"You're so insufferable, I hate you!" Hermione exclaimed, disdain filling her eyes.
"The feeling's mutual, you stupid... Muggle-born." Y/N retorted, Hermione's nose twitching out of frustration.
...
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From a distance, Hermione observed as she stepped onto the bus, her gaze fixed on the interaction between Aurora and Y/N. There was something in the way Aurora's gaze lingered on Y/N, an intensity that stirred an unfamiliar sensation within Hermione – a mixture of curiosity and a slight twinge of something she couldn't quite put her finger on.
As she settled into her seat, Hermione's internal monologue became a whispered mantra, an attempt to ground herself in the reality she believed to be true. "Get yourself together, Hermione. Y/N is your rival, she's a Crimson, she'd never want to be friends with you." The words were a stern reminder, an effort to quell the uneasy thoughts that had begun to take root.
With determined steps, Hermione approached the duo, her expression carefully composed. Silently, she slid into the seat beside Y/N, the proximity sparking a mix of emotions within her that she struggled to ignore.
"Hey," Y/N's greeting reached her ears, her voice holding a sense of ease that seemed to contrast with the tumultuous sea of thoughts in Hermione's mind. A quick glance out of the window and a nonchalant grunt served as her initial response, a cover for the whirlwind of thoughts that threatened to consume her.
"So, I reckon you two are talking again?" Hermione's voice sounded casual, a facade she had mastered over the years. Y/N's nod affirmed her assumption. "Cool," she mumbled, though her mind was far from calm.
In that moment, as she sat between Y/N and Aurora, Hermione felt like a silent observer in a complex and enigmatic play. The dynamics at play were far from straightforward – the history, the emotions, the unspoken connections – they all seemed to intertwine in ways that she couldn't fully grasp.
Hermione's internal struggle continued, an internal tug-of-war between her rationality and the inexplicable feelings that seemed to grow stronger with every passing interaction. Yet, she remained outwardly composed, a mask of indifference concealing the storm that raged within her.
✴✴✴✴✴
Y/N wearily entered her dormitory, the remnants of jet lag still clinging to her from the eventful field trip. She slumped onto her bed, her body seeking the comfort of the mattress as she released a tired groan. Changing out of her clothes felt like an insurmountable task at the moment. Across the room, her roommate observed her with an amused smile, busily arranging her belongings.
"Well, well, Y/N. Doesn't seem like you're quite the night owl," Sophie playfully remarked, a teasing glint in her eyes. Y/N responded with a grumbled sound, sprawled out in a starfish position on her bed, her face pressed into the pillow.
"Ugfhshfg," Y/N mumbled, the fatigue evident in her voice.
"Ah, the eloquent response of a true scholar," Seraphina quipped, giving Y/N's back a gentle pat before gracefully ascending to her top bunk. One by one, the other girls in the dorm followed suit, settling into their own beds, the tiring day finally catching up with them as sleep and drowsiness began to envelop them.
