A/N: I don't own anything. Please review!
Chapter 4: Unforgiving Tendencies
The Leaky Cauldron was unusually busy for a dreary Monday afternoon. People bustled around the dingy bar ordering afternoon drinks and filling up tables. Amongst the crowd a young woman let out a groan of frustration. "Excuse me!" she said pushing past a particularly affectionate couple. Finally spotting an empty table, she bulldozed her way to the corner of the restaurant. The woman sat down carefully making sure to position herself with a clear view of the door or more specifically the people entering through the door, as it was too crowded to see the door itself. The tension in her face contradicted her youthful appearance making her normally fiery red hair appear dull. Every time someone crossed the threshold the woman looked up in anticipation. The first time it was a young couple. The second two old men. By the third time she had firmly glued her eyes to the entryway. This strange behavior continued until another young woman entered the establishment.
A petite brunette walked through the entrance with a purpose; her head on a swivel searching for something, someone through the crowds. Finally making eye contact with the woman at the corner table, she steeled herself and made her way to the corner. The brunette sat down stiffly and joined her reluctant lunch companion. Her brown eyes bored holes into the woman sitting across from her. Gryffindors through and through neither woman looked down, so they dined in silence; two statues sitting resolute across from each other each unable to find the words to say.
"Ginny-."
"Hermione-."
"You go first," Hermione said gesturing for Ginny to begin. Hermione was used to being the first one to extend the olive branch, but this time was different. Hermione refused to be the one apologize first.
"I'm sorry things got out of hand last week," Ginny began and she was sorry. For it had been almost a fortnight without Hermione to confide in. The tension was palpable in Number 12 and several arguments had broken out, but Hermione was not there for Ginny to vent to. The past few days had reminded Ginny of the last time they had a big altercation, nearly two years ago. The reason for their fight almost identical to the reasoning for this one: Ronald Weasley.
"Is that all you're sorry for? How things got out of hand?"
"I deserved that one. I'm sorry for the things I said to you, about you. I know how you feel and I just blurted it to the world-."
"No, you don't know how I feel and that's the problem, Ginny, you just simply assume. You never take the time to listen or to understand," said Hermione. This was so typical of Ginny. She always assumed that Hermione was still in love with Ron, but she wasn't anymore.
"Hermione it's been two years since you and Ron broke it off," said Ginny pleading with Hermione.
"Broke it off? Ginevra, he cheated on me!" Hermione envied how all of her friends could simply cast Ron's wrongdoings aside like it was nothing. She tried to forget. She tried to treat Ron like nothing happened between them. She tried to treat Ginny as if she never lied to her, but she could not.
Hermione's raised voice had caught the attention of other patrons at the bar and in particular two separate men, each of vastly different ages. The first was one of the oldest customers at the bar and after Hermione's outburst it was not her words that caught his attention, but the two women's identities. His eyes widened in recognition and then narrowed. His fingers tightening around the silver cane used to support his weight. Grasping the top of the cane he pulled out his wand and cast a spell to check the time. The second man was much younger, but still slightly older then the young women. His grey eyes glanced back and forth between the older man and his cane finally settling on his cane with rapt interest. As it was he was intimately familiar with that cane.
Ginny's eyes widened when she heard her full name. "Yes, I know Hermione but like I said it's been two years and Ron even apologized. And I might add, you accepted his apology, so why bring this up again? I mean I realise your still in love with Ron, but you can't take your anger out on us, especially Lavender. She is one of my good friends now, and she is not as vain now as she was back in school; you know that. I don't want to take sides."
"Yes, Lavender and I used to be close and I don't want you to take sides."
"But?" Ginny added knowing Hermione had more to say.
Hermione breathed in and said, "But you always manage to take sides."
"How so? Ron is my brother and I am your friend," Ginny stated simply.
"Are you? This is second time you have kept something from me."
"For your own protection," implored Ginny.
"I don't need your protection. You're not my mother and you certainly aren't my sister."
Ginny recoiled visibly as tears welled up in her eyes. "There was a time when you considered me your sister and I you."
"Look Ginny, I know you mean well and I-I love you for it," Hermione said leaning in to the conversation, "but I'm not the same little girl that I was in Hogwarts. I need time."
"Time? More time than two years?"
"Time to realize that you aren't the same girl either," said Hermione ignoring Ginny's previous statement. "Just give me time."
"Time. I can do that, but Hermione?"
"Yeah?" Hermione said tiredly
"Please don't shut us out. I'll give you space Hermione, whatever you need, but no matter how you feel you're still my sister," pleaded Ginny. Her statement caused Hermione to stare blankly ahead. She did not know if they would be friends again, let alone sisters, but Hermione knew she would give it adequate thought.
"I'm going to stay here; I need to gather my thoughts," said Hermione abruptly and Ginny knew a dismissal when she heard one. She promptly stood up and began to walk out of The Leaky Cauldron until she stopped in the doorway after hearing shouts. Back at the bar the second man had incited commotion. He brandished his wand pointing it at the older man who was by now next to Ginny halfway out the door. "Hey!" he said, but his shout had fallen on deaf ears, as the older man continued to run eventually turning the corner and disappearing out of sight.
The same shout caught Hermione's attention causing her to look up. And just as Hermione turned around to glance back at Ginny still in the doorway, the world exploded right before her eyes, and she knew no more. The first man now safely outside put his wand back his cane and smiled.
A/N: This chapter was one of my favorites to write and I hope you guys like it. Please review and tell me what you think of the story so far!
-gryffindor_scarlet