I'll Find You
Curiosity. This was a feeling Hermione was familiar with; her thirst for knowledge usually landed her in unsavory situations and in the bad graces of her peers. Unable to connect with almost any other students, Hermione found solace in sating her inquisitiveness instead. Though she was only twelve, she didn't feel like it. Children around her age teased her for her use of verbiage; labelling her as strange as soon as she opened her mouth.
Only a month has passed since she boarded the train headed to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Though she held onto some hope that she would be accepted here, it would seem that even magical children are just as judgmental as their non-magical counterpart.
Tucked in a small nook in the restricted section of the library, she couldn't help but feel more alone as the low hum of dinner in the Great Hall even reverberated to her small corner of the castle. Her wildly curly hair was pinned up into a large messy bun to keep it out of her eyes while she attempted to concentrate on the five page essay due in two weeks for Charms. A half-eaten bagel sat to the side of the large book of tomes she was referencing from; her young cherub face scrunched up in concentration as she underlined a particular spell on her paper to do extra research on once she finished the assignment.
Unknown to her, Hermione was behind watched. Hidden behind the shadow of some of the bookcases, Thorfinn was a bit annoyed to find a tiny first year occupying his spot in the library. Though he would've usually just left, this particular girl caught his eye – recognizing her as the Mudblood that even the normally cuddly and welcoming Gryffindors have shunned.
As it was his last year, he really didn't care much for any of the new students, even the ones in his own house got the cold shoulder. However, as he was unloading from the train on the first day back, he was able to witness a confrontation between the chit and the Malfoy brat.
To his surprise, he could actually feel her anger even standing a few feet behind her. Power positively radiated off of her, almost physically, as the curls on her head sparked like tiny lightning bolts. One could mistake it as a play on the light, but Thorfinn knew that actual physical manifestation of magic without a vector or spell meant a powerful magical core. Though most of his peers brushed it off as two first years having a go at each other, Thorfinn categorized her as something that might be worth his time.
Her robes were flung carelessly onto the seat beside her, her bag sagged onto of them. The dimmed library lights flickered reminiscently of candle-light while moonlight also streamed through from the window behind her. Though she was about two pages past the originally assigned five, Hermione was not one to turn in anything that she deemed less than worthy.
Watching her work for a few minutes, Thorfinn decided he wanted to feel her magic for himself since he already had her alone. He wasn't one to turn down potentially unearthing a rarity, especially if it was one that could be sold at a high price. A witch with powerful magical core could easily fetch enough for him and his future generations to never work if he ever lost his inheritance.
Even gold can be found in the mud, as long as the seeker knows of what they seek.
Stepping out of the shadows, he loomed over her unsuspecting form.
"A lone little lion cub alone and outside of the pride," a deep voice startled her out of her focus, "What should I do with you?"
He leaned down to get a closer look at her reaction, her scent of cinnamon and vanilla teased his nose.
Feeling the owner of the voice hover above her, Hermione swallowed in nervousness. Looking up slowly, she observed the older student with a critical eye. He had long, almost shaggy, blonde hair that brushed over his shoulder. Some fell over his right eye carelessly. The lone eye she could make out was a sky blue; so pale and bright she almost would've mistaken it as a piece of ice charmed into the socket of his face. His jawline was sharp, lined with stubble. Even leaning, he completely towered over her stature. Though he looked like he could snap her in half with his large arms; the most alarming thing to her was the unmistakable silver and green lining on his robes.
It didn't take her long to pick-up on the obvious divide in the school between the houses. Even though she didn't truly feel a sense of belonging with the Gryffindor's, she understood where she stood. She was twelve but she wasn't daft; it would be remiss of her to not acknowledge the obvious disdain that some students wore on their sleeves proudly.
Shifting her eyes around her as inconspicuously as she could, Hermione felt like cursing at herself for her stupidity.
As it was dinnertime, even Madam Prince was not found in the library. Hermione snuck into her quiet sanctuary to avoid the uncomfortable feeling of being the only friendless one of her house; surrounded by the cheer and happiness of the students around her almost made her physically sick.
Though she knew better to prod at an older student, Hermione was tired. She was tired of people from both fronts either making fun of her or generally making her life unbearable for qualities she could not possibly change.
Tilting her head stubbornly, Hermione couldn't help but sniff at him, "I'm not your mother, I should not have to tell you what to do at your age. But if you truly cannot think for yourself, you're going to be in trouble." Seeing him clench his jaw slightly, she couldn't help but add, "Unless you're still breastfeeding."
"Such a big mouth for such a tiny cub," he chuckled at her, the single eye twinkling at her darkly, "I am, but not on my mother's breasts."
Hermione quieted a bit, her eyebrows furrowed together in a deep thought.
Thorfinn almost wanted to roll his eyes – if this was the supposed smart bint Malfoy was constantly bitching about, he must not be that bright himself. The girl could barely handle the complexity of a sexual innuendo.
"Are-Are you what they call…" Hermione stuttered as Thorfinn curiously eyed her. He wasn't sure exactly what she was thinking.
"A lollicon?" she finished with a hushed whispered, her face completely aghast.
Thorfinn blinked at her, unsure of what she was calling him.
"A what?" he asked, watching as the tiny girl began slowly inching herself away from him.
"A lollicon," her eyes shifted around her quickly, he could tell that she wanted to bolt, "A man attracted to prepubescent girls."
Thorfinn blinked again, letting the words registered before his jaw dropped open into a face even more aghast than hers.
"You-You think I'm a pedophile?!" he shouted at her, the volume of his voice made her jump in her seat.
"I mean…you're making sexual jokes at a first year…" Hermione trailed off, pointing at him before pointing at herself, "I am most definitely under the age of consent."
"I am not hitting on you," Thorfinn replied with a sigh, before closing his eyes and rubbing one hand on his temple in frustration, "I could be inside of any girl in this school. I would not choose to hit on a little girl who looks like a beaver in clothes."
Opening one eye, he watched as her face scrunched up in disgust.
"I don't care who you're dumping your rancid seed inside of – just not near me," Hermione bit back.
"Plus, I would hex you," she added with a shrug.
He regarded her with another curious look before smirking, "You think you would be able to handle yourself against a seventh year, kitten? Or are you all roar with no bite?"
His tone turned from playful to one with a darker intent as he almost hissed at her, "You shouldn't be surprised if I hexed that mouth off of you then, Mudblood."
Though his threat sent a shiver of fear down her spine, Hermione cocked her head at him before catching him off guard by returning his smirk with a small smile.
Confidently, she announced, "If you wanted to hex me, you would've."
A small amount of confusion leaked from his face, Hermione elaborated before he could comment, "Slytherins are far more subtle than the rest of the houses. Unless you count Malfoy, who wouldn't know subtle if it bite him in the ass."
Unable to contain her bitterness, she muttered under her breathe, "Pompous pounce."
She could tell he was entertained with her explanation; almost approving. Hermione reached her magical aura to prod at his and shivered when she felt his magic underneath hers. While his physical appearance reminded her of the ice caps of mountains, his magic licked at hers like the fires of hell. The man before her was definitely a formidable foe.
Lowering her eyes in a slight admission of submission, she commented, "Plus, you and I both know that I wouldn't stand a chance. Physically or magically. Doesn't mean I wouldn't hex you."
He leveled her another amused look as he felt her magic brush up against his, her signature was cold and icy in nature – the complete opposite of his own.
"It's good you're learning your place and groveling now, kitten."
With a shrug of her shoulders, she added, "There's no point of pride if you end up dead because of it."
"Are you sure you're a Gryffindor, sweetheart?" Thorfinn laughed, "All that house has is pride."
"I'll gloat when I've already hexed the living kneazles out of you," Hermione sniffed, "Why celebrate before you even accomplish anything?"
Shutting the large book, Hermione met the older male's amused eyes with another smile. To her own amusement, she watched his single eye widen slightly when the book levitated itself back to its place of origin. Her scrolls packed themselves up before depositing themselves into her bag.
"Non-verbal spells?" he quirked his eyebrow at her, "A talented Mudblood, then."
With her robes slung over one arm while the other gripping her bag, Hermione rolled her eyes as she rose out of her seat.
"How talented can a Mudblood be if you truly believe I have mud in my blood?" she questioned as she walked past him, mentally noting that the top of her head barely brushed up to his sternum.
"I thought the whole point of blood purity was to not have such insipid notions," Hermione threw him a pointed look over her shoulder, "But then again, what do I know? Breeding cousins together definitely seems like a good idea."