Winter seemed to come earlier this year, but this didn't stop Hermione and I making the most of our breaks and spending time in the grounds around Hogwarts. The frost crunched under our feet as we strolled over to our bench during our lunch period. Other students had opted to stay inside the Great Hall, but it was hot inside, and the loud noise had begun to make me irritable. Most of the time I was able to desensitise myself from the noise, but as the moon waxed it got harder and harder to ignore, and I needed to escape it. Thankfully, Hermione understood this and kept me company.
Hermione finding out about my affliction was perhaps the best thing that had happened since I'd been bitten; maybe I'd even thank Angeline if I ever saw her again. She hadn't told anyone, and she finally understood why I'd be so stand-offish. Of course, things weren't exactly 'normal' between the two of us, but they were a lot less awkward. We were finally able to spend time together without me upsetting her, or her prying too much into my business. Things almost felt as though they were back to normal, and it was nice.
"Fancy sitting here?" Hermione asked, gesturing to our usual bench. I nodded my head and wiped away the frost with the hem of my cloak so that neither of us would get wet. She smiled at me in thanks before sitting down and pulling out a book from her bag.
"What's that?" I asked her curiously as I pulled out the copy of 'Hairy Snout, Human Heart' which Remus had given me. Hermione was the only person I could read the autobiography around since she knew why I was reading it.
"The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde," Hermione answered, "Penelope sent it to me for my birthday, it's a muggle book she studied at school."
"What's it about?" I questioned, lying on my back, resting my head on her lap, and placing my book down on my chest.
"A muggle doctor," Hermione began to explain, "he makes a potion which allows him to turn into someone else."
"Like polyjuice?" I tried to understand.
"Yes, but no," Hermione replied, "when he takes the potion he becomes bad, and eventually the potion takes over and he can't control it..."
"Oh," I replied, "why would he take it then? Why would he choose to be bad?"
Hermione wasn't given the chance to reply. A short, high-pitched 'ahem' interrupted us. "What is this?" Dolores Umbridge asked, snatching up the book from my chest and inspecting the front cover.
"My book," I answered sharply, sitting up off of Hermione's lap and glaring at the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor. She had become a lot stricter ever since the ministry had promoted her to 'High Inquisitor'. I'd never even heard of such a title until this year. Every other day the woman was adding another rule to the wall outside of the Great Hall. It had begun with banning spell-checking quills, and now we weren't even allowed to play music during study hours. Nobody approved of Umbridge's rules, not even the other professors, but nobody had a choice but to follow them.
"And what might it be about, Mr Black?" She questioned in her usual patronising tone of voice.
"It's an autobiography," I explained, "it's quite interesting."
"An autobiography about what?"
"I'm not going to spoil it for you Professor," I smirked, "you'll have to buy your own copy." Umbridge began to read the blurb on the back, a horrified expression on her face. Then she stored the book under her arm and snatched up Hermione's.
"And what might you be reading Miss Granger?" She proceeded to ask.
"A novel," Hermione responded, her eyes not leaving the words on the page she was on.
YOU ARE READING
The Last Black (Hermione Granger x Male Reader) Vol.2
FanfictionAfter a traumatic start to the summer, (Y/N) Black needs to get home. The trauma of his infection seems to eradicate any happiness in his life. No longer does he think it safe to spend time with Hermione Granger, and he even begins to question whet...
