During class, Ryan was surprised to find that Hermione, the ever-diligent student, was absent. This made him uneasy. Thinking about the troll, he knew that a first-year student had no chance of handling such a creature alone.
Fortunately, since classes were in session, Quirrell, or rather Voldemort's host, was likely preoccupied and couldn't release the troll. For now, the castle remained calm and peaceful.
After class, Ryan inquired about Hermione's whereabouts in the common room. Padma Patil, a witch of Indian descent, informed him that she had seen Hermione crying in the girls' bathroom and that she had refused any attempts at comfort.
Thanking Padma, Ryan hurried downstairs, moving swiftly past the Great Hall, which was adorned with colorful Halloween decorations, and made his way to the first-floor bathroom.
At the entrance, he spotted Angelina Johnson coming out and quickly stopped her.
"Good afternoon, Angelina. Did you see Hermione inside?"
"Hermione? That first-year from our house?" Angelina nodded. "She's locked herself in a cubicle, crying. We tried to console her, but she wouldn't listen. Are you her friend?"
"I think so. Could you call her for me? Just tell her that Ryan is waiting outside."
"Alright," Angelina said with a smile before heading back inside.
A few minutes later, she returned with Hermione. Hermione's hair was disheveled, her eyes red, and she sniffled from time to time.
"Friends are one of life's greatest treasures. Hope you two have a good talk," Angelina said before leaving.
As soon as Hermione saw Ryan, her eyes brimmed with tears again.
Ryan quickly pulled out a napkin and handed it to her. "It's okay, don't cry. Let's find a more private place to talk. The corridor isn't ideal for this." He gently guided her toward the nearest empty classroom.
Though the bathroom corridor wasn't crowded, students passed by occasionally, and it wasn't a great place to be seen crying.
Upon entering the empty classroom, Ryan pulled out two chairs. After wiping them down with a napkin, they both sat facing each other.
Looking at Hermione's tear-streaked face, Ryan found himself at a loss for words. He had never been good at comforting girls—after all, he had been single for two lifetimes.
For a minute or two, they sat in silence, staring at each other. Sensing Ryan's awkwardness, Hermione's lips twitched into a small smile before she burst into laughter.
Her laughter shattered the tense atmosphere, and Ryan found himself chuckling along, though he wasn't entirely sure why.
After a few moments, they calmed down. Ryan took a deep breath and finally spoke.
"You don't need to feel so bad. This isn't your fault. Harry and Ron don't mean to be hurtful, but they tend to act impulsively. Sometimes, when they get emotional, they say things without thinking. I'm sure they didn't intend to hurt you."
"Then what did I do wrong for them to reject me like that?" Hermione asked stubbornly, wiping the corners of her eyes with the napkin.
"I answer questions in every class, trying my best to earn points for Gryffindor. But they don't appreciate my efforts at all! In fact, they carelessly lose the points I worked hard to earn."
Ryan gestured for her to calm down. "Hermione, don't get too upset. To be fair, most of the points they lost were in Professor Snape's class, and, well… Snape is biased. If you ignore the points he deducted, you'll see that Harry and Ron's losses are about average compared to the rest of the school."
"But why does it feel like no one in Gryffindor really cares about the House Cup?" Hermione asked, confusion evident in her voice. "I've noticed students losing points due to disciplinary or academic reasons. When I point out their mistakes, they ignore me or—even worse—resent me for it!"
She shook her head slightly before continuing. "The Sorting Hat wanted to place me in Ravenclaw, but I chose Gryffindor because Headmaster Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of our time, graduated from here. But now, I wonder if I made the wrong choice. Maybe I don't belong in this house."
"Of course, you belong here!" Ryan reassured her. Out of habit from comforting his younger cousin in his past life, he reached out to pat Hermione's head—but she shot him a glare, making him quickly retract his hand.
"The Sorting Hat sorts students based on their personalities, but it also considers their personal choices. If you were placed in Gryffindor, it means you have traits that fit this house."
"Gryffindor students are known for their bravery, but I think it's more about being emotionally driven. Harry and Ron are perfect examples of this. So don't take their words to heart—they often speak without thinking."
"If what I say is right, then why do my classmates seem to dislike me?" Hermione asked, still puzzled.
Ryan sighed. "It's not what you say, Hermione. It's how you say it."
He recalled his past-life thoughts on characters like Hermione in books.
"You've always been academically driven, and since childhood, you haven't been the best at social interactions. When you try to help, it sometimes comes across as condescending rather than friendly advice. I heard about you even in primary school—people often described you as arrogant."
"If a Ravenclaw hears your advice, they might think it over logically and understand your intent. But Gryffindors are more hot-blooded. They react emotionally rather than rationally."
"Take Harry, for example. He grew up being mistreated, then suddenly became the 'Boy Who Lived'—that kind of drastic change makes a person highly emotional. As for Ron, he has too many siblings and is often overshadowed, which makes him prone to overreacting."
"So when someone who is emotionally driven and someone who feels overlooked both get upset, the things they say aren't always fair or logical. You don't need to take their words to heart."
After an afternoon of talking, Hermione finally seemed to understand. She realized that she shouldn't punish herself over others' mistakes. More importantly, she saw the areas where she could improve in the future.
As the sky darkened, Hermione stood up, adjusting her mindset. She extended her hand toward Ryan.
"Thank you for spending the afternoon comforting me. I think… you're my first real friend at Hogwarts, aren't you?"
Ryan stood as well and took her hand in a firm shake. "Yes, we're friends."
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