Chapter 113. Surprise Confession

I felt Pansy eagerly nodding her head into my sternum. “I promise!” She yelled into my chest, her words resounding with my very being, as if she was speaking directly into my soul. “You can’t be serious!” A voice yelled out, turning my attention away from Pansy and onto Hermione, scowling with disbelief at us. “Do you not understand what she has done!? She played and toyed with you! And you just plan on forgiving that like nothing happened!?” Hermione yelled, placing her finger on Pansy’s clavicle, pushing her a bit with each word.

“Her-Hermione, I don’t think getting mad is the best idea…” Chiara muttered from behind, gently tapping on Hermione’s shoulder to ease her sudden outburst. But it was a moot point, Hermione didn’t even notice Chiara’s hand while she glared up at me, her face moving closer and closer while she breathed down my neck. Still in shock of everything all happening at once, I stuttered out my confusion of Hermione’s anger. “A- Sh- I haven’t entirely. If she does it again…”

I glanced at Pansy’s large eyes, the idea of her playing with my emotions again overpowering her shimmering gaze. “I won’t be able to forgive it.” I spoke with a slightly commanding tone, letting her know that I wouldn’t be privy to letting her continue her wrongful acting. Pansy eagerly nodded her head, silently yelling at me that she had no intention of making such a mistake again.

“No! You can’t be so forgiving to her! She’ll just get more careful at controlling you again! You don’t-” Hermione yelled at me, but her voice was soon drowned out by Dumbledore’s loud voice from inside the Great Hall. “Welcome students… To another year at Hogwarts… Now if everyone could please take their seat… We shall begin shortly…” His voice amplified by magic still held the same gentle tone that reverberated even down the stairs at the entrance.

I glanced towards the large doors of the Great Hall, the star ridden ceiling twinkling with excitement. Knowing that the new batch of first years would soon be introduced; soon to waltz in behind us and giving me no more time. With a small sigh, I rested my hand on the empty shoulder of Hermione, the other taken by Chiara. Hermione’s scowl slightly lessened with shock at my actions, and she remained silent as I spoke. “Hermione… I’m thankful for your worry, but it is without the whole story between Pansy and I.”

I avoided Hermione’s glare while continuing to explain. “I have grown together with her through hardships just as this. We both made mistakes and helped the other to change for the better. I’m forgiving her, because I know she’d do the very same for me when I inevitably make similar mishaps in the future… And because of her understanding and patience.” I muttered the last bit, glancing at Pansy while tightening my grasp in her hand, the excitement of moving closer together began overwhelming the terror of losing what we have now.

I stared deeply into Pansy’s upturned eyes, her surprised smile widening as she held my hand between both of hers, tightening them in response to my advance. I wanted to tell her, to finally have everything be on the same page between us, but my deep insecurities held me back as I lightly shook my head, biting my bottom lip. “I’m not there yet… Can you wait a little longer for me?”

Pansy threw my arms under hers as she wrapped her arms around my neck, placing me in a hug I could only reciprocate in a much more intimate fashion. As my arms were held out in confusion, Pansy nodded, her cheek brushing against mine as she whispered into my ear. “I told you I will wait… And I will. I don’t want to force the answer out of you, I want you to be just as ready as I am.” I gulped, my heart racing in relieved excitement, slowly commanding me to fold my arms around Pansy’s waist. I pulled her closer to me, while burying my face in her neck, her hair tickling my nose with a hint of cinnamon.

After what felt like only a few moments, I pulled back, the nagging alarm of new students appearing from behind us playing in the back of my mind. I glanced at Hermione’s frozen expression of shock, her mouth slightly agape as her eyes darted between Pansy and I. Chiara held Hermione’s shoulder in a much tighter grip, a complex look adorning her face as she frowned down at her feet. Luna’s eyes gazed somewhere in the distance, her eyes blinking a few times each second, a look I had only seen when she was in real deep thought.

Hearing footsteps, and mumbling kids from outside in the courtyard, I refocused myself on Hermione. With a smile, I nodded at her with gratitude. “Thanks Hermione.” I muttered with a slightly strained smile with how happy I was at that moment. I gave her a quick hug, unable to contain my glee at Pansy and I taking another step closer, and how grateful I was for Hermione helping to make that possible. Ending the hug, I quickly grabbed Pansy’s wrist, and directed her up the steps towards the Great Hall.

***

Hermione stuttered as she watched Lucas climb the stairs with Pansy in tow, happily moving closer to one another, all thanks to her meddling. Hermione was hardly present while being almost dragged up the steps by Chiara, her mind spinning with emptiness at what her actions had caused. This wasn’t what she wanted to have happen.

While the hat began to sort students, all Hermione could focus on was the nervous smiles Lucas and Pansy were sharing with one another. The rest of the world faded away as her blank mind watched them silently, her large unblinking gaze hoping to find any sort of detail that pointed to Pansy playing Lucas in some way. However as she continued to stare, her finger twiddled with the necklace she altered. Now having it connected to a small black elastic choker, a reminder of Lucas’ strong grip of assertion and dominance. Another part of him she wanted to remember, a part that excited her to remember.

But now, seeing him and Pansy sitting beside one another, Pansy jumping closer to Lucas for comfort when the newest defense against the dark arts teacher suddenly appeared late. Hermione’s exciting and cherished memories she had between her and Lucas turned to poison. Moving closer to one another, trusting one another, that night she couldn’t hold back her desires. They all brought more and more pain within her chest as her eyes stung, tears morphing her vision as she watched the one she finally accepted her affection in, turn away before she could utter a word.

“I- I have to use the restroom!” She blathered out an excuse rushing away from the table to hide her shame. Rushing out of the Great Hall, Hermione was about to run further into the castle, needing to find a quiet spot to cry in peace, but two pairs of footsteps rushed out from behind her. “Hermione!” She froze hearing Chiara’s voice, and gulped, the guilt overwhelmed her, she had ruined her chance not only for herself, but her closest friends as well. “I-I’m so sorry…” She muttered with a quaking voice, trying to sound as normal as possible with tears still slowly streaming down her face.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about.” Chiara instantly responded, walking closer and tightly hugging Hermione from behind, simultaneously helping Hermione feel better while stopping her from running away. Hermione sniffled, hanging her head she couldn’t help but smile a little, even through the grief of lost affections. “You haven’t ruined anything…” The quiet yet light tone of Luna rang through Hermione’s ears, and she glanced up to see Luna had silently walked in front of her, looking down with an almost blank expression of neutrality. “Wha- What do you mean…?” Hermione muttered with a slight scoff, feeling as if she was being lied to in order to preserve her feelings.

Luna blinked a few times, slowly processing things before a sudden realization finally calculated in her mind. “I see… I thought you already knew…” She tilted her head looking into the air, seemingly thinking back on her interactions with Hermione to correlate her hypothesis. “Know what?” Hermione asked, her confusion quickly overpowering her sadness. Luna was silent for a few more seconds, still thinking, before she stared beside Hermione with her piercing azure blue eyes, directly at Chiara.

She blinked a few times, and finally nodded. “I suppose it is embarrassing for you to say…” Hermione glanced back at her friend, Chiara’s face completely crimson, her tight hug in Hermione in flux, unsure whether to back away or keep close. “Werewolves’ have a-” Luna was about to explain in her usual robotic and candid manner, but Chiara blurted out above her voice. “Luna! Stop! This is one of those times again!”

Luna looked at Chiara, and slowly her mouth opened, a single syllable emitted with her distant tone of voice. “Oh…” Her eyes moved off into the distance, slowly thinking of what portion she went too far while Hermione squinted at Chiara. “Ah- I- The thing is… Um…” Chiara’s red face almost appeared to be steaming as she scrambled to say anything coherent. Hermione managed to squirm around placing her hands on Chiara’s shoulders, Chiara jerking a bit as she froze, only taking glances at Hermione in her embarrassment. “Chiara, it’s okay. I want to know. Please.”

Chiara slowly bit her bottom lip in angst, gulping to remove the lump from her throat. “Werewolves…” She began, tightening her grip on Hermione, still somehow afraid that Hermione might leave. “We have a hard time… Beingwithjustonepartner…” She almost bit her tongue on her last words with how fast she sputtered them out. Hermione was left in confusion for a moment, wondering why Chiara was so distraught to say a word about it. Until Chiara’s glowing silver eyes accompanied by her tightening grip around Hermione’s waist almost yelled at Hermione with realization. Suddenly a shock of lightning came to Hermione’s mind, understanding why Chiara always avoided discussing her condition as much as possible. Her primal portion wished for Lucas, but some hungered for Hermione as well. “Oh…”