The Mirror of Erised
"What do you see?" Ron asked me as we stood in front of the mirror.
"Ron, this is ridiculous, what is this mirror going to show me that I don't already know?" I asked rolling my eyes.
"Oh, 'Mione, it's just for a bit of fun, just look in it and tell me, what do you see?" I sighed.
Long ago, back in my first year of attending Hogwarts, I had no friends. I didn't mind a lot, except that I was constantly being harassed by Ron and Harry, but I was happy, because I found a diversion elsewhere. The Weasley Twins. They were almost as famous here as Harry was; only it was for their personalities, not for their destiny. They made my day, every day, but one, Fred, changed me. Fred was more than laughs, although many didn't believe it, he was a separate entity from his brother.
Fred found me one day. I was sitting in a hideout that I had come upon within Hogwarts. It was in the courtyard behind a statue that was cleverly placed in a corner. Behind the statue was a door that led to a room very similar to the great hall mixed with the room of requirements, in its abilities to shift and reflect the current mood. The room connected to the library with another doorway that spit out to the forbidden section of the library. I was reading a book in a field of wildflowers when he crept in.
"What are you doing here?" He asked me.
"Well, I could ask the same thing." I replied. "I discovered this place." I stood my ground; there was no way that I would lose one of my only places of sanity within Hogwarts.
"So did I, back in my first year." He answered. I looked down and sighed. I was encroaching on his space. Great.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I guess I'll just leave. I feel so utterly-" He cut me off.
"No, wait! You don't have to leave. I mean, who says we can't share it?" He said.
"If you're sure…" I trailed off.
"I'm absolutely positive. " He paused and there was an awkward silence."I, uh, like what you did with the place."
"Thanks." I responded quietly. He came and sat next to me and I scooted away a little.
"You don't have to be afraid of me, I won't bite… Unless you ask me to" He smirked.
My eyes widened in bewilderment, but I couldn't help the giggle that escaped my lips.
"There we go, a smile" He said. I automatically covered my two very large front teeth. He grabbed my hand and moved it from my mouth. "What's your name?"
"I'm Hermione, Hermione Granger that is. But I suppose you can just call me Hermione." I realized that I was rambling and very quickly shut my mouth.
"Hi, Hermione Granger, I'm Fred Weasley, you can call me Mr. Weasley, if you fancy it."
"I already knew who you are." I answered. I paused for a second realizing that it made me sound like a total creep. "I mean everyone knows who you are. You and your brother are notorious slackers." I mentally smacked myself in the head. That was harsh.
"Ouch," He said, "But completely true. Well Hermione, I'm glad we have met."
And that's how it started. Fred was always there for me. To comfort me when I was called an insufferable know it all, to be there when his brother was acting like a complete jerk to me. Fred was there. And I was there for him, through the good times and the bad.
I was sitting in the room, lying under a night sky full of stars, when Fred stormed in. The sky turned a stormy black and there was a sound of rolling thunder.
"Just my luck! It happens to me every time!" He yelled.
"Fred, what's the matter?" I asked but he just kept going. It was my fifth year and Fred and I had really bonded.
"Hermione, you are so lucky that you are an only child. Trust me. No one there to steal everything you own, no one to determine who, or what you are."As he paced it grew stormier. Wind whipped my hair.
"No one to talk to you. It's not such a great life, if you ask me." I yelled over the noise.
"I can't have anything, George took her. He took her from me. He's my own brother. I loved her." Fred said. The storm was calming down but I began to feel small rain drops. I needed to stop this before I was soaked. My thing was golden birds, his was tsunamis. I wanted to answer, say anything, but I could feel a small part of me shatter. He loved her.
"it'll be okay, Fred. There are plenty of fish in the sea. And I know your brother loves you." I responded wiping a small tear from his bright blue, almost aqua, eyes.
Oh how many times I had looked into those eyes.
"Yes, plenty of fish in the water" He answered staring back at me. He leaned down and kissed me. The storm cleared up and there we were, on a mountain with a river that ran right through it, and the brightest sky that I had ever seen. The water was the same endless blue as his eyes. I never wanted it to end.
But things changed. Oh, how they changed.
Right after their fireworks show, I stood in our room waiting for him to show.
"You're going to get expelled for this," I scolded him as soon as he walked in.
"That was the point. I didn't plan on sticking around. I only came back to say goodbye."
"How could you do something so, so irresponsible!" I screamed at him.
"'Mione, it was only fireworks, I've been doing… Wait, You're no talking about the light show are you?" He asked and I angrily wiped a tear from my eye.
"How can you just leave me here, Fred? How could you just decide this without even talking to me?" I asked stubbornly.
"I'm sorry; I just can't stay here, living under these rules. Look at my hand." He stuck his raw hand in my face. The words carved into it looked angry, and undoubtedly painful. "I can't endure this every day." I completely understood him, but I didn't want to make sense. I wanted him.
" Fred, but I can't be without you, I-"
"Hermione, stop. We can't continue like this. I'm doing exactly what George did to me. I can't take you from Ron." He said.
"Ron, What are you talking about, Ron doesn't- does he?" I asked.
He chuckled. "'Moine, I love you, and I always will, but I can't be with you. I need you to move on."
"How can I?" I asked in a whisper. He took my hand.
"It'll be okay, there are plenty of fish in the sea. And I know my brother loves you." He said.
"Those were my lines a couple of months ago." I whispered.
"Right you are. You always have been the brightest witch I've ever known." He paused for a moment. "I know Ron will love just as much as I ever could, and hopefully you can find a way to love him, just the same." I nodded at him, tears welling in my eyes. He kissed me on the forehead and I leaned into him. He pulled away and I stared into his aqua orbs. He smiled at me once more before leaving me in the room alone.
The last time I'd ever see him, he still had that ghost of a smile in his eyes. Those eyes, that I would never forget. He died with them open and I watched as life drained from him.
"So, what do you see?" Ron whispered holding on to me. I stared at the tall red haired man before me. His limbs were long. He wore the goofiest smile. My smile. I stared up into the bright blue eyes that sparkled and danced with specks of aqua.
"I see you. I've always seen you." I whispered at the mirror. Fred waved back. I took a deep breath and turned away from the mirror. "I told you it was a waste of time. Let's go home."