A Disastrous Party
Why did I have to come with him? thought Hermione as she pushed through the crowd.
It had seemed like a great plan at first: go to Slughorn's party with McLaggen, endure his company, and make Ron jealous, show Ron how it felt to have the one you love be with someone else. But it had all gone wrong. Horribly wrong.
She caught snatches of random conversations as she continued to battle her way through the many guests in Slughorn's office.
"Sanguini, I said, NO!"
"Severus, so good to see you. You really should stop by more often."
"Hello, Professor Trelawney." —Wait, that was Luna's voice. And if Luna was here, Harry had to be close by. But where were they?
"Hermione! Hermione!" Apparently, Harry had been looking for her too. She finally saw them. Harry and Luna were accompanied by Sibyll Trelawney.
"What's happened to you?"
"Oh, I've just escaped — I mean, I've just left Cormac, under the mistletoe."
"Serves you right for coming with him." She could sense the disapproval in his voice.
"I thought he'd annoy Ron most."
"Don't you think this has gone on long enough? Why don't you two just tell each other how you feel and be done with it?"
"It's not that easy, Harry, and you know it!" Hermione's eyes were brimming with tears.
I wish Ron were here. I wish it had been him with me under that mistletoe. She felt the tears start to overwhelm her. She didn't want Harry or Luna to see her break down. She cast around for a good excuse to disappear, and there was McLaggen starting toward their little group.
"Oh no, here he comes!"
As she ducked out of the room, her tears started to fall and by the time she reached the portrait of the Fat Lady she was sobbing.
"There there, dear. Boy troubles?" Hermione nodded, and the Fat Lady swung forward to let her into the Common Room without waiting for the password. The Common Room was empty, thank goodness. She dashed across it to the girls' staircase and climbed to her dormitory. She paused outside the door to compose herself and entered. The other Gryffindor sixth year girls were either still at the party or somewhere other than Gryffindor Tower, because the tower room was deserted. Hermione couldn't believe her luck. She collapsed on her bed, fully clothed, and cried herself to sleep.
Author's Notes: Originally written for the LJ Community flashfic_rhr's prompt mistletoe in December 2007.