"The Reunion," by Quidditch, Anyone?"
Departure
Urgh. The party scene slowly develops in front of me as I walk out of the bathroom. I feel like something that was eaten by a monkey, then the monkey was swinging through zillions of tree branches, then the monkey threw me up. I probably smell similar to that as well.
Everything comes clearly into view only after I spot Ron with the crew. I suddenly am extraordinarily embarrassed and want to leave- but my purse is still on the chair.
Hmm. I think of some disgustingly witty departure to leave with, which would be much easier without the movie screen flashing before me that demonstrates me pulling every one of Ape-[I want too]KILL's hairs out. This ends up useless. I guess I'll just leave as quickly as possible, then. I doubt anyone would have noticed me talking anyway.
"Yes, well, I think I'm going to catch a Portkey out of here," I start. Semi-transparent groans arise from my schoolmates.
"Don't feel bad," I say truthfully. "We all know what's worse than a single person in a group of happy little couples; a wasted single person that didn't really belong to begin with and ran off to dance with the first man who looked at her."
The group... er, just kinda stares for a while.
I smile and cock my head, closing with a cheery "g'night!" and stride out of there before you could say 'bitter, single reject'.
·~··~··~·
Only two of the Portkeys are leaving this early, neither of which anywhere near where I live, but I really don't want to stay around Hogsmeade. I guess I could take the night bus. Or I could just take one of the Portkeys to King's Cross and catch a muggle train to London. A walk in the city might be nice, so I decide to go with that plan.
The old and crushed tin is frigid under my fingers. Three,two,one, and I'm off- just that quickly. I didn't even get a chance to glimpse back at the castle. My throat feels tight for a second, but I take a breath and let it go.
Soon I discover that the next train won't be leaving for at least an hour. I sigh and sit on a bench. Without a jacket I shiver slightly and cross my arms tightly.
I'm so stupid. Not academically, of course, but I feel like I'm battling with common sense. This one part of me was 100% pumped to slap Twiggy and tell Ron everything. It would be so perfect and I'm dying to do it. Then this other side of me kicked in and told me to shut up, become very cold, and just get over it all. Life goes on without people. I really hate this side of me, so then why do I always listen to it?
Now my nose aches, my throat tightens, and my eyes itch. It's that 'feeling' again. When I'm going to start bawling about something stupid. And it'll just get worse because I'm mad that I'm crying to begin with. I just wait for a few seconds and I'm okay again.
"Hermione?"
Ron. Without Twiggy.
"What are you doing here?" I turn to face him in my orange plastic seat.
"Better question would be, what are you doing here, running out on our reunion like that?" He sits down next to me.
"I just wasn't feeling too well," I smile.
"Yeah, I can imagine," he grins. "I've never seen you like that, Hermione. You've changed."
"Yup."
A few seconds go by without any conversation. I swallow this block in my throat and ask: "So, you're getting married?"
He look uncomfortable. "Well... yeah."
"You don't sound very enthused," I tell him.
"Er... it's, it's nothing."
I sigh and lean closer. "Tell me."
He takes a minute. "I didn't really propose to her."
Huh?
"Then how come she said you were getting married?" Did I miss something?
"Because she thought I did, but I really didn't!" he said rapidly.
I'm still confused.
"I'd tell you the story, but it's really embarrassing and... just, please, don't ask." He turns his Ronny red. I smile.
"Tell me."
Ron smiles back at me. "All right, fine, but you cannot make fun of me!"
"Course not."
"Okay," he took a breath. "What happened was that we were walking on the sidewalk and we happened to be in front of a- a jewelry store." His face seemed to be getting darker with every word he uttered. "And I went down to tie my shoelace, can you believe that, and she thought... well..."
I'm laughing harder than I have in months. How stupid of her! This is something that's in a bad teenage movie, only not. "She thought you were proposing?"
"Yes," he smiled with embarrassment, but stopped after his next remark. "But now I don't know what to do."
I shut up. This isn't funny, Hermione.
"Oh my God," I say.
He looks helpless. "I really don't know what to do!"
"Just break it off."
"How?"
"Just tell her exactly what you told me... that it was an accident. Accidents happen," I advise.
"Not like this, they don't. She'll hate me!"
"Well, do you want to spend the rest of your life with this girl?"
"No!"
"Do you want to make the biggest mistake of your life just because you won't tell her the truth?"
"No."
"Then just tell her!"
In the end we compromised that he go back to the castle. He'd have to work things out from there. I never went back, but I'll just say my fingers were crossed that entire time on the train.
Nothing really new happening. I'm thinking of starting an advice column, because I think I'd be pretty good at it. Problem is I don't know how... or why. Hmm. Anyway, back to something you actually care about; sorry I haven't updated forever, but I've been a teensy bit on the busy side.
Love and all that good stuff,
QA