More Important Than Any Broomstick [Harmione]

39. Love

The staff spent the rest of Christmas break trying to make the castle more secure, and trying to figure out how Snape knew when and where to find Harry and Hermione. Harry had suggested that, "Maybe he just figured we'd come out there to snog at some point, so he was waiting for us."

Hermione disagreed. She didn't think Snape would wait out there all night risking discovery on a hunch that they'd snog at that particular place in the castle. "We could've easily chosen a broom closet instead, or even had an argument and gone straight to Gryffindor tower." Lupin, Black, Brooks, and Dumbledore agreed with Hermione, and believed that there was a spy at Hogwarts. Padfoot thought it would most likely be someone from his house, so he said he'd try to see what he could find. There were too many people coming and going at the dance for the memory to be very helpful to the investigation.

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Harry and Hermione flew in their forms around the grounds of Hogwarts for fun a few times during the holidays. They even spotted Ron taking a walk with Susan Bones once while flying. When they'd changed back, Hermione asked, "Did you have any idea that Ron and Susan would start dating when you asked her to dance with him?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I thought he might be attracted to her red hair, but that's about it. I had no idea she'd end up liking him. I practically had to beg her to dance with Ron."

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True to Harry's prediction, on January 1st, Fleur's terrible acne cleared up, and soon she was back to her old arrogant self, going Harry-hunting. She still had no idea that it was Harry who had cursed her.

Just before school started, Harry and Hermione celebrated their one year anniversary with a private romantic dinner in the Room of Requirement. They had agreed not to buy each other gifts since it was so soon after Christmas, but each of them did something special. Harry conjured a single rose for Hermione, while she gave him a picture she'd taken in her pensieve of their first kiss.

A few days after school had started, Harry had gone up to the Head table during dinner to ask Sirius about a homework assignment from his class. On his way back, as he was passing the Ravenclaw table, Fleur, who was sitting there, put on her most charming smile and batted her eyelashes at Harry, who wasn't even paying attention.

"'Arry," she said in her most seductive voice, "Why don' you sit 'ere with me?" She patted the seat next to her. "I 'ave not had ze chance to compliment 'ow you did against ze dragon."

"Er," said Harry, "I've got to go back to my girlfriend. I'll see you."

Harry barely heard Fleur whisper to herself, "This iz not pozzible! 'ow can 'e resist?" Her face then turned mean as she stared at him icily. She then shouted for all the school to hear. "I VILL NOT ACCOMPANY YOU TO 'OGSMEADE!!! YOU 'AVE A GIRLFRIEND! HOW COULD YOU CHEAT ON 'ER LIKE THAT!?!"

Harry didn't know what to do. He realized that even if he argued, his reputation was still ruined. He figured Hermione would believe him, and that's all that mattered. He walked intently toward the Gryffindor table despite everyone staring at him, keeping his face as expressionless as possible.

Before he'd taken five steps, he heard Cho Chang's voice shouting, "That's a lie!" He turned around to see her standing up. "Fleur just asked Harry to join her and he turned her down flat and said he needed to get back to Hermione! I heard the whole thing, and if you ask any Ravenclaw sitting around this part of the table, they'll tell you the same thing!"

"Miss Chang!" said Professor Flitwick, "The Great Hall isn't for you to make public announcements about people's love lives! Ten points from Ravenclaw!"