You and me
We used to be together
Every day together always
I really feel
I'm losing my best friend
I can't believe
This could be the end
It looks as though you're letting go
And if it's real,
Well I don't want to know
Don't speak
I know just what you're saying
So please stop explaining
Don't tell me 'cause it hurts
Don't speak
I know what you're thinking
I don't need your reasons
Don't tell me 'cause it hurts
-No Doubt, "Don't Speak"
* * * * *
Knock-knock.
"Hello? Is anyone in there?" a dreamy voice beckoned from the other side of the bathroom door.
Hermione's eyelids fluttered open as she slipped back into consciousness. A weary moan escaped her lips as she labored to lift herself from off the rigid tile of the bathroom.
"Hermione?" the voice questioned. "The door's locked, but I'm coming in there."
Hermione overheard the distinct whisper of the Alohomora charm and raised her aching head slightly to see none other than Loony Luna Lovegood standing at the doorway of the small room.
"Hermione!" Luna breathed, clearly startled to see the past Gryffindor Prefect and Head Girl laying in shambles on the floor of the Weasley's loo. "Is something the matter? Harry and Ronald have been searching for you for the past half hour."
"They-ouch…" Hermione started but promptly ended as she once again attempted to rise from the floor with her arms but fell back onto her belly with a small thud.
"Oh my. Here-" Luna said calmly as she entered the bathroom. Extracting her wand from a concealed pocket in her dress, she casually kneeled down next to Hermione. "Ennervate."
Hermione felt a small surge of energy pulsate through her crumpled body.
"Did that help?" Luna questioned.
"Uh…a bit, thanks," Hermione said still rather weakly as she shakily rose from the ground with help from the Ravenclaw. She shut her eyes for a moment to regain her composure while Luna examined a brass sink fixture while humming absentmindedly.
A sudden explosion of the memories of the past hour surged inside Hermione. A pain greater than anything she had ever experienced before erupted inside of her, forcing her to grab the small counter behind her for support.
"Perhaps you should return to the yard," Luna purred vaguely. "Like I said before, Harry and Ronald are simply beside themselves searching for you."
"Harry?" Hermione choked.
"Ah-huh," Luna replied snapping out of her trance and staring unblinkingly at Hermione. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I do have to use the toilet. That's the entire reason why I stumbled across you."
"Oh, yes, of course," Hermione answered dazedly, clutching the burning left side of her chest. "I'll…I'll just go now…"
"Are you sure you are all right?" Luna called after her in her unique dreamy tone.
"Never said I was…"
* * * * *
Hermione staggered out of the Burrow and into the yard, one hand gathering up the long chiffon material of her gown so she could walk faster, the other still positioned protectively over her aching heart. She was hoping to make a quick escape to her flat by means of Apparation. She knew couldn't confront Harry just now. She was in too much physical and emotional pain to face him. Hermione assumed that if she so much looked at Harry, she would erupt into fresh tears and crumple onto the floor like a rag doll. Even with Luna's spell, she felt as if a dozen Dementors had surrounded her, sucking away all her happy feelings and memories, leaving only a huge void that was at the moment filled with unbearable hurt and misery.
She struggled to quietly sneak over to the designated Apparation site that she and the Weasley's had set-up for the party. Hermione was few yards away from the location when she felt a strong hand grab her right arm. She emitted a startled gasp whirled around.
"Hermione, where have you been?! Harry and I have been going bonkers looking for you!" Ron scolded still grasping her arm.
"Oh Ron!" she cried and threw her arms around the confused looking wizard.
"Uh, Hermione-breathe-oxygen-"
"Oh! Sorry sorry sorry!" she whispered releasing him.
"Wow…you look a fright." Ron said poking at Hermione's messy locks that minutes ago had been perfectly primped. "What happened to you?"
"I can't explain it at the moment" she said in an undertone, intuitively placing her right hand over her chest. "I just have to leave."
"Leave? But we were waiting for you to cut the cake!"
"I'm so sorry, but really, I have to get out of here" she said her voice cracking as she turned away from him.
"Ron! Did you find her?" Harry suddenly called from somewhere behind the pair. Hermione's breaths became short and shallow as she frantically motioned to Ron to lie.
He raised an eyebrow quizzically and shot her a bewildered look before shouting "Yeah! She's over here by the Apparation site!"
"Oh, no Ron!" she whispered, here eyes filling up with pools of water. "You don't realize what you've-"
"Hermione!" Harry interjected appearing from behind Ron and joining the duo. "How do you always manage to disappear from right in front of me?" he questioned with a wry smile.
She couldn't bear to look at him she needed to get away she thought while staring at the ground attempting to mask her tears.
"What is the matter love?" he inquired
"I just need to leave," she managed to gasp commanding all her energy to make the simple comment.
"Leave? But we were just about to cut the cake. I want you to be there," Harry pleaded.
"I can't stay here a moment longer," she mustered while the tears now began to flow freely down her cheeks. As she finished her sentence she turned away from the Apparation site desperate to get away from the man who had betrayed her.
Taking off with a sprint he caught her mid way through the dance floor by grabbing hold of her arm and spinning her body to face him. For the first time her saw her crying.
"What is it?" he asked sincerely. His look of affection tore her apart; she moved her hand to wipe the tears from eyes and accidentally brushed it against his shirt-and the memory of it lying haphazardly on the floor came flooding back into her mind. The hurt in her heart began to intensify unto a point which was unbearable-and she cracked.
"What is it? What is it?!" she said virtually near hysterics. "How can you honestly stand here, and at look me with your damn green eyes and act as if you have nothing to hide?!"
"Hermione-seriously what is the matter?" he said in a steady tone. "I have never seen you this way." He moved his hand to hold her by her arm.
"Maybe you haven't noticed because you were too busy FUCKING CHO!" Hermione shouted, pulling away from his grasp as if it was poison.
The high spirited music that was playing over the pristine white dance floor abruptly came to a screeching halt as the couples who were dancing suddenly froze in position and turned their attention to a shocked Harry and a fuming Hermione.
"I saw you! You and Cho in Ron's old room! On top of the Chudley Cannons bed spread no less!" she angrily spat at him.
"What-?"
"What were you bloody thinking?!" she barreled on. The floodgates inside Hermione had been let open, and she wasn't about to stop her emotions. "Cho Chang Harry?! How could you do this to me?! To us?! You-"
"Hermione! What on earth are you ranting about?!" Harry roared staring intently at her red rimed eyes that were spouting tears so profusely that it killed him not to be able to wipe them away.
"Stop pretending Harry!" she wailed angrily, flinging her hands in front of her in frustration. "I walked in on you and Cho!"
"Me and Cho?"
"Yes! You and Cho! About to have sex! On Ron's bed!"
"What are you talking about? I've been with you all night!"
"What have you been doing this last hour?" she demanded.
"I was down at the lake with Ron!"
"No you weren't! I saw him in the Burrow!"
"Ron, tell her!" Harry pleaded to his friend.
Ron was instantly horrified at this new revelation. A torn look came over his freckled face. "I…uh…actually…" Ron began reluctantly. "IdidleaveyoutogocheckonHermione" he mumbled quickly.
"I don't believe this," Harry growled while running his free hand through his already messy hair. "Hermione, do you really think I'd cheat on you? Do you think I'd throw away everything you and I have together for some fling?" He grabbed her hand and stared deeply in her eyes. With astrangely calm voice barely above a whisper, he asked "Do you think that I would intentionally hurt you, the person I have loved the most in my entire existence?"
Hermione's lucid brown eyes searched his pleading emerald ones. She wanted to believe him. She really did- but she knew what she had seen.
"Harry…" she sighed, wiping away the last traces of tears from her cheeks. "I…I thought I did."
And with that, Hermione removed the diamond encrusted necklace from her throat. It dejectedly slipped through her fingers and onto the cold marble dance floor. The entire crowd watched aghast as she gave Harry one last anguished look before walking to the Burrow and Flooing home.
* * * * *