Chapter Ten
Harry Potter had woken up in pain before. He had woken up still tired before. He had even woken up both in pain and tired before. He'd never woken up, yawning, with such a complete pain before. As his eyes opened, he could have sworn that ever cell in his body was protesting. At least he was in the right place to deal with that pain.
He wasn't sure how he'd gotten to the Hospital Wing. The last thing he remembered was his hands on Quirrell/Voldemort's crumbling head. The smell of brimstone had filled his nostrils then. Now he could only smell the antiseptic of the hospital wing and a familiar scent of mint toothpaste.
He opened his eyes to a fuzzy vestige of what he figured was Hermione being floated from beside his bed. His vision without his glasses seemed to be worse than before. Even without them, however, the wizard floating her to the bed next to him was easily identified. No one else at Hogwarts would wear purple and orange robes.
"Ah, I see you've finally awoken," came the familiar voice of the Headmaster. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine," Harry replied, his attention more on Hermione than the fuzzy visage of the approaching Headmaster.
"Pardon me if I do not believe you Harry," the Headmaster said, waiving his wand briefly, summoning a table up behind him. "Madam Pomfrey said you should have some of this hot chocolate when you woke up." The Headmaster helped Harry sit up.
"Glasses?" Harry prompted as the Headmaster handed him the mug of hot chocolate.
"I'm afraid that we shall have to arrange for your to get a new pair," Dumbledore said. "It seems that they were simply too damaged to wear again. Given your recent squinting, I believe it would be best for you to have your eyes examined again."
"Never had one. Aunt Petunia just got them out of a bin." Harry said, his aching body not allowing him to keep the rancor out of his voice.
"For the first time, then," Dumbledore said, trying to maintain a firm tone, but losing it as he continued. "Harry, I feel I must apologize for your placement with the Dursleys. They were your only surviving relatives, and I'm afraid that I did not properly consider that they might turn abusive. When I checked in for their safety, at your mother's request, a few weeks before your parents deaths, their behavior with Dudley led me to believe that if anything you would be spoiled by them. I left further follow up to the muggle Child Protective Services, but having seen your pensive memories, I should not have. I should have checked up on you at least once before you came to Hogwarts."
Harry looked at the Headmaster, as he sipped his chocolate The usually jovial expression was missing, replaced with one the Harry was sure he'd rarely seen on an adult. There was a bit of sorrow to it, a sadness directed inward, along with a touch of inwardly directed anger. A bit of frustration seemed to tinge the Headmaster's eyes, with a glimmer of hope just touching them. "Just don't send me to them again," Harry said firmly. The chocolate was making him feel much better.
"I know better, now," the Headmaster said, then with a glint of humor, he continued. "If I did, I'm sure that Hermione would set my beard on fire, to say nothing about what the rest of your friends might try on your behalf. I might end up turned into a flaming badger."
Harry found himself suddenly giggling, suddenly remembering his dorm mates attempts to corral Hermione's accidental transfiguration of their heating stove in the dorm. They ended up having to get a new one. Where the badger had ended up, no one knew, but the last he'd seen of it, it had been blowing bubbles bicycling backwards below the battlements.
It took several minutes before Harry could bring himself back under control enough to ask the question he'd been wondering since he woke up in the hospital wing. "What happened to Professor Quirrell?"
"I'm afraid that the effects of Voldemort's possession were too much for him," Dumbledore said. "After the consumption of unicorn blood, he was essentially doomed. The Elixir of Life might have saved him, if the stone had been a new one. Unfortunately it seems that Voldemort's study of philosophical stones was less than complete. By the time of your encounter before the Mirror of Erised a week ago, indeed by accounts perhaps as early as Easter, Quirrell was doomed."
Harry looked down at his hands, recalling the smell of brimstone that he'd smelled when he'd impacted Quirrell on the Night Bus. Had it been that long? Even then had been doomed to murder his Defense Professor? Had he had no choice but to end the existence of his stuttering Professor?
"As early as then, the mixture of forcibly taken unicorn blood and Voldemort's possession of him, made him susceptible to the effects of your mother's protection. Voldemort can not survive your touch. I do not know how your mother accomplished it, but she has given you a great protection."
"Did she have to die to do so?" Harry asked, his voice filled with long suppressed pain. The pain from his encounter added to the questions and pain of his life with the Dursleys made his voice horse. "Did she have to leave me alone in the world? Did she have to make me a killer?"
"You are not a killer, Harry," Dumbledore stated firmly. "Your are the product the greatest love I have ever seen. It has been said that a greater love has no man than one who gives his life for a friend. I say that pales beside the love of your mother, whose gift of love and life saved her son, and lives within him even now.
"Harry, do not dwell on what happened to Quirrell. Do not forget, but do not dwell on it. Instead remember that even now, over a decade, your mother is still with you, protecting you with her sacrifice. Remember her bravery, her courage, and her love. Yes, Quirrell is dead, but you are alive, and Voldemort is once again a nearly powerless shade. And it is because of you, your bravery, courage, and love that he is not back as powerful as he once was.
"Remember that bravery, remember that courage, and above all, remember love. It will not be long before you will be holding your own child, remember that love when you do, for it is that love that shall overcome all."
Harry found himself looking up at Dumbledore. The Headmaster's expression was so encouraging, with slight half smile, that Harry couldn't help but nod his acceptance.
"Now, perhaps we should make a start on these sweets, before Hermione wakes," Dumbledore said. "I see that Ron has left us some Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. I was once unfortunate enough in my youth to encounter a vomit flavored one. And since then, I've lost my liking for them. But perhaps a nice toffee flavored one?"
The headmaster popped one into his mouth and then grimaced. "Alas – Earwax."
It was the sound of Hedwig that woke Hermione up, followed by Harry's voice. "Come on, Hedwig, what have you got for me?" he asked. "A letter from Hermione's parents, I see?"
Hermione almost closed her eyes again to pretend to still be sleeping. She was well aware that Professor McGonagall had stopped by her home to talk to her parents shortly after the adventure that the First Year Gryffindors had with the Stone. Her head of house had visited all of their parents, and none of her classmates were not joining Hermione in her worry about what their parents might say. It looked like Hedwig had delivered the first of those reactions.
"Hmmm," Harry mumbled, as Hermione moved to sit up. "Good Morning Hermione. It seems that your father has some interesting suggestions. Madam Pomfrey, Hermione's up!"
"Oh no," Hermione said softly. Her father always had interesting suggestions for punishing her, but those suggestions rarely if ever were serious. She wasn't sure Harry knew that though, and Harry could make her implement some of them.
"Relax, Hermione," Harry said, looking over at her. "I might have wanted to confine you to your wardrobe, last week, but I know better. Kind of feel ashamed that I even suggested it, actually. Your father suggested that I get you a leash, since you already have a collar. Leashes are for dogs, though, I kind of see you more as cat-like."
"Meow," Hermione replied.
"Hermoine, are you sure that your parents don't have any problems with taking me in?" Harry asked, turning over on his side so he could face her.
The question seemed to have come out of the blue for Hermione. It seemly hadn't occurred to here that her parents might not be sincere in taking Harry in. Of course, until she had met Alyssa, she hadn't thought any parents would beat their children, either. Hermione was sure that it was her break down after Alyssa that caused her parents to become approved foster parents. They had never taken in anyone before, though.
"Yes," Hermione replied firmly. "And not just because you're the father of their first grandchild either. Did I ever tell you about Alyssa?"
"Alyssa?" Harry queried, with a catch in his voice.
Hermione took a deep breath. It had been a long time since Alyssa had died. "I met her in the library. I was six, and so was she. I was hiding from some boys who were calling me names. She was hiding from much worse."
Hermione looked up at the ceiling. She couldn't look at anyone when she told anyone about Alyssa. "I didn't know. I didn't expect anything like that. She was just a person I could talk to about what I was reading, someone who had the same interest in books as I did. I didn't realize that she was hiding anything.
"I think the first time I though something was wrong was when she limped into the library. I though the bullies were after her. They just teased me, but I'd heard that sometimes bullies beat up people, and it was important to let an adult know. Alyssa told me that it wasn't a bully, and tried to hide how she was hurt. She didn't tell anyone what was happening to her. She came up with excuses for her injuries.
"I didn't tell anyone. I didn't do anything to stop it from happening."
Tears flowed down Hermione's face as she remembered the day she'd arrived at school and found out that her best friend was dead. "I didn't know what to do, who to tell, how to get help ... and my best friend was beat to death by her own father."
"I swore I'd never let another friend suffer that way. I'd never let another classmate suffer. Then I met you.
"My parents had made sure I knew how to spot, and who to tell after Alyssa ... but I didn't spot it. It was late November, and still I had to see the scars to realize it."
Hermione suddenly felt an arm around her shoulders as Harry settled next to her. She automatically shifted to provide him more room, just like he did when she joined him on his bed to study. He took several deep breaths, and seemed to be about to speak several times, but stopped. Hermione put her own arm around his back, something he would have flinched at back in November.
Finally the words escaped Harry's lips. "I had years to lean how to hide from everyone, and by the time we became friends, all my bruises had healed. By the time I met you, I didn't think anyone cared.
"I was the orphan boy, friendless, and only useful for the work I could do, not worthy of praise, or anything really. When Hagrid came with my letter, I couldn't believe it. I mean, I was just Harry. No one special, no one worth anything really. Then I found out that I was a hero for an entire world. It was like a dream. I couldn't believe it. Not really. Not me.
"I seized it with both hands though. It was my chance to escape. I didn't want anything to ruin it. So, I tried to hide everything. I tried to be what I saw around me.
"Ron was the first person to offer to be my friend since Kindergarten. I tried to fit in with him. I tried to hide in the crowd. Then you came along.
"You changed everything. With you around, I couldn't hide in the crowd. With you around, I had to do the best. I couldn't do less.
"You were having my baby. You saved me from the Dursleys. You were proud of what I could do. You hugged me. You comforted me. With you I felt I could do anything. You may not have been able to save Alyssa, but you saved me."
For a few minutes, they laid together in silence. The words both of them had spoken to each other required time to sink in. The silence could not last forever, though. Hermione could not let it be.
"Harry, my parents taught me how to care for you. They will care for you, like I do you."
Harry leaned closer to Hermione. Their lips touched in a gentle kiss. It wasn't like the desperation before the flames. This time the gentle touch evolved slowly into a deep kiss. His free hand found it's way into Hermione's unbound hair, as he kept her lips engaged with his. Hermione reveled in the feeling of their connection, wishing they could get closer.
"Mister Potter! Return to your own bed at once!"
Percy Weasley asked himself again how he'd ended up on Harry Potter's Nimbus, wearing the number eight robes that he'd worn last year. He'd told Oliver that he was never playing Quidditch for Gryffindor again after last year's last game. He most certainly hadn't intended to cause his wife to reconsider her loyalities for Ravenclaw by playing for Gryffindor in this, the last game of the Quidditch season.
He'd actually never played against Ravenclaw before. Charlie had played that game right before he left school early to take the job in Romania ... that had been a big blow up with Mum, not as big as the 'I got my girlfriend pregnant' row that he'd inspired, of course. He was sure that Fred and George were going to attempt to beat that when they left Hogwarts. Probably by leaving the school under the cover of pyrotechnics to set up a joke shop or something.
His first game had been against Hufflepuff, and he had just barely missed getting the snitch. Cedric had been good. Then Percy had played Slytherin. That last game had left him bruised, beaten, and broken. He'd spent two weeks in the Hospital Wing.
As he awaited the announcement of the teams, he heard Professor McGonagall order, "Please stand in respect, as Mister Seamus Finnigan of Gryffindor sings a specially chosen song prior to the announcements of the teams."
Percy looked down at the center of the pitch, were Seamus stood, his wand to his lips. Then with a firm treble, the young Gryffindor began to sing to the accompaniment of drums and pipes.
"Scots, wha hae wi Wallace bled,
Scots, wham Bruce has aften led,
Welcome tae yer gory bed,
Or tae victorie."
It was obvious that his Head of House had chosen the prelude song. Though he suspected some influence from Oliver. A gory bed or victory ... or perhaps both, was his Quidditch speech in short.
"Now's the day, an now's the hour:
See the front o battle lour,
See approach proud Edward's power -
Chains and Slaverie."
Percy was a Devonshire boy, not a Scot. Still something about the tune and words caught him.
"Wha will be a traitor knave?
Wha will fill a coward's grave?
Wha sae base as be a slave?
Let him turn an flee."
Percy was no coward, no traitor to his house. Gryffindors did not flee from challenge.
"Wha, for Scotland's king and law,
Freedom's sword will strongly draw,
Freeman stand, or Freeman fa,
Let him on wi me."
Percy was playing this game, not for Gryffindor though. He was playing for Harry.
"Scots, wha hae wi Wallace bled,
Scots, wham Bruce has aften led,
Welcome tae yer gory bed,
Or tae victorie."
Percy knew most of the story of the chamber with the stone. He'd been right behind Dumbledore when he'd passed through the once fire blocked passage.
"By Oppression's woes and pains,
By your sons in servile chains!
We will drain our dearest veins,
But they shall be free"
Percy had heard how Harry had lived prior to Hogwarts, too.
"Lay the proud usurpers low,
Tyrants fall in every foe,
Liberty's in every blow! -
Let us do or dee."
It would not do for Gryffindor not to win the cup with a player who had gone so far to save, well, everyone. He would not add a third catch to his record for the year, but Percy could at least do it for him by proxy.
"Playing for Gryffindor! Katie Bell, Alica Spinnet, Angelina Johnson, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Oliver Wood, and Percy Weasley!"
With that, the Gryffindor team shot out from the porch in front of the Gryffindor Locker Room. Percy found himself circling the pitch, taking in the crowd. There were the Hufflepuffs, knowing they had no chance to be champions this year, but there to enjoy the game with their friends.
There were the Slytherins, not a really large crowd. According to Penny, they needed Gryffindor to score less than two twenty, and Ravenclaw less than three seventy for them to have a chance for the cup, and only then if Gryffindor lost. They were not there for the party. If anything they were there to scout for next year's game, if they weren't one of those souls who just liked to watch Quidditch. He spotted Malfoy with his nephew, dressed in Ravenclaw blue and bronze.
The Ravenclaws were there to support their team. Percy had always thought that Ravenclaws were generally the type that supported their team more because it was expected than because of any real passion. That was before his blue clad wife had informed him that she'd cheer for him to get the snitch, after Ravenclaw scored three seventy and only if the Ravens were over one fifty ahead. She'd then given him a kiss and waddled over to the Ravenclaw section.
Despite his wife's lack of support, Percy knew he was going to get plenty of support from Gryffindor. He cruised low by where the first years were gathered, as the Ravenclaw team was introduced. Harry had been allowed to attend the game, despite still recovering from magical exhaustion. Harry saluted Percy, and Percy returned the gesture. Harry sat between Hermione and Ron, and it looked like they weren't going to let him move one inch from the reclining chair that the first years had somehow managed to get up into the stands for him.
Percy moved to take his position above the pitch, as the Ravenclaw introductions were complete. His opposition was playing her first game. The starting Seeker against Hufflepuff had been a seventh year, Rodney Truman, who Charlie had beaten regularly, and somewhat spectacularly sometimes. After Cedric had beaten him to the snitch, he'd quit. The one fifty to zip final after two minutes had been to much for Truman.
Penny had been the reserve Seeker, until she'd resigned following the discovery that she was having twins, which probably explained her loyalties, now that Percy thought about it. She hadn't played, only having been substituted in against Hufflepuff their fourth year. Ravenclaw had struggled to find a replacement to go against Slytherin, ending up with one of their chasers, Roger Davies, playing Seeker for the match. The game had been called on mutual decision of the captains, 300 all, after twelve hours.
Ravenclaw had found an actual Seeker in Cho Chang for this game. No one really knew much about the first time Seeker as Percy squared off against her. He thought it gave somewhat of a symmetry to the Quidditch Cup. Percy intended to make sure Harry remained the only first time player to catch the snitch in their first game in the last twenty years at Hogwarts.
He smiled at his opponent with a big grin that he'd stolen from Charlie. As the whistle blew, he shot off into the fast paced search that he'd worked with Charlie on the previous year. Before Charlie had left Hogwarts early, he'd told Oliver that Percy was his secret backup opposition. Percy knew all the tricks that Charlie had liked to play. He also knew how each of the seekers who played against Charlie played. It had been his secret responsibly since his first year to know and play those styles against his brother. His younger brothers had never heard him boast. They'd never noticed that he wasn't just studying for his classes when they caught him up late reading.
Percy didn't have Harry's natural talent, and his drive wasn't as great as his brother Charlie's had been. Despite that, Percy knew Quidditch, probably better than any player other than Oliver on the pitch.
Percy had grazed Chang as he had begun his pattern, and Chang had responded by tailing him. If Percy had still been on his Cleansweep Five, it would have been easy for her, on her Cleansweep Six. Percy was on Harry's Nimbus 2000, instead, and did not make it easy for her. Only the Hufflepuff Seeker had a comparable broom.
The Gryffindor team was keeping the game at a fast pace, attempting a shot every minute. Percy's twin brothers kept the bludgers after the Ravenclaw Chasers, creating interception after interception. The score was one sixty to fifty when Percy decided it was time for Chang to eat some dirt.
From high above the pitch, he did a two twenty, and dove at a high speed, as if he'd spotted the snitch. He jerked slightly to the right, left, and even corkscrewed just a bit. Chang kept to his tail, gaining a bit as he dove. It wasn't a dive to the ground though. He might be over-estimating Chang's training a bit, but Seekers were taught that a dive to the ground might be a feint. Percy had another target in mind.
In front the senior Ravenclaw prefect, there were conjured bronze ravens, one for each goal that the team had scored. Another was added as Percy dove, Chang right on his heals. With a sudden jerk, Percy turned at the last possible second, the Nimbus he rode much more nimble than any broom he or his brothers had ever had. He would have never attempted it on his old broom.
Chang couldn't avoid the bronze ravens, and her broom cracked as the tail clipped the latest raven. She flipped off her broken broom and into the stands. Percy saluted his fellow prefect, before resuming his search. He figured he'd earned a good ten minutes of free seeking before Chang returned to the game, probably on a much slower broom.
Without another Seeker tailing him, however, Percy had time to mix in a tactic that hadn't been seen since Charlie had left. Percy, like his brother, was an active Seeker. He knew how to seek while using his pattern to disrupt the game. On the Nimbus, he was nearly as much trouble as the bludgers that Fred and George were peppering the Ravenclaw Chasers with. Percy admired how they had complete control of the iron balls, the Ravenclaw Beaters barely even able to put their bats to use.
Percy's path through the chasers disrupted Ravenclaw badly. Their shots went wide. Their keeper didn't see some chasers coming. By the time Chang returned with a fresh broom, the score had mounted to four twenty to seventy. The chances of a Ravenclaw victory were vanishing quickly. Penny still wasn't cheering for him, but that didn't matter.
Percy changed his style again as Chang came back on the field. He suddenly became anaemic and methodical. His slow pattern seemed to surprise the Ravenclaw team, even as the score mounted. The chasers and beaters kept up their speed, as Percy quartered the field. The pace was too slow for Chang, who soon began her own faster patrol of the heights. Once some distance was between them, however, Percy signaled his brothers.
A bludger seemed to get away from Fred, and rocket towards Percy. Percy sped up, the bludger on his tail. The bludger seemed to be seeking blood, as even attempts to bat it away from him by George, and then Fred again, kept it on his tail. It was only inches behind Percy, as he approached the Ravenclaw goals. He dove, and bludger didn't, impacting the Ravenclaw Keeper's broom, right on the tip of the handle.
As broom splintered, the keeper dropped. Bludger went on, though, finding seeming to tail Percy again, as Fred and George tried to get it under control. As it followed Percy, it knocked a Ravenclaw chaser off their broom, allowing Bell to take the Quaffle from him to make a shot at the undefended goal.
Finally, Percy spotted the snitch, and shot off toward the Griffindor goal. Then a third of the way there, he paused, came to what appeared to be a confused stop, as if he'd lost sight of the snitch next to Katie Bell, who was taking a slow recovery to collect herself after the interception and score while a Ravenclaw chaser recovered the Quaffle she'd scored with. Percy reached around behind her head and grabbed the snitch before Lee Jordan could finish saying that Percy appeared to have lost the snitch.
The final score was six eighty to ninety. Percy joined the rest of the Gryffindor team heading over to where Harry was sitting. Gryffindor had won the cup, and Percy was probably going to be sleeping in the Common Room. It had been victory or bed.
Professor McGonagall finished writing up the final lists of class rank for the year. She'd started with seventh, and worked her way down. By the end of October, every year, she generally knew where every student was going to sort out plus or minus three places. This year, she was quite surprised at the way first year had sorted out, and it mostly was because of her Gryffindors.
One copy would go to each head of House. The timing was such that students in Ravenclaw always were informed last. It had been arranged that way because usually that meant the first in class would be informed last. Not so this year. McGonagall smiled as she stood. Picking up the original, her copy, she headed out of her office toward the Gryffindor Common Room.
This year had been one of surprises for the Deputy Headmistress. She'd been looking forward to the arrival of Harry Potter. His mother had been one of her favorites. His father had been a transfiguration genius, though one that had given her fits over the years. She'd expected a boy with an irrepressible grin and perhaps a bit of studious nature. Harry had been neither.
He'd been so small, not just in size. Despite his fame, he seemed to wish to sink into the background. If it wasn't for Ron Weasley, McGonagall wasn't sure that Harry would have engaged in conversation with anyone, that first couple months. He seemed to be an average student, never volunteering, but with occasional flashes of something more.
Then the troll had gotten loose, and everything had changed. Hermione changed everything. The first essay of November, it was as if the sun had suddenly appeared from behind heavy clouds, as if the veil had been lifted. Then the other shoe dropped. She stepped out into the first floor corridor, passing the girls restroom.
A first year had never become pregnant at Hogwarts, at least to her knowledge before, certainly not by an accidental ritual, barely known to modern wizardry. So many things had been spawned by that one event. Her lions had come together in a way that no prior class had.
She came up on a cross corridor, and paused, spotting the approach of Severus and Harry. It looked like Severus had finally found the time to return Lily's charm notes. If you'd told her that Severus would have a civilized conversation with one of her lions, especially Harry, in October, McGonagall would have wondered what you were drinking.
"I shall be on the look out for more of Lily's this summer," Severus said. "In turn I expect you to continue to live up to her standards, Potter."
"Severus," McGonagall said. "I was just heading towards your and Pomona's Office."
"The final class rankings?" Snape asked. McGonagall nodded. "I'm heading to talk to Pomona. I do hope you turned out well this year, Potter."
"Oh he most certainly did," McGonagall said. "If you'll take a copy to Pomona?"
Snape looked down at the list as McGonagall handed it to him. "Potter, your mother would be proud. Minerva." Snape nodded, he then turned to go in the opposite direction from McGonagall.
"As curfew is in just ten minutes, the rest of your year should be in the common room," McGonagall said, as they turned to ascend the moving stairs. "I expect that the class rankings have Hermione on the edge."
"The only thing she wants sooner is her pregnancy to be over," Harry said as they passed the third floor. McGonagall noticed his lingering gaze on the door to the right hand corridor.
"That is quite normal, Harry," she said as they waited for a flight of stairs to finish moving.
"Yes, but since we finished the last exam it's either been 'I want this baby out now' or 'what answer did you give to question 12 in Transfiguration,'" Harry remarked as they ascended the last flight of steps to bring them on level with the tower's entrance. "She always thinks she failed."
"An unjustified opinion, of course," McGonagall said, as they arrived at the Fat Lady. "Azure main." The Fat Lady swung wide to allow them into the Common Room.
The Common Room was full of the usual gathering of students expected between curfew and lights out for first years. A quick survey of the room, gave McGonagall a count of just two unaccounted for, but she expected her sixth year prefects to be on patrol at the moment. It appeared that someone had been transfiguring something into water goblets, and she picked up one to create an appropriate attention chime.
"Attention everyone," she said. Quiet soon descended on the room. "It is the end of the year, and it is tradition that I announce any Gryffindor that managed to make the top ten in their year. I'm happy to report that this year Gryffindor has nineteen of the seventy. Gryffindor usually averages eleven every year. I shall start with seventh year."
"In seventh year, both our prefects made the list. Rowan Middlebrough finished seventh, and Ophelia Foster finished tenth. In sixth year, Sabrina Russel came in sixth. In fifth year, we have the first of our number ones in the year, Percy Weasley, who beat out his wife by just a single point over the entire year."
There was a sudden cresendo of applause for Percy, which McGonagall felt was started by Fred and George. McGonagall let the applause die out.
"And then there is my greatest surprise, Oliver Wood who finished the year ranked tenth, despite all the time and effort you spent getting the Quidditch Cup in my office. Well done, Mister Wood."
There was another round of applause, which McGonagall joined in. Recognition for academic achievement rarely was given by fellow students, though it certainly was deserved.
"This year we did not have any fourth years make the top ten. I expect next year there will be better. In third year, I have a pair of surprises, plus a pair I expected. For second, Alicia Spinnet, and fourth, Angelina Johnson. And surprising me, and their mother, tied for ninth, Fred and George Weasley."
This time the applause started with Ron, with a slow clap for his brothers. The clap sped up as more joined it. Fred and George seemed totally gobsmacked at the announcement. McGonagall heard Ron say to them, "Mom's never going to let you forget that you can do this, you know." The changes in the twin's expressions were priceless images. Eventually though the applause calmed down again.
"In second year, we have one who made the top ten. She was part of the Quidditch study group, Katherine Bell finished the year ranked eighth. I would suggest that the current second years consider following what the current first years did studying.
"Now, I've been told that Hermione can not decide what she wants more, to have her baby or find out how she did in examinations. Miss Granger, you can stop worrying. For the first time in all the time that any current professor has been at Hogwarts, Ravenclaw has been shut out entirely of the top ten ranked students in a year, thanks to our first year students and Mr. Malfoy of Slytherin, who finished seventh.
"In tenth is Seamus Finnigan. Dean Thomas is ninth. Parvati Patil came in ranked seventh, five places higher than her twin sister, who was the highest ranked Ravenclaw. In sixth is Lavender Brown. Fifth is Neville Longbottom. Sally-Anne Perks is in fourth, and Ron Weasley in third."
McGonagall paused to take a breath. She noticed that Hermione was leaning forward, as if by being just a bit closer she'd find out sooner. If she leaned forward any more, McGonagall was sure that the pregnant girl would loose her balance. As if the thought crossing her mind was at trigger, Hermione stumbled forward, almost falling, only stopped from doing so by Harry's reflexively placed arm.
"And finally, in second is Harry Potter, leaving Hermione Granger as the second Gryffindor to finish at the top of their year this year."
Instead applause this time, Seamus lead the other first years in song, stopping the applause in just a couple claps by the use of a pitch pipe.
"For she's a very smart lady,
For she's a very smart lady
For she's a very smart lady ...
And so say all of us
And so say all of us
And so say all of us
For she's a very smart lady,
For she's a very smart lady
For she's a very smart lady ...
And so say all of us."
By the last line, even McGonagall found herself joining in singing to the blushing first year. After the last line, the delayed applause rebounded, until the room broke up in individual congratulations. McGonagall joined the general milling around, making sure to hand out the golden pins for academic achievement to all those in the top ten in their year.
The gathering after the announcement was different this year. Normally most of the congratulations seemed to be perfunctory, this time, it seemed that everyone had someone that they seemed to be proud of or surprised that they did so well. There seemed to be quite a knot of students around the First Years, and also near Oliver Wood. McGonagall let the gathering die off naturally, even though it was a bit past lights out for first and second years by the time it had.
It was nice to see that academics were worth something to her Gryffindors.
Hermione Granger lowered herself into the forward facing seat in the compartment that she and Harry had chosen. It was good to get off her feet. She kicked her shoes off and sighed with relief. Her pregnancy was really driving her nuts. Swollen feet, belly as big as a house, aching back, sensitive breasts that were already leaking milk ... she was pretty sure that nothing could get worse before she went into labor, but there was no sense tempting fate by saying that out-loud.
"I don't think I need to ask if you got everything," Harry said as he flopped into the seat next to her. "I swear Ron would leave his nose behind if it wasn't attached to his face."
"I think he's trying to lose Scabbers," Neville said, looking out the window. "He's boarding now."
"Longbottom, I think this toad's yours," Draco said from the door. It was amazing how much being an uncle had changed the Slytherin. Hermione remember how stuck up he'd been at the beginning of the year. This last term, however, having got stuck watching his nephew, he'd mellowed a bit. She was fairly certain that Draco wouldn't have returned the toad the first time they were on the Express.
"Trevor!" Neville cried out as his toad jumped out of Draco's hands into the compartment.
"Potter, my half sister wants to talk with you later," Draco said. "We're in the next carriage, just listen for Patrick Draco's crying." Hermione found it a bit weird that Draco always called his nephew by both his first and middle name.
"Tell Victoria I'll probably be there after we cross into England," Harry said, before turning towards Neville. "Are you sure you're not trying to lose Trevor?"
"I like Trevor," Neville said, placing his toad on his lap. Draco had left without even smirking, something Hermione found amazing.
"Yeah, and you didn't leave him behind with Scabbers," Harry said, as Ron entered the compartment.
"What about Scabbers?" Ron said, as he sat down next to Harry.
"We thought you were going to be leaving him behind," Hermione said, as she noticed that Ron had a gray smudge on his nose. She decided not to say anything about it, for now.
"I know he's not much of a magical pet, and he's a hand down from Percy, but he's mine," Ron replied, as with jolt, the carriage began to move. "Not that I wouldn't object to Mum getting me something, anything, else. Since I finished third in my year, it's not beyond possibility, 'cause Mum will definitely be surprised with my results. After the first reports from first term she was all on me about my grades."
"But you're third in our year!" Hermione exclaimed
"She thinks I'm barely in the second quarter of the Gryffindors in my year," Ron said, with a somewhat mischievous expression often found on his twin brothers, but in a lamenting tone. "I have no hope of further advancement. I am a lazy student who wouldn't be were he was if it wasn't for the assistance of the smartest girl in my year." He paused a bit before continuing normally. "It's all true. I'm not the same boy that got on the Express last September, with the smudge on his nose. And I wouldn't even be in the third quarter of our year if it wasn't for your help, Hermione."
"Thank you, Ron, " Hermione said. "And you have a smudge on your nose again. It's right there." Hermione indicated where the smudge was by pointing to the same spot on her own face.
"I think we've all changed," Harry said, putting his arm around Hermione. "And thanks to Hermione, I think we're all better off. I'd be going home to the Dursley's again if it wasn't for her." He kissed her cheek.
Hermione blushed. Harry hadn't kissed her on the lips since the Hospital Wing, but he'd lost his hesitation to hug her. This was, however, the first time he'd kissed her in front of the other boys so casually.
"And we can weigh how much Hermione's changed this year," Seamus said.
"Oh you did not say that, Seamus ... it was nice knowing you," Dean said, looking up from his sketch pad. "Can you look a bit towards the window for a moment, Hermione?"
Hermione looked towards the window, suppressing a shrug as she replied. "It's true ... "
"Okay, something's wrong," Neville said. Hermione looked over at him with surprise. "You're worried about something. Don't be surprised we all noticed it."
Hermione looked at the five boys who shared the compartment with her. They nodded as she met each of their gazes. She still couldn't express her worry though.
"Hermione, what is wrong?" Harry asked in a tone that Hermione could not ignore.
She did remain silent for almost a minute though, as she marshaled her thoughts. It took her a bit to focus on it. Hermione had never felt this ill at ease on her way home before. The reasons suddenly came to the front of her mind.
"I'm worried about what my dad will say," she began. "He's only sent a couple letters, which have been good, since he found out, but I've always been Daddy's little girl. I'm afraid that he's really disappointed in me, and that everything will change."
"Come on, Hermione, you're always going to be Daddy's little girl, with him wrapped around your little finger," Ron said. "I've seen it with my little sister. Nothing changes Dad's opinion of Ginny. Sure, he might have to punish her every once and a while, and he might say his disappointed in ... well any of us, really ... but at the end of the day, she's Daddy's little girl who can do no wrong. I bet your father is just the same."
Hermione looked down back out the window and the passing Scottish countryside. "You're probably right," she said. "I can't help but worry a bit though."
"Well, we've got hours on this train, and you said it was going to take another hour to get to Crawley from King's Cross," Harry began, "let's not spend all that time worrying. Seamus, remember when we came back from Christmas break? "
"You want some songs then," Seamus said. "Well, perhaps something Welsh for a change. Calon Lan ... Ron, Dean, I know you both know the chorus in Welsh."
"Sure, I had to tease Charlie with it when they beat the English side," Ron said.
"Okay, English first verse, chorus Welsh, repeat first verse Welsh, chorus Welsh, repeat for second and third," Seamus said. "End with English chorus." Seamus began with his clear Irish treble, alone for the first verse.
"I seek not life's ease and pleasures,
Earthly riches, pearls nor gold;
Give to me a heart made happy,
Heart that's honest, heart that's clean.
Then Ron and Dean joined in for the chorus.
"Calon lân yn llawn daioni,
Tecach yw na'r lili dlos:
Dim ond calon lân all ganu
Canu'r dydd a chanu'r nos.
Hermione did not expect the impromptu trio to sing well as they did. Perhaps she should have.
"Nid wy'n gofyn bywyd moethus,
Aur y byd na'i berlau mân:
Gofyn wyf am galon hapus,
Calon onest, calon lân.
Their voices harmonized together, somehow each note unraveling her worries.
"Calon lân yn llawn daioni,
Tecach yw na'r lili dlos:
Dim ond calon lân all ganu
Canu'r dydd a chanu'r nos.
The compartment seemed to fill with their voices, wiping away every sign of worry and trouble.
"If I cherish earthly treasures,
On swift wings they fly away,
Pure clean hearts bring greater riches
Brings to me eternal gain.
Hermione's hand dropped down to her belly, were her baby seemed to be pressing closer to the voices.
"Calon lân yn llawn daioni,
Tecach yw na'r lili dlos:
Dim ond calon lân all ganu
Canu'r dydd a chanu'r nos.
She looked up and caught Harry's smile, for the first time that day. She was sure that he'd been worrying as much as she had.
"Pe dymunwn olud bydol,
Hedyn buan ganddo sydd;
Golud calon lân, rinweddol,
Yn dwyn bythol elw fydd.
This time, Harry joined the chorus, his voice slightly deeper than the others.
"Calon lân yn llawn daioni,
Tecach yw na'r lili dlos:
Dim ond calon lân all ganu
Canu'r dydd a chanu'r nos.
Harry pulled her closer, his smile infectious.
"Dawn and sunset still I'm searching,
Rising on a wing of song,
In the name of my Redeemer,
Make my heart clean, pure and strong.
Harry's hand joined hers over her womb, feeling the baby move beneath their palms. Hermione joined the chorus this time, her lighter voice trembling over the words.
"Calon lân yn llawn daioni,
Tecach yw na'r lili dlos:
Dim ond calon lân all ganu
Canu'r dydd a chanu'r nos.
There was not a unsmiling face left in the compartment as Seamus sang the last verse in Welsh.
"Hwyr a bore fy nymuniad
Gwyd i'r nef ar adain cân
Ar i Dduw, er mwyn fy Ngheidwad,
Roddi i mi galon lân.
The final chorus was sung, English mixed with the Welsh from the three girls that Hermione had first roomed with standing just outside the compartment.
"A clean heart o'erflow'd with goodness,
Fairer than the lily white;
A clean heart forever singing,
Singing through the day and night.
As the song ended, Hermione felt a warmth fill her, as if someone was holding her tight, telling her that everything would be all right. Then as quickly as began, it was over, the moment fleeing with only the perception of warmth and fiery red.
Her former dorm mates joined everyone in the compartment, filling it to overflowing. As they did so, Hermione noticed a long red hair, not the same shade as Ron's on the shoulder closest to Harry. As Lavender began to tell of her summer plans, Hermione brushed off the loose hair, unable to stop smiling.
Just the epilogue left, which have scheduled the posting of for next Wednesday on my no less than a week between parts serialization rule, modified by a day because I'm in a good mood and glad this work is done. If it's late, look for someone to have posted a review that is entirely a request for it to be posted early. The sequel, Summer Ritual, is already in pre-production, and may by the time you read this have it's first scene done.