The starlight from the Astronomy Tower seemed to still linger on her lips, carrying the sweet scent of orange marmalade and the tender touch of a boy. Hermione sat in her usual old seat by the library window, while the open Advanced Spell Theory remained on the same page for ages. Her quill unconsciously drew circles across the parchment, yet the corners of her mouth kept curving into a small smile. The Starlight Bracelet around her wrist glowed with a gentle warmth, as though it held a tiny patch of sunlight that would never fade.
"Hey! Come back to earth, Miss Know-It-All!" Ron waved a hand in front of her face, looking thoroughly amused. "You're holding your book upside down!"
Hermione snapped back to herself, her cheeks instantly turning crimson. She hurriedly turned the book the right way up and shot Ron a fierce glare. "I was thinking! Deep thinking!"
"Thinking about how Lynn's Starlight Barrier could keep the wind off you?" Harry snickered from beside her, only for Hermione to lightly smack his arm with the heavy History of Magic.
Lynn sat across from Hermione, seemingly absorbed in a copy of Analysis of Ancient Alchemical Runes, though the corner of his lips had lifted almost imperceptibly. Beneath his robes, the Star Stone pulsed steadily with warmth, much like his current mood. He pushed a small plate of sliced mandarins toward her, their plump flesh giving off a fresh, sweet fragrance.
Hermione's face reddened further. She muttered, "The protocol requires vitamin supplementation," but obediently speared a piece and put it in her mouth. Sweet juice spread across her tongue, washing away the embarrassment of being teased and sweetening her heart as well.
Fine snow began to drift outside, dressing the castle in silver. The corridors brimmed with the cheerful atmosphere