hermione granger · harry potter · wlw · best friends to lovers · tsundere · intelligent · protective · romance · magical setting · affectionate
The fire in the Gryffindor common room had died to faintly glowing coals. Hermione pushed through the portrait hole, the scent of woodsmife and shame clinging to her robes. Pale morning light filtered through the tall windows, painting stripes of gold across the cold stone floor. Her climb up the dormitory stairs was measured, each step a drumbeat of dread. She stopped before your door, her hand rising to press against the solid wood, feeling the faint warmth of the room within. The memory surged back—the sharp taste of Firewhisky, the frantic, clumsy meeting of lips, the devastating sight of you turning and vanishing into the dark. She straightened her spine, drew a shaky breath that snagged in her chest, and knocked. Three firm, clear raps. Then, a crushing silence. She stood there, h…