Wish Upon A Star

Hagrid

Hermione drifted into an uneasy sleep.

The next morning when she woke up, Ashlyn was already gone. Frowning slightly, Hermione slipped out of her nightgown.

Ashlyn had always been secretive. She wouldn't talk until she found it necessary, or if she found something funny, or when she was angry. Otherwise, she preferred listening and observing. Of course, Hermione knew that Ashlyn liked to read everything. She had done so since first year. But last night was disturbing... 

But what Ashlyn had said, about her feeling the same. It was not entirely true, but it wasn't a complete lie either. Jinxes were a part of dark magic, which are now considered defensive spells. But Ashlyn was not just reading about harmless jinxes. 

Hermione shuddered when she thought about Ashlyn's pros and cons table of necromancy. 

Should she tell Harry and Ron?

Ashlyn woke up feeling utterly stupid. She should have hidden her books properly from Hermione. Why did she think it would be good to read it that night? Damnit.

She should talk to Hermione.

"Harry, Ron," Hermione called hurrying over to the boys.

"There's something I need to tell you," she said dragging them away to a corner.

"What's this about Hermione?" Ron asked. He and Harry had been talking about Quidditch until then.

"It's about Ashlyn," Hermione said shortly.

Harry and Ron looked at each other.

"What about her?" Harry said.

"Last night, I found her reading a book," Hermione said leaving forward

"Wow, what a surprise," Ron said sarcastically.

"No—listen!" Hermione snapped. "It was on necromancy. And she had books on dark arts, she borrowed it from Snuffles place," she said hurriedly.

"And—and—she had notes made on them, and she was explaining this potion V-voldemort used last year. I—just talk to her or something," Hermione said desperately.

"What did she say?" Harry said frowning slightly.

"She said she was curious and that she wanted to know," Hermione said

"That is it then," Ron said simply. "Do you know what Ashlyn hates the most in the world?"

"Umbridge?" Harry said

"Skeeter," Hermione said.

"Oh, and Malfoy, too," Ron said.

"She doesn't hate Malfoy," Hermione scoffed. 

"What?!" Ron and Harry said

"She just has a strong dislike for him," Hermione explained.

"Same thing," Ron said, and before Hermione could correct him, he said, "What I'm saying is, Ashlyn hates not knowing more than anything in this world,"

"I don't hate not knowing," Ashlyn's voice said from overhead.

All three of them jumped.

"I was wondering what you three were doing huddled over here. Now I see it was on my choice of books for some bedtime reading," Ashlyn said as she sat down on the armrest of Hermione's chair.

"Let me explain," Ashlyn said. "Those books are interesting. But I don't want to use them, or rather abuse them. I just want to know, and you know, find a counter-spell or something,"