Hermione stepped onto the red carpet, feeling the snow crunch beneath it. Gods, she hated public appearances. Especially on days that should be spent with close friends and family. Unfortunately, the rest of the wizarding world didn’t think so. New Year was the chance to show off for the highest of society. Hermione clenched her jaw at the thought of having to spend another evening in a crowded room with people she’d seen once at most and playing by the unspoken rules that had been set decades ago. Say hello to everyone, try to look as genuinely interested in everyone’s boring lives as possible, respect the elders that she never met before. She hated spending their only New Year like this.