Amour

THE HIPPOGRIFF

Hermione was morose,what with the loss of her broomstick and Griffindor down by many points because of the last match.Furthermore,the dementors added to her troubles so much so that she was beginning to doubt herself.Why do they have this kind of effect on me?Am I really that weak?Am I truly not up to much?Voldemort would do away with me in a heartbeat.This time my mother won't be there to protect me.Her mother.She was also someone who invaded her thoughts lately.She had a kind of masochistic desire to hear her voice again,even if she was only pleading for her life.She was willing to face another dementor just to relive that again,like she did the last time,before passing out.Urrgh!Its twice now that Professor Snape has seen you faint because of a dementor.You should pack your hopes about him and throw it in Thames because that's never going to happen anymore.If you so much as open your mouth to proclaim your love for him,he would laugh at your face!Maybe,with that newfound determination to test herself,Hermione came forward alone when Hagrid,their Care of Magical Creatures teacher,showed off a Hippogriff and asked who would be brave enough to ride him.All her classmates' warnings about her imminent death prophesied by Trelawney falling on deaf ears,Hermione confidently sat on Buckbeak,the Hippogriff and flew into the air,the familiar rush of adrenaline surging through her.Then as she circled the castle,one of the windows revealed Professor Snape sitting in an armchair with a book.He looked up as she passed by and his eyes widened.Hermione could'nt smile or wave,it was so fast but was contented that he had seen her.Huh.How about that?After she touched down on the ground,received by cheers and claps Malfoy scoffed,went to tackle the beast himself without prior knowledge,got hit by its talons and sprained his elbow instead.He had to be carried to the hospital while the rest of them laughed their way back to the castle.
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Later that day they started the DADA class with Snape.He eyed Hermione as she walked in;she was in higher spirits today compared to the last few days following the incident of the match.He still remembered seeing her soaring around the castle on the Hippogriff.What was she thinking?Pulling off a stunt like that?Its not been a week since she had a fifty foot fall.He shook his head...This goddamned drive to prove herself.Malfoy was making a racket over how he was gravely injured and could'nt possibly do any handwork for weeks."Wait till my father hears about this.""You deserved it,Malfoy."Harry said."Oh yeah?"Malfoy challenged."You came onto Buckbeak hard."argued Ron."Hermione rode him perfectly well."Parvati said,patting Hermione in the back."Must be a welcome change for your Seeker after her cheap broom.I suggest you make the change permanent."Malfoy said and the Slytherins snickered."Then you'all would need extra limbs."Harry retorted back and it was the Griffindors' turn to laugh."Enough of the taunts now."Snape said sternly."They are mocking me sir.That Hippogriff made me lose my ability to use my hands for God knows how long..?"Malfoy complained.Hermione rolled her eyes,"Honestly,Malfoy,if you had only been listening in class,you'd have heard Professor Hagrid clearly warned-""I wasn't talking to you!"Malfoy spat.Hermione bit her lip and looked away.Snape flinched at the way Malfoy behaved."Thats enough I said!"he bellowed and everyone quited down."As it happens,I saw Ms.Granger flying on that Hippogriff myself this morning and it looked perfectly sane and not causing any trouble to her at all.Now if it holds a personal grudge against you because of something you did,that's a different matter.But otherwise I can vouch for it."Malfoy's face grew smaller and Hermione looked at Snape gratefully.He met her eyes for a second before turning to Malfoy again,"Oh quit whining,Draco;it's just a scratch-""My father would see to it that that lumbering oaf teacher gets the sack and his bloody chicken is butchered."Malfoy said maliciously and the class gaped at his malevolence."Detention,Malfoy.For speaking ill of a teacher."Snape said seriously.Malfoy was too stunned to utter another syllable but the Griffindors were equally surprised and delighted that Snape gave a detention to a Slytherin.Snape looked around at Hermione again;she was beaming and this time he returned her smile,even if only through the corners of his lips.