Chapter 3: Tears
"Oh its only from Viktor" said Hermione as she sat on the couch to read the letter. Hermione unfolded the parchment and was surprised to find a rather short letter inside, not the usual long winded letter of adoration she normally recieved from viktor. She thought that was a pity since she was going to show Ron the next letter she received as proof that he did love her. Focusing on the letter, hermione began to read.
Dearest Hermione,
I understand your concerns with regard to our relationship. I also do not think it is all it could be. More visits would be lovely and I do miss you when you are not with me. Unfortunately my life is quite complicated at the moment and I do not think i have the time to do as you suggest. Therefore i think it would make us both happier and be easier on us if we go our separate ways. Good luck with everything Hermione and keep in touch.
Viktor.
Hermione sat in shock, staring at her letter. Of all the things she had expected Viktor to say in reply to her last letter, this wasn't one of them. He had just broken up with her. She sat very still for a few more moments before standing abruptly and running for the portrait hole and dissappearing out through it.
Harry and Ron stood next to where hermione had been sitting and stared after her in amazement.
"What do you reckon that was about?" said Harry as he broke the silence which had developed during Hermione's dramatic departure.
"I don't know. do you think it had anything to do with that letter she got?" asked Ron as he looked from the portrait hole back towards Harry. Spotting something on the floor he bent to pick it up, althought he didn't let Harry see what it was.
"I think i might go talk to her.. do you think she'll let me?" asked Ron as he began to walk towards the portrait hole.
"I don't know, maybe i should go?" said Harry uncertainly as he thought of the current argument.
"No. Let me. Its about time i apologized anyway" said Ron as he got to the portrait hole and stepped through it.
Ron looked left and right once he had exited the common room to try and determine which way Hermione would have fled. Deciding on a direction he followed his instincts until he neared Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom. Looking up and down the corridor to make sure no-one would spot him, he opened the door and ducked inside.
"Hermione?" are you in here?" he asked quietly. Ron thought he heard a sniffle in response so he moved further into the bathroom.
"Hermione?" he asked again. Then he saw a stall door closed, knowing that no-one else would use Moaning Myrtles Bathroom, and that if it was anyone else they would have yelled at him to get out long ago, he pulled out his wand and said "alomahora" and the door sprang open.
"Hermione! whats wrong?!" he said as he noticed her sitting on the closed toilet with her head in her hands. As she lifted her head Ron noticed her cheeks were wet with tears and her eyes were red rimmed.
"Hermione?" he said again quietly questioning. Hermione looked up at her friend and said "Oh Ron!" before standing quickly and throwing her arms around his neck. Ron gingerly slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him.
"Shh. It'll be alright Hermione" he said as she started to cry again. They stood there with Ron holding Hermione and making comforting small talk until hermione finally stopped crying.
"Hermione? I want you to tell me all about whatever's worrying you but." Ron paused and Hermione looked up uncertainly at him "Can we go somewhere else to talk. This isn't the most comfortable place to sit" he said and she finally smiled a small half smile through her tears.
"Ok Ron. I'll show you somewhere i found" she said tearfully. Releasing her from the circle of his arms, Ron Beckoned for her to show him the way. They walked for a few minutes until they came upon a room Ron had never seen before. It was small, had a couch, a small fire in a fireplace and was warm and cosy.
"Hermione! I never knew this was here!" he said as he sank down onto the couch.
"Neither did i, until i took a wrong turn the other day" she said as she sat next to him.
"You took a Wrong turn? What is the world coming to?" asked Ron jokingly, shuffling around on the couch trying to make himself more comfortable. Finally settling into a comfortable position, Ron felt something prick him in the skin. Feeling through his robes to see what it was he felt the parchment through the fabric.
"Oh hermione. You dropped this" he said as he pulled the letter out of his robes. Hermione looked at it and her bottom lip began to tremble again. A fresh lot of tears escaped from her eyes and ran down her cheeks before she could reach for her handkerchief again.
"Did you read it?" she said quietly. "No Hermione. i didn't read it" said Ron quietly as he offered her the letter again. She refused to take it and pushed it back to him "Read it then Ron" she said as she started to cry a bit harder.
Ron unfolded the letter and began to read outloud "Dearest Hermione. I understand your concerns with regard to our relationship. I also do not think it is all it could be. More visits would be lovely and I do miss you when you are not with me" Ron looked over the top of the letter "You wrote to him about our argument?" he asked in disbelief. Hermione nodded and pointed back at the letter, silently telling him to continue. "Unfortunately my life is quite complicated at the moment and I do not think i have the time to do as you suggest. Therefore i think it would make us both happier and be easier on us if we go our separate ways. Good luck with everything Hermione and keep in touch" Ron's voice had gotten quieter and quieter as he had read the last paragraph.
Hermione had tears rolling down her cheeks continuously now and she was crying silently to herself. Ron moved on the couch so that he was sitting right next to her and put his arm around her shoulders awkwardly.
After a short while in which Ron frantically tried to think of something to say or some way of making hermione stop crying, Hermione broke the silence by saying "You were right Ron" as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. A small smile battled it's way onto her face "he is a stupid git" she said. Ron laughed at her statement and handed her the letter. She took it, looked once at it and threw it in the fire, watching as it writhed in the flames. Neither of them said anything until the letter was gone. "well good riddence to bad rubbish. Anyone who makes you cry isn't worthy of being considered your boyfriend" said Ron adamantly.
"Ron?" asked Hermione as she watched the flames. "mmmmm?" said Ron beginning to fall into his comfortable sleepy state again. "Am I lovable? Like what you said about someone scooping me into their arms and kissing me. Do you think anyone would ever want to do that?" she asked uncertainly.
"Hermione! Of course they would" he said coming fully alert "Why wouldn't they!" he asked with a look of surprise on his face. Hermione looked down at her hands which were folded in her lap and bit her lip. To Ron she looked incredibly uncertain and vulnerable. His arm tightened across her shoulders involutarily, suprising even him as he had forgotten he still had it there.
"Well, i'm not very attractive and well no-one really looks at me as possible date material" said hermione quietly.
"Of course they do Hermione!" he said confidently. Hermione looked up to Ron's face and her eyes connected with his "you didn't. You kept saying you wanted to take a pretty girl to the ball last year. You never thought of me as pretty" she said uncertainly.
"Hermione. Thats because i was blind!" he said angry at himself "I couldn't see you as a girl. You were my best friend, not a girl. I'm sorry. But you are definitely a girl, and definitely a beautiful one at that" Ron said as his face flushed pink and the tips of his ears went red.
"Really? You mean that?" asked hermione a little less uncertain now. "God yes hermione" Ron said feverently.
"I don't know.. Ron" said hermione still uncertain, "I don't feel beautiful and I've got this awful hair and I'm too short and I like to study too much". Ron smiled slightly at her description of herself.
"Well we can't do anything about the studying thing can we? But the hair is nice and shortness does not make you unattractive" said Ron in a half joking, half serious tone of voice.
"Thanks Ron.. I guess" said hermione still seeming uncertain of how to take his words.
"Honestly Hermione! Just believe me! You Are Beautiful and you ARE dateable" said Ron forcefully. Hermione smiled slightly as she reached her free arm around his neck to hug him "Thanks Ron" she said. Ron uncertain of what to do drew her closer to him with the arm around her shoulders and slid his other arm up to hug her back. "Your welcome Hermione. I'm kind of sorry I was right though. I never wanted you to get hurt" he said squeezing her tightly.
"Its probably for the best. Thanks for listening to me Ron. I'm glad that your my best friend" said hermione, at which Ron's ears went bright red again.
"Oh its only from Viktor" said Hermione as she sat on the couch to read the letter. Hermione unfolded the parchment and was surprised to find a rather short letter inside, not the usual long winded letter of adoration she normally recieved from viktor. She thought that was a pity since she was going to show Ron the next letter she received as proof that he did love her. Focusing on the letter, hermione began to read.
Dearest Hermione,
I understand your concerns with regard to our relationship. I also do not think it is all it could be. More visits would be lovely and I do miss you when you are not with me. Unfortunately my life is quite complicated at the moment and I do not think i have the time to do as you suggest. Therefore i think it would make us both happier and be easier on us if we go our separate ways. Good luck with everything Hermione and keep in touch.
Viktor.
Hermione sat in shock, staring at her letter. Of all the things she had expected Viktor to say in reply to her last letter, this wasn't one of them. He had just broken up with her. She sat very still for a few more moments before standing abruptly and running for the portrait hole and dissappearing out through it.
Harry and Ron stood next to where hermione had been sitting and stared after her in amazement.
"What do you reckon that was about?" said Harry as he broke the silence which had developed during Hermione's dramatic departure.
"I don't know. do you think it had anything to do with that letter she got?" asked Ron as he looked from the portrait hole back towards Harry. Spotting something on the floor he bent to pick it up, althought he didn't let Harry see what it was.
"I think i might go talk to her.. do you think she'll let me?" asked Ron as he began to walk towards the portrait hole.
"I don't know, maybe i should go?" said Harry uncertainly as he thought of the current argument.
"No. Let me. Its about time i apologized anyway" said Ron as he got to the portrait hole and stepped through it.
Ron looked left and right once he had exited the common room to try and determine which way Hermione would have fled. Deciding on a direction he followed his instincts until he neared Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom. Looking up and down the corridor to make sure no-one would spot him, he opened the door and ducked inside.
"Hermione?" are you in here?" he asked quietly. Ron thought he heard a sniffle in response so he moved further into the bathroom.
"Hermione?" he asked again. Then he saw a stall door closed, knowing that no-one else would use Moaning Myrtles Bathroom, and that if it was anyone else they would have yelled at him to get out long ago, he pulled out his wand and said "alomahora" and the door sprang open.
"Hermione! whats wrong?!" he said as he noticed her sitting on the closed toilet with her head in her hands. As she lifted her head Ron noticed her cheeks were wet with tears and her eyes were red rimmed.
"Hermione?" he said again quietly questioning. Hermione looked up at her friend and said "Oh Ron!" before standing quickly and throwing her arms around his neck. Ron gingerly slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him.
"Shh. It'll be alright Hermione" he said as she started to cry again. They stood there with Ron holding Hermione and making comforting small talk until hermione finally stopped crying.
"Hermione? I want you to tell me all about whatever's worrying you but." Ron paused and Hermione looked up uncertainly at him "Can we go somewhere else to talk. This isn't the most comfortable place to sit" he said and she finally smiled a small half smile through her tears.
"Ok Ron. I'll show you somewhere i found" she said tearfully. Releasing her from the circle of his arms, Ron Beckoned for her to show him the way. They walked for a few minutes until they came upon a room Ron had never seen before. It was small, had a couch, a small fire in a fireplace and was warm and cosy.
"Hermione! I never knew this was here!" he said as he sank down onto the couch.
"Neither did i, until i took a wrong turn the other day" she said as she sat next to him.
"You took a Wrong turn? What is the world coming to?" asked Ron jokingly, shuffling around on the couch trying to make himself more comfortable. Finally settling into a comfortable position, Ron felt something prick him in the skin. Feeling through his robes to see what it was he felt the parchment through the fabric.
"Oh hermione. You dropped this" he said as he pulled the letter out of his robes. Hermione looked at it and her bottom lip began to tremble again. A fresh lot of tears escaped from her eyes and ran down her cheeks before she could reach for her handkerchief again.
"Did you read it?" she said quietly. "No Hermione. i didn't read it" said Ron quietly as he offered her the letter again. She refused to take it and pushed it back to him "Read it then Ron" she said as she started to cry a bit harder.
Ron unfolded the letter and began to read outloud "Dearest Hermione. I understand your concerns with regard to our relationship. I also do not think it is all it could be. More visits would be lovely and I do miss you when you are not with me" Ron looked over the top of the letter "You wrote to him about our argument?" he asked in disbelief. Hermione nodded and pointed back at the letter, silently telling him to continue. "Unfortunately my life is quite complicated at the moment and I do not think i have the time to do as you suggest. Therefore i think it would make us both happier and be easier on us if we go our separate ways. Good luck with everything Hermione and keep in touch" Ron's voice had gotten quieter and quieter as he had read the last paragraph.
Hermione had tears rolling down her cheeks continuously now and she was crying silently to herself. Ron moved on the couch so that he was sitting right next to her and put his arm around her shoulders awkwardly.
After a short while in which Ron frantically tried to think of something to say or some way of making hermione stop crying, Hermione broke the silence by saying "You were right Ron" as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. A small smile battled it's way onto her face "he is a stupid git" she said. Ron laughed at her statement and handed her the letter. She took it, looked once at it and threw it in the fire, watching as it writhed in the flames. Neither of them said anything until the letter was gone. "well good riddence to bad rubbish. Anyone who makes you cry isn't worthy of being considered your boyfriend" said Ron adamantly.
"Ron?" asked Hermione as she watched the flames. "mmmmm?" said Ron beginning to fall into his comfortable sleepy state again. "Am I lovable? Like what you said about someone scooping me into their arms and kissing me. Do you think anyone would ever want to do that?" she asked uncertainly.
"Hermione! Of course they would" he said coming fully alert "Why wouldn't they!" he asked with a look of surprise on his face. Hermione looked down at her hands which were folded in her lap and bit her lip. To Ron she looked incredibly uncertain and vulnerable. His arm tightened across her shoulders involutarily, suprising even him as he had forgotten he still had it there.
"Well, i'm not very attractive and well no-one really looks at me as possible date material" said hermione quietly.
"Of course they do Hermione!" he said confidently. Hermione looked up to Ron's face and her eyes connected with his "you didn't. You kept saying you wanted to take a pretty girl to the ball last year. You never thought of me as pretty" she said uncertainly.
"Hermione. Thats because i was blind!" he said angry at himself "I couldn't see you as a girl. You were my best friend, not a girl. I'm sorry. But you are definitely a girl, and definitely a beautiful one at that" Ron said as his face flushed pink and the tips of his ears went red.
"Really? You mean that?" asked hermione a little less uncertain now. "God yes hermione" Ron said feverently.
"I don't know.. Ron" said hermione still uncertain, "I don't feel beautiful and I've got this awful hair and I'm too short and I like to study too much". Ron smiled slightly at her description of herself.
"Well we can't do anything about the studying thing can we? But the hair is nice and shortness does not make you unattractive" said Ron in a half joking, half serious tone of voice.
"Thanks Ron.. I guess" said hermione still seeming uncertain of how to take his words.
"Honestly Hermione! Just believe me! You Are Beautiful and you ARE dateable" said Ron forcefully. Hermione smiled slightly as she reached her free arm around his neck to hug him "Thanks Ron" she said. Ron uncertain of what to do drew her closer to him with the arm around her shoulders and slid his other arm up to hug her back. "Your welcome Hermione. I'm kind of sorry I was right though. I never wanted you to get hurt" he said squeezing her tightly.
"Its probably for the best. Thanks for listening to me Ron. I'm glad that your my best friend" said hermione, at which Ron's ears went bright red again.