A\N: I made the biggest mistake. Whoops. But lets just pretend that Ginny
ran into the corridors and dressed herself before she went running to her
dorm. I didn't even realize what I had written until it was up and everyone
was leaving reviews saying wouldn't she be running around nude? I didn't
understand it at first, but I went back to read it over and realized my
mistake. Anyway, here is the next chapter.
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Chapter Twelve
How to Admit You Love Your Best Friend- Hermione Granger
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.
Hermione stayed afterward to watch Professor Flitwick charm the beautiful room away. Was Valentines really over already? You wait your whole life for something and when it comes, it disappears again as if it's never happened.
.
.
She rested her chin on her hand and sighed heavily. Her row with Ron earlier didn't go very well. Truth was, she hated having a row with him, but she couldn't help it. It was like he knew what he was doing to her, but he was doing it on purpose.
.
.
The cupids that danced around the room and in the air were still around. They flew around her head and threw little hearts at her, but she brushed them all away. Valentines was supposed to be happy and filled with love, not all this arguments. She was so tired.
.
.
After the argument with Ron earlier, he stormed off and Hermione had settled into a chair to have a good cry. Why did he affect her so badly? The arguments before never really bothered her so much, but why was this one so affective? What made this one different from the ones in the past?
.
.
Hermione shifted in her seat and yelped in surprise when she turned to see Riley still sitting beside her. How long had he been sitting there, waiting for her? She almost forgot he came as her date and she felt bad.
.
.
"I'm sorry," he said gently, brushing a strand of hair out of her face, streaked with tears.
.
.
Why was he apologizing? She was the one who should apologize to him. "No, I'm sorry," she insisted. "I'm the one who acted like a jerk tonight."
.
.
Riley didn't say anything, but a little smile played on his lips. "You weren't a jerk, Hermione," he said, even quieter. "Things like that happen. We do crazy things when we're in love."
.
.
Did she just hear him right? Hermione raised her eyebrows for him to explain himself. In love? When had she been in love with him? "No," she said, trying to explain herself before it was too late and he misunderstood her. "No, don't get me wrong, Riley, but it's just--"
.
.
He held up a hand and stopped her before she could continue. "No, don't get me wrong, Hermione. You're a lovely woman, but you don't have to act like that to show someone that you love them. You don't have to try to get my attention by yelling at me. You don't have to hide your true feelings from me by being cold hearted."
.
.
Riley was really nice, but she just didn't seem interest in him. He cared for her and made it visible without having to hide anything, but Riley just wasn't—
.
.
"I'm not in love with you, Riley," she said. "I'm not yelling at you to get your attention and I'm not being cold hearted to hide what's really inside. I'm doing that to Ron, not you." .
.
He just wasn't Ron. Hermione looked up at Riley to see a knowing smile on his face. He nodded and put a hand on her shoulder gently. "That's exactly my point," he said and walked out of the Great Hall.
.
.
She stared after him, surprised at what he's just done. He's just made her admit to herself that she loved Ron. Did she really?
.
.
The last cupids that Professor Flitwick weren't able to catch were flying around her again and they were throwing heart confetti into her hair, but she didn't care this time. Nothing mattered now, just getting to Ron and telling him how she felt.
.
.
Hermione stood up from her chair and dashed madly out of the Great Hall. Professor Flitwick called something after her, but she didn't hear it. She ran out into the corridors and raced upstairs wildly. If only she knew where he had went.
.
.
She was in a dark corridor when she stopped, looking in two other separate corridors. Where was he? Would he be upstairs? Or would he have gone somewhere more quieter with that tall girl? Hermione was out of breath and despair was filling her heart. What if he didn't want to talk to her?
.
.
Hermione caught a moving figure from the window and walked to it. She looked outside and caught Ron with the tall girl. They were heading towards the lake and she felt she had to catch up to them. If she didn't get him now, she didn't know what would happen.
.
.
She dashed back down the stairs two at a time. She almost lost her balance more than once, but caught herself just in time. When she reached the landing and the double doors outside, she went out. The grass was wet and it marred her outfit, but she didn't care.
.
.
The lake would just be up ahead. If she ran a little faster, she might be able to catch Ron.
.
.
But he wasn't there. They weren't there. Hermione stopped in front of the lake and fell to her knees, tears slipping down her face. She was too late. They could be anywhere and she would never be able to find him. Never able to tell him how she really felt until it was too late.
.
.
"Hermione?" someone asked.
.
.
She looked up and was surprised to find Harry behind her. "I saw you running out here. What's wrong?"
.
.
"Did you see Ron?" she asked him.
.
.
The black haired boy shook his head sadly. "I only saw him a while ago with that tall girl. Ginny, I think he really likes her."
.
.
She stood up and turned around at the noise of shuffling. A little way off, by a tree, she could faintly make out the forms of two people. The taller person was doing most of the kissing, her arms around the other while the shorter one didn't do much.
.
.
Harry lit his wand and Ron pulled away from the tall girl to look at them. At the sight of Hermione, Ron pushed the taller girl away and then things happened so quickly.
.
.
Hermione turned around and pushed past Harry. They called after her, but she didn't listen to them. Why was this happening to her? Why did she realize that she loved Ron just to end up hurt? Was this what was meant to happen all along? Could it be that Ron planned this with Riley?
.
.
She was so confused. Hermione didn't even see where she ran. She continued to run until she reached Hogwarts, and despite how tired she was, she ran upstairs and through the corridors towards Gryffindor Common room.
.
.
But just when she reached the second landing, Ron caught her. He grabbed her arms and turned her around to face him, but she couldn't look at him because she looked like a tomato. Her eyes were red and tears were leaking down her face ceaselessly. Shouldn't there be a limit to how much a person should cry?
.
.
"Hermione," he said, shaking her shoulders to make her look at him.
.
.
How could she ever look at him again? She just caught him kissing, it wasn't like they were sleeping together, but it still hurt because when she finally realized she loved him, he was with someone else.
.
.
"Hermione, please," Ron begged.
.
.
Please what? Didn't he realize how much he was hurting her? She wished he would just go away forever.
.
.
"Stop doing this to me, Ron," she yelled at him. "Stop pretending like you don't realize what's going on here."
.
.
"Hermione, you're getting this all wrong," he said, trying to make her listen to him.
.
.
"What am I getting wrong?" she asked, yelling at him. "I saw it with my own eyes."
.
.
"What does it matter to you anyway?" he said, his old self returning. "You don't care about me. You have that Hufflepuff."
.
.
She shook her head. This was who she loved? Of all the guys, of Riley she loved Ron?
.
.
Hermione was going to yell at him, unleash the fury she felt inside for him, but padding footsteps behind her made her turned around. Ginny was running up the stairs, bare footed. Her hair was a mess and she looked like she jumped into the bushes and wrestled for hours with someone.
.
.
"Ginny, what's wrong?" she asked, alarmed and forgetting about her own problems.
.
.
The younger girl shook her head, tears sliding down her own face. Ron turned around to see his sister in distress and the hardness to his face vanished. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her upstairs.
.
.
Hermione followed suit as well and everything of their own problems were forgotten.
.
.
When upstairs, she cleaned Ginny up and put her to bed. She was really tired and she was afraid to be left alone, so Hermione stayed with her until she fell asleep.
.
.
An hour later, Hermione came down the stairs to find Ron still on the couch. He looked up at her anxiously, worried for his sister. Was this what she saw in Ron? He could be a bloody prat at times, but when it comes to caring for someone, he does it deeply.
.
.
"She's asleep," Hermione informed him, taking a seat next to him. It was awkward between them, but what happened wasn't important. Only Ginny was.
.
.
"I'm glad," he said. "What happened?"
.
.
Hermione wasn't sure whether he was asking about Ginny or her, but she didn't answer.
.
.
"I'm really sorry," he said softly after a while of tense silence. "I really am."
.
.
"Don't be," she replied. "It's not like we're together or anything. I mean, we're just friends. You're allowed to be with anyone you want to."
.
.
"Hermione," he said, reaching a hand out to her, but she pulled back. She wasn't sure she could handle his touch. If she got any closer to him, tears would come rushing back and they would never end.
.
.
"Don't," she commanded softly. "This is about Ginny. Let's not talk about that."
.
.
Ron did as told and sat by himself. Hermione sat there silently as well until the time was too late and then she went up to bed. Ron didn't stop her like he's never done before and still Hermione wondered why it was he she fell in love with and whether he should be fortunate or not.
.
.
Chapter Twelve
How to Admit You Love Your Best Friend- Hermione Granger
.
.
Hermione stayed afterward to watch Professor Flitwick charm the beautiful room away. Was Valentines really over already? You wait your whole life for something and when it comes, it disappears again as if it's never happened.
.
.
She rested her chin on her hand and sighed heavily. Her row with Ron earlier didn't go very well. Truth was, she hated having a row with him, but she couldn't help it. It was like he knew what he was doing to her, but he was doing it on purpose.
.
.
The cupids that danced around the room and in the air were still around. They flew around her head and threw little hearts at her, but she brushed them all away. Valentines was supposed to be happy and filled with love, not all this arguments. She was so tired.
.
.
After the argument with Ron earlier, he stormed off and Hermione had settled into a chair to have a good cry. Why did he affect her so badly? The arguments before never really bothered her so much, but why was this one so affective? What made this one different from the ones in the past?
.
.
Hermione shifted in her seat and yelped in surprise when she turned to see Riley still sitting beside her. How long had he been sitting there, waiting for her? She almost forgot he came as her date and she felt bad.
.
.
"I'm sorry," he said gently, brushing a strand of hair out of her face, streaked with tears.
.
.
Why was he apologizing? She was the one who should apologize to him. "No, I'm sorry," she insisted. "I'm the one who acted like a jerk tonight."
.
.
Riley didn't say anything, but a little smile played on his lips. "You weren't a jerk, Hermione," he said, even quieter. "Things like that happen. We do crazy things when we're in love."
.
.
Did she just hear him right? Hermione raised her eyebrows for him to explain himself. In love? When had she been in love with him? "No," she said, trying to explain herself before it was too late and he misunderstood her. "No, don't get me wrong, Riley, but it's just--"
.
.
He held up a hand and stopped her before she could continue. "No, don't get me wrong, Hermione. You're a lovely woman, but you don't have to act like that to show someone that you love them. You don't have to try to get my attention by yelling at me. You don't have to hide your true feelings from me by being cold hearted."
.
.
Riley was really nice, but she just didn't seem interest in him. He cared for her and made it visible without having to hide anything, but Riley just wasn't—
.
.
"I'm not in love with you, Riley," she said. "I'm not yelling at you to get your attention and I'm not being cold hearted to hide what's really inside. I'm doing that to Ron, not you." .
.
He just wasn't Ron. Hermione looked up at Riley to see a knowing smile on his face. He nodded and put a hand on her shoulder gently. "That's exactly my point," he said and walked out of the Great Hall.
.
.
She stared after him, surprised at what he's just done. He's just made her admit to herself that she loved Ron. Did she really?
.
.
The last cupids that Professor Flitwick weren't able to catch were flying around her again and they were throwing heart confetti into her hair, but she didn't care this time. Nothing mattered now, just getting to Ron and telling him how she felt.
.
.
Hermione stood up from her chair and dashed madly out of the Great Hall. Professor Flitwick called something after her, but she didn't hear it. She ran out into the corridors and raced upstairs wildly. If only she knew where he had went.
.
.
She was in a dark corridor when she stopped, looking in two other separate corridors. Where was he? Would he be upstairs? Or would he have gone somewhere more quieter with that tall girl? Hermione was out of breath and despair was filling her heart. What if he didn't want to talk to her?
.
.
Hermione caught a moving figure from the window and walked to it. She looked outside and caught Ron with the tall girl. They were heading towards the lake and she felt she had to catch up to them. If she didn't get him now, she didn't know what would happen.
.
.
She dashed back down the stairs two at a time. She almost lost her balance more than once, but caught herself just in time. When she reached the landing and the double doors outside, she went out. The grass was wet and it marred her outfit, but she didn't care.
.
.
The lake would just be up ahead. If she ran a little faster, she might be able to catch Ron.
.
.
But he wasn't there. They weren't there. Hermione stopped in front of the lake and fell to her knees, tears slipping down her face. She was too late. They could be anywhere and she would never be able to find him. Never able to tell him how she really felt until it was too late.
.
.
"Hermione?" someone asked.
.
.
She looked up and was surprised to find Harry behind her. "I saw you running out here. What's wrong?"
.
.
"Did you see Ron?" she asked him.
.
.
The black haired boy shook his head sadly. "I only saw him a while ago with that tall girl. Ginny, I think he really likes her."
.
.
She stood up and turned around at the noise of shuffling. A little way off, by a tree, she could faintly make out the forms of two people. The taller person was doing most of the kissing, her arms around the other while the shorter one didn't do much.
.
.
Harry lit his wand and Ron pulled away from the tall girl to look at them. At the sight of Hermione, Ron pushed the taller girl away and then things happened so quickly.
.
.
Hermione turned around and pushed past Harry. They called after her, but she didn't listen to them. Why was this happening to her? Why did she realize that she loved Ron just to end up hurt? Was this what was meant to happen all along? Could it be that Ron planned this with Riley?
.
.
She was so confused. Hermione didn't even see where she ran. She continued to run until she reached Hogwarts, and despite how tired she was, she ran upstairs and through the corridors towards Gryffindor Common room.
.
.
But just when she reached the second landing, Ron caught her. He grabbed her arms and turned her around to face him, but she couldn't look at him because she looked like a tomato. Her eyes were red and tears were leaking down her face ceaselessly. Shouldn't there be a limit to how much a person should cry?
.
.
"Hermione," he said, shaking her shoulders to make her look at him.
.
.
How could she ever look at him again? She just caught him kissing, it wasn't like they were sleeping together, but it still hurt because when she finally realized she loved him, he was with someone else.
.
.
"Hermione, please," Ron begged.
.
.
Please what? Didn't he realize how much he was hurting her? She wished he would just go away forever.
.
.
"Stop doing this to me, Ron," she yelled at him. "Stop pretending like you don't realize what's going on here."
.
.
"Hermione, you're getting this all wrong," he said, trying to make her listen to him.
.
.
"What am I getting wrong?" she asked, yelling at him. "I saw it with my own eyes."
.
.
"What does it matter to you anyway?" he said, his old self returning. "You don't care about me. You have that Hufflepuff."
.
.
She shook her head. This was who she loved? Of all the guys, of Riley she loved Ron?
.
.
Hermione was going to yell at him, unleash the fury she felt inside for him, but padding footsteps behind her made her turned around. Ginny was running up the stairs, bare footed. Her hair was a mess and she looked like she jumped into the bushes and wrestled for hours with someone.
.
.
"Ginny, what's wrong?" she asked, alarmed and forgetting about her own problems.
.
.
The younger girl shook her head, tears sliding down her own face. Ron turned around to see his sister in distress and the hardness to his face vanished. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her upstairs.
.
.
Hermione followed suit as well and everything of their own problems were forgotten.
.
.
When upstairs, she cleaned Ginny up and put her to bed. She was really tired and she was afraid to be left alone, so Hermione stayed with her until she fell asleep.
.
.
An hour later, Hermione came down the stairs to find Ron still on the couch. He looked up at her anxiously, worried for his sister. Was this what she saw in Ron? He could be a bloody prat at times, but when it comes to caring for someone, he does it deeply.
.
.
"She's asleep," Hermione informed him, taking a seat next to him. It was awkward between them, but what happened wasn't important. Only Ginny was.
.
.
"I'm glad," he said. "What happened?"
.
.
Hermione wasn't sure whether he was asking about Ginny or her, but she didn't answer.
.
.
"I'm really sorry," he said softly after a while of tense silence. "I really am."
.
.
"Don't be," she replied. "It's not like we're together or anything. I mean, we're just friends. You're allowed to be with anyone you want to."
.
.
"Hermione," he said, reaching a hand out to her, but she pulled back. She wasn't sure she could handle his touch. If she got any closer to him, tears would come rushing back and they would never end.
.
.
"Don't," she commanded softly. "This is about Ginny. Let's not talk about that."
.
.
Ron did as told and sat by himself. Hermione sat there silently as well until the time was too late and then she went up to bed. Ron didn't stop her like he's never done before and still Hermione wondered why it was he she fell in love with and whether he should be fortunate or not.