Chapter 7
“Pssst, Hermione. Hermione, aufwachen.”
Huh, huh? Wha-?
She sat up on the bed, the book on her chest falling messily onto her lap. She hastily fluffed up her hair to look at least somewhat presentable. She then promptly released the silencing charm she’d cast the night before, then cast a translation spell to greet him.
She looked at him with a bit more clarity now that the sleep was starting to leave her eyes. This must be the usual way he wears his hair.
His hair was tied up again- even though the first time she’d seen him his hair was down. Though now, she couldn’t help but admire the way his hair was currently styled. He looked… quite handsome with it messily up like that.
“Oh- good morning, Armin-” she noticed he brought two others with him. Weren’t their names Eren and Mikasa...? And why is Eren eyeing me like that? Like I’m a problem to solve? Doesn’t he already know why my skin is dark?... Surely, Armin would’ve told him the finished story...
She ignored those observations and waved, “-and Armin’s friends. What brings you here today?” She fixed the book on her lap and placed it to her side.
“I wanted to show them the music player you showed me yesterday,” he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, “They kind of didn’t believe me when I told them.”
Before that, the same dark-haired boy from the battle- Eren, had been a little despondent if not a bit grumpy. After hearing Armin’s apparent “slander” he perked up to defend himself.
“Okay, I said ‘No way!’ not ‘I don’t believe you’!”
“Kind of the same thing, Eren.”
“Is it really though-“
“Guys,” Misaka chided.
Hermione sighed internally- they reminded her so much of another certain trio.
Armin sent Mikasa a sheepish look, then directed it towards Hermione, “Yeah, so I was wondering if we could listen to some of your music.”
She acciod her CD book, “Of course,” she began flipping through its pages, “Let me just find something good... or would you rather us listen to what we did yesterday?”
“Anything is fine, we don’t get to listen to much music anyways. So we’re not very partial to anything.”
She kept flipping through the book, now having a general idea on what she wanted to play, “Alright,” she smiled, “If you do listen to music. What would it sound like?”
She finally picked an album- Baduizm by Erykah Badu- and decided she would let the album start with the Intro.
Although- maybe she’d play “Afro” or “Certainly” next.
“We use a lot of flutes and string instruments and hmm...” he let out a hum in thought, “Most of our lyrics are based on stories or poems. I’m not that sure beyond that. We don’t usually have the time to listen to music unless a scout brings a flute or something of the like.”
She nodded in understanding. Sounds like the components of Medieval music...This must sound incredibly new to them then, “In my world, we have different types of music that we organize into “genres”. This is more Neo-Soul or “New” Soul, but it’s actually a combination of genres.” She pressed play and heard a lone bass begin to play.
She bobbed her head as the percussion slid into the song. She swayed in her place in the bed, feeling just as energized by the song as she was relaxed. She looked up from her musings to find Eren’s face screwed up in confusion but not quite in distaste.
Was that a good sign?
Mikasa seemed like quite the stoic character; in all of Hermione’s interactions with her- which, to be fair, were limited- she behaved very calm, cool, and collected. But right now, her brow raised in intrigue and her frown was contemplative. Did she hate it? Did she like it?
Armin, of course, was just happy to live the experience. He bobbed his head alongside her, trying to experience the music the way he thought a “native” would.
“What are they singing about?” Mikasa asked quietly. Oh-
Hermione laughed nervously, “Well... Um, the main lyrics- that she wants to “rim shot”- it’s got two meanings. On one hand, the rim shot she wants is a certain way the drums are played-“ They have drums, right? They know what drums are… Right?
“-on the other, is that she’s asking to be intimate with a drummer...” She played with her hair nervously. Why am I so flustered? This is just sex we’re talking about- something I’ve had for Merlin’s sake.
The cell suddenly became overwhelmingly heavy with the awkward silence that followed. Only the soft tones of “On & On” could be heard through that thick air of awkwardness. She heard Armin cough in discomfort.
She then watched as Eren’s face went from intrigued to plain confused, “They would sing about that? Why?”
It’s definitely not normal here then, or was he just that oblivious to intimacy?
“Oh, well it's an experience for a lot of people, I guess. They’re just singing about how they feel.”
He shrugged, uninterested, “I guess.”
Hermione’s eyes darted to Mikasa who clenched her scarf in a fist and looked to the floor sadly...
Oh... he doesn’t know she likes him...
She changed the subject to get rid of this sour mood- she looked at Armin- which he had definitely noticed. He knows, doesn’t he? He knows she likes him.
“Do you want to hear something different?”
His smile was a bit strained, “Sure, definitely. I want to hear as much as possible.”
She smiled at his effort, “Sure thing,” and began flipping through her CD book once again, searching for her Nirvana albums.
Finding that “Nevermind” seemed to be a fan favorite, she played it and surprisingly- though not really- Eren seemed to enjoy this genre more.
The song started with fast-beating drums but slowly divulged into that familiar Cobain scream.
“Oh wow,” she heard Armin exclaim.
She chuckled. That was quite the appropriate response to hearing this for the first time. The song was chaotic and saturated with sound- they wanted different? She’d give them different.
They were listening to “Stay Away” and she couldn’t help but headbang wildly to the beat- though, not as wildly as she usually would. She normally reserved her grunge and rock albums for late night to early morning “work” hours. The type of hours that left Hermione droopy-eyed and pining for sleep.
That or for when she had her designated “spacing-out” times. “Something in the Way” was always perfect for those.
She stopped her headbanging to check in on her visitors.
Mikasa seemed impartial but looked a bit surprised at how much Eren seemed to like it. He wasn’t explicit in his pleasure but one could tell he enjoyed this song more than the last.
Armin was smiling at his friends, probably happy that his friends had seemed to start responding a bit more to the music.
They listened to the album a bit more before Mikasa reminded the two that they had an arrangement to attend to. They said their goodbyes, but before they left, Eren faltered in his steps- Mikasa and Armin following suit.
He looked Hermione in the eye.
“I just wanted to take this chance to thank you- for getting the serum on time. If we’d have taken too long, it might’ve been too late. So thank you- for helping to bring my best friend back.”
Armin blushed at the title.
“Thank you,” she felt her cheeks warm from the praise, “And you’re welcome, of course. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
He nodded and Mikasa sent her a curious look. They picked up their pace and disappeared up the stairs. She heard the door to the hall click with their exit.
Armin smiled, pleased with the way things had gone that day.
“Well, that was very different from what we listened to yesterday.”
“Yeah,” she let out a puff of laughter, “The genre yesterday was more “Disco, Funk” this was more “Chill, Soul” and “grunge, rock”,” she articulated in English.
“Deesko?... Cheel? Rahk?”
She cracked a smile, “Yeah, pretty much. You’ll get it once I start teaching you English properly.”
The corner of his lip upturned in a slight smile, “True. And luckily, that’ll probably start soon. Maybe even as soon as you get moved to a proper room- but anyways, you won’t be staying there for long.” Oh?
That piqued her interest. “Oh?”
“I’ll explain it more to you later- but this isn’t our base, we’re just here for some official business.”
“Ah, I see... but I’ll definitely be staying in the Scout’s custody... right?”
Armin nodded, “That’s the plan.”
He leaned his head back against the wall, the lean muscles of his neck becoming more defined. She gulped.
“You see, you’ll have to be put on a trial of sorts- and soon. It’ll ultimately be decided there, but then again- we’re the regiment who took back Wall Maria- and with your help,” he looked back down at her and shrugged, “It should be easy enough to force their hand and place you in our custody.”
She grinned at his boldness, “Anything I can do in the meanwhile? To help my case?”
“Just keep doing what you’ve been doing, I guess. Staying non-combative and being overall pleasant company.”
“You think I’m pleasant company?” Hermione grinned cheekily.
His cheeks tinted pink, “Of course you are. I wouldn’t be here if you weren’t.”
She laughed, “Well that’s nice to hear. Is it official then? Are you my friend?”
“Yeah, I think I am...” he smiled through a shrug, “It’s an accurate enough descriptor,” he smirked.
“Oh stop,” she grinned.
He held his hands up in mock surrender, “Just saying- you know, as your friend...”
He paused. It looked as if he was going to say more, but he hesitated. His hands fell to his sides, ”And it would be wrong for me as your friend- I mean I-” he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. “I never did get around to asking…”
His Ocean eyes gazed at her with unfiltered kindness, “…How are your wounds healing- you said you got them a long time ago, so I got kind of worried.”
“Oh.” She instinctively touched the scar on her arm through the sleeves of her sweater.
“They’re okay,” she raised her scarred arm and with a sweater paw, covered her neck. “They will be,” she white lied. She didn’t know if they’d ever be “okay”.
He knew she was lying, she knew that for a fact; she was way too obvious and he was way too smart not to notice.
“If you’re sure...” Hermione sent him a genuine smile; appreciating the way that he didn’t pry any further.
Sensing that their conversation was coming to an end, his hand went to scratch the back of his neck, “I’m probably a bit late so I need to rush-“ he began making his way towards the steps, “I won’t be able to see you for a couple days- not till the trial.”
He chuckled, “It’s been a miracle that I’ve been able to spend the last couple days here in the first place. Personally, I just think they’re being a little lenient to us after such a big success.”
“Well, that’d definitely be the kind thing to do. It’s definitely been kind for me.”
He smiled a knowing smile, “Yeah?”
She nodded. Merlin, why are my cheeks so warm?
He took a step towards the stairs, “I’ll see you then?”
“See you then,” she waved from her bed.
He nodded and returned up the stairs. She fell back onto her bed with a groan. Once again, she was left wondering what exactly was she doing?...
What exactly are you hoping for, Hermione?
...
To get home, of course. And maybe other... “less productive” things as well...
Ugh, she fisted her hair in frustration.
She let her arms fall by her side, contemplating her next moves.
She’d have to gain access into that same forest. She’d have to prove herself to them by then- by their next full moon.
That meant she had less than two weeks.
Shit.
If not, then it’s a whole ‘nother month spent there-most likely more. Her eyes stung with unshed tears.
Why did she have to be such a work junky? Why couldn’t she take even more time to see her friends? Why couldn’t she have used her vacation time to bug her mates? Because now? Well now, she may never see them again.
She curled up into herself, needing some sense of comfort or safety. After casting a silencing charm, she forced herself to close her eyes and think of ways to help the Scouts. I just need to reach that forest.
I need to get to that forest.
... to that...
...
... forest...
She didn’t know when exactly she did, but she finally drifted off to sleep.
Hours later, she found herself propped up against cold stone walls, finishing the book from the night before.
She set down the book, closed her eyes, and soaked in the ending. How depressing and yet so very satisfying.They managed to pull off having child slavery, incest, ice monsters, and killing the main character all make sense in the same book. This guy’s definitely a major nonce, but he sure can write a book.
She heard faint footsteps going down the stairs. And she genuinely believed that she would’ve never heard them, if not for the natural echo of the dungeon.
Was it Armin? No. It can’t be- doesn’t sound like him. Besides, he said he couldn’t see me for a while...
Levi? More likely, but, mmm, not quite right...
Mikasa?!
“Hello Hermione,” Mikasa hid her lower face behind her red scarf.
Hermione put down her book, “Hi, Mikasa. Is… is something wrong?”
Mikasa shook her head. She looked away, face sliding deeper into her scarf, “Can you tell me more about your music?”
Hermione instantly brightened, “Yeah! Of course!” Wow, she must’ve really liked the music… probably the former of the genres more than the latter...but even so…
She straightened before bringing out her CDs and Discman once more.
They talked about music for a good portion of the night- the rest of that night was spent just listening to it. She found that Mikasa had a lovely voice- or would have a lovely voice? It was mostly an assumption due to the fact that she’d only heard her hum, and very well.
She found Mikasa to be kind and refreshing and not exactly shy, but selective on what to say. She didn’t say things to say things; when she said something she meant it.
It was such a stark contrast to the intra-work politics she had to sit through for hours on end back home.
Hermione finished up explaining a basic run-through of certain sounds and instruments common in Soul and R&B, and Mikasa gave her a nod in understanding.
“What do they do with their voices, do they sound like that on purpose, or is that just the way they sound?” And the back and forth continued.
Later that evening, after Mikasa had said farewell, Hermione was alone once again, Hermione thought about the interactions she’d had so far.
The one thing Hermione was secretly relishing in was how no one was treating her like a “know-it-all”. She was, pretty much, behaving the same way she did back home- maybe even a bit more energetically than usual too. And she was being genuinely listened to about the things that she genuinely liked or was knowledgeable about.
She also noted how they were very kind to her despite them being in a war and despite her being different. But Hermione was also a realist, it wasn’t all going to be sunshine and rainbows. Their kindness was very much conditional to her value as a potential ally and even when they were being genuinely nice- they could and would put her down if need be.
She could respect that- as long as they respected the fact that she needed to get home.
She sighed- she really was doing that a lot lately- and picked a new book to read for the rest of the day. Good thing I stored fiction in my beaded bag, because the next few days would surely be boring without them.