Anything (Male Reader x Hermione)

Problems

(Y/N) and Hermione sat outside the Ministry building. Snow drifted softly out of the sky, resting on their shoulders and hats. Neither said a word. "Well," (Y/N) said, suddenly breaking the silence, "that could have gone better."

"Could have gone better?" Hermione asked. Her voice was slow and deadly. "I would rather die than do that again." (Y/N) looked back at the girl, a dark look in his eyes. "Sorry."

"Do you remember what I told Weasley the night this all started about building habits?"

"Vaguely."

"I think we need to start building . . . habits . . . regarding this."

"Habits?"

"Like I originally planned, we'll have to practice what they want."

"Only on the weekends, right?" (Y/N) nodded and a brief silence fell over the two.

"Misty found a way to free you, but I doubt you'll like it."

"How?"

"The only way for you to be truly freed is for us to . . . to get married . . . to each other." Chirs had to force the last bit out.

"Is being married to me really that terrible of a thought to you?" Hermione demanded.

"Are you still in love with Weasley?" (Y/N) asked, turning to face her. Hermione was silent, and she looked down. "Exactly." (Y/N) turned away from Hermione. "Besides, if we get married, we'll be married until I die, then you'll probably just be sent to Draco. Misty is looking for other options." Another silence fell over the two.

"Did you get to see Maia this morning?" (Y/N) nodded softly. "How is she?"

"Sad. She's excited for snow, but it's been something like nine weekends, and I missed this one except for a few hours yesterday evening for dinner and then this morning. She was wondering where you were. She wanted my mother to help you with your hair. We better get going; the sun is setting." (Y/N) roughly grabbed Hermione's hand, and the two disapparated.

(Y/N) didn't talk for the rest of November and a little into December, not during tutoring sessions, not in class, not in D.A. meetings, never. Maia understood something that Hermione did not and acted like nothing was wrong. In the middle of the night, before the last D.A. meeting, thunder shook the school. The blizzard outside had been battering the school since sunset. Hermione felt (Y/N)'s weight shift next to her, and the curtains opened briefly. She poked her head out just in time to see the door to the dormitory close softly. Hermione pulled a heavy robe on and followed (Y/N). Outside the dormitory, she saw the porthole close and followed. In the hallway, Hermione looked around and followed a black figure down the stairs. The figure disappeared into the Great Hall, and Hermione stopped at the front doors. "You should go back to bed, Granger," (Y/N)'s voice called out.

"You shouldn't do this, (Y/N), especially alone." (Y/N) looked at Hermione.

"Feel free to watch, then." He waved his wand, pulling Hermione into the room, and the doors closed behind her. (Y/N) pointed his wand at his heart. "Amato Animo Animato Animagus," he cast before downing a blood-red potion and tossing his wand to Hermione. (Y/N) grunted painfully as he slowly shrank. His cloak and skin melted into feathers, his arms widened and thinned, and his face elongated into a curved beak. A brick-red tail elongated from Yn's back, and, where (Y/N) used to stand, a Red-tailed Hawk took off towards the enchanted ceiling. After a few minutes of flying around, the hawk swooped past Hermione and started flying around her, doing all sorts of aerial acrobatics before landing on the ground and slowly turning back into (Y/N). "Well, that was remarkably successful."