Granger, you've done it again | hermione granger x fem oc

chapter 36

a/n: ANNOUNCEMENT !!!! —> I have added face claims to two characters who make more appearances in the story. scroll to the bottom to see! AHHHH okay i really like this chapter, I won't lie!! have an amazing week, love you!

"Now, you want to capture the facial features with every stroke. Shading is an important step." Dean leaned over my shoulder, darkening the section of the parchment with his crow quill pen. We sat out in the grassy courtyard, resting against the trunk of the century-old oak tree. I had asked Dean to help me with this sketch I was planning to give a particular brunette for her sixteenth birthday.

"Like this?" I strengthened the pressure I put on the tip of my feather, blackening the stroke.

"Not too bad." Dean smirked, proudly. He was beyond talented with a quill, from drawing to sketching. I'm honestly convinced he can draw anything.

"Thanks to you." I grinned excitedly. "Ah, I hope she likes it." I admired the work, seeing that I might actually finish early. In a few days' time even.

"How could she not!?" Dean nudged my shoulder encouragingly.

"Kilton!" I heard my name from across the courtyard, swiveling my head to see a familiar hufflepuff.

"See you later, Em." Dean excused himself, grabbing his things and heading off back into the castle before I could respond.

"West?" I turned my attention to the blonde, furrowing my eyebrows. My eyes shifted down to his hands, where he held a certain stuffed animal. My heart stopped as soon as the realization hit me.

"Mind if I..." he gestured to the now open seat on the grass beside me.

"W-what are you doing with him?" I stuttered as he sat down, leaning against the bark.

"I uh...I found him on Cedric's bed last year...when we were packing our things up. I meant to give him to you before the summer, but you were gone by the time I found him. Thought you'd want him back." West handed me the teddy bear, the smell of the forever gone hufflepuff radiating off him.

"I-...I don't know what to say." I held the stuffed animal filled with sentiment, a sense of comfort overwhelming me.

"You don't have to say anything. He...he loved you, Emelia. I mean really, really loved you. He was down bad." West sighed, a sad smile plastered on his face. "Man, I remember when I visited him the summer before last year. He was going on and on about this girl he met at the World Cup. Said he was too nervous to talk to her. That guy beat himself up everyday that summer. Then, surely the first night of our sixth year...that bloke could not stop bloody smiling. All because he learned your name." West chuckled, shaking his head. A small smile grew on my face at the reminisce of the Diggory.

"Thank you...for this." I gave him a genuine look, wiping the tears that started to pool up and roll onto my skin.

"Of course." the blonde leaned over, pulling me into a short but meaningful hug. A whistle was heard from by the archways of the open corridors, causing me to pull back instantly.

"Tsk, tsk. Wow, Kilton. Moving from one hufflepuff to another...his best friend too? Didn't know you had it in you." Draco sneered, advancing across the grass to us. I got to my feet as West did the same, a look of disgust on his face.

"Get lost, Malfoy." West narrowed his eyes at the group of slytherins.

"Tell me, Kilton. Who's better? You know...in bed?" Pansy leaned on Draco's shoulder. "My money's on the dead one." she twirled her hair, as Draco's lips curled up into a smirk. My insides boiled, my clenched fists forcing my nails to dig into my skin.