In Love & Hatred - Dramione

Chapter XX- Suspicions

Hermione

Brisk winds kissed the natural blush of Hermione's cheeks. Her eyes closed as she inhaled the familiar innate spices of autumn. Quiet. Peaceful. Pure bliss. The chilled texture of the outer castle walls she leaned against pierced through her outer sweater grazing her skin. Foliage in the courtyard began to slowly fade away into dormancy for England's frigid winter. This was the perfect setting for romance used popularly in the muggle pictures. Still.. However cliche it may be, Hermione couldn't help but feel need for his overwhelming aura.

I wish he was here..

"Looks like winter won't be long."

Hermione spun around startled to meet Ron face to face.

"Oh, um, I suppose it is. Halloween is near."

Ron snorted and shoved his fists into his trouser pockets. He moved to lean against the castle wall opposite her. His eyes lingered on her face as she became painfully paranoid that perhaps he might know who she had been daydreaming about only moments before. She wished desperately for him to say something to hint otherwise.

"So", Ron cleared his throat, "We haven't much time to spend, you know, alone? I was thinking maybe we could go do that sometime."

Why ask for alone time? Is he asking for a date?

Awkward, achingly awkward. Quickly, Hermione searched for anything to say to deflect him from asking what she feared he might.

"You know, I was thinking about taking a visit to Hagrid's. I don't think you have seen him since you've arrived and I don't think that's fair."

"Come on, Hermione. I've only been here for two days. I haven't had the chance to see him."

Her slightly cold response seemed to have a negative guilt effect on him.

"Well", she softened, "shall we go then?"

"Yea, uh, sure."

Hermione felt tinges of remorse for how she unintentionally responded to him as they made their way to Hagrid's hut. Thick, heavy silence weaved itself between the two of them nearly daring them to take a chance and speak. There wasn't a moment Hermione had thought sincerely before Ron arrived that he may wanted to pursue anything when he returned. She had not calculated what to do in the case that he might. Forcing a wedge between them may ruin the friendship they had.

What am I to do?

Orange and scarlet flames danced over a pile of dried lumber in front of Hagrid's hut. Messes of tangled, black hair hovered over an open kettle radiating a putrid smell. Hagrid sat back onto an empty stump when he eyed Ron and Hermione approaching.

"Ron! Hermione! Wha' a surprise!", his baritone voice boomed.

"Hagrid!", Ron beamed. "How are.. What in the bloody hell happened to you?"

"Ron!", Hermione scolded him for being blatantly rude.

From a distance, she didn't readily detect the thin lacerations and bruising not covered by his wily mane.

"Hagrid, what happened?"

Inside of the kettle he pulled a large slab of meat stained green and placed it over his left eye and settled.

"Oh, don' ye worry. Professor McGonagall and me found a Kappa takin' up home in the Black Lake."

Hermione gasped, "Hagrid, are you serious?"

"'Fraid so. Bin tryin' to lure it away."

"What is a Kappa?", Ron distorted his face in confusion.