Just Like Magic (Cedric Diggory and Hermione Granger Fan fiction)

Chapter 23: Worshipped

Grawpy handed the handlebar over to me and I looked up at him confused. He moved it closer towards me as if to say "Have a go at it" so with a tentative touch I reached out and rang the tiny bell. Grawpy jumped in glee and Cedric pulled me back into his embrace.

"I think you've got an admirer." Ron sneered.

I looked at him with a pointed look and he cringed under my gaze. Grawpy was having fun in his own world flicking the tiny bell and smiling gleefully every time it brought out a sound. He continued looking my way, the smile still lighting up his face. When Cedric was confident in the fact that Grawpy's attention was otherwise diverted he released but still kept my hand tightly wrapped in his.

"He gets his own food and all. It's company he'll be needing when I'm gone." Hagrid looked solemn when his gaze met mine. "You will look after him, won't you? I'm the only family he's got."

I nodded. "Of course we will, Hagrid."

"Thanks! Thanks so much!"

Hagrid ran over and grabbed all of us in a bear hug. Needless to say our feet were off the ground. It was getting hard to breathe and it wasn't until Harry mumbled it that we were finally placed on the ground. We didn't spend much time in the forest after that. Hagrid explained that all we needed to do was come talk to him once in a while and he'd be just fine.

"You can count on us." Harry said.
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Harry was sitting outside on a rock overlooking the grounds. It was late and after he hadn't returned to the dorms following dinner I decided to go out and look for him. I wondered what had been keeping him until I remembered his Occlumency lesson he had taken up with Snape prior to Dumbledore's departure. He hadn't told us that he was continuing them.

"Tough session?" I whispered taking a seat on the grass beside him.

Harry jumped and then looked my way, sighing in relief. "How did you figure it out?"

"Because Dumbledore trusts Snape, Harry. I know you may not think he's trustworthy but he wouldn't leave you unprotected. You're in danger if Voldermort figure's out the connection."

"Did you ever see your parents in a different light?" The question came out of nowhere that I was momentarily speechless. Harry continued, "Like the opinion you've built up of them inside your head turned out to be completely wrong."

My legs went under my body and I touched Harry's arm. "Did you see something today?"

"Snape and I had been at it for hours. I just wanted a break to rest and get my thoughts collected but Snape wouldn't have it. He started making remarks against my father..."

I interrupted. "He's always doing that, Harry. Don't let it get to you."

Harry shook his head. "This is different. I saw what my Dad did to him. He bullied him, Hermione. Him, Sirius, Professor Lupin. I understand it now. I get why Snape is so against me."

"Harry, listen to me." My hands reached up to cup his face. "Your father was a great man. He may have done those things but who doesn't have something they're ashamed of from when they were younger. You just need to remember that a lot of people looked up to your parents. He died protecting you."

A single tear fell from Harry's eye and I wiped it away with my thumb. Harry nodded and seemed to be taking in what I had told him. It was a hard thing to deal with. Harry was forced to build his opinion of his parents based on what other people had told him instead of his own.

"You have every reason to be proud of your parents but maybe now you can begin to trust Snape in the way that Dumbledore has. He must see something redeeming in him or he wouldn't entrust him with such a secret."