asgardeventide | third spell ✰ BACKDATED day 254 ✰ video

( Hermione was having another nightmare. Or at least, it felt like a nightmare. She was searching for something important to her, but every time she reached her hand out to touch it, it would vanish as though it had never been solid in the first place. Over and over, until she could feel her breath coming in gasps and tears rolling down her face - was she screaming? It felt like she was saying a name, but she couldn't quite understand what it was, as though there was something obscuring her hearing, keeping her from understanding.

There was a flash of red hair, which vanished---

And then she woke up, sitting straight up in bed and panting, one hand pressed against her mouth to keep herself from screaming. This was a new one, wasn't it? But surely, it didn't mean anything...

Rolling over and reaching for her bracelet, Hermione scrolled through the names. And scrolled again. And a third time, her eyes almost too blurred with tears to see. The one name she had been counting on, she had been hoping to find - had disappeared during the night, while she was sleeping. What could she do about it?

By the time the sun rose, she had calmed herself enough to actually say something, though her eyes were red and puffy and had dark circles under them. )

Ronald Weasley has left. If .. anyone knew him, he was .. someone I knew from home. Someone I cared about. ( Was she supposed to say all this? )

I just thought others might want to know.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( Hermione shrugged her shoulders, attempting to feign nonchalance. )

I'll .. be all right.

I did not doubt that either.

There are new books from Utgard, if you wish to come to Darkhaven early.

( It just so happened that he said the magic word -- "books" -- and she was all over it. A distraction. Something interesting to read. More things to research about Asgard. Finding a way home. )

You don't mind? I wouldn't want to trouble you.

[yes, that was exactly the idea. there's no solving the problem, but there is space for her to do things besides dwelling]

Were it trouble to me, child, I would not have offered.

I think .. I will come in. I'm not sure how much help I'll be...

[she gets a look that is definitely of the 'stop equivocating and come in already' breed]

Then I shall see you anon.

( Ok, ok, she's on her way! Geez, boss, when did you get so strict! )

Yes, of course; I'm practically out the door already.

[right around the time she started being silly. he's not bringing her there to get work done, he's bringing her there to distract her]

Excellent.

[when she gets to the shop, she'll find him there with the electric kettle going. ushahin himself drinks mostly water, but he knows hermione likes tea]

( And there she is, right on time! Something upsetting may have happened but she's still going to be punctual, no need to send out a search party. )

Ah .. hello. Thanks for letting me come in, today.

You are welcome, child, but you are hardly a trouble to me.

[he doesn't transport books from utgard in boxes, he transports them in one of aladdin's charmed chests. it is sitting open by the register, and looks full enough that it must be really full.

somewhere in that chest, buried at least several books deep, is a copy of Hogwarts, a History. being mundane, it's a bit out of date with regards to the war, but nonetheless. there's a note on the front with her name, written in an unpracticed hand, just in case it's not perfectly clear he obtained it for her]

( She offers a gentle smile, before settling herself by the chest, sifting through it with careful fingers (she's had her fair share of charmed books back home), attempting to find one to catch her eye while the water boils for tea. Maybe she'll fix some for them -- )

Oh! That's--

( She seizes the copy of Hogwarts, A History with a gasp, lifting it out of the chest and holding it to her. )

Where did you get this?

It is rather amazing what one can find if one knows how and where to look.

Did you--

( Come on, Hermione, keep it together, no need to go tearing up over a book. )

Did you get this for me?

[he smiles]

I did write your name on it, poor as my penmanship may be.

( In her surprise, she hadn't paused to see the note and she pulls the book back away from her chest now to run a hand over it, smoothing out the wrinkles. )

I .. I don't know how to thank you. This is .. Honestly, I really can't .. being to tell you...

You needn't tell me anything, child.

[he's not brushing her off, that was a 'you're welcome'.]

( A ghost of a smile fleets across her lips. )

Have you read it? It's all about where I went to school.

There was not opportunity.

[he might have, had the need not arisen to give it to her sooner than he'd planned]

You might enjoy it and find it interesting.

( The way she's holding the book to her chest now, though, gives the impression that she won't give up just yet. )

[he's certainly not expecting her to. he's not in a rush. nothing in asgard yet has inspired him to hurry anything along]

Perhaps someday an opportunity will come.

( She's already flipping through it, pausing on some pages and touching them, as though the words could transport her back there and back to happier times. It takes her a few moments to answer him, absorbed in the book. )

Yes.. definitely when I'm finished with it. I'd like to tell you about my home..

[he just nods and makes an agreeable noise, then near-silently wanders off to let her commune with the book. at some point, a cup of tea will appear near her elbow, but other than that he's going to leave her be]

( And she's going to settle herself on the floor in a position that can't be comfortable, but somehow is because nothing else really matters.. and engross herself in the book, accepting his tea with a smile. If she's not interrupted, she'll read until the store closes. )

[the trunk doesn't get unpacked, because ushahin can barely write and that's simply not conducive to the necessary inventorying, but he doesn't disturb her. he'd intended to offer her sanctuary, and the new books can certainly wait. she'll find her tea topped up occasionally, and a plate with bread and cheese and half an apple (ushahin's food preferences are very simple) appears around lunchtime, but other than that she's left to her own devices until night falls.]

third spell ✰ BACKDATED day 254 ✰ video

video.

video.

video.

video.

video.

video.

video.

video.

video.

action

action

action

action.

action.

action.

action.

action.

action.

action.

action.

action.

action.

action.

action.