Chapter 2
Remorse
"I can't believe it!" Hermione wailed to Ginny. "One of my best friends has fallen in love with me!"
Ginny, however did not think that this was such interesting news. She didn't seem to think that this was an adequate excuse for being dragged out of Gryffindor tower and up the 1213 steps of the Astronomy tower to find all the classrooms in use. She had then been dragged all the way back down again. They had finally found an empty classroom in the charms corridor.
"No duh," she said rolling her eyes. "Can we go back to Gryffindor tower now?"
"You knew?" Hermione yelled. "And you didn't tell me? Why?"
"Because I knew that you'd take it badly." Ginny replied.
"Badly? Badly? Who's taking anything badly?" Hermione said, running her fingers through her hair, her breathing becoming quicker and louder.
Ginny noticed the warning signs. "OK, Hermione." She said, running to her friend's side. "Breathe in, breathe out. Be one with the...quill," she said, spotting one on a desk. Hermione's breathing slowed. "OK. Here's what I'm going to do. Tomorrow, I'm going to talk like him as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened."
When Hermione woke up the next morning, and wondered why she was so sad. And then she remembered the events of the day before. She got out of bed and laid her freshly ironed shirt, tie and skirt on the bed. Next to them she laid her school jumper and her robes. After wriggling out of her blue flannel pajamas and into her school uniform, she ascended the all too familiar stairs down to the common room.
Waiting for her, in a squashy armchair by the blazing fire, was Harry. Any other day, she would remind him that it was house elf slavery that had lit that fire, but today she had bigger things on her mind.
"Where's Ron?" She asked.
"Hello Harry. How are you Harry? Did you have a good sleep, Harry?" He grumbled.
"Sorry." Hermione said. "I just..."
"He's already gone down to the great hall." Harry interrupted. 'Didn't want to face you. Don't blame him, after the way you treated him." He threw her a dirty look. "Want to come down to breakfast?"
"Nah, don't feel like anything. I think I'll make a start on my...um...Divination project."
"But you don't do Divination," Harry reminded her. "You walked out in the third year, remember?"
"Oh...Arithmancy then."
Harry put his hands on her shoulders.
"Are you sure you're OK?"
"Yeah!" Hermione said, in a high voice that was not her own. "I'm fine!"
"OK then," Harry said, and left her.
Hermione collapsed in the chair that had previously been inhabited by Harry, and, most probably before that, Ron. She put her hands over her face, and felt tears leaking from her eyes. There was a little ball of something just below her rib cage. She had felt it before... A little black ball, which is in you always, just waiting for something to ignite it. What was it again? Oh yeah. Regret.
It was then she realised. She loved Ron.
So, what do you think? Keep the opinions and ideas coming! )
