A/N: I'm sorry I'm taking so long! School's been pretty hectic lately, and field hockey season's starting. Enjoy.

Chapter Nine:

"DON'T TELL HERMIONE!" Harry shouted. "Please! I saw her in the stands when we were practicing – she was talking to… you know, her. And if you tell Hermione, she'll start fussing with me, trying to get me to… oh, who knows what she'll try to make me do. Talk to… her, most likely."

"Well, why don't you?" Ron asked.

Harry glared at Ron angrily, and then explained. "I saw her. In the Great Hall, when she was being sorted, and again in the common room. She just looked so happy, Ron. And god, it hurts. I don't know if I can bear to talk to her again. I loved her so much – and when I left, I thought it'd be for the best, no matter how hard it was to leave. I mean, I couldn't fall in love with a muggle. It just wouldn't work for me. The difference between us would just be too much. But now that she's here – god."

Harry put his head in his hands and shook his head, miserable about making such an awful mistake.

"Harry, you didn't know. It was a simple misunderstanding. And it can be fixed. I really do think you should talk to her. How do you know that she's over you? You're not inside her head."

"Ron, I just can't."

"Whatever, Harry. Are you coming down for lunch?"

"Is… she there?"

"I dunno. She was there when I left, but she might be gone. Oh come on Harry! You can't keep yourself in the dormitory forever! Classes are starting soon!"

"Fine, fine," Harry grumbled, getting out of bed.

-------------------------

She was there. Despite all of Harry's protests, Ron somehow managed to force him to sit down and eat. The whole time, he was fidgeting uncomfortably, his right leg bouncing like mad. Every few seconds he would cast a subtle glance toward the girl on the other side of the room -- every few seconds, his heart shattered into more and more pieces.

"Ron…" he muttered to the red-headed boy next to him. "I can't fucking do this. I'm going to head up."

He began to rise from his seat, but was stopped by a harsh hand grabbing hold of his arm.

"Harry," Hermione hissed, "sit down." Her voice was firm and demanding, and Harry didn't have much of a choice but to obey her.

He sat back down onto the bench, his head hanging low.

"Harry, look at me."

Harry did as he was told. He could feel Hermione's piercing brown eyes burning holes into him. He looked down, unable to hold her fierce gaze.

"Harry. What the hell is wrong with you?" Hermione said in a surprisingly calm, soothing voice.

Harry looked up. He tried to smile – honest, he did. He then tried to talk, but decided against it. His eyes spoke for him.

Hermione immediately recognized the hurt in his eyes – the look of loss. The fake smile couldn't fool her.

"Oh, Harry…" she gave him an understanding hug.

She let go, and they finished their meal in silence.

Hermione tried to talk to him, to give him words of support, anything – but she found that she couldn't speak. 'I'll have to have a talk with him later…' she thought to herself.

The awkward silence between the trio was strange and unfamiliar. No one could remember a time when the trio felt this awkward around each other.

Hermione and Ron looked over to where the new girl, Kaye, was sitting.

"Kayleigh Bains! Hah! I knew I'd get your first name out of you sooner or later!" Lavender shouted loudly.

Kaye blushed. A lot of girls didn't like their real names – Kaye was one of them. She shook her head at the girls, laughing and giggling, and said, "I'm Kaye. And I swear, if any of you call me Kayleigh again, I'll personally hunt you down and dye your skin green!"

The girls laughed again, and went back into their loud, chatty conversations. Kaye poked at her pancakes, frowning. The mention of her first name reminded of those distant summer memories that threatened to reopen the half-healed hole in her heart.

Flashback

"I love you," he told her.

The sound of the rushing waves exhilarated them. It was the only sound for miles. The sun was setting, turning the cloudless blue sky into the softest shades of pink, red, purple, and orange. The ocean's fast-paced beat matched the rhythm of their hearts.

"I love you too," she replied, looking up into his big green eyes as they stood, their bare feet half sunken into the wet sand as the waves rushed up to their ankles.

"Kayleigh," he whispered, as he kissed her forehead. "Kayleigh," he whispered, as he kissed her cheek, "Kayleigh," he whispered, as their lips finally met.

End of Flashback

"Kaye? What's wrong?"

'I don't want to get over him. I don't want to have to make myself to forget.' She thought silently.

"Kaye? Are you okay?"

'I don't want to pretend like I'm okay. I don't want to have this fucking wall in my mind, keeping me from the world.'

"Kaye!"

'I don't want to live without him.'

"KAYE!"

Tears flooded her eyes, and finally, after keeping them locked up for so long, she let them flow.

"Kaye?"

She looked up. The whole Gryffindor table was staring at her with worried, sympathetic faces.

"Are you okay?" someone asked.

"I'll never be okay." She whispered, almost inaudibly.

She didn't even bother to wipe the hot tears from her face as she slowly got up and left the Great Hall, ignoring the confused and curious faces.

"'Mione, go after her, would you?" Ron asked. Hermione nodded in reply, and ran to catch up.