Forbidden Love
Chapter 22
Hermione sat at the edge of the plush bed, her fingers trembling slightly as they worked to fasten the last few buttons at the top of her shirt. Looking up through her lashes, her gaze rested on the boy a few feet from her. Harry stood a little ways from the bed, his head bent as he focused on retying his tie. He gave a small frustrated growl when it ended up in a knot and untangled it, starting over again. As she slipped on her last knee high, Hermione heaved a small sigh and got up from the bed. Making her way over to the foot of it, she picked up her robe from off of the floor and dusted it off. As she turned, she gave another glance to Harry, who was still devoting all of his attention to his tie. He hadn't looked at her since a few minutes after they finished. One minute she had been resting with her head on his hard chest and the next he had been making excuses and slipping out of the warm bed.
'Maybe I did something wrong,' she thought, frowning as she slipped her robes back on. 'Maybe he didn't like it,' she ran a finger through her hair, to remove some of the tangles. 'But he must have liked it,' her mind interjected, 'he...well, you know.'
She blushed a bit, then her brows knitted together as she recalled overhearing a conversation between the Patil twins and Lavender Brown about how guys always...er, enjoyed it that much, even if it wasn't that great. She gave a frustrated sigh before bending and picking up Harry's robe from the foot of the bed. Making her way over to him she held it out, he glanced at her briefly before mumbling 'thanks' and taking the item from her hands. As he slipped his robe back on, she stepped forward and once again unknotted his tie.
Harry's eyes snapped up when she took a hold of the garment, but this time it was she who avoided his gaze. Instead she decided to concentrate on the task at hand and hope that he didn't notice the slight tremble of her fingers as she worked to get his clothing righted.
Hermione gave a small satisfied smile as she finished, straightening the tie so that it was fastened perfectly around his neck.
'Good, at least I didn't botch that up.' She thought. Still smiling slightly she looked up at the dark haired boy and the grin slowly faded from her lips as their eyes clashed. He stared back at her, his eyes alight with worry and confusion, reaching out a hand he lightly cupped the side of her face and she turned her chin into his touch.
"Hermione," he said softly "I-"
He was cut off as the door to the Room of Requirement suddenly opened; Hermione instantaneously took several steps back, giving a startled gasp when she bumped into the back of the couch. She looked at the burgundy sofa in surprise before giving a look to her right. Where a bed had been mere moments earlier, there now stood a small table and a bookcase. Glancing forward once more, she and Harry shared a bewildered look.
"Hermione!" Ginny Weasley called a second later slipping the rest of the way into the room and making her way over. "There you are! I just talked to that git of a brother of mine." The younger girl said frowning "I'm so sorry, I don't know how he could do something like that to you," she came forward and pulled Hermione into a tight hug. Pulling back she looked at the older girl sadly, "Don't worry I'll help you get though this, you and I'll have a big pig out fest tonight, just us girls, whadda ya say?" Hermione gave a strained smile, which the other girl took as an acceptance of her proposal. "Great!"
Ginny gave her a broad grin before giving a startled look to her left. "Hey Harry, I didn't see you there," she said smiling, releasing Hermione she went to Harry's arms.
The dark haired boy gave her a half smile and shrugged. "I didn't want to interrupt."
"You can never interrupt me," she responded, wrapping her arms around his neck and getting onto her toes.
Harry seemed to hesitate for a moment before dipping his head and meeting her half way, catching his girlfriends' lips in a long kiss. Hermione froze suddenly feeling like she had just been hit with a Petrificus Totalus spell. It seemed no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from the couple snogging in front of her, even though the sight of them was tearing her heart in two. After what felt like forever to the brunette girl, Ginny pulled back from Harry and smiled up at him.
"Mmm, you taste like chocolate," she murmured, his eyes flashed to Hermione for a moment before Ginny caught his lips in another kiss.
"Well, I'm going to go," the other girl said quickly, her voice shaking.
Before either Harry or Ginny could say a word, Hermione grabbed her wand off the table and headed swiftly out of the room. She was almost to the stairs when she heard someone behind her, quickening her pace she did her best to outrun the person, however it was to no avail as they caught up with her seconds later.
"Hermione," Ginny said in a winded voice, grabbing her arm and pulling her to a halt. "Just stop okay? Look, I'm sorry. I'm such a jerk, here you are, just broke up with your boyfriend, and I'm standing right in front of you snogging mine. I'm so sorry," the younger girl finished with an earnest expression.
"That's okay," Hermione responded looking down.
"No it's not," she replied.
"Yes it is, really," Hermione alleged, giving a hollow laugh and a fake smile. "See? I'm fine."
Ginny shook her head "What I see, is that you're crying" she commented using the sleeves of her robe to wipe her friends face dry. "Hermione, I'm so sorry, I can't believe my brother would do that to you, and with Loony no less."
"Ginny, it's no big deal really," she responded, sighing when the other girl gave her a skeptical look. "Really." she stressed, before looking around the semi-crowded hallway. "Look, I have an essay I need to finish for Charms, I'll talk to you later, alright?"
The redhead looked like she wanted to argue but to Hermione's relief she seemed to decide against it and instead just gave a nod before pulling the older girl into a hug.
"If you need to talk, I'm here for you," she whispered as they embraced.
"Thanks," Hermione replied pulling back and giving the other girl a diminutive smile.
Her eyes flicked past Ginny for a second and she was surprised to see Harry standing a few feet away, watching them with an anxious expression on his face and his hand buried in his right pocket.
'He's probably just worried I'll tell her what happened,' she thought dejectedly.
Feeling the urge to cry once more rapidly descend upon her, Hermione tore her gaze away from the dark haired boy and gave Ginny one last fleeting smile before hurrying off to her dorm. Upon reaching Gryffindor Tower she gave the password of 'gillyweed' to the Fat Lady before rushing inside and giving another password the to entrance to her own quarters.
"Cats," she mumbled to the portrait, rushing in as soon as the entrance opened and taking no heed to the soft smile and kind words the woman in the painting attempted to offer.
Hurrying though her sitting room and to her bedroom she had just enough time to close the door before she crumbled. Slamming the door shut behind her, Hermione leaned heavily against it, her head falling forward as she slid slowly down the length while painful sobs racked her body. She landed with a soft 'thump' on the floor and immediately curled her legs up against her chest, covering her face as anguished cries escaped from between her lips and echoed off the soft cream-colored walls of her bedroom.
What had she been thinking?! That if she gave herself to him, he would want her over Ginny? Choose her over Ginny? Hell, she couldn't even get Ron to choose her over Loony, so why would Harry want her instead of Ginny Weasley? She was everything Hermione wasn't, she was funny, outgoing, witty, she loved watching and playing Quidditch... she was beautiful. - 'You are so beautiful.' - Harry's words echoed in her mind. Was he even thinking of her? Did he have the right girl when he had made the heartfelt declaration?
'Of course not,' her mind interjected snidely, 'what about you is beautiful?'
Hermione lifted her head at this remark and glanced around her room with blurry eyes. A full-length mirror peeked from the other side of her bed and after a small hesitation she slowly got up and made her way over to it. The reflection that greeted her made her wish the she hadn't bothered. Frizzy brown hair fell in an uncontrollable jumble around her shoulders, her robes were open and slightly crooked while the white collared shirt peeking from under it was wrinkled and un-tucked from her black skirt. The skirt sat on hips that were, in her opinion, entirely too big and just under the hem line pale thighs and knobby knees lead to black knee-highs that were unevenly pulled up. Making her way back up along the reflection she wavered a bit before looking at her own pale face. She was greeted by flushed, tear stained cheeks, huge front teeth and a pointy nose that was so red she could have lead a sleigh for Santa. Looking into her own puffy dull brown eyes depression swarmed her as she recalled Ginny's bright eyes, perfect teeth, sparkling smile and smooth shining hair.
She dropped limply back onto the bed and stared at the face in the mirror, unsure of how anyone could ever make the mistake of calling it beautiful. Falling back, she put her hands over her face and began to softly weep. She could still smell his scent on her skin.
'You should take a shower,' her mind said, this time in a kinder tone.
She knew that it was right... she was right. She should take a shower. Every time she inhaled she could smell Harry, and when she licked her lips she could taste the light salt from his body. However, she found herself unable to move, unable to get up and go to the shower… unwilling to wash the smell or taste away. Her eyes fluttered open and she crossed her arms over her chest, lightly hugging herself. She knew why she didn't get up and shower, this would probably be the last time she ever smelled like this, the last time that she was ever so close to Harry that his scent still lingered on her skin.
She didn't even know how or if she would ever be able to face him again. She turned to her side and stared blankly out of the window at the top of her bed. She had been stupid for kissing him in the first place. She had known he was out of her league, but had convinced herself that she may have been mistaken after what had happened on New Years. However, once they reached the train station, Ginny was once again in his arms and she was once again delegated to the role of sidekick.
'That's what I get for acting like a light skirt,' Hermione thought angrily as tears continued to streamed unchecked from her eyes.
And to think, when Ron had ended things between them she had actually been quite relieved, though she didn't tell him that for fear of hurting his feelings. She had actually thought that now she might just have a chance with Harry… who was she kidding?
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She had gone into her room to gather her thoughts and sort out her feelings. When she heard the door click behind Ron, Hermione became worried that she had given him the wrong idea and had immediately gone in search of him- just to tell him that it was okay. After checking the boys dorm and the Great Hall, she headed outside where she finally found him speaking with Harry. She paused for a moment; unsure if she should intrude before deciding it was best to let him know what she felt and slowly nearing the two. They still had not noticed her when she picked up part of the conversation…
Harry, looked at Ron completely baffled and gave a shake his head. "But, you guys are going to make up right? It's not permanent, is it?"
"Looks that way," Ron replied.
"But... why?" the other boy asked sounding genuinely distressed by the notion.
The blood rushed in her ears 'Harry wanted her and Ron together?! He wanted them to make up?!'
Any delusions that she had maintained from the looks that she would catch from the dark-haired boy suddenly came crashing down with that one heartbreaking question. Turning she quickly rushed back towards the building, just catching Ron's response.
"It just wasn't... there anymore…"
Fleeing into the building she started towards her dorm then changed her mind; Ron, Ginny and Harry all knew her password. Changing course once more, she headed to the Room of Requirement.
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She had been surprised when Harry had entered an hour or so later, but then again, he did always know how to find her. She gave a sniffle and grabbed a pillow, hugging it against her chest. She should have know when he told her that he had looked for her because Ron had asked him to that it was a lost cause, but when he had been so adamant about how pretty she was....
"And not only do I throw myself at him, I had to go do something even more stupid…" she said to herself, rubbing her aching eyes "-and say that I loved him." Hermione gave a contemptuous laugh that slowly turned into a heartfelt sob as she once again began to weep.
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"You know it really is too bad," Lavender Brown was saying as Hermione did her best to contain the urge to kick the other girl. "But I'll tell you this, his taste in girls does seem to be getting worse every year." The blondes eyes widened "Not saying that you're part of that decline, of course," she quickly amended with a fake smile.
"Of course," Hermione replied through clenched teeth "well, as fun as this is I have to get to Charms. Excuse me," she commented frostily, sidestepping the other girl who gave her a sickeningly sweet smile.
As she rounded the corner she instantly wished she had stayed in the company of Lavender Brown and her backhanded remarks. As oppose to the person who was standing there waiting to greet her.
"Well, well, well," Draco Malfoy drawled a mocking smile forming on his lips. "What do we have here? A little mudblood cow away from her flock huh?"
She rolled her eyes "Cow's travel in herds you git, not flocks. Now move Malfoy, I have to get to class."
She tried to step around him but he and his underlings moved and blocked her path.
"What's the matter Granger, having a little... guy trouble?" His cronies chortled. "Everyone's already heard that Weasel dropped you for Loony," his brows rose "who, though not the best choice, is still better than a filthy mudblood," she glared at him. "However, the real talk of the school is what is going on with you and Potty."
Hermione's eyes widened for an instant before narrowing to slits "What in Merlin's beard are you talking about Malfoy?"
Draco took a few steps forward so that he was in her personal space; she glared in response but did not move.
"I'm talking about how the infamous trio is now a duo, with you being the odd..." he smirked, "man out."
"Do you know what's funny?" Hermione asked giving him a serious look. "I was totally unaware that you even knew words like infamous or man."
He glowered at her "Yeah I know what a man is, something you'll never get," the minions laughed. "I mean, honestly look at you, you're a veritable hag. Your hair looks like someone could loose their homework in it and your front teeth look like they're just begging for a carrot. Let's face it Granger, it's a good thing you have that little smush faced bastard you call a pet following you around," he sneered and his cronies tittered "-after all, you might as well get a head start on your cat collection."
"Move Malfoy," she responded, hurt by how easily he had pinpointed her insecurities.
"Make me Granger," he replied, taking a step closer and forcing her to take one back.
"I mean it, move or-"
"Or what? You'll hex me? If I can survive your face then I can survive any spells you throw my way." Hurt flashed in her eyes and having seen it his smile widened. "Oh come on, don't tell me you don't know how positively dreadful you look."
She stuck out her chin in response "Just get out of my way."
"Ahhh, so you do."
Hermione attempted to sidestep him once more, but was blocked by Goyle as he moved forward.
"Just move, you're going to make me late to class," she said almost cringing at the desperation in her tone.
"Aww," Draco drawled sarcastically, "and won't you just die if that happens?'
"She won't, but you might," a voice said. Hermione turned to see Harry standing a little ways behind her, gripping his wand tightly and his eyes flashing dangerously. "Are you okay Hermione?" He asked, taking several steps forward and pulling her behind him.
Hermione mentally cursed herself as her pulse speed up from his touch, she hadn't been this close to him in over a week, but her body still reacted strongly to his presence. Not trusting her voice at that moment she gave Harry a small nod and seeing that she was alright, he turned his attention from her to the blond haired boy in front of him.
"You know Malfoy," Harry said frostily "just because you and these muppets that you call mates don't plan on graduating Hogwarts anytime soon doesn't mean that you have the right to stop others from getting to class."
"I wasn't stopping her from anything Potter, she was just enjoying the company of a real man," Draco responded, Hermione snorted.
"I'm sure she was until you showed up and ran him away," Harry retorted. "Now get lost Malfoy."
The blond smirked, "Perhaps I don't feel like getting lost, you know I think I'm comfortable just where I am."
"Yeah, well perhaps you should move."
"Perhaps you should make me."
"Perhaps I will."
"Well this should be interesting," Malfoy drawled with a sneer.
"Harry don't," Hermione whispered from beside him. "Let's just leave, we can go another way."
"What's the matter Potter?" Draco spat, smirking. "Not enough cameras around for you to prove you're a man?"
"Please, even cameras won't make you a man Malfoy. I don't think anything ever will." Harry replied in just as mean a tone as the other boy, Hermione gave him an anxious look.
"Yeah, well bring it Potter… If you can," the blond responded raising his wand as his cronies laughed at the remark.
When Hermione saw Harry lift his wand in response, her hand swiftly shot up and pulled it back down. Her pulse speed up and her fingers tingled as the warmth of his body seeped through his cuff and into her fingertips. She restrained a frustrated growl at her inappropriate reactions to his proximity; this was neither the time, nor the place for such feelings.
"Harry, don't," she urged, staring desperately at her friend and hoping he would be able to control his infamous temper. "He's not worth it-"
"Listen to the mudblood Potter, you normally do anyway," Malfoy chimed in, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Harry's arm twitched under her fingers as he moved to bring his wand back up, but she forestalled it by tightening her grip on his wrist. He turned his head and looked at Hermione, anger burning in his eyes. However, when their gazes clashed something else began to burn in them and he quickly looked away, a blush covering his cheeks and neck. He gave a huff of the breath and relaxed in her grip; pulling away completely he crossed his arms over his chest, his wand still gripped tightly in his right hand and a deep frown marring his handsome features.
Malfoy sniggered "Just like a trained poodle. Hey Mudblood! For his next trick why don't you get him to roll over and play dead?" He finished as the minions behind him tittered.
Harry opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything a voice spoke from behind him.
"I do hope Mr. Malfoy," Professor McGonagall said walking up behind Harry and Hermione. "That it was not from the mouth of one of our esteemed Slytherin Prefects that I just heard that despicable slur."
Malfoy glared, but didn't comment.
"I must say that I'm most disappointed you're not setting a proper example for your fellow peers, let alone the younger students. I'll be sure to talk to your Head of House about just what his students are going around bellowing in the hallways." She continued with a stern look "That type of language doesn't belong in your vocabulary and it defiantly does not belong in this school. Thirty points from Slytherin and detention for you personally. Follow me Mr. Malfoy," she finished giving him a stern look and proceeding past the group of students down the hall.
Professor McGonagall paused when she noticed Draco wasn't behind her. "When I said come with me, Mr. Malfoy I meant now. However, if you have a problem with that I'm sure that another thirty points from Slytherin and two weeks as Mr. Filch's personal assistant will help to motivate you properly."
The blond boy's eyes widened and his mouth dropped a bit before he hurried after the Professor, throwing one last glower back to the laughing Harry and Hermione. With their leader now gone, the other Slytherin students glared at the two Gryffindors' before hastening around the corner and towards class when Harry gave a flick of his wand.
Hermione chuckled "Thanks Harry, Malfoy can be such a prat."
Harry gave her a small smile "No problem," he ran a hand through his hair. "Look Hermione I was wondering if we could ta-"
"Well I have to get to class, thanks to the ferret I'm late," she said quickly, cutting him off. "I'll see you around Harry and thanks again!"
As soon she finished her comment, she turned and rushed down the hall. Hermione could hear Harry calling out to her, but she ignored it, instead choosing to quicken her pace. As she rounded the corner to Professor Flitwick's class, she took a moment to look behind her and was relieved to see that Harry hadn't followed. She had an idea what he wanted and she dreaded it. She wouldn't be able to bear it if he tried to apologize for what had happened between them. It had meant so much to her and even if he didn't feel the same way....
She gave a sigh, pushing the thoughts away. Placing a hand on the door to the classroom, she pulled it open and quietly entered. Mumbling to the professor that Head Girl duties were the cause for her tardiness she quickly made her way to her seat. After Charms was over she headed to Transfiguration and made sure to take a seat away from both Harry and Ron as soon as she entered, choosing instead to ignore her two former best mates and focus on her work. For the duration of the day, like so many before it, she answered questions in class, tended to her Head Girl duties, talked here and there to a few of her peers and Professors, going about her schedule as though nothing were awry. Always holding her feelings at bay; until the day was done and she retreated to the solitude of her personal dorm where she could weep in private.
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Harry lay in bed staring blankly at the burgundy canapé overhead as a flood of thoughts rushed through his head. Today, when he had rounded the corner and seen Hermione being accosted by Malfoy and his cronies he had been furious. The urge to yell out "Confringo!" and blast the blond to smithereens had been overwhelming and he had gripped his wand so hard in an effort not to do just that, he still had marks on his palm. In fact, he would have done it when the prat called Hermione a mudblood, but then she put her hand on him...
Harry sighed and looked at his wrist where she had touched him, he could almost swear that he could still feel her fingertips. For the past week and a half he had barely seen her; she didn't come down to dinner very often, she got up early for breakfast and she had started eating lunch in her room. In fact the only time that he really saw her was in class and even then she no longer sat by him, heck she hardly ever even looked in his direction anymore.
Frowning he ran a hand though his hair before reaching down into his right front pocket and pulling out a medium sized hair tie. Harry gazed at the burgundy scrunchie, twirling it on his fingers, before putting it to his nose and taking a small sniff. It still smelled like her hair...
Closing his eyes, he could see Hermione sitting in the middle of the plush bed, clad only in her white button up shirt, short black skirt and black knee highs, her eyes were on his own filled with passion as she pulled the colored band from her hair and a waterfall of curls fell onto her shoulders. His snapped his eyes open and he gave a sigh. He had to stop doing this to himself.
When she fled the room and Ginny rushed out after her, he hadn't been sure what to do. He had seriously considered going after her straight away, but he knew that with Ginny there he wouldn't really be able to do or say anything of the things that he wanted to. So he had just stood there like an idiot for couple of minutes, before realizing that he should at least try to say something to her. He had moved to grab his wand from by the corner of the couch, when he had seen it. Almost completely camouflaged in the rich burgundy of the sofa, the scrunchie sat nestled between two large pillows. After hesitating for an instant he had grabbed the small hair tie and stuffed it in his pocket, figuring that he could possibly use it for an excuse to talk to her. However, when he had made it down the hall and seen her speaking with Ginny she had looked so distressed, he froze and just stood there like a git.
He knew that he should have talked to her, but he had no idea what to say. After what had just happened between them, what could he say? 'Hey, Hermione here's your hair tie, by the way that was great! Do you think we can shag again?!' Yeah, girls loved that type of thing.
'Why didn't you just say, 'I love you too'?' his mind asked.
He shook his head, oh yeah, saying that in front of Ginny would have gone over real well. Besides, he didn't feel that way about Hermione. The girl he loved was Ginny, true his feelings for her had developed rather quickly, but they were still there. She was his girlfriend and he cared about her, he loved her; he could still remember the day when he realized what he felt and their first kiss after the big Quidditch match. He remembered it all, how it felt when he realized his feelings and how great it was when they kissed that day. That's how he knew… he loved Ginny not Hermione.
'So why have you been carrying Hermione's scrunchie in your pocket for the last week and a half?' his heart asked.
'Because I'm just waiting for the right moment to give it back to her that's all,' his head responded.
'Really?' inquired his heart.
'Yeah, really.' replied his brain.
'So why do you take it out to look at it during the day?' his heart retorted smugly. `Why do you smell it to see if still has her scent? Why do you stare at it every night and then go on to dream about her till morning? Why don't you just give it back?' his head remained quiet under the onslaught of questions. `Tell me Harry,' his heart continued going in for the kill, `is that why you watch her name on the Marauders Map? Or wait in the common room under your invisibility cloak so that you can see her, just for a moment, before she enters to her dorm after night rounds?'
Harry closed his eyes and sighed, fine, so he did know the answers to those questions, but what if she didn't feel that way anymore? What if she had been just using him as a substitute for Ron and she had really meant the she loved him, not Harry?
He could still see the way that she looked at him when she hugged Ginny in the hallway, disgust, disappointment and hurt shining in her eyes. Was it towards him? He covered his face with his arm. Of course it was towards him, but what for? Because he kissed Ginny? He could understand her being angry about that, but he hadn't known what else to do when she kissed him, so he just kissed her back. But what really worried him was that it wasn't because of that, but because of something else…
Did she regret what had happened between them? Was she disappointed with his...er, performance? Did she wish that she had never made love to him? Did she wish she had never said she loved him?
He moved his arm and stared back at the canapé, his hand tightly squeezing the scrunchie as he fought tears. Why did girls have to be so bloody complicated? He just wanted to know where he stood. He could think of nothing else but her, dream of nothing else but her, he wanted no one else but her and she wouldn't even look at him. When he tried to talk to her today she ran like a bloody Dementor was after her. He swatted roughly at his face when a tear escaped, unintentionally using Hermione's hair tie to wipe it with.
He didn't know what to do anymore... had he lost her? He wanted to talk to her but he was scared, he wouldn't be able to bear it if she regretted what had happened between them. It had meant so much to him and if she didn't feel the same way....
"Hey mate! There you are," Ron said entering the room.
Harry jammed the scrunchie back into his front pocket and quickly wiped the tears that had escaped from his face.
"You okay there?" Ron asked, having heard the other boy sniffle as he sat up.
"Yeah," Harry replied giving a half smile. "I'm fine… just, kinda coming down with a cold or something I think."
"Oh," the other boy responded looking concerned, "you should see Madam Pomfrey then, she has something that'll take care of that for you." He pulled a face, "Right dreadful stuff, but works like a charm."
Harry rose a brow, "Uh… I think I'm fine for now, but I'll be sure to keep that in mind."
Ron shrugged, "Suit yourself mate," he commented before taking a seat of the side of Harry's bed.
"Did you want something Ron?" Harry asked when the other boy just sat there looking at him expectantly.
"Oh, yeah. I wanted to talk to you."
"I figured as much," Harry responded dryly.
"Right," the other boy blushed, "well I wanted to know what was going on with you and Hermione?"
Harry's heart stopped for an instant, as he looked at his mate wide-eyed. Running a hand thorough his hair he licked his lips, "What do you mean?"
Ron gave him a puzzled look "I mean, what's going on? I can't help but notice, along with the rest of the student population, that Hermione doesn't seem to be speaking to either of us. Now I know why she's not speaking to me… but what confounds me is why she's not speaking to you."
The dark-haired boy looked down at his hands for a second before looking back up at his friend, "I don't know."
"Oh get off it Harry, you have to know. Did you say something to hack her off?"
"I don't think so."
"That day, you know when she and I broke up and you went to talk to her. What did you say?"
Harry ran a hand roughly thorough his hair as memories assaulted him, "Nothing."
"You didn't say anything?"
"Nothing that I think would have upset her."
"Well did you do something?"
Harry groaned and stood from his bed, scoffing he paced from the bed to the door and back again before looking at Ron. The redhead was wearing a frown and watching him closely.
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Harry?"
"What?! What do you want me to say Ron?!" he yelled; the other boy looked at wide-eyed. "Look, she was all upset about you and Luna and I-"
"Harry you didn't defend my relationship with Luna did you?" Ron asked incredulously.
"No wh-" Harry paused as a way out of the conversation presented itself. "Well… not really."
Ron groaned "Blimey mate! Why would you go and do a daft thing like that?! No wonder Ginny said she felt so much tension in the room that day. Hermione must have wanted to kick your arse!"
Harry stared blankly at Ron, "Ginny said she felt tension? She never said anything to me..."
Ron gave a dismissive wave, "Eh, you know how girls are mate. She was just reading too much into it, which is why she came to me instead of you. Don't worry I'll set her straight for you," the redhead said, going into Harry's drawer and pulling out a chocolate frog.
Harry took a deep breath, releasing it slowly, "What exactly did she say Ron?"
The other boy gave a shrug, "I don't really remember, something about something happening with you and Hermione, she sai- wicked! I don't have this one yet!" Ron exclaimed flipping a wizarding card over in his hand and reading the back. "Now I only have about five more to get before I have the whole collection."
Harry glowered at his mate and punched him in the arm, "Ron, what did she say?"
"Who?" he responded; the dark-haired boy glared, "Right… I don't know, she just said it seemed weird like something had happened with you guys and," he frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. "To be honest mate, I don't really remember. I got into this habit of tuning my sister out when she talked early on - haven't quite learned how to turn that off yet. Sorry…"
Harry sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets.
"What does it matter anyway? After all she was wrong," Ron continued standing from the bed and facing Harry. "Now what does matter is talking to Hermione, who had buried herself so much in her Head Girl duties that it's all she really does anymore- well that and of course studying. It's just plain nutty, really, with how much cramming she's doing and all the time she spends in the library, you'd think the N.E.W.T.s were tomorrow instead of months away." He gave a small sigh, "I know we broke up and all- but she's still one of my best mates and I just can't stand to see her so alone. I mean, I'm use to her not talking to me… but her not talking to you is just bloody weird," he finished, giving a small shudder.
"Well what do you want me to do about it?" Harry asked frowning.
Ron shrugged, "Whatever you need to, talk to her, apologize, beg for forgiveness, something… you're a smart bloke, figure it out." He looked at his watch, "well I have to go, Luna wants to read me the Quibblers latest article on the Blibbering Humdinger," Harry rose a brow at the red-haired boy who shook his head in response. "Don't ask." He said walking to the door; he was halfway down the stairs when he called back up. "Don't forget to talk to Hermione!"
"How could I forget," Harry mumbled, realizing his hands were still in his pockets, he pulled them out and looked at the burgundy hair tie in his right one. Heaving another sigh, he put it back into his pocket and headed down the stairs in searched of the brown-haired witch.
A.N. A bit angsty but it had to be done, onward ho! These two really need to get together and compare notes, so lets go talk to Hermione! Please Review, let me know what you think, ja ne!!!
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