Hermione opened the letter with fumbling hands. This is it. He couldn't find a way to send me back and now i'm stuck here, twenty years before my time, with my best friend's dead parents. Sirius looked on while Hermione struggled with the seal, "Is everything alright, 'Mione?"
Hermione's heart gave another pang at the nickname, remembering how Ron used to call her that and would never again,"Y-yeah, i'm fine... It must be something to do w-with my schedule."
Sirius stared at her and leaned in,"Are you sure? Your hands are shaking an awful lot."
Hermione blushed at the close proximity but didn't say anything, grappling with the letter. Sirius sighed, and took the letter from her, opening it with a 'pop',"You look like your dog just died, love. Something's definitely wrong."
Hermione averted her eyes, taking the letter from him,"T-thanks, and it's really nothing, I don't even what's in the letter yet, i'm just being silly."
With a throbbing heart, Hermione pulled the paper out of the envelope.
Hogwarts School
of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Dear Ms Granger
I will require your presence in my study, alone, at 8 'o' clock on this upcoming Friday.
There has been no definite news.
PS: Pepper Imps are always nice to eat.
Yours Sincerely
Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back in her chair, 'There has been no definite news'. She might still be going back, there was still a chance for her.
Sirius smiled at her relieved face,"Did everything work out?"
Hermione smiled back,"It did, I knew I was just being stupid."
He grinned at her,"You should get ready, it's gonna happen any time now..."
She gave him a confused look as dessert appeared before them,"You never said what was goi-"
Before she could finish, she was silenced by shrieks from the Slytherin table. The entire hall turned in their seats to look at them, around fifteen Slytherin students were standing up and howling, with what looked like a small, pink bird growing on their heads.
Everybody paused, taking in the sight, and the burst into laughter. James, Sirius and Peter laughed the loudest, with tears streaming down their beet red faces. Even Lily's mouth twitched, but for the most part, she looked furious. She glared at the trio, gave the now giggling Hermione an apologetic look, and strode out of the Great Hall. James saw her leaving and had the decency to look ashamed, but Sirius and Peter were rolling on the floor clutching their stomachs. Hermione didn't find the little prank amusing at first, but when Lucius Malfoy stood up on a chair, screaming about the bird having 'done it's business' in his hair, she couldn't help herself and started giggling uncontrollably.
McGonagall marched over to the perpetrators, anger clear on her face, "Potter! Black! Pettigrew! What did you do?!"
Sirius straightened up a bit, still wheezing,"Just a little bit of fun, Professor, i'm sure it's not too much of a birden," And started guffawing again. Hermione couldn't believe how casually he was talking to a professor.
"Detention, all three of you," The professor said, in an almost bored voice,"After all, toucan play at this game." She smirked, and strode off.
--
Hermione was curled up in a loveseat, directly in front of the fireplace, Hogwarts: A History in hand, having escaped the howling mess of a Great Hall.
The common room was empty apart from two second-years playing Exploding Snap in a corner, Lily having gone to bed early. The potrait swung open and James stepped in, an eager grin on his face, along with Peter and Sirius.
"Woah!" Peter exclaimed,"That was so cool!"
"Totally," Sirius agreed, his eyes shining with mirth,"Worth the detentions, if you ask me!"
James ignored them and sat down near Hermione,"Er-Hermione? Did Lily go to bed already?"
Hermione gave him a sympathetic look,"She was probably just tired, James," She patted him on the arm,"I'm sure she'll come around."
James sighed and threw his head back,"It's-it's just that, no matter what I do, no matter how I act, she's always so...irritated with me," He turned to Hermione, with a pleading look in his eyes,"I've been asking her out since third year, Mione. Why can't she understand? I'm in love with her. How do I tell her that?"
Hermione felt sorry for him, especially because he would spend all this time pining after her, and when he would finally get her, she would be snatched away from him, but she was here to make sure that didn't happen!
"You can try being a little more mature first, I think Lily would like that side of you. And if you behave like a gentleman, I might just give Lily a push in the right direction."
James grinned like a little boy, and then his face grew sincere,"Thank you, Hermione, I really appreciate it."
Hermione smiled and shoved him away from her. Ah, young love!
Sirius strolled over to her, sitting on the arm of her chair,"Playing matchmaker, are you?" He chuckled.
Hermione stuck her chin out defiantly,"I just feel they deserve to be together, is that wrong?"
He grinned,"No! Merlin knows he's wanted her long enough. I just want him to be happy."
"Hmm. Where's Remus?" She fought hard to keep a straight face, she wanted to see what he would say.
Sirius faltered for a split second, but kept an even face,"He's in the hospital wing, probably got the flu or something. He's been pretty stressed too, what with his furry little problem and all..." He smirked at the last part.
She struggled with the urge to smirk too,"Furry little problem?"
"Nevermind that, how're you feeling 'bout your first day of classes? Bet you're a right swot, eh?"
"I'm not a swot... I prefer 'over achiever'! And i'm just a tad bit nervous, mostly excited though."
He smirked,"Excited for classes? Knew you were a swot..."
Hermione elbowed him right onto the floor for that one.
"Sheesh, Hermione! That hurt!" But he was grinning.
"I meant it to, Black. Anyway, i'm going up to bed, it's pretty late, goodnight, everyone.
Still smiling, she crept up the stairs to her dormitory. She saw Lily, Dorcas and Alice were already asleep, but Marlene was nowhere to be seen.
Laying in her bed at night, Hermione thought about everything that'd happened. She'd travelled back in time, she'd met and made friends with her best friend's dead parents, her former professor and a traitor, she also possibly had a crush on her best friend's dead godfather, and she was now preparing to save the wizarding world. How bizarre it all was.
A sob broke the silence in the dormitory. Hermione shot upright, and scrambled out of bed, ready to fight, but it didn't seem as if anyone was awake, Lily and the other two were definitely still asleep. She was about to go back to bed, when she noticed something shaking on the floor in the corner, next to Marlene's bed.
She tip-toed over to whatever it was, wand in hand. From a distance it looked like a vibrating red mop covered with a blanket, but when she got closer, she saw it was Marlene, bundled up in a blanket, her body racked with sobs.
"Marlene?"
She looked up, her eyes wide and frightened, rimmed with red and all puffy, and when she saw who it was, she let out a choked "Oh!", and started crying even harder.
Hermione lowered herself slowly onto the floor, crawling next to Marlene,"What's-"
"Don't... Just don't, Hermione, please..." Her voice was raw, as if she had been screaming.
Hermione sat with her in silence for a while, Marlene not paying her any attention, then she said quitely,"I think you should tell me, I might help."
Marlene whimpered,"You don't want to know, Hermione, don't burden yourself," She said in a whisper.
"I do want to know, I don't think I would be burdening myself by knowing."
"I-it was...it was... oh, it was terrible, Hermione!" She flung herself into Hermione's lap, bawling like a child. She stroked her hair, hushing her.
"Do you think you can tell me?"
She didn't say anything for the longest time and Hermione thought she'd fell asleep, but then she gave the barest of nods, and started to speak.
"There was this guy, I can't tell you his name, in Ravenclaw. He was m-my partner in potions and he was always so nice to me! We became friends and th-then, he asked me to Hogsmeade on a date. Well, I said yes, and he was just so charming and so smart, so we went on more dates, and we grew close, and then he asked me to be his g-girlfriend."
"I agreed, obviously. But we didn't get enough time together, he was always taking all these extra classes and I had Quidditch practice all the time. So he suggested that we sneak out of the castle at night, to just take a walk or something and, well, I said no. But he kept insisting, so I said, fine, but we have to stay inside the grounds. So, well, we went and it was so romantic, walking together under the moonlight, just the two of us. Then it got late and we came back to the castle."
"And then I was just kissing him goodnight, but-oh- he wouldn't let go! I tried to free myself but he was so much more stronger and he shoved me into this tiny classroom, and when he started putting locking and silencing charms on the door I g-got scared, but he said it was all going to be all right. But he was so rough, Hermione, he touched me places, even though I was begging him to stop. He even took my wand. I yelled and yelled but no one could hear me."
"I thought he was going t-to do it, I was so scared. And then when hewas so close to doing it, I went completely crazy, I kicked and scratched and bit, I head butted him and he just crumpled to the floor, s-so I grabbed my clothes and wand, opened the door, and I ran. I just th-thought he was the greatest guy ever, but turns out I have just great taste, don't I?"
She laughed bitterly and sat up, still snivelling,"But thanks for listening, Hermione, i'm not going to say it lifted a great burden off my chest, but I feel better now, at least a little bit."
Hermione smiled softly,"I just think what you did, was extremely brave, most girls would've given up by then, and it is not your fault, none of it is your fault, he was the one who assaulted you, you didn't choose for any of it to happen. But you have to tell a teacher, whenever you're ready of course, but you have to, okay?"
"Alright, Hermione, now please go back to sleep."
She rolled her eyes,"Alright, fine, I'm going. Goodnight!"
"Goodnight, Mione."
A/N
Yo
Okay, so the poll is
Yes:2
No:4
so we're NOT doing the love triangle thingy, sorry to the ones who voted yes, but majority wins!
And I AM FREAKING OUT
I GOT SOO MANY REVIEWS!!!
I love you guys, a lot, and thank you to each and every person who reviewed!
