Hermione's Twin ⇒ Fred Weasley

Ch. 17: The Slytherin

Ch. 17: The Slytherin

Chapter Song: Your Nickle Ain't Worth My Dime by Sleeping With Sirens

"Honestly dear, you need not be here right now." The nurse sighed at me as she positioned the mirror in front of Hermione's teeth so that my sister could judge how they looked. It was a little hand-held one with silver ornaments carved into the sides that featured the Hogwarts Houses in their various forms, and Hermione took it gingerly, sniffling slightly as she did in embarrassment. "You should be in class."

Hermione nodded at me, her emotional moment had passed and she was now back to her motherly self. "Y-uh." She tried to speak, but the chompers muffled up her words, causing a flush to her cheeks.

"You sure, Mione?" I frowned, "I could always skip Advanced Potions."

Hermione shook her head at me, earning a groan from the Nurse. "Please don't move. This is temperamental magic, sweetheart."

For a small moment, I simply watched Madame Pomfrey work her tender magic, with her weathered features scrunched up in concentration. There was a pit in my stomach. Something solid and heavy, weighing me down from the inside like a creeping depression. My sister lay on her cot, her curly-haired head propped for the Nurse, and I decided that I was feeling anxious. Anxious for what Hermione must have experienced at this school, anxious about what we'd experience together. Clearly, this wasn't a progressive place when it came to Muggleborns.

Sighing, I picked up my bag and stood slowly, the chair scraping the cobblestone floor and verberating off the walls of the Infirmary. "I'll go then. At least I got to ditch Moody's class. He scares me." I muttered to no one in particular and left the Nurse's office quickly.

Running, I took the stairs down two by two, trying not to be late for Potions. I was sure Snape would not appreciate that. 'There go another few points for Gryffindor', I thought in annoyance.

I was so caught up in my own world, that I didn't detect another person coming up the stairs until I shoulder checked her and ended up dropping my bookbag. Cursing under my breath, I quickly apologized.

"Shit, sorry," I said, scrambling to pick up my scattered rolls of parchment.

The girl knelt down and helped me, pushing back the long sleeves of her blue and bronze trimmed robes. " 'S alright!" She assured me softly. We both stood as I pushed my jumbled mess into my bag. then took the few rolls from her arms. She was a pretty Asian girl was a Scottish accent, and looked to be a little older than me, from what I could tell.

"Hey, you're Elizabeth, right?" She politely smiled.

I stuffed the other materials into my bag, with my head tilted to the side in curiosity. I couldn't, for the life of me, remember her at all. "Do I know you?" I frowned. "Sorry," I immediately backtracked, not wanting to sound rude, "I'm bad with faces."

She blushed and looked down at her shoes. "Uh... No, but I have been meaning to introduce myself. You're kinda making a name for yourself." She stuck out a tanned hand and smiled. "I'm Cho Chang. I'm a Ravenclaw."

The name struck a whisper of memory in my mind, and I realized that I did know her... or, rather, of her. I could remember a short interaction between Harry and Ron on the train as Cho and her friends passed by, and if I remembered correctly, Harry had a little crush on Cho. I watched her a little more carefully, my interest piqued.

Quickly, I shook her hand and nodded. "OH, well it is nice to meet you. I actually think I've heard of you too." I spoke before I really thought about what I was saying.