Author's Notes

House: Snakes

Class: Transfiguration

Drabble

Word Count: 698

Prompt: [Object] A pair of gloves

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belonged to JK Rowling.

"Okay, Harry?" said Hermione, turning to him. "Ready to tell the public the truth?"

"I suppose," said Harry, watching Rita balancing the QuickQuotes Quill at the ready on the parchment between them.

"Fire away, then, Rita," said Hermione serenely, fishing a cherry out of the bottom of her glass.

xxXxx

"Hermione, you're brilliant!" Harry exclaimed as they left the Three Broomsticks. He felt a lot lighter after the interview. Sure the one who interviewed him was Rita Skeeter, but at least he had been able to tell his side of the story to someone else, and Luna said her dad was thrilled to publish his interview. Luna was still discussing some last-minute agreement with Skeeter, leaving Harry and Hermione to venture through Hogsmeade together.

Hermione could feel as her cheeks warmed up, and she knew it had nothing to do with the cold. This year's Valentine's Day was surely colder than usual, the rain earlier making it worse. She glanced at her best friend, her brows furrowed.

"Harry, where're your gloves?"

The raven hair wizard stopped and started rummaging his coat, looking for the said articles.

"Did you leave your gloves at Three Broomsticks?" she inquired, trying to remember if Harry was wearing the gloves upon joining her.

"No, I don't think I left them at Three Broomsticks." He answered sheepishly then mumbled something incoherently.

"What was that?"

"I think I left them at Madam Puddifoot's." He repeated more clearly. That earned him a very mirth-filled laugh from his best friend.

"Oh Harry, I should've known Cho would take you to…" her attempt to hold her laughter was futile as she kept laughing for quite a while, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. She coughed a bit and cleared her throat, "I'm sorry…. I'm sorry." She then continued, "Would you… would you like to return to that place then?"

Harry didn't miss the way Hermione referred Madam, um, that place. The image of him returning to there made him shudder, "No, I think I'm good." He looked at the brunette witch. "So, you know that place?"

She nodded, "I can imagine how uncomfortable you must have been."

He scratched the back of his head, "Uncomfortable is an understatement. I don't understand why girls, most girls," he corrected upon seeing Hermione's expression, "like to go to that kind of place. Speaking of which, how did you know?"

Hermione turned so red that her face could match Ginny's hair, "Victor took me there last year."

Harry almost laughed, if not for suddenly feeling uncomfortable upon the image of Hermione and Krum doing what Davies and that blonde girl did earlier. He just nodded curtly and said, "So you know how I feel about that place, right?"

She grimaced, "But your hands must be freezing. It's very cold out here. Do you want me to conjure some Bluebell Flames?"

"It's okay, I can just put my hands in my pockets." He answered. Hermione looked at him skeptically.

She sighed and took off her left glove, wordlessly offered it to him, quirking her eyebrow as if daring him to refuse. Harry grimaced, taking the glove and put it on. He noticed it was the enchanted glove he gave her last year for her birthday. It was enchanted to fit the hands of the wearer.

"Nice glove you have here, Granger." He quipped.

"Well, thank you, Potter. My best friend gave me that." She answered cheekily.

They laughed for a moment, then Harry turned serious, "Your left hand will be cold though."

Hermione shrugged, "It's okay, I can just put my hand in my pocket." She mocked him.

Harry shook his head and took her hand, intertwining their fingers, "There, no need to put your hand in your pocket. It'll be warmer this way." He said while fighting the blush that was creeping to his ears. He still hadn't become accustomed to physical contact, but Hermione is an exception.

Hermione didn't say anything, just hummed in agreement and they start walking hand in hand returning to Hogwarts.

xxXxx

A week later

"Why are you getting a glove, Hermione? Shouldn't they come in pair instead?" Ginny asked curiously when Hermione opened the package delivered to her during breakfast.

Hermione's eyes met with Harry's, "Because I already have the right one." She pulled out her glove.

"But they are mismatched," replied Ron. Seeing as both indeed different colors.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "They are not mismatched, Ronald! They…"

"Complement each other." Harry finished, a smile on his face as he pulled out his mismatched pair of gloves.