{ 30 }
{ Hermione POV }
The rest of the week I spent in the library, trying desperately to disprove my theory regarding Ravenclaw's book. As Saturday neared, I had found nothing to contradict the idea.
Friday night at dinner, I picked at my food. Excitement buzzed in the air around me. The topic of conversation is the upcoming quidditch match against Ravenclaw.
I groaned to myself and blocked out the conversation. I don't even want to watch the match, much less speculate about the outcome for hours.
Draco will be brilliant, I'm sure. He'll catch the snitch in some death-defying stunt that will make my heart stop and scare the hell out of me. I don't really need to be there to see it, do I?
Where are you going to sit, anyway?
My breath caught in my throat at that thought. Where the hell am I supposed to sit?
I can't very well sit in the Ravenclaw stands with Luna and cheer for Slytherin, now can I?
And I know I wouldn't be welcome in the Gryffindor stands.
I barely know anyone in Hufflepuff.
That only leaves one.
Slytherin.
Well, fuck.
There was a slight break in the conversation.
"I might sit this one out." I spoke quietly, but those closest to me could hear. Draco, Theo, Zabini and Tristan.
The looks I received…you would have thought I declared Godric Gryffindor as the best wizard to have ever lived.
Draco looked like I had kicked his pet dragon or something. He was devastated.
"It's just, I can't sit in the Gryffindor stands, or with Luna in Ravenclaw, you know?" I tried to justify my reasoning.
"You can sit with me," Zabini suggested. "I mean with us. In Slytherin."
Oh, that sounds wonderful.
I swallowed hard around the sudden lump in my throat. Anxiety stabbed through my heart with such force, I barely contained my gasp. My hand squeezed into a tight fist under the table. My fingernails cut into my palm.
"See, problem solved." Draco relaxed and slid his arm around my waist.
Right. Problem solved. I just have to sit with a wizard I barely know, surrounded by a house that has hated me since I was born, to watch a game that I despise.
Perfect.
[ - - - ]
"Do you have to be up before dawn again tomorrow?" We are on the third floor, sitting together in front of the fire. Outside, the wind is howling. Inside, it is cozy and warm. It is early, yet. There is at least another hour until curfew.
"Yes." Draco released a sigh and pulled me a little closer. "I will have to be in the dungeon before six."
I picked at my fingernails. I hate what I am about to suggest, but I know it makes the most sense.
"Why don't you just stay in your dorm tonight?" I held my breath as I waited for him to answer. His arm stiffened around me. I think he stopped breathing.
"Are you going to the Tower?" His voice was tight, controlled.
"No."
Maybe I should have said yes.
"I'm not leaving you here alone all night."
Merlin. He is as stubborn as I am.
"I'll ward the door. It'll be fine." I shifted in my seat to face him. "You need your sleep for the game tomorrow."
He searched my eyes for a long moment. I don't know what he saw there, but his lip lifted on one side in that sexy ass smirk of his.
"Or you don't want me to wake you at five o'clock in the morning."
Yes. There is that.
I rolled my eyes and fought a smile.
"Well, yeah." I huffed out a short laugh. "But it really is silly for you to go to the dungeon, sneak out after curfew to come up here, then sneak out of here to go back to the dungeon only a few hours later."
I lifted my hand to cup his face, ran my thumb back and forth over his jawline.
What the fuck am I doing? Trying to convince him not to stay with me tonight?
"On second thought, nevermind." My voice was like a rough whisper as I gave in to my inner self. "Stay with me."
I cringed at how needy I sound.
His lips crashed into mine. The kiss took my breath away.
Gods, I love kissing him.
His arms surrounded me, pulled me closer.
Oh, Gods!
I'm already lost. Lost in the sensation of his lips against mine, his scent surrounding me, his arms around me.
In an instant, lust flooded through my body. I may or may not have moaned out loud when he pressed his lips against my neck.
"I'm not going anywhere." He practically growled into my ear.
Every time we snog, we push a little bit further, testing our limits little by little. Every time I find myself wanting more.
Which terrifies and excites me at the same time.
[ - - - ]
The night is pitch black. No moon, no stars to light the room. Draco sleeps soundly beside me. I am having trouble keeping my eyes closed, though.
Too many thoughts swirling around my head. Anxiety over going to the game in the morning, sitting in the Slytherin stands surrounded by people. People that I don't know or trust.
Warring thoughts about my growing desire for the wizard sleeping next to me. I want more. As much as my body is telling me it's ready, my mind and my heart are telling me no.
The way Draco makes me feel is nothing at all like…my previous experience. But what if…
What if we go further and it feels just as awful, intrusive, violating?
A cold chill ran down my spine at that thought.
The clock chimed three times. I released a quiet sigh and rolled out of bed. I was careful not to make any noise as I left the bedroom and pulled the door shut behind me.
I prepared a hot cup of tea and settled at the table with my brown leather sketchbook. My dreams tonight have been convoluted at best as I drifted in and out of sleep. There is one thing that stood out to me.
A room. A study that I have never seen before. It was beautiful.
I cleared my mind and focused on the image of that room, created in my imagination, and I started drawing.
A large carved work table surrounded by high backed wooden chairs. Bookcases full of books lining the walls. A fireplace on the far wall with a fire burning in the hearth. In the middle of the table sat a lone scroll.
I heard the distinct click of the bedroom door opening, followed by soft footsteps as Draco emerged. A moment later his hands settled on my shoulders.
"Everything alright?" He asked quietly. His voice was thick with sleep.
"I couldn't sleep." I lifted my shoulder and let it drop. I turned my head to look at him. His hair was sticking out in odd angles and there was an impression from the pillow on his cheek. I tried not to laugh. I didn't succeed, but I did try. "You can still sleep for another hour or two."
"Where is that?" He ignored my laugh and focused on my drawing.
"Inside my head." I dated the bottom corner of the page and closed the book. "Sometimes I imagine places that don't exist. It helps focus my energy and calm my anxiety."
"Why are you anxious?" His hand found mine and pulled me to my feet, right into his arms.
He cannot be serious right now. He has to know how nervous I am about the upcoming game.
Except, maybe he doesn't know.
"I'm always anxious." I huffed a short laugh.
It isn't a lie. I am always anxious about something or another. It's ridiculous, really.
"No." His hand spread out across my back. "What is going on in that brain of yours?"
I swallowed hard.
Gods, I'm pathetic.
"I'm just a little worried about tomorrow…or today…or whatever." Anxiety clawed at my chest. "The game. I'm not a fan of crowds, you know? And this crowd is going to be full of people that hate me. And you are going to do amazing and kick arse…"
I am rambling.
I stopped, closed my eyes and took a deep breath. My hands are clutching his shirt.
"Fucking hell." His hands froze against me. "I never even thought…"
I leaned back and pressed my hand against his mouth to stop him.
"All you have to worry about is catching that damn snitch and not hurting yourself in the process." I searched his eyes. They were cloudy. I chewed on my bottom lip for a moment, then gave him a small smirk. "Just do me a favor and catch it as quick as you can, yeah? Don't drag it out forever and a day."
The anxiety is still there, but I can breathe a little bit easier.
His arms wrapped around me and he held me in a tight hug for several long moments.
"Come back to bed."
I don't know what good it will do, but I followed him anyway. I lay next to him, with my head on his chest and his arm around my shoulder.
He fell back to sleep quickly. I counted his breaths until somewhere around dawn, I finally drifted off myself.
When I opened my eyes, weak daylight filtered through the windows and Draco was gone.
[ - - - ]
I stood in front of the mirror and stared at my own reflection. Draco's team captain shirt is too big on me. He seems to like it when I wear it, though. I tied a knot in the bottom edge to make it fit a little better. Then I focused on my hair.
Slowly, methodically, I charmed the dark red strands to Slytherin green instead. When that was finished, I pulled the sides back into a twist which showed both black and green strands. I tied it off with a silver ribbon.
The effect was stunning. The green in my hair made the green in my eyes stand out. My lip tilted up on one side.
I had already stepped into the Great Hall before I realized I made a mistake. I'm dressed to support the Slytherin team. I cannot sit at Gryffindor like this.
I took a deep breath, pushing the anxiety down deep.
"Please tell me you didn't permanently change your hair to green?" Ginny asked from behind me. "I was just getting used to the red!"
I hesitated a moment. She could have been joking, but the sarcasm in her voice was thick.
I inhaled deeply, curled my hand into a tight fist and kept walking.
"Hermione, wait!" Luna called out. I stopped and waited for her to join me. "I love it! You look great."
I felt my lip tilt up on one side.
"Thanks, Luna." I glanced over and saw that she wore her Ravenclaw gear. "Did you want me to put blue streaks in your hair?"
"That would be wonderful. Thank you." Her whole face lit up in a smile.
I stood behind her and started charming sections of her hair in Ravenclaw blue.
"Theo asked me about you the other day." I still don't know what his intentions are, but I get the feeling he is trying to deny the connection he has with her. I have not determined why. I can only hope he takes my advice.
"Why would he do that?" Luna turned slightly towards me. Her shoulders stiffened and the smile dripped from her face.
"Because he likes you, I imagine." That is my guess, anyway.
"Oh, I don't think so." She turned away and nibbled on a scone.
I finished with her hair and sat beside her.
"I think so." I filled my plate and took a bite before I realized that I am sitting at the Ravenclaw table, dressed in support of the team they are preparing to play against.
Dozens of sets of eyes glared at me.
I should go.
With a slight shake of my head, I conjured a box and placed the rest of my breakfast inside. Luna watched with a raised brow and a small smile on her lips.
She did not try to stop me when I took my box and a mug of coffee with me and left the Hall.
I went into an empty classroom and sat down. A sense of calm washed over me as I picked through my breakfast and took small bites. In here, alone, I can breathe.
The door opened, drawing my attention immediately. Professor Bones stood in the doorway for a moment. Her eyes met mine before she entered the room and closed the door behind her.
"Miss Granger. I thought I saw you come in here. Do you mind if I join you?" She was already crossing the room.
"If I say yes, will you leave?" That came out a little rude. More so than I intended. I cringed to myself and sighed.
"No. I don't believe I would." She smiled as she sat at the desk next to me.
"Then by all means." I rolled my eyes and sipped my coffee.
She watched me for a moment.
"What are the two of you up to?" She folded her hands on the desk in front of her.
Okay. I was not expecting that. I blinked slowly. She has to be referring to Draco's crazy scheme.
"I don't know what you are talking about." The slight smirk on my lip gave me away.
She pursed her lips.
"Right." She tapped her fingers on the table. "Green suits you. You would have done well in Slytherin, I think."
"So I've been told." I held her gaze for a long moment. She is an exceptionally astute witch. It would have served her well as an auror.
I took a bite of my breakfast and chewed slowly.
"Do you think the war is over, Professor Bones?"
She did not expect that question. She sat back in her chair and studied me for a moment.
"I think evil will always exist." She answered carefully.
Exactly.
"All that it takes for evil to thrive is for good people to do nothing." I held her gaze. "The Darkness is still out there. Quietly attending to its wounded. Recruiting new forces. Waiting for the next moment to strike. I do not intend to sit back and wait for that to happen."
Her eyes widened and a small smirk appeared on her lips.
"And I get the feeling that you do not intend to sit back and wait either."
She did not confirm or deny, but the smirk on her lips grew a little wider.
I finished off my coffee and stood.
"If you'll excuse me, I need to go watch a game that I can't stand, whilst sitting in the bleachers surrounded by the children of people that have actively tried to kill me." I gave her a wry smile when she barked out a short laugh.
"Why go, then?" Amusement colored her tone.
"Are you kidding?" I rolled my eyes and smiled to myself. "You should have seen the look on Draco's face when I suggested I sit this one out. He was devastated."
I turned towards the door, but she stopped me before I even took a step.
"Miss Granger." She waited until I turned back around, then she hesitated a moment longer. "You are a remarkable young woman. Your parents must be very proud of you."
I couldn't help it. I flinched. A sudden pain lanced through my heart. I swallowed hard and forced myself to take a measured breath.
I cleared my throat.
"My parents live in a different world." I shook my head and took another breath. "They don't know who I am."
Not a lie.
Actually, it's the literal truth. She doesn't need to know that, though.
A sad smile tilted at my lips. I nodded once at her and turned again. This time I took two steps towards the door before she stopped me.
"Hermione." When I turned back, she had stood and taken a step away from the desk. "I could never replace your Mother, but if you ever need anyone to talk to, you know…my door is always open."
I chewed on my bottom lip for a moment.
"Thank you, Professor." I released a sigh. "I may take you up on that."
I nodded one more time and turned. This time, she didn't stop me as I walked out of the classroom.
I didn't stop until I was outside. Only then did I take a deep breath of fresh air. My hand clutched at my chest for several moments until I was able to breathe again without pain.
"Granger! There you are." I looked up to see Zabini walking towards me with a grin on his face. "I was starting to think you changed your mind."
"No." I cleared my throat, rolled my shoulders back and smiled. "I just got caught up."
"Good. Are you ready for this?" He stopped beside me and motioned towards the quidditch pitch. My skin crawled at his proximity.
Am I ready for this?
Not even a little bit.
"As ready as I'll ever be." I forced myself to take one step, then another.
We walked in relative silence. I found myself wondering if I had ever had a conversation with the dark skinned wizard. I don't believe I have.
Next thing I knew, we were at the top of the bleachers. I was slightly relieved to see Andromeda sitting there with Tristan. I sat next to her, and Zabini sat on the other side of me.
I put as much distance between myself and him as I possibly could.
As soon as Draco entered the field, his eyes found me. His lip quirked up on one side. For a brief moment, there was no one else in the stadium. Just Draco and I.
And then the game started and the spell was broken.
Zabini and Andromeda took turns talking to me. Small talk. Nothing important. Zabini talked about the game. Andromeda talked about some of the people and places she had photographed.
I half listened to both of them as I kept one eye on Draco, and the other on the rest of the stands.
Just like at the dinner table, there is a clear divide in the Slytherin stands. Clear enough that Andromeda took notice. She didn't say anything, but I can tell by the way she grinned to herself.
A cheer went up around me and I focused back on the game just in time to see Draco speed past the stands.
The way he flies amazes me. He is in complete control, zooming around the pitch at high speeds, flawlessly maneuvering around the other players.
I scanned the pitch until I found the Ravenclaw seeker. She was flying fast towards Draco. But she is on the wrong side of the field. She'll never be able to catch up.
I bit into my bottom lip as I watched him through omnioculars. He stayed focused on the small Golden ball. When it made a sharp turn and plummeted towards the ground, he did not hesitate to follow. I think my heart stopped as I watched him speed toward the sand below. Only meters from the ground, he made it look easy as he reached out and grabbed the snitch out of the air.
I didn't breathe a sigh of relief until he pulled up and righted himself. His eyes sought me out as he held his prize aloft.
Good Godric, that was close!
The whistle blew and the announcer voiced her displeasure that, once again, Slytherin had won.
Unphased, the students in the stands around me cheered. Tristan jumped up and down, yelling in joy.
"Did you see that?" He grinned up at me. "Draco is the best seeker ever!"
I laughed at his enthusiasm.
I took my wand and lifted it to the sky, emitting green sparks in celebration, much to the delight of the younger students.
My attention drifted away as my eyes scanned the rest of the stadium. The other houses, all three of them, were angry at the outcome and glaring at the Slytherins.
"Is it always like this?" I asked Blaise, nodding towards the rest of the students.
"You can't just be noticing this?" He asked incredulously.
I raised my brow. He's right, though. I've never been on this side of it before.
I let my eyes take in the reactions of the other houses as a sobering thought crossed my mind.
Draco and I have our work cut out for us.
[ - - - ]
I stayed at the top of the bleachers while everyone else moved to exit the stands as quickly as possible.
"Oye. Are you coming?" Zabini asked impatiently when he noticed I hadn't moved. Andromeda and Tristan had already started down the steps and stood in the midst of a throng of people waiting for their turn.
I swallowed hard. My anxiety kicked up a notch. I do not want to be in that crowd. And I do not want Zabini to leave me alone up here.
Not that I want to be alone with him, either.
Oh, Gods!
I cleared my throat.
"I'll wait for the line to shorten up a bit." I lifted one side of my mouth, attempting a small smile that most likely looked more like a grimace.
His eyes darted back and forth between me and the stairs.
"You can go on." I rolled my eyes and tried to appear nonchalant. "I'll be down in a few minutes."
He hesitated a moment then turned and joined the queue. He struck up a conversation with a sixth year and never turned back.
I scanned the crowd, on guard for an attack. Thankfully, none came. A few minutes after Zabini left me, a dark haired girl approached me.
"Hermione? Hi." She smiled and waved her hand. "I'm Astoria. Greengrass."
Oh. That's why she looked vaguely familiar.
"Hello, Astoria." I gave her a small smile, but kept my hand close to my wand. Just in case. "Is Daphne your sister?"
She grimaced.
"Don't hold that against me. Daph and I are nothing alike, I assure you." She fiddled with her hair for a moment. "I love what you did with your hair. The green. And I saw you at breakfast putting blue in Lovegood's hair. I was wondering if you would do mine for the next game?"
I studied her for a long moment, trying to ascertain whether or not she is serious.
"I could do it right now, if you would like." I cleared my throat.
Her eyes lit up and her smile widened.
"Would you? That would be great!" She bounced on the balls of her feet then turned and sat on the bench in front of me.
I huffed out a short laugh at her enthusiasm.
Her hair is a little darker than mine. Well, my natural color anyway. It hangs halfway down her back in soft waves.
"I miss having long hair." I slid my fingers through her hair. I decided to go slightly more subtle on her hair than I did mine. Starting at the bottom, I colored about six inches Slytherin green, faded up to silver, then to her natural color.
She chatted as I worked, about innocuous things like the weather or her favorite professor. Surprisingly enough, it was Bones.
I responded here and there, to let her know I was listening as I worked.
"There. All done." I pulled a mirror out of my bag and handed it to her.
The smile that covered her face was breathtaking. She turned and threw her arms around my shoulders.
"Thank you so much! I love it."
I tensed for a moment, nearly frozen by her sudden movement and contact.
"You're welcome." Slowly, I patted her shoulder and pulled away.
"Daph still thinks that Draco is using you. She doesn't want to believe that he is a blood traitor." Her eyes darted around for a moment. The stands had cleared out while I did her hair. "I know she is wrong though. I can see how much he has changed. He's happy now, Hermione. It isn't an act."
I smiled at the younger witch. I think she is correct. She is nothing like her sister at all.
[ - - - ]
{ Draco POV }
I waited for the rest of the team to clean up and change, then I locked myself in the shower room and took a quick shower.
I was surprised to find Theo waiting for me in the locker room when I finished.
"Good game, mate." He clapped me on the shoulder and grinned.
"Thanks. You too." I collected my bag and started for the door.
"Hey, Draco. You got a second?" He stopped me before I reached for the doorknob.
My eyes darted to the door and back to him.
"Sure. What's up?" I really just want to go make sure that Hermione made it through the match unscathed. I don't exactly trust some of my house mates.
"I…uh…" He stopped and cleared his throat. "I miss playing chess…with Luna."
He has my full attention now. Maybe he is finally ready to pull his head out of his arse.
"So ask her if she wants to play a round." Simple enough solution.
He ran his hand through his hair and sighed.
"See, that's the problem." He tossed his hands in the air. "I liked playing chess with her. Then you and Granger start talking about it like it's something more than just chess. I mean, I don't want to lead her on, you know?"
Huh. I didn't expect that. My heart sank just a little.
"Are you ashamed to be associated with her?" It was a question that needed to be asked. I held my breath as I waited for him to respond.
"Just the opposite, actually." He sat down on the bench in front of the lockers, put his elbows on his knees and dropped his head to his hands. "She should be ashamed to be associated with me."
I huffed out a short laugh.
"Theo, mate, I get the feeling that Lovegood could not give a rat's arse what other people think."
He sighed. I could see the next excuse forming in his mind. He didn't say it, though. Whatever it was. He simply nodded his head.
"What if…what if Granger's wrong?" He examined his fingernails as though they were the most fascinating thing in the world.
There it is.
Theo has been rejected more than once by witches that he liked. For some reason, it wasn't good enough for them to let him down easy. No, they had to embarrass him. Humiliate him. Mock him.
It had been hard on him. His self esteem took a huge hit. And now he is terrified to even think to himself that he might like someone. Or that she might like him in return.
"Have you ever known Granger to be wrong?" I lifted my brow and smirked at him. "Besides, I've seen the way Lovegood looks at you. She isn't wrong."
He ran both hands through his hair and released a deep sigh.
"You don't have to declare your undying love or anything. Just ask her to play a game of chess. Maybe talk to her while you play. See if you want to spend more time with her or not."
"Is that how you landed Granger?" He huffed out a short laugh.
"Merlin only knows how that happened." My lip lifted in a smirk. I honestly have no idea how I managed to pull that off. I'm not going to complain, though. Hermione Granger is the best thing that has ever happened to me.
[ - - - ]
Theo and I walked out of the locker room together. I expected Hermione to be there waiting for me, but I found Andromeda and Tristan instead.
"That was quite the catch, Draco." Andromeda said when she saw me. "If you have a moment, I need to speak with you before I leave."
My eyes scanned the tunnel.
"Sure. Have you seen Hermione?"
She chuckled to herself.
"Oh, yes. I think I talked her ear off during the game. She doesn't talk much, does she?"
I blinked quickly.
"Only when she's demonstrating how brilliant she is." My lip quirked up on one side. Still, should I be worried? She was so anxious this morning. "Did you see where she went after the game?"
"She was still in the bleachers talking to some girl." Tristan spoke up.
Which girl?
This could be bad.
Theo nudged my arm. I turned quickly towards the field, just in time to see Hermione step off the bleacher staircase with Astoria Greengrass.
Fuck. That cannot be good. At all.
Both of them were smiling. Laughing even.
"Thanks again, Hermione." Astoria smiled brightly at her as they neared. Then she turned her attention to Theo and I. "Great game, Draco. Theo."
She nodded at us and kept walking.
My eyes met Theo's for a moment. He looked shocked. Flabbergasted. The last time Astoria had spoken to him was the night he asked her to go to Slughorn's Christmas party with him. It had not gone well. Her response had been 'Not if you were the last wizard in the world'.
"What the fuck just happened?" He muttered quietly, only loud enough for me to hear.
"I think Hell just froze over, mate." I laughed and clapped him on the back before I focused on Hermione. Only then did I get my first good look at her of the day.
Merlin and Salazar.
She actually changed her hair color to green, and it looks amazing. I was only joking when I suggested it. Mostly.
"I told you green suits you." My hands settled on her waist. She looked up at me and smiled. It was a full on, relaxed, genuine smile. It took my breath away.
"Yes, well, don't get too used to it. It's temporary." She slid her hands around my neck and kissed me quickly. "Congratulations."
"Thanks. I see you made a new friend."
Theo was still watching Astoria with a puzzled look on his face.
"She seems nice enough." She stepped back and pushed a few stray strands of hair back behind her ears. "Friends might be a stretch."
"Draco?" Andromeda cleared her throat, bringing my attention back to her.
"Right. Of course." I looked around. There were still quite a few people milling around the pitch. My eyes met Hermione's. "We could go to the lecture hall."
Ten minutes later, Hermione, Andromeda and myself were standing in the lecture hall on the third floor.
Andromeda eyed the book under the glass case with trepidation. She moved to stand as far from it as possible.
I caught Hermione's eye. She noticed it, too.
"I received a letter from your Mother yesterday. She seems to think that I am to blame for the death of her only son."
I cringed to myself.
"I might have mentioned that I met you and you were very much alive despite the lies they told me when I was younger."
Her lips raised into a smile.
"They know that you have claimed Head of House Black. Lucius is furious." Her smile turned into a full blown grin. She practically giggled with glee. "You didn't tell me you blocked Narcissa from the vaults."
"I blocked her from everything." I lifted my shoulder and let it drop. She has the Malfoy fortune at her fingertips. She doesn't need anything else.
"Draco, I don't need to tell you this. I'm sure you already know it. Your parents are manipulative people that don't like to lose. You both need to watch your backs."
She is right. We already know that and then some.
"Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Tonks." Hermione pushed her hair behind her ears. "I honestly don't think we could be more on guard than we already are."
Isn't that the truth. We are two of the most paranoid people you will likely ever meet.
Andromeda studied us for a good long moment.
"Fair enough." She relaxed her shoulders just a little bit. "If either of you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask. I will help any way that I can."
Before she left, she handed me a small package and instructions to open it later. She also gave Hermione a box, which she opened immediately. Inside, there was a book that held several pictures from our night at the ball together.
"I don't…I don't know what to say." She blinked several times. Like she was trying to hold back tears. "These are beautiful."
"They have a beautiful subject."
Hermione's cheeks tinged pink at the compliment. She shook her head in disagreement and averted her eyes to study the floor.
She still doesn't know how absolutely beautiful she is.
Andromeda put her arms around Hermione's shoulders and hugged her. She whispered something in her ear, though I couldn't hear what she said.
I wondered then, what did they talk about during the game? Hermione is comfortable enough with her to allow a hug. In fact, she returned the hug and whispered "Thank you."
[ - - - ]
The rest of the day I spent celebrating with the rest of my house. Hermione insisted.
After curfew, I returned to the third floor where I found her in the lecture room, staring at Ravenclaw's book through the glass.
"Everything that I have read points to the same conclusion." She didn't even look away from the book.
I stood behind her, with my arms around her waist and my head resting on her shoulder.
"It's impossible." We have already had this argument.
"It's improbable. Not impossible."
I sighed. Because I know that she is right.
"You can't key wards to someone you have never met unless you are related by blood."
She sighed. Because she knows that I am right.
Which is why we are at an impasse. It is a paradox. But the truth is, we are both correct. Which is, of course, impossible.
Ravenclaw could not have keyed the wards on this book to the two of us. But the only explanation for everyone else feeling the daunting wards and us feeling nothing is that the wards are keyed to us.
A little while later, I sat on the balcony watching the rain fall whilst Hermione was in the shower.
In my hands, I held the small box that Andromeda had given me.
Inside was an engagement ring, goblin forged with intricate scrollwork on the band, a garnet red ruby inset on top, and the Black family crest etched under the stone.
The note read, "This was my Grandmother's ring. I thought you might want to have it readily available."
AN: I know. I promised this chapter last week. Real life gets in the way sometimes. I apologize. I hope you liked the update, though.
If you have a spare moment, please drop me a review and let me know what you think.
Thanks for continuing to read this story and for all of the support of my great readers.
Until next time.
-mezy