MAGIANIMA // Hermione Granger

A Kiss

It was the Hogsmeade trip that day but Atlas hadn't gone and had instead, caught up on some well-deserved sleep. She'd been out in the fields practising some new combos and strikes for the Slytherin versus Gryffindor match they'd be having after the Easter Holidays and would have stayed out there all throughout the day and night if Minerva hadn't demanded she catch up on some sleep.

So she had and then woke up a few hours later, full of energy and ready to go out flying again. The game was really important to her because it was important to Harry and Oliver, plus she really wanted to get back at Draco for reporting Buckbeak and it didn't hurt that it would also make Minerva immensely proud. Which is why she had asked for all of her homework for the next few weeks in advance so she could cram it and really focus on Quidditch.

That's what she did, all of the work assigned had been completed and as mentioned before she had absorbed herself in flying, sometimes - when Hermione hadn't been there to watch - she would even try a few of the tricks from the book Oliver had given her for Christmas. One almost landed her in the hospital but luckily her Firebolt caught her before she hit the ground but the others, she was fairly certain she could get away with doing a few in the match.

There had been a few whispers flying around about the Slytherin team coming up with some dirty tactics so she had come up with a few of her own, ones that were less noticeable and wouldn't get her fouled on the pitch. Luna had actually helped her when they'd bumped into each other in the library, even Cho - who'd she'd found hanging out with Cedric - piped in on a few techniques. Cedric remained quiet, he wasn't dumb, not at all, far from it but he wasn't one for coming up with such sneaky tricks

Atlas kicked on her shoes again and grabbed her Firebolt from her trunk, kissing Crookshanks on the head before she left her room and ventured into the common area. What greeted her when she got there, she hadn't expected. Hermione, Ron and Harry were climbing through the portrait hole, Hermione crying, Ron with a face of thunder and Harry looking equally as mad.

"Hermione?" Atlas voiced, looking at the girl worriedly. Hermione's head snapped up and in an instant she was upon her, throwing her arms around Atlas's frame desperately as she broke down in her arms, "Woah, sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"It -- it's too terrible, Atlas!" She bellowed and Atlas rubbed circles on her back, as she let her Firebolt drop beside her. She looked over at Harry and Ron, the redhead mumbling curses under his breath and Harry looking absolutely livid.

"Boys? What happened?"

"Hagrid lost his case," Harry gritted, fists bawled as Hermione sobbed harder, "Buckbeak's scheduled to be executed."

"I'm sorry Atlas!" Hermione sniffled, pulling away and looking up at Atlas's ashen white face, there were tears pricking at her eyes but she quickly rubbed them away, letting go of Hermione who did the same. "I should've done better research, I'm sure there were a few books I missed!"

"It's not your fault, Hermione," Atlas smiled, patting her head and bringing her into another hug. "You did your best."

"Yeah!" Ron nodded and Atlas was at least a little happy to see he and Hermione had gotten past the Scabber's incident. "And like you said, there will be an appeal! There always is! And I'll help you this time! Atlas and Harry will be too busy training to pummel Malfoy and the rest of his Slytherins in the upcoming match!"

"No, I can help," Atlas urged.

"Atlas, you can't," Hermione sniffled and Atlas looked down at her in confusion, "Hagrid told me they brought up your friendship with Buckbeak, used the...the daughter of Sirius Black card...said it was no wonder he was...violent."