How long had it been… since you've been trapped… how long has it been since you lost your soul to the devil?
How long has it been… since you've felt the loving touch of someone… a friend… a family member… Ron…
How long has it been… since you've lived?
How was she going to do it?
There were two parts to her job. One was easier than the other.
Currently, she was walking down the dark hall at ten o'clock hoping teachers weren't around. Not that she was worried about getting caught, she was Head Girl after all, but she was worried about Snape. It was after all, his closet.
However, she had no idea that she was being followed by Harry and Ginny. Ginny had voiced her opinions on why Hermione was acting the way she was and Harry had agreed to follow her on account that they didn't make themselves known. Hermione took out her wand and pointed it at the door knob. It glowed and clicked. Glancing around nervously, she opened the door and stepped in. Harry glanced over to Ginny.
"What do you think she's looking for?" he asked quietly. Ginny shrugged eyes on the door. That's when she caught sight of him. Professor Snape. Ginny poked Harry and pointed. Harry froze. Ginny was panicking. On one hand, she knew she had no reason to help Hermione. But on the other hand, something deep down told her to help Hermione out. Harry however had already chosen the latter. He grabbed Ginny and pulled her behind a suit of armor, shedding the cloak and stuffing under the armor before pulling her mouth to his, forcing a loud moan from her. Severus Snape took the bait. His wand pointed at them, he sneered.
"Oh please Potter, I don't need to see that," he growled. "Get out of there," he ordered.
Hermione heard the commotion and poked her head out to see Harry and Ginny at the wall, Snape scolding them. Her eyes caught with Harry's and she froze. She then pulled back and found what she was looking for. She then came back out, watching Snape as he snapped at the two. Harry glanced over at her and offered her a small smile. Hermione's eyes welled up and she backed up and turned around, padding off down the hall and disappearing around the corner. She then sprinted off up the stairs and ran all the way to her room. Slamming the door behind her, she rested her head against the door, trying to stop the tears the threatened to spill out. He had helped her and she was going to betray him…
Stop it! Screamed the voice in her head. If you don't do this, you parents will die. What's more important to you, Harry's friendship or your parents lives. Besides! You've given up Ron, Harry should be easier.
She didn't know how she did it, but somehow she managed to slip five drops of the liquid in Harry's pumpkin juice. Pocketing the vial, she traveled to the end of the table and sat by herself, poking at the food and constantly glancing up at Harry every once in a while. Her throat tightened when she saw him gulp his drink. She watched as he talked to Ron, who seemed distracted. She felt her heart constrict as she watched him nibble at his food, his eyes down. Harry seemed to be trying to cheer him up and failing miserably. All she wanted to do in that moment was go over there and hug him… kiss him, but that was out of the question. She looked back down at her food. The next part of her job would be simple once Gryffindor House had emptied. She looked up to see people starting to leave, all talking excitedly. Getting up, she walked out with them all, but slipped away before leaving Hogwarts. Steeling up to Gryffindor House, she walked up to the Fat Lady. She gazed upon Hermione gravely.
"They really don't want you in there," she said. Hermione glared up at her.
"Well, they're not here are they," she retorted. "Lemon drops." Reluctantly, the painting opened, letting her in. Hermione entered, glancing around and then walked up to the boy's dormitories. Walking down the hall, she entered the seventh year boys' dormitory and looked around. She strode over to Harry's bed and pulled out his trunk. Sighing, she opened it and began to shuffle through it, pulling out clothes. She looked in socks and books, shoving things aside. Spotting what she was looking for, she grabbed them and stuffed them into her pocket. Placing everything back in place, she shoved the trunk back under the bed. She got up and was about to leave when something by Ron's bed stopped her. Against her better judgment, she walked over to the bed and leaned over, picking up the pieces of paper. She gasped. It was a torn picture. Her eyes welled up when she saw what it was of.
It was of her and Ron at the beginning of summer at Kings Cross. They were saying their goodbyes and Hermione was blushing furiously as Ron glared at someone off camera. He then turned to Hermione and said something. She smiled up at him and kissed him lovingly before waving goodbye and running off. The pieces fell from Hermione's hands back onto the floor. She turned to leave when her foot hit something and it skidded across the floor. Hermione picked it up. It was a black velvet box. Hermione's breath hitched as she opened it. She gasped. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. A platinum band with a single diamond fixed. But that wasn't what stopped her. The diamond was cut in the shape of a small otter. The thing seemed to be charmed because the otter reared its head and looked up at her through clear eyes. A tear fell down her face.
"What are you doing?" Hermione looked up and jumped.
"Ron!" she gasped. She looked around and then down at the box. "What are you doing here?" she asked breathlessly. He looked her over.
"I got kicked out," he responded coldly, eyeing her suspiciously. He then froze. He had spotted what was in her hand. His eyes darkened and he crossed over to her.
"Give it here," he ordered. Gulping, she handed it over, eyes down. There was a silence in which Ron stuffed the box into the nightstand door. He then turned to her, eyes flaring dangerously.
"I asked what you were doing here," he repeated, glaring at her. She looked up at him and opened her mouth then closed it, moving towards the door. She winced when he grabbed her, his grip vice like.
"What are you doing here?" he ground out. She looked him in the eyes and it seemed as if time froze. For a fracture of a second Ron saw something. Something that made him release her. It was the same look he had seen that night she had cried in bed. There was fear, but there was something else as well. Something he couldn't place. She shook her head and that cold look was back again. She walked over to the door, opening it.
"Does he make you happy?" Ron asked, his cold voice ringing around the dormitory. She froze her lip quivering as she struggled not to cry. She turned to him, uncertain.
"Ron! Ron!" Neville ran in with Dean at his heals.
"It's Harry. He collapsed on the field!" Dean explained, trying to catch his breath. Ron ran over to the door. As he passed her, their eyes met and for the second time, he saw it. That glimmer of a Hermione he was convinced didn't exist anymore. She watched him rush off down the stairs with the other two boys and closed her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Harry…" she whispered.
