How to Prevent a War

How to Save a Life

Hermione couldn't help her gaze always sliding back to the pendant around her neck. A gift from Alphard when they had gone on that double date turned multi date a few days ago. She looked at the other side of the classroom, where Alphard was sitting next to Rosier, his dark eyes staring right back at her in a hungry gaze that made her blush and she quickly refocussed on Professor Merrythought.

Class was certainly interesting. They were learning about Vampire factions and their own politics. Who knew Vampires were that organized? With a bright smile, she turned to Octavian, to comment to him on something in the explanation on Vampire elders and their relation to their 'children', but stilled when she saw the far off, melancholic expression on the auburn haired boy. He'd been very quiet and tense for a pretty long while now. Since around the time the Chamber was opened, if Hermione remembered correctly. But at this point, the Chamber was closed again, and Hagrid had been expelled after Tom turned the blame on him. Hermione, just like the others, had been very upset, but there was nothing she could do about it.

When class ended, she grabbed Octavian's arm before the other could leave. The boy turned to her, brows furrowed in confusion as he looked at Hermione.

"Are you ok, Octavian?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," the boy lied in a soft voice.

He tried to pull his arm free, but Hermione stubbornly held onto him with a scowl. There was clearly something off with him. Octavian was never very outgoing, but when just around her or Myrtle, he was very cheerful and could talk for hours about his passions. The boy was usually bright and attentive, yet the last few weeks, he was too drawn into himself, always with his mind somewhere else entirely.

"Are you sure? You don't look fine to me."

This made Octavian frown and he roughly pulled himself free.

"I said I'm fine, Hermione," he said harshly.
"Just leave me alone already, alright?"

Hermione's eyes widened in shock, and she took a step back. She wanted to say something else, ask him if there was anything she could do to make him feel better or tell him he could always tell her anything that bothered him, but stopped when someone put a hand under her chin and turned her head. Hermione's eyes widened again when her lips were softly kissed and she pulled back to see Alphard grinning down at her.

"Hello, Love!" her boyfriend greeted cheerfully.

Hermione blushed and looked back over to Octavian, only to find he had taken the opportunity to flee. Hermione scowled. She'd catch up to him in Charms and make him talk then.

"Fascinating subject, Vampires," Tom spoke up as he and Harry approached them.

The others, meaning Megan, Michael and Avery, followed the two dark haired boys as well.

"What did you think, Hermione?" the young Dark Lord asked pleasantly.
"I'd love to swap notes sometime. Especially before OWL's. I might have missed something when trying to help Harry hold his attention."

Harry's face turned bright red and he slapped the back of Tom's head.

"That was not trying to help me, Tom! That was distracting me!"

The others laughed and Hermione smiled. She really didn't want to know exactly what Tom had done to distract Harry, but she could make a few guesses. With the way Michael and Avery wiggled their brows and whistled, they clearly could imagine it too. It did nothing but make Harry blush harder.

"I'd love to compare notes with you, Tom!" Hermione said smiling.
"Though I really doubt I'll have anything on there you don't know yet. I won't miss out on an opportunity to snuff through yours."