The Night is Young | Hermione Granger

19. Enjoy The Silence

I just want to go for a run.

But professor Vector's voice cant help but drone on, and on, and on.

I've been running so much lately, my pouch is barely noticeable. I kind of miss it. But my legs look great, as Daphne tells me.

Granger looks like a corpse, I'm guessing she didn't get much sleep from worrying over the project. That puts a smile on my face - or rather, it would, if I would let it. And there's no perfect curl today, it seems like her hair has gained volume in her distress, but I'm pretty sure it's just from tossing and turning all night.

As much as I try, I can't stop staring at her.

She may have hurt me, but I've been admiring her for years, it seems wrong to stop now.

"That'll be all for today, thank you." Vector finally speaks, and the class gets up to leave. "Miss Moreau, Miss Granger, would you please stay back?"

I take my seat again, hoping whatever it is will be quick.

"I'd like to thank you girls for presenting first, it set a very high standard for the rest of the class." She shuffles through some papers before handing one to Granger a few seats ahead of me. "Congratulations."

I hear an audible sigh from the girl, then a thank you as the professor leaves the classroom.

Granger turns to me with a wide grin, then, as if she remembers something, drops it as quickly as she can.

I turn my eyes down to the chipped wood of my desk, for a school full of magic, you'd think they'd take better care of their supplies.

"We got an O." She appears right in front of me. I don't look up.

"Congratulations." I say, standing up to leave.

"Perfect - actually." She continues. "We got a perfect score all thanks to you."

"So I am good for something." I hiss and she recoils. "And I thought I was just a Slytherin."

"Look, Rosie, I didn't mean-"

"To put me down in front of your friends?" I ask. "Don't worry about it, I'm sure you do it to a lot of people. It'll help your chances with Weasley if he doesn't think you're soft on a Slytherin."

"Chantal, really, stop being so dramatic." Granger speaks up, stepping in front of me. "I'm sorry, alright?"

I shake my head.

"Sorry isn't going to cut it. I cared about you, Granger, but apparently I wasn't good enough to be civil with in front of your friends."

"I made a mistake! I was stupid!" She reaches for my hand but I yank it away. She scoffs. "Godric, it's just like you Slytherins never to listen."

I clench my jaw.

"I know that my house has some bad people, but not all of us are like that." I spit. "You'd think for a Gryffindor - the house that prides itself on tolerance - you wouldn't be so close minded."

She shuts her mouth at that, apparently not being able to come up with a comeback. I roll my eyes as I move past her.

"Chantal-"

"Save it, Granger." I don't stop.

And despite the corridors already being clear from the end of the day rush, I only hear my footsteps across the hall. No Granger chasing after me. That would definitely be a Gryffindor thing to do, chase after your lover and make a scene in front of everybody to display their love.