whispers (h.g x fem oc) book 2

Chapter #18

Ginny chuckled knowingly. "Oh, come on! It's so obvious. You and Hermione, it's like a story waiting to unfold."

Alexia rolled her eyes, attempting to deflect. "We're just friends, Ginny. I don't know where you're getting these wild ideas."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Sure, just friends. That's what they all say. But the way you look at her tells a different story... And... Friends don't ki-"

"GINNY SHUT UP"

Ginny laughs and even Neville joins her,  Alexia groans and hides her face in her hands.

Ginny nudged Alexia again and whispered, "Looks like you're attracting attention from more than just Hermione."

Alexia peeked through her fingers and noticed the Beauxbatons girls watching her. She couldn't deny the flutter of discomfort in her stomach. "Great, just what I needed," she muttered.

Ginny grinned mischievously. "Don't worry; it's not like you asked for a fan club. But who knows, maybe they're just impressed by the mysterious wielder of the Ancient Magic."

Rolling her eyes, Alexia mumbled, "Yeah, because that's exactly what I need—more attention."

Ginny patted her on the back. "Well, you can't control who notices you, but you can control who you want to notice. And from the looks of it, you only care about one person."

As Alexia sighed and nodded, she couldn't deny that Ginny had a point. The attention from others might be distracting, but her focus was entirely on Hermione, especially with the Yule Ball approaching.

---///---

Alexia stood in front of the mirror in the second-floor girl's bathroom, practising her lines for what felt like the hundredth time. She was preparing to ask Hermione to the Yule Ball, an event that stirred an unusual nervousness in her, a feeling she wasn't accustomed to.

"'Mione, would you, uh, consider going to the Yule Ball with me?" Alexia muttered to her reflection, her usual confidence waning.

Moaning Myrtle's ghostly form appeared with an audible sigh, hovering near the bathroom mirrors as Alexia practised her lines. "Oh, what's this? Little Alexia preparing to ask someone to the Yule Ball? How utterly charming and simultaneously pitiful."

Alexia turned to see Moaning Myrtle, the resident ghost of the bathroom, hovering nearby. Her ghostly presence added an unexpected layer of complexity to Alexia's already nervous state.

Alexia, trying to maintain her composure, replied, "Yeah, Hermione. I'm planning to ask her."

Myrtle's eyes gleamed mischievously. "Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age. Do you think she'd say yes?"

For a moment, doubt crept into Alexia's mind. What if Hermione turned her down? What if she was misreading the signals? Myrtle's ghostly presence seemed to magnify the uncertainty that Alexia was desperately trying to push aside.

"Is it worth the risk?" Myrtle continued, her ghostly form floating closer.

Alexia, now caught in a whirlwind of self-doubt, looked at herself in the mirror. The reflection staring back seemed vulnerable, questioning the decision that had felt so certain only moments ago.

Myrtle's ethereal voice echoed through the bathroom as Alexia attempted to regain her confidence. "Oh, what if your dear Hermione isn't ready to be seen in public with another girl? The wizarding world can be so judgmental, you know."

The weight of Myrtle's words hung heavily in the air, causing Alexia to second-guess herself. Thoughts of societal expectations and potential judgment from others infiltrated her mind, and suddenly, the once-confident witch felt a surge of insecurity.