Potions and Snitches
Snape and Harry Gen Fanfiction Archive

Author's Chapter Notes:
If you have an issue with Harry and Hermione, please see the authors note at the end (there's no spoilers for this chapter in it if you want to read the A/N first). Thank you.
Undone
Hogwarts felt smaller to Harry since his return from Gemini. It was like returning home to a place you knew and loved (and he loved the castle dearly), but knowing that there was a great big wide world out there that was just asking to be explored. Before visiting the other schools, he'd had no idea about the different cultures and how differently other people his age could be living. Hermione said the word for the way he felt was 'cultured', and said she felt the same way. Harry didn't tell her that going to Gemini had almost made Hogwarts feel less magical. For years it had been this big, wide open castle full of secrets to discover. Now that he'd fought Voldemort here, fought evil defense teachers, faced down werewolves and dragons, and won tournaments, it didn't seem as mysterious. He knew every secret passageway and every trick step. Hogwarts was familiar and welcoming. Safe. He loved being back, but at the same time he wished to leave again and see other new places. Perhaps someday he'd get to visit Kahr or travel to other magical schools around the world.

In the last week, rumors had spread like wildfire about he and Hermione, ever since the first time they'd held hands a few days after Harry had spoken to Ron about the situation. Everyone knew they were dating, (really it had only taken the space of one class period), and stared at them as they walked down the halls. Some people smiled, a lot of girls giggled, and a few glared, perhaps thinking that Hermione had stolen Harry right out from under their noses.

"Everyone's looking at us," Hermione said one afternoon as they walked down the corridor holding hands.

"That's normal for me," Harry said. "Think you can get used to it?"

"Of course," she smiled at him.

"Actually," he hedged, "the real reason they're staring, is because you're so pretty, and they're not sure how I got so lucky to be holding your hand."

"Harry!" she blushed and lightly slapped him on the shoulder.

"Ow," he feigned being hurt. "You've mortally wounded me."

Ever since they'd toured the other schools, he was looking at Hogwarts and the relationships people had in Hogwarts differently. If he and Hermione were at Durmstrang, Harry would have had to ask for a teacher's permission to date her first, and if they had been at Beauxbatons, they would be allowed in each other's private dorm rooms. He blushed at the thought, and Hermione asked, "What are you turning red for?"

"Nothing," he said with a smile as they headed to the library. They were skipping lunch because Hermione wanted to look something up.

As she browsed the bookshelves a few minutes later, Harry said, "I can't get over this feeling that things are different."

"Maybe you're different," she said, still browsing the shelves and not turning to look at him. "The school isn't really smaller. It's just our perception of it that's changed."

Harry set his bookbag on the floor and sat at the table that was there. He almost wished things hadn't changed. He had looked forward to going back to Hogwarts every summer, including this last one. Would he look forward to coming back next summer?

"We got to learn things no one else here will get a chance to," Hermione said casually, pulling one book off the shelf and continuing to browse. "Who else here knows Root? You could use it in a duel and no one would know except the others that went to Gemini." Harry nodded in agreement, feeling like all kinds of possibilities were open to him, especially now that Hermione was by his side. Maybe change wasn't all bad.

"You're blushing again," Hermione said with a small smile as she found the book she was looking for.

"Sorry."

"It's given me some ideas for things I might like to do when I graduate. I'm very interested in Magical Law. I've been reading more about it in the last two weeks since we've been back. What do you think you'd like to do after you graduate?"

"I don't have any career plans..." Harry started. He'd never thought about it too much because he'd always assumed he'd be dead before graduating or shortly thereafter. His career was to put an end to Voldemort and Voldemort's was to try to kill him in return. He didn't say that though. It was too dark a thought to share with Hermione when they were both having a pleasant conversation. "I mean, I always thought about being an auror," he finished, and then added, "but I think I'd like to go to Mongolia first and study more there. Maybe I can get Gan to tutor me more in Root." Thinking about Gan made Harry remember meditation. He hadn't really meditated since he'd been back, and he missed it. Maybe he would start again. He wondered then if he had taken the time to meditate on the Hermione and Ron issue, if it would have given him some insight into it.

"That sounds interesting. Their magical laws are very different there. All children are allowed to use magic from the time they're born."

"Yeah, Kushi told me that one time. It's similar in Sweden."

"Is it?"

"They can start using magic as soon as they can get a wand to work, but only in their home or school."

Hermione sat down to read the books she'd pulled off the shelves and Harry closed his eyes, sitting across from her. He wanted to meditate and think about things, though he'd never meditated at a table before. It was a few minutes before Hermione realized he was quiet and looked up at him.

"Are you sleeping?"

"No," Harry said, eyes closed.

When he didn't say anything else, Hermione reached forward and took his hand, and he opened one eye to look at her. "You're making it hard to meditate," he said with a smile. She smiled in return and let go of his hand, but his hand shot out with the reflexes only a Seeker could have and took her hand again, startling her.

"You said I was distracting you."

"I'll get over it," he said. He closed his eyes again with a grin and his meditation turned from how small the castle felt to how warm Hermione's hand felt, and how nice it was to have someone with him all the time. He wasn't used to a lot of physical contact unless it was geting pummeled on the Quidditch field or by uncle Vernon and Dudley, so this was nice. It was different and new to Harry and he liked it. He liked being able to hold her hand in Charms under the table and sit shoulder to shoulder at meals or in the common room.

"You're turning red again," she commented, and he tried to ignore the heat in his cheeks as he tried to think about other things.

* * *

Harry missed Ron. They still had classes together, and slept in the same dorm, but Ron wasn't really talking to either of them. He'd borrowed a quill from Harry the other day, and asked Hermione for her notes from Transfiguration last night, but that was about all the conversation they'd gotten from him. Every time Harry turned around to tell his best friend something, and he wasn't there, Harry felt bad again about dating Hermione. Hermione it seemed was feeling bad as well, but Harry didn't like to see her like that. Instead he tried to get her attention whenever she looked down by asking her questions about herself, saying silly things, or dragging her away from studying to go for a walk around the castle or grounds.

They weren't completely alone though. Ginny was keeping her distance and seemed reserved, but Ernie had asked to study with them several times in the library, and Draco had been coming around as well, even if his friends from Slytherin seemed chargrined by the new friendship. Harry often found Draco waiting for him outside Snape's office after he was done fulfilling his hours of work, and they would walk up through the castle to find Hermione to start a study session. Other times Draco would just show up and he and Harry would play gobstones (he wasn't very fond of Chess), or a variety of wizarding card games Draco knew while Hermione studied.

"Have you kept in touch with any of the students from Gemini?" Hermione asked him one Saturday afternoon as they sat in the mostly empty Great Hall at a table. Draco was showing her how to play a card game for a change while Harry tried to study for an upcoming Potions test. He'd been putting his studying off to spend time with his friends and was now having to cram the information into his head in the hopes he would remember it all on Monday morning.

"Isn't that what I'm doing now?" Draco asked.

She gave him a look. "You­ know what I mean."

"I've been writing back and forth with a few of the boys from Durmstrang and a girl from Beauxbatons."

"Kushi wrote to me the other day," Harry said, not looking up from his work as he copied down notes.

"What did he have to say?" Hermione asked curiously. Harry knew she'd been in contact with Lyn.

"Lyn beat him in a duel and his parents were upset."

"I'm not sure whether to be happy for her or not," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Kushi thought it was a good thing," Harry commented, before checking out of the conversation again.

"What about you?" Draco asked Hermione.

"At first I was writing back and forth with fifteen people, but most of them have stopped writing now that school has started again. I hear from Lyn from Kahr once every couple of weeks, and a couple of girls from Durmstrang. Harry's been writing back and forth with Axle and Kushi."

"Is he still talking about kyssar?" Draco said. He sneered but it didn't seem unfriendly to Harry in that moment as he looked up and saw the expression. Once Harry would have thought everything Draco did was unfriendly, but he had gotten to know his expressions, moods, and likes and dislikes over the summer. Now he knew that Draco had different sneers for different feelings he wanted to express.

"Yes," Harry said as Hermione giggled.

"He asked Harry if we were kissing," Hermione told Draco, and he shook his head in disgust, not even looking across the table at Harry.

"I don't want to know."

Hermione giggled again and Harry smiled even though he didn't look up from his paper. Draco had come to find them yesterday in the library and walked around the corner to catch them having their very first kiss. He'd gagged and walked away without a word, and while Harry was busy turning beet red, Hermione was laughing herself silly.

* * *

Harry had not failed the Potions test (or so he hoped). He had a free period after Potions and had decided to de-stress by trying to meditate. Ron had also gone back to the common room, but hadn't followed Harry up to the dorms immediately.

As Harry rolled things around in his head, trying to remember the answer to a Potions question he had forgotten in the middle of the test, and wondering how the missed question would affect his grade, Ron came into the dormitory unnoticed. Harry thought he must have been very deep in thought because he hadn't heard Ron come in despite that he had gotten pretty good at meditiating while keeping himself in the here and now. Ron cleared his throat and Harry startled, opening his eyes and looking up.

"What are you doing?" Ron asked, voice subdued as it had been for the last few weeks.

"Meditating," Harry said. He'd told Ron he'd learned how at Gemini, but hadn't said much more than that about it.

"Why?"

"It helps me think."

Ron gave him an uncertain look as he crossed the room to his bed. "What good is that?"

"Thinking, or meditating?"

"Meditating."

"Gan said it teaches you to look inward, so you can learn to view the world outward of yourself. They were teaching it at the school because it helps you learn Occlumency though, and Root. If you have your mind in order you can channel your power more effectively."

"And does it work?"

"It helped me duel," Harry said, remembering the duel he'd had with Kushi.

"Does Hermione meditate?"

"No, she didn't take a lot of the classes I did so she had no need for it."

"Hm."

Harry closed his eyes again, wondering if this conversation meant that Ron was talking to him again, and was surprised a few moments later as there was a shuffling movement in front of him. He opened his eyes and found Ron there in front of him sitting crosslegged with his eyes closed.

"What are you doing?"

"This seems to be the only time I'll get to spend with my best friend this year. I might as well try it. I've got nothing to lose anymore."

"What do you mean?"

Ron opened his eyes and gave him a hard look, though Harry found it tinged with uncertainty. "You've replaced me with Draco."

Harry was quiet as he looked into his friends eyes. He thought Ron would have liked to have said, 'and Hermione's replaced me with you.' He didn't know what to say to him to make him feel better, but Snape's words came to the front of his mind, about treating his friends the way he'd want to be treated. Finally Harry said, "I couldn't replace you. You're my first and best friend. We've been trying to give you the space you asked for and were waiting for you to come back to the group."

"A group with Draco Malfoy."

"He's not that bad," Harry said.

"He's a Slytherin."

Harry closed his eyes and thought. Ron hadn't seen all Draco had done for him that summer. He hadn't been there and coudn't understand if Harry couldn't find the right way to put it all into words. When he opened his eyes again a few minutes later, Ron was staring off into space.

"If I die, what will you say at my funeral?" Harry asked.

Ron looked at him with a little bit of shock. "What are you talking about?"

"If Voldemort got me in ten minutes, and I didn't make it, what would you say about me?"

Ron's blue eyes flickered up to Harry's scar, and then back down. "Are you trying to tell me we're about to be attacked?"

"No, just answer the question."

"You know- I'd say you're brave and loyal and all that stuff."

"Keep going."

"I'm not going to deliver your eulogy," Ron protested, but at seeing Harry's earnest look he frowned and thought, and then continued, "You're good at flying, and the way you battled that dragon in the tournament was pretty epic, and you're good at defense, and you're friendly, and you don't think anybody sees when you're nice to the first years in Slytherin."

Harry was surprised for a moment. He really hadn't thought anyone had seen him comforting that first year in the corridor last year who was homesick and crying. "But you didn't say I was in Gryffindor," Harry said.

"No. I know you were in Gryffindor."

"But the Daily Prophet will be there, and some people reading the paper might not know."

"What is this? Do we really have to rehearse this now? Tell me what you want me to say if you don't like what I'll tell them about you." Ron looked uncomfortable and sounded exasperated.

"No- I just want to know why you didn't mention I was in Gryffindor."

"It's not important."

"Why?"

"Come on Harry. Nobody will really care. They'll want to hear stories about you fighting acromantulas and trolls in the girl's loo." Harry smiled suddenly then and Ron looked confused. "What?

"Dead, it doesn't matter if you were a Gryffindor or not, people will only remember you as dead, and the things you did when you lived, right?"

"Ok, but-"

"Just hear me out. You listed things like brave and friendly and loyal. That's the important stuff right?"

"I guess."

"So if houses don't matter while you're dead, why does it matter while we're alive? I mean, really, the only people we remember what house they were in after they died are the founders, and the people we were close to, but I don't think about my parents being in Gryffindor when I think about them. I don't think about Sirius' house either."

Ron seemed surprised to hear Harry talking about Sirius, but didn't comment on it. "It's different with Slytherins," Ron insisted.

"All four of the houses have good qualities according to the hat." Maybe if the school hadn't been split up in the first place, Voldemort never would have come to power. Slytherins were the ones who typically joined him, weren't they? Harry didn't know why that was, but thought it shouldn't have happened that way.

From memory he tried to recite the traits the hat usually spouted off at the Sorting. "Slytherins are cunning, Gryffindors are brave and loyal, Ravencalws are smart, Hufflpuffs are friendly and open minded."

"Everybody knows that."

"Ok, but Draco was loyal to Hogwarts students at Gemini, not just Slytherins, and Slytherins in general are pretty loyal. And he was really brave to jump into the ocean off a cliff at night to try to rescue me after I fell in. What about Hufflepuffs? Cedric was one of the most loyal people I've ever known. And we know Gryffindors are friendly and open minded, which are qualities of Hufflepuff house. What about Hermione? Look how smart she is. Everybody says she should be in Ravenclaw. What if we're not all that different from students in other houses? Maybe we're all just the same."

Ron looked at Harry for a long time, as though he was trying to understand him. Harry hoped he would, that he would come back to their group at meal times and to study and talk, and would also not have a problem with Draco being there. But his look changed slowly over the course of a few moments, and Harry felt uncomfortable as he realized that Ron was looking at him like he didn't know him at all. Like he'd somehow changed. Ron's mouth was closed, but his eyes held the question, 'who are you Harry?' Harry never longed more for someone to be there right then who understood him for who he was, and who didn't have a problem with him. His thoughts flickered to Hermione and how she saw him. Just him.

Ron cleared his throat after the silence between them felt like it was beginning to be too thick and heavy, and said, "I heard one of the things they're teaching at Gemini next summer is how to control the weather, like lightning."

"That would be useful to fight with," Harry said. He looked at his friend who had finally looked away, but didn't feel comforted like he wanted to.

Chapter End Notes:
So Harry had a couple of relatively angst free and 'happy-ish' chapters. The next chapter will have some excitement, and then after that it will be multiple chapters with major excitement, angst, etc. You know the drill. We've had a couple of chapters here with Hermione, and I want to say that the story was never meant to focus on that relationship. I had comments that people don't like the pairing or want to read it. I can only say that sometimes things are written in a story to cause conflict, not necessarily because an author likes something that's being written. Whether I like the pairing or not, I don't know, but I can't say much more without giving away major plot points for the rest of the story. All I can say is, whether you like the pairing or not, bear with me, as we are moving into another phase of the story in the next couple of chapters where it is not something you will have to be reading too much about, or at all.

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