Be Silently Drawn || Remus Lupin & Hermione Granger

Chapter 26

Gryffindor trounced Slytherin in the Quidditch match Saturday morning. The scarlet-robed players outhustled their opposition in every way from the first whistle signaling the start of the match to the point when Ginny Weasley finally caught sight of the elusive Snitch. The Gryffindor Seeker chased after the golden blur, speeding toward the section of the stands where most of the teachers sat. She flew dangerously close to the professors beneath her before pulling up again, the fluttering silver wings of the Snitch peeking out of the fist she triumphantly raised into the air.

The jubilant cries of victory from the Gryffindors were joined by the tickled cheers from the other houses, amused to have seen their professors diving clear of Ginny's path in alarm. Remus and most of his colleagues applauded good-humoredly along with their students — even McGonagall cracked a smile — but a couple of professors, including Professor Avila beside him, looked none too pleased by Ginny's daring capture.

The Gryffindor Quidditch team, with their Seeker atop their shoulders and fellow members of their house surrounding them, boisterously made their way off the pitch and toward the castle. As their Head of House, Remus hoped their celebrations didn't get out of hand. He knew, however, that as long as Hermione was with them he didn't have to worry. She'd undoubtedly keep their celebrations in check.

He looked for her distinctive mane of curly brown hair in the throng of students ahead of him, but he didn't see her anywhere. He hadn't spotted her in the stands earlier either. Had she even attended the match? She must have. The whole school was out here.

Remus followed the Gryffindors into the castle, but their paths diverged as he headed toward his office. He'd nearly reached it when the cackling and whooping Peeves came hurtling toward him in the corridor, a book bag dangling from his hand. Only when Peeves passed him by did Remus realize it wasn't just anybody's book bag — it was Hermione's.

A second later, the harassed-looking Head Girl came running up the corridor. She pointed her wand at Peeves who swerved to avoid her spell, dropping her bag as he did so. Books, parchment, quills, and ink spilled to the floor making Hermione groan in frustration and Peeves squeal with delight. That delight promptly turned into pain and protest, however, when Remus drew his wand and blasted the poltergeist away from the scene before he could do any more damage.

Hermione wearily knelt down on the floor to gather her scattered belongings, and Remus hurried forward to help her.

"Thank you," she said as he passed over a few of her books. She stuffed them into her bag while he cleaned up the mess of her spilled ink, and then they both reached for the quill lying between them at the same time.

Before either could grasp it, though, Peeves returned, swooping down toward them and blowing a loud raspberry in their faces. He started to soar away again to evade Remus and Hermione's curses, but then he suddenly came to an abrupt halt, his eyes going round as he stared down at the pair of them. Tilting his head to the side, Peeves looked curiously between one and the other.

"Moony...and Frizzy..." A cheeky grin spread across the poltergeist's face and he chortled with glee. "Kissy kissssyyyyyyy! Ha ha ha!"

Remus froze, then glanced at Hermione, whose face had gone pink. Avoiding his gaze, she quickly ducked down again and continued gathering her things. Peeves, meanwhile, did cartwheels through the air before shooting away down the corridor, his shrieks of laughter echoing off the walls. Remus stared after him, wondering what that was all about. Then he shook his head. There probably was no rhyme or reason — it was just Peeves being Peeves.

Remus turned back to Hermione to help her collect the rest of her things. He saw her quill still lying on the floor beside him. As he picked it up, he was reminded of another time, a few years back during his first teaching stint at Hogwarts, when Hermione's books had fallen out of her bag at the end of his class and he'd returned the quill that had tumbled over to his desk. And just like then he looked at Hermione now and was troubled by the sadness tainting her features, a sadness he'd caught glimpses of more than once over the last few days.