Chapter Ten: Out of the Frying Pan
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
The train journey to East Academy Station was a long and silent one, tensions thick in the air. There was collective relief among them when the train pulled up in the station and the companions filed out, surveying their surroundings.
Hermione was the last to leave the train, watching as the door closed. After a moment the train eased out of the station, its speed creeping up as it continued on its way to Dollet. She scanned around at the sparse station, not much there except a small hut with a train conductor squeezed into it writing notes on a tiny desk.
Hermione frowned, turning full circle to take in everything around them, gazing at the forests, plains, mountain ranges, and… nothing. There was absolutely nothing for miles, no towns, or any other signs of life aside from the indigenous wildlife. Why is there even a train station here? she wondered in confusion, shaking her head. There didn't seem to be much point to it at all.
Quistis led the way down the stairs of the station which opened out onto a well-used dirt path. She pointed to a forest far off in the distance at the foot of a mountain. 'We just need to go through the forest at the base of Yaulny Canyon,' she said, turning to look at them. 'It will take us out onto Monterosa Plateau. Galbadia Garden is about an hour walk from there,' she told them as they began the trek along the path.
Hermione frowned, falling into step next to her. 'How long will it take?' she asked, peering up at the darkening sky.
Quistis glanced up as well. 'A few hours,' she advised, looking at Hermione who was still limping as she tried to match their pace. 'It might be best to make camp tonight once we reach the forest,' she said, gesturing to Hermione's still bandaged legs. 'We can head for Galbadia Garden in the morning,' she added, and Hermione nodded, already feeling the discomfort in her legs as she walked.
Selphie fell into step with them. 'Squall could always carry you,' she whispered, winking at Hermione.
Hermione gaped at her, her cheeks flushing red. 'That… won't be necessary, I'm fine,' she mumbled, shaking her head. She looked at Quistis, snubbing the bouncy girl who was grinning at her. 'Do we even have equipment for camping?' she asked quietly, rubbing her hands together to ward of the cold chill that was seeping into the air.
Quistis nodded. 'Yes, along with some provisions, the Chief packed a couple of small tents for us as well,' she answered, patting the bag on her shoulder with a smile.
Hermione nodded. 'That was considerate of her,' she answered, thinking back to the wonderful woman they had met in Timber and how supportive she had been. She assumed the Chief might have thought they would have a use for them later as well. It was a good plan and Hermione would rather that than sleep rough. Though, she knew it wouldn't have been too difficult to conjure up a tent for them from whatever foliage was in the forest.
As the companions walked in silence, Hermione subconsciously slowed her pace down as she let her mind drift to Hogwarts. I hope everyone is okay, she thought to herself, crossing her arms. She missed Harry and Ron dreadfully and hoped they weren't blaming themselves for what happened to her. Though knowing them as she did, they would be, especially Ron. She thought it might be nice if they found a way to get to this world, but she knew she couldn't return with them until she completed this mission for Griever. She wasn't sure what compelled her, but she found she desperately wanted to take away the creature's grief and suffering. The inherent torment in his eyes pained her, and she wanted to save him.
'You okay?' a voice said softly, pulling Hermione from her thoughts.
Hermione's head shot up, her eyes meeting questioning sapphire ones. Squall had stopped walking and was waiting for her. She realised then that everyone else was quite a bit further ahead of them, and she had fallen behind whilst caught up in her reveries. 'Yes, just thinking,' she replied as Squall fell into step beside her.
'About your mission?' Squall asked quietly, not looking over at her.
Hermione glanced at him. 'Not just about that. I was thinking about home,' she told him, crossing her arms.
Squall nodded broodingly. 'We should probably try to catch up,' he murmured, picking up his pace and Hermione did her best to keep up.
Hermione cast him a sideways glance, curious as to why he dropped the subject so sharply. She sighed thinking back to what he said in the room at the Chief's house and presumed he just wasn't interested in anything to do with her other than any information which correlated with her mission and his obligation to protect her. She didn't know if her being from a different world counted as something he would deem significant, but she did think she would need to tell him and the others eventually.
She sighed inwardly; she had almost been wanting a barrage of questions from him just so she could talk to him and try to alleviate the friction between them. She didn't know why she cared, she just knew she did and that was mystifying her more than anything else currently. She gazed over at him, trying to read his face but it was impassive, giving nothing away as to what he might be thinking or feeling.
Hermione shook her head, focusing on their companions walking a bit further ahead of them. Selphie was hanging onto Quistis's arm, talking animatedly while her other arm had a mind of its own. The other girl was giggling raucously at the story Selphie was telling her.
Zell, on the other hand, was a contrast as he walked in front of them with his head down, and his hands stuffed in his pockets. Hermione frowned, feeling awful for him. Zell reminded her achingly of Ron, from his personality right down to his reckless actions. It used to exasperate her to no end when Ron opened his mouth before thinking about the consequences. "Ron's Word Vomit Syndrome" she used to term it for it seemed worse than any other case of it she had seen from anyone before. That and it had gotten them into so much trouble over the years, so she used to say it mostly just to tease him. Now, it just pained her when she thought about it. She would have given anything for Ron to be here causing trouble as normal.
Turning her thoughts to their fourth companion who had caused her so much turmoil and confusion in the last week, Hermione gazed over at Squall. He was walking alongside her with his head down and his hands in his pockets as well. She yearned to know what was going through his mind, but she didn't think she would ever be able to predict him. One minute he could be so gentle, tender and seem to actually care, and then the next he was downright awful. What made him like this? Why is he so opposed to being around people? she wondered, turning her eyes to the dusty path, kicking a few stones as she went.
Ask him, came an unexpected reply from Griever.
Hermione blinked, glancing back over at Squall as he brushed the hair away from his face. I can't just ask him about personal stuff, Griever. I doubt he would tell me anything, she replied with a frown, crossing her arms.
You're not just anyone though. He is already more different around you than he is with anyone else. If you asked him, Squall might just tell you, Griever answered, and she could almost feel him shrugging in her mind.
Hermione scoffed internally. I don't get how I'm any different from anyone else here. Squall has known these people far longer than he's known me. He's known me for like 5 minutes in comparison, she replied, letting out a verbal sigh. Squall glanced over at her and frowned, but she smiled and shook her head at him. He tilted his head before nodding slowly and looked away, his expression still dubious.
Griever sighed and Hermione could almost see him shaking his head. Squall pays more attention to you than anyone else, or have you not noticed? he replied sarcastically, and she glared at him internally, earning her a chuckle. Ask him, you might be surprised to find he would willingly open up to you, he told her.
Unlikely, Hermione replied, unable to stop the chuckle she emitted out loud.
Squall looked over at her in confusion. 'Something funny?' he asked, slowing down and falling into step beside her.
Hermione peered over at him. 'Oh, it's nothing. I was just thinking about the past,' she told him, waving it off.
Squall nodded. 'No sharing, huh?' he stated rather than asked after a moment, glancing over at her.
Hermione tilted her head, gazing at him contemplatively as she thought about what Griever said. 'Would you?' she asked curiously, kicking another pebble on the ground.
Squall was taken aback by that, but then his expression turned wistful. 'I…' he trailed off, shaking his head. 'I have nothing to share. Nothing you would be interested in hearing, anyway,' he muttered, looking away from her to the ground.
Just as I thought, she mused, feeling Griever's magic give her a nudge. She shook her head. 'Why do you think I wouldn't be interested?' she asked him, coming to a stop as she gazed at him.
Squall stopped walking as well, turning his gaze on her. Hermione was stunned to see something in his eyes… it looked like sorrow. 'Truth be told…' he trailed off, crossing his arms as he looked away from her to the ground. 'I can't remember much of my past. It's mostly a blur,' he explained, shaking his head. 'Probably because it wasn't very remarkable,' he told her before turning and continuing to walk down the path.
Hermione watched him go with a sigh. See? I told you. Squall doesn't talk about himself, she told Griever, receiving a chuckle from him.
Nonsense, he already expressed more to you than he has with anyone, Griever revealed, and Hermione frowned at that.
How'd you come to that conclusion? He didn't tell me anything, Hermione asked, tilting her head at Squall's back as she thought back to his words a moment ago striving to find something in them to back Griever's statement.
Griever snorted in her mind. For being described as the smartest witch of your age, you really can be dense at times, he muttered, and she could feel him shaking his head.
Hey, that's not fair! Hermione argued before frowning. Wait, how do you know that? she asked in uncertainty.
There was a pause. I know many things, came Griever's reply and Hermione realised quickly that he wasn't going to elaborate. In any case, give Squall a chance to get used to you first. As you so helpfully pointed out, he has not known you for long at all, he said to her, and she could feel his frown. I doubt anyone would tell someone their life story in less than a week unless they loved the sound of their own voice, he told her with a chuckle.
Hermione couldn't help smiling at that. It was nice to hear the creature had a sense of humour considering the anguish she had seen in his eyes. She couldn't even comprehend the torment he had suffered over the years. Not that she knew any specific details, but his eyes had told the tale. You're right, she replied after a moment, shaking her head.
Hermione tuned back into her surroundings, realising she had fallen quite a bit behind again and this time Squall didn't seem likely to stop and wait for her to catch up. Say Griever, do you think I should tell them where I'm from? she asked him, picking up her pace as much as she could handle with the aching in her legs.
In all truthfulness, I would have thought you would make it a priority to tell them. Particularly now they know you are a Sorceress. I think it would make this journey far easier for you, Griever replied reflectively, and Hermione felt his magic give her a squeeze on her shoulders.
Hermione nodded, knowing what Griever said had made a lot of sense. Okay, I'll tell them later, she answered, looking at her companions and wondering how they would take the news.
oOoOo
The sky was darkening rapidly, clouds threatening rain, by the time the five companions made it to a clearing in the forest large enough to set up camp. 'This should be a good place to get the tents set up,' Quistis mused, looking around the clearing. 'Galbadia Garden shouldn't be too far from here,' she added, taking off her bag and rummaging through it for the tents.
Squall nodded absently as he surveyed the surrounding trees for any monsters lurking within them. 'Seems safe enough, but I'll take a look around,' he said, turning to walk into the forest.
Quistis looked up from her bag. 'Do you want someone to go with you?' she asked, setting down the camping supplies the Chief had given them.
Squall paused for a moment, casting Hermione a quick glance before shaking his head. 'No,' he muttered, before stalking away into the trees.
Hermione watched him go, frowning at his abrupt departure. I wonder what's up with him? she thought before shaking it off and shrugging.
Zell and Selphie wandered off into the trees to find firewood, while Hermione kneeled next to Quistis who was eyeing the tents critically. 'They're not going to provide much space, but they'll have to do,' she said, sighing and making to grab one of them to start setting it up.
Hermione nodded thoughtfully. 'I can help with that,' she said brightly, forgetting that she hadn't told Quistis she was a witch yet. The other girl looked at her quizzically as Hermione pulled out her wand. With a wave, the tents were set up and she enchanted them to be bigger on the inside, so they now resembled small flats. She peered into one of them, remembering when she had first seen the enchantment on the tents used in the Quidditch World Cup back in her fourth year. She had been fascinated by it and had taught herself the spell as soon as she could. It was a similar spell she had used on the inside of her beaded bag as well.
Hermione shook her memories away; it wasn't exactly a pleasant one she wanted to remember considering what had transpired there. She turned back to Quistis, having not received a reply, and her face paled at the look of fear plain on the other girls face. 'Oh…' she trailed off, lowering her head before quickly stowing her wand away.
Quistis backed away from her. 'Y-You're a…' she trailed off, quickly snatching her whip up off the ground where it was sitting next to her bag.
'Quistis… I can expla-' Hermione tried to say, but she was cut off.
'No need, heathen! Your kind are evil! No doubt planning to murder us in our sleep!' Quistis seethed, getting ready to attack the girl.
Hermione's shoulders slumped as tears welled in her eyes. She shook her head. 'I won't fight you,' she whispered, closing her eyes, and bracing herself for the beating.
It never came.
Hermione opened her eyes, peering up at Quistis who was eyeing her guardedly, but there was also confusion there too due to her unwillingness to defend herself. 'Does Squall know?' she asked quietly, easing her stance, but still clutching her whip tightly.
Hermione nodded. 'Yes, they found out in Timber,' she whispered, shaking her head. 'I… stopped one of the resistance members from being hit by an oncoming train,' she explained, wiping away a tear which escaped from her eyes.
Quistis was stunned by this admission, having never known a Sorceress to save anyone but themselves. From the stories she had been told they were ruthless, cruel, and merciless, caring only for power and nothing else. It was a stigma and prejudice which had followed them since the Great Hyne was around. Although these were mere legends now, the tales didn't paint him in a good light at all and some believed the more powerful half of him that disappeared chose to split further, hiding himself in women who were seen as needing to be protected. This was how Sorceresses came to be.
However, Hermione's selfless act at saving someone else made her pause and she didn't know what to make of it. It wasn't uncommon for Sorceress's to manipulate and deceive those around them for their own gain though, so she couldn't help but be sceptical of the girl before her.
'Hey! What's going on?' came Zell's voice as he entered the clearing with some firewood. He dropped the wood on the ground and ran over to them.
'Quistis!' Selphie said, frowning at her and the whip she was still holding rigidly in her hands.
Comprehending that Zell and Selphie seemed to be aware of what Hermione was, Quistis lowered her whip, holding it at her side. 'I didn't know Hermione was a Sorceress. I just found out,' she told them, shaking her head.
Selphie placed a hand on Quistis's shoulder. 'Hermione is a good Sorceress! She won't hurt us!' she said, trying to reassure her. Quistis frowned, the doubt still clear in her eyes, but she nodded.
Hermione sighed knowing it would take some time for Quistis to come to terms with her being a Sorceress. She didn't think Quistis would trust her now at all, at least for a while, and would be scrutinising her every move. She would just have to make sure no one ever got hurt with her magic.
A tense silence fell over the four companions as they set about making a fire while Hermione used magic to move some larger logs around it. Zell, Selphie, and Quistis had stood back, watching this warily, but none of them commented on it. Hermione watched Zell move back over to the fire they'd built, squatting down to light it. After a few minutes of him struggling with it, Hermione went to help him with magic, but stopped herself. She felt it was maybe best she didn't use more magic in front of them for now.
Hermione gazed up at the sky which looked as though it was going to open with rain soon. She moved into the trees out of sight from the others and cast wards around the clearing to prevent monsters attacking them while they slept, but also to keep the area dry. When she moved back to the clearing, Zell had succeeded in getting the fire going and Selphie was poking at it with a stick distractedly. Quistis was sitting on one of the logs, looking through her bag at the provisions they had been given.
Zell picked up his and Squall's bags to take them into their tent. When he entered, he peered around in shock. 'Whoa!' he shouted out, making the girls look over at him.
Selphie ran over to him. 'What's wrong, Zell?' she asked, her eyes widening as she took in the inside of the tent. 'Oh, wow! Look at the space!' she gushed, moving further into the tent, and gazing around. There were two beds, a small kitchen area, a sitting area, and a small fireplace.
'How…?' Zell trailed off, examining the interior in awe.
Hermione moved into the tent trailed by Quistis who looked around in astonishment before crossing her arms and pursing her lips. Hermione sighed, shaking her head as she wondered if it was too soon to be exposing them to advanced magic such as this. 'I…' she trailed off as all eyes turned to her, and she looked away uneasily. 'I enchanted them, so they'd be more comfortable. They'll stay this way from now on when they're put up but will just be like taking a normal tent down when we're finished using them,' she clarified quietly, peering up at them and blushing faintly at the impressed expressions Zell and Selphie were giving her.
Zell placed his hands on his hips. 'This is awesome!' he said with a broad grin, which made Hermione smile weakly at his appreciation of it.
'What's awesome?' came a voice from behind them and they turned to find Squall standing outside the tent eyeing them all with a raised eyebrow and crossed arms.
Zell moved to the door of the tent. 'Check this out!' he said, opening the door wider so Squall could see inside the tent.
Squall peered inside, looking around as a frown creased his brow. His expression didn't change at all as he took in the space and comforts they had been provided with. He cast a sideways glance towards Hermione before shrugging. 'Huh…' he muttered softly before turning and walking away from the tent.
Hermione watched him go, her shoulders wilting, and she sighed feeling deflated at his reaction. She couldn't help wondering what had happened with Squall. He just seemed suddenly withdrawn from them and not interested in anything going on around him. Was it because she had tried to get him to open up on the walk here? Or was he just tired?
She watched the other three SeeD's leave the tent and stepped out after them. The tension returned with a vengeance, lingering over the group like a thick blanket as she watched them sit on the logs around the fire in stony silence.
Feeling uncomfortable joining them, Hermione sat on a tree stump next to the tents with a frown as she glanced over at them all. None of them seemed to be paying her any mind that she had decided not to sit with them. She shivered slightly, crossing her arms to ward off the chill. She wasn't close enough to the fire to get any benefit from its warmth, but she didn't want to go over to it now that she felt unwelcome and unwanted by the group. Even though Zell and Selphie had been delighted with her enchantment on the tent, she could still sense their discomfort at her use of magic.
Hermione found her eyes drawn to Squall who was prodding at the fire absently with a stick, not looking up at all. The fire danced in his sapphire eyes, casting shadows across his face giving him an ethereal look. He almost looked beautiful in that light, but she shook off that thought, turning her attention to her other companions.
Quistis was staring into the fire reflectively, her expression miserable and defeated. Hermione couldn't help wondering what was wrong with her but opted not to ask her for now. Quistis was suspicious of her now and probably wouldn't have any intention of speaking to her about personal matters any time soon. Hermione felt her eyes well with tears at this thought, she really liked Quistis and hated that she had frightened her with her magic.
She cast her gaze over to Selphie who was humming under her breath as she rocked from side to side. Nothing seemed to get the bubbly girl down for long and Hermione was somewhat relieved to see this familiarity in her at least.
Zell had moved away from the logs and was throwing feign punches towards a tree distractedly. He had been quiet since leaving the tent as well, but she knew he had a lot on his mind. His blunder in the Timber TV Station was weighing heavily on his mind, this much was discernible without him needing to say anything. The only normal reaction she had really seen from Zell since Timber was when he saw the tent, but after Squall showed no interest in it, he had lapsed back into brooding.
Hermione rubbed her arms to try and warm them as she gazed over at the fire longingly. She just felt so awkward now even after everything they'd gone through together. Maybe it would be better if I left, she thought dejectedly, a tear escaping from her eyes as she glanced at her companions in turn. She wiped it away petulantly.
She felt Griever's magic on her shoulders then, but they didn't have the same soothing impact on her as it usually did. She was too stressed and anxious at the situation. Give them time, Hermione. They barely know you, yet. They hardly even really know each other, he said gently, and Hermione could sense him shaking his head.
Hermione nodded to herself. 'That's true,' she whispered absently, not realising she had said it out loud. She was startled as all eyes turned on her in confusion.
'What's true?' Selphie asked curiously, tilting her head.
Hermione's eyes widened as it dawned on her that she must have said it out loud and mentally kicked herself. 'Oh, it's nothing!' she said swiftly, averting her gaze away from them. 'I was just thinking… I didn't mean to say it out loud,' she said, letting out a nervous laugh and crossing her arms.
Squall frowned at her, narrowing his eyes faintly in suspicion, and Hermione could tell he didn't believe her. 'Right,' he muttered, turning his gaze back to the fire again, prodding it with his stick.
Selphie was still eyeing Hermione though. 'You look cold, Hermione. Come sit with us,' she said, shifting over and patting the space on the log next to her.
Hermione regarded the space hesitantly, feeling the chill on her arms and shivered again. She nodded slowly, standing, and moving over to sit on the log, feeling the heat from the fire easing some of her stress. She still felt uneasy, but she tried to force the feeling away as she basked in the warmth returning to her.
Zell came back over to them, sitting on Hermione's other side. He gave her a small smile before looking into the fire. Hermione felt relief knowing at least Zell and Selphie, regardless of their discomfort at her being a Sorceress, still accepted her.
After a few moments of silence, Selphie gasped, and her eyes widened. 'Heeey, I was just thinking…' she trailed off, flicking her hair away from her face. 'There might be some bad news from the Galbadian Government,' she said, the others nodded contemplatively at her statement.
Hermione frowned. 'Yeah, maybe,' she whispered, crossing her arms.
Selphie nodded. 'What if we get caught and then get broadcast to the whole world!?' she asked worriedly, glancing around at the other four.
Zell growled, causing them all to look at him. 'Whatever happens, happens! We'll find out more at Galbadia Garden!' he snapped, punching the ground.
Hermione's frown deepened at his reaction. 'What's wrong, Zell? Have I missed something?' she asked him, reaching up and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.
Zell shook his head dejectedly. 'I… I'm worried about Balamb Garden,' he divulged, lowering his head. 'If anything happens to Garden, it's all my fault. I'm the one who said we were all from Garden…' he whispered, trailing off as he crossed his arms.
Hermione nodded as it clicked to her what was causing Zell such turmoil. She rubbed his back reassuringly as she gazed back into the fire. I can't believe I forgot what the President said about thinking Garden sent an assassin to kill him. I've been so caught up in everything else… she trailed off, closing her eyes.
In all fairness, a lot transpired, and you were nearly killed twice today, Griever replied, sending magic to her which she felt encircle her.
Hermione frowned. Yeah, but it was still a serious threat. Deling doesn't seem like the type to just say something like that without following through on it. What if Galbadia does attack Balamb Garden? she thought, biting her nail as she fretted over the possibility. After a moment of receiving no response from her guardian, she tuned back into the discussion going on around her.
'You think the president will retaliate on Garden?' Zell was asking, staring at Squall solemnly.
Squall shrugged. 'Maybe,' he replied nonchalantly like he didn't really care about what was going to happen to Garden.
'Figures…' Zell muttered, his shoulders wilting as Squall stood up and moved over to towards the tent. Zell's eyes widened hopefully as he trailed him over to the tent, clutching him by the arms, a desperate pleading in his eyes. 'B-B-But, we have a whole bunch of SeeD's at Balamb Garden! They wouldn't lose to the Galbadian army, would they?' Zell asked him, anticipating Squall would somehow know if this was true.
Squall sighed impatiently. 'Depends how strong the army is,' he told him, shrugging Zell off.
Zell's face crumbled. 'I know, but...' he trailed off, falling to his knees and lowering his head.
Hermione frowned as she watched the exchange, glaring at Squall as he picked up his Gunblade and stalked towards the trees without so much as a backwards glance at them. Why is he being like this? she wondered, moving over to Zell, and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. 'It'll be alright, Zell,' she whispered, kneeling next to him. 'It was all a misunderstanding, and it will get sorted out, you'll see,' she told him, trying to console him a bit, but she didn't even know if her assertion held any truth. She didn't know how ruthless the Sorceress, or the President might be with what happened.
Zell nodded gloomily to acknowledge he'd heard her before getting to his feet. He sighed as he wandered into the trees in the opposite direction to where Squall had gone. Hermione watched him go, sighing despondently and feeling awful for him, before turning her gaze to where Squall went.
Feeling anger rising in her, Hermione stood and walked towards the trees, but she was impeded by Selphie grabbing her arm. 'Where are you going?' she asked her, moving to step in front of her.
Hermione frowned at Selphie. 'To have a word with Squall,' she replied impatiently, trying to move past the smaller girl.
Selphie moved to block her. 'Uh-uh! We need to guard you, and we can't do that if you disappear into the forest on your own!' she answered defiantly, placing her hands on her hips.
Hermione would have laughed if she wasn't so enraged. She took a deep breath to calm herself down. Selphie was just doing her duty and she couldn't be mad at her for that. 'Selphie, I'll be fine. I can take care of myself if necessary,' she told her reassuringly, crossing her arms.
'But-' Selphie tried, but Hermione cut her off.
'I'll be fine! I'll scream if something happens,' Hermione promised, moving past the stunned Selphie, and disappearing into the trees before the smaller girl could hinder her.
Once she was out of sight, Hermione leaned back against a tree and gazed around at the dark, vast forest with a sigh. It may be more difficult to find him than I thought, she mused, taking out her wand and lighting the tip of it so she could see. She felt droplets of water on her arm and glanced up, realising the rain that had been threatening to fall was now beginning in earnest. I must be out of range of the wards, she thought distractedly, stepping onto the path they had used when they were walking through the forest earlier to find somewhere to camp.
She wandered down the path, pondering on why she was even bothering to go after him. What was she going to say to him precisely? Squall was not going to change his attitude towards the others just because she was upset with him for how he was treating them. And she shouldn't expect him to either. At this thought, her anger dissipated and now she just felt foolish for thinking of pursuing him in the first place.
Hermione kicked a stone, watching it disappear into the bushes ahead of her and blinked as it collided off something which looked suspiciously like a shoe. She moved closer to it, shining the light from her wand on the ground and her eyes widened as she took in the black leather boot poking out of the bush. She pushed the bush back, seeing someone lying on the ground.
It was Squall.
Panicking, Hermione let out a gasp as she kneeled beside him, quickly checking his pulse which she could feel clearly under her fingers on his neck. Frowning, she examined him further for any injuries, but there wasn't a mark on him except for some dust from the muddy path. 'Squall?' she called to him in uncertainty, but he didn't stir.
Hermione bit her lip, trying not to think of what could have happened to him if she hadn't chased him down in her annoyance. Would any of the others searched for him? What if he was attacked by a monster? she shivered as these questions entered her mind. There were so many possibilities of what could have gone wrong if she hadn't found him.
She gazed down at his peaceful face, a complete contrast to the hard, indifferent expression he had adopted for the last few hours. She shook her head, aiming her wand at him. 'Levicorpus,' she whispered, watching him float into the air to hover just above her shoulder. She slowly walked back towards the camp, careful to not let Squall collide with any trees on the way. As she reached the camp, she looked around in confusion when she noticed there was no one around and wondered if they had all gone to bed. I wasn't gone that long, was I? 'Hello?' she called out, but there was no response.
Hermione frowned, moving over to the tent Zell and Squall would be staying in. She jumped when Zell came out of the girls tent, bumping straight into her. Losing her concentration on Squall, the spell failed, and he fell to the ground with a thud. 'Squall!' she cried, kneeling at his side guiltily.
'Shit, sorry, Hermione!' Zell shouted, kneeling next to her. 'I didn't hear you come back,' he explained, shaking his head.
Hermione nodded, gesturing to Squall. 'I found Squall unconscious in the forest,' she told him, gazing at his serene face, nothing there to show he had just plummeted roughly to the ground.
Zell nodded absently. 'I think he went into the "dream world" again,' he replied, tapping his chin. 'Selphie and Instructor Trepe fainted not that long ago as well,' he clarified, his expression pensive.
Hermione frowned. 'There's something really weird going on with that,' she mused, standing up and crossing her arms.
Zell stood as well. 'Yeah,' he agreed, shaking his head. 'Come on, may as well put them up in the same tent for now so we can keep an eye on them,' he said, leaning down and picking Squall up effortlessly. He carried him into the girls tent as Hermione followed him.
Hermione swallowed coarsely as she watched Zell put Squall down on her bed. The thought of him on her bed made her blush faintly and she crossed her arms. Please don't go there, she told herself, pushing those thoughts to the dark recesses of her mind. She closed her eyes for a moment, counting to ten, before allowing her eyes to drift back over to Squall.
oOoOo
An hour had passed since Hermione had found Squall unconscious in the forest, and she had been sitting anxiously in one of the chairs by the crackling fire Zell had lit in the fireplace. The blonde boxer had been pacing for the last twenty minutes now and Hermione could feel a headache building between her eyes.
Hermione's eyes shot to Squall as the three SeeD's groaned, grabbing their heads as they finally woke up. They looked around in bewilderment before sitting up in their respective beds, rubbing the sleep from their eyes.
Zell was gazing at them all interestedly. 'Was it Laguna again?' he asked them, receiving weary nods from Squall and Selphie.
'Sir Laguna's in BIG TROUBLE! I hope he'll be ok!' Selphie cried agitatedly, clasping her hands together.
Quistis frowned at them. 'Doesn't seem like the first time for you all. What is this?' she asked, shaking her head languidly.
Squall frowned, leaning forward on the bed, and resting his arms on his legs. If it were just me, I could tell the others it was only a crazy dream… he trailed off in his thoughts, shaking his head. This was the second time this had occurred now, and though he was worried about the implications of it and wondered what was triggering it, he couldn't think of what they could do about it. He let out a sigh, making everyone look at him. 'We'll just be wasting our time trying to figure it out,' he said, his frown increasing as he stood from the bed.
Hermione stood up as well, looking at him in scepticism. 'This is the second time this has happened now. How can you just dismiss it again?' she asked him, shaking her head.
Squall crossed his arms, not looking at her. 'We don't know what's causing it, so there's no point trying to speculate on it,' he said steadily, turning his gaze to her. 'I'll tell the Headmaster once we get back to Balamb Garden,' he told them resolutely, receiving frowns from everyone.
Zell shook his head. 'I agree with Hermione, Squall,' he said quietly, and Squall looked at him. 'I think we need to try and figure this out ourselves. We can't be sure the Headmaster will know any more than we do about it,' he disputed, tapping a finger on his chin.
Squall sighed in frustration. 'There's no point,' he replied with a note of finality in his tone.
Zell stared at him in disbelief. 'But, what if it's important?' he asked, crossing his arms.
Squall growled. 'Fine!' he shouted, moving to the door of the tent. 'If you want to waste time figuring it out, then be my guest,' he snapped, shaking his head, and stalking out of the tent.
Zell's shoulders slumped as he glanced at Hermione. 'He's probably right,' he murmured dejectedly, sinking down on the bed next to Selphie who rubbed his back comfortingly.
Hermione was not as willing to drop it. 'Why do you let him speak to you like that, Zell?' she asked, but he just shook his head in response. Seething, she sighed and walked out of the tent. She looked around, finding Squall sitting by the fire poking it irritably with a stick. 'What is wrong with you?' she said, storming over to him. 'What the hell is your problem with us?' she snapped, as he balked at her tone.
Not this again… Squall thought, closing his eyes in vexation. He should have known Hermione wouldn't let him get away with speaking to Zell as he did. He was just as concerned about the situation, but they were all powerless to stop it.
Hermione glared at Squall when she received no reply. 'They look to you as their leader, and you are setting a horrible example to them by acting like a bastard!' she fumed, crossing her arms. 'Zell was only trying to help, yet you just threw his opinion back at him like it meant nothing!' she shouted, shaking her head, and placing her hands on her hips.
Squall stood up; he'd had enough. 'Look, I am just as troubled about these dreams as they are, but what can we do about it?' he asked her, shaking his head. 'It's out of our control, Hermione! We don't know what's triggering it and we'll just be here for days trying to work it out!' he argued, his own voice rising as he took a step towards her. 'It's a waste of time!' he added, taking another step in his anger.
Hermione's eyes flashed furiously. 'That's not the point, and you know it!' she bit back, taking a step towards him. 'You're always treating them like shit. Does it give you some sort of enjoyment to see them put down by your words?' she seethed, pointing back to the tent where she had left the other three SeeD's.
Squall took another step closer, and by this point their chests were almost touching. 'Why do you even care so much?' he asked her quietly, his eyes flickering in anger as he gazed down at her. 'You barely know any of us, yet you appear out of nowhere and expect us to change? People don't work like that, Hermione,' he whispered, his anger deflating as he lowered his eyes to the ground.
Hermione shook her head at him. 'You're an asshole, and even if you wanted to change that I don't think you would ever let yourself,' she said through gritted teeth, not realising that Squall had taken that last step even closer so their chests were touching.
Squall gazed down at Hermione and there was something in his eyes she couldn't place. 'And because of that, you will always be disappointed,' he whispered, and Hermione's eyes widened a touch as his own glanced down, looking at her mouth before moving back up to her eyes.
Hermione froze, and it hit her then just how close they were standing. She took a step away from him, breaking the contact. 'I guess I will,' she whispered, turning away, and heading back into the tent.
Squall took a deep breath as he comprehended what he had been about to do. Their proximity and the feeling of her chest against his own had made him suddenly yearn to close the gap and kiss her. He didn't know why, but her anger had stirred something carnal in him. An emotion he couldn't understand but he was struggling to beat it back down. It was unfamiliar and startling how his body reacted to her and made him want to reach out to her in ways he had never experienced before.
He closed his eyes, trying desperately to calm his racing heart. He pressed a fist to his head, she's a fucking handful, he thought furiously to himself, realising quickly that the anger he felt was aimed more at himself than her. He sat back down on the log next to the fire and stared into it. Why does she care so much? he asked himself, gazing over at the door of the tent she had disappeared through.
oOoOo
Hermione sighed and pushed the duvet off her. She couldn't sleep and she still felt wound up by her argument with Squall earlier. She sat up on her bed, stretching as she wondered what the time was. She glanced at the beds Quistis and Selphie were in, both sleeping soundly and imagined Squall and Zell would be doing the same.
She stood up, running a hand over her face jadedly, before deciding she would go for a walk to try and tire herself out. She opened the door to the girls tent, her eyes widening in surprise as she noticed Squall sitting on the same log he had been on earlier staring into the fire.
She swallowed heavily, wondering if it would be best not to disturb him. She was a little nervous about approaching him after what had happened earlier and didn't think he would want to be around her. Taking a deep breath, she decided she would just apologise for earlier and then go back to bed. She assumed the reason she couldn't sleep was because she was still bothered by it and needed to clear the air.
Hermione walked over to the fire shyly. 'Have you slept?' she asked quietly, taking a seat next to him on the log.
Squall glanced over at her, before gazing back into the fire. 'I couldn't get to sleep,' he whispered, crossing his arms.
Hermione sought to ignore the fact that his arm was now touching hers, focusing on the fire instead. 'I wanted to apologise for earlier…' she whispered, trailing off and blushing at some of the harsh words she had said to him. She looked away to the ground, not wanting to make eye contact with him.
Hermione felt a hand take hold over her chin gently. Squall turned her face back so she was looking at him. He moved his hand up to her cheek, and she grasped he wasn't wearing gloves. She was unable to stop herself from leaning into his tender touch, marvelling at the feel of his hand on her cheek, his thumb lightly brushing the side of her mouth.
'You were right…' Squall whispered, gazing at Hermione, and she was stunned when he leaned in, pressing his lips to hers.
Squall ran his tongue along her lips, begging entry, and Hermione let him in, caressing his tongue with her own softly. She leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck, reaching up to fist his hair which was as soft as it looked. She squealed faintly as Squall pulled her effortlessly onto his lap with her back pressed against him. She could feel his need pressing into her and she gasped as he kissed his way down the curve of her neck.
She turned her head, managing to kiss him even though the angle was awkward. That didn't matter though as she felt his hands on her, one tracing feather light touches on her stomach, while the other moved up and grasped her breast, squeezing it. She keened, biting his lip in response, and pushed herself into him further, eliciting a moan from him.
His hand on her stomach crept further down, caressing the skin at the waistband of her leggings, before pushing his hand into them and her underwear, finding her wet centre. She moaned as he rubbed her core gently, and she arched against him, crying out when he inserted a finger, pumping it in a rhythm which had her rocking against him.
'Squall,' Hermione moaned his name as a second digit joined his first, keeping up the same rhythm he had started.
Squall leaned his head against her cheek. 'Wake up…' he whispered; his breath hot on her skin as he increased the pace of his fingers inside her.
Hermione moaned throatily, a frown of confusion appearing on her brow as his words registered in her mind. She was so close now. 'What?' she gasped, rocking against his hand frantically.
'Wake up…' Squall repeated, his mouth against her ear making her shiver as he rubbed his thumb against her clit in time with his fingers.
Hermione felt the coil of pleasure in her stomach, but just as she was about to climax, she felt him pull away. Blinking, she realised she was lying on her bed inside the girls tent, her own fingers resting inside her core. She pulled her hand out and sighed in frustration… no, please tell me this isn't happening… she closed her eyes tightly.
After a moment of cursing herself inwardly, Hermione glanced around the tent, hoping she hadn't been making any noises while she was dreaming. She was relieved to see that neither Quistis nor Selphie were in the tent. She sat up and stretched, easing the stiffness in her limbs, before looking at the door of the tent comprehending it was morning.
She looked down at the bandages on her aching legs, seeing the dried blood that had seeped through them. She grimaced, reaching for her wand which was under her pillow, and pointed it to them. After a few whispered spells, the cuts were clean and the bandages covering them looked brand new. She did the same to the other ones on her arms before frowning, hoping they would heal enough soon for her to close them properly.
Shaking her head, Hermione stood up and moved to the tent door, zipping it closed so she would have some more privacy. She grabbed her wand from her bed and tapped a bowl on the table next to it, filling it with warm lavender scented water. She undressed, using a cloth to clean herself, careful not to wet her bandages before using a small jug to wash and rinse her hair. She dried her hair with a spell, trying it up into a messy bun before pulling on black leggings and a long grey top. She pulled on her boots, before sitting back on her bed for a moment, eyeing the door to the tent timidly.
Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and unzipped the door, walking out of the tent. She looked around, noticing Selphie and Quistis sitting on a log by the fire. 'Hey,' she said softly, sitting down and stifling a yawn.
'Morning!' Selphie greeted cheerfully, prodding the fire with a stick. 'Did you sleep well?' she asked, smiling at Hermione.
Hermione smiled at her. 'Sure, much better than I would have had we been sleeping rough,' she replied, scratching the back of her head. She clasped her hands in her lap, nervous they may have heard her making noises in her sleep. As this thought crossed her mind, she felt her cheeks burn.
Quistis nodded. 'Yes, it was… comfortable,' she agreed, eyeing Hermione with a slight frown.
Hermione sighed inwardly, hating that Quistis was feeling on edge in her presence and hoped she would be able to learn to trust her again soon. She had no intention of ever hurting them with her magic. She shook her head, putting those thoughts to the back of her mind for the moment as she glanced at the guys tent. 'Where are the guys?' she asked, trying to sound indifferent.
Selphie and Quistis shared a glance, making Hermione frown. 'We haven't seen Squall since he left our tent last night. Zell said he wasn't in their tent when he woke up and doesn't know where he is,' she explained, shaking her head. 'So, he's gone to get more firewood as we're not sure how long we have to wait until Squall decides to come back,' she told her, throwing some more sticks on the fire.
Hermione crossed her arms. 'Maybe he's just patrolling the area,' she said quietly, gazing into the fire. She had a suspicion she knew why Squall wasn't there though. It was because of her, and this caused a lump to form in her throat.
Selphie shrugged lightly. 'I don't know…' she muttered, trailing off as she looked away from Hermione.
After some minutes of silence, Selphie sighed and raised her eyes back up to Hermione. 'Zell thinks Squall may have left,' she divulged, and Hermione's brow creased in a frown. 'He doesn't even know if Squall went to bed last night after your… um…' she trailed off, prodding at the fire in embarrassment at having overheard the row between Squall and Hermione. 'Well, Zell said Squall stormed off into the forest and didn't come back. He was awake for hours, and there was no sign of him,' she explained, glancing back over at Hermione.
Hermione swallowed harshly, crossing her arms. 'Surely, he wouldn't just leave?' she asked in disbelief, but she couldn't discount the possibility. She had said some pretty nasty things to him. 'It was just a stupid fight. Things were said, but we're both adults…' she trailed off, her own words sounding feeble to her ears.
After a moment the anxiety began to set in, her palms becoming clammy. Griever? she called to her constant companion, hoping he would hear her.
Hermione? Griever answered, sounding withdrawn and Hermione frowned at this.
Are you okay? Hermione asked, worried for him.
I am fine. Griever whispered dismissively, and Hermione heard him wince. What is wrong? he asked her steadily.
Hermione frowned at his tone, wanting to know if he was okay, but thought it better that she didn't pry. I just wanted to ask if you know where Squall is and if he's coming back, she said into her mind, her voice betraying the guilt she was now feeling.
Griever tutted and she could feel him shaking his head. You said some harsh things to him last night, Hermione. He will be somewhere in the forest moping. It is typical behaviour for him when he gets scolded, he told her, and she could hear an undertone of amusement in his voice.
Hermione nodded internally, but her frown deepened. Should I be worried at all? she asked quietly, and then her eyes widened at the thought that Griever may have had access to her thoughts while she was dreaming about Squall. She wouldn't have consciously been able to keep him out and her cheeks reddened, feeling violated.
No, he will turn up, Griever told her, before snickering. Do not worry about that. I blocked you out when you began thinking along those lines. Those thoughts are none of my business, he reassured her, but she could hear the amusement clear in his tone which made her blush deeper.
Hermione placed her head in her arms with a groan making Selphie and Quistis look at her with a frown. 'You okay?' Selphie asked her, tilting her head.
'Yeah, just feeling pretty done in,' Hermione lied, looking back up at her with a smile and Selphie nodded in understanding.
Selphie and Quistis stood when they heard rustling in the trees behind them, grabbing up their weapons in case. Hermione stayed sitting knowing it wouldn't be a monster as she could still feel the wards she'd put up around the clearing. After a moment, Zell emerged from the trees carrying firewood followed by Squall. The girls relaxed, sitting back down, but Hermione averted her eyes from Squall as she felt her cheeks burn again.
Selphie stood up when they stopped next to the fire, eyeing Squall disapprovingly. 'Where were you last night?' she asked, placing her hands on her hips. Hermione would have laughed at the petite girl squaring up to Squall, but she was too mortified by her own traitorous thoughts.
Squall frowned at her. 'What are you, my mother?' he asked her, shaking his head. 'I was patrolling the area if you must know,' he muttered, moving towards the tent he was sharing with Zell and disappeared into it without another word or glance back.
Selphie sat down with a huff, shaking her head before throwing more sticks on the fire as Quistis looked at her in mild amusement. Zell looked between them all with bewilderment for a moment, before dropping the firewood he was still holding on the pile.
Hermione closed her eyes as she took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. If I'm going to be having fantasies about Squall, this journey is going to be so awkward, she thought to herself, ignoring Griever's chuckle which echoed in her mind.