So, here is my deal. I've had a lot going on lately with my family (what's new) and it's been putting a real damper on my mood to be creative. I have been way too worried about my family to even get a damn decent paper finished for English class, which flat out sucks. I know, you guys don't care about my sob story, but just know that I really am trying, regardless of everything that is being pitted against me at the current moment.
I've also been diagnosed with some wrist-arm-finger problems, so things are just getting so much sweeter as I'm being practically drugged on the daily to stop from being in pain, along with very much restricted from every-day tasks. So there's also that. Typing isn't easy.
I'm not super happy with this chapter, so I'm sorry.
Have a good one.
"I told you something was going on, Remus! Something much bigger than us! And whatever it is, James knows!"
Sirius was pacing back and forth. He and Remus were situated in an empty classroom. It had been two days since they'd come back. Two days since they had last talked to Hermione.
"I mean, you heard James! 'You've got to tell them'. Tell us what? And why does he know about it before us? We're her mates." His hands slammed onto one of the many desks as he gazed across the room to Remus, who had perched himself on the professor's desk, his ankles crossed.
"And you heard Hermione. She just doesn't want us to worry. Besides, we shouldn't have been spying on them anyways. You know she'd go bonkers if she found that out." Remus sighed. He was being much calmer about the situation than Sirius. Why? He wasn't too sure. Of course, he was worried about Hermione, and he wanted to know what was going on as much as Sirius did. But there was just something telling him that it was better this way.
"She wants us out of her way for whatever she's doing! It's obviously something dangerous, otherwise it wouldn't be a huge deal if we wanted to come along. Seriously, Remus. What are we going to do?" Sirius asked, as he made his way over to Remus. He tugged Remus's legs apart and situated himself between them, his hands lightly resting on the boys things.
"We're going to do absolutely nothing." Remus told him. He rubbed one of Sirius' arms in a comforting manner. "I know it's bloody torture, but you know that the harder we go after it, the more she's going to pull away. Stubborn bird, she is."
Sirius nodded slowly, despite not wanting to agree he had no choice. A part of him knew Remus was right. If they continued to push her, she would just continue to pull away. They just needed to wait for her to come to them. Until that moment, they would just have to give her the space she wanted.
RHS RHS RHS RHS RHS RHS RHS RHS RHS RHS RHS RHS
The rest of the summer holiday passed rather quickly, and before she knew it, Hermione was elbow deep in homework and NEWT's studying. Rather than deal with her problems head on, she was choosing the stubborn route and throwing everything she had into her studies as she had previously. Of course, Sirius and Remus were tiptoeing around her, but she hardly noticed. Her brain was finally in it's right spot-School. No boys, no dangers. Just her, parchment, and a shiteload of books.
At this point, she could hardly remember the last time she had talked to the boys. Of course, they were around each other because they had the same friends, but they just didn't speak. There was something tugging at her heart. She knew it was because she was Remus's mate. She couldn't imagine how much worse it was for the werewolf in question, but she wasn't going to break. It was probably better this way, anyways. Tonks is supposed to be Remus' wife, not Hermione.
Still, with her glamours down, the school was talking. They had all realized that there was a lack of Remus-Sirius-Hermione, and took notice of the scars that were visible. The few on her face, neck, and on the odd occasion that she pushed her sleeves up, her arms. Not to mention that she had taken to studying on the weekends in her comfy clothes, which would sometimes display the top of the jagged scar she had received from Dolohov.
A week passed, and then two. The rumors had stopped, but the silence hadn't. Hermione knew it was better this way. If the three of them were really meant to be together, they would be. It didn't matter if it was now or later. Besides, they would be out of her way for the rest of the horcrux hunting...once she and Dumbledore could figure the general location of the remaining. It wasn't that hard, really, but Hermione was leaving it to her Headmaster for now. He knew all that she did and he didn't have to study.
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"So, what happened?" Fabian asked as he sipped on his hot tea.
Hermione had taken quite a liking to the Prewett boy. She really couldn't help it. He reminded her so much of the twins it was uncanny. Other than James, Fabian was the closest person to her other time...unless you counted Dumbledore and a few of the other professors. Despite everything going on, she had been sneaking away on the weekends to meet the Prewett at Rosa's for tea and biscuits, along with trading stories.
"What d'you mean?" Hermione asked, cocking her head to the side. They had previously been talking about their families. Hermione had told him what had happened with her parents, although a slightly edited version. She had also mentioned her closer friends being like an adoptive family. Fabian himself had talked a ton about Molly, Gideon, their parents, and little Bill and Charlie Weasley. According to Fabian, Molly had just had Percy and was pregnant once more with the Twins.
"With your boys? You hadn't been speaking very kindly of them before, and now you don't speak of them at all." He pointed out softly, setting his cup back on the saucer.
Hermione looked down into her tea for a moment, before setting her own cup back onto the table. She scratched behind her ear before brushing a loose curl away from her face.
"Well...there's nothing to speak of anymore. We weren't really together in the first place, and now we just don't speak. We're always around each other but...the most that has been said is an occasional 'good morning' or asking for an extra quill or parchment. Honestly, I don't really know what's going on with them anymore but I'm just not going to let it bother me." Her words were true. As much as it twinged something in her, she was doing her best to not let it bother her. She was just trying to live with how things are right now. Before she knew it they would be all together again, or they wouldn't. Hermione wasn't a great believer of Faith, but if there was any god out there, they surely wouldn't dangle soul mates in her face and snatch them away just as quickly.
"Well...would it be inappropriate of me to ask you to accompany me to an event, then? Just as friends, of course. A cousin is getting married and if I show up to another Prewett Family event without a date I'm sure to get shite for the rest of my life." He gave her a friendly grin as he leaned forward in his chair. "Besides, Molly is dying to meet you. Apparently I can't stop talking about you." He rolled his eyes playfully.
"Of course, I'd love to come." She didn't know what was compelling her to say yes, other than getting to see Molly. She missed the woman terribly.
"Swell. I'll owl you the details, then. And don't worry about getting a dress, I've got you covered already." He grinned widely as he reached for a biscuit.
"What if I had said no? And how did you get my measurements anyways?" She asked, a teasing grin settling upon her lips.
"Well, dear Hermione, there are such things as resizing dresses, yes? Besides, why would you say no to all of this?" He waggled his eyebrows as he gestured up and down his body with the biscuit.
"You're bonkers."
RHS RHS RHS RHS RHS RHS RHS RHS RHS RHS RHS RHS
True to his words, Hermione received an owl the next morning at breakfast. Her first thought was to not let Remus or Sirius know anything about it, but then she changed her mind. She wasn't going to flaunt it, but she wasn't going to keep it a secret. The barn owl landed in front of her with soft feet, letter in it's beak rather than tied to it's leg. The Prewett family crest was displayed proudly as a amethyst colored wax seal.
Many eyes were trained on her, including those of her friends. This is the first time Hermione had received an owl during breakfast. Sure, a time or two she had gotten letters from Albus during the night time, or when they were on Christmas Holiday, but never had she gotten anything from anyone other than Albus.
She broke open the wax seal, ignoring the frustrated whispers between Sirius, Remus, and James. Lily was seated to her left, and was leaning against her side, while Mary Macdonald, a Gryffindor seventh year who weaseled her way into Hermione's heart this year, was seated on her right.
"Prewett? What do they want with you?" Mary asked, fingers brushing against the seal.
"Must want a courting contract. Aren't both of the Prewett twins single?" Quipped Marlene McKinnon from Mary's other side.
"That's bloody preposterous. Hermione wouldn't go into any kind of contract...Right, Hermione?" Lily asked.
Hermione laughed a bit, as she finally pulled the letter out. "You are all bonkers. Fabian Prewett is a dear friend of mine. He just invited me to come to a wedding with him is all. No contracts here, promise." She told Lily, giving the other girl a quick pat on the shoulder.
"A wedding? So it is like a date, then?" Marlene asked, grin lighting up her features.
"Of course not!" Lily huffed.
"It's not a date, but it could be a precursor to one, right, Hermione?" Mary asked.
"I'd think not." Lily butted in once more.
"Children, children, please. It's not a date, nor do I see it as, or plan on it being, a precursor to one. But even if I did, Lily," Hermione gave the other girl a pointed look, "It wouldn't be your place to tell me no, or anyone else no. Just because there was...something going on with me, Remus, and Sirius, doesn't mean I'm not allowed to take up other boys on their offers. It's not like they're trying too hard to fix anything." Hermione pointed out, a bit irritated with her red-haired friend.
"I know, I know, it's just that...you're completely meant to be with them. I don't want more people to get hurt in the process of you figuring that out." Lily reasoned.
"It's not your job to tell me who I am meant to, or not meant to be with. You don't know the future, Lily. No one does." Hermione huffed irritably. She unfolded the letter and read over its contents, before frowning once more.
"It says he's sent me a package with the dress robes, but I haven't gotten any packages." She looked over the table, just to make sure she hadn't missed it, while Marlene snatched the letter from her hands and began reading it.
Suddenly, an owl came swooping into the room, much later than the others. It dropped a package in front of Hermione, which resulted in the spattering of foods in various directions.
"Bloody hell...gits...mental woman…" Sirius began muttering to himself, as he slopped off excess oatmeal out of his hair.
Hermione did her best to ignore the boy, pressing her lips into a thin line as she pulled the twine away from the package. She lifted the lid, and peered into it, her eyes gazing over the almost purple colored material. Her fingers gently slid over it, reveling in the satin of it.
"Godric...Hermione it's gorgeous!" Mary shouted.
"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing going on a date? What is it? Do you think we can't provide? Poor little exiled teen and half-blood? So what if I was disowned and don't have a penny to my name? So what-"
"Sirius, stop." James demanded, placing a firm hand on his friend's shoulder.
"No, you stop. Stop acting like you have authority over us. Just because Hermione has trusted you with Circe knows what, does not mean that you can boss us around every time we get the slightest bit cross at the woman! She can take care of herself! She doesn't need me, or you, or bloody Remus! Hell, she doesn't need anyone! She's made her position very clear." Sirius slammed his palms onto the table as he stood. His eyes shot furiously around the room.
"You! Kingston! Coming to bed tonight, yeah?" He hollered, as he moved over to the Ravenclaw table.
Hermione, in all honesty, didn't know how to feel. Sure, it sucked. The whole thing did. But Hermione has had more than enough childishness in her lifetime. This was it.
"I'm done, Remus. We're not playing games anymore. Once you both grow up, come talk to me." She told the werewolf. She stood, grabbed her things, and promptly strode from the table, ignoring the calls of her friends.
