Title: In Love With Being In Love
Author: Pertique aka Meghan
Summary: Hermione receives advice she is less than willing to accept. The words of this stranger shatter her mind and throw her onto a wild goose chase in order to find the truth.
Rating: PG - Warnings: A kiss, and mystery.
Author's Note: This isn't my first fic, just my first published on here. It is finished, however, I wrote this around this time last year so I am now being Perfectionist!Meghan and editing it. It's the same thing… just different.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything else JKR created. Rub it in, why don't ya?
She was looking out the window, as the sky came near dusk. She watched the sun dance across the lake, creating a breathtaking reflection. Everything seemed right, polished and clear. Everything seemed one level above her head, a little bit more formal, a little bit more cleansing. She heard irregular footsteps become louder and more hurried until they came to a sharpening halt. Curiosity stemmed her, and she tried not to turn around. She suspected her shoulder twitched as the person behind her spoke.
"Don't." The voice breathed. Her heart beat faster in bewilderment.
She stood puzzled, That voice, it's familiar… but I can't place it!
An icy chill ran down her spine as the grown man put a hand on her shoulder. She remained unsteady, shivers covering her body.
"How?" She questioned, now realizing just what was happening.
"Don't worry yourself with the questions. I came to talk to you, and as my time is limited--" He said
quietly. She twitched, and made another motion to turn around.
"Listen to my questions and answer me." He took his hand off her shoulder and thoughts flooded the head of
Hogwart's Head Girl. This person, this man was, he was-
He took notice at the young girl's intent stare of the grounds. She was still focusing out the window, but did not
pay attention to it once he came.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" The sunset was near over, and dark it would be. A thought to turn around,
a thought to scream passed through her mind, a split second and he couldn't stop her.
"It is, it's so perfect, so painted." She commented, knowing that she very well would have liked to be
spending this moment with her love. Not him.
"Romantic?" He chuckled and he brought down the drapes with a swish she could only hear. As if he could see
her raised eyebrow, he laughed again.
Cold flushed through her body.
"He loves you, you know. And if I remember correctly, you love him." He spoke quietly, but with great
concern.
"He being Ron, y-yes he loves me, well spotted." She spat. She was sick of this game, she wanted to run, she
wanted to be anywhere but here.
"Tut, tut. I would have thought you could lie better, seeing as that's what your little romance is." He
sounded cocky. Another reason to run, she noted.
"No lie, I love Ron, he loves me, and our plans will never change. There is and never has been anyone else." She crossed her arms. Can't argue with that.
"You've been quite selfish. Do you not remember that night? How dare you, how dare you take something else
from him?" He was getting angry, and he knew he struck a nerve. He could feel her face redden.
After a silence she spoke.
"Selfish? Taking this from him?" She fought to say. Of course she remembered that night. Of course I
do…
"You ever thought that maybe you don't love Ron as you should? It doesn't matter if you love him, or if you are fond with him. You simply grabbed the first heart you could clutch on to. You're in love with being in love! One day you'll know, and it may be too late, they both will be-" She broke him off. She couldn't bear to let him finish. She felt moisture in the corners of her eyes, but she was sure she didn't have tears to shed. Not for him.
"I'm not in love with being in love, I've managed this far, and I'd think I'd know if I really loved Ron the way I should." She could feel him breathe heavily on her. She winced.
"Do not lie to me, do not lie to them, and do not, do not lie to yourself. Who needs you more? Who loves
you more? Who do you love more? " She was sure that if he didn't leave this instant that she'd
sob until no tomorrow.
"Leave me alone. I can make my own decisions."
"It's like you want to hurt him. Be careful, he's sacrificed so much for you. Can you stand him to loose another?" She heard more footsteps coming her way.
"Goodbye, Hermione. Remember what I've said." At that, he gave her shoulder a quick squeeze, and she
whirled around, hoping to catch him, but seeing no one. Her mind remembered the second pair of footsteps and she
straightened up.
"Hermione, what are you doing?" Ginny had been looking for her, and she opened the drapes. Ginny had a
somewhat motherly aura. It took minutes before Hermione could say anything. But when Hermione thought she could see a
dark figure glide across the grounds, she let out a wimper.
"Blimey Hermione," Ginny edged on. "What was that? What did you see?"
"Just thought I-I saw something. You know, an animal?" She let a small tear run down her cheek.
"Great Scott! Hermione, why, what's the matter?" Ginny had only started to see a tear fall down Hermione's cheek. With her face screwed up in awkwardness, "Hermione, what's the matter, eh? You know you can say something to me, its Ginny!" Hermione, realizing she had shed a tear, wiped it away quickly, and denied it.
"Ginny, come on, you can't seriously think there is something wrong can you? Between-" she tapered off.
Of course there was something wrong. The last person she expected just came to her and lectured her about love. She
sighed. She hoped Ginny didn't hear this.
"Between you and Ron? Of course not, you two haven't been getting into fights lately. But, well, I haven't
actually seen you two together either. Hermione, this isn't about the both of you is it?" Ginny quirked her
head to the side and looked up at Hermione.
"No, no Ginny. Nothing's wrong between Ron and me. Just stressed you know." She was the worst liar
imaginable. He had said that, and of course he was right. She slapped on a forced smile.
"Well, I-I guess, yeah, if you say so." Ginny didn't buy it, and left it at that. She could always tell
when something was wrong with Hermione. Hermoine turned around and her mind started racing.
Why? Just.. how? She was on her way to the library. She wanted to research everything she could. She wanted to waste away thinking and proving to herself that he was wrong. She was cut short by the sudden appearance of Ron.