Magic? || Years 1-5

Mistake: Year 3

"Uh... why is that even relevant?" Amisty replied, dodging the question almost flawlessly. Except for the hesitation.

"Answer the question, Amisty," Hermione used her mothering voice and the raven haired girl immediately complied.

"I stuttered because -- well, it was so abrupt, and, you know, it sounded like he was asking for something -- you know, nevermind," She waved her hands, brushing it aside. "I stuttered but I didn't really think about it." Almost instantly she shot up, "Oh no, I should've thought about it first!"

"You're overstressing this. It's not like you hate each other as much as you did during our first year," Hermione chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand.

"But what about Ron and Harry. What're they going to think about this?" She whined, once again tugging on her hair.

"They don't have to know, right?" Hermione pointed out intelligently. "Tell them you'll be with me the entire time, they won't question it."

"I guess..." Amisty's voice trailed off. She didn't feel entirely convinced, even with Hermione's points.

"And even if they do find out, I would hope they care more about you rather than who you're with," Hermione added.

"Right," Amisty nodded, attempting to reassure herself. "Right."

-=+=-

The boys returned to the castle at nine o'clock. Amisty was sitting in the common room, waving to them as they came in. Hermione was buried in her Arithmancy book, not noticing their arrival.

"Hogsmeade, next weekend!" Ron exclaimed, eyes glowing at the news of the next visit. They took a seat at a table in front of Hermione and Amisty. "What d'you reckon?"

"Well, Filch hasn't done anything about the passage into Honeydukes..." Harry replied quietly. Amisty hadn't realized Hermione had set down her book until it was too late.

"Harry!" Hermione scolded, pushing away the book wall that had formed in front of her. Amisty sunk lower into her seat, waving awkwardly. "Harry, if you go into Hogsmeade again... I'll tell Professor McGonagall about that map!"

"Can you hear someone talking, Harry?" Ron asked, not turning to look at either of them. Amisty started at him, eyes wide.

"Ron, how can you let him go with you? After what Sirius Black nearly did to you! I mean it, I'll tell -- " Hermione started.

"So now you're trying to get Harry expelled! Haven't you done enough damage this year?" Ron snapped.

Hermione's eyes flooded with hurt, and she was about to reply when Crookshanks leaped in her lap.

She glanced once more at the furious redhead, grabbed her cat, and raced up to the girls' dormitory. Amisty just stared at the two of them, knowing it would be pointless to go running after the brunette.

Had they heard nothing from Hagrid?

"So how about it? Come on, last time we went you didn't see anything. You haven't even been inside Zonko's yet!" Ron was back to grinning as if his interaction with Hermione had never happened.

"Okay. But I'm taking the Invisibility Cloak this time," Harry replied. Amisty scooted out her chair with a loud screech, snatched up Hermione and her books with more noise than necessary, glared at the both of them, and stormed up to the girls' dormitory.

So much for giving Hermione a break.

-=+=-

Saturday morning Amisty woke up with a mixture of excitement and terror coursing through her.