tears, there was nothing but forest sounds for almost five minutes.

“Harry, after we got back to the room, did I ask you to do anything last night, let alone anything you didn’t want to do? Hermione asked.

Harry was silent, but he shook his head no.

“Next question, Harry.” Hermione asked. “How many times did you have to ask or beg me to cast inservio?”

Harry shook his head no and held up three fingers.

Hermione continued, “How many times did you pick me up and either throw or place me on my bed?”

Harry shook his head again, “I don’t remember, but I know I did.”

Hermione took his hand and caressed it. “Harry, did you do anything because I commanded it including taking off your own clothing, touching me, using your mouth on me, being inside me?”

Harry reached out and kissed her lips before answering her. “No. Not even a little bit. I liked knowing you might though.” Harry took a few deep breaths to calm down. “I wish we could have just found out that we liked each other the old fashioned way-- not that a 1000-year-old gift isn’t old fashioned in some twisted sense of the idea-- and you could have selected one of the other gifts. I don’t know what they were, but you said you gave up quite a bit.”

“I’m still ng tng trouble understanding why as well.” Hermione admitted. “For some reason I just got it in my head that it was my last chance to ever let you know that I’ve been in love with you for all of these years. You missed the worst of it too! When Draco and I first got to school, we were both under the mistaken impression that we each got all the gifts; he had been told to select you!”

Harry recoiled like he had been hit. “Whatever happened to stop that, even if you only had the smallest influence, thank you!”

Hermione moved from leaning against the tree to cuddling to Harry. He could tell she was about to say something, but there was something that he absolutely had to say first. “Hermione, I have to tell you something. When you cast Inservio on me it just felt like a watered down version of Imperius.”

Hermione tilted her head and looked at Harry. “So you were never under any kind of influence at all, were you? I know you can walk away from the Imperius Curse even if Dumbledore casts it.”

“’Fraid so-- at least I think it didn't. That doesn’t mean that I don’t have some resentment about the whole ‘against my will thing’,” he touched the side of her face. “But look at those big brown eyes of yours. How could I stay mad at you?” He pulled her closer and kissed her.

After a few minutes, Hermione caught her breath and asked, “Where do we go from here? I don't think I can handle just platonic friendship with you anymore. Just being in the same room with you would just kill me if things don’t move forward.”

“Not to put any pressure on me or anything...” Harry joked with a smile on his face.

Hermione smiled back, but he could tell she was waiting for a response.

Harry caught her eye, “Didn’t you pick up any hints about that this morning? Yes. In spite of everything, I want it too. But, out of respect for some mutual friends, I think we need to take it slow publicly. Ginny didn’t get the official ‘we are breaking up’ speech this morning and it hasn’t even been a week for you and Ron yet.”

Hermione nodded, “I see what you mean” she admitted.

“Let’s give them a few weeks of space. We can start spending more time private together if you still want to, and after that weekweeks, make we can start touching a bit more in public and maybe a kiss or two and then see where to go from there by the reactions we get.” Harry suggested.

“And they say I’m the smart one!” Hermione commented.

“Honestly, I’d love to spread out my practice cloaght ght here and give a few things from last night another try, but if you don’t mind, I’d like to officially break things off with Ginny first.”

Hermione nodded, “That sounds reasonable. Also, between that invisibility cloak of yours and how easy it is to spy on anyone anywhere out of the grounds, I think I’d prefer to limit things to my room anyway.

More A/N

Wow, it looks like my little story is just about to break the 10,000 hits mark! That's so hard to believe! Those that take the time to review and to continue to review, thank you so much! It's amazing how much even a few sentences from readers mean. I'm so thrilled each time I see a new comment and it really does give me insentive to keep up the pace.

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What Hermione Wants