DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, J.K. does, and she has every right to do whatever she thinks is best for Harry Potter. I just love writing. So sue me. Wait, seriously… don't.
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The Liberty Gazette, a monthly issued publication that dealt with political matters in England, had no idea whatsoever why its owner, a certain Hermione Granger, was mutilating it into pieces while reading its content. She was lazily stirring her cup of coffee and giving off a relaxed expression, but beneath that was an irritated demeanor that she was taking out on the poor manuscript.
She didn't know why she subscribed to the publishing company a couple of years ago anyway. The magazine actually made you fall asleep when you're trying to wake up! Maybe it was because she had been trying to find something to occupy her thoughts while she had been away from home and this magazine had been her only option then. It had been a routine for her during the first Monday of every month to read such boring details and spend some minutes poring over unnecessary dates, and she couldn't ban it from her habit, even now that she has returned.
Sitting in a cozy little café along the busy street of London, she waited for the arrival of a visitor who usually spoiled her temper. But even as he approached her, his appearance didn't seem to have any effect on her sunny side mood. "Pray tell me what you want." She asked as she tossed the crumpled publication aside.
Ron sat across from her and signaled for a menu to a waitress standing nearby. He leaned a bit closer, a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. "Watch the game tonight."
She had only been back for a week and, already, he'd approached her six times to invite her to that bloody game he'd been practicing for since he had joined the Scotland Seahorses. "I told you, no."
"Aw, come on, Hermione!" Ron said, leaning back. "You're my best friend! I want you to see me play. Can't you bend your rule just this once?"
He was talking about her "no-appearing-in-the-magical-world-until-I-am-ready rule". She shot him an exasperated stare which turned into a disbelieving shake of her head and waited for the waitress to hand him the list of selections before speaking again.
"Look, Ron. I wish I could watch. I really do. But if I did, many people will see me and they'll start asking questions that I'm not yet ready to answer. I need more time."
"Harry will be there." Ron pointed in a very cute way that had Hermione smiling warmly at him.
"Then that's one more reason I can't go." She said slowly. Then, she calmly took a sip from her cup. "He doesn't know I'm back and neither is he aware of why I left. I can't face him now and just throw everything at his face."
"Which reminds me, why did you leave?" Ron asked matter-of-factly.
Hermione looked at him for a very long time before sighing and setting down her cup. "I wanted to be alone for a while. You know, to sort things out, to see if I could live without him affecting my decisions. I've always done things for Harry. I tried to be somebody perfect for him because he needed someone stable, someone who could help him. I was too busy caring for and worrying after him that I did not realize I wasn't living at all. I left to look for my life and to find out if it exists out of his world."
"And what did you find?" Ron probed. This was the very first time since she had appeared on his doorstep a week ago that she showed any sign of answering the one question everybody had been asking since she had mysteriously disappeared without a word for two whole years.
An eternity seemed to have passed between her and her memories before she finally recalled that he was waiting for an answer.
"I managed to keep him out of my head." She shrugged. "I left being who I was hoping that I return the same way, but each time I thought of him, I no longer saw his need of the ever efficient Hermione Granger. That's why I returned a different person."
"But what are you waiting for? Why do you need more time?" Ron asked.
"I don't know. I just know that it matters that he doesn't see me yet. I've gotten over him now. I'm not about to lose myself when I see him again." Hermione shook her head, shuddering at the thought of enslaving herself once more under her own emotions.
"But you said you've gotten over him. You can't fall in love with a person whom you've gotten over with." He pointed out incredulously.
"Yes, you can. And that's what I am avoiding." Then she flashed him a teasing grin. "Although with you here, I doubt I'll be able to look at any other guy."
"That's very funny, Hermione. Ha, ha!" He mocked.
"I'm not trying to be funny. Seriously, I've missed you." Then she felt a terrible tugging feeling in her stomach as she looked at him. "Augh! I wish I could go to that bloody game. I'm being selfish, aren't I?" She exasperated.
"Don't worry yourself about it. You could watch my games after you've shown yourself to everybody. I wouldn't be asking you to come anyway if you hadn't returned last week. So I'll just pretend I don't know you're here." He winked at her. Then he signaled to the waitress, "I'll have some cheese omelet with pancakes." He grinned as his stomach growled. "And, make that a double order."
Hermione stared at him and shook her head in amusement. "I'm amazed, Ron. A lot has changed since we separated, but I can't believe you're still the same person!" She released a deep breath.
"Harry's no different as well. And he's been our friend since we were 11. But I guess you saw him differently than I did." He asked, his brows rising. His tone was light but Hermione found no reason to smile. She tried to laugh out loud, but the laughter didn't reach her eyes. Even when she found the right words, she couldn't seem to speak.
"Anyway," He began, sensing her desire of another topic, "Where do you plan on staying? You can't stay in that old apartment forever, can you?"
Hermione looked grateful. "Of course I can't. That's why I'm out right now. I'm hunting for a house this time, not another apartment where an old lady lives next door who keeps on asking for payment every time she sees me. My God! I've only been there for 5 days, and already, she's getting on my nerves!" She muttered. "It's not like I'm wonder woman and I can get a job just like that!" She snapped her fingers to prove her point.
Ron looked like he was trying hard not to laugh. "I've offered you my place, but you won't take it."
Hermione shuddered inwardly at the thought of his house. "Yes, but that's your place. Besides, I need my own comfort zone. And wasn't it you who mentioned that Harry drops by anytime he wanted to? For all we know, he could pop in while I'm in the shower and he thinks I'm you. I'm not a shapeshifter, nor am I good in disguising my voice, am I? And if that happens, I will be forced to talk to him." Hermione reminded him.
"What makes you so scared to face someone you've known almost half your life?" Ron asked after a while, when his breakfast was already laid out in front of him and a cup of steaming hot chocolate, compliments from the café owner who happened to recognize his Quidditch robes, was set beside his plate.
She just shrugged. "I have no idea. All I know is that I'm not yet ready to talk to him. I have to think about what to say first."
"I guess two years didn't change you either, Hermione. You're still thinking about your next move. Why don't you be spontaneous for once and see where it leads you. You'll be surprised where you might end up." Ron cut a piece from his pancake and ate while Hermione looked on, but he could tell she was not seeing him. He took a deep breath after he had swallowed his food and reached for her hand which was fidgeting on top of the table. "Life's too short to waste on planning what must and mustn't be. I know you know that."
"That's easy for you to say. You're a guy. You do things impulsively. I can't be like that." Hermione took her hand away from his hold.
Ron sighed. "Not all guys are the same. So don't go telling me you can't be natural. If you want others to see who you really are, you don't have to plan, or think. All you have to do is act."
Hermione was quiet for a long time and she began to ponder on what Ron said.
She left a couple of years ago because she wanted to change, to see if she could live without Harry. She did manage to find out that she could as long as she kept him out of her mind. It had been easy, since he was nowhere near her. Even the issues of the Daily Prophet Ron kept sending her, with Harry's name and picture splashed on the front page, couldn't make her remember what it had been like in his presence.
After settling down in her grandparents' house in Scotland, she found a job for herself in the writing trade as a regular columnist and began to acquire some readers as time passed by. She dated more than once in the last couple of years, but nobody seemed to ignite even a spark in her like the one that started the fire that continued to burn in her heart.
The fire that Harry had unconsciously stirred.
And although she no longer seemed to yearn for him, nobody actually lived up to him. That was why she chose to be alone.
She was contented, happy to be by herself after such a long time. But then her seclusion had only been satisfying at some point because the moment she became reflective, she realized that two years away had been more than she could handle without living in the world she belonged to. Life seemed to be incomplete without having in her Hermione Granger, the most brilliant witch of her year. And that was when she decided to come back.
The very first thing she did the morning after she made up her mind was take a magical train to England, and apparate to London where, she knew, Ron was staying. Imagine his surprise when he opened his front door and she was standing on his porch, with him only in his boxers. That had been quite the reunion! Of course, she refrained from hugging him since it would have only added to his mortification to have a female see him in his underwear.
Upon entering his house, she soon found out that even though two whole years had passed, he didn't change one bit. His home was a total mess just like his area of the Boys' Dormitory in Hogwarts had been!
Shirts were strewn everywhere. Piles of dishes almost reached the kitchen ceiling; and his Quidditch paraphernalia were floating around. His mail was actually in heaps and his phone was nowhere in sight. She almost fainted in relief when she saw that the bathroom was at least clean, and his bed room was somewhat made up.
When she'd slipped out that she had no place to stay and he'd offered his house, she almost snorted in front of him. Her? The ever-efficient and organized Hermione, stay in the house of Ronald Weasley? The thought was too absurd to be even considered. Not that she didn't appreciate his generosity, of course.
Ron was still Ron. She figured out that day. And he showed no mark of progressing…but then…with what he made her realize…how could she ever think he was still immature?
"You know what?" Hermione asked after some time, smiling widely at him.
"What?" Ron inquired, grateful for the question after having patiently waited for her to come back to oblivion.
"You have changed."
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"Is she there?" Harry asked Ron hopefully while they waited for the game to start. They were in the Scotland Seahorses' locker room, trying to keep themselves away from the crowd before the match began.
The team was formed in Scotland, but only God knows why it was now based in London. If it weren't for Harry being an auror, he would actually be a regular member, playing with Ron right now.
The tale of how the Seahorses came to be in their life history was actually simple. Harry stumbled upon their coach one afternoon after playing a brutal game of Quidditch with Ron. He had been playing that way ever since he learned of Hermione's departure. Her sudden disappearance made him so mad he found it hard to be the same man again.
Anyhow, the trainer instantly recognized him and offered him and Ron a place within the team. But as they were both training to become Aurors, they declined.
But some months ago, Ron gave up his Auror training when a player of the Seahorses got injured and was asked to substitute as a guest team member. Having won the match by his spectacular play (a play that he had improved over the years), the owner immediately asked him to be a fixed player. His first game as a regular affiliate of the Seahorses was about to start that night.
Harry usually played whenever the team lacked members, or whenever he felt like it. He would have played the semi-finals that night if it weren't for his mood being so foul because of Hermione's rebuff to meet him.
"I've asked her just about six times in the past week, and always the same answer, mate." Ron shook his head and looked outside. The clouds were gloomy, and rain was starting to pour.
"I don't get it." Harry said. "Why can't she just come and face me? It's been three years since we had that fight. Hasn't she gotten over it yet? I have."
"But you were in the wrong, Harry. Somebody like her just doesn't forget as easily." He said in a voice so patient that one would immediately realize that the matter had been discussed for so many times and no amount of emotion was needed anymore to emphasize the point. "We've had this conversation since graduation. She wanted to get over you. That's why she chose not to come with us whenever we hang out. She left because she wanted to find out if she could live without you constantly materializing on her side." Ron said, turning back to face Harry who looked even more gruesome since the day he found out his best friend didn't want to see him yet.
"When did you find that out?" He asked.
"A while ago…" Ron hesitated but saw no reason to lie or keep information from his already suffering friend. "She and I had breakfast together."
Harry turned paler and his lips became thinner. He was trying hard not to take out his anger on Ron, but it was getting difficult to control his emotions.
Three days ago, he went to one of Ron's practices to remind of him of their visit to Hogwarts and their trip to Hogsmeade. When they were in the Three Broomsticks and were having their usual conversation, Ron had looked tensed every time he brought up the subject of Hermione's absence. Harry saw no reason for him to be uptight about it because he mentioned her every time they were together. It was almost like a custom for him to go on and on about her for more than an hour. And each time he did, Ron was either impassive or sympathetic.
But that time, his friend couldn't quite meet his eyes. As if by looking at them, he will find out something he shouldn't. But he didn't need to press him about that because at the end of their conversation, where Harry looked even more lost and desperate than ever, Ron finally decided to put an end to his misery by telling him that Hermione had finally returned.
Ron only had to look at his best friend's face to see he had done the right thing. Hermione would not be so happy when she found out, but that was the risk he had been willing to take just to see Harry's face light up like it once had.
But then, Harry wasn't smiling anymore the following days after finding out the news, because Ron still felt obliged to at least keep his word to Hermione of not telling Harry where she was. But from that point on, Ron made sure that Harry knew what Hermione was up to, so he would know what to do when the time came, lest he spoil things between the two of them again with his bad timing and wrong choice of words.
"Has she changed?" Harry asked for the first time in the 3 days that he had been acquiring almost anything about her. He was afraid he wouldn't like what Ron would tell him, but as of this point, he had no other concerns. "She might have, because if she hadn't, she wouldn't be so selfish as to refuse a friend's request."
"Actually, now that you mention it. She did say she felt terrible. She even asked me whether she was being selfish. Course, I told her she wasn't. Logically speaking, I would not have asked her to come had it not been for her returning and you asking." Ron clamped his hand on Harry's shoulder. "She hasn't changed, Harry. She's still the same Hermione we know and love."
Harry was about to say something when Ron's stomach growled. Instead, he laughed. "If you ask me, it's you who's still the same, mate."
In its place, Ron found himself smiling. Harry frowned. "What?"
"It's just, Hermione said the same thing, but she took it back a little later. I reckon it's because I gave her a piece of my mind."
"You did! Bloody hell, Ron, that piece was all you had!" Harry kidded, looking so serious that Ron gave him a friendly shove.
"You're so funny, Harry Potter, you're making me puke." Ron said, grabbing the knob on the door of the locker room. "I'll see what's keeping the game."
"You go ahead. I'll make myself comfortable in my VIP seat." Harry said, smiling as Ron opened the door.
"Oh? Your VIP seat? I trust you'll have to unearth one on your own, Potter. Get a move on or you will have to find your VIP seat a thousand miles away." Draco Malfoy said, appearing at the doorway. "It's hard to keep away mad fans, you know. I have to tell them I'm not Draco Malfoy just to save you a spot."
"Draco. Nice of you to join us. Where's my sister?" Ron peered behind him to look for Ginny. She was nowhere in sight.
"I trust she's out there, trying to cheer up her admirers, while fawning off our places." He said, shoving his hands in his pockets. Then he scratched his nose. "You know what, Weasley? Up to now, I still can't believe why I allowed her to play for your team. I had enough men trying to catch her attention when she wasn't playing. Now that you've asked her to join, I have more than I can handle." He complained, stepping aside as Ron and Harry went out. "I can't say I have competition, though. Ruddy gits, the lot of `em."
"Malfoy, Ginny gets all the attention. And she deserves them, of course. But if she doesn't want to be praised and admired, she should keep those men away, not you." Ron said, adjusting his uniform. Then, he stopped. "And one more thing, it's not up to you whether she plays. You're not her husband."
Malfoy looked nonplussed. Then he shrugged as he and Harry walked on ahead. Ron followed suit. There was no one else in the passage; it was quiet, except for the faint sound of a massive crowd, cheering from afar.
"Weasley, I have something to tell you." He said nonchalantly after a moment. Harry had the feeling he knew what Draco was on about and he smiled inwardly. At least someone's life was about to become better.
"In the first place, Ron, Ginny is with me. So those men should keep their grubby paws to themselves. And we both know your sister; she'll avoid them if she could, but she would feel terrible about it." He stopped for a moment, gauging Ron's mood.
"Undoubtedly, she would. Although I wonder why she chose to stick with you. You have no feelings whatsoever so rejection wouldn't be a problem." Ron kidded.
Draco smiled as he realized his mood was pleasant, he then continued. "And I may not have the right to keep her from some things as her husband, but I do have a say in everything she does," He paused, took a deep breath, and continued, "as her fiancé."
Silence fell in the air as the other two waited for Ron's outburst. Not of anger or rejection, of course. Both of them knew that he had accepted his sister's relationship with Draco a long time ago. They even included him once in a while in their "nights-out".
So what are they waiting for?
Actually, they had no idea.
Maybe they were holding their breath for the silence to be broken with Ron's support, which he would undoubtedly give after he had gotten over his shock. Hopefully, he won't decide to give his words of wisdom just yet. The game would most likely begin in a couple of minutes.
Sure enough, after what seemed like decades, Ron finally showed signs of a brother who wanted nothing more than the best for his sister. "I can't say I object, but I don't know what else I can."
"Try `congratulations'." Harry offered, keeping his face straight. Watching them like this always gave him the jitters, plus a stomach ache from trying to hold back his laughter.
"Damn bloody right, I should! Ginny's not your everyday kind."
"You don't have to tell me that. I already know." Malfoy said, extending his hand for a handshake. "Anyway, thanks."
Ron took it. "You wouldn't be stopped even if I refused so why bother trying to put off Ginny's insanity?"
"For once, Weasley…I couldn't agree with you more."
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She shouldn't have come. This was a terrible mistake. Why did she have to listen to Ron's advice about being spontaneous? She just wasn't cut out to be one. All her days of planning and thinking would be for nothing if she was spotted by anybody who could recognize her. And judging by the faces of the people who were seated near her, she knew she was toast if they even see one lock of hair on her head.
Hermione bit her bottom lip in anticipation as she watched Ron and his teammates, zoom in and out of the field in pursuit of the Quaffle, the Bludgers, and the Snitch. She had actually forgotten how brutal the game could be and she couldn't keep her shudders from coming out every time one of the bludgers narrowly missed the players.
Ron's team was leading with 50 points. And she was proud of him for being such a good Keeper. So far, he had managed to keep the other team from scoring for more than 10 times…had it not been for him, the other team would probably be in the lead right now.
Hermione tried to refrain from shouting and giving loud cheers. She disguised herself in subtle green robes with a matching colored cloak and her hair was covered by the hood. Her eyes were covered by dark sunglasses, which made it harder for her to see especially with rain pouring madly from the sky.
Hopefully, those who would see her and wonder why she was wearing such terrible fashion statement would only think she was from another country and was just trying to hide her ridiculous features.
The bell sounded which meant that a break was called. When Hermione focused herself on the game, she saw a player from Ron's team, being carried out of the field. Apparently, he had been hit by a bludger and it was no ordinary hit that could be fixed by magic. What was difficult in the situation was that the player was their Seeker.
From where she stood, she could see Ron's red hair bobbing up and down as the coach magically formed plays that would best be put into action to find a new seeker immediately. For Hermione, that problem was an easy one since she knew one person who was in the crowd who could substitute even without having practiced at all.
Her stomach did a little flop when her eyes landed on Harry. He was there, sitting beside Ginny and Malfoy, their box just beside the Scotland Seahorses'. She did a double take. She almost forgot that Ginny and Malfoy were together when she left. She couldn't believe they were still a couple even after two years had come and gone.
Although she couldn't believe what she saw, Hermione knew that there was nothing wrong about it anymore in the eyes of others. The tiny glimmer that shone on Ginny's left hand was enough proof for her that everything was all right between Ron and Malfoy. With Harry, she never doubted he would give in to Draco's repentance. He always did have a good heart.
Hermione's insides lurch again…
She tried to forget him. She almost managed to, really. Had it not been for her stupidity to go and watch Ron's game! He sounded so sincere that morning about her being impulsive and not thinking just acting, that he had her convinced. She made up her mind days ago that she wasn't going to give in to his request because it wouldn't bode well for her to see Harry again. But no…….she just had to be broken by his words.
She didn't tell Ron she would be watching, though, because he might act totally different and look in her direction every now and then. Such an action would not go past Harry. And she wasn't willing to take the chance.
A sudden movement from Harry's box snapped her out of her trance.
The crowd started cheering madly as Harry got out of his booth with his Firebolt in hand.
So they did think of him…she formulated, as Harry flew over to Ron's side and hovered just outside the Seahorses' resting area. He bent his head as if listening to the coach and nodded. He made eye contact with Ron and signaled. Whatever it was, Ron beamed and started talking to his other teammates.
Another bell sounded; this time…it was for the game to resume. Seven green uniforms and seven blue ones immediately shot into the air and dispersed all throughout the field. Almost at once, Hermione heard the sound of a team scoring, and it wasn't the Seahorses. The crowd groaned. It was the other team, the Canons.
A few more minutes in, the crowd on her side gave another loud cry as a bludger nearly hit Ron. As she watched it saunter to the other end of the field, her eyes landed on Harry, who was near her stands. He was focusing extremely hard. She could tell. His brows were knit together in concentration, and his eyes were narrowed into tiny slits in scrutiny.
It was Hermione's turn to stop and consider. Harry had never been like this before during a Quidditch match. Sure, he had been competitive and he tried to do his best in every game. But he had never been this aggressive, this…hungry for whatever it was he was after. It was almost as if he wanted to get lost in the game and just forget everything else around him. Ron told her he'd been like this since she left, but she couldn't believe it until she saw it herself.
My God! Was he like that really because of her? But that would be stupid! He cared for her as nothing more than just a friend. He would have never changed himself because of her…that was totally absurd. Wasn't it?
"And another 10 points for the Canons! Hoho! I reckon this is not going too well for our Seahorses, folks. They're only up by 30, no…make that 20. Canon's Chaser Burette scores for his team another goal. And still no luck from the home team. It's still raining cats and dogs but I see no signal from the coach to stop the game. And the match continues…" The commentator shouted through the crazy downpour.
Hermione could barely make out his words. A blinding flash of light erupted in the sky, followed by a loud clap of thunder. She was half-hoping that the game be canceled so she could leave, having seen too much of Harry. But her hope was given no attention as each team continued to play for a spot in the Finals.
"Hold on a minute, mates! Was that the snitch?" The commentator suddenly yelled and everyone's eyes seemed to follow Harry's every move, including Hermione, whose hood had fallen off her head, uncovering her face. But no one actually noticed, since they were busy tailing the famous seeker who was whizzing past player after player, and stand after stand. His opponent was a few feet behind him, following him in whatever direction he went.
The snitch, which had disappeared for a moment, suddenly appeared in front of Hermione's stand. It was hovering a few feet away from her and it wasn't darting from side to side at all. Two figures were fast approaching her place and she knew one glimpse of her would be enough for Harry to find out who she was.
Hermione began to turn around and was about to head out when she noted another fast-paced object hurtling toward Harry, as if to block his path. It was only when it was merely a hundred meters away that she realized what it was.
A bludger was coming straight for him! And if he wouldn't turn around to see it, he might not be able to react on time. Hermione bit her bottom lip in anxiety. This was the first time in the last three years she worried over his sake. She forgot her mission to remove herself from there as soon as possible and completely turned around to yell at the top of her lungs, even as she saw Harry tightly clasp the tiny snitch in his outstretched hand.
"Harry, watch out!"
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At the sound of a voice that he knew so well, Harry immediately grew alert. He knew Hermione was somewhere in the stands and he was certain she was watching him. But he barely had enough time to look for her when he turned and swerved away from the pelting bludger that missed him only by a hair's breadth, at the same time that his fist closed, with the snitch inside it.
"Harry Potter has caught the Snitch! Seahorses win the game! They move to the Finals and would be competing with the Irish Deckers." The commentator yelled in glee as the crowd roared from almost everywhere around them. "That was a spectacular game. Never would have thought he'd catch the snitch on time, though. And with that bludger narrowly missing him! Well, there you have it. Harry Potter is still Harry Potter!" The commentator began crowing his congratulations to the team and then, the crowd began to disperse, all talking about the Quidditch match.
Through all this, Harry suddenly remembered Hermione's presence. He maneuvered his broomstick toward the stand where he was sure he had heard her voice, but was abruptly stopped by six manly figures that shot to him all at once. They began hugging, shaking, and even kissing him, for saving a game once again with his heroic tactics, not that he did something different this time.
When he managed to peer through one of the gaps between his teammates, he saw that nobody was there. Whoever it was had already left. When he finally did get away from them, he immediately flew over to the stand and stood silently, regretting the fact that she might have been watching all along and he wasn't able to talk to her or even lay eyes on her.
From afar, he could see the Seahorses' fans, crowding in the entrance to their locker room, waiting for the chance to see the players. And on the other side of the field; the Canons were slowly piling out, ready to leave the field.
He decided to sit down. From where he was seated, he could see his box at the other side of the field. He couldn't stop himself from cussing as he realized that he could have seen her from his place had it come to his mind that she would not be able to stop herself from watching Ron's match. It was just like her to give in to him. Why didn't he see that before? She must love Ron so much as to abandon her principles and risk being exposed to people who would have so many questions for her.
Harry didn't mean to feel it, but he actually felt jealous of Ron because he had been the one to whom Hermione had run when she returned. He had been the one she had trusted to cover her arrival. Harry couldn't understand her at all. Throughout their years in Hogwarts, he had been the one with whom she confided her problems, not Ron. He never wanted anything more than to keep her safe, yet she couldn't see that, even when he had already confessed all these before.
But this didn't mean she cared for him no less…he reminded himself. He thought of Hermione's warning shout awhile ago. For him, it was enough proof that she still cared for him. If she no longer bothered herself with his sake, she could have just let it hit him. But she didn't. She warned him to avoid that bludger even though she knew he would once he'd caught the snitch.
But even though he knew she still had feelings for him, what could he possibly do? She left, which meant she wasn't willing to talk to him despite that. And how would he even find her? Ron was no close to telling Harry where Hermione was and he doubted somebody else knew where she lived.
He stood up in frustration and walked down the steps, but almost slipped when he stepped on a soggy cloth on the floor. He glanced down to carefully watch his path when the unusual shade of the material caught his eye. He bent down and picked it up only to find that it wasn't just some cloth.
In fact, it was cloak made of rich, velvet material. Whoever owned it would probably be frantically looking for it right now. Such expensive clothing was not easy to lose. He looked around and saw nobody. Shouldn't the owner have noticed it fall off when she, presumably, stood up or walked away?
Unless…no, the thought wasn't reasonable.
Who could possibly run off while the match was going on?
And he also found it hard to believe that the person who owned it left after the match because people were still piling out off the field. Whoever it was would have already noticed the cloak missing, since rain was still pouring, and should have already returned to this place to look for it.
The only conclusion he could come up with was that the person had left while people were still watching. A most likely she could have left in haste and had forgotten that she was wearing her cloak and was now lost in the throngs of people leaving the area.
But all these thoughts came down to one simple question.
Who was she?
Then….
He froze.
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