Chapter Two
"Hermione, love!" Ron had jumped from behind a strange mirror, a tall one at that, with a strange inscription at the top. If she had a reflection she didn't see it because she shook her focus from the mirror to Ron and gasped.
" Ron!" She said in annoyance. "What are you doing behind that mirror?" She made a motion
towards the mirror, and found in fact, that there was no mirror at all. Ron grabbed her hand.
"Mione, what are you talking about? What mirror? Something wrong with you? You know I have…" She tuned out his rambling, afraid of hearing what she dreaded.
"Nevermind about the mirror! Ron, I know I've been antsy these past few days, but you'll have to put up
with me like this for a while." She said. Hopefully he had mentioned something of the sort in his ramblings.
"But I didn't say -" Ron said in response. Of course he didn't.
"Ron," she sighed, "there's, no--Let's just get back to the Common Room." She smiled a fake
smile at him. No library after all, she thought.
"Mione." He began, "Can't you just wait to get out of here? On our own? At last?" He was
swinging her arm like a little 5 year old boy would. They turned the corner and faced the Fat Lady. This was the
man she loved, right? She loosened her grip on Ron's hand.
"Yeah, us, together."
The Fat Lady was conversing with her friend Violet, and took time to notice Hermione and Ron there.
"Yes, that's it dear, The Mirror of Erised has escaped!" Violet gasped and then spoke.
" Things like that can do it, no doubt in my mind. And Dumbledore hasn't the idea where it is?" The Fat
Lady shook her head,
"No, not at all! He did mention that if felt like it was needed, it would find the person. He said he's
waiting for the person to-" She finally looked up and saw Hermione and Ron.
"Password dears?" She said, in her normal, high fashion way. Ron answered,
"Constant Vigilance." They walked through the hole and glanced around. The normal scenario; Neville and Dean
and Seamus talking in the corner, girls giggling, and then Harry, sitting alone by the fire.
"Ron, What's the Mirror of Eris-Erside?" Hermione asked. She wasn't sure if he or Harry had ever
mentioned anything about it before. It sounded familiar, but hadn't she seen a mirror today? She pushed that
thought to the back of her mind.
"The Mirror of Erised! Yeah, I know about that, but Harry knows more." He offered his arm, like an old
British monarch. She took his arm and gulped. Ron pranced to the couch where Harry was sitting. It was dark now, and
students were making their way to their respective dormitories.
"Harry, mate, do you remember that time?" Started Ron. Hermione slipped into her own thoughts, what seemed
miles and miles and miles away. She thought mainly about the man, what he had talked about, and if she though it was
true. She made sure she tuned into and paid 'attention' to the most important parts of their conversation.
"Yeah, I remember you Harry, during that first year, coming back and waking me up after finding it." Ron
nodded brightly.
"Yeah, I remember that night. I saw, I saw my parents. My whole family in fact." Harry added. He stole
glances towards Hermione, and he noticed her lost expression. The discussion continued for minutes on. More people left
the Common Room.
"You hear that, Mione? Shows your heart's greatest desire it does. Saw myself with the Quidditch Cup, and the
Head Boy badge. Now I wouldn't give anything to be Head Boy. Things change, things change." Ron patted her on
the knee and Hermione looked into the fire. Ron got up off the floor.
"Well, best we be turning in mate. Got to get to an early start tomorrow." He brushed his robes straight and
kissed Hermione on the cheek. Well that certainly brought her up. She snapped out of her 'daze,'
"You're right, let me get my stuff together.. and, yeah." She said nervously. She wanted to by time into
staying with Harry. Ron shook his head.
"Sometime I worry about you love. G'night!" He turned towards the Boy's Dormitories and then
stopped.
He called, "Coming Harry?" Harry wasn't expecting to leave so soon. But he rejected the invitation.
"I'll be up in a minute Ron, just want to straighten up a bit." He called back. Ron smiled at this.
"Don't turn into my dear Mione. Trying to get the house elves to do less work!" Hermione heart lurched.
She felt sick to the core, as if she could just throw up all of her feelings. Harry saw her pale and questioned.
"Herm, are you ok? You seem sort of, dazed recently." Hermione nodded;
"No Harry, Everything is fine, just thinking about my duties and just thinking in general." She sat down on
the couch and he followed.
"You know, being best friends is what I'm here for. If you ever need to talk about anything, you know, school,
you and Ron-" Hermione stopped enraged at the mention.
"Why does everyone think there is something wrong between me and him? We are fine!" Harry looked at her
sincerely.
"Sorry, I was just offering my help, I didn't mean to--" How could she snap at him? He was just being a
friend and she blew up.
"I know… sorry Harry." Sighing in defeat, Harry got to his feet. He walked past her and up the stair to the Boy's Dormitories.