For You I Will #1- The Philosopher's Stone

9 Morning Routine

Y/N woke and stretched as Smoky lazily meowed at him for waking her. She quickly fell back asleep. It had been another night of nightmares plaguing him. Nothing he could do about it.

He released the silencing charm and opened his curtains, looking at the time. It was 5am and the other five boys were all fast asleep- Ron was snoring loudly. Y/N chuckled, thinking about Jacob. He had definitely got Y/N in a set routine the last four years. He sat there momentarily, wondering what Jacob was doing now Y/N wasn't there anymore. Y/N cooked his food everyday but also cooked for Jacob most days as well. Would Jacob remember to eat?

A thousand thoughts and concerns for his eldest brother flooded into his mind, Y/N shook his head, trying his best to fight them off.

He promised Jacob he would keep to the routine, keep improving his physical conditioning. There were no days off. Everything else was a distraction. He put on a tank top and headed out to the common room. No one was in there but the fire was already going.

"Alright time to find a place to train" Y/N said to himself as he headed out the portrait door. He cast a distance tracking charm on his wrist and set it to two miles before he started ascending and descending the nearby staircases as fast as he safely could.

After finishing a gruelling two miles of staircases he then did his sit up and push up drills before looking around.

"Where can I do pull ups" he asked himself redundantly. He looked over the staircase edge pondering the drop below and chuckled:

"Well poverty is the mother of ingenuity".

-~-

Y/N had finished his morning routine and was knackered. He was covered in sweat from head to toe and only having a tank top on didn't help.

He entered the common room surprised to see a cute bundle of bushy brown hair with her face in a book.

"Morning Hermione" Y/N called out. The poor girl jumped a mile.

"Y/N you scared me...." she started to scold him before stopping abruptly with her mouth agape and eyes wide open.

"Yeah I know I'm a mess" Y/N chuckled.

Hermione felt the heat rush to her face as she looked at her friend. He was standing there in just a tank top and sweatpants and was dripping with sweat. She couldn't help but stare at his muscular bulky physique.

"Um...um...ah.... what happened Y/N are you ok?" She stammered out.

"Yeah just finished my morning workout that's all"

"What morning workout?" Hermione asked puzzled.

"Oh, it's what Jacob has assigned me to do every morning to build strength and fitness" Y/N replied with a smile.

"Jacob your brother, right?"

"Yeah, he's my legal guardian and has been training me since I was eight"

"Oh, um... what about your parents?"

Y/N's face changed instantly. Hermione silently cursed herself.

"I'll-uh tell you about them some other time. I need to have a shower. You wanna wait for me before you go to breakfast?" Y/N asked hopefully.

"Oh yes of course" Hermione smiled before it faded as she added: "Sorry if I upset you"

Y/N smiled.

"No it's fine. I'll be back soon".

It wasn't fine. But she didn't need to know that. If nothing else Y/N was great at remaining stoic.

Hermione watched Y/N walk towards the bathroom and was immediately concerned. She hadn't had a friend before. She hoped she didn't upset him.

-~-

Y/N came down fifteen minutes later in his robes and looking refreshed.

"Nice shower?" Hermione giggled.

"Yeah they have great hot water here. The amount of times I've had to wash in a freezing lake or river on the road with Jacob..."

Y/N paused and chuckled as Hermione looked at him shocked:

"Let's just say you never take hot water for granted again."

He stopped next to Hermione and asked: "Ready for breakfast? I'm starved"

"Yes definitely" Hermione smiled packing away her book before she stood and smelt a woody, smoky, earthy scent. Hermione inhaled it deeply and smiled before clearing her throat.

"Um is that aftershave Y/N?" She asked slightly nervous.

"Yeah... too much?" He asked slightly worried.

"No not at all, it smells really good"

Hermione mentally scolded herself for emphasising really too much.

"I'm glad to hear it" Y/N chuckled. "Penny recommended it. A smoky essence of sandalwood, apparently" he chuckled.

"How come you're wearing it. You don't shave already do you?" She asked puzzled.

"Yeah, it's just bumfluff at the moment but it's annoying" Y/N chuckled.

Hermione giggled.

"Bumfluff? I haven't heard that before"

"Oh right. It's the soft hair we guys get before it toughens up and darkens. Pretty annoying really. Anyway let's go".

Hermione nodded and they exited the common room to head down for breakfast.