The Black Sky: OC x Hermione

chapter 30

Professor McGonagall had called out for Harry and Ron to pay attention to her instead of one another. He didn't mind the whispering at all, but he did mind the looks Hermione kept throwing at him.

He had already sat next to Susan, and Padma had willingly sat next to Hermione, despite being a bit ticked off at her fellow ravenclaw's action. Edmund took in a breath and focused his attention on the professor instead of his brother.

"The Yule Ball is approaching, a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament-" A tradition means being forced to participate in it, especially as Hogwarts' champion. "-and an opportunity to not be at odds with our foreign guests anymore. At the ball, there won't be a sole champion to support, but there will be dance, and music."

Edmund glanced over at his housemate and smiled at the reaction she had to the announcement. It was suspected that Susan, an avid romance book reader, was excited at the prospect of a ball. "Will we have to wear dresses?" Susan whispered, "Oh I'd look dashing in red." Edmund shrugged and nodded. "You'd look good in just black clothes."

"After all these years, you're still laughing with my last name?" Edmund whispered back, just loud enough to gather the attention from one of his favourite teachers, Professor McGonagall. Her eyes had lasered in on Edmund and she smiled.

"I'm sure that you would all like a demonstration, since we have some time left." She held her hand up in his direction and Ron cowered behind Harry. Her finger ended on Edmund and she waved him over. He ignored the glances between Padma and Susan as he ignored Hermione's look on him.

At first, Hermione tried to make it up to him. She had gone out of her way to talk to him during class about it, which was abnormal because Hermione Granger doesn't talk in public about her feelings, most don't even know that she could have any.

Eventually, her questions, her seeking gazes died down when she started to spend her time again in the library. Edmund felt bad after he had bumped into her in the library, all she had done was mutter sorry, then realise who she had bumped into and lowered her head before continuing.

He hadn't been in the library since that ever happened. Padma had told him that she spends her time there because she couldn't manage to focus in the Ravenclaw tower despite having a spot that only she uses, and everyone else knows that she always uses it.

He walked across the floor and as he reached Professor McGonagall the music started playing. The sound of waltz started and Edmund had a blush on his face as he put his hand on Professor McGonagall's hip, keeping his hands light.

He could hear giggles of students and he glanced over at Padma and Susan, the two had gathered together to laugh at him during his distressed times, like usual. His eyes swept over Ron who had a smile on his face. Professor McGonagall had taught him how to waltz, she had enjoyed it and by the way they are dancing, she will forever enjoy dancing.

That was only the start and in his nervous streak, he misstepped. It was subtle but it still made a girl giggle. He froze at hearing the sound of her laugh, like the music, it was a rich and vibrant experience. For only a second, his knees got weak and he didn't move. Hermione Granger would forever make him stop in his step.

He clenched his jaw and continued dancing, until McGonagall skipped ahead to the last of the dance and had finally let him go. He could finally breathe when he stood next to Susan and Padma again.

He had said it before, that there was no getting over your first love, but Hermione Granger as a person in the whole, is just someone you won't ever be able to forget. He will never forget how she likes to drink her tea, that she barely drinks coffee but only whenever she's really stressed and needs to study.