Hi guys! Sorry I haven't updated in so long, but here it is! Thank you so much for the reviews and such! :)
It was about a month into the school year at Hogwarts. The leaves crunched beneath the trio's feet as they made their way leisurely across the grounds. One large tree in particular was responsible for littering the ground with vibrant ruby-coloured leaves. They stopped here, set their books down, and sat down in the midst of grass and fallen leaves. Several other students were milling about, enjoying the last of the semi-warm weather before the frost set in.
Hermione pulled out a book. Ron and Harry sat against the enormous tree trunk, gazing about. Harry talked about various meetings he'd had with Dumbledore, in which he'd explained to Harry the immense task he had of solving the puzzle that could lead to the defeat of the Dark Lord.
Hermione was only half listening. Her book lay open in her lap, but she hadn't even begun to read. She was preoccupied with deciphering the jump her heart had made into her throat when she'd caught sight of Malfoy across the grounds. Was it the strange mixture of hatred and pity she knew she should have for him? She was casting about for various explanations; her typical logical way of thinking was naturally ruling out any possibility of her actually having feelings for the prick.
But logic was beginning to fail her. That fact alone scared her nearly as much as the possibility of her having a silly schoolgirl crush on him. Draco Malfoy, of all people.
"What do you think Dumbledore meant by that, Hermione?" asked Harry. Hermione snapped back to the conversation, turning her had to look at Harry. Him and Ron were looking at her, looks of confusion etched on their faces.
"She's not even listening!" exclaimed Ron, whose gaze was now on Malfoy, where Hermione had been looking.
"Sorry!" Hermione said, flustered. "I'm exhausted," she explained, which wasn't exactly a lie. Ron just raised his eyebrows at her, then exchanged a look with Harry. This wasn't the first time they'd caught her daydreaming, staring off into Malfoy's vicinity. It wasn't like her to daydream in the first place. Hermione was distracted again by a glimpse of red in the sky.
"What is your problem?" asked Harry, more concerned than legitimately aggravated.
"She fancies Malfoy," Ron said bluntly. Hermione was caught off guard. She opened her mouth to retaliate, but her moment of hesitation had already said enough.
"I was just kidding!" Ron exclaimed, a look of pure shock on his and Harry's faces. Their eyes were wide, and they were smiling with with their mouths wide open. Hermione knew that she'd made a huge mistake, and trying to cover it up would only make their smugness worse.
She tried nonetheless. "I do not!" she nearly shouted. She was angry now. Not toward Ron or Harry though, or even Draco. She was angry with herself; angry that she couldn't figure out what she was feeling and why, when that was something that had always been so easy for her.
•••
I'm not stupid. I know when someone's blatantly staring at me. I often choose not to acknowledge them though; it's easier.
Right now, I can feel her gaze. I know her every movement without even looking at her. She's sitting underneath The Tree, tapping her foot slightly in the air, idly twirling a bit if that cascading hair.
But maybe she's not looking at me. I look around. There's no one really in my immediate vicinity; Crabbe and Goyle both have detention right now for being "disruptive" during Transfiguration, the annoying gits.
I'd orginally been making my way toward the door, but I'd passed it about 15 meters back without even realising it. I continue walking as if I know exactly where I'm going. My new destination appears to be the lake. This really is exhausting.
•••