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"Pssst!"
Hermione stopped in the drafty corridor halfway to Gryffindor tower, looking around for the source of the noise.
"Over here!"
Taking a few steps forward, Hermione peered down a hallway jutting off to her left, hand fluttering to her throat in shock at what she saw.
"Wotcher, Hermione!"
"Tonks—I—what are you doing here?"
"Well, it's good to see you too, sweets."
"Oh, no! I didn't mean it like that. I'm just surprised. Pleasantly surprised!"
The spectral figure with wild hair sticking out in every direction looked so much like the footloose and fancy free Tonks Hermione had known that it made her heart ache. She'd not expected to ever see her again.
"Check this out." Tonks did some sort of fancy twist in the air, coming to a stop before Hermione. "Bloody cool, huh?"
Hermione found her arms moving of their own accord, reaching for someone that wasn't really there.
When her hand slipped through Tonks' shoulder, it was like standing in front of the icebox when it hadn't been opened in a while, the frozen air stinging your skin.
"So," Hermione asked tentatively, "you're here because it's Samhain, right?"
"Right you are! The barrier between your world and the next thins on this night. I thought I'd pop around the castle, maybe help a few students pull pranks on Filch."
Hermione laughed, so happy to be in the presence of her friend once again.
"Anyway, have you seen Harry? I've been looking all over for him."
"He's probably out on his broom. He gets restless on this night because, well, you know."
The merry look on Tonks' face dropped for just a moment, sadness creeping into her eyes.
"Right. Well, I guess I'll go pester the Baron while I wait for him."
"Tonks, perhaps bothering the Baron isn't the wisest— "
"Pish posh. That old codger? He doesn't scare me."
Of course not. This was Nymphadora Tonks Hermione was talking to—a tough cookie and fearless Auror.
"Alright. Good night then, Tonks'. It was really lovely to see you." A bittersweet melancholy filled Hermione's chest as she watched Tonks' ghost float down the hall, throwing a playful salute in Hermione's direction.
Just as she was about to turn and head back to her dorm, she heard Tonks' speak once more.
"Hey, 'Mione?"
Hermione arched an eyebrow, waiting for whatever it was Tonks felt she needed to say.
"Harry—he's a good bloke. He's sweet on you, ya know. Take care of him, alright?"
"What?" A pleasant shiver went through Hermione's body before she reminded herself she was talking to a ghost who was very unlikely to be able to keep up with all the teenage hormones surging through the school. She'd probably misheard Harry talking about someone else, or something.
Surely he didn't like her, right? Wouldn't he have told her by now?
Then again, it was Harry. Slightly more emotionally mature than Ron, but still socially obtuse sometimes.
"I just wanted to tell you! Keep an eye on him. You'd be good for him, 'Mione."
With a wistful smile on her face, Hermione watched Tonks' until she disappeared around the corner. As she walked back to her dorm, she thought about Tonks' words.
Could Harry actually have feelings for her? The boy who'd had her heart since they were children?
It was something she'd have to chew on. Tonight though, she'd let herself picture what the future might hold as she lay in her bed dreaming of what could be.