Covering Bases (Open)

[sometimesinsufferable]

Who: Hermione Granger and whomever happens to cross her path
What: Training/practicing her magic
Where: Near the lake
When: Sunday, August 4th, early evening
Why: Because after the hectic changes that occurred over the last week and a half she doesn't feel like angering any of the other gods


Of course she was secretly smug about the fact that she'd followed the rules this time. She hadn't incurred the wrath of Hera. She did feel slightly sorry for those who had been punished though.

On the other hand, this just pushed Hermione further into the mindset she often waffled on; was she there to learn, or there to make friends and push boundaries? She knew she belonged at Camp because she was a demigod and she knew she was there to train and protect not only her family and others in her home town, but herself.

Her magic was powerful. That much she also knew. Over the last three years that she'd been attending Camp she'd grown stronger and better than she had been as a 13 year old. But she also knew she still had a long way to go. Fire spells and the creation of illusions were impressive, sure, but if she settled for mastering only a few skills where would she be?

She waited until later in the day when the lake was more or less cleared out save for maybe a few of the other campers. They weren't a huge concern though. Not anymore. She was just going to mind her business for once and settle in to recite her incantations and focus on her magic. She's doing her best to keep one eye on her form and one eye on the area around her to ensure nobody sneaks up on her.

Yeah, good luck with that, Granger. It doesn't help that by now it's pretty well-known among her group of acquaintances that she always comes to the same spot.

Comments

[sometimesinsufferable]

"You don't have to have a savior to accept help," she snaps finally. Isn't that what she had to learn the hard way with Ron? It's really, really not her business. She knows that, but she knows she's one of the only stubborn people that might make a real effort. "No one relies on you because you won't let them. It's give and take...and maybe saving isn't the right word, but making it more bearable? That's doable."

[ospreyed]

"Y'know what?" She puts her cigarette down on the rock, moving to stand. "I really don't need to be lectured about my life and how to handle it by some girl with a perfect family and a white picket fence who doesn't know what it's like to go hungry or to be used like a pawn, or anything! The only thing that would make any of this more bearable was if I died. Got it?" There was a fire in her eyes as she rounded on Hermione.

[sometimesinsufferable]

Normally she would back down immediately, but today she was feeling a little more confident than usual. That was probably going to backfire really fast, but for the moment she was going to stand her ground. "I think you do, and I do not have a perfect family!"

Close, yes, but not perfect. She'd never clarify the difference though. "You're being stubborn and you're making it worse for yourself, so why won't you just listen?"

[ospreyed]

"Well I'd still trade you familys in a heart beat, sweetie." She's glaring daggers at the older girl, considering bringing her own up. But this fight isn't physical. And she'd rather keep it that way, oddly.

"Why won't I listen? Oh, for fuck's sake, I think I just listed a couple of reasons why. The only time you've ever gone hungry in your life is when your parents sent you to bed without supper for staying out past curfew. Do you know what my parents would do?" Not that she had a curfew. But if she fucked up royally.

[sometimesinsufferable]

She had found that in some cases if she repeated questions enough she would get different answers. She had sort of hoped it would work the same way with Eponine. She shrugged a bit, trying to appear tougher than she was. "I have an idea, but you've never confirmed."

[ospreyed]

"Yeah?" Eponine shifted her weight to one hip. "By all means, tell me your idea. I'm sure it's 100% correct." She barked out a short laugh. The girl had no idea.

[sometimesinsufferable]

"Something fairly violent." And that's all she says. Her imagination's worse than anything she'd say out loud.

[ospreyed]

"Wow. Vague. Clearly, you have no idea at all." She said, her smirk triumphant. No, Hermione was close. Rather, quite accurate, but Eponine was not one to give up the game. And somewhere, subconsciously, she wanted Hermione to know.

[sometimesinsufferable]

"You don't think I know about the extents of child abuse?" It wasn't that she had experience. But Ron...she shook her head and set her jaw. She was certain if she kept pushing she'd eventually break through.

[ospreyed]

"Child abuse," Eponine repeated. "Like I said. Vague. C'mon, Granger. What gory ideas does your mind have? What evidence?"

[sometimesinsufferable]

"I don't really have evidence, but I don't really need it." She glared. "I'm correct, aren't I? What is it? Physical contact, or verbal abuse?"

[ospreyed]

"So you're just going to go about making accusations about my family? Without evidence? The fuck kind of way to go about is that? Jesus fuck." She shakes her head, her eyes shut bitterly.

"Fuck, neither."

[sometimesinsufferable]

"It's not a lack of evidence!" She frowns again, folding her arms over her chest to think. "It's. Common sense. It's a sense of similarity." It was hard to describe without her going into detail, but she couldn't do that to Ron.

[ospreyed]

"Oh, wow. Sense of similarity. To what? Oliver fucking Twist? Excuse me, but until I start singing and dancing and talking about how fine my life is, I don't think you can draw any sort of comparisons there, Granger! My parents don't do anything to hurt me. So fuck off."

[sometimesinsufferable]

Normally she would keep arguing, but maybe this was her time to exit. Other than it was her spot. "...I was here first, you know." Not that that was the point. "When you realize not everyone is out to destroy you, you know exactly where to find me."

[ospreyed]

"It's not an everyone is out to destroy me thing," she explained darkly. "You have your books, but there is so much more to life and people than what you can read in a text book. Don't even pretend to think you know anything about me." With that, refusing to be the one to leave, she sat back down on the rock, lighting up another cigarette.

[sometimesinsufferable]

She had more that she could argue, things she could say about not needing books to get a better idea, but she chose not to. Instead, she turned her back on the girl and stormed off a few feet to resume practicing. If Eponine wasn't going to leave, neither was she.

[ospreyed]

Ahahaha, fuck you.

Two could play that game. Cigarette in her lips, Eponine began to hum to herself. Loudly.

[sometimesinsufferable]

Oh dammnit. She hated being interrupted with noise, loathed it, in fact. She wasn't going to let it bother her though because that would mean Eponine had won. Instead she focused on reciting her incantations louder, pointedly glaring at the girl on the rock.

[ospreyed]

Slowly but surely, words started attaching themselves to Eponine's humming. "Darling, darling, doesn't have a problem
Lying to herself 'cause her liquor's top shelf
It's alarmin' honestly how charmin' she can be,
foolin' everyone one, telling me she's havin' fun."

[sometimesinsufferable]

She's doing her best not to crack, but she can't help but toss an irritated look over her shoulder. "Do you have to be so loud?"

[ospreyed]

"Yes," and then she's back to singing. Take that, Hermione.

[sometimesinsufferable]

There were very few people that could get Hermione angry very fast. Eponine was quickly escalating on that list. She's crumpling the papers in her hands, stalking closer.

"Honestly!"

[ospreyed]

Aww yeah, Eponine was winning, and that's all that really mattered. She glances over at Hermione, smiles, and continues with the singing. She's not intimidated. Not even a little.

[sometimesinsufferable]

She soon stops in front of the girl again, hands on her hips and glaring down at her. "Don't you have something else to be doing, Eponine?"