Ready Or Not (Here I Come!)

"Ready or Not, Here I Come"

Chapter Three - "Busy Days and Warm Nights"

It really had been an almost frighteningly smooth start to the term, Harry thought, as he dressed the next morning. He hadn't run into Snape more than four times and when he did, the potions professor had done no more than give him a quizzical look that bore only traces of his usual venom. If it hadn't been for the sense of unease whenever he saw Damien, and seeing Malfoy's sneer from the Slytherin table, Harry would have felt as if he'd landed in some weird, alternate universe.

There were also welcome changes when he was with Ron and Hermione together. His best friends had always spent a lot of time arguing, and making sarcastic remarks to each other, but Harry hadn't realized it was so constant, or how much the atmosphere would improve if it stopped. The fact that Hermione seemed to have an unerring instinct for knowing when to give Harry an encouraging look or kiss when they studied didn't hurt either.

Dani and Ron spent quite a bit of time teasing each other, and it was actually enjoyable to watch. Ron and Hermione had never quite had the chemistry to pull of that kind of teasing though they'd certainly tried. Ron might have thought he liked Hermione as more than a friend, but with them, the teasing has always quickly turned to an argument. Ron and Dani, on the other hand, could often be heard speaking to each other in sarcastic voices and then the next minute, they were off in a corner, obviously not arguing, far from it.

This day had the promise of being a good one, since they would have a double session of Defense Against the Dark Arts. That night, he and Hermione were to have dinner with Chris and Ivy, in their cottage. It was an unusual thing, to have a meal outside the Great Hall, but he imagined Hermione did want some time to see her parents without the rest of the school looking on. And he wasn't going to miss a chance to walk back to the castle alone with her, in the dark.

"So, what's that look on your face for?" Ron asked, coming through the door, pulling his robes on. "Dreaming about some plans? Maybe involving Hermione and a walk by the lake?" He grinned knowingly, and Harry felt relieved again that things had happened to give Ron something to grin about for himself..

"Looking for extra credit in divination." he asked, with a grin of his own. "Yeah, Hermione and I are going to her parents' cottage for dinner. I haven't been yet, and Hermione hasn't either, but I'm anxious to see it. You know Ivy can do some amazing things with spells, on houses and cars." Hermione's mom had performed some impressive stretching spells on various cars and rooms they'd occupied over the summer. No one could deny that Hermione's mom did things with a flourish, and seldom failed to improve any situation.. At least they now knew where Hermione had gotten her powers and ability.

"Be sure to ask how the Kwikspell Course is working out for Chris," said Ron as they went down for breakfast. "I always wondered if Filch was able to learn anything."

"I'm sure Chris is approaching it scientifically and logically," Harry answered. "Hermione got some things from her dad as well."

As rhey approached the Gryfindor table, Adrian, who had come down earlier, seemed to be having some sort of heated discussion with Danielle. When they got close enough to hear, they found out why. It seemed Draco Malfoy had accosted Dani on the way into the Great Hall and when Adrian walked in, they were deep in conversation.

"I know he seems charming, but he is not, Dani," Adrian was saying furiously. "You don't know what the British branch of the Malfoys has done, and attempted to do over the years."

"Not to mention insulting my family at every turn, trying to injure Harry, and calling Hermione a mudblood, among other things." chimed in Ron, also looking furious. Dani seemed to lose her stubbornness at the sight of Ron's face which showed a mixture of anger, and hurt.

"All right, I will not speak to him again. But if he is this bad, should we not keep a close eye on him. And that Damien fellow, who seems to say little but know all that is happening. My neck has prickles when he looks at me."

"Giving your neck prickles is my job," Ron said firmly, giving her a quick kiss on the back of her neck, after lifting up her hair. "And as far as keeping an eye on Draco, we've been doing that since our first year here." The subject changed then, but Harry wondered what Danielle had seen to cause her comment. Hermione appeared a few moments later with Ginny, and he noticed that she'd kept her word about not covering her legs with jeans all the time. She was wearing a short blue skirt under her robes, with dark blue tights, and a soft lavender shirt.

"You've still got legs, I see," murmured Harry, as they all sat down and began clattering cutlery and plates. Hermione grinned sideways at him, and somehow managed to wrap her lower leg under his, which made the meal a very pleasant one. They were all looking forward to seeing Professor Lupin again, and wondering what sort of lessons they'd have this year. Hermione mentioned that she felt a little disappointed that they used their books for less and less this year, in class, and was teased about having been born with a book attached to her arm. Harry wondered whether the practical lessons had been increased this year, with the threat of Voldemort's return, but there was no way of finding out, without asking someone like Ivy or Professor Lupin. And he decided he really didn't want to know.

When they arrived in transfiguration, it became obvious very quickly that this was one class where the books would still be very much used. Professor McGonagall made everyone very happy by saying they would begin human transfiguration this term. Before they could become excited though, she began giving them notes on the laws concerning transfiguration, and an outline of what the study of transfiguration would involve. Everyone except Hermione was barely hiding groans, and once they were in the hall, after class no one bothered any longer.

"There'll be nothing left of us to transfigure!" Seamus said loudly. "I've been looking forward to this since I was around four, but she's making it sound as exciting as one of Professor Binns' lectures."

"Transfiguration can be very dangerous, Seamus," Hermione said reprovingly. "You don't want to wind up as part of one animal and part of another, do you? Or breaking some law and getting locked up for it?" She looked over at Harry, who was still looking unbelievingly at the notes he'd taken during the first class. He looked up at her over the paper, and she immediately came over and began whispering that he shouldn't worry, they'd study together, and that she'd already read and learned most of what today's lecture had been on. Most of the class was still complaining, but by the time they reached the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, Harry was beginning to feel encouraged, and even a little anticipatory. Studying with Hermione was not what it used to be

As they filed into the DADA classroom, it was obvious that Professor Lupin was planning to be settled in for at least a few terms. The walls were covered with large pictures of some of the creatures they had studied in previous years Harry saw that, although they were mostly shown in an attack position, not one contained a picture of Remus Lupin, waving a wand, with fancy robes and curled hair. If these pictures had been put up by their previous teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart, he would have been shown larger than the beasts he was trying to defeat.

Professor Lupin greeted them, looking ten years younger than he had in their third ear. The patched robes had been replaced by conservative, but attractive ones that brought out the the blue of his eyes, and even the streaks of grey in his hair looked dignified, instead of shabby. Even though they'd all seen him at the beginning feast, there was whispered murmuring and several of the girls could be seen repressing giggles. Hermione shot them her best "no nonsense now, I'm a prefect" look, and they subsided, though obviously not willingly.

"I realize you had an unusual year of study in your Defense class last year, he began. "Although you didn't learn about the Unforgiveable Curses as Dumbledore would have wished, we feel it wasn't a bad thing. Now, my job is to clear any misconceptions, and to give you more positive ways of Defense and preparation."

Harry could see that all of the students, while a bit startled. were quickly involved in the information he was giving them. He couldn't help wondering though, what sort of lecture Remus Lupin would give their Slytherin counterparts, since there were among them, students whose families were all too familiar with the curses.

He saw Neville, looking a bit pale, but not nearly as shaken as he had the previous year. Occasionally Harry saw Lupin's eyes fix directly on Neville's and each time he did, Neville seemed to sit straighter , as if the teacher was injecting some sort of strength into him.

Toward the end of the class period, Lupin gave the class a written assignment.

"This may be unpleasant to think of, but I'd like you to write about an experience that's left you feeling touched by dark magic," Lupin said in a firm voice. "And in case anyone has any reservations, I've brought along something to give you a bit of extra strength." He grinned at them, then reached behind his desk and picked up two large bowls, filled to the brim with some of Honeydukes' best chocolates

Harry, Hermione and Ron gave each other an expressive "Where should I start ?" look. Then as if by some unspoken current among them, the words "Year Two" formed on their lips and they bent to begin writing. The class was silent , except for the scratching of quills on parchment, and the sounds of students muncing on chocolate. There was a thick, almost palpably tense feeling in the room, as well as a rich smell of chocolate.. A few moments later Lupin's voice asked them to bring their writing to an end, saying they would have another opportunity to continue.Then, moments late,r they were dismissed and quietly filed out.

The next period was a study period, and most of the students headed for the library, huddled in knots, as if not wanting to be alone. Ron, however, gave them a surreptitious wave, grabbed Danielle's hand and they disappeared around a corner. Harry and Hermione stood looking after them, until Harry said quietly, "Let's go back in.". She nodded and hand in hand they went back into the Defense classroom, to find Remus sitting behind his desk, looking absently through the papers handed in by the class. He smiled when he saw them together, and said quietly, "Lily and James would be happy, seeing what the two of you have endured, and come through with a stronger friendship than ever. With Ivy and Chris here, this seems more like coming home to me than anything I've felt in my life." Harry felt Hermione squeeze his hand, and a small lump came into his throat. He always felt the way Remus did, and he supposed even more so this year, not having to give up the new closeness with Hermione and her family.

"We're having dinner with my parents, " said Hermione. "I'm sure they'd love for you to come along." Even though part of him wanted to urge Remus to come along, Harry couldn't help being relieved when the professor replied that he'd been practically living there, since they'd settled into the cottage, and that it was their turn for a visit. So, he thought, there would be time for a walk back to the castle alone. Before they left, Remus mentioned that he and Ivy were working on a few projects together.

"Ask Ivy to show you, but only if Hagrid hasn't turned up," he added with a small laugh. " This is one time when it's best to keep things hidden." In spite of their questions, he refused to say more, and Harry and Hermione left for lunch, wondering in whispers as they went along the corridors, what the projects could be.

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The remainder of the day passed uneventfully, most of the afternoon being spent in a double session of Professor Binn's class. Harry couldn't help snickering as he saw the look of bored amazement on Danielle's face as the History of Magic lecture continued on and on. The only break in the monotony was an occasional snore, or thump as a student's elbow slid off the desk, waking them up with a start. Dean Thomas amused them by sending funny drawings up to the chalkboard behind Professor Binns. Hermione tried to give Dean a reproving look, but wound up in a giggle, at a particularly funny drawing of Professor Sprout, shaking a very full botubur plant in Malfoy's face. causing large, angry boils to appear.

"Miss Grenier," wheezed Professor Binns, adjusting his glasses over the ghostly nose, and looking severely at Hermione, "I was under the impression that there is a prefect's badge on your robe. Is that not the case?" Hermione nodded dumbly, looking as terrified as she had as an eleven year old, Harry thought. "So it has now become a prefect's duty to giggle at the professor in class? I was not aware of a change to the rules and....."

Before the wizened old professor could continue, Dean's drawings slid to the floor in a pile, and Binns stood there, open mouthed, looking at them, then they saw something they'd never expected to see. It looked as if it was painful, but Professor Binns was actually.... grinning. He reached over to scoop up the papers and glided to his desk, telling the class, over his shoulder, that they were dismissed.

Hermione insisted they go straight to the common room to get their homework over with. "I want this evening free," she told him. "Besides seeing my mom and dad, not having to look at any Slytherins while we eat, don't you want to find out about these projects Mom and Lupin are working on?"

Harry had to agree, he was curious, but he had another, even more interesting reason for making the evening free.He leaned over to whisper to Hermione, and she turned pink and began to giggle. Just as quickly though, she pointed to their transfiguration homework, and they began discussing the morning's lecture.

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The cottage Ivy and Chris were living in was interesting, to say the least, Harry thought.It was similar to the Burrow in that it looked as if it had been added onto at random, but had an interesting multicolored effect. The stone appearedto have been painted by some magical beings with very unique ideas. He knew Ivy was partial to blues and greens and the cottage reflected that, with the upper part seeming to be part of the sky and the lower areas the greens of grass and bushes. Even Hermione looked a bit startled, but shrugged and remarked that her mom had missed being able to enchant things, so her dad must be giving her free rein.

Some of the watercolor paintings from their home in London were there, but now the paintings were wizard art, and occasionally a person could be seen wandering through a landscape. In one painting, there was some food, and Harry watched, amused as it was eaten, and then replenished by a woman who walked into the painting. She looked out at him with an expressive look, as if to say " Will they ever stop eating?". There were fewer rooms than in the Granger's London house, but they were comfortable and uncluttered, with furniture that seemed to ask you to settle in. Ivy showed them some small rooms upstairs that she said would be enlarged anytime either of them decided they wanted a night away from the castle.

Chris proudly showed them what he'd been doing with the Kwikspell Course, and it sort of made Harry long for the simpler days when they were learning to levitate and transfigure small objects. Chris was making progress though, no doubt about that. He was able to bring the salt cellar down to rest right in his hand, from the other end of the table, and Ivy watched, with a half indulgent, half amused look as he changed the jam from strawberry to grape, and the gravy into chocolate sauce for their ice cream.

"I never know what I'll pick up anymore, " she told them." This morning I was planning to put a bit of honey on my toast, but your dad had already eaten, and was changing the honey bottle into dish soap, just as I reached for it. Could have made for a nasty surprise, if I hadn't turned to look."

Dinner was eaten without anyone winding up with a soapy mouth, or eating anything alive. After they'd started the washing up, and left the plates and cups clinking away cheerily in the sink, Chris told them he had work to do, but would join them shortly. It seemed the perfect moment, and sure enough, Hermione was quick to ask her mom what sort of things she and Professor Lupin were doing together.

"I can't show you a great deal, " she told them."It's not that I want to be mysterious, but some of these things, we just aren't very sure about. Now, this," she went on, pointing to a large egg unlike any Harry had seen, "..is supposed to be a runespoor egg. Has your class studied those yet?"

Harry shook his head but wasn't surprised to see Hermione wasn't as much in the dark as he was. "A three headed serpent , with three personalities," she said. "But Mom, aren't they very much an article you'd find in a dark wizard's market? How did you and Professor Lupin come by this one. It sounds like something Hagrid would have!"

"Hagrid knows nothing about this! And we want to keep it this way. Harry, we'd like you to be around a bit, when the egg hatches. With your ability to speak and understand parseltongue, this snake might be useful in ways that would benefit all of us. We might also be able to keep all of it's heads intact, if there is someone else who can speak to it." She pulled out a worn copy of Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them, and told Hary and Hermione it wouldn't hurt to read up on the snake. " I didn't come here planning to pull you into anything against the school rules, and truly this isn't. Still, it might be best not to mention that you've seen this egg to anyone except Ron, Danielle, Adrian and Ginny. Fred and George might not be able to resist coming down for extra looks and we can't risk having the egg broken or trying to hatch before the proper time." It was not until later that either of them realized Ivy had avoidd telling them anything about the origin of the egg.

Harry had some mixed feelings about this snake thing. There had only been three times in his life when his parseltongue speaking/understanding had come forth and none of those held very good memories. Still, he couldn't imagine Ivy, of all people, involving him in anything dangerous, or even unpleasant. Fortunately , her next words made him feel reassured that there hadn't been any real changes in Hermione's mom since they'd arrived at Hogwarts., except maybe to make her even better.

"We'll be starting some preliminary practices for the quidditch season this week," she told them, looking as excited as her words made Harry feel. " I know it's a bit earlier than you ordinarily begin, but Madame Hooch and I felt you'd all be eager to get back to it, after not playing last year. And the new captains have to be chosen, as well."

"I never thought to ask," wondered Harry, in a musing tone, "How are the team captains chosen? Wood was captain when I arrived and then last year, with the tournament, the subject never came up. We'll need tryouts too, for a few positions. Adrian is eager to see whether he can get on the team."

Hermione groaned and rolled her eyes. "Well, there go my mom and my best friend. You'll think of nothing else now. But Harry, we do have OWLs to think of, and we need study schedules. So nothing will be missed."

Harry felt like moaning very loudly at this himself but he felt Hermione's hand creep along his back and she lightly rubbed the spot right above the waist of his jeans, making ir necessary to try his hardest to supress a shiver of pleasure.. "Hadn't we better be getting back to the castle soon?" he said, and hoped his voice hadn't sounded as shaky as he felt. "Want to go see your dad before we leave? I'd like to hear a bit more about how he's doing with the Kwikspell Course. Dumbledore said it was a form of the course, didn't he? So it's not like the one Filch was using?"

"Oh, no, this is more and less specific at the same time," Ivy told them." With Dumbledore's help, the course Chris has is really made especially for him, it's not like the ones ordered by witches and wizards who are more concerned about shooting the proper colored stars from their wands, or not having their potions turn lumpy. Remember, Chris knew me before I left the wizarding world, so he's not a stranger to many of the spells and charms. And thanks to his medical training, he's already quite expert in many areas. He'd read a lot of our books, before Hermione was born, knowing she would not be without magical blood. Now, it's been more a case of attempting to bring out what might already be there, just well hidden."

"But it's coming out, isn't it? " Hermione asked eagerly, and Harry could see it meant a lot more to her than he'd previously thought. Maybe Malfoy's comments had hurt her more than she'd shown..

"It is coming out," came the voice of Hermione's dad behind them, making them all jump. "I might have allowed it to come out sooner, if I hadn't met your mother at one of the worst times in magical history," he told Hermione seriously. "At the time, I felt I was doing her a favour, removing both of you from a world of danger to one where she could become just another mother, juggling a career and caring for a family. You showed me you weren't "just" anything, didn't you Ivy? And when Hermione began Hogwarts, and was consistently at the top of her year, it was obviously time I found a place in your world. I just didn't expect to enjoy it so much!

After spending a little more time with Chris and Ivy, Harry and Hermione set out back to the castle. It had gotten much cooler and they walked with their arms around each other's waists for warmth as well as the pleasure of being close.

"There won't be many more nights to be out after dark this comfortably, Hermione. Want to sit by the lake for a little while? We did finish our homework already..."

She grinned at him and pulled a shiny bundle from her cloak. " I was afraid one of my parents would ask why I was wearing a cloak when the nigh;s so warmt, even my light one. This is the blanket we usually take to the park when we go to hear music, remember? I don't think Mom and Dad will miss it! " She spread the large blanket out and took off her cloak, sinking down on her knees, then leaning back to a position resting on her elbows.

Harry thought Hermione was getting prettier every day, but maybe it was just to him. Her skin looked so creamy in the moonlight, and her eyes had a mischievous and delighted twinkle. She patted the spot beside her invitingly, and he immediately came down beside her. The blanket was even softer than he remembered, and seemed a lot thicker. She noticed his slightly puzzled look and giggled. "Okay, so I put a slight Puffing Spell on it. why not, after all. We can use it longer now,especially if I can master that Enveloping Charm. It puts a sort of bubble around things."

"We could even combine it with my Invisibility Cloak, if you wanted to. Hey, we wouldn't even need to be out here if we did that. We could be alone anyplace."

"But the view, Harry, and the moonligh. Don't you..." Hermione's words were stopped by Harry finding it impossible to keep his lips from covering hers. He had hardly been able to keep his eyes off her that evening, her lips had a sweet and shiny look that had made him want to kiss her for hours. Was it something about having her parents in the same room, the same house? When they finally broke the kiss he could feel a trembling and wasn't sure which of them it was coming from. "It's both of us, you silly wizard. Kiss me again, that wasn't enough!"

A while later, when Harry was able to breathe fairly normally again, he murmured to Hermione, "Are we still going slowly? It's sorta feeling as if something made us speed up. Do you feel it?"

"I feel a lot, but I'm not sure I'd call it speeding up. If I had to run from anything right now... I don't know. Could you?" She sighed softly and pulled his head close, then shivered as he kissed the side of her neck. "I somehow think the vigilance is all gone, maybe in more ways than one."

Harry felt a shiver himself, but this one wasn't so pleasant. "Hermione, I hope you'll be safe. I hope we all are, but I can't let anything happen to you. It's great having your parents here, and think we'll be able to know even more about what's facing us. I'm just not sure I want to know." He pulled her closer than ever and they lay there silently, wondering what the year would bring, besides three headed snakes, strange American wizards and Malfoy trying to do who knew what.

"You should talk to Danielle, Hermione," said Harry in a serious voice. "You've known her longest. She doesn't know all of our history with Draco Malfoy, and she's had this sort of crush on Adrian for a while, until she met Ron. I just don't think she believes the things he's capable of."

"It's worse because she likes Ron, isn't it? Malfoy sort of fancies Dani, and having her so obviously happy with Ron is going to drive him to worse things than ever. With his father's full blessings I'm sure." She sighed again, this time not as happily, and continued, "I guess I'd better pull out the vigilance again."

"Not all kinds," Harry whispered, and began to kiss her again, determined not to lose any of this wonderful, warm evening, seeing the stars reflected in Hermione's eyes. Vigilance could just wait!