Granger, you've done it again | hermione granger x fem oc

chapter 40

a/n: wow we've just hit 40 chapters for this story! thank you so much for all the love and support, sorry for the wait, have the best week ILY GUYS AHHH <333

A new wave of anxiousness seeped in through the gryffindor common room during the last week of September and into the beginning of October. Detentions for myself and a certain Pucey I had now grown fond of were through with, and we were let back to practices which we both had missed immensely. And the obvious excitement for the growing rumors in the common room about the meeting at Hog's Head added right into it. Though the school had began to experience some changes, stemming from the professor in pink. Another piece of stress for more particularly myself came from the ignorance and stubbornness of one of my best friends. Refusing to talk to me for more than five seconds, Ron has been a complete and utter prick about Anastasia Pucey.

"Where are we going Hermione?" Harry asked the determined brunette as we walked through the chilly streets of Hogsmaede. Hermione convinced me to keep quiet with the boys about our plan. We arrived to a seedy looking pub, with the wobbly and scratched titled 'The Hog's Head' carved above a pig.

"'The Hog's Head?'...Hermione?" Ron shared a look with Harry as Hermione sighed confidently. "Lovely spot."

"We thought it would be safer somewhere off the beaten track. Come on, I'll explain in a minute." she opened the creaky door, revealing a grimy and ill-lit pub. Witches and wizards sat uneasily around the room, giving us shady looks. Leading us up onto the second floor of the small, clustered building we were met with a big group of familiar faces, and some I didn't even recognize.

"Good turn out, eh?" I whispered to Hermione who nervously smiled around at the group. The room was populated by Fred, George, Ginny, Dean, Neville, Lavendar, Parvati and Padma, Lee Jordan, Cho Chang, Luna, Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, Angie Johnson, Colin and Dennis Creevey, Westley Elks, Ernie Macmillan, Justin Finch-Fletchely, Hannah Abbott, Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner, Terry Boot, Zacharias Smith, Susan Bones, and five others I didn't recognize. But the one person I was really searching for...was no where in sight. I felt my heart drop slightly, disappointment in the slytherin coursing through me.

"What's going on?" Harry looked at Hermione and I questionably.

"There are some people we may have mentioned our defense against the dark arts idea with." she quickly said, sitting down at the front of the room and motioning for us to join her.

"You mean...about us teaching ourselves?" Harry asked intently.

"Hey, Harry." Neville smiled to him, sending a wave our way.

"Hey, Neville." Harry responded, still awe-struck.

"It's good to see that the horned snorkle-stacks haven't gotten you yet, Harry." Luna watched him dreamily.

"Er...same to you, Luna." Harry cleared his throat, as we turned our attention to the impatient group. People began to talk, not paying attention.

"Excuse me, if you could all listen for a moment-" Hermione attempted to gather everyone's attention, failing miserably. "If you could all just-" my whistle cut off Hermione, as I dropped my hands from my mouth and the chatter ceased.

"Could you all shut your mouths for one bloody second?" I spoke out clearly, and surprisingly, our classmates obliged. "Thank you." I sighed, seeing Hermione give me a nervous look. I nodded encouragingly to my best friend who breathed in deeply before starting.

"Um...hi. So, you all know why we're here. I thought it would be good if we met and talked over how we wanted to teach ourselves Defense Against the Dark Arts." Hermione spoke with a spark of new found confidence.