Chapter 31:

Chapter 31:

Five minutes after I had left the room of requirements, I came back in.

What? I'm not just gonna leave and not come back. That would be even more suspicious. I had talked to her about the room yesterday and I had told her that I'd come again today.

Besides, since the situation has turned out like this, I need to go and...you know, comfort her.

As I entered the room, I saw her kneeling on the floor with her head looking down. Her hair, which had turned mousy brown, were covering her face. 'Why the hell hasn't she moved yet?'

I activated occlumency for proper emotion control. I was genuinely getting worried and feeling guilty now.

"Dora? Sorry I'm a bit late. I couldn't leave untill the common room was empty." I said in a cheerful voice as soon as I entered the room.

"Dora?! Hey! Why are you on the floor? What happened?!!" I asked frantically in concern as I ran straight to her kneeling form.

"Hey," I said as knelt down in front of her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Talk to me. What happened?" I gently raised her chin.

Her face still had some tear stains and she finally looked at me. I was, by now, mentally kicking myself for thinking that this could just be a 'funny' prank. She had some serious issues with that name.

She looked at my worried expression for a moment and I squeezed her shoulder a bit to comfort her.

As I was about to say something-

She suddenly hugged me. Like she literally started to squeeze the air out of me.

'This girl...' I thought in surprise I as put one hand on her head while I ran the other hand on her back soothingly.

'Would she ever react like I the way I expect her to?'

'But well' I thought I also hugged her. 'This works just fine for me.'

She must be feeling bad now.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean it that way." She said as she now hugged me like she was the one comforting instead to taking comfort.

She then hesitantly asked, "Who are the other people you care about?" She must be curious.

'Oh....a bit personal, but I'll tell her as much as I can since she's shown interest.'

"You don't have to feel bad for me. I've been doing fine on my own. I used to have the muggleborn Grandma take care me. I told you about her yesterday. She had taught me enough for me to be able to live on my own. But." I paused as I sighed. "She passed away."

"So.... now, in this world, I only care about you and Harry."

The last line was true. But I can't have her asking to meet this kind, old, imaginary grandma. So, she had to die.

'Goodbye imaginary grandma, you were very helpful in explaining my advanced knowledge and maturity.'

Dora was now hugging the life out of me. Even I feel sorry for myself after putting it all that way.

'Should I go for the kill right now, or is this enough guilt for treating me as a kid.' I thought as I had another card to play but I was hesitating.

'What should I do?' I thought to myself.

Go further and play my trump card->

Or stop here and shift the topic->

xxxxx

A.N.: Choice is yours.