Healing the Broken

Chapter 10- Filch is Taken- Harry is Not.

"Okay, Harry, I've talked to Professor McGonagall and she has allowed us time out of all of our morning classes up until lunch so that we can search for a date."

Harry looks up from his Herbology essay on the Devil's Snare, a particular plant that he had known and associated with way to much than he would've liked. However, it had helped in the Battle of Hogwarts-

"Merlin's pants!" Harry exclaims. "I forgot we have to turn in essays about the Battle of Hogwarts to Professor Binns and the National Magical History Agency so that it can be recorded! It's due tomorrow in class and I haven't even written my name down yet-"

"Have you even been listening to me?"

Harry grabs his bag and starts to stir through it's contents, looking for a quill and some spare parchment. "Yes, I have. Last night, I told you I liked you, and we almost kissed. Unfortunately, someone by the name of Argus Filch interrupted my second time ever feeling your lips with my mouth by yanking us apart by our shirt collars. He also tore a hole in my collar by accident. Later, you worked your Hermione magic on him and even found a soft spot in your heart for the poor guy." Harry pulls out a quill and a fresh scroll from his bag, smoothing it on the table. "Then, I agreed to help you find him a date, only for you, of course, and then you asked Professor McGonagall to be excused from our morning classes and she happily agreed, tired of seeing him moping around." Harry gives her a cheeky smile. "Sound about right?"

Hermione stares at him for a moment, before looking at his empty paper. "So, you really haven't written anything down?"

Harry sighs, leaning back into his armrest. "What am I supposed to say?"

"Tell about how everyone fought, and everyone played their part and some lives were lost, make sure to name them by the way, say how you figured it out, and then say that you saved the day. It's not that hard, really." Hermione says.

"I'm not going to say I save the day! That's so stupid!" Harry mutters, tugging at his shirt sleeve.

Hermione scowls. "Well, if you think my ideas are so stupid then why don't you just come up with them on your own?" She huffs, getting to her feet loudly.

Harry tugs at her sleeve. "No, Hermione don't leave. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way, I'm sorry." He tugs on her sleeve again, and then brings his foot up and nudges her back into her chair, making her smile. "I just meant that I don't want to make myself out as a hero, when in reality, I'm not."

Hermione turns her chair to face him and sits up, so that their faces are inches apart from each other again, and Harry is reminded so strongly of the night before, when they had been interrupted. "Don't you ever say that you aren't a hero, Harry James Potter, because you are. In fact, you are whatever comes after a hero."

"An old hero who's lost his macho?"

"No."

"A dead hero because he didn't win after all?"

"No."

"A hero that turned out to be a cat?"

"No- what?" Hermione frowns, sitting back for a moment. "That doesn't make any sense." She shakes her head and leans forwards again. "Never mind. Harry, come with me."

She takes his hand and pulls him up from the chair. "But Hermione, I have two essays to write! And I have to study for Potions and do our Charms homework- all by tomorrow!"

Hermione smiles at him. "I'll help you."

She leads him down to the library, which is on the main floor of Hogwarts. "You sit here." She says, pushing him into a sitting position in one of the chairs. "I'll be right back." And then she disappears into the stacks of books, only to return carrying a large pile of books that she drops loudly onto the table.