Requiem For a Dream

“Granger-san.” The voice was faint, coming from the darkest parts of her dreaming, leaving her to frown as it began to make the figure before her fade away, whispering something that she could not understand, but knew was in Japanese. She let out a low growl as a hand shook her shoulder, instantly moving to slap it away, her eyes opening to glare at the one who dared wake her. Her eyes met those of a now-laughing Souichiro, scowling slightly.

“What's so funny?” She questioned, glancing around as she realized the car had stopped. “Are we here?”

“We're 'here', yes. But not Mahoutsukai.” He told her, chuckling. “We've arrived at the Satoshi main house – you did know you would be living here, right?”

“I...no, I thought I would be staying in the dorms with the other students.” She blinked in shock. “Why am I here?”

“One of Mahoutsukai's former graduates assured us you were worthy of the highest honor Mahoutsukai can give. If, at the end of two years, you have proven yourself in work and character, you will become a member of the Satoshi clan.” He took in her shocked face, smiling gently as he stepped out of the car and walked around to open her door. “Come along. I will take you inside, and direct you toward the room you will stay in.”

“But...Souichiro!” She grabbed his arm, shaking it a bit. “This is impossible! I've read everything I could about Mahoutsukai and the Satoshi, and this honor is never given to a foreigner!”

“There is a first time for everything.” His voice was gentle, gesturing towards the door. “Now, we'll go inside, where it is not so atsui – hot – and you'll settle in for the time being. Yes?”

“I...I can't.” She whispered, staring at the door. “...I'm not good enough...I'm...what was it called in that book... I'm gaijin!”

He whirled around, grabbing her by the shoulders quite suddenly to glare down at her. When he spoke, his voice was firm. “You are never to call yourself that again. Do you understand what that means?!”

“...foreigner?” She looked confused, and a little shaken, so he relaxed his grip, and tried to ease the ferocity in his gaze.

“You do not understand the implications of the word, Hermione... It is a terrible word to be called. You may be from another country, but that does not make you gaijin. You are gaikokujin - a foreigner - and ryuugakusei – a foreign student – right now, but in two years, you may well be nihonjin – Japanese. Never, ever call yourself that again – and if anyone else calls you that, I want you to run, and find a Satoshi. Wakarimasuka. Understand?”

“...Y...yes.” She whispered, dropping to her knees as he moved away, taking a few deep breaths and closing his eyes. “...Souichiro...can we walk first? ...before I go inside, that is?”

“...still nervous?” He could almost hear her nod, and did hear her get to her feet before he turned around. “...I do not think anyone is here at the moment, but if you wish to walk – arimasu – we will walk.”

“Thank you.” She murmured, moving to walk just beside and a step behind him, keeping her gaze on the path he was leading her down, thankful for the shade of the trees as the temperature dropped considerably. She had no idea Japan would be so hot. “...I'm sorry I made such a mistake, Souichiro.”

“Iie. No, it's not your fault.” He told her, gently touching her elbow to guide her to her left. “You will make mistakes, it is part of life. If you would look up, you will see where you are.”

She blinked, then gasped. He had taken her to a cliff overlooking the area. Her eyes widened, staring out over what seemed an endless expanse of trees, before she finally saw a large group of buildings gathered around a much larger one, one that was probably much older than Hogwarts, for all that it appeared new.

“That is Mahoutsukai. The central building there is the school itself. The nearer buildings are apartments – the dorms are within the...you would say, castle. The rest are shops and homes of the lesser members of the Satoshi clan, and some former students who have chosen to stay here – safe away from the rest of the world.” He smiled at the look of awe on her face, before gently touching her shoulder, and stepping back towards the path. “But it is getting late, and you have come a long way, Hermione.”

“...alright...” She murmured, slowly backing towards the path, before finally bringing herself to turn away from the view, following him back to the main house. It was a traditional Japanese home, and as she followed him into the house, she was grateful for her slip on flats, sliding them off to step up onto the floor itself, sliding her feet into one of the two pairs of slippers set out, though there was a rack with many others.

“Those are yours.” Souichiro told her, smiling as she blinked in shock. “They are magic, of course – they will always fit their owner. Come. I will show you to your room – but be sure you do not wear these into the toire or on the tatami“...toilet? Oh, yes. I read about that – and of course I won't wear them on the mats.” She blinked as he paused at the beginning of a hallway, before gesturing down it. “...you aren't coming?”

“I am not permitted into the women's area. Down this hall, the very last door on the left. Though the doors are traditional, the room itself is more modern.” He paused a moment, eyeing her as though trying to determine something, before he merely touched her cheek gently with two fingers, and stepped back, bowing. “You will be fine, Hermione. Farewell.”

She stood with her hand to her cheek for at least five minutes, staring at the corner he had disappeared around, a blush on her face, though she did not know it. With a gut-wrenching sense of guilt, Hermione realized something both shocking and profound.

She wished he had kissed her.

Author's Note:

Konnichiwa! Two chapters finished in a few hours! Go me! I am now in Ashiya, a city just one stop away from Okamoto station, the closest station to my school. I'm just a short distance from both Osaka and Kobe, and am now settling in to my new home for the next nine months. Chieko, my host mother, is quite kind, so I am not worried on that point. However, I do not think she has internet, so I can post this only at school – and only on fanfiction.net. I will get you the link as soon as possible, I promise. I have a placement test tomorrow to determine my level of Japanese (Very poor, I will probably be in A or B class, with E class being the highest), so I am quite happy to have something to take my mind off of the urge to cram. However, it's almost dinnertime. Ja ato de. (Til later). Also: She -does- have internet, but I'll be very busy for a time, so posts might take a little longer.

And remember! Reviews are love!