Chapter 149: Late Night Talks

"Mom is having a row with Sirius, almost everyday." Ginny said as the girls changed into their sleepwears. 

"Sirius really wants to talk to Harry about what's going on here. He just wants to assure him but Dumbledore and Mrs. Weasley are really against of that." Hermione said. 

"Guess we're not the only ones getting Harry's desperate letters." Chris said falling back on her bed. "Well honestly, I don't agree with Mrs. Weasley. I mean she's worried about us, I get it, but she can't save us if she try to leave us entirely clueless."

"Trust me if it was something else, I would've agreed with Dumbledore and Mrs. Weasley blindly.." said Hermione. "But nowdays the more I hear about what's going on outside and how the order members are risking their lives... I feel... we shouldn't just worry about our homeworks.. we should prepare ourselves. At least that way we can save ourselves."

Ginny and Chris looked at each other, then turned to Hermione, who was staring into the space.

"That's really nice, coming from you, Hermione." Chris said.

Hermione shrugged and pulled out a book and sat on the bed.

"I'm going to read." she said.

"Now?" Chris asked.

"That's her bedtime reading." Ginny said giggling. "How to brew a perfect and powerful sleeping draught."

"Shut up Ginny." Hermione said, smiling behind her open book.

"Why're you reading that?" Chris asked, sitting up on her bed. It was really a advanced Potions book.

"Oh! You see, we've our O.W.Ls this year so I'm finishing up the new books, so I can manage my time in school for other things as well." Hermione replied sitting cross-legged on the bed.

"But our book lists aren't here yet. How did you got new books?" 

"That's Hermione for you." Ginny said. "They're previous years O.W.L level books, she collected them from Katie. Also she took the old books from Fred and George."

"They were rather happy to give the books away." Hermione injected.

Chris and Ginny laughed.

"What's going on with you and Victor." Chris asked after sometime, she was suddenly feeling interested in Hermione's love life.

Hearing the question Hermione coughed violently before dropping the book and drinking water. Chris realised she caught her off guard.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked hurrying towards Hermione. "You alright?"

"Ye.. yeah.." Hermione said breathlessly. "I'm good and nothing is new between me and Victor. I mean we're writing letters but not much. I was also busy in cleaning the house..."

"Hermione, quit giving excuses." Chris said directly. "Something is wrong. I can see that on your face."

"Er... It's really nothing, Chris."

"I'm practicing Legilimency. You want me to practice on you?" Chris said rolling her eyes.

"You what?" Hermione looked shocked.

"Wait.. What's Legilimency?" Ginny asked, looking back and forth between Chris's casual face and Hermione's shocked face.

"It's a very difficult and rare piece of magic. It's the ability to extract feelings and memories from another person's mind." Hermione said in her bookish voice. Then looked at Chris in disbelief. "But how did you... It's..."

"I haven't tried it on anyone, trust me, except you count the mean college girl who leaves in our neighbourhood. Anyways, I'm mainly practicing Occlumency. I think I'm getting good at it." Chris replied. "Infact today when Dumbledore tried to look inside my mind my Occlumency practice kicked up and I was able to resist his power, not very much, but at least it's a start."

"Now what's Occlumency?" Ginny turned to Hermione.

"Occlumency is the ability to shut down those feelings and memories." Hermione replied out of habit, but her eyes were still fixed on Chris and she was still looking shocked.

"Wow. Can I learn?" Ginny said looking impressed now. "Will you teach me Chris?"

"You can try." Chris replied.

Finally Hermione got out of her daze, "So Dumbledore knows?"

"I think he understood." Chris replied. "Now back to Krum. What's going on?"

Hermione opened her mouth to give a quick answer but then closed it.

"I don't know." she said after a long sigh.

"Why?" Ginny asked sitting beside her.

"I guess we're way too different. I mean he liked me despite of... well... myself.. and I liked him back..."

"But?" Chris said sitting on Hermione's bed.

"But after he left everything felt different, I mean.. when he asked me, if he is my priority or not? I realized maybe he's not my first priority..." Hermione said looking at her hands. "I mean I've my studies, education, then you all, then Victor. I mean it's not fair with him, is it?"

"Hey it's not like that. I also have different priorities but Michael doesn't mind." Ginny said. "It's about if you both enjoy each others company or not."

"Well... I like his company." Hermione said.

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"Then?" Chris said smiling. "Look, I know it can be difficult when you live so far away but you can at least give it a chance. And please don't decide things alone for both of you, talk to him first, understand how he's feeling, then decide what to do."

Hermione nodded after listening then smiled.

"You two are really nice." 

"You know what? We're." Ginny grinned. 

"Well then I'm off to bed. I'm feeling really tired." Chris said climbing back on her bed.

"Hermione lock the door before you sleep." Ginny ordered, climbing onto her own bed.

"Why?" Chris said laying on her back.

"Kreacher. The house-elf." Ginny replied. "The second night we were here he came wandering in at two in the morning. I woke the entire house up by screaming, when I saw him. He's a crazy house-elf."

"Oh he's not crazy Ginny. He's just a bit old." Hermione said in a disapproving tone, while locking the door.

"Sure." Ginny said rolling her eyes. "But it's still creepy. Good night."

"Good night." Chris and Hermione echoed.