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Two weeks of first term had passed, and Neptune was dying. Not literally, of course, although sometimes she figured that might have felt slightly better. The Weasley twins had stuck themselves to her like a burr, and no matter what she did she couldn't seem to lose them. On top of that, she was balancing all ten of her regular classes plus the two extra electives and the responsibility of prefect, and then the difficulty of trying for her animagus so she could be around Harry while also avoiding Harry— all the stress was getting to her. Not to mention the fact that Malfoy, the slimy little git, was having his father sue Hagrid. Honestly, if she didn't know what a horrible man his father was, she would be ashamed to be related to the boy.
And on the topic of Buckbeak's case: one morning, coming back from comforting a sobbing Hagrid, Neppie had found a young, brown-skinned Gryffindor girl prancing down to his hut with an armful of books, all bigger than her head. Neppie had smiled and offered her assistance. The two had ended up discussing (ranting) vehemently about the mistreatment of magical beings and creatures in the Wizarding world, and from there had become fast friends.
It hadn't taken long for McGonagall to tell Neppie that the younger Gryffindor was unknowingly following in her footsteps, and Neppie could see the worry in the professor's eyes. Hermione was taking on a lot, she had decided. It wouldn't hurt to help, would it?
On the days (and nights) when Hermione found it all to be too much, she could always find Neppie in the library, sitting in one of the book cubbies with an open space next to her. More often than not, the young Gryffindor would abandon any idea of studying or reading and curl up beside Neptuneas she read. And where Neppie would normally shudder and feel that itchy-scratchy-icky feeling beneath her skin, this contact was actually... pleasant. She enjoyed sitting there in the library with Hermione, tucked away from everybody else.
It felt nice, being next to someone who wouldn't hit you.
Neptune's hand absently ran through Hermione's bushy hair, only pausing for a moment to turn the page.
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