August | Hermione Granger x OFC

Chapter Ninety-Four

slight CW brief mention of unaliving oneself 

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Robyn would feel not good about having a tutor.

Robyn would feel very not good about having Hermione as a tutor.

McGonagall stared at her expectantly.

Behind Robyn, Hermione held her breath.

"I...don't think that will be necessary."

McGonagall raised an eyebrow sceptically. Hermione stayed silent.

"Is that so?"

"Yes," Robyn breathed, "really. I couldn't...burden Hermione with—"

"You're not a burden."

She stiffened, for it hadn't been McGonagall to speak, but Hermione herself.

McGonagall took over, "There you have it. Miss Granger is, if I may, one of the most impressive students to pass through these halls in decades. Tutoring you in Transfiguration will only be a bit of revision for her. Am I wrong, Miss Granger?"

"That's right. And, er, thank you."

"Not at all. I take pride in my students. Now, that's sorted, then—"

"It's not," Robyn interrupted impertinently. She wouldn't usually dare disrespect a teacher – especially not McGonagall – but she was panicking. When McGonagall only stared at her, she continued, "It's not sorted. I don't want a tutor. I don't need one."

McGonagall reached into a drawer in her desk and pulled out several pieces of parchment. The one on top had a large 'A' on it, which was a pass at the very least, but then she moved it to the bottom of the pile to reveal a 'P', and another 'P', and another and another, and then there were a few 'D's, and then finally, Robyn's most recent bit of homework moved to the top of the pile, a small 'T' marring it.

'T' for 'Troll'.

She could feel her cheeks burning red with embarrassment. She could feel tears forming in her eyes. She could feel Hermione's hand on her shoulder.

"I am not trying to embarrass you, Miss Rosier. I am trying to help you. There is nothing wrong with needing help every once and a while."

She felt trapped; by McGonagall, by Hermione's hand – by Hermione's mere presence, in fact – by the cabinet malarkey, by the school...

She needed to calm down.

So, she did.

She hadn't just forgotten about Occlumency just because Snape was no longer giving her lessons. And she'd successfully deceived the Dark Lord, so making herself calm down in front of Minerva McGonagall was very much doable.

Hermione being present was throwing her somewhat, of course, because the Gryffindor girl could make her go crazy in both the good way and the bad, but Hermione was no Dark Lord. She was Hermione. She was worse. She was better. She was everything.

Robyn breathed out as she carefully cleared her mind, pulling herself together, and then she cleared her throat and relented, "Okay."

Okay? Not really.

She wanted things to be okay – more than anything. But it wasn't possible.

She wanted to spend time with Hermione. She wanted to learn from her. Of course she did. So that was all she would allow herself – all they would do was study. There would be no unnecessary chatter, no catching up, no flirting, no touching, no emotions.