Chapter 4 – A Rejection… A Mistake… and A Meeting?
"No…" Ginny looked away from Harry, out the window.
"What do you mean no?" Harry was bewildered. His heart was pounding. Had he just been rejected?
"I mean, no! As in no I will not be your girlfriend…"
Harry noticed the tears welling up in her eyes. Why was she saying no? He couldn't help but wonder.
"Gin, we just confessed our love for each other and you're telling me no?" Harry moved towards her putting his hand on her right elbow, turning her around to face him.
"What does the famous Harry Potter think now? Oh, the poor little Weasley girl denies him? I'm sorry, Harry. I guess the first rejection is pretty tough on someone with an ego as big as yours!" Ginny struggled free from his grip and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Harry's mouth dropped open as he stared into the wooden panels that had just been slammed in his face, crushing his soul.
~*~
"Ron, I don't understand it…" Hermione looked down at her Transfiguration book and then glanced back up once she felt Ron's stare on her. "I mean… what does it all mean? A rose… a note? I feel so stupid for making moves on Harry. I mean it probably totally ruined our friendship. Has he told you anything? He hates me, doesn't he?" Hermione sighed and blew the strand of hair out of her face and blinked several times.
"No, of course not. Hermione, how could you think that? Harry is your best friend. He wouldn't hate you for that. I mean, everyone makes assumptions right?" Ron shrugged his shoulders and continued to look at his best friend.
"Yes, but not everyone tries to seduce their best friend and then get detention for something they didn't even do for a person they don't even like!" Hermione felt tears coming into her eyes for the second time in two days. "Ron, I just don't know what I'd do if I lost Harry's trust and friendship."
"Don't worry, it's nothing like that! He truly does love you, Hermione… just not that way. Obviously, someone does, though."
"Speaking of liking someone that way… Where is this wonderful new girlfriend of yours? Why haven't we met her?" Hermione tried to forget about the problems at hand and grinned at her red-haired best friend.
"Well… she's just a little shy." Ron flushed a light shade of pink.
"Does she at least have a name?"
"Yeah… Emalie [A/N- pronounced Emily… sorry but I liked that spelling?]."
"Emalie Harton, the new Slytherin girl?" Hermione raised one perfectly arched hazel-colored eyebrow at Ron.
By the rush of blood to Ron's face, Hermione guessed the answer to that question was yes.
"What happened to 'all slytherin's are evil and let's stay clear of them as much as possible'? Hmm?" Hermione smiled at Ron and went back to reading her Transfiguration book.
"Well, Mione. She's different… ya know?" Ron smiled because he knew Hermione would understand.
"Well, Ron, from what I've heard… she's not the ugliest exchange student Hogwarts' has seen… I mean I know Austrian [A/N – Notice it's AUSTRIAN not AUSTRALIAN! Lol] girls can be gorgeous, but I hear she's way up there with Fleur…" Hermione laughed and noticed Ron's face was now the same color as his hair.
Before Ron or Hermione could say another word, Ginny came running down the stairs in hysterics.
"Ginny! What's wrong?" Ron jumped from his spot on the couch and rushed over to his sister.
Hermione looked up from her book and removed her black-framed, square-cut glasses and placed both objects on the table next to the couch.
"Gin, What's the matter?" Hermione stood from her spot on the couch to go comfort her friend.
"Oh, it's h-h-h-h…" Ginny kept sobbing. She couldn't continue.
"What?" Ron asked wiping her tears with his hands.
"It's horrible!" Ginny exclaimed and bounded up the stairs. Seconds later they heard a door slam shut.
"I'll go find out what's wrong…" Hermione started up after Ginny.
~*~
Draco stomped down the hall towards the Gryffindor portrait hole, dragging Don Creevey [A/N- Colin's little brother, first year] with him. He heard Don give a little whimper.
"Look, Creevey, you have a simple job. All you have to do is go in there and find Granger. Tell her someone wants to talk to her by the old witch statue and it's urgent!"
When they had reached the portrait hole, Draco released Don and hurriedly set out for the statue.
~*~
Hermione knocked gently on the door, hearing the barely audible sounds of crying coming from the dorm room shared by all 6th year Gryffindor girls.
"Ginny, please… it's me, Mione."
"Please, Hermione. Go away. Just for a little while." Ginny managed to speak a few sentences without sobbing and then began it again.
"Ginny, please?"
Hermione felt someone poking her insistently on the back and she turned around quickly.
"What!?" Once she noticed who it was, she felt bad. "Oh, I'm truly sorry, Don… didn't mean to snap at you…"
"Erm… Mrs. Granger, ma'am. I have a message to relay to you." Don paused for a minute and Hermione could tell he was thinking something in his head and going over whatever the message was. In a few seconds, he continued. "Someone wants to meet you by the old witch statue and it's very…. Urgent?" Don let out a huge sigh and nodded his head. He turned quickly and escaped in a hurry.
Hermione was just a bit confused as she stumbled down the steps and into the common room, set out for the statue and her anonymous sender.