Reunion (Harry Potter Fanfiction)

The Replacement

Hermione settled herself into her desk in Arithmancy class, tucking her bag under her chair. She pulled out a quill and a fresh bottle of ink, and began scrawling down numbers and patterns that covered the blackboard. As usual, she was the first one in class. As she wrote, other students slowly trickled into the room, taking their seats and rolling their eyes at Hermione's eagerness.

Lavender Brown was one of the last students in, parting with Parvati Patil at the door. She groaned as the last available seat was the empty one next to Hermione. She flopped herself into the desk.

"Nice to see you too, Lavender..." Hermione sighed, not bothering to look up from her parchment. Ever since the year before, when Lavender was dating Ron, she had hated Hermione. The hatred only grew stronger when an unconscious Ron had unknowingly revealed his crush on Hermione. Now, whenever Hermione found herself in an encounter with Lavender, it was incredibly tense and awkward.

"Whatever." Lavender said, taking a hairbrush out of her bag, and brushing out her sandy curls. "Just shut up and take your dumb little notes." Hermione scoffed, and tried her best to tune her out. Professor Vector entered the classroom and sat herself behind her big desk. Lavender tapped on Hermione's shoulder.

"Yes?" Hermione asked, dropping her quill into the ink bottle. Lavender's typical pout curled into a smirk.

"Soooo, did you hear about Madame Hooch leaving?" Lavender said.

"Of course I did Lavender, I was in that class with you..." Lavender giggled to herself, only causing Hermione to become more confused.

"Well did you hear the rumors of who is replacing her?" Hermione knitted her brows, shrugging her shoulders at the air-headed idiot.

"No, who is it?" Lavender giggled again, dropping her hairbrush back into her bag.

"Well it'd be no fun to tell you! I'm sure McGonagall will be announcing it soon." Lavender exclaimed. Hermione gave up trying to talk to her, and focused her attention back on her notes. Whoever it was, they definitely had no meaning to her.

Or so she thought.

***

Hermione found Ron, Harry, and Ginny (Her best friend, Ron's sister, and also Harry's girlfriend) in the Great Hall at lunch. She sat down next to Ron, as he planted a kiss on her cheek. She grabbed herself a bowl of soup from the tray in front of her, and quietly dipped a spoon into it. Harry looked at her questioningly.

"Is something the matter? You're being rather quiet, there..." He asked, as he pushed his glasses up his nose. Ginny snickered.

"Yeah, Hermione being quiet, something's got to be up." Hermione cracked a smile, slapping her friend on the hand.

"Nothing really. Just thinking." The three looked at her, puzzled.

"What?" She asked, throwing her hands up in the air. "Lavender Brown was just acting weird in Arithmancy, that's all. Weirder than usual, at that." Ron rolled his eyes.

"Bloody hell, Hermione, Lavender Brown? Are you forgetting what happened with her last year?"

"He has a point, you know." Harry interjected. "It makes sense that she would want to get on your nerves."

"I guess so..." Hermione said, stirring her soup around the bowl.

"What was she yammering about, then?" Ginny asked.

"She was talking about Madam Hooch leaving, and her replacement, as if I should know whoever it is..." Harry, Ron, and Ginny exchanged confused looks, before shrugging it off.

"I'm sure it's nothing, probably just a pathetic way for her to try and mess with you." Harry said, patting Hermione on the shoulder. She ran her fingers through her hair, and dropped her spoon into the bowl. The bell rang, and the group parted for their own classes. Ginny climbed the marble staircase, headed for Charms, and Harry and Ron followed, to Divination. Hermione had a free period, so she headed to the library.

***

She found a free table in the back, beside a big window that looked out on the black lake. Madam Pince, the librarian, shuffled down the aisle of tables, glaring and shushing at talking kids. She flashed Hermione a smile, as they had a great teacher/student relationship. Hermione hummed to herself, and continued a potions assignment.

A few minutes later, Ginny came running in, carrying the Daily Prophet in her hand. Hermione looked up in confusion.

"Ginny?" She said, standing up to meet her. "Aren't you supposed to be in Charms?!" Ginny dropped the newspaper in front of her and gripped her shoulders.

"I had to get out, to tell you!"

"Tell me what?" Hermione exclaimed.

"I just figured out why Lavender was taunting you about Madam Hooch's replacement!" Ginny said, picking up the newspaper. Hermione scoffed.

"Why does everyone keep bringing that up?!" Hermione asked, sitting back down.

"Because!" Ginny said excitedly. "Look who the replacement is!" She shoved the paper into Hermione's hands. Hermione opened it up, and looked at the headline. She dropped the paper in shock. She couldn't believe what she had seen.

VIKTOR KRUM TO BECOME HOGWARTS FLYING INSTRUCTOR