loyalotter | 8th Gryffindor note [voice] / [action]

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8th Gryffindor note [voice] / [action]

It seems as though people come and go a lot here. I noticed it a while back, but you don't think the people doing the going will be those you're close to or know well until... they disappear, too. It's too much to hope that things will remain relatively constant, isn't it?

Ron's gone... isn't he?

[Hermione's going to be sitting out in the middle of the ground with a bunch of mats and blankets. She's got a small fire going on a pile of rocks in front of her. It looks like it shouldn't be possible, but there's definitely a fire there. And it makes the air around it warm. So she's pretty toasty now. If you want to say hello, you can be toasty warm, too, as long as you sit down.]

((OOC: replies will likely be slow still, but I'm definitely more here than I have been |D;))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Terri scoots off again.]

You just don't have a good outlet for it. Think back to when we were young and only had classes to worry about every day. What did you like to do?

[Padfoot follows~]

...mm. [Draco thinks this over closely.] Pick on you three, mostly. [There's a slight grin because he knows there's more to it than that but he's being difficult.] And flying and being with people and...kid-stuff, obviously.

[ruuuuuuuuuuuun, kicking up snow, too.]

[She smirks.] Pranks, kid-stuff. You were more relaxed than that, playful even. You had fun... your own kind of fun, yes, but... What do you think Padfoot's doing? It's the same thing. You just haven't really had a chance to let it out in a few years. Sixth year was really rough... on all of us.

[She pauses for a second.] I think we've all forgotten how to have fun to an extent.

[More barking noises as Padfoot runs after Terri still, spraying the fire with snoooow.]

Yeah, exactly. [...huh. Okay, when you put it that way, that makes sense.] I see what you mean. You're right, sixth year...[He just allows himself to trail off and watch the Patronuses.]

We're not exactly in a position to have fun at home. Think that means...maybe he'll grow the more I start relaxing again?

[Hermione laughs at them and adds a couple more flames to the fire just so it won't go out with all the snow on it.]

I think so. He's already so playful because you've relaxed a lot since we both arrived. Look at us now. We never would have done this back home.

[She tilts her head a little and glances over at him.] Sometimes a little change is nice, though, especially when it means relaxing and having fun.

[There's a slight grin at that. Oh Hermione, so prepared.]

A lot, but probably not enough, you mean. [He leans back a little and stares at the fire.] We couldn't have done this back home. Back home I'm a Death Eater and you're a Mudblood. But it doesn't matter here, I guess. I guess it's just taking a lot of getting used to to realize-[..."to realize that people from the wrong side can actually like me when I'm acting normal."] Well, you know what I mean.

Change is nice, but it's also incredibly startling sometimes. Especially when it's a lot all in little amounts of time. [Padfoot's still chasing after Terri, but he suddenly seems to get distracted as he approaches Hermione's other side, yipping at her quietly.]

[Always and forever.]

I didn't say that. It might be good for you to relax further, but it's only been a couple of months. Trying to get over all that happened... [She trails off, letting out a slight sigh as she watches Terri and Padfoot dart around them again.]

We really haven't had much of a chance to get used to much. One thing after another, you know? But that just goes to show...

[And she'll offer him a smile at this.] You're really good at adapting.

[And then Padfoot will catch her attention and she'll look down at him.] Yes, Padfoot? [Here, have a hand reaching out to you, even though she's pretty sure she can't actually touch you. Terri stops close to Draco and watches... then she's going to slink off to hide. We are soooo taking advantage of Padfoot's moment of inattention pft.]

[Wouldn't be Hermione if she wasn't.]

I've been here for almost five months...but you're right. Trying to get over it hasn't proven to be quite as easy as I thought, I guess is what I mean. [He fidgets a bit awkwardly, because what is this why am I revealing my inner-thoughts to Granger. He settles for shrugging a little.]

Maybe things will slow down one day...right, and maybe I'll really be the king of gumdrop land. [He sees that smile though.] ...thanks. [And he means that.]

[Padfoot wags his tail a bit as he suddenly earns Hermione's attention, and he moves closer to her hand as though she could actually pet him. Draco sees Terri out of the corner of his eye and smirks as she goes off to hide. Good call, little otter buddy.] ...he's so strange. He's almost a little too curious about people. He's particularly fond of Potter, and I suppose he's starting to enjoy you, too.

[People would have died a long time ago if she wasn't... like first year long ago.]

It never is. People are complicated. No one's exactly alike and our experiences reflect that. [It is weird to talk like this, but she likes it. She doesn't really get a chance to do this much unless someone's in need of something or they're all about to go do something ridiculously stupid.]

You never know. With the way Luceti works, it could turn into a gumdrop land someday. [smirk.] ... You're welcome. [She can tell.]

[She reaches out a little to tickle Padfoot's chin, barely touching the mist there and smiling at him.] But he's very cute. I think... I think Padfoot is like the personification of the result of your secretiveness. He's curious because you're just now reaching out to discover new things, new people... new friendships. And I know you don't understand Harry. Maybe that's why he's so curious, too. It's not really a bad reason to get to know more about someone.

[This is also true. Hermione saves everybody's arses repeatedly.]

People are stupid. Usually. [With some exceptions, of course.] It's weird, isn't it? How all of us can be affected by the same thing but have such drastically different results. [He's actually not too surprised she's just letting him blahblahblah at her, he's more surprised that he's getting comfortable doing it. Girls.]

Ugh, don't say that. They might hear you. [Though there's a slight smirk at the idea because really? That could be very funny.]

[Padfoot yips in approval at this and turns himself about in a circle.] I suppose cute's one word for it. [He pauses though when Hermione explains that, lifting his eyebrows in surprise.] ...what? Okay that definitely I do not agree with. So Potter's not as incredibly obnoxious as he used to be, that doesn't mean I want to go off and be best mates with him. I understand him plenty anyway.

[Oh yes. There's a reason I have a tag titled 'Hermione's knowledge saves lives.']

[she's just going to smirk at that first part.] We've all faced different aspects of the same thing, but the angles are just different enough for us all to come out on opposite ends. It's very strange, but it's fascinating, especially when you pull all out of it and place us somewhere else. Like this. [Hey, she likes it. Very nice that he's getting so relaxed around her.]

[she laughs a little bit at this.] I'll keep that in mind.

[A smile to Padfoot as she watches him. Why so cute?] I never said you wanted to best mates. At this point, I'm surprised you both haven't hexed each other to pieces, but I suppose that's the brilliance of being so far removed from the war. It's just that things are different and you can afford to reach out to the Undesirables. [Totally using words from your future, Draco.]

[Pfff. Of course of course.]

[At least you understand, Hermione.] I...just how much thought have you put into this anyway? [It's a bit surprising that Hermione actually seems to get it, but he doesn't object at all.]

Best you do. [But there's still a grin.]

[Because he's a derp-tronus. Padfoot rolls around in the snow by Hermione, just looking up at her.] Haven't you heard, I almost drowned him in a lake. [He actually finds the concept quite amusing because he knows Hermione ~~and half the village potentially~~ knows about that incident.] Look, we called a truce. And I'll actually honor that because there are worse thing here than Scarhead. Why would I "reach out" to that anyway? [The look on his face clearly says he has no idea why she said Undesirables though.]

[Of course she understands. When doesn't she understand something?] Not that much, but it's been something I've been tossing around in my head since you and I started really talking like this.

[Hermione reaches down, wiggling her fingers like she's going to tickle his tummy.] I did hear. [She sounds a bit solemn at that.] But that was months ago. And he's still in one piece. You're still in one piece. And I'm really glad for that.

[She pauses for a moment.] You already have. You're talking to me. Back home, Harry's Undesirable Number One and I'm a Muggleborn who never showed up for registration and is known to help Harry out. Maybe 'reaching out' was the wrong word choice, but it still amounts to the same thing.

[That's true...] Surprise, surprise. Next you're going to tell me that you've been doing research about the timeline jumps. At least I'm providing you with intellectual thought.

[Padfoot doesn't object, he's just being a derp and playfully trying to nip at Hermione's fingers.] Yeah, we are. Trying to kill him...that want sort of died down years ago. Besides, I know I'd be so outnumbered if I tried anything anyway.

[He also pauses just to mull this over.] ...no, the right choice of words would be "I'm betraying everything I know". It fits, doesn't it?

Well, I have been looking through the library for anything I can find on other worlds and this one. Yes, you are. It's a nice change from some of the other people here, though they're nice in their own way.

[she laughs at him and teases him a bit. Good thing he's just a mist thing. Meanwhile, Terri's starting to wonder why Padfoot hasn't chased her yet, so she's going to creeeeeeep back over so slowly and carefully that hopefully he won't notice her.] I'm just... I don't know. It's nice to not have to worry about who's going to try to kill who. An ally instead of an enemy.

...If you want to be negative about it.

The people here are incredibly different...most of them are strange, but there's a few that I l-...find tolerable. They keep my sanity.

[Padfoot's too busy eating up the attention Hermione's giving him, but Draco's got an eye on Terri. He's not doing anything yet, but he is watching her closely.] I'm trying not to bring you into the middle of what goes on with me and Potter. The ally thing...it's strange to me still.

I'm not being negative, Hermione. I'm being realistic. I never said I regret it.

It's nice to have friends, people you can rely on. No one has to go around alone.

[Terri kind of hides herself close to the fire and watches. She might even be taking mental notes. Who knows. Hermione looks up, though, giving Draco a searching look.] You know... I'm going to be in the middle of it no matter what. Harry's my best friend. I have to support him. And you... you're... you're at least an ally, if not something close to a friend. It is strange, but I think it's good for all of us.

[And that's what gives her hope for you.] I suppose... It would be difficult to have to get used to an entirely different set of beliefs in a foreign place, too.

Yeah, I know. I've got a few, but I'm not dragging them through everything either. No one has to go around alone, but some people choose it.

[Draco's still watching her, tilting his head at how calm this Patronus is compared to Padfoot. This also gives him an excuse to ignore Hermione's look.] ...yeah, I know. I just...I don't know, it's hard to explain. I don't know how to explain it.

[He nods, pausing for another moment. Maybe...maybe it would be okay to talk to her.] It's difficult having to make my own decisions rather than have them made for me. I know my father would disapprove so much if he knew what I was doing here.

[You're really lucky she doesn't feel like she knows you well enough to give you the same speech she gave Harry.]

[She's going to go back to playing with Padfoot, though.] Everything's upside down here. No adults, no one from home to tell us what's going on. We have to completely fend for ourselves and it's different than the War back home. There's still a threat here, but it feels like it did before Voldemort moved back into the open, only it's the Malnosso, not the Death Eaters. We all have to unite against a common enemy here, someone we can't see, but someone who's torturing us all, not just a select group of people. In a way... it's worse here, but in another way it's also better.

[Like he'd listen anyway.]

[Padfoot doesn't mind this.] Yeah, there's that. We constantly have to be on watch about what the Malnosso are doing and we have to fend for ourselves, but...I guess I'm still only half-convinced.

[Wouldn't be Draco if he did.]

I guess it's just something we each have to work out for ourselves. It's not easy, nothing really is, but no one can really force anyone else to believe something.

[You know what, Terri thinks this conversation has gotten too awkward. Hi, we're going to launch ourselves at Padfoot again and then ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun.]

[Padfoot yelps again but oh hey, Terri! Brb leaving Hermione and running after his Patronus buddy!]

Well, why can't it be easy?

[Hermione watches the Patronuses disappear for a bit.]

I don't know. Someone or something wants to make it difficult on us. The Malnosso certainly aren't helping. Besides that, we're all very different people. And I've already explained about experiences. It's just a combination of difficult things. Difficult, but not impossible.

True. I'm just used to things being easy. Or, I was before everything happened. Tell me something; how much do you really think it's worth it?

I understand. Like I was used to school being easy.

How much what is worth it?

|D;b

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