Reflections
Author: Rinoaebastel
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and make no profit from this fanfiction.
He looked to the right and left, took a deep breath, and before he could exhale, he saw it. When his eyes fell on her, he recognized the expression he'd been seeing frequently from her. More times than he could count.
It was subtle.
She had a half smile. A soft look full of warmth and affection.
To him, she couldn't be more obvious with her expressions, but the recipient of them either didn't notice or didn't acknowledge them.
"Why do I always go for the impossible?" The sound of her voice pulled him from his thoughts. "My heart won't stop repeating the same mistakes."
He didn't know how to answer. He could only observe how the happiness faded and turned into bitterness. He took a step forward to stand next to her.
"What can I do?" The whisper sounded desperate.
He would love to tell her to do what she wanted. To do whatever her feelings told her. But it wasn't that easy. Right now, she couldn't do that for several reasons.
She could only continue looking and longing for that person that she loved to return the same affection. Maybe, one day, she would be lucky enough for that to happen.
"You know, last night I dreamt that he kissed me."
That wouldn't happen today. Probably not in some time.
If ever.
"And that I reciprocated it."
He heard her sigh. "Hermione…"
"I know. I know! It's… I can't tell him anything, right?"
He wanted to tell her to do it just to stop seeing her suffer, but it would be a terrible idea for everyone, but especially for her.
"I'm an idiot for thinking I could have an opportunity."
"You aren't. Being an idiot is impossible for you."
When she made a bitter sound, he looked in the direction she gazed just in time to see a black coat disappear around the corner.
"It seems like I am, and sometimes I feel like I'm losing myself in the process."
He sighed and placed his hand on her shoulder. She didn't look at him, choosing to focus on the corner where the man who perturbed her dreams all night and tormented each hour of the day had disappeared.
"You're just being a normal person." The young witch snorted and for the first time, her brown eyes looked at him. "Come on, Hermione, if someone behaves like an idiot here, it's me. Doesn't he always say that about me?" When her grimace turned into a smile, he knew the joke had a good effect.
"What he thinks about you is entirely subjective."
He shrugged and she looked down.
"Come here," he said before extending his arms. In a second, his friend was in his embrace, hiding her face against his neck. "You'll be fine."
Or that's what he hoped. That with time, the feelings would mitigate and his friend would have a real smile again. Not only when she saw that bat coming around, but also when he locked his eyes on hers, when he got closer to her, when he attempted to show a small smile.
A gesture coming from someone like him that without doubt would confuse anyone.
He looked forward, losing his eyes on the horizon, frowning as he let his friend vent in silence. Only his wet tunic would witness the anguish that his friend held until she managed to get over her feelings for him.
Despite what he said to her, both of them knew it was an impossible love. Unattainable. The sad truth was that for that man, she was just another student. Albeit more brilliant than most, but he doubted he'd ever voice that.
Harry had heard of unrequited or impossible love happening to people. It was frequent in movies and film, but he'd never seen or imagined it would happen to someone he knew. Much less Hermione of all people. Now he had evidence it was real. And not only foolish people fell into the trap and got their heart broken.
With seeing his best friend suffering, he could no longer deny the old saying that one doesn't choose who they fall in love with.
The End
AN: I tend to be a fluff writer but this is a venting piece. This won't have a second part, but I accept hugs.