May update

Earlier that day

"Hermione wait up!"

Hermione turned around, still aggressive from the events that happened in the classroom. She saw Lucy running up to her, bending over and panting slightly when she caught up with her. "Hey, don't let what she said get to you… You're one of the greatest minds I know! I mean, how can you handle so many classes at once? I could never do it…" Lucy said sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.

Hermione went stiff for a bit, before turning back around with a bit of red on her cheek. "W-Well, I have my ways…" She muttered, beginning to walk forward again. "Hey how about this?" Lucy asked, running up to her again. "Since it's our break now, how about we go to Hogsmeade and get some butterbeer?" She asked with a bit of a mischievous glare. "W-Won't we get in trouble?" Hermione asked, a bit skeptical. "Oh yeah, I guess…. Then let's just go to the Main Hall and get some food and butterbeer." Lucy suggested again with a smile. Hermione gave an approval shrug, she and Lucy making their way down to the Main Hall.

"So anyway, how's all your other classes going?" Lucy asked, taking a bite into her sandwich. Hermione stayed silent, looking down at her food, not feeling like she wanted to take a bite. "Hermione?" Lucy asked again. "Huh? O-Oh very well thank you. Professor McGarden makes it easy for us to understand runes." Hermione said with haste, picking up her food and taking a big bite into it. Lucy stared at her with a hum, concerned. She sighed, taking another bite.

The two sat in silence for a bit, chewing away and drinking their butterbeers. Lucy continued to stare at Hermione, her face written with fear and concern. "Hermione…. Is something bothering you? You can always talk to me about it…" Lucy soothed, taking Hermione's hand and rubbing the back of it with her thumb. Hermione stared at Lucy's hand, before looking at Lucy's smiling face.

"You'll be honest with me?" Hermione asked. Lucy froze a little, wondering why Hermione phrased it that way. She thought of her answer, before answering her with that same smile. "As long as you're honest with me." She said with a laugh. Hermione smirked a but before pulling her hand away. "It's just that…. People always think I'm talentless or I can't do magic as well as they can. From people like Malfoy I can expect, but from a teacher…" Hermione confessed with a sigh and biting into her sandwich.

Lucy closed her eyes with a light sigh. "I know the feeling…" She muttered, taking a bite. Hermione looked at her confused. "I always had a certain expectation too, as if trying to force me into a certain mindset. But I refused to take that attitude and those expectations." Lucy explained, taking a sip of her drink. "What did you do?" Hermione asked. Lucy looked at her in the eye, putting down her drink. "I left and made something of myself." She said, taking another bite.

Hermione was a little shocked at her answer, recalling that Lucy is an heiress. Does that mean…. "You left your position…?" Hermione asked. Lucy stopped chewing, placing her food on her plate. "It's…. Complicated…. Look, I'm not saying you shouldn't give up your position here, but there is something you can do." She said. "And what is that?" Hermione asked. Lucy smirked, leaning forward slowly.

"Make a name for yourself. Tell everyone here why you deserve to be here. Prove to all of them that you aren't just another wizard, but someone who everyone will remember." She said with a sly smile. Hermine blinked, sitting back, "Make a name for myself…." She muttered back. "In fact, you already have in a way. You've shown Harry, Ron, and even my friends and I that you are the bravest and the smartest of all of us. If you can even impress the Boy-Who-Lived, you'll be fine." Lucy smiled.

Hermione smiled back, feeling so much better after her snack and drink, and especially after her talk with Lucy. Hermione looked at Lucy, thinking a bit. "Hey Lucy, since I've got you here, and you said you'd be honest with me, I want to know…" Lucy looked at her, extremely worried as Hermione stared at her with a hard eye.

"Why do you wear gloves?" She asked, pointing at Lucy's hands. "O-Oh I…. It's a skin condition, they dry so easily." Lucy said with a lying smile. Hermione looked at Lucy's hands, not fully convinced. "Then why don't you use moisturizer or magic to heal them?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "I-I haven't found the right moisturizer, and I kinda don't want to use magic on myself she stuttered, rubbing her wrists and lower hands.

"Lucy…." Lucy looked up, trying to look at her as naturally as possible. "Are you…. Hiding something from us?" She asked in complete seriousness. Lucy stayed silent, looking down. "Lucy?" Hermione asked. "I…. I have to go. Remember to make a name for yourself!" She repeated, running out of the dining hall, a few eyes following her.

Hermione instantly stood up, following her into the hallway. "Lucy!" Hermione called out, grabbing her right wrist. Lucy stopped, Hermione holding up Lucy's wrist. "Hermione, I-" She began, then stopped, unable to think of a way out. "You know something don't you?" She asked. Lucy shook her head, sliding her thin wrist out of Hermione's hand, her glove slipping off. Hermione's eyes shifted to the back of her hand.

Hermione gasped slightly, her mind racing with confusion. There was nothing on the back of her hand. Did she get the wrong person? But then why did she try to get out of there? Lucy looked at Hermione, before grabbing her glove out of Hermione's hand. "I'm sorry Hermione…. I have to go…" And with that, she ran down the hall, leaving Hermione in a confused state.

"That was close!" Lucy gasped when she stopped running. She looked at the back of her hand, her Fairy Tail emblem faintly coming back. She sighed, sliding the glove back on. "Thank goodness Virgo modified my gloves to hide my emblem in case someone tried to take my glove off…." She flexed her fingers, her joints adjusting to the fabric.

She stared at her hand, feeling so guilty. She didn't want to lie to them, but she had to for the sake of the mission. But still…. She wanted to tell them the truth. But it just wasn't time yet…. She looked the clock ticking on the wall, the second hand ticking away, waiting for no one. She gave a silent sigh, looking at her hand. She grasped it tight, before promising herself she wouldn't repeat last year.

"You seem troubled princess."

Lucy slightly jumped at the voice and looked to her left. There she saw Virgo and Leo, both of them looking at her, extremely worried. "O-Oh i-it's nothing…" She mumbled, looking down. "I just… I've known Hermione, Ron, and Harry for three years now, and it feels just so… wrong to keep this from them." She admitted. "Well, I mean, orders are orders. But then again, Fairy Tail isn't exactly knowing for following rules." Loke snickered.

"What do you think I should do?" Lucy asked. "If you ask me, I wouldn't tell them, and if they find out, they find out. Unless you disagree, then I will throw away my opinion, agree with you, then bring punishment on myself." Virgo said in a straight face.

Lucy chuckled nervously and sweatdropped.

"Lucy what's up?" Lucy looked the other way, Gray walking up to her with a smile. "Hey Loke, what's up?" He smiled, Loke smiling back as they both did their secret handshake. "Nothing much man, how are you?" Loke beamed, putting his hands back in his pockets.

The two smiled and talked with each other, leaving Virgo alone with Lucy. "Oh princess, did the gloves work?" She asked with a tilt of the head. "Oh yes! Definitely. Thanks for modifying them." Lucy smiled. "It's no problem princess. Is this worthy of punishment?" She asked, tilting her head. "Virgo…" Lucy groaned.

"Oh by the way Lucy, Hermione was looking for you, do you know why?" Gray asked. "Oh… she was beginning to question a few things and she pulled off my gloves…" Lucy muttered, toying with her fingers. Gray's eyes widened a bit, before taking a serious face. "Did she see?" He asked. Lucy shook her head and smiled at Virgo. "Virgo modified them so my symbol won't appear for at least a few minutes. So she didn't see." Lucy said with a smile.

"Ah I see. By the way, should you two be here? Somebody could see you you know…" Gray muttered. "Ah it's fine. I don't sense anyone coming our way, so we're good." Loke beamed. "Alright if you say so…" Gray yawned. "Well anyway, I'm gonna go continue some investigations with Levy in the meeting room." Gray sighed, rubbing his head as he began to walk away. "I'll talk to you guys later." Gray smiled, giving a wave.

"Talk to you later dude." Loke smiled, waving at Gray. "We better go too. I sense someone coming this way." Loke smiled. "Yes, I agree. Please call us if you need our help." Virgo bowed, both of them disappearing in golden light. "Take care." Lucy smiled, waving them off.

Lucy smile went away, putting her hand down. She gave a sigh, and looked at her timetable. Guess that was the last class for the day. She decided to go to her common room to rest. "Oh Lucy!" Lucy stopped by one of the paintings, Mavis sharing room with another painting, but luckily the subject had left for a stroll through the other paintings. "Oh Mavis! What's up?" She asked with a smile. "Can we talk for a minute? Upstairs? Natsu said he found something." She smiled. Lucy blinked, a bit surprise. "Yeah sure…" She said, a bit quiet.

She stood in front of the painting and gave a sigh. She stepped through the painting, having the feeling that this meeting would be the discussion about the day that they will strike.