Hermione hit the ground and swore.
"Ow, wha-what's this?" She said. She surveyed the sight in front of her, the towering golden mirror that seemed to be hunching over her. She looked up at the gold frame and read the inscription,
"Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi? What the-" Then it hit her.
"I show not your face but your hearts desire!! Why I get it, but I-I don't see a thing!" Hermione
couldn't see her reflection, most likely because she was sitting talking to herself in the middle of a deserted
hall. So instead, she decided to get up. Obviously she did not brace herself for what she saw in the mirror. It
certainly wasn't her reflection.
"What do you have to say now?" He was watching her, she knew that, but for what reason? She stammered,
"Wha-how how'd you get to follow me?" She said, " And-and how'd you get in the Mirror?" she
added dubiously. The reflection of the man shook his head and chuckled. While she was relieved to see his face, he was
bemused. She almost turned around. She thought better of it.
She looked harder into the mirror. It really was him.
"Yes, it is I" What she saw amazed her. He wasn't wrong.
"What do you have to say for yourself, Hermione? I didn't lie. And of course" He said, mocking
Hermione's expression, "The mirror, never lies."
She knew this. Of course she knew this. What a rude awakening.
"You can't lie to yourself much longer, Hermione." At this the frail picture in the back ground faded
away, as if walking backwards into oblivion.
She spun around and saw no one. She wanted to catch him. And then she turned back to the mirror and touched it. She
traced the glassy edges, and the inscription. She wanted to look at the mirror forever, she wanted to watch what she
saw.
Footsteps sounded again in the background. She could hear Ron calling her name, for it was almost class. She drew her hand away from the mirror.
The reflection in the mirror of Harry and Hermione smiled and nodded at her as she walked backwards. Hermione spun around and walked out to find Ron. With one last look back, she noted that the mirror had disappeared.
"Mione," Ron began, looking furious, "you are going to be late for class!" He jerked her arm in a roughly fashion that seemed very un-Ron. As she was snatched towards the classroom, she saw Harry turning the corner. He looked somewhat, disturbed. Upon the revelation kindly displayed by the mirror, this puzzled Hermione.
"Ron wha-" she was stopped immediately as Ron hushed her. He grabbed her hand and interlaced fingers with
her. He seemed to hold her as a prized possession now. He was positively beaming as they came across
Harry.
"You love me right Hermione?" Ron had said proudly, and loud enough for Hagrid to hear in his hut at the
skirts of the grounds. She nodded quietly. "Then just trust me, we are going to class!" He did take her to
class, and she noticed he shot Harry ugly glances from across the room. What had gotten to them? She could
have sworn-
"Hey Ron," she whispered, "did you get into a fight with Harry?" She smiled weakly at him and he
evaded her question. He was a horrible liar.
" Shush! Hermione, you are ruining the lesson!"
"But Ron," she whispered once more, "this is History of Magic! You hate this class-
everyone hates ---"
She had spoken too loud, as a chorus of 'Shush!' came from every direction. Furious, Hermione nodded, "Alright! Alright already!" and exasperated, waited until the end of class to bug him once more.
"Ron-" she started. It was after their more-than-boring class, and Harry was nowhere to be found.
"Don't ask!" He did not turn around, so she did not give up.
"Ron!" She was getting tired, and she wanted an answer.
" I said don't ask!" He had turned around at this and scolded her. He said it through his teeth,
nearly seething with frustration. He walked forward again, with his back to her.
"Ron?" she said again.
"Herm-" He had quickly spun around, almost knocking her down. He grabbed her shoulders in annoyance.
"Oh alright!" She sighed heavily and followed after Ron, who's pace was picking up with every five steps.
She was near running by the time they reached Transfiguration, and he did not utter a single word to her.
The morning went on as it had been and Lunch was no exemption. Hermione sat between the two. Harry talked directly and
only to Hermione, and Ron simply didn't believe Harry existed.
"Hermione, where were you when you ran off from breakfast this morning? You aren't mad at me are you?"
Harry had asked. Ron's eyes lighted up and his ear twitched. Hermione turned to him, and Ron's hand grasped
her's from under the table. Hermione gulped,
"No Harry! No, I had just, well, I had taken off feeling a bit sick-" Ron's grasp tightened, "And
got a bit lost you know. And right as I was heading back, Ron here came and found me." At this his grasp loosened.
Ron faced Harry and cocked one eyebrow up. Harry didn't respond to him, and Hermione picked at her food once
more.
"You are fine now, aren't you? Still not feeling,?" Harry suggested inwardly. "a little-"Ron
has taken this for his own.
"You aren't sick are you?" Ron interrupted. He could be such a prat sometimes. Hermione looked at both of
them, and shook her head.
"No, no not at all, just-" The boys looked at her at the same time and spoke simultaneously,
"But you said-" Hermione rolled her eyes.
" I know what I said! Harry, Ron! What in heavens went on between you two? When you figure it out, come and find
me! And do act civil!" Ron and Harry looked at each other and then at Hermione. Ron got up and made a motion to
grab her,
"Don't, Ron, I'm going to the library." And with that she grabbed her things and stormed off. She
could hear Ron trying to argue with Harry, but Harry never gave in.