He only paused long enough to blush again and quietly said, "Oops!" Then hurried down as quietly as he could and raced for the kitchen.
He was just thankful he hadn't also come across Wendell. He'd be told off, just for the evidence of the blush he knew he was now sporting.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As Monica rounded the top stair and saw her daughter's bedroom door, as usual, wide open she was also greeted to the sight of her daughter doffing her robe and standing in the room, side on and naked. Her skin was the pink of a hot shower and she still had wisps of steam rising from her skin.
Quietly stepping in through the door, as her daughter bent over to pick up her underwear from off the bed, she quietly said, "Well―"
With a very shocked but quiet, "Eeek!" Hermione's reaction was near-instant. She dropped to the floor, grabbed her robe and jumped back up holding it before her as she turned to the door, blushing furiously away. It almost appeared as if she bounced down and up.
Knowing she'd caught her daughter out, Monica smirked and continued to say what she was going to say. "I certainly hope what I just saw was not what Harry just saw."
Furiously blushing, Hermione squeaked out, "No!... I-I was wearing my robe when he saw me."
Stepping in further, Monica reached for the door, closed it and turned back to face her daughter. "I did warn you that, one day, if you continued to leave your door open while you were getting dressed you were going to give someone an 'eyeful'.
Hermione, still holding the dressing gown looked down in somewhat shame and quietly said, "Yes."
Monica gave a snort of amusement and said, "You'd better get dressed and go down and see Harry. You just embarrassed the boy again."
Then she left, closing the door behind her.
With a pained sigh, Hermione threw her robe on the bed and turned back to don her clothes.
'Betsy, first; then, Harry,' she thought.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
At 7.30am, on the dot, Headmistress Lady Marchbanks was watching as the floo 'whoomphed' with a burst of flame and the flames turned green. A moment later an auror stepped out, then Lord Potter, then Miss Granger and, finally, a second auror.
As they were stepping out, she came out from behind her desk and was waiting before it by the time the second auror stepped out.
Once the floo reverted back to orange flames she quietly said to the two teens, "Welcome back to Hogwarts."
Both grinned happily back. Both were also already dressed in their Hogwarts robes, with Lord Potter wearing the Potter crest on the opposite breast of his Gryffindor crest and the Black crest subservient. While Miss Granger wore the Potter crest on her right sleeve up near her shoulder, signifying she was under a Betrothal Agreement or contract to House Potter.
But, that was what they were wearing. Lord Potter had clearly grown a few more inches, filled out across the shoulders, lost the spectacles and... yes... apparently also lost that famous scar. And, while Miss Granger's physical statistics hadn't changed, her hair now fell in loose waves to lay on her shoulders and was clipped back at the temples by matching gold clips. Her changes were small, but no less startling.
"Your luggage, dears?" she asked
Harry gave a nod and called, "Dobby... Betsy..."
With a double flash, both elves arrived with their two trunks.
With a nod of her own, she called, "Toby."
A third elf arrived. This one, clearly a Hogwarts elf, was looking to her for instructions.
To the elf she indicated the two Potter elves and said, "Show these two that Lords' Quarters apartment I had the school elves ready for me, would you?"
"Yes, Lady Headmistress," the elf replied, before he turned and looked at Dobby and Betsy for a moment. Then both Potter elves nodded back and all three, plus the two trunks, disappeared.
Hermione appeared confused for a moment before she looked to Marchbanks and asked, "Headmistress? You asked... Toby... to show both Dobby and Betsy the Lords' Quarters...?"
in a tone that sounded as if she was saying it was obvious, Marchbanks replied, "Yes, dear. Lord Potter is being given an apartment with three bedrooms. As his recognised betrothed, you're allowed to share with him."
Hermione stood there, mouth open a little and blinked for a moment. "Ummm..."
Harry, realising the problem, said to her, "Hermione, if you want to be in the Gryffindor girls' dorms with Parvati, Lavender, Sophie and Fay, I understand. We can have Betsy move your effects to there, if you prefer."
Looking to him she said, "Ummm... no! I... i-if you don't mind, I'd prefer to stay with you."
"I thought you knew to expect that, dear," said Marchbanks. "Have I offended?"
Spinning back, Hermione replied, "Ummm... no. I... just didn't expect it. That's all."
"And I didn't know, either," said Harry. "I should have... and didn't."
"Actually..." said Hermione. "I'm... thinking... this will be a much better idea. Thank you."
"You're welcome, dear," said a slightly confused Marchbanks.
Hermione grinned at her.
One of the aurors asked, "And where are the Lords' Quarters, Headmistress?"
"On the fifth floor on the way to both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw towers," she replied. "Go up the grand staircase to the fifth floor, head towards the two towers and I'll have an elf meet you on the floor to show you the rest of the way."
The auror gave a nod and said "Thank you, Ma'am," And he and the other auror left through the door to the stairs.
Looking to the two teens she said, "I believe it's now time we head for the Great Hall. There's been a lot of speculation as to when you two would arrive."
"Yes, Ma'am," said Harry.
Both teens then followed her out.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As they walked, Hermione asked the little old witch who was their new Headmistress more questions about the Lords' Quarters and why someone, who was only betrothed, was expected to stay there with their betrothed.
"Aren't you worried what we might get up to?" she asked.
"You're betrothed, Miss Granger," replied the witch. "I might not be fully aware of what your Betrothal Agreement states, but I have a fair idea of the gist of it. Part of it states Lord Potter may act for your protection, does it not?"
"Well... yes," Hermione replied.
"Then, where better for you than to be close by so he can protect you than in the room next to his?" she asked.
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