Chapter twenty-one
"Don't you think I saw the way you looked at him? And he looked back at you!"
"What are you even talking about? You know it's you that I like!"
"So now you just like me? Not long ago you said you loved me! There is a difference, if you wonder!"
"I love you, I swear. But it is pretty hard when you accuse me of such things!"
"Just tell me, Harry, are you or are you not having an affair with Malfoy?"
Harry couldn't help but grin a bit at Ginny's serious face expression. Especially because it was such a silly question. She couldn't actually be serious about it.
"Ginny, honestly? Why on earth would I cheat on you with Malfoy? That is the most stupid thing I've ever heard!"
They weren't yelling any more, now they had their voices a bit down. They were in a random corridor just a bit away from the Great Hall, where Ginny had just stormed out of dinner Friday night because she caught an "intense" look between Harry and Draco.
"I don't know, maybe-" Ginny cut herself of. "I'm sorry. I'm being stupid, ain't I?" She begun to see the entertaining in the question too.
Harry took a step closer to her and put his arms around her.
"A bit, yes. But even the best ones go crazy at times," he grinned. "Now what are we going to tell the others?"
"What do you mean?" Ginny pushed herself a bit away from Harry again, but she remained calm and smiling.
"You actually stormed out of there. They must know that something is up," Harry explained.
Ginny realised her mistake, and began to wonder how she could make it up again.
"Well, as you said, even the best ones go crazy at times. They know fighting can happen to us too."
Harry kissed Ginny on her forehead.
"That's why you're the one with the brain."
"I cannot believe this is actually happening," Ron grinned, "Hermione is nervous about something else but her examinations!"
He was right, Hermione indeed was nervous. She was seated between Ron and Neville. Her eyes were on the plate with breakfast in front of her, but she didn't intend to eat it. Her fingers were intertwined with each other to keep them from shaking so much. She looked as Professor Trelawney having a vision.
Ron was starring at her as was she a vision from God.
"Stop drooling, Ronald!" Ginny said and reached over the table to hit her older brother.
Her and Harry were sitting close. Nobody had asked them about last night at all, which they were only relieved about.
"Aren't you nervous too, Ron?" Neville asked. He was wearing a jumper that his grandmother had sewed for him.
"If I am? Of course. But I've tried it before, I'll be good." Ron tried his hardest to keep a smile up, but inside he was nervous as hell too. And everybody saw right through him.
"I'm nervous, and I'm not even playing!" Harry admitted. He was going up to Professor Snapes office for detention in an hour.
"Well be fine, Harry," Ginny promised, "trust me."
Harry nodded as to say he believed her. He didn't really, though. He thought they could only win if he was there.
"Yeah, we can beat those Ravenclaws easily.. But only if Hermione wakes the bloody up!" At the last three words he rocked Hermione's body back and forth, which made her face expression change. She looked up at her friends.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry that we lost because of me," she said. She still looked deep into her own thoughts.
"What are you talking about, Hermione?" Ron asked. He looked at her as was she crazy.
"I totally messed up. We lost the finale because of me." She buried her head in her hands and began to sob.
Ron, Harry, Neville and Ginny sent each other wondering looks.
"Uhm," Harry begun and broke the silence, "Hermione, we haven't played yet. We're at breakfast."
Hermione threw her head up and took a glare around in the Great Hall.
"But, I just.." She mumbled as if she couldn't believe that it was true. Ron shook his head.
"Nerves, Hermione, nerves."
Ginny shoved a cup of cinnamon tea and a slice of dark bread into Hermione's mouth so that she'd have a bit of energy.
"Are you parents coming to watch?" she asked, but instantly regretted the question. The answer was obvious.
"No, they're Muggles. The trip would take them ages," she explained. "I'm sorry, I have to vomit."
Hermione left the table, but not in a hurry that alarmed her friends she was speaking the truth. She probably just needed to be a bit alone, they thought.
"You can do this, you can do this, you can do this, you can do this, you can do this," Hermione whispered to herself over the toilet bowl. Her head was resting on her hands, so she didn't have to put it on the toilet seat. She hadn't lied about having to vomit; she really had the feeling that she needed to. The problem was that she hadn't vomited since her first year at Hogwarts. Honestly. So she couldn't. Instead she just pretended to, because somehow that made her feel just a bit better.
She'd chosen Myrtle's bathroom because she always found it stranded. The last thing she wanted was an interup-
"Granger?" a voice echoed.
Hermione threw her head up. Great. She couldn't get peace anywhere.
"Who's there?" she whispered back. She had a tiny hope it was Ginny.
"Draco. I need to talk to you."
Hermione got up and out of the stall. And there in front of her was no one else but Draco Malfoy. He was even more pale than usual because of his recent blood loss. Hermione reminded herself to slap Harry next time she saw him.
"Draco, you look," she whispered, "terrible."
"Thanks, you too."
Hermione believed that he was right; she probably looked terrible. She'd been sobbing for a while so her mascara was under her eyes, and she was all red in the face of embarrassment.
"Thank you," she said, and smiled as had it been a compliment. "You needed to talk to me?"
"Yes," Draco begun. He seemed to be reconsidering if he really wanted to ask her the question he was dying to ask, "it's about our date."
Hermione smiled a bit at the memory.
"That's weeks ago," she pointed out. She honestly couldn't think of a reason why Draco would want to talk about it now. He barely remembered it.
"Look, I have a confession to make-"
"Hermione, what are you doing?" Ron interrupted Draco. "We have a game now!"
He looked quite furious; red in the face and all.
"Can this wait, Draco? I really need to-"
"Of course. Er, good luck, I suppose."
Hermione nodded as a thank you, and left the room with Ron.
"Dean Thomas, Hermione Granger, Katie Bell, Jimmy Peakes, Ritchie Coote and Ron and Ginny Weasly!" Luna presented the Gryffindor Quidditch team with pride. They flew in on the field to the sound of applause. They felt ready, but still as if something was missing – Harry.
"Now, let the match BEGIN!" Luna declared.
And from that moment of Hermione's memory was blackened.
"Let's have a cheer for the team!" George and Fred Weasly, who'd come to visit and watch the finale, yelled at the same time. All Gryffindors, and their guests, raised their Butter-beers.
"Cheers!" they yelled, and cheering broke out. They were celebrating the Gryffindor Quidditch teams victory.
Harry had just come back from his detention, and he was very joyed to hear that they'd beaten Ravenclaw 450 – 140. He was now hearing every detail from Ron, who was proud of his own game. Hermione hid in the corner. She had no idea why she was sitting alone, sipping to her butter-beer, instead of celebrating with the others.. She was just one of those forever lonely people.
Hermione took advantage of her alone time to study her fellow Gryffindors; their face expressions, who they were talking to, who they glared at.. She couldn't help but giggle when two first years sent Ron longing looks. She also saw how Ginny approached Harry with a smile on her lips. She tried to kiss him, but he turned his cheek. Harry dragged her a bit away from the group of people, and talked to her. Hermione had no chance of hearing the words they wee exchanging, but judging on Ginny's face expression it wasn't good. She took a step away from Harry with a disbelieving look on her face. She said a few words in an angry tone. Harry tried to reach out for her, and Ginny gave in. she hugged Harry tightly and whispered something into his ear. She was smiling again.
Hermione watched them with a wrinkled nose. She wanted to ask Ginny about it, but Harry had already noticed Hermione and was approaching hear.
"Can I have a word?" he asked.
It took a second for Hermione to realise that he actually was in front of her. Seconds ago he'd been in the other side of the room.
"Yes. Sure," she agreed, and grabbed Harry's awaiting hand. He helped her up and lead her into his dormitory. Hermione wondered what was going on. The fact that he had to talk with the two girls closest to him during a great celebration was odd and concerning.
"What is it?" Hermione asked as Harry didn't say a word. They were away from all the noise now.
"I'm, er," Harry stammered. "I cannot believe this is harder telling you than Ginny!" he exclaimed.
"Why is it harder? She's your girlfriend."
"Well, not any more," Harry told.
Hermione sat down next to Harry on his four-poster bed and wrapped her arms around him.
"I am sorry to hear that, Harry. Is it because of what you are about to tell me?"
Harry nodded. "Yes. But it only makes it harder to break it to you because Ginny already kind of knew it."
Hermione ran through the worst case scenarios in her head. What could Harry be hiding that was so terrible?
"I... Ginny and I have been fighting a lot, like really a lot, lately, and I wondered why that was. And then I came up with the answer. It was like my fight with Draco opened my eyes, or what you else say."
"Draco?" Hermione looked at Harry with a wondering face. "You just called him Draco. What happened to Malfoy?"
"I'm gay, Hermione. Honestly."