A/N: First H/Hr chapter fic!!! (nervous eyes flit about room). I've had this planned out for a little while, but I wanted to get some one-shots out of the way first. I've never done one quite like this (it's a little more angsty, humor and snarkiness is more my forte) but there's plenty of humor to break up the drama. I've done L/J angst, but the marauders are always easy to use to break up the drama. I don't know how this will pan out, but I hope you enjoy it : ) Chapter fics tend to get more attention than one shots, so I'm expecting lots of reviews!!! Lol
**A little background info- this takes place end of 6th year: the dreaded Harry and Ginny realization that hit me like a punch to the stomach. Yes, I still had hope for H/Hr up till "Sectumsempra", isn't that sad? So naïve, so naïve… Anyway- that's about all you need to know (so as not to give too much away) so happy reading! Love LOve LOVE feedback!!!!!!!**
DECEPTIONS
She sat alone in the empty corridor, head leaned against the stony wall with arms around her knees. Wavy brown hair cascaded over her shoulder, curls of chestnut flowing down her back. Jewels of sorrow trickled down her cheek, silently streaming from unblinking eyes. She sighed, licking her lips before rubbing the teardrops away with the back of her hand.
A figure appeared above her, lone and silent, looming at the top of the stair. He watched her for a moment, fighting a battle within, allowing her to hide her pain before making his presence known. She paid him no attention, wanting to be alone, but deeply exhaled as if inviting him to join her.
The figure plopped down beside her, poking his legs out in front of him, and fiddled absent-mindedly with his robes. She continued to ignore him, not daring to look his direction, and softly whimpered into her shoulder, just before straightening up and removing any trace of emotion from her features.
"I hate it."
"You know, I don't like it either."
"Well, you didn't really do anything about it! You just stared at them like some sort of drooling zombie and nodded your head- in approval."
"Well, I didn't mean to- I was in shock."
"Typically those undergoing stressful situations tend to overreact, or at least get over their initial bewilderment within a time span of less than an hour."
"He's my best mate! He never even told me he fancied her! You'd think I would know!"
"Yes, you should have known! But because you're a complete idiot the whole room was floored. If either one of us should have had an idea it was you."
"Hardly! Just cos I live with him doesn't mean I stare at him all day long."
The girl flushed a deep shade of crimson, matching the heat in her eyes before she retorted,
"Well, at least I knew better than to wave them out of the stupid common room, as if it was my blessing."
"I never actually said 'I bless you'-"
"They didn't sneeze, Ronald!"
"Well, there were a lot of fluids being passed around, if you catch my drift-"
"You're absolutely disgusting! Why the hell would I want to hear something like that come spewing out of your mouth, as if I'm not traumatized enough!" Hermione spat, standing up from her fetal position.
"It's been three days, Hermione. The damage has been done. There's nothing we can do to fix it."
"I'm not giving up hope. You said you were just as upset as I was-"
"Well, not at first, but lately-"
"And why is that?"
Ron hesitated for a moment, bringing up his hand to scratch the back of his neck as he stared at the tops of his shoes, "It just doesn't seem right…"
"That's what I've been saying all along! Something is awry, it just doesn't feel genuine."
"It does to him."
"Have you talked to him?"
"He's on cloud nine," he answered slowly, not meeting Hermione's gaze.
Her face fell with a severity that cannot be described, and Hermione braced the wall for fear of collapsing. She slid down the rough partition like molasses, her hair crumpling behind her as her buttocks made its way toward the floor. Eyes blank with trepidation, she transfixed her stare on the row of flickering torches, crackling merrily against the gloomy hallway.
"I'm sorry, Hermione."
"I just didn't see this coming. It hit me like a ton of bricks- I never thought…"
"At least he's happy?"
"But not with me…"
"Well, it's not like they're engaged or anything- and something still isn't quite right…"
"I've noticed," she droned, staring daggers at her companion.
"No, really, Hermione, something's off."
"Well, in case you haven't noticed- I've been a little too preoccupied with other matters."
"That's what you've got me for," Ron said with a grin, Hermione rolling her eyes as she turned to face him.
"Get on with it, then."
"I know they've only been at it a couple of days, but he says he can't ever find her. Like she's gone half the time-"
"Well, that's good news, I suppose," she mused, tilting her eyes to the ceiling in thought.
"Not for him-"
"But for me."
"Well, we're not really, erm, talking about you…"
Beams of death shot out of her eyes as she clenched her jaw, fingers coiling in rage at her sides.
"But we'll get to that," Ron piped up quickly, sweat pouring from his brow, "I just mean it's bothering him. You know- wondering where she's off to all the time. I can see where he's coming from."
"If she's genuinely been interested in him for five years or more, why on earth would she be anywhere else other than his arms? She's not that popular-"
"Weasleys have their charms," Ron drawled, grinning like mad as he laced his fingers behind his head.
"Must've skipped you, then," Hermione snorted, her lips pulling into a smirk.
"I have plenty of charm!"
"Your fly is unzipped."
Ron's cheeks turned the color of his hair as he whipped around and 'fixed his business.' Hermione giggled for the first time in days and brushed a strand of curls behind her ear, her smile vanishing as soon as it appeared when she heard a pair of voices in the distance.
"Who is tha-"
"Shhh!!" she scolded, slapping a hand over Ron's mouth.
"That was wonderful. Bloody amazing," a girl's voice echoed down the corridor.
A male's voice laughed at her remark and said something inaudible, causing the girl to giggle.
"Well, it wasn't all you," the girl teased, their footsteps coming closer.
"No, I highly doubt you could handle all of me," the male voice said, accompanied by more laughter.
Just then, Ginny rounded the corner and caught sight of Ron and Hermione- freezing mid-step as her eyes widened in fear. The pair sitting in the stairwell merely goggled at her, neither one's face showing any trace of recognition.
"Ha ha ha! Harry- we'd better go back this way, stairwell's taken. Sorry, you lot," she finished with a wink, shoving her partner back to whence they came as Hermione fled up the staircase.
A/N: Short first chapter to (hopefully) get you interested. More background that I couldn't tell you before: Hermione has, within the past three days, made it obvious to Ron that she likes Harry. If you didn't pick up on this, the infamous common room kiss that H/G shared was several days before this conversation took place, and Hermione has been moping around ever since- somewhat distancing herself from Harry. Hope you come back for more, R&R please please please!!!