CHAPTER15
After Malfoy left Hermione sat there for about 20 more minutes. To tell the truth, after he left she felt like something gone missing. "Must be the loneliness", she thought. "Even fighting with the git is a company of some sort; at least I am not alone".
First of all Hermione decided to choose Harry a present. She had no choice anyway, only to wander around the Alley or read something in her room. But she felt like just walking. The weather was beautiful, like it is suppose to be in the beginning of august. As she walked, she wondered what she'll do the rest of the month.
Hermione decided to pay a visit to the Quality Quidditch Supplies first. She looked around but didn't find anything decent. She went to a bookstore hoping to find something that could interest Harry somehow. One title caught her eye: "The language of your broomstick". Hermione flipped through the pages and thought that this book was good enough. It said something about learning to understand your broom and communicate with it ("Like that is possible", she thought). She was delighted with her purchase anyways and preceded her journey down the Alley.
Hermione saw a couple of familiar faces and stopped to say hello or chat for a couple of minutes. So far she met Katie Bell, Dean and Seamus (who seemed to be always seen together) and a couple of Huffelpuffs, who just smiled at her as Hermione passed by.
When she passed the Weasley's shop, she saw Melody and Fred talking and smiling playfully. She had an intension to go and talk to them but when seeing the couple she decided against it and thought to come back later.
When she passed the café Hermione saw Malfoy and Pansy sitting together. They were laughing at something. Hermione suddenly felt a jolt of jealousy. They were having fun together and she was alone (at least that's how she explained her jealousy). "Even that git Malfoy is having fun despite the fact the he is the last person to deserve it", she thought angrily. But then that anger and jealousy was replaced by simple sorrow. She felt so lonely. Her eyes stung a little and a couple of tears ran down her cheek. Oh, how she missed her friends…
"No one will understand", she thought sadly and looked once more at Pansy and Malfoy. They spotted her and started whispering. "Probably Malfoy telling her about the bathroom incident and how dumb I am or something", she thought and one more tear ran down her cheek. Then suddenly Hermione turned around and started to walk away from the giggling couple, she thought only Pansy was giggling but that didn't matter. "Get a grip on yourself, Herm", she was a bit angry with herself, "mustn't be so emotional about stuff like being lonely."
She was passing the Weasley's joke shop when she saw someone waving at her from inside. It was Melody and she wore a wide smile on her face. Hermione stopped for a second to think whether to go inside or proceed on her way. She decided that there was nothing else to do. She put a smile on her lips and went in. Melody was really happy to see Hermione and greeted her like a best friend by giving her a quick hug.
"You are Hermione, aren't you?" she asked happily.
"Yes, and you are Melody", Hermione said.
Melody looked at her and noticed that something wasn't okay and asked if Hermione was alright.
"I am fine, thanks, I am ok, really…" she said but her eyes gave her away.
Melody put her arm around Hermione's shoulder and asked:
"You wanna talk? I wanted to close the shop for lunch now anyway. Fred and George are out till evening so we have time to get to know each other better, what do you think?" She had a gentle smile on her lips that said "I am your friend; you can tell me anything you want".
Hermione looked away, considering. She was simply depressed and she had no one to talk to. Well, of course she could have written a letter to Harry or Ron but that won't be the same as strait communication. She decided that she had nothing to loose and tuned to Melody with a sad smile that said, "Okay".