Look at Me | Hermione Granger x Female OC (Book 1)

26 - A First for Everything

It was June 1st, 1995.

For the past two months, Hogwarts and its students have been quiet. With the continuity, the days seemed to merge together into one. Other than the occasional sneaking out, Ellie and Hermione's lives were uneventful, and Cedric's friendship with the Hufflepuff persisted. Nobody had suspected of the girls' relationship, and the two intended to keep it that way.

Ellie sat at the stairs of the Astronomy Tower, her girlfriend seated on the step below her. Hermione rested the back of her head against Ellie's abdomen, letting herself relax as the Hufflepuff ran her fingers through her curls. They had been conversing for about an hour or so, mindlessly talking about whatever came to mind.

"I'm just worried about Harry, you know?" Hermione groaned worriedly. "The third task is supposed to be the hardest— the most dangerous of all. I mean, he's only got less than a month before it comes around."

"You're always worried about him," Ellie sighed as she bent down to peck the top of Hermione's head. "And I'm not saying it's a bad thing— because I worry about Cedric too— but maybe you should just let him be."

"Ellie, darling, I can't just do that. He always gets himself in some kind of danger," Hermione shook her head. "He's Harry Potter, for Merlin's sake. Danger always seems to follow him, no matter what he tries to do to stop it.

"But he's alive, isn't he?"

"Because he's lucky! If it weren't for me and Ron always saving him, he wouldn't be here."

"I guess you've got a point," Ellie shrugged as she slid down a step to sit next to her girlfriend.

"All I'm saying... is that maybe it's a sign. Harry's dreams about You-Know-Who is no coincidence. Perhaps he's coming back."

"You really won't let go of it, will you?" Ellie sighed as she wrapped her arm around Hermione's waist.

"It's just that everyone thinks I'm paranoid. You're the only one that takes me seriously," Hermione admitted as she stared into the nothingness. "I don't know what I'd do if lost Harry. He's going to be on his own out there. And I'm sure you know how I feel."

"I couldn't imagine losing Cedric either. But this is how it goes, love. All of them will have to complete the task."

Hermione stayed quiet, eventually leaning her head to rest on Ellie's shoulder. Ellie took both of Hermione's hands and held them in her own, rubbing over the palms with her thumbs. She kissed Hermione's hands lightly in reassurance, making the Gryffindor crack a small smile.

"Hermione..." Ellie started, earning the full attention of her girlfriend. "I need to tell you something."

"What is it, darling?" Hermione cooed as she looked at Ellie expectantly.

Ellie took a shaky breath as she squeezed her girlfriend's hand slightly. Though she had been meaning to tell Hermione for ages, Ellie always felt she was rushing things and didn't want to lose her over the pace of their relationship. The "L word" was much more harder to utter than she had anticipated, and Ellie found herself unable to speak from nervousness.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" Hermione questioned with a soft tone, leaning over to attempt to get a better look at Ellie's expression.

"I... lo—" Ellie started, but she couldn't bring herself to complete the sentence. "I mean, I wanted to talk about Cedric."

"What about him?"

"I want to tell him," Ellie stated honestly. "About us. About our relationship."

"What? Why?" Hermione pulled back promptly, frowning at the words that had just come out of Ellie's mouth. "I thought what we have— it's our little secret, right?"

"And it is our secret. But I just hate lying to him all the time. You know how many times I've used the library excuse? Way too many times. He knows I'm not as studious as you are."

"And you don't think I hate having to lie to Ron and Harry?" Hermione countered, her tone raising slightly.

"I know, my love. But Cedric is different. Since the first day, he was the first person who ever cared for me. He's been there for me for months, and I just feel awful not being able to tell the truth," Ellie reasoned.

"Ellie, I'm not out. You and I both aren't. We can't risk telling anyone."

"Well, the twins already know," Ellie muttered under her breath, but Hermione caught it anyways.

"They know?!" Hermione shrieked, standing up quickly at the realization.

"They knew I liked you before I even I knew myself. Don't know how, but they could just tell how I wanted to be with you," Ellie explained, now rising to her feet to match Hermione's height. "Anyway, that's aside from the point. I trust Cedric with my heart, and he's not the type of person to go around telling everyone about us. He's a good person, love. He's kind, loyal, and is really understanding. I don't think he'd be opposed to the concept of me liking girls."

"How do you know you can trust him?"

"Because I just do!" Ellie snapped defensively, her volume echoing off the walls of the tower. "What if something happens to him? What if I never get the chance to tell him why I've been cancelling plans— why I don't get to talk with him as much as before? I thought relationships are supposed to be open. I thought we're supportive of each other, no matter what we do. I thought we're in this together— especially since we have it harder than every other relationship."

"And we are in this together!" Hermione defended, taken aback by Ellie's sudden tone.

"Then, why don't you trust me? Why don't you trust my instinct about Cedric?"

"But I do trust you!" Hermione insisted. "I just don't know Cedric at all. I can't just trust someone I don't know with that big of a secret."

"If the roles were reversed, I would've told you that it's okay to tell your own friends. Because I know you trust Harry and Ron, and because of that, I trust you," Ellie argued. "And Harry doesn't even like me, yet I'd be okay with it."

"Okay, but that's not what we're talking about!"

"At least Cedric considers you to be a friend! He doesn't hate you like how Harry loathes me. He's a good person, and he respects my trust with you. Maybe you should learn a thing or two about that concept."

"Oh yeah? Well maybe if you two weren't bloody Hufflepuffs, you'd learn that you can't be friends with everyone. You're always trying to find the good in things, that there's some kind of light from the darkest of corners. Always trying to save positive, but you don't even consider the fact that people can die! Bad things happen, but you all choose to ignore them. Maybe if you'd stop putting all that trust into everyone you meet, you'd finally be able to realize that!"

Ellie stopped immediately, tilting her head in attempt to digest her girlfriend's words. She stepped down a few steps, backing away from Hermione with a new sensation. The silence was deafening, and even Hermione seemed to be surprised at her own words.

"Well, if that's what you think of me, then so be it," Ellie spat, turning on her heel without hesitation.

Ellie stumbled down the spiraling steps of the Astronomy Tower, too blinded by the rising anger that started to overtake her. She pushed past groups of students, ignoring their yelps of protests. She carelessly made her way to the Hufflepuff basement, ignoring the confused stares of the lingering students. Ellie continued to storm through the room, eventually making her way to Cedric's dorm.

Ellie didn't care about his roommates as she made her way to Cedric. He stood up with a puzzled expression, quickly motioning for his roommates to leave the room. Ellie made her way to the boy and flung her arms around his waist, immediately breaking down into his chest.

Though people would think she was being overdramatic, Ellie pushed the thought aside as she sobbed into the last person she sought comfort in.

"It's okay, Ellie. I'm here," Cedric reassured quietly as he rubbed his friend's back in a comforting manner, holding her to his chest protectively.