Anyone enjoying the story so far? Or am I dreaming too big? :) anywhoo thanks to those who are reading it.
"Who are you?" Hermione asks again, just a little clearer and softer this time. Her cheeks still flushed.
She knew she would have gotten a fright if someone shouted at her like that.
"Oh I'm Dani. With an I." She replies.
"Dani?" Hermione questions with a frown.
"Yeah. I kinda get that a lot. It's different from most girl names right?" She smiles.
"Definitely." Hermione answered then blinked a couple of times.
"Thank you, you know. For uhm what you did with them. You didn't have to"
"It's fine. I like giving them a taste of their own medicine. They deserve it. Are you okay though? It did seem like it had upset you"
Now it was Hermione's turn to shuffle awkwardly on the spot. She diverted her eyes away from Dani.
How do you tell a complete stranger something like that. It's embarrassing.
She looked up and saw Dani looking at her. Not in a way that she wants to laugh or say something bad. She looked like she was genuinely wanting to know if Hermione was okay.
"You don't have to go into a history lesson, if you don't want to. I just wanted to know if you're okay." Dani smiles reassuringly.
Smiling to herself she felt like it was okay to tell her.
Sighing softly Hermione decided to sit down.
"I know them. Julie and Alice. I used to go to the same school as them before I got my ow... before I got accepted into a private school" Hermione quickly corrected herself. She almost blew it!
Dani had, in the mean time, walked closer and was standing just a couple of feet away from Hermione's sitting figure.
"They, along with most of the other kids at school, used to say mean things to me. Always teasing me and making fun of me. Taking away my things." She tells Dani.
"Why would anyone tease you or make fun of you? I don't see anything wrong with you"
This made Hermione's head shoot up.
Shaking her head she whispered "everything is wrong with me"
Dani decided to sit down next to Hermione (careful to keep some distance between them, not all strangers like their personal space invaded right)
The sudden movement made Hermione jump and Dani let out a laugh
"I'm not going to bite you you know." She grins.
"I know that." She laughs
"So tell me then. What do you think is wrong with you"
She takes a moment to size Dani up.
"I'm bossy. Boring. Know-it-all. Snobby. Ugly. Weird. That's just on the top list"
"Hmm okay. So you think all these things about yourself?"
"It's what everyone says"
"But that doesn't matter does it? What actually matters is what YOU think about yourself."
"I know but it does matter. Because of that I've always been alone and never had any friends. These are my only friends" she held up the thick book in her hands.
"So you have no friends at all? Even at your new school?"
"Oh no. I actually do have two friends. Both boys though."
"See there? You can make friends"
"I think they only tolerate me because I'm smart and help them with their homework. Okay maybe only the one. He only sees me as the saviour to his homework problems"
"What about the other boy?"
Hermione falls silent for a minute. She could feel a smile creeping slowly on her lips.
Harry. Harry is her best friend. Between him and Ron, there would be no doubt that she's closer to him than Ron.
"He's the best. Really he is. I mean for a boy. He always stands up for me, defends my smartness. He's understanding and never seeks an argument out of me. He doesn't make fun of me"
"Maybe because there is nothing to make fun of. Clearly he sees the real you. And he obviously doesn't care about the 'bad' stuff because you're still friends right?"
Hermione nods her head.
"I don't see that person you mentioned in front of me now. On the other hand I only see someone who seems strong, who'd be willing to do anything for the friends she has, even if it's to allow them to copy her notes. Someone who cares a lot and has a heart of gold. And someone with extremely wild bushy hair. Damn!" Dani finishes, laughing out loud.
Hermione didn't know if she should feel offended by that remark or not, but seeing Dani laughing like that. She knew that she wasn't laughing in a menacing way.
But this whole conversation. This whole 'meeting' thing, was so out of the blue, was so out of Hermione's thing. She would have never talked like that, about her personal life, to any stranger.
But something just told her it was okay. This Dani girl wasn't just any stranger. Somehow, in a weird sense, it feels like she can trust her, that she's almost known Dani since birth.
All this just added to the confusion and bewilderment of the whole situation. And now with Dani laughing that infections laugh, Hermione couldn't help but join in on the laughing.
For a minute she just laughed along and smiled. She felt giddy and a lot better than before.
"There's that smile" Dani exclaims, smiling herself now.
"Sorry" Hermione blushes.
"Don't worry about it. Anyway don't let those two get at you again, or anyone else. Don't let other people bring you down okay? They're not worth it. All that matters is what the people closest to you think."
"You're right. I shouldn't let it get to me. I know better than to get upset like that over childish stuff. I guess it's just insecurities"
"Which is understandable. But don't let those insecurities keep you from showing off you're amazing smile"
Immediately Hermione felt a blush race up her neck and she was momentarily stunned silent.
Dani cleared her throat, maybe sensing that she might have overstepped a line there.
"Uhm. Uh sorry. I didn't meant for it to sound weird or anything..."
"Oh no! That's fine. It's fine" Hermione quickly rushed out. Mentally slapping herself for sounding so weird.
Why is she sounding so weird? Why is she feeling weird? And why is she blushing? !
Suddenly a church clock chimed somewhere in the distance. This caused both of them to jump slightly.
They both giggled at the silliness of that. And that's when Hermione took notice of the actual time.
"Oh my goodness! Look how late it is already? My parents are going to kill me." Hermione exclaims while jumping up.
Dani slowly got up too
"I really need to go. My parents might be wondering where I am. I didn't tell them I was going to be out this late"
"Okay. That's fine. I understand" Dani smiles.
"I'm not trying to run away I swear" Hermione apologizes, suddenly realizing it might have come off that way. Her sudden need to go home after that awkward moment.
Dani just laughs. "It's cool really. No need to apologise"
"Okay." Hermione picks up her book and dusts her pants off.
"So uhm, are you going to be around again or are you just like visiting family?" Hermione asks nervously. (Nervously? Hermione? !)
"You know for someone who seems incredibly smart, you're very un observing." A smirking Dani.
...
A confused Hermione
...
"I live here now. Moved here a couple of months ago. That's how I know Alice and Julie."
"Oh..."
"Your a very funny girl" Dani laughs. "And if you wanted to hang out again, you could just ask you know. Again, I don't bite. I'm actually quite friendly"
"Sorry" Hermione apologizes again.
She's starting to feel very dumb
"It's all good. So do you?"
"Do I what?"
"Hang out again? I mean I might not be as smart as you but I do know what subtlety sounds like" she gives that smirk again.
For the hundredth time that day, Hermione cursed herself for blushing and feeling so inadequate that she can't even answer the girl properly.
"I take that as a yes then."
Hermione nods her head and squeaks out an 'okay'
For a moment they both just stand there.
"Don't you need to go home?" Dani asks eventually.
"Oh yes! I do. I need to go. Now. Thanks. See you around then... Dani?" She smiles, despite feeling quite stupid.
"You know where to find me"
"Okay then. Thank you again and bye" Hermione turned to leave but before she got very far, Dani called out.
"I never asked you're name."
Only turning her body halfway, so that she could see Dani.
"Hermione. Hermione Granger"
And with that Hermione walked away from the park.
"Hermione" Dani said aloud to herself.
"Well then. See you again Hermione Granger"
