DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books and Scholastic Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author notes: I know that I made the characters in Points of View speak of things far too mature for their age. I'll make another one, similar, but not quite so. I'm not sure how to phrase it… so just read and review.
=====================
A gust of wind entered the pub when the door of Three Broomsticks opened and closed. I trailed my eyes toward the newcomer and was surprised at who it was.
'Oh shite!' I said crouching my tall body on my chair, desperately hiding behind the two bottles of butterbeer, sitting precariously in front of me.
'What's wrong, Ron?' my best friend, who was sitting beside me, asked a bit too loud for comfort.
'Damn you, Harry!' I snapped at him. 'Keep your bloody voice down,' I added through gritted teeth.
'Isn't that Hermione?' he said smiling over to the girl with unruly hair, who sat at the only unoccupied table near the door with my younger sister Ginny. 'She looks rather… different,' he added.
'Shite, Harry! No need to fucking rub it in!' I drawled back, irritated at my uncomfortable position. Ginny waved to our direction and this shite-head beside me waved back. No use hiding now in the farthest corner of the pub, so I straightened out and put on my smuggest face.
'You know, Ron' Harry said facing me, 'one day, I'm going to have to Scourgify your blabbering mouth.' He took another swig of the drink on his hands and eyed me keenly. 'Tell me, why do you have to avoid her like this?'
I don't know how to answer that question, really.
Hermione was my first girlfriend; the girl I fancied since I was fourteen. The first girl I have ever wanted and gotten, and owns the first lips I have ever kissed.
We just broke up. Two weeks ago. I'm really not sure why I initiated it, and why she accepted. It wasn't what I had been expecting. I simply blurted, in the heat of another argument, that maybe we shouldn't see each other anymore. She just snapped back, 'maybe shouldn't.' That was it. She marched up to the girls' dormitory and for the first time, we ended our spat with an agreement.
So now, we've kept our promise. We're not seeing each other, as possibly as we tried to. I've been avoiding her, while she pretended as if I don't exist. Harry was actually caught in the middle (I pity the bloke). No, I take that back. He gets to spend more time with Hermione, actually. This is the only time I have him on my side - listening to what I have got to say.
Can I admit to him that I still love her? That I still wanted to hold her in my arms and kiss her? I can't. I can't even tell her what I feel anymore. I can't tell her how she looks wickedly beautiful today. She's too far away from me now. Too far.
Could it be that I am confused? That I, too, am not convinced that I still love her? She looks happy now. I feel happy now, in some different kind of way.
I just buried my face on my palms and motioned for Harry to order another round of butterbeers.
---oo0oo---
I can't believe it! I just can't believe I even let myself be subjected to Ginny's mongering. Damn it! This jumper was really too small for me. I should have thrown it away back in my second year. I've been getting looks from guys I don't even know. Once we are back in the castle, I'm going to grill that silly girl in her own little fat.
'Hermione, stop pulling that bleeding jumper,' Ginny said behind my ear. 'Soon you'll pull one of the threads and everything will come undone, revealing more of your waist. Do you want people to see more than your navel?'
What right does she have to chastise me like that when she's the one who has got a pair of pants that's way below her waist and almost showing her butt crack? I simply leered at her and pushed the door to get us inside the Three Broomsticks.
I didn't really want to go in here, knowing full well that there's a big chance that Harry and Ron might be inside. I was right - as always. My assumptions had been confirmed after seeing that blithering foul git cowering - desperately hiding - behind two Butterbeers. I even stepped back - wanting to get back outside - but Ginny's hands were pressing so hard on my back.
'Don't you dare try backing out now!' she hissed. Her eyes roamed the whole pub and they settled on the empty table to our right. 'We'll take that one. Go on, move,' she said.
I hate her when she's this obtrusive, pushy little witch. She knew damn well that for weeks I've been desperately trying to avoid her dunderhead of a brother.
'Now order us some Butterbeer,' she said firmly. I just looked at her in my most condescending manner, implying full well that I cannot be bossed around. 'Hermione, this is your chance to start socialising,' she said without batting an eyelash, 'now, get up and get moving.'
I moved my attention towards that farthest corner at the end where I saw the red-head together with a boy with messy black hair. I could sense that Ginny was doing the same thing and she waved to them. I simply smiled when I saw Harry waved back grinning.
Why am I not sitting with my two best friends back there? It was all because I dated one of them and that we had broken up. Ron and I have not spoken to each other for two weeks now. I actually have no idea how it all started. We were just having another row like any other day, and then he blurted 'maybe we shouldn't see each other anymore'. I, on the other hand, feeling all riled up from our heated argument, snapped back that maybe shouldn't. That was it, and for the first time, we ended our row with an agreement.
I'm not sure what got into our thick heads, but I guess, we had simply given up - a relationship can only handle so many arguments. I guess he needed space - we're young for Merlin's sake - and as for me, that's what he wanted, and so I had given it to him. I simply held my head high - showing no sorrow - pretending that I'm all right, and I am, surprisingly.
'Hermione, do I need to drag you out of that chair?' Ginny asked irritatingly.
'Fine,' I scowled and stood up and went to the bar. Maybe the time had come for me to get out of my sorry shell.
---oo0oo---
I had been watching the door of Three Broomsticks since Ron and I got in there. I wasn't really waiting for anyone in particular, but when she opened that door and her frame was engulfed by the light from outside, I guess, I actually was. I've been waiting for her to barge in through that door and see me.
'Oh shite!' Ron exclaimed.
I looked at him and almost laughed at his pathetic maneuverings trying to hide his lanky body. 'What's wrong, Ron?' I asked loudly just to spite him.
'Damn you, Harry!'
Damn you, too! You sodding idiot!
When did I begun to hate my best friend's sorry arse? I've envied him for the things he got that I didn't: a family, a home, Hermione. Yes, Hermione, he got her for a lover and so I have to settle and simply be just her friend. I hated him when he simply ignored her; I hated him more for dumping her.
He got the best girl and let her slip through his hands. I'm not really sure about what happened between them, though Hermione had opened up to me more than once. She told me all her shortcomings and covered up for his. No matter what she had said, the only thing I knew was that Ron had caused her pain.
'She looks different,' I told Ron after examining her standing there by the door. He swore to me one more time, but I couldn't care less because I was flat out surprised at the way Hermione looked today; though I made a comment about scourgifying his foul mouth. 'Tell me, why do you have to avoid her like this?' I asked him seriously.
I couldn't tell if he still loves her. Torn, yes; devastated, maybe. But as for them getting back together, I hope not. I do hope not.
I watched her take a seat and study the people inside the pub. Ginny waved at us and I waved back, grinning widely after catching Hermione's smile.
Ron motioned for another round of drinks and I stood up and went to the bar rather than wait for Madam Rosmerta to come our way, considering that it's very crowded today. I was stumped when I saw Hermione standing there.
'Hey, there!' I blurted not really knowing what to say after seeing her in her tight jeans and considerably diminutive blue jumper, which I've seen her wore quite a long time ago, but I could never recall ever seeing her this… this… what's the word? Sexy?
'Hi, Harry,' she replied back. 'Having a great time with Ron?'
'Yes, I guess.'
'Will you be coming back to the castle soon?' she said.
'Ummm, I suppose so,' I said warily. She raised one of her brows and her lips curled in a slight smile, which made me noticed that her lips had a little shine on them. With a sudden cognizance, I added, 'Right, we were to go to the library before dinner. I'll meet you there by six, promise.'
She grabbed the two bottles in front of her and said with a pained look, 'I thought you had completely forgotten.'
I made a slight wave with my hand nonchalantly, 'Of course, not. Me, spending time with you at the library on a Saturday - I couldn't wait.'
Hermione then turned and went back to Ginny, causing some boys' heads to turn, surprised to see that little skin peeking beneath her jumper. I just hoped she would still be wearing it when we go studying later.
=====================
A/N : Shout outs to my beta readers AustenLover and Raven.