Won't Let You Choose

7

Skylar didn't have the chance to talk to Harry or any of the others after her mother left. Now, the Slytherin girl was just about to enter the library until she suddenly collided into someone. "Oh—! I am so sorry, I'm in a but of a rush— Skylar?" She heard Hermione's voice turn to worry as Skylar felt herself be helped back onto her feet.

"We didn't see you at all after yesterday. Did everything go alright with your mother?"
"Thanks... And yeah, everything went smoothly. Are you headed there now? Skylar asked referring to the Room of Requirements and Hermione have her a silent nod.

"So, what did you and your mum talk about?" Hermione asked while they walked the halls together. "Oh you know, just normal questions parents ask.. Though there is an interesting story she told me. About what my father tried to do after they had read my letters about Umbridge."

"Oh really? What did he do?" Hermione asked, interested in Skylar's story as a small smile appeared on her face seeing the same smile on the other girl's face. "Apparently... My father, after reading my letters for this year, was so appalled by the news of Umbridge being a professor here that he stormed right into the Minister's office himself!"

Skylar said with much amusement in her voice as she tried to keep her voice down to an respectable volume. Hermione looked at the girl with wide eyes and mouth gaping open, "What?! Why would he do such a thing for?" "To demand that the Ministry appoint him as our new professor instead. Thankfully my mother was there to put a stop to his plans."

"Why wouldn't you want your father to be here? Or would be a bad thing..." Hermione said, trying to be mindful that not everyone had a family like hers. Going unnoticed by the Slytherin and Skylar chuckled lightly. "No no not like that, never..."

"I love my father wholeheartedly. It's just... He isn't really the teaching type. And I would know because I'm his only student back at home."
"Oh really? How would you describe his teaching way then?" Hermione raised an inquiring brow at the girl.

"He's a bit too... Passionate and soulful. And a tad bit impatient and slightly a perfectionist which doesn't really mix well together."
"But aren't you a passionate and soulful teacher too?" Hermione glanced to look at Skylar with a smile but was only reciprocated with a confunded face.

"What do you mean by that?" Skylar asked and Hermione straightened her robes and mockingly clearing her throat. "I know you can do it Neville, you just have to make a deeper connection with your wand and the master who precedes you." She said, copying Skylar's wise and encouraging tone with a bad imitation of her own.

"I don't sound like that!" Skylar exclaimed offended, but there was a smile etched on her face and Hermione laughed at her reaction. Just then, there were a group of students who were walking their way and Skylar dared to take a step closer beside Hermione.

"Do I really?" She asked in a more hushed tone closer to the witch, their shoulders brushing against another as the group of students walked pass them. "You do and it certainly helped Neville anyways. I just thought it was...admiring and you looked so passionate to teach him." Hermione further teased with her dramatized choice of adjectives.

Skylar nudged at Hermione's side with her elbow for her teasing but the smile only remained on her face as she rolled her eyes. "Oh bugger off Granger." The familiar blank wall coming into view as it began to change with patterns appearing and slowly forming into two big doors.

When the two girls entered however, they were greeted with an empty room. "Where is everyone?" Skylar said glancing around the empty space.  "It got canceled. Umbridge and Filch must have been catching on to us." Hermione answered, seeing the notice on their bulletin board in Harry's writing.

"Well... Now what?" Skylar hummed, their footsteps loudly echoing in the room. "Do you have something else to do?" Skylar asked looking at Hermione. "No, not really. Do you?" She answered with a shake of her head.

"Yeah, there is one more thing I have to take care of now that I think about it." Skylar answered with a scratch behind her ear and the sudden realization in her eyes. "Oh... Well, are you free tonight then?" Hermione frowned seeing Skylar shift on her other leg for balance.

"For what?" Surely the D. A wasn't planning on meeting at night when it's most dangerous right? "Uhh... I was just wondering if you'd like to meet in the Astronomy Tower?"
"Planning on throwing me off the tower?" Skylar noted sarcastically with a raise of her brow.

"No! Never!" Hermione defended making a light chuckle exit out of Skylar. "I just... I'm curious about you, and I would like to know more other than Ron's stories about you." Hermione said, taking a step towards the girl.

"What makes you so interested? I'm merely just a witch from rather known family..." Skylar humbly stated, taking a step back. "Because I find you interesting." Hermione simply answered smiling as she took another step forward.

'Such smooth talkers these lions.' Skylar mused to herself, feeling an unfamiliar warmth on her face. "What's in it for me then?" Skylar cleared her throat. Hermione pondered her words for a moment, "...My undying loyalty as your friend...?" Skylar wanted to scoff at her face but resorted to an unimpressed look.

"How about I walk with you back to your common room after then?" Hermione asked expectantly.
"And risk being caught by Filch, or worse Umbridge?" Skylar rolled her eyes and prepared to turn around until Hermione's voice stopped her from doing so.
"I'll borrow Harry's cloak of course!"

"And he'll just let you use it just like that?"
"He'll have me to thank that he's gotten this far in Hogwarts, no offense. It's the least I can ask of him." Hermione countered with a small but knowing smirk; Skylar chuckled slightly at that.

"If you must be so persistent then..." Skylar dropped her shoulders with an exaggerated sigh giving in. Hermione smiled at her widely, though stopped midway in stepping closer unsure if it was a good choice. "I'll see you later then?" She asked again and Skylar only rolled her eyes before nodding her head.

Walking out of the Room of Requirement together, Hermione was first to walk off to a different direction leaving Skylar standing before the wall. The walls patterns slowly changing and the door shrinking slightly the more Hermione was out of view.

Skylar stepped inside once more, closing her eyes and chanting. "Ithum dissolutum, revelare tibi, quae sunt secreta mea."

————————¶¶

This one is short and kind of 'meh' since I was running out of time before school started again and I was almost dying just bc of my period❤️❤️