The next day came soon enough as Harry, Ron and Hermione, who had avoided the two for weeks, left the dungeons to go to lunch. Harry rarely spoke to Hermione these days and wondered how she felt. She must be a bit lonely. After all, both Ron and he were her closest friends and now they seemed to be miles away from her. Ginny and Harry decided it was best to try to talk to Hermione again to try to persuade her into joining them for lunch for the first time in weeks. Ron met up with Ginny and they left for lunch while Harry tried to catch up with Hermione just as planned.
“Hermione, hold on for a second,” Harry called out.
Hesitating for a moment, she looked back, expecting to see him with Harry but Harry was alone. She paused in her steps as he strolled over.
“You could have talked to me within the last two weeks, you know,” he said smiling, meaning for it to be a joke, though Hermione didn’t see it that way at first.
Hermione stalled. “Well, I’ve been busy, with studying and such,” she said, while concealing that the reason why was because he had always seemed to be with him. Hermione wondered if Harry could see past her white lie.
“Well, you can make up for it by coming to lunch. Come on, it seems like you haven’t had a decent meal in days.”
It was true. Everyday she had been using more energy than she took in. She had very short, quick meals, never fully eating an entire course.
“All right,” said a convinced Hermione. So the two of them took off to lunch. Hermione was shaking on the inside because she never anticipated this day to come so soon. She reluctantly followed Harry through the corridor. Suddenly he paused in his steps, squinting his eyes.
“Harry, what’s wrong?” she asked worriedly. She did not want to imagine that his connection to Voldemort had been reopened.
“Nothing. Just a headache,” said Harry, but Hermione did not believe a word that had come out of his mouth. She saw as he subtly traced his lightning bolt scar with his hand.
“Harry, you cannot let him get into your head. He might plant false images again,” Hermione warned. Harry’s eyes grew sad.
“I don’t need reminding,” he said softly.
“Sorry,” she said quietly.
An awkward silence prevented either of them from speaking, but after awhile Harry spoke up.
“I don’t think Voldemort can control it. Not this time. I heard laughter.”
Hermione thought about it for some time. Could it be that there was something that overjoyed him that much? Her stomach squirmed with fear.
“Maybe you should speak with Professor Dumbledore. He’ll know what is happening,” she said, trying to calm her own nerves.
“I’ll go tonight, but right now, we have to get to lunch,” Harry persisted.
Hermione felt there was something going on, but didn’t know what. She continued to follow Harry to the Great Hall.
As soon as the two entered the Great Hall, Hermione’s heart started beating fast. There was a feeling inside her that she couldn’t control, and the next thing she knew, she was sitting at Gryffindor’s long table across from Ron. The moment she realized this, her eyes darted around. She pretended not to notice him, while secretly stealing glances at his face. She caught him smiling and couldn’t help feeling like her head and her heart had separate ways. Her head had told her that they could never be together. She was not the one he loved, but her heart felt otherwise. Trying as hard as she could to neglect his presence, she looked down at her plate. Ron was struggling to say something.
“Hermione,” he managed to say. He reached over and touched her hand. “Please, Her ““
“Ronald!” Hermione looked up and saw Lavender Brown. “I thought you said you’d eat with me today.”
Ginny gave Harry a disgusted look.
“This was not supposed to happen,” Harry whispered to Ginny.
“This is fine,” Lavender said cheerfully. “I guess I could squeeze in.
She found herself space on the bench, her side pressed against Ron’s. He grew red and appeared very uncomfortable with the seating arrangement. There was not enough room for both of them to use both their arms. Hermione watched as she tried to utilize the arm between her and Ron and became unsuccessful.
“Could you feed me, Ronald?” she whined.
Hermione could not stand another moment of it. It was unbelievable. She abruptly stood up and threw her fork at the table. She stormed from the room, hearing Ron call her name. He got up and followed her but she did not stop until she had reached the first step of the moving staircase and turned around.
“Hermione, please. You don’t ““
“I cannot believe you!” She turned around once more and furiously ascended up the stairs, never wanting to see another face again.
After his last class, Harry headed to Professor Dumbledore’s office. He approached the gargoyles and repeated the password he had known the whole year. “Chocolate Toffee.”
He seemed to have caught Dumbledore on his way out. “Ah, Harry.”
“Sorry, Professor. If you were on your way out, it can wait until tomorrow. It’s just that, Hermione insisted.” Harry did not want to bother him.
“I trust Miss Granger had a good reason. Now was it “ your scar?”
“How’d you know?” Harry wondered.
“A man my age has a way of knowing. Now, Harry, what did you see?” Dumbledore questioned.
“Well, it wasn’t anything I saw. I heard Voldemort laughing.”
“And Miss Granger supposes it is something serious.”
Harry nodded.
After a moment of pondering Dumbledore stated, “I believe he had only tortured another Muggle, or punished another Death Eater. Nothing to worry about.” Dumbledore was being oddly optimistic, Harry noted, but he was the only one Harry could trust on the subject.
“Now, if there is nothing more you wish to speak about, I have an appointment,” Dumbledore excused himself. “Off you go now.”
Harry turned to leave the headmaster’s office, with an ominous feeling. Something felt different tonight with Dumbledore. He couldn’t explain it, but he felt something was not in its place.
Only In My Dreams by Ice Cream Eater
Chapter Notes: Oh the schoolwork! I hate high school. I have finally found the time to finish this chapter and have added some slightly bizarre minor character behavior. Enjoy!