January, 1976.
It was too early to be outside, that much was obvious. Hidden under James's invisibility cloak, she walked at a slow pace, choosing to focus on the peace that surrounded her. The morning air kissed her skin softly, wrapping her in its cool comfort. The soft rustle of ancient trees continued to fill the silence.
When the distant crunch of a twig mixed with the sound, she froze. She hadn't really brought the Marauder's Map with her, mostly because she didn't want to make too much noise as she left the dorm. Hermione had doubted anyone would even be awake at dawn, let alone be walking towards the Quidditch pitch, like she was.
It was ironic, really. For a sport she didn't really like, the setting of the pitch was just about perfect. At this time of the day, she was free to sit anywhere and enjoy the quietness that followed the rise of the sun.
So, when she carefully continued to walk and her eyes found two distant figures, she tried as subtly as possible to not be noticed by them. Just a few feet away, their soft murmurs failed to catch her attention, until she thought she'd heard Regulus's name.
She held her breath, the cloak allowing her to shamelessly eavesdrop on their conversation. With much less distance between them, she recognized both boys as Flint and Avery. The two Slytherins were seventh years, she believed. The smug looks they sported deeply unsettled her, as Avery continued to say, "He's being a pansy."
"I wouldn't put it past him to go running to the blood traitor," Flint told his friend, both of them now chuckling at whatever image formed in their minds. Her lips pursed in a tight line, and she didn't bother following them back to the castle, opting to proceed with the destination she'd set in mind previously.
Entering through one of the doors, Hermione slipped inside the dark passage that connected to the numerous stands, divided into four parts that represented a particular House's colours. She'd never liked climbing up the stairs before the match, often despising the crowd that rang in loud cheers and crass language.
She automatically made her way to her usual side, greeted with red and golden flashes as she climbed up - but not too far. Even with stairs, she was conscious of the height and the large distance that separated her feet from the ground.
Just as she looked up, she found someone else sitting in the same area. Finally reaching the spot, Hermione moved away from the stairs and slid in the space between the seats, gaze set on the black haired boy as he stared ahead.
"You look quite lost," she said softly, careful not to startle him, and sat beside him. "The Slytherin side is way over there." She pointed her finger at the opposite side blindly, as the emerald colours could still not be seen in the low light.
Truth was that she hadn't seen him sit on those stands often, ever since his first year. He'd tried out for Slytherin a year later, the team managing to gain a brilliant Seeker. It had never been easy to watch Gryffindor-Slytherin matches. Her eyes always struggled with darting between her two brothers, her heart clenched with worry.
She looked back at Regulus, whose grey eyes finally flickered to her. "I know," he murmured, his tone weary and tired.
Hermione frowned. She knew why she was awake so early, but he had no business being out on the grounds, especially in this cold. She pointed her wand at him—he hadn't even flinched, she noticed—and used a Warming Charm in hopes of it somehow improving his stay.
"Why aren't you asleep?" she asked, and her eyes roamed over his face, desperate to remember each line and detail she may have forgotten.
His posture was unusually hunched and his cheeks almost no longer had any baby fat, resembling Sirius even more with his sharp cheekbones and jawline.
He looked away, visibly swallowing, bringing her attention to the beautiful sight in front of her. Each line of cloud looked like the soft stroke of colours, shades of orange and blue swirled together. The contrast in their tones could be seen, cold and warm.
The bright orange streak of light reflected on Regulus's face, allowing her to notice the dark bags under his eyes. Her heart thudded at the sight - no matter whose fault it was, her little brother was alone, unlike her, who had Sirius's presence to comfort her.
Surprisingly enough, he was the one to showcase his concern first, when he asked, "Are you okay?"
Her hands clasped together, she willed her eyes to ignore the prickle at the emotions that began to run loud in her blood. Hermione watched as the cold shade of blue started to fade, allowing more and more warmth and light to be showcased.
"As okay as I can be." She adjusted in her seat with a stretch of her legs, feet dragging across the cement pavement.
She hesitated, a brief pause settling in between them. Even its presence alone managed to be more responsive than her brother.
"I'm sorry," she said, voice clear and steady. "For everything that I have done to hurt you and your feelings."
He blinked for several long moments - an emotionless stare fixed at her - before both of them levied a tired sigh, shifting their gaze back to the sunrise.
He didn't speak again, and she let him be.
She drew a calming breath and her lids fluttered, hoping the gentle touch of the wind could carry her worries and sorrow with it. Then again, she wished she could hand over her love to it, hoping it would enwrap Regulus in warmth, or the reminder that she will always have his back.
He was her family.
Eventually, he stood up and moved past her, quietly making his way out of the pitch. Hermione, though, stayed until her hands turned as blue as the cold tone of the night sky.
In the midst of constellations, the night brought her one thing that the daylight might never manage to do: the brightest star in Leo.
As soon as she caught his eye, Hermione knew she'd failed to remember her lessons with him.
His dark gaze narrowed and had she been the same girl she was a few months ago, she would have hurried to break eye contact, especially recalling how he'd invaded her mind, in the same room.
But she knew he was a harmless boy. Sure, he was quite rude sometimes, but he wasn't nearly as dangerous as the other boys she'd seen in his House. Not to forget that he did soften up to her, before the break.
He would probably argue that she was being delusional. But, she was sure that it'll soon be so obvious that even he won't be able to deny it.
Hermione continued to sip on her coffee, letting out a sigh of delight against the lid of the cup. After the long night that had passed, she needed something strong that could get her through the day.
While Professor Dumbledore had yet to inform her when the next lesson was, she assumed she could practice Legilimency, instead. Perhaps, she should stop Snape on her way out.
Eyes wide, she choked a little on her drink, her gaze finding James and Lily as they walked side by side, seeming to be in quite an amicable conversation. She could tell the redhead's lips were twitching to form a smile, while James looked like he was seconds away from messing up his hair, yet again. He had a bright smile on his face and he walked Lily to her usual seat, his hand on her back.
Her brows arched high on her forehead, and she slapped Sirius's arm to catch his attention, making his expression twist with annoyance.
When he finally complied and glanced away from his plate, his eyes seemed to become the size of saucers at the sight of the couple, just like hers had — or even just like most Gryffindors were reacting, at the moment.
"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" she asked incredulously, pinching his arm to check if it was all real. When he hissed, she nodded. Definitely not a dream.
"What the hell—" he began, but she shushed him, hoping her ears would perk up to catch their conversation, even though she was in her human form.
Hermione could barely hear a thing, over the murmurs going around the table. Thoughtful, she twirled a lock of her hair. "Can you hear anything?"
Her brother shook his head, looking quite put out. "Ugh. Of all days, Moony wakes up late," he lamented, hitting his forehead on the table. She frowned when a tingle shot through her head as he did so.
Shaking her head, she caught Marlene's eyes from across the table, who cocked a brow with a silent question passing by both of them.
Just what was going on here?
Sure, Hermione wasn't a big fan of gossip - not like her former roommates, anyways. Nonetheless, it didn't mean that she wasn't allowed to be curious over what her best friend was doing.
Or, you could just go back to eating like a good girl, Granger suggested in her head.
Hermione ignored her, leaning close to Sirius's ear, so that no one would hear her. "Merlin, she nags like James's mother."
He cracked an eye open and peered at her, head now laid on top of his crossed arms. "Who? Lily?" he asked, scrunching his brows together.
Rolling her eyes, she answered, "No. Granger. Huh, would that mean that I'm like that, too?" she balked, horrified at the thought of berating like the woman.
Hey, now! I am a mom, but definitely not any of yours.
The memory of a little boy, brown eyed and a mischievous smile on his lips, flashed in her mind. She caught his mop of red hair and wondered if his father was related to the Prewetts.
"Oh, she does have a kid," she muttered out loud, surprised to find the older woman supplying an image that Hermione probably wasn't supposed to see.
Sirius snickered, now sitting up to nudge his plate of eggs with a fork, watching as the yolk moved like jelly. Giving her a sideways look, he said, "I don't envy you - an old woman sitting in your mind all day." He faked a shudder.
"He starts smoking cigarettes soon. Make sure that doesn't happen!" Granger added, once she heard him.
"Oh, I definitely will," Hermione thought in her head, enthusiastic to learn at least one bit of his future. To know that Sirius was going to risk his health, she was grateful to have the opportunity to stop it before he got too addicted.
Perhaps, she could find an alternative. Surely, there had to be some books on cigarettes in the library.
Hermione walked over to the back in the hope she could get some sleep and Professor Binns won't see her. Had it been any other day, she would have complained about her friends not paying attention, but there was no way she could deal with History of Magic today.
A heavy ache pounded in her head, fighting for dominance against the painful cramps of her muscles.
With the topic being the Goblin Revolution—something she'd already learned four years prior—she sighed in relief and laid her head down on her textbook, closing her eyes.
She felt somebody get seated beside her, but even just to flutter her eyes open felt like a heavy chore. She kept them shut, allowing her muscles to easen up, even if just a bit.
Without the focus on her sense of sight, she was able to catch sounds louder than usual. Hermione heard the occasional rustling of paper, all too loud due to the heavy silence that remained in this particular class.
Most were asleep, others often doodled on their books. She couldn't fathom what made them even think of drawing on them. The most that should be added to a book was the streak of a highlighter, that too only if one actually meant to study.
They shared the class with Hufflepuffs, who were more than willing to not cause any drama. Except for Diggory, of course, whose stink eye she had to bear when she entered the class.
At least, his nose still looked a bit swollen—something that Sirius hadn't failed to point out, quite loudly at that, with a hint of pride in his voice.
A tap on her arm startled her, breaking any chance she had at getting some sleep. She began to lift her head, shooting James a fierce glare as dark spots swam in her vision.
"What?"
He leaned back and balanced himself on the chair's back legs, an eyebrow raised at her. "You're sleeping."
"Does it look like I am?" Hermione deadpanned.
"No, right? Since, you could never sleep in class," he reminded her, a grimace on his face at the constant wake up calls she'd given him in their earlier years.
It was quite hypocritical of her.
Suddenly feeling thoroughly chastised, she thought of a way to keep his mind off her weird behaviour. "Right - why don't you tell me how you managed to have an actual conversation with Lily?"
Behind his glasses, his bright, hazel eyes crinkled from smiling so much. "Oh, the usual, y'know. I said, 'hello' and she said, 'hello back.'"
Not wanting to press her doubt on it actually having happened, she instead asked, "What about Goldstein?"
"I broke it off with her last night, right after dinner," he admitted with a dismissive wave of his hand, now glancing above her head and nodding at Sirius. Her brother's mouth was slightly open, letting out soft snores as he leaned against the wall. If Professor Binns saw him, he definitely didn't say anything.
She looked back at James, who grinned and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "She didn't really care, but Padfoot told me that he'll heal her broken heart, anyways."
Hermione gave him a nod as she yawned, which he took as an opportunity to add something. "I convinced Lily to meet up after Divination."
With her mouth still open, she paused and figured it wouldn't do him any good to show her skeptical look. She clamped it shut so fast that a click sounded in her jaw.
Ouch.
She did the only thing she could think of at the time — she smiled. She was sure it came out tired and might've wavered a bit, but it was the effort that counted - no matter how mediocre. "That's great, James! I bet she'll realize how wrong her opinion of you was."
At the pleased grin she received, she mentally patted her back. As Hermione settled her head on the table again, using her arms as a prop, she thought she'd heard Granger say something along the lines of it being too early.
Gritting her teeth—also, why did Sirius have to snore so loud?—she tried desperately to reach out to a peaceful slumber.
"That's bad for your teeth," Granger said, startling her at the woman's much clearer appearance now. Hermione still had to get used to it, but she admitted that she was grateful for her - very deep down. She just wished she could stop talking at the moment.
"Stop looking so sour," Marlene chided, a silly smile on her face that contradicted her. She had her arm looped with Hermione's, making sure they walked far away from the library. She may think she was being subtle, but Hermione knew what she was doing, before she even did it.
"I look just fine," she huffed, hoping the blonde wouldn't psychoanalyze her and end up with a silly assumption. The last thing she needed was Marlene to think she was crying over her break up.
"Well, Diggory clearly doesn't share the same answer," Marlene retorted with a snort, a proud smile making its way on her face. She sniffed, wiping away fake tears. "Aren't you just my lil, strong baby with that right hook of yours."
Too focused on giving Marlene a slow, dramatic roll of her eyes, Hermione hadn't realized someone was coming her way until she collided into something hard, her bag slipping on the floor at the sheer force.
"I'm sorry," she said, not bothering to look up as she knelt down, hastily putting her belongings in her bag.
"You should be," a familiar voice said, and her head snapped up in panic, relaxing only when she saw Benjy's amused smile. Now hyper-aware of her surroundings, she willed her hands to stop shaking.
He didn't notice them—or chose not to point it out—as he joined her on the floor, handing back a few notes that had flown away.
She put the last quill in her bag and rose, clasping her hands tight and sending him a small smile. It felt foreign on her lips, but she was glad to see him.
Hermione curiously noted how the only two times she'd seen him, he'd always ended up assisting her, one way or another. Even now, he'd helped her, even if just with picking her stuff.
She watched as he greeted Marlene, shaking her hand enthusiastically and causing the blonde's cheeks to redden. There was a lot of energy in that scrawny body of his.
"It's good to see you," she told him, once he looked at her again. She was glad to finally catch a glimpse of him, after so long. "I never got the chance to study with you. I'm so sorry — lately, I seem to go there at random times . . ."
Benjy cut her off with a casual wave of his hand. "Nah, don't worry. Are you coming tomorrow?"
"If she were to stop going to the library, even for just one day, you would know there's something wrong with her. So of course, she is," Marlene answered for her, a hint of humor in her voice.
He guwaffed and he turned his friendly gaze towards her best friend. "Alright. Are you coming too, Mckinnon?"
"What?" she squeaked, looking as though she was caught off guard. She shook her head. "Not really."
"That's fine," he told her with a sweet smile. His blue eyes darted toward her, then back at Marlene. "Well, see you ladies!"
With that, he swivelled on his feet and walked away, a happy whistle playing at his lips. Hermione bit down a chuckle at his behaviour, glancing over Marlene with a cocked brow when she noticed her starstruck look. Never had she seen her friend so flustered, that too because of a boy.
"That's one fit boy," Marlene finally announced, moving her hands around wildly, hoping to enhance the apparent beauty of her brand new crush.
"You've got a few months to woo him," Hermione told her wryly, placing a comforting hand on her arm. "He's a seventh year."
Marlene began to stare longingly at his retreating form and she shook her head, amused.
A timid Gryffindor caught her attention as he approached her, giving her a wobbly smile. Unsure on how to act—her little brother had never seemed like . . . well, an actual kid—she tried a tentative smile, hoping it looked as gentle as she'd intended.
"Mr. Sirius has sent me," he told her, mixed with an odd solemn tone. Before she could open her mouth and ask just what her brother might be doing, he spoke again. "He said he needs his sister, because James is acting like an idiot."
"Not my words!" he hurried to add, looking frightened at the thought of angering her.
"Don't worry, and thank you for the message," she told him, though she hated the way Sirius had used a little kid to look for her. He could've very well just used his own feet to inform her of anything.
The boy scrambled on his feet, walking away to catch up to his group of friends, who seemed to be waiting for him with teasing smiles. Letting out a resigned sigh, she gave Marlene the usual look, who knew better than to ask questions.
—
With her bag swung over her shoulder, she hurried to the Common Room, halting only for a second when a Prefect told her to watch where she was going. She scowled, a pang of jealousy resonating through her at the reminder of owning no badge.
Granted, she would've had no time for Prefect duties with everything that went on this year, but even Professor Mcgonagall couldn't deny that Hermione was a somewhat responsible student. At least, Remus received the reward for his good grades,
The Fat Lady swung the doors open, and she slipped in quietly, noticing a number of students who'd chosen to study by the fireplace. Once she stopped gazing longingly at the cozy setting, she took the usual journey up the stairs, stopping only briefly when she heard one of the boys from afar.
Once she finally reached the familiar door, she turned the knob to finally reveal the utter chaos that had been created.
"What's going on here?" she demanded, her voice shrill, sounding an awful lot like Professor Mcgonagall. Painfully slow, the four boys whirled around to look at her, standing on top of their own mattress with messy hair and wide eyes.
Her feet moved against the sea of white feathers—they'd wasted so many pillows—and she balled her hands on her hips, hoping they would answer once they noticed the change in her stance.
Finally, Sirius hopped off his bed, almost tripping on air when a pillow hit him. She glared at James, who looked nowhere close to apologetic.
"Don't do that!"
Shifting her gaze back to her brother, Hermione arched a brow, tapping on her foot as she waited for an explanation.
"We have a problem," he stated in a strangled voice.
She heaved a sigh, looking at her brother tiredly. "Let me guess. You caused it?"
His eyes widened, starting to resemble the look of an innocent little child. "No, of course not. James, here—"
"Why does it always start with James's name?" she asked, exasperated.
Remus jumped in Sirius's defense. "That's because it is because of him."
"Evans has turned him into a delusional git!" Sirius finished, throwing his arms in the air in distress.
Her brow knitted, and she bit her lip once she glanced over James. The boy looked agitated—or excited, she wasn't sure. He definitely seemed to have consumed too much sugar.
"She didn't hurt you, did she?" she asked, concern leaking sharp at the thought of the redhead going too far.
"Of course not!" James protested, indignant as though she'd deeply insulted a part of him. "Hermione, you won't believe what happened."
"By now, I can believe just about anything," she muttered, a wry tone that masked her bitterness. James didn't say anything at that, and she felt grateful for it, knowing that he'd always been sensible enough not to comment on certain things.
While he may insist he had no tact, she would argue that he had just enough, perhaps even more than needed. For someone who was so confident and pompous, he often looked like he wasn't aware of his own qualities.
"I asked Evans on a date," he blurted out, snapping her out of her thoughts.
Giving him a bewildered look, she walked towards her mattress and plopped down, suddenly overcome with a tight, hot ache in her bones. "You've been doing that for five years."
"Lily agreed to give him a chance, this time," Peter added quickly, proceeding to wince at the look James sent him for interrupting his announcement.
Her mouth opened and closed around words that refused to part from her lips. That was unexpected to say the least. Sure, he'd told her about their interaction from earlier, but wasn't it going too fast? Considering the numerous times the boy had confessed his feelings for her, the redhead had never reacted well.
Be it the bouquet of lilies for Valentine's day—that too, every single year—or the way he offered her a scarf, whenever they had classes outside and it was exceptionally cold. Lily always proceed to sprout nonsensical insults at him, often even pointing her wand at him with a light hex.
Her face scrunched as she looked up to meet his eyes. His waiting, and very exhilarated hazel eyes.
"Are you sure she said yes?" she asked, sounding too dubious even to her ears. Hermione was happy for him, she supposed. He'd been waiting for a chance for too long, and while she didn't like how bad Lily had treated him, she was glad that it'd all been worth it.
"Yes, Cub. You believe me, don't you?" His eyes shone with endearing joy, and he gave her a hopeful look—one that even she couldn't deny.
"Yes, I do," she said firmly, glancing at the rest of the boys with displeasure. "You guys could've just asked him if it really happened, instead of attacking all those pillows!"
James started sputtering in protest. "Hey, now. I was attacked, not the pill—ow! You'll pay for that, Hermione."
A/N: I had to edit this chapter a few times, but I hope you liked it! Also, a reminder that I'm always happy to hear what you think about the story.