Chapter 56

December came faster than anyone could have anticipated, with the first trial out of the way everyone already couldn’t wait to move on to the next. Everyone that were not the champions themselves anyway.

Now, it was a couple of weeks after the first trial and Atlas was sat on a stump in her yard, fiddling with the edge of her axe idly with a piece of parchment and an untouched inkwell in her lap, a little dragon on her shoulder. She hadn’t gone back to Hogwarts for quite some time, giving her ears a chance to heal. And they had, she could hear better than ever now with Poppy’s constant check-ups in Minerva’s stead and the lack of noise that assaulted her on every corner. The question now was, when was she going to return? She may have been healed but Poppy still hadn’t given her the clear, so for the past few days, she’d been sat in her pathetic puddle, pouring over a blank piece of parchment, fishing for words to write upon it.

But nothing.

Atlas pushed the axe away with a frustrated sigh, crumpling the paper into a ball so violently she startled Little Robin and Kalo from where they sat on her garden fence. The Agoniser simply belched out a flame of black fire before returning to its slumber, leaving Atlas to stare silently over at the two approaching figures. Bella and Cedric, she wasn’t surprised to see the former considering she had been coming down with Poppy the last few weeks but Cedric was a strange sight to see.

“What is it now?”

“You’re free,” Atlas perked up, sitting up straight and standing quickly, inkwell and parchment forgotten.

“Madam Pomfrey says you can come back, Las,” Cedric grinned.

“Really?” Atlas muttered and when they nodded she let out a sigh of relief.

“Come on, let’s go to the kitchens, I bet you’re starving!” Cedric cheered. 

“Right, yeah, let me just tell Kalo and Little Robin to fly home!” Atlas smiled, moving over to where her two little birds were. Bella and Cedric watched her crouch down and talk, in hushed voices, to her small friends, smiling as Kalo hooted and pruned against her face before grabbing Little Robin gently in his talons and taking off into the sky. Atlas stood and gazed after them before turning back to her human friends. “Let’s go then.”

They set off toward the castle, Atlas with her hands in her pockets as Bella played with the little Agoniser, cooing and tickling the replicas belly as they advanced. Cedric was simply watching their sister figure with a beaming grin. It had been a while since he’d seen her in length and when Bella had come and interrupted his lesson so they could retrieve Atlas, he’d been more than happy to accept.

“I notice you were pouring yourself over that parchment again. Never did send that letter, did you?” Bella asked.

“Don’t.”

“Oh come on, how can I not? It’s sort of adorable really, you, no-strings-attached Atlas Black, writing a love letter,” She continued to tease.

“It wasn’t a love letter!”

“Well duh, you didn’t write anything for it to be a love letter. But we both know it was going to be,” Bella winked and Atlas punched her in the stomach. Bella barely flinched thanks to her Dragon Keepers uniform, however, after a moment of silence, she stumbled and clutched her stomach, wheezing dramatically. 

“Fuck you,” Atlas sighed, rolling her eyes.

“Hey, have some respect!” Bella scolded, though she tried to hide her smile. “I’m older than you.”

“I’m hotter,” Atlas smirked to herself and Bella scoffed. “Can’t you just buzz off back to your job in Romania? You’re a pest you know?”

“Fine, but when I’m gone tomorrow you’ll be sorry,” Bella warned in a way that was entirely too fake to actually take seriously.

“She is actually leaving tomorrow,” Cedric told and Bella groaned.

“No! Why did you betray me, I wanted her to ask where I was tomorrow only for her to find out I had left. Then, she’d think it was all her fault and beg for my return!” Bella sighed.

“You’re leaving?” Atlas asked simply, ignoring the woman’s childish antics. At the look on her face, Atlas idly thought Bella would definitely get along with Fred and George. Bella conceded, dropping her childish demeanour as she rubbed at the back of her neck and handed Atlas her trial one souvenir, the little dragon curling up against the underside of her chin, lovingly.

“They want me to take the dragons back to Romania, I’ll be back for the second trial but this is the last time you’ll see me for a while,” Bella told and Atlas slowly nodded, her gaze flitting across the grounds as she figured out how she felt about that.

“Well…I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too, hot-stuff. Please don’t break any more hearts while I’m away.”

“I haven’t broken any hearts,” Atlas scowled. Cedric and Bella exchanged a look behind her back as the girl continued into the courtyard and further into the entrance hall without them. They hurried after her, chuckling and grinning like idiots. 

The halls weren’t as busy as they usually were so Atlas pulled out her watch from her breast pocket and looked at the time. It was almost dinner, the perfect occasion to visit the kitchens. She managed a small smile at the thought of seeing Fobbo, he hadn’t been permitted to serve he rin Hogsmeade after all. She turned to talk to the two giggling twats behind her as she gave her watch to the Agoniser to play with.

“Dinner’s starting soon.”

“Oh? Might go and have a nose,” Bella declared, rubbing her hands together.

“Are you even allowed to do that?” Cedric asked.

“Fair point…” Bella muttered and then turned to Atlas. “Give me your robes.”

“What? No,” Atlas refused, shaking her head as Bella groaned and threw her arms to the air. “They wouldn’t fit anyway.”

“Right, right because you’re stupidly tall for your age,” Bella grumbled, crossing her arms in frustration. Cedric and Atlas glanced at each other, Atlas shaking her head in exasperation as Cedric laughed.

“Just go in and eat at the staff table, Dumbledore will let you,” Atlas sighed, turning and walking in the direction of the kitchens rather than straight ahead and into the Great Hall. Cedric jogged to catch up and Bella stared after her, gaping like a Grindylow out of water.

“He will!?”

“Sure!” Atlas shouted, waving over her shoulder. She smiled at Bella’s wails and continued onward, slipping down another corridor and a flight of stairs until she came across the painting of the fruit. It’d been a while since she’d visited so when she tickled the pear and walked inside, Cedric shutting the painting frame behind them, it wasn’t too much of a surprise to see some new faces. Well, if those new faces were actually new at all, one of them she recognised instantly.

Everyone had stopped, only two of them diligently continuing with either cooking or crying. Two vastly different things. Immediately a figure came running forward and jumped into Atlas’s arms, the girl doing her best to catch the little elf considering how damaged her arm was at the moment. Fobbo laughed and cheered her name, congratulating her on the first trial. He had obviously heard about the news while venturing the school on breaks.

Cedric simply shuffled away, crouching down as he spoke to a few elves and pointed at the food laid across the tables that mirrored the house tables above in the Great Hall. They all nodded eagerly, collecting small amounts of a few select dishes and plating them for the two human visitors.

“How are you, Fobbo?”

“Fobbo is amazing, Miss! Fobbo has finished the book that you gave him many weeks ago and Fobbo was delighted by the ending!” He squeaked rapidly and Atlas nodded with a large smile, sitting down to fully listen as he swung their conjoined hands around idly. “Fobbo must be congratulating the Miss for doing so well on her trial! And Fobbo is very sorry he could not be serving you in Hogsmeade Village. But, as an apology, Fobbo will say that Fobbo knows Miss Amaya would be very pleased!”

“How could you know that, Fo?” Atlas chuckled lightly, missing the way the elf went a little wide-eyed and clamped a hand over his mouth when Cedric called for her attention with a plate of food. She stood and walked over to the boy, taking the dish and smiling gratefully.

One of the new editions of the crew moved forward, eyeing Atlas and Cedric curiously as they sat and ate. It took Atlas a few turkey slices, dripping in gravy, before she noticed the curious green ball-like eyes staring upon her and stared back with a kind smile. She beckoned him closer and set her plate down, the little dragon jumping from her shoulder to finish the meal.

“Who might you be?”

“Dobby, miss,” Dobby said and Atlas quirked a brow, tilting her head to the side.

“Malfoy’s house-elf?”

“No! No! Not anymore Miss! Dobby is a free elf!” Dobby refused and Atlas smiled.

“I’m glad, that’s the case Dobby, the Malfoys must have treated you terribly,” She sympathised, pinching the elf’s cheeks gently, in a manner that was obviously playful. Dobby chuckled at the action but didn’t move to agree nor disagree with the statement. He must have still been in the mindset of an obedient slave. It’d take him a while to adjust, maybe when he had Atlas would ask him the same question and revel in all the secrets she would get to hear about Lucius. That prick.

A few sobs wracked behind her and Atlas suddenly remembered the elf that she had recognised. Winky. She’d gotten completely sidetracked in listening to Fobbo’s story and eating an actual meal she had almost forgotten the little elf’s presence. That made her feel bad. She turned in her seat and saw Winky, sat, in a neat little skirt and a blouse, with a hat on her head, holes where her ears poked through, she was crying and mumbling to herself.

“Do you know that one, Las?”

“That is Winky, sir!” Dobby called out helpfully and Cedric slowly nodded, chewing on a chicken leg as Atlas wiped her mouth and cleared her throat, standing from her seat to go and greet Winky. Dobby and Fobbo trailed after her, Cedric watching from afar as he finished his meal and played a few playground games with the other elves.

“Winky, Fobbo wishes to introduce you to My Mistress!” Fobbo beamed proudly, tugging Atlas’s hand so she moved closer. Atlas smiled slightly at Fobbo and then crouched down in front of Winky. Dobby was looking between them eagerly.

“Would Fobbo’s mistress, like a cup of tea?” He squeaked loudly.

“Call me Atlas, Dobby and no thank you, an apple juice will do,” she said and Dobby nodded enthusiastically, running away and leaving Atlas and Fobbo to the clearly distraught elf. She turned to Winky and outstretched a hand, catching a few of the elf’s tears with a frown. “Hello, Winky. How are you?”

That just seemed to set her off even more as the elf let out a loud sob and looked up, immediately lurching forward after processing just who it was in front of her. Atlas startled and stumbled backwards, catching herself before she fell completely. She smiled slightly and let Winky clutch onto her, standing up as the elf wrapped her legs around her torso as best she could and cried into the girl’s shirt.

“Kind Miss! Kind Miss! Tell Mr Crouch, I is a good elf!” She bellowed and Atlas smiled wearily, patting her back as Fobbo seized hold of her other hand, looking up at Winky, perplexed if a little disturbed. No doubt wondering why the new elf was clutching onto his mistress so tightly. He seemed to puff up slightly, letting go and climbing onto a chair before jumping onto Atlas also.

Atlas tripped at the action, catching herself on the table behind her. She heard Cedric laugh somewhere in the room and rolled her eyes, letting out a sigh as she hugged the two elves back and walked over to her seat again, sitting so the elves were rested on her legs.

“I wonder why magical creatures are so prone to absolutely adoring you,” Cedric chuckled as Winky hiccuped and Fobbo simply beamed, hugging her tightly. Atlas shot him a look and went to grab her food, only, her little dragon had eaten it all. The fiend let out a burp of flame and collapsed onto its behind, slapping its chops. She groaned. It wasn’t like she could get more as the food had been sent out for dinner. She didn’t want to ask either so she simply threw her gaze to the ceiling in despair. “So…whispers say you and Hermione had an argument, Bella mentioned something about it too.”

Atlas frowned now, looking dead ahead and chewing on the inside of her cheek.

“What happened?”

“I was a prick…”

“To Hermione? I mean, I’d get it if it was literally anybody else, but…Hermione?”

“Yes, yes, I know!” Atlas erupted, startling the elves in her lap. Fobbo shot up, looking around dazedly as Winky, rather suddenly, stopped crying. All eyes were on Atlas now. 

“You know, that really does explain the way she’s been the past few weeks?”

“What — what do you mean?”

“Oh well…” Cedric suddenly looked uncomfortable, looking as if he let slip something he wasn’t supposed to. “Look, Las she just…she looks really hurt, really upset and a bit hollow, she spends most her days alone in the library, I mean…Krum sometimes tries to sit with her but…still. Why didn’t you just write that letter?”

“I don’t know…I couldn’t?” Atlas shrugged, unsure of her answer, “Every time I tried my brain would just shut down. Besides, I want to talk to her in person. I mean…come on Ced, it was two days, we’ve both lasted whole holidays without seeing each other.”

“I don’t think it’s just the fact you were gone, Las,” Cedric tried. “Nobody knew where you were except the professors. McGonagall was all over the place so that probably increased the tension. That woman very rarely loses her composure the way she had and Hermione, as you say, looks up to the lady. You left without a word, just before the first task and I know she knew the task was dragons because while she has an amazing inside voice, Harry has all the subtlety of a raging Manticore.”

Atlas managed a smile at that, thinking of Hermione trying to quieten down a Manticore Harry.

“She was driving herself mad trying to find you so she could prepare you for the task and yes, I know that was the entire reason you left,” Cedric rushed after Atlas had opened her mouth to speak. “But it just made things worse, seriously Las, what were you thinking?”

“I…I don’t know,” Atlas sighed. 

“Sometimes you can be the smartest most attentive person and then you do a whole one-eighty and jump into things headfirst without thinking of repercussions, a true Gryffindor,” Cedric grinned, ruffling her hair again. Atlas frowned, thinking of how she had said, essentially, the same thing to Hermione one day after class. “…go find her.”

“Trust me, I want to but I can’t just pop into our dorm unexpected, I wouldn’t know what to say–“

“Miss Atlas! Dobby has gotten you your apple juice!” Dobby cheered, running over to her with a large pint of golden liquid. Atlas eyed the substance in astonishment, taking the handle of the jug and bringing it to her nose. This was no ordinary apple juice.

“Dobby, where did you find this?” Atlas murmured, taking a tentative sip. It tasted sweet, incredibly so, just the right temperature, just the right strength. It was honestly some of the best apple juice she’d ever had and she didn’t know simple apple juice could taste so good.

“Well, Dobby was not finding any in the fridges, so Dobby went into the cellar!”

Atlas choked, a dribble of juice falling from her chin as Cedric held back some serious laughter. 

“Dobby, this is apple wine,” She wheezed, wiping her mouth. Dobby’s ears drooped so she quickly waved her hand around, taking another quick gulp. “No! No! It’s good Dobby! Thank you! Just what I really wanted!”

“My Mistress loves apple wine, she is just not allowed to be drinking it!” Fobbo told and Atlas nodded while both Dobby and Winky seemingly kept that information somewhere at the front of their minds for a later date. 

A click came from behind them and Atlas turned, with a quirked brow, bringing her cup to her lips as the painting opened and in peered a familiar head of bushy hair. Cedric went wide-eyed and Atlas expelled a harsh breath into her drink, sending it spraying everywhere. She choked as her face dripped with apple wine and pounded at her chest. Hermione suddenly went stiff, looking at Atlas with a mix of astonishment and contempt.

“Well, now you know where she is,” Cedric murmured just as Atlas quickly stood, mouth opening a closing like a fish out of water.

“Hermione…”

“I see you’re back,” Hermione said coldly and Cedric winced.

“I was gonna come find you, I’ve been trying to get up here you know, wanted to talk to you…urgently.”

“Clearly,” — she eyed the discarded mug of Apple Wine and the empty plate of food — “I was just your number one priority.”

“Hermione–“

“I was just coming to see the conditions of the kitchens, but I’ll be going now, wouldn’t want to stall your dinner any longer,” she smiled bleakly, mock bowing as she grasped the handle of the painting and swung it open, stepping out into the corridor beyond. Atlas stared after her, slowly processing what had just happened before Cedric flicked a fork at her, startling her into a sprint.

She practically fell out of the portrait hole, shoes screeching as she caught herself and ran after Hermione’s figure, slipping around the corner the girl had just turned and almost tumbling to the floor, she scrambled to stand and continued forward, rubbing her eyes free of some remaining Apple Wine dripping from her hair and taking in a breath.

“Hermione!” She shouted. “Mi! Please!” She pleaded, latching onto the girl’s shoulder and forcing her to a complete stop. Atlas could feel how she tensed beneath her touch and withdrew her hand, rubbing it, awkwardly, down her sodden front, her shirt soaked through in pleasant-smelling wine. “Hi…”

“What do you want?”

“To talk.”

“Are you sure my presence isn’t too annoying?” Hermione snapped and Atlas flinched as if slapped across the face.

“Mi, I didn’t mean that,” Atlas whispered, “I was — I was just…the potions Poppy makes me are really strong, they have to be otherwise they don’t work on me, sometimes the side effects…when I’m on medication I’m either a dick or completely mental.”

“The potions don’t make you a dick Atlas, you already are one by default.”

“…ok, I deserved that,” Atlas nodded. “And I agree, totally,” she continued to nod, “I’m a dick and what I said to you…the things I said were out of order and whether you believe me or not, I really didn’t mean them…an-and I’m sorry I didn’t try and understand you, I was just — just so caught up in trying to justify myself…Mi, I’m really sorry.”

“I don’t want you to continuously apologise Atlas…I want you to understand. So do you?”

“No…” Atlas muttered, small-like and seeing the look on Hermione’s face Atlas sought to quickly add to her response. “Could you help me understand Mi? Could you help me…understand why I made you feel like it’d be better if we’d never met?”

Hermione stayed silent a moment, sighing before moving over to one of the alcoves that framed the windows to the outside world, she sat on one of the ledges and Atlas moved to follow, though instead, she slid down the wall and rest her head next to Hermione’s knees, looking up at her. 

In the light, Atlas could finally see Hermione, as in really see her. She was pale but rosy-cheeked, stained with tears of weeks gone, her eyes had adopted this sort of constant puffiness that, however, couldn’t hope to cover the bags that had grown beneath them. Her hair was dishevelled and gone was the lipstick that had become a routine part of her daily attire. Still though, despite their situation, the uncertainty and solemness of it all, Atlas couldn’t help but think just how beautiful Hermione was. Even while she was dressed in waves of sadness and sorrow.

“First of all…” Atlas was knocked from her dazed state, forced to meet Hermione’s eyes when she looked into hers, “I didn’t mean that…not really, I mean I did when I was thinking it but…I was just so…mad.”

“Ok,” Atlas nodded slowly, “And I understand why you were mad.”

“Right.” Hermione ran a shaky hand through her hair, her words coming out breathy and sort of panicked. It was a state Atlas had never seen Hermione in, perhaps she’d seen her in the beginnings of such emotional vulnerability and frustration, like when she’d found out what Snape had done, but still, this was more and it unnerved her to a degree she couldn’t quite grasp. “I hate not knowing and when you disappeared, right before such a life-threatening event, it scared me, ok, and I hated how helpless it made me feel so I was angry…that’s why I thought it’d be better if we never met.”

“I…” Atlas simply stared at her, mouth opening and closing as Hermione waited for something, anything. “I understand why that’s the way you feel–“

“But it’s not, I–“

“I get it, you know,” Atlas continued, having not heard Hermione’s protests over her own rapidly beating heart and rampant self-deprecating thoughts, the smile on her face entirely forced, entirely fake. “I wouldn’t want to meet me either, I can be a hassle, I know.”

“What? No!” Hermione shouted and Atlas startled, looking up at her with wide eyes, thoughts screeching to a sudden halt. “No! That’s not it at all! I meant — Christ, I meant, if we had never have met I wouldn’t feel dependent and hopeless when you’re gone and I don’t know where you are!”

“I’m…I’m not sure I understand?”

“Look, Atty, when you left, I was…a little lost, because it was jarring and distracting, I didn’t know if you were safe or even if you would be safe during the Trial. I felt useless and unknowing and I’ve never felt that before.”

“I made you feel useless?” Atlas frowned and Hermione sighed, standing from the window sill and moving to stand in front of Atlas, pacing trails in the floor.

“Of course that’s what you focus on — that’s not the point, Atlas! The point is, I missed you! I missed you so much and I was mad because, for the first time since I developed my magic, I felt genuinely alone! Hopeless! Stupid! And I know you thought I had Harry but it’s not the same.”

“Why?” Atlas asked and Hermione bristled.

“Christ, why are you this oblivious?” She muttered, seemingly thinking over her words, carefully, so as to make sure she didn’t let anything too condemning and revealing slip. “When we were a trio, Harry and Ron had each other, we’re all close but those two…there’s a tighter bond between them, so I was just me…the third party, but then you came along and it’s like, I’ve finally got someone for me, Atty. But then you disappeared and it hurt so much more than when I was alone, which is why I thought it’d be better if we’d never met because, Christ, did it hurt and confuse me because — because, Jesus, Atlas, I — you’re my person…”

“Oh,” Atlas uttered and then slowly stood, smiling as she then moved forward rather suddenly, bending down to engulf the shorter girl in a heartfelt hug. It wasn’t out of excitement nor was it for comfort, it was just genuine pure and true relief. Hermione could feel it in the way Atlas sagged, how she breathed freely for the first time since they’d stopped to talk and the feeling of her smile against her hair. And then she started to cry.

“Atlas?” Hermione uttered in genuine shock but Atlas only held tighter, breathing in a sob as she let out a wet chuckle.

“Fuck, I thought I fucked this up…I’m sorry I’m so thick, Merlin I feel like such a dick.”

“Because you are one…”

“Right, yeah you’re right. Shit, next time I’m being such a prick, please just fucking punch me.”

“I’m not going to do that.”

Atlas laughed loudly. “You’re loss,” she then sighed, burying her nose in the girl’s hair. “You’re my person too, Hermione. You really really are.”

Hermione smiled, “…I’m glad.” and held impossibly tighter.

There was a long moment of contented silence where they just stood, in that abandoned hallway, hugging out their feelings and beaming all the while, hearts lighter and shoulders lax. A true fondness hanging stagnant in the air surrounding them.

“Hey!”

The two girls finally broke apart and looked to the mouth of the corridor, seeing Cedric holding his hands up in the air with Atlas’s dragon replica on his shoulder. 

“Did you forget about me or something!? Kiss and make up, already! Dobby gave Winky the rest of your apple wine and she’s blackout drunk!”

“Merlin’s beard…” Atlas sighed, rubbing her eyes free of her tears. Hermione went a little wide-eyed, glancing between the two.

“Did he just say, Dobby? An-and Winky?”

“Yeah, Winky’s here, probably hired after getting abandoned by Crouch,” Atlas nodded, looking down at Hermione who was now beaming up at her. She flushed not expecting the sudden sunshine before her and backed away. “Dobby’s new, I’ve never seen him before…have you?”

“Have I!? Oh, Atlas, Harry is going to be thrilled!” She leant up and kissed the girls cheek, running off and leaving Atlas and Cedric in silence.

“So…you two clearly made up.”

“Not a word, Diggory.”

“I’m happy for you!” Cedric shouted and Atlas shook her head, walking over to him and pushing him in the other direction so they could go back to the kitchens.

He continued to chatter the entire way back, even when they had gotten back inside he spoke of all the gossip the elves had told him, the celebrations that had happened, whispers that had been going around. Some people thought Atlas had gone back to homeschooling, as she had done for the first two years of Hogwarts

“As if. I couldn’t leave this place, now,” Atlas laughed as Fobbo reread another book in her lap, swinging his legs back and forth. Winky was sat beside her, sniffling and cradling an empty tankard of apple wine while Dobby zoomed around the kitchen. Everyone else was cleaning up the remains of dinner and preparing for breakfast the following day. “It was just a break away from the chaos, plus my ears needed to recover.”

“Speaking of recovering, how’s your arm?”

“Well…” Atlas set Fobbo on the seat beside her and unbutton her shirt, talking as she did. “So, you know that burn solution, Pomfrey has?” she asked and Cedric nodded, accepting an apple from a busy-body elf that was running by as Atlas dropped her shirt to the floor and showed the boy her arm and shoulder. He took in a breath through his teeth at the sight, his face scrunching up into a grimace. “Yeah, so…turns out, the name Agoniser isn’t just for show, it hasn’t and won’t heal entirely, so while it’s better, this is as far as it heals.”

“Merlin, Las. That’s…cool looking but ouch,” he whistled lowly and Atlas nodded, retrieving her shirt and just keeping it off. It was nice to let the skin breathe for a moment, plus the shirt was sticky from the apple wine. “So, where did Hermione go?”

“I have no idea, probably to get Harry,” Atlas mused and then caught an elf that was going by. “Hey, do you think you could get me a new shirt?”

“Yes, miss! Of course, miss! Let me take that from you, miss!”

“Eager beaver, that one,” Cedric mused as Atlas watched the elf snatch her soiled shirt and disappear with a snap of his fingers. “Anyway, I’m gonna get going, Las. I’ve got a date with Cho tonight,” he grinned and Atlas went a little wide-eyed, looking at him with a hint of astonishment. “Don’t look so surprised!”

“I’m sorry, I can’t help it!” Atlas laughed.

“Hey! At least I’ve made a move on the person I fancy, you’re still in the friend zone!”

“My dearest god-sister has been friend-zoned?”

The portrait hole shut abruptly and Atlas turned to see her trio stood and staring between her and Cedric. Ron grinned and waved brightly, Harry smirking while Hermione had a hand over her eyes, staring decidedly at the floor. Cedric stood up and kissed her temple, throwing a wave over his shoulder as he grinned at the trio and flung the painting open.

“Love you, Las!”

“Asshole!” Atlas shouted, he threw his head back and laughed, slamming the secret door behind him. This left the four of them in silence, just staring at each other as Atlas slowly dragged a large platter in front of her chest, covering herself up with a tint to her cheeks. Harry slowly broke into a mess of laughter, Ron coughing after realising she wasn’t entirely covered while Hermione remained in her own little world.

“What exactly did we walk in on?” Harry grinned, walking over to her with his arms open. Atlas rolled her eyes but accepted the embrace, hooking a single arm around him as her other was clutching the great big silver plate over her abdomen. “He does always say he loves you, could be a sign that–“

“Piss off,” Atlas huffed, pushing the boys face away from her. His glasses went askew as he chuckled, adjusting them so that sat on his nose again with a cheeky grin. “I like girls, Potter. You literally know this, since I rejected Ron last year,” she smirked and the god siblings turned to look at the boy whose cheeks quickly went as red as his hair.

“I didn’t actually fancy you!” He protested as they laughed, Hermione just crossed her arms and shook her head. “Bloody hell, what are we even doing here?”

“Am I not a good enough surprise?” Atlas frowned dramatically, Hermione moved over to her and patted her shoulder.

“You’re an amazing surprise, Atty–” Atlas grinned stupidly, “–but that’s not the main reason I brung you two here. Atlas has someone she’d like you to meet.”

“I do?” Atlas murmured and Hermione sent her a pointed look. “Oh right! The new house elves!”

“The new house-elves?” Harry questioned and just then a small form covered in an odd assortment of clothes collided with him, hugging him fiercely. Atlas only cocked a brow, she hadn’t known Dobby knew Harry. “Dobby, what’re you doing here?”

“Dobby has come to work at Hogwarts, sir!” Dobby squealed excitedly. “Professor Dumbledore gave Dobby and Winky jobs, sir!

“Winky?” Harry mused, glancing over to Atlas who smiled. “She’s here too?”

“Yeah,” Atlas nodded, motioning over to the bench where Fobbo sat trying to keep Winky from falling forward. After realising this, Atlas moved over to them and had Winky lay, lengthways across the bench. “She’s not in the best of sorts, right now.”

The elf from earlier flickered back into the kitchen with a quiet pop, immediately darting over to Atlas with a shirt. She smiled kindly and thanked the elf in a hushed voice, placing the platter on the table to put on the new garment as Harry and Dobby spoke in excited tones, Ron right by them. Hermione, however, walked over to her, glancing over her shoulder to the boys and then back at Atlas with a disbelieving but playful shake of her head.

“So…this is the kitchen…” she murmured, looking around with her hands on her hips. 

“Big, huh?” Atlas grinned.

“It’s like…an exact replica of the Great Hall.”

“How else do you think the food is arranged so accurately?” Atlas smiled, cocking her head to the side.

“Not like this…” Hermione took a seat beside her, peering over at Winky and Fobbo and waving at the latter before turning to look up at Atlas. “They do look happy here…”

“Told you.”

“However, I’m not giving up on my ideals for protective laws to be enforced and I don’t like that they’re not being paid, so that’ll have to be pushed also.”

“Hey, wouldn’t have it any other way.”

They shared a smile.

“So, how have you been?” Hermione asked.

“Hmm?”

“You know, since…the trial. How have you been?”

“Oh, well…the last couple of weeks have been rough but my ears have healed and my arm’s doing pretty good all things considered,” Atlas mused, crossing her legs at her ankles. “Bit dull without you around though. Look, I really am sorry for calling you annoying.”

“It’s fine, Atty. It was a silly thing to get worked up over anyway.”

“It really wasn’t. I know how self-conscious you can get about how people perceive you and…not to toot my own horn but…well, because it was me and I never call you names, it hurt quite a bit more, didn’t it?”

“I suppose it did…” Hermione shrugged but then smiled. “But I think it’ll be alright now. I mean, it’s us, right?”

“Yeah, sure. You and me,” Atlas grinned, nudging the girl’s shoulder. “So, what have you been up to?”

“The library –” Atlas muttered a playful ‘of course’ under her breath and Hermione pinched her thigh in retaliation. “– Anyway, yes, so I was studying in the library for most of it but that Viktor Krum’s fan club kept disturbing the peace, I was surprised Madam Pince didn’t ban them.”

“Krum?”

“Yeah, he’s constantly in the library lately!”

“Maybe he’s doing research for the next task,” Atlas mused.

“I highly doubt that. He was reading a Charms book upside-down yesterday, he keeps looking at me sometimes and he even sat with me a few times, talked about…well, stuff,” Hermione mumbled and Atlas looked down at her, expression pondering if a little sour.

“Maybe he likes you.”

“As if,” Hermione waved off. “Speaking of the next task, have you taken a look at your egg yet?”

“No, Madam Pomfrey told me not to because apparently, it just–“

“Screeches, I’m glad you didn’t, it’s really quite loud. You should take a look at it soon though, maybe with earmuffs.”

“Mi, the task is next year.”

“Don’t say a year, it’s three months away. You need to be vigilant!”

“Alright, Moody,” Atlas smirked, leaning against the tabletop.

“I’m serious! And you need to let me help you this time!”

“It’s against the rules,” Atlas murmured and Hermione glared at her. “Alright! Alright! You can help…”

“I was going to help whether you let me or not,” Hermione muttered as Atlas smiled, hooking her injured arm around her shoulder. Hermione caught it in the corner of her eye and raised a careful hand, slowly running her fingers along the marred skin. It caught Atlas admittedly off guard, but she didn’t say anything, simply watched as Hermione frowned and softly soothed the damaged tissue. 

Just then, her Albanian Agoniser replica jumped up to sit on the knuckles of her hand, looking up at Hermione curiously as the girl jumped in fright.

“Relax, Mi. She’s just a baby,” Atlas whispered, turning the thing over in her palm. “Some of Minerva’s Transfiguration I assume, she’s cute isn’t she?”

“Pushing past the fact its bigger, more dangerous counterpart almost killed you…yes.”

“Here,” Atlas moved her hand closer to Hermione’s face, the dragon making a questioning sound at the back of its throat as Hermione raised her finger and brushed along the front of its silky smooth scales, letting it nuzzle against her face. Atlas leant so she was pressed against Hermione’s back and had her chin hovering over the girl’s shoulder, cheeks practically brushing against each other. “She likes you…”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah…”

“Are you two done?”

Atlas and Hermione jumped apart, the Agoniser flapping once in fright only to gently glide onto Atlas’s shoulder, belching a cloud of black flame. They looked over at the boys, watching as Ron’s arms were piled with biscuits and potted puddings, Harry stuffing his own pockets with a few offerings the elves had given them. The boy was smirking at his godsister, a shit-eating smirk.

“While I’m glad you’re friends again and well, I knew you’d only need to talk to sort yourselves out, curfew’s soon, you can cuddle when we get back to the dorms.”

“We weren’t cuddling,” Hermione argued.

“Sorry, didn’t know I said that last bit out loud,” Harry grinned.

“Oh, piss off, Potter,” Atlas flushed, standing up and sending a firework his way. The boy jumped out of its trajectory as he laughed, shooting her a teasing look.

“Why are you getting so worked up for? Friends cuddle! I’m sure you cuddle with Cedric.”

“I don’t cuddle!”

“That’s not true,” Ron said, pointing at her with a thick looking custard cream. “You cuddle Hermione like all of the time! Same with Harry!”

“Feeling left out Ron?” Atlas shot back.

“That’s completely — completely beside the point!”

“Is it? Come here, Ronald, let me give you a cuddle!”

“No! No — no stop, Harry, Hermione, help!”

Bear here! Genuinely hate making Atlas and Hermione mad at each other so I had them make up. Sorry to those that like the drama, I just couldn’t do it to myself 🙁