dursley [h. g.]

••dursley•• || the calm before the storm

{tw warning: there's some discussion of homophobic comments towards the end of the chapter}

The next month passed as though Kendra were sleepwalking. Damon had returned from home confused but unharmed by his father's actions. The man seemed to genuinely want his kids back in his life, as well as their mother. He and Matt had reconnected and Damon seemed happy enough to just be friends. Luna had come back with a copy of the unreleased Quibbler for all of them, having had a nice time with her father. Mabel had come back as she often did, with a bright smile on her face and all her energy in her feet- she always looked as though she was ready to do a lap around the castle.

Kendra hadn't told Lisa what Hermione had said, or done, in the hospital wing. She had dodged all questions as to 'what happened' by saying she would tell her when everyone was back from holiday, but January passed by with almost no incident. She was slowly isolating herself from her friends, not purposefully but the effect was the same.

February began with an ambush in the library. Harry, Hermione, and even Ron found her in the library and confronted her.

"Kendra, what has been going on with you?" Harry said, leaning over her and staring straight into her eyes.

"W-what?" Kendra stammered. "I dunno what you mean, Harry, I've just been studying all day."

"That's his point," Hermione said. "That's all you've been doing, for a month. That's not normal, even for you."

"Is it the... thing again?" Harry asked. Kendra stared at him for a moment, trying to puzzle out what exactly he was implying.

"You shouldn't even be worried about me," Kendra said suddenly. "The first task is two days away, have you even solved that clue?"

"This conversation isn't about Harry," Hermione said gently, though Harry had opened his mouth to respond.

"Though he has worked the clue out, for the record," Ron said, as though he were defending Harry's honor. Hermione ignored Ron.

"Kendra, Harry needs your help with this task. And your friends are getting worried. Turpin asked me if I knew what was up with you," Hermione said, her hands resting in her hips. Kendra buried her face in her hands, a little embarrassed.

"Fine, I'll help Harry. Meet you all here after class?" Kendra groaned, standing up and slipping her weightless bag onto her shoulder. Hermione stared at her, concerned, and the mad mix of butterflies and raucous guilt mingled in her stomach. Kendra had to swallow back bile, her vision swimming.

"Are you alright, Kendra?" Hermione asked softly. "You look quite pale."

"Yes," Kendra replied, blinking the fog out of her eyes and mind. "Just stressed."

"Well, don't be," Harry said, and Kendra stared at him incredulously. "You know what I mean."

Kendra snorted. "I'm going to go find Lisa and talk to her before she tries to unload all of her homework onto me."

"Good luck," Hermione said, her lips twitching before she darted out of the room.

"Is there something going on between you two?" Harry asked suddenly. Kendra shook her head and followed in Hermione's footsteps out the door, as fast as her half-asleep foot would let her.

As she had promised, she went to go find Lisa, who had been coming out of the prefect's bathroom just as Kendra walked by. "There you are!" Kendra sighed in relief, glad she wouldn't have to scour the whole castle for her. It was still before supper, with most of the students lingering in hallways or on the grounds, despite the frozen ground and chill that haunted them. "What are you doing in the prefects bathroom?"