A/N: Wow, I got three whole new reviews on the last chapter. This is unbelievable! *does a silly little jig of excitement*
Yes, I do have holidays right now, so it leaves me with a little more time to write (and I seem to be beating the writer's block ever so slightly). It won't last for long, since I have an unmentionably huge amount of homework that I have to slog my way through before the 15th, but while I have time, I thought that I might as well write!
As promised, this chappie is dedicated to Hippie-Banana, I really hope you like it.
Now, for all the rest of you out there, please be so kind as to review. It may take up 5 minutes of your time, but it means the world to the author at the end of the line.
Right, now, here we go!
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Chapter 4:
Love Sucks
Hermione sat bolt upright as she heard the door to the girls' dormitory swing open. She would just die if anyone but Ginny walked into the room. She had no idea what she had been thinking of, coming up to the sixth year girls' dormitory like this, if anyone but Ginny sees her…the stories would be something terrible.
She was comforted however, when she saw (through tear-blurred vision) the vague outline of a decidedly red-haired girl.
"Hermione? What's wrong?" Ginny closed the door behind her and hurried to her friend's side.
Brushing a hand over her eyes, Hermione flopped back on the younger girl's bed. "I so sorry, Ginny," she managed between stifled sobs. "I just did not know who else to go to…I mean it isn't like I can go to Harry or Ron about this." Another sob. "I just had to talk to some one, and I'd rather kiss Malfoy than talk to Lavender or one of those airheads about it."
Oblivious to Ginny's obviously stiffening back at the mention of kissing Malfoy, Hermione strove to keep back her tears.
"Stop the bus, 'Mione, what's wrong?" Ginny managed to get over the images the words 'kissing' and 'Malfoy' had put in her head and sat on the edge of her bed, clearly concerned. "I don't have the entire story of yet."
Hermione, who had now sufficiently calmed down enough to think properly, realized that she had been babbling to no end. But then, it had also kept her from remembering.
"Oh Ginny, I just can't stand it! I can't stand seeing him at school and knowing that everything between us is over. We had so much fun together, you know?"
Ginny laid a comforting hand on her friend's arm. "It doesn't have to all be over, 'Mione, it just has to be a bit postponed. I must admit I never knew you liked him all that much…"
Another sob broke free of Hermione's body and she was barely able to control it from choking her. Ginny handed her a glass of water, and after taking a sip, Hermione managed to sit up and look her friend in the eye. "I did not know that I felt all that much about him either, until today, when I saw him in the front of the class and realized how much I had missed seeing him. We write to each other quite a lot, but it is not the same. I guess I always expected our meeting to be a lot more romantic and well, it just wasn't."
"It is just a teeny bit hard to have a romantic meeting when there are scores of girls hounding Victor…I mean Professor Krum, at every possible moment of the day." Ginny handed Hermione a spare handkerchief, while patting her friend's arm for the lack of anything better to do. "At least, now you get to see him a lot more. There is no Hogwarts policy against talking to teachers, just as long as you guys stick to talking for now."
Hermione nodded, now completely calm. "You're right Gin; I don't know why I made such a big deal out of it. I guess I overreacted a bit. Sorry I took it out on you." She wasn't completely sure how she would manage to treat Victor just as a teacher for a year, but she would have to try.
"Don't worry about it, Hermione, that's what friends are for." Ginny smiled, not looking very convinced that she had really done all that much to help. "Just remember this little incident next time I need to ball my eyes out." Both girls laughed and Hermione hugged her friend.
"Now if only I didn't have to share a dormitory with Malfoy, my day would take a turn for the better." The Head Girl sighed and shook her head. "That boy is such a git. He acts like someone died and made him head honcho. It makes my blood boil just thinking about it."
"Tell me about it." Ginny muttered and her hand clenched at the bedspread. "I really hate that ferret face."
"Why does it sound like you have to convince yourself of that, Gin?" Hermione peered at her friend with interest. "Has something happened that we don't know about?"
To her credit, Ginny didn't blush too much at the remark. "No, nothing has happened. I'd rather chew off my right arm than touch that…thing."
Hermione, on the other hand, didn't quite buy it. "Uhuh, I have to get back to that place of torture I live in." She got up and moved to the door, stopping to look back at Ginny, resting her hand on the doorknob. "Let me know if anything happens between you and Malfoy, won't you?"
She managed to get out of the room just in time to dodge the pillow thrown by a very indignant red-head.
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Harry was getting highly annoyed. He was getting very tired of Ron. And, he was seriously considering drowning Snape in a cauldron of sickly-green potion. If only his friend would stop gazing at Hermione like a love-struck puppy dog and pay attention to what he was doing, Ron might notice that he had been dropping his potion ingredients on the floor, right next to Harry's cauldron.
"Ten points from Gryffindor, Potter, for messing like a child." Snape's voice held it's usually cool and patronizing tone. "And you will clean that up."
Harry bristled and shot Ron a dirty look, which made his friend blush. At least he had noticed that Harry had shot him a dirty look. It was quite the improvement from his previous attempts to catch Ron's attention, since his friend had been so busy staring at Hermione.
With a sigh Harry bent down and picked up Ron's dropped ingredients and slammed it down on the work station. Only after he did this, did Harry allow himself to look Hermione's way. He was never quite sure when he stopped liking Cho and started liking his previously purely platonic female best friend, but the crush had hit him hard.
If only Ron hadn't fallen for 'Mione as well. It just made the entire thing so much more complicated. Not that Harry had any illusions as to who Hermione would choose. All he had to do is show her how much he loved her. Harry was almost completely sure that Hermione felt the same way about him than he did about her.
He did not even notice that he had added the wrong ingredient until his potion started hissing ominously. He grimaced and looked down at the smoking potion in alarm. Somehow Harry didn't believe that Snape would miss this mess.
"Ah, another naught for you Potter." Snape sounded as close to glee as he ever did. In fact, by his tone alone, it was clear that Snape was as close to dancing a jig as he would ever be. "Your incompetence never ceases to amaze me Potter, how will you ever pass this year?"
Harry felt like he was going to explode, but he managed to keep a firm hold on his temper – barely. Snape gave him another sneer and stalked to the front of the class as some of the Slytherins giggled in appreciation.
But the thing that made Harry's day was when Hermione reached over and patted his arm in a comforting manner. He shot her a small smile which she returned, and Harry could swear that his feet lifted off from the ground an inch or two.
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Right, the end of another chapter. Not my best, but it had to be written. Thanks again to all those who reviewed, and those of you who haven't reviewed yet, get typing!