The Gloriana Set

The Trial

Sunday morning found Hermione in the library, researching wizard law and nursing a hangover. As predicted, the Slytherin party the night before had done her reputation no good at all. She and Draco were truly finished, according to rumor, and Hermione Granger was officially A Witch On The Prowl. Cormac McLaggen stopped by her table and had to be discreetly hexed into leaving.

"Hermione?" asked a familiar voice. She looked up from her book of famous Wizengamot cases to see Ernie standing behind the opposite chair. "May I join you?"

She put down the book and looked the Head Boy over, from fitted black jumper to close-cropped dark hair and hazel eyes. His jaw was set with rare determination and his hands empty of books. Ernie wasn't here to study.

Hermione almost said no, but Ernie was her friend and she couldn't just bounce him off. So she nodded, and he sat opposite her, hands folded on the table.

"I spoke to the Headmistress this morning," Ernie said. "She'd never heard of a Marcus Fixe, and our only transfer student this year is that Second-Year girl from Ilvermorny." He frowned. "Clearly some Slytherin snuck him in—Fixe probably isn't even his real name."

"Probably not," Hermione agreed.

"That wizard had no right to take advantage of you like that," Ernie went on, looking uncharacteristically fierce. "He's trouble and—"

"Don't worry, Ernie," she said quickly. "I never want to see that face again."

Ernie blinked, but the sincerity in her tone must have convinced him, because he dropped the subject entirely. Instead, he gave her a small smile.

"I enjoyed our dance last night," he said, a light flush spreading on his cheeks.

"I did, too. Very much." Hermione really had. Looking back, her dance with Ernie had been the most relaxing part of the whole screwy evening.

"Hermione ..." Ernie swallowed. "I thought perhaps you'd like to have dinner with me tonight. In Hogsmeade. The Spangled Veil?" He paused, and then seemed to lose his nerve. "A working dinner, of course," he continued with a hint of his old pompous tone. "I need to brainstorm ideas for the school's holiday celebration. We'll have the usual: caroling and skating and feasting, but I thought perhaps an Inter-House activity like making wreaths with all four houses' colors, or tree ornaments, or ..."

The Head Boy rambled on about Inter-House wassailing as Hermione considered the offer. It was tempting to spend the evening planning a school activity (an Inter-House Trivia Tournament, maybe?) rather than brooding about Draco and the next day's trial. But she couldn't. It wouldn't be fair to her friend.

"Ernie," she said softly, and he cut off his description of an Inter-House Candy Cane Relay and blinked at her. "Thank you, but I can't go to dinner with you. Or help you plan an Inter-House Holiday Activity." Her voice was gentle but firm.

The Hufflepuff nodded in understanding. He scraped his chair back and stood, and when he spoke, his voice was unusually crisp. "Alright then," he said.

"Ernie," Hermione said, and he looked at her but didn't meet her eyes. "Thank you for checking up on Fixe. You're a good friend."

He waved away her thanks and stalked off, and Hermione slumped in her chair, feeling wretched. Then she pulled her book of case law toward her and resolutely opened it. Now she could finally make some progress.

But it was not to be. Hermione's next visitor then arrived, none other than Justin Finch-Fletchley. She had never warmed to the supremely posh muggle-born but allowed him to join her table. This Hufflepuff carried actual books and surely he was just here to study.