ALL NOVEL Chapter 26: Suspicion
After Hermione woke, we left for an early breakfast, our hands linked awkwardly as we descended the empty stairs. The chilly wind blew occasionally from the open windows, and the stone handrails felt cold to the touch. Clear azure sky stretched into the horizon, its brightness almost hopeful even amidst the
As we passed through the corridors, some portraits seemed quite surprised and, as I sent my shadow to see, all of them was gone after we left, seemingly to report to a certain white-haired manipulator. For all we know, the whole castle is his domain and we're better off showing strong than hiding it in secret. Though, ickle Ronnie who's peacefully sleeping now would not be so pleased to have his two friends date each other.
As my mind wandered to the boy, Hermione spoke up:
"Harry... Should I let Ginny know about us? I mean, she's had feelings for you for a long time..." Hermione's gaze remained fixed on the ground, avoiding mine, and I sensed a slight tremor in her hand.
"Of course, Hermione. You shouldn't have to keep it a secret - although I didn't expect you to be so eager to stake your claim," I teased, lightening the atmosphere.
Hermione blushed, and a shy smile played on her lips as she responded. "Well, I just don't want things to be awkward, not that... you know? And, um, thanks, Harry," she mumbled, her fingers nervously playing with the edge of her robe. The contrast between this adorable, nervous Hermione and her usual walking encyclopedia self was quite striking, but charming nonetheless.
I grinned back reassuringly. "No need to worry, Hermione. We'll figure it out together. Be sincere, I'm sure Ginny'll understand." As I spoke, I noticed her blush deepen, but this time it seemed to be accompanied by a sense of relief.
She took a deep breath, visibly gathering her composure. "You're right, thanks Harry. Let's just hope it goes smoothly," she murmured, sounding more confident now.
With a soft pat on her shoulder, we continued our walk, the awkwardness dissipating as we shared a comfortable silence and occasional small talk, looking forward to what the future held for our relationship.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Ron's POV:
I woke up yawning to bright morning light, gushing in to the dormitory. Harry, I noticed, has already woken up - not a surprise at this point, he's been doing over the summer, yet I somehow felt uneasy today.
Shrugging off that stray thought, I slipped into robes and quickly went to breakfast. Hermione was already there, buried in a book, and I couldn't help but smile at her focused expression. Though that alone brought a sense of comfort, Harry, sitting way too close to her gave me a violent urge to hex or jinx him away.
'He's Harry Potter,' I reminded myself, shaking my head. 'I'd have to swallow my hat and then some before he figures out how to woo a girl.' My mind went to the obvious crush he had on that Ravenclaw Seeker - Cho Chang, was it? - and cringed painfully.
With that in mind, I plopped down opposite the duo, grabbing a piece of toast with nonetheless more force than necessary. "Morning," I grunted.
"Morning, Ron," Hermione said, looking up from her book with an unnatural smile. "Slept well?"
"Yeah, s'fine," I replied, glancing between her and Harry. "You two were up early."
Harry nodded, his gaze meeting mine briefly before darting away. "Yeah, couldn't sleep much," he said. Harry seemed to signal Hermione with his eyes, as if they had a secret they couldn't share with me.
"So... you and Hermione went to breakfast... together?" I asked, unable to stop the demanding tone in my voice.
Hermione shifted tensely, her grip on her fork tightening. "Yes, we met halfway and went down together," she said, not meeting my eyes.
"Right," I said slowly. "Must've been a lucky coincidence, huh. It's not like you two had a date today, that would be quite awkward for me." I laughed nervously, glancing at both of their expressions.
Harry nodded, responding neutrally. "Yeah, just had some things to discuss."
I narrowed my eyes at him, a suspicion growing in the back of my mind. "Things?" I prompted, trying to keep my tone light despite the vague, nagging doubt that gnawed at me.
But Harry just shrugged, his gaze darting back to Hermione. "Just... stuff," he said vaguely, and I couldn't help but notice the way his hand brushed against hers under the table, a subtly intimate gesture that spoke more than their evasive words.
I glanced between them, my stomach twisting with a mix of jealousy and confusion. They were hiding something from me, I was sure of it. Knowing I couldn't get anything out of them, for now, I pushed aside my doubts and forced a smile as I reached for some bacon. "Right, well, glad you two sorted it out."
Hermione and Harry exchanged a quick glance before turning attention back to their breakfast. As I watched both of them, a sinking feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. And for the first time since I knew Harry, I felt an unbridgeable gap between us.