IV. Heartbreak
Hermione could tell that this wasn't really what Lavender wanted.
She put up quite a front, burying whatever she was really feeling under a façade of infatuation for Ron. She hung off him every chance she could, swooning, and Hermione had overheard Ron telling stories about their late-night meetings in empty classrooms. To Hermione, it was quite obvious that she was trying too hard, that she was trying to hide something. No one else seemed to notice, not even Parvati.
"Hello, Lavender…" Hermione greeted Lavender quietly as she entered their dormitory. Lavender responded back, giving a simple 'hello.' Her facial expressions didn't give away her internal conflict, she was smiling as brightly as she usually did, but her eyes were a separate story. Hermione stared directly into her pale eyes, seeking out the look of sadness that she knew she would find. Lavender held her gaze for longer than Hermione had expected, before dropping it back down to the magazine in her lap. With everyone else, she was quick to break eye contact, but not with her. Watching her for a moment, Hermione moved over to her bed, sitting down and slipping off her shoes and tie before collapsing into the softness of the mattress. Slowly, her gaze drifted back over to Lavender, and she merely watched the girl flip through the magazine, knowing full well that her mind was elsewhere.
Hermione's chest tightened and a painful lump began to form in the back of her throat. She bit back tears of sorrow and of anger, continuing to watch Lavender. She knew it was such a cliché thing to think, but she could take Lavender away from all this, all the sorrow and pain and confusion she was drowning in. She could give her love and compassion instead of lust and hunger. She could be everything Lavender wanted and so much more. And still, Lavender was killing herself being with a person she didn't really want to be with when she could just turn around and find someone who truly cared about her standing about five feet from her bed.
Lavender finally looked up from her magazine, like she'd realized that someone had been watching her. When she caught Hermione's gaze, she didn't look angry or off-put by her observance. It was something entirely different. Her eyes glistened lightly, bordering on teary, their moisture reflecting the light from the window. They carried a look Hermione had never seen before, regret, and for once Lavender allowed her facial expressions to match what she was truly feeling. Their locked gaze only lasted a few seconds, before Lavender stood and left the dormitory, but it was long enough for Hermione to catch her moment of weakness.
Hermione's chest tightened even further at the sight of it.