Hidden Emotions {Harry & Hermione}

Chapter 13 - Preparation

One painstakingly long day has past and finally Friday, Harry's favourite day of the school week, has arrived. He woke up at five in the morning to go to the common room and finish his Transfiguration essay on the history of the anti-cheating spell, its uses and its beneficiaries. It was quite bizarre to think it would be written in two days, 'she's mental, really' Harry thought Ron would say. In a certain perspective, Professor McGonagall was indeed somewhat 'mental'. He did not know how one could be Headmistress of Hogwarts, the Head of Gryffindor, and a Transfiguration teacher at the same time. Harry's mind already strained at the thought of this.

He was halfway through his long piece of parchment when the door to his right creaked open and emerged from it, a surprisingly startled Hermione. She seemed to be nervous and rather tense. Either that or she was just tired. She has awoken from a sleep after all.

"Morning, Hermione," Harry said, hopeful to find any hints of discomfort from Hermione's reply.

"Morning, Harry, are you doing your Potions homework?" said Hermione.

"Transfiguration, actually." Hermione's mouth formed the shape of an 'o' and the rest of her face formed to make her appearance rather glum.

"Hey, Harry-um-are you...excited for the ball?"

Harry remembered how the rather disastrous Yule Ball went in their Fourth Year. It seemed impossible for Harry to recall a day without Ron and Hermione fighting. The Yule Ball, however, was quite a highlight. Possibly one of their worst fights.

"Well, yeah. I mean, can't hardly wait to witness everyone's jealous faces towards my partner!" said Harry, who tried to summon his rarely existent charm to cheer Hermione up. It was difficult to find, and he was sure his fire died out years ago. It was, perhaps, around the time when 'girl cooties' still existed and Hogwarts was a mere nothing to the young Harry. Hermione gave a genuine laugh and saved Harry from the struggle to come up with more.

"Who is this girl that will possibly make people jealous Harry?" Hermione asked with slight tease.

"All you need to know is that she's the smartest witch at Hogwarts," smirked Harry.

"Harry, I'm not sure if Professor McGonagall is a suitable partner for you..."

"You also need to know that my partner can force herself to have good humour, brilliant isn't she?" It seemed like Harry still contained some charm in him, surprisingly.

Hermione sat on the floor beside Harry, behind the table of which the parchment laid on. She lightly leaned her head on Harry's toned Quidditch arm and heaved in a breath of air. The common room smelt slightly of burnt out fire wood and gave out a calm aroma.

"Harry, do you think Hogwarts is resuming Quidditch after what happened two years ago?" questioned Hermione, as if Harry's arm gave her a reminder.

"Yeah, hopefully. The Quidditch field seems safe, now that it's not in ruins." Harry's stomach hopped in sudden fulfilled excitement. He has missed playing the sport. Having searched for horcruxes and persisted constantly on Voldemort's defeat, Harry's time was quite consumed. It was hard to believe that two years ago, a being with red snake-like eyes and slits for a nose was vanquished. Peeled off from the world like aged snake skin.

Harry's stomach began to feel anxious and wary all of a sudden. The thought of Quidditch has made him think of who might trial for the Gryffindor team, and of course, Ginny Weasley. Quidditch did not seem as thrilling as it used to ten seconds ago, particularly when Harry was the captain for the Gryffindor team.