Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all the Harry
Potter characters (sniff) but the story's mine! Muhahaha! But of course, the
'extras' that you don't recognize are mine too!
~ And in this chapter Hermione is narrating! ~
By Enchantress.
I
stretched lazily in my four-poster bed and yawned sleepily.
The
dance the night before had been so hectic! I had finally hit the sack at about
three in the morning or something. And now I had to get up at six thirty! Just
three and a half hours of sleep!
I fell out of bed and groggily took a few steps and then banged my foot
straight into my bed.
"YOUCH!" I screamed, but I managed to muffle the sound by
grabbing my sock and cramming it down my throat. Thankfully, my youch became
more of an "awfh" and only Elise gave a little snort, turned over and fell
asleep again.
Cursing under my breath, I pulled my hair out of my eyes and
tried to make my way over to the bathroom. All over the dormitory the remains
of the dance were strewn about.
Robes of all colors, ribbons, discarded hair accessories,
books on charming teeth, weight-reducing potions, all kinds of bizarre
possessions were scattered about the floor. At last I reached my destination;
having stubbed my toe twice on a hairbrush and woken up one of the dozing
enchanted mirrors.
Now I looked over to the mirror and it seemed to stick its
tongue out at me.
I scowled at it grumpily and opened the bathroom door. The
stone floor was like ice to my poor warm feet! I yelped and jumped onto the
marble counter and sat there for a minute, panting. I gently slid off it at
last and made my feet accustom to the chilliness of the bathroom. The morning
had been quite frosty already without me getting chilled to the bone! I dragged the fuzzy, rumpled bearskin mat
from the corner it lay in and spread it out on the floor.
"Ahhh…" I sighed as I wiggled my toes in its chocolate-brown
wooliness.
I brushed my teeth and then took a quick, hot shower.
Nobody else seemed to be up yet. Lessons started at about
nine o'clock, but I was always an early riser, even if I slept at any unholy
hour of the night. On the other hand, the rest of the girls seemed to want to
get up at eight forty-five or something and miss breakfast by the looks of it.
I brushed my hair vigorously, which had almost returned to
its normal bushy state. Only this time, I took more care about my appearance. I
even put on a light pink lip-gloss I had never used before. Don't look at me
that way as if you know why I'm doing that! It's no secret. I just want to, you
know, look nice for the heck of it! No ulterior motive… honest.
Anyway, I then stepped out of the bathroom and glanced at
the horribly messy dormitory. Picking up my wand from my bed stool, I
flourished it about dramatically and chanted under my breath. Soon, the room
was spotless. Even Mary Poppins couldn't have done it this fast!
I smiled and went over to the dormitory door.
I opened it, and looking at what was outside, my eyes grew
wide.
*
Awright,
I should have been straight to the point.
It was unfair of me to put that little star there. I wanted
you to feel a little suspense, that's all.
Anyway, outside the dormitory door, I found six envelops.
No, stupid, not just envelops! Letters too, and all six of them had my name
printed on them.
There they were, all six, neat, little envelops, staring at
me from the floor.
Looking at them, I suddenly got hit by a feeling of déjà vu.
A look of apprehension must have crossed my face when I
picked them up and stealthily walked into the dormitory, shut the door and
rushed into the bathroom once again.
Just as I had suspected. The letters were like the one I
received yesterday. Each one about six lines long. With "Your real Admirer"
typed neatly at the end of each one.
Don't look at me with that longing look in your eyes. I am
not going to read them to you. They're personal. I'm serious. Well, I wonder
who could have possibly sent them… it's obviously not Ron.
Am I disappointed that it's not him, you ask?
Well, honesty speaking, yes, I am disappointed. But Ron
hasn't been in my 'like list' since he didn't ask me to the ball. Yeah, I was
hoping he would ask me. Sigh. Well, no use sitting and brooding about it. Ron's
history. He doesn't come into all this, right? Obviously someone likes me… no I
won't say 'love'! And I do have Victor…
maybe it's…
Eesh! What am I
still doing here in the bathroom with all these letters before me? I have to
leave. No, that's not a smug expression on my face! Well, maybe it is, but
that's beside the point.
I left the bathroom and hid the letters under my bed, where
their predecessor lay.
*
"Hey,
Herm." I heard Harry calling as he sat down next to me.
All
morning I had spent in the library, looking up the name of the flowers Victor
had given me. They were called "Schlbvuck".
Personally, I preferred calling them flowers rather than whatever they were
called. The name was really quite unpronounceable.
Now
I was sitting in The Great Hall, with a few other students munching on toasts
on their respective tables. I was spreading some butter on freshly baked bread
also.
I
glanced at Harry. He looked tired, but kind of contented. And very distracted
too.
"Hi,"
I said in response and looked over him. Ron was sitting next to Harry, but he
hadn't said a word yet. I didn't want to say anything to him either. I didn't
have anything to say! I was still a bit sore at him for not asking me out. So,
I held a grudge. Big deal, I bet lots of people do that!
We
sat in silence which was very strange for me. We had always talked at
mealtimes! About Quiditch, Draco's jerkiness, Pidgewidgen, Snape… the usual
topics.
But
today… nothing.
I
munched my breakfast, Harry did the same (though he kept looking over my head
every two seconds… very weird) and Ron kept to himself. For the first time in
four years, I felt uncomfortable being with them! No conversation meant
something was definitely wrong. Taking courage into my hands, I spoke up.
"So,
Ron…" I said, looking at him directly for the first time since last night in
the common room. "How was your dance?" I asked conversationally.
Uh
oh. Wrong move. Ron looks worse!
"Great.
How's dear ol' Vicky?" he snarled, looking mad.
"Vicky?"
I wrinkled my nose. What was he talking about? "Oh, you mean Victor! Geez, Ron,
I'm sorry about last night but you don't have to be rude! He was just a little
pissed off at you---" I defended Victor, but I stopped at Harry leapt up
suddenly, scraping his chair awfully on the floor and ran out of the hall.
Ron
and I both looked at his retreating back in puzzlement.
What
was going on here? Were my two friends losing their marbles?
At
that moment the bell rang and I thankfully stood up. Ron scowled at me and
deliberately walked as far away from me as possible to our classroom.
Now
I was mad.
Why
was he acting like such a big jerk? Was he still mad because Victor had been my
date? What did he expect, that I would not go to the ball at all because he
didn't ask me?? He was acting like such a stupid crybaby! He didn't ask me
himself! He never even noticed that I was an available girl!
Now,
that hurt.
Fuming
with anger and hating Ron more than ever, I sat down on my seat. Harry came
fumbling in a few minutes later and sat down next to me. Then Ron showed up and
took a seat next to Harry. Good, I didn't want him to sit next to me either!
It
was a Transfiguration class but Professor McGonagal hadn't showed up yet. I had
studied for this class in advance anyway, so I didn't worry.
On
the other hand, the Gryffindors had this class with the Slytherins, and that
was always a pain.
Draco
passed our table and made one of his sleazy remarks to Ron who responded hotly.
I didn't pay them much attention; I didn't want to defend Ron at all! It was
mean, I know, but after all, I was mad at him! But surprisingly, Harry didn't
say anything either! He kept staring blankly in front, a dreamy look plastered
on his face!
Even
Draco was a bit surprised at our lack of response. He then looked at me and I
looked back, my face impassive. He opened his mouth to speak, blinked, looked
at me again and shut his mouth. Muttering to himself with Crabbe and Goyle at
his heels, he left! I was stunned.
Even
at the ball, I had noticed Pansy and Draco eyeing me suspiciously. Pansy had
been looking thunderstruck (at my appearance no doubt!) and Draco had been
looking at me very strangely… I don't know what exactly it was. I should have gotten
my teeth straightened years ago!
Now
the professor entered the room. She told us the page number of the exercise we
were supposed to do. I heard Ron groan at this. He hated doing work in theory,
though he wasn't any good at practicals either!
I
opened my desk to get my book out and saw a beautiful bouquet of peach and
white roses instead! Amazed, I took out the flowers carefully so that McGonagal
couldn't see it. A small card was attached to it. I turned it over and read
these words engraved in gold:
"To my love, Hermione…
Forever yours…"
At
that moment Harry looked up from his work. He stared first at me, and then the
flowers. Evidently this had finally woken him up from the trance he had been in
all morning.
"Hermione!"
he whispered. "What the heck's that?"
"They're
flowers, Harry. Haven't you seen flowers before?" I said nonchalantly and was
about to put them into my backpack when Ron saw us.
"Oy,
what's that?" he whispered, his eyes growing wide.
I
grew irritable now. Couldn't I get some flowers without everybody asking about
them?
"It
's a bouquet of flowers for me, you two! Get it? Now leave me alone!" I snapped
at them, forgetting to lower my voice.
"Perhaps
you should sit with Ms. Skipper now, Ms. Granger, since I find your talking is
disturbing my class!" Professor McGonagal scolded me.
Mumbling
an apology, I picked up my things. I had never been sent away from my seat
before! Grinding my teeth, I changed seats and sat next to a Slytherin girl,
happy to be away from Harry and Ron.
I
knew that this was going to be a long day…
*
It
was seven thirty at night and I was curled up in a comfy sofa near the
fireplace in the Gryffindor common room, reading a book on Bulgaria, when it
happened.
Harry,
together with the rest of the team, was out for Quiditch practice and most of
the girls were taking extra classes with Professor Flitwick. That left me and
two other girls in the room alone.
Soon
they also left, probably for a snowball fight outside. That just left me in the
huge room by myself. I was glad at this though since now I could read in peace.
Suddenly,
the door opened and in stepped Ron.
He
looked at me uncertainly. Obviously he was considering either staying in the
room or leaving. I didn't even look up at him. What did I care whether he
stayed or not?
He
must have decided to stay as he pulled up a chair and started flipping through a
magazine carelessly.
I
still ignored him and kept on reading, my nose buried in the book.
"So,
where's Krum?" he said, not looking up from the magazine.
"He
said he had to stay with Karakroff and the others at the ship. They also have
to attend school everyday y'know." I said, my voice slightly muffled since I
still had the book in front of me.
"Poor
you! Have to spend a whole day without him!" Ron said sarcastically, quite
unlike him, his face getting redder by the minute.
I
looked up at him, frowning.
"What's
your problem, Ron?" I said to him angrily. "Why do you insist on hating Victor
so much?!"
"Ooh
Victor is it?" he drawled, getting up from his seat.
"Oh
shut up!" I said, raising my voice.
"No,
Hermione! What's your problem? Huh? Can't see you so he sent those flowers
instead? Who does he think he is?" Ron retorted furiously.
"HE
DIDN"T SEND THOSE FLOWERS!" I shrieked, putting my hands on my ears, quite
forgetting the decision I had made to keep my admirer a secret.
"Huh?"
said Ron staring at me, his fists clenched. "Then who did?"
"I-I"
I stuttered and stood up. "I'm leaving."
I
made for the door but Ron grabbed my arm.
"Who?"
he whispered hoarsely. His eyes were now slits and his fiery hair scatted about
his head.
Ron
actually scared me a bit then… he was like I had never seen him before… True, I
had seen him angry many times before, but now he was… enraged.
"I--I
don't know." I confessed. He loosened his hold but didn't let go.
"What
do you mean?" he asked and shoved me towards my chair. I narrowed my eyes and
took a deep breath.
"I
don't need to tell you." I said.
"I
think you do." he said, glowering at me.
"Why?"
I shot back at him.
He
stood regarding me for a moment.
"Because
I thought I was your friend." he said at last. He then picked up his coat,
opened the door and left.
I
stared at the door.
Then,
with shaky fingers I adjusted the magazines and straightened the chairs.
I
walked over to the girls' empty dormitory and looked at my reflection in the
bathroom mirror.
My
hair as loose and it fell around my shoulders. My face was pale and my brown
eyes were looking large and scared.
It
was then that I broke down completely.
Nobody
saw me cry.
**
I'm depressed myself. ;_;
Long live Ron n Herm? Eeps… review please?