Noise and Kisses
By Caiti and Court
Chapter 2: Faint of Heart
-- -- --
Blurred vision came into view as her eyes fluttered open wildly. Hermione turned her head to find Ron snoring loudly next to her as the events from last night came rushing into her head. She stood up dizzily, holding onto a nearby chair to steady her balance. She walked over to the window and pulled down one of the red curtains, wrapping it tightly around her shoulders, and walked over to the door. She opened it a crack and looked up and down the corridor; it was empty. Relieved, she tiptoed quickly back down to the Gryffindor common room. She muttered the password and hurried up to the dorm room. Walking into the bathroom, she locked the door behind her. She let the curtain fall to her ankles as she looked at herself in the mirror. She fell to the hard, cold floor and let herself cry.
After her shower, she tentatively walked into the dorm room, to find everyone had already left for their classes. She curled into bed and drifted off to sleep.
-- -- --
"Hermione! Hermione, wake up!"
Hermione opened her eyes to see Harry standing over her. She pushed herself up and smiled weakly at him, "Morning."
"Hermione, do you know what time it is? Its seven o'clock; you've missed all of your classes today! I was looking all over for you…I was worried. What's happened?"
Hermione hesitated, "Oh, I'm fine. I wasn't feeling too well and I guess I overslept," she lied.
Harry's eyes narrowed, "That's not like you, Hermione. Tell me what's really bothering you."
"Nothing!" she snapped a bit too harshly, "I-I'm fine, really."
Harry sighed and shrugged his shoulders; whatever it was, he knew that Hermione wasn't going to tell him.
"Come down to the Great Hall with me. Ron's there; we can get some supper."
She bit her lip fighting to choke down the bile that was rising in her throat, "I'm actually not that hungry."
"Um…O-okay, I'll see you later then."
"Bye, Harry," she muttered. She pulled the covers over herself again and fell right to sleep.
-- -- --
The next morning Hermione woke up. It was late. She had already missed Charms and Advanced Arithmancy. She changed into her robes and moped down to Herbology, dragging her feet and walking slowly.
She walked into the class room and sat as far away from Ron as possible. She put her head on the table and ignored what was being taught.
"Ms. Granger!" Professor Sprout sounded surprised, "This is a first."
She lifted her head up, "Huh? Oh- right. Sorry," she mumbled putting her head back down.
People seemed shocked. Ron bit his lip and looked down at the ground, shuffling his feet.
She didn't go to her next class. She walked to the frozen lake and took another nap. When the bell rang, she got up and headed for lunch, where she sat next to Ginny, not speaking to anyone or eating anything. There were still five periods to go. She skipped them and went to the common room. She sat by the fire, staring out the window at the snow that had begun to fall. After classes were done, people began coming up into the common room to get ready for dinner. The talking and laughing amongst the students died as they passed Hermione. Whispers and rumors were heard; she didn't care. All she wanted to do was stay as far away from Ron as possible and sleep the pain away.
-- -- --
The next day, Hermione skipped her first four classes. On her way down to lunch, she bumped into Draco Malfoy.
"Watch where you're going, Granger!"
"You bumped into me, Malfoy!"
He smirked, "Moody today, aren't we?"
She glared at him, "Shut it, Malfoy."
He glared back at her, "So, I heard some noise coming from the broom closet last night; you and The Weasel, I presume?" he walked in a circle around her, "I wouldn't doubt it. I heard you were…" he paused for effect, "Easy."
He smirked. He knew that Hermione was a prude and would take offense to that.
Hermione came to a sudden realization; Ron wouldn't have done that to her if he hadn't thought that she was easy. Granted, he was drunk, but still. Did Ron think that she was easy? Was that the only reason he arranged that dinner? Was that the only reason he dated her? She turned and stormed back to the common room, leaving a smug Draco staring after her.