NOVEL WEB Chapter 105: Talking To Her
It was a quiet afternoon at Hogwarts, and Cael didn't have any classes, so he was just wandering around, relaxing. As he passed through the Great Hall, he noticed the professors bustling about, preparing decorations for the Halloween evening party. It was always a big event when Halloween rolled around.
With nothing better to do, Cael made his way up to the Gryffindor Tower. When he stepped inside the common room, he spotted Katie Bell slumped on one of the couches, looking completely exhausted. He walked over and flopped down beside her.
"Hey, what's up with you?" Cael teased, raising an eyebrow. "The weather isn't even hot, and you look like you've just run a marathon. You look hilarious like this."
Katie groaned and playfully punched him on the shoulder. "It's all because of Wood," she muttered. "He forced us to practice like mad. Our first game is against Slytherin, and he doesn't want to lose again like last year. He practically burned us out of our brooms!"
Cael couldn't help but laugh, which only made Katie glare at him. "Don't laugh! I swear to Merlin, I'll hit you again," she warned, frustrated.
"Okay, okay, I won't," Cael chuckled, raising his hands in surrender. "But seriously, isn't it a bit much? You still have a whole month before the first match."
"You know how Wood is," Katie sighed. "Obsessed with Quidditch. He calls it practice, but he's making us play full games every day."
Cael grinned. "Well, you love it too, don't you? You'll get used to it."
They sat there, chatting for a while, until Angelina came into the common room, looking just as drained as Katie.
"Ugh, I'm so tired," Angelina sighed, flopping onto a chair.
Cael laughed. "Both of you need to get a shower before you start stinking up the place."
The girls exchanged a look, sniffed themselves, and groaned in agreement.
"Oh, by the way," Angelina added, "that Granger girl—Hermione—she was crying in the bathroom on the first floor. I think she's been there for a while. Maybe tell Professor McGonagall?"
Katie shrugged. "She's probably homesick. First years miss their parents sometimes. She'll be fine."
But Cael's thoughts drifted elsewhere. Ah, so this is the Halloween plot—the troll and everything… Should I stop it? Or let it play out?
As the girls went off to shower, Cael stood, deciding he couldn't just ignore it. The plot's already messed up anyway, he thought. Might as well help Miss Know-it-All before things get worse.
Leaving the common room, Cael headed down the castle's staircases until he reached the first floor. The corridor was empty, and the faint sound of quiet sobs came from the girls' bathroom.
Standing near the door, he called softly, "Hermione? You okay in there?"
The crying stopped immediately, replaced by silence.
"I heard you've been crying here for hours," Cael continued gently. "Come on, let's go."
There was a long pause before a small, shaky voice finally replied, "I don't want to… Go away."
Cael sighed. "Look, I know you're sad. But you don't have to sit here alone. It'll be nighttime soon, and it's not safe to be here by yourself."
Another moment passed, and just when he thought she might ignore him completely, the door creaked open. Hermione stepped out, eyes red and puffy from crying. Without a word, she walked to the sink and splashed cold water on her face.
When she finished, she stood in front of Cael, head down, avoiding his eyes.
"Good," Cael said gently. "Let's go. I'll take you somewhere to help you forget about being sad."
He reached for her hand, and after a moment's hesitation, she let him lead the way. Together, they climbed up to the third floor, stopping at the statue of the one-eyed witch. Cael whispered the password, and the hidden door to the secret passageway opened.
"Where are we going?" Hermione asked softly.
"Somewhere fun," Cael replied with a grin.
They walked through the dark, winding tunnel until they reached the end. Cael climbed out first, then pulled Hermione up after him. They were in the basement of Honeydukes, the famous sweet shop in Hogsmeade.
Hermione's eyes widened in shock. "Are we… in Hogsmeade?"
"Yep," Cael confirmed, still grinning.
"But… but we're not allowed to be here! If the professors find out, we'll be expelled!" Hermione's voice wavered as she tried to pull him back toward the tunnel.
"Relax," Cael laughed. "No one's going to know. Fred, George, and Lee come here all the time. The professors are all busy with the Halloween stuff anyway. Come on, there's a lot to see."
He led her up from the basement. Madam Flume, behind the counter, spotted them and smiled.
"Oh, Cael, back again—and with a girl this time?" she teased. "Are you two on a date?"
Cael rolled his eyes. "No, Madam Flume, she was feeling down, so I brought her here to cheer her up. It's Halloween after all."
He bought some candies, handing a few to Hermione as they stepped outside.
"Here, try this. It's delicious," he offered.
Hermione hesitated. "I… I shouldn't. It's bad for my teeth. My parents always say too many sweets will ruin them."
Cael laughed. "Don't worry, you're a witch now. A healing potion can fix any tooth problem. Come on, try it."
Reluctantly, Hermione took the candy and started to nibble on it as they walked. Cael pointed out different shops, explained what they sold, introduced her to some shop owners, and told stories about the village. Slowly, Hermione's mood brightened, and she even asked questions between bites of candy.
An hour later, they sat on a bench near one of the shops. Cael turned to her.
"So… what made you so sad today?"
Hermione's expression darkened again. "It was Ron," she whispered. "He said some awful things to me. I tried to help him during Charms class, but he got upset."
Her voice shook as she went on, "I just… I don't get it. Why does everyone hate me? I only try to help. I told Lavender to get up so she wouldn't be late for class, but she called me horrible names. I asked Percy for help with a question, and he called me an idiot. I even tried to stop Harry from fighting Malfoy, and he yelled at me. Then Ron laughed at me when Snape called me 'Miss Know-it-All.' I just wanted to be their friend… but they all hate me…"
Tears welled in her eyes again. Cael gently placed a hand on her head, patting her softly. She calmed down after a few moments and wiped her face.
"Sorry for yelling," she mumbled.
"It's okay," Cael smiled. "You've got every right to be upset. But you have to understand—not every kid is like you. Not everyone's as smart or responsible as you are. Everyone grows up in different families. That shapes who they are."
Hermione sniffled, listening quietly.
"You're ahead of them, academically and otherwise. So when you correct them, they feel like you're showing off or acting like a professor. Most kids don't like being corrected by someone their own age—especially in schoolwork."
Hermione frowned. "But… I wasn't trying to show off. I just wanted to help."
"I know," Cael said gently. "But they don't see it that way."
He leaned back. "Look at Ron, for example. He's lazy, a bit of an attention-seeker. His mum's strict, always nagging him. So when you tell him to work harder or stop being lazy, he feels like he's hearing his mum again. But with you, he thinks he can talk back, because you're his age."
Hermione thought about it.
"Here's a trick," Cael added with a grin. "Pretend they're all five-year-olds. You know how silly five-year-olds can be. Imagine a five-year-old Ron—what do you think he'd be like?"
Hermione's eyes lit up, and suddenly, she burst into laughter. She couldn't stop giggling at the thought.
"A dumb five-year-old Ron would be hilarious," she laughed, wiping her tears away.
Cael smiled, glad to see her finally laughing. "Exactly. Treat them like little kids. You can't change them, no matter how hard you try. Some people will always be rude. Don't let it bother you. Enjoy Hogwarts—it's a beautiful place. And don't stress about house points. They're just there to make everyone competitive. One good Quidditch win gets you 150 points anyway."
They sat there for a while longer, watching the Halloween decorations going up around Hogsmeade as the evening settled in.
"Let's head back," Cael said eventually. "The Halloween party will be starting soon."
They made their way back through the hidden passage, returning to Hogwarts. As they reached the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, Hermione paused, turning to him with a shy smile.
"Thank you… for today," she said softly.
"It's alright. Hope you enjoyed the little tour," Cael replied. "But keep the passage secret, okay?"
Hermione nodded, then took a deep breath. "Cael… are we friends?"
Cael smiled warmly. "Of course we are, silly."
Hermione beamed, turning to run back toward the common room. Cael followed behind, walking at a relaxed pace.