I Learned Your Pulse

"It's a date."

Draco smiled every time he saw Hermione the next few days, always wearing the star. He'd told her it wouldn't get wet, and wouldn't go out. Hermione loved the necklac to metaphorical pieces. However, it confused her. She knew of no magic, besides being a Horcrux, that could make it beat with her heart - but then, she knew of no magic that could create her necklace, unless there was a very good magical animator out there. The thing disappearing into the forest was pushed to the back of her mind, as was the necklace's secret. She told Brant and Simis of the challenge, and then David, who nagged her about practicing as he had about th first task. She was ahead on her homework and had finished it for the entire year, because, at her special request, she'd recieved all assignments and finished them. She was very relaxed these days, not worrying about the task at all. She spent long hours alone with Harry and Ron, long time periods chatting with Tori, Liccy and Ginny - her nickname never did catch on - and even more time in the library, reading through book after book while Brant watched her and occassionaly wrote a verse or two of poetry. The next Hogsmeade trip was announced, and Hermione realized, with some shock, that it was scheduled for February the fourteenth - Valentine's Day. And she had no Valentine. Not that the boys didn't try; their hopes and attempts livened her spirits a ton. She had only to step out of the common room and be bombarded by invitations to buy a butterbeer or visit the Shrieking Shack, which they were now giving tours of. Hermione was reluctant to go to Hogsmeade at all; they were bound to be determined reporters there, just waiting for a story. This is what stopped her from accepting any invitations - she'd have a front-page story about a false romance printed about her in a flash. But she did not, under any circumstances, want to be alone, and this thought is what she dwelled on walking toward the common room the day before the trip.

"Lavender, I've told you, we've tried and we've failed."

Hermione stopped walking, recognizing Ron's voice.

"Won-Won -"

"My name is Ronald, not Won-Won. Talk like you kow how to," he snapped at the pleading and whiny girl.

"Why?" she sounded false-sad, like she was pretending to be upset at him but was secretly glad he was ending things. and this is what surprised Hermione - Ron was ending things. Ron hated ending things with girls. He'd always been cowardly about that.

"I've told you, I've feelings for someone else."

"Well, good," shot Lavender, acting like she was angry, though Hermione could hear the behind it to the giddy masked tone. " 'Cuz I've been shagging Ernie for three weeks."

Hermione's hand flew to her mouth. Lavender had cheated on Ron? She felt blood boil under the skin of her hands as she clenched them tightly, thinking of punching her square in the nose.

"What?" Ron sounded afronted, and with good reason. And then his Gryffindor courage peaked. "Why? Was I not good enough? Was Ernie a better shagger than me? I'll pummel the bastard!"

A better shagger than him? Did that mean Ron and Lavender had shagged? Hermione knew he was a good kisser, but how was he at shagging? Was Ernie better? And though Hermione's head was whirling, she was miffed and definitely disappointed, a black void almost swallowing her, because, somewhere deep in her chest, she'd always dreamed of being the first person to sleep with Ron; to create that special bond between two people as they took each other's virginity. Maybe they wouldn't have done it until they were married, but she had still wanted to be that special to him. It was obvious now she wasn't, and probably never had been. She felt tears well in her eyes. Her chest felt like it was being ripped over and over again into the small pieces imaginable, so he could pick them up individually and burn them. She clutched at the skin over her heart and fell to her knees quietly, choking back a hot sob. Ron had moved on, and she hadn't; and she knew that if he'd wanted to get back together with her, he'd have told her he was ready again, and not just broken things off with Lavender and say he liked someone else; even if he had gone with the second resort, he'd have said he liked her, not 'someone else'. Hermione clamped a hand over her eyes as the watered her face.