Ours to Catch Chapter 19

The year had started out with a somber tone. While there were some people that were happy to be back at Hogwarts and to see old friends again, the fact that war was officially declared, not many people were happy. There were also a lot of missing students. Many of them afraid to go to school in case it was attacked. The animosity between Voldemort and Dumbledore was well known and a lot of parents didn’t want their kids to get caught in the middle. Slytherin was the only house that didn’t seem to take a population hit.

Hermione spent her time on the train listening to Harry go over, with a lot more details, what he had done with Dumbledore when the headmaster had taken him away for nearly a whole day. Hermione commented that it didn’t seem responsible to take Harry along with him to such a dangerous place, and then to also help ‘recruit’ a new member of staff, but she quickly shut down.

“He’s just trying to keep Harry in the loop.” Ron defended. “You’re just jealous Dumbledore didn’t take you.” He accused. Hermione had to bite her lip in order to not retort back. It was very likely it was Ron that was jealous Harry was taken, not the other way around. Ron had a horrible habit of getting jealous and then acting out; not Hermione.

“You should be happy that we have a lot more information than if I hadn’t gone with him.” Harry defended, “It will help us figure out what Draco has been up to.” Harry said, turning everyone’s focus back to what he had been obsessed with all summer. Apparently, his obsession hadn’t waned.

Hermione didn’t say much during their ride to Hogwarts. Truthfully, there wasn’t much she wanted to say that would get the boys angry with her. She knew Draco, whatever he was up to if he was even up to something, wouldn’t mean anything. There wouldn’t be anything they could do to stop whatever Draco was up to. For all they knew, he could just be trying to gather information himself since Voldemort was just as obsessed with Harry and Harry was with him. But Hermione would tell them that, she would just go along with what her friends were saying. She knew she wouldn’t be able to change their minds anyways.

After Ron and Harry started to talk about possibly sneaking into the Slytherin common rooms again, Hermione decided it was probably best if she found another cart for the rest of the trip. They boys didn’t know how much work the potion was and how protective Snape had become of his ingredients. Hermione wasn’t going to try and steal the ingredients again only for Snape to automatically know who had stolen it and get them all in trouble. It wouldn’t be worth it.

She made an excuse to go check up on their other friends and making promises to hear their thoughts about they could do later, Hermione left and spent the rest of the trip with Luna and Ginny in their own cart. She was surprised Neville wasn’t with them, but she didn’t question anything. She did, however, give Ginny a smirk when she had caught the two practically smashed against the corner of the cart. Ginny’s face had been so red, it took a Herculean effort to not tease the redhead.

After the term was finally underway, Hermione was finding it hard to get used to all the changes. The Great Hall was a lot emptier and a lot more morose than she was used it. Hermione felt like Hogwarts herself was mourning the lack of students and how much turmoil was in the wizarding world. She had never seen Hogwarts so quiet and it really unnerved her.

She had all but immediately been forced to join the Slug Club weeks after the term started. She tried not to join, seeing no point in joining something that only fed one man’s ego and offered no true benefits to her education, but surprisingly, it was Ginny that convinced her to join. She was shocked Ginny had even agreed to join the club, much less even tried to get her to join.

“It wouldn’t hurt to make contacts Mione.” Ginny said as she watched the brunette look through a book she had found in the library that told the history of magic. Hermione was trying to do abstract research via Hogwarts library. It wasn’t working as well as she thought it would.

“I don’t need to make any contacts with anyone who fits in Slughorn’s group.” Hermione huffed. Ginny had been bugging her about it because apparently there was going to be a party at some point and the redhead didn’t want to go alone. “I will advance in life due to my own merits and effort, not because I know somebody.” She said before angrily closing the book and pulling out another one.

She had already read the books she had borrowed from the Black sisters and was left with more questions than answers. She would prefer to talk to Andy about it directly but she had only seen the woman a couple times for the entire summer after returning from Black Manor and those times there was no way she would have been able to talk to the woman about what she wanted to.

Part of her had hoped she would have received a letter from one of the sisters but with how tight the Ministry was looking at Hogwarts, thanks to the tool of a minister that was in Voldemort’s pocket, Hermione knew all the letters to and from Hogwarts were being intercepted. Hermione was confident she could protect her letter’s from the average Ministry person that may try to read her letters, she knew who ever Voldemort had doing interception would be able to see past her protections.

“You never know Mione.” Ginny argued, she really didn’t want to be the only girl there. If she could get Hermione to go with her, at least it wouldn’t be so boring to listen to Slughorn’s many stories that were definitely way blown out of proportion. “What if one day you are trying to advance your Ministry job and are competing against someone with a lot more experience than you. Knowing someone might be enough to give you an edge to get the promotion.” Ginny was talking out of her arse, but as long as it sounded good and convincing, she didn’t care.

“I doubt Hermione would want to use someone else to get a job.” Luna said from her seat next to the redhead.

The blonde was probably the only reason Ginny had started to venture into the library. Given that Luna was a Ravenclaw, and her books would mysteriously go flying away from her desk when she was in the Ravenclaw common room doing her work, Luna spent a lot of her free time in the library herself. After a week of Luna and Hermione working in silence in the library, Ginny started to make a reoccurring appearance, ruining the silence Hermione so enjoyed. But she wouldn’t hold it against her friends. Besides, they were cute together.

“But it wouldn’t hurt.” Ginny quickly argued back. Ginny knew full well Luna was right but she had no other idea to get Hermione to go with her; especially since Luna wouldn’t go because ‘she needed to study’ and Ginny was more okay with interrupting Hermione’s study time than Luna’s time.

Luna sent a smile towards Ginny, not so secretly loving the way the redhead’s face went red whenever Luna smiled at her. She made sure to do so as often as possible to get that reaction.

“You know Hermione, you could go to keep an eye on Slughorn.” Luna said as she returned her gaze towards her book.

“And why would I want to do that?” Hermione huffed, “Harry’s already obsessed enough for the both of us, I don’t need to join his game.” If it was Slughorn he was talking about, he would complain more about Draco and his supposed death eater plans. Harry and Ron were both so sure the blonde heir was up to something that Hermione was being dragged into a plan to follow Draco on their next Hogsmeade trip. She would rather spend her time looking at books but she didn’t want her friends to get hurt, so she would go along with them.

“But didn’t you say he went with Dumbledore to convince Slughorn to teach? Perhaps Dumbledore wanted him to teach and for Harry to work with him, because he knows something he’s not sharing.” Luna suspected since the war was officially declared, Dumbledore was pulling all his ‘chess pieces’, as Hermione had started to call the Order members and allies, to be close to him for when something happens. Luna thought Dumbledore was anticipating something big happening soon. If that were the case, Hermione would be the best one to figure out what it was.

Hermione stared blankly at the blonde. Ginny gave Hermione a smug grin before turning back to the book she was pretending to read while with Luna did her work. Hermione continued to stare for a little while. She often forgot how smart Luna could be.

“Well, I guess I could think about joining then.” Hermione finally said, still not entirely convinced she needed to join. She didn’t think Slughorn knew anything; if anything, it was more likely he knew somebody that knew something. She would have to think about it still. Harry was also in the club; because of course he was, he was the Boy Who Lived and Slughorn was practically foaming at the mouth to be called Harry’s favorite teacher.

Harry was getting harder and harder to be around. Both boys were really getting harder and harder to be around. They weren’t listening to anything Hermione told them, regardless of if they were going to get in trouble, hurt or a combination of both. They were becoming more unbearable. Harry’s obsession with Dumbledore, who was for some reason ignoring Harry now, Voldemort and Draco, Hermione was tired of listening to it. She tried to be a good friend but it was like Harry was a little kid stuck on repeat and saying the same think over and over again. And Ron, Ron wanted to be his best friend so he fed right into it.

Hermione would have continued to try to help, as they were best friends, but every time she disagreed or even tried to reason with either boy, they both got instantly angry with her. She was used to be calling names, especially when any Slytherin’s of her year or higher were around. She was even used to the teasing remarks by those in her same year. But to hear the hurtful words, words she knew were meant to be hurtful, from her supposed best friends? She was getting tired of it. She had thought they had stopped thinking such things about her in first year, but perhaps she was wrong and they were only using her this whole time.

With a huff of annoyance, both at her inability to find what she was looking for and for her morose thoughts about what was going on with her friends, she nearly slammed the book she was reading shut. She needed to clear her mind, to be away from everyone and just have some alone time without the risk of being interrupted or disturbed.

“I think I’ll go to the lake to read some.” Hermione said as she packed her bag. With a flick of her wand, she sent the books she had been looking at, back to their proper spots. “If the boys come looking for me, just tell them I had an extra assignment with McGonagle that she’s helping me with.” Hermione hated to lie to her friends, and to even think about using her head of house to avoid being with friends, but Hermione knew the boys would stay clear of McGonagle and since she had done extra work with the professor in the past, they also wouldn’t ask any questions. It made Hermione think what it really meant that she was avoiding her supposed best friends and coming up with lies to do so.

“I doubt they’d come here, but sure.” Ginny answered for both of them. She was worried about Hermione ignoring her friends but at the same time, she had seen how the two boys were starting to treat the Golden Girl. Ginny was trying to stay out of it but she hoped either the boys fixed their attitude or Hermione ditched them.

Hermione nodded her thanks before heading off for the Lake. She was a greater risk of being found there, but if she went to the far side of the Lake, the side closest to the forest, the boys wouldn’t see her. Given it was Saturday, she was sure her boys were either flying on the pitch if another team wasn’t using it or they were in the common room hanging out. Regardless, Hermione was sure she wasn’t about to found out soon and it would give some time to think over what was going with her and the boys.

She was confident the Lake would provide her a safe haven to think freely. The fresh air wouldn’t hurt as well. With a smile, she quickly walked to her favorite spot, happy to spend some quality alone time to get her thoughts straightened out.