The following day they were heading back to Hogwarts, but only Jake and Hermione seemed remotely happy about it. Harry had to take Occlumency Lessons with Snape, but neither of them could figure out what Ron's problem was, and if he wasn't up for sharing, they weren't going to ask anymore.
They were taking the Knight Bus back that morning, and Lupin and Tonks were to be Harry's guard, even though Lupin agreed that he and Tonks were little more than the Adults tagging along. Both Lupin and Tonks were down in the kitchen eating breakfast when the four of them walked in the next morning, and when the door was opened, whatever they were talking about in hushed whispers was dropped immediately.
After a hurried breakfast, they all pulled on jackets and scarves against the chilly gray January morning. Jake and Hermione had stepped outside as Sirius held Harry back a moment, and he looked at her, a gentleness in his eye, "You know the best part about being public with our relationship?" He asked her. Hermione shook her head, not picking up on what he was talking about, when his lips found hers, and it actually warmed her up a little bit, "That. I can kiss you freely and not care who sees."
"I admit, it will be nice to not care what others think," Hermione smiled at him, and Ron hurried past both of them quickly as Harry came out of the house, Lupin and Tonks in tow.
"Come on then," Lupin said in a rushed voice, "the sooner we get on the Bus, the better."
He held his wand up and in less than a second, the bus appeared before them, opening its doors to welcome them aboard. It was a Triple-Decker bus colored Midnight Purple, and as always, it stopped on a dime. Stan appeared at the entrance, "Welcome to the-"
"Yes, yes, we know, thank you!" Tonks said hurriedly as she practically threw Harry onto the bus. Jake was the last one to board as Stan was busy saying hello to Harry, and Tonks began to threaten him, "If you shout his name one more time I will curse you into Oblivion!"
"I always wanted to go on this thing," Ron said, his previous mood seemingly evaporating into thin air.
"Eh, it's not really all it's cracked up to be," Jake said dismissively of the Bus itself, "good for getting somewhere fast in Britain if you can't Apparate," Jake sighed, wondering why he didn't just Apparate them to King's Cross. Although to be honest, he didn't actually know if you could Apparate onto Platform 9¾, he'd have to try that one day, just to see if it was possible.
The Knight Bus's interior was in disarray, and the chairs that littered the first floor of the bus were scattered everywhere, "We'll have to split up it seems," Tonks said, "Fred, George, Ginny, you three can sit back there with Remus, he'll watch over you well."
"While Jake watches over the whole Bus and the surrounding area, right?" Ginny asked cheekily and grinned.
Tonks sighed, "Well obviously, given who he is."
Even with the other chairs, Jake and Hermione sat slightly off to the side to be with themselves, "You excited to get back to Hogwarts?"
"Always," he smiled at her, "I'm more excited to see if you and I being in a relationship is the main topic of discussion at the evening feast once we get back."
"I'm sure it will be, at least for a little while," Hermione smiled back at him, "I mean, you are of the Ambrosius Blood, the most pure and noble Blood the Wizarding world has, and you've admitted your love for a Muggleborn Witch. That's sure to get people talking, but obviously not all of them will be positive and encouraging about us ... you'll be completely ruining your Pureblood ancestry..."
"That never once crossed my mind, Hermione," he said honestly, "if you were merely a Muggle with no Magical Properties or Abilities, I'd still have fallen in love with you. My love for you is not bound by the Laws of the Universe nor is it restricted by the confines of Space and Time. It's never-ending, and it shatters reality to be interdimensional, because our love cannot be merely replicated in another timeline, it has to be the raw, unadulterated feeling I have for you now."
Hermione was currently crying. She understood every bit of what he said, and it melted her heart to know he loved her to such an extreme. If they didn't have company currently present, she'd straddle him and snog him all the way to Hogwarts. Since she couldn't do that, however, she settled for a kiss that lasted about five seconds, "I can't even begin to describe the love I have for you in a way you haven't yet described it, so I hope those three simple words that carry so much meaning will suffice?"
He smiled gently at her, "I love you too, Hermione, Forever and Always from this point forth."
Lupin and Tonks apparently left out a small tidbit from them as they weren't going to Platform 9¾, but instead were being taken to Hogsmeade directly. Tonks looked around the deserted street, "I know you've got Jake with you, but Remus and I will feel much better when you Seven are on the School Grounds."
"Look after yourselves," Lupin said, smiling wryly, before whispering something to Harry, but Jake was unable to make out what he said.
They trudged up the slope, being some of the first back to Hogwarts given how fast the Knight Bus travels. Hermione and Jake were holding hands, as he dragged her trunk behind him, not caring if anyone at all saw them.
Later that day at dinner just after most everyone else had come back to Hogwarts, Jake was holding Hermione's hand as they entered the Great Hall, and many loud whispers could be talking about them.
This wasn't new to the Gryffindors, when all of them returned to the Common Room, they saw Hermione leaning up against Jake, cuddling with him on the couch as the both of them read the same book, occasionally kissing one another. Many girls in Third and Fourth Year were practically starry-eyed, and Angelina, Alicia, and Katie gave him a bit of a hard time when they came in, but it was all in good fun. Hermione did notice that Katie looked less happy about it, but Hermione found it hard to care about Katie's feelings for Jake, because he loved her and only her, and nothing would change that. Parvati made the comment after walking up to them, "I guess I shouldn't be surprised, you and Hermione were always close, it was only a matter of time before you two got together."
Then at dinner, the Hufflepuffs were the first to talk about it, since Hermione told Susan she could tell any Hufflepuff that it was now official, and then the Ravenclaws were looking over at them, talking about the newly announced relationship between the two Fifth Year Gryffindors. Hermione had the feeling that she was parading him around, showing him off to anyone who'd look, but it let every girl here know that he was off limits, and she'd Hex any of the trollops that would try to take him from her.
And of course, the majority of Slytherins had nothing nice to say about the fact Hermione and Jake were now a thing, but any gripes they did have were kept quiet enough so that Jake didn't hear them. Hermione caught Ivan's gaze and she could make out the distinct feature of a smile on his face. She smiled back, hoping whatever awkwardness that was between them was over.
Overall, Hermione had never felt this good or accomplished about anything, and that was saying a lot. Needless to say, their relationship status had spread like Wildfire, as everyone in the school knew before the first day back from break ended.
*******
Jake noticed that Harry spent most of the following day dreading his evening with Snape. His Potions lesson was one of his worst so far, and it didn't help with Snape being absolutely unpleasant about anything and everything Gryffindor related. He also noticed in between classes that many of the D.A. members were approaching Harry, asking when the next meeting was. When Harry said he couldn't do it tonight, Jake cut in, "I don't think both teachers have to be there. Either give me your Galleon, or set it for tonight, okay?"
Harry was reluctant, but he agreed to it. It was better than having to tell anyone an excuse for why he couldn't be there, like having to take Remedial Potions , or something like that.
After their last class for the day, which was Reading about Defense Against the Dark Arts with Umbridge, who Jake noticed glared at him evilly for more than two seconds, Cho had walked up to them, smiling at Harry, "Hi, Harry," she said from behind them.
"Oh," Harry said a bit awkwardly, "Hi."
"We'll be in the library until the D.A. meeting," Hermione said, grabbing Ron forcefully by the elbow and dragging him with Jake not far behind them.
Before he got too far away, though, Cho did speak to him, "Congrats on you and Hermione."
"Thanks," he smiled and continued to follow his girlfriend as she dragged their red-headed friend.
Once they got to the Library, Hermione sat down, with Jake and Ron flanking her, as she got to work on the homework they already had. Ron complained, but Hermione said he should try to get ahead on his homework for a change. She didn't know if it would actually work, but it was worth a shot.
"Hermione," Jake said her name, getting her attention.
"Hmm?" She looked over at him, completely unaware of what he was about to ask her.
"The next Hogsmeade Trip... it's on February Fourteenth... and I was wondering if you'd like to go to Hogsmeade with me on Valentine's Day?" He asked.
If they weren't in the library, Hermione would've squealed with delight, "Of course I'll go to Hogsmeade with you on Valentine's Day, Jake," she said, her face beaming with a radiance that was unmatched in that current moment.
"Can you both keep it to a minimum, please? I'm trying to work here," Ron said, and he was indeed working, much to Hermione's satisfaction. She believed Ron was actually going to start putting in an effort, and that made her proud of her friend.
That evening, when the D.A. was set to meet, Jake, Hermione, and Ron were the first three there, as expected, since the Room of Requirement had to be similar to what they used the previous meetings for the D.A., and Jake really doubt any of the other members would think to make it so.
"So, what do you have in store for us this evening, Jake?" Hermione asked, wanting to get an idea.
"I have a small demonstration first, but I think it wouldn't hurt to have a refresher of what everyone's learned so far for the first meeting back," he said, sitting down on one of the small bean bag chairs.
"That sounds like a very good idea," Hermione agreed and grabbed a book off the shelf and sat down near him.
Ron was busying himself with one of the three mannequins that appeared when Luna was the first to show up, and she spoke before Jake could welcome her "Jake! Hermione! Congrats on your relationship!"
Jake just smiled at her, "Thanks, Luna."
"Thank you, Luna," Hermione glanced up from her book to smile and then looked back down to continue.
This happened with almost everyone that walked in, most of them congratulating the couple, and very few girls just didn't say anything at all, namely Katie and Padma.
When Jake saw that everyone was here, he stood up from the bean bag, "Okay, I hope everyone had a good Christmas, I know I did," he paused for a moment, "so before we get started on our first day bac-"
"Where's Harry?" Cho asked, just realizing he wasn't there.
"Harry was unable to make the meeting, but he'll be back for the next one, now befo-" Jake was cut off again.
"What's he doing that's more important than teaching us?" Zacharias Smith asked.
"It's none of your concern what Harry's doing, Smith, now if I get cut off one more time, I'm going to be angry," he said, and the faces everyone made was a promise to not interrupt him again. He took a deep breath, "Now... before we get started with the revisions of everything we've learned so far, I wan-"
"What do you mean revisions ?" Smith asked, apparently not appreciating the fact they were going to go over what they learned before the break.
Jake raised his wand and pointed it at Smith, " Oscausi !"
Smith's mouth was removed from his face, and when he realized this by feeling his face, he became enraged, making angry hand gestures, but Susan grabbed his arms and forced them down, "Smith, that is enough! Jake warned you to not interrupt him again, and you did anyway, this is on you !"
Smith looked at her, then at a few other faces, before finally crossing his arms and staying quiet, "Thank you, Susan, I'll return his mouth to him once I'm done talking. By revisions , I mean we are going to practice all we've learned so far just to make sure everyone is still up to speed. But before that, I want to show you all something. The Seventh Years will know what I'm talking about, and if you read the Daily Prophet the summer the Quidditch World Cup happened you'll also know what I'm talking about. I'm talking about a spell known as the Blasting Curse."
"I've heard Professor Flitwick mention it," Angelina said, and her fellow Seventh Years agreed.
"I don't suppose he's had you use the spell?" Jake asked.
"No, he said it's too dangerous to use, even in class," Fred said.
"He's not wrong, it's a dangerous and lethal spell, and my personal favorite," Jake said, some gasps ringing through the crowd. "I have two mannequins with which to show you the destructive power the spell has."
"I think... I think we should all move over there, away from the mannequins," Hermione suggested.
Everyone agreed with her and they moved away, and Jake stepped in between them and the mannequins, "Is there anyone who would like to see if they can cast it?"
Angelina raised her hand, "I'll try it. I've read the spell's description and incantation, so I should be able to cast it..."
"Okay, by all means, step up here and take your best shot at one of the mannequins," Jake said, stepping aside to let Angelina take center stage.
She slowly walked up to the center, breathing steady. She raised her wand and yelled, " Confringo !" A bright, fiery orange light was at the tip of her wand for a second before it launched towards one of the mannequins. It exploded on impact, destroying the mannequin completely.
There was applause for Angelina as she turned and took a bow, "This is a Seventh Year spell," Jake said, taking his spot back, "and we won't be going over this one, if someone were to miss, it could be dangerous and devastating, but it's important for you to recognize the spell, because your enemy could know it. You all saw how strong Angelina's spell was, now I'll show you my attempt," he said and made a weird wave with his wand that no one understood. He turned to the mannequin still standing and pointed his wand at it, " CONFRINGO !" He yelled, and an even brighter fiery orange glow appeared on his wand tip before flying towards the defenseless Mannequin. The second it collided, the Mannequin, and chunks of the floor exploded, flying towards the group. They all panicked, but just before any fragments could hit them, they bounced off of an invisible barrier and fell to the floor. Jake turned around, "That's what a quarter-powered Blasting Curse looks like from me. This entire room would've collapsed had I used half my power for this spell."
Instead of fear in any of their eyes, he saw admiration from most of them. Padma and Katie both looked like they had hearts in their eyes, which didn't surprise him. Hermione was the only one who looked at him with compassion, "Voldemort-" Hermione said, causing many jarring motions in the crowd, "-stands no chance with Jake on our side."
"Nor any of his Death Eaters," Luna said as she smiled.
"Now for our revisions," Jake said, returning Smith's mouth to him, "spread out, first we'll give the Disarming Charm a few go's, then we'll go from there."
For about two hours, any spell the D.A. learned last year was heard being recited, and except for a few issues, everyone did well.
Soon everyone was leaving and Jake and Hermione soon became the only two still in the Room of Requirement, "That was a fantastic idea, having everyone go over the already learned things. Everyone has a very good chance at passing their exams, O.W.L.s, or N.E.W.T.s if they keep doing so well."
"Thanks, Hermione, I'm really glad I decided to hold the meeting as well," he said to her as they walked out, hand in hand, "I wonder how Harry's first lesson in Occlumency went..."
"I hope it went well, but Harry was with Snape..." Hermione trailed off. As much as she didn't want to be that way, Snape was a horrible man, and any extra amount of time spent with him outside of his classes was never fun. After what Snape did to Jake's hands, she would never forgive the greasy-haired bastard for as long as she lived.
The both of them got back to the Common Room, it was far from empty, all of the guys in Fifth and Sixth Year were awake, as well as many First, Second, and Third Years, but Ron and Harry both were sitting near the fire, talking quietly with one another. The closer they got, the more they both realized something was wrong with Harry, "What's wrong, Harry?" Jake asked, sitting down on the comfy chair, Hermione sitting beside him, shoulder to shoulder.
Harry looked at them and recounted what he'd told Ron so far, "So that thing Voldemort is looking for... you reckon it's in the Ministry of Magic?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, it has to be in the Department of Mysteries. That's the corridor I keep seeing. Your dad, when he was taking me to my court hearing, we passed that door. It was definitely the same one he was guarding when that snake attacked him," Harry said.
"That must be the same door Sturgis Podmore was trying to get into when he was arrested, it's too much of a coincidence," Hermione said.
"How come Sturgis was trying to break in when he's on our side?" Ron asked her.
"The Department of Mysteries is aptly named, because only select individuals are ever allowed in there," Jake said.
"How do you know that?" Harry asked, almost demandingly.
Jake, at first, said nothing as he looked up at Harry, but after a few seconds said, "Just trust me on that."
Hermione looked at Jake carefully, and she knew exactly why he knew about the Department of Mysteries. Harry didn't like the answer, "So what's in the Department of Mysteries?"
"Well, the people who work in there are called 'Unspeakables,'" Ron said, getting Harry's attention, "but that's because no one really seems to know what they do in there... weird place to have a weapon..."
"It's not weird at all," Hermione said, "it makes perfect sense. It will be something top secret that the Ministry has been developing, I expect..." she paused and looked at Harry, noticing that he was gritting his teeth, "Harry, are you sure you're alright?"
He quickly rubbed both of his hands over his head, like he was trying to iron it out, "Yeah... fine..." he lowered his hands, which were trembling, "I just feel a bit... I don't like Occlumency much..."
Hermione remembered her time learning Occlumency from the book Jake gave her, and having Sirius try and enter her mind. It took her about the whole time she was at Grimmauld Place before Harry and Jake came before she really got the hang of it, but she was able to shut Sirius out almost completely by the end of July, so she felt incredibly accomplished.
"You know..." Hermione started, then looked at Jake, "can I tell them?"
"Tell us what?" Ron asked, his voice slightly irritated.
"Yeah, you can tell them," Jake said.
"What!?" Harry asked urgently.
"Jake's a natural Occlumens," Hermione said.
Both Harry and Ron were dead silent, "It's because all of Merlin's Descendants were, so it was only natural I was one as well, and it's come in handy. Dumbledore and Snape both the first two years of our time here at Hogwarts have tried to read into my mind, and have no doubt read yours, Hermione's, and Ron's," Jake paused for a second, "it makes sense why Snape recoiled one time back in I think Second Year, he tried to read my mind."
"It's also why he wasn't affected by Barty Crouch Jr. when he was parading around as Moody last year, remember? He used the Imperius Curse on us? Jake wasn't affected, and since he's the only Natural Occlumens I know, that has to be the reason," Hermione explained.
"It does explain why you weren't affected," Harry said, looking down at the floor, "but how does that help me?"
"Well-" Hermione paused involuntarily. 'How does that information help Harry?'
"I guess it doesn't, Potter, but Sirius is a Natural Legilimens. If you were still at Grimmauld Place, you could learn from him. I gave Hermione a book on Occlumency, she can lend it to you if you can stomach the reading?" Jake asked.
"No... I've got so much to do as it is... I won't have time to read it..." Harry admitted.
"Speaking of," Hermione turned to Jake, "do you want to go ahead and start on Umbridge's homework?"
"I've already finished it," Jake said, instead pulling out his sketchbook
"Already finished? What? How is that possible?" Hermione asked.
He also pulled out the homework that was Umbridge's, and sure enough, Hermione saw it was already done, "I did it in an hour after classes ended for the day."
Hermione looked like she had just been slapped, "And where was I when you did this?"
"Right across from me in the library," he looked over at her, "you were working on something for History of Magic, which I already did too."
"Okay... is there any homework you didn't do?" Hermione asked.
"Uhhh... no... I got History of Magic done at Lunch, remember?" He said and she nodded, "I got both Snape's and Vector's homework done in Double Defense Against the Dark Arts, and I already told you when I got our Defense Against the Dark Arts homework done."
Hermione sat there, amazed. He willfully pulled out each of the assignments that they had been given, and each was done beyond what was asked. Hermione was literally speechless. This was their Fifth Year, their O.W.L. Year, and Jake was blasting through each assignment like it was a mere inconvenience, not something important for the year that would decide their future classes and potential career after Hogwarts.
"How do you possibly have time for all of that?" Ron asked what Hermione wanted to ask.
"I don't really think about it, I just do it, and before I realize it, I'm done with my work," Jake shrugged.
"Fine, don't tell us then," Ron grumbled and started to work on his Defense Against the Dark Arts paper.
Harry stood up, grabbing his things, "I'm going up to bed... I can't concentrate..."
"Okay, Harry, I hope you feel better soon," Hermione said to him as he walked off. She turned to Jake, "Seriously, I want to know how you got your homework all done so quickly?"
"Hermione... I don't know..." Jake said, looking down as his cheeks burned slightly.
"I hate to sound this way, but I really want to open your brain up to see how it works," she said with an air of scientific curiosity.
"If it was you... I don't think I'd mind," Jake said.
"Oh for the love of-" Ron was about to say, but suddenly maniacal laughter coming from the boys dormitories could be heard. Jake and Ron got up and bolted up the stairs to find Harry, on the floor of their dorm room, laughing uncontrollably. "Harry, HARRY!" Ron said, kneeling down beside him.
Harry suddenly stopped and his spastic motions ceased, "What happened?" Jake asked.
"I... dunno..." Harry gasped out, sitting up with Ron's help, "He's really happy... I mean really happy..."
"You mean Voldemort, right?" Jake asked quietly.
"Something good's happened," Harry mumbled. He was shaking badly, and Jake figured he was doing so on the night Arthur was attacked too, "Something he's been hoping for..."
"It makes sense, though, after Snape's brutal assaults on your mind, Voldemort being able to get in isn't surprising... but if you keep at it, you'll be able to stop them soon," Jake told him. Jake held his hand out for Harry to grab, and he and Ron led him to his bed so he could sit on its edge. He left Harry so he could rest and went back down to the Common Room, Ron didn't follow him.
Hermione was still sitting where she was, looking towards the staircase, "Is Harry okay?"
Jake sat beside her, glancing over to her, "Voldemort... Harry said he's happy about something... something he's been hoping for, potentially..." he spoke softly.
"I hope he's able to stop them soon..." Hermione said quietly.
"I do too... but that's up to him..." Jake then opened his sketchbook to an empty page.
Hermione suddenly stood up, "I think I'm - er - going to go to bed..."
Jake looked up at her, "Okay," he stood up as well, "good night my love," he kissed her for only two seconds, but it was enough for the both of them. It also got some audible sounds from some Third Year girls.
"Good night," Hermione said with a reddened face. She walked up the stairs and entered her dorm, where her roommates were all still up. Parvati waved to her, but Lavender, like she had been all year, pretended like she didn't exist. Hermione sat on her bed, and her thoughts wandered, 'His sketchbook... I feel bad for looking through it, but they're all... they're all sketches of me in many poses from in class... he started off a little shaky with them, but he's progressed really well... I had no idea he had committed them to memory to sketch...' she began to tear up, 'I think I'm going to cry my eyes out from how romantic that is... I love him just so much...' she smiled as she laid down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, her hands on her chest to try and calm her rapidly beating heart.