Can A Phoenix Love A Lion? (Hermione Granger x Male Reader)

50. Professor Umbridge

A/N: Hey, I'm back.
So, it's been three months since the last update. But even before that, there already had been one month between chapter 49 and chapter 48. I was taken by my studies, and I realised that writing three stories at the same time isn't something I can do. So I had to choose which story not to write until my end-of-term exams were done and I was on holiday. I chose this one because it's the hardest for me to write. As I explained in chapter 49, there's a lot I wrote in the French version of this fanfic that no longer satisfies me and that I want to correct with this translation. Doing so demands me to write new passages that weren't originally planned, and that has to be one of the hardest part (more so because I have to do it in English).
But now that I'm free for a few months, I'll do my best to write as much as I can and get through a good chunk of this story! Maybe some will stop reading because after so much time they don't remember what the plot was and don't want to re-read everything. That's fine. I know that not being consistent with the uploading of chapters is a big problem with me, but that's how I do. I accept the consequences, you could say.
Maybe I'll have to do a pause in the uploading in the future (as far in the future as possible, and never I hope), but I will finish this story. I write this as much for you as for me to remember.
Anyway, here is the new chapter. I hope you enjoy it!

The weather remained undecided as they travelled further and further north. Rain half-heartedly spattered the windows, then the sun put in a feeble appearance before clouds drifted over it once more. When darkness fell and lamps came on inside the carriages, Luna rolled up The Quibbler, put it carefully away in her bag and took to staring at everyone in the compartment instead.

Y/N was sitting with his legs curled against him, his head pressed against the train window as he read a bit.

"We'd better change," Hermione said at last. Y/N pinned his prefect badges to his chest as she and Ron did the same. Y/N saw Ron checking how it looked in the black window.

At last, the train began to slow down and they heard the usual racket up and down as everybody scrambled to get their luggage and pets assembled, ready to get off.

Y/N, Hermione and Ron were supposed to supervise all this, so they had to leave the others for now.

"Can you take Pig with you, Harry?" Ron asked, putting Pigwidgeon's cage in Harry's arms before Harry could say anything.

"I'll keep Crookshanks for you, don't worry," Ginny told Hermione, holding the cat up.

Then Y/N, Hermione and Ron went and walked up and down the train, making sure no one stayed because of some dumb joke or dare.

Finally they felt the first sting of the night air as they came out of the train. Y/N could smell the pine trees that lined the path down to the lake. He stepped down onto the platform and looked around, listening for the familiar call of "Firs' years over here . . . firs' years . . ."

But it did not come. Instead a different voice, a brisk female one, was calling, "First years line up over here, please! All first years to me!"

A lantern came swinging toward Y/N, and by its light he saw the prominent chin and severe haircut of Professor Grubbly-Plank, the witch who had done Care of Magical Creatures lessons before Hagrid.

"Where's Hagrid?" Ron said out loud.

"I don't know," he said. "But he surely can't have left."

"Maybe he's got a cold," Hermione said worriedly.

They looked around for Harry, but he was not anywhere near them, so they moved forward onto the dark rain-washed road outside Hogsmeade station.

Here stood the hundred or so horseless stagecoaches that always took the students above first year up to the castle. Y/N quickly glanced at them, turned away to look out for Harry, then did a double-take.