loyalotter | 12th Gryffindor Note (Action first / later written)

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12th Gryffindor Note (Action first / later written)

((OOC: PLEASE READ. The first action part is for Draco, Raine, and Harry in that order. After she gets home and talks to Harry, housemates are free to reply and then anyone who's heard she's back and wants to come visit her is free to reply. But please wait for those three first. Thanks! Have at now, but keep in mind that she is home so all action posts are at home!))

[It's midday in the woods. Calm, quiet. And then... CRUNCH SPLASH. Guess who just got literally dumped into the lake on this cold winter day? And hard enough to break what little ice is still left. Yep. Hermione's back. And she looks like she's been through hell. Coughing, sputtering. She's going to try to climb up onto the bank, because seriously Malnosso? A sprained ankle, a partially bleeding neck, and a bunch of scratches and bruises and you couldn't dump her somewhere dry?

So... the lake just seems to not like people lately.]

[Probably an hour later, writing will appear from her, but her hand is still shaky. If anyone remembers when she first arrived, this handwriting is comparable to that.]

I'd just like to inform everyone that I'm back. It's been long enough that I should have missed an experiment... I hope everyone else is well.

Hermione

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[You really, really don't want to know.] Good. Her healing is brilliant. [The emotional scars are a lot harder to deal with. Food doesn't help either, but at least some is ready for her? He shudders as she's talking about it.] You have to just... sort of... remember that you're here. That you're safe. That's how I got settled back in.

[Oh but she does. You're lucky she's too tired to push you about it.] She's very good at it. [They suck. Food helps a little. She's hungry.] I would have asked to have you come find me, but I needed someone else... someone I met here... to remind me of that. [Of course now that she's here, she's glad she has Harry to rely on. She turns to look at him fondly, smiling like a sister.] This is helping, too.

[She'll find out eventually. It's so obvious that something's up.] Have you met Estelle? She's pretty good at it, too. [Thankfully Harry is a decent cook, so it won't make her sicker or anything.] I understand. That's why I didn't call for anyone when I came back, since I didn't think I was actually here. [He offers her a small smile in return.] Glad I could help.

[Harry and Draco are both lucky she's too tired to fight them on it or she'd force it out of one of them.] I know her, but not as well as Raine. [With the perfectionism of the Dursley's, one would hope he's decent at least.] Now I know what you felt then. It's such a strange feeling. [Her smile warms a bit. It's good to have someone who understands.] You always know how to help, Harry.

[One of them is bound to crack soon. Probably Harry, since he has less people to talk to about it.] She's helped me out a few times. [He's good, just somewhat out of practice. He'll be excellent in a few months.] It really is. [He's going to give her a brotherly hug.] I've got to keep up with you, after all.

[Hermione will console him and then understand why Draco was being so weird at the lake earlier.] They both seem very nice. [He's better than she is at any rate. She takes the hug and returns it because that contact is so needed right now.] After everything we've been through together, I think we keep up with each other. We have to.

[Hermione's the best for him to go to when he's confused.] They are. [He'll hug her as long as she needs it. At least being a best friend is something he's can do.] By now, we've figured out how to keep each other going. Even if the Malnosso keep throwing illusions at us, they can't stop that.

[As Hermione likes going to Harry when she needs to. She'll hold on for a little bit longer before the need to sit down takes over. She's still tired.] No. They can't. We've been through too much... and too many more important arguments. [That might be a small smile after those words.]

[Once she lets go, he'll back off and let her sit again.] We'll get through this too, Hermione. Just you wait. [He gives a small smile back at her.]

[she nods and rests her arms on the table. There's definitely a lot on her mind now, though she isn't entirely sure she wants to talk about it... yet who else can she discuss it with? She looks preoccupied for sure.] I know we will...

[He knows what it's like to feel that way, and he doesn't want to give her any pressure. He puts a hand on her shoulder, so that he can still be close and supportive while letting her sit.] If you need anything, I'm not going anywhere for the night. I can leave you be, but you're welcome to come and talk if you're feeling up for it.

[She looks up at him with worry in her eyes. The hand on her shoulder is helping very much.] Harry... Malfoy was acting strangely when he found me... We had an argument.

[She's worried about Malfoy, her psuedo-friendship with him, how Harry's been without her, the experiment... and everything else going on.]

[He tenses at that. Oh god, he doesn't want to talk about this.] ... Why did you fight?

[And she has no idea why he might not want to talk about Malfoy suddenly. Fortunately, she's looking down at her hands and trying not to cry over everything.] He started talking about the Unforgivable Curses, as though there are situations where using them is acceptable. I... I forgot about last year... All I could think about was what I'd been through, Bellatrix... and the Cruciatus... He knew that. He knew it...

[Her next words are whispered through her fingers, as her hands raised to cover her mouth.] I snapped at him over it and now I think he's angry with me.

[He settles back to rubbing her shoulder again, putting on his good guy strength.] Neville taunted him about things that are going on at Hogwarts. It made Malfoy uncomfortable, I think. You were right to be upset after all that's happened to you. He's a lousy, inconsiderate git when it comes to other people's feelings.

[Okay something's up. She frowns up at Harry then.] I realise you and Malfoy haven't gotten along until recently here, but it's been a while since you called him a git. [Meaning, wtf did she miss?]

[Harry blinks. Crap, he needs to stall.] Well, er, he's been more frustrating than usual since Riddle left and Neville showed up.

[You forget who you're dealing with.] Harry... I missed an experiment. What happened?

[He shakes his head.] You've had a rough time of it lately. You should get to bed, Hermione.

[She stares pointedly at him.] Harry... I know something happened. You can tell me or not... [But you know she won't judge you. And talking might help.]

[He bites his lip. She's his best friend. He can trust her with anything, but he can't even trust himself with this. But he's started pacing nervously] I... I feel like if I talk about it, it's going make it more real. It was an experiment. Just a bloody experiment. [One that he really needs to talk about. Stupid Harry.]

[She's watching him, her eyes the picture of silent worry now.] It was an experiment, Harry. Whatever happened wasn't you in your right mind. It wasn't something you could control. [she's talking to you about things that are bothering her. It's only fair, right?]

[He looks at her again, and he feels worse for stressing her out after all that's happened. What kind of friend is he?] I know... just... I keep thinking about it. I can't get it out of my head and it's probably the worst thing I could ever think of.

[He's her best friend and at least he isn't pushing her buttons when she's very clearly not thinking straight.] But it was just once, whatever it was, right? It's not like something you would do normally? Nobody died, did they?

[He's at least being nice enough for that. He doesn't want to hurt her but he doesn't want to burden her more, either.] It was something I'd never actually done, on top of that.

[He looks around, considering a Muffliato and then deciding it's pointless. He stops pacing to look out the window. It's hard for him to spit this out, especially knowing what she's been through and Draco's role in it.] ... The experiment had to do with love.

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[Action] - icon so appropriate XD

[Action] - SO VERY APPROPRIATE. Bad Harry is bad.

[Action] - Harry's not getting out of this one >> He can ask her all about her issue but >_>

[Action] - Well at least he tried. And failed miserably. XD

[Action] - It's Hermione. He should know better XD

[Action] - Silly Harry and his obliviousness.

[Action] - It's endearing XD

[Action] - I love it.