Shipping Bingo: C5 - Your favorite

Trope Bingo: Betty & Veronica

Spring Bingo: B4 - Fish

Team: Earth Tones
Scavenger Hunt: Sp Consumables (Herbs/Spices)

Chimera Creator: Love/Hate

Stacked With: FPC; BAON; ToS; Star; Shower; Fence; T3; Ship War; Chim; Sp/Tr Bingo; Hunt

Individual Challenges: Gryffindor MC; Hufflepuff MC; Neurodivergent; Rian-Russo Inversion; Ethnic & Present; Setting Sail; Hold the Mayo; Lunar Era; Old Shoes (Y); In A Flash (Y); Bucket Listing (Y)

Representations: Hermione is autistic; Budding Relationship; Companionship

Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges: Tomorrow's Shade; Second Verse (Not a Lamp; Found Family; Nontraditional; Zucchini Bread); Chorus (Wabi Sabi)

Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges: T3 (Terse; Thimble)

Warnings:

Word Count: 693

~o0o~

It was a beautiful day to wander. Cedric and Hermione always did something different. He knew she was a creature of habit, but she diverged from that because she knew he liked trying new things. He appreciated that. Today, they just walked through London, in and out of shops to peruse whatever was there. Even with his frequent visits, she could figure out something to do.

He couldn't stand being home all day with only his thoughts to keep himself company. Practicing instruments nobody asked him to play, studying languages he never got to speak, and studying subjects far more advanced than school taught made for some pretty lonely and dull hours. When he bothered to be home, his father didn't speak to him except to berate him and that made for some pretty miserable dinners. His favorite part of each day was seeing his best friend.

They ended up in a metaphysical supply store.

"Genuine Himalayan Salt Crystal," Hermione read on a label.

The crystal looked quite a bit like the anchor stones beneath Hogwarts. It was a pinkish orange, though it was covered with something that looked like foam. Cedric looked over his shoulder for the shop owner then licked the lamp.

"Why would you do that?!" Hermione whispered before dissolving into giggles.

Cedric spluttered. "Salt."

Hermione laughed harder and he grinned. He loved the sound of her laugh. Sometimes when she was trying not to laugh too loud she'd whistle through the gap in her front teeth.

"You spend too much time around horses," she said, moving on to look at what else they had. She waved her hands over everything telling him what actually contained magic and what didn't. Half the crystals pinged for her while she was sure the other half were regular rocks that had been painted to look like crystals.

"Is it weird that I still want them?" she whispered, rolling a couple around in her palm.

"You know, I think if you were an animagus you'd be a magpie," Cedric teased.

"We all know what you'd be." She whinnied and he laughed.

As they stood around the crystal balls, Cedric looked at her. "You're going to take Divination, yeah?"

"Yes, I think it will be interesting," she said.

"Most people who take it either use it as an easy A or they actually believe in Divination."

"Do you believe in Divination?"

"I don't have much reason not to."

Hermione hummed and traced a finger along the decorative stand. "I don't really like the idea of fate. The whole 'things happen for a reason' doesn't sit well with me, either. I mean, yeah maybe there are prophecies that do have a way of coming true, but I also feel that they have a way of keeping people compliant."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean hero prophecies. I've read about them and they're very common in storytelling. I just think that if people are waiting for that one person who will swoop in and fix things then they'll miss out on changing the world themselves."

"I think that's fair," said Cedric.

"Why do people say that bad things happen for a reason?" Hermione asked. "Or that these experiences make us stronger?"

"I dunno." She was getting sad and he couldn't bear it.

She seemed to notice it too because she said, "I think all the magic in this place is gunking up my funky flow. Let's go to the park."

Cedric smiled. "Yeah. Sounds good."

When they made it to the park, he looked at his best friend. "Funky flow?"

"Yeah, it's the best way I can describe my mood," she replied, turning around to moon-walk next to him while singing, "Feel the funky flow!"

Cedric laughed and slung an arm around her when she faced the front.

They ended up sitting on a bridge overlooking a pond, watching fish swim around and break the surface in search of snacks by passersby. The two friends shared the snacks they packed and chatted about everything and nothing.

"I love you," said Cedric, smiling at her.

Hermione grinned and bumped her head against him. "I love you, too, mate."