Hermione walked out of the compartnt with a bewildered expression, following behind Gemma Farley as they navigated through the slightly swaying corridor of the Hogwarts Express.
At this mont, her thoughts were in complete disarray.
Why is she looking for ?
Oh no!
Hermione suddenly realized that Gemma coming to find her at this ti must be about Sherlock!
And it could only be about Sherlock!
At this thought, Hermione's heart filled with vigilance and a trace of indescribable sourness.
Could she be coming specifically to show off to ?
To tell about their eting last night?
Wait!
Could they have already kissed?
While Hermione was lost in wild speculation, Gemma had already pushed open the door to an empty compartnt, gesturing for Hermione to enter.
The mont the door closed, the noise from outside the carriage seed to be cut off by a layer.
This was the first ti Hermione had been alone with Gemma. Previously, when such situations occurred, Sherlock who connected them both—would certainly have been present.
The atmosphere beca sowhat delicate.
Fine dust particles floated in the air, dancing slowly in the light streaming through the train window.
Gemma turned to face Hermione. The soon-to-be-forr Head Girl no longer wore the elegant aloofness she showed in public.
Her blue eyes stared intently at Hermione, even revealing a trace of barely perceptible earnestness.
Even though she harbored so hostility toward this girl, Hermione had to admit that Gemma was truly beautiful.
So beautiful that until she left, Cho Chang couldn't smoothly inherit the title of most beautiful girl in Hogwarts.
So beautiful that once she spoke, it created a strong sense of trust.
So beautiful that even if she were a boy, she couldn't help but be moved by her.
Perhaps only soone like Sherlock could remain completely indifferent.
"Hermione."
Gemma spoke, her voice very calm, but her blue eyes remained firmly locked on Hermione.
"I know this is abrupt, but I need to talk to you—about Sherlock."
As expected!
When she heard that Gemma really wanted to discuss matters related to Sherlock, Hermione's heart imdiately rose to her throat.
She instinctively straightened her spine. "Sherlock? What about him?"
Is she finally declaring war on ?
Or a final show of dominance before leaving?
What exactly happened between them in the Room of Requirent yesterday?
Just as Hermione began to let her imagination run wild again, Gemma took a gentle breath, as if carefully choosing the most appropriate words.
"I think you should be very clear that Sherlock is not the type to take good care of himself.
Especially when he encounters a mystery, curiosity drives his spirit of adventure to override his instinct for self-preservation."
Gemma's tone contained undisguised concern, along with a sense of weight, as if entrusting an important mission.
"You know his characteristics—he excels at observation and analysis, but isn't good at expressing vulnerability.
Sotis, he'll even place himself in dangerous situations without realizing it, just to observe the details of that process."
Hermione nodded. She deeply understood this point.
Sherlock's almost obsessive habit of observation and his dedication to solving mysteries indeed often made him do things that seed very reckless to others.
This was also why the Sorting Hat placed him in Gryffindor rather than Ravenclaw.
It was because, although he possessed wisdom that even Hermione admired, what was even more irreplaceable was the adventurous spirit in his bones.
In this one aspect, Hermione actually had sothing in common with Sherlock.
After all, the Sorting Hat had also hesitated for a long ti about whether to place her in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw.
However, Hermione was very self-aware—Sherlock possessed great wisdom, while she at most had a bit of cleverness.
But when she heard the second half of Gemma's words, Hermione shook her head.
"Using the word 'vulnerability' to describe him is probably inappropriate, isn't it?"
Gemma smiled. "Everyone has a vulnerable side. Sherlock Hols is no exception."
"Sherlock is special." Hermione still insisted on this point.
Gemma couldn't help but chuckle softly at this. "That's probably where we differ—but I didn't call you out specifically today to discuss this."
Her voice carried a trace of barely perceptible nostalgia.
"From the mont I step off this train, I will officially leave Hogwarts.
For the next four years, I won't be able to keep an eye on him like I did before.
Even though we can communicate through letters, so things may be beyond my reach, or he might gloss over them with understatent."
Hermione imdiately frowned at these words.
Fine, fine, fine—so since you're leaving anyway, you're not even pretending anymore, is that it?
You're actually saying things like "I won't be able to keep an eye on him like before."
Gemma also paused slightly; her gaze sharply directed at Hermione.
"But you're different."
"We're different?"
"Yes, you're one of his closest companions. You're in the sa house, together almost every day.
You're intelligent, brave, perceptive... and you care about him very much."
Gemma's words precisely struck at Hermione's inner feelings.
Ever since she began seeing Sherlock as the hero who could save her, Hermione could no longer deny her special feelings for him.
"The unique connection between you two is sothing I can never achieve."
Gemma's voice dropped even lower, carrying a tone almost like entrustnt.
"You are partners, friends, and important support for each other. In his heart, you are a special existence.
So, Hermione, I'm asking you..."
She stepped forward, tightly grasping Hermione's hands, her blue eyes showing unprecedented honesty and urgency.
"Where I cannot see, please watch over him for ."
Hermione was completely stunned.
Before Gemma spoke, she had imagined countless possibilities.
Perhaps a tactful warning to stay away from Sherlock, perhaps a high-profile declaration of her claim over Sherlock, perhaps...
But she never expected the other party would issue what amounted to a deathbed entrustnt.
After all, this was Gemma Farley!
Even Hermione, as a fellow female, had to admit that the other party was practically flawless.
Even her potential weakness of being in Slytherin couldn't overshadow her brilliance.
Yet this person—who was always confident and composed, capable of single-handedly suppressing those little snakes—was now assuming an almost vulnerable posture, asking her to protect Sherlock?
Moreover, protecting Sherlock...
Wasn't she always the one being protected?
Gemma seed to see through Hermione's shock and smiled with a trace of self-mockery.
"Yes, I know this sounds very strange. But I must ensure soone can pull him back when necessary, remind him.
Even punch him when he's being foolish—if that can wake him up."
Her gaze beca extrely serious and earnest again.
"He's a genius, Hermione, but he's also the person least likely to cherish his own gift.
He needs soone like you by his side—soone clear-headed, rational, and tough enough.
I can no longer play this role, at least not in such a close manner."
Having said this, Gemma released Hermione's hands and took out an envelope sealed with wax from her robe pocket, offering it to Hermione.
"This is..."
Hermione didn't take it, instead looking at Gemma with so confusion.
Gemma said solemnly.
"This contains my observations over these three years regarding Sherlock's specific weaknesses, tendencies, and behavioral pattern analysis.
There are also certain danger signals I think he needs to be wary of, especially blind spots that might appear when he's researching certain knowledge or dealing with specific people and events.
In a sense, this may be more than he himself realizes.
Rember, don't let him know you have this.
Or rather, keep it from him as long as you can.
When you think he's heading down an extrely dangerous path and won't listen to any advice, perhaps these can help you understand his logical blind spots or provide so intervention approach."
Hermione was deeply moved.
She never expected that Gemma would go to such lengths for Sherlock!
No wonder she just said that Sherlock also has vulnerable monts.
"You've... been observing him all along?"
"That's right. This is the biggest difference between and you—don't think I'm so impressive. Actually, this is precisely my utilitarian side.
From the mont I first approached him, I had impure motives—please, don't look at like that. It's not what you're thinking."
Gemma smiled sowhat helplessly. "At that ti, he was only 11 years old. I hadn't beco depraved enough to go after such a young boy, even though his thoughts and behavior were more mature than most adults."
"aning now that he's 14, you can make your move?"
"By impure motives, I ant I valued his talent and abilities and wanted to befriend soone so capable."
Gemma ignored Hermione's question and continued, "But during our ti together, I gradually fell.
The charm he possesses is sothing I've never seen before. It was during this process that I gradually abandoned my initial utilitarianism.
But this habit of studying him remained. I hope that in the days when I'm not by his side, these can help you."
Hermione finally accepted the envelope.
This envelope was light, seemingly containing only a few thin pages, yet to Hermione, it felt incredibly heavy.
This sudden trust and responsibility made her feel trendous pressure, even mixed with a complex emotion of being acknowledged.
Gemma Farley, soone she had subconsciously viewed as a rival, had personally handed her the secret weapon for protecting Sherlock?
This didn't feel like a show of dominance, but rather like a solemn transfer of authority.
"You..."
Hermione spoke with difficulty, her voice sowhat hoarse, "Why ? Why do you trust that I can do it?"
Gemma revealed an extrely faint smile that seed to see through everything.
"Because you don't simply just like him, Hermione."
Once these words were spoken, like a stone thrown into a calm lake surface, Hermione's heart jumped violently, her cheeks instantly burning.
She... she actually said it out loud!
She just said it directly like that?
Gemma seed to have no intention of delving deeper into this point and continued.
"You're smart enough to understand his complexity, determined enough to resist his stubbornness, and care enough about him to take action to stop him from doing foolish things.
Most importantly, you'll always stay by his side.
Without being polite, if I were the sa age as you, I would never give you this opportunity."
"Gemma, you..."
With the conversation reaching this point, it was equivalent to laying all cards on the table.
"Unfortunately, I'm not. So when I'm not around, having soone like you watching over him gives much more peace of mind."
Gemma's voice lowered, carrying a kind of deep weariness and the relief of letting go. "Please promise , Hermione."
Looking at Gemma's eyes full of sincerity and entrustnt, the little bit of awkwardness and jealousy in Hermione's heart was strangely dissolved quite a bit at this mont.
She felt the genuineness and weight in Gemma's words.
This was by no ans child's play, but more like the final effort soone about to journey far could make for the most important concern in their heart.
Hermione took a deep breath, her gaze becoming equally firm as she tightly gripped the envelope.
"I will do my best,"
She promised, her voice regaining strength, "I will watch over him."
However, she didn't say "for you."
They both understood without saying.
Gemma's face finally broke into a relieved smile, that smile containing gratitude and a trace of indescribable sadness.
"Thank you, Hermione. I believe you can do it."
She reached out and gently patted Hermione's shoulder.
"Take care."
"Wait!"
Seeing that Gemma was about to leave, Hermione hurriedly called out to her.
Gemma stopped and looked at Hermione with so curiosity.
"Last night, you were with him in the Room of Requirent, weren't you?"
"It seems you didn't ask him?"
"If he wanted to tell , he would say so himself."
"Silly girl!"
Gemma finally couldn't help but laugh.
"If you continue to hesitate like this, you'll lose that fellow!"
Her words imdiately put Hermione on high alert. She looked into Gemma's blue eyes and said word by word.
"You might as well speak more clearly."
"Haven't you noticed yet?
That girl you call the 'crazy girl' is surprisingly compatible with him!"
"You an Luna?"
Hermione was first stunned, then shook her head. "Impossible. Luna doesn't have such thoughts at all."
"Yes, she indeed doesn't have such thoughts, but in this world, many things are judged by actions, not intentions.
Who else besides you can stay by his side, one on the left and one on the right?
Who else besides him can communicate with her without barriers?
Hermione, love doesn't follow a first-co-first-served basis.
You must not have that childish thought of 'but I was here first.'
To put it bluntly, if it weren't for the fact that he has no such thoughts, plus I have my own principles, he would have already been..."
"Stop talking!"
Hermione's face turned red. "How can you say such things?"
"Let give you one more lesson, silly girl."
Having said this, Gemma's face showed a complex, indiscernible smile.
That smile mixed cunning that saw through everything, a kind of mischievousness of soone experienced, and a trace of barely perceptible sadness.
While Hermione was still imrsed in surprise and vigilance about the Luna topic, Gemma had already moved.
Her movents were as swift and precise as when she cut Sherlock's hair yesterday, yet carried a completely different aning.
In the swaying carriage, her steps seed even lighter than usual.
Gemma took a step forward, instantly closing the distance between them.
Hermione Granger didn't have ti to make any reaction—
Whether to step back, question, or block.
Gemma's arms had already, like a blessing or a silent declaration, naturally rested on her shoulders.
This process happened in just a breath.
Then, under Hermione's widened, confused, and astonished brown eyes, Gemma tilted her head slightly and pressed her warm, soft lips against Hermione's left cheek.
Hermione. Σ(°△°|||)
You can read more than 40 chapters on:
patreon/MikeyMuse
User Comments
0 comments from readers