A worthwhile visit

I could feel the chill of the night air as I crept through the dark corridors, my heart pounding in my chest with a mixture of excitement and fear. The worn stone beneath my feet, cool to the touch, seemed to carry the memories of a thousand footsteps from long ago, all whispering in my ears as I moved silently onwards. I had known these halls for so long, and yet, they seemed different tonight, as if the shadows themselves were watching me with bated breath.

The door to Hermione's room loomed before me, a heavy wooden barrier standing between me and the object of my clandestine visit. I hesitated for just a moment before I reached out, my fingers brushing against the smooth surface of the door, feeling the tiny cracks and imperfections that marred its surface. Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door open, the hinges letting out a barely audible creak.

Stepping into the room, I was immediately struck by the warm glow of the floating candle that danced in the air, casting its flickering light over the room. It bathed everything in a warm, golden hue, casting shadows in the corners and making the books that lined the walls seem as though they were alive, their spines dancing with light.

My eyes were drawn to the figure sitting at a small table, her back to me as she poured over an open book. Hermione's hair, wild and untamed, framed her face as she read, the candlelight playing off her features in a way that seemed almost magical. I found myself entranced by the way her eyes danced across the page, devouring every word with a voracious hunger that spoke to the depth of her intellect.

As I watched her, a feeling of warmth and affection welled up within me, filling me with a sense of belonging that I had not felt in a very long time. It was as though, in this moment, I was finally able to see the girl I had known for so long in a new light, one that shone with the brilliance of a thousand stars.

Slowly, I approached her, my steps careful and deliberate, as though I were afraid of shattering the spell that had been cast over the room. She seemed to sense my presence, lifting her head and turning to face me. The look in her eyes, a mixture of surprise and something I could not quite place, made my heart skip a beat.

"Tom?" she whispered; her voice barely audible above the gentle rustling of the pages in her book. "What are you doing here?"

I hesitated for a moment, searching for the right words to say. But in the end, I realized that there were no words that could truly capture the feelings that swirled within me like a whirlwind. Instead, I simply crossed the room, followed by her curious and bewildered gaze and sat down beside her, our shoulders touching as we shared the warm glow of the floating candle.

As the minutes ticked by, the two of us sat there in a comfortable silence, our thoughts entwined like the tendrils of ivy that climbed the walls of the castle. I felt a warmth in my chest that I had not felt in a very long time, a warmth that seemed to grow with every passing moment.

But deep down, I knew that there was something more that I had come to share with Hermione, a gift that I had been carrying with me since I had first set foot on this short odyssey. I reached into my pocket, my fingers closing around the small, velvet box that contained the magical bracelet I had made for her.

As I handed her the box, her eyes widened in surprise, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she realized the significance of the moment. "Tom," she whispered, her voice barely audible, "you shouldn't have."

I smiled, my heart swelling with affection as I urged her to open the box. "It's your birthday, Hermione. And I wanted to give you something special."

Her fingers trembled as she lifted the lid, revealing the delicate silver bracelet nestled within. The intricate design of the metal seemed to come alive in the flickering candlelight, casting dancing shadows on the table between us.

"What's this?" she asked, her voice full of wonder as she traced the smooth surface of the bracelet with her fingertips.

"It's a magical bracelet," I explained, my voice filled with a mixture of pride and nervous excitement. "It has a special enchantment that allows you to store objects inside it. Like those books you always drag about. " I joked, eliciting a chirping giggle from the beautiful girl beside me. "But there's something else, too." I hesitated for a moment, feeling the weight of my words as I spoke them. "There's a poem inscribed on the bracelet. To read it, you must place your lips upon its surface."

Hermione looked at me with a mixture of curiosity and disbelief, her eyes searching mine as if trying to find the hidden meaning behind my words. I could see the faintest hint of a smile playing on her lips, as if she were both amused and touched by my gesture.

As she continued to study the bracelet, I felt that the time had come for me to slip away, to leave her with the gift and the memories we had shared. And so, with a final lingering look, I stepped back into the shadows, disappearing from view just as she turned to face me once more.

"Tom?" she called out, her voice tinged with confusion and a hint of urgency. Wrapping her delicate fingers along the crest of the chair she had been sitting on, she leapt to her feet, scanning the intricately carved walls of the room for any signs of him. But there was no answer, only the soft rustling of the pages in her book and the gentle flicker of the candlelight.

"Tom…" sadness tinged her tone as she bowed her head for a moment. With a sigh, she turned her attention back to the bracelet, her fingers brushing over its surface before she hesitantly brought it to her lips. The moment they touched the cool metal, the candle flame leaped up, and a cascade of fire shot out, swirling in the air and forming the words of the poem.

The words, glowing with an ethereal light, danced before her eyes, telling the tale of their time together, of laughter and adventure, of quiet moments and unspoken feelings. Tears glistened in her eyes as she read the poem, her heart swelling with a mixture of joy and sadness as she realized the depth of the emotions that lay behind the words.

And as the fire slowly faded away, leaving only the memory of the words and the faint scent of smoke in the air, Hermione knew that something precious had been given to her, a gift that would remain with her always. A gift of friendship, of affection, and of a love that was just beginning to bloom.

Basking in the ethereal glow of the moon, she allowed herself to be enveloped in its silvery embrace. As her eyes slipped closed, a serene smile ghosted across her face, betraying the tranquillity that had settled within her soul. Yet, an inexplicable sensation compelled her to peer through the veil of her eyelashes once more, her attention drawn to the usually desolate bridge that had weathered the wrath of countless storms.

Tonight, however, the bridge was not alone. A shadowy figure emerged from the depths of the castle, ambling across the rain-soaked stones with an air of quiet determination. His back, broad and powerful, seemed to possess the ability to scatter the weight of the world from her shoulders, vanquishing the dark thoughts that haunted her. Although the contours of his frame were unfamiliar, the mere sight of him sent her heart into a frenzied dance.

"Tom..." she whispered, her voice barely audible against the symphony of the rain, as her fingers traced the enchanted bracelet that now encircled her wrist.

An: tell me what you think.