Ugh, it was every sister's worst nightmare, being upstaged by a sibling. A sibling who had to be better than you at everything you did. Every image, for all appearances sake, she was the one person that had to outdo me tenfold. It was absolutely irritating. I usually didn't take note of it. She was just jealous, I told myself. She was just trying to overcompensate for everything she lacked such as grace, beauty and acceptance. Because she couldn't be accepted for who she was, she had to even overdo that one too with the brainy nerd front. Because she wasn't like me, she had to flaunt her way to the top as the smartest know-it-all in the history of the world. That's how she'd always looked to me. I didn't mind a lot of the time. It wasn't even close to being something that should tick me off. Just because she was compensating for the things she didn't have didn't mean it had to take a toll on me, right? I was more beautiful, more graceful, more accentuated in every way but the brains, but no one could say I particularly lacked in those either, except when I sat next to my sister.
Willing with every iota of my mind for the class to be over I watched as the clock ticked slowly closer and closer, and each second it got closer, I edged towards the precipice of my seat. I was supposed to be paying attention to the lecture in front of us, but what had Prof. Binns said that I hadn't already read about or heard about from my sister. She ranted endlessly when we were together. It drove me absolutely insane. Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, went the clock. It was nerve-wracking. I wanted out of that class so bad. But I knew there would be no end to it. No design I possessed could speed up the seconds of possibly the most boring History of Magic class there ever was, and that, to me, was a tragedy.
Rrrriiiinnnngggg. Ah, finally! Book bag in hand and wand swiftly tucked into the folds of my robe I was flying towards the classroom door in the flashes of flashes. It took me three seconds to go from the second to the front row to the door at the back of the room. Three seconds! Did that tell you how much I absolutely hated school? Well not all school—just a few classes to be more precise—but that was just because a lot of my classes contained a student that I saw too much of in my personal time. She was someone whom I would rather not have to see at all for a long extended period of time. But I know that's not entirely possible, especially when that person is my sister, and not just my sister, but also my twin sister. Fraternal twins but twins nonetheless. It was a good thing we were fraternal too because I'd probably want to drown rather than look like her.
Racing down the corridors of Hogwarts I had only one destination: the common room, my dormitory, my four-poster bed. It would have been nice to have someone to go to, but the only person I had to go to lived in London and was currently playing Quidditch for England's team, Puddlemere United. And goodness I missed him so much. I was so jealous that Oliver was older and successful…oh and was an only child!
I was nearly at the Portrait of the Fat Lady when someone caught up with me. Someone whom, even though was extremely good-looking and wanted to be my friend, was one of my sister's best friends and a boy who didn't seem to have a whole lot going for him. Sure if he got out of the rut of 'Chosen One' sooner rather than later he might have a shot at a somewhat normal life, but otherwise, Harry Potter didn't really have a lot of real world potential. Magic flowed so deeply in his veins and truly in the pit of his soul that he was intertwined with it so inexplicably it was hard to describe. How my sister could handle all his twisted fame and bizarre mood swings was beyond me.
"Oh, hi Harry."
"Hi, have you seen Hermione?"
"Um, not really. I just saw her in class, but I didn't check to see if she was behind me at all when I left."
"Oh." He looked disappointed.
"Well hey, it's the end of the day, she should be heading back here soon so it'll only be a matter of time. Just chill in the common room until she gets back, eh?"
"Yeah, thanks Gwyn, I think I'll do just that. Would you like to wait with me?"
"Um…no I think I'll pass. I have a headache sort of, and I would like to go rest for a bit before dinner." I would lie my way out of anything that lead me into a confrontation with anyone, especially my sister, who was due back at any minute.
"Oh, okay. Well I hope you feel better soon," Harry said as I turned and went into the Common Room after muttering the password to the fat lady.
Yeah, whatever. Harry was cute, I'd give him that, but he hung out with my sister, and that wasn't all that great. Anyone who hung out with her was really in for it. She'd be cool one minute and then the next she'd be fuming about something or another. I should know; I've lived with her for the past seventeen years.
Seventeen years of the know-it-all Hermione Granger. How I ever lived through it all was beyond me. I ran up the stairs towards my dorm and wrenched open the door before closing it swiftly behind me. Safe and sound, I thought to myself, knowing that here in my own niche of solitude, I would be okay for at least a few hours. Unless Hermione came in, which was likely, and then I wouldn't be so safe. There was only one person in the world I wanted to see right now. Well…it was a toss up between two people actually. The first one was Oliver, who was out of my reach for at least another couple of days, until he came to visit me. I smiled at the thought. I might just give up hopelessly and go to him now if I could get away with it. The second was my best friend, Liah, who, like the wonder she is, graduated a year ahead of schedule to go into training at St. Mungos. She was truly a genius when it came to herbs and potions and such, a miracle worker, no joke. Liah was my best and one true friend, whom I told absolutely anything and everything. I needed some kind of mental release. This year at Hogwarts without her has just been torturing.
Both my consoles lived conveniently in London and conveniently out of my instant reach. I couldn't even call them like I usually did when I was at home. My parents, both muggles, of course had a telephone, which I used regularly to contact Liah and Oliver, whom both acquired a telephone upon becoming acquainted with me. I hated the uselessness of an owl, though the floo network did look mighty tempting right now. It was building now, the thoughts and ideas of getting away from Hogwarts, away from everything. I was too bottled up in this environment. I needed to escape.
I heard someone coming up the stairs. Light-footed and whistling a light tune, the girl drew nearer and nearer. I knew it would be her. I was getting closer to exploding, to having a mental breakdown. It was just like in the classroom. The rhythmic clunking of the footsteps resembled the ticking of the clock previously and I just knew that as soon as the door opened it would trigger everything. She wouldn't be expecting it, but I didn't care. I didn't really care about her right now. I just needed to get this emotion under control, and I knew it wouldn't do any good to try without having at her once before I left. The doorknob turned. Seconds were measured and my eyes widened and my breathing accelerated. I was suffocating.
She came into view, into the door. Her books in front of her, her brown eyes directed at the floor as she walked in. Her hair, which everyone always thought as bushy but it really wasn't, was curled ever so slightly and tucked behind her ears, a result of leaning over her books constantly all day. Oh and she'd also been flaunting and jumping around in Charms trying her darndest to produce whatever charm it had been. It's been a long day and I've already forgotten about that class.
She looked up, surprised at my being up there. Harry had obviously not told her that I was up here 'trying to get rid of my headache'. Either I should have been thankful or upset. Had he told her she would confront me on my lying. He hadn't told her though so perhaps I should be upset that she had even bothered to come up. It was a two-way toss up and I didn't really feel like getting into it all that deeply.
"Oh, sorry Gwyn, I didn't know you were up here."
I scuffed slightly, wondering at my bad luck. "S'okay. I was just going to lie down and see if I can rid myself of my…uh…headache."
That was an immediate bad idea. I should have just told her the truth. Instead I decided to lie and now she'd be—
"What headache!? You don't get headaches Gwyn, something about your resistant skull repels them like you do everything else."
"Don't start with me Hermione. I do too get headaches, and guess what causes them? Huh? No guesses? You do!"
"What? Me? What did I do to you now?" She then rolled her eyes and answered her own question. "Oh that's right. I didn't do anything. It's just the fact that I exist isn't it? That I upstage you at everything? That's got to be it, right! I'm the big headache."
"You know me only too well kid," I replied, insisting that she was the kid sister. Though she and I were the same age technically, I was born sixteen minutes before her; that and the fact that I was more mature in a lot of ways. My boyfriend for instance, ex-Quidditch captain Oliver Wood, was playing professionally now, and he always insisted that I was very mature for my age. My parents thought so too. Hermione was obsessed with books whereas their eldest daughter, Gwyneviere, was born to be a lady, with much more class and elegance than Hermione could ever hope to accomplish.
"Ugh," Hermione cringed, "Don't call me kid. It's not like that and you know it. Just because you were born first doesn't really make you that much older than me, you know. We still have the same birthday, which we celebrate one the same day, every year. Together!"
"Which is why I don't think I'll be home for this one little sis. I'm sick and tired of being in your shadow. Mom and dad always said you're the smartest and most intelligent and you flaunt yourself in front of them ever single holiday you get. I'm sick of it! And I don't even know if I'm going to finish the school year here."
"Wha—what? I'm sorry. Did I hear you say you weren't going to finish school? Are you…leaving Hogwarts?" She faltered over the words like they'd hit her like a harsh northern wind. I hadn't really given thought to it before, but now it seemed like a serious option. Whatever I wanted to do in the world didn't need schooling; that was for sure. It wouldn't really set a good example, but so what. I couldn't stand it here beside her every step of the way.
"Yeah that's what I said. You heard me right. I'm leaving."
"But—where are you going to go?" She looked heartbroken, like I'd just taken her favorite book away from her.
"I might go and stay with Oliver for a while and then look for a decent job. He and I have been going pretty strong even since he left you know. He visits all the time to see me here." She probably hadn't even noticed.
"Oh." She looked down to the floor and walked over slowly to her trunk. She let her books fall and she sat down on the edge of her trunk. She looked rather…sad, actually. She looked, well, like she'd lost her best friend.
"What's wrong now?" I asked, annoyed at the guilt I was now feeling.
"It's…nothing. I just never really imagined myself being here without you, or you leaving me behind. That's all."
I frowned. She thought we'd be together for a long time before we'd have to say goodbye like this. I didn't see that happening anymore. Those were the dreams I used to have when we were younger, and the best of friends.
I started moving around the room purposefully. I had made up my mind. I was going to write a note to Oliver and tell him my intentions and then pack up and catch a train from Hogsmeade back to London. He would welcome me there. He would trust my judgment. He knew I could take care of myself. He respected me.
I opened my truck and started neatly packing things in. It took me no more than fifteen minutes to get all my things in order. It took me another ten to write a letter to Oliver, explaining what was happening. He would probably meet me at King's Cross Station when I got there.
All the while Hermione stayed silent. She had either been thinking things over or not thinking at all. She'd remained entirely still except for moving once or twice to brush her hair subconsciously over her ears. She was probably thinking of some way to make me change my mind. To make me stay longer perhaps, but we both knew that wasn't going to work. But I knew Hermione. She would at least have to try. If that was indeed what she was planning on doing.
I looked around the room once more, my eyes made a sweeping motion to see if I could find something I had missed. Nothing jumped out at me but Hermione. Still as ever she only twisted her head to look at me pleadingly.
"I can't," I replied to her unasked question. Nothing was said, but her eyes spoke the words her mouth could not. "If I stay, I might as well suffocate myself. I would go crazy. I can't stay here. It just won't work out, even if I do try. This is what I need Hermione. I'll tell Mom and Dad. I don't know when I'll see you again. Bye."
I left the room without a second glance. All through the common room people stared at me, wondering where I was going with my cloak on with a letter in my hand, determined look on my face. Those who knew me, which were few and far between, would have an idea what was up. But others would just wonder what had transpired between Hermione and I. Between me and my twin sister.