Hermione's Reunion ✔️

C H A P T E R | N I N E

HERMIONE SAT ON her bed, reading The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Draco didn't understand why she loved it so much. Why would anyone want to read a book that makes you cry like your grandmother just died?

     Guys just don't get it.

     Annabeth walked through the door and addressed Hermione. "Everyone's going up to the roof for a bit of star-gazing, if you wanna join," she told her.

     "Sure," said Hermione. She had learned over the years that it was best to get some fresh air before attempting to read an entire book in one night. It would feel good to finally get some alone time after a long day of 'fun' and games with her family, but Hermione guessed that it would have to wait a little while longer.

     She stood up, straightening the creases out of her comforter before following Annabeth out of the room.

     They took the elevator up to the garden on the rooftop. Hermione was glad that their hotel didn't have any glass lifts-- those terrified her. There was a pleasant ding, and then the girls emerged from the cramped space into a forest of vines, the light of the fading sun gleaming on their leaves. The sky was a deep coral and the garden was filled with several flowers-- like, buttercups, gardenias, roses. Hermione quite liked roses. If she had a daughter, there was a good chance that she might name her Rose.

     Standing by the low wall on the edge of the building were Draco, Percy, Bella, Edward, Uncle Frederick, Aunt Helen, Carlisle, Esme, Uncle Charlie, Gran and Grandpa, and Hermione's parents. The witch sighed in relief to see that the Reynolds hadn't shown. She really didn't need any more arguments. She hadn't always gotten along with Aunt Helen, but the woman wasn't near as bad Aunt Betsy.

     Hermione came to stand next to Draco, who leaned against the wall. He smiled down at her, then looked back at the sky.

     "Glad you could join us," he said. "Your dad said he figured you wouldn't come, that you would have your nose stuck in a book."

     "She did when I found her," said Annabeth. Draco laughed. Everyone made small talk and joked around for awhile, until the sun finally set.

     "Alright, Seaweed brain. Let's see if you can remember any of the constellations I taught you," said Annabeth to Percy.

     "You taught him the constellations?" asked Bella.

     "It was one of the classes I taught at our summer camp," said Annabeth.

     "Okay, so that's Orion, right?" asked Percy, pointing towards a cluster of stars.

     "Yay!" cheered Annabeth sarcastically. "You finally remembered something!" Percy glared at her. It was actually pretty intimidating, but Annabeth just laughed at him.

     "We had an astronomy class at our school," remarked Draco. "It was one of the few I actually paid attention in. That's the Ursa Major, right?"

     "And Scorpius, too," said Annabeth.

     Hermione snorted. "Look, there's the Draco constellation," she said with a laugh.

     "So you were named after the stars?" asked Carlisle, intrigued.

     "Yeah, it's this tradition in my family to be named after a constellation," he said. "Like my late cousin Sirius, or his late father, Orion, or my aunt, Andromeda."

     "There's The Huntress," said Annabeth.

     "I've never heard of that one," said Hermione. "Is it new?"

     "It was only... discovered... a few years ago," said Percy, gazing at the cluster of stars, almost... sadly.

     "Hey, look, it's Perseus," said Annabeth to Percy, in a slightly-too-cheerful voice.

     "Were you named after a constellation, too?" asked Rob.

     "Not the constellation itself, but the hero it was named after," he said. "My mom thought it could be some kind of, like, good luck thing, since Perseus was one of the only Greek heroes who got a happy ending." He sighed, then muttered, "Like that worked out."

     "We should start some kind of club," said Draco, "For people with weird names." Percy laughed. 

     "Speaking of heroes, is that not Hercules?" asked Frederick.

     "He was, pretty much, the greatest Greek hero, wasn't he?" asked Hermione. Both Percy and Annabeth frowned.

     "The legends certainly make him out to be that," said Annabeth.

     "But," added Percy, "If he were real, I'm sure he would have been a complete jerk."

     "Definitely," said Annabeth, glancing back up at the sky—specifically at The Huntress. Hermione wondered if there was more to the two of them than meets the eye. Then she almost face palmed at her own stupidity. Of course they're different, she thought. Just remember Annabeth's Yankee cap.

     Hermione was curious again. She wanted to figure who exactly her step-cousin was. She was best friends with Harry Potter, one of the nosiest in the world, after all.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling does. I do not own Twilight, Stephanie Meyer does. I do not own Percy Jackson, Rick Riordan does.