Hermione finally looked up and saw Harry there. She hadn't noticed what book she was hiding behind, and he was smiling at her. So she wasn't reading the book, who cares? She placed the book down and said,
"Well?" She glanced at her watch, half past seven; he had been gone about twenty minutes. Harry looked shaken, but excited. He spoke hurried,
"I didn't find him, but I did find-well you'll see when were get there," Before she could say anything, he grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the Library. They turned left, and then took another left, towards the dungeons.
"Harry, where are we going?" She said, stopping. He didn't speak, but instead dragged her once more. They turned right and down a corridor Hermione had never been through, but walked past it everyday. They then took a left past a cast iron door, and stopped. Harry looked around.
"It was just right here, I know it hasn't gone far." He walked further down the hall, and it seemed to
get longer as they continued to walk. The hall seemed to stretch half a mile into nowhere, when a slight glimmer could
be seen at the end. It was the mirror.
Every instinct told her to run in the opposite direction, to get away from the mirror as soon as she could. She did not want to lie to Harry about what she saw in the mirror.
"There it is! Come on, hurry before it moves!" Hermione stood planted, resisting the pull. Hermione
remembered Harry's detention, and glanced at her watch. Seven forty-five.
"Harry? You've got to be in the--- Whoa.." Hermione caught a glance at what she saw in the mirror. Instead of going to the mirror, it came to them. Harry was already staring perplexed at it.
"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.
The image of an older Harry and Hermione stared back at her, waving, and an absolute rock on her left hand. They were engaged.
"Harry? What do you see?" Harry had suddenly gone white, and quite nervous.
"Oh, um, nothing, you are blocking my view. " Hermione moved, but she was sure he could still see the two of
them in the mirror, arms around each other, just as she had seen it last night.
"Harry, do you see the same thing I do? You, and me?" Hermione looked up at her reflection, and then turned
to Harry. He looked as if he had seen something startling. He didn't speak for a long time, contemplating his
thoughts.
"Yeah, Hermione, I do. I've-- " Harry choked on his words. He hadn't mentioned anything like this
since that night.
Hermione was confused. Who was this mirror to tell her that she was in love with someone else?
"Harry, what word can we take for this? It's just a bloody mirror, Harry! It could be anyone possessing
it!" She franticly cried. She didn't want to admit it,
"Hermione…" He looked struck. Just as he had that night.
"I mean, it is an inanimate object, it can't really see our heart's true desires! If you looked in it, you
would see Sirius, wouldn't you? Or your parents?" Harry looked away and she grabbed his arm. She looked in his
eyes for an answer.
"Hermione, it's not like that. Yes, I'd give anything to know my parents, to have Sirius back. I'd give anything to not have this scar, I'd give anything to be a normal wizard, but after a while you just stop fighting it. I would also give anything in this world to be with you. And that's one thing I will never give up on." Harry looked at her, and her expressions went from confused, surprised and then sad.
"Harry…Harry I'm so sorry. I'm so stupid!" She cried as he moved in on her. A shadow loomed over them and,
"Touching really, but I daresay this will have to end Potter. You and I had a date in the dungeons 15 minutes
ago."
Snape stepped out of the shadows, and as he neared closer, the mirror disappeared. Harry and Hermione quickly separated as Snape came closer to examine what they were talking about. He looked around suspiciously, and then spoke again.
"Wesley has been waiting for you, Potter. Why don't you join them Miss Granger? The famous trio, in my
dungeons for detention together. Why, won't it be grand?" Hermione's eyes got as big as ping-pong balls
and opened her mouth to speak.
"But--I--I--didn't--" Harry spoke over her. It was always times like these she was afraid to speak up for
herself.
"What did she do? She didn't have detention in the first place! She didn't do anything!" Snape turned
a nasty glare on them both.
"She comes, she missed my class today also. She--" Hermione opened her mouth again, but Harry spoke over
her.
"She does not deserve to be in there with us! She was in the Hospital Wing!" Snape, turning rather grotesque
spat out,
"She will join you, and you can come back tomorrow night with Weasley. Is it true you are in a quarrel?"
Harry backed off and silenced.
"Harry, it's ok, I'll go along." Smiling a vicious smile, Snape turned around and walked out of the
hallway. Harry and Hermione followed.
"Glad you both see it my way. Today I think I will have the famous trio empty all the contents of my storage
closets and put them back in. Even though I had it done last week by a Michael Corner, you can all three do it again.
Together…"
How did he always seem to know the worst way to make them angry?
They walked in revere silence, afraid to speak. They made their way to the dungeons and Snape threw open the door. Ron was there scribbling things on paper furiously.
"Weasley! Stop your lines. The famous trio is going to clean out my closet!" Hermione was unsure if Snape had
ever been this happy. While they were working on the closet, he seemed to be humming certain tunes under his breath. He
got up and exited the room and Hermione broke the silence.
"Ron?" He continued to take things out ignoring her. "Ron?" she continued, with plea in her
voice.
"Later, Mione." She scoffed at his dismissal. She walked up in front of him and stopped him.
"Ron, what is wrong with you? You've got a wrong idea." He turned away and walked to the corner of the
classroom.
"No, Hermione. I think I've got the right idea. I've been suspecting it a while, but--" Harry stood
up.
"Ron, she is your girlfriend! If you would just listen--"
"Correction Harry, Was my girlfriend. I think it's time we're done, Hermione." Harry grasped his
forehead and just sighed. Hermione was furious.
"So that's it Ron? You are breaking up with me for some reason you can't even clarify. That's awfully
noble of you."
"Maybe it's for the better. What did happen last night? Where were you Hermione?" They all sat quiet
before Ron could query much longer. Hermoine looked at him without saying anything and he continued.
"Don't you care?" He said. Hermione looked at him, appalled, and she made a swift movement to slap him,
but Harry caught her arm. Harry was frustrated, but before he could open his mouth, Hermione beat him to it.
"I did care, but you are right Ron, it is over. You are absolutely right! Don't you wish you were right more often? And for the last, I care Ron. I do care, but obviously, you don't! " Ron eyed her, but Hermione was furious and did not stop. "And you are a prat, you know! You are definitely not worth this! I can't believe I am cleaning out Snape's storage for YOU!"
"Hermione, I--" She folded her arms and smirked at him with anger bubbling behind her eyes.
"You what, Ron?" Hermione took a breath, and Ron walked out of the room, steamed. Harry, who had stayed out
of it, went to follow him.
"Potter? Where do you think you are going?" Harry skidded to a halt, Hermione's eyes widened and Snape
came charging towards him. "Are my closets finished?"
Hermione inconspicuously waved her wand and the closets were as good as new.
"Eh, er, um…." Snape smirked and pointed towards his classroom.
"That's what I thought. You know what to do." Harry walked back into the classroom, to see Hermione
sitting at a table, the closet organized, and clean. She was smiling wildly.
"Where's Weasley? Where has he gone off too?" Harry smiled and lied deliberately.
"He went to find you to tell you we were done, Professor." Harry then shot him an angelic smile and walked
over to Hermione.
"Shall we be going then?" She asked. Snape had already been closely inspecting his closet, amazed at their
progress.
"Let's. Same time tomorrow Professor?" Snape shot him a nasty look, and said, scathingly,
"As intended. Potter." Harry laughed, peevishly,
"Looking forward to it sir." And with that, the two waltzed out of the room and made their way to the Common
Room.