Sadly, There Is More Than Us

{4} Potions

I wake and search my room for Hermione's bed. I see that it is untouched. She mustn't have came back to bed last night. All I wanted was an easy first day where I could go under the radar. I hurry to the great hall for breakfast. 

There she was sitting with Harry and Ron, giving out to Ron for one thing or the other. She looks a little tired but still beautiful. She gives me a smile hoping I'll go and sit with her but I just glare at her and sit with Luna Lovegood. Hermione's smile quickly drops and she spends the rest of breakfast staring at her plate, barely eating just playing with her food with her fork.

Luna is kind to me. She calms my nerves. We both only spoke briefly yesterday but grew close quickly.

"Why are you so tense Y/N? Have nargles been stealing your stuff too?" Luna asks me.

"No Luna. Not quite. Just nervous to have Professor Snape this morning." I lie.

"Perhaps you fighting with Hermione isn't helping?" she says in her dreamlike, sweet, Irish accent. 

I jump when I hear that, "What? I have no Idea what you're talking about. Who's told you that?"

"I felt your energy as soon as you came in Y/N", she gives me a sad smile, "And You and Hermione have been exchanging interesting body language" 

She clicks her fingers in front of my face " You have been staring at her all morning in a sad scowl. You wont even look at me when I'm talking to you!"

"I'm sorry Luna. I didn't mean to be rude I just- I don't know..." I say now facing her. "Walk me to class? This place is huge and I don't want to get lost"

"Of Course. That's what friends do" She links my arm and skips out the door. On the way to the potions classroom, Luna explained her creative and intricate ways of remembering her way around the castle. "I'll leave you here Y/N. You're just in that door there. We are a little early though. I'm off to charms with the hufflepuffs and other ravenclaws but I'll see you later okay. I think our houses share muggle studies."

Before I could respond she was walking away happily as ever. "Thank you Luna!" I shout after her.

"Always, my friend!" She says still skipping away. 

"That's one way to make an exit" I turn to see the face talking to me. Hermione shyly smiles at me.I walk past her as if I didn't hear anything and enter the classroom. Snape looks almost shocked to see me. Definitely an odd reaction to get from my professor, but I ignore it. Everyone tries to take a seat. I tactically sit as far as I can from Hermione, until.

"Everyone up! I have assigned you all seats. Your seat partner shall be your potion partner for the remainder of the year. I will hear no if or buts about it. Do I make myself very clear?" Snape hollers at the class. "Malfoy and Zabini.....Potter and Longbottom....Granger and L/N...."

Both of our faces meet for a moment, before I avert my eyes to my shoes. We both walk hesitantly to your table. 

I spend most of the class in silence, taking down the notes, reading paragraphs from my potions book. Hermione answered some questions. God, she is so smart. Eventually she breaks the silence.

"Why are you ignoring me Y/n?" she whispers.

"I have no clue what you are talking about" I say back.

"Oh please!" she says frustrated.

"AM I INTTURUPTING YOUR CONVERSATION MS GRANGER!?" Snape snaps angerly. "Ten points from Gryffindor."

Hermione lowers her head. "You have been pretending I don't exist all day. Why?" she whispers again. "anytime you do acknowledge me it's to scowl" 

I ignore her.

"Tell me right now that you are not feeling what I am and I'll leave you alone" she says.

"You don't want me Hermione" I say "I am not good for you. I can't give you what you need. And I wont sit here and pretend I don't have these insane feelings for you that I can't explain but that doesn't change that I shouldn't" I respond now looking her in the eyes. Both of our eyes look teary. 

"Just let me in Y/N" she says holding my arm.

"Ms Granger, quiet!" Snape yells again and I pull my arm away from Hermione. We sit in silence again for the rest of the class.

Once class is dismissed I rush out of the classroom, leaving Hermione a note simply saying "I'm sorry"