The Stars Aligned

Chapter 11

November 14, 1995

Draco slammed the book down on the dark mahogany table in front of me, his hand tense and stark veins popping out. "This book is stupid," he hissed, sinking down beside me on the emerald velvet couch.

I had been coming here almost everyday after dinner these past two weeks, a decision strongly encouraged by Pansy and Theo, along with quiet support of Blaise.

And I listened.

I needed this. With them, everything just... disappeared. If only for a while. The responsibilities. The relentless and impossible expectations. The pressure. With them, I was just me. Hermione.

Harry and Ron had stopped asking where I was going after the first two nights, which I had answered with "That's irrelevant".

I think they know. Ron barely speaks to me, and when Harry does it's with a carefulness that wasn't there before.

This is good for me, space from Harry and Ron. I love them, nothing will change that. I just need time away for a while. To figure out what I want. What's not working.

I looked up from my parchment and glanced sideways at Draco. His face was scrunched up in frustration, searching for an answer to a question he had not yet voiced. My knees were bent and brought up to my chest. My parchment with my Arithmancy homework was rolled out on my knees, and the tip of my quill was between my teeth. "Why is that?"

He groaned and grabbed the muddy green book from the table, waving it in my face. "This guy Tom Robinson. He is so obviously innocent. The beatings on the girl are on the right, so you would need to hit her with your left, obviously. And he—he doesn't even have a left hand! W—why are they even entertaining the alternative? T—taking it to court?" He was stumbling over his words in exasperation, lips tripping across each other.

I successfully suppressed my smile and merely replied, "You'll see. Keep reading."

"They're acting completely ridiculous." Draco continued anyways, shaking his head. His hair fell across his eyes, and he blew air up out of his mouth to try to fix it, but to no avail. Much to his dismay, because his expression grew even more frustrated.

A small giggle escaped my throat. "Just keep reading, Malfoy."

"What are we talking about?" Pansy's voice echoed, and I traced the voice to find Pansy collapsing onto the chaise across from us, laying back and kicking her legs out and setting them on the cushions.

Draco shook his head and sat back against the pillows. He grumbled, "Some book Granger is making me read. It's bollocks."

"It's not bollocks," I protested, sending a disapproving look at Draco. "It's a rich text full of truth."

"Clearly not 'full of truth'. Like I said, he's obviously innocent—"

"Snoozeville," Theo whined, coming up and shoving Pansy's legs off the couch to sit next to her. She huffed in annoyance. He ignored her and shut his eyes in faked exhaustion, pleading, "Why don't we talk about something we all understand, nerds?"

"Like what?" Draco asked, eyes on Theo but fingers near mine. An inch closer and they would touch again.

I wonder if he still burns.

Theo's eyes rolled up in thought. "Like..." His eyes straightened, and I could almost see a physical lightbulb spring on in his eyes. "Cookies."

My eyebrows crept up my forehead. "Cookies?"

Theo instantly beamed. "I make killer snickerdoodle cookies. We should sneak into the kitchen so I can make them."

"How the hell do you know how to make snickerdoodles?" Blaise piped in, sinking into his usual armchair, a black goblet in his right hand.