[Monday, September 26th, 2016]

"I'm sorry again about Saturday." Rolf placed Hermione's bag on her desk while she took off her hat and let her hair down.

"I told you it's okay, plus it was raining all weekend."

When she turned he was ogling at her again, a behaviour that had been occurring much more frequently. Even in class he had started to make things a bit uncomfortable. Hermione really should have thought through the implications of dating a professor.

Today he had openly flirted with her while students were still in the gallery and made the conversation slow to a bit of a halt. Rolf was the sweetest, but he really did bare his heart and intentions on his sleeve for everyone to see.

Hermione knew she had to say something before things got out of hand.

"Rolf, I think–" she stopped herself, realising she sounded like she wanted to stop dating him. By the look on his face, a similar fear crept up in his mind too. "I was a bit uncomfortable today after class." She opted for direct, regretting it almost immediately.

"Oh, I thought that might have been the case." his entire body seemed to deflate. His shoulders slouched and his jaw fell, making his face longer than usual.

"No, please, I just like to keep my personal and professional life a bit separate is all."

Hermione stood in front of him now, frantically trying to reassure him that it wasn't because she wasn't interested. After a few minutes of miscommunication he finally relaxed and was put at ease. She also considered the fact that she was softly stroking his arm which may or may not have appeared as an invitation to snog her. She sincerely hoped he would get the message except–

"Good Afternoon, are you– oh! My apologies!" Helena had entered the office without warning.

"Oh wow! Is that–"

Hermione sighed, rolling her eyes at the former House ghost.

"Rolf, I'd like you to meet Helena Ravenclaw. Helena, Rolf Scamander."

Rolf wore a look of awe… or perhaps terror as Helena glided closer toward them. Hermione wondered if the witch always wore the most dismissive expression when she greeted new people because she appeared nearly lethal now.

"It was a pleasure to meet you. Perhaps I should go," he said, his hand already on the handle of the door. Honestly, Hermione couldn't comprehend what was happening right before her eyes as he practically ran down the stairs, not even closing the door behind him.

"What did you do?" Hermione crossed her arms, waiting for Helena to provide some sort of explanation on what had just occurred.

"I don't know what you mean," she replied with an air of indifference. "That was rather rude though,'' Hermione narrowed her eyes at the witch as a small smirk made its way through the facade.

Hermione would apologise to him later, and then try to figure out why on earth he fled from her office like a bat out of hell. For now she needed to get ready for tonight.