And my Demons left Behind

Part 2: The Dove

A/N: Here begins part two of the story: The Dove. You can guess the obvious about who she is. 

Summary: Hermione somehow managed to ask Harry to be her date to the Ball. But instead of getting to the Disney princess version, she's instead tasked with figuring Harry out first. She knows little of Harry's challenges, yet she wants to soothe him. Will this work out? Or will she fail?

The Dove sees the Raven fly into the night

But what would she know of him, her life so white

Ok... So Hermione now knew that there worked a mega — rather giga, tera, peta, machination of mouth that could spread information faster than perhaps even light. 

The Hogwarts Rumor Mill. 

The day hadn't ended and everybody in the castle knew that Hermione Granger asked Harry Potter out, and in some parts of the story intimidated him to death, promised him some strange things...

Point being, it was lightning fast. And she felt super sad for Viktor instead.

The next day, he met her in the library, just to here the answer from her mouth. So generous, yet he got stuck between Hermione and her pathetic mission to find out about Harry Potter.

Like really, was it even worth it?

"Have you, decided on an answer to my invitation?", he asked, looking at her dead on.

"I'm sorry, Viktor. I truly am. But there was, how should I put it, someone I too wanted to go with, and I waited for it so long and you asked me. And being so selfish, I kept you waiting while I asked him out last night. You must think I'm so selfish", she told him honestly.

"You most certainly are not, Hermi-o-nee", he enunciated carefully, "It is completely fine to have an invitation and make another yourself. I'm honoured you told me the complete story"

"I hope you have a good time with Harry", he said after a while, as he left after a polite nod.

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She was feeling so quiet, so observant today. Maybe because it was a Hogsmeade weekend, or maybe because she had decided not to go, and took the free time to relax after so long, although her first OWL would just be 500 days away, give or take 20 days.

She gazed at the fireplace, where the fire was crackling in the night. Deep in her mind, she knew the reason she was so calm today, because if what Uncle Joe said was true, she'd now he able to call her Mum and Dad home.

Now, she had to go as far as the high hill beyond the Great Lake to not burst the mobile phone, and hope that Dufftown's cell towers were strong enough. If they had them.

After a tiring walk of more than an hour, she reached the location. She sat down, and dialed. Thankfully, the call connected.

"Hello, Mum", she called out.

"Hello Hermione! Gracious, it worked, didn't it? How far did you have to come to do it?"

"Around four kilometres in a hilly path", she thought out. 

A bit more of the usual chatter, then Mum started telling her the latest toothache tantrum at the practice. As was customary if you're a Granger.

"And when I thought that his parents would just have to take him back, your Dad comes in with that Winnie the Pooh tie and shakes his hips like a bear about to take honey", Mum laughed.