A/N: I adore J.K. Rowling's amazing world and she is the owner of it all, the only thing I claim here is my eternal love for her books.

Sorry for the delayed update. Since I am now full time quarantined, I hope things run smoothly enough for me to update sooner than before. Let me know your thoughts on this chapter, please!


Chapter Eleven: Dance to This

August 13th, 1995. Grimmauld Place.

"Well, I guess I did become one of those people. It was either that or going completely insane", the girl said aloud while she stretched in the attic of the place she had transformed into a sacred space for meditating, studying and exercising. "I can't possibly say that I am sane, though, considering that I am alone here and talking to myself. However, that is just a technicality, if you'd ask me".

When Professor McGonagall talked to her family about the young Gryffindor staying in a safe house for the remainder time there was left from their Hogwarts' summer vacation, Hermione never imagined how taxing it would be to be confined in a house full of teenagers with Mrs. Weasley in full cleaning, cooking and infantilizing mood. They couldn't leave Grimmauld Place to get fresh air, nor participate in meetings with information regarding the dark forces agenda, which basically meant they were cleaning all day long, having only the nights to enjoy themselves. Moreover, the nights the Order of the Phoenix had an assembly downstairs, they had to stay in their rooms in order to avoid eavesdropping.

The first few weeks had been an adapting process, since they had only a few rooms that were inhabitable. As she imagined, for a few days, she had managed to only clean, eat, stretch and read a bit before almost falling on her bed due her tiredness status. As time went by, though, she developed a routine and her body ached for dancing, exercising, meditating and studying a little bit. That is when she decided she had to make a change. First thing she did was find a place where she would be comfortable and alone enough to do those things and the second one was to clean it and find the time to do them.

To her surprise, when she told Mrs. Weasley she was feeling a bit overwhelmed and wanted a quiet place to meditate, the red haired woman changed her posture a bit and seemed quiet eager to join her in this mission and to participate in the exercise and calmness sessions, if she didn't mind. Soon, the attic was presented as an alternative, because it was half-clean and nobody would sleep or work there.

Cleaning was a collective endeavour. Mrs. Weasley assigned herself, Ginny, Fred and Jorge to that and they took almost three days to make it neat. In the end, Hermione thought it would be the perfect place for her activities. She even considered moving her bed there, but thought it would be selfish, since it would be more serviceable if everybody could use that place.

The other thing that needed fixing was time to do what she wanted. The girl would never just leave the cleaning and tiding up to the Weasleys, since it wasn't fair, but after doing that for the whole day she was so dirty and tired that working on herself seemed more taxing than relaxing and constructive. She decided, then, to wake up earlier, before the sunrise, to focus on herself and start the day already feeling fulfilled.

That is how she became one of the people she used to think were insane, waking around 5 A.M. and going to sleep before 10 P.M. To her, it was a matter of self-care, really. It was either that of just leaving things for the next day over and over again, never accomplishing anything. Mrs. Weasley, as it turned out, did the same thing, after having so many children, in order to have time for herself and organise everything in the house for breakfast.

Thereby, a routine was stablished. Every day she and the Weasley matriarch would wake up around 5 A.M., she would head directly to the attic to prepare the yoga mats and choose their exercise routine of the day while Molly would make them both a cup of tea. While they drank, the duo would talk about the day's plans and the exercise they were set to do and, once finished, would first meditate for ten minutes or so and start their stretching. After that, each did their day sequence of exercises and, being less physically conditioned, the redhead woman regularly finished before the younger teenager, since her series had less repetitions, and went to her bathroom for a quick shower before going downstairs to start breakfast. Hermione, on the other hand, would keep on exercising and then dance for about an hour, according to Madam Hooch's schedule. On the sequence, she stretched again, studied and practiced some spells for Skiiditch, which she could also apply to duelling, never forgetting her Head of House's warning regarding darker times. After finishing that, she would take a shower, join Mrs. Weasley preparing breakfast for everybody as well as her own fortified one, and do her shores with the other young inhabitants of the house.

A consequence of that was that Hermione ended up gaining a few pounds, considering she wasn't running every morning, which did her good, since she was very skinny and still growing. On the other hand, Molly Weasley started losing some weight and the strengthening of her muscles helped her with the lower back pain she had been feeling for years. As a result, a few people started asking about these exercises' routine and voiced a will to join them, if possible, in the near future.

The 5th year Gryffindor girl and Mrs. Weasley had their quiet routine until the 5th of August, day that the Order rescued Harry. Before that, the Weasley children and she couldn't do anything to help him, even though they knew he must be going crazy at his uncle's house. However, after his arrival in Grimmauld Place, which took a team force, the boy was very irritating and angry all the time, a fact that didn't help her in meditation. To add more stress to that, the house became even more crowded and people started joining them to the sessions.

Yesterday, was Harry's hearing and, although he seemed calmer now, Hermione was a pile of nerves. Not only she was insecure about its result, but also the house became full since the day before and lots of people signed up to be there with her and Molly exercising. Being one of them the reason she woke up today at 4:30 A.M. and just could not go back to sleep, meaning she was already trying and failing to meditate in the attic.

Today was the second day Minerva McGonagall would be exercising among them and, as agreed by everyone, each day someone would be elected to guide the meditation and suggest a few exercises to be done. The day before, Tonks had been the leader and, surprisingly, created a circled dynamic that was both funny and taxing on the muscles. In the next few minutes, as people arrived, Hermione thought about what she would suggest for them to do, since she was the chosen leader for the day. Well, if you can say it was a choice after Professor McGonagall pointed that the young students should be able to contribute too looking straight at you. Don't start. Trust me, I didn't.

As is turned out, as the young Gryffindor gave up on meditating at that moment and decided to just review her mental notes on the morning's activities, people started gathering around and drinking the tea Molly and Minerva brought upstairs. Hermione took a cup herself and asked everybody to circle up again, as had Tonks the day before, while finishing her tea.

Once they all settled, she started explaining her idealised dynamic. "What I thought for today is for us to start with a ten minute meditating session followed by a gymkhana that will consist basically in a full body circuit sequence of exercise in pairs". As everybody just looked at her not understanding how that would be a gymkhana, she completed. "Everybody will pair up and we will count, for example, how many push ups, jumping jacks, squats, lunges, crunches that duo can do in one minute or, in terms of time, the number of seconds a pair can stay in a plank or in a wall sit position. The nice thing, though, it that we will not need to monitor anybody because I found some spells that have helped me a lot, because they count the number of exercises you did, but also don't consider the ones that were incomplete, so we all will have to give our best. As not to be bias, I suggest we write our names on a paper and put it in a bag, each person drawing the name of another until we are all paired up. What do you think?"

After getting a number of nods, she was satisfied and motioned for them all to sit to start the meditation.

"Good thing she will make us meditate before because I am for sure very nervous right now and need to calm down", said an agitated and competitive Tonks, breaking the ice and making everybody laugh.

Guiding them mentally through a clearing with nothing by flowers and butterflies, the teenager asked them to drop the weight from their shoulders, the responsibilities, the stress over material things, and the fear that was following everybody day by day… Instead, she ordered them to see what was bright in their lives, their union, the feeling of belonging they all shared and the possibilities that lay ahead. The meditation ended with a collective sun salutation.

Sensing the connection and expectancy in the room, Hermione asked the small crowd to put their names in a bag and, after shaking it a bit, passed it for them to pick up a name and form the pairs. There were five duos in the end and, to the chocolate-eyed brown-haired girl's relief; she was not paired up with the Gryffindor Head of House. Instead, she was set to exercise with Kingsley Shacklebolt.

She told them the first sequence of exercises, which were warming up jumping jacks for one minute, push-ups for forty-five seconds and crunches for another minute. They would do each full sequence three times and go to the next one. There were three sets for the day. After that, she cast three spells: the first one was a timer, the second an exercise counting and the last one a starter for a muggle record player that was in the corner of the room. At her spell casting, she got a raised eyebrow from the person she seemed to never really avert her eyes from and quickly explained, "I figured that since we could not be found, our spells, even though I am still underage, wouldn't either. I guess I am correct, since I've used magic from the day I arrived and nothing has happened yet, contrary to Harry's predicament".

"I see no flaw in this evaluation, actually. Don't tell Fred and Jorge, though, Hermione. They seem to think they can do it because they are seventeen and I wonder if Ginny, Ron and Harry would be equally extra and excited or if that is just a charm my twins have decided to throw on us every second of every day", said Mr. Weasley.

The girl chuckled lightly and promised she wouldn't. Then, the young Gryffindor proceeded to tell everyone to get ready because the first circuit would start in five seconds. Everyone took their place in front of their pair and the friendly competition began.

By the time the last sequence of the last set finished, they were all in desperate need of water, a shower and some air. Hermione even more than the others, considering how her heartrate was fast after taking some time to watch how her Head of House made strong, precise and quick movements like she was a feline in human form, breaking almost no sweat. The winning pair, surprising nobody, was Remus Lupin and Tonks, since they were the only athletic duo formed.

As people passed Hermione congratulating her for her training plan and asking if she had come up with it on her own or was inspired by someone, the teenager saw that the woman that haunted her dreams didn't move and seemed interested in the record player in the corner of the room. Is she going to stay here? Should I leave?

As if on cue to the unspoken questions inside the 5th year Gryffindor's head, the dark-haired woman softly said, "Miss Granger, the transfiguration you did in this record player is very well done. You blended around twenty records in one, I'd say…" she inquired looking up to the girl.

"Yes, Ma'am. I figured I would not be able to carry my favourites around, so I took some time thinking how to mix them into a sole record. It worked, fortunately" answered shyly the pupil.

"It did indeed. Nicely done", she complimented turning from the object to her pupil, who looked nervous. "After we left the exercise session yesterday, Molly told me that you've been also training for Skiiditch and dancing every day. Is that correct?"

"Yes, Ma'am. Madam Hooch was very strict with the schedule she made me and I don't want to disappoint her, nor give up on my dancing routine. Is something of the matter, Professor?"

"No, Miss Granger. It's just that Rolanda mentioned she asked you to train certain spells before I left Hogwarts and I thought to check if you had any questions regarding the spell work or was fairing ok with it", she said casually. However, Hermione understood that she was referring to all the defensive and offensive charms and spells she had been assigned to learn. "Also, since you have no pair to dance in here, you may ask me to clarify if you have any questions about it. I might even be able to join you in a dance practice if my schedule allows", she concluded pensively.

You have to think fast about spells. Fast, Hermione. Now! You know you can't handle dancing with her. Imagine if you faint or something. For the love of Merlin, say something! Anything!

"Actually, Ma'am, I do have a few questions regarding the usage of Mobilicorpus…", started the girl. "Oh, but firstly, thank you. I am sure this will be very helpful", she said sheepishly moving to get some water.

"No problem at all, Miss Granger. I think I will be here for at least five days. If Albus do not summon me, I can stay here for both practices to help you out and also take some of the dust that has been covering my bones", was the light reply from the generally stern Professor.

Okay. Fainting mode on. Fainting mode on. Did she just make a joke? Again?

"Miss Granger?" Asked the older woman after the younger one didn't turn back to her and just stood still in silence.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Professor. I was… I was j-just thinking if I should drink another glass of water. I just drank three and I… I think the thirst is just psychological by now…" She said in a non-convincing tone. Shut up! You're embarrassing yourself. Give her a response instead of stuttering, for Morgana's hair. "But, answering you, it would be lovely and very instructive to have you here, I am sure. As for the spell…"

Sometimes Miss Granger is a little odd. I wonder if it is the authority that she has difficulty surpassing or the fact that I tried to lighten the formality we normally have. However, with Albus she doesn't seem to stutter or be at a loss of words as much. She'll grow out of it, I am sure.

The initial shock that the girl felt was soon followed by one of the best spell discussions she had in her whole life. Sometimes she would have problems focusing on the words as she admired a strand of hair falling out of her Professor's bun, but they talked about the usage of spells in both court and combat, how to differ they and she tried some that she previously deemed more dangerous with the help of the Gryffindor Head of House.

As she expected, the woman could not stay for her dance practice, being early summoned by Professor Dumbledore, but had helped her a lot and she felt less awkward in her presence now.

For the following two days, that routine repeated itself, leaving an excited and nervous Hermione yearning for each morning with the older woman: exercising, than spell applied to Skiiditch training and a few theoretical dance questions. Professor McGonagall had suggested some hands on dance training the next day, to the despair of the brunette girl, but was unable to attend, having to solve a mildly urgent matter at McGonagall Manor, which wouldn't allow her to come back to Grimmauld Place. Meaning they would they would only meet again in the beginning of term back in Hogwarts.

Well, physically. Since Hermione would dream of her every night at least once, to her own annoyance.

October 11th, 1995. Skiiditch Court.

If anybody asked Hermione Granger when the anger she was feeling today became unbearable, she would for sure say September 10th.

It seemed unthinkable to her, when she got her prefect's badge a few months earlier, that the school would come to this point. She had been glad to come back, to see her other friends and to have the feeling she was partially safe in a place where she could run around, laugh and think of as home.

However, since Dolores Umbridge was introduced, her not so secure, but stable life turned upside down. That woman was everything the young Gryffindor loathed, for she had a terrible teaching method alongside a manipulative persona that just brought out the worst in her.

If those aspects weren't enough, when she found out about the torture pens and her psychological schemes, she decided it was necessary to make something about that. She had to.

Nevertheless, it was on the 10th of September that the girl decided enough was enough. That was two days after Umbridge became High Inquisitor and, unfortunately to her, the day she set to inspect the Transfiguration class. Professor McGonagall didn't restrain herself totally, though one who payed attention to her could notice that she was a lot more tense than usual and a little curt. Looking at the woman that she so admired resisting, when she had only bent her head and obeyed the rules set meant the world to Hermione. It represented that she could too, that she should also be willing to sacrifice her comfort zone to make Hogwarts a haven again.

That was the day she decided to keep herself and her loved ones safe at any cost. The day she saw a way to protect the woman that she grew fonder of every day. If she had to break the rules, fine. If she had to put herself in front of her beloved Professor to draw the attention away from the older woman to avoid her being retaliated by the dreadful High Inquisitor, so be it. She was full of being the good girl she was expected to. In addition, that was the moment she decided to definitely tell her boyfriend how she felt.

She could not stand to look at Minerva McGonagall wishing to be with her, talking to her, having a cup of tea, holding her hand, discussing Transfiguration and feel guilty because she thought she should be thinking about someone else. Although her thoughts were innocent, they were that way because she did not allow herself to think deeply about it. She was scared to. Afraid to give herself in afterwards by blushing or behaving awkwardly. After all, you cannot 'unsee' something once you've imagined it.

Therefore, the teenager decided to act on both fronts: think of ways to have a proper Defence Against the Dark Arts class and to tell Viktor that what they had was real and nice, but was not everything that she thought a relationship could be.

On the first matter, two weeks after her realisation in Transfiguration, she asked Harry to teach DADA. Her logic was simple: he knew enough, he had been practicing and could cast advanced spells, such as the Patronus, since his third year and, more than that, he needed to start feeling like the leader he would need to be. She could teach the students, yes, but she was not the one that should to do that. Moreover, Merlin knew that she barely had time to keep up with her own schedule.

Between classes and study sessions, Skiiditch, dance practice, helping students that were tortured by Umbridge, being a prefect, dating Viktor and the whole McGonagall feelings situation, it was a miracle she could shower and eat every day.

Hence, she made the whole structure of asking Harry to teach, recruiting members alongside him and, thanks to Dobby, found a room for the meetings to happen. In fact, the Room of Requirement was her dance practice salvation, because ever since they announced the date of the first Skiiditch match, she thought she would be lynched out of the studio she used to freely let her guard down.

Now, she was safe to practice dance, spells, Skiiditch… Whatever she wanted without being bothered. Almost a dream come true. Almost. Because the more she stayed in that room, the more she wondered what would happen if she asked to have a simulation of a conversation with Professor McGonagall. Would the room grant it? If it did, would her reactions be close to the ones real life Minerva McGonagall would have? What would she say or ask her, if the room did provide that situation? The quietness she sought seemed more distant each passing day.

That is how she ended up telling Krum that she loved him, but she also had romantic desires towards someone else. She had decided in the end of last term that she would talk to him and she had given him glimpses of a possible emotional confusion from her part. However, the first Hogsmeade weekend of the term, after Dumbledore's Army recruiting meeting, she met him for a cup of tea to catch up and told him that she had mixed feelings about their relationship.

He asked her if he had done something wrong or inappropriate that left her uncomfortable and she stressed that he didn't do anything. The only thing that was happening is that she felt that maybe there should be more. She felt safe, good, cherished, desired, loved and happy around him, but was there more to it? Shouldn't she feel like he was the one that she wanted to be with? Wouldn't it be ideal if he brought electric charges to her pulse and made her breath falter?

He reassured her that these doubts were common and he felt them too sometimes because romance novels are always telling you to want the fairy tale, music and poetry are sold because they express pain, love, regret, happiness and other feelings in a very extreme way.

She could understand that. She could even agree to that. Besides, apart from Professor McGonagall, she had no memory of ever feeling attracted, genuinely attracted to a point of looking back at someone, before Viktor. As selfish as she felt rationalising it, it was clear too that what she felt for her Transfiguration Professor was a dream, something totally out of her league, while Viktor was flesh and blood and there. He was someone she could see herself with in the near future. Someone that would grow with her and cherish her victories.

There was no reason for her to breakup with him. Except he was not the one she had been dreaming of for almost a year now.

The teenage Gryffindor concluded that, since she had never felt the way she felt about her Professor for someone attainable and no one else made her dizzy or hunted her dreams, maybe, just maybe, it could be just a jest of admiration, and attraction. Something that certainly would never leave her mind, but should not be a reason for her to leave something good and solid, like her relationship with Viktor.

As she voiced her fears, writing a letter to tell him that there was someone else and that nothing would ever happen between herself and that other person, the girl wondered if she was not intentionally making excuses for him to leave her. After all, she was not a young innocent girl anymore and would turn seventeen in a few months, considering her Time-Turner usage, and knew well enough that he would want to know whom that person was.

Nonetheless, she wrote. The letter contained everything she had wanted to say to him, her fears, how she loved him immensely, how he changed her view of herself, how grateful she was for having him in her life, but the feeling that there maybe should be something else.

As if to make her even more stressed, his response came by mail today, 11th of October. Day of the first Skiiditch match of Hogwarts over decades. A Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw dispute. A choice, in Hermione's opinion, that couldn't be worse to her. While in Quidditch, Slytherin and Gryffindor held the feud intense, the apparent tussle in Skiiditch, considering that it was also a dexterity and magical ability game, had always been between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Perfect.

In addition, considering the current instability of the school and dissatisfaction of the population with its restraints, the Ministry requested access to the media and some personalities in wizarding sports on the bleachers to make the public opinion seem more agreeable with the school's efforts to keep the students healthy and integrated.

To top that, the brief answer of her boyfriend was that he not only understood what she said, but didn't have any problem with her having feelings towards someone else too as far as she would be willing to not act on them, to which he trusted. He also said that he was invited to the match and would be there today to cherish for her and, if she wished, they could talk a little more afterwards. Just great.

As the 5th year Side Player left the Gryffindor locker room and headed to the court, waiting to be announced by Madam Hooch, who was the match's commentator for the evening, she tried to focus on everything she had trained and her strategy with Katie.

The Ravenclaw team had two 7th year players, whom Hermione didn't know, but that Katie, who had a few classes with them, said were very resourceful in terms of spells and tricks, but slow for they didn't have the body conditioned for the sport yet.

The chocolate-eyed teenager was just about to check if the modifications they agreed on should be the same, considering she had suggested them and Katie knew better the opposing team, when she heard the applauses as Madam Hooch called player by player to ski to the court, starting with Ravenclaw, whose yellow gear gleamed in the lights of the court, and then moving on to the Gryffindor team.

"And finally, the Side Players of Gryffindor are Katie Bell and Hermione Granger! Thank you all for your presence here today and before the match begins, I want the Side Players making their modifications alternately, starting from Ravenclaw. Mr. Williams, go ahead".

From Mark Williams and Jacob Sheldon's body structure, Hermione thought smart that she should shadow Williams, for he was heavier than Sheldon, which would possibly mean he was slower. Being Katie the fastest in movement of them both it would help to make her follow the quickest player, at least for the moment.

At the end, both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw had managed to keep only one modification up, because their opponent destroyed the others. From the yellow team, a cave was built near their Barriers, while the red team spelled a circle that spread for about half the diameter of the court in its middle. Neither team knew the effect of the opponent modifications on their team yet, a task to be discovered during the match.

As the whistle sounded and the zing appeared, the Gryffindor Flakers went straight at it and took the disk. Hermione and Katie just needed to look at each other to know that one of them would have to find out the cave's effect while the other followed their team Flakers close by to break the spells the other Side Players would be casting on the court. Therefore, Hermione took the lead.

As she went nearby the modification, she started feeling cold and almost paralysed from the sudden change of temperature. She cast a warming charm at herself, but it didn't work, so she had to get some distance from the place in order to keep moving. For Gryffindor to have access to the Ravenclaw goal from all directions she would need to do something about it, otherwise, they would only have a three-meter opening to pass though and make their goals.

For now, they were fighting for the Zing in the opposite side of the cave and would for sure lose it, because most of the opposing team was concentrated in that small space. The Ravenclaws took hold of the Zing and skied directly to Gryffindor's defence region. However, they soon found out that the circle previously drawn would make all players of their team slipper because once they skied in that region, the ice would quickly melt and as soon as they moved, it would solidify again, so the Gryffindors would have no problem taking the Zing back.

The dynamic began to be a moving back and forward of the Zing between both teams, because none of them could have access to a large enough part of the court to enable them to get near the goal. While one side player of each team tried to find a solution to the modification problem without changing it, since it was forbidden after the initial moment in the beginning of the match, the other worked hard to try to get the flakers deeper on the opponent's side of the court.

Around thirty minutes into the match, Hermione gave up on her ideas of warming the surroundings of the cave or her clothes, setting a fire nearby and anything of that sort. She started to think that maybe she would need to get another player to test the few possibilities she had come up with, since the trick could be that one would not be able to protect himself, but could do it to others. Hence, she skied to Katie to tell her she would need Dennis Creevey, one of their fastest Flakers, to try it. Once near her fellow Side Player, she managed to slow both barriers with a stinging hex that spread for just a few seconds, enabling her team to make the first goal.

She quickly told Katie her plan and left with Dennis while the Gryffindor team took a defensive position, being outnumbered the same way the Ravenclaw one had just been, since Williams was still trying to break into the circle without slipping, but confident that it would be for just a few minutes.

Even though she had focused on Dennis trying to test everything she could as fast as possible, she could hear Katie's voice getting louder and louder trying to contain their opponents, but seeming to fail.

The Ravenclaws gave up on trying to break the Gryffindor modification and united to make as many goals as possible in the meantime.

As the minutes passed and everything failed, Hermione decided that the 18 to 13 that was their losing score at the moment was going to be hard to surpass in the situation they were in. She mentioned for Dennis that they would go back to the match and just avoid about half of the opponent court for the rest of the game.

When the two Gryffindor players got back, it was Ravenclaw time to get into a defensive position. Hermione and Katie worked well as a team and soon were not only shadowing the other Side Players, but also slowing Flakers and Barriers, enabling their team to dodge and advance all obstacles. It was then that the scolding began. A few players from Ravenclaw started cursing and bantering trying to distract them, which didn't really happen. That is, until Hermione heard Jacob Sheldon tell Katie that her spell casting was so bad that he missed when the younger Gryffindor Side Player was away with Dennis trying to find a way out from their modification because the older girl couldn't hold her team by herself.

To that, the Gryffindor prefect changed her route and decided to stop that nonsense, and screamed at him, "oy, Sheldon, don't forget to watch out for your gear, it seems to be melting!" As the boy looked down, he almost fell because his skates were indeed looking like they were about to dismantle on the floor. He had to sit quickly, counter curse the enchantment Hermione had thrown at the ice under him and manually put them back again, time that was sufficient for Gryffindor to make another goal, earning him some scolding from his team.

"You know, Granger. I was happier when you had the megalomaniacal idea that you could make that place or your gear warm enough for you to cross it, at least you weren't a pain in my ass then", he said as soon as he was recovered and tried to hex something near her and the Gryffindor flakers.

"Well, Sheldon, I'd be more than happy to leave again, since Williams is managing to do nothing useful for your team here nor when he was trying to break my spell in the middle of the court, but I am glad to be here crushing your chances of making any goal", she responded while casting snow traps. The Ravenclaw Flakers that were trying to advance around the circled modification in the court had to make a sudden detour and, as a result, lost the Zing to the Gryffindor team.

As if conjured, Williams appeared on her side also aiming to provoke her to committing a fault or just losing her focus, whispering that she wasn't useful at all to her team if not even that cave she could find a solution to. While he left, he said mockingly "it was nice seeing you trying to charm your clothes warm unsuccessfully, though. Did you really think we would be stupid enough to let anyone from your team be able to do it? We are not dumb, you know…"

Than it clicked to her how she could break the modification effect, without changing it. Everything happened quickly. First, she skated to be beside Katie and helped her team make another goal while telling her the plan. Once Gryffindor recovered the Zing, she heard Katie screaming for them to go near the cave while she concentrated on the spell she was casting now.

The moment the Zing was with Dennis, who was a few meters from the cave, the Ravenclaw team formed a defensive stance waiting for him to slow to get the disk back, but suddenly a burgundy scarf appeared flying and wrapped around his neck, which made him lose some balance, but other than that keep his route.

To Hermione's relief, the moment he crossed the modified cave area, nothing happened to him, but the other Gryffindor Flakers behind him got stuck and had to retreat again, which made their team suffer a goal.

The young Side Player, though, was openly smiling now.

"Dennis, it worked! Come here, please", she told him. As he arrived, she took she scarf from him and cast Duplici exemplari seven times, giving it back to him and taking the other scarves to the rest of the team, but the Goal Keeper.

After that, it was a massacre. Gryffindor won with 42 points of difference, making their opponents swallow all the meaningful comments about her being a shadow of Harry, incapable or just a teacher's pet that had nothing to show for herself in reality. Although she pretended those spiteful words meant nothing while being said, she was relieved to prove them wrong and to be able to solve that riddle. Her teammates were all screaming her name, hugging her and she knew already that they would be cheering that accomplishment in the common room as soon as they were able to get there.

The teams shook hands and headed to their locker room to clean up before joining their celebrity guests and media for a quick talk that would certainly make the first pages of the Daily Prophet the next morning. Once in there, she cast Finite incantatem on the scarfs and took her original one, casting Scourgify on it to make it clean.

Hermione took a quick shower and put on fresh Skiiditch gear for the official picture, making sure to carefully wrap it around her neck and headed out only to find herself in front of a bunch of camera flashes and questions about the way she was lucid, while Harry was hallucinating and being difficult. She tried to focus on Professor McGonagall that was quickly approaching to remove the people asking matters that had nothing to with the match at all, when, finally, one reporter yelled, "Miss Granger, how did you manage to avoid the effects of the cave modification?"

"Oh, that is a very nice question indeed", she heard an unknown female voice right behind her and turned to find herself mere centimetres from Olivia Hardgrove. "Am I correct in assuming that you had charmed that scarf before the match and that is why it worked to counter the curse's effects? I am Olivia, by the way, Olivia Hardgrove. Your name is Hermione, right?"

"Yes, I am Hermione. Nice to meet you, Olivia. Actually, you are partially, correct, if I understood properly the cave's modification aim", started to answer the younger girl, when she noticed the Olivia was looking behind her again and smiling openly.

"Miss Hardgrove, I see you've met Miss Granger here. I am sure the both of you will find each other good company to talk about Skiiditch and school matters", said fondly the Gryffindor Head of House looking from one, to another. "I'll just leave you to it in a few seconds, but I just wanted to congratulate Miss Granger here on realising none of the players on the court could counter the effect of the cave. It was a smart move, my dear. I was impressed that you were able to figure that out on the first time you played", she complimented.

Hermione thought she could explode from the praise she just received and almost forgot to thank her for the kind words. As she did, she asked how the older woman know that it was because nobody on there could cast and not because it had to be previously charmed, a question that earned a curious look from Olivia too.

With a small smile, her current Head of House and former Olivia's Professor confessed, "I wasn't sure until people left and I tried to go near it myself and, as soon as I felt like freezing, I cast a warming charm on my robes and it worked without any problem. So, I assumed it would be a matter of who was playing and not the moment it was cast. The Ravenclaws were clever to think of it", she finished looking at Hermione, who blushed and just said, "Well, I am glad someone else had charmed this scarf for me previously".

"Well, not as smart as she was, right, Professor?" continued the Scottish young woman, "for she managed to grant passage to her team, but the Ravenclaws could not pass her circular modification. By the way, what was it? I am very curious…" Olivia Hardgrove whispered with a mischievous smile.

The day she saw her playing, Hermione thought that the young woman was charming and very skilled, but now, she was even more enchanted by the way she seemed so easy going and attentive, not to mention her stunning looks. The young woman was a few centimetres shorter than she was, but her light hair and olive skin made her look like she had just left a paradisiac beach. Her eyes shone brightly and her smile was wide and easy. I wonder if anyone is immune to her looks and charm. She is a very attractive woman. Oh, Merlin. Just what we needed. Another crush in the middle of this mess. Shhhhh. Make me.

"I would love to tell you, but not in front of the reporters because I still want to use it while nobody finds a way to break through it. We can discuss this later, if you are staying or maybe exchange letters, if you are willing. I, for sure, would love to hear from a professional player. That would be very entertaining and instructive, right, Professor?" the teenager answered mild jokingly and mild trying to keep her Head of House still in the conversation.

As if on cue, the reporters understood that they would get no answers and started yelling asking to take pictures of them together. When the trio started to get closer to do so, before the team official picture, she heard one of the reporters scream "No! All of you!" motioning for someone behind them to join the frame for the picture to be taken.

Well, I guess I should turn my back to the wall next time, since it is the third time already that someone comes without me seeing anything. Hermione was becoming agitated because of people yelling and all the interruptions to their conversation with both women and turned back to just rush whomever was to take the picture so they could continue their chat when she saw Viktor standing there in all his glory carrying a flower bouquet. Oh, Merlin. I forgot he would come!

The former Durmstrang student kissed her on the cheek and have her the flowers, then proceeded to formally greet both Olivia and Professor McGonagall.

"You're Viktor Krum. Quidditch player", was Olivia's blunt, but friendly first phrase towards him.

"Yes, I am, Miss. However, tonight I am just Viktor. I am here for Hermiowny", he said fondly looking at the star player of the night.

"That is very proper of you, Mr. Krum, it's nice to see a young gentleman such as yourself", was the Transfiguration Professor's assessment of his presence there.

"I'm afraid I don't get it. You were not invited because you are a sport's personality?" Olivia inquired Viktor not really understanding a reason apart from that for him to be there.

"Oh, no. I vas invited because of that. Nevertheless, I only decided to make the trip from Bulgaria to here to see Hermiowny. Vat kind of boyfriend vould I be if I did not support my girlfriend, right?" he answered being every little bit the gentleman he always was. As an afterthought, with a wink, he added "besides, she vouldn't have me if I did things any other way", being successful in breaking the ice making all women look at him with smiles on their faces.

"Now it makes sense! You are in a relationship", said Hardgrove, looking like there was something else to that phrase that she didn't quite approve. "Considering the worldwide news, I didn't take you for the dating kind. I'm sorry not to have realised sooner, with the flowers and all…"

"You shouldn't trust the news so much, Miss. Besides, Hermiowny is different…" was Viktor's dodging response.

"Yes, she is and she is also here", Hermione was already tired and couldn't handle inside jokes or comments that could be heard by nosy reporters. "Let's take that picture, right? Where is that photographer? Also, Professor McGonagall doesn't have to endure it any longer, it's just preposterous…"

The girl's mood was escalating quickly to an angry tone when she felt an electric charge on her arm, followed by the sensation of a warm hand, and looked up, knowing its origin, to see her Head of House staring at her with a calming stance and raised eyebrow as if to say "breathe, in a moment this will pass".

The four of them were being positioned to take the picture, side by side, when she felt another tingly sensation on her arm, lighter than the previous charge, but disturbing nonetheless. When she looked to Professor McGonagall, though, the woman was talking to a photographer instructing him to take pictures of the Ravenclaw ad Gryffindor team afterwards. Looking around her, while trying to figure the source of the feeling, she saw Olivia Hardgrove holding her hand as if I had burnt.

"Aw, did you feel that?" she asked.

"I did. It happens sometimes… If it helps, though, I believe it is only when I am overwhelmed or nervous with things. I'm sorry" explained the younger girl.

"Are you nervous now?" the young woman flirtatiously inquired looking straight at the Gryffindor's eyes and seeing something there.

"Of course I am. Look at all those people. Who wouldn't be?" came the dismissive reply.

"Okay, we are all set to take the picture!" Cried the photographers and they joined for a few clicks.

As soon as it finished, Katie called her to join the team's official photo and she left looking back to see the three people she had ever found attractive all together and chatting. Nervous? Me? Not at all. Why would I be?


A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter I expect to finish 5th year and have a little change in the distance between Hermione and Minerva.

As you must have realised by now, all chapters have the name of songs that have the word "dance" or any variation of it on them and next chapter will have the crushing stunning spells cast on Minerva McGonagall. Do you have any musical suggestions for the chapter's name? Thanks!

Last, but not least, reviews are always welcome – and encouraged-!