Hermione Granger, Another Life - Year Two

22. Lions vs Snakes

It's been a week since the party and things... well things have changed. Katie and the others still had their nearly daily practice, while Hermione spent her time in the library or help Lee finish a product or potions for the twins. But what changed was... Katie, who felt relieved she told Hermione everything, now tried to avoid Angelina as much as possible. She made sure she never had a moment alone with her, even though Angelina tried to talk to her. Angelina even came to Hermione, to ask for her help. But she told the chaser to give her time, that Katie will talk when she's ready. The second thing that changed were the boys and Alicia as they spend a great part of their sparse free time with their 'conquests'. Alicia had been caught by Professor Sprout when she and Gavin were kissing in the corridor. Good thing that it wasn't Snape otherwise he probably would have used it for Slytherin's advantage for the game. Lee and Lena spend much time together at the library or going on walks around the castle. Then there were the twins. They had met up with the girls from the dance a couple of times to enjoy a kiss, here or there. And then there was Cedric, normally they would study together a few times a week, but every time she had come to the library, Oaklee nearly sat on Cedric's lap as they were sitting in the busy part of the library with her friends. When Hermione walked by to the secluded table in the back, Cedric sends her a smile, which often followed by Oaklee's glare. Hermione rolled her eyes for the millionth time as she strode to the back. It only thing that hasn't changed the past week, was that Blaise still studied at the same table in the back.

Hermione came down alone the morning of the first quidditch match, Gryffindor vs Slytherin. Not only was it the first game that year for the others, but it was also Katie's first game ever and Lee's first time announcing the game. When she woke up, Katie was already gone. She went to look in Angelina and Alicia's room a floor above her, but they were gone too. When she headed down to the common room, she looked up at the boys' staircase as she contemplated if she should go up. She was biting her lip when Ron suddenly came down the steps.

"They are already gone." Ron said when he noticed her standing there. "Oliver wanted them up early to talk strategies. Harry left about an hour ago."

"Oh, okay. Do you-" She started to ask if he wanted to walk together to breakfast, but Ron was already making his way to the portrait hole. "Rude." She scowled as she watched the red head disappear behind the portrait. She turned to the left when she felt eyes on her. Two girls from Harry's year, Lavendar and Parvati? She wasn't sure, where looking at her with interest. She looked at them with a raised eyebrow, the girls quickly turned their heads and Hermione walked out of the common room.

When she appeared through the large doors of the great hall, she looked around the room. The Slytherin table was covered in green; scarfs, hats, pins and much more all plastered on the kids sitting at the table. When her eyes skimmed over the Ravenclaw table, she saw a few red buttons on the clothes of a few witches. Her eyes went over to the Hufflepuff table, and her eyes widened a bit more when she saw a lot more red colours fill the table. Her eyes stopped at Cedric, who was wearing a Gryffindor scarf and hat, Matt and Gavin both wore scarfs in solidarity. Cedric laughed at something Matt had said before he lifted his eyes and found hers. He said something to his friends as he stood up, Matt and Gavin turned in their seats to look at her, they both waved at her and after she waved back the boys turned back. Hermione waited at the entrance of the great hall for Cedric as her eyes scanned the Gryffindor table at last. She saw the Gryffindor team, already fully dressed in their quidditch robes sitting at the table, looking a bit gloom. No one touched their food as they just stared at the table.

"They entered about ten minutes ago, no one has eating anything yet." Cedric said as he stopped next to her, his eyes on the red filled table.

Hermione looked away from the table and turned her head to Cedric. She smiled as she tugged his scarf. "You're a Gryffindor now?"