July 22nd, 1890 — Hogsmeade Literary Festival, Day Two

It was almost two years to the day since Pierre destroyed the family died. Hermia feared late July now and resented summer, but this year, she had an escape. When she’d seen the advert at Whizzhard Books, Hermia knew how she planned the summer, if she could secure a part. Through some miracle, and hard work on her parents, Hermia secured the part of Miranda in the Reader’s Theatre. This is what she was born for maybe?!

The performance had been invigorating and Hermia desperately hope for additional chances in the future. Who would have thought that rote memory had use beyond exams? Now enjoying the second day of the festival, Hermia won out when her brothers volunteered to accompany her. Silvius and Charles were as bookish as she and it left with plenty of freedom to browse.

Drawn to a parchment volume that lacked a clear cover, Hermia pulled the little treasure down and settled into a chair tucked away. The words were strange, but it had to be some earlier English as she could puzzle through bits, but there were words she had never encountered. “’As clerkes been ful subtile and ful queynte,/ And prively he caught hire by the queynte,’” Trying to sound out the strange phrase softly to herself, Hermia paused again. “What on earth is a queynte?”

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Thomas Montgomery | Name that classic!

  

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The talk he'd hoped to attend next wasn't meant to begin for another half hour, so he took a moment to browse the bookstore. At this rate, he wasn't going to have much pocket money leftover for the rest of the summer. He kept spying interesting transfiguration texts that he decided he would need in his animagus studies and other experiments.

To keep himself away, Thomas decided his grandfather might enjoy something new, and that is how he came to find himself happening upon Miss Bonaccord. It was her familiar voice that drew him closer until he peered around a shelf at where she read aloud. The question she mused out loud was one he could not answer. He'd never found much interest in works like Chaucer, and the word she used was certainly not something he would ever deign to speak.

"Afternoon, Miss Bonaccord. Enjoying the festival?" Despite the fact Hermia was female, he found himself somewhat more at ease with her. It helped that she was on her house quidditch team, and the two had discussed the subject at length in the past.

  

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By the awesome MJ <3

Hermia didn't realize she was so engrossed in the strange book until she was startled into nearly throwing the old parchment. Going pink at her own skittishness, Hermia recovered quickly when she recognized a friendly face. Thomas was a Ravenclaw, but Hermia felt rather comfortable in his presence. They enjoyed Quidditch Club together and, while she spent two more years on her House team than he had, he was her superior in Transfigurations. Hermia couldn't hold it against him, he was just so good! When it came time to prepare for OWLs, she was quick to seek him out. She wasn't missing points for her pride.

Reminding herself that he wasn't 'Thomas' anywhere but on the Pitch, Hermia grinned. "Mr. Montgomery, a pleasure! The festival has been fantastic. Last night was perfect." It took everything in her not to gush, but it wasn't kind to brag, not for a group victory. Reminded of his background, he'd also helped with Muggle Studies, Hermia lit up and extended her discovery.

"Forgive the assumption, but do you know what this is? I think it's Muggle and, I admit, it's some sort of English, but I don't know what on earth it is. Can you make it out?" She wasn't embarrassed by her lack of understanding, not really. She could only learn if she was willing to ask.

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Thomas felt a bit guilty that he had startled Hermia, but he was never quite sure if apologizing was the best route to take. It seemed like pretending as if he hadn't noticed was a better way to avoid allowing her embarrassment to stew. When it seemed like she hadn't been affronted, he felt more sure in route he'd decided to take.

"It has," he readily agreed. The festival had been an enjoyable break in the summer, an event that he'd even opted to attend in lieu of his animagus studies. He was getting so close. "Yes! The performance was very well done." Thomas even thought Hermia had done as well as the many adults who had taken part. They weren't close enough as friends for him not to feel awkward saying so, so he stuck with the blanket statement. Directly complimenting girls sometimes led to conversations that left him sputtering.

Reaching out, he took the parchment and scanned it for a moment. He'd never read Chaucer, but he could make out some of what was being said due to having to study old texts. "For the most part." As the teen continued to read, he felt his cheeks and ears start to turn pink because of how vulgar it appeared. He definitely didn't know what queynte meant, but, what he could make out of the the rest of the page, had him panicking. Who would write such filth?

"Uh...

Quickly, he shoved the parchment back in her direction. "I'm not so sure this is something you ought to be reading." Or anyone for that mater.

  

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By the awesome MJ <3

Hermia's narrowed her eyes in confusion. Was it some sort of secret Muggle English that he wanted to keep from her? What a strange idea. Now that Thomas was turning shades of pink, she was truly confused. Why wouldn't he share and what had she possibly given him?

Taking the parchment pack when he shoved it away, exasperation replaced confusion. Now he was policing her reading choices? He never struck her as the type to be rigid about the sexes and their reading, but it wasn't as if he divulged his thoughts to her often. "Honestly, it's words on a page." Hermia tried to minimize her annoyance, he was a kind person and he wasn't obligated to share his secrets, but she always assumed Ravenclaws liked to share information.

Turning her eyes to the parchment, she read on. There was dialogue, something about love, haunch bones (?!), and someone having their way with... oh no. "Why!?" Hermia squeaked as she shoved the parchment roughly away and blindly into the nearest shelf. On her feet and suddenly finding her shoes fascinating, Hermia was afraid her face may catch fire. What had she inflicted on her poor classmate.

"I'm very sorry," she cleared her throat and tried again, her voice an octave above what it should be, "I'm sorry you had to see that, well, whatever that thing is."

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Thomas Montgomery

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Thomas sensed Hermia's touch of annoyance in her tone, but he didn't have time to reciprocate it didn't take long for her to realize why he had been so opinionated. Even without the story being so explicit, he was a rather large prude. Then again, who wouldn't be when their mother was some sort of renowned Victorian porn star? One of his biggest fears was that he, or one of his classmates, would discover some of her "work."

"It...it's alright," he whispered, also unable to look the Hufflepuff in the eye. "It's not as if you knew what would appear further down the page. Why, in Merlin's name, is it here?" He peered at the closest bookshelf, but everything else contained on it were typical works of fiction. Whizzhard Books was known for being a respectable establishment. He couldn't imagine why such a thing was being sold there. Then again, hadn't Hermia been reading a parchment? That was odd in itself. Parchments had their own section. Was it some sort of prank?

"Should we tell someone about it, so that it's removed?" Which wasn't a good option, either! Then, they'd have to admit they'd laid their eyes on it. What would their parents say?

  

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The building anxiety of needing to right something out of place and the need to unsee the verse now vivid in her mind had Hermia's eyes darting from the floor to the forbidden parchment. "I most certainly did not know what was coming, but I wholeheartedly wish I wasn't going to remember what I just saw." Hermia could heat the room from the flush of her cheeks. This predicament was horrifying.

The offending parchment had no business here, Mr. Montgomery was right about that, but it was her and, so it happens, were they. "Perhaps it is a joke of some sort? A personal jest or a hidden message? It couldn't be for sale." Hermia tightened her arms around her middle, as if that would erase the moments the cursed thing occupied her hands. "I cannot imagine its origins, but I brought you into this and I will get us out. There is no need for you to take any blame." While she meant what she said, Hermia had no intentions of becoming the book martyr today.

Being escorted by her brothers today, Hermia had more leeway than she would if her parents were with her, but she didn't need Silvius and Charles teasing her for the rest of her life. With a deep breath, Hermia reached for the offending parchment pages and slipped them inside a book with a bland enough title. "No one need know what is never seen. If I can get this to the appropriate section, then wonderful. Worst case scenario, this finds its way accidentally into my brother's basket. He's better equipped to handle such things and it would not be the first time he bought books without taking notice of what had slipped into his stack."

Offering a quick smile Hermia tucked the book beneath two others she found and intended to purchase. "As far as we are concerned, it was wonderful to see you Mr. Montgomery. I am glad you enjoyed the performance." A quick wave to her unexpected accomplice, and Hermia was on her way.

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