Hermione raced down the hall as fast as her legs would carry her. Never, in a million years, would she have ever thought that, that, that that would happen… ever. Hermione ran faster… 'I mean that couldn't have really happen,' she thought logically to herself. But the arousal that was in her was still evident. Hermione's mind was racing with thoughts, going just as fast as her feet were. 'He kissed me…I kissed him back… he did things to me that only my fantasies could have guessed were real… but if I had the chance to do the same to him… oh, if I had the chance. But this can't be real. He wouldn't do something like that. Why, it's almost as if this were a drea'-
Hermione turned a corner and ran into a brick wall.
"Huh!" Hermione bolted up from her four-poster bed. Her commotions obviously woke someone else, Lavender, because she could faintly hear her say, "Hermione, if you plan on waking everyone up with your breathing, could you at least wait until midday."
Hermione finally took in her surroundings. It was rather dark, but she could feel the sheets around her. She could feel the slight breeze that came from the window beside her bed, where she could peer through the coverings of her four-poster and see the sky's fading stars glistening, while the horizon illuminated with slow sunrise. She could feel the remains of arousal between her legs. 'It was just a dream… it was just a dream.'
By the time it was midday, Hermione still felt a little drowsy… that dream had taken a lot out of her. It was a Saturday and she still hadn't even left the Gryffindor Tower! The dream was on her mind all day… his lips… his husky voice when he told her to leave… his hands… Hermione was getting worked up just thinking about it. She watched people come and go while she sat at the couch, lost in thought. "Hermione?"
She whipped around at the mention of her name. It was Harry. It hadn't surprised her that no one had even come up to her to say hello. People just seemed to ignore her… but she got use to it. There was the occasional times when Harry would confront her when she sat alone at times like this, but that was probably because he wanted her to know that he was the only one who cared for her and wanted her to start snogging him then and there. Well, Hermione wasn't going to do it. She didn't like Harry that way, and she wished that he would get the hint.
"Hey Harry. Where is Ginny?"
"Why?" he asked shifting.
"Well," she began, "I half expected her to be behind your shoulder," and she made a half attempt to check. Harry laughed at this and sat down beside her. Hermione was feeling a little uncomfortable as he laughed a little more then necessary, scooting a little closer. Hermione needed to react. She got up quickly. "Well, Harry, I love to chat," she walked to the entranceway, "But I've got research to do… you know… that simplicity potion isn't going to understand itself," she chuckled hesitantly, slowly creeping towards the painting of the fat lady. Harry watched her slowly as she walked, backwards, out of the door.
"Whew," she sighed to herself. "That was close…" Hermione quickly settled herself into a nice lonesome chair in the back of the library. If there were any place Hermione would find closure and comfort, it would probably be in the library, the one place she could truly call one of her own. She didn't know when it had happened, but ever since last year people have been more laid back about everything. If anything people should be tense knowing that Voldemort (she shuddered) is still out there. But it seemed as though no one wanted to do work. No one wanted to do anything but play around all day. That's why Hermione usually found herself in the library by herself nowadays. She used to at least get the boys in here and then the rest would follow, but they didn't hang out like they used to, ever since they found out they could get any girl they wanted… "Except me."
Hermione was starting to absentmindedly skim through a book, when her thoughts went back to her Potions Master. Everything the night before had felt like a dream. Hell, even the dream felt realer then what had happened after she fled the Great Hall. She couldn't believe she was thinking things like this…
"Mind if I take this seat?" someone asked. Hermione looked up. It was another Seventh year, from Ravenclaw. Behind the petit girl, she could just make out a few other girls that were behind shelves, stifling laughs.
"No, not at all." Hermione moved around the books she had taken out to accommodate this new arrival. She grinned graciously and sat down. "Nothing like a good book on a Saturday," she began, in conversation. Hermione looked over the book she wasn't even reading to look at the girl sitting across from her. She didn't even have a book. It looks like she was here to talk. Hermione placed the book down. It's not like she's going to get any reading done anyway. "Nope, there's nothing like it," she responded, grinning. It occurred to her then that she hadn't even introduced herself to her.
"I'm sorry," she began, "This was probably rude of me. I'm…"
"Hermione Granger, yes I know who you are. Who doesn't?" the girl held out her hand. "My name is Amy." Hermione shook her hand. "Nice to meet you Amy." Hermione smiled at her. "I don't want to be rude, but, how come you don't spend your time with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley anymore?" she asked bluntly. Hermione was shocked. Not that she had asked such a question, but the fact that someone had actually noticed. "Because they've got girlfriends now. And besides, there's no use for a bookworm like me anymore. No one seems to want to study." Hermione bowed her head looking at the open book on the table.
Amy gave her a confident look. "Well I'm sure they've lost their minds by not asking you to be their girlfriend, I'm mean, you're very pretty…"
"Thank you," Hermione blushed.
"Actually they did."
"Oh." Amy thought for a moment. "How come you declined?"
"Because… it would be like dating a brother, you know? I've known them too long to ruin our friendship that way. I just wished they would understand that," she replied when she was really thinking Harry. "Hermione, next weekend you want to go to Hogsmeade with me?" she heard the girl ask. Hermione was shocked. Amy continued. "We can go shopping and stuff… I really don't have a lot of friends and If you… I mean, unless you have other plans…"
"I'd love to," Hermione smiled, realizing that the girl was babbling. Truth is, she really didn't have any girlfriends either. Remember, she's such a bookworm? Hermione rolled her eyes at the thought of it. "Well, I'd best be leaving you to your reading Hermione. It was nice talking to you."
"Nice talking to you too."
"See you later."
"You too," and Amy was gone. Hermione felt a little better when she picked up her book. 'It was nice to chat with someone…' Hermione was humming to herself, quietly reading her book, when she heard a faint tounge clicking noise coming from above her. Hermione looked up for the second time of the day to have come face to face with Pansy Parkinson, and her little Slytherin group.
'So these were the girls that were laughing behind the bookshelves…'
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Mudblood, wrapping up the a thousandth book she's read so far…"
"What do you want, Pansy?" she glared at her.
"Nothing," she said casually, leaning against the edge of the table, "Nothing from you of course…" Millicent Bullstrode, Katherine Madden, and Stacy Stupresse giggled behind her, madly. Hermione wondered for a moment if they realized they were in a library for goodness sake.
"No," Pansy continued, "I was just watching you make the first and last date your ever going to have… Congratulations!" She applauded in mockery, along with the other girls.
"What do you mean date? We are just friends, and we're going shopping. Not that it's any of your business…"
"What? You expect me to believe your friends with the dike of the school, and you're not even going out with her?" Pansy gave a questioning look, "My, my, such the player you are mudblood…" The girls hissed with laughter. Hermione was shocked. She didn't know Amy was a lesbian. "I am not a lesbian, Pansy," she hissed, getting up.
"Really?" she tapped her index finger on the corner of her mouth. "Well that's not what Draco keeps telling me…" she began.
"What?"
"Well, he was telling everybody in the Great Hall at lunch that you were a lesbian. He told it to every single table. And everybody believed him…"
Hermione ran out of the Library, ignoring Madam Pince's whispers to back over there and explain herself, while she could still hear the faint laughter of the Slytherin girls at the back bookshelf. Her eyes were filled with tears.
'Why won't anyone leave me alone? I've done nothing wrong!' She cried in agony as her feet, once again, led her to the dungeons… 'I mean Harry and Ron stop being my friends, everyone ignores me, no one even wants to come near me, and now, everyone thinks I'm a lesbian!' She ran and ran, her hand over face. She didn't realize where she was headed, until she ran into a stone like figure. Before she could stumble and fall to the ground, once again two strong arms caught her and kept her on her balance. Hermione looked up, regretting who it might be… It was Professor Snape. He grimaced.
"And what you running from now?" he asked. Hermione just couldn't take it anymore. With everything that had happened, and his mean tone of voice, Hermione collapsed on his shoulder and cried. She could feel him patting her head awkwardly, when he pulled back. He eyed her for a moment. Hermione finally realized that she was once again very close to the person she had just kissed last night.
"Ms. Granger, please follow me to my office."