xv.
i love you means you're never, ever, ever getting rid of me
(Never Ever Getting Rid of Me by Sara Bareilles)
__________
September 9, 1976
Hermione's eyes widened when Lily and Severus piled heaps and heaps of parchment at her feet.
"Well, you did say you'd like to have our OWLs notes," Lily said, her green eyes glinting in amusement. "So, here they are."
"I didn't think it would be this... towering," the brunette said, shifting her legs on the green grass to make more room for her best friends' notes.
"Please, Hermione," Severus scoffed, "we took our studies seriously last year, compared to the four Gryffindor buffoons you started to babysit." His lips curled in disgust at the mere thought of the Marauders. "I still can't believe you managed to last hanging out with those imbeciles. Didn't your brain shrivel up from engaging with inane conversations with such fools?"
Hermione snorted. "Remus' humongous brain makes up for it," she joked, followed by a laugh. "And they're not imbeciles. They managed to get decent OWL grades that could still qualify them to become Aurors in the future."
"Did they get more than five 'O's?" Severus asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"Well, no—"
"End of discussion," the Slytherin said as he snootily lifted his pointy nose.
Hermione rolled her eyes and started to browse through their notes. She scooted over a bit to give more room for Lily, who sprawled on the grass across from Hermione and started to take out some of her school materials. "Not everybody's a genius like you, Severus Snape," Hermione snapped back. "Besides, Remus got nine 'O's! That's as many as Lily's. You got eight."
Lily snickered when Sev's eyes narrowed in retaliation.
"But they really did well on their OWLs," Hermione quickly added. "None of them got a failing grade. Even my brother!"
"And it's all thanks to you," Lily teased.
The Ravenclaw's cheeks reddened. "I just forced them to focus," she interjected. "They did most of the hard work, really."
"Humility doesn't suit you, Pettigrew," Severus said, pushing Lily further towards Hermione so that he could sit on the patch of grass beside her.
"Git," Hermione hissed, grasping a few of their parchments to swat him on the arm.
Severus darkly glared, muttering 'violence' and 'annoying witches' under his breath. In spite of his sour mood, Hermione smiled, happy that at least Severus was acting normal. She had worried greatly over the remaining days of summer about what would happen to him after his mother's death. Hermione had exchanged letters with Lily for an update on their best friend, because Sev always responded curtly to her letters. Lily assured Hermione that Severus was doing well, that he had spent the last few days of summer making his home more liveable.
"Are you making your own study schedule again this year?" Lily asked incredulously, grasping onto the abandoned parchment Hermione had been working on before they had arrived.
"It's my OWLs year," she pointed out. "I can't afford to slack off."
"Blimey, Hermione, this is more rigid than the ones you made for us last year!" Lily exclaimed. Severus quickly grasped the parchment from her hands to scan it with his own eyes.
Hermione absentmindedly scratched her cheek and snatched her unfinished schedule away from the Slytherin's hands. "I can't afford to slack off now," she repeated with more emphasis. "Speaking of which, you can't afford to slack off now. You might not have any major exams this year, but you will have your NEWTs next year."
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear you say anything at all," Severus drawled, closing his eyes and calmly leaning his head on the oak tree behind him.
"NEWTs are more important!" Hermione cried.
Lily sighed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Shh, Hermione, let us have our well-deserved rest," the redhead said, grinning widely at the younger witch's glare. "But tell you what? I'm going to study with you this year as often as possible, because I know you're going to study yourself sick and you need someone to take care of you."
"I can take care of myself," she pointed out with a petulant frown.
"Now, I'm going to pretend you never said that because you and I both know you go bonkers over studying, resorting to unhealthy practices that any sane human shouldn't do," Lily said with a sigh. She placed her chin on top of Hermione's shoulder and intently looked at her. "Seriously, though, you should take it easy this year, Hermione. We've taken the OWLs and I can vouch that it isn't too hard, contrary to popular belief. I even think you have enough stock knowledge to get you an 'O' in all of your exams as you are now."
Hermione knew that too, because she'd taken these exams once before. She highly doubted the coverage of the exams had changed. But, she couldn't afford to slack off now. Loathe as she was to admit it, but she had been mighty embarrassed with her lone 'E' in her last OWLs. She vowed to herself that since she had a second chance this time, she'd pass her Defence Against the Dark Arts with flying colours.
"I'll be fine," Hermione lamely replied.
"Pettigrew, please," Severus sighed. "If you're going to spout more lies, I think it's best if you just keep quiet."
Lily grinned at the sourpuss, then apologetically smiled at Hermione. "He's right," she said, chuckling lightly at Hermione's annoyed scowl. "You should— SHITE!"
The redhead tried to make herself as small as possible, even using Hermione as a human shield. The brunette, startled by Lily's sudden change of attitude, craned her neck over her shoulder and looked at her best friend in confusion. "What's wrong, Lils?" she asked, worried.
"Please tell me Potter and his stupid posse aren't coming towards us," Lily begged, hope tinged in the tone of her voice.
Hermione's head swivelled around, her eyes scanning the throngs of students in search of the Marauders. It wasn't too hard to spot them, with James and his glinting hazel eyes leading the whole group. They all caught Hermione staring and Sirius sent her a wicked wink.
The brunette frowned and looked away.
"Well," she slowly started, "you said if I'm just going to spout more lies, I should just keep quiet."
Lily groaned. "I can't believe he's still being so persistent," the redhead complained. "Not even a week has passed since the school-year began, but he's already been so obnoxious."
Hermione was brought back to their Welcoming Feast - after all the first years had been Sorted, James had spectacularly conspired with the Hogwarts house-elves to pile all of Lily's favourite meals for her to devour on the table in front of her. Lily was red in the face, screaming her disgust at the outrageous boy, and had no choice but to accept all the meals prepared by the sweet, sweet house-elves, lest they realised she wasn't pleased with their work and started banging their heads in shame. Hermione's nose had crunched at the thought of using poor house-elves for his extravagant wooing, and whole-heartedly agreed when Professor McGonagall bestowed a week of detention for James.
James was growing persistent, that much she deduced. Usually, it was obvious when he was brewing some great wooing, but this time, he did it unexpectedly. Lily was always caught off guard and frustrated in the end. It was mighty obvious that the Gryffindor redhead was starting to grow uncomfortable with all of James' advances. Hermione herself couldn't deny that James' behaviour was bordering inappropriate.
She made a mental note to reprimand him then, because really, she somehow fancied herself into thinking that they were already friends – closer than the previous years – and he might listen to her.
But then, she'd remember the kiss and she'd get flustered.
It was a huge relief that James didn't seem bothered by it at all, continuing to act like the utter toerag he was. And Hermione was fine with that because at least she didn't have to tiptoe around him, avoiding him at all costs, and thereby making everybody suspicious. But it frustrated her immensely how her body reacted every time he was near. Her cheeks flushed red, and her eyes always magnetised towards him, no matter the distance between them.
It was mortifying too because she knew what was happening to her. She'd felt this briefly with Viktor, and then for years with Ron and it was confusing and terrifying at the same time because this was James Potter. He was Harry's dad, Lily's future husband, and Peter's best friend. He should only be a friend to her, nothing more, because then it would be disastrous and Hermione had been trying so hard over the years to avoid any disasters.
She blamed this unwarranted attraction purely on adolescent hormones. She told herself countless times he looked exactly like Harry, and that was enough to curb whatever physical admiration she had for the bespectacled wizard. All she felt for Harry was purely platonic, a deep friendship forged by a war and numerous adventures.
But the thing was James was not Harry. He was far from being like Harry with those ridiculously mesmerising hazel eyes, or that lopsided smile that made her insides clench, or that air of confidence that always followed him wherever he went.
And he was a bully! Hermione hated bullies, cursed them endlessly for making her life a living hell during her days as Hermione Granger. So it didn't make sense, not at all, why looking at James Potter now evoked a certain gooey feeling in the pit of her stomach that she didn't like at all.
'No, no, fuck no,' she told herself again, firmly this time. There was no time for these silly feelings – emotions she knew would only produce disastrous consequences for the future. She was in fifth year now, so she had OWLs to focus on. Hermione just had to bury herself in studying and this stupid crush for James would soon subside. It happened with Viktor. It almost happened with Ron, but that wasn't the point. The point was it would happen with James too, she was sure.
"I'm going to scat," Lily hurriedly said, shouldering her strap and jumping up. "Bye, Hermione!"
The redhead then pulled Severus onto his feet and dragged him with her. The Slytherin loudly protested at why he had to leave too, but glared darkly at the Marauders when they zoomed past them.
"Evans! Hey!" James called, a put-out frown on his face. "Where are you going?"
But Lily and Severus were already stomping into the castle, leaving the frustrated bespectacled boy alone.
"All right, Whiskers?" Sirius hollered, as he now tugged James towards the brunette.
"Whoa, what are these?" Peter asked, leaning towards the pile of notes that reached almost to his hip.
Hermione smiled in greeting and shifted aside to let her brother sit down beside her. Remus occupied Severus' place and silently snatched a parchment off the towering pile. "Lily and Severus gave me their OWLs notes," she explained.
"I can lend you my notes, too," Remus offhandedly offered. "They're still in the dormitories."
"That would be lovely, Remus, thank you," Hermione said with a smile.
"You take notes?" Sirius asked, wrinkling his nose.
James snorted and shoved his shoulder. "Of course he takes notes," he pointed out. "Have you forgotten we have a swot as a best friend?"
Remus merely sighed and rolled his eyes, not even bothering to give a comment. Hermione smiled in sympathy and rummaged inside her pocket, pulling out a half-eaten chocolate bar from her robes. "Here," she offered, leaning over Peter to look at the exhausted werewolf. "Just to trigger some endorphins."
"Endor-what?" Sirius asked, grabbing onto the chocolate bar and taking a bite.
The werewolf glowered and snatched the candy bar for himself. "I thought chocolates were poisonous to dogs like you, Black?" he snarled, hugging the chocolate to himself like it was a treasure.
"I'm not exactly a dog, Cranky Remus," the shaggy-haired Gryffindor reminded. "If I die, then who would you insult during your crankiest moods?"
Remus sighed once more and sourly took a bite from the chocolate.
"You always carry around chocolate with you?" James asked, addressing Hermione for the first time.
She willed her cheeks not to flare up as she casually glanced at the curious wizard. "Habit," she vaguely said. Like her habit of bringing a Sobering Potion anywhere she went, Hermione knew Harry loved chocolates too. If he'd been too despondent, she found out that chocolate may lift his spirits a bit. Of course, these sweets had been a luxury during their run, and Hermione now made it a point to always purchase some and carry in her robes, especially because there was someone – namely, Remus – who needed some boost of happiness. "Besides, someone needs to take care of Remus."
"I don't need to be taken care of," the werewolf protested. His cheeks, however were painted red, clearly embarrassed by Hermione's words.
Something glinted in James' hazel eyes that made her tear her gaze away from him. "Of course you do, Moony," she teased, leaning across Peter once more to pat Remus on his shoulder.
Sirius then snatched her half-finished schedule and scanned it with a sneer. "Why are you even bothering to study for your OWLs this year?" he asked in disbelief. "You practically studied the coverage already because you studied with us last year!"
"I cannot afford to slack off," she repeated for the umpteenth time, lifting her chin in defiance.
"Hermione," Peter drawled, a warning glint in his eyes, "don't tire yourself too much. Or I'll be forced to owl Mum! I won't be surprised if she sends over a Howler to you, yammering about the importance of taking breaks."
"As if Mum can stop me," Hermione said with a laugh. She yelped when Peter suddenly pinched her side. "Peter!"
"Stubborn witch," he grumbled, wrapping an arm over Hermione's shoulders. "But seriously, Herms, don't study too hard."
Hermione expelled a humongous sigh. "I'll try," she said, the corner of her lips twitching when he frowned. "I'm sure if I said 'I will', you wouldn't even believe me."
"Clever kitten," Sirius pointed out with a smirk.
"Fine," Peter said with a soft laugh. "That's enough, I guess."
Hermione then pierced the four with a glare. "I'm going to be really busy this year but that doesn't mean you can neglect your studies," she said. "NEWTs are coming and you have to be prepared."
Their collective groans made her smile. "Iron fist, remember?" she teasingly reminded. "Anyway, don't you have to go to class now?" She briefly glanced at her wristwatch and noted that lunch break was over.
"And you don't?" James asked.
She looked at Sirius like he was the one who had asked her the question. "I have free time for the rest of the afternoon," she said.
"Free time to do what?" he insisted.
"To study, of course," she answered with a frown.
"Of course."
There was something in the tone of his voice that made her glance at him. James' hazel eyes were impossibly glinting and it made her a tad dizzy. The small, lopsided smile on his face wasn't helping her suddenly frazzled mind at all, honestly.
"So, yes," she briefly said, immediately lifting her half-finished schedule to hide her pink face behind. "You had all better go."
Peter gave her a hug and they all bid her a chorus of 'goodbyes'. Hermione slowly lowered her parchment and looked at their retreating backs, her gaze once again latching onto James' back as he wildly laughed over something Sirius had said.
'Bugger,' she sourly thought, catching herself. 'This will be harder than I thought.'
__________
September 10, 1976
"May I join you?"
She lifted her large eyes and looked at the smirking Regulus Black. She stared a tad bit, surprised that he himself had grown taller over the summer. His hair was still gelled stylishly so strands wouldn't fall and obscure his eyes. His uniform was ridiculously impeccable and pressed, and she hazarded that the velvety robes he donned over it would have cost more than all of Hermione's clothes combined.
"Of course," she said, realising that he had quirked an eyebrow at her long silence.
The Slytherin's smirk morphed into a small smile before pulling the chair and sitting down across her. Hermione watched him cautiously as he pulled out a Potions textbook from his bag and neatly placed a parchment and some writing materials on the desk.
He looked up, feeling her gaze on him, and frowned. "Is something the matter?" he asked.
"What are you doing?" she blurted out.
His frown deepened as he lightly gestured at his things. "Studying, obviously," he said. When Hermione continued to look confused, he sighed and leant back on his chair. "I'm in need of a competent study partner this year for OWLs too."
"You still want to study with me?" she asked, surprised. They'd studied together a few times last year, but most of the time they did it in silence. Regulus occasionally asked questions, and Hermione would answer, that was it.
"You simplify things I need to understand," he confessed. "I plan on sticking around again this year to keep my grades up."
"I thought you said grades didn't really matter when you're practically swimming in galleons," Hermione pointed out.
Regulus expelled a soft snort. "I didn't say that," he interjected. "I mean, yes, grades don't really matter if you're now officially the heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black" – Hermione swore there was snark when he spoke those words – "but my parents still expect the best from me. A worthy Black heir should still have decent OWLs marks."
It didn't escape her notice how his jaw tensed at his words. In fact, she now noticed that the black circles under his eyes were more prominent than the last time she'd seen him. He looked gaunter, more tired, and Hermione wondered what he had had to undergo just to become the new heir to the Black family.
She wasn't privy to how Sirius had been officially disinherited. Every time the topic about his family was brought up, Sirius becomes so tetchy that no one even bothered asking anymore. She knew that James knew, though, seeing as he was his closest friend. But even James was tight-lipped about it.
"I study madly," Hermione finally said, unsure how to react to his previous statements. "Especially now that OWLs are approaching. Even though we studied a few times last year, my study habits will differ now."
To her surprise, Regulus slipped an easy grin on his face. "I heard you had gone mental with my bro – Sirius and his friends last year," he lightly said, his grey eyes brightening up in amusement. "I also heard that none of them got a failing grade, which is saying something because everybody knows Peter Pettigrew isn't exactly the brightest of the lot."
"Watch it," Hermione warned, her eyes narrowing.
"Apologies, I meant no harm," he said, briefly raising his hand to appease the annoyed brunette. "What I am trying to say is that your reputation as the brightest witch of her age precedes you, Pettigrew. Maybe if I studied with you for the rest of the year, my grades may be decent enough to make my parents proud."
She silently stared at him, slowly ingesting the words he was saying. She knew he was one of the intelligent students in her year, having been part of the top group of students consistently each school-year. She'd seen him study in the library too, so she knew he'd take this seriously.
However, he was still a future Death Eater, never mind how he changed sides prior to his untimely death. Also, she highly doubted he was a Death Eater now, but soon...
Although he was coolly looking at her, waiting for a reply to his proposition, she could see his underlying hopefulness and nervousness in his eyes. He genuinely wanted to study to get good OWL grades and maybe he genuinely wanted to make his parents proud too. Being the new heir might have already taken a toll on him, and the added pressure of doing great in his studies might be too much. Maybe he needed someone he knew he could rely on academically, and well, who else could help him but the brightest witch of her age herself?
Yes, this relationship would be purely based on their desire to pass the OWLs with flying colours. It would strictly be academic, and if Hermione didn't engage him on topics other than their lessons, then this might work. So that after he was finally Branded, she could turn a blind eye and might not feel too much remorse.
That particular thought left a bitter taste in her mouth, but Hermione swallowed that down and grew resolute. She wouldn't meddle too much with his life – granted, it would be a difficult one – and she shouldn't concern herself with whatever he was bound to choose in the future.
He just needed a study partner. That was it. She could do that.
"Fine," she finally said. Her lips twitched unwittingly when he visibly deflated in relief. "But, I must warn you that I study with Sirius and his friends sometimes. Your paths may cross multiple times."
His gaze hardened at the mention of his brother. "Whatever my bro – that bastard does with his time does not concern me," he harshly spat.
Hermione narrowed her eyes, not liking his tone one bit. "Your brother isn't all bad," she slowly said. "I don't appreciate it when someone insults my friends and my brother all in the span of ten minutes."
Regulus scoffed. "Not all bad?" he said, disregarding her last sentence. "He is a coward who ran away from his responsibilities. A Blood-Traitor in cahoots with Mudbloods and fellow Blood-Traitors. He is no brother of mine."
Her heart clenched at how passionate he was in his speech. "Well then," she snarled, "if I understand how you categorise people in that head of yours, I am also a Blood-Traitor in cahoots with Mudbloods and fellow Blood-Traitors."
Her ire flared at his casual insults. Hermione wasn't really bothered by the word 'Mudblood' anymore after being called that vile name for years during her past life as Hermione Granger. But to hear someone insult her friends as such, well, Hermione just really couldn't keep quiet.
"If you want to be my study partner," she continued with a deathly glare, "then I suggest you stop spouting those ridiculous things in front of me. Better yet, I hope you realise that what you're saying is born out of bigotry and stupidity because I will never, ever associate myself with people with such a ridiculous mindset."
She was breathing heavily now and she knew she'd stunned him, for Regulus' eyes had widened at her words. He could get mad at her for all she cared; if he had Sirius' temper, she was sure he would never associate himself with her again.
But Regulus Black surprised her greatly because he looked properly shamefaced. Whatever mask he constantly wore around people shattered into pieces, guilt shining through his eyes. His cheeks grew pink with embarrassment and he couldn't even match her gaze.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I was out of line."
"W – what?" she gasped, mightily confused. "Seriously?"
The Slytherin uncharacteristically slumped forward and braced his arms on the table. "If you spend a lot of time with Slytherins with such an ideology," he lowly started, "it is quite hard to resist adopting such things, right?"
Regulus then suddenly stiffened, his eyes widening, as he lifted his face and stared at Hermione in shock. "I – I wasn't supposed to say that," he murmured with raw panic painted on his face. He clenched his hands and willed for his eyes to harden, the mask he had carefully crafted once again piecing together to cover whatever vulnerability he had shown to Hermione a while ago.
"What?" she gasped once more, disconcerted with the sudden turn of events.
He lowly chuckled, unable to meet Hermione's eyes. "It has been a, well, an exhausting month," he said, an air of aloofness in his voice again. "Forgive me."
Hermione unabashedly gaped at him as Regulus coolly grasped his quill and started to write notes on his parchment. He looked unbothered once more, as if he hadn't just shown that side of him to Hermione.
She wasn't even sure why Regulus had showed that side of him, but perhaps he was right in saying it had been an exhausting month for him. Sirius had been a mess when he had heard he was officially disinherited, getting obnoxious and boisterous whilst his friends tried to calm him down. Maybe Regulus had been a mess during the transfer of heirship too.
"This one passage always confused me," he suddenly said, snapping Hermione's jaw shut. "I tried to ask Professor Slughorn once to explain this to me, but I still couldn't get it." He pushed the textbook towards the stunned brunette and placed a finger on the passage he was talking about. "Maybe you can explain it?" He was expectantly looking at Hermione, so she had no choice but to gingerly grasp his textbook and glanced over it.
"Err," she said, sliding the spare parchment across and grabbing a quill. "It's not really that hard to understand. You just have to remember this." She scribbled some symbols on the parchment while Regulus intently listened.
It was like that between them for a few more hours. Regulus would ask a question and Hermione would answer. She actually appreciated his questions too, because it exercised her brain. They never broached on his insults and sudden vulnerability for the rest of the hour. Hermione begrudgingly admitted that the Slytherin could be tolerable and witty if he wasn't being ridiculous.
"Hermione!"
She lifted her eyes to see her Ravenclaw housemates – Dorothy, Alex, and Michelle.
"Oh, hello," she greeted in return.
The trio had been inseparable ever since first year. She was good friends with them, actually, since they weren't too simpering like Parvati and Lavender, or too rowdy like the Marauders. Since she had been living in the same dormitory with them for years, she sometimes swapped stories with them and even studied with them, if her other friends were indisposed. Hermione knew she would have been part of their group if Lily and Severus hadn't have been so clingy with her.
"We actually thought we'd study with you today," Alex said, her eyes now resting on Regulus' impeccable hair. "But we see you already have company."
Hermione shifted her gaze back at Regulus, who now was casually fixing his things.
"I have to go actually," he said as he now slowly rose up from his seat. He tilted his head in Hermione's direction and gave her another small smile. "This had been an enlightening day, Pettigrew. Until next time."
She dumbly nodded her head as the Slytherin left. He also tilted his head at the other Ravenclaws when he passed by them.
Once he was gone, the trio sat down on the chairs uninvited.
"I didn't know you were friends with Regulus Black!" Michelle whispered under her breath.
"We're not technically friends," Hermione deliberately said.
Dorothy leaned closer. "Did you notice how he smiled?" she softly added. "Regulus Black never smiles!"
"Regulus Black never spends his days away from his cronies," Alex said with an eye roll.
"Maybe," Michelle added, "Regulus Black likes Hermione."
Dorothy snorted in disbelief. "Regulus Black doesn't like people in general," she pointed out.
"Maybe Regulus Black only likes Hermione," Alex pointed out.
"Blimey," the brunette breathed out in annoyance, "I'm right here, you know."
"Right, of course, sorry," Alex quipped, unbothered by her glare. She dumped her things on the table and started to browse through her Transfiguration book. "I've pondered about this passage for days but I can never understand it. Maybe you can, Hermione?"
Hermione blinked at the blonde's sudden change of mood. She glanced at the other two, who were now busy taking down notes on their parchments.
It amazed her immensely how they could quickly dive into their works. The Marauders always had a hard time in starting to study. They always found something to delay the inevitable. Lily, on the other hand, always talked to her about her day first before she even opened a book. It was refreshing to sit with students whose actual intent was to really study in the library and not dawdle around.
Hermione was unable to suppress a growing smile as she pulled out her Transfiguration book and gave it a quick scan. "Well," she started, "if you put it this way..."
__________
September 11, 1976
Hermione smiled when Lily dropped on the bench beside her on the Ravenclaw table. "Blimey, I'm starving," she said, and proceeded to pile some mashed potatoes and friend chicken onto her plate.
Now that her best friends had made up, Lily and Severus sat on the Ravenclaw table with her again. Hermione had once suggested they should take turns sitting on each other's Houses, but both Lily and Severus loudly protested. Lily said the Gryffindors didn't like Sev at all, so he'd be mercilessly bullied. Sev said Lily was a Muggle-born so of course the Slytherins would be disgusted to have her over. The Ravenclaw table was their Switzerland - their neutral ground, simply put - so Hermione had now grown accustomed to both Lily and Severus sitting beside her on her House's table.
Lily started chattering about her Care of Magical Creatures lesson while Hermione and Sev listened in silence, exchanging amused glances every time Lily gesticulated wildly or laughed loudly over something she'd said.
They were too engrossed with their conversation that none of them noticed James sneaking behind. "Evans!" he exclaimed.
The redhead jumped in surprise and looked like she was about to bolt away, but James was blocking her exit so she had no choice but to glower at him instead.
"What do you want?" the redhead hotly asked.
"Just passing by to say that your eyes look extra lovely today," he said with a ridiculous grin on his face. Sev snorted besides Hermione and glared at his plate.
"Piss off, Potter," Lily snarled, already standing on the bench and slinging the strap of her bag over her shoulders. "Why can't you ever take a hint?"
James casually leaned closer and smirked. "About what?" he asked.
Lily groaned in annoyance and Hermione had to bite her bottom lip to stop from smiling. Lily looked so disgruntled right now; anyone within the vicinity would notice how she couldn't stand the bespectacled Gryffindor. But James looked annoyingly persistent, even unbothered by her anger. Hermione wondered how he could have such perseverance to continue pursuing the obviously uninterested redhead.
"I also heard that you love Chocolate Frogs," he continued. His hazel eyes briefly landed on Hermione, before he grinned and pulled out his wand. With a little wave, Chocolate Frogs started piling in Lily's arms until her head was obscured by the towering sweets. "I may have gone overboard and bought you a lot, but I hope you appreciate them."
"PISS OFF, POTTER!" Lily screamed once more, thrusting the sweets into his arms, and stomping away. Severus stiffly stood up from the bench, excused himself and left, most likely following Lily.
"NEVER!" James hollered back.
Hermione looked at James. "Better luck next time, James," she said with a sigh. James looked strangely unbothered at Lily's rejection and merely smiled at Hermione and shrugged.
"Eh," he flippantly said. "There's always another time."
"That's the spirit," she snorted, rolling her eyes when he chuckled.
"What a waste, though," he said with a sigh, lifting the piles of Chocolate Frogs in his arm. James looked contemplative for a while before he surprisingly deposited the sweets in her arms instead. "Maybe you'll put them to good use."
"Thanks," she said with a tight smile. "But I'm more of a toffee kind of girl." Hermione sighed when he frowned. "Fine, I'll put them to good use."
She balanced the sweets with one arm and pulled out her wand. With a swish, they all flew inside her bag until Hermione's arms were free. She then realised that James was still there, and that this was the first real conversation they had had alone after the debacle back at Potter Manor.
Hermione stilled for a moment, before slowly looking back at James once more. He looked a bit flustered and nervous too, she noted. He fiddled with a loose thread from his worn and well-loved Gryffindor sweater.
"Um, you know," the brunette started, thinking perhaps it was the right time to start telling him the truth. "Some words of advice, James." She nervously tucked a stray curl behind her ear and tentatively looked up at him. His hazel eyes were trained on her this time, a guarded look in them. "Maybe you should tone down your outrageous displays of affection, especially if a girl makes it clear she is getting uncomfortable with it."
"Oh," he said simply, his eyebrows meeting at the middle. "Okay."
The young witch sighed, knowing he hadn't completely understood what she had said. "There are other ways to woo a girl, Potter," she pointed out with a frown. "Being ridiculously boisterous or extravagant with your actions isn't always a sure way to make a girl like you."
James thoughtfully bit his lip and glanced down at his feet. "So," he started, "how do you suggest I woo Lily?"
"For starters, she must really like you," she teased. When he lightly glared at her, she laughed. "I'm not entirely sure. Lily is a delightful girl, but I don't really know what she really likes in a boy. I know she likes The Beatles, and I know she loves to study too, but when it comes to the matters of her heart..." She sighed and absentmindedly scratched her chin. "But maybe like me, she'd want someone who is earnest. Small gestures count, you know. Lily hates attracting too much unwanted attention. She likes to be noticed, but for the right kind of attention. You're making her bloody uncomfortable, honestly. I know you like all things grand and boisterous but Lily doesn't." She pierced him with a pointed glance. "You can't get everything by being grand and boisterous, James."
His eyebrows flew up to his hairline, hidden behind his messy fringes. "Way to be frank, Pettigrew," he said with a smirk.
"I was being honest," she insisted, rolling her eyes when she noticed his lips twitching in amusement. "Sometimes, you're too... overwhelming."
"Wow, okay, I get it," he sighed.
"No," she hastily added, "all I'm saying is that Lily doesn't really know your other side. She only knows you as a bully or too cocksure all the time. And Lily hates those sides of you. Maybe if you show her some of your really good sides, then she'd start to like you more."
"Good sides?" he asked. "Like?"
Hermione was starting to grow flustered. "Well," she said, unable to meet his gaze all of a sudden, "you can be really sweet and kind if you want to. And you're a great friend – a great best friend. Quite thoughtful too at times."
"Go on," he edged.
She scowled when she heard his teasing grin more than saw it. "But that – like that. You can be so arrogant at times and it's annoying," she pointed out. "Lily wasn't kidding when she said you can be such a toerag."
"What does that even mean?" he asked with a brief laugh.
In spite of her embarrassment, she weakly chuckled. "I honestly don't know but it suits you," she stated matter-of-factly.
"Back to listing down my faults now, I see," he said, quirking an eyebrow.
Hermione expelled a soft laugh and shook her head. "All I am saying is it isn't too late to change tactic now, for lack of a better word," she said with a small smile. "You did ask me to help you woo Lily before so I am giving you some pieces of advice."
"And Hermione Pettigrew gives wondrous pieces of advice," he said seriously with a reverent nod. She petulantly frowned at him but he merely gave her a handsome smile. "All right, fine, I might listen to your advice this time."
"A part of me wants to believe what you just said, but knowing you..." She laughed when he threw her a scathing glare. "Good luck on wooing Lily Evans, James Potter. I hope you are successful soon."
Something shifted in his eyes that made his gaze intense and her heartbeat quicken. The smile on his face faltered a bit and Hermione wasn't sure what he was thinking of right now. She knew she was slowly blushing under his intense gaze, but she couldn't seem to look away.
It was James who finally snapped away and ran a hand through his hair. "I hope you're right," he murmured under his breath. He sneaked another shy glance her way and gave her a small smile. "Thanks, anyway. See you around."
He turned on his heel and walked away. Hermione watched him as he slid beside Peter, secretly hoping that Lily would start noticing James soon, so she could trample down these stupid feelings before they festered and swallowed her whole.