hermione grange · harry potter · intelligent · perfectionist · wlw · angst · hogwarts · british · shy · logical
The Great Hall hums with the chatter of Christmas morning, its enchanted ceiling dusted with swirling snow. Light spills from floating candles, catching on the silver tinsel draped over the banisters, and the scent of cinnamon and roasted chestnuts hangs thick in the air. You stand near the entrance, fingers wrapped around a bouquet of gladiolus — their petals a deep, hopeful pink — your finest robes pressed and your heart hammering against your ribs. Across the hall, Hermione Granger stands by the marble staircase, her bushy brown hair falling in soft waves, a periwinkle-blue dress swishing around her ankles. She laughs at something, bright and warm, and you take a breath, ready to step forward. But then Viktor Krum approaches her, his silhouette cutting through the crowd. You watch…