She could hear his laugh from the across the room. It made her heart ache with loneliness, even she was in a room filled with people. She could remember when he only laughed for her. But that was a long time ago. Now he laughed for her.
She steadfastly kept her eyes away from him and conversed with Ron. Ron, the one who she was with now. The one who she settled for. Ron, who there was nothing inherently wrong with him, but he just wasn't him.
"Hermione, what do you say we get out of here?" Ron asked.
She wanted to say no, to say that she hated it when his hands touched her, to say that the only way she even allowed him to touch her was because she closed her eyes and imagined that it was his brothers' hands that were caressing her. But she couldn't say that. So all she said was, "Sure. Let me get my cloak."
Turning from Ron, she made her way to the closet in which the Weasley's all kept there coats. Grabbing hers, she turned around, and nearly jumped back in shock.
He was standing behind her.
He smiled at her. "Sorry, Mione, didn't mean to startle you. Leaving already?" He said.
Smiling tightly, she replied, "Yes, Ron an I are."
Did she see something flicker in his eyes? "Oh, ok, well, see you at the next family gathering." He said and turned away from her.
She closed her eyes to the image of him walking away again. But she knew that no matter what she did, no matter how much she begged, he would never be hers again. He would always be just out of reach.
Opening her eyes, she wiped away the dampness that had gathered there, and walked back to Ron.
"Ready to go?" He asked with a smile, oblivious to her tears.
She gave him a smile, "Yes, let get out of here."
Looking back, she caught his eyes. They stared at each other and for what seemed like forever and she saw that flicker there again. Except it wasn't a flicker this time. She knew that he missed her, still loved her. But he was married. And he was an honorable man, he wouldn't leave his wife.
But knowing that he still loved her was enough for Hermione, and she looked away from Bill. She allowed herself one more small tear to run down her cheek, and a small smile graced her lips.
Love truly was bittersweet.