CHAPTER FOUR
↳ hermione jean granger

WHEN SHE WAS TEN, ELARA DEVELOPED HER FIRST ACNE SPOT. Perhaps that day was the day she felt like a nobody being placed in the spotlight. Remus had spent ages explaining she was beautiful, but all she could think about was how the boys in her primary class had said she looked as though she had grown warts and spread a rumour that she had a fatal disease.

No one believed her when she said it wasn't a disease.

It seemed as though over the years, the vast galaxy of her poor pores had widened and now she has aquatinted for small constellations all over her cheeks and forehead.

At twelve, Elara hated these spots.

At thirteen, she realised how beautiful constellations really appeared on her skin.

It was a bit after meeting Hermione Granger properly when she realised her insecurity was her security. She was in the library, her glasses resting on her nose and her awkwardness on her shoulders. Elara didn't really like how, well, public this area was. It was a library, yet it was exploding with loudness and chaos. She wondered who actually appreciated it.

Then she found out who did.

She knew the girl from her first year at Hogwarts. The Gryffindor who was in the trio that beat the odds and system and somehow did not get expelled despite breaking every rule in the books.

Yet, the girl was alone.

She was a rather pretty girl, hair wild and free, eyes spirits of hope and innocence so clear on her focused demeanour. She had tanned brown skin and deep brown eyes, her curls unattainable and frizzy. She was almost startled when Elara slammed her book on the table in near excitement.

Despite Elara's shyness, sometimes she just got bursts of energy which caused her to want to talk to as many people as possible. When she met Hermione just so happened to be one of those days.

"Hello!" Elara had beamed, her wave friendly and her heart full. Hermione looked up almost annoyed, though her expression was less upset when she saw that it simply was the tall Hufflepuff girl from Transfigurations that had managed to answer every single one of Professor McGonagall's questions without a pause.

"Uh, hi?" Hermione frowned.

"Why are you all alone?" Elara had asked, her voice was small but filled with nothing but happiness.

"Why does it matter?" Hermione had replied. Elara would never admit it, but she really didn't like how Hermione sounded when replying. Noticing the book she was reading, Elara perked up,

"Is that "Pride and Prejudice"?" She asked eagerly. Hermione's gaze dropped, her eyes squinting in confusion. This girl at least was a half-blooded witch, how would she know about some muggle book?

"Um yeah?" Hermione's eyes widened even more when she saw the ecstatic look that laid on Elara's face.

"That's so cool! I've always wanted to read muggle books! Papa tries and get some for me, but it's rather difficult since they're expensive! Like you know how it is these days, money being- never mind I am definitely getting off topic and too person." Elara held her hand little, swinging it back and forth . "I'm Elara Lupin, Hufflepuff! You must be Hermione Granger, Gryffindor am I correct?"

"H-how did you?" Hermione spluttered out.

"I remember your name from when Professor Minnie called your name out for the sorting! You looked absolutely nervous! Blimey Hermione! You're the girl who did the spell in Professor Flitwick's class. Merlin, how could you do it so easily? You make magic look so effortless."

Elara ushered, a small beam faintly on her face. Her averted her eyes back to Hermione, who was bashfully embarrassed as she stood in the small crevice. "Well Hermione, I hope we remain good friends because it seems as though we would be,"

"That would be nice." Hermione looked down with a small smile. "I like your spots."

Elara looked at her with a confused expression. "What?"

"They look like little constellations."

"No one's ever said that before." Elara looked completed infatuated and utterly awestruck. " I-uh-I like your teeth?"

Although Hermione would never admit it, Elara Lupin was her saving grace. She truly helped Hermione when times were tough. Sometimes when people would call Hermione "mudblood", Elara would throw something at them to piss them off. Hermione found it rather humorous how protective the Hufflepuff was of her.

She was pacing rather aggressively in the courtyard, her arms folded as she ranted away. "Whatever that arse says about muggleborn wizards and witches is complete and utter bollocks," the girl sneered when watching some kids walk away after rudely speaking at Hermione yet again. Elara had slapped the ringleader of the group - some Ravenclaw boy - and threatened to hex the others if they weren't so careful. Immediately they doubted her, though the second the small curly haired girl raised her wand was the moment they scurried away. "Muggleborn or not, you're just as worthy as the next person to learnt magic here, blood status only gets you in a position where your prejudice is overbearing." Hermione's gaze softened. "My papa taught me that, he tells me that your blood doesn't define whether or not you're good enough."

"That's, that's nice," Hermione smiled, though her voice was light with sadness. She still felt saddened by the slur thrown her way, but something about Elara made her feel warm inside. It was reassuring knowing that blood wasn't everything to some people. Hermione was only in her first year and only had Elara. If she didn't have Elara, she would've had to face the discrimination held against her all alone.

"'Mione!!" Hermione was in the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley with the Weasleys, Elara knew this, hence why the girl was now hugging her best friend (who was squeezing her rather tightly). "Goodness 'Mione! You have no idea how much I've missed you!" Hermione felt her face get warm at her friend, watching as Elara exciteably jumped in her place.

Hermione brought her into a tight hug once again. "I've missed you too, Lara," Elara beamed at Hermione. Hermione noticed how Elara's hair was neatly braided, with small yellow beads woven in carefully, and she wore an oversized checked yellow and orange jumper and some jeans that were folded at her ankles. As always, she wore her scribbled on red converses, which always seemed to be on her feet. "Honestly, summer was rather dull without you," Elara was now flustered, her eyes averting away and laughing nervously.

Mrs Weasley, or as Elara was told to call her, Molly, came up and pulled Elara into a tight hug. "Elara!" She smiled cheerily at the girl, pressing a small kiss on her cheek. "So nice to see you darling! How's your dad?"

Elara smiled. "It's wonderful to see you too, Mrs Weasley! Dad's great! He got me a cat!" Elara pulled out Laurie from her bag, who, until this point, was sleeping snuggly in his carrier. The cat gave Elara a glare and stretched as Elara held him up whilst Molly stroked him behind the ear. "I named him Laurie!"

"Like Laurie from Little Women?" Hermione chirped in, grinning as she reached over to pet the snowy furred cat.

"Little who now?" Molly's eyebrows furrowed together.

"Just a muggle novel 'Mione here gave me for Christmas," picking Laurie up, Elara hugged him close, the cat now forgetting about his abrupt waking up. "Holy cow 'Mione you got a cat too?"

Hermione picked up her ginger cat. "Named him Crookshanks. Quite a cute one, but he tried running after Ron's rat for some reason," Hermione shrugged. She really didn't understand why Crookshanks hated Scabbers so much. Maybe it was the "cat runs after rat" cliché, although the owner who Hermione bought him off said he was quite fond of some of the rats in the shop. Whatever it was, she dismissed it without another thought. Grabbing Elara's hand, Hermione pulled her down to the table where Ron sat.

Elara greeted Ron with a smile and went on chatting about how her Summer was. They all shared their stories on whatever happened, Elara droning on dreamily about a spider she had encountered that was the size of her hand. Ronald looked bloody terrified, whereas Hermione just smiled as she stared at Elara.

"So you finally managed to convince your dad, after how many attempts?" Hermione inquired as she watched Elara play with the small kitten she learnt was called Laurie.

"One thousand, two hundred and thirty four!" Elara smiled at the girl, her eyes practically shut tight with how wide her grin was. She didn't see the look of pure awe written all over Hermione's face as the girl studied her, instead focused on her small white kitten. Laurie was nudging her hand, wanting even more fuss from the curly haired girl. "He's quite the creature, Laurie is. Dad said he tried nipping his finger but he still got him for me," Hermione's gaze softened at how gentle Elara's voice was. "Crookshanks quite the cat isn't he?" The cat came to Elara and just like Laurie did, he nuzzled his ginger head against her, purring while she stroked him.

"Quite the cat?" Ron spluttered out. "He's more of a beast to me!"

"Ronald, you're only salty because 'ittle Crookshanks tried getting that disgusting rodent of yours," Elara replied, a smile plastered on her face, despite how mean her words were. Elara liked to think she was talented in sounding cruel when she wanted to be, though no matter what her words seemed to always be cheerful.

Ron scowled at her, taking deep offence. "I'll have you know that Scabbers is the best rat in the world,"

"That ghastly thing bit me when I stroked him when I was eight, I prefer the rats that infested my house last spring," Elara shuttered at the memory, cringing at the fact she found rats for weeks (even after Remus assured her they were all gone). She didn't have anything against rats, they were unique and could be cute (sometimes), it's just she hated how quick they were and how their bite is absolutely painful. Elara never really understood why Scabbers hated her, she gave him a plentiful resource of cheese, but then stopped when he bit her violently that left a scar on her right hand. Ever since he bit her during first year, the two haven't been on the best of terms.

How was she meant to know the stupid rat didn't like cheese!

When night fell, she and Hermione left to their shared room. Elara smiled brightly at her friend, stuffing her braids in her bonnet while getting ready for bed. She turned to the curly haired witch with a smile. "I really did miss you 'Mione," she mumbled, pulling the brown haired girl into a warm hug. Hermione hugged back and for that moment they remained that way. They remained close, happy, they remained as though a murderer was not on the lose. For once, they could feel like teenagers growing up happily.

Elara wished that the moment remained that way. She wished time wasn't something that went away.

Elara wished that her life didn't pass so quickly and that she could saver each and every moment she had with Hermione Jean Granger.

Elara 🤝 crookshanks
Hating scabbers