Won't Let You Choose

2

Two days. Two days had passed since Hermione caught even a glimpse of the girl and talked to her again; only seeing her in the Great Hall and the occasional spotting in the library. Hermione herself didn't quite know what was wrong with her that she couldn't just approach the Slytherin in the library. But maybe this time would be where she finally uses her Gryffindor courage and talk to Skylar.

For the first time in Hernione's life she was walking into a library where she didn't have studying, or reading as her top priority.

Scanning through the aisles of shelves in pursuit of the girl to only find the majority empty or not the person she was looking for. To be honest, Hermione didn't have, or could think of a real reason to even talk to Skylar. Maybe it was because she was tired of only talking to Harry and Ron, or she was tired of only knowing the girls in Gryffindor being her circle of friends.

Hermione felt her legs that were such in a rushed pace suddenly stop frozen in her tracks as she stared through a shelf. There Skylar sat at the far end of the library on her own table by herself, witch rolls of parchment and books sprawled all on top. Skylar had her robes draped over a chair while she sat with furrowed eyebrows in concentration as her mouth moved whispering along the words of the book.

There was a moment where Hermione only saw Skylar in that moment while she stood on the opposite side of the shelf. Skylar groaned dropping the book on its covers seemingly frustrated. Running a hand through her bright blonde hair before swiftly containing it in a loose bun.

Skylar's head snapped at the sound of knocking wood. "Hey, you..." Hermione's soft voice spoke as her head peecked from the shelf adjacent from Skyler. "Hi.." Skylar's frown was replaced with a smile as soon as she saw Hermione, gesturing her her over to sit.

"You look busy, I shouldn't.." Hermione was prepared to decline, but Skylar shook her head. "No! Well- I am, but... I think I need a break right about now." She smiled bashfully, pulling out an extra chair for Hermione.

"It's Umbridge I assume? You looked like you were about to hex the book for a moment there." Hermione said lightly, glancing at the familiar book by her side. Skylar chuckled, "Did I? I was only trying to understand it. Though I guess we won't be understanding much of anything with her classes."

"We're meant to only learn the material by reading and writing since its the most secure and risk free' way of learning defensive magic." Hermione mocked the old woman with even placing her hands infront of her making Skylar laugh more heartily inside the library.

Realizing her actions, Skylar sent the bright witch a playful look. "Don't say it like that. You're going to make me laugh louder than when my friends were last here." "It wasn't my intention to make you laugh... Well just slightly." Hermione retorted sending her the same look.

Skylar rolled her eyes before going back on a more serious note. "I heard about you and Potter's defiance against her this morning." Hermione shifted in her chair, slipping her left arm under her robes. "Well someone needed to say something." The Gryffindor argued softly.

"Yeah but it landed you two in detention. Must you Lions always have to say something even when it guarantees your injuries?"
"Umbridge is a foul git who won't teach us properly. We were only doing what everyone was thinking, and what do you mean injuries? It's illegal for a teacher to harm a student you must know that."

Skylar only looked at Hermione with a raised eyebrow. "Don't lie to me. I've seen what she's done to the students who got her 'detention'. So out with it." She gestured over to Hermione's left hand which was conveniently tucked in her robes. "I'm going to give you something for it which I've given almost a handful of others who've been as reckless as you." She added need not to look at Hermione to see the skepticism on her face.

"I'm in no means 'reckless'." Hermione only defended. "Then would you like me to use 'impulsive' then?" Skylar retorted quickly, leaving the girl quiet and turning her head away. Slowly did Hermione reveal her concealed arm where the words 'I must not tell lies.' and Skylar took it gently.

"The moment Dumbledore introduced Umbridge at the start of term, I could just tell that somehow she was going to set an example by finding a way how to hurt the students." Skylar started, taking something from her pockets and in her hand revealed to be a small container of sorts. Hermione furrowed her brows in confusion clearly not expecting something like that.

"And so, after dinner I went straight to the medical wing for Madame Pomfrey, who not many know is my aunt. And asked if I could make something that could be of use to those who did get under her skin." Skylar undid the top swiftly and dipped a finger into the white cream. Sparing a glance at Hermione with a nod and with a feather-like touch she spread it along the girl's red scar of words.

"Does it feel alright?" The Slytherin asked softly, noticing how Hermione's hand twitched from the contact. "A little cold. Nonetheless, it feels a lot better now actually..." Hermione answered watching the girl intently. "Hold on, did you say Madame Pomfrey is your aunt?" She followed quickly.

Skylar smiled and chuckled quietly, "That's good. And yes, she is my aunt. From my mothers side." Answering the bright witch while finishing up on her hand, even taking a small roll of gauze from her pocket and gently dressing the girl's hand.

"Do you usually carry these stuff in your pockets everyday?" Hermione asked curiously. "The cream? Yes. The gauze? Not exactly. Only when I can get some." Skylar answered, however Hermione shot her a questioning look.

"Only when my aunt isn't looking. And besides, I've told her what Umbridge has been doing and she's secretly leaving more stuff for me to take." Skylar casually defended when finishing Hermione's hand.  "Then did you make it yourself then?" Hermione further questioned reffering to the cream, her curiosities getting the better of her.

Skylar nodded, "I did, it's a lot easier to make with non magical properties. Because then you'll know it'll only turn into a cream like consistency and not some green looking blob of eugh." Her words making Hermione bite back a smile.

Once Skylar finished with Hermione, she took the container of cream and put it in the girl's hand. "You can have it, I reckon Potter can use it too considering he might be Umbridge's least liked student right about now."

Later that night when Hermione returned to the common room, she spotted Ron and Harry by the fire. "We didn't see you in the afternoon, been cooped up in the library again?" Ron spoke first, seeing the girl from the corner of his eye.

Hermione cleared her throat while walking to sit on the couch with them. "Yeah I was..." She replied simply. Before returning to their game of wizards chess, Harry was the one this time to notice the white on her hand. "What is that? On your hand." He pointed, making Ron look as well.

Hermione sighed, finding that there was no use in lying with the two. "Skylar, she sort of...treated my hand after hearing what happened with Umbridge today." She said slowly and the boys began to widen their eyes at her. Hermione then pulled out the container Skylar gave to her hand and handed it to Harry.

"She knew you would need it too Harry, so she gave it to me instead. And apparently she's been secretly treating the other students about this as well."

"She's bloody brilliant for this. Well she's always been brilliant. Did you ask where she got this?" Ron asked while looking at the container in Harry's hand closely. "She makes it herself actually..." Hermione answered, feeling somewhat proud of Skylar's skills as the two boys gawked at her.

"D'you think the sorting hat put her in the wrong house?" Harry asked, undoing the top quickly and using a generous amount on his own hand. The cooling sensation easing the discomfort almost instantly.

"She has to be. Ain't ever seen or heard a Slytherin like her before." Ron added. Hermione's gaze shifted to the fire, feeling a small smile tug at her lips thinking back to Skylar. Probably the hat did or it had its reason to put the girl in Slytherin, either way, no matter what house Skylar came from. She'd still make a name for herself.