Not Our World (Harry Potter Fanfic)

That Again

"It's the troll incident all over again."

She was crying. Despite having the mind of an eighteen, almost nineteen-year-old, she was crying like the preteen child she was, but unlike that time when she entered the bathroom thinking of it as an escape from the hurtful words where it felt like an escape until the troll showed up, this time it didn't feel like an escape.

"After all, boys aren't stupid enough to follow you into the girl's bathroom," Hermione thought when she overheard Draco calling out.

"Hold on!" That's the girl's bathroom! You..."

Hermione continued crying, trying to wipe the tears away, thinking of what boy was dumb enough to walk into the girl's bathroom as if it were nothing; Moaning Myrtle's abandoned bathroom was the possible exception to the rule. "Neville? Or Percy? Both would want to..."

"Granger, I..."

Except it turned out to be Regulus Black of all people, and she tensed up before blurting out. "You're not my father!"

There was a silence, with her hoping he'd walk away, leaving her to her tears, mainly since she now knew Parkinson and her friends wouldn't follow in there and continue with the verbal insults, possibly throwing off some spells only for her to quickly remember they might not likely know any jinxes given they were first years.

But then, he said, "But I am your professor."

Hermione pushed her lips together as her hands clenched her robes. "You're not a female professor."

Silence again as he thought over his answer, and then he said, "But I am the head of Slytherin, and it was a member of my house."

To which she continued crying, wiping the tears away. "Why? Why did it have to be Professor Black of all people?" She bit down on her lip, remembering something important. "I'm sorry."

"For yelling at me just now?" Regulus asked, then suddenly blabbered out. "Wait? Don't you think I'm going to dock points from Gryffindor? I mean, I do know you're upset." Right before he said. "No. Don't do that, Crookshanks."

The tears slowed, and she tried not to laugh at what he said and the cat now sliding under the stall door. "Don't laugh. You've already caused a professor enough embarrassment today. Don't laugh."

"Because I wouldn't. I'm not Snape," he said as Crookshanks jumped into her lap.

Which only made her want to laugh, even more, both what he said and getting to hold her Crookshanks, though a part of her wanted to cry remembering what happened to him in the other world. "Not that. This morning. I'm sorry about this morning."

"Oh. It's okay. I'm used to being the odd person out, although I sometimes wish I wasn't."

Hermione pushed her lips together, the image not quite fitting, "It bothered me. That this isn't how I imagined him to be. Regulus Black, that is." She took a deep breath. "You wish you weren't yourself?"

"Well..." He paused.

"Don't let anyone tell you to be anyone but yourself," Hermione blurted out, remembering another thing her father said when Muggles had bullied her before finding out she could use magic. She wasn't filth because she was different, more intelligent than the other girls.

There came another pause of silence while Hermione wondered what happened to Draco, beyond him probably wanting to get his distance from the embarrassing incident, mainly because it involved family making the family look bad. "That's rather wise advice."