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"Well, good for you, I guess you moved on really easily
You found a new girl and it only took a couple weeks" - good 4 U by Olivia Rodrigo
Hermione tried not to stare but the loud giggles of Marlene McKinnon were notoriously hard to ignore. She looked up just as Sirius ducked his head into the crook of Marlene’s neck. Marlene let out an almost obscene gasp and Hermione looked down into her dinner. The elves sure did make an excellent pot pie this evening.
“Gross.” Pandora cringed, giving Hermione a sympathetic pat on the shoulder.
“Yeah well what can I do? It’s been two weeks, there’s nothing I can do about it.” She sighed taking a bite of her food, warmth filled her body. So that’s comfort food, she thought.
“Get even?” She turned to give Pandora her best disbelieving look.
“And then Hufflepuff quidditch team will win the cup!” She knew once she’d made the remark, it wouldn’t land. Pandora didn’t really do sarcasm.
“That would never happen while James and Sirius play for Gryffindor -”
“Exactly.”
“- though Regulus and the Slytherin team sure do give them a run for their money. Romilda and Ravenclaw are also -“
Hermione sighed, watching Pandora analyze the quidditch lineup for the year. She was secretly very passionate about Quidditch, and it would take a minute to get her attention.
“Dora.”
“-hot on the trail. But Hufflepuff cares more about having fun than winning but you know there’s actually a small possibility that could work for them -“
“Pandora!” Pandora jumped, turning wide blue eyes to the face of her best friend.
“What?”
“That’s the point!”
“The point?” Pandora looked at Hermione with confusion, still thinking about potential quiddich strategy.
“Yes! That I could never get even with Sirius!”
“Why not?”
“Nobody else has ever wanted me like that. I don’t have any options!”
Pandora stared at her knowingly. Hermione was incredibly confused.
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that…”
The breakup had been hard on Hermione. All of her roommates could attest to that. Though Pandora Fortescue was the only one that knew the details. She was the one that hugged Hermione and dried her tears after finding her crying on the bathroom floor.
She was also the one that sent a bad hair day hex at Sirius after he broke her best friend’s heart. And if he had had to go bald for a day and then drink a nasty hair growth potion to get rid of it - well that was just the cherry on top.
Maybe she should’ve just reversed it - it was a spell of her own invention after all. But then Hermione wouldn’t have got to see Sirius bald blushing red (over his entire head!) as James Potter made fun of his weirdly pointy head. She wouldn’t have had the vindication of laughing at her asshole ex looking like a cherry tomato. And that was necessary.
No-one but Pandora knew the details. She’s certain even James Potter doesn’t know what she does.
Sirius had swept Hermione off her feet, stolen her heart, and then shattered it. She remembers the whirlwind of their romance, Hermione turning into a lovesick puppy, Sirius into a love drunk poet singing her love songs on the shore of the black lake. How it slowly turned sour. Sirius spending less and less time with Hermione, standing her up, hearing that he was with Marlene in the Gryffindor common room or tutoring her in flying on the pitch. Sirius swearing up and down that Marlene was just a friend, that Hermione was just being paranoid.
Hah, right.
Though there was one bright spot in all of it. Hermione thought no one was interested in her, that Sirius was the only one that noticed her. But Pandora had watched James’ eyes light up when Hermione walked past, had seen his eyes catch on her in the great hall, watched him slip up and smell her hair as she pushed past him in potions - more than once.
James Potter couldn’t help it. He had fallen in love with his best friend’s girlfriend - well ex now. But still it was completely against Marauder code, and if there was one code he followed it would be that one. Though she hadn't been Sirius' girlfriend when James had fallen for her. Sirius just had a lot more courage with girls than he did.
He watched her as she avoided looking at the show Sirius was putting on with Marlene, watched how she tried to hide how it hurt her, and a pit formed in his stomach.
He shoved Sirius, not wanting to see her like that anymore.
“Oi mate! What was that for?” Sirius looked over at him annoyed, dragging a hand lazily over Marlene’s neck, replacing his mouth.
“Really, Sirius, right here? In the middle of the great hall?” Sirius gave him a look that screamed 'well duh!'
“We couldn’t help it, James! We’re celebrating!” Marlene chimed in.
“Celebrating?” James looked at Sirius for an explanation.
“Our anniversary! Jamie boy keep up!” Sirius rolled his eyes.
“Two months! Can you believe it?” Marlene said a little too loudly, James watched Hermione crumple from her place at the next table and he stared hard at Sirius.
“Two months? You and Hermione only broke up two weeks ago.” Marlene looked away, the ghost of a smirk on her face as she made eye contact with Hermione as she got up and left the hall. She giggled again too loudly. Pandora sent her a nasty glare. James could've sworn he saw her pull her wand but she was taking a sip of pumpkin juice before he could be sure.
“Did I say months? I meant weeks! It’s only felt like two months!” Sirius laughed lightly, brushing off his slip up easily. James now knew better.
“Fuck you Sirius, you’re an asshole.” He flipped James the bird and went back to Marlene. Teasing the back of her neck with his fingers, he realized too slowly that Marlene's hair had magically become knotted terribly around his hand. The once beautiful golden strands now a putrid green tint, matted and snarled.
"Ow Sirius! Stop it!" When he didn't answer her, she conjured a mirror and screamed.
Unseen by anyone Pandora smirked and stowed her wand.
James would have laughed if he wasn't so furious. Instead he stood up, and left. Following Hermione as she left the hall. Once the doors closed she started running, pushing the main castle doors open she tore out of the castle and onto the grounds. He followed her.
“Wait! Hermione! Wait!”
She could barely hear her name being called over the wind rushing around her ears. She felt like the world was spinning around her. He’d cheated on her. He really had. How could he?
“Hermione!”
Before she knew what she was doing, her shoes were being flung far away from her and she was knee deep in water. She kept walking in, uncaring that her uniform was getting soaked, uncaring that there could be creatures in the water waiting to drag her under. She just wanted to scream, cry, feel something, drift away from all the heartbreak and drama.
“HERMIOINE!” The call was closer now and she turned her head and wound up face to face with James Potter. She blinked slowly, the spinning slowly grinding to a halt.
“It’s like we never even happened.”
She didn’t even realize she was crying until he gently wiped the tears away with the pad of his thumb.
“What the fuck is up with that?” she let out a little broken laugh.
“I’m sorry Hermione.” She knew he meant it. “I had no idea, if I did…”
“I know James. Thank you.”
He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her pulling her into a hug that warmed her just like the pie earlier had.
“You looked like you needed a hug, I’m sorry if I -“ he moved to step away but she grabbed on and held him tighter. She could feel the tears start to spill out even more soaking his shirt.
“I just don’t understand. He said he cared about me, he said he loved me and now… I just don’t get it. He’s not even effected and here I am losing my mind over him!”
He rubbed her back as she cried, wishing that he’d had the courage to ask her out before Sirius had. Maybe if he’d confessed his feelings then, she wouldn’t be hurting like this… He shook his head to get rid of the thoughts. What if’s were never helpful. It didn’t matter what could’ve been it only mattered what was happening right then.
What mattered was Hermione in his arms, it mattered that she needed him. She needed comfort. She needed understanding. She needed a friend.
“I know I’m supposed to be best friends with him and all but I’m here for you. Whenever you need it. No questions asked! I can prank him if you need it! ” She smiled up at him and he laughed softly “He deserves it, he’s an asshole.”
“I won’t ask you to prank him - Pandora already did that for me…” She smirked.
James gasped, “That was Pandora? I had no idea!”
She nodded, grinning. "She can be so sneaky when she wants to be!"
"I think you might like to know she struck again after you left... Marlene this time. Trapped Sirius's hand and turned it a gross green and everything!"
Hermione laughed, and James smiled. “You’re so beautiful.”
“What?” they stared at each other, he was panicking unsure of what she was thinking.
“I just - uh… I’m sorry. Now is not the best time to say things like that! It just slipped out and -“
She took a breath and grabbed his face, pulling him in and kissing him. Gently at first and then it was like a wildfire. Passion enveloped them, and one simple impulsive kiss turned into the best kiss of either of their lives.
They slowly pulled apart, completely breathless, lips tingling, eyes wide. Neither wanting the moment to end.
Maybe it wouldn’t…
"Well good for you, I guess you moved on really easily." - good 4 U by Olivia Rodrigo