Hogsmeade and Gladrags
End of September
The Common room wasn’t empty but it was quiet, full of people doing homework or going over their reading – taking the first month of their school seriously but they all knew by the time the next month came they would be knocking off until their O.W.L’s were a few weeks away.
It wasn’t like Hermione could play, her own homework had been pushed aside despite it’s near completion, in favour for a thrilling and incredibly bad game of chess with Lily, who despite her red hair, had nothing else in common with Ron and proved it with every error of a move.
“Shit move.”
“Shut up, Evans.”
“Merlin, you sound like your brother.” Lily mumbled under her breath as Hermione gave her a wide grin and leant onto the side of the table. “Ah don’t -”
“Evening Lily-Flower, you’re hair looks are fiery as the sun – what do you say you join me at Hogsmeade?” She made her voice lower, in a passable manner of her brother, adding in his crooked smile and running a hand through her curls before throwing in a wink that had Lily blushing and shaking her head, even if there was a slight smile on her face.
“Please stop.”
“Ah Evans, you know you love me – in fact my sister told me to do this as payback – so just say yes.” She threw in a James pout at the end and mimed moving glasses on her face as Lily finally cracked a small smile.
“Didn’t know this was happening, I’m not sure whether the boys will be disappointed or very pleased by this turn of events.” The two girls looked up to see Marlene staring between them bemused, even more so when Lily played right into Hermione’s plan and another one of her pawns was taken brutally.
“I doubt they’d mind, what’s that?” Hermione asked, pointing to the letter in Marlene’s hand before speaking her own command to the board.
“Oh, it’s yours – I believe it’s from Andy, but my owl was very confused about who to deliver it to it seems and oh yeah – when did I say you could use my owl?” Marlene asked as Hermione took the letter, opening it with a smile at the picture her cousin had sent of Dora flying around their small garden on her broom.
“James’ was busy.”
“Good to know… now for the real reasons I am here.” Marlene grinned, throwing her hands in the air and shaking around in some sort of dance that earned a couple of appreciative looks from a couple of seventh year boys by the fire.
“You mean you’re not just here to interrupt our game and annoy us?” Lily asked with a sweet grin before laughing as Hermione’s knight was taken out with a cry.
“You’ve been a lot sassier lately, Lil’, I’m starting to think you are annoyed with me about something.” Marlene spoke with a smile but her icy eyes were worried and it didn’t take a second for Hermione to figure out what Marlene was hinting to.
“Get to your point, Marlene.”
“Since you seem so excited – Slughorn has managed to convince Dumblydore to do some Grand Halloween Ball.” Hermione and Lily looked to each other and nodded their heads as Marlene dropped her hands and placed them on her hips. “You already knew?”
“Me and Remus have to go help and set up.” Lily explained with a softer smile and a shrug of her shoulders.
“So you’ll be there – I’ll be there and Hermione, so will you, with some other hunk who will make Sirius so jealous that he’ll want nothing more than to drag you into some spare classroom and give you the time of your life.” Marlene teased lowly and Hermione fought to keep the blush off of her cheeks at the image that filled her mind.
“Jamie not getting the job done, Marlene?” Instead she threw it back to her best friend who rolled her eyes, pulling an empty seat to the table and dropping into it with a sigh.
“Your brother does a fine job – but it’s a bit hard to do that when you stopped doing it after two days of coming back to school.” Hermione hadn’t had sex, not in this life anyway and not that she really thought about that, but she knew that it was kind of hard to want to stop when it was good and Marlene seemed like the sort who would struggle without it in her life.
“Are you saying you broke up?” Lily asked suddenly, emerald eyes focused on the board but Hermione couldn’t help but frown when it look like a small smile pulled up at her friends lips.
“You don’t have to seem happy about it, Lily.”
“I’m not – I know you liked him and I -”
“I liked the sex not him.” Marlene spit out through gritted teeth, enough to let them know she was lying to the pair of them. “Whatever, I’m going to bed.” And then she was gone, all but running up the stairs and to their dorm.
“Well that went well.” Hermione muttered, but she wasn’t going to run after the blond only to get her head bit off, which was usually happened when Marlene was forced to deal with emotions she tried to repress.
“She is always so temperamental, just once I would like to ask her a question and get an answer that isn’t rude or sarcastic.” Lily sighed out, rubbing a hand across her forehead as she frowned at the board in front of her.
“Hm.”
“Hello beautiful lady.” Sirius spoke, falling into the chair Marlene had left, his arm going around the back of Hermione’s chair and his other reaching to touch her necklace quickly before he nodded at an amused Lily. “Alright, Evans?”
“Do you not know how to keep your hands to yourself, Black?” Lily asked with a sweet smile, gesturing to the boys hands.
“No just like you don’t know how to play chess.” Sirius teased right back, turning his head as Remus and James joined them. “I’m sure James can show you, ain’t that right, Prongs?” It would have been an innocent question if Sirius hadn’t have winked at the end and moved a bit closer to Hermione.
“I’m going to show you my right fist if you don’t move your chair over there.” James sneered, pointing to the wall as Sirius raised his eyebrows.
“Oh Prongs, you’re making me nervous, am I blushing?”
“Stop it!” James snapped, turning around to glare at the few people who were paying attention to them before he leaned in closer and hissed at his best friend. “People are going to think the rumours are true!”
“Prongs, let them believe what they want – I personally think you and Sirius make a beautiful couple.” Remus said, a grin on his face, though they all knew it was because if people thought James and Sirius were together then Remus could be left out of the rumours for a while.
“I agree, you should go to the Halloween ball together.” Lily spoke with a smirk.
“Halloween ball?” Two of the boys croaked out, their eyes turning wide as they looked at each other while Remus just sighed and pointed out something on the board for Lily.
The boys turned back to the girls, seeming nervous. “Are you going?” Sirius asked Hermione who moved one of her pieces and caught Lily’s eye as Remus rolled his eyes.
“We all are, well us girls and Remus.”
“Don’t forget the hunk that Marlene says you should bring – I’m thinking the Ravenclaw chaser, Danny – have you seen him in his Quidditch uniform?” Lily asked, her eyes filled with teasing glint as she spared a look to Sirius who pulled his arm off of Hermione’s chair so he could cross it against his chest.
“Please, Danny, can barely hold a Quaffle so unless you want to be dropped by your date every five minutes then sure.” Sirius looked at Hermione with wide eyes as she raised her brows. No she didn’t really want to be dropped at all.
“Well there’s Tom from Hu-”
“Who all but pisses himself when a girl looks at him.” Sirius answered back before Lily could even finish and the girls couldn’t help but agree – the boy was scared of everything but mainly girls, he would stare and all but cry when they looked back at him.
“Well what about -”
“Evans, I’m going to stop you there – no one in this school is good enough to go with Hermione, apart from maybe Remus.” Sirius spoke, sending Remus a sharp look as the werewolf raised his head and narrowed his eyes.
“Then maybe she should go with Remus.”
“On second thought maybe she should go alone, save herself from having her feet stepped on by his giant clown feet.” Sirius said, narrowed eyes and jaw tensed. Hermione couldn’t help the way her heart rate picked up and her mouth dropped open as he suddenly stood up and stormed off to the boys dormitory.
Hermione let out a sigh. Her friends were far too temperamental and easy to torment.
...
Thursday the 2nd of October 1975
DADA was not Hermione’s favourite class.
Their teachers seemed ill-informed and none of them could compare to the ones she had in her previous life or Harry, and thus she had spent most of her classes doodling instead of paying attention or even catching up on the lack of sleep she had during her nightmare periods.
This year however had been different, for almost a month there had been no teacher but instead a roll of other professors eager to do their best to make the students up to O.W.L standards while also trying to teach their other classes at the same time. It was the only time her head had stood up and she paid attention, for she could not remember learning as much in her other life as now.
But that was what she got for Umbridge being her teacher.
Today it seemed, no such teacher was available and thus the students had been given a chance to mess about – mainly Sirius and James who were throwing things across the classroom, with only Lily seeming to take her studying seriously and she read beside Hermione.
Her head was about to drop on her desk when the door flew open and someone stomped in, James’ and Sirius’ flying papers falling to the ground in an instant and the classroom of Gryffindors and Slytherins turning to look at the man as he frowned at them all. “Professor Proudfoot is the name – I will be your new defence against the dark arts teacher - well what are you waiting for, get up and make lines on either side!”
His tone was stern and his grizzly face covered in a few scars, kind of reminding her of Moody but in a less hostile way. Instead the teacher just looked pissed off and annoyed to be here, and perhaps a bit nervous at facing a large group of students.
The students didn’t need to be asked twice, leaving their things by the desks and standing in a line on either side, Gryffindor on one side and Slytherin on another, as the teacher stomped to the front.
“I have been informed that throughout the years, you have had a multitude of teachers – I am here to do the job they have been lacking in.” He punctuated each word with a deeper frown, clasped his hands behind his back and looked between the students. “What are you all waiting for?”
“Excuse me, Sir, but I don’t think we are quite what is it you want us to do?” Lily spoke softly, raising her hand so the man would turn to look at her as Proudfoot let out a sigh and took a step back.
“In order for me to see where we need to begin, I need to see your levels – I will be pairing you up, as you all seem too idiotic to do it yourself and we will begin some friendly duelling.” Proudfoot spoke, glaring at all of the students.
Hermione turned to look at Lily with a frown as the girl shrugged her shoulders while Proudfoot moved to the desk, digging through the parchments on his desk until he pulled out a long list and stomped back to the front.
“Let’s see, Black with Avery -” Sirius let out a grin as the teacher went on. “Lupin, ah, hmm – with Carrow – either is fine.” Remus chose the male. “McKinnon with Parkinson….Vance you can go with the other Carrow, Brown...erm -” The teacher mumbled on and the class moved into distance and grimacing pairs. “Oh Evans with Snape -” Everyone held their breath as Lily looked her best friends way. “And the Potter siblings together, I imagine that will be interesting.”
Hermione raised a brow at her brother as he grinned her way, twirling his wand around his fingers, as he moved closer to her, snapping his wand into his hand and using it to poke her gently in her stomach like it was sword. Her hand pushed him away but her mouth curled up in a smirk.
It wouldn’t be their first time duelling but it would the first time showing off their skills in front of the class.
“Now keep it clean – make sure you bow first – and if I see anything illegal then I’ll be stunning you and sending you to the Headmaster – now begin.” Proudfoot clapped his hand, taking a wide step back as spells, jinxes and everything else went off in a bang, his eyes wide as if he hadn’t expected it – he should have known better with a bunch of Slytherins and Gryffindors.
“Ready baby brother.” Hermione taunted as she curtsied to her brother, like they were preparing for one of their mothers ball, she stood straight as he bowed, pointing her wand.
“As ready as I’ll ever be –“ He mumbled something afterward, his spell going past her head and towards a Slytherin, her own aiming for Avery who was doing his best to get his spells past the shield Sirius had put up, the siblings laughing as Avery stumbled and sent a glare their way.
“Try to aim for your own partner!” Proudfoot called, walking past the siblings.
“Impedimenta.” Hermione shouted with a grin on her face.
“Protego.” James shouted back. “Titillando.” His spell broke past his own shield, hitting Hermione and causing her to almost bend over in forced laughter.
“Finite.” Hermione hissed out through her laughter, the spell stopping and her back straightening as she glared at her brother, a small smirk appearing on her face as his eyes went wide. “Anteoculatia. You look beautiful, deer.” The laughter this time was real.
Antlers had grown on her brothers head, causing even Sirius and Remus to laugh in the midst of their own increasing duels, James reaching up with a frown to touch the new bone before shaking his head and muttering the counter curse.
They continued for a while, most of their spells being stopped by shields or quick dodging, until Hermione had finally had enough and most of the other duels had finished, quickly waving her wand and curtsying again when James’ wand landed in her hand and her brother stared back at her in shock, his bottom lip coming out in a pout.
“You cheated.”
“No I won.”
“Cheater.”
“Sore loser.”
“Rude -”
“Ow Sev…” The Potter’s turned rapidly, their good humour being forgotten in a single second, as they saw Lily staring at her best friend with a hurt expression, her hand gripping her other were it seemed redder than before. “Why would you -”
“Miss Evans, are you seriously injured?” Proudfoot asked, frowning as Lily shook her head, dropping her hand and gripping her wand tightly. “Very well, then continue.”
Hermione frowned at the teacher as he watched the two students, their duel continuing hesitantly, most of the class was finished, all stood around and watching the two best friends begin to fight, their resentment, hurt and everything else seeming to pour out of every spell.
“Maybe you should show her that new spell of yours, Snape, finish the duel off for good.” The Carrow sister hissed out, a cruel laugh leaving her mouth as Snape gulped and Lily frowned. Hermione felt her heart beat faster. New spell?
Snape seemed unsure but it didn’t stop him from raising his wand and pointing it at Lily’s scared face. “Se-”
“Protego.” Hermione didn’t think as she jumped in front of her friend, her spell leaving her wand with such force that it sent Snape stumbling backwards, his spell left half finished and his wand leaving his hand and falling onto the floor for Hermione to pick up. “What the fuck are you thinking?”
“Miss Potter -”
“Were you actually going to use that on her, your supposed best friend?” Hermione moved forward, the Gryffindors gathering behind her back – even Emmeline seemed to be put out and annoyed at the Slytherin’s, standing crossed armed and glaring at Snape.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Snape mumbled but his black eyes gave him away, full of emotion.
Hermione let out a scoff and moved even closer, shoving his wand into his hand. “Are you that lost to them cunts that you can’t see what they were egging you to do?” He gulped again and opened his mouth to speak but quickly shut as the Slytherins seethed behind him.
“Miss Potter, fifty points from Gryffindor and detention this evening for use of language!”
“You were going to cut her to pieces with your own spell? That’s fucking sick.” Hermione snapped, ignoring her teacher because she simply didn’t care right now. She didn’t care if the whole room could hear her or if she blurted out something she should have. No one, not even Snape, was going to harm Lily Evans – especially not in front of her.
“I wasn’t – how do you know about that spell?” Snape hissed back, taking a step closer despite the warning hiss James let out.
“Miss Potter, away from Mr Snape now before I send you to Dumbledore.” Proudfoot spoke harshly, Hermione stayed for a second, glaring at Snape before she stepped backwards.
“Fine.”
“No it’s not fine!” James was there then, pushing his sister behind him as he looked at the teacher. “Sir, she was clearly just trying to protect her friend!” He gestured to Lily who still seemed to be in some kind of shock at the whole situation.
“Mr Potter, would you like to join your sister in detention?” Proudfoot asked lowly.
“Yes I fucking would.” James grinned proudly, hands on his hips as he sent a wink to the Professor who seemed slightly amused at the boy, especially as he said. “Do you know how rare it is that we get detention together?”
…
Saturday the 25th of October 1975
Getting out of Hogwarts for a few hours was always a blessing, even if it was to Hogsmeade, which she had seen far too many times in her life. Still the reprieve from the same corridors and walls was like a breath of fresh air.
It was shame then that the village seemed to be filled with stupid people running around like headless chickens in order to prepare for the ‘ball’ the next week or children stocking up on sweets and Zonko’s products to get through the hard time of being too young and unable to attend what was sure to be the biggest event of the season.
Personally Hermione just thought it was Slughorn wanting to mingle with future successful students and force them to interact with people he knew – and also Dumbledore’s way of trying to get them to focus on something else instead of the growing war.
“Look out Moony!” James shouted as he all but dived through Hermione and Remus and over the head of Sirius who was crouched down and tying his boot, sending a wink to the girls giggling in the corner. “It seems we have some girls on the prowl.”
“Or they are watching the pair of you do...acrobatics – what is happening now?” Remus asked with a sigh as Sirius jumped up to try and grab James, the pair moving in what looked like an increasingly violent and dangerous acrobatic dance that ended up with them both on the ground.
“What did you give them?” Hermione asked Remus, her arms crossed and an amused smile on her face.
“Nothing – you know we have a ban on certain foods – did they sneak some sugar quills while we weren’t looking?” He looked worried for a second as Hermione frowned. Sugar and Jamie never did mix well, then adding Sirius to the mix was like adding trouble.
Hermione sighed as Marlene and Lily appeared beside the boys who were groaning now, Marlene frowning down at them as she asked. “Why are you on the floor?” She didn’t wait for an answer, jumping over them and grabbing Hermione’s hands. “Never mind, I need to steal Hermione.”
“What? Why?” Sirius asked as he stood up, pulling James up with him. “Are you trying to step her up with someone again?” His pout came out as Marlene looked at him amused.
“Again?” Marlene asked. “I wasn’t aware that I had done that before but to answer your question, no.”
“Then why are you taking her away?” Sirius whined, sending what could only be classed as a longing look to Hermione – it made her cheeks turn red and her arms want to reach out for him to pull him down for a kiss that wasn’t considered friendly.
“You’re so dramatic.”
“I am not!” Sirius cried as he turned to glare at Remus.
“You are mate.” James answered back but there was a small smile on his face.
“Whatever...Hermione stays.”
“Well unless you want her turning up to the ball in nothing...then sure she can stay.” Lily bit out and Sirius’ eyes glazed over slightly, a smirk appearing on his face that only disappeared the moment James fist connected with his stomach.
“Somehow I don’t think he would mind that idea, Lils.” Marlene muttered to her friend, eyes crinkling at the corners as she turned to send a grin to Hermione, followed by a thumbs up.
“He might if everyone else is staring at her too.” Remus remarked dryly as Sirius sent him a glare, but his eyes were no longer meeting Hermione’s who face was no doubt redder than a Weasley’s hair. She wanted to hide away from the conversation.
“And just like that this conversation is over.” She mumbled, grabbing Marlene’s hand and pulling the girl away as Lily trailed behind in soft laughter. “Let’s go.”
…
“You two are imbeciles.” Hermione grumbled as they entered Gladrags, trying their best not to bump into the large gaggles of girls that were all but tearing the shop apart in their eagerness to find a dress.
“Oh come on Mi’, what’s the point of having friends if teasing is out of the question?” Marlene joked, leading them to a corner which didn’t have too much action, searching through the robes and older dresses with a smirk.
“Teasing is fine but to put Sirius and myself in such awkward situations is just unnecessary.”
“You put yourselves there the moment you decided to swap saliva.” Marlene pointed out and Hermione blushed as a few girls looked their way interested, not that Marlene was paying attention to that. “You can’t be mad at us for seeing what you both are ignoring.”
“We aren’t ignoring anything!” Hermione snapped, moving around Marlene to pull out a dress that she wasn’t all that interested in.
“You are, trust me, I know – honestly I just don’t get why you don’t just get over the clear flirting and eye fucking and get right to the real thing.” Her golden eyebrows waggled as she pulled out a set of tighter robes, holding them up and then shaking her head and putting them back.
“You know why, Marlene.” Hermione whispered, moving a step closer to her friend.
“So you want a relationship – I get that – kind of – but -”
“There is no but.”
“There is, it’s Sirius’ and it’s fine, and it could be yours.” Tempting, Sirius did have a rather nice round behind, not too big nor small, but that was beside the point and Marlene knew that.
“In order for it to be mine would require us to be in a relationship – something he doesn’t want.” Hermione pointed out once again as Lily nodded her head in agreement, grabbing a book of colour swatches and holding them up to Hermione’s cheek. “And I am not going to just have sex with him just because I can.” Even if it was something she had thought about.
“Then what are you actually doing?” In their years of friendship there had never really been a time that Marlene questioned Hermione’s choices but it was clear that her best friend did not agree with her this time.
“Marlene -”
“No, Lils – I get that you like him and you think nothing can happen, but then what are you doing mooning over him?” Marlene asked none too nicely as Hermione frowned at her. “You’re leading both of you on and it’s only going to end up messy and worse.” Sound advice from a girl who had no problem avoiding seriousness.
“I’m not -”
“If you can’t have Sirius then why not take advantage of a situation and try someone else.” Her tone softened and her shoulders shrugged as Hermione sighed. “You know the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else, don’t you?”
Hermione rolled her eyes as the cheeky smirk was back. “You’re something else, Marly.”
“I honestly think the both of you are making it so much harder than it needs to when you haven’t even given it a try – and kissing does not count as trying.” Marlene spoke with a grin, pointing at Hermione as a few girls looked over at them again.
“I hardly think you are qualify on relationship advice when you’ve been shagging her brother for a year without a label or a relationship.” Lily muttered dryly, the group of girls nearby letting their mouths drop to the floor as they turned to whisper to one another, ignoring Marlene’s glare.
“We can all deny it but it might as well have been a relationship, even if it was mainly physical – and despite the fact that it’s ending, I don’t regret it.” Marlene added and Hermione shifted uncomfortably – she hadn’t exactly been on board with the ‘relationship’ but she didn’t think it should end because of her. “And I don’t think you would either.”
The thing is, Hermione knew that. She knew that whatever happened, she wouldn’t regret starting something with Sirius or even trying something, but she couldn’t deny to herself what she actually wanted and how dishonest it was to go against that.
“Great advice, Marlene – let’s encourage our friend to just go have sex with the guy she has a crush on without getting anything in return.” Lily voiced Hermione’s thought for her, emerald eyes narrowed and her hands crossed over her chest.
“I doubt he won’t give her anything, we’ve all heard the rumours.” Marlene chuckled lowly as Hermione blushed once again. “And I’m not encouraging it but let’s not pretend that Hermione hasn’t been thinking about it since the moment Sirius defiled her mouth.” True but that did not need to be said outloud in front of gossips.
“Still -”
“There is no still about it, if you don’t want to then don’t – if you do then do it.” Marlene whispered with a shrug of her shoulders. “You can either be fine with never knowing the ‘what ifs’ and ‘what could have happen’ or you’re not – that’s all there is to it.”
“You and James make everything seemed so simple but sometimes it’s not.” Hermione retorted as Marlene stared at her with pursed lips, nodding her head and taking a step back to let out a sigh and pick up a random dress.
“Well then for now, let’s concentrate on something simple, like dresses and leave the boy drama for another day.”
“Sounds good to me.” Lily mumbled, frowning at the price of whatever she was looking at. Hermione almost opened her mouth and offered to buy it but she was aware of how much Lily hated being seen as charity when she had her own money.
“So other than Halloween, is there like a theme to this ball?” Hermione asked, letting out a sigh of relief as one of the groups of girls left the shop and the whole room seemed less full.
“Autumn colours, and elegant costumes that depict some kind of character.” Lily explained as she led them to another rack, flicking through a few oranges and purples that the owner of Gladrags seemed to have put out especially for Halloween.
“Does that mean I can’t wear black?”
“I’m not sure but I think it also means you can’t get your tits out.” Hermione answered Marlene with a sweet smile as her friend pouted her bottom lip.
“Seems a bit unfair – if I can’t do that then Lily can’t wear green!” Marlene snapped, pointing to Lily who had picked up a green dress and was glaring at Marlene. “Too Slytherin.” Their friend added at the end with another pout.
“It’s not the same green, Mar!”
“And it’s not like she can wear orange.” Hermione joked as Lily rolled her eyes.