A strand of hair slipped out of the messy knot at the back of my head and flopped into my face. Exhausted, I blew it away, only to have it fall back into my face. Damn humidity. I reached across the table and plucked a ribbon from the basket, trimmed it, and tied it around the last bunch of roses. White roses. Why would anyone want white roses on their wedding? They looked so plain, so…tasteless. Roses were beautiful, reds and pinks and yellows…but white? Honestly?

Well, whatever.

It wasn't my wedding, so why should I care?

Because I have nothing else to worry about. Harry isn't here yet. Ron has been acting strange for the last few days, Fleur is perky and hyperactive, and Ginny, sullen.

What a charming household.

Though, I admit, I haven't been the ideal smiley face, either. I just wiped my parents' memories, and now am jittery with nerves, because one of my best friends won't speak a full sentence to me, the other is miles away, and there's a wedding to prepare for. Lovely.

And it's hot enough to melt gold outside.

Did I mention I'm supposed to be finding pieces of the darkest soul in existence? Which, coincidentally, could be anywhere in the world?

I've been on the verge of tears for days now, and I feel dead.

I vaguely mutter something about needing air and step outside. Pulling my hair out of Ginny's old hair band, I start walking. And I walk and walk, and walk. Until I look down and see myself, reflected in the lake.

Ahhhh…..water.

Part of me wants to jump inside, cannonballing. The other, the part that tells me to draw study schedules months before exams, tells me to walk away and start helping Mrs. Weasley with the hors d'ouevres.

Just jump! You know you want to….

No! that's stupid! And Hermione Granger does not do stupid things!

Who said that it was stupid? You're just cooling off.

Without a bathing suit. You can't even swim!

I can tread water, thank you very much.

You are going to regret this.

No! there's nothing wrong with having fun. You might even die tomorrow. Live life!

Before my rational side had a chance to retort, I was rudely picked up, and tossed, kicking and screaming, into the lake.

Bloody hell.

I plunged down, eight, nine, ten feet. Then a redheaded someone came diving down…shirtless.

Oh Merlin.

Then I remembered we were underwater. Therefore, we were in need of oxygen.

Kicking furiously, I managed to surface and gulp in oxygen by the lungful. Ron popped up beside me.

"WHAT—WERE—YOU—THINKING?"

He grinned, that lopsided smile I loved, his dimples showing, his blue eyes sparkling….no, no, no, no wait, Hermione, you're supposed to be mad at him.

"You were debating whether to jump in yourself, weren't you?"

How did he know? "Er, no—it was…er…cold."

He raised his eyebrows skeptically. "Cold? Really?"

I waved my hands impatiently. "Whether I was considering dipping my feet or not—"

He snorted. "Dipping your feet?"

"yes, that is completely irrelevant. Why have you been sulky with me? What did I do?"

His ears suddenly matched his hair. "Erm…well, you see, I wanted…to erm, talk to you about something..and erm, I wanted to tell you…"

"Ron, what is it?"

Suddenly the back door opened. "Ron? Hermione? What do you two think you're doing, disappearing like that? You gave us a right scare! Thank goodness you are all right!"

Mrs. Weasley couldn't have had worse timing.

Ron's confession would have to come later.

Much later.