Watching Harry

Author's Notes:

I originally intended this story to be just a one-shot, but most of my reviewers were begging for a second chapter. OK, I'm going to give it a go, but if it ruins the whole story, I am not to blame!

Watching Harry Chapter 2: The Room Of Requierment

Oh ... my ... God.

Hermione was running. Running away from the Gryffindor Common Room. Running away from the smirk. Running away from him.

Oh ... my ... God.

He had noticed! In that brief moment when His eyes met hers, in that brief moment when the corners of his mouth (oh, what a mouth) had twitched up into a smirk, Hermione's heart had stopped.

He had disappeared up to the boy's dormitories, and she had known that there were not more than a few seconds for her to escape.

So she did - and now she was running. As she ran, she cursed herself. How could she have been so stupid? She had been sitting there, gazing, no - gawping - at him as he polished his broom. His broom ...

Hermione Granger, get those thoughts out of your head this instant!

Was he doing it deliberately? She was sure that he had spent longer polishing it than usual. Had he actually known what he was doing?

By now, she knew that he had known that she was watching him, that much was obvious. But what else? She had been watching him for a few weeks now, furtively glancing through the steam of her potions, watching over the top of her book at his face.

By now she had a stitch. She paused for breath - and suddenly realised that she was in a place that she couldn't remember. She was lost! A long time ago, she had learnt that it was never safe to say that you knew Hogwarts like the back of your hand. Even the teachers sometimes found themselves in places that they'd never been before.

Desperately, she paced up and down. She needed to hide - she imagined him and his smirk searching the castle, suddenly finding her, and -

'Oh!' Opposite her, a door had melted out of the door. Of course - the Room of Requirement! Hermione at last allowed herself a smile. Armed with the Room of Requirement, she could easily hide. She'd still have to come out for lessons and meals, but for now she was safe. She grinned and walked inside.

'Wow...'

*

Harry strode into his dormitory. Ron, Dean and Seamus were huddled over something in the corner. Hearing him enter, they quickly hid the object. Seeing it was Harry, they brought it out again.

'Hi Harry!'

'You da man!'

'Skills!'

Harry grinned and sat down beside them. 'Well, it's not like it was that hard or anything ... did you see her face?! She looked like she'd been shot!'

'What's shot?' Ron asked.

'Never mind,' Harry said quickly. 'Did you see everything?'

'Every last detail,' Seamus grinned. 'Look, we can even get a replay.' They revealed the object. It was the Weasleys' latest invention: Extendable Eyes. Almost identical to extendable ears, but you can see what's going on as well.

'How do you make it replay? I've ... uh ... forgotten ...' Seamus said apologetically.

'Here,' Ron said. He tugged what looked like a little stalk off the side of the string, and an image appeared out of thin air.

For a few moments, it was just Hermione doing her work. For a few more moments, it was Hermione doing her work. For a few minutes it was Hermione doing her work.

'Can't you wind forward?' Harry said.

'Here, tug that one ...'

'No! That deletes it! You pull that one!'

'But that starts it over again!'

'No, it doesn't! That one mutes it!'

'But that one mutes it!'

'Hey, look!' Harry pointed to the image suspended in midair. 'You don't need to, here I come.' A silence hushed over the four boys, and they gazed at the picture. The picture of Harry walked over to the chair opposite Hermione.

''Hi Hermione.' 'Hi Harry - where's Ron?' 'Still in the showers.''

'What? I was up here!' Ron said indignantly.

'Yes, I know, I know, hush, I'm trying to watch,' Harry muttered.

By now the picture of Harry had come back down the stairs and sat opposite Hermione.

'Here we go,' Seamus said in anticipation. 'It's one of those things that's better the second time round!'

'Ssshh!' the boys hushed him.

In the picture, Harry opened the box, took out the polish, and shut the box. He risked a quick glance at Hermione. She blushed and continued working.

'No! You shouldn't have done that, she was careful from then on!' Dean groaned.

'Oh, sure, like you can stay calmed with a girl's eyes glued onto you,' Harry scowled.

'Guys, quiet, cool it, the good bit's coming soon,' Ron the Pacifier said.

In the picture, Harry was now polishing his broomstick, and Hermione was clearly transfixed. The boys fell about laughing.

'Good one, Harry!'

'That was evil, that was!'

'Ooh, look, her mouth's open!'

'You sure know how to polish a broom!' The laughter stopped abruptly as they all turned to look at Ron. 'What?' Ron said, his facing matching the colour of his hair. He shrank down until the pillows on the bed engulfed him.

They turned back to watch the image. The picture of Harry had finished polishing, and put the polish away. Now he brought out the twig clippers, and clipped a couple of twigs from the end of the broom. He put it all away, picked up his broom and walked over to the dormitory stairs. Hermione's gaze followed him.

Just before he reached the edge of the picture, Harry turned and smirked. Hermione squeaked and ran out of the portrait hole.

The boys fell about laughing again.

'That was classic!'

'Did you see the look on her face?'

'She nearly had a heart attack!'

'Well, she'd been watching me for the past two months, it's time I got her back for it!' Harry grinned.

'Come on, let's go and find her!'

So, laughing their heads off, the boys went to find Hermione.

'Wait, I know how to find her,' Harry said. He ran over to his trunk and fished out the Marauder's Map.

'Good thinking, Harry,' Ron grinned.

'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!'

*

Hermione was very grateful that the Room of Requirement didn't show up on the Marauder's Map. She knew for sure that if Harry was searching for her, he would use it.

She stepped inside the Room of Requirement.

'Wow ...' Around her were shelves heaped high with books on disguises, maps of Hogwarts with all the secret passages mapped out, and an enormous wardrobe that Hermione guessed contained disguises. There was a dressing table, with an entire cupboard of make-up beside it.

There was even, should Harry somehow manage to find her in here, a huge cupboard of Quidditch Supplies to keep him busy while Hermione made a quick escape.

She grinned. The Four Founders certainly had knew what they where doing.

Sitting down on a squashy sofa, she noticed a box. It looked like the Weasleys' Owl Order parcels, and it seemed to have been left there just a moment ago.

She opened it, and inside were Extendable Ears, and Extendable Eyes. She smiled, and left them both trailing outside the door. She left the other ends on the dressing table.

She decided to explore the room. There was so much in here! She found a set of interesting books, just her type, and sat down to read. There was just one more question - how long should she stay here? Oh well, never mind, she could think of that later. For now, she sat reading, and occasionally popping a chocolate into her mouth (the Room of Requirement had even thought of that!).

*

Harry and his friends were beginning to get frustrated. The exiting thought of Hermione had melted away. Where on Earth could she be?

'What if the Marauder's Map has made a mistake?' Ron asked.

'The map never lies, you know that, Ron. Where could she be? Cloaking Charms are impossible in the school grounds, just like apparating, and she wouldn't have run into the Forbidden Forest.' Harry frowned as he tried to think.

'Well, you never know, maybe she did,' Dean said unhelpfully.

'Look - she just - I - well she didn't, I just know it,' Harry said fiercely. But the thought had already entered his head. What if she had? She wouldn't. She could. No, she couldn't.

Harry snapped his fingers. 'The Room of Requirement! That doesn't show up on the map!'

'You're right! She must be in there! Come on, let's go and see,' Seamus agreed.

They walked off with renewed vigour, and eventually arrived at the Seventh Floor.

Harry stopped his friends, and whispered, 'She may have put Extendables outside. I'll go and check.' They nodded, and watched as Harry carefully made his way down the corridor. He saw two skin coloured pieces of string. He nodded at the boys, and gestured at them to wait. He pointed his wand at them, and whispered, 'Incendio.' There was a hiss, and the ends burnt off. Harry quickly stepped on them to put out the flames.

'Ok, I'm going to try to go inside. When I do, just wait out here. I'll be back in a moment.' He walked up and down outside the place where he knew the door was. What would she have used to get inside?

I need to be alone ... I need to be alone ... I need to be alone. Nothing.

How about - I need to calm down ... I need to calm down ... I need to calm down. Still nothing.

Maybe - I have to get that image out of my head ... I have to get that image out of my head ... I have to get that image out of my head? Nothing. Harry grinned. She probably would have a whole pile of thoughts to get out of her head.

Got it! I need to rewrite the past ... I need to rewrite the past ... I need to rewrite the past. Still nothing.

'Rrgh! Nothing's happening!'

One last try. I need to hide from Harry ... I need to hide from Harry ... I need to hide from Harry. A door appeared in the wall.

'Finally! Ok, wait for me here, I won't be more than a minute.' They gave him the thumbs up, and settled down to wait.

Harry took a deep breath and opened the door.

Author's Notes:

That should keep you on your toes. Third chapter coming soon! Please review! But if you're going to waste your time telling me how much you hate it, don't bother. Constructive criticism, please! Or praise. I like praise. Thanks!

-- Dan