Chapter Text
The ball was closing in, Eve got her date with the French champion and Briar had gone through their gender troubles, for the moment. Dressrobes were stupid but no one batted an eye when they went for a shirt and a weird mix between skirt and pants. Talking about their dates had started to become a real problem during the last week, between the asking if they were going with a boy or a girl and some people on both sides asking them out because Briar were apparently cute and handsome. They were so thankful Neville had asked before the whole thing had even started.
But more trouble was approaching. The night of the ball started well, Neville had come for them, they talked about plants as usual, then waited for the champions to arrive.
The first being Harry with Ginny Weasley in tow, followed by Fleur Delacour with Eve in a princess carry giggling as professor Snape made no effort to hide how tired he was, and finally Hermione came down with the quidditch star seeker.
The image made them feel weird, it wasn't that Viktor Krum was a bad person, he had tolerated really well Eve's antics and even helped in some. But the thought of seeing their friend with someone in a seemingly romantic manner hurt. Feeling that was further increased as Briar's thoughts rounded how pretty Hermione looked and the physical need to be close to her. It hurt to think where their mind was going.
Briar locked that feeling away, it was easy, it was just data after all. The dancing started and the feeling reappeared so they tried to lock onto the other champions. Ginny and Harry seemed to enjoy the dance despite stepping on each other's feet every other moment, Eve was having fun letting Fleur guide her and Fleur, they noticed, had the look those stupid romantic movie protagonists had in their eyes.
The champions' dance ended at some point and after dinner they had Eve holding their hands “Please Bri, just a dance”
They sighed “Fine, fine. But I think your partner wants a repeat”
Eve giggled “Yup, Fleur is great and wants to meet you better too” That scared Briar for some reason.
They danced for a bit until Hermione asked for a change of partners. Briar was having a difficult time looking at her in the eye “I can't believe I'm dancing at a party. It's like one of those movies” The sheer happiness in her voice lifted their spirits.
“It is. If we forget about, you know, being in a castle in the middle of nowhere and the antiquities mostly everyone is wearing” They answered. It was unusual for them to make this type of comment.
Hermione chuckled “You've seen them too then”
They sighed “Disadvantages of being permanently online”
Hermione stared at her for a moment before giggling “Not all were that horrible, right?”
They rolled their eyes “They were better than their own parodies at least. Too many scatological or sexual jokes to count” They wouldn't admit that some actual romantic movies moved them. And that some parodies, despite what they just said, had better pacing. “Do you have every single thing you've felt in your memory?” Hermione asked.
They nodded “I can compartmentalize like it's done with occlumency. It helps when I don't want to deal with something, like the dormitory thing” Or whatever I'm feeling at seeing you.
She sighed “You should have told us sooner. You know I would have helped”
It was fair, they already told her about the android part after their first fallout.
Hermione was really angry at them because in her opinion Snape had tried to curse Potter during his first Quidditch game and Briar knew perfectly well he hadn't been, but didn't want to be a part of others' problems. They ended up being part of it because their sister was their problem, whether they liked it or not.
So when Eve asked them to make peace with Hermione, they did. Briar got fed up with Hermione's attitude and ended up blurting out how they weren't human and had felt the resident Potion master helping him. That had been a really long conversation about the implications of their existence, the future and other things one would expect from any curious kid.
“I'll think about it next time”
Hermione huffed “Do you think it'll ever happen again?” She had that scornful look they saw so much, only it wasn't usually directed to them.
They chuckled “I hope it doesn't. I'm comfortable the way I am now”
She nodded “Ready for the next trial?”
They nodded “I'd go to the lake already if I wasn't talking with you”
She sighed as the rhythm of the music turned quicker “Aren't you worried about Eve?”
They adapted to the music in an almost automatic manner “She'll be fine and if trouble rises I trust the faculty”
She didn't really seem to like that answer “Do you really?”
They understood well where she came from. They always had to face some trouble because the adults weren't doing their job properly “I do. Remember how the first trial ended?”
She reluctantly nodded “Fine. They don't always fail. Will you help if they do though?”
She knew that was a hard question for them. It wasn't their story to live and they only being part of the cast because their sister and surprisingly Neville and now Hermione too. So while having a hard time they answered “Just if there's a mortal peril…”
Hermione smiled “That's all I ask”
They received a tap on their shoulder from Viktor Krum and understood what he wanted instantly. They let go of Hermione and quickly stepped away “See you later”
They didn't really give her time to answer back and those thoughts were back in their mind. They still didn't want to deal with it so they locked it away once again. Neville quickly found them and gave them a drink.
“Having fun dancing?” He asked.
They simply nodded trying to keep more of those confusing thoughts from surfacing.
He grabbed their hand and guided them to the gardens without saying a word, but they trusted him enough for that.
“Why are we here?” They asked.
He blushed a little “We both needed a bit of silence, right?”
They weren't sure if they really did, just that their mind had stopped overclocking with thoughts “Thank you”
He nodded and guided them to sit somewhere a bit far away from everything “Briar… I have to tell you something” They nodded signaling him to continue. He swallowed “I… like… you” As the sounds came out he became redder and redder.
They internally became scared, thought that they had become too much of a character and apparently their usual mask wasn't there to protect them this time.
He was still red but noticed my expression “It's fine, I just wanted to stop hiding…” He swallowed again “And ask you to do the same”
Those words hit them like a tsunami “I shouldn't… It's… Dangerous… I could cause so much trouble” They knew perfectly well. They had kept quiet about Quirrel, the basilisk, Sirius Black and now the fake professor under the potion.
He shook his head and held their hand with his trembling ones “Your feelings, Briar. Whatever happened with Hermione”
They felt so stupid and actually blushed “Do I have to?” They covered their face with both arms.
“I promised Hermione that if we saw you going through something similar again we would help”
They sighed deeply, freeing those feelings from the quarantine and let themself analyze them while they died of embarrassment. First the jealousy and then the part that truly hurt them, actual attraction. They spread their fingers to glance at Neville “I like Hermione” They dropped “I'm jealous of that quidditch player… And…” Their lips wouldn't budge trying to say they found her attractive.
Neville nodded repeatedly in a quick manner “I-I understand! No need to say it!”
They huffed feeling that at least they weren't alone in their problem. And then they remained in silence staring at the other, not sure what to say.
Until Hermione came with a grunt “Here you two are!” She sat by their side not noticing the silence between them.
They were the first to break it “Is something wrong?”
Hermione huffed “Ronald is what's wrong! Befriending the enemy he says! Like he didn't try to ask that girl!”
They blinked “He tried to ask Delacour…”
Hermione nodded “It was a surprise to see her with Eve, but of course the one that gets told is me!” They sighed before laughing for some reason because they weren't the only one jealous. She glared at them “What's so funny!?”
They sighed and looked at her with tender eyes “Hermione. He's just jealous because you look so good and were with another guy”
Hermione looked lost because of their words “I… What!?”
They flinched after understanding what they just said and blushed “Nevermind” They promised themselves to have a small program done so this didn't repeat.
Hermione grabbed them by the shoulder “Bri? What is it?”
They glanced at Neville trying to ask for help but he shook his head. They pressed their lips together and surrendered “Turns out… I like you” They sealed their worries away but that did create new worries. They hated their own mind sometimes, creating problems on their own.
Hermione turned away from them putting her hand between them “Give me a moment” They heard her regulate her breath “I thought you were above these things” She commented.
They nodded “And I thought that too… Turns out I'm just a girl lover like most of my family”
Hermione didn't turn around “I… Don't know what to say”
They swayed their legs back and forth. Now with their feelings more in a leash after freeing them, ironically “I don't know either… It feels wrong like I'm betraying you in some way”
Hermione turned sharply to them “Why would you feel that way?”
The blushed reappeared as they did their best not to look at her “I… It's kind of how everyone looks at Delacour” They glanced trying to get a look at her expression.
Hermione sighed with a nascent blush “To tell you the truth I'm slightly affected by her allure. So I'm pretty envious of you and Eve not being affected by it… Because you are not… Right?”
They nodded before jumping from their seat “I feel and I'm aware about what it tries but I just slap it away”
Hermione sighed one last time as she stood up near them “Briar, I don't know how to say this… but… do you want to try giving dating a go?”
For a moment it felt like everything stopped for them and they had to clean up the new mess their emotions made in them “Are you sure?”
Hermione nodded “To tell you the truth I accepted Viktor's invitation because he reminded me of you. Today, I learned he just wanted someone that just treated him normally… and he found our conversations interesting”
They just didn't know what to say, it almost seemed like they forgot to talk.
“Just say yes” Neville interjected
They both turned to Neville ashamed they forgot he was there. They sighed deeply and quickly looked into what happened, just to find that the guilty one was their language module not knowing the words to use “What if we fight and things go wrong… I shouldn't even be here”
Hermione squeezed their hands “It will happen and we will try to overcome it”
They didn't really know what to do but fearing the same bug would happen again they just nodded.