❝ i'm chaos walking . . . ❞
❝ then i'll walk with you.❞
「 Liliana Granger knew chaos like the back of her hand.
It confronted her, challenging her to find calm wherever she could.
But some days...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
❝ A slow broom won't hide talent. ❞
⋅☾☼☽⋅
Music was a magic that healed the soul. Liliana felt like its rhythm could ease all her chaos into calm. That's why she adored her walkman — it was her favorite Muggle invention. As she walked along the black lake, she wore her headphones and let the steady drums in Dreams by Fleetwood Mac wash over her until her mind was clear.
It took a while, but eventually her stress melted into the music. Out here, that's all it was — the beat and the delicate autumn winds. There were no peers that pestered her to read their mind, no praise for abilities she didn't choose to have, and no starstruck first years that wanted a photo-op.
That's all her first week back had been, anyway. She had the Daily Prophet and Professor Lockhart to thank for that. But at least she had her lesson with Professor McGonagall to look forward to in about an hour. And the weekend — thank Godric it was Friday.
With her mind at ease, she decided to take a seat on a bench near the lake that rested beneath a beech tree; its leaves rustled in the wind. This was her usual spot when she came out here because it was somewhat distant from the castle.
As Dreams transitioned into Back to the Old House by the Smiths, she raised the volume on her walkman. Nodding along to the beat, she missed the sound of footsteps behind her. It wasn't until she felt a tap on her shoulder that she turned around, totally freaked out.
"What the —?" She pulled her headphones down to rest around her neck. "'Mione? What are you doing out here?"
"I thought you could use some lunch," Hermione said with a small smile as she handed Liliana a plate with a sandwich and chips.
"Oh, thanks."
Hermione nodded. "Sure."
"So..." Liliana said slowly "... what's up?"
Hermione perked up. "Well, since you asked," and she scooched onto the bench. "I'm a bit worried about you."
Liliana raised a brow. "Why?"
"Because you're quieter than usual," Hermione stated.
"Well," Liliana said, now staring ahead, "this week's been a lot."
"I know," Hermione said. She hesitated a moment, then added, "that's why I'm here. To talk — or listen. Whatever you need."
Liliana frowned a bit. She knew her sister had good intentions, but all she really needed was to be alone. But how could she tell her that? How could she tell the one person that wanted to be let in, that the door had to stay closed? She wasn't really sure.
"Or — or not," Hermione said into the silence that had fallen between them, "that's OK, too."
"It's not that I don't want to talk," Liliana said, her voice small as she struggled to find the words to explain, "it's just — I like to hide from the world when it's too much. I find the silence nice. Calming, even."
