A summer thunderstorm had just passed, leaving behind the crisp scent of rain and freshly cut grass. Inside the greenhouse, Anne was busy repotting magical plants that were about to enter their rapid growth phase, and of course, Hermione was right there helping her.
The first time Hermione stepped into the greenhouse, she was absolutely stunned by the variety of magical plants. Her reaction wasn't surprising. For one, the Roland family was heavily involved in overseas trade, and the greenhouse was filled with rare tropical magical plants from India and Southeast Asia. And two, Anne was a devoted magical botany enthusiast. Diana and Aaron were more than happy to use their connections to help Anne collect rare specimens from around the world.
At Hogwarts, Herbology mostly covered magical plants that were common and practical in Britain and Europe. Even the books in the school library focused mainly on those. But the Rolands owned firsthand documentation from when British wizards first ventured into the Indian subcontinent, and to Hermione, stepping into this greenhouse was like entering an entirely new world. Her curiosity was endless.
She pestered Anne with question after question, spending increasingly long hours buried in the study and greenhouse. Anne was amused but helpless, this was the price of dating a top-of-her-class girlfriend.
One afternoon, Anne walked over to the window seat in the library. Hermione was sitting there, completely absorbed in a book, not even noticing Anne's arrival.
Pouting, Anne sat down directly across from her, puffing her cheeks and staring.
Only then did Hermione look up and reluctantly close her book. "Is it time already?"
"I've been waiting downstairs for five minutes…" Anne grumbled.
Hermione glanced at her watch, and sure enough, they were already seven minutes past their agreed time.
Looking guilty, Hermione reached for Anne's hand. "Sorry, Anne. It's just… this book you recommended is too good. I couldn't stop reading."
"Hmm… okay," Anne replied, still pretending to sulk. "One kiss and I'll forgive you."
The more time Hermione spent with Anne, the more she came to understand her playful, childlike moods. She leaned in and gave Anne a soft kiss on the cheek.
Immediately, Anne's expression brightened. Grinning, she tightened her grip on Hermione's hand and pulled her up from the seat.
"Alright! Let's go!"
At the lakeside, both girls cast Bubble-Head Charms on themselves before diving into the water. A few large fish swam lazily past, and just off the shore, the lakebed was dotted with dark green aquatic plants.
These were Water Shield Grasses, magical aquatic plants Anne had recently transplanted. Native to South America, they had a rare trait: they existed in facultative symbiosis with a magical aquatic creature known as the Long-Tailed Quirkyfish.
Anne had specifically brought Hermione here at this time of day to witness something magical, the Quirkyfish would swim over and use the Water Shield Grass to clean their skin. It was part of their mutual grooming ritual.
After about half an hour, the girls emerged from the lake and headed to the nearby boathouse to change into dry clothes.
On their walk back to the castle, Anne excitedly talked Hermione's ear off. "Symbiosis is amazing, isn't it? Both species can survive on their own, but together, they help each other thrive. There are even more extreme cases, true symbiosis, and also parasitism…"
That night, Anne dragged Hermione down to the castle's ground-floor kitchen. She'd made several flavors of cupcakes and had Hermione try them all, then patiently showed her how to frost them with neat, decorative swirls.
The third-floor study had become their favorite hangout spot. On some lazy afternoons, Anne would relax by playing the piano while Hermione curled up in the cushioned window seat, reading a book and enjoying the music.
They also loved the treehouse. The forested hills near the estate were home to several magical protected species. Not that Anne would admit it, but her real reason for dragging Hermione out there so often was because they could fall asleep in each other's arms under the stars. She insisted it was all about improving her sleep quality.
One morning in mid-July, Hermione seemed distracted during breakfast. Naturally, Diana noticed.
"Hermione, is something bothering you? You've been staring out the window this whole time…"
Hermione smiled sheepishly.
Anne, halfway through her pudding, set down her spoon and answered for her. "She's nervous because our OWL results are arriving today…" Then she muttered, "I knew I shouldn't have reminded you last night…"
Ignoring Anne, Hermione turned to Diana. "Do you know around what time the results usually arrive?"
Diana chuckled softly. "Oh, I remember how anxious I was waiting for mine. Well, the Ministry starts work at eight. The exam results were definitely finalized last night. If the Wizarding Examinations Authority sends them out at eight sharp, they should reach Roland Castle by around eight-thirty."
Hermione quickly checked her watch, still about an hour to go.
"Don't worry," Diana said kindly. "I doubt either of you has anything to worry about." She dabbed her lips with a napkin and headed off to work via the fireplace.
Once Diana was gone, Anne scooted closer and wrapped an arm around Hermione's shoulder.
Hermione looked genuinely anxious. "I know I messed up Ancient Runes. I'm sure I mistranslated at least one entire section… and the practical Defense Against the Dark Arts was a disaster. I thought I did okay on Transfiguration, but the more I think about it, "
"Hermione," Anne interrupted gently, patting her shoulder, "the examiners aren't going to fail you over one tiny mistake…"
"Fail me?" Hermione nearly jumped out of her seat. "But what if, "
Anne held her by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. "Believe in yourself, Hermione. You're not going to fail anything. And if, by some miracle, you do…"
Hermione blinked.
Anne grinned. "Then clearly, this year's examiners were completely incompetent."
That made Hermione laugh, and her nerves finally started to ease.
"Alright, let's finish breakfast," Anne said, nudging her back to her seat and handing her some toast. "I'm sure once Gooka gets the letters, he'll bring them right up."
Sure enough, just after eight-twenty, Anne was playing piano for Hermione in the study when Gooka appeared holding two large square envelopes.
"Oh no!" Hermione squealed.
Anne stopped playing and took the envelopes from Gooka. One read Anne Roland-Reeve, and the other Hermione Granger.
She waved the envelopes. "Want me to read yours for you?"
Hermione hesitated, then took hers with slightly trembling hands. Anne, on the other hand, tore hers open quickly and unfolded the parchment.
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Ordinary Wizarding Level Exam Results
Passing Grades:
Outstanding (O)
Exceeds Expectations (E)
Acceptable (A)
Failing Grades:
Poor (P)
Dreadful (D)
Troll (T)
Anne Roland-Reeve's Results:
Astronomy – O
Care of Magical Creatures – O
Charms – O
Defense Against the Dark Arts – E
Herbology – O
History of Magic – O
Potions – O
Transfiguration – E
Ancient Runes – O
Arithmancy – O
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Anne gave a low whistle. She was genuinely pleased with her E in Transfiguration. She glanced over, Hermione was still staring at her parchment, head lowered.
Curious, Anne walked over and peeked at Hermione's results. A full row of ten O's, only Defense Against the Dark Arts was marked as an E.
"Hey! You really are top of the class~" Anne grinned, handing over her own results. "Here, you can look at mine too."
Hermione took the parchment and lit up. "Anne, you got an E in Transfiguration! That means you can take Professor McGonagall's advanced course next term!"
"No way, I'm not signing up to suffer," Anne laughed, then leaned in and kissed Hermione. Her eyes sparkled. "That E has a lot to do with my girlfriend, you know…"
"Oh, right," Anne added, "I just thought, maybe you could write the Transfiguration volume of The Scholar's Guide to Magical Mastery. I only wrote the first- and second-year ones. I didn't want to write the rest and mislead anyone. But the publisher's been bugging me. What do you think?"
"Anne! That series is yours?" Hermione exclaimed. "Flourish & Blotts always keeps it front and center in their window! Loads of Gryffindor underclassmen have copies!"
"Hogwarts curriculum is tough," Anne said with a grin. "And it didn't even have proper study guides, of course it was a business opportunity. Your girlfriend's not dumb."
Hermione burst into laughter. She suddenly remembered something from their very first ride on the Hogwarts Express.
Anne remembered too.
"Hey, don't laugh," Anne wrapped her arms around Hermione's waist and winked. "I was totally clueless back then. And you know I've always been slow with this stuff…"
Her gaze softened as she hugged Hermione close. "Good thing I didn't stay clueless forever."
Hermione smiled sweetly and wrapped her arms around Anne, leaning into her shoulder. "Anne, even now, sometimes I still feel like this is all a little…"
Anne gently cut her off, her voice tender. "I was the foolish one before. You're not going to be foolish too, are you? Remember what I said? Meeting you was unbelievable, but it did happen. And right now, you really are my girlfriend." She grinned playfully. "Too late to back out, you already said yes."
Hermione laughed and held her close. "I want to hear Love Story. You sent that to the Weird Sisters, didn't you?"
"Ahem. You figured it out?" Anne hadn't admitted that during the fourth-year ball.
"I guessed the moment I saw your face~" Hermione said happily.
As Anne led her to the piano, she mumbled, "Was I that obvious?"
"No," Hermione winked. "But I just knew it was you."
Anne scratched her head. "Okay, full honesty, it wasn't originally written by me. There's a little story behind it… So yeah, I didn't write that one, but her other songs are great too. I can sing one if you want?"
"I'd love that."
That evening, July 20th, Hermione used Aaron's phone to extend her stay at the Roland Manor by five more days to celebrate her great results.
Later that night, on the treehouse balcony, the two girls lay side by side, watching streaks of silver cross the night sky.
It was the Perseid meteor shower, one of the Northern Hemisphere's three major annual meteor events. It arrived like clockwork each July 20th, lasting about a month. The Perseids were always active, always visible, and never missed a summer sky.
Silver trails kept dancing across the stars, but Anne looked a little down.
"You're going home tomorrow…"
She grumbled softly. "You'd better think of me when you go back."
Hermione laughed at Anne's childish tone, then nodded earnestly. "I will. Definitely."
"When I get to China, I'll call you. Make sure to answer, okay? I'll figure out the time difference, probably sometime in the afternoon…"
"I'll answer. I promise."
"And the night I leave, you have to call me."
"I will. Always."
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A/N: The manor arc has come to a close!