faderift | OPEN: And you can shake the mountains with a whisper

WHO: Hermione Granger and YOU!
WHAT: Hermione ventures out of the library. Sometimes. But she's also in the library most of the time, because she's Hermione.
WHEN: Late Justinian, creeping into early Solace if need be.
WHERE: Throughout Skyhold, just outside of Skyhold, pick a place far away from Skyhold and find a reason to drag her there.
NOTES: If you'd like a particular starter and/or would like to hash out some minor assumed CR that can lead into this, feel free to let me know either via PM or plurk (

StarryOblivion). Otherwise, feel free to have them randomly bump into one another!

The Herald's Rest.

Hermione doesn't often come in here, not since receiving an odd look when she'd first asked for just some water (really, given how young everyone here seems to think she is, she'd been surprised that the surly bartender had thought she'd wanted something harder). But sometimes it's a nice change of pace, sitting among the mostly quiet chattering of the other patrons and enjoying the fire as she reads or looks over her notes. Presuming, of course, that no one is foolish enough to have too much to drink and try to bother her. Talking is a distraction she'll accept with no fuss, but Merlin help anyone who's had enough alcohol to think she's open to anything friendlier than that.

Stables.

When she'd first arrived at Skyhold, the stables had seemed relatively empty and were a fine place for practicing her magic without risking hurting anyone. She'd thought she could do the same now, only to find that there are considerably more horses - and, er, other creatures - residing there. Magic might only frighten them, she decides, but they're so pretty that she can't help visiting with them for a bit, getting as close to them as she dares. It's been years since she's ridden a horse, but she's entirely certain that these mounts aren't exactly the type that would trot gently along a given course for an inexperienced rider, so she isn't even going to ask after something so silly, even if the interest is clearly there in her eyes.

Courtyard, not too far from the healing tents.

When the stables prove not to be the best place to practice with her magic, Hermione decides that it might be best to find a little corner close to the healing tents instead. At least then there would be other mages around, and so it was less likely that anyone who stumbled across her would look at her disdainfully. And if anyone gets hurt, a healer wouldn't be too far away. Of course, she highly doubts that anyone would get hurt just because she was unsuccessfully attempting to transfigure leaves and pebbles and whatever else happens to be in the vicinity. Transfiguration doesn't seem to be an aspect of her magic that's carried over into Thedas, or at least Hermione can't manage it without more practice, given that she's growing more and more frustrated as she continuously taps rocks and other objects with what looks like a stick, muttering to herself in exasperation.

Library. Because of course.

If you've been to the library, you've seen her. Whether you know her and enjoy talking to her about rifter politics or think it's entertaining to scandalize her or have never bothered to approach her, Hermione can more often than not be found in the same little niche in the library, nose in a book or a quill hastily scribbling down notes. Or even, occasionally, dozing off, since she hasn't exactly claimed any sort of sleeping space for her own and more often than not loses track of the time when she doesn't explicitly have somewhere to be.

Wildcard!

Hermione wanders, and while she tries to be careful, sometimes it takes her places she just shouldn't go. If it doesn't look like a private room or setting, it's safe to assume that the young witch has made her way there, likely looking for a quiet place to read or do magic or just to get a few moments of silence. And while she doesn't often journey outside of Skyhold, she can definitely be tempted beyond its walls if she has the right incentive, or the right company.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hermione's far from any sort of animal breeder herself, but this isn't the first time she's heard about Fereldans and their dogs. Before she can ask any other questions, though, they step inside the barn, and she's met with several small but still undeniably solid mabari. There's still that small moment of automatic concern she gets whenever faced with an unfamiliar animal (never mind five of them), but after feeling several sets of tiny paws on her legs without being knocked over, she decides that they probably won't be able to cause too much harm.

So she smiles as she carefully stoops down, not wanting to accidentally crush any of the small pups that seem to be surrounding them. "Hello," she murmurs to one of them softly, holding a hand up to be sniffed at. It instead gets batted at by several paws, all seeming determined to bring it down so they can pounce on it. To Korrin, she asks, "How old did you say they are?"

"I think several weeks old...old enough to wean, at any rate." Korrin scoops up the lagging one and gently headbutts it, laughing as it tries to reach her horns with its paw. "Feisty, aren't they? All this playtime is good for them, they'll learn to socialize and develop coordination. And they're too adorable to resist, yes you are." The pup she's petting closes its eyes in contentment, ceasing to wiggle at least for that moment. It won't last, of course.

Hermione looks up at Korrin, having never seen her gush at anything like that. Finding herself grinning, she tells her, "I could probably resist them for a bit if I really tried... though that would only work if they let go of my sleeve."

Considering that the batch of pups seem to have taken to either chewing or tugging on her sleeve, she doesn't know if resisting them is really an option. As it is, she has to look back at the lot to try and gently disengage them, murmuring, "Careful, there, this is my last decent jumper and I can't keep asking Teren to mend them for me!"

Put any human (or qunari or sentient race) infant in front of her, and Korrin can't get rid of them fast enough. Babies are very much not her area of interest, nor are they ever likely to be. Pups are an exception to that rule, and sometimes other young creatures. Maybe it's because of that feistiness that she sees in herself.

"I've been compromised by too many Fereldan friends, haven't I? Damn their influence." Though at least her taste buds are still well-aware of what Fereldan dishes lack. She sets the pup down so it can waddle over to Hermione, all big eyes and curiosity. "You should come with us to Val Royeaux, get some new clothes. Not all of it's bows and laces, if you know where to look."

Hermione is much the same way; she still doesn't get sappy over small animals, but she's much more likely to gush at them than she is at children. She likes children well enough, and wouldn't mind having a family one day, but if she can't talk to it like an adult, she just doesn't know what she'll do with it.

When Korrin lets the fifth, somewhat calmer pup down, Hermione gently reaches out, happy to pet something that isn't going to try and eat her clothes (or any other part of her, for that matter). "Val Royeaux? Really? I thought that was where all those... you know... the masks and such from the soiree came from. I don't really know how to go about buying clothes here, though I suppose I should buy at least a few outfits. Would you help me?"

Sitting down cross-legged, Korrin tries to get the attention of some of the feistier ones, so that Hermione isn't overwhelmed. "Yeah, Val Royeaux's the center of everything Orlesian, good and bad. But privately-speaking, the good can be reason enough to check it out. If you've enough coin, it's easy to get high-quality goods, whether clothes or those little cakes. And sure, I'll do my best. Araceli will be coming, too, so if you want solid fashion opinions, she's the best for that."

Half of the puppies move to pounce on their new prey that's willingly sat down on the floor, and Hermione takes the opportunity to scoop up the more tired pup and gingerly set him on her lap, giving him space to continue his nap while she protects him from his more rambunctious brothers and sisters.

"I don't really know what constitutes 'enough coin', given that I've never had to actually buy anything here. Aelaide has been paying me a few silvers every week for the past few months for my assistance with her research, and I have that all saved up, but I couldn't begin to guess at how many clothes that would actually buy me, high-quality or otherwise. It's like learning wizarding money all over again."

"Don't worry, you'll have enough. We'll have enough geniuses with us, adept at hunting down bargains." Besides, Hermione is human. Whatever deal she gets, it'll be better than what Korrin could manage, or the elves joining them. "There are places cheaper than Val Royeaux, to be sure, but you won't find the same variety anywhere else in the south. If we ever end up going north on Inquisition business, though, I'll definitely be able to help you better there."

Reaching into her pocket, Korrin begins breaking off pieces of mabari crunch treat to distract the pups. It works, of course, as they scramble to get a piece of their own.

"I don't need anything fancy," Hermione chuckles as she keeps a puppy from nipping at the ear of its dozing sibling. "Just something so that people won't automatically surmise that I'm a rifter just by looking at me. I'm not ashamed of it, of course, but it'd be nice to be able to talk with someone for at least a little while without wondering if they've formed some sort of biased opinion of me before we even started talking."

When Korrin removes some sort of snack from her pocket, the puppy that had been intent on waking up its sibling scurries away, intent on getting his fair share. Relieved of pups, Hermione smiles as she's free to pet the small yawning dog in her lap.

OPEN: And you can shake the mountains with a whisper

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