The Burning Pen

TWICE BITTEN
by Ruth Solomon

The story content is adult in nature and can contain graphic sex and violence.  Those under the age of 18 are asked to leave this site immediately.  You are not welcome here.  The author is not responsible for those under-aged who view these works.

CHAPTER 30

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 30 ~ Enter the Competition (Very Short Chapter)

Seventh-year Ravenclaw Edgar Wolfe sat in the library pretending to read his Advanced Arithmancy book. It seemed he was always pretending to be reading something whenever he was in the library and Hermione Granger was present. Usually she was with Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, both of whom never looked happy to be there, but today she was by herself.

For perhaps the hundredth time, Edgar thought he should go over and introduce himself to her. He had been runner-up to her high marks for the past six years, despite Hermione being a Gryffindor. He often wondered why she wasn’t in Ravenclaw. It certainly would have made it easier to approach her. The blue-eyed, black-haired wizard watched her surreptiously as she piled book after book on the table, then settled in. Damn, she was always so busy. What was she studying today?

Edgar was normally quite the studious young man, sober and focused and found chasing witches to be a distraction, especially since they all seemed so silly. Hermione Granger didn’t seem like that at all. He hadn’t ever seen her with anyone really. Well, there had been a short while when it appeared she and Ronald Weasley had something going, but it fizzled out. It should have. Weasley wasn’t in her class at all. What would he talk about to her? Eating? Quidditch? That’s all he seemed to focus on. Hermione Granger needed someone as intelligent as she was.

She was pretty enough, but it was her intelligence that moved Edgar to distraction. He would really like to get to know her better. But she had no idea who he was, most likely she didn't know that he even existed.

“Come on, Edgar, go say hello to her at least,” he told himself as Hermione leafed through one book, then another. “Don’t be a coward all your life.”

He sat there, trying to muster up his courage once again. Maybe if he saw what she was working on, he could start a conversation with her. They had many of the same subjects but not the same classes. Slowly, he stood up, his belly tight. Then he walked behind her as if heading for the bookshelves, craning his neck slightly to see what she was working on.

Arithmancy.

Suddenly, Edgar stumbled over his own feet and fell, his book sliding away from him. Hermione turned in her chair, wide-eyed, then hopped up and helped him to his feet.

”Shhh!” Madam Pince hissed from behind the counter, scowling as a few students chuckled at Edgar’s clumsiness.

”Are you all right?” Hermione asked the red-faced Edgar as she retrieved his book for him. He self-consciously brushed off his robes.

”Ah, yes. Yes, I’m fine, thank you,” he replied, taking the book she offered him.

Well, it wasn’t the debonair way he wanted to make his introduction, but it would do in a pinch. He held out his hand.

”I’m Edgar Wolfe,” he said to the witch. “I’m in Ravenclaw.”

Hermione shook his hand.

”I’m Hermione Granger, Edgar. Gryffindor. It’s nice to meet you,” she said, giving him a smile.

”I know who you are. I’m your runner-up in marks,” he said, “You’re absolutely brilliant.”

Hermione blushed.

”Thank you. I just like to learn,” she said to him.

Edgar grinned at her.

”That’s just like saying Hippogriffs ‘just’ like to fly, or trolls ‘just’ like to bash,” he said.

Hermione laughed and he was heartened.

”What are you studying?” he asked her, looking at all the books.

”Advanced Arithmancy. Right now I am trying to mathematically calculate ways to locate Lei Lines without first knowing the location,” she said.

”Really? I have that same assignment. It’s best to begin with the sun’s position in relation to the horizon, since lei lines shift. Can I . . . may I join you? Two brains could be better than one,” Edgar asked her, his heart pounding.

”Sure,” Hermione said, moving her books over and offering him the chair next to her.

Edgar sat down and after a few polite disagreements, they soon got involved in a heated debate about their assignment that almost got them kicked out of the library by Madame Pince. Edgar smoothly solved the problem by casting a silencing spell around them. The librarian scowled at the pair as they gesticulated, pointed at passages and obviously argued. But she couldn’t kick them out for gesticulating.

Both had a great time.

And that is how Hermione Granger met Mr. Edgar Wolfe.

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“Hey, who’s that bloke?” Ron said to Hermione as Edgar walked her to the Gryffindor table, said good-bye and headed for his own house table.

”Oh, that’s Edgar,” Hermione replied lightly, pulling a plate of peas toward her.

”And who’s Edgar?” Harry inquired.

”A Ravenclaw I met. He’s quite brilliant, even if his thinking is skewed,” Hermione said. “We worked on an Arithmancy assignment in the library. I didn’t get much written down though, but I did get a couple of insights from Edgar that I hadn’t thought about before.”

Ron’s eyes widened.

”He thought of something you didn’t? Amazing,” Ron said, impressed.

”His approach is just . . . different,” Hermione said a bit bad-naturedly.

Harry grinned. Hermione was so competitive.

From the dais, Snape saw Edgar walk Hermione to the Gryffindor table. His dark eyes narrowed as he watched the handsome young man return to the Ravenclaw table. He knew Edgar Wolfe. The boy was brilliant and a good student.

It also appeared he had set his sights on Hermione.

Damn it.

It seemed as if Hermione was going to be Lily all over again.

He speared his steak viciously, cutting through the meat as if it were someone’s throat. Hermione had acted just fine in DADA class, but didn’t give him a second glance. He couldn’t tell if she had thought about his apology or not. But he couldn’t press her. He would have to wait.

Watch and wait, while someone else entered her life and most likely stole her away even before he had a chance to reclaim her. Edgar Wolfe was going to be another James Potter if he didn’t do something about this.

The only advantage Snape knew he had was that he had been intimate with Hermione, and she had responded to him passionately. Now that he was mortal again, he had no way of knowing if she would still react to him in such a manner. He had no indication that she even thought about him in such a manner any longer, although she was aware that he thought of her.

He finished his food and headed back to his rooms to grade the day’s assignments and brood.

It seemed history was repeating itself.

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A/N: You know, I'm starting to realize the title of this story can be taken two ways.  Twice Bitten by Nagini and Vashti, and twice bitten by Hermione and Lily (love).  But will Hermione's bite be as toxic as the other three?  That's pretty cool. Thanks for reading.

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