McKinnon

| CHAPTER TWENTY |

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    When she awoke, she was in her own bed, with a worried Hermione at her side. 
   "You're awake!" She exclaimed in relief. 
Sarai groggily sat up in her bed, "Wha--What happened?" She asked. Her eyes felt puffy from crying.
   Hermione frowned, "I don't know," She admitted, "Zabini, and Greengrass, they brought you here." Hermione, quickly pulled out a small wooden box from her bag. "Here, Professor Lupin said You'd forgotten this." She handed the Himitsu-baku to Sarai. 
  Sarai's expression darkened, at the sound of Remus's name, but took the box back. "Thank you." She said quietly. 
    She traced the engravings on the mahogany, silently. The thoughts of her spat with Remus, replaying in her head over and over again. She was furious, confused, hurt, and betrayed all at once. Most of all, she was worried for Snuffles. She glared angrily at the box in her hand, before shaking the thoughts away, very aware of Hermione watching her every move. She placed it on the side table, before getting up from her bed. 
   "I'm going to shower, I'll meet you for lunch?" Sarai asked, 
"Dinner, it's nearly five." Hermione said checking her watch. 
"Dinner, then."
      In reality Sarai had wanted nothing to do with dinner. Her face felt hot from embarrassment throughout her entire shower, as she pictured Blaise and Astoria's expressions from seeing her in such a blubbering state. She had never felt so vulnerable with anyone like that before. She shook the thoughts away once more, as she made her way towards the Great Hall. When she entered the hall, her eyes met Remus's, but she quickly looked away. She found her seat next to Dean and looked down at her empty plate blankly.
      Dean nudged her softly, "What's wrong?" He asked. Sarai shrugged her shoulders, staring hard. 
 "Nothing," She mumbled, "I don't want to talk about it right now."
     "Well, eat up," Seamus said across from her. He loaded mashed potatoes onto her plate, "Food always makes things better."
      Dean also helped him piled food onto Sarai's plate, finally causing her to look up at her two best friends.
   "Thanks," She said grateful. When she lifted her eyes, she saw Blaise at the Slytherin table staring directly at her. Observing quietly. His eyes flitted back between his plate and her eyes. As if waiting. 
    She rolled her eyes, but grabbed her fork, and shoved it into the mashed potatoes. She had made a big show she lifted her fork to show him proof, before shoving it in her mouth. Seamus looked at her bewildered "Are you sure you're alright?" Seamus asked incredulously.
     Sarai's face flushed, realizing how crazy she must have looked. She looked up at Blaise again to see him snickering. She ignored him, and turned back to Seamus, "Yeah, it's nothing." 

       Sarai had begun carefully avoiding Remus at all costs. She still didn't understand how Remus had found out about her and Snuffles, but rather than risk the rest of the year with detentions, she stayed put inside the castle. Instead, she focused most of her time with her friends and homework. Unfortunately, the appeal, Hermione had made for Buckbeak lost. The date of the execution still hadn't been announced yet, but it was the end of a losing war for Buckbeak. Sarai tried her best to comfort her, but it was no use. Luckily, it had seemed that Harry, and most importantly, Ron, had forgiven her for scabbers death. Sarai had seen the three of them inseparable, since the horrible news of buckbeak had come to light. Sarai, had taken matters into her own hands afterwards one night, and threatened to hex the bollocks off of both of the boys if they had ever tried to abandon Hermione like that again.  They had taken her threats to heart it seemed, because Hermione seemed to be in a bit of a better spirit. She had also doubled over in laughter, as she found out from Dean, that she had taken to slapping Malfoy across the face for making fun of Hagrid during her class. 
    Again, the more time she spent with Hermione, the more she began to hold her in a higher regard. She began to dearly treasure her as a friend. Sarai, was definitely confused that day in class though, when Hermione hadn't turned up to their charms lesson. 
   "Oy!" She hissed at Harry from her seat next to Seamus, "Where's Hermione?" 
   Harry and Ron exchanged looks before shrugging their shoulders, "She was just behind us when we got to class. I haven't got a clue." Harry answered earnestly. 
   Hermione had chosen the worst day to skip class. The class went marvelously, if Sarai had to describe it. Professor Flitwick had definitely chosen the right time to introduce cheering charms to the class. "I reckon, Hermione could have done well with a cheering charm used on her too," Sarai mused to Dean and Seamus at lunch, all her classmates sporting broad grins on their faces. The cheering charms had left her with a feeling of great contentment, as she dug into her apple pie. 
    Her thoughts had crossed to Remus, and their spat, and it felt as if it hadn't mattered anymore. It was obviously due to the effects of the charm, but she almost wished she'd been able to speak to him. Return to their routine of life inside the castle. Badgering him after class. But she pushed the thought to the back of her mind as the three made their way towards their next class. Ancient-runes.
    Michael,  unfortunately had to miss the class due to a concussion, he'd gotten from a scuffle with another student in the corridors. So she was left to endure the class alone, unless Hermione decided to show turn up. After walking her to her class, she bid Dean and Seamus goodbye, before entering the classroom. The lesson had yet to start, so she dropped her books by an empty table and plopped down, a little disheartened the cheering charm had worn off. She propped her chin up in her hand and waited, for class to begin. 
   Suddenly, she heard someone else drape their school-bag on the back of the chair beside her, and she turned to see someone plop down beside her. 
   "Feeling better, McLupin?" 
  "Why are you sitting here?" Sarai asked suspiciously. 
  "Relax," Blaise said, earning an irritable huff from Sarai, "Theo's skipping class, and I heard Corner's in the hospital wing. Figured I couldn't leave both of us lonely now, could I?" 
   Sarai rolled her eyes. "Just don't expect me to catch you up when you get confused in today's lesson." 
 Blaise smirked, "Wouldn't dream of it." 
  Before Sarai had a chance to respond with a quip, Hermione  burst through the door, looking as if she'd just completed a marathon around the castle. Sarai stared at her bewildered, as she noticed the bits of hair sticking to the side of her face, likely from drool. 
"S--sorry," Said Hermione through gasps as she fought to catch her breath, "Missed you in class." 
   From beside her, she could hear Blaise mutter under his breath, "Looks like she could use a few days off." 
Sarai impatiently, kicked his shin under the table, while giving Hermione a smile, "You finally get some rest, then?" She asked kindly. 
   Hermione gave her a weak smile, as she plopped down at the table in front of them. "Sort of," She admitted. She then gave Blaise an odd look, before looking at Sarai curiously. 
   Before she could even begin to ask a question Blaise shrugged his shoulders, before interrupting the conversation.
   "It's a small class, Granger. I didn't want to be bored the entire time." He said in a nonchalant voice, "Plus, McLupin's the most entertaining to be around when she's annoyed."
"It's McKinnon." 
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