𝙮𝙤𝙪 || 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐬𝐢𝐱: 𝐚 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫

Whatever happiness you felt during Christmas was instantly numbed as soon as you heard of the new rumor spreading in Hogwarts. Hermione Granger was missing, and of course, everyone assumed she had been attacked, including you.

You confronted Harry and Ron as soon as possible, dishing out questions after questions in a panicked state before they were able to calm you down. They told you about what happened with the Polyjuice plan and how they succeeded in infiltrating the Slytherin common room as Crabbe and Goyle.

They were able to learn interesting facts about the Chamber of Secrets from Malfoy (who turned out not to be the Heir of Slytherin) but as soon as they returned to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom to tell Hermione of what happened, she stayed put in her stall. They wondered why she didn't go with them in the first place, only to find out that she had mistakenly put cat fur instead of human hair in her potion.

Your relief was apparent when you rushed into the hospital wing and tackled a surprised Hermione on her bed. The fur on her face and the tail behind her didn't deter you, even when she whines that she never wanted you to see her like that. You told her you could care less if she turned into a cat or a frog. It was better than being petrified, and she looked cute anyway, so what did she have to be embarrassed about?

"Don't say things like that," she said, covering half of her face to hide a nonexistent blush. "I am not cute. Not like this. How am I supposed to attend classes now?"

Once the term started, you visit Hermione during the evenings with Harry and Ron. They drop off any homework she missed, and you admire her dedication to catch up to every lesson despite her situation. You wish you could work through your assignments as efficiently as she did.

Some time during February, Ron and Harry found a notebook in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. The pages were blank when they showed it to you first, and you were convinced it didn't hide any secrets when you tried using spells that revealed invisible messages. It was out of your interests, so you never thought much of it and never went with them to the trophy room when they asked you.

Besides, you had more important things to do now that it was the first week of February. You dedicate all your thanks to Delilah for teasing you about it, because that gave you the perfect excuse to choke her again.

Unfortunately, she was saved by Fiona before you could smother her with a pillow.

△⃒⃘ ⌁☍ ❾¾

"What do you have there, badger?"

You jump in your seat and look up to see Pucey looming over you from behind, but his gaze wasn't on you. It was on the parchment in your hands.

You crumple it into a ball and put it in the front pocket of your jacket. "Nothing," you said unconvincingly.

The skies were no longer whitewashed with winter as the sun was beginning to melt the snow around the castle. The courtyard was almost empty that it gave you enough privacy to write to your heart's content. It was the perfect view to find inspiration until a snake slithered its way into the scenery.

Pucey raised an eyebrow. "Right," he said slowly.

"It was nothing," you insisted, forcing a smile.

"I could care less about whatever it is you're writing," he said dismissively with a wave of his hand. "But do you know what I truly care about? My necklace."

"I told you I'd give it to you next week," you frown. "You already reminded me yesterday when you cornered me in the corridors. And the day before that."