Raised with Magic
Chapter Twenty-Five: Hot Pink Hair
Today the staff room we're using is on the sixth floor. Therefore, the boys, whom I decided to meet here instead of the library, were taking longer to arrive then normal. Bill was in the dungeons in potions and Charlie was coming from the greenhouses, hence a good sized distance. Although, the sentence about the boys coming isn't completely true, because today it was the boys and a girl coming to meet me.
Maybe I should flee. I could do well in Ravenclaw. Slytherin could work for me too, well, besides the muggleborn thing. Honestly, who needs bravery? I didn't flee, apparently I would become a Gryffindor after all. I hope Professor Snape wont be too disappointed.
My thoughts that Tonks would be different were only reaffirmed as she entered the room with Bill. Even with her confident presentation of muggle clothing and hot pink hair in a Wizarding school, she looks about as frightened as I am. Thirteen seconds passed before we both started laughing, identifying a part of ourselves in the other. Or at least that's what I think had happened.
"Right," Bill dragged out once we calmed down, "Tonks, this is Hermione. Hermione, this is Tonks." We shook hands which, as a gesture that I always considered an awkward one, was surprisingly comforting.
"I've heard a lot about you. These boys sing your praises." Tonks explained pleasantly as she plopped onto the couch, completely at ease in the teachers lounge now that we have gotten through the introductions.
"Bill and Charlie have nothing on the twins." I admitted with relief. The twins were terrible about it, The twins will sing my praise to the moon and not only because it reflected well on them. "To be honest I haven't heard anything about you until yesterday. I've only heard about a girl named Nymphadora." The pink one growled and I worried that I had said something wrong. The fact that she was glaring at the boys and not me helped me feel better. The situation did confirm my belief that Nymphadora and Tonks are one and the same. Why do social interactions have to be so terribly confusing?
"Both of you leave now! I don't want to talk to you anymore." She growled fiercely. I think Tonks likes me but her getting mad at the boys might ruin our meeting. Bill had bolted out of the room but Charlie kissed my cheek quickly before leaving calmly. Bill and Tonks are best friends which is why he bolted. Charlie and Tonks are only friends and that is mainly just through Bill. That's why Charlie could leave slower, he had more immunity from her wrath. "So tell me everything they don't want me to know!" She proceeded eagerly.
Tonks and I clicked I guess one would say. I didn't feel the need to start spurting knowledge to impress her, and she never stared at me like I didn't actually belong on this planet. I told her about me, what I like and how I feel about what's going on in my life, but for all the emotional stuff I told her, I told her very little about the important stuff. I think I'm supposed to feel guilty. I think I just feel relieved.
She told me about how she plans to become and auror and how she is terrified she wont make it. She even confessed that she might have a crush on Charlie. I was extremely disappointed when she had to go to her next class.
After a while of secret passageways I made my way to Aunt Minerva's chambers. Her classes would be done for that day and it felt like too long since I just sat and talked with her.
"Oh Hermione!" She exclaimed reminding me of Mrs. Weasley. I don't think that either women should ever remind anyone of the other. It was just not a natural occurrence. And it is creepy. And disturbing. "Sit, sit, I was just sitting down for tea." She froze, I nodded.
"Mirror image." I confirmed the thought we had shared.
"Yes, well," She was back to my stiff, prim, aunt whom I love so much. "Why don't you prepare the tea when I go gather those books I have for you."
"I like books." I commented, knowing my voice conveyed my gratitude. Aunt Minerva has always encouraged my academic pursuits and spoils me rotten with them. I'm not going to complain.
"Here, I picked them up during a recent conference." She handed me a pile of four decent sized books. The books are a series by James Dell. Fire, Water, Earth, and Air, the series focus on the theory of elemental transfiguration.
"Thank you Aunt Minerva." I got up to kiss her cheek. I love her and I appreciate her gifts but sometimes I wish Professor Snape would give her a crash course in manipulation. Aunt Minerva tends to be completely unsubtle. She is desperate for me to follow her into the field of transfiguration and sometimes I just wish she had the ability to make me do so without my knowledge. I have absolutely no idea what I plan to do with my life. Every time I think I might know, it changes and I am always left feeling confused. Sometimes I think I am not meant to know what I want to do with my future, because sometimes I feel like my future is already decided for me and some strange powerful essence doesn't want me to have dream I will never meet. Other times I realize I am six and I really shouldn't have to think about such things.