Give Me One Chance, Please - a Hermione Granger story

Chapter 13

(I want to thank @SwimmerFox - River is made to try muggle chocolate by Hermione - for the idea.)

After Hermione said goodbye to her mother and father at the end of family day, she gave them a long hug and watched them leave the Great Hall with the rest of the parents. A feeling of sadness filled her - she wouldn't be able to see her parents until the end of the year. Her mind race to thoughts of River. She hadn't seen her since before lunch was served. She didn't even know if River has eaten anything. Her hand travelled down to the bars of Dairy-milk chocolate in her pocket.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione left the Great Hall and went to find River. She searched everywhere, the library, the girl's bathroom, the hallways. She even asked Draco if he'd seen her. All he told her was that he'd seen her in Dumbledore's office.

Sighing in frustration, Hermione climbed the stairs to Dumbledore's office. She knocked on the door waited for permission before enter. She pushed he heavy door open and stepped into the room after hearing Dumbledore's voice.

"Sir, have you seen River?" She asked, now desperate to find the younger girl.

"Ah, Hermione, I sent her back to her dorm room. She was exhausted." Dumbledore's said. "She might be hungry, best to share that chocolate in your pocket with her." He said, giving her a wink.

Frowning slightly, Hermione wondered how Dumbledore's knee she had the chocolate in her pocket before shrugging the feeling off. "That was my plan, sir." She said with a fond smile. She made her way to the door and pulled it open. "Thank you." She said before leaving Dumbledore's office and running to the dorm rooms, ignoring Professor McGonagall's calls for her to slow down.

Hermione arrived at the door and took a deep breath. "Please be in here." She whispered before pushing the door open.  She spotted River on her own bed, wiping her eyes.

Entering, Hermione closed the door softly and moved over to River's bed. "Hi." She said softly, sitting down beside the younger girl.

River wiped her eyes again and took a deep breath, looking up at Hermione. "Hi." She said. Her voice was weak and frail.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Hermione asked.

River shook her head in response. "No."

That's when Hermione remembered the chocolate in her pocket. She reached in and pulled out a bar. She looked at it, turning the bar in her hands, investigating it to make sure it was good enough for the girl sitting next to her. She nodded in approval and held the bar out to River. "Here." She said softly, looking at the other girl.

River turned her head. She stared at the bar in Hermione's hand. "What is it?" She asked cautiously, furrowing her brows.

"It's chocolate." Hermione said. "It makes me feel better when I'm sad. Try some."

River seemed weary and hesitant. She swallowed. "Chocolate." She repeated.

Hermione nodded. She opened the wrapper and broke a piece off, popping it in her mouth. She chewed and swallowed. "Chocolate." She repeated. She broke a small piece off for River and offered it to her. "Here."

River hesitated. She reached out and took the piece of chocolate from Hermione's hands. Bringing it to her nose, she sniffed it. Before investigating it with her eyes, turning it over in her hands to look at it from every angle possible.

Finally, River put it into her mouth  and chewed it slowly. It was sweet, like nothing she'd ever tasted before. She hummed, a smile crossed her face. She swallowed it. "Wow." She breathed, looking at Hermione. "Thanks. I feel better."

Hermione smiled back. She leaned over and pecked River's cheek. "Don't thank me." She whispered in the younger girl's ear.