Hamilton Mania, confronting someone: Veritaserum, invisible
Character Appreciation: trio
Showtime, Stay Alive: essay
Wheel of Fortune: CormacHermione
Word Count: 433
"Oh. Hermione…"
Hermione looks up from her essay, exhaling heavily. She hates being interrupted while she's doing homework. After Harry and Ron had chosen not to come back to Hogwarts, she had dared to believe she might actually be able to study in peace.
One look at Cormac, however, tells her that this is not the case. "Cormac," she says stiffly before dipping her quill in ink and returning her attention to the first draft of her essay, looking for anything that needs to be corrected.
"I was actually hoping I wouldn't run into you," he says.
She doesn't bother to look up again. "Why not?"
"Because, I drank some Veritaserum on a dare, and you are probably the last person I should actually be around."
That definitely isn't the answer she expects. It's enough to catch her attention, and she abandons her homework. Transfiguration can wait. "Are you really that…" She trails off, pinching her nose and forcing herself not to say what she wants. "Why would you do something so ridiculous?"
"I don't like feeling invisible," he answers. "If I accept dares, people will think I'm fun."
She raises her brows, studying him. He almost sounds like a misguided Fred or George, but the twins had always managed to have some sort of structure. "Why didn't you want to see me?" she wonders aloud.
She has barely even thought of him since the disastrous attempt at making Ron jealous. It had all been for nothing, of course. After the war first ended, they had tried, but it hadn't taken long for them to discover that they're better off as friends.
"I still fancy you. I was an absolute idiot before, and I should have made some effort to keep you in my life, but I was too pretentious."
She knows he wouldn't tell her this without the Veritaserum in his system, but she can't help but smile at that. "You really were."
She sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. It has been quite some time since anyone caught her eye and made her wonder like this, but she can't act on it. Even if it's just a truth serum, it feels like she would be taking advantage of his vulnerability.
"You can try to get me back into your life when the potion has worn off," she tells him, offering him a small smile.
"I will!"
And as she continues her essay, she can't help the fluttering feeling within her chest. Coming back to Hogwarts without her best friends had been terrifying, but maybe it's going to be okay.
