Chapter Five: The Stage is Set
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Final Fantasy VIII no matter how much I wish they were my works. Any additional characters added are mine.
oOoOo
Despite getting back to her room late the night before, Hermione awoke early the next morning. She was tired, but she had intentions of exploring the Garden properly while she was here. She got up, stretching and wiping the sleep from her eyes before moving into the bathroom to shower. She dried her hair with a spell, before moving back into her room to get dressed.
She examined the clothes she received, choosing black leggings and doc martin styled boots, a white strapped top with a netted black top to go over it which tied in a corset style on the left side of her abdomen. Nodding at her reflection, she picked up her beaded bag and moved to her door, startled when there was a knock on it.
Hermione frowned, opening the door to reveal Selphie on the other side. 'Morning!' she said chirpily, beaming at her.
Hermione smiled at her. 'Hi, Selphie. Everything okay?' she asked curiously, her eyes moving to Squall's door as it opened.
Squall looked tired and irritated, looking at her in surprise for a moment as he closed his door. He glanced from Hermione to Selphie. 'Come on, Selphie. We're going to be late,' he muttered, stalking down the hall without another word.
Hermione sighed inwardly as she watched him go. And the wall is firmly back in place, she thought, shaking her head.
Selphie frowned at Squall's back for a moment, before looking back at Hermione. 'The Headmaster was looking for you,' she explained, gaining the Gryffindor's attention back to her. 'I was asked to get Squall anyway, so I thought I'd see if you were here,' she said, smiling at her.
Hermione nodded, closing her door, and locking it. 'Did Cid say what he wanted me for?' she asked, falling into step with the bouncy girl as they walked down the corridor.
Selphie shook her head. 'Nope, but he'll be in the main hall to see us off, so you may as well come with me,' she answered with a shrug.
Hermione paused, staring at Selphie in uncertainty. 'See you off? Where are you going?' she asked with a frown.
Selphie turned back to her. 'Our first SeeD assignment,' she replied, placing a hand on her hip. 'Squall, Zell, and I are going to Timber apparently. We don't know when we'll be back,' she divulged with a slight shrug.
Hermione was stunned by this news. 'Isn't that a bit sudden? You only became SeeD's yesterday,' she said more to herself than Selphie, and shook her head.
Selphie shrugged. 'It happens,' she said cheerfully. Selphie's optimism and bubbly personality was infectious, and Hermione couldn't help smiling back at her. She had to wonder if anything got this girl down.
Hermione shook off the abrupt feeling of dread she got at the thought of them leaving and followed Selphie to the main hall. When they reached the large computer, Squall, Cid, and a member of the Garden Faculty were already there waiting.
Cid smiled at Hermione as she approached him. 'Ah, Hermione, I trust you slept well?' he asked her, receiving a nod in response.
Hermione peered at Cid curiously. 'You wanted to see me?' she asked, crossing her arms.
Cid nodded. 'Yes, I will come to that shortly,' he answered, and she nodded, frowning at the older man.
Hermione glanced over at Squall, but he was leaning on the rail with his back to them gazing down at the water. She sighed, deciding it was probably for the best that she didn't allow him to get under her skin. Besides, they were being sent away on their first SeeD mission, and Hermione doubted she would still be in Garden when they returned. She had a mission to be getting on with herself, she was just waiting for more insight from Griever about what she needed to do next. He had been very quiet so far that morning, and Hermione was beginning to feel a bit lost and alone at his absence. Not that she expected him to be there all the time, but with having nothing to go on, she was just drifting from one day to the next at the moment, and it was exasperating.
'One more minute…' the Garden Faculty said, breaking the silence and glancing at his watch in annoyance.
Hermione frowned, looking around and realised the only person missing was Zell. As if this summoned the elusive blonde, he appeared travelling on a hoverboard through the corridors towards them at great speed. He came to a halt near to them, almost falling off, but managed to balance himself before flipping it up into his arms. Hermione was stunned, hoverboards were only a concept in her world, and she had to wonder how advanced this world was in comparison.
'Made it!' Zell said cheerfully, grinning at them.
Cid raised his eyebrows at Zell while one of the Garden Faculty growled. 'T-Boards are prohibited within Garden. Have you forgotten?' he asked sternly, glaring at the blonde.
Zell flinched at his tone but kept his cool. 'Oops, sorry!' he said sheepishly, his grin returning. 'But this is really cool! It may come in handy on a SeeD mission someday,' he reasoned, looking at the Garden Faculty with an optimistic expression.
The Garden Faculty narrowed his eyes further. 'We'll be the judges of that,' he snapped, snatching the T-Board out of Zell's arms. He turned to his colleague, handing it to him. 'Confiscate it,' he ordered, receiving a low bow from the other who then shuffled off down the corridor towards the lift.
Zell watched him go; his eyes wide as the Garden Faculty turned back to him. 'Besides our guest here,' he said, gesturing to Hermione as Zell gaped at him, 'all of you are members of SeeD, but… nevertheless, you're still students at this Garden,' he said, his glare returning. 'Furthermore, because you are SeeD's, you must set an example to all others and abide by the Garden's rules,' he chided, crossing his arms. 'Understood!?' he snapped.
Zell nodded, but Hermione could see the fury in his eyes at this turn of events. She could see his whole body quivering in anger as he clenched his fists at his sides, and hoped he wasn't about to lash out at the Garden Faculty as he turned his back to him. Fortunately, Cid stepped over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder and gave him a meaningful look which calmed the blonde down.
Cid nodded to Zell, before turning to address them all. Squall turned at that point, facing them as he leaned against the railing with his arms crossed. 'For your first mission, you are to go to Timber,' he instructed, clasping his hands behind his back. 'There, you will be supporting a resistance faction. A member of the faction will contact you when you arrive,' he advised, receiving nods from the three SeeD's.
Hermione frowned, crossing her arms as she wondered why she was present at this meeting. Shouldn't knowledge on their destination be classified? Why didn't Cid ask her to wait for him in his office if he needed to talk to her? She shook these thoughts away; Cid had permitted her to be present at several meetings which she probably shouldn't have been privy to and presumed this was just another of those times. However, on this occasion, she felt an unpleasant knot of dread coiling in her stomach, and she couldn't understand why.
The Garden Faculty crossed his arms. 'This person will talk to you and say, "the forests of Timber sure have changed". At this time, you must reply, "But the owls are still around",' he instructed, glancing down at a clipboard in his hand and ticking something on it. 'That is the password,' he added, receiving nods from the SeeD's.
Cid nodded. 'Just follow the Faction's orders,' he told them, before looking at Hermione. 'A moment, Hermione,' he said, and she frowned, trailing him away from the SeeD's so they were out of earshot.
Glancing back, Hermione could see Squall was now watching them interestedly, but when his eyes met hers, he looked away. Forcing the irritation rising in her at him, she turned back to Cid, giving him a questioning gaze. 'What is it?' she asked, the knot of dread tightening further.
Cid looked at her contemplatively for a moment, before glancing at the SeeD's. 'I think you should go with them, Hermione,' he explained, turning his eyes back to her.
Hermione frowned. 'Why?' she asked, shaking her head.
Cid sighed, crossing his arms. 'Because you want to find a way home, do you not?' he asked her, and she nodded. 'Then what better way to start finding one than travelling the world?' he suggested, giving her a smile.
Hermione couldn't dispute his reasoning. It would be better than what she had been currently doing, though she was uneasy as Griever hadn't mentioned anything about her leaving Garden just yet. Of course, Cid wouldn't know that or anything about her mission for Griever so he could only assume going home was her top priority.
'You won't be alone at least,' Cid said, snapping Hermione out her thoughts as he glanced back at the SeeD's. 'You will be a client to them, and they will protect you and help you in your search,' he advised, laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He could tell this proposal had unsettled her.
Hermione nodded; it made sense at least, not that she needed protection. She could, in theory, take care of herself if she had to. She still had her wand and an arsenal of spells at her disposal, but she was conscious of having the world fear her at the same time. It was frustrating to feel like she was constricted from showing who she really was.
'Get yourself ready when they do, you will be leaving at noon,' Cid said after a moment and she frowned, before following him back to where the three SeeD's were watching them curiously.
Zell looked around, expecting there to be more SeeD's joining them on this mission and frowned. 'Sir, do you mean that just us three are going?' he asked the Headmaster curiously when they returned to them.
Cid shook his head. 'Miss Granger will be joining you. You're to treat her as any other client and keep her safe. You will help her with anything she requires,' he ordered them, receiving nods from Zell and Selphie, but Squall just stared at them blankly at that.
Hermione smiled nervously, waving at them, but her smile fell when she saw the displeasure creep onto Squall's face at this additional order. He crossed his arms and shook his head. She wished she could know what he was thinking and why her presence suddenly seemed to bother him again.
Cid glanced between them in interest and surprise at this. Having witnessed their dance and companionship the night before, he had expected them both to be happy with this arrangement. He sighed, hoping it wouldn't cause complications, but he had to do it.
Cid shook his head, peering at them all. 'Squall, you are the Squad Leader for this mission. Use your best judgement based on the situation,' he ordered, looking at him and receiving a salute in return. 'Zell and Selphie, you are to support Squall and give your all to carry out the Faction's plans and anything required of you by Miss Granger,' he commanded them, and the two saluted him.
Cid picked up a bag from next to the large computer. 'Oh, and Squall, I forgot to give this to you,' he said, pulling out a lamp from the bag. It looked like lamps which held genies in myths and folklore. He handed it to Squall who raised his eyebrows as he examined at it in fascination. 'It's a cursed item, but if one with enough power uses it, it should be of great help,' he advised him, and Squall nodded as he passed it to Selphie who put it in her bag.
Cid smiled at them all in turn. 'Best of luck to you all on your first mission,' he said and the three saluted again before turning to walk away to get ready to leave. Hermione was about to follow them, when Cid stopped her, and she turned back to him curiously. 'You room will always be yours. You are welcome back here anytime,' he told her, and Hermione smiled, feeling tears well in her eyes.
'Thank you, Cid,' Hermione whispered, leaning forward to give the older man a hug.
Cid smiled, pulling back, and holding her at arm's length, regarding her much like a father would. 'Just be safe and take care of yourself,' he advised her, before glancing in the direction of the Dormitory Wing where the other three had disappeared. 'I know those three won't let anything happen to you,' he added, smiling at her and she nodded.
Taking a deep breath, Hermione headed towards her room so she could get ready to leave at noon with the others, waving at Cid as she went. She crossed her arms as she walked, a frown creasing her brow. She wasn't sure she liked the way this was turning out. Going with the SeeD's meant she would be spending a lot of time around Squall, and if he was going to behave like an asshole for the duration of this journey, she would rather someone else support her or go on her own. She knew she would be fine on her own.
She sighed as she reached her room and opened the door, stepping in. As she was about to close it, a pressure on the door stopped it, and she glanced through the gap to see Squall. She pulled the door open with a frown, moving away as Squall walked into the room, closing the door behind him. 'Can I help you?' she asked, crossing her arms.
Squall leaned against the door, his eyes meeting hers. 'I want to know why you're coming with us,' he said plainly, crossing his own arms.
Hermione shook her head. 'Why does it matter to you?' she asked him quietly, moving to sit on her bed. 'You have your orders. It's not like I like this better than you,' she bit back, looking away from him to the window with a scowl.
Squall sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. He didn't want to be harsh towards Hermione, especially now that she had been made a client, but he didn't want to become close to her either. He was going around in circles, and it was giving him whiplash. After a moment, he moved to the desk chair and turned it so he was sitting right in front of her. The gap between her bed and the chair was very narrow so it meant their legs were touching, with his either side of hers. She gulped at the proximity but forced herself to focus on the current circumstances.
Squall was well aware that the position they were sitting in was not standard conduct for a SeeD and a client, but he shook that thought away. He leaned forward, resting his arms on his legs as he gazed at her. 'I just want to know what's going on,' he whispered finally after a few moments of tense silence.
Hermione took a deep breath to calm her racing heart, before gazing back at him. 'What do you want to know?' she asked, bracing herself for the multitude of questions he would probably ask. Not that it would be surprising. She was pretty sure a lot of people were intrigued by her presence and why she was here.
Squall was taken aback by how effortless that was. He had been anticipating a fight, or just that she wouldn't be willing to open up about it so quickly. 'For now, all I need to know is what I'm…' he paused for a split second, grasping what he was about to say, 'we're protecting you from,' he corrected himself, crossing his arms. 'What is your mission?' he asked, deciding not to pry any further for the moment. If he felt the need for more information later, he would ask if he deemed it necessary.
Hermione groaned internally and closed her eyes. Those were the exact questions she didn't have the answers to herself. She didn't know what she was doing or what to tell him. 'I… don't know, if I'm honest,' she whispered, shaking her head, and looking away from him.
Squall rolled his eyes. 'Fine,' he said petulantly, and stood up to leave.
Hermione reached out and grabbed his arm, and he looked back down at her. 'Squall, I'm telling you the truth. I don't know what my mission is yet,' she said, searching his eyes for anything but they were blank. 'Cid just sprung this on me this morning. I didn't expect to leave Garden at all until I knew more about what was going on,' she explained, her grasp on his arm tightening slightly.
Squall frowned as he turned back towards her. He could see the genuine confusion in her eyes, but the whole situation was just ridiculous to him. How can she not even know what her mission is? he wondered, glancing down at her hand on his arm.
Hermione stood, letting go of his arm. 'I'm hoping that by travelling with you all, I'll find out along the way,' she said, gazing at him pleadingly in the hope that he'd understand.
Squall took a deep breath. 'Right,' he muttered with a sigh, his frown deepening. I want to believe her, but the whole thing seems dubious, he thought, looking back at her bemusedly. After a moment he nodded slowly. 'Best get ready; we leave soon,' he said, walking towards her door and opening it. Before leaving, he glanced back at her over his shoulder. 'Meet me by the computer in the main hall at noon,' he said as an afterthought, before leaving and shutting the door behind him none too lightly.
Hermione flinched as it closed, before sinking back down to sit on her bed, staring at it in distress. It stunned her how different Squall was today compared to how he had been the day before. She couldn't understand why his stance on her had reverted so drastically to the way he had been before. It was like she was dealing with two completely different people. She ran a shaky hand through her hair as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. She was dreading this journey, feeling like it was going to be anything but enjoyable. At that thought, a tear escaped, running down her cheek.
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Squall sighed as he shut his door, leaning his head on it, and closing his eyes. 'What the hell is wrong with me?' he muttered to himself, angry at himself for letting Hermione get under his skin and for the situation he now found himself in.
He needed to rein himself in, she was now a client, and he would need to restrain himself around her. His behaviour so far could get him into serious trouble with the Headmaster if he continued to let everything about her get to him. He gazed down at his arm, still tingling under his jacket from where she had clutched it and he gritted his teeth.
Forcing his thoughts of her to the back of his mind, Squall moved into his room to pack the things he would need for their mission. He opened his wardrobe, taking out a long box and put it on the desk gently. Unlocking it, he took in the beautiful Gunblade: Lionheart. It was modelled from rare, high-quality items which he hunted relentlessly for. This one was slightly custom-made with designs he himself requested making it more expensive, but even the original he had seen was stunning and he knew he needed to have it.
The blade itself was in a translucent gradient from dark blue around the edge to white near the middle. The frame of the gun portion was melded with features combining the Gunblade he had originally, the Revolver. This comprised of a black gripped handle base, a breach, barrel, and magazine port similar to an M16 assault rifle. There were various grips to accentuate the stances he used for wielding it, including an extended handle-like stock to a rifle-sabre hybrid handguard near the magazine. The design finish on the handguard incorporated a lion carved on the side and wing protrusion from the top.
He reached for it, pulling the blade from its box and grabbed its scabbard. He tied the casing onto his back before sheathing the Gunblade. The weight was a comfort to him, and he relished in it for a moment. He glanced around his room before picking up a bag which held his clothes, and the cleaning equipment he needed for his Gunblade.
Once he was ready, he left his room. As he was about to close it, Hermione came out of her room, and they gazed at each other for a moment. Not breaking eye contact with her, he closed his door. 'Are you ready?' he asked softly, looking away to lock his door.
Hermione gave him a curt nod, shouldering her beaded bag. Without waiting for him or speaking to him, she walked down the hallway. She was still irritated at him for how he was treating her.
Squall watched her for a moment, before sighing and following her. When he reached the benches, she was already there and sitting down with her arms crossed. She didn't even acknowledge him as he placed his bag on the seat next to her. He knew something needed to be done to ease this tension between them, but she currently didn't look like she wanted to talk to him at all.
'Hey, Squall!' came a voice from the central lift, and he glanced up to find Xu walking towards them. He nodded to her in greeting. 'I heard you have your first mission already!' she said excitedly, receiving a nod from Squall. 'It looks like they have high hopes for you,' she added, winking at him.
Hermione scowled, looking away from them as her annoyance rose at the obvious flirtatious gesture towards Squall. She had no idea why it even bothered her. She took a deep breath, trying to relax herself.
Squall, on the other hand, had perceived this but chose to disregard it. 'Yeah, sounds like a straightforward enough job. We should be back pretty quickly,' he replied, crossing his arms.
Xu nodded, smiling at him. 'Well, I'll look forward to your return, then,' she answered, her voice sickeningly sweet.
Hermione cringed, rolling her eyes. I really need to get a grip, she thought, gritting her teeth.
Xu noticed her then, sitting on the bench. 'Oh, Miss Granger, isn't it?' she asked, and Hermione nodded at her in greeting. 'You're going too?' she said, eyeing Hermione's bag next to Squall's on the bench.
Hermione forced a smile onto her face. 'Yes, I am,' she replied, still not pleased about the circumstances.
Xu nodded. 'Ah, well, good luck,' she said, smiling at her.
Hermione could tell her smile was fake, but she didn't care in the slightest. She watched as Xu gazed back at Squall, giving him a winning smile and another wink before walking away from them.
Squall groaned internally; he really couldn't comprehend why people behaved towards him the way they did. He had always made it clear he wasn't interested in people in general. It was beyond him that they just didn't seem to get the message. He glanced over at Hermione, frowning as he picked up on the fact something was troubling her. Reminding himself that they would need to try and clear this tension between them, he opened his mouth to speak to her, but stopped himself when Zell and Selphie appeared with Quistis in tow.
Selphie smiled at them. 'So, are we all ready?' she asked them, bouncing on the balls on her feet.
Squall nodded, picking up his bag and shouldering it. Hermione, who was now paying more attention, noticed the scabbard on his back holding a sword. She gulped nervously, what on earth does he need a weapon like that for? she wondered, her frown deepening. She decided she would ask later if he had cause to use it. She assumed there was a reason and maybe the world wasn't as safe to travel as her own was.
Hermione shook her head, standing up. 'Yeah, let's get going,' she muttered, picking up her bag.
Quistis smiled at them. 'I just came to see you all off,' she explained when Squall looked at her questioningly. 'Good luck on your first mission, and take care of yourselves,' she said, clasping her hands together.
Zell nodded. 'Yeah, we'll be fine! You watch out too, Instructor!' he said, and Hermione noticed Quistis's smile falter when he called her "Instructor" and wondered what had happened. 'You never know what that asshole Seifer is capable of!' he added, punching a fist into his other hand.
Quistis chuckled. 'He won't do anything,' she said, shaking her head. 'It's not the first time he's been disciplined for reckless behaviour,' she said, crossing her arms.
Hermione watched the exchange in curiosity, assuming Seifer's previous bouts of reckless behaviour had been during his other failed attempts at making SeeD, but she couldn't be sure. She wasn't sure she should pry into that information though. It wasn't exactly her place to.
Hermione swallowed a lump forming in her throat as she moved over to Quistis. 'I hope we meet again, Quistis,' she whispered, pulling the startled blonde into a hug.
Quistis frowned, hugging her back for a moment before pulling away to look at her. 'Of course, we will,' she said uncertainly, looking at the cheerless smile Hermione gave her. 'You're returning with these three once they've completed their mission, right?' she asked, her smile faltering somewhat.
Hermione smiled, but the four SeeD's could clearly see it was forced. 'Yeah, hopefully,' she whispered, looking away from her to the ground.
Squall watched this exchange with a frown, his heart racing for reasons he couldn't fathom. He could visibly see Hermione was lying to Quistis and herself. She genuinely didn't think she would be returning with them. Why would she not come back with us? Is something going to happen? he wondered, recalling that Hermione had told him she didn't know what was going to happen herself. So, they were all blind to what was to come. He didn't like that thought or the twisting in his stomach, like a tight knot, at the thought of her not returning with them. He had never felt anything like it, and it made him feel uncomfortable.
'We should leave,' Squall said abruptly, turning on his heel and walking towards the security barriers.
Quistis sighed, shaking her head. 'Don't worry about him. He's always been like this since he was a kid,' she told them with a small smile.
Hermione's shoulders slumped at that. So, the way he had been the night before at the Ball was a fluke and not what he was typically like? He'd had quite a bit of champagne during the Ball and she wondered if that had something to do with it. If this was how he was going to behave on this entire trip, Hermione knew she was going to fall out with him. Hermione pushed that thought to the back of her mind as she, Zell, and Selphie said goodbye to Quistis before hurrying to catch up with Squall.
They caught up to Squall at the front gates, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed. He looked up as they approached. 'Quite finished with your goodbyes?' he asked before he could stop himself, instantly regretting it as anger flashed in Hermione's eyes.
Hermione glared at him. 'What the hell is your problem?' she snapped, stalking past him without a backward glance, not wanting or expecting an answer.
Zell and Selphie raised their eyebrows in surprise as they watched her go. They glanced at Squall, but he gave away nothing to show her outburst had affected him in any way. They shared a look before quickly following Hermione out the front gates.
Once they were out of sight, Squall closed his eyes and took a deep breath. What the heck is wrong with me? he asked himself, shaking his head. I need to stop this, now, he told himself, and with that thought firmly in his mind he followed them out the gate. He got into the Garden car which was waiting for them.
oOoOo
The four companions reached Balamb Town within ten minutes. It was a tense ten minutes of silence where Hermione scowled at the floor. Squall got out of the car first, making his way into the town without a backwards glance. The other three followed him at a more sedate pace, frowning at his back. 'Wonder what's up with him?' Zell muttered, shaking his head.
Selphie nodded. 'He's been grumpy all morning,' she answered, casting Hermione a side-glance for a moment.
Hermione chose not to comment on Squall's mood, instead crossing her arms as they walked. She regarded him with a frown, wishing he would just say if something was wrong, or they did something to annoy him.
Ahead of them, Squall stopped outside the Weapons Shop to wait for them to catch up. He peered at the weapons on display in the window, carefully making his expression blank. He didn't want to let on how shaken he actually was at Hermione's outburst. Usually, someone shouting at him wouldn't disturb him in the slightest, but something about her fury directed at him felt wrong. It made him feel uneasy and he didn't like it at all. He found he didn't want her to be angry with him.
As they reached him, Zell glanced at the door to his house. 'Hey, do you guys mind if I pop in to see my Ma for a minute? I don't know when I'll next see her,' he asked, crossing his arms as he looked at the three of them.
Hermione smiled. 'I wouldn't mind seeing her again as well, if that's okay?' she asked him, wanting to thank Mrs Dincht again for looking after her.
Zell's eyes lit up. 'Sure! I'm sure she'd love to see you again!' he answered, leading her towards his house. Selphie sat on the bench to wait, while Squall leaned against the wall watching them go.
Zell opened the door to his house, holding it open for Hermione. 'Ma! I'm home, and I have a visitor!' he called into the house, peering into the kitchen.
Mrs Dincht was there, washing the dishes which made Hermione smile at the familiarity of what she recalled from being here almost a week ago now. 'Hi, Zell!' she said in surprise, wiping her hands on her apron as she came out of the kitchen. 'Oh, Hermione! It's wonderful to see you again!' she said, giving the younger girl a tight hug.
Hermione pulled back. 'I wanted to thank you again for helping me out,' she answered, smiling at the older woman fondly.
Mrs Dincht waved her thanks away. 'No need, dear, I'm just pleased to see you're feeling better now,' she answered with a smile, patting Hermione's cheek gently. She looked at her son curiously. 'Are you off today, Zell?' she asked, glancing from him to Hermione.
Zell shook his head. 'Nah, outdoor class,' he answered, crossing his arms. 'We're heading to Timber for our first SeeD mission,' he clarified, puffing out his chest proudly.
Mrs Dincht's eyes widened at this. 'Wow, already? Well done, Zell!' she said joyfully, giving him a hug. 'You take care of yourselves and drop by whenever you can, even just to say hi,' she told him sternly, patting him on the back gently.
Zell smiled at her. 'I will, Ma,' he answered, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
Mrs Dincht looked at Hermione then. 'You as well,' she said, pulling the girl into another hug.
Hermione felt her throat constrict as tears welled in her eyes. 'I will,' she choked out, trying not to let them fall. She would love to see Mrs Dincht again, but she didn't know what was going to happen or if that would even be possible.
Zell frowned, picking up on Hermione's turmoil but didn't comment. 'We better go,' he said, placing a hand on Hermione's shoulder and guiding her to the door. 'Bye, Ma! See you soon,' he called back to her, opening the door and letting Hermione go out first.
'Bye, take care!' Mrs Dincht called back, waving at them from the kitchen.
Zell and Hermione met back up with Squall and Selphie who had been waiting patiently for them to return. Squall pushed off the wall, frowning as he took in Hermione's miserable expression. 'Everything alright?' he asked, glancing at them both in turn so it didn't seem like it was just directed at Hermione.
Zell glanced at Hermione for a moment with a worried frown, before grinning at Squall. 'Yeah! Thanks for waiting on us,' he answered happily, picking up his bag from where he's left it on the bench next to Selphie.
Hermione nodded absently, not looking at any of them. She was anxious about this journey and was still completely in the dark about what to expect. Bracing herself and steeling her nerves, she walked towards the train station knowing the other three would follow.
Squall watched her for a moment, his frown deepening. What happened? he wondered, glancing back at the door to Zell's house before following them towards the train station. He decided he would check in with her on the train and find out what was going on. He knew that there was something bothering her other than what had happened with them earlier. There was definitely more to it like why she seemed to think she wouldn't be returning with them.
Squall shook his thoughts way, catching up to them and walked over to the Train Conductor standing outside selling tickets. 'The train to Timber is here. Please purchase a train ticket if you are boarding,' he told them, taking out his ticket machine and looking at them expectantly.
Squall reached into his pocket, pulling some money out. 'Four please,' he muttered, counting out the coins in his hand. Hermione looked at the gold coins, having been fascinated by the ones Mrs Dincht had provided her with for a taxi to Balamb Garden. There didn't seem to be any additional coins like they had in her world. There was just the single gold coin which she had learned was called a "gil".
Squall cast her a side-glance, raising his eyebrows. 'You look like you've never seen money before,' he muttered, handing the member of staff the exact amount needed.
Hermione's eyes shot to his. 'Of course, I have,' she said quickly, moving away from him. She closed her eyes, mentally kicking herself for coming across as so stupid. She understood she would need to tell them she wasn't from this world eventually. She knew it would complicate things or that they might not believe her initially, but she hoped it would help make things simpler in the long run.
The Train Conductor finished printing their tickets. 'Have a safe journey,' he said, handing them to Squall.
Squall nodded. 'Come on,' he muttered, leading them into the train station proper.
They moved towards the only train waiting on the platform. 'Please go inside right away. The train will be leaving shortly,' another Train Conductor said after scanning the ticket Squall held out to him. They entered the train, waiting for it to leave the station.
Hermione leaned against the wall, gazing out the window at the surrounding countryside. Squall leaned against the wall next to the exit, watching her and wondering why her eyes held such a deep-rooted sorrow now in comparison to the night before. He closed his eyes, recalling how bright and beautiful they gleamed when he was leading her on the dance floor. The feel of her in his arms… nope, don't go there, he thought irritably, forcing those thoughts away. He looked back over at her, shaking his head a little in an attempt to rid himself of his interest.
The train rumbled to life before slowly moving out of the train station and descending into an underwater tunnel. 'This train is awesome!' Selphie gushed, breaking the strained silence.
Hermione smiled. 'Yeah, this is my first time on a train which goes underwater,' she replied, looking out at the ocean floor where she could see fish swimming about. The setting was so serene in contrast to the turbulent thoughts in her mind.
Zell grinned. 'A transcontinental railroad, baby!' he yelled, punching his fist into his palm as he turned to Hermione. 'It runs through an underwater tunnel to get to Timber,' he said enthusiastically, and Hermione smiled at him, choosing not to comment even though he stated the obvious. Zell turned to look at Squall. 'Pretty cool, huh?' he asked him, trying to bring Squall into the conversation and lighten him up.
Of course, it didn't work. 'Sure is…' Squall muttered with a sigh, crossing his arms.
Zell's shoulders slumped. 'Guess you're not interested,' he replied, shaking his head. Hermione felt sorry for him, he seemed like one of those really nice guys that everyone walked over. He recovered quickly, crossing his arms. 'By the way, Squall… you have to use the ticket to get inside,' he added, pointing to the door where there was a ticket reader.
Squall nodded, pushing off the wall and moved over to the panel, inserting the primary ticket into the slot. It beeped a few times before turning green to allow them entry. 'Okay, we can go inside now,' he told them, taking the ticket back as it came out of the slot.
Selphie grinned, running to the door. 'I'm gonna go check out the front!' she said excitedly, disappearing through the door.
'Let's go check it out!' Zell said cheerfully to Hermione who nodded.
Hermione started to follow Zell through the door, but Squall placed a hand on her arm and stopped her. She peered up at him curiously. 'We'll be through in a minute,' he explained to Zell who nodded, leaving them to it.
Hermione frowned as the door closed behind Zell. 'Yes?' she asked impatiently, crossing her arms.
Squall sighed as he gazed down at her, his eyes softening. 'I just wanted to apologise,' he whispered sheepishly, running a hand through his hair.
Stunned, Hermione uncrossed her arms, letting them fall to her sides. 'It's fine. Forget about it,' she told him, and tried to walk through the door again but Squall caught her arm again. 'What is it?' she asked him with a frown, her tone gentler than it had been before.
Squall sighed. 'Are you okay?' he asked softly, and Hermione felt like he was almost scrutinising her. 'You just seem…' he trailed off, shaking his head. 'Never mind, I'm sorry. It's none of my business,' he said quickly, letting go of her arm and moving away from the door to let her pass.
Hermione closed her eyes for a moment, appreciating he must have noticed her mood. 'I'm worried,' she whispered, shaking her head as his eyes shot back to her curiously. She crossed her arms rigidly as if she was protecting herself from something. 'I still don't know what my mission is but I'm going on this journey,' she said, gazing up at him. 'I don't know what's going to happen,' she told him, leaning against the wall.
Squall nodded, leaning against the wall next to her side on so he was still looking at her. He was not entirely convinced that was the only thing bothering her but decided to let it go for now. Maybe she would tell him one day, but he quickly understood that would only happen if he was kinder to her. He shook his head knowing that could take a while. He wasn't used to being nice to anyone and had never considered it until she came along. Hell, he may have to be careful with how he treated everyone around her as well if her earlier reactions were anything to go by. The thought made him shudder, his whole being recoiling against the thought of socialising and didn't want to for information which may not even be applicable to his duty.
Hermione was watching the array of emotions flitting across Squall's face with a frown. 'You know, I'm not a mind reader,' she whispered, pulling him from his thoughts.
Squall sighed, crossing his arms. 'Don't worry about this journey. I'll…' he paused, realising his mistake again. 'We'll protect you,' he corrected himself, looking away from her to the floor.
Hermione frowned, knowing what he was about to say. That was the second time now he had corrected himself when it came to her protection and she wondered why he kept going to refer to it as if he, himself, would be the one protecting her. She shook her head, refraining from asking in case he closed off again. For now, she was just relieved the friction between them had lifted somewhat. 'Well, I promise to let you know what's happening once I know myself,' she told him.
Squall gazed at her for a moment before nodding. 'Alright, let's go inside,' he said, moving past her and walking through the door.
Hermione sighed, slumping back against the wall. Griever? she called softly, wondering if he was there. He had been so quiet since before the Ball the previous night.
I am here, Hermione, came the reply and she felt his magic encircling her which soothed her.
Hermione closed her eyes. What do you need me to do? she asked, hoping for some clarification.
There was a long pause, and Hermione thought for a moment he had disappeared to avoid answering her, but she could still feel his magic around her. I need you to destroy my Ring, he answered finally, his tone betraying his sorrow. I will tell you more soon, but for now just stick with Squall, he told her, knowing she was about to argue.
But-
Trust me, Hermione, Griever said firmly, and she could almost see him crossing his arms. Everything will fall into place, but for now you need to keep this to yourself. Do not tell Squall what you need to do, not yet, he instructed and she felt his magic centre on her shoulders in a gentle weight.
Hermione shut her eyes tightly. I have to tell him something, she answered, frustrated with the creature for keeping her in the dark.
Not yet, Hermione, he said more forcefully, and Hermione recoiled. The last thing she wanted was for Griever to be mad with her. I could never be angry at you, he whispered having heard her thoughts, his magic tenderly encircling her again like an embrace. Please, just do not say anything yet, he said gently, receiving a nod from her.
Hermione shook her head as Griever's magic receded and she decided to follow Squall through the door. She knew he would be curious about why she never came through after him. A frown flitted onto her brow as Griever's words came back to her. Why did he want her to destroy his Ring…?