Things I'll Never Say
I'm tugging at my hair,
I'm pulling at my clothes,
I'm trying to keep my cool,
I know it shows.
I'm staring at my feet,
My checks are turning red,
I'm searching for the words inside my head…
Hermione Granger was nearing her twentieth lap around the Sixth Year Girl's dormitory when Lavender Brown had had enough. Sighing heavily in exasperation with her intelligent friend, she got up from her bad and exclaimed, "Hermione, what the bloody hell is going on with you?!"
The pacing girl stopped for a moment, tugged on a piece of her uncontrollable brown hair, and shook her head after a small amount of contemplation. She then continued to circle her friends with another shake of her head.
Parvati then decided to step up, and she stood right in front of her, stopping Hermione in her tracks. She put her hands on her hips and said clearly, "I haven't seen you this worked up since right before the OWL's, and that's saying something. You should know that you can tell us whatever is bothering you!"
Hermione raised an eyebrow at the two girls in front of her, clearly indication her thoughts on whatever she told the girls would be around the school in half a minute, tops. Instead of saying this, she optioned for, "I don't really know what's bothering me. I mean, I guess I do know. But I don't know at the same time…you know?!"
"No." Parvati replied dryly.
"I know."
The three sixth year girls turned to find Ginny Weasley leaning against the doorframe, with an annoyingly arrogant smirk playing on her face. Hermione looked at the redhead, silently pleading with her not to say anything. Did she even know what was bothering her? Or was she just pretending to be knowledgeable to get on her nerves?
"Well, I'm glad someone knows what is going on. We aren't used to Hermione contradicting herself so often – it's a bit unnerving the way she's acting."
Ginny laughed and walked more into the room, swinging the door closed behind her. Lowering herself onto Hermione's bed, she was still smiling and looking quite sure of herself.
"Are you going to tell us or not?!" Lavender questioned irritably. "She's been acting like this all day. I think we're both sick of being left in the dark."
Ginny grinned at her book-smart friend, which caused Hermione to sigh and bury her head in her hands. She could already feel a flush coming to her face, and out of desperation and aggravation more than anything, she went to lock herself into the bathroom.
"You see ladies," Ginny paused for dramatic effect, "the question isn't what is bothering her, but who."
Inside the bathroom, Hermione could still hear what the other girls were saying and it caused her to squeeze her eyes shut. She leaned her head against the bathroom door and slid to the floor, knowing there was no way out of the situation she had gotten herself in to.
- - -
Banging her head repeatedly on the bathroom door, Hermione was trying to block the comments of Ginny and her roommates. Unfortunately, it wasn't working that well, but she would rather pretend it was working than go out there and admit face. It wasn't really any of their business, anyway...but still, Hermione thought, she wished there was someone she could tell everything to.
Parvati's voice filtered through the door, "So I'm assuming she's having boy problems, then?"
Hermione rolled her eyes at this comment, and then heard, "Of course she is, Parvati. We should have guessed that all along – if it causes more stress than the OWL'S?! It's got to be a boy."
"Well which boy is it?" Parvati wondered aloud. Hermione could almost see Ginny grinning at the two girls as she watched their antics. That way, Ginny wouldn't have to say anything at all; all she had to do was prompt the other two in the right direction.
"Harry?!" Lavender said as she shrugged her shoulders.
"Nah, Ginny's already snagged him." Parvati said carelessly as Ginny flushed a light pink ("I do NOT have ANYONE snagged, thanks very much.") and then she continued on, "Obviously not Neville."
"No, and it had better not be Seamus."
"Or Dean."
"So that leaves Ron. But Hermione and Ron fight all the time, there's no way there's chemistry between them." Lavender said, twisting a strand of hair around her finger.
"You never know, remember the Yule Ball? I thought Ron was going to pass out and make a complete ass out of himself. Never mind, later that night he made an ass out of himself, as well as my sister."
"OKAY!" Hermione slammed open the door, and attempted to cool her temper. "Okay."
The three girls turned to look at her, and Lavender grinned at her expectantly.
"So it's Ron?"
"YES, it's Ron." Looking at her options, Hermione figured she might as well just come out and admit than have the two of them guessing and teasing and giggling, like she knew they would.
"That's cute." Parvati said simply. "What's the problem, then?"
"I don't know!!" Hermione said, throwing her hands up in the air. "He's just acting strangely, and giving me more attention and things and I don't know how to take it."
Lavender and Parvati looked at her as if she had grown another head. Lavender repeated, "You don't know how to take it?!"
Ginny laughed. "I think you just need to calm down a little, and let things play out themselves."
"Do I EVER let anything play out by themselves?! I analyze things to death, Ginny, and I wouldn't expect me to stop now."
"That's true." Parvati agreed. "Well, I say you just confront him about it."
"You would, wouldn't you?" Hermione asked sarcastically, biting down on her lower lip. "I can't do things like that as easily as you do, Parvati."
"Hermione," Lavender said steadily, "You like Ron. Ron likes you. Do something about it!"
"I can't!" she wailed, pulling on a few strands of crazy brown hair, "I don't have the confidence to just go up to him and…and…and…"
"Talk to him?" Ginny said, smiling broadly.
"Tell him how you feel?" Lavender added.
"Snog him senseless?" Parvati, of course, piped up.
Hermione glared in their direction, and began to pace the dormitory once more. "You're right," she said, "absolutely right. I've got to go down to the common room, or wherever Ron is, and tell him exactly how I feel."
"Forget telling," Parvati said excitedly, "Show him!"
"Parvati!" Lavender disciplined, and the dark girl shut her mouth.
"Your hair looks great, your robes aren't dirty, and you've just applied lip chap," Ginny analyzed, pushing Hermione towards the door. "I'd say you're ready."
"Definitely," the other two chorused, as Lavender sprayed perfume lightly over Hermione. Parvati opened the heavy door, while Lavender pushed her through the doorframe. "Go get him!"
The door slammed shut, as the three girls looked proudly around them.
- - -
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