The Hollow Beneath Hogwarts

60. Big Mistake

The only sounds echoing through the darkness were the steady footsteps of the group as they descended deeper beneath Hogwarts.

Stone steps stretched endlessly below them, spiralling into the shadows. Their wandlight danced across damp walls, creating strange moving shapes that seemed to shift whenever they looked away.

Nobody spoke. Not at first. The silence wasn't uncomfortable exactly.

Just heavy.

The kind of silence that gave a person far too much time to think.

And unfortunately, Sloane was doing exactly that. She barely noticed the staircase. Barely noticed the darkness. Barely noticed the people around her.

Instead, she kept replaying the conversation by the lake.

Over. And over. And over again.

Every word. Every expression. Every mistake.

She couldn't stop herself. 

Draco's face when she'd admitted she was scared. Draco's face when she'd told him she wasn't sleeping. Draco's face when he'd realised what he'd said.

Her chest tightened. Because despite everything, she wasn't just thinking about what he'd done. She was thinking about what she'd done too.

Maybe she should have told him. Maybe she should have been more honest. Maybe she shouldn't have snapped.

Maybe—

"Stop it, Sloane." Hermione's voice cut through her thoughts like a knife.

Sloane blinked. "What?"

Hermione had fallen back slightly and was now walking beside her. The brunette gave her a knowing look. "Stop overthinking."

Sloane immediately looked offended. "I am not overthinking."

"You absolutely are." Hermione raised an eyebrow. 

"I am not."

"Sloane."

She sighed. "I am not overthinking. I am just....thinking."

"You're catastrophising."

Sloane sighed. "I hate it when you use your psychology words against me."

Hermione smiled slightly. "One of the many benefits of being clever."

"Arrogant."

"Also true."

Ahead of them, Ginny snorted.

Hermione continued before Sloane could retreat back into her own thoughts. "I know exactly what you're doing." Sloane looked away. Which was all the confirmation Hermione needed. "I know you're wondering what this fight means."

No answer.

"I know you're trying to figure out whether you handled it wrong."

Still nothing.

"And I know you're currently imagining the worst possible outcome."

Sloane remained silent.

Hermione smiled knowingly. "There it is."

"What?"

"That face."

"What face?"

"The face that says I'm right."

Sloane scowled.

Ahead of them Ginny glanced back. "What are we talking about?"

"Sloane overthinking."