I Love You, Don't Touch Me!

I Love You, Don't Touch Me

Chapter 5

Herbology passed without incident, although Neville had somehow (accidentally) discovered that if you poured water, mixed with a few pieces of crushed bloodroot, onto a Fireweed plant it would burn different colors. Professor Sprout was so pleased with him that she gave him fifteen house points.

Neville beamed with pride, still blushing a little because his 'discovery' had owed to his tripping over his stool and knocking over a grouping of small vials. Two of them had crashed into each other, breaking, and a small sprinkling of powder had fallen into the watering can. Then, when the students had been given instructions to water their plants, which, contrary to popular belief, do need water to grow, Neville's plant had flared up three feet and burned a brilliant purple and blue before settling back to its normal eight inches of gold and bronze brightness. Neville had been so startled that he fell backwards over his chair and landed in a heap on the floor. By the time their professor had noticed Neville's plant, however, he had managed to pick himself up and was staring at it in awe.

Seamus, who had been Neville's partner, gave him a wary look, (his face was streaked with soot from the ashes of the plant) then grinned at him.

"Good on you, mate! We've got a start on points already!"

Ron elbowed Harry. "He's nearly made up all the points that Snape lost us last period!"

Harry nodded to acknowledge his friend's relieved whisper, but other than that, he was busy making notes on the properties of the Fireweed and reactions that it would have to other materials. Hermione was nodding at him encouragingly.

"Don't forget to make a point about the bloodroot, Harry," she commented, before turning back to her own neatly written notes.

Ron shook his head. This wasn't his department. He would much rather be out on the Quidditch pitch. He was Keeper again that year and just itching to get out and begin to practice again. He had played a lot in the summer with his brothers and Ginny, but it just wasn't the same when they didn't have anyone else to play against.

***********

Later on, as the three friends walked out of the Greenhouses and made their way across the grounds to Hargid's hut, Ron said to Harry, "So, do you know when Quidditch practices start up again? Fred and George have helped Ginny and I train over the holidays, but it really isn't the same. I'm dying to have another go at the Slytherins. And you, I'm sure, wouldn't mid another go with Ravenclaw, isn't that right Harry? Show a certain Asian witch what's what?"

Harry stopped and turned to Ron with a look of what might be called embarrassment or maybe a slight bit of shock.

"Ron! I'm as game as you are to take those Slytherin gits down a peg or two, but I have no idea what you're talking about with Ravenclaw!"

Ron grinned, "Sure you don't, mate. What about Miss Chang, eh? I know you two had a bit of a falling out in fifth year, but you still fancy her a bit... come on... admit it!"

Harry flushed to the roots of his hair.

"Cho and I were never together, so we couldn't have had any sort of 'falling out', as you so kindly put it. She was still in love with Cedric and I may have fancied her a bit, but she made it perfectly clear that I was only convenient. I was only her 'connection' back to something that she had lost. She couldn't stop blubbering over Cedric the entire time, regardless of how she knew I must have felt about what had happened to him! For Merlin's sake, Ron! I was there when it happened! I'm over her now, I was probably over her before I even realized it back in fifth year, so just let it drop, okay?"

Ron stared at Harry. He was floored. It was now that he realized Harry's red face wasn't from embarrassment, but rather from anger.

"Sorry, Harry. I didn't know you'd still be so sore about it!" Ron said irritably, then turned and stalked on ahead.

Hermione was standing off to the side, in the cool shadows of a pine tree, and had observed the whole thing. She was as surprised as Ron had been at Harry's outburst, but took a deep breath and walked back over to where Harry was standing, with his back to the group gathering at the half-giant's house.

"Um, Harry?" she questioned softly, raising her hand to touch his arm.

"What?" Harry snapped loudly, spinning around to face her. Hermione jumped back with a start. When he discovered that it wasn't Ron, but Hermione that had come to speak with him, Harry flushed slightly and cleared his throat. "Hermione? Er, sorry. I didn't know it was you."

"Are you all right, Harry? I, um, heard what you said to Ron... Actually, I'm not sure if the whole class didn't hear it..."

After saying this she glanced back to the group of students, who were now getting together in a close group, as Hagrid opened the door of his hut and exited with Fang. He tied his boarhound to a post, then walked over to the group of Ravenclaws and Gryffindors.

Hermione noticed that Luna was standing beside Ron and talking animatedly to him about something. Ron was nodding occasionally, and actually seemed to be interested in the conversation. This caused Harry to smile a little; apparently radishes weren't that scary after all.

"I... uh... I don't know what came over me, Herms," Harry said awkwardly, with his familiar use of her nickname, the one that Ron had come up with in their third year. And, in truth, he really didn't.

Harry had thought that he was over Cho, and he was, but when Ron had begun to needle him teasingly, Harry had immediately wanted to make it perfectly clear that he no longer held any interest in the pretty Ravenclaw other than their friendly, yet competitive, Quidditch matches. He was still a bit bitter at the way his first crush had ended up, although he would never admit that to anyone else in so many words, and that was part of the reason that he had lashed out when Ron had informed Harry that he thought he still had feelings for her. Hermione, on the other hand, noticed emotions raging in his eyes, and felt vaguely uncomfortable about the intense way he was looking at her.

"I think class is starting, Harry..." Hermione said awkwardly and indeed it was, as Hagrid noticed them standing on the path still and called to them.

"'Arry! 'Ermione! Are the two of yeh joining us this morning?"

"Coming, Hagrid!" Hermione called back to him, and she grabbed Harry's arm to drag him up the path."I won't pretend to understand what's got you all riled up about Cho today, Harry, but Ron didn't deserve to have you explode at him like that," she chided him.

Harry glanced down at the top of her honey brown head as he allowed her to pull him towards the class. She was several inches shorter than him, but made up for what she lacked in height in spirit. He couldn't help it, he grinned, even though she couldn't see it.

"I'll go and apologize," he said with a sigh.

"Good," Hermione replied, smiling up at him and releasing him when they got up to the edge of the low stone wall that surrounded the plot marked off for Care of Magical Creatures.

******

Harry made good on his word the next time he got a moment alone with his red-haired friend. He would have spoken with Ron right away, but Ron was obviously quite annoyed with him and wouldn't speak to him for the first half of class. In fact, Ron had gone as far as to pair up with Luna and Neville to avoid Harry's company. Because they were late getting to class, most students had already formed into groups of three, and Harry was mortified to find himself left with Hermione and Lavender Brown.

He sighed, rolling his eyes heavenward as if to ask the fates what sort of sick joke they were playing on him, and he made his way over to the grouping of boxes which housed several small, snake-like creatures. They were about three feet long, had aqua-colored scales, and deceptively cute large black eyes. When the lids on their boxes were lifted off, they flicked out little white, forked tongues and hissed.

"Oh... I'm not touching that!" Lavender squealed, jumping back and dropping the box which she had just opened. The snake inside gave an angry hiss as it was dumped on the ground and made a beeline for Lanvender's ankle. Lavender, however, jumped behind Hermione, inadvertently leaving the other girl in front of her, and the snake wound itself around Hermione's shin instead.

"Harry!" Hermione cried, obviously distraught. Harry came out of his silent plea with the fates and turned to look at her. "Harry...get it off! Now!" She was becoming slightly hysterical. The snake blinked up at Harry with its beetle black eyes and gave a cute little hiss. Then it began to make its way higher up Hermione's leg. She let out a little shriek.

"Look, I normally have nothing against snakes but--" Hermione began rationally, but she cut herself off, and let out at another distressed cry, only moments later. She stood stock still. Harry arrived in front of her now and found that the snake was almost up to her knee, coiled around Hermione's leg, and attempting to climb higher.

"Er... Harry, it would be best to get it off. These little critters have a somewhat poisonous bite..." Hagrid cut in, coming over to see what all the fuss was about.

"Hippogriffs, Blast-ended Screwts... now poisonous snakes? I knew I should have opted to take advanced Potions instead!" Ron muttered rather bitterly, as he, Luna, and Neville joined the growing crowd around Hermione. Although Ron was more worried for his friend than about the actual handling of the snakes, he knew that Hagrid meant well. Perhaps he just hadn't had gotten around to telling them how to work with the slimy little beasts yet.

Lavender had fallen to her knees off to the side now, Hermione was holding as still as possible, trying not to upset the snake, and Harry was staring at Hagrid as if he were crazy. However, he didn't say anything to his oldest Hogwarts friend yet; instead he stared down at the snake, and when he opened his mouth, what came out wasn't anything anyone human could understand.

The rest of the class looked on in wonderment, Harry and the snake's conversation sounding strange to their ears.

"Leave her alone," Harry said with a dead calm voice, giving the snake an intense look. The snake stopped moving and stared back at him. It opened its mouth and gave a series of short hisses back at him.

"You speak my tongue, boy?"

"I do," Harry replied, his gaze unwavering, "You have no business with my friend. Let go of her."

"What if I refuse?" the snake hissed back, its beady little eyes glinting in the sun. It began to slither higher.

"Then I'll make short work of you with my wand," Harry hissed back at it, slowly drawing the long stick of dark colored wood out of his robes pocket and pointing it.

Hermione tensed as the snake tightened around her leg, it was now edging up to her thigh, only a few inches below the hem of her short skirt. Her breaths came in short gasps as she forced herself to stay calm.

"Oh Merlin..." she murmured. Harry glanced up at her, and then focused his attention back on the reptile crawling up her leg.

The snake gave Harry a look that clearly showed it doubted the boy was capable of stopping it, then lifted its head.

Harry saw immediately that the snake was poised to strike.

"Stupefy!" he yelled loudly, and a jet of red light burst from the end of his wand. It hit the snake with a zap reminiscent of lightning striking an old tree, and, with half a hiss through its teeth, the snake's head dropped back, limp. Hermione screamed.

Harry jumped at the sound, but Hagrid was already in control.

"Don' worry, don' worry, it's stunned now, 'Ermione. Er, 'Arry, if you would just put it in its box and give it to me...?"

Harry, who had been grinning at the cheers most of the class had raised over this last act, glanced over at the half-giant. "Take it off?" he questioned, his smile vanishing as he looked rather meaningfully at the limp snake's position on Hermione's leg.

"Please, Harry!" Hermione begged, and Harry looked into her eyes, surprised to see that they were rimmed with tears. She was a wreck, trembling from head to foot.

Slowly Harry moved forward and knelt down in front of her. Hermione lifted her skirt up a few inches so that the whole snake was visible. She wasn't showing anything she shouldn't show in polite company, but that wasn't to say that Harry wasn't becoming increasingly uncomfortable about how much of her was on display.

Slowly he forced his hands to move up her leg to begin untangling the scaly body which was wrapped around it. Slowly... slowly... Hermione wasn't moving, she was suddenly as still as she had been when the snake was still conscious. Harry was uncomfortably aware of just where his hands were. He forced his eyes to remain on the bluish-green reptile and *not* to stray anywhere else. Why, oh why, did everything that involved Hermione lately have to do with her legs?

Finally he had it uncoiled, and placed back in its box. Then he gave the box back to Hagrid, who put it in a corner of the stone 'pen', with a sturdy rock on top of the lid.

Hermione gave Harry a trembling look, her knees were knocking together, and if Harry hadn't moved closer to her at just that moment, she would have collapsed onto the ground.

She clutched at the front of Harry's robes with both hands, her whole body shaking. Harry awkwardly put his arms around her and held her, patting her back.

"Er... it's all right. Hagrid took it away... I... er... thought that you didn't have a problem with snakes?" he asked, with all the tact that teenage boys have.

Hermione pulled back and glared at him.

"My Uncle got bitten by a snake in Arizona during a trip to America one summer. It nearly killed him. I don't have a problem with snakes as long as they aren't crawling up my legs and trying to do the same thing to me! And I seem to recall a certain dark-haired wizard who wasn't too fond of being chased by a large snake either, a few years ago!" she added.

Harry glared a little himself. "That's different. This was just a little garden snake. We have them in Muggle London, for Merlin's sake. And the snake that chased me," he said emphatically, "was a Basilisk! It's completely different!"

"If it had bitten you, you would have died! And anyway, this one was poisonous, Harry! Even if I did like snakes I don't imagine that a slow painful death would be all that welcoming!" Hermione shouted back, pulling out of his arms completely and giving him an indignant stare at his blatant understatement.

"If that thing had bitten me, I wouldn't have had a chance to realize I was dead-- I wouldn't have had a head! And, for your information, I know exactly what it feels like to have poison flowing through my veins, Hermione, because you know what, it did bite me! And it hurt like hell!"

"Then maybe you will understand a little of her distress in this situation?" a new voice interjected. It was Luna. She wore her normal dreamy look, but her eyes were startlingly intense; she looked annoyed. Ron was standing just behind her, looking like he had something of his own to say, too.

Harry jerked his head to look at her, startled, and suddenly realized that they were still in the middle of class, a class full of students, in fact, who had been listening to their quarrel avidly. He flushed bright red.

"Sorry, Hermione," he mumbled, "you're right. I'm being a prat."

"That's all right, Harry," came her soft reply, and Harry raised his head to look at her. She gave him a little smile.

"Forgive me?" he asked quietly, returning her a small smile with one of his own.

"You did rescue me after all; I suppose that a little leniency is in order," Hermione said, and her face dissolved into a full smile.

"Er... do yeh mind if we get back to the lesson? I know that this was a bit traumatic for 'Ermione here, you can just watch if yeh like, but I really should teach yeh lot something," Hagrid interrupted them. "Professor Dumbledore hired me for a reason."

Both Gryffindor's flushed again. "Um, yes, let's get back to class. Hagrid, if you wouldn't mind telling us how to control those slimy little... um... creatures, then I wouldn't mind working with them again," Hermione announced bravely. Harry just shook his head.

"Er, Ron?" Harry called, as the rest of the class began to make their way back to their boxes, several of them nervously taking their wands out of their robes as they drew nearer. He stopped and turned to face his raven-haired friend.

"That was right fancy bit of work you did there, Harry," Ron commented, before Harry could say anything. Harry grinned in spite of himself.

"Thanks. I really wasn't as calm as I looked, though. If I had waited a second too long before casting that spell..." He trailed off.

"Hermione would never forgive you." Ron grinned back. "Don't worry about your little spat back there, girls are prone to things like that."

"I was being a prat," Harry repeated, frowning.

"Yeah, you were," Ron agreed seriously. "What was up with that?"

"I don't know," Harry admitted. "Lately everything Hermione says sets me off. Not that I seem to have better luck when I speak to her."

Ron gave him a long look before answering. "I wouldn't worry about it, mate. These things tend to take care of themselves with time."

"But what I don't understand is why Hermione was so worked up over that little snake. I mean, it wasn't anything really bad, was it?" Harry asked.

"Those were Elaphe niger oculus, Harry. They're among the more dangerous types of snakes in the wizarding world; don't let their small size distract you. Some sort of distant cousin of the Pythons you have in the Muggle world," Ron informed him instantly.

Harry blinked at him. "And how do you know that? I find it hard to believe that you spend your free time in the library looking up dangerous creatures and their worldly relations."

"Luna told me when the two of you were having that contest of seeing who could burst whose eardrums first," Ron replied.

Harry nodded, feeling a slight flush creep up his cheeks at that reminder, then paused for a moment. Clearing his throat, he looked Ron in the eye.

"Look, I'm sorry about snapping at you before. I--"

Ron cut him off. "Water under the bridge, Harry, I shouldn't have brought it up."

Harry grinned. "So are we okay now?"

"Right as rain." He paused, looking suddenly embarrassed at what he had just said. "Er... my mum always says that." His ears flushed a light pink and Harry laughed.

"Shall we get back to the terrors of the Amazon then?" Harry asked.

Ron sighed. He knew that getting out of the snake session was too good to be true. He allowed himself a little shiver, then turned and followed his Harry back across the clearing to the rest of their classmates.