Chapter 3: Revenge
Harry’s mouth dropped into a perfect ‘o’.
“You’re joking.”
Hermione regrettably shook her head.
“I don’t know what’s got into me. I just randomly started daydreaming about him.”
Harry stared at her for a full minute before saying, “Come on. Let’s go to our common room. We can’t let anyone hear this, or you’re done for.” Back in their common room, they sat down on the comfy couches. “What were you thinking about him?”
“I was thinking that he was handsome, and his hair was better looking and argh... what am I going to do Harry?”
“Don’t worry; I think it’s just the stress from your books.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
Neither of them had a chance to say anything again when they heard a tapping on the window. Harry walked over and opened the window, letting the owl fly into the room. The tawny owl dropped a letter, and package in front of Hermione. She curiously and opened it. When she finished reading, she gave a loud squeal of obvious delight. She lifted her head up from the parchment, face glowing with pride.
“What does it say? I haven’t seen you like that for ages!”
Hermione handed Harry the parchment, and he it was a letter from the publishers:
Dear Miss Hermione Granger,
We are pleased to say that your book ‘The Truths of Harry Potter’ has been published. We have already made 100 books. The first 100 books have been sent to Flourish and Blotts. Depending on the income of the book, we will decide whether to publish anymore. Great to associate with you, and once again congratulations!
Joshua Spicer
“Congratulations!” he exclaimed when he finished reading.
“Thanks!”
She ripped open the parcel, and a gold and silver emblazoned book fell onto the table. Before she could take in the information, a second tawny landed in front of her with today’s Evening Prophet.
“Can I see this?” Harry asked. It was like his daily routine. Having that he received nothing everyday, he asked Hermione for her Daily Prophets and Evening Prophets. Hermione nodded while scanning through her book.
“Hey, look at this!”
Hermione’s name was on the front page headline. Hermione took one glance at it, and snatched it from Harry’s grip. She read out the article out loud.
“Hermione Granger, Trying to Shine.
Hermione Granger, known throughout the seventh years in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as the best student of the year. However, her modesty has deceived her, and she can’t stand a bit of showing off. She has always been best friends with the famous Harry Potter, but knowing that he is famous throughout the whole of the wizarding world, she would want some fame. Who wouldn’t?”
Hermione looked up from the paper, she seemed close to tears, but she continued anyway.
“Hermione Granger published a book- The Truths of Harry Potter. This book contains many hints that she was the heroic one, and not Harry Potter.”
Hermione’s voice cracked, she stopped, and burst into tears. Harry pulled her into a hug, and she sobbed into his shoulder. He looked at the newspaper again, and saw at the bottom of the page, it said Rita Skeeter.
“It’s that Skeeter woman again,” he said angrily.
Hermione lifted up her head up, her face was red and swollen from crying. Harry couldn’t help but notice, that she was very pretty.
“I’m going to let her see. It’s my revenge; she’s going to wish she never wrote those horrible things.”
(*)
Early next morning, Hermione and Harry both woke up at the crack of dawn. Meeting in their common room, they made their way towards the owlery. Harry was holding a piece of parchment with a letter to the Department of Magical News. Hermione was holding a photo of a beetle- Rita Skeeter’s animagus form.
“Here, let me see the letter again,” Hermione said anxiously.
She helped Harry write the letter, but had checked it through at least forty times. She read the letter through, twice before handing it back to Harry. Her brow was furrowed into a perfect ‘v’.
“I think it should be fine.”
“It is fine, and I think I’ll seal it now; or you’ll never let me seal it,” he said logically. “It’s fit for sealing!” he added hastily as she gave him a look.
Finally reaching the owlery, they went around trying to find Hedwig. They found Hedwig resting under her wings, between to school barn owls. Attaching the letter with the photo, to Hedwig’s leg, Harry sent her off.
“Do you think it’ll alright?”
“Hermione,” Harry moaned, “I thought you were only like this after exams. Or haven’t I known you long enough to know that you do this when you’re nervous?”
Before Hermione had a chance to answer, the bell went.
“Merlin’s beard! We’re late!” Hermione gasped.
Tearing down the stairs and into their common room, they grabbed their bags. Hermione dashed down the portrait hall with Harry bringing up the rear. Going up the stairs three at a time, they finally managed to get to the Transfiguration classroom.
“Ah, Potter, Miss Granger. You two are late,” Professor McGonagall said in a stern voice.
“Sorry professor, we were just sending letter, and lost track of the time.”
“Well I hope that you will be able to keep track of the time next time, or I will have to take points off. It would be a good idea if you took your seats.”
“Thank you professor.”
Ignoring some sniggering students, Hermione and Harry seated themselves near the back.
“Now, as I was saying, you would need at least four NEWTS, to be able to graduate from Hogwarts. Anyone who fails will need to read another year of NEWTS. I expect everyone of you to pass NEWTS, and I would be most ashamed if no one can receive exceed expectations in Transfiguration……”
Once again, Hermione found her mind wandering. No matter how hard she shook her head, Draco’s face stayed in her mind.
“Harry, it happened again. I was day dreaming about Draco again.”
“You know, you’re the one who need occlumency lessons.”
“It’s not a joke,” Hermione snapped.
Harry rounded to Hermione.
“You and I both know that you’re worried about the letter, and if Blackstrip will believe us, but we need to keep calm, and you’re not helping yourself by thinking about that letter.”
“I guess you’re right. Come on, we’ve got homework to do.”
Pulling the groaning Harry, Hermione made her way towards their common room.
(*)
At breakfast the next day, a tawny landed in front of Hermione with the morning’s Daily Prophet. Disregarding her letters from her parents, Hermione unscrolled the Daily Prophet and disappeared behind it. Suddenly her head poked out from the top of the newspaper, face glowing. She handed the paper to Harry, and he eagerly read the front page.
RITA SKEETER- UNREGISTERED ANIMAGUS
Rita Skeeter, best news reporter for the Daily Prophet, has been revealed that she is an unregistered animagus. “I was ever so astounded to hear that she is an animagus,” says Hepter Blackstrip, head of Department of Wizarding News.
It was all Harry needed to read. He looked up to Hermione’s glowing face. She had tears welling in her eyes.
“Hermione, do you cry for everything?”
“We did it Harry. We did it!” she was jumping up and down in glee.
She gave Harry a big hug, before skipping of to Arithmancy. She arrived just in time, and made for the front seat. She was happy and gleeful throughout the whole lesson, and found that she didn’t daydream the slightest.
(*)
“You know Harry, Ron, I think today is the best day of my life.”
“Why?” Ron who had come up to Hermione and Harry, had apologized to Hermione, was forgiven by Hermione immediately.
“I first got my revenge, then I got my named cleared by you, and I didn’t daydream about Draco at all!”
“What! You daydreamed about Malfoy!?”
“Well if you didn’t say those hurtful words, and was with Harry and I, you would know the full story, but since you said those words, you might as well know that I daydreamed about Malfoy, but got over it.”
“Oh,” Ron grumpily said.
“I’ll tell you later,” Harry whispered in his ear.
Looking marginally more cheerful, Ron followed Harry and Hermione towards the dungeons.
(*)
Draco was sitting on the comfy couch in the Slytherin common room as Blaise Zabini walked in.
“What have you been doing these days? I haven’t seen for ages,” he asked.
“I’ve been with Matilda Nottingway.”
“Who?”
“She’s a Hufflepuff.”
“You’ve been going out with a Hufflepuff?” asked Draco, astounded.
“Just for a dare. I dumped her just then, bet you won’t do that. You’re too scared of other Slytherins making fun of you and losing your stance.”
Draco stood up from the couch and faced Zabini, he had a couple more inches on him.
“Oh really? Want a bet?”