DISCLAIMER. None of the characters used are a creation of mine. They belong solely to JK Rowling.
The weekend before the Christmas holidays were to commence gryffindor won its first match of the season against Hufflepuff.
James was elated as all his housemates ran to him onto the pitch and congratulated him on his first win as the captain.
As for Hermione, she chose to silently cheer sitting beside Kingsley in the Slytherin stands full of grumbling students.
'I don't understand the fascination with Quidditch, honestly.' Hermione commented, while on their way back to the dungeons.
Kingsley chuckled, 'It's only the most exhilarating sport. I bet you're afraid of flying.'
She smirked, 'On a broom.'
Raising an eyebrow, Kingsley grumbled, 'I do regret never having tried out before. Now I'm so close to my NEWTs it'd seem like I was betraying my books.'
They heard someone laugh behind them and turned around to find Remus and Peter jogging towards the pair.
Peter heaved, 'Hey, you want to come to the Common Room and join the party?'
Kingsley looked at him as if he was the strangest creature in the whole wide world whereas Hermione merely seemed to be fixed to her spot, not believing the ridiculous idea coming out of her friend's mouth.
'Are you quite well, Pete?' she asked.
Remus laughed, 'Don't look at us like that. Seriously. Come join us. You too, Shacklebolt.'
Appraising the two Gryffindors before him, Kingsley turned to Hermione, 'They're trying to prank us, right?'
Shrugging she said, 'It would be a very sick joke if they were. But since the invitation is coming from Remus I might just believe the sincerity behind their gesture.'
Kingsley turned towards the two boys, 'As much as you'd like us to come, your housemates will surely have something to say to you if we did.'
Peter huffed, 'We know what we're getting into. Come on, Mi. It'll be fun.'
The two Slytherins seemed to have a silent conversation, looking resolutely into each other's eyes.
Kingsley nodded his head albeit a little reluctantly but followed the two nonetheless.
Hermione didn't need them to show her the way to the Tower. Her feet guided her along of their own accord. Now that she would finally get to be where her heart had begged her to go the very first day she had arrived at the castle, she was overcome with giddiness and a childish excitement.
Reaching the Fat Lady, Remus whispered the password. The portrait swung open to let the children inside.
Holding her breath, Hermione entered the spacious Common Room behind Remus and Peter and felt something pull her, drawing her deeper.
Smelling the rich cinnamon and the burning wood, Hermione sighed. She looked around herself and found the same cozy red couch lying haphazardly in the middle of the room and the fireplace glimmering with the embers of the flame.
She peered over the throng of cheering Gryffindors to find her place. Hers and Harry's and Ron's. A pang of nostalgia hit her as she saw the crimson drapes wrapping around the walls of the circular room.
Right before the fireplace was now sat an exhuberant James beside Sirius regaling his audience with the tale of how he heroically won them the day's match. She smiled to herself, thinking of how his son had often sought comfort in the very same spot.
But before she could walk over to them to greet them, she saw how the crowd instantly quietened and a tension filled air surrounded them.
A tension so thick Hermione felt sweat prickle down her back.
She slid closer to Kingsley as she faced the angry lions sneering at the emerald robed students.
A short, brown haired girl yelled, 'What are you doing here?'
Before Hermione could cut her off with a scathing remark, Kingsley gently replied, 'We were invited.'
The girl scowled and opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by Remus who drew to his full height and towered over her. 'I brought them. Just the way you deemed it fit to invite your friend Lovegood. There are plenty of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs here. My friends are no different.'
A black haired boy Hermione had never seen before stepped forward and scoffed, 'But none of them here are Death Eater scum.'
Before James or Sirius could even raise their wands or Peter could try to pull Hermione and Kingsley away from the hubub and towards the side, Lily Evans had materialised from the farthest corner and had packed the boy with a solid punch, the sound of which resounded throughout the room.
A couple of seventh years looked outraged, possibly the boy's friend.
Lily glared at anybody who dared look her in the eye, 'A Death Eater would never help a muggleborn such as me. Hermione here brought her brother to my house... A Muggle house to help protect my family. A Muggle family no Death Eater would ever spare a second glance.'
Most of the Gryffindors had the decency to look away in shame.
'Her brother Rabastan Lestrange helped me when not even the Ministry did. If it wasn't for him my family would probably have been killed a long time ago. And everybody here knows of Kingsley. I myself have sought him out to help me study plenty of times. So you better well back off or you will personally be inviting me to hex you into oblivion.'
The crowd slowly broke away and fell into its earlier mess. The exicted chatter once again rose and Hermione gratefully hid herself in a corner. She found Kingsley looking at her, asking her if she wished to leave.
But she truly didn't. Despite the open hostility, Hermione would never give up the one chance she had at being home. For however briefly the moment lasted.
Lily grabbed her hand gently and pulled her to a group of girls sitting by a window to the left. Hermione looked apologetically at Kingsley who didn't seem to mind in the slightest, having himself fallen into a deep conversation with a very amiable Xenophilius Lovegood and James.
'Come, let me introduce you to my friends.'
She pointed at a short round girl, 'This here is Alice.'
Alice smiled warmly at her and got up to hug her briefly. 'Don't worry. Not everyone here thinks you're a hellspawn.'
Hermione laughed hesitantly and turned to the blonde haired Marlene McKinnon Lily was now pointing at. Her striking features could put anybody to shame.
'I don't know where Dorcas is. Probably off snogging Peter. And I suppose Mary is still getting some more chocolate for Remus from the kitchens.'
Hermione raised a brow and Lily muttered to her conspiratorially, 'She has a huge crush on him. But don't tell him.'
Not trusting herself enough to maintain composure Hermione chose to sit on the most uncomfortable chair in the common room despite her temptations to seek out her own loveseat.
Alice commented, 'You have beautiful hair, Hermione. Have you done something to them? I remember it used to be really bushy.'
It was a pleasant change to hear someone calling her out on her bushy hair without any bite. 'I reckon it just turned silky as I grew up.' It had happened the last time she was fifteen too. 'I read somewhere your hair keeps changing as you age. I believe it was a Muggle research paper that cited the effect of hormonal changes that result in such alterations.'
The girls seemed mildly surprised.
Marlene said, 'Wow, you read Muggle stuff? I didn't think you could. I mean.. aren't pureblood families big on staying away from them?'
She shook her head, 'Not all of them. My family doesn't have the best reputation but my grandfather has always been different. He has let me pursue any interests that I may have. Wizard kind or not.'
Marlene smiled sadly, 'That's nice to know. We need as much good we can find in the world in these times.'
Lily interrupted, 'Enough with the serious talks. How do you like the Common Room? How's it different from yours? I've only ever seen Hufflepuff's apart from ours.'
Hermione laughed, 'Trust me, if you saw the Slytherin Common Room you wouldn't blame us for our sour moods all the time. Living beneath the lake in perpetual cold and darkness has a way of getting to you.'
Alice gushed, 'You live beneath the lake? That's wicked!'
'Aah yes it is but only when the Giant Squid makes an appearance. We have this gallery off to a side where we can see all sorts of creatures. The Merpeople rarely visit but when they do it makes for an interesting evening.'
Marlene excused herself when she felt someone tap her on her shoulder.
Hermione looked up to see her leave with another blonde haired girl.
Lily shook her head and said, 'She'll be back soon.'
Alice urged Hermione to go on. 'It definitely is better up here. All warm and cozy. It's so close to home I might just never wish to leave.' She said sadly.
They were joined by James and Remus soon after.
James grumbled, 'I just found out Ravenclaw Tower is taller than ours by an inch. How cruel is that?'
The girls laughed as Remus patted him on the back soothingly, 'Don't worry mate. Maybe we can take our brooms up to the top after the holidays and hoist a tiny little flag to make ours taller.'
James looked at him and kissed him full on the mouth to the glee of those around him. 'Moony, my friend, you are the most brilliant man ever!'
Remus looked embarrassed and muttered, 'I didn't mean it literally.'
Hermione felt Sirius sidle up next to her, 'What's this, Prongs? Remus is the most brilliant, eh?'
Alice laughed at the expression James made, as if he had been caught carrying out treason.
Remus butted in, 'Dont worry. He still loves you the best.' Turning to the girls with a mischievous glint in his eyes, he revealed, 'These two idiots shared the same bed for the first two years, did you know?'
Sirius cried out, 'James had night terrors! You're a traitor, Moony!'
James blushed beet red as Lily laughed at the whole ordeal. 'Aww James, I didn't take you for the cuddly type.'
Remus chortled, 'You should have seen them. Completely wrapped around each other.'
James and Sirius grumbled and left the group to their devices.
They were shortly joined by a tall brown haired boy with the cutest dimples Hermione had ever seen. Frank Longbottom. He sat down Indian style next to his girlfriend, pecking her softly on the lips.
Hermione smiled at the blushing girl.
Frank handed around the goblets filled with butterbeer he had levitated over to the group. 'Hullo! I don't think we've been introduced. I'm Frank!'
Hermione nodded, 'Pleasure to meet you. You're on the team, right? Congratulations!'
Frank puffed out his chest in pride and snuggled deeper into Alice. Seeing them talking to each other and stealing glances made Hermione just a tad bit sad. She looked at their faces and was reminded of their older versions she had come across in St Mungo's. She was reminded of the brutal way their son's body had been paraded around in front of the wizarding kind. Feeling the floodgates almost open she excused herself.
'It's getting rather late. I think I should be getting back now. Thank you so much for inviting me here, you guys.' She beamed. 'It was wonderful meeting you lot. Goodnight!'
She was met with groans and requests of staying a while longer, but quickly turning them down as politely as she could, she walked away and let her eye wander around looking for any sign of Kingsley.
Seeing him standing next to a pretty girl she decided she would leave him be. Catching his eye, she waved at him and began to make her way out. Once at the portrait hole she turned around and took in the scene before her one last time, burning the image of the bustling room in the depths of her mind.
Thinking of a similar party so many years ago, Hermione walked away with lead in her feet, utterly distraught at being lonely. Again.
Where in the world was Harry?
Exiting the Common Room she turned to her right and began making her way to the dungeons. Before she could turn around the bend she fell upon the most painful sight.
Right in front of her, under a partly hidden alcove stood Sirius showering Marlene with passionate kisses all along her lithe neck and pressing his lips onto hers.
Hermione let out a sharp exhale and felt a lone tear slide down her face as Sirius looked up at her in surprise.
Looking away, Hermione hurried along feeling seeds of humiliation being sown in her mind.
Perhaps, she hadn't needed to spend all those hours trying to corner him and apologise after all.