Hogwarts School of Prayer and Miracles Sequel

Chapter Two: The Helpful Screwball

Since it was Hermione's seventh year, her curfew was extended to ten o'clock, so Lavender didn't ask any questions when at 9:00, Hermione left their shared dorm in her favorite light blue dress which she thought complimented her hair which she had just done.

She snuck off to a hidden staircase. Slowly and carefully, she opened the door. She cringed at the creaking of the door, and when she climbed the stairs, she cringed at the creaking of the stairs.

Despite this, her heart fluttered in anticipation. She had waited the entire summer to do this again. She finally walked up to the door on the other side. When she opened it, she smiled. The beautiful night sky full of stars, the full moon, and of course, Ron.

"Well, you're early." Said Hermione.

"Would you rather have me be late again?" Asked Ron rhetorically.

"Well, I'm just glad you're here." Hermione said as she slowly and quietly shut the door.

She sat with Ron, grabbed his hand, and rested her head on his shoulder. Ron put his arm around her.

The couple gazed at the night sky,  They continued to catch up with each other, and talked about their summers.

They then saw a silhouette of a figure that looked very much like the Headmaster/Reverend. On instinct, Ron and Hermione quickly got off the roof and into their dorms, and they slept until the next morning.

The next morning, Hermione went downstairs to breakfast in the Great Hall, and bumped into a Hufflepuff girl holding a sign that said "FEEL THE BERN" on it, causing her to drop the sign and her "FEEL THE BERN" flags. She also had rainbow flags which were also on the ground.

"I'm so sorry, let me help you pick those up," Hermione said, already starting to pick up the flags.

"Oh, thank you. Would you like to buy one? They're only one dollar each, but if you buy three, they're $2.50 altogether." The girl said with a sweet smile Hermione loved looking at after picking up the sign.

"No, thank you. I say this in love, but if you keep doing this, you'll be heading straight for you-know-where" Hermione replied.

The girl, Luna Lovegood, replied in a way that was trying to sound nice, but not really sounding that nice, "There's a reason Hufflepuffs are allowed here, now are you going to buy a flag or not?"

"Um, no thanks. I'll just be on my merry little way." Hermione said, blushing. "You have a nice face!"

"What was that?" the Hufflepuff girl asked, stifling a laugh.

"I said... Uh.... You have a nice day!" Hermione said.

"You too." Replied Luna. Luna took a pink, purple and blue flag and gave it to Hermione. "Show your pride, honey."

Hermione stared at the flag blankly.

"Oh, sorry, is that not the right one?" Luna took out a blue, yellow, and pink flag. "Now you can show your pride! But keep both, I have no use for them. Maybe give one to a friend or something."

Hermione looked confused, but Luna knew Hermione would figure it out eventually. Everyone did and thanked her for helping them find themselves.

That is, unless they were Gryffindors. Gryffindors did not like people who were anything but the norm. Anyone who turned out gay, for example, was shunned and condemned.

No one sat with them at any mealtime, no one talked to them, and the Gryffindor hats paid no mind to that. They just assumed being not straight was just a choice so they wouldn't have to do any disgusting thinking to understand things like that.