Roommates || A Harry Potter Fanfiction

Chapter 9

Hermione jerked awake at the sound of her name. Only then did she realize she'd slept. She still clutched the sofa cushion. She felt exhausted, her eyes scratchy from insufficient sleep. Her hair was mussed, and she felt stiff from sleeping on the sofa, which wasn't as comfortable as she'd first thought.

She looked around. Early morning sunlight filled the foyer. The only other person in the room was Ginny, who stood outside the pit, towering over her from that position. It was Ginny who'd called her name. Hermione turned away, slumping onto the sofa again and closing her eyes, wishing she could drift off to sleep again. The last thing she wanted was a confrontation with Ginny. "Go away, Ginny.

"Come back to the room, Hermione," Ginny said. "Please."

Hermione's shoulders rose as anxiety filled her, knotting her stomach. She really didn't want this confrontation right now. She kept her eyes closed though she knew she wasn't going to be able to sleep. "Go away, Ginny," she said again.

"I am," Ginny said. "You can have the room. I won't be back until—later."

Hermione opened one eye. She had to twist her neck to see Ginny above her. She was dressed to go out, wearing a hoodie and carrying her backpack. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. You don't have to stay out here."

Hermione shifted awkwardly onto her back so she could see Ginny more easily. "Seamus's gone?"

Ginny nodded. "He left right after you did."

Hermione hadn't expected that. "He did?" She hadn't seen him, but he might have gone out another door or she might just have missed him in the dark—and in her funk.

Ginny nodded again.

"Gonna see him again?" The question answered itself, really. Of course she was.

Ginny shook her head, remaining silent.

"No?"

"No." Ginny's voice caught on the word. Hermione looked closer. Ginny's eyes were red-rimmed and her nose was red as well. She'd been crying. Probably 'cause she didn't get fucked all night like she'd planned, Hermione thought.

The cruelty in that thought shocked Hermione. How could she think such a thing? What did it say about her that she could think something so uncharitable about her friend?

As if she could hear Hermione's thoughts, Ginny's hand leaped up to cover her mouth, just too late to stifle a sob. She closed her eyes, but only succeeded in squeezing out tears. She turned away to walk toward the door. Hermione gaped, shocked and ashamed. It took a moment to find her voice. "Ginny, wait!"

Ginny didn't hear or ignored her. She dropped the hand covering her mouth, sniffed once loudly, and squared her shoulders. She paused at the door to wipe her eyes.

Hermione flung the cushion aside and scrambled to her feet. She stood on the sofa and jumped up to the floor. She lunged and caught Ginny's shoulder as she reached for the door. Her touch surprised Ginny. She flinched and her head whipped around to stare at Hermione.

She looked miserable. Her eyes were puffy and red-rimmed, and tear tracks were visible on her cheeks. Her nose was red, and she sniffled frequently. She looked alarmed, as if she expected Hermione to lash out at her.

Hermione felt the desire to do it. She wanted to yell at Ginny, and hurl accusations at her. But she couldn't. Everything that had happened last night was as much her fault as Ginny's. As much as she wanted to blame Ginny for it, she couldn't.

She wanted to say that. The words were on the tip of her tongue. But she couldn't. It was too raw, too close to truths she didn't want to acknowledge. She settled for tugging gently at Ginny's wrist and inclining her head toward the stairs. "C'mon," she whispered. "Let's go back."