IN BLOOM ━━ h. granger¹

𝟬𝟭𝟲. a second time

"Yeah, it will," Ron said fiercely. "You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help." 

"Oh, Ron!" Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck and broke down completely. Ron, looking quite terrified, patted her very awkwardly on the top of the head. Jules and Harry exchanged awkward glances. Jules wasn't big on tears, and neither was he.

Finally, Hermione drew away. "Ron, I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers," she sobbed. 

"Oh- well, he was old," Ron replied, looking thoroughly relieved that she had let go of him. "And he was a bit useless. You never know, Mum and Dad might get me an owl now."

The safety measures imposed on the students since Black's second break-in made it impossible for Harry, Ron, Jules, and Hermione to go and visit Hagrid in the evenings. Their only chance of talking to him was during Care of Magical Creatures lessons. He seemed numb with shock at the verdict. 

"S'all my fault. Got all tongue-tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me, Hermione. An' then Lucius Malfoy stood up an' said his bit, and the Committee jus' did exac'ly what he told 'em..." 

"There's still the appeal!" Jules insisted. "Don't give up yet, we're working on it!" 

They were walking back up to the castle with the rest of the class. Ahead they could see Malfoy, who was walking with Crabbe and Goyle, and kept looking back, laughing derisively. "S'no good, Ron," Hagrid said sadly as they reached the castle steps. "That Committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest o' Beaky's time is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him that." 

Hagrid turned around and hurried back toward his cabin, his face buried in his handkerchief. 

"Look at him blubber!" 

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had been standing just inside the castle doors, listening.

"Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?" Malfoy snickered. "And he's supposed to be our teacher!" 

Harry, Jules, and Ron all made furious moves toward Malfoy, but Hermione got there first, slapping Malfoy across the face with all the strength she could muster. Malfoy staggered. 

Harry, Ron, Jules, Crabbe, and Goyle stood flabbergasted as Hermione raised her hand again. "Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach!" 

"Hermione!" Juliet said weakly, as she tried to grab her hand as she swung it back. 

"Get off, Jules!" Hermione pulled out her wand. Malfoy stepped backward. Crabbe and Goyle looked at him for instructions, thoroughly bewildered. 

"C'mon," Malfoy muttered. In a moment, all three of them had disappeared into the passageway to the dungeons. 

"Hermione!" Ron said again, sounding both stunned and impressed. "You did not just punch him in the face!"

"Oh yes she did!" Jules beamed. "He got what he deserved."

"Harry, you'd better beat him in the Quidditch final!" Hermione said shrilly. "You better beat him, because I can't stand it if Slytherin wins!"

"We're due in Charms," Ron sighed, still goggling at Hermione. "We'd better go." 

They hurried up the marble staircase toward Professor Flitwick's classroom. 

"You're late," Professor Flitwick said reprovingly as Harry opened the classroom door. "Come along, quickly, wands out, we're experimenting with Cheering Charms today, we've already divided into pairs-" 

Harry and Ron hurried to a desk at the back and opened their bags, while Juliet found Calliope waiting for her. Ron looked behind him. "Where's Hermione gone?" 

Jules looked around too. Hermione hadn't entered the classroom, yet Jules knew she had been right next to him when he had opened the door. "That's weird," Harry said, staring at Ron and Jules. "Maybe she went to the bathroom or something?"

But Hermione didn't turn up all lesson. 

"She could've done with a Cheering Charm on her too," Ron said, as the class left for lunch, all grinning broadly. The Cheering Charms had left them with a feeling of great contentment. Hermione wasn't at lunch either. By the time they had finished their apple pie, the after-effects of the Cheering Charms were wearing off, and they started to get slightly worried.

All Jules knew for sure, was that Hermione was going to flip when she found out she had missed Cheering Charms. According to her, everything would come up on the exams, and honestly, studies were something Jules trusted Hermione with. 

( AUTHOR NOTE )
i hope you loved this chapter <3
we're about to close out act one very soon.