Chapter 2: Crying

Disclaimer: Okay, guys. I just checked myself in the mirror. Believe it or not, I am not J.K. Rowling. Darn. Therefore, none of these characters are mine. Please don't sue me. I'm a minor without a lawyer.

Lavender sat in one of the squishy armchairs by the fire. The crackling soothed her. The past couple of nights had been virtually sleepless-yells and cries and hugs had woven through them, keeping her awake. She was worried. Ron was hers, no doubt about it.

No doubt about it. Of course that was right. Wasn't that what Parvati kept telling her? And yet…she was worried. Ron and Hermione were friends again. But Lavender could see what the others couldn't. She saw the way Hermione smiled when Ron said something to her. Not only did she see, she recognized. Because that was the same smile that she saw in the mirror whenever she thought about Ron. And that thought bugged her.

She knew Hermione loved Ron. But that didn't mean Ron loved Hermione, right?

She heard footsteps coming from one of the dormitories. She snuck a peek at the doorways. It was coming from the boys. Maybe it was Ron! She smiled, then looked down at her book, The Boggart of Love.

She heard laughing coming from the doorway to the boys dormitory. It didn't sound like Ron. Not at all. Then she heard whispering. And then the door opened.

Ron stepped out. Lavender shot him a smile. The smile slid off her face faster than you could say "Merlin."

Hermione followed Ron out the door, that smile on her face. Lavender's insides froze. They trembled and shook. Her legs turned to jelly. This was sort of how she felt when she got caught shoplifting from Gladrags Wizardwear. Sort of. This was way way way way way worse.

She couldn't move. Ron froze too. He looked from Hermione to Lavender to his overlarge feet. Hermione's voice became high-pitched. "Um, Ron, I'll um, be in the library."

She dashed out, not looking back. Lavender still didn't move. She had simply forgotten how.

Ron stuttered. "Lav-it's not what you think. We were…w-we were t-talking. That's it. Harry's still up there. He was w-with us. I-it's not like we were al-alone." His blue eyes were wide. She walked up. All of a sudden it seemed like everyone in the room was quiet. She walked slowly up to him and kissed him on his cheek. He looked totally shocked. Until she slapped him as hard as she could. She let out a sob.

"Bye, Ron."

She dashed up the stairs to the dormitory. Those dreams, those nightmares, those sleepless nights had all come true.