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Robyn was released from the hospital wing the following evening, same time as Harry. She thought Madam Pomfrey was being a bit over the top keeping her so long – Harry was the one who had been tortured, not her. She was fine. Yet, she didn't argue, either. Less time in the scrutinising eyes of the school population.
But, still, she had to leave. Couldn't hide in the hospital wing forever.
She headed straight to Ravenclaw with her sights set on her bed, but walking through the common room was difficult – not only because of her Housemates staring at her, but because of one in particular: Cho Chang. Cho was sitting in one of the corners with her friends, and the heartbroken look she sent Robyn flooded her with guilt.
And then she arrived at her dorm and she was face to face with Olivia, which made her gulp.
"Robyn..." whispered Olivia with wide eyes.
"Hi, Liv," she whispered back.
And then she was being attacked via bone-crushing hug from a now-crying girl who was blabbing almost incoherently. "So sorry...Dumbledore told me...Imperius..."
She was coherent enough, though, so Robyn could understand the main message. She hugged her back fiercely, assuring the girl there was nothing that she could have done.
Then they were joined by the other Ravenclaws and Robyn felt a special sort of comfort. It was different from what Hermione made her feel, but powerful, nonetheless.
Do you have a group of friends you can rely on, Robyn?
Yes, she did. She could rely on them. There's no way any of them were spies – she'd been a fool to fall for Gunnar's devious methods. He'd taken the chance to make her feel as isolated and alone as possible, and it had worked. But she was fed up with that stupid boy.
No, at this point, she didn't care about him, she just wanted her friends. And at this point, if he tried to intimidate her, she might just tell him to stuff it accompanied by a firm smack.
The rest of term was a blur, mostly. The general population avoided both her and Harry like they had diseases – Harry, in particular, after the damning article Rita Skeeter had published about him the morning of the third task, calling him 'Disturbed and Dangerous'.
But then Hermione informed her that she had captured Rita in a jar, and it was quite inhumane but it was also quite satisfying.
Very satisfying.
There was also the issue of, every time she was in the same room as Harry, she felt drawn to him, and it was really, really weird. Again, she thought he felt the same as she often caught his gaze over the tables in the Great Hall. And for some fleeting moments she would think, 'Hold on, I don't fancy him, do I?', but then she would look to his left and see Hermione giving her a smile and think, 'Absolutely not. How could I, when Hermione is right there.'
Still, it was weird.
And then there was the Slytherins. They were weird, too. She had a feeling a lot of them thought she was now in cahoots with Harry and they either didn't know what to think of that or just plainly didn't like it.
Draco, too, seemed like he didn't know what to do. He probably knew his father had been present at the Dark Lord's return, and maybe he was happy about it but felt weird displaying that around her. She didn't know.
But Astoria was Astoria. Sometimes she wished the girl had been sorted into Ravenclaw, too, so she could be a permanent member of that little group and they could have sleepovers every night.
(But not the kind of sleepovers she had with Hermione).
When she entered the Great Hall for the Leaving Feast to see the black drapes in honour of Cedric, a lump formed in her throat immediately. And as she walked down the table, she avoided the tearful eyes of Cho Chang as she had been doing for the past week.
She couldn't help but notice the real Mad-Eye Moody up at the staff table, and she avoided his eye, too.
Oh, and also the entire Hufflepuff table.
Still, she stood with the rest of the school as Dumbledore toasted Cedric. Although, she almost dropped her goblet as the words "Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort" were spoken.
People around the hall broke out into panicked whispers and murmurs as they stared at Dumbledore in either horror, disbelief, or a mix of both. Dumbledore, however, looked completely calm, which was reassuring in a way.
So too was the light touch of Luna's hand against her own.
Yes, she could rely on her friends.
And then Dumbledore was speaking again, this time about Harry.
"Harry Potter managed to escape Lord Voldemort. He risked his own life to return Cedric's body to Hogwarts. He showed, in every respect, the sort of bravery that few wizards have ever shown in facing Lord Voldemort, and for this, I honour him."
Robyn agreed wholeheartedly. Harry was very brave.
"And there is another brave soul who deserves honouring this evening."
Oh no...
"Dear Robyn Rosier, who, too, showed a strength of character beyond her years. Who, through no fault of her own, was forced to face Lord Voldemort, and who did so with courage. Finally, who tried her utmost to save Cedric Diggory. I honour her."
Everyone was staring at her. And Dumbledore was lying. It was her fault Cedric died in the first place. And – courage? Where? She had sat frozen while her father took her blood, which brought the Dark Lord back in the first place. She had watched while he tortured Harry, and she had watched while he killed Cedric. She hadn't done anything, other than be a coward.
Okay, realistically, there was nothing she could have done. But she didn't try either. If she was truly courageous, she would have tried. There was a reason the Sorting Hat had placed her in Ravenclaw over Gryffindor, and she'd bet her boots that if Harry hadn't been tied up, he'd have tried to take the curse for Cedric. She wasn't worthy of honour.
It was making her very uncomfortable, though she schooled her features so as to not make her guilt and self-loathing obvious to all who were staring.
She was one of the first to sit down again, and Dumbledore continued to speak more about unity, friendship, trust, and so on.
Then, "Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory."
It was harrowing, and poignant, and...
And it felt like Dumbledore was speaking those words directly to her.
It made her shiver.
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After saying her goodbyes to Viktor, Gabrielle, and a few of the visiting students she had become acquainted with (which, admittedly, was not a lot. She had spent the majority of the year being angsty, not making friends. Whoops), it was time to board the Hogwarts Express.
She and Astoria sat with the Ravenclaws and Ginny Weasley in a compartment together, though it was a quieter affair than usual in light of recent events. In fact, it was too quiet. She wished Olivia would talk about the pet shop, or Lana about anything Muggle, or Luna about Gulping Plimpies and Blibbering Humdingers, or Willow about anything because she was always blethering away.
But they were quiet, either because they were sad about Cedric, scared of what the future may bring, or just unsure of what to say to her for fear of upsetting her. It was almost annoying, to be treated like she might break at any moment, but she could understand their hesitance.
So Luna was reading the Quibbler, Willow, Astoria, and Ginny were playing a card game, Olivia was stroking Bonnie, and Lana was sleeping.
The relative silence was becoming unbearable.
She got up and left, muttering "Lavatory" on the way out.
Really, she was going to look for Harry. Because where Harry was, Hermione was. The reason she was looking for Harry, though, was that she felt like she could find him in the dark – with her eyes closed – blindfolded – after being spun in a circle ten times. Like, it literally felt like there was an arrow pointing her where to go, and she followed blindly.
It worked. At the opposite end of the train she found Harry's compartment, and outside it lay the unconscious bodies of Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle. She had to suppose her brother was with Theo and Blaise. Good. If he had been unconscious too, she might have been upset.
Alas, it was only Draco and the other two. Who cares?
She stepped over them and into the compartment, announcing, "There's a pile of bodies at the door."
"DJ!" said George.
"What brings you here?" asked Fred.
"Harry," she blurted, being a bit too literal. Harry had brought her here, physically, but it was Hermione she was coming for.
"Harry?" frowned Hermione.
"Hello," said Harry, "I'm Harry."
"Say Harry again," said Fred.
"Harry," said George.
Weasley – Ron – ignored them all. "Your boyfriend's a prick. That's why he's on the floor."
She bit her lip awkwardly, looking at Hermione who was stroking Crookshanks deliberately. "No comment." Then, she moved Hermione's arm to sit in between her and the half-Kneazle. If Hermione wanted to keep petting him, she'd have to do it behind Robyn's back.
Or maybe she could pet Robyn instead. That would be perfectly fine.
"Did you need something?" asked Harry from across from her, not rudely but a bit warily.
She was still looking at Hermione as she replied, "I just wanted to see you- all of you, before the holidays, I suppose."
"Right," he nodded. "It's been a long year, hasn't it?"
"The longest," she agreed. It absolutely had.
The Gryffindors resumed their game of Exploding Snap, but Robyn did not play. Instead, she took over petting Crookshanks and simply watched them.
And barely ten minutes later they were almost at King's Cross, which meant she was almost home. She didn't know what to expect there.
Then she was distracted by Harry, who had stood suddenly and was asking for a word in the corridor. "Just a second," he said to Hermione, who had narrowed her eyes.
"Okay then..." said Hermione slowly.
"Do you...feel it, too?" he asked quietly when the door was shut and they were alone. Well, apart from the bodies on the floor, but he had shoved them to the side.
"Yes," Robyn admitted. "I've felt it since after the graveyard, but I don't know what it is. I don't understand it."
He shook his head. "Me neither. Do you think- maybe it's because of our blood, or...ugh, I don't know. All I know is that—" the door opened as he finished, "—I'm attracted to you."
"What?"
The door was slammed shut again as the Gryffindor girl stepped out. Stomped out, more like.
Great. Just great. She'd started the year off with an angry Hermione, might as well finish it that way, too.
"What did you say, Harry?" repeated Hermione. She looked furious.
Harry had gone bright red. "No, I- you misunderstand- out of context—"
"What else could 'I'm attracted to you' possibly mean? What is there to misunderstand?" she demanded, interrupting his stuttering.
"Robyn," Harry pleaded quite desperately, "say something."
As funny as this situation might be for an outsider, Robyn was an insider, and she didn't want Hermione to be angry with her over the holidays.
"He's right, it's not what it sounds like, honestly—"
"Shh!" Hermione shushed her sharply. "Harry Potter!"
"Hermione," he whined, "come off it—"
"Don't patronise me, or you'll find yourself a nice spot on the floor next to Malfoy and the Morons—!"
Robyn grabbed Hermione's hands before the fuming girl could reach for her wand. "Listen- just...come on," she said placatingly, tugging her towards the door of the neighbouring compartment and opening it abruptly. There were a few first year Ravenclaws inside. "Get out," she commanded in a bored voice.
They left quickly, probably afraid of her since she had faced Voldemort and all that. Silver linings, people.
Hermione started ranting immediately. "He fancies you, I knew it!"
"He doesn't."
"He does! Traitor! He asked you to the Yule Ball, and he keeps staring at you in the Great Hall – yes, I've noticed. He's not the only one looking. And—"
"Hermione," she said firmly, though at the same time she was trying to contain a blush, "even if he does, it doesn't matter. It's not mutual."
"But you said it yourself, you came to our compartment to see him."
"Of course I didn't. I came to see you."
Hermione still looked unsure.
"Did I get tor- did I get locked in my room for two weeks after frolicking around Brighton with him, or with you?"
"Don't joke about that."
"I'm not joking. I wouldn't have continued taking the risk for anyone else. I had so much fun with you that I couldn't help but come back. Yes?"
"Yes..."
"Do you need more convincing?"
Hermione nodded slowly.
Robyn made quick work of shutting the curtains and casting Colloportus. Hermione watched her, wetting her lips in anticipation.
And then Robyn cupped her cheeks and moved slowly so they could meet in the middle, and meet they did. It wasn't slow for very long at all. They'd never quite kissed like this, bar maybe after their blazing argument when they had come together again. It was rough and fast and full of passion and it wasn't just kissing, it was properly snogging because Robyn had a point to prove and Hermione had anger to get out.
Their previous kisses had always been chaste, innocent, gentle, because they were still young, and Robyn never wanted to move too fast or pressure Hermione into doing so. But this one was just so fuelled by heightened emotions – mostly on Hermione's end, though Robyn had absolutely no issue matching her energy – that they couldn't help it as their lips moved together rapidly, hands desperately gripping wherever they could.
And then the train stopped and so they had to stop, too.
Tragic.
"I'd never snog Harry like that," panted Robyn as she pulled away.
Hermione scowled. "I'd sooner hex your lips off before allowing that."
"Allowing it?" laughed Robyn. "Control freak much?"
"I'm a Virgo, aren't I?"
She laughed even more. "You don't believe in that rubbish."
"No, but you do, so I did some research of my own."
Robyn didn't know whether to be flustered by Hermione's comments, or flattered that she had gone out of her way to read on something she didn't even like, just because Robyn herself did.
A mix of both; fluttered.
Her heart was definitely fluttering.
But she had to go. She didn't want to miss Astoria and the Ravenclaws...and Ginny, she guessed, too. She was all right. Anyway.
"I'll miss you," she said seriously.
The older girl brought her in for a hug. "I'll miss you, too. Brighton won't be the same."
"I don't- I don't know what things will be like at home, but, maybe we can write each other...? I'll try to respond this time, really."
"Er, right...writing..."
"But only if I'm- if things are okay."
Hermione pulled away to look her in the eyes. She looked confident as she spoke. "You'll be fine."
"But—"
"You will. You'll be fine. I know it," she said earnestly.
And with the conviction in her voice plus the way she was looking at her, Robyn couldn't help but believe it.
They hugged again, Robyn muttering, "See you."
Hermione muttered back, "See you soon," with a kiss to her cheek.
After saying her goodbyes to her other friends, she met with her siblings and went to find their mother, which didn't take long as she had made sure to be right at the front and was waving them over hurriedly. Krankie was with her, too.
They Disapparated in a flash and landed outside the front door of the manor, but Mother moved to stand in the way, preventing them from going in yet.
"So, er, where's father?" asked Lloyd carefully. "You know, after—"
"He'll be home any minute, actually. Lloyd, Dylan, to your rooms, please. Quickly, now. Krankie, if you could take their stuff," Mother replied hurriedly. She seemed very on edge.
"But, what about—?"
"Robyn and I are having a little chat, quickly," she interrupted, taking hold of Robyn's arm and urging her away from the house. "I'll be back."
Robyn, still holding her luggage, had no choice but to go with her, though not quietly. "What's happening? Where are we going?"
"It won't take long."
They came to a stop behind a thick cluster of trees, somewhat deep into the woods but not too deep.
"Mother...?"
"Would you pick that up for me? I must have left it out here."
There was a very out of place mug on the ground. Robyn was suspicious, naturally.
"You never come out here. Why would—?"
"Either way, it belongs in the house. Pick it up, please," said Mother firmly, keeping an eye on the edge of the woods.
"Okay...?"
When her hand was barely centimetres away, her mother spoke again.
"Enjoy your summer, darling. This is for your own good."
It was too late for her to pull back, the mug had already touched her hand and she was being transported. There was the odd feeling in her navel that she had come to recognise as Portkey travel. The mug was a Portkey.
This didn't seem good at all. The last time she travelled by Portkey, she had witnessed the rebirth of the Dark Lord. What now?
She landed on something soft and could immediately smell the sea, which, in some ways, she had come to associate with Hermione. But there was no Hermione in sight.
Indeed, it was a beach she had travelled to. Different from the pebbles of Brighton, this one had soft white sand and the water was a fantastic blue-green. There were picturesque mountains in the background.
It was really pretty, but she didn't exactly feel safe.
She looked down at the mug to see it had turned to dust in her hand. It was gone. She couldn't go back. She was stuck here, on this random beach Merlin knows where, on her own.
Or so she thought.
"Hello."
She almost jumped out her skin and turned abruptly to see a tall man with dark hair. He looked familiar. He looked like...
"You must be Robyn. My name's Nadir."
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A/N: what the
word count: 3151
- A