Sage | H. GRANGER

six

When Sage had gotten back to the common room after spending the day with Hermione, she didn't expect Draco to still be up waiting for her. When the portrait door creaked open, Draco sprang up from his seat, his hair an unruly mess from running his hand through it multiple times.

"Where in Merlin's name have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you!" Draco had harshly whispered upon seeing Sage enter the room timidly, shutting the door behind her. Sage looked up, her eyes meeting Draco's.

"I've just been-" She paused, trying to think of something to tell him other than her spending the day with his enemy's best friend. "-out." She finished firmly. Draco frowned, puzzled by her answer. He could tell that it wasn't the whole truth, but he decided to let it go.

"Well, are you okay?" Draco had finally asked after a minute of silence.

Sage looked at him once more, taking note of his concerned eyes. She gave him a brittle smile in hopes of convincing him.

"I will be, Draco."

    As the days continued on, Sage ignored the sympathetic looks she got from the students around her. She held her head high, and her spirits even higher. She would walk to class with her arm hooked with Draco's, talking as if nothing had happened. Though, when Sage and Draco had entered Divination one fine day, their laughter was immediately silenced. There stood in all her pink glory was Professor Umbridge.

    The class began, but was soon interrupted with a faux sweet voice, coming from Umbridge.

    "Just one question, dear. You've been in this post how long, exactly?" Umbridge had questioned the trembling Divination professor, who stared back at her with her wide disbelieving eyes.

    "Could you please predict something for me?" She had questioned, leaving no room for Trelawney to answer her previous question. Professor Trelawney gaped with disbelief, her mothe open is shock.

    "I-I'm sorry?"

    "One teensy little prophecy?"

    Sage scowled at Umbridge's tone. It was absolutely disgusting what Umbridge was doing, and anyone could see it. Well, except for Draco who was holding back his laughter along with Crabbe and Goyle. Sage rolled her eyes and hit him harshly. She looked back to the Divination professor and Umbridge. She saw Trelawney trying to find the words, but coming up short.

    Umbridge faked a frown and said, "Pity," while writing notes on her clipboard.

    "No, wait. Wait, no. I think i do see something." Trelawney sprung to action, trying to stop Umbridge from leaving with a bad evaluation. "Yes, I do. Something dark. You are in grave danger." The desperate professor finished, pointing her bony finger in the direction of Umbridge, trying to convince her with a cliche prophecy.

    Umbridge smirked. "Lovely." She had said, jotting down more on to her clip board.

    Sage gulped with worry, her eyes trained on Trelawney. She looked at the disheveled mess of a teacher and sighed. This was bound to have a bad outcome. And, Sage was never wrong.

Later in the day, Sage was walking down to the Great Hall, but noticed a sea of students rusing towards the Courtyard. With furrowed brows, she followed. Pushed her way to the front and her eyes widened with sympathy. There stood Professor Trelawney, who was pulling her fingers nervously and her wide eyes darting around, taking in all of the students around them. In front of her was her belongings. Sage heavily sighed at the sight and Hermione who had looked back at Sage and softly smiled at her. The opening to the two double doors pulled the two girls out of their trance. Out walked Umbridge who stopped in front of the nearly hysterical professor.

"Sixteen years I've lived and taught here." Trelawney said in her soft quivering voice. "Hogwarts is my home. Y-You can't do this." She said, her voice cracking at the end of her sentence.

"Actually, i can." Umbridge said smugly, holding up a piece of parchment.

Behind Sage, Professor McGonagall pushed her way through the on looking students and made her way to Trelawney. She gathered the sobbing woman into her arms and fiercely looked at Umbridge.

"Something you'd like to say, dear?"

"Oh, there are several things i would like to say." Her thick scottish accent ringing in Sage's ears.

The doors in which Umbridge had come out opened once more. Headmaster Dumbledore walked out with fire in his step.

"Professor McGonagall, might i ask you to escort Sybil back inside?" McGonagall nodded and lead Trelawney back into the castle, away from the harshness of Umbridge.

"Dumbledore, may i remind you that under the terms of Educational Decree Number 23, as enacted by the minister-"

Dumbledore swiftly cut her off, "You have the right to dismiss my teachers. You do not, however, have the authority to banish them from the grounds. That power remains with the headmaster."

Umbridge smiled a wicked smile and said, "For now."

    Dumbledore straightened up and looked at the students around them. "Don't you all have studying to do?!" He questioned loudly while walking back where he came from. The students began to scatter and Hermione had turned to leave, but Sage had quickly grasped her arm. Hermione turned to face her.

    "Come with me." Sage said, letting her hand slip down Hermione's arm and hang loosely around her wrist. Hermione nodded silently, a pit of unknown feelings brewing inside her heart. A faint blush settled on her cheeks, but Hermione figured it was the cold wind nipping at her cheeks. She let Sage lead her away, unknown to where they were going.

    When they finally reached their location, they were well away from the student body. The Black Lake seemed to be vacant of anybody, so Sage figured this would be a great place for them to talk.

    "Why did you bring me here?" Hermione had asked Sage when she had released her from her loose grip. Hermione immediately missed the warmth her touch had supplied, but she just assumed that is was cold. It was the beginning of Winter after all.

    "I, uh, wanted to thank you for, well, i just wanted to thank you." Sage had said while sitting. Her eyes watched as the water moved along with the slight breeze as if they were one. Hermione's eyes sparkled at Sage's words, her heart beating faster. She moved closer to the Slytherin, sitting next to her. She looked over at Sage and took in her appearance. She watched as the breeze blew back her nearly black hair, revealing her ivory colored skin. She watched as Sage's eyes searched the lake in front of them for a sign of something, anything, but most of all, she watched the light in Sage's eyes grow brighter. Sage looked over at Hermione, having felt her stare on her. She lifted a brow in confusion.

    "What? What is it?"

    Hermione shook her head, as if trying to rid herself of the picture of Sage's pink lips moving as she spoke, or the flutter of confusion that flickered across Sage's flushed face.

    "Nothing." She replied, looking out at the water, away from Sage's questioning stare. Hermione's cheeks flushed and feelings foreign to her brewed in her soul, confusing Hermione. "Nothing at all."

Sage laughed softly, and pulled her eyes away from the blushing Gryffindor. Hermione may be the brightest witch of their age, but she was absolutely clueless when it came to Sage.

A/N:

ok so hermione is feeling some type of way for sage, but she isn't really grasping the idea of her having romantic feelings about a girl.

next three or four chapters will be fillers, bc this is when the golden trio form the DA!!!!!