Work Text:
November 1996
Dear Adrian,
Your mother and I have received word from Professors McGonnagal and Flitwick that your scores, so far, have not been up to par, and in fact, you are FAILING Transfiguration. You need to sort out your priorities, son, or you will be spending your entire Christmas break with Madame Duboise and you can kiss the Quidditch team goodbye. You know what is expected of you as the scion of a Noble House, Adrian. You must receive your N.E.W.T.S. and score well to be able to join me in the family business.
Your mother sends her love and I will be checking in with Professor Snape in 4 weeks' time to see if you have made progress.
Your Father,
Ignatius Pucey
Fuck, Fuck, Fuck. Adrian was screwed. He was of age! He didn’t think that the Professors would be owling home because he had mucked up a few tests and assignments. 7th year was supposed to be his year. Girls, Quidditch, and fun with his friends. Now he had to figure out how to get his scores up and maintain the status quo. It wouldn’t do for his friends to find out Quidditch was in jeopardy. He didn’t even WANT to join his father in the family business. Their family owned the largest Herbology corporation and research center in the magical world. Every head of the family had gotten a passion for Herbology and business but for some reason, it had skipped Adrian. He was very good in Herbology and even kept it as a NEWT but he wanted to play Quidditch! He had even had a scout from the Wimbourne Wasps contact him after he came to the last match of his 6th year.
“Who’s the letter from, Ade?” his best friend Draco Malfoy asked. He and Draco had been friends since nappies. Although Adrian was older by a year, they had remained friends even through their Hogwarts years. Adrian just handed the letter over to Draco and dramatically dropped his head to the table.
Draco whistled and said, “You’re screwed, mate. How are you going to up your grades in four weeks?”
Adrian grimaced and lifted his head. “I’m not sure. I probably need to inquire at the library about the tutors available that Professor Snape mentioned were being offered there at the beginning of the year. I just don’t want to spend the next however many weeks stuck with some nerd trying to teach me Transfiguration.”
“I wish I could help you, Ade, but Transfiguration is my worst subject.” Draco lamented with his friend. “But I’ll walk up to the library after dinner to check it out if you want.”
“Thanks, Dray. I appreciated it.” Adrian responded as he pushed his food around his plate having suddenly lost his appetite.
Adrian and Draco slowly made their way up to the library discussing quidditch strategies for Slytherin’s next match against Ravenclaws. The Eagles had a new captain this year and the rumor was their new chaser formations were solid. As they entered the library, Adrian went up to the desk dreading every minute.
“Mr. Pucey, I don’t see you very often in my library.” Madam Pince said with a small smirk. “What can I help you and Mr. Malfoy with?”
“I need to inquire about the tutoring being offered in Transfiguration.” Adrian said in a low voice so that those around him would not realize what he was doing. “Professor Snape said you were coordinating matching students to tutors.”
“Ah yes, fill out this parchment with what your needs are and you will receive an owl with who your tutor is by tomorrow evening.” Madam Pince said as she handed him the parchment and quill. “Then you can schedule times to meet with your tutor that work best for both of you.”
Adrian filled the parchment out and handed it back. All the while hoping that the tutor he was assigned wasn’t a total pain in his arse.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hermione Granger sat in the back of the library at what was now considered her table. She was currently working on the independent project that Professor McGonnagall had set for her since she was so far ahead of her year mates in Transfiguration. Hermione had already achieved all the meditation and preliminary spells to attain her animagus form and hoped to have achieved it by the Christmas holidays. Transfiguration had always been a subject that had come easy to Hermione. Professor McGonnagal had definitely seen that early on and had created more learning opportunities for her as the years went on.
As she was working, Madam Pince came over and brought her a rolled-up parchment. Hermione knew what this meant. A new person to tutor had signed up. The tutoring program had been her idea and she was glad people were taking advantage of it. This was going to be her first tutoring assignment since she had been helping set everyone else up. As she opened the parchment, her eyebrows rose into her hair. Adrian Pucey? Slytherin Quidditch heartthrob and girl magnet? Why was he seeking tutoring? Who cares if his scores were terrible? Harry said he was being recruited for Professional League Quidditch.
Hermione sighed as she pulled out a new piece of parchment to write him a small missive explaining that she was his tutor and that they would need to meet to discuss times for their tutoring sessions. She just hoped that this jock would be willing to listen to her even though she was only in 6th year. Hermione had no patience for Quidditch-obsessed morons wasting her time.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Adrian was sitting at lunch the next day and a small school owl landed next to his plate. After giving the small owl a small piece of bread, he opened the note surprised to have already received his tutoring assignment.
Dear Mr. Pucey,
You have signed up for Transfiguration assistance and have been assigned Hermione Granger as your tutor. You will receive tutoring for 4 weeks at a time meeting bi-weekly with your tutor. After that time has passed, you and your tutor can assess whether or not more tutoring is needed and different arrangements can be made.
Please meet your tutor in the library at 7 pm tonight to discuss meeting times and location.
Thank you,
Hermione Granger
Head of Hogwarts Tutoring Center
Draco had been reading over his shoulder and whistled. “Well fuck you sideways, Ade. Not only do you have to attend tutoring twice a week, but you also have to do it with the biggest SWOT in school.”
Adrian pushed Draco away from his spot breathing on his neck. “I’m less worried about who the nerd is that is tutoring me and more worried that twice a week will really interfere with Quidditch practices. We might need to move one of our weekday practices to the weekend.”
Draco groaned, “The team would literally HATE that, Ade. We haven’t had weekend practices for years!”
“I know but you won’t be practicing without me and I have to do this or there will be NO QUIDDITCH at all for me,” Adrian responded miserably.
Adrian left lunch and took his broom for a fly around the pitch. This is where he felt the freest. He used the time outside to organize his thoughts and try to make a plan to keep up with everything else in his life. Thank goodness he was single this year, because he would not have been able to juggle a girlfriend as well.
After dinner, he said goodbye to his friends who knew all about the tutoring and who his tutor would be. They were heckling him as he got up from the table to walk to the library. He was lost in thought when he entered the library and almost barreled over another student. He put his arms out to catch the person he had hit and ended up with arms full of Hermione Granger. Adrian quickly helped her get to rights and took a step back.
“Um, hi. I’m Adrian Pucey.” he muttered while holding out his hand.
“I know who you are, Mr. Pucey,” she replied, shaking his hand, “I am Hermione Granger but it seems you might already know that as well.”
Adrian chuckled, “You can just call me Adrian and yes, we all know the Brightest Witch of the Age.”
Hermione blushed a bit but quickly got back to business. “Let’s find a table and discuss what you need, how I can help, and when we can meet.
Adrian followed her to a table in the back. He couldn’t help but notice how small she was. She barely reached his shoulders and she was a well-proportioned little witch. Her hair was the only thing truly large about her but you could tell the curls were soft and plentiful. He shook his head as he sat down. He was NOT checking out his swotty tutor before they even started.
Holy Hell, Adrian Pucey is fit! Hermione thought as she spun around to lead him to her table. He was tall and broad-shouldered. You could tell Quidditch training was definitely something he worked at often. Stop thinking about this boy…man?...ugh FOCUS, HERMIONE!
As they reached the table, they each sat down facing each other. Hermione started by taking out a roll of parchment and her quill. “The first thing we need to figure out is what days work best for us to meet for tutoring. I am free to meet after dinner, before our first classes some days, and if we have a common free period. I will not meet on the weekends as that is when I revise for my own classes and get ahead on work.”
“All work and no play, Hermione?” Adrian chuckled. When he saw she was not laughing with him, he continued more seriously, “ I have Quidditch practice Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays after dinner. I am willing to move one of those to a weekend practice if necessary but my teammates might revolt.”
“Well, not that I understand Quidditch at all, but I understand your role as Captain is important and we can work around that.” Hermione responded. “I am free Tuesdays and Thursdays after dinner or I have a free period right after breakfast on Wednesdays and Fridays.”
“Can we do Tuesdays after dinner and Fridays after breakfast?” Adrian inquired, “I’d prefer to not lose every night of my week to something or I will fall behind in my other classes. I have a free period after breakfast as well on Fridays.”
“Perfect!” Hermione said scribbling on the parchment calendar. Then she presented him with another roll of parchment. “This is the tutoring contract. It states you will show up to your tutoring appointments and not cancel them unless you are sick or there is an emergency. If you need to cancel or move dates, please let me know via owl or come and talk with me. If you agree with the terms and the dates we have set, please sign at the bottom. This contract will be kept with Madam Pince as she is the staff sponsor of our tutoring program.
Adrian looked over the contract, making sure it was just as she had said. His father had ingrained in him that he should never sign his name to anything he hadn’t read at least twice. As he signed he felt the dread of having to add tutoring to his already busy life but there was nothing to it.
“Thank you, Adrian,” Hermione said as she waved her wand and the scroll rolled up and flew over to Madam Pince’s desk. “We can start our tutoring schedule this upcoming Tuesday if you are agreeable. It will give you the weekend to gather your Transfiguration notes and any assignments you didn’t score well on to bring to our first meeting. That will give me an idea of where we need to start.”
Adrian was not looking forward to that, especially since he had cast an incendio on his last assignment where he had received a T, but he just smiled and nodded his head. As they stood the tiny witch put out her hand again to shake his hand and he pulled out his pureblood charm. Adrian turned her hand over and planted a small kiss upon it as was the custom in pureblood culture and was rewarded with a pretty pink blush from his tutor. “I shall endeavor to meet your requests, Hermione. See you on Tuesday.”
Hermione nodded and scurried away when he released her hand, never noticing his gaze on her didn’t waiver.
When Tuesday rolled around, Adrian was dreading his tutoring lesson. He had realized that his notes for Transfiguration were lacking and much of the blame for his terrible scores laid solely on his shoulders. He did not want to present this mess to Hermione Granger, SWOT extraordinaire. Adrian trudged into the library and found her at the same table as before and sat down in a huff.
Hermione looked up at him a bit startled and asked, “What’s wrong with you? Lose a Quidditch game or something?”
“Bite your tongue, witch!” Adrian said looking up at her, “As if I would ever lose a Quidditch game!”
Hermione rolled her eyes at his self-confidence as he continued, “Actually, I am dreading this meeting because you asked to see my notes and in all honesty, they are shit. I am mildly embarrassed to even show you.”
He waited for Hermione to berate him, but it never came. Her face actually softened as she said, “Well, then we have a place to start. Let's talk through your note-taking strategies and then figure out where your biggest struggle has been.”
Adrian was surprised but didn’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth. He explained how Professor Snape had shown them to take notes as first years and how he had failed to continue that structure this year. There was no other excuse other than he had gotten lazy.
For the rest of the session, she showed him a few other note taking strategies and they went over the concepts that McGonnagall had taught so far gauging how much he understood. At the end of the session, Hermione told him, “I am going to make some lesson plans to help get you back on track. I don’t think you are that far off, so maybe in four weeks you will be back on track and not need me anymore.”
Adrian smiled and thanked her before heading back to his dorm. He was not looking forward to all the work he had coming to him, but he was looking forward to getting to know this little witch who intrigued him. So much of what he’d heard about her was not true. She was not condescending at all when he didn’t understand something and she was patient when it came to showing him new skills. The way her eyes lit up to a beautiful cinnamon color when she talked about Transfiguration was enchanting and he struggled to keep his thoughts from overtaking his brain. He had to remind himself that he was there to figure out his issues with Transfiguration and get his dad off his back. In four weeks, he would no longer need to worry about the small little lion who got under his skin.
For her part, Hermione was surprised at how studious Adrian could actually be when he applied himself. He had come prepared with his notes, even if they were atrocious. He had owned up to the disaster and taken in every suggestion and correction she gave him. Many people had said he was cocky and held himself superior to others, but he truly did not act like that. Did he have that typical pureblood charm? Sure. Did he use it to make her blush a few times? Also, yes. Adrian Pucey was a mystery, but not one she was willing to unwrap because he was only meeting her for tutoring. They weren’t even friends.
As their sessions continued, Hermione and Adrian found that they worked well together. At the end of the second week, Adrian offered to walk Hermione to her next class so that they could continue their conversation about Defensive Transfiguration. Hermione paused and responded with a hesitant, “Sure. I have Double Potions with the Slytherins,” thinking this might sway him because he wouldn’t want to be seen with the resident nerd of Hogwarts.
Surprisingly to her, Adrian just said, “Great, I needed to check in with Professor Snape before going to Charms” and then grabbed her bag and offered his elbow like the pureblood prat he is.
Everyone was staring at them as they walked down from the library to the dungeons, but Adrian and Hermione were in their own worlds. The conversation had switched from Transfiguration to Herbology and Hermione was now peppering him with questions. He had told her about his family’s company and their history in the Herbology field. Normally this would bother him, but this little sprite was peppering him with questions about the actual plants they grew and their effects on magical creatures, not about how much money he had and how he could spend it on her.
“Okay, little sprite,” he told her as she huffed at the nickname, “I can get you more information or I can even get you a tour during the Christmas holidays to come see the research center.”
At that, Hermione beamed at him. “I’ll excuse the nickname if you give me your word that I can come and see the research center! It sounds absolutely fascinating.”
Chuckling, Adrian responded, “I promise on my word as a wizard, Little Sprite. Here’s your bag. I am going to check in with Professor Snape before your class. I will see you later.”
Hermione took her bag and as their arms brushed, she felt her cheeks heat with a blush. Adrian smiled down at her and went into the classroom with thoughts of her pretty blush on his mind.
Later in the common room, Draco approached Adrian after Quidditch practice. “So I saw you walk Granger down to Potions this morning. Got anything to share with the class, Ade?
“I was just walking her down to class after our tutoring session,” Adrian said, closing his Herbology textbook, “I had to talk to Professor Snape, so I walked her down. We were finishing a discussion anyway.”
“I saw the way you looked at her Adrian,” Draco said sitting down next to him, “You are starting to like the little SWOT.”
“She’s smart, and kind, and doesn’t look at me like she wants a marriage contract.” Adrian replied, “It’s easy to find myself enjoying her company. I like how small she is but how big her personality makes her.”
“Careful, friend,” Draco said, smiling knowingly at him, “You’ll find yourself falling for a Lion and ruin that Slytherin Prince reputation you have going for you.”
“I’m not falling for anyone,” Adrian responded. “I just enjoy her company. I could see us being friends after this tutoring thing ends.”
When Tuesday rolled around, Hermione noticed that Adrian was a bit more reserved during their session. He had sat himself across the table instead of next to her as he usually did.
“Have I done something to upset you?” Hermione asked him hesitantly. “If I did, maybe you could enlighten me?”
Adrian’s head shot up, he hadn’t realized she felt like that. He hadn’t been able to get his conversation with Draco out of his head and in that moment, seeing her looking at him with a worried face broke a little part of him.
“No.” he said a little too loud. “No I’m not mad at you at all! I’m sorry if you feel like that.”
“It’s just that you sat all the way over there and you’ve been mostly quiet and have only answered my comments or questions about your lesson.” Hermione was babbling now. “I felt we were becoming friends and I’m sorry if you felt I had overstepped last week with all my questions about Herbology and…”
Adrian cut her off by getting up and sitting next to her at the table. He took her hands that had crushed her quill while she nervously babbled.
“You did not overstep. It was the first time I have ever had a conversation about the family business that didn’t make me want to gouge my eyes out,” Adrian began. “You, Little Sprite, have my head feeling like I’ve been hit by a bludger. I leave these sessions and you are all I can think about. I find myself making sure to do my work so that you will be proud of me. I look for you in the Quidditch stands during scrimmages to see if you’ve come to watch. I even walked all the way with Draco to his first class yesterday hoping to run into you. So today I decided that maybe I was a little too attached and needed to back up and separate myself before I embarrass myself.”
Hermione was looking up at him with wide eyes. “I…I don’t know what to say Adrian.” As he made to let go of her hands, she gripped them tighter and he could see her Gryffindor courage bubbling up inside her. “That’s not true. I know what to say but I am so scared to say it. Not very Gryffindor of me, is it?
“That’s your inner Slytherin talking love,” Adrian said with a chuckle, “We call that self-preservation.”
Hermione laughed, “You are one of the most interesting people I have ever met, Adrian Pucey. I was dreading this tutoring assignment because I thought you were just some Quidditch jock looking to get his grades up to help you stay on the team.”
Adrian interrupted, but Hermione continued. “But, I have learned that there is so much more to you and I can’t help but think of you outside of our sessions as well. I steal looks over to the Slytherin table at meals and I will tell you a secret. I did attend the last scrimmage you played against Gryffindor, disillusioned near the bottom of the Slytherin stands, and I cheered you on against my own house!”
Adrian laughed heartily at that and pulled the small witch into a hug that elicited a squeak from her. He spoke softly into her ear as he asked, “Well since we both have become sappy sad sods, will you do me the honor of being my date to Hogsmead this weekend?”
Her answer was clear in the smile she gave him, “Of course I would, Adrian!”
They finished their tutoring session and he walked her to Gryffindor tower, leaving her with a kiss to her knuckles and a heated look when he saw her blush.
The rest of that week had been a blur for them both. Their new budding relationship was the talk of Hogwarts, but Hermione did not let that change the fact that she expected him to work hard during his tutoring session on Friday. Although he did use any excuse to touch her and make her smile during that session.
The morning of their date dawned bright and cold as they met in the Great Hall to walk to Hogsmeade. Hermione was so pleasantly surprised that she and Adrian never ran out of things to talk about. They agreed that Madam Puddifoots was to be avoided with a ten foot pole and enjoyed a hearty meal at the Hog’s Head. Adrian treated Hermione to new quills and special note taking parchment at Scrivenshaft’s Quill Shop. They strolled hand in hand through the tiny town, oblivious to the stares they were eliciting from their fellow students. They ended the night with Adrian walking Hermione back up to her dorm.
“I had the absolute best time, Adrian,” Hermione said with a sigh. “It was the best Hogsmeade trip of my entire Hogwarts years.”
“That is a high compliment, Little Sprite,” Adrian said with a chuckle. “Now, I would very much like to give you a kiss goodnight with the hope you would join me to study by the lake tomorrow?”
She answered by tilting her head up to him with a small smile on her face. What she wasn’t expecting was the feeling of rightness that came with his kiss. He fully enveloped her and consumed her in just one kiss. This boy was trouble and as she pulled away from him, she realized his mouth tasted of the sugar quills he’d shared with her earlier - drawing her back to the lesson on Amortentia that Professor Snape had taught them at the end of September. Sugar Quills, Fresh Cut Grass, and Broom Polish. The smells of Adrian Pucey, who would have thought?
Everyone spent the next week discussing the relationship of Hogwarts biggest Quidditch Jock and the school’s resident SWOT. The couple themselves spent more time wrapped up in learning about each other. Adrian finished his official tutoring sessions with Hermione and celebrated a much improved grade by running up to her in the doorway of the Great Hall and scooping her up into a hug and kiss that had many students telling them to, “Get a room!”
At Christmas break, Adrian invited Hermione to have dinner with his parents on Boxing Day. Although his parents were not pureblood supremacists, they did have a superiority complex. It had worried Adrian to introduce his muggleborn girlfriend, but he shouldn’t have been worried. Being raised by two dentists who had a thriving practice meant that Hermione had grown up going to higher class schools and had wanted for nothing in her entire life. She had been taught proper etiquette by her mother and grandmother and had even been presented to society last year at her parents’ club. Hermione impressed his mother with her manners and poise, while simultaneously impressing his father with her knowledge of Herbology and Wizarding politics. For his part, Adrian just smiled and enjoyed how seamlessly she fit in here. They hadn’t been dating long, but he could see this in his future. Especially when she told his father that she supported his dreams of playing Professional Quidditch, saying that life was too short to give up on dreams and talent. It wasn’t a career for a lifetime; you could only play a sport for so long. He had discussed that with Hermione one time as they sat in a library alcove, cuddled up under the pretense of studying.
For his part, his father didn’t blow up. He nodded his head and looked from him to Hermione with a thoughtful look in his eyes. “Well, maybe, Miss Granger, it will be someone else in this family who will take up the mantle of the family business while Adrian pursues his Quidditch dreams.” Hermione just stared at him and then at Adrian, until realization hit and that pretty blush was back. Adrian thought that was a splendid idea but kept it to himself.
When they returned to school in January, it was to be the biggest Quidditch rivalry game at the end of the month between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Adrian had bet Hermione that he could get an O on his next Transfiguration assignment and if he won, she would wear his jersey to the game. It was all the motivation he needed, and as he flew around the pitch, he couldn’t help but grin at his little witch wearing his Slytherin green jersey with his name across the back. The celebration of a Slytherin win that night was one to remember, especially because it ended with Hermione in his bed with nothing but that jersey on.
As the end of the year approached, no one batted an eye at the SWOT and the Jock walking hand in hand as they made plans for summer and the next year they would have to be apart. Adrian had been recruited to play professional Quidditch for the Appleby Arrows, and Hermione would be starting her 7th year, while also undergoing a Double Mastery in Herbology and Transfiguration.
Many doubted they would survive the year apart, but Hermione and Adrian knew that they had everything they needed for the future in each other.