For the next few days Alex kept to a rigorous schedule. She went to the great hall for breakfast, attended all her classes, and disappeared into the forest during her free periods, lunches and dinners. She also stayed with her dormmates for an hour each evening where they could do some of their homework together. On Saturdays, she decided, she could spend the day in the library with Hermione whom she had been almost totally ignoring. She knew she'd have to make some extra time again in the coming week for the arithmancy study group, but Kichiro was a lot stronger and healthier and the time he spent bonding with his mother and father was crucial. He was still only in the first few weeks of life. At nights, Alex would come back to the Hufflepuff dorm with the exception of a few times when she felt a little concerned about Kichiro.
When Saturday rolled around, Alex went to meet Hermione in the Gryffindor common room. She figured she could probably see Ginny that way too and check if she was doing okay.
"Alex, come in!" Hermione invited as the portrait door swung open. "Very prompt."
"Thanks."
"You can help me carry some books I need to return." Hermione dragged her inside.
"Yeah, sure." The Gryffindor common room was nice, but nowhere near as cozy as the Hufflepuffs'. "So this is what the famed Gryffindor common room looks like?"
"What do you think?"
"It's nice. Warm." She offered, looking around. Ginny came down from the dormitories and paused seeing her sister.
"Alex?"
"Hi!" Alex smiled. "Nice hat."
"No it's not." Ginny huffed. "My hair refuses to look even halfway decent is all."
"Want me to braid it for you?"
"Really?" Her mouth parted in surprise.
"Really?" Hermione echoed, her expression mirroring Ginny's.
"Yeah. You don't mind, do you?"
"Of course I don't." Hermione shook her head.
"Come!" Ginny said, taking hold of Alex's arm and dragging her up to her room. Hermione followed.
"That was nice of you." Hermione remarked once she and Alex were alone.
"Thanks." Alex smiled.
"So, is there any reason you've been acting strange lately? Is it because of Mahoutokoro?"
"I haven't been acting strange."
"You've been more social. I don't even remember the last time I saw you insult Cedric."
"How terrible of me. I'm being nice to my friend."
"You're also spending an awful amount of time with a first year Ravenclaw."
"What?"
"The twins say they see you with her a lot."
"See us how?"
"What do you mean how?"
"If the twins actually saw us with their own two eyes then Luna would be the last thing they'd be talking about."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"I'm saying, there's no way the twins have actually seen me, so clearly they're getting their information from somewhere else."
"So you're not actually mad the twins are sticking their nose into your business? I mean, I remember many rants of how annoying they could be."
"Well, I suppose I can hardly fault them when I do the same thing. I check up on Ginny all the time. Through you."
"I suppose."
"I am fine, Hermione. Better than before, even. Thanks to you and Snape."
"If you say so." Hermione gave in.
They spent hours in the library practicing their Japanese, and writing their essays for History of magic. Eventually they went down for dinner.
"Will you eat like a normal person, or do I have to come sit with you?" Hermione asked.
"You know we get so many weird stares when you do that?"
"I don't care."
"Come sit with us." Alex said, and Hermione nodded.
"Alright." She let Alex lead her to the Hufflepuff table.
"Do you guys mind if Hermione sits with us?" She asked, as they reached the table.
"You've never asked before." Megan pointed out.
"Well, I just realised it was rude of me not to."
"Take a seat, Granger. You're already an honorary Hufflepuff." Charlie gestured to a seat.
"There was a vote." Hannah added.
"You'd best keep Tuesday free. We'll be holding an official ceremony." Susan continued.
"They're not kidding." Alex added. "Although, it was supposed to be a surprise."
"Oh yeah."
"Doesn't matter, the cat's out of the bag now anyways." Susan grinned. Hermione looked for a hint of a joke on their faces. Finally she turned to Alex.
"Nice try, I'm not gullible."
"Fine, don't believe us." Alex shrugged. "It's not going to change anything."
"What's not getting changed?" Ernie asked, as he took a seat opposite them.
"Hermione's official honorary admittance ceremony."
"Oh, that's Tuesday, right?"
"Yeah, but she doesn't believe we're actually doing it."
"I... very funny, Alex. I've already seen the lengths you'd go to for a prank." Alex kept her face straight for a few moments before cracking up with laughter.
"Alright, but I had you for a moment." She said, grinning.
"Oh, just eat!" Hermione frowned. Alex nodded and put some food on her plate.
"You too!"
"I'm not the one who faints."
"Fainted. Past tense. Once."
"What do you call last year?" Megan asked.
"Not fainting." Alex glanced around the hall. Her eyes fell on the Gryffindor table first, out of habit. As though sensing her stare, Ron looked up. She offered him a small smile before looking over to the rest of her siblings. Ginny was chatting with a second year. Fred and George were punching each other's arm in a contest. Percy was staring over at something else, longingly. She followed his gaze to the Ravenclaw table and saw a sixth year staring back at him. She looked back and forth between them to make sure they really were looking at each other before moving on. She saw Luna sitting almost alone at her table. The seats around her were vacant, not that the young girl seemed to care. She was off in her own world as she threaded objects into a necklace. Bottle caps, maybe? Luna didn't look away from her project so Alex continued, turning to the Slytherin table. Draco was sitting opposite Zabini with Crabbe and Goyle. He had a bored expression on his face, which was pretty much normal. She turned back to her table.
"It's been fifteen minutes and you still haven't eaten a single thing." Hermione scolded. "Do you need to go back to the hospital wing?"
"I'm eating!" Alex said, before eating a spoonful of rice.
