Seeing Hermione's face darken to an ever more livid shade, Kate instinctively backed away a few steps. Her body went rigid, ready to bolt.
Then Cho Chang offered a kindly reminder from the side. "It's not your fault. What are you feeling guilty about?"
Kate froze. Her brain, which had briefly shut down in terror, jolted awake and quickly went back to thinking normally.
Right. What was she guilty about?
So far, Delar hadn't actually said she wanted to court her, and Kate had no intention of agreeing anyway.
Besides, even if she did, why would she feel guilty toward Hermione?
They were just good friends!
Even if a friend had been confessed to by some detestable creep, Hermione might be angry, but she wouldn't take it out on Kate.
Kate nodded in sudden understanding, forced her nerves to settle, and even smoothed her slightly rumpled robes with exaggerated gravity. "I'm not guilty at all. You're seeing things."
Watching her put on that show of composure, Cho Chang lost seven or eight tenths of her appetite for a good show. Only a small, hollow ache remained.
What an idiot.
If she didn't care about Hermione, why would she panic over Hermione's reaction? Nobody panics in front of a good friend just because someone confessed to them.
She had seen this day coming long ago. Still, now that she was watching how much Kate cared about Hermione, a desolation she couldn't suppress settled in her chest.
With her, Kate bristled and denied everything. With Hermione, Kate was worried and flustered. Those two different attitudes already settled how close each of them stood in Kate's heart.
Because she knew she couldn't compete with Hermione, she had chosen to step back on her own. She had always known this day would come.
Cho Chang kept smiling, but beneath her wizard robes her fingertips were pinched white.
It still hurt so much, though.
"Kate." She called out, but Kate's attention was wholly fixed on Hermione, and she didn't answer.
"Kate!" Cho Chang raised her voice, and this time she finally drew Kate's gaze.
She curved her eyes into a smile, the corners tinged with a faint red that was easy to miss. "I think you'd better go explain things to Hermione yourself. She'll understand…"
"What's wrong with you?" Kate frowned and reached up to touch the skin beneath her eyes. "Your eyes are red from staying up. Didn't you sleep well last night?"
Cho Chang hadn't expected Kate to notice such a tiny feeling at a time like this. Flustered, she dodged Kate's gaze. "Maybe. I've been staying up late reading lately."
"Staying up is terrible for your health," Kate cautioned her with concern. "You have to keep a good routine if you want to study well."
Cho Chang gave her an odd look. "You're telling me to keep a routine?"
Some people, once they started reading, were truly lost to the world and forgot about time entirely.
"Uh…" Kate's face twitched, and she pulled her hand back at once. "I'd better go chat with Hermione."
Watching her back, which looked steady but was actually in a total panic, Cho Chang finally couldn't hold it in. She covered her mouth and burst out laughing.
When Kate reached Hermione, she caught sight of that ugly expression and cleared her throat. "What are we talking about?"
The few people who'd still been gossiping saw the star of the scandal arrive and scattered in fright, fleeing the eye of the storm.
The star herself seemed completely oblivious. She took Hermione's hand and started toward the classroom. "Hurry up, we've got Charms today. Did you forget?"
Kate ignored Hermione's simmering anger entirely. After they'd walked a little way, the little lion, who couldn't hold it in any longer, finally yanked her to a stop.
"I heard Malfoy is courting you?"
Kate turned around. Hermione was puffed up with fury, bottling it all up and refusing to let it out. Kate gave a helpless smile. "Who said that? We just happened to run into each other on the way and went back to the Common Room together. How did that turn into this?"
"But somebody saw Malfoy pat your head, and he handed you milk this morning," the little lion pressed.
Kate broke out in a cold sweat at the level of detail.
How long had Hogwarts gone without any gossip? And this was what they thought was worth spreading across the whole school?
Grumbling aside, she still owed an explanation.
"You know both our families are well known in the magical world. His father has been trying to win me over since last year.
"Maybe he's only doing all this to meet his father's demands. Think about it. We're always at each other's throats, so he might not even want to."
As she spoke, they reached the Potions classroom and ran straight into Delar and her entourage coming from the other end.
Hermione gave a little huff, pulled Kate along, and walked right past her into the room. Even after they'd sat down, she couldn't let it go. "So have you been won over?"
"Well…" Kate stroked her chin thoughtfully. "If his family had a daughter, and she was decent-looking, maybe I would be won over?"
She even glanced at a certain young lady sitting diagonally across from them.
Luckily she'd kept her voice low. The other girl probably hadn't heard.
"Then you should pay closer attention," Hermione said, letting go of her arm. Her tone had turned sour. "Mr. Malfoy is still young. Maybe he'll have another little daughter."
No need for another one. The daughter had been there all along, just waiting for Kate's answer.
Kate leaned in close to Hermione's ear with a teasing grin. "Why are you so invested in this? Don't tell me you want to…"
"I don't want anything!" Hermione bristled at her sudden closeness and denied it on reflex. "I just don't like Malfoy, that's all!
"And aren't you into girls? You can't possibly be interested in him! Anyway… like whoever you want. It's none of my business!"
Kate had expected that reaction. She arched a knowing brow and slung an arm around Hermione's shoulders. "Well, then that's settled. You're not angry anymore, right?"
Hermione flushed. She squirmed a few times for show, but never actually pulled away. She only said huffily, "Class is starting, so let go already!"
Only then did Kate let go. Humming a tune, she took out her books to go over today's lesson once more before class.
Tsk. And she'd claimed she hadn't been won over. She was in such a good mood she was humming.
Hermione ground her back teeth, then looked up at that hateful Malfoy. The other's gaze had only just shifted away from Kate, and Malfoy even flashed her a provocative smile.
The fire she'd barely managed to put out roared back to life. Hermione gripped the pages in her hand, and for a moment she couldn't take in a single word.
Would Kate really like Malfoy?
The thought rose suddenly in her mind, and her chest tightened. She glanced warily at Kate, who noticed and turned to curve her eyes at her.
Hermione whipped her head back around, her mind in a tangle.
It felt as though something that was clearly hers had been coveted by someone else.
____
________________________________________
💖 Gift for Everyone: Once we hit 10 Powerstones, I'll release +1 bonus chapter to warm your hearts.
🚀 Community Reward: If we reach 20 supporting members, we'll have a +5 chapter marathon across all stories! The romance won't stop.
👻 Come to our secret corner: Search for GirlsLove on (P). You know that's where the magic happens... 😉