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Potions Class 1
It was common knowledge that Seamus Finnigan had blown up a goblet of water trying to turn it to rum his first year. As the years progressed the explosions got bigger and more absurd, so the other people in his year had learnt to edge carefully around him whenever he decided to put any amount of concentration into anything.
Hermione Granger had never put much thought into this, until her last year of Hogwarts. Voldemort was dead, Ron and Harry were busy working and Hermione had been placed next to Seamus in potions.
Naturally Hermione was expecting a bang so she kept an eye on him determined to get away unscathed. However Hermione was rather astounded, Seamus had prepared everything perfectly, he watched his pocket watch like a hawk and he placed the ingredients in at exactly the right time, she couldn’t have done a better job herself.
Five minutes left and Hermione was packing her left over ingredients into the store room when it happened. Curious, Hermione slowly walked over and placed the ladle into the cauldron, frowning deeply when it hit the bottom with a clang. The potion was gone. It was gone and Seamus was covered in soot. How in the name of Merlin was this happening?
Potions Class 2
To say that Seamus was astounded that Hermione had chosen to partner with him in Potions would be an understatement. But here she was smiling and… looking at him. Why was she looking at him? Did he have something on his face? With a quick look into a rather distorted reflection on the back of a ladle he decided that his face was as average as ever.
Why on earth did she keep looking at him? Merlin. She didn’t fancy him did she? Wasn’t she dating Ron? Was she dating Ron? If she was, Ron would kill him. If she wasn’t… Ron would attempt to kill him. Would it be worth it? She was a good looking lass. She was nice. Would it be worth imminent death?
BANG!
…and there goes my potion. I can’t even remember if I did anything to actually incur the explosion. Why does Hermione look so confused? …She was watching my potion. Seriously? She was watching the potion not me? Of course. Why would she look at me? I’m sitting here like an idiot considering if taking a shot at Hermione Granger would be worth serious injury and she’s checking out me potion.
Idiot, I’m a bloody Idiot.
Potions Class 3
Hermione was determined to work out what in Merlin’s Great Beard was going on. Last lesson she had watched him like a hawk and besides the fact that he had seemed a little distracted she could not for the life of her find fault with his potion making skills. Yet it had still blown up. Even Seamus had looked surprised which was quite a feat considering he expected the explosions. She had tracked down their new Professor the next day and asked for a shared Potions project, and despite the strange look he had given her, he had obliged.
Seamus was looking at her with pity when the Professor announced the shared project but Hermione had just smiled and patted him on the shoulder. Hermione was grinning like a Chershire cat when the potion was finished. No bang what so ever. Seamus looked dazed sitting back in his seat and occasionally pinching himself to make sure it was real.
The moment she turned to pull the vials out of her bag however it all went to hell. The explosion shook the desk and when Hermione could finally syphon enough smoke away she spotted Seamus banging his head on the desk.
How? How did it explode? It was finished, the potion has settled and stabilised, there shouldn’t have been a thing you could do to it to make it even turn a different colour! She had the Professor pick this specific potion for that exact reason!
Clearing the smoke out of the cauldron, she peered in.
There at the bottom of the very empty cauldron was a four leaf clover.
Seamus had never been more confused in his life. First she had stared at him all lesson, then he had almost, almost successfully completed a potion with her, then for the past week she had piled herself in research but still managed to pick something off the floor or out of the cauldron every single time she had witnessed one of his explosions.
Maybe the bird was bonkers. It couldn’t have been easy living with Harry and Ron, he should know he had been in the same dorm for six years but at least he got time away during holidays and class.
And what was with all those books? He knew that they weren’t for school work, but she was so wrapped up in it that he hadn’t been able to ask. The only times she removed her head from the books was when she heard his boom.
On a few occasions Dean had nudged him, waggling his eyebrows and pointed out that Hermione was staring at him. The plonker was convinced she fancied him, he would point out that she was supposed to be dating Ron and Dean would point out that she never stared at Ron like she does him.
Seamus thought she stared at him like she was observing an experiment, but he didn’t say that. You know, just in case she did fancy him and he hurt her feelings. After all, his name wasn’t Ron Weasley.
It had taken her two solid weeks or research and several owls but she’d finally done it.
Bursting into the common room Hermione sat on the viewer’s chair that sat empty as Dean and Seamus played chess.
“I did it. It took me a lot longer than I had expected but I did it.” She smiled brightly.
Dean and Seamus looked at her with matching bewildered looks.
“While I’m happy for ya’ lass, I’m searchin’ ta’ know what it is you did.” Seamus cocked an eyebrow.
Hermione rolled her eyes. “I was researching for days, but then it finally hit me! You’re Irish! Which I know is a silly thing to forget but when you consider this has been happening since you walked into Hogwarts it makes sense that whatever had caused it had probably happened in Ireland! So of course I had been searching in the wrong books altogether so I started looking in the right place and it all came together after I owled your mother…”
“Wait! You spoke to me mam?” Seamus asked shocked while Dean now just looked on amused at the exchange.
Hermione blinked. “Well of course I had to confirm my theory, which I did.” She sent a blinding smile his way.
Dean shook his amused. “Hermione you still haven’t told us exactly what you’re talking about and I think you’re beginning to talk poor Seamus in circles.”
“Oh! Leprechauns!” Hermione smiled bright again while the boys just looked at each other completely confused.
“Okay I could understand how Seamus could get lost in your roundabout way of talking ‘cause he’s a bit slow…”
“OI!”
“…but now even I’m confused.” Dean finished ignoring Seamus’ outburst.
“Seamus’ explosion, gosh you boys are slow! When Seamus was little a Leprechaun tore up his mothers flower bed and he got the blame for it, he was so angry that his accidental magic blew up the Leprechauns home. That’s why things explode around Seamus! He was cursed!”
“You worked out why I keep tearin’ up tha’ place?!” Seamus asked shocked.
“Yup, now all you have to do is apologise and it’ll all go away.” Hermione smiled brightly.
“You worked it out! Dean, the lass worked it out! Ha ha!” Seamus scooped up Hermione and danced her around the common grinning like an idiot. Stopping in front of the fire he placed his hands on her face and kissed her directly on the lips before running out of the common room yelling behind him, “I’ve got a Leprechaun to apologise ta’!”
Hermione stood shocked, a blush rising up her cheeks and fingertips pressed lightly to her lips as Dean came to stand beside her, arms crossed looking smug.
“It’ll take him ten minutes to remember he kissed you, and then two days to stop avoiding you. You’ve got til then to work out if you’d like to take a chance with him. Good luck!” Dean mock saluted and climbed the dorm steps, leaving Hermione to collapse into a couch, her mind boggling at the possibilities.