You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset
She's going off about something that you said
'Cause she doesn't get your humor like I do
Hermione Granger shook her head as her best friend of almost five years coaxed her girlfriend on the two way wizard wireless. "Ginny I didn't mean it like that. It's just a muggle pop cultural reference." Remind her again why she set those two up to begin with, she thought exasperatedly. Because you thought she was your friend, your only girlfriend and you wanted both of them to be happy. Except now, she thought glancing over at Ginny's angry yelling face on the two-way, none of us are happy.
Today was supposed to be time with just the three of them as they spent it in Muggle London, something that was exciting for both of her boys since neither of them had been in London except a handful of time. Harry had tried to include his girlfriend by calling her and letting her in on the conversation but as soon as he got to the punch line of his story, -"the boa constrictor escaped told me 'thanks' and I thought the Dursleys were going to take me to the tower of London," Ginny did not laugh in fact she seemed angry and alarmed. Ron tried to tell him later that Ginny wasn't like Hermione and him, after all even though his dad was always trying to expose them to Muggle history, it's only when you're friends with Muggle-borns and actually cared what they were talking about did you catch on.
It was eerie when Ron was the one with the epiphany.
It wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't right. Ginny didn't have many muggle born friends. And after she'd given her the advice to "catch Harry" she'd stopped really hanging around Hermione. It was understood that as two people they couldn't be more different. While Hermione could care less about Quidditch that's what Ginny and Harry mostly bonded over. And then there was the whole excessive care about one's physical appearance. It wasn't that she didn't care; she did. It was just that when all the witches her age started up on "magical spells for skin care" her eyes glazed over. Ginny, being raised by a practically all male family craved female attention. Hermione unbeknownst to both of her male friends and Ginny had been forced into pageants when she was old enough to walk. Ballet, Ballroom dancing; it was these kinds of lessons that were semi-forced upon her to help Jane Granger's daughter be a little more well rounded and not so much a book worm and an outcast.
It didn't really work, she thought with a wry smile. She knew how to put on make-up, dance on Pointe, and even walk a catwalk. However, seeing as those skills weren't going to help them defeat Voldemart what was the point?
I'm in the room; it's a typical Tuesday night
I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like
And she'll never know your story like I do
Ginny didn't get it. Take for example tonight. Every witch was out in Hogmead looking for a nice set of dress robes for the ball and where was Hermione Granger, the brains of the Golden Trio? In the common room listening to T.A.T.U. on her MP3 player. While it was true that non-magically things like a CD player went nuts in Hogwarts, if you cast an extremely strong bubble charm over said object you could get away with it. And what was Ms. Granger doing in the common room while even her two best friends were out in Honey Dukes? Looking up spell after spell for but another retarded task. If Mad Eye Moody didn't curse the person who put Harry in the goblet she would!
Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find
That what you're looking for has been here the whole time
If you could see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along, so why can't you see?
You, you belong with me, you belong with me
Was she the only one besides Harry that was worried about this "Triwizard Cup"? Ron had thought until he saw the dragons that Harry was fame hungry. She snorted at the thought. Because everyone wants to be famous because your parents were murdered. Ron could be such a git. True she didn't always get along with her parents. The fact that they couldn't really understand the whole Voldemart megalomaniac dark wizard thing was both annoying and comforting. But she never wanted them to be killed. She saw the way Harry would gaze at the pictures of his parents and if only for a moment, she wanted the burden to be passed on to her instead. Harry was too, sensitive. Out of all the wizards she knew why did the one truly good one have to be the loneliest. She was there for him even if he only noticed when her brains got them out of a partially sticky mess. She understood why Ginny was attracted to Harry. There was something about him that said, "I am strong no matter what. I am a leader" that attracted everyone. Including her. She tried to ignore the way her heart plummeted when the dragon sent spurts of flame toward her friend or the stab of disappointment she felt when it was Victor Krum who would have missed her most in the second task. Liking Harry would make everything incredibly complicated. Even though she wished just a little, that he would see her as something other than a buddy and a living encyclopedia.
"Hermione!" They burst in red faced from the cold and wind and smiling. Ron rolled his eyes at the various spell books spread out on the common room's coffee table. "How to Hex Your Friends into Oblivion? Is this a not so subtle hint that it's your time of the month?" Ron questioned already holding up both hands in surrender. "No," Hermione shot them both dirty look. "It's for Harry and us. Mostly Harry since he'll be taking on God knows what in the final task. But considering the dark mark at the Quidditch World Cup, it wouldn't be bad if we learned some of these too, Ron." Harry's eyes softened. "You skipped out on Hogmead,"-"They're going tomorrow too," she cut in. "But you skipped out on one whole day for me?" "For all of us," she quickly corrected. Ron rolled his eyes. "Harry fought a dragon 'Mione. He'll be fine." "But that was just the first task. Do you really think the final task, the finale isn't going to be more dangerous." Ron and Harry squirmed uneasily at that. She had a point there. Harry sighed, "I hate it when you make sense. Well since you didn't get to go today brought you some stuff." Ron grinned as they dumped the candy over her books. "You need to remember to relax sometimes. Shouldn't you be out with Ginny, looking for robes?" Hermione laughed examining the candy pieces. "It was on our school list. I got them owl ordered ages ago." Ron sighed. "I guess if you're so prepared you probably got this ages ago too but"-Ron handed her a small bag with snitches emblazoned. "You didn't get me a bottle of broom stick polish did you?" she was grinning. Ron shrugged. "It's from Harry and me. Sort of a thank you for saving our skins time and time again," Hermione beamed as she pulled out, "sleekeasy hair potion?" "Since you keep insisting you have a date that isn't Neville we figured you'd, you know want to do up your hair and you're always complaining about how frizzy it is," Harry was cut off by her hugging both of them.
Unfortunately that was the exact moment that Ginny Weasely walked in. She didn't say anything but by the way her face fell it was obvious what she wanted to say. Ron unlatched himself from Hermione's arms just as Harry ran after her.
He came in hours later his brow creased. "You ok?" Harry sighed in a slump. "You know when I started dating Ginny I'd figured she be like a weird hybrid of you and Ron." Hermione snorted as he continued. "Your brains, Ron's love of Quidditch. But it's just lately I feel suffocated. She doesn't get that you and I are just…" Hermione's smile fell. "I'm sorry." Harry shook his head. "Not your fault she feels excluded. What do you think I should do? Ron doesn't know and he sees it from Ginny's point of view." Hermione smiled weakly. "Just do what makes you happy Harry. That's what my parents always told me. If Ginny makes you happy then you'll figure it out." Harry flopped on an unoccupied couch. "And if she doesn't?" Hermione felt her insides leap. "Well maybe she isn't the one for you. We're still in school Harry and you have a lot on your plate, Voldemart, Sirius, exams, and now this Triwizard Cup. Finding your soul mate can wait." Harry smiled. "Thanks 'Mione. I feel a bit better."
And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town
I haven't seen it in a while since she brought you down
You say you're fine, I know you better than that
Hey, what ya doing with a girl like that?
Victor Krum was a good guy. And Hermione could admit to herself she had a crush on him. But it wasn't the same with Harry. As she walked arm and arm with Victor and saw Harry do the same with Ginny she felt a pang of sadness.
If you could see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along, so why can't you see?
You belong with me
