Chapter 3
Hermione hesitated briefly before entering the Gryffindor common room. She was wondering if it was a good idea to say goodbye to her friends, or would Ron stubbornly misinterpret it, and start yet another fight with her. And recently, it seemed to Hermione that almost all she and Ron did lately was fight. It didn't matter what happened, or what was wrong. Ron just picked a fight as and when he liked. However, Hermione told herself that even if it wasn't for him, she still had other people to bid goodbye before she spent the rest of the year in her new dormitories.
Oh, the dormitories were better than the common room. The big comfy couches by the warm, blazing fireplace was a good place, Hermione had decided almost the moment she saw it, for reading. And there was a large polished wooden desk in the main room, where their future meetings would probably be held. In her new room, which was all hers, a large four-poster sat, invitingly, tempting her to jump right into bed and fall asleep. A bookshelf was put above her desk, where she could arrange her reference books carefully in the systematic way she nearly always did. Her oak- finished wardrobe was big and spacious, and it was almost a relief that she didn't have to cram her spare things into her trunk. Reluctant as she was to admit it, she was still glad she was a prefect.
When she got into the common room with the help of a second-year, she walked briskly into the common room, where she knew her friends would be sitting and bingeing on whatever Harry had left over from the train ride. She was right. And it didn't surprise her to see Ginny sitting on a one- seater couch, her nose in her Transfiguration book.
As she was about to call out to her friends, Ginny looked up and said happily in a loud voice, "Hey, guys! Look who's here!"
Harry, Dean, Seamus and the other Gryffindors who were there smiled pleasantly, while Ron just pretended he hadn't seen her and asked Harry to please pass the chocolate frogs.
Ginny frowned at her brother, and walked up to Hermione. "Sorry," she whispered, looking put-down. "Harry and I tried, but you know how Ron is."
Hermione smiled gratefully at her friend, for her efforts. "It's all right, Ginny. I'll just have a talk with him later on."
"So, what are you here for?" Asked Ginny.
"Last goodbye before I'm off to my new quarters. I'll take you there soon. You'll love the peace there!" Answered Hermione, casting a half-exasperated glance in Ron's direction.
Taking a deep breath, she walked up to Harry and his friends and begin to speak. "So, guys. I guess this is it. This is going to be the last time I ever work here, so this is er. Goodbye."
Then, Hermione gave Harry a hug. Uncertain, Harry hugged Hermione back. Ron looked at Hermione, half-wishing she'd hug him too. When she turned to him, he thought his wish had coe true. However she did not bend to give him a hug.
"Ron, can I talk to you outside? It'll be just a while, I promise!"
Ron looked coldly at Hermione. "There is nothing to talk about, Hermione."
"Ron. Please!" Said Hermione, feeling her tears getting ready for a shower.
Ron looked at Harry, who nodded at him, frowning.
"Well, fine. But just 5 minutes. No more!" Said Ron.
Hermione smiled, relieved. "Thanks Ron!" Then she turned to Ginny and hugged her.
When she and Ron were alone outside, Hermione began to feel nervous. "Er. Ron, I just wanted to apologize, though I'm not exactly sure what I'm apologizing for, but. Oh, well. I -."
"It's okay," said Ron shortly.
"Oh, Ron!" Cried Hermione, throwing her arms around him. "Thanks! I knew you'd understand!" She pulled away from her friend. "Well, then. Goodbye, Ron. See you in class!"
With that, she turned and skipped off, her heart considerably lighter.
Hermione hesitated briefly before entering the Gryffindor common room. She was wondering if it was a good idea to say goodbye to her friends, or would Ron stubbornly misinterpret it, and start yet another fight with her. And recently, it seemed to Hermione that almost all she and Ron did lately was fight. It didn't matter what happened, or what was wrong. Ron just picked a fight as and when he liked. However, Hermione told herself that even if it wasn't for him, she still had other people to bid goodbye before she spent the rest of the year in her new dormitories.
Oh, the dormitories were better than the common room. The big comfy couches by the warm, blazing fireplace was a good place, Hermione had decided almost the moment she saw it, for reading. And there was a large polished wooden desk in the main room, where their future meetings would probably be held. In her new room, which was all hers, a large four-poster sat, invitingly, tempting her to jump right into bed and fall asleep. A bookshelf was put above her desk, where she could arrange her reference books carefully in the systematic way she nearly always did. Her oak- finished wardrobe was big and spacious, and it was almost a relief that she didn't have to cram her spare things into her trunk. Reluctant as she was to admit it, she was still glad she was a prefect.
When she got into the common room with the help of a second-year, she walked briskly into the common room, where she knew her friends would be sitting and bingeing on whatever Harry had left over from the train ride. She was right. And it didn't surprise her to see Ginny sitting on a one- seater couch, her nose in her Transfiguration book.
As she was about to call out to her friends, Ginny looked up and said happily in a loud voice, "Hey, guys! Look who's here!"
Harry, Dean, Seamus and the other Gryffindors who were there smiled pleasantly, while Ron just pretended he hadn't seen her and asked Harry to please pass the chocolate frogs.
Ginny frowned at her brother, and walked up to Hermione. "Sorry," she whispered, looking put-down. "Harry and I tried, but you know how Ron is."
Hermione smiled gratefully at her friend, for her efforts. "It's all right, Ginny. I'll just have a talk with him later on."
"So, what are you here for?" Asked Ginny.
"Last goodbye before I'm off to my new quarters. I'll take you there soon. You'll love the peace there!" Answered Hermione, casting a half-exasperated glance in Ron's direction.
Taking a deep breath, she walked up to Harry and his friends and begin to speak. "So, guys. I guess this is it. This is going to be the last time I ever work here, so this is er. Goodbye."
Then, Hermione gave Harry a hug. Uncertain, Harry hugged Hermione back. Ron looked at Hermione, half-wishing she'd hug him too. When she turned to him, he thought his wish had coe true. However she did not bend to give him a hug.
"Ron, can I talk to you outside? It'll be just a while, I promise!"
Ron looked coldly at Hermione. "There is nothing to talk about, Hermione."
"Ron. Please!" Said Hermione, feeling her tears getting ready for a shower.
Ron looked at Harry, who nodded at him, frowning.
"Well, fine. But just 5 minutes. No more!" Said Ron.
Hermione smiled, relieved. "Thanks Ron!" Then she turned to Ginny and hugged her.
When she and Ron were alone outside, Hermione began to feel nervous. "Er. Ron, I just wanted to apologize, though I'm not exactly sure what I'm apologizing for, but. Oh, well. I -."
"It's okay," said Ron shortly.
"Oh, Ron!" Cried Hermione, throwing her arms around him. "Thanks! I knew you'd understand!" She pulled away from her friend. "Well, then. Goodbye, Ron. See you in class!"
With that, she turned and skipped off, her heart considerably lighter.