Time went by and everything seemed to continue in a pattern. Hermione wasn't on speaking terms with Ron, Ron and Ginny gave each other glares whenever possible, and Harry was caught in the middle of Ron and Hermione complaining about the other at any given time. When Harry and Ron would have Quidditch practice, Hermione lingered around the common room waiting for them to return. When they returned, she always saw Beatrix following closely behind. Hermione hated not talking to Ron, but every time she would see Beatrix her blood would boil.
One evening in late October, Hermione sat in the girls' dormitory studying the Potions lesson from the day before. She occasionally glanced out the window towards the Quidditch Field and watched Ron hover on his broomstick in front of the golden hoops.
He's such a thickhead.
Squinting, Hermione could barely make him out. She looked around Common Room to see if anyone was around, got up, and walked into the boys' dormitories. She peered inside, making sure no one was there, walked over the wooden floor covered with a blanket of dust to Harry's Four Poster bed, and opened up his trunk.
As she rummaged through his things, a noise outside the room forced her to look up. She grabbed what she was looking for and Harry's Invisibility Cloak, and covered herself up. Neville then walked in and sat down on his bed talking to his toad, Trevor. Hermione slinked passed him and walked out of the room, making her way back to her room and back to the window she recently sat by.
Throwing the cloak on her bed, she brought Harry's Omnioculars to her eyes.
Much better.
She watched Ron fly back and forth, dodging the Bludgers and catching the Quaffle before it flew through the hoops.
He is a lot better this year, I admit. I wonder when the first Quidditch Match is. I think the twelfth.
She gazed over to the other end of the pitch where Harry had just caught the Snitch. A smile grew upon Hermione's face as she moved back towards Ron. She panned the area and spotted Beatrix sitting in the grass watching them practice.
Ugh! She is everywhere! Why can't she just go walk off a cliff! I hope she freezes out there!
Hermione scanned over towards Ron again who had landed on the ground and huddled with the rest of the Gryffindor Team.
Beatrix probably would butter up Ron if she wanted to be on the team. Knowing him now, he probably would kick Harry off the team. Honestly, he's just as suited to be Quidditch Captain as Beatrix is suited for his girlfriend. Lousy and unreliable. I cannot wait for the holidays.
She looked back over Beatrix who was now standing up and looking directly at Hermione. Startled, Hermione jumped back and moved the Omnioculars away from her face.
She didn't see me. She couldn't have.
She looked back through the Omnioculars and saw the team walking back towards the castle and disappear passed the courtyard. She threw the Omnioculars and Invisibility Cloak underneath her pillow, grabbed her Potions assignment as she left the dormitory, and checked back to make sure the pilfered objects couldn't be seen.
Hermione entered the silent Common Room and sat down at the table to finish up her homework. A few minutes later she heard the portrait open, and Harry, Ron, Beatrix, and the rest of the Gryffindor Team walked around the corner. Hermione gave a deep sigh and continued her work. She could hear the three talking about something, but, because she was trying her best to ignore them, she couldn't make out what. She heard Harry say, "Come on, I'll show you," and walked up to the boys' dormitories. Hermione?s heart started to race and her eyes widened.
Please don't have him go in his trunk. Please.
She closed her eyes, praying not to hear Harry find his things missing. Behind her she heard someone walking down the steps and towards her.
Please let him not look.
Hermione felt someone grab her shoulder and heard, "Hermione?"
Don't act suspicious.
"Yes, Harry," she answered.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, thanks."
Ron rushed down the stairs with Beatrix and asked, "Hey Harry, can I borrow your Omnioculars tonight? I wanted to show Beatrix the Meriden Meteor Shower."
No!
"Yeah, sure. It's up in my trunk," Harry replied.
No, no, no!
"Thanks, mate."
Ron disappeared behind the door and Hermione turned around and continued her homework. A few moments later Ron came back down and huffed, "Harry! Someone...has...stolen...your...Omnioculars!"
"What?"
"Yeah, and your--er--cloak, too!"
"Hermione?"
Keep it together, Hermione. Don't ask suspicious.
"No," she answered.
Moron!
"What?"
"I mean, yes--I mean--what?"
"Have you seen anyone come in the Common Room while Ron and I were at practice?"
"I was in my dormitory most of the time, but when was down here I saw Neville come in."
"Neville?"
"Yeah, but I never saw him leave."
"Neville wouldn't take your cloak, Harry," Ron inferred. "He doesn?t even know about it."
"Did you take my cloak, Hermione," Harry asked.
Yes.
"Of course not! I wouldn't ever go through your things." Beatrix gave a fixed expression toward Hermione. "But I don't think Neville took it either. I mean this is Neville we're talking about." Hermione glanced over at the girls' dormitory door.
"Well, I better go put my homework away," she said standing up and walking to the girls' dormitories with Beatrix nipping at her heels. "Where are you going?"
"Just going upstairs since Ron and I can't watch the meteor shower," Beatrix answered.
"Oh."
She walked into the room and placed her homework in her knapsack, while Beatrix sat up on her bed and stared at Hermione. Hermione turned around and asked, "What?"
Prat.
"Nothing," Beatrix responded and continued to stare. Hermione quickly glanced at her pillow and Beatrix did the same.
"Well, bye," Hermione said abruptly and slammed the door as she left. She walked back down to the Common Room to find Ron sitting and playing Wizard's Chess by himself. She took a glimpse at him, but immediately looked forward as their eyes met. Ron stood up and followed her out of the Gryffindor Tower.
As she made her way down the Grand Staircase, she could hear Ron follow closely behind. Hermione rolled her eyes (Will he just go his own way already!) and continued down to the First Floor. While patrolling, she could still hear him trailing behind her. Shortly after turning a corner, she turned around and yelled, "Will you leave me alone!" But just after saying that, she noticed no one was there.
What?
She turned back around and continued walking. A few moments later she could hear the footsteps again. When Hermione turned around a second time the footsteps stopped as well.
"Whoever is there better get back to their Common Room now!"
The footsteps began walking away and Hermione continued her watch down the corridors.
The night was half over and Hermione was on her way back to the Gryffindor Tower. As she passed by a window, she noticed some falling stars from the glittering meteor shower.
I wish Ron was here.
She continued to gaze at the stars that fell in no particular pattern, but could mesmerize a person into oblivion...
"Hey," said a familiar voice behind me. I turned around and there stood Ron, no more than an arm's length away. I didn't return the greeting, just turned back around.
"Hermione, I'm really sorry. It was shallow of me to not wish you a happy birthday. I don't mean to shut you out, I just tried keeping things normal?"
"But I don't want things to be normal! Not like it matters anymore, but, Ron, I've wanted to express my feelings to you for quite some time now. I just waited too long."
I watched Ron look down at the floor and he mumbled, "Iloeu."
"What?"
"I love--"
"Hi, Hermione," a voice behind her said and interrupted her thoughts. She widened her eyes, realizing she had fallen asleep in front of the dying fire in the Common Room and turned around to see Beatrix in her pyjamas and robe.
Even when she's not in my dreams, she still ruins them!
Hermione looked down at her watch and saw it was almost dawn. She turned back around and tried falling back asleep.
"Hermione, I've got to talk to you."
Ugh!
"There's nothing to say," Hermione responded uncaringly.
"Hermione, I know."
Hermione quickly turned to Beatrix and said, "Know what?"
"What you took."
"I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't--"
"I saw underneath your pillow."
"WHAT WERE YOU DOING SNOOPING IN OTHER PEOPLE'S PRIVACY?"
"Shouldn't you be asking yourself the same question?"
Hermione didn't speak for a few minutes, but then said, "Well, I suppose you're going to inform Harry then or most likely Ron, who will tell Harry."
"No."
"No, what?"
"I'm not going to tell."
"Why not? I mean you have every right to."
"Because I know you just meant to borrow them." Hermione looked around, trying not to make eye contact. "Listen, I've put up with enough of your ignorance--"
"Ignorance? I'm not--"
"Don't interrupt me. Now, I'm going to take Harry and Ron down to the Great Hall for breakfast later. After we leave, go put Harry's stuff back up in his trunk."
Hermione stared at her silently.
"Okay, I know how you feel about me, but that doesn't mean I have to return the feeling," Beatrix said leaving the Common Room and went back sleep. Hermione lied back down, stared at the heated grate, and, eventually, fell back asleep.
When the sun rose, everyone made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. Hermione lingered behind and watched them leave. While watching the portrait close, she made sure no one came back in and ran up to her room, grabbing the Invisibility Cloak and Omnioculars.
She opened the door to the Common Room, checked to see if it clear, and slinked inside the boys' dormitories. Continuing to look around, she opened up Harry's trunk and placed his things back the way she found them.
Just as she pushed the trunk underneath Harry's bed, she heard the door creak open, leaving her no time to hide.