another love; harry potter

twelve

\ wherein she's too blind to realize /

WHEN I WOKE UP on Sunday morning, it took me a moment to remember why I had been feeling so miserable and worried the night before. 

Then the memories came and hit me like a brick. 

I opened my eyes weakly to see Hermione poring over a book, the tip of her wand lighting up the pages. 

"Hello," she said, shutting her book and putting out the light. "I figured you'd need a friend at breakfast today, after..."

When it finally occurred to me that she wasn't under the impression I had entered myself, I let a small sigh of relief escape my lips. 

"Thanks," I said gratefully, dragging myself out of bed. 

The two of us got changed and escaped the muffling silence of our dormitory, there because Lavender and Parvati, our dormmates, were under the impression I had cheated; both of them were dreadfully in love with Fleur Delacour. 

I understood where they were coming from, though, so I wasn't harsh on them about not believing me. Because, after all, who wasn't in love with Fleur? 

We headed to the Great Hall while the sun streamed in through the glistening windows and sat across from a certain ginger, and I had no idea how he would react but I prayed for the best. 

"Hello, Ron," I said faintly, sliding into the seat and pulling a plate towards me. "How're you?"

"Fine," he said stiffly. Hermione and I swapped anxious glances. 

"Do you know if we have Potions homewo-"

"Tell me the truth: did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?"

"Abso-fucking-lutely not." I said promptly. He glared at his goblet for a second, and I was seventy percent sure he was trying to move it with his mind so it could spill all over me. 

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure we've got a roll of parchment on some elixir." 

"Oh," I said softly, but if he could tell how elated I was to find that he still found me as a friend, he didn't mention it. 

"Actually," Hermione began, "we've got to study for a test tomorrow."

"A test?" Ron and I said, bewildered. 

"On what?"

"On every potion we've learnt so far." said Hermione. 

"Hermione, you brilliant woman, love of Ron's life, most incredible genius I have ever met-"

"Yes, yes, I'll give you my notes," Hermione said, rolling her eyes irritably with a twinge of pink visible on her cheeks. 

"Ron, one more thing...Harry didn't put his name in either." I added cautiously; yes, I wasn't supposed to change the timeline, but Harry really needed his best friend supporting him. This changed Ron's mood drastically, though, because his faint smile dissipated immediately. 

"Sure," he said tersely, gripping his fork so hard I was sure he would bend the metal any moment. 

After we ate, wholly avoiding Harry as a whole topic, Hermione and I headed back to Gryffindor Tower together, and I was holding a stack of toast for the boy who would undoubtedly be in desperate need of a friend at the moment.