"Fanny!?"
Fanny was still sitting by the fireplace in the Slytherin common room, curled up with a book.
"Why aren't you asleep yet? It's really late, "
Fanny didn't look up, still holding her book. "It's something I borrowed from the library before exams. I never got around to finishing it. I found it while packing earlier, and figured I might as well finish it before the holidays start tomorrow."
Anne walked over. Fanny glanced up.
"Huh? Anne, what's with that weird smile on your face?" Fanny set her book down, eyeing her suspiciously. "Seriously strange… did something really good happen?"
"Ahem, " Anne tried to rein in the grin that refused to leave her face. "Is it that obvious?"
"Of course it is. You look like a little mouse that just snuck into a honey jar, sneaky and delighted. Didn't you go see Dumbledore this afternoon? What happened?"
Anne flopped into the armchair opposite Fanny and couldn't help grinning again.
"It wasn't Dumbledore," Anne said. "It was Hermione."
She glanced around; the common room was empty.
"Aha!" Fanny snapped her book shut and leaned in, wearing an I-knew-it face.
"You confessed to Hermione, didn't you? Judging by your face, she definitely said yes! Come on, tell me, when did this happen?"
Anne gave her a quick summary of what had happened.
"Wait, so you confessed, she said yes… and then you just left?"
Anne scratched her head sheepishly. "Yeah, I suddenly remembered I hadn't told Aaron I wouldn't be going home tomorrow. If I don't say anything, he'll show up to pick me up. I had to rush to Dumbledore's office to use the Floo Network. And it was really late anyway, Hermione's still recovering, so she needs to sleep early. I explained everything to her and said goodnight."
Fanny gave her a "you hopeless case" kind of look. "Really, Anne? You couldn't at least stay with her for a while? She's the only patient in the hospital wing tonight!"
"But, Harry was still there…" Anne trailed off when she saw Fanny's pointed look. "Ahem. You know I don't really like sleeping in the hospital wing…"
"Okay, fine. I'll take it back," Anne said. "I admit it. I messed up."
Fanny nodded. "Then you'd better make up for it."
"I will! First thing tomorrow, I'm getting up early to make a mousse cake for Hermione. Then I'll stop by Madam Pomfrey's to help with her potions. I'll spend the whole morning and lunch with Hermione."
"Not bad," Fanny said. "In that case, I don't feel like going home tomorrow either. I'd like to stay…"
Anne's eyes widened.
"But my parents won't let me, so I guess I'll just go home like a good girl," Fanny said.
Anne quietly let out a breath of relief.
Even lying in bed, Anne felt like she was floating. Did I really confess to Hermione? And she really said yes? She rolled around under her blankets, hugging her pillow and giggling. She barely slept at all, every time she drifted off, she'd wake up thinking of Hermione and start grinning like an idiot all over again.
At exactly 6 a.m., Anne got up, quietly washed up, and headed straight to the kitchen. The house-elves were just starting breakfast preparations.
Later that morning, Anne arrived at the hospital wing, carrying breakfast and a cake. Madam Pomfrey had just woken up and was doing a check-up on Hermione and Harry.
"Good morning, Madam Pomfrey," Anne said cheerfully, placing breakfast on Hermione's nightstand. "Morning, Hermione, your breakfast and a cake, made with love." She beamed.
Then she handed a paper bag to Madam Pomfrey. "Freshly cooked bacon and eggs, milk pudding, and a hot cup of Earl Grey milk tea."
Madam Pomfrey sniffed and huffed softly, but took the bag nonetheless.
Anne flashed Hermione a quick V-sign.
While Madam Pomfrey was busy with her breakfast, Anne offered to help brew the day's potions. After promising to cover two weeks' worth of breakfast and lunch next term, she was given the job.
With the potions ready, Anne returned to Hermione's bedside, placing the potion down and pulling up a chair. "I promise this one won't taste bitter at all. But you do still have to eat the mousse cake… Did you sleep well last night?"
"Pretty well…" Hermione was eating breakfast and smiled sweetly at Anne.
Once they'd finished eating, Anne handed Hermione the potion. Harry had already taken his, changed clothes, and was heading to the Great Hall. His potions, unlike Hermione's, were still horribly bitter.
"Aren't you going to the feast, Anne?" he asked.
Anne pulled a book from her bag and flipped it open. "Nope. Being with my girlfriend is more important."
Hermione blushed.
"Want to read?" Anne offered. "I brought a few books from my family's library, they're not in the school library. One's about magical plants in the European Alps, and the other is a glimpse into wizard life in Europe three centuries ago."
Hermione lit up and eagerly took them.
"No rush returning them. Take them home, they'll come in handy when you visit me over the summer."
Hermione nodded without looking up from the pages.
Anne quietly scooted her chair a little closer, glanced around to make sure Madam Pomfrey was in her office, then quickly leaned in and kissed Hermione on the cheek.
"Anne! "
"Hehe…" Anne tilted her head playfully. "By the way, how about coming home with me the day after tomorrow?" she asked. "It's not safe to travel through Diagon Alley via the school's Floo Network right now. And given the time, I think I have a responsibility to look after your safety…"
"But, "
"Don't worry! We'll go to Aaron's place first, he's got a telephone, so you can call your parents right away. I'll take you home after dinner. I've got a car now, you know? Your place is only about 40 minutes from my uncle's, no traffic. Think about it, don't you want to keep your injuries a secret from your parents?"
Anne wore a smug expression, as if to say, I've thought of everything. This is clearly the best deal.
That afternoon, Anne all but skipped her way to Dumbledore's office.
"Good afternoon, Professor Dumbledore," she greeted politely. He was seated at his desk, reading through letters.
"Good afternoon, Anne," he said. Per her request, he no longer called her "Miss Reeve" in private.
"Let's go over some of the details we missed yesterday," Anne said casually, settling into the chair opposite him. "But you know, most of the real work will have to wait till summer. I'll have to dig up a lot of records. Might get pretty intense."
"I'm happy to help," Dumbledore replied. "I heard you're planning a trip to China over the holidays?"
Anne's smile faltered for a moment but quickly returned.
"Yeah, I am," she said. "Though thinking back now, the original reason feels kind of childish. At least I'm only going for a month."
Dumbledore's tone was kind. "You know, no one can say for sure if a decision is right or wrong before it's made."
Leaving Dumbledore's office, Anne toyed with a silver Sickle in her fingers, in high spirits. As she headed to the kitchen, she was already thinking about what special dish to make for Hermione, and maybe something extra for Madam Pomfrey.
When she arrived at the hospital wing with dinner, she was surprised to see a crowd.
"Why haven't you guys gone back?"
Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Luna were sitting or standing around Hermione's bed.
"Hermione's not better yet…" Neville mumbled, by way of explanation.
Anne pouted. Hermione hid a quiet smile.
"What smells so good?" Luna asked, her dreamy eyes fixed on the bag Anne was holding.
"Special dinner. Sorry, I didn't know you'd be here, so there's none for you guys…" Anne squeezed past Harry and Ron and handed Hermione the largest paper bag.
"What's this?" Hermione pulled out a cylindrical wooden container that looked like a traditional lunch box.
"Special dinner. It's a wooden barrel rice bowl. I wanted to use bamboo, but there wasn't any, so I went with wood instead. I steamed it for fifteen minutes, so it has that fresh cypress scent. It's cooled down enough to eat now, I didn't want you to burn yourself."
Anne handed her a wooden spoon.
When Hermione opened the lid, the delicious aroma instantly filled the room.
Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Luna all stared at the meal with ravenous eyes. Hermione scooped a spoonful, the white rice was plump and glossy, half of it soaked in tomato-egg sauce, glowing with an appetizing sheen.
A chorus of gulping.
Hermione looked awkwardly at Anne.
Anne puffed out her cheeks in mock annoyance. "Hey, you guys already had dinner."
"But it looks amazing…" Ron said.
"And it's made by you, Anne. I've never tried your cooking before…" Ginny added.
Luna stood on tiptoe and peeked into the container. "It looks like there's a lot in that barrel…"
Hermione set down her spoon and looked silently, meaningfully, at Anne.
"Fine, fine. I'll go give Madam Pomfrey her dinner," Anne said, picking up another small paper bag. "I also made a few desserts for myself…"
"Hey, save one for me! " Anne called, but the paper bag was already snatched away.
Hermione laughed, spoon still in hand.
"You're not as selfish as Fanny says…" Neville said, holding up an egg tart.
Everyone froze. Neville immediately turned beet red, realizing what he'd just blurted out.
"Ahem…" Anne gave a theatrical huff and, seeing Hermione's blush, raised a brow. "She's right, though, I am that kind of person."
Hermione nearly choked.
"Keep talking, and I'll cut off your dessert supply," Anne threatened, striding toward Madam Pomfrey's office. Everyone began eating their desserts much faster.
Anne chatted with Madam Pomfrey for a bit. When she came back out, the others were deep in conversation about what had happened at school.
"Professor Flitwick removed the swamp Fred and George left behind," said Ginny. "Took him about three seconds. But he kept a small section near the window and roped it off…"
"Why?" Hermione asked, eating from her wooden tub.
"He said it was a brilliant bit of magic," Ginny shrugged.
"I think he kept it as a memorial to Fred and George," Ron added.
"I'm just glad Professor Dumbledore is back," said Neville. "That means everything's back to normal, no more trouble…"
"I bet Filch isn't happy though, right?" Ron asked.
"He keeps saying Umbridge was the best thing that ever happened to Hogwarts…" Luna said.
"Speaking of Umbridge," Anne walked up and asked, "didn't Dumbledore rescue her from the Forbidden Forest and bring her to the hospital wing this afternoon? Where'd she go?"
"Madam Pomfrey said she was just frightened," Hermione explained. "She slipped out not long after…"
"Oh," Anne nodded. "She did look absolutely terrified when the centaurs brought her out."