"Heartbound Secrets | Hermione Granger x Reader (GXG)

|| 8. Classes

"Understand? And..." she continued. "Now, gently lower it into the other pot," she instructed, placing the Mandrake in an empty pot and carefully adding soil around it. "...and sprinkle a little soil on top to keep it snug."

Suddenly, a loud thud reverberated through the greenhouse, and Sprout sighed in frustration. "Longbottom forgot his earmuffs," she muttered with annoyance.

"No ma'am, he's just fainted," Seamus chimed in.

"Yes, well... leave him be," Sprout dismissed. "Alright then, let's carry on. There are plenty of pots to work with!" she announced. "Hold your Mandrake securely and pull it out," she reminded the class.

The second years resumed their task, handling the Mandrakes with care and following Sprout's instructions closely. The greenhouse was filled with the cries of the Mandrakes, muffled by the students' earmuffs, as they went about the re-potting process. Y/N and Hermione exchanged glances, both girls holding goofy smiles and occasional whispered comments as they worked together.

✴✴✴✴✴

In the Great Hall, Y/N and her companions were seated, their attention caught as owls swooped in, delivering letters to the students. Meanwhile, Ron was in the midst of a makeshift repair job on his broken wand, causing both Harry and Y/N to grimace in response.

"Go on, say it. I'm doomed," Ron muttered, his expression a mix of frustration and resignation.

"You're definitely doomed," Harry nonchalantly responded, while Y/N nodded in agreement.

Suddenly, a cheerful voice disrupted their conversation, accompanied by a blinding flash of light. "Hi Harry!" the voice exclaimed, causing Y/N and Harry to shield their eyes temporarily. "I'm Colin Creevy. I'm in Gryffindor too!" he introduced himself.

"Hey, Colin. Nice to meet you," Harry greeted with a friendly smile.

As the interaction continued, a less graceful entrance caught their attention. An old and raggedy owl flew in, colliding with a bowl of crisps, prompting a mix of groans and snickers from those nearby.

"Is that your owl, Ron?" Dean inquired, drawing attention to the situation.

"That bloody bird's a menace," Ron muttered, annoyed, as he carefully extracted an envelope from the owl's clutches. The owl, seemingly unfazed, regained its composure and flew off.

"Oh no!" Ron's voice quivered.

"Look, everyone. Weasley's got himself a Howler!" Seamus chimed in with an amused grin, drawing attention to Ron's predicament.

"Go on, Ron. I ignored one from my gran once. It was horrible!" Neville added, offering a sympathetic nudge.

With a mixture of anxiety and trepidation, Ron hesitated before opening the Howler. As he did, his face turned pale, and he dropped the letter in shock. The Howler transformed before their eyes, its animated paper forming fangs as it seemed to come to life.

"Ronald Weasley!" The Howler's voice boomed, filling the hall with its stern and scolding tone. Molly Weasley's voice could be heard, dripping with disappointment and anger. "How dare you steal that car! I am absolutely disgusted!" The Howler's reprimand echoed through the hall, its message clear and stern.

The letter continued to berate Ron for his actions, revealing the consequences of his reckless behavior. "Your father's now facing an inquiry at work ... and it's entirely your fault! If you put another toe out of line .... we'll bring you straight home and you will not be able to attend that trip to the Philippines!" The threat in Molly's voice was unmistakable.