Hermione was huddled by the lakeside, her back against a snowdrift. She was
sobbing, and tears were streaming down her face, which was draped with her
loose hair. Harry went and sat down next to her.
"Mione." He said quietly.
"Go away, just go away, Harry!" Hermione choked. "Why won't anyone leave me alone?" She cried, and burst out in fresh tears. Harry sighed internally. This was going to take awhile.
"Look, Hermione." Harry said. "It will feel better to talk about it, whatever it is. Hermione, you can trust me. You know that, don't you?"
"I don't- want to- talk about it!" she said through her sobs.
"Hermione, just let it out. I promise I'll listen. Isn't that what friends are for?" Harry said.
"Are you my friend Harry?" Hermione said. Her sobs got louder. Harry ran his hand through his hair, making it even more untidy. He sighed. He was Hermione's friend. But lately, he thought to himself, I've really been ignoring her. Something else occurred to him. He hadn't picked up on her thoughts. And they were supposed to be an alarm bell and a blaring siren. Harry silently cursed himself. All he had felt was a minor uneasiness.
"I am your friend, Hermione. I guess- I haven't really been acting like it lately, I know. I'm really sorry!" He said, hoping that was enough. Hermione turned to face him. Her blue eyes looked enormous, swollen with teardrops.
"Voldemort killed my father." She said in a short lived burst of calm. Then, she dissolved into tears again. Harry put his arm around her as she cried her heart out.
Through her tears he managed to understand that she felt responsible for her father's death. She wept,
"If I hadn't been a witch, father would have died!" She leaned against his shoulder, and he enveloped her in his arms, reassuring her.
Harry had thought he would feel uncomfortable as he held her, sharing her pain, but he was oddly content, though his heart was bursting for his best friend. He had never known parents, so their loss was not as exceedingly painful as it was for Hermione, who had gotten the chance to love her parents.
He leaned down to murmur something to her, causing her to look up. Harry caught his breath. His lips were millimeters away from hers. Her hair and eyelashes were frosted with snowflakes. Slowly he pressed his lips against hers. Was it right to take advantage of her when she was baring her very soul to him? Harry didn't know, but the kiss felt right.
When it ended, Hermione turned her face to the ground. Harry helped her get up. Emerging from behind the snowdrift, they came face to face with the person whom they least wanted to see at that moment- Draco Malfoy.
"Potter and Mudblood, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G…" He got no further. Making a fist, Hermione slugged him across the face. He lost his balance and fell into the lake. Harry and Hermione turned their backs on him and walked toward the castle.
Meanwhile, a slit-pupiled face watched the whole scene with hungry, red eyes.
"Mione." He said quietly.
"Go away, just go away, Harry!" Hermione choked. "Why won't anyone leave me alone?" She cried, and burst out in fresh tears. Harry sighed internally. This was going to take awhile.
"Look, Hermione." Harry said. "It will feel better to talk about it, whatever it is. Hermione, you can trust me. You know that, don't you?"
"I don't- want to- talk about it!" she said through her sobs.
"Hermione, just let it out. I promise I'll listen. Isn't that what friends are for?" Harry said.
"Are you my friend Harry?" Hermione said. Her sobs got louder. Harry ran his hand through his hair, making it even more untidy. He sighed. He was Hermione's friend. But lately, he thought to himself, I've really been ignoring her. Something else occurred to him. He hadn't picked up on her thoughts. And they were supposed to be an alarm bell and a blaring siren. Harry silently cursed himself. All he had felt was a minor uneasiness.
"I am your friend, Hermione. I guess- I haven't really been acting like it lately, I know. I'm really sorry!" He said, hoping that was enough. Hermione turned to face him. Her blue eyes looked enormous, swollen with teardrops.
"Voldemort killed my father." She said in a short lived burst of calm. Then, she dissolved into tears again. Harry put his arm around her as she cried her heart out.
Through her tears he managed to understand that she felt responsible for her father's death. She wept,
"If I hadn't been a witch, father would have died!" She leaned against his shoulder, and he enveloped her in his arms, reassuring her.
Harry had thought he would feel uncomfortable as he held her, sharing her pain, but he was oddly content, though his heart was bursting for his best friend. He had never known parents, so their loss was not as exceedingly painful as it was for Hermione, who had gotten the chance to love her parents.
He leaned down to murmur something to her, causing her to look up. Harry caught his breath. His lips were millimeters away from hers. Her hair and eyelashes were frosted with snowflakes. Slowly he pressed his lips against hers. Was it right to take advantage of her when she was baring her very soul to him? Harry didn't know, but the kiss felt right.
When it ended, Hermione turned her face to the ground. Harry helped her get up. Emerging from behind the snowdrift, they came face to face with the person whom they least wanted to see at that moment- Draco Malfoy.
"Potter and Mudblood, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G…" He got no further. Making a fist, Hermione slugged him across the face. He lost his balance and fell into the lake. Harry and Hermione turned their backs on him and walked toward the castle.
Meanwhile, a slit-pupiled face watched the whole scene with hungry, red eyes.