By the time they returned to the dormitory, both were fresh and glowing with warmth. Cela's hair hung damp down her back, smelling faintly of lemon. Hermione's, still frizzy, was at least clean and softer to the touch. She sat cross-legged on her bed, towel draped over her shoulders, and picked up a brush.
"Here," she said, holding it out.
Cela raised an eyebrow. "You're asking me to keep my promise already?"
Hermione gave her a wry look. "If you meant what you said, yes."
Cela climbed onto Hermione's bed without hesitation, settling behind her. She gathered a thick lock of Hermione's hair into her hands, the strands springy and resistant. Carefully, patiently, she worked the brush through, bit by bit. Hermione exhaled, shoulders relaxing under the gentle rhythm.
"Here, I'll brush it for you, just as I promised," Cela said softly. As she began gently running the brush through Hermione's hair, Hermione let out a small, nervous hiss. "P-please… be gentle."
"Of course, my dear," Cela replied with a playful smile. "I'll be very gentle, especially since it's your first time."
As the brush glided through her hair, Hermione felt herself relax, the tension in her shoulders slowly easing. She peeked at Cela from the corner of her eye, noticing the soft amusement dancing there. "You… you make this seem easier than I thought it would be," she admitted, a shy smile tugging at her lips.
Cela leaned just a little closer, the brush pausing for a moment. "That's because it's not just about brushing," she teased softly. "It's about taking care of someone… and making sure they feel comfortable."
Hermione's cheeks warmed, and she let out a small laugh, half embarrassed, half delighted. "Well, I'm glad I have you then," she murmured.
Cela grinned, brushing a stray lock behind Hermione's ear. "And I'm glad to do it," she whispered, her tone playful yet tender, letting Hermione feel the quiet intimacy of the moment.
From the other side of the room, Lavender peeked her head out from behind her curtains, eyes wide as she whispered, "For Merlin's sake… why are you two talking this early in the morning and acting like lovers?"
Parvati yawned and laughed sleepily. "Yes, tell us! What kind of charm did you put on each other? Especially with those… words—'it's your first time,' or 'be gentle.' Very distracting, you know, especially at this age."
Cela chuckled softly as she brushed another section of Hermione's hair. "Oh, that's just a whole lot of speculation," she said, a playful gleam in her eyes.
Hermione, cheeks flushed from Lavender's comment, snapped loudly, "Shut up, Lavender! Why is your whole mind on boys and dating, or gossiping about other people's love lives? We're helping each other here, and you're making it weird!"
Lavender, still laughing, shrugged. "Well, it's not my fault—it's you two who are being overly… intimate with each other."
Parvati giggled and leaned back against her pillow. "Honestly, Lavender's right. Those words—you know, 'first time' and 'be gentle'—are a little… suggestive."
Hermione groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I can't believe I have to explain this. Cela's just helping me brush my hair. That's it!"
Cela stifled a laugh, brushing a few more strands. "Well, you do make it sound far more scandalous than it is," she teased, leaning closer.
Hermione peeked up at her, eyes wide, trying not to grin. "I swear, if you start laughing, I'll—"
But Cela only smiled, enjoying the faint warmth rising in both their cheeks. The room erupted into more quiet giggles from the other girls, but the two of them shared a private little bubble, brushing hair and sharing smiles, completely oblivious to the teasing eyes around them.
**************
Later that morning, after they dressed and Crookshanks finally decided to grace Hermione with his presence again, Cela and Hermione descended the spiral staircase into the Gryffindor common room. The fire crackled merrily, and younger students were already chattering, preparing for the day.
But Hermione tugged on Cela's sleeve. "Have you selected your elective classes yet, since you're new?"
Cela blinked. "Oh… no, actually, I completely forgot."
Hermione raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. "Forgot? Really? You go to Dumbledore's office and forget your electives? That's impressive, even for you."
"Oh no," Cela replied, shaking her head. "It was actually about… other matters. Mostly because of my grandfather."
Hermione laughed softly. "Okay, then. Let's go to Professor McGonagall's office before breakfast in the Great Hall—you need to choose your electives."
Cela nodded firmly. "Yes. I want to make sure I don't miss anything important this time."
****************
Professor McGonagall's office was bathed in the soft, gray light of morning, the rain still tapping lightly against the tall windows. She looked up from a stack of parchment as the two girls entered.
"Ah. Miss Granger. Miss Slughorn," she said briskly, gesturing for them to come in. "You're rather early this morning. May I ask why?"
Cela perched on the edge of a chair, folding her hands in her lap. "I came for my elective classes, Professor," she replied.
McGonagall's sharp gaze softened slightly. "Ah, I was just about to call for you, Miss Slughorn. At first, the professors suggested you take a test to assess your knowledge, given that you were homeschooled. It was to ensure you were ready—if not, we might have considered placing you in the second year. However," she added, adjusting her spectacles, "Albus disagreed. He reasoned that, since you are nearly fourteen, it would not be suitable to send you back a year. He trusts Horace Slughorn to have taught you well, so we all agreed to forego the test. I expect that you will study diligently to keep up."
Cela nodded. "Yes, Professor. I will."
"Very well," McGonagall continued, flipping through her parchment. "Now, as for your electives…"
Cela spoke clearly, "I would like to take Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, and Divination."
McGonagall's eyebrows lifted ever so slightly. "Ambitious, but sensible. Very well." She made a neat note on the parchment before her, then gave Cela a measured look. "I hope you are prepared to dedicate yourself fully to these subjects. They each require discipline and attention, particularly if you wish to excel."
Cela inclined her head. "I will, Professor."
"Good," McGonagall said, her tone softening just slightly. "Then that will be all for now. Make sure you attend your first classes promptly and keep up with your studies. Hogwarts rewards effort and diligence, Miss Slughorn, and I expect nothing less from you."
Cela rose, folding her hands neatly once more. "Thank you, Professor. I won't disappoint you."
************
As they stepped out of Professor McGonagall's office, heading toward the Great Hall for breakfast, Cela shot Hermione a curious look. "How many electives did you take this year?"
Hermione's eyes sparkled with pride. "All of them."
Cela's jaw practically hit the floor. "All of them? How…? Isn't that a little insane? That's got to be exhausting. And don't most of the classes overlap? How are you going to survive?"
Hermione tapped a finger to her neck and gave a mysterious smile. "Well… that's a secret. But trust me, I can manage it."
Cela blinked, utterly baffled. "Well… if you ever pass out in the middle of a class, you have to tell me! I'd like a front-row seat to that disaster." She added with a grin, "Honestly, I'm half expecting you to collapse under all that pressure."
Hermione rolled her eyes, though the grin on her face betrayed her amusement. "Since you're a potion master, you could always whip up some of your energizing potions to keep me alive."
Cela laughed, pretending to think it over. "I'll consider it. But don't blame me if it turns you into a bouncing, hyperactive mess instead of a genius."
Hermione snorted. "Perfect. That's exactly what I want—hyperactive genius."