▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐲-𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫 ━︎━︎ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 Slughorn's party came in and Juniper had stared at the letter for days in complete disgust. Hermione watched her with amusement as Juniper glared daggers at the invitation. She really didn't want to go, in fact, she had practically been begging Hermione to not make her go. She didn't want to be around a group of people that she didn't care to be around. She'd much rather stay in her dorm, covered in blankets, and silently sulking because Hermione wouldn't be there. The only reason she had agreed to go was because Hermione was going to be there.

     "It'll be fun, Jay." Hermione promised. "Plus, you really need to leave the dorm. You've been in here since school has started. You leave only when you have to or when I force you to. It's not healthy."

     "Hermione, I'm fine." Juniper dismissed, moving her hair to the side so Hermione could zip up her dress. After she did, Juniper turned to look at her. "I've gotten better."

     Hermione sighed. "You can be in denial all you want, but I know you. You are not fine. You have not been fine. You have shut me and everyone else out and you've gotten to the point where you're using your humor to ignore how you feel. None of this is healthy."

     Juniper scoffed. "Hermione, I am fine. I've always been humorous. I'm being normal."

     "You have spent six months as this emotionless robot and then one day you wake up and it's like nothing ever happened." Hermione argued.

     "Well, for the first three of those months, I did nothing but cry." Juniper snapped. "I have cried, and cried, and cried, and it has done nothing. It has not brought her back. I have cried all of my tears and I can't sit around and cry anymore. I won't. So, excuse me if I don't want to sit around and mope anymore. Nothing I do will bring her back. I am not sad anymore, Hermione. I am angry. Because she wasn't supposed to die. It was not her time. She should still be here but she's not! I have to come to terms with that, and I have. All I want to do is kill Bellatrix Lestrange and I can't exactly do that, can I? And until I can―︎because trust me, I will kill her―︎I will push aside my rage, and my heartbreak, and try to be there for my friends because they still need me. The world doesn't stop because someone dies, Hermione. It keeps going. Life keeps going. There is nothing I can do to make it stop. So I will stand here, and I will force myself to live because I have no other choice. Is that what you wanted to hear, Hermione? Well, there it is. There's the truth."

     Hermione stood there, mouth slightly agape. She'd never seen Juniper lash out like that before. Sure, Juniper was always threatening someone, and she's been angry before, but she has never snapped like that. Especially not when it came to Hermione. Hermione swallowed. "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to push you."

     Juniper closed her eyes, forcing herself to take a deep breath. "I know. I know, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap."

     Hermione shook her head. "No, it's good that you did. You need to let your anger out."

     Juniper chewed on her bottom lip. "But I shouldn't take it out on you. It's not your fault."

     Hermione took a step closer to her, reaching out and grabbing her hands. "It's not your fault either." She gave Juniper a small smile. "Why don't we go to this party, have a good time, and just take a breath, yeah?" Juniper nodded her head. "Come on." She interlaced one of her hands with Juniper's and led her out the door.

     They made it to the party, taking a seat at the table. There were a bunch of other students sitting around the table, including Harry who they quickly sat beside. "So tell me, Cormac, do you see anything of your Uncle Tiberius these days?" Slughorn asked, looking at Cormac who was sitting beside him.

     Cormac looked at him. "Yes, sir. In fact I'm meant to go hunting with him and minister for magic over the holidays."

     Slughorn smiled. "Oh, well. Be sure to give them both my best. And what about your Uncle, Belby?" He looked to a student that was sitting on the other side of him. "Uh, for those of you who don't know, Marcus' uncle invented the Wolfsbane potion. Is he working on anything new?"

     Marcus, who was digging into his food, said, "Don't know. Him and dad don't get on. Probably because my dad says potions are rubbish. His only potion worth having is a stiff one at the end of the day."

     Slughorn's attention went to Hermione. "And what about you, Miss Granger? What exactly does your family do in the Muggle world?"

     Hermione looked up at him. "My parents are dentists." Everyone looked at her, confused. "They tend to people's teeth."

     "Fascinating," Slughorn said. "And is that considered a dangerous profession?"

     "No." Hermione glanced around nervously. "Although, one boy, Robbie Fenwick did bite my father once. He needed ten stitches." She let out a laugh and fell silent when no one joined in. Juniper placed a gentle hand on her leg and Hermione quickly grabbed it, interlacing their fingers and squeezing Juniper's hand. They all looked up when the door opened, only to see Ginny come in.

     Slughorn turned and smiled. "Ah, Ms. Weasley! Come in, come in."

     "Look at her eyes," Hermione whispered. "They've been fighting again, her and Dean."

     Ginny went to take a seat. "Sorry, I'm not usually late." Harry stood and Ginny looked at him before sitting down.

     "No matter." Slughorn waved her off. "You're just in time for dessert. That is, if Belby's left you any."

     Juniper watched as Harry sat down, raising a brow at him. Harry quietly asked, "What?"

     Juniper shook her head. "Nothing." She looked up, just in time to watch Cormac looking at Hermione with a look that Juniper did not like at all. Her eyes narrowed into a glare and when Cormac looked at her his gaze quickly darted down to his food. The dinner ended and they all left except for Harry who stayed behind to talk to the Professor.

     "If Cormac doesn't stop giving you looks, I'll give him a reason to receive looks himself." Juniper grumbled. Hermione just smiled and hugged Juniper's arm, leaning her head on her shoulder as they walked.

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐄, 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐘, 𝐀𝐍𝐃 Juniper all sat in the great hall. Hermione and Juniper was on one side of the table, with Harry sitting across from Juniper. Hermione was reading the paper, Juniper was playing with her food and Harry was watching her with slight amusement. Harry turned his head when he heard people start talking about Ron, watching as his friend made his way towards them with a quidditch hat on his head. Ron took a seat beside Harry, a small frown on his face.

     "So how was it, then?" Ron asked after a moment.

     "How was what?" Hermione asked, looking up from the paper.

     "Your dinner party."

     "Pretty boring, actually." Hermione truthfully said. "Though, I think Harry enjoyed dessert." Harry paused, glancing at her. "Slughorn's having Christmas, do you know? And we're meant to bring someone."

     "I expect you'll be bringing McLaggen? He's in the Slug Club, isn't he?" Ron asked.

     Juniper sent him a blank look. "I am sitting right here. And don't mention that asshole."

     "Actually, since Jay's already going, I was going to invite you so you could join us." Hermione said.

     "Really?" Ron asked, surprise.

     Hermione nodded. "Well, one of us was. Jay and I talked about it earlier."

     "If you want my ticket Ron, by all means, please take it." Juniper said with a fake smile. "I have no interest in going."

     "You have to come," Hermione protested.

     Juniper rolled her eyes. "Fine. But only because you and Harry are going."

     A girl with long blonde curly hair bounded up behind Ron, a nervous smile on her face. "Good luck today, Ron. I know you'll be brilliant." She walked away after that and Juniper watched her go with a raised brow.

     "The hell was that about?" Juniper asked.

     Ron shook his head, ignoring her question. "I'm resigning. After today's match, McLaggen can have my spot."

     "Have it your way," Harry replied. He slid him a glass. "Juice?"

     "Sure." Ron took the glass.

     "Hello everyone." The voice of Luna made them all turn. The blonde had a fake lion hat on and Juniper couldn't help but give her a small smile. "You look dreadful, Ron. Is that why you put something in his cup?" Harry blinked. "Is it a tonic?"

     Harry pulled the vial of Liquid Luck from his pocket. "Liquid Luck?" Hermione asked before looking at Ron. "Don't drink it, Ron." Ron ignored her and drank it anyways. "You can be expelled for that!" Hermione hissed.

     "I don't know what you're talking about." Harry said, shooting Hermione a look.

     Ron smiled. "Come on, Harry. We've got a game to win." The two of them stood up and left the table.

     Juniper shook her head. "Boys will be boys."

     "How are you okay with this?"

     Juniper slowed her chewing, looking at Hermione. "Because. . . I don't care? If it means we win, I don't give a shit how we do it."

     Hermione scoffed. "Unbelievable."

     Juniper shrugged. "It's against Slytherin, can you really blame me?"

They did in fact win that match, and now everyone was standing in the common room cheering on Ron. He was standing in the middle of the chanting crowd, looking around with a surprised but proud smile on his face. Hermione, Harry, and Juniper were standing in the crowd. Harry had a wide smile on his face and Juniper was watching Ron with amusement.

     Hermione shook her head. "Well, you shouldn't have done it."

     "I know." Harry answered, looking at her. "I supposed I could've just used a Confundus Charm."

     Hermione's eyes widened. "That was different. That was tryouts. This was an actual game." She looked at Juniper, lightly hitting her. "I can't believe you told him!"

     Juniper shrugged. "It's Harry. I tell Harry everything."

     "She does," Harry confirmed. "Late nights by the fire are always the best with June. I know everything. And I mean everything." Hermione's cheeks turned red and Harry chuckled.

     Hermione looked at Juniper in disbelief and she rose her hands up in defense. "He's my brother! What do you expect?"

     Hermione sighed before looking at Harry. Harry pulled the vial of Liquid Luck out of his pocket, revealing that not an ounce had been used. "You didn't put it in?" Harry shook his head. "Ron only thought you did." Harry nodded.

     Juniper's eyes widened when she watched the blonde from earlier pull Ron into a kiss. "Oh wow. I wasn't expecting that one." She turned her head to look at Hermione. "Why don't you kiss me like that?"

     Hermione rolled her eyes. "Merlin, June." When she saw Juniper pouting she sighed before giving her a kiss. "Happy?"

     Juniper smiled. "Now I am."