MAGIANIMA // Hermione Granger

Unfortunately

Everything had steadily gone downhill. After getting back from the hospital, Atlas had found Hermione nowhere to be seen and that continued through the entirety of the week. Only in lessons did she get a glimpse of her but even then she would run away as soon as class ended. Though there was one time she had accidentally stayed out of habit but before Atlas could even get a word in, she was gone.

So, she had been hanging around Harry and Ron most of the time, considering Hermione was avoiding the two of them as well after the whole 'Crookshanks ate Scabbers' accident. It had been awful on Atlas, the girl continuing to mope all day long, not even Quidditch practise knocked her out of her state and if it kept on, Wood had openly feared she might not be up for the match against Ravenclaw which, unfortunately, was today.

The Gryffindor team sat at breakfast, most talking loudly and animatedly at each other and their fellow housemates, some marvelling at Harry and Atlas's Firebolt's, expressing their premature congratulations as if they knew they would win. A lot of people were certain of it, after all, Harry - who was known for his ability to catch the Snitch every game - was going up against Cho Chang's Comet Two Sixty and Atlas was steadily making a reputation for herself as quite the capable Chaser who everyone went to watch during training.

A fair few though were eyeing Atlas cautiously. The girl was glaring into her bowl of porridge, as if it had personally been the one responsible for Hermione's avoidance of her. She didn't know what she had done wrong. What could she have done? What could Atlas do that would upset Hermione? There may have been some things but for Hermione to avoid her for so long, she must have done something terrible.

"Black!"

Atlas startled, looking up wildly and at Angelina and Katie, her two fellow Chasers staring at her worriedly. "W-what is it?"

"We've been calling your name for a while now," Katie said, glancing down at the bent spoon Atlas was holding with a touch of fear. "You alright? You're murdering that poor spoon..."

"Oh..." Atlas let go, feeling the fur on her hand disappear beneath her gloves. It was a good thing she was wearing them otherwise people might think she was a Metamorphmagi, which wasn't exactly false, after all, Animagi aren't supposed to be able to shift parts of themselves as Atlas could. However, at the same time, Metamorphmagi are born not made and she was certain she wasn't born with the ability to shift. Wasn't like she could shift into anything but a Dire-wolf either. Her case was a mystery that even Dumbledore had no idea how to solve or rather, he knew but didn't want to share with the class. "I'm fine."

"No...you're not, you've been glum since the night...Ron lost his rat," Angelina observed and Atlas noticed the hesitation, scratching the back of her neck awkwardly.

"It's not your arm is it?" Katie asked this time.

"My arm is fine," Atlas assured and then stood up, "I need a breather," she turned and walked out of the hall, adjusting her gloves uncomfortably as she glanced over at Hermione who - shockingly - had her head buried in a book. A huff of frustration left her as she pushed her way out of the hall, ghosts and stray students alike wishing her luck for the match.

"Las!" A voice called but Atlas didn't stop, instead, continuing until she was out of sight from the Great Hall's doors and turning to meet Cedric when he came around the corner. "Atlas wait -- woah!"

"What is it?"

"You're angsty, you're shoulders are tense, your eyebrows have been furrowed for so long I thought you might have been hexed, you were glaring at your porridge way too hard and you didn't even eat it!" He exclaimed, pacing in front of her, "I mean...is this self-sabotage?!"