CHAPTER NINE
❪ stars crossed ❫
"So, let me get this straight — your father gave you a letter telling you to represent your family at the Yule Ball. So instead of taking the girl you actually have feelings for, you take someone you hardly even know? Just to get into your fathers good graces?"
"That's not fair," Leo shook his head. "I do know her. Her name is Chloe and she's from Ravenclaw."
Seojun harshly slapped the back of his friend's shoulder, Leo's body launching forward but quickly catching himself. "What was that for, you twit?" His upper lip curled as he reached behind to massage the area.
"Why don't you just apologize and tell Hermione the truth?" Seojuns eyebrow raised.
The duo began walking again through the courtyard and coming near the Hogwarts wooden bridge. "Because I'm sure she hates me now," he admitted painfully. "Besides, any time I come across her, she's sitting with that bloody beast Krum."
Seojun let out a snort or amusement. "Jealous?"
"I'm just saying." Leo shot him a glare. "And Hermione doesn't need to know a single thing about my personal life. She's got her own things to worry about."
A firm hand grabbed his shoulder now, Seojun turning him around so they could face each other. "Maybe that's your issue. You shut her out without actually giving her a chance, she feels excluded from your thoughts when you're supposed to be best friends."
Leo opened his mouth but his friend quickly grabbed his face with one hand and squished his cheeks together. " — Stop being so bloody oblivious for once. And stop trying to speak for others, you might find that things aren't what they really seem."
Leo swatted his friend's hand away. "When did you suddenly become an expert at giving advice?"
He thought about it briefly before shrugging. "Just now actually. I think I had an epiphany." He backed away slowly and pointed towards the distance behind his friend. "Here's your chance now, don't blow it."
Leo spun around rather quickly and saw Hermione speaking with Harry on the bridge. Both of them indulged into their own conversation until Cedric made an appearance.
Seojun made his escape just as Hermione started to clear a path from the boys and head in the direction Seonghwa was standing. When her gaze lifted and they were almost bumping chests, she jumped backwards and went to excuse herself before he quickly grabbed her bag and pulled her backwards.
"Leo — !" It came out more as a whine but nevertheless it made his chest feel warm and fuzzy to hear that nickname.
"One minute, that's all I ask." He breathed out.
The curly haired girl slowly turned to face the boy, her gaze shifting up his tall figure as she remained silent.
His arms fell to his side and his lips dipped downwards in a small frown. "I'm sorry, for everything." Her eyebrow quirked up — waiting for him to continue as he anxiously began to pick at the skin around his nails. "I should never speak for you or assume your thoughts. I shut you out without really meaning to and never gave you a proper explanation. It was never my intention to hurt you, you're my best friend."
" — But please know my intentions were to take you to the Yule Ball. Nothing went the way I originally planned and I take full responsibility for it. Your feelings matter most to me and I didn't take into consideration how you would be feeling. I'm sorry."
Hermione shifted from one foot to the other, her eyes drifting towards the left and off into the distance. "It still doesn't really answer my question. I guess I'm just confused."
"I know, it's not something I can explain — " Her head shot up with a glare in his direction but he quickly held his hands up in defense. " — Right now. It needs to be done privately."
Hermione let out a small sigh of relief, something she didn't know she was holding onto before nodding her head in response. "Where do you want to talk?"
Leo gazed around briefly, eyebrows furrowing in thought before he glanced down at the girl. "Meet me at the astronomy tower tonight after dinner." The corner of his mouth tilted upwards as he began to back away. "I'll see you there, promise."
She smiled at him with admiration, knowing that his words were true.
Later that evening Hermione found Leo exactly where he promised to be. He was the first to leave the table at dinner, leaving no explanation to the others as he anxiously made his way to the tower.
He needed to mentally prepare himself for the details he was going to bring up to Hermione. Inner fear that she would look at him differently did cross his mind and he hated the fact his father installed this fear in him.
He wasn't sure how far he could go into explaining his personal life to the girl. He's always kept it a secret — any mention of his family would be ignored to the point everyone either got the hint or gave up.
Leo wasn't easily swayed to open up to many people — but Hermione was different. They shared the closet friendship compared to any other in Hogwarts. With the exception of Ron and Harry.
She made her presence known by clearing her throat, snapping Leo from his thoughts as he spun around from the railing. A small smile circling at the edge of his lips.
They were both cuddled up in warm jackets. Leo had a dark scarf wrapped tightly around his neck for good measure, but Hermione rushed up to the tower so quickly, she forgot how cold it was outside and only layered up with a jacket. Leo frowned at her appearance, wishing she'd take better care of herself this way. She might be the smartest witch at Hogwarts — but she did tend to forget about simpler things like her own health.
Leo unraveled the scarf from his neck and put it around Hermiones, fixing her curly hair in the process so they weren't squished underneath.
Her cheeks visibly grew red as she watched him fold the scarf to tuck away into the front of her coat. Once he was satisfied with his work and sure she wouldn't be cold, he turned to the sky and sighed.
"You got Ron and Harry gossiping at the dinner table tonight." She leaned her arms across the railing, finding it easier to get on top with the mention of their other friends. Almost like dipping their toes into the lake before diving straight in.
Leo's eyebrows raised the higher he looked towards the moon. His hands were clasped together, rubbing together briefly every now and then to keep them warm. "I'm sure I did. Who would've thought boys were better at spreading rumors than girls?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Terribly rude."
He looked down at her and grinned when he noticed her hidden smile.
The stayed silent like that for another beat or two, the air between them beginning to grow awkward. Leo knew he would have to open up now rather than later before things progress in a bad way. He didn't want their friendship being put on thin ice.
Leo cleared his throat and straightened his back. His fingers tapped against the railing in silence. No turning back.
"The reason I didn't ask you to the ball like I originally planned was because of my father." He pulled out a folded letter from his coat pocket and Hermione immediately had her focus centered on him.
" — My father is very strict. And because I wasn't put into Slytherin, I've practically dishonored and embarrassed the family name." Leo slowly unfolded the letter and handed it over to Hermione. "He isn't found of our house, obviously, and it would've angered him more if i took you on my arm."
Hermiones eyebrows furrowed with sadness as she read the letter. Something so small and short impacted his heart so deeply. She could see the pain in his eyes just from standing here and explaining the situation. Slowly, things were beginning to make sense for the girl.
"I could've taken you," he shrugged. "I don't normally like doing what he says anyways — seeing as he's so bloody demanding all the time; I get the urge to piss him off occasionally." Leo's eyes flickered to the ground below them, his arms now resting against the railing in front of him. "But I didn't want to risk something happening to you in any way shape or form. He has eyes and ears in this place."
She cautiously chewed the inner side of her cheek, folding the letter back up and turning to the boy. "Leo, has he ever — " she paused her sentence, debating if it would cross boundaries to bring up the mention of abuse. But she remembered the mark on his from the beginning of this year. She remembers the other times he's had a reden cheek or swollen jaw. Things he would pretend he did to himself out of stupidity, and maybe some others could believe it, but not Hermione.
His gaze turned to the girl now but she couldn't find it in herself to face him now. Her focused was centered on absolutely anything off into the distance, feeling ashamed and angry with herself for being so upset with him. She didn't understand before but she wanted to now.
"Don't worry about those things." He exhaled heavily. "It's not your burden to carry."
"That doesn't change the fact it happens to you." She softly scoffed in anger. A new emotion pouring out and growing hatred swallowing her up.
He smiled softly down at her, reaching over and moving a curl away from her eyelash. She glanced up at him in silence now, the air no longer full of thick awkwardness to keep them from moving forward. It was calm and peaceful, the way it's always been for this duo.
" — So does that mean you technically used Chloe." Hermione suddenly blurted.
Leo rolled his lips inwards before rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, basically, not my finest moment." He shoved his hands into his pockets and tipped his head backwards now. "I apologized to her already. I feared I might've ruined her evening because we didn't get to spend so much time together. But she made it clear it was the best evening of her life." He low chuckle came from his chest. "Call me a miracle worker."
Hermione quickly swatted his arm, the two of them bursting into laughter now until they could hardly breathe. The note was long forgotten now and so was their fight.
They descended from the stairs together side by side and Leo led her straight to the girls dorms, making sure she got back to her room safely without any disturbance.
His heart no longer weighed heavy as he got himself comfortable into his own bed. He took a mental note he'll have to thank Seojun later for that 'oh so friendly' piece of advice. Without it, Leo most likely would've talked himself out of it and never showed his face again.
He was already the burden child — so he believed it would only make it easier on everyone else if he disappeared.