The Black Sky: OC x Hermione

Chapter 27

"Stop clapping, please." Edmund blushed as he sat down at the table. His male friends such as Cedric, Harry and Neville were the ones clapping, Neville was reluctant to do so but was perhaps pressured by Harry, who thought it was all funny. On the contrary, the girls looked as if they were ready to pounce on him, torture all the details of his evening out of him.

He gulped and sat down, managing to avoid eye contact with Hermione who sat in the midst of it all. She looked a bit lost, Edmund knew why because ever since Lavender and Ron had made it official that they were dating she had been like that. Whether he liked it or not, Edmund understood the feeling of being lost in your own thoughts and feelings. He had the same moments as she has whenever he sees her staring at him with that glint in her eyes. "Edmund?" He tore his eyes away from her sombre posture and trained his eyes onto Susan who called out his name.

"It was fine." Edmund said and pulled his jacket closer to him. He couldn't help but feel cold in the rather lukewarm room they were in. "I told her what I had to tell her." Susan knew what he meant and by the looks of Padma nodding along his words, he knew that Padma knew what he was talking about as well. "We're better off as friends rather than a couple." Edmund cleared his throat, "Besides, it's not like it was going anywhere. The only thing we have in common is quidditch."

"And you two didn't kiss?" Padma asked, Hermione sat still next to her with that same gaze. Edmund clenched his jaw and focused back on the people who showed their interest. He pursed his lips and shrugged.

"We did." He admitted to the Ravenclaw. "I think we both knew that it was a goodbye kiss, and our last one at that." Edmund saw the movements from the corner of his eyes, noticing and seeing that most of the students were making their way out of the Great Hall and to whatever place they desire to. It was a saturday and most were dressed in muggle clothes.

Edmund's eyes glanced over to the Staff table, all the usual people were seated but the one he wanted to see was missing. "Anyone seen Hagrid?" He asked. Harry choked on his drink and Edmund questioningly looked over at him.

"Hagrid wanted to meet us at midnight." Harry whispered to him. Edmund looked confused at his brother.

"Why?"

"Don't know."

Edmund clicked his tongue and nodded. "I can't, I have a meeting." He muttered and stood up, Cedric had left a long while ago as he only came to tease Edmund by embarrassing him with clapping and whistling loudly. Padma and Hermione had left soon after the table fell quiet, Padma had been dragged out by a whispering Hermione.

"Should we study?" Edmund asked Harry quietly. Neville and Susan were talking to one another. Harry quietly shook his head as he looked back at the Gryffindor table. "You're going to try and get through to Ron again, aren't you?"

"Yes."

Edmund smiled and stood up, patting Harry's back. "That's fine." His smile was forced, it wasn't fine, it was ridiculous that Ron even held a grudge. "I'll see what I can find in the library." Frustrating was crackling in Edmund and he didn't know why.

It could be because he just couldn't get over Hermione and had missed his chance to be with someone who genuinely wanted to get to know him. It could be because he had to participate in some stupid honorary battle between schools. "Edmund, it's a saturday." Susan raised his eyebrows at him.

"Right." Edmund nodded, "What about it?"

"Don't you have your meetings with Professor Dumbledore around this time?" Edmund blinked a few times as he nearly forgot, he wondered how'd he forget about his routine. "Are you sure that you're fine?" She asked and Edmund nodded, his mouth as dry as a desert.