Severus toyed with the tiny gold chain attached to the encircled shining hourglass still resisting countless stupid moves his heart begged him to make.
He was so lost in his own thoughts he hadn't noticed Remus take his place next to him in bed.
"Is that a time-turner?" Remus asked, staring at him.
Severus sighed and placed it on the artefact down on his bedside cabinet. "Indeed, it is. McGonagall in her infinite wisdom saw fit to give my thirteen-year-old daughter a time-turner."
Remus's eyes grew in size and covered his mouth. "A time-turner to a child, why?"
"To make her classes if you can believe it," he rolled his eyes. "I made her give it to me before taking off to Japan. She'll turn it in to McGonagall when she comes back."
Remus bit his lip and looked down. "Why didn't she turn it in before?"
That was the plan originally, I don't…There's nothing I could do with this. A closed time-loop wouldn't save Lily. So why do I hold on to it?
"I'm still trying to convince her to drop classes," Severus explained, getting under the covers. "I'm half-tempted to do it for her."
"Oh, I'm sure she'll love that," Remus remarked.
"Oh, yes, I can imagine her little face now."
"But you're a stronger man than I am, Severus."
Severus made eye-contact with Remus for the first time since he entered the room. Perhaps this was a night for being caught off guard, because that was a sentence he never would have expected to hear. Not from Remus, not from anyone.
"How so?" he asked, trying to keep a cool, detached expression.
"Honestly," Remus ran a hand through his greying hair. "If I had a time-turner in my hands I would have gone back to that day in a heartbeat, or even the night I was bit. Can you imagine? All of the things that might have changed but for one thing?"
All too well… Severus's eyes fell on the time-turner. "Do you know how these things work, Remus?" he asked, his tone sharper than he might have wished. "It functions on a closed time-loop. Everything that has passed already has. If there were some great mistake you made in the past and you remember, you failed to correct it."
"Is there a mistake you'd like to correct, Severus?" he asked frankly.
"And who the hell doesn't?" he snapped.
Remus looked down again and sighed "Forget I asked."
Severus clenched his jaw and grabbed his dressing gown off its rack, tying it around his waist. He snatched the time-turner off the bedside cabinet and put it in his pocket. "I forgot something in my office. Don't bother waiting for me."
"Wait, Severus," Remus called after him too late.
He had already stormed off.
Why would you even imagine something so impossible? Severus dumped his spent tea leaves in the compost before collapsing into his chair and staring at the ceiling.
If he could somehow prevent himself from giving the damn prophecy to Voldemort then Lily would have lived her whole life. Yes, he never would see her again, but she'd live. But how could he do that? The closed time loop didn't make his desire any more possible than when he got the artefact.
Even if he could persuade his twenty-year-old self to stop without going mad, and actually effect change on the present, there were other complications.
Hermione.
If Lily hadn't gone into hiding Severus would never have been in that apartment and in turn would never have found Hermione. If it were possible, saving his best friend would erase every moment with his daughter.
And what would become of her? Perpetually neglected for her biological parents' careers or perhaps even resented for merely existing? Perhaps the two were fond of her, but that was hardly enough to raise a child securely.
Severus knew he made mistakes, and many of them. Yet, he also knew that Hermione was better off for his raising her than she would have been with her biological parents.
Or is that what you have to believe?
A million scenarios ran through Severus's mind. All of them ending with the bitter taste in his mouth as he remembered just how impossible they all were when time-turners worked the way they did.
The fantasy of saving Lily and coming home to a healthy and happy daughter was just that, a fantasy.
He sighed and rubbed his temples. How was he supposed to do anything with the weight in his pocket? How had Hermione, a literal child, managed when she had that temptation all year?
Because the weight of a promise made is so much more to her. McGonagall was clever to make her promise not to use it. The idea of breaking it even to save Black and the hippogriff must have been maddening to her.
Hermione was an unintentional experiment in nature over nurture. Though he supposed the same would be said for any adopted child. Was her distaste for broken promises something that she had ingrained in her DNA or was it something he managed to instil in her? If so, it wasn't intentional and something he feared stemmed from his own broken promises to the girl.
He dug out the time-turner from his pocket and toyed with the outer rim, careful not to move it in such a way to activate it.
Such a small, insignificant thing to look at. It looked no different from eccentric jewellery worn by the likes of the Lovegoods. Yet it held so much power, and Hermione used it to attend classes.
Severus had more meaningful ideas of how to use it, but knew them impossible. The fact that Lily was dead meant he never went back to save her. The fact he wasn't mad meant he never encountered his younger self. And the idea of doing something small like correcting his parenting mistakes? That would also end in his own madness, which meant he didn't do it.
Could he change anything?
Severus pondered this until the sky grew pale and the first rays of sunlight shone through the small office window. Which likely meant the sun was a bit higher than new dawn.
He walked the narrow dungeon corridors wondering if Remus would apologise or if they could simply sweep the row under the rug. It was barely seven and Remus was far from a morning person, so he expected that he would still be in bed.
That wasn't the case. Instead of a peacefully sleeping lump he found the bed perfectly made, the wardrobe shut, and shortened curtains opened. Nor was he in the front room. Perhaps, Severus thought, he felt strange sleeping in his bed and opted for Hermione's vacant room (something Severus himself thought strange, but a possibility). But no, her bedroom was as empty as it was the night she left. Save for the giant ginger cat curled up on her bed, dutifully waiting for her return.
"Idiot, she's thrilled to be away," he sighed. "I suppose you're hungry?"
This prompted rare action from the cat as he stretched and yawned before leaping down to the food bowls set up under the window. Severus lazily flicked his wand in the bowls' direction refilling the food and water. From which her cat greedily fed.
Severus did the same to feed his owl. Archimedes stared at him, his yellow eyes full of judgement as if to say: This is why you're alone. He must have heard the two of them arguing the night before.
Between Crookshanks and Archimedes, Severus wondered if all mage-bred animals were judgemental shites. He went back to his bedroom and decided to get dressed before looking for Remus.
Why bother? He slammed his fist against the wardrobe door. He's left without a damn word. What clearer signal could that prat send? If he's done, so am I!
"I should have left a note."
"You think?" Severus scoffed, spinning around to see Remus.
Remus stood in the doorway, dressed, pale and exasperated, but with a clear spark of anger in his pale green eyes. "When I realised you weren't coming back any time soon I decided to take a walk to clear my head."
Severus folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the wardrobe. "I see."
"I think we need to talk."
"Saiya-chan?!" Hermione choked. "What are you doing?"
Saiyaka pushed up her glasses and looked down at Hermione with an ill-fitting authority. "I'm joining the archery club too. You can't stop me!"
Hermione rolled her eyes as she tied her hair at the nape of her neck. "What will you do if someone decides to make you a target?"
It was Saiyaka's turn to roll her eyes as she stamped her foot. "And what will you do?!"
"I–" Hermione had no idea what she would do. "That's not the point!"
"The hell it–"
"You're both acting like children!" Miyuki snapped.
That was enough to bring silence to the change room. Hitoromi Miyuki telling them to grow up was like ice telling snow to chill.
"Sumi-chan was attacked. So stop bickering and decide if this is something you want to do."
Hermione nodded. "I know what I'm doing, Miyuki-chan, and I want to help."
"Me too," Saiyaka nodded as well. "Does Kao–"
"Kaori and Anya have been trying to talk me into dropping out of Archery, they would think this was mad," Miyuki sighed before forcing a smile. "But they'll be reminded that girl power is all we need!"
"Oh, Miyuki," Hermione said softly, rubbing her arm.
Saiyaka muffled laughter with her sleeve. "You've been reading too much manga. Teach us archery, Hitoromi Senpai!"
Miyuki, for all her flights of fancy, was a better teacher than Hermione imagined. She struggled with a full-sized yumi, unable to get a full draw without shaking. But found it easy enough with the reduced draw weight.
Pathetic! Hermione chastised herself, but shook it from her mind, trying to take Miyuki's instructions to heart.
She knocked an arrow and breathed on Miyuki's cues, planting her wide stance firmly. She found straightening her back odd (Hermione had no idea she spent so much of her hunched!), but to Miyuki's word, it helped. After one shot, she was hitting the target.
Not close enough though, Hermione bit her lip and stared at the two arrows in the outer rim and one third arrow on the second outermost rim. She was past three arrows, at the fourth she wanted to be more reliable.
Reliable…Hermione retraced the arrow's path in her mind and realised she could calculate the path (given the lack of wind indoors and static target) from how she shot. This made her job easier. Much easier.
While she was far from bullseyes with every shot, she managed to hit it thrice, gasping from the repeated effort, seeing the assorted arrows, all of which fell inside at least the third innermost ring. This was nice, quiet, required thought and form, Hermione had one session with Miyuki and thought she already liked it better than kendo.
Saiyaka, on the other hand, didn't seem to be able to summon enough "girl power" to reliably hit beyond the fourth ring and refused to use the reduced draw-weight. Miyuki would offer pointers on breathing and control that Saiyaka met with a waspish response on how she was breathing. A response Hermione was certain she would have behaved similarly had she not accepted the reduced weight bow.
Saiyaka, you're at least good at Kendo. I'm still rubbish there…Wait! You little idiot! This is about Togo Senpai and finding her attacker! Why am I so selfish! And Harry's dream…I still have to...do what?
Hermione dropped her bow and clasped her hands together, digging her nails into her flesh as she tried to puzzle out how to do both. What about the progress on the house elf relations? She said she'd help them too. What if–
"Nee-chan," Saiyaka waved a hand in front of her face. "Are you still in there?"
Hermione shook her head and straightened herself. Both Miyuki and Saiyaka looked at her with concern.
"It's nothing!" Hermione waved her hands with a nervous smile. "Just thinking this is a bit bigger than the library bandit, but–erm–we–erm–we'll solve it with girl power, right, Miyuki-chan?" Idiot!
Saiyaka and Miyuki exchanged a confused expression before turning back to Hermione.
"How on earth did you manage to lie for months about dating Hiro?" Saiyaka asked.
Hermione shrugged with an unintelligible squeak.
"You're joining the boys' archery club?" Hermione walked hand-in-hand with Hiro under the falling cherry blossoms.
The gentle pink rain in the Spring courtyard might have been romantic if Hiro hadn't just told her his plan.
"We don't know it was someone in the girls' club, so I want to infiltrate the boys' club."
"You'll be careful, won't you?" she asked.
That was when Hiro ran out in the petal-fall while holding her hand in with a broad smile on his face. "I'll be as careful as you are."
The warmth of Hiro's eyes glistened in the afternoon sun, and pink petals dusted his untidy black hair. Something moved through her and she couldn't help but smile when with his opposite hand he rose a pinky.
"This is a pinky promise," Hermione chanted linking her pinky in his.
"May I swallow a thousand needles!"
Seven o'clock the next morning was the first official Archery club and Hermione wished she hadn't stayed up till three reading on curses again. She hoped Miyuki's story would lead her into a direction that wouldn't leave her needing to break any more rules. She was already tempting fate and she remembered her father's threats to bring her home all too well.
I'm surprised he still hasn't made good on his threats after that stunt I pulled in Defence Against the Dark Arts.
Hermione sat on the floor with Saiyaka, Miyuki and Togo, surveying the groups of girls, clustered in their own corners. Chatting until the meeting started proper. Though, Hermione did notice Monifa sat completely by herself. It reminded her of her own first year at Hogwarts, or Luna's near chronic loneliness.
She must be so lonely, Hermione picked up her bow and went began to walk over when she heard someone cry:
"Togo-Senpai!" .
"Togo-Senpai's back!" said a curious chubby girl.
"What?!" yet another girl leapt up. "I heard she was shot."
"I heard she was stabbed!"
"I heard she was spirited away when she stepped on the thirteenth step!"
Girls of all ages seemed to shout their theories, even after they came to her in an unrelenting wave.
"It was nothing," Togo went pink as she waved her hands in front of her. "The nurse took good care of me. I'm fine. Thank you, guys."
Hermione took stock of all of the many rumours. Some worthy of Luna's overactive imagination like one of the school's mysteries being a book that traps people. Others were more mundane such as cracking under the pressure and leaving, or a rival among their very numbers (this sent the girls' eyes darting to their peers.).
She noticed that Monifa still sat on her own, reading a book, occasionally glancing up.
Was that something worth investigating or was the younger girl just out of her element in a foreign country for the first time? Hermione recalled her first summer here, and thought little of how easy her letter-exchange with Hiro made it for her to make friends.
"Alright," a fat girl of around seventeen with her hair bound delicately stood before them.
The other girls rose and snapped to attention and bowed. "Captain Suzuki."
"Let's get started."
Somehow, Remus managed to wring an apology out of him. Severus wasn't sure how that came about, when it was Remus that started the damn argument and left him alone to believe he'd been—Whatever, Severus was more than happy to pretend the whole affair never happened.
Remus returned from Black's flat late that night, looking rather tired as he placed his shoes by the entrance.
The two came to an arrangement. Remus would visit Black a couple times a week, while still living with Severus. Black was confined to his flat, apparently with only a deranged house-elf as his only company. The house arrest must have been leagues better than the horrors at Azkaban and living in the streets as a dog, yet Remus insisted the situation was bad.
Severus placed a book back on the shelf and sighed. "How's the reformed sociopath?"
"As good as can be expected," he said, collapsing into a chair. "I wish we had any details on the trial. The Prophet hasn't said anything about Sirius's innocence or Peter being alive."
Severus pensively traced a finger over his lower lip. He too wondered why the papers had been so quiet on the whole thing. Even the Quibbler stayed silent, and outlandish theories were Lovegood's bread and butter. Any journalist really, Hermione even got her quill into the mix, though he'd hoped her activities in Japan would distract her from the piece.
Pettigrew's discovery was the biggest news in Britain and possibly Europe, yet nothing was said. Was there some legal muzzle order from the ministry? Why hadn't anyone blown the whistle?
"What are you staring at?" Severus sighed, folding his arms over his chest.
Remus leaned in with a weak smile on his face. "You tracing your lips."
Severus smirked and leaned in himself, lifting Remus's chin and kissing him. "You're pathetic."
Remus's smile grew. "I know."
"Shall we—"
A knock came upon the door interrupting them before they could act.
"Who's calling this late?" Remus asked.
"Someone who doesn't appreciate the one upside of having one's child out of the house for a month," he sighed.
Severus opened the door to see Dumbledore and McGonagall standing before him, both looking quite grim.
What was it? Hermione? I take back what I said about an upside to you being gone, just be okay… The panic left as quickly as it came, Dumbledore would have no more information on his daughter's welfare than he did. This was something else.
"It's Pettigrew, isn't it?"
"I'm afraid so, Severus," Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled over his half-moon glasses sympathetically.
"It would seem the bloody rat has made a deal," McGonagall fumed. "Promised to name names if he could go free."
"And they let him?!" Remus and Severus demanded.
Dumbledore calmly nodded and placed a hand on either of their shoulders. "I'm afraid 'little Petey Pettigrew' doesn't seem like a credible threat. But they're hoping he'll name more powerful players."
"Oh?" Severus spat. "Like Luscious Malfoy? We all know no one could ever touch him while the minister's in his pocket."
"And half the ministry too," Remus sighed. "What about Severus?"
Severus turned to Hermione's large ginger cat staring up at him with an inscrutable expression. The idea of spending the rest of his days tormented by dementors, when he remembered so vividly the attack in spring. At the mercy of his father, his mother, school mates and his own actions with no hope of escape. It made his stomach churn, but worse was the Kiss. He'd sooner take his fate into his own hands.
But what of Hermione? She would never forgive him, even in death.
And her life after? The daughter of a Death Eater who took the coward's way out rather than face what they call "justice"? She'd be marked for life, distrusted, barred from her own community, and forever under suspicion. Far worse than anything she might have faced as a muggleborn witch.
But how many muggleborns still can't evade suspicion? He knew of at least a few who were "under surveillance for treason" for their muggle connections.
"Severus was granted immunity when I vouched for him all those years ago," Dumbledore said. "Nor can the press say anything. But that's not what I'm worried about." He turned his head to Remus.
Remus collapsed back into his chair and clasped his fingers into his greying temples, his head nearly touching his knees. "I should have known this would happen."
Severus hoovered his hand over Remus's shoulder for a moment before resting his hand on it. "You're fucking joking. With his treatment Remus is harmless."
Dumbledore peered at them over his glasses, sympathies not lost on him. "Peter Pettigrew know that it was Greyback that turned him. That's enough to convince many that he's a danger."
"His crime was being attacked as a child!" Severus snapped.
Dumbledore approached Severus, and once again the man made him feel like a child himself. "Need I remind you that it wasn't that long ago that you were willing to condemn him yourself?"
That was enough to shut him up. It was true, his lover was once his enemy, and that was recent. It was easy to condemn him. A vicious animal with no remorse, that was how they'd see him. That was how he saw him.
"We will do everything we can to keep your secret and if we can't, you are still welcome to live here."
"And who would send their child to a school with a werewolf for a counsellor?" Remus sighed.
"That's not all of it," McGonagall. "The ministry has asked the six of you to testify this fall. Pettigrew told them about the attack. Claims your daughter turned into a cat to catch him. Luckily no one believes him."
Fuck, Hermione, what did you do? "The little idiot has a talent for transfiguration and found she had a better reaction time when she was transfigured. So she changed to the half-cat form when Remus turned. That's likely what Pettigrew's referring to. I can testify to that," he sighed. "So can Black."
"The two of you agreeing on something?" Remus scoffed. "That'll convince them."
"I'd doubt it," Severus growled. "Not only do many of them not know our past, they will not care."
"I've already assured Fudge a thirteen-year-old girl couldn't possibly successfully undergo the process alone. Especially under a teacher's child." Dumbledore said.
If only that were true.
"You said five?" Remus asked.
McGonagall nodded. "Yes. You two and Hermione, Sirius Black, Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter."
This is not going to go well…
Later that night Severus and Remus laid in bed together wondering what the trail would bring up. Severus imagined the horrified look on Hermione's face as she learned the mistakes he made in his youth.
Mistakes, Dad? her voice cried, shrilly. Leaving me alone most of my childhood was a mistake, forgetting how old I am is a mistake, but what you did then? That was fucking murder. My real father would be horrified to learn how I was raised.
No, he thought back, silencing the fake Hermione voice. That man–that boy, rather—was ill-prepared, panicked, a bloody mess. I'm your father, damn it.
"If we all give the exact story, they shouldn't pry, right?" Remus asked. "My past—what Dumbledore said about Greyback—that might be enough to discount me. What if–" he sighed. "I'm sorry. I know you're worried too."
Severus sighed and rolled over to face Remus, in the dark, it was more a gesture than about actually establishing eye-contact. "Dumbledore made a deal. I'm not worried about me. But, yes, I believe that if the witnesses all verify the same story it should prevent them from bringing up your attack."
Neither of them believed it, but Remus seemed to allow himself to pretend when he laid his head on his chest and took his hand. "Thank you."
For lying?
"You're worried about Hermione."
"Always am," he sighed.
"Should you tell her?"
"When she's back I will," Severus mused. "No need to worry her now. It's past midnight there, she'll be fast asleep anyway."
Hermione stifled a sneeze and turned her attention to the girls sitting on the tatami floor.
"I'm sorry," Togo sighed. "But I still don't remember anything."
Miyuki worked Togo's long black hair into a single plait. Hermione didn't know how Miyuki did it, but she convinced Togo to attend a slumber party. Something that happened so frequently in the girls' dorms on Saturday nights that it raised no alarms, but with Saiyaka, Kaori, Miyuki and Hermione there, she had to know Miyuki wanted to help.
"It's okay, Sumi-chan," Miyuki assured her. "I just don't want to see anything like that happen to you again."
Togo smiled. "I definitely don't want to be shot again. I just keep to myself, you know. I don't think I have any enemies."
"But you are the best archer," Saiyaka mused. "Maybe that's why someone did it?"
Kaori shook her head. "I can't imagine anyone being that petty. Maybe it's something else. Togo-san, are you sure there's nothing?"
She shook her head again and looked down at her freshly painted nails, also courtesy of Miyuki. Miyuki finished Togo's hair, tying it off with a blue ribbon.
"Go check out your new hair style!" Miyuki gushed. "That and your yukata together, you look like a princess!"
She did. Hermione couldn't help but compare Togo Sumi and Kaori. Both appeared like princesses of astounding beauty with pale skin, large dark eyes and flowing black hair that trailed past their waist. Where Kaori had a heart shaped face, a gentle blush and wore her hair loose, save for her half twin tails, with a smile that echoed Hiro's with a prominent canine. Togo, on the other hand, had a triangular face, with a straight black fringe and side locks, with a straight posture and gentle movements. Hermione was certain Kaguya looked just like Togo.
She turned back to her book, though she kept an eye on time. She would be sneaking out to meet Hiro soon. Hermione silenced the butterflies fluttering in her stomach, this was strictly for the investigation. If someone was in danger she and Hiro would have to calm down and figure it out.
Though the volume she poured over, even with Miyuki's direction, was about as useless for Harry as Hermione's morning had been for Togo.
"Mione-chan!" Miyuki sang. "Get your nose out of that book and come here! It's your turn!"
"W-me?" Hermione squeaked. "I have to meet Hiro and isn't nail polish against school rules? I'm already in for it if we get caught."
"I don't think they'll care about your nails or hair when they find you with a boy after hours," Saiyaka pointed out, pushing her glasses up.
"Okay," Hermione shrugged with an eyeroll.
Hermione might have put up more of a fight if she realised Kaori was the one painting her nails. Despite her love for Hiro, Kaori touching her hands still sent a blush to her cheeks. She felt weird and perverse for having a crush on Hiro's sister. Saiyaka said little crushes when in love with someone else was normal…but it wasn't like that in any of the stories. Sadly, the only template she had for such feelings.
"Don't get my little brother in trouble, Mione-chan," Kaori said while brushing a baby pink on to her nails. "He'd do anything for you."
Hermione bit her lip and looked down. If Hiro told her to fly a broom to the moon she would do it without a thought. But that it went the other way made her uncomfortable. She loved him and wanted to give him everything, but she still kept secrets. She still felt deep down that she would never be good enough for him. Even if she were, Hermione hated the idea of putting Hiro at risk.
"I should have told him this was a bad idea," Hermione confessed. "He might have—what if I drop out of the girls' team? Miyuki and Saiyaka are there, and I could take a polyjuice potion and impersonate one of the other boys. Or Hiro could let me impersonate himself, then he might not get hurt, or I could—"
"Hiro made his choice," Miyuki reminded her. "I have faith in Hiro, don't you."
Hermione blinked, staring at Miyuki, this time with an easy, sincere smile. Hiro was smart, she knew he knew what he was doing, but the idea of him putting himself in danger…
No! Hermione clasped her hands and squeezed her eyes shut. I've become my father. She had to trust Hiro, but it was harder than she wanted to admit. What was worse, a knot formed in her stomach and her heart dropped to her leadened feet as she realised Miyuki might be a better fit for Hiro than she ever could be.
"I just don't want to see him get hurt," she said quietly. "I love him," she confessed.
"Then you should trust him," Miyuki tied off her bushy plait. "And you too, Kao-chan."
"When did you get so wise?" Kaori groaned, drying Hermione's nails with a flick of her wand.
"I should go," she bowed. "Thank you. And, Togo-Senpai, I appreciate everything, if you–erm–remember anything, we really do just want to help."
Togo gave a serene smile and bowed her head as well. "I know. Any friend of Miyuki-chan is a friend of mine."
Once Hermione snuck out the window and edged out of sight on the windowsill she took the form of a cat. She walked lightly among the windowsills with sure footing. While she was a cat she didn't give a damn about heights. Something about her light form and the swish of her tail along with her whiskers promising security erased the fear.
Though, it perhaps helped that she didn't test her theory by looking down. She leapt from tier to tier until she found Hiro laying on the roof in a plain yukata staring at the waning moon. Hermione admired how its silver light played across his olive, round face and untidy black hair. His dark eyes refracted the moon's prism, making Hermione's human heart beat in her tiny feline chest.
Hermione withheld a purr, and leapt on to his chest, nuzzling his nose.
"Konbenwa, Mi-chan," he whispered, kissing her forehead.
The withheld purr came to the surface with a might that surprised her. Were she human, her cheeks would have flushed a bright pink at her lack of restraint. Then again, why should she restrain herself around Hiro? Hiro was safe for her to be her.
I hope I'm the same for you, Hiro. Hermione leapt off Hiro and resumed human form beside him, laying on her back next to him and clasping his hand.
"I know how I got up here," she said to the moon. "How on earth did you?
"Lots of stairs," he smiled, kissing her hair. "In the dark, I had to get Suni to show me how to avoid the staircases that developed thirteenth stairs at night."
Hermione laughed. She could imagine the little house elf growing giving Hiro directions, their tennis ball sized eyes shut in frustration as their human charge didn't instinctively know the castle as well as they did.
"That sounds fun," Hermione teased. "I'm glad you didn't fall into the spirit world. I might have missed you."
"Might?" Hiro chuckled before kissing her lips.
The two teased each other back and forth a while longer before both became aware they were wasting time. They exchanged grave looks, Hiro's face lending to a rare seriousness, though his hazel eyes kept their gentleness as he looked down at her.
"Togo-Senpai still doesn't remember anything," Hermione explained. "There are twelve girls in the archery club. We can eliminate Miyuki immediately, and most crowded Togo-Senpai with questions. Sani-kun kept to herself, but she's a first-year gaijin, so I don't see her making trouble."
"Like you didn't?" Hiro smiled.
"Well, Monifa Sani doesn't have your bad influence," Hermione teased back. "What about the boys?"
"They all seem pretty close knit. Well, except for Arima Haku. He won't go into the changerooms or the onsen with us. Keeps to himself quite a bit. I don't think that means anything, but it's worth keeping an eye on."
Hermione nodded. "Remember that Togo-Senpai didn't really talk to anyone but Miyuki before. So, a loner might be a victim too."
Hiro nodded. "I wish I had more."
"Me too," Hermione admitted.
The two sat together watching the stars hand-in-hand. Maybe they didn't have all the answers yet, but Hermione was certain that with Hiro, they could crack the case.