Hermione walked out to the common room. She had a smile on her face.
"Morning Justin!" she chirped
"Morning Dean!" She kissed Justin on the cheek and skipped out.
Dean took a look at Justin, who was blushing.
"What..was THAT all about?"
"It's a secret." Dean raised his eyebrows as Justin pulled out a parchment to write to his older sister again. They still took Alma's death hard. He needed to talk to his sister. He really liked Hermione, but couldn't do anything about it.
Hermione was happy, but also nervous. Her competition was in one week. It wasn't the final competition yet. Two singles would be chosen from the three and the doubles would perform as well. One pair of doubles would go on to the final championship.
"Good morning Harry, Ron!"
"Why are you so bloody happy in the morning?"
"My competition is in a week. Don't get me wrong I'm nervous, but excited!"
"How come we can't see you skate?"
"You can, but you have to come to the competition." Hermione smiled. "Well boys, I must be off." With a wink, she skipped away.
Hermione entered the portrait and grabbed her bag.
"Practice?" Hermione nodded.
"Coming?" Justin smiled.
"Of course."
At that moment, her owl came sweeping in as well as Cordelia's owl and dropped two letters at her feet. She untied the letter from her owl and smiled. It was from Kelly. She collapsed on the couch to read it and had a look of disbelief on her face. Kelly? Kelly was breaking up with her? A tear rolled down her face. She read it again and gasped in horror.
"No..no!" she whispered.
"Mya?" Justin looked at her, concerned.
She opened the next letter and broke down, letting the letter fall from her fingertips.
"Damn him! Damn him! Damn you to hell, Kelly!" She ran out of the common room in tears. Padma, Hannah, Terry, and Dean looked on concerned when Justin picked up the letter and ran after her.
"Mya!"
Hermione ran and ran, not really paying attention where she was going. Suddenly, she found herself in her clearing. She collapsed against a tree and burst into sobs. Justin ran. He knew just were Hermione would be. He rammed into McGonagall.
"Mr. Finch-Fletchley! 10 points off Hufflepuff for running in the corridors."
"Sorry Professor!" He continued running.
"Mr. Fletchley!"
"Hermione's crying!" He called over his shoulder. He approached the clearing and gasped at the sight. Hermione was disheveled and was shaking.
"Mya?" Justin asked quietly. Hermione looked up and wiped away her tears.
"H-hi J-Justin." Justin walked over and sat on the ground next to her. He put his arms around her.
"Shhh." Justin rocked her back and forth. He gently wiped away her tears. "What's wrong Mya?" Hermione sniffled and handed him the letter from Kelly.
"Read that. And then the other one in your hand."
Justin took the letter from Hermione and slowly opened it.
Dear 'Mione:
This isn't working. It was fun while it lasted and you are an awfully sweet, spirited, and beautiful girl, but I can't see you anymore. You being a witch doesn't help because I don't understand a lot of things and the occasional meetings aren't enough. I could put up with that, but I don't think it will work. I've also met someone else here at university. So, I'm breaking up with you. I am also withdrawing from the championship so we don't have to see each other.
Best,
Kelly
Justin frowned at the letter. That was pretty impersonal. He didn't like this Kelly guy at all.
"Mya. I'm sorry.."
"That's not the worse of it. Read the one from Cordelia."
Dear Hermione,
Hello dear. How are you? OWLS went well? I have some bad news and I wish I didn't have to bear this. Goodness knows, Kelly has probably given you some bad news already. Unfortunately, I must be a bearer of bad news. Kelly has left the competition. Thus, you have no partner for your double. Unless we can get you another partner, you won't be able to continue in the competition. I'd love to switch you into singles. You are so talented, but as you know when you and Kelly went into doubles, we accepted two other people for singles. There's timing. We can't switch you. The competition is next week. That gives you a week to find a replacement. I will keep my eye out as well. I'm truly sorry and I pray to Merlin we find someone as your double. I hope to see you next week.
Love,
Cordelia
Hermione watched as Justin put the letter down and she burst into tears.
"It was my dream. Since I was young. Ok. He broke up with me; I can live with that. I won't deny that it hurts. No one said it was going to last forever and I wasn't in love with him. I had doubts of it lasting, but he took away my dream."
"I'm really sorry Mai Mai."
"Mai Mai?" Justin blushed and kissed Hermione lightly on the forehead.
"How am I ever going to find a replacement?"
"We'll think of something Mai Mai, we'll think of something." The two sat quietly in each others arms for the next few hours.
"Mya? We should get going."
"I guess you're right. Thank you Jus." Justin took her hand and the two slowly made it to the castle.
Hermione! Where have you been? You weren't at dinner."
"I'm sorry Harry, Ron. Kelly broke up with me. I I was with Justin."
"Justin?" Hermione smiled over at Justin.
"Harry, Ron; you know Justin Finch-Fletchley, don't you? 6th year Hufflepuff Prefect." Harry and Ron looked over at the boy who was holding Hermione's hand and acknowledged him. Harry studied Justin for a while. He saw how Justin's eyes lingered on Hermione's and the longing, yet pain in them. Harry's face broke out in a smile. Justin liked Hermione and he liked her a lot. Harry had a good feeling about him, unlike with Kelly. He always figured Justin was a loner, but apparently, Hermione had warmed up to him. Harry cast a knowing smile Justin's way. Justin was startled. Was he that obvious? Harry leaned over and whispered something in Ron's ear. Ron grinned and nodded.
"What are you two planning?" Hermione narrowed her eyes.
"Nothing Mione. I just need to talk to you for a minute. It's for Padma."
Hermione looked at him, not believing him "Right…" "I'll be back Jus." She kissed him on the cheek as Ron dragged her away. Justin blushed and his eyes lingered on her. "An angel," he whispered to himself.
Harry smirked. Yep, Justin liked his best friend alright and he was going to do something about it. "Um Justin? Are you going to stare at Mione all day or..?" Justin looked at Harry startled and blushed.
"It's too bad. I didn't like Kelly when I first met him. She's a sweetheart."
"She is." He quickly looked down. "And beautiful."
"So you gonna tell her?"
"T-tell her what?"
"That you like her of course."
"I—I—" Justin stuttered.
"Yes, that you like her. I can tell these things, Justin. Mione is like my sister. I pay attention. You like her."
"Is it that obvious?"
"Yea, pretty obvious. Mione is always oblivious to those sorts of things though." Justin let out a sigh of relief.
"Please don't tell her! I know you barely know me, but…" He looked at Harry nervously. Harry smiled at Justin. He liked this kid.
"I won't tell, but are you?"
"No."
Harry sighed. "Why not?"
"I'd never have a chance with her. She's so perfect. I'm a loner. A quiet nobody." Harry was startled at Justin's low self confidence. He also knew Justin and Hermione were perfect for each other.
"You know…a lot of people think the same of Mione. She's a bookworm. She's quiet, and believe it or not, shy. Hermione warmed up to you. You like her. What's the harm in trying if you like her so much?"
"Because I like her so much it hurts. I don't think I can deal with rejection. I'll just have to settle with being her friend and study partner."
"You too are too alike! Justin, don't give up. If you like her, leap. I don't say this to anyone. I love her like a sister. I think you should tell her. Maybe not now, when Kelly just broke up with her, but..soon."
"Honestly Ron! You had to drag me away because you didn't know whether to use a blue blanket or a red blanket on your date with Padma!"
"Hey! It's a big deal! Blue is Ravenclaw's color, but red is ours!" Hermione shook her head. She saw Justin gazing at her. Ron followed her gaze.
"He likes you. He likes you's a lot!"
Hermione broke her gaze to look at Ron. "What are you talking about?"
"Justin," Ron replied simply.
"What about Justin? You're not going to call him a nobody, are you? Otherwise I'll have to pound our head in!" Hermione said angrily.
"Relax Mione. You'd think you had a crush on him! Hermione blushed.
"Ron, you know I just broke up with Kelly" Hermione said softly.
"Doesn't mean you couldn't have a crush on him. You and Kelly have been fighting for a while. And I wasn't going to call Justin a nobody. It was sweet of you to befriend him, someone who really needed a friend."
"He's a really nice person, intelligent-if people just took the time to get to know him. So, he's a little shy, but he opens up. He keeps to himself because of the way people treat him. Now what were you going to say about him?"
"He likes you. I mean really likes you." Hermione laughed.
"Don't be silly."
"I'm bloody serious."
"You're not Sirius. Sirius is Padfoot." Hermione grinned at him cheekily
Ron groaned. "Mione, that is so old!" Hermione and Ron approached Harry and Justin, Ron still rolling his eyes.
"Eh, Ron, what's going on?"
"Hermione went with the Sirius joke again!"
"Again! Mione! That is so old!"
Hermione shrugged her shoulders. Justin looked at them confused.
"Whenever someone says they are serois, Mione says they aren't Sirius. That Sirius is my godfather!"
"Sirius Black."
"Yeah."
"Wasn't he the one who recently was released of the charges and he was in Azkaban for a number of years?"
"That's the one." Hermione smiled at Justin. He was really sweet.
"Jus. We should probably finish that essay Sprout wanted us to do."
"You're right Mai Mai." Harry and Ron raised their eyebrows at this name. So Justin already had a nickname for Hermione. "It was good to meet you two."
"Same." Harry and Ron watched as Justin and Hermione walked off together, Justin staling glances at Hermione.
"He likes her quite a lot!"
"They'd be good for each other."
They walked towards the common room, thinking of ways to get them together when Hermione had some time to heal from Kelly's hurt.