~ Later that night in the Gryffindor Common Room ~
"Ron can be such a bumbling idiot sometimes." Hermione thought to herself as she tucked his books and wand under her arm. She scanned the Gryffindor common room, but seeing no lanky red-heads about, she gave up and set the books down with a thud and nestled in her favorite armchair. Before Hermione could take a deep breath and stretch, Harry leisurely strolled through the portrait hole and stretched out on a nearby couch.
"Hello Harry." Hermione said cheerfully, pulling her knees to her chest. "Where have you been?"
"Ah," he replied, finishing a yawn. "Just in the library, working on an essay. Why are you here all alone?"
"Eh, I was looking for Ron," Hermione picked fuzz off her robe and studied the fire. "But he seems to have gone missing."
"Oh, I saw him in the library with Luna." Harry rolled on his stomach, letting his crossed arms create a pillow for his head.
"With Luna Lovegood?" Hermione snapped her head up. "I didn't know Ron had a thing for Luna."
"Whoa, whoa, hold on," Harry chuckled softly. "He doesn't like Luna."
With a skeptical glance, Hermione retorted, "Well then why is he with her in the library?"
"I never said that Luna didn't like Ron." Harry replied, slightly amused.
"Luna likes Ron?" Hermione gasped. She was confused, Hermione had never thought about Ron dating anyone, holding hands, cuddling, snogging and whatnot.
Or had she?
"Why do you care?" Now it was Harry's turn to be confused. "Do you like him?"
"No!" Hermione jumped out of her chair, absolutely shocked that Harry would suggest something like that. "We're friends! Nothing more!"
"Well, it's just that you-"
"It's just that I nothing!" Hermione continued to bellow, but started pacing. "You boys are so ODD! I can't imagine what is going on inside your heads!"
Harry sat up, pushing his glasses into place. "Well Ron and I would like to know what's going on inside that head of yours!"
"What do you mean?!" Hermione gasped. "I behave in a perfectly logical manner." She stuck her nose in the air and crossed her arms.
"Yeah, right, if you consider having mood swings that would shame any St. Mungo's patient perfectly logical!"
"Take that back!" Hermione yelled, but her voice quivered slightly. She hoped Harry didn't notice.
"Bloody girls!" Harry waved his arms above his head, ruffling his hair in the process. "You girls are all so whacko I don't even know what to think! We're better off without you!"
"Harry." Hermione gasped. Her face fell and she dropped her arms to her sides. Her eyebrows drew close together and she sucked her bottom lip in.
"I." Harry stood up, still more than an arms distance away. "You know I don't mean that."
Stretching her neck out, she swallowed tears and licked her lips. "Well." she started, but she couldn't finish. Nothing was coming to mind besides "better off without me?" She turned on her heel, robe fluttering behind her and promptly left Harry standing in the glow of the roaring fire.
As soon as she stepped through the Fat Lady, she could feel the tears spilling over onto her cheeks. Pulling her hand inside her sleeve, she wiped them away hastily and headed towards the library where she could bury her troubles in a book. Heck, she might even find a topic for her Magic Fair project.
She pushed the heavy oak open and sniffed the last of her tears away. There were a few scattered students, trying to cram before the library closed in half an hour. She headed to the tall looming bookcases, determined to lose herself in a book. Scanning the shelves, she settled for Teenage Relationships by June Whitfield.
Obviously, no one had checked out this particular book in a while, because there was a dusty layer covering a vibrant picture of a young bright eyed witch staring through her thick brown fringe. Hermione lifted the book to her face and blew the remaining dust off and opened the cover. Halfway through the first page, a passage caught her eye.
.teenagers of all backgrounds experience the very same thing when they reach a certain age. Love comes into play and seems to ruin everything. The average boy is still coming to grips with his already awkward nature, and has yet to get a handle on his hormones. Girls may seem to become moody and irritable.
"Love?" Hermione thought. "Is that what's bothering all of us?"
She would have gone deeper into her thoughts if a mess of blonde hair didn't zip right past her just then. Hermione pulled the book up, covering just enough of her face to hide, but still see. She crouched down and moved behind a bookcase, peeking out.
All of a sudden, a lanky red-headed boy with a lopsided grin came into view. She could only see the back of the blonde girl, but she assumed it was Luna.
"Well, I better get back to my dorm." Ron rubbed his eyes. "I'm getting pretty tired and the library is closing in fifteen minutes."
"Oh Ron," the blonde cooed. Hermione recognized her voice though. Luna Lovegood. "Are you sure you don't want to go for a walk or something?"
"Aw.naw" Ron blushed, obviously trying not to look at her. He shoved his calloused hands in his pockets and looked down at the floor. His hunter green pullover complimented his copper hair, but not the spreading redness on his cheeks. "I better get back anyways; I need to talk to Hermione tonight anyway."
This seemed to throw Luna, because she stepped back a foot and closed her posture, now crossing her arms and dropping her shoulders. "Hermione Granger?" She said, lifting her chin to meet Ron's eye. Luna was a meager 5'2, and Ron was already 6 foot.
"Yeah, I was just worried about her, ya'know?" Ron shuffled his feet and took his hands out of his pockets. "She seems a bit off lately, didn't you notice?"
"Well she always seemed crazy to me." Luna replied icily. Hermione almost gasped audibly. "Me? Crazy?" Hermione kept to herself, still hiding behind the large book. "She's the one they call Loony Lovegood!"
Ron furrowed his brow, almost.to Hermione's surprise, angrily? He now copied her stance and crossed his arms. Hermione could swear there was a good three feet between them now.
"Why would you say that?" Ron asked, in a flat tone.
"You know. She thinks she's better than everybody else here." Luna tossed her muted blonde hair over her shoulder. "She's always bugging you, isn't she?"
"Yeah," Ron mumbled. Hermione dropped the book a bit, revealing her now saddened face. "But in a good way." He finished.
"A good way?" Luna asked, following with a deep hearty laugh, throwing her head back.
"I've got to go..." Ron started gathering his books from the nearby table. "I'll see you around." And with that, he turned sharply and left Luna and the trails of her laughter.
Throwing the book down, Hermione bolted towards the door, which had just closed. She breathlessly burst through them and pulled Ron's wand out of her robes. He was gradually disappearing down the hallway.
"Ron!" Hermione hollered. "Wait!" Ron sighed loudly and turned around, but slightly jolted back at the presence of Hermione slowly approaching.
"Earlier." Hermione gasped for breath. "You..left." She put her hands on her knees and breathed heavily. "You left your wand in Potions today." She pushed it into his hands and smiled weakly.
"Uh..." Ron stumbled. "Were you in the library just now?"
"Oh, and your books are in your dorm," Hermione continued. "I hope you don't mind that I went in there."
"Were you just in the library just now?" Ron persisted.
"I don't know how you could have left all of your books and wand in potions, actually, I found your books in the hall.but anyways.I guess I'll see you la-" Hermione was starting to ramble.
"Hermione!" Ron shouted, grabbing her shoulders. She stared, open-mouthed at Ron, a pure look of shock on her face. Ron was usually never this forward. "Were you in the library just now?!"
Hermione took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "I was in the library."
Ron clenched his teeth and shook his head. "Luna really doesn't think that you know."
"Yes she does." Hermione sighed, grabbing Ron's wrist, but he wouldn't let go of her shoulder, so she wouldn't let go either.
"No.she's mad, Hermione." Ron shook her gently, her hair swaying slightly. "Come on, LOONY Lovegood."
"Do you like her?" Hermione uncomfortably licked her lips.
"What?" Ron blushed and dropped his arms. "No.she's my friend."
"What's wrong with liking a friend?" Hermione tilted her head slightly.
"Get real Hermione," Ron laughed and pushed her gently. "Like I'd ever fall for a friend!" Smiling uneasily, Hermione nodded.
"Well then," Hermione coughed and shuffled her feet beneath her. "We better get back before we get hollered at." Much to Hermione's surprise, she looked down, and realized she was still holding onto Ron's wrist. Dropping it hastily, she marched ahead of him, straightening her robe. "Are you coming?" She said, without looking back.
Harry stopped Ron in the common room, but Hermione went on to bed without acknowledging his presence. Harry called out to Hermione, and she saw the pained look spread across his face when she turned her back sharply, but she kept walking up the stairs anyhow.
"I guess the talk didn't go so well?" Harry sighed.
"I thought it went fine." Ron mumbled through a mouthful of chocolate he found on a table.
"Then why did she stomp off to her dormitory?" Harry rolled his eyes and slouched onto a couch near the chess board.
"Oh.well." Ron swallowed and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "She seemed angry about Luna or something."
"Why? Did they get in a fight?" Harry replied, reaching for some chocolate.
"No, it's just that." Ron blushed and grew quiet.
"It's just thaaaat?" Harry said, smiling and prodding Ron with a pillow.
"Well.Luna said some mean things about Hermione." Ron replied hastily. "And I think Luna likes me." Ron looked at Harry, whose mouth was hanging open, a small stream of chocolate dribbling out of the corner of his mouth.
"What? Did she tell you?!" Harry almost leapt out of his seat. When he said Luna liked Ron earlier to Hermione, he only said that to rile her up, he never thought it was true!
"Uh.no.not really..." Ron shifted, obviously embarrassed. "She was just all like," Ron widened his eyes, tossed some imaginary blonde hair over his shoulder and threw his voice two pitches higher. "Ohhhh Ron, let's go for a walk!"
The two boys doubled over in fits of laughter, but unbeknownst to them, Hermione was perched at the top stair, biting her lips and deciding whether or not to join them. She knew it was wrong to run off on Harry like that, but to confuse Ron was a terrible wrong, for he was confused a great deal of the time, with or without Hermione's help.
It's just that she was afraid that she might end up liking Harry or Ron. Ever since she read that stupid book!
"I.I don't think I like Harry..." She thought to herself, "or Ron."
Downstairs, she could hear the faint laughter of the boys, as they continued to mimic Luna in all of her mad glory.
"They never laugh around me anymore. They're always acting so weird." Hermione rubbed her feet, which were growing cold from the stone floor. "What if they think I'm in love with them?!" Hermione jerked her head up and flew down the stairs.
"I'M NOT IN LOVE WITH YOU!" She yelled, nodding eagerly. Harry and Ron practically jumped out of their skin at the sight of Hermione wildly flinging herself down the stairs, but her confession of un-love was enough to fill their shock requirements for the next month.
"U-um." Harry stuttered and pushed his ever-sliding glasses back up on his nose.
"What?!" Ron stood up and walked two steps toward Hermione, who pushed her arm out towards them.
"Really!" She smiled widely. The realization was like a cool drink of water to her. "You guys don't have to act odd around me anymore!"
"What in bloody hell are you talking about?" Ron persisted. Harry still sat in a shocked silence.
"Well, I know you guys are starting to think about girls and all.but." She took a deep breath and straightened her neck. "I'm not in love with you, and you're not in love with me, so there is no reason to act all peculiar around each other."
"Who said we were in love with you Hermione?" Harry finally said, laughing.
"Yeah, I mean COME ON." Ron replied, rolling his eyes in the most exaggerated manner he could muster. "It's YOU, Hermione."
Taken aback, Hermione opened her mouth an inch, looking at Harry, then Ron, and back to Harry. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"He just meant to say that you're." Harry dragged. "You're." He looked uneasily at Ron.
"You're." Ron struggled to finish the sentence, but it seemed eating some of Hagrid's Treacle Fudge would have been easier at the moment.
"I'm WHAT?" Hermione exploded. "Ugly?! Self-centered?! Stupid?! WHAT?!"
"No Hermione! You're not stupid!" Ron spat out without thinking.
"WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH RONALD." Hermione crossed her arms and sucked her lips in, biting them almost to the point of bleeding.
"God, Hermione." Harry shook his head. "If only you were a boy, you'd understand."
And with that, Hermione ran to the bottom of the girl's stairs.
"If only." She said bitterly. "If only." And without a word more, she ran all the way up the stairs, and flung herself down on her bed. She cried herself to sleep that night, not because of what they said, but because of what she had said.
"They're right." Hermione whispered to herself in the dark. "How could anyone ever love me?"
"Ron can be such a bumbling idiot sometimes." Hermione thought to herself as she tucked his books and wand under her arm. She scanned the Gryffindor common room, but seeing no lanky red-heads about, she gave up and set the books down with a thud and nestled in her favorite armchair. Before Hermione could take a deep breath and stretch, Harry leisurely strolled through the portrait hole and stretched out on a nearby couch.
"Hello Harry." Hermione said cheerfully, pulling her knees to her chest. "Where have you been?"
"Ah," he replied, finishing a yawn. "Just in the library, working on an essay. Why are you here all alone?"
"Eh, I was looking for Ron," Hermione picked fuzz off her robe and studied the fire. "But he seems to have gone missing."
"Oh, I saw him in the library with Luna." Harry rolled on his stomach, letting his crossed arms create a pillow for his head.
"With Luna Lovegood?" Hermione snapped her head up. "I didn't know Ron had a thing for Luna."
"Whoa, whoa, hold on," Harry chuckled softly. "He doesn't like Luna."
With a skeptical glance, Hermione retorted, "Well then why is he with her in the library?"
"I never said that Luna didn't like Ron." Harry replied, slightly amused.
"Luna likes Ron?" Hermione gasped. She was confused, Hermione had never thought about Ron dating anyone, holding hands, cuddling, snogging and whatnot.
Or had she?
"Why do you care?" Now it was Harry's turn to be confused. "Do you like him?"
"No!" Hermione jumped out of her chair, absolutely shocked that Harry would suggest something like that. "We're friends! Nothing more!"
"Well, it's just that you-"
"It's just that I nothing!" Hermione continued to bellow, but started pacing. "You boys are so ODD! I can't imagine what is going on inside your heads!"
Harry sat up, pushing his glasses into place. "Well Ron and I would like to know what's going on inside that head of yours!"
"What do you mean?!" Hermione gasped. "I behave in a perfectly logical manner." She stuck her nose in the air and crossed her arms.
"Yeah, right, if you consider having mood swings that would shame any St. Mungo's patient perfectly logical!"
"Take that back!" Hermione yelled, but her voice quivered slightly. She hoped Harry didn't notice.
"Bloody girls!" Harry waved his arms above his head, ruffling his hair in the process. "You girls are all so whacko I don't even know what to think! We're better off without you!"
"Harry." Hermione gasped. Her face fell and she dropped her arms to her sides. Her eyebrows drew close together and she sucked her bottom lip in.
"I." Harry stood up, still more than an arms distance away. "You know I don't mean that."
Stretching her neck out, she swallowed tears and licked her lips. "Well." she started, but she couldn't finish. Nothing was coming to mind besides "better off without me?" She turned on her heel, robe fluttering behind her and promptly left Harry standing in the glow of the roaring fire.
As soon as she stepped through the Fat Lady, she could feel the tears spilling over onto her cheeks. Pulling her hand inside her sleeve, she wiped them away hastily and headed towards the library where she could bury her troubles in a book. Heck, she might even find a topic for her Magic Fair project.
She pushed the heavy oak open and sniffed the last of her tears away. There were a few scattered students, trying to cram before the library closed in half an hour. She headed to the tall looming bookcases, determined to lose herself in a book. Scanning the shelves, she settled for Teenage Relationships by June Whitfield.
Obviously, no one had checked out this particular book in a while, because there was a dusty layer covering a vibrant picture of a young bright eyed witch staring through her thick brown fringe. Hermione lifted the book to her face and blew the remaining dust off and opened the cover. Halfway through the first page, a passage caught her eye.
.teenagers of all backgrounds experience the very same thing when they reach a certain age. Love comes into play and seems to ruin everything. The average boy is still coming to grips with his already awkward nature, and has yet to get a handle on his hormones. Girls may seem to become moody and irritable.
"Love?" Hermione thought. "Is that what's bothering all of us?"
She would have gone deeper into her thoughts if a mess of blonde hair didn't zip right past her just then. Hermione pulled the book up, covering just enough of her face to hide, but still see. She crouched down and moved behind a bookcase, peeking out.
All of a sudden, a lanky red-headed boy with a lopsided grin came into view. She could only see the back of the blonde girl, but she assumed it was Luna.
"Well, I better get back to my dorm." Ron rubbed his eyes. "I'm getting pretty tired and the library is closing in fifteen minutes."
"Oh Ron," the blonde cooed. Hermione recognized her voice though. Luna Lovegood. "Are you sure you don't want to go for a walk or something?"
"Aw.naw" Ron blushed, obviously trying not to look at her. He shoved his calloused hands in his pockets and looked down at the floor. His hunter green pullover complimented his copper hair, but not the spreading redness on his cheeks. "I better get back anyways; I need to talk to Hermione tonight anyway."
This seemed to throw Luna, because she stepped back a foot and closed her posture, now crossing her arms and dropping her shoulders. "Hermione Granger?" She said, lifting her chin to meet Ron's eye. Luna was a meager 5'2, and Ron was already 6 foot.
"Yeah, I was just worried about her, ya'know?" Ron shuffled his feet and took his hands out of his pockets. "She seems a bit off lately, didn't you notice?"
"Well she always seemed crazy to me." Luna replied icily. Hermione almost gasped audibly. "Me? Crazy?" Hermione kept to herself, still hiding behind the large book. "She's the one they call Loony Lovegood!"
Ron furrowed his brow, almost.to Hermione's surprise, angrily? He now copied her stance and crossed his arms. Hermione could swear there was a good three feet between them now.
"Why would you say that?" Ron asked, in a flat tone.
"You know. She thinks she's better than everybody else here." Luna tossed her muted blonde hair over her shoulder. "She's always bugging you, isn't she?"
"Yeah," Ron mumbled. Hermione dropped the book a bit, revealing her now saddened face. "But in a good way." He finished.
"A good way?" Luna asked, following with a deep hearty laugh, throwing her head back.
"I've got to go..." Ron started gathering his books from the nearby table. "I'll see you around." And with that, he turned sharply and left Luna and the trails of her laughter.
Throwing the book down, Hermione bolted towards the door, which had just closed. She breathlessly burst through them and pulled Ron's wand out of her robes. He was gradually disappearing down the hallway.
"Ron!" Hermione hollered. "Wait!" Ron sighed loudly and turned around, but slightly jolted back at the presence of Hermione slowly approaching.
"Earlier." Hermione gasped for breath. "You..left." She put her hands on her knees and breathed heavily. "You left your wand in Potions today." She pushed it into his hands and smiled weakly.
"Uh..." Ron stumbled. "Were you in the library just now?"
"Oh, and your books are in your dorm," Hermione continued. "I hope you don't mind that I went in there."
"Were you just in the library just now?" Ron persisted.
"I don't know how you could have left all of your books and wand in potions, actually, I found your books in the hall.but anyways.I guess I'll see you la-" Hermione was starting to ramble.
"Hermione!" Ron shouted, grabbing her shoulders. She stared, open-mouthed at Ron, a pure look of shock on her face. Ron was usually never this forward. "Were you in the library just now?!"
Hermione took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "I was in the library."
Ron clenched his teeth and shook his head. "Luna really doesn't think that you know."
"Yes she does." Hermione sighed, grabbing Ron's wrist, but he wouldn't let go of her shoulder, so she wouldn't let go either.
"No.she's mad, Hermione." Ron shook her gently, her hair swaying slightly. "Come on, LOONY Lovegood."
"Do you like her?" Hermione uncomfortably licked her lips.
"What?" Ron blushed and dropped his arms. "No.she's my friend."
"What's wrong with liking a friend?" Hermione tilted her head slightly.
"Get real Hermione," Ron laughed and pushed her gently. "Like I'd ever fall for a friend!" Smiling uneasily, Hermione nodded.
"Well then," Hermione coughed and shuffled her feet beneath her. "We better get back before we get hollered at." Much to Hermione's surprise, she looked down, and realized she was still holding onto Ron's wrist. Dropping it hastily, she marched ahead of him, straightening her robe. "Are you coming?" She said, without looking back.
Harry stopped Ron in the common room, but Hermione went on to bed without acknowledging his presence. Harry called out to Hermione, and she saw the pained look spread across his face when she turned her back sharply, but she kept walking up the stairs anyhow.
"I guess the talk didn't go so well?" Harry sighed.
"I thought it went fine." Ron mumbled through a mouthful of chocolate he found on a table.
"Then why did she stomp off to her dormitory?" Harry rolled his eyes and slouched onto a couch near the chess board.
"Oh.well." Ron swallowed and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "She seemed angry about Luna or something."
"Why? Did they get in a fight?" Harry replied, reaching for some chocolate.
"No, it's just that." Ron blushed and grew quiet.
"It's just thaaaat?" Harry said, smiling and prodding Ron with a pillow.
"Well.Luna said some mean things about Hermione." Ron replied hastily. "And I think Luna likes me." Ron looked at Harry, whose mouth was hanging open, a small stream of chocolate dribbling out of the corner of his mouth.
"What? Did she tell you?!" Harry almost leapt out of his seat. When he said Luna liked Ron earlier to Hermione, he only said that to rile her up, he never thought it was true!
"Uh.no.not really..." Ron shifted, obviously embarrassed. "She was just all like," Ron widened his eyes, tossed some imaginary blonde hair over his shoulder and threw his voice two pitches higher. "Ohhhh Ron, let's go for a walk!"
The two boys doubled over in fits of laughter, but unbeknownst to them, Hermione was perched at the top stair, biting her lips and deciding whether or not to join them. She knew it was wrong to run off on Harry like that, but to confuse Ron was a terrible wrong, for he was confused a great deal of the time, with or without Hermione's help.
It's just that she was afraid that she might end up liking Harry or Ron. Ever since she read that stupid book!
"I.I don't think I like Harry..." She thought to herself, "or Ron."
Downstairs, she could hear the faint laughter of the boys, as they continued to mimic Luna in all of her mad glory.
"They never laugh around me anymore. They're always acting so weird." Hermione rubbed her feet, which were growing cold from the stone floor. "What if they think I'm in love with them?!" Hermione jerked her head up and flew down the stairs.
"I'M NOT IN LOVE WITH YOU!" She yelled, nodding eagerly. Harry and Ron practically jumped out of their skin at the sight of Hermione wildly flinging herself down the stairs, but her confession of un-love was enough to fill their shock requirements for the next month.
"U-um." Harry stuttered and pushed his ever-sliding glasses back up on his nose.
"What?!" Ron stood up and walked two steps toward Hermione, who pushed her arm out towards them.
"Really!" She smiled widely. The realization was like a cool drink of water to her. "You guys don't have to act odd around me anymore!"
"What in bloody hell are you talking about?" Ron persisted. Harry still sat in a shocked silence.
"Well, I know you guys are starting to think about girls and all.but." She took a deep breath and straightened her neck. "I'm not in love with you, and you're not in love with me, so there is no reason to act all peculiar around each other."
"Who said we were in love with you Hermione?" Harry finally said, laughing.
"Yeah, I mean COME ON." Ron replied, rolling his eyes in the most exaggerated manner he could muster. "It's YOU, Hermione."
Taken aback, Hermione opened her mouth an inch, looking at Harry, then Ron, and back to Harry. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"He just meant to say that you're." Harry dragged. "You're." He looked uneasily at Ron.
"You're." Ron struggled to finish the sentence, but it seemed eating some of Hagrid's Treacle Fudge would have been easier at the moment.
"I'm WHAT?" Hermione exploded. "Ugly?! Self-centered?! Stupid?! WHAT?!"
"No Hermione! You're not stupid!" Ron spat out without thinking.
"WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH RONALD." Hermione crossed her arms and sucked her lips in, biting them almost to the point of bleeding.
"God, Hermione." Harry shook his head. "If only you were a boy, you'd understand."
And with that, Hermione ran to the bottom of the girl's stairs.
"If only." She said bitterly. "If only." And without a word more, she ran all the way up the stairs, and flung herself down on her bed. She cried herself to sleep that night, not because of what they said, but because of what she had said.
"They're right." Hermione whispered to herself in the dark. "How could anyone ever love me?"