Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Harry Potter.
Written for Ultimate Hermione Competition.
Her heart feels heavy with love and jealousy as she stands with a drink in her hand and watching the two people she loves most in the world dance together.
Hermione for the last year has been in a secret relationship with Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy.
The couple loves her and she loves them, but in public all three must pretend that they feel nothing. Hermione has her reputation to protect and the Malfoy cannot afford another scandal not after everything that happened during the war.
It hurts seeing them being able to smile at each other, to see Lucius and Narcissa able to look at each other with love burning in their eyes.
Hermione knows that she will have to wait until they get home and are alone to have them look at her like that.
She had agreed from the beginning that they must remain a secret and she still thinks that it's best they do. Not because she's ashamed of their relationship, but simply the Wizarding World is still in such a delicate place since the war that even the tiniest ripple could cause trouble.
Hermione takes a small swig from her glass and she catches the briefest of glimpse of a look from Narcissa.
In that little glimpse there is everything that Narcissa can't say right now "I love you" and "I am sorry that neither I or Lucius can't show you any affection right now.
It helps Hermione to get through this Ball being held by the Ministry it really does, but still she counts down the seconds and minutes until they can go home.
Narcissa and Lucius will leave first, then she'll leave twenty minutes later to the safety of home where she can show and be shown what can't be right now, love.
The place where eyes won't judge you and where her heart will feel heavy with love not both love and jealousy.
Where Hermione can rest her head against Lucius chest while Narcissa has her arm draped over Hermione's hip.
The only place that three them can be there selves and admit that they love each other.
However, until they can return home, she'll just have to watch the two people she loves most show that they love each other while pretending they don't love her.
She'll have to pretend that she doesn't love them either, or that it doesn't hurt not being close to them.