Hermione Granger and the Prisoner Of Azkaban (Completed)

Chapter 9 - Dementors In the Rain

Dedicated to Gunagya :)

Hermione decided not to tell anyone about her discovery. If anything, her revaluation had an entirely positive consequence in her mind. From what she had read, she had assumed that werewolves were soulless, evil, and deserved nothing but death but this had totally changed her view on them. It made her wonder, what other creatures in the magical world were unfairly discriminated against?

She made sure that whenever she passed Professor Lupin in the corridor she gave him a smile. However, this really did nothing except make him look confused

A few days on was the first Quidditch match of the season, Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff. They had been going up against Slytherin, but Malfoy had used his arm as an excuse to get his team out of it, as there was a storm brewing

Hermione came down to the Great Hall to find the air rife with excitement, as it always was just before a Quidditch match. Harry was sitting with the rest of the team. Oliver Wood wasn't eating anything
"It's going to be a tough one," he said, drumming the table with his hands
"Stop worrying, Oliver" said Alicia Spinnet, one of the chasers "we don't mind a bit of rain"

It was considerably more than a bit of rain. Raindrops the size of tennis balls were falling to the ground and by the time she and Ron had ran to the stadium her robes were covered in mud

Hermione and Ron found seats in the stadium just as the whole crowd burst into applause. She squinted and could just about see seven red and seven yellow figures walking towards each other. After a few seconds they mounted their brooms and rose into the sky

It was probably an exciting match, but Hermione couldn't tell. She couldn't hear Lee Jordan's commentary, and she could barely tell who was who

The wind died down long enough for Hermione to hear two things: Lee Jordan announcing Gryffindor's fifth goal, and the time out whistle. She watched the players fly down to the ground and huddle under two separate umbrellas
"Harry will never see the Snitch in this" Ron shouted over the gales "not through his glasses"
An idea suddenly struck Hermione. She told Ron where she was going before pushing past the crowds

Hermione spotted the Gryffindor's down one side of the pitch. She grinned and ran over to thrm
"I've got no chance with these on" Harry was saying, gesturing to his glasses
They all spotted Hermione and turned towards her. Once, this would've made her freeze and panic, but now she was fine
"I've had an idea, Harry!" she said quickly "Give me your glasses, quick!"

Harry passed her his glasses
"Impervius!" she said, tapping them with her wand
"There!" she said, giving them back "They'll repel water!"
She ran off, and she could just about hear Oliver Wood say
"Brilliant! Okay, team, let's go for it!"

There was about ten minutes more play when a murmur spread through the crowd. Hermione looked up to see Cedric Diggory, the Hufflepuff seeker, zipping along the pitch, with Harry hot on his tail. The whole crowd held their breath... Harry was gaining on Diggory...

Suddenly an icy cold filled Hermione's lungs. She looked down to see about fifty dementors gliding slowly towards Harry. He went rigid and, almost in slow motion, fell off his broom and towards the ground
"ARESTO MOMENTUM!" bellowed Professor Dumbledore and, just before he hit the ground, he slowed down

There was a loud cheer from the Hufflepuff supporters, who were apparently unaware of what was going on. Cedric had caught the Snitch. His look of triumph was only fleeting. He saw Harry lying on the ground and his expression turned to that of concern

Professor Dumbledore was striding onto the field. There was anger on his face that Hermione had never seen before. He raised his wand and shot the same silvery stuff that Professor Lupin had at the dementors. They immediately glided away
"NEVER DARKEN HOGWARTS GROUNDS AGAIN" he roared at them. He then conjured a stretcher and moved Harry onto it, taking Harry away without a second glance

***

Hermione and Ron ran down a corridor behind the Gryffindor team, heading towards the Hospital wing. Oliver wasn't with them. They hadn't seen him since the end of the match. As they passed the charms corridor they heard Cedric Diggory and Madam Hooch having the same argument that they had been having outside
"But, Professor, it wasn't fair. It wasn't Harry's fault he fell off his broom. He could've got the Snitch before me if-"
"No, Mr Diggory. You caught the Snitch, you won the game. Those are the rules. You can't call a rematch"

They all reached the Hospital wing and, despite Madam Pomfrey's disapproval, crowded round Harry's bed. To their immense surprise, there was barely a scratch on him
"Lucky the ground was so soft" said George
"I thought he was dead for sure" said Katie Bell
"But he didn't even break his glasses" said Angelina Johnson
"That was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life" said Alicia Spinnet

Harry woke up suddenly
"Harry!" said Fred "How're you feeling?"
"What happened?" he said, sitting bolt upright and making Hermione jump
"You fell off" said Fred "Must've been - what - fifty feet?"
"We thought you'd died" said Alicia. Hermione made an unintentional squeaking noise

"But the match," said Harry "What happened? Are we doing a replay?"
No one spoke. Harry's face fell
"We didn't - lose?"
"Diggory got the Snitch" said George "Just after you fell. He didn't realize what had happened. When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he tried to call it off. Wanted a rematch. But they won fair and square... even Wood admits it"
"Where is Wood?" asked Harry
"Still in the showers" said Fred "We think he's trying to drown himself"

Harry drew his knees up to his head and grabbed his hair
"C'mon, Harry, you've never missed the Snitch before" said Fred
"There had to be one time you didn't get it" said George
"It's not over yet" said Fred "We lost by a hundred points, Right? So if Hufflepuff loses to Ravenclaw and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin-"
"Hufflepuff'll have to lose by at least two hundred points" said George
"But if they beat Ravenclaw..."
"No Way, Ravenclaw is too good. But if Slytherin loses against Hufflepuff..."
"It all depends on the points - a margin of a hundred either way"

After ten minutes, Madam Pomfrey ordered the team out
"We'll come and see you later" Fred said "Don't beat yourself up, Harry, you're still the best Seeker we've ever had"
They left, so Hermione and Ron were the only people left
"Dumbledore was really angry" Hermione said shakily "I've never seen him like that before. He ran onto the field as you fell, waved his wand, and you sort of slowed down before you hit the ground. Then he whirled his wand at the dementors. Shot silver stuff at them. They left the stadium right away... He was furious they'd come onto the grounds. We heard him-"
"Then he magicked you onto a stretcher" said Ron "And walked up to school with you floating on it. Everyone thought you were-"

Ron's voice trailed away. Harry seemed to want to change the subject
"Did someone get my Nimbus?" he asked
Ron and Hermione glanced at each other. Professor Flitwick had given Hermione what was left of Harry's broomstick just before they reached the Hospital wing
"Er-" started Ron
"What?" said Harry suspiciously
"Well... when you fell off, it got blown away," said Hermione slowly
"And?"
"And it hit -- it hit - oh, Harry - it hit the Whomping Willow"

Harry went pale
"And?" he said nervously
"Well, you know the Whomping Willow" said Ron. "It - it doesn't like being hit"
"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before you came around" said Hermione quietly

She picked the bag off the floor and poured the contents onto the bed. Harry stared in horror at the jumble of twigs that, until about an hour ago, was his Nimbus 2000 broomstick

A huge thanks to jessabella1215
Thank you for the constructive criticism!