Shy sixth-year Matt Santini encounters a lonely Hermione Granger, fresh off an awful Christmas Eve date with Cormac McLaggen. Having been left alone at Hogwarts, the unlikely pair develop a fresh friendship that grows into something more. And Matt tells off Cormac for pestering Hermione.
Hermione Granger sat alone in the now drafty common room of Gryffindor Tower. It was mid-morning; she had waited until everyone else had gone down to meet the train or use the Floo Network to head home for the holidays. Hermione sat nearest the fireplace, stoking the logs to help them flare up, creating more heat for the chilly room. Usually, the common room was much warmer, but with all her classmates having gone home for the holidays and scant few remaining at the school the chill was that much more present.
"Hermione?" came a distinct voice behind her. She squealed and all but leapt off the couch and brandished the fire poker she was holding at whoever had managed to sneak up on her.
"Matt?! What're you doing here?" she asked in a shrill voice. Hermione was surprised to see anyone else from her year still at Hogwarts.
"I stayed behind, what about you?" he asked, holding his hands up. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya." He said and slowly approached Hermione.
"It's fine. Why didn't you go home, like everyone else?" she asked.
"Eh, didn't see the point this year. My mother, the Ambassador, is wrapped up in her work and I'm sure our au pair, Aurelia, is just as distracted as she is. Aurelia is training to be an Ambassador for the Ministry of Magic, so she's learning everything she can from my mom." Matt explained and sat down with Hermione.
"Oh yes, you mentioned your mother was assigned an au pair, didn't you?" Hermione replied. Matt smiled and nodded.
"You remembered. I'm impressed. Yeah, they're a pair of workaholics. So, I doubt either of them even remembered it's December, let alone to put up decorations or anything. Not much to go home to really." Matt said sadly.
"Looks like we're birds of a feather then, aren't we?" Hermione stated. Matt chuckled and nodded again.
"Yeah, I'd say so. What about you, why didn't you go home?" he asked.
"Well, truth be told, I was planning on it, you see. But then I realized, I was going to have to ride the train back with Harry and Ron, and likely, Lavender Brown…"
"Ah! I see." Matt said with a smile. "Yeah, I can't say as I blame you for not wanting to have to deal with that." It was Hermione's turn to chuckle now.
"So, it's been bothering you, too?" Hermione asked. Matt gave a deep emphatic nod.
"Oh yeah." He replied. "I'm all for people gettin' together and having some fun, you know? But they kind of take it too far, like they're forcing it."
"Oh, I know! I can't stand it!" Hermione said and turned away. Matt cocked his head and studied the girl in front of him for a moment.
"Hermione? It's more than that, isn't it? You can tell me; I won't tell anyone." He spoke. "Besides, no one wants to talk to the scary American. Might curse their head off or something." He joked but Hermione knew he was an unusual person.
Matt traditionally had kept to himself. He had been sorted in their first year into Gryffindor and had struck up a few conversations with her during their first few months at Hogwarts, before the troll incident. However, just after Halloween that year, Draco Malfoy had started some rumors. Matt had tried to do his best to show that Malfoy was wrong, but nothing seemed to work. It did not help that some of the older students, such as Percy Weasley, had bought into them as well.
"But you're hardly violent…" Hermione replied.
"I know this. You know this. No one else seems to." Matt said, sounding half amused, half sad. "Malfoy really made sure no one wants to deal with the evil American and his strange, foreign, ways." The sadness in his voice came through heavily.
"That's no reason to hide!" Hermione protested.
"I'm not hiding." Matt said. "I interact, somewhat. I tried to dispel the rumors. But it only made things worse. So, I figured, if I talked less, smiled more, that maybe people wouldn't be bothered…"
Hermione sighed and studied her fellow sixth year. She remembered, after the rumors started, which she knew could not be true, he had quieted down a lot. He reminded her of herself when they first started. Always raising a hand in class with the answers, doing well on tests, getting full marks from professors like McGonagall, even Snape seemed to pick on him less than other Gryffindors. Hermione wondered if that was because Matt Santini was not associated with Harry Potter.
She remembered that after the incident in the girl's bathroom in first year, she had found friendship with infamous Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, the youngest son of the Weasley clan. She had been attempting to befriend them since the train ride from King's Cross that year, but had not made much headway until they saved her from the troll Professor Quirrell let in. She had become wrapped up in her newfound friends, she forgot all about Matt Santini.
Matt had quieted much since Halloween that year and was not active in their classes anymore. Matt had been right, he had stopped speaking up, simply doing his work, and not drawing attention to himself. He started to sit at the back of the class, rather than up front, where she usually sat. Hermione never thought much of it really, but it was obvious, now, that he was keeping a low profile.
That had not changed since their first year. He was always on the train, usually alone, showed up to meals and classes, always sat by himself and did his work. Until she thought about it, she realized that he had taken Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, and Care of Magical Creatures as electives, but she did not realize he was in those classes, as by that time, he was quiet and reserved. She had no idea that the professors all really liked him, and he was talented until the previous year.
"So, how did the Christmas party last night go?" Matt asked, changing the topic. "I saw you came back kind of early and looked like you either had a lot of fun yourself or had a really bad time."
"Oh…yes…it was…um…interesting, I suppose." Hermione slowly fought for the right words to say. Matt looked at her with disbelief.
"You sound totally convinced on that." He replied, with a slight smirk.
"Oh, it was awful! He, my date that is, wouldn't ask me a thing about myself. All he did was talk about how amazing he was and how great he was going to be, how he would look incredible with me by his side. As if I'd be some sort of…of trophy!" Hermione broke down her own walls and decided to talk to her classmate. "I really shouldn't have asked Cormac to take me. I made a huge mistake there."
"Wait, Cormac? As in McLaggen?" Matt asked, not entirely sure, but hoping there was a different Cormac in another house, any other house, than theirs.
"Oh, yes. Please, don't make it worse than it already is!" Hermione moaned.
"Wait, you're not actually going out with him?" Matt was utterly confused.
"No, I'm not, I never was, you see. I started that rumor to get back at Ron."
Matt blinked a few times and leaned forward, turning to face her on the couch.
"Hermione, why on earth did you do something like that? That's crazy!"
"I wanted to make Ron jealous. He's dating that Lavender Brown and I wanted to make him regret it…"
Matt's head tilted and studied Hermione for a moment.
"So, you like Ron then?" he asked, unable to hide a twinge of disappointment in his voice.
"Not exactly, no. It's more…" Hermione paused for a long moment, drew up her inner strength and let herself be vulnerable for a moment. "I'm…bullied."
"What?" Matt scooted a little closer on the couch. Hermione girl turned away for a moment to try and hide the tears.
"I've been bullied by Lavender and Parvati for a long time. I'm not like them, I'm not into the same things they are and because of that incident in third year…"
"That whole bunny rabbit thing?" Matt asked. Hermione nodded, recalling that Matt had been in the hall when Lavender received her letter from home, stating that a fox had killed her pet rabbit. The ensuing argument between her and Lavender had earned her a lot of hatred since then. Hermione could only imagine the immense satisfaction that Brown must have gotten when she managed to drive a wedge between Hermione and Ron, causing a fracture in the famous Golden Trio.
What Matt did next, Hermione did not expect at all. He reached over and took her hand in his, gently, and gave her a small comforting squeeze. He had never acted like this with anyone before. Matt was quiet, tall, handsome with short brown hair and warm brown eyes. But his quiet demeanor made him seem stoic, showing little emotions and was often described as flinty by some. This, combined with the rumors Malfoy had started, resulted in most of the other students keeping their distance and almost fearing him to some degree. Despite never showing any outward signs of violence or even anger, the assumption of the vast majority of the Hogwarts student body, was that the foreign student was boiling just under the surface and entirely unstable. One wrong move and he would hex you into oblivion, and that was if you were lucky.
Because Matt never showed his true emotions and rarely spoke, keeping to himself, reading mostly or just working on homework, his sudden outpouring of empathy to Hermione came as a real shock to her. She had never known him to do anything like that and it was oddly out of his character. Perhaps there was more to it than what met the eye.
"McLaggen is so awful though, I mean, he's entirely wrapped up in himself. I've never seen such a prick. You could have gone out with anyone else; you could have asked me?" Matt said, suddenly revealing a desire he had never articulated.
"Wh-what? You, you, wanted me to…" Hermione was stunned.
"I get it, though. I'm not going to inspire much jealousy in Ronald "Weasley is Our King" The Keeper." Matt replied, slightly dejected.
Hermione thought about his words. He was right, Matt was neither a Quidditch player nor someone despicable like Zacharias Smith. He was simply the scariest student in the school and kept to himself. And even though he kept up or was only just behind Hermione herself in grades, his only achievements were purely academic in nature. Hermione knew she had never seen him in any of the student organizations either. Most of the organizations kept their members list either posted on the boards in the common rooms or in their respective classrooms where they met. The only one that he had ever been involved in was Dumbledore's Army.
"True, you're not…" Hermione was forced to agree.
"Can I tell you something?" he said suddenly. Hermione nodded an affirmation. "Back in second year, when you got petrified, I was devastated." she was shocked yet again. "You were always the person I looked for in class, you know? Like, I knew you would be there. It was a comfort. Sure, we didn't talk much anymore but I always felt better knowing you were around. And I noticed when you weren't in class. And then they said you were attacked. It was like my worst fear come true. I thought you were going to die or never come back again. That constant would be gone for me."
"Matt, I never knew…"
"I know. How could you? We didn't hang out anymore and by the time the following year came, you were pretty involved in your class work and with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, you didn't exactly have time for someone you hadn't spoken to in two years' time." Matt's tone was not accusing but rather hurt; and was that a twinge of regret, Hermione thought she heard?
"Is that why you joined the D.A.?" Hermione asked. "Because of me?"
"Yeah." Matt replied immediately, nodding. "I mean, you asked me. Here was someone I had always liked, approaching me, for the first time in years and asking me to be a part of something she was. I couldn't say 'no'. That, and well, Umbridge couldn't teach her way out of a wet paper bag if someone was ripping it open for her."
Hermione burst out laughing at this. Things had been so stressful the last year that all she wanted was a quiet school year. And this one had come with its own set of challenges, as romances were evolving, and feelings were changing. Suddenly, all the stress of the first third of the school year was ebbing away. She was not thinking about Ron's romance, the book Harry was using in their potions class or even who the so-called Half-Blood Prince might be. She was just able to be with Matt here by her side.
"You're right, you know. I can't believe they let that gargoyle in here to teach!" Hermione said, once her laughter had subsided. She started to look at Matt in a whole new light, he had wit and humor, intelligent humor. He was not like Ron, with his dumb jokes, Matt managed to be both smart and funny at the same time.
"Wish Dumbledore would have turned her into an actual gargoyle. Could've sunk her in the Black Lake, that way she could look in at the Slytherin common rooms and scare them. Can you imagine, Malfoy walking by the window and then freaking out every time because, there's Umbridge looking in at him?"
Hermione laughed again at the image Matt painted in her head. An angry Dolores Umbridge sitting on the bottom of the Black Lake, her visage frozen and posed with her wand out, leering into the Slytherin common room and scaring the students there as they walked by the window. He compounded it by making gestures and imitating the face she might be making, and one Malfoy would have. Matt was suddenly so alive and animated. He never behaved this way around the other students, what made her so special? He drew in a deep breath; he had been laughing with her the whole time as well. Hermione could not remember the last time she saw Matt smiling. He seemed to be preparing himself for something, drawing on his Gryffindor courage.
"Hey, Hermione?" Matt began.
"Yes Matt?" she asked, looking at him fully.
"Would you want to go out with me?" he asked. Hermione had to admit, after their conversation this should not have been such a shock, but nonetheless, it still caught her off guard.
"You're being serious?" she asked, not sure if he was taking the mickey out of her or not. Matt nodded. While the brown-haired boy had been joking with her, he did not seem like she was about to become another punch line. Hermione decided that she would give this a shot. She knew it was a huge risk, with the pair of them being the only Gryffindors still at Hogwarts, if she decided to reject him, they would both spend their holiday in awkward silence, and entirely alone. Deciding that he deserved a chance and that he could not be worse than Cormac McLaggen.
"You know, I think I would like that." Hermione said, blushing slightly and looking at the fireplace shyly. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Matt smile brightly. Apparently, she had just given him an early Christmas present.
"Then, would you accompany me to the Great Hall for some lunch?" he asked and stood up. Hermione looked at him and realized he looked relieved and happy for once. It must have taken a great amount of courage and bravery to ask her out, having been a loner since Halloween in their first year.
"I would very much like that." Hermione said and stood up. Matt offered her his elbow and she looped her arm through his as they climbed out of the portrait.
"So, tell me, Miss Granger, what's your favorite color?" Matt asked innocently as they walked. He was already off to a better start than Cormac McLaggen could have ever hoped for.
Hermione found the following weeks to be very enjoyable. Matt spent all his time with her. The pair got to know one another, spending their days talking in the common room, eating meals together, even reading together. Hermione never knew how much her classmate read books. When she thought about it though, it made sense. He did not take an overabundance of classes and since he did not play Quidditch or was in any of the extracurricular clubs at the school, he had to do something for entertainment. It was not as if the school had access to television or movies and Hogsmeade weekends were rare. Reading was the only logical thing he had to do.
Having found this common ground was a boon for their budding relationship. They shared books back and forth and had read similar stories or the same novel even. Hermione was grateful for someone who she could talk to about books. They were able to discuss their favorite characters and stories. It added a whole new dimension to their friendship. She smiled when she realized they were more alike than she ever realized. Part of her felt bad for having all but ignored him the last six years. They had missed so much time! Hermione wondered what Harry and Ron would think when they returned to find she had developed a boyfriend over Christmas.
Hermione decided she would let Matt in on a secret they had been keeping since their third year. She took him down to see Hagrid the day the others were due to arrive back at school. Hagrid was genial as ever and welcomed the duo to see the school's new Hippogriff, Witherwings. Hermione explained Matt would need to keep quiet, but Witherwings was actually Buckbeak, renamed. Matt had laughed at that, having known it was highly unlikely that Buckbeak had slipped his tether and flown off the day he was to be executed.
Matt revealed to Hermione that he had never believed that it was necessary to kill Buckbeak and that the Hippogriff was indeed innocent the whole time. He too had seen through Malfoy's nonsense but could not say anything. His hands were equally tied as Hermione, Harry, and Ron's had been. She understood, perhaps better than anyone, that he would be afraid to speak out. Malfoy had single-handedly done his reputation all but in, with merely some rumors spread in first year. It had worked, Matt had become quiet and never outspoken as he had been in their first few months. Going against Draco Malfoy would be detrimental as time went on, especially as the older students went away and with new younger students flowing in after. A few good rumors again and Malfoy could turn the whole school against him.
"Come on, we better head back, I expect the others to return soon." Hermione said as she took him by the hand and led him up to the castle. Matt grinned at her the whole way back. As they crossed the entrance to the castle the Headmaster approached the couple.
"Miss Granger, I was wondering if you would be so kind as to deliver this to Mr. Potter?" Professor Dumbledore said and handed Hermione a rolled-up piece of parchment.
"Yes of course, Headmaster." She replied brightly.
"Good day to you, and to you Mr. Santini." Dumbledore said with a bow as he moved back up to the staircases, presumably heading to his office.
"Headmaster." Matt replied with a bow of his head. "Huh, that was weird, does he do that often?" Matt asked as he and Hermione walked.
"No, actually this is rather unusual." Hermione admitted. "Although Harry's been taking additional, er, lessons with him this year. And he's often given students the information of their next lesson to pass on to Harry, rather than an owl or another teacher."
"The Headmaster, I would guess, likes to make the other students feel important too. Or he's working in mysterious ways just to benefit Harry." Matt said.
"You really do believe in Harry, don't you?"
"I do. I mean, his version of events makes sense. No one really believed Voldemort was gone, they just wanted to. It's easier to go to sleep at night if you think the Boogeyman's dead and not coming back." Matt replied with a smirk.
The pair met up with Harry, Ginny, and Ron outside the Fat Lady's portrait. However, Hermione had not acknowledged Ron's presence and Matt sided with her acknowledging Harry and Ginny. Hermione explained that the password had changed as the Fat Lady and her friend Violet had drunk a vat of five-hundred-year-old wine from a portrait of drunk monks down the Charms corridor.
Matt followed Hermione and Harry over to a corner of the common room as they talked about their holidays, how Malfoy was planning something, likely acting on Voldemort's orders, Snape being involved, and their former Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Remus Lupin, working with werewolves.
Matt appeared impressed that Harry had a fight with the Minister of Magic and joined in with Harry and Hermione in verbally abusing the Minister for Magic. Matt even agreed, much to Hermione's delight that the ministry had a lot of nerve asking for Harry's help and good publicity from him after their media attacks the previous year.
As the new term started, Hermione found that Matt was coming out of his shell that year, finally. After being mostly silent, only answering questions when called upon in class previously, he was now raising his hand in class. He was offering to give the answers and on a rare occasion beat her to the answer. He was also no longer sitting in the back of class but right up front next to her. The company felt nice. Hermione realized she had been increasingly lonely, yet again, with Harry respecting her pain and splitting his time between her and Ron. This left her with a lot of free time, while Harry and Ron both had Quidditch practice, Harry would still spend some days with only Ron and then other days he would be with Hermione and her newfound boyfriend.
Things were going swimmingly for the new couple; Hermione was excited for Apparition lessons and Matt reflected her enthusiasm. They continued to spend time together, Matt now joining her when she was with Harry. Rumors had even started to spring up that Ron was more interested in Lavender than he was with his old friends and that Matt was replacing him in the Golden Trio. Hermione did not mind this, although Harry was less than enthusiastic about the idea of someone replacing one of his closest friends.
Hermione even argued it was alright for Harry to talk about his lessons with Dumbledore in front of Matt. Harry had said Dumbledore was alright with her and Ron hearing about them, he had made no mention of Matt. Hermione pointed out that Matt was only a classmate at the beginning of the year and had not become her boyfriend until the holidays. She trusted Matt and would repeat anything that Harry told her anyway. Harry had to shake his head in agreement, remembering he had done a similar thing the previous year when staying at the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix.
When Valentine's Day had come around, Matt had gotten Hermione some special treats from Hogsmeade, and the couple shared an incredibly special evening. They exchanged gifts before breakfast, stuck close to each other all day and after dinner that night, Matt finally kissed her. Hermione was all too ready to return the affections as well. It had meant a lot to her, and she was very content to spend the evening curled in his lap by the fire, both of them reading.
Hermione had been truly upset when, a month later, Harry had come bursting into the common room mid-morning stating he had just taken Ron to the hospital wing, having accidentally been poisoned in Professor Slughorn's office. Hermione, even though she refused to be around Ron, had insisted on going to visit him anyway. Matt said he would come along, and Hermione consented; He would be there for emotional support for her.
Hermione, Harry, and Ginny all sat around Ron's bedside and Matt stood behind Hermione, his hands on her shoulders, her own hand resting on top of Matt's. As the group talked with Fred and George about Ron's condition and how it happened, Hermione mentioned Slughorn was a terrible person to use to pass poisoned mead to anyone. The professor was more likely to keep it for himself.
"…Er-my-knee-" Ron had managed to croak out from his bed, the only thing coherent he managed to say in his mutterings. Hermione's eyes went wide, and she immediately looked up to Matt, for his reaction. He looked concerned and peered down at Hermione.
"Matt…it's not like that…I'm sure it's just because he heard me talking, that's all." Hermione stressed to her boyfriend. Matt thought for a few moments then nodded.
"I trust you." He replied and gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze for comfort before leaning down to kiss her cheek. Hermione blushed and smiled at the others. Ginny merely rolled her eyes and Harry shook his head. Fred and George, however, smirked.
"Look, George…"
"I see it Fred…"
"Don't the two of you start…" Hermione warned.
"Ah, young love!" They chorused in unison. Hermione scowled at them, Matt on the other hand, grinned. He knew the twins meant no harm and were merely joking out of fondness for Hermione. Rarely had she ever been on receiving end of their pranks and the few times she was, it was never intentional and always made right.
Unfortunately, things grew worse, as Ron failed to make a recovery and while the bezoar was helpful for stopping the initial poison, there was another secondary one mixed in, that was not mitigated by the bezoar. Hence the statement that they cured, most, not all, poisons. Ron slipped into a coma and had to be moved to St. Mungo's where he would hopefully make a recovery. Hermione and Harry were both devastated, as much as Hermione had been on the outs with Ron. Matt understood and was there for her, however she needed him. He gave her space when she wanted, was there to hold her when she needed comfort and listened when she wanted to talk about him.
Hermione knew Harry had been wrecked as well. She did her best to be there, even Matt was talking to Harry on his own, trying to be there for him. Harry had given up being cagey around Matt and openly told him and Hermione what task Dumbledore had set for him in collecting Slughorn's memory. That, coupled with an unhealthy obsession with Malfoy's wanderings of the castle, and Quidditch, things had become stressful for the small group. Even Neville and Luna, who Hermione introduced Matt to, were of little consolation to Harry. Their next Quidditch match was fast approaching, and Harry had not been able to bring himself to replace Ron.
"Harry, why don't you see if Matt will do it?" Hermione asked one day as they were returning to the common room from dinner.
"I guess…Matt, do you want to play Quidditch?" Harry asked. Matt was shocked to be asked.
"Well, I mean, I've never played before. I know how to fly and all. It's not hard though, right? Just keep the big ball from going into the hoops."
"It's slightly more complicated than that, but it is the gist of position, yeah." Harry said. He sounded like Hermione when she talked about Quidditch. She had to suppress a laugh as they attempted to settle in at a table to do homework.
"Ah, Harry!" came an unwelcome voice. Cormac McLaggen was striding over to the three of them. "I'll be playing Keeper, now that Weasley is out. Too bad. I'm the better choice anyway. You won't be sorry I'm on the team." McLaggen said and smiled. "Hermione, you're here too, excellent. Why don't you come with me, we'll pick up where we left off at Christmas. I haven't seen you since…"
"No, thank you, but we're not picking anything up. I've got a boyfriend now, a real boyfriend." Hermione said and her hand instantly clasped onto Matt's. Matt looked up at Cormac and grinned evilly at the older student.
"Of course you do, me. We've been together since before Christmas, come on. No one believes you're actually going out with that American." He said the word with so much disdain, and he reached for Hermione's, and she flinched away from him.
"I am going out with him, I was never going out with you, and frankly, I was the one who started the rumor we were dating, and I've regretted it ever since! Leave McLaggen!" she shouted and stood up, pointing to the door. Matt stood as well, ready to jump in.
"What are you on about, love? We're the couple, not you and him." McLaggen said.
"Don't call her that." Matt said suddenly, his voice had changed. Suddenly, there was contempt and hatred in it. Hermione sunk back into her seat. She had never heard him sound like that, even when talking about Malfoy.
"Oh, surely, you don't believe she's actually going out with you? It's just a stunt, you see. All women do this, to play hard to get or make their partners jealous. It's just a game, and for you, it's just not real." McLaggen said.
"No, it's very real for me. And it was never real for you." Matt shook his head. "You need to leave. I'll be playing the role of Keeper for Gryffindor's Quidditch team. Harry, I accept your offer." Matt said brazenly. Hermione smiled up at him.
"This is over McLaggen, you see, I only like really good Quidditch players." Hermione said and took Matt's hand.
"I refuse! If he wants to play, then you need to hold tryouts again." McLaggen argued.
"I'm the captain, I make the decisions, not you. You're not on the team, Matt is." Harry replied.
"You're not serious!"
"Oh, he is. You're saying it's black, when I know that it's white. You say it's wrong, but we know that it's right. It's just a shame, that's all." Matt said with a smirk and a shooing motion of his hand, as if to dismiss McLaggen.
Cormac McLaggen slunk away, looking abashed and bewildered.
"Matt, that was incredible!" Hermione stood, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He happily returned the kiss and slipped his arms around her, holding her close. Matt sighed happily as the three of them returned to their work, Hermione scooting closer to Matt and huddling against him.
The following Quidditch match did not go well. Hermione had done as much as she could for Matt, helping him in practice and giving him pointers from her experiences with Ron and Harry, it did not help him. He was an ok flier, but he could not keep the other team from scoring. Things were made worse when McLaggen had yanked the beater's bat away from Jimmy Peakes as he flew too close to the stands. As Peakes attempted to get the bat away from McLaggen, the older student swung and hit a beater right for Harry. Matt's greatest save of the day was when he rushed out of the goals to get in front of Harry to save him. Hermione had thought Matt was dead as soon as the beater collided with his head and he fell unconscious to the pitch.
A few hours later, Hermione was back in the hospital wing, holding Matt's hand while Harry sat on his other side. He looked glum, Ron should have been there, but he was still in a coma at St. Mungo's. Matt groaned awake and asked what happened.
"Don't worry, Madam Pomfrey took care of you." Hermione said soothingly after a quick explanation of the Quidditch match.
"Are you ok?" Matt asked, looking at Hermione. She blushed, it was such a sweet gesture, him asking if she was all right.
"Yes, I'm fine. A little shaken up seeing you hit and fall. But you're ok and that's what I care about now." Hermione said.
"What about you?" Matt asked and turned towards Harry. Hermione watched Harry. Harry had not thought much about Matt. Not until the year before, when he joined Dumbledore's Army. He had really stood beside Harry, arguing that Harry's story tracked logically. He often was seen throwing the Daily Prophet into the fire upon seeing another attack article. It had really meant something to both of them when he stood by the others when they went to London. Although Matt too had been injured at the Ministry, he had recovered well.
"I'm all right. You'll be happy to know I requested a lifetime ban from Quidditch for McLaggen from McGonagall. She agreed. I think she mentioned he'll have detention for the rest of the year, and he might even have to repeat this year as he may be unable to sit his N.E.W.T.s." Harry replied. Matt laughed at this, even though his head hurt from it, he found it highly amusing McLaggen had been so wrapped up in himself and his own jealousy that he would have to repeat a year.
As June arrived, Harry became increasingly wrapped up in Dumbledore's lessons, and one evening burst into the common room, as Hermione and Matt were sitting together. Harry rushed up to the dormitories and came back shoving a piece of parchment into Hermione's hands, one she recognized as The Marauder's Map. Harry handed Matt a roll of socks which confused Matt greatly.
"No, it's not the socks themselves, it's what's in them. It's the Felix Felicis. Share it between yourselves, Ginny too. Tell her Goodbye for me. I've got to go Dumbledore's waiting for me." Harry said as he dashed off, his invisibility cloak in his hands. Hermione looked bemused; Harry had been ranting that he was sure Malfoy was going to attack the castle that night.
Matt got up and went to look out of the window of Gryffindor Tower. He shook his head in defeat as he came back and plopped down next to Hermione.
"Well, we probably ought to do what he says." Matt said.
"I suppose…" Hermione agreed and used her coin from the D.A. to send a message to the others. Sure enough, Neville Longbottom had come rushing into the common room shortly after, panting but holding the coin up.
"I got the message." He said as Matt and Hermione began to plan, alongside Ginny and eventually Luna. Matt and Hermione agreed to split up. Matt took Ginny and Neville with him up to the Room of Requirement when Malfoy was not anywhere on the map. Hermione and Luna meanwhile slipped down to the dungeons to watch Professor Snape's office. Matt could not blame Harry's distrust of the potion's professor, after all the abuse Harry had suffered at his hands.
Hermione could not help but have a knot of worry in her stomach as she sipped the Felix Felicis and passed it to Matt who passed it to Ginny, who finished it. Neville frowned but Matt promised he would let Nevile have his swig next time. Hermione wondered how Matt was doing, while he, Ginny, and Neville groped along the darkened corridor, Malfoy and the other Death Eaters slipped by them and entered the castle.
When Flitwick came rushing into Snape's office, Hermione had followed Snape's orders, assuming the diminutive Charms professor had indeed collapsed. He served as the perfect distraction as Hermione and Luna took him up to the hospital wing, as fighting broke out. She had no idea her boyfriend was dueling with the Death Eaters next to McGonagall as she and Luna were talking to Madam Pomfrey.
When the fighting had died down, the injured were brought in. First Bill Weasley, then Neville, both injured and unconscious. Bill was far worse off, his head wrapped in bloody bandages. Hermione waited anxiously until Matt and Ginny walked in, unharmed, followed by Remus Lupin and Tonks. She threw herself into Matt's arms and he held her tightly, whispering sweet nothings into her ear and helping her to calm down. Matt sat in a chair beside Hermione and held her hand, her fingers intertwining with his.
A brief time later, Harry appeared in the room and gave them all the worst news. Dumbledore was dead and Professor Snape had been responsible for it. The shock that went through them all was almost unbearable. Matt wrapped an arm around Hermione, letting her cry into his shoulder.
Shortly after Molly and Arthur Weasley arrived. Hermione felt terrible for them, her adopted wizarding family. First Ron had been poisoned and then fell into a coma, now Bill their oldest was gravely wounded and his fiancée was there as well. Hermione might not have liked Fleur Delacour much, but she seemed to genuinely care about Bill and that was what mattered, she supposed. For a moment, she wondered what she would do if Matt had been the one lying in the bed, savaged by a werewolf. Immediately, she knew she would be doing the same thing Fleur was doing, tending to him, and not caring about the scars, only that he was alive.
Hermione realized that over the last six months she was falling in love with Matt and he seemed to be returning those affections. Especially on the rare times they got to spend the night together, sleeping beside each other. It had only been able to happen a few times, but it did not diminish the meaning. Hermione had liked being held by him and sleeping next to him. And the last time, both had had a lot less clothes on than normal, but it had felt special to her.
"Matt, I have to tell you something." Hermione said as they walked back to the common room from the hospital wing. They were both exhausted and needed rest, but Matt was ever attentive to Hermione's needs.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I…I've been feeling a certain way for a while now…and I have to know…" Hermione began. Matt paused just outside the Fat Lady's portrait. "I…I love you!" she cried out, not able to hold her emotions in check after the trying day. Hermione knew it was bad form to say something like that right after the night they had.
"Hermione…I love you too. I've felt like that for a while too. I've been wanting to say it I just didn't find the right time to…" he said and hugged her. They kissed and Hermione decided they were not staying in the dorms that night.
A few short days later, Dumbledore's funeral was held. Matt sat next to Hermione, holding her, and letting her cry on his shoulder. He too, bowed his head at the headmaster's final goodbye and let a few tears slip from his eyes.
After the funeral Matt pointed out to Ginny and Hermione that the Minister for Magic had cornered Harry yet again. Matt shook his head.
"Guy just won't leave Harry alone, bastard." Matt swore as the three of them hurried over to their friend.
"What did the minister want?" Hermione asked.
"Same as always." Harry replied. They chatted for a few moments about what was going to happen now that Dumbledore was dead, and the school may not reopen. Harry detailed his plan to return to his aunt and uncle's once more before going to hunt for Horcruxes.
"We'll be there Harry." Hermione said. "You said once before, that there was time to turn back if we wanted to. We've had time, haven't we?"
"Yes…but Matt you're…"
"Here with you. And besides, wherever Hermione goes, so do I." Matt put his arm around her shoulders earning her a grin. "And I'm told…" he looked at Ginny now. "That there's a wedding to attend this summer? Assuming I'm invited, of course?"
"Of course, you're invited, you're my plus one." Hermione grinned.
"So, make sure you come to my mum and dad's place this summer, before you go off and do whatever it is you're going to do. I know, I know, I can't know…" Ginny said, seeming more standoffish than a few days prior.
"Yeah, alright, we shouldn't miss that." Harry said. Hermione was glad that at least, she, Matt, and Harry would have one more day of peace…