The Light

Chapter 19- The Girls

There were still so many questions that bounced around James' head, even as they walked back to the Common Room later that evening. None of them were particularly hungry. Not even Peter, who was always hungry. And since they'd skipped afternoon classes, the only thing for them to do was retreat to their dormitory. James glanced at Hermione, and she had her arms wrapped around herself. She still looked ill, and he wanted to move and pull her closer to him. He wanted to look after her, and he didn't know why. It felt like some innate urge to protect her, against his better judgement, against all odds.

She hadn't told them everything. They still didn't know how or why she travelled back in time; why she fell from the Gryffindor ceiling, of all places. They didn't know what happened to their future self, or how she knew them. Or what she planned to do now.

All they knew was that Hermione Granger hadn't been born yet, and she was already the most exceptional bundle of nerves and sparks the world had ever seen.

They reached the Fat Lady, where Remus muttered the password, and they all stepped inside. Here, it was noisy and brash, and everything Gryffindor house was meant to be. Hermione felt a strange sense of serenity wash over her at it's familiar sight.

Lily jumped up from her seat as soon as she saw her and ran over.

"Hermione!" She pulled her into a hug.

Surprised, Hermione let herself melt into the smaller girl's embrace. It was warm but firm, gentle but secure and she found herself wanting to stay there. Lily let go, however, and said, concerned, "How are you feeling?"

"Oh. I'm okay now. Thank you. I just needed some rest," she smiled faintly.

"Are you sure? You don't need to see Madam Pomfrey-?"

Hermione snorted. "I definitely don't need to see Madam Pomfrey! I could have a cough and she wouldn't let me leave for a whole week!"

Sirius appeared beside her, his hand rubbing the top of her arm. "Sorry, Evans, but I'm gonna have to steal Miss Granger here. We're going to bed."

Lily's lips parted, then closed, as if she was deliberating saying something. She must've come to a decision for she said, "There's a spare bed in the girls dormitory. I mean, only if you want to, of course- you can move in with us."

Mary, who was eavesdropping all the way from the sofa, whooped. She grinned toothily, "That'd be ace! You totally should, Hermione!"

"Yeah, those boys can get irritating after a while. I can't spend two minutes with them, never mind two nights," Marlene added, but she winked to let them know she was joking.

Hermione let herself smile and she nodded. "That would be nice, thank you."

Lily beamed. "Don't worry about it! I'll show you which bed is yours, if you want?"

From besides her, Sirius looked wounded. "Kitten? How could you do this to us, to me? I thought we had something special..."

He removed his hand from her, and raised it to his forehead where he looked as though he might swoon. Remus raised an eyebrow in slight interest. "What's this?"

Sirius whipped around to face him. "Our Hermione is fleeing the nest!"

Her chest felt extremely light as she scoffed; despite having shed the light on her true origins, the boys were still as goofy and stupid as they had been before. She didn't know why this reassured her, but she supposed it was warming to know that some things never changed.

Peter piped up, "Who's fleeing the nest?"

"Oh, honestly! I'm not fleeing the nest-"

"Hermione?" James asked incredulously. "Hermione's fleeing the nest! Why ever would she leave us?"