Better than me? | Hermione Granger x Reader (GXG) (UNDER EDITING)

|| 7. First Day (UN-EDITED)

Y/N's response was calm but unwavering, her eyes shifting to her plate. "I've had enough," she replied with a nonchalant shrug, her tone casual and her expression almost vacant. Aurora couldn't help but exhale a sigh of concern, her worry unable to be concealed.

Leaning back in her seat, Y/N's gaze drifted to the side, her chin resting on her propped-up hand. Fingers idly played with the texture of a paper nearby, her thoughts evidently wandering elsewhere as she seemed immersed in her own world.

The silence that surrounded her contemplation was disrupted by a faint clinking sound beneath her. Her gaze shifted towards the source, her confusion evident in her expression. To her surprise, Sophia was adding more food to her plate, a small scoff escaping Y/N's lips as she shook her head gently. 

"I've already stated that I'm full," she asserted, her voice tinged with a mix of resignation and defiance.

Sophia's response was unyielding, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Eat," she commanded with a hint of authority, the demand cutting through the air. Y/N's lips parted slightly, her initial protest seemingly faltering in the face of Sophia's insistence. The two locked eyes for a moment, a silent negotiation unfolding between them.

Sophia's voice remained firm, devoid of any room for argument. "I said eat," she repeated with a determined tone. Yielding to the pressure, Y/N's expression shifted into a blend of resignation and annoyance. 

She picked up her cutlery and began to slice a sausage, her movements reluctant as she took a cautious bite. Breakfast had never been her favorite meal, and that much was known to her dorm mates – or was there something more beneath the surface, an unspoken complexity that she herself was grappling with? 

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Down the echoing halls of Hogwarts, Y/N strode with purpose, clutching a book in her hand, a task assigned to her by Professor McGonagall. Her destination: the Transfiguration classroom, where she was to retrieve some papers from none other than Professor Snape. 

However, the tranquil ambiance was suddenly broken by the sound of approaching footsteps. Y/N's head turned in the direction of the sound, her curiosity piqued. Yet, her curiosity swiftly transformed into astonishment as the scene before her unfolded like a surreal tableau.

Crash!

The sharp sound reverberated through the corridors, causing Y/N's grip to falter, and her book slipped from her hand, plummeting to the floor with an abrupt thud. Her brow furrowed in irritation as she surveyed the situation. Ron and Harry, in their usual blend of awkwardness and enthusiasm, found themselves sprawled across the floor, looking disoriented from their unexpected tumble.

Y/N's scowl deepened, a mix of exasperation and incredulity evident in her expression. "Potter," she muttered under her breath, her tone laced with a mixture of annoyance and disdain. Bending down gracefully, she retrieved her fallen book, her fingers brushing over its worn cover as she shot a pointed glare in Harry's direction.

As the two boys slowly pulled themselves up from the ground, Y/N couldn't help but let out a soft scoff, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Weasley," she added, her words dripping with a subtle but potent undercurrent of reproach. 

Her gaze directed daggers towards both Harry and Ron, though Ron, seemingly more sensitive to her disapproval, looked away in sheepish embarrassment. Harry, on the other hand, met her stare with a gaze that held a curious blend of steadfastness and something deeper, something that seemed to pass between them like an unspoken current.

"Crimson," Harry's voice cut through the charged atmosphere, breaking the momentary standoff. Y/N's gaze remained fixed on his, a silent exchange that spoke volumes without a word uttered.