His palms were sweaty and his brow was sticky. This time it was for real. This test was no test. For the first time, Harry Potter wanted, or at least needed, to excel on theory, but he felt underwhelmingly prepared.

He thought with foundness of Hermione's nagging from their earlier years. His chances for the required O were almost non-existant, but without Hermione, a T would probably be in his immediate future.

He glanced over at her. Sure enough, she was in her own world, more focused than he could ever hope to achieve outside those few seconds of intermittent snitch chasing. Her hand squeezed her feathered writing utensil and her eyes were narrowed on her parchment. Her hair wad everywhere, but cutely, somehow.

Harry's train of thought was interrupted by the clearing of a throat. The test! He needed to focus. This was the major barrier to following in his father's footsteps. He wanted to be an auror, which requiered a NEWT in potions, which was gated by Snape's demands for O only students.

No matter Hermione's cuteness, no matter what she was or wasn't squeezing, he... damnit! Again with the thoughts! Niffler eyebrows! What were they for...?

TBC