CANYON MOON ▇▇▇▇ VOLUME ONE
━━ ❛ 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒃𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕 ❜

chapter no. 006!

     "OR HERSELF," HERMIONE GRUMBLED IRRITABLY, OVERHEARING HARRY POINTING OUT THE WAY THE HANDWRITING IN THE POTIONS TEXTBOOK CURLED TO RON IN AN EMPTY CLASSROOM ON SATURDAY EVENING. The two boys had debated all night about who the Half-Blood Prince could be. Ever since Harry saw the name scribbled on the front of the book, he hadn't stopped rambling on about it. "It might have been a girl. I think the handwriting looks more like a girl's than a boy's."

      Fawn glanced up from her essay and over to the brunette sitting next to her. Ever since Wednesday, the two had spent every night in the library together— studying, working, and talking. She had gotten to know the golden Gryffindor Prefect more and found herself growing a stronger liking for her.

     What the Headmaster had said to Fawn days ago hadn't left her mind, and she often had contemplated whether it would be safe or a reasonably good idea to open up to Hermione more. Not many knew the truth and those who did keep their mouths shut, except for Davey, who seemingly told Professor Slughorn one too many secrets.

     "The Half-Blood Prince, he was called," Harry groaned. "How many girls have been Princes?"

     Hermione seemed to have no answer to this. She merely scowled and twitched her essay on The Principles of Rematerialization away from Ron, who was trying to read it upside down. The redhead then turned his head to look at Fawn's essay, but she quickly turned it away also, causing him to groan in annoyance. A small smile appeared on Hermione's lips, and she continued writing. Fawn glanced over at Harry to find him glancing down at his watch and then hurriedly shoved the old Advanced Potion-Making book into his bag.

     "It's five to eight. I'd better go. I'll be late for Dumbledore," he breathed, standing up.

     "Oh!" Hermione gasped, looking up at once. "Good luck! We'll wait up, we want to hear what he teaches you!"

     "Good luck!" Fawn smiled.

     "Hope it goes okay," Ron waved, and the three of them watched the raven-haired boy run out the door.

     The two girls returned to their essays as Ron stared at his empty parchment paper, his face blank. Sighing, he slammed his forehead down on the table and glared miserably at the floor, grumbling to himself. Jumping, both girls looked up.

     Hermione rolled her eyes at the sight while Fawn smirked lightly, amused. It was uncanny how much Ron Weasley reminded her of Theodora. The two could be the same person if one were to compare their personalities.

     "At this rate, I'll never make it to seventh year. Let alone next term," Ron grumbled, squeezing his eyes shut.

     Hermione gasped. "Ronald!"

     "What?"

     Fawn stopped writing and turned her gaze towards Hermione curiously. "Theodora Lily! Fawn's friend that you fancy!" the brunette exclaimed, and Fawn raised her brows as she glanced over at Ron, noticing how his ears were fading to a deep red. "I overheard her mention today at lunch that she'd be at the library studying tonight. She's brilliant at Transfiguration and Charms! She could help you with your work!"

     The boy in question looked up and quickly shook his head, "No. No way. Do you know how bloody stupid I'd look? Going and asking her for help? I'd rather pitch myself off the Astronomy Tower."

     Fawn rolled her eyes and dropped her quill. "Theo is super easy to talk to, and I'm sure she'd love to help you out. Tell her I sent you!" she suggested, and Ron glared over her. She wasn't helping in his favor at all. With a simple wand flick, all his belongings floated into his bag and slid inside. The satisfying sound of a zipper closing could be heard as a grin spread across Hermione's face.

     "You two are despicable, y'know that?" Ron asked, grudgingly standing up and grabbing his bag. Both girls smiled at him cheekily while he merely scowled. "Don't think I don't notice how you're only doing this so you two can be alone. You're not slick, 'Mione." Leaving the conversation at that, he stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

     Turning her body towards the latter, Fawn bit the inside of her cheek as she noticed that Hermione's face was crimson red as she avoided eye contact. "You wanted us to be alone?" she asked softly. The word us caused both of them to blush profusely as a peculiar tension wedged its way in between them.

     Hermione was uncharacteristically quiet as she started writing again, trying to ignore the stare coming from the beautiful Ravenclaw next to her.

     Biting down on her lip, Fawn held herself back from tucking away a strand of hair that had just fallen in front of Hermione's face, and she quickly forced herself to look away. "Hermione," the blue-eyed girl mumbled quietly. The Gryffindor Prefect stopped writing and turned to face Fawn, the blush that had once been a burning, bright red was now a soft pink. "Can we take a break from homework?"

     "Yeah, sure. What do you want to do?" Hermione asked quietly, her eyes darting in between the beautiful blonde's.

     "Come with me," Fawn instructed as she stood up from the table and held out her hand. The brunette raised her brows but took her hand nonetheless, standing up from the table. As if they had held hands with each other forever, their hands molded together perfectly.

     Leading them out of the classroom, Fawn pulled Hermione down a dimly lit corridor. "Where're we going?" the latter questioned.

     "It's a surprise."

     The Ravenclaw lead the brunette out of the castle and quietly started heading towards the Forbidden Forrest. "Fawn! What're you doing? We're not supposed to be outside of the castle this late or go into the Forbidden Forest! We're going to get in so much trouble." Hermione hissed quietly, tightening her grip on the blonde's hand as she moved closer to her.

     "It's quarter past eight, and we'll only get in trouble if we get caught. So, keep your voice down," Fawn whispered as the two reached the forest edge.

     "This isn't a good idea, you don't know what could be out there in the woods! Especially in our current climate— it's not safe," the Gryffindor whispered, and the blonde turned around, causing Hermione to walk into her.

     Tripping over her own feet, Hermione stumbled before Fawn caught her, instinctively wrapping her arm around her waist. The two looked up, and their noses brushed. The blonde's eyes widened at how close they were while the latter's cheeks burned red. Gulping nervously, Hermione stayed still. A million thoughts were rushing through her mind as she stared into the sky-blue eyes that she had grown to start liking.

     The last time she had been this close to someone was fourth-year with Viktor Krum after the Yule Ball. However, she wasn't as nervous then as she was now. She could feel the hammering of her heart against her rib cage as she looked down at Fawn's lips.

     Fawn could also feel her heart hammering in her chest; each impact against her ribcage only increased how nervous she was. The girl that she had crushed secretly on for years was standing right in front of her, centimeters away from finally kissing. Unconsciously, her fingers curled around the brunette's waist more, somehow bringing them slightly closer. She watched as the girl in front of her glanced down at her lips, her eyes lingering on them longer than they should have.

     Time seemed to stand still as they stood there in the darkness of the night. Neither of them spoke as they soaked in the moment they were in.

     "Do you trust me?" Fawn asked quietly, breaking the tense silence. Hermione nodded, her nose lightly brushing against the blonde's as she did so. "Then there's no need to be worried. We'll be okay. I promise going through the forest will be worth it," she whispered, trying to ignore how close their lips were getting. Unwrapping her arm from around Hermione's waist, she stepped back, grabbing onto her hand once more. The Gryffindor stood still for a moment as a sinking feeling filled her chest. She noticed the warmth that left once the blonde had stepped away and wanted it back. It was comforting.

     Pushing away her thoughts and feelings, she nodded, and onward they went into the night.

     The masses of trees were never-ending and thick. Using their wands, the two used Lumos to light a path. Hermione was left clueless about where they were heading while Fawn weaved her way through the trees, knowing exactly where she was going.

     Fifteen minutes of silence passed before they reached the end of one side of the forest. Right in front of them was a huge, empty field with random patches of flowers. A small gasp left Hermione's lips at the beauty before her.

     "Told you it was worth it," the blonde whispered, her sky-blue eyes gleaming in the starry night as she gazed at the empty field. Pulling at her hand, Fawn slowly led the amazed girl further into the grass. Halting in her tracks, she let go of Hermione's hand and sat down on the massive quilt she had laid out that morning in preparation for this moment.

     Following, Hermione kicked off her shoes and stepped onto the quilt, sinking into it. As Fawn took off her shoes, the Gryffindor looked at her in great admiration and fondness. No words could describe the joyful feeling in her chest.

     "Did you put the blanket out here?" Hermione asked, and Fawn looked up, setting her shoes to the side.

     Nodding, she could feel a burning sensation spreading across her cheeks, and she glanced away. "It's simple, really, but I know Astronomy is one of your favorite subjects, and I thought stargazing would be something you might enjoy," she shrugged.

     "It's perfect," Hermione breathed, a bright smile lighting up her face.

     A nearly identical smile spread across Fawn's face. "I'm glad. Happy early birthday," she whispered, leaning over and grabbing one of Hermione's hands. The birthday girl looked down at their hands and smiled wider, allowing herself to thoroughly soak in this perfect moment. This was easily the best present she had ever been given. She had no words to describe how happy and touched she felt, knowing that the girl in front of her did this solely for her and her alone.

     "I—" Hermione closed her mouth.

     "Speechless?" Fawn raised a brow, and the brunette nodded. Letting go of her hand, she scooted closer and lay down, her eyes settling on the stars above.

     Hermione lay down next to her, and their hands brushed lightly. "How'd you find this place?" she asked.

     The blonde brushed her hair out of her eyes, her focus shifting back to the painting above. "My mum told me about this place. She used to come out here with my father when they were students. Ever since she told me, whenever I'm upset or lost in thought, I come out here to think and be alone. It's quite comforting to be able to escape Hogwarts from time to time. Not that I don't like the school, because I do. It's just sometimes everything gets to be too much. Do you know what I mean?"

     "Yeah, I know what you mean perfectly. I wish I had a place like this to go to," Hermione sighed, and the blonde turned her head. "Being surrounded by people all the time and living with them can get bothersome sometimes. Not to mention, I'm always with Harry and Ron. They're my best friends, but sometimes it's hard to talk to them about certain things. They don't always understand where I'm coming from or what I'm feeling. Not that they need to, obviously, but it would help to talk to someone who did understand. Or just go somewhere where I can be alone and think."

     "Well, now you have this place," Fawn said gently, looking back up at the sky. "And me."

     Turning her head, Hermione gazed at the blonde, who was watching the stars glimmer. The corners of her lips turned upwards as she admired how the sky's iridescent light enhanced and magnified every feature on her face. Her freckles stood out more than they usually did, and they looked like a cluster of raindrops on her cheeks and nose, spreading out gradually. Her lips were glossed over with a glowing light blue hue that gave them a fuller effect.

     "Can I ask you a question?" the brunette whispered, causing the latter to turn her head. For the second time that night, the tips of their noses brushed slightly. Fawn nodded. "What's your sexuality?" Hermione asked quietly, her brows furrowing. She had pondered this question recently, as she was finding herself attracted to the beautiful blonde. Not that she wasn't already attracted to her—everybody was. She was naturally breathtaking. However, the brunette found herself starting to like her. Maybe she always had, and she was just now noticing— she wasn't sure, but she was sure that she felt something for the girl lying beside her.

     "I'm gay," Fawn answered quietly. "Why do you ask?"

     "It's just—you mentioned in the library the other night that you had a crush on your next-door neighbor and kissed her. Ron also mentioned last week that Seamus told him that Malfoy tried to get with you fourth year, but you turned him down. I was just curious," she mumbled, averting her eyes.

     Shaking her head, Fawn chuckled softly as she looked back up to the sky. "I've heard a lot of people say that. The thing about Draco and I. It's not true—that's not what happened," she sighed.

     "What happened? If you don't mind me asking. I've noticed how he sometimes looks at you and how he stood up for you against one of his housemates. Then, when he followed you out of the Great Hall, you two stood close, nearly holding hands. I thought that maybe there was something between the two of you..." Hermione trailed off. There was a slight edge to her tone as she spoke, and the blonde noticed.

     "During fourth year, Professor McGonagall had me tutor Draco in Transfiguration. At first, it was painful, and I hated being around him. I'd seen him prancing around the school and bullying others. He disgusted me, honestly, but after the first few sessions, things changed, I s'pose you could say." Fawn began softly, not noticing how Hermione had scooted closer. "He let his guard down and got me to as well. We got quite close, and at one point, it felt like we had known each other forever. I knew everything about him and vice versa. Our feelings towards each other were strictly platonic. Draco knew I was gay, and I knew that he didn't like me like that.

     "At the time, not many people knew I liked girls. I was only out to my parents and Draco. Somehow, though, his father found out and was furious. He was disgusted with my sexuality and told Draco that he wasn't allowed to be friends with me or talk to me. At first, Draco didn't listen, and my dad was fired from his job at the Ministry as punishment. After that, I was furious and ended the tutoring sessions. I told him off, and we stopped being friends, but his father wasn't done yet. He told my parents that he would kill me if I ever talked to his son again. Saying it out loud makes it sound so overdramatic and ridiculous, but it's the reality of our world. Anyone who isn't straight is persecuted or put through hell. Being anything but straight is worse than being anything but pure-blooded outside of the walls of this school."

     It was silent between the two as the latter processed the words just spoken.

     "Lucius Malfoy is an arse." Hermione finally stated firmly in the quiet of the night, and Fawn burst into a fit of laughter. "Am I wrong?" Fawn shook her head, a soft smile resting on her face.

     A peaceful silence rested over them as they stared up at the stars, both wearing small grins. Fawn's mind was filled with everything she wanted to do and say, but she held herself back, knowing that if she acted on her thoughts, it could ruin their growing friendship. She wasn't even sure if Hermione was interested in girls, and if she wasn't, then it would only make things more awkward if Fawn ever made a move.

     Sure, they had held hands, but that was something anyone could do. It wasn't mutually exclusive to couples only. What the blonde wanted to do was something that friends didn't do.

     A few more hours of this peaceful but thoughtful silence continued. Somewhere in between the hours passing, the two had ended up holding hands again. Neither could remember who had grabbed the other's hand first, but it didn't matter.

     "This is the best birthday present ever," Hermione whispered, turning onto her side to gaze at the blonde who was deep in thought.

     Fawn blinked and saw the brunette propping her head on her palm as her elbow rested on the ground. "Good. That's what I was aiming for," she mumbled, smiling.