Misfit

CHAPTER VII

02.05.1999

The feelings she had been hiding and trying to push back for a whole year now hit her hard while walking over the grounds of the school that for so long had been her home. So many memories came flooding through her mind and she had a hard time keeping it together, keeping her emotionless mask on her face. She remembered so many good and bad things that had happened here on those grounds. All her memories with Harry and Ron, all the bad and good ones. The most recent ones from the war, pushing their way through and it was almost as though Hermione could see it happening right before her eyes. 

"Hermione?" A voice she hadn't heard in so long pulled her out of her thoughts. Slowly she turned around, getting herself ready to hold back and close up again. 

"Hello, Ron" Her voice sounded different. She knew it and by the looks of it, Ron noticed as well. 

"I didn't think you would come", he said, still giving her a strange look. But she was used to strange looks. All her life she had received strange looks. From people in school to her friends. 

"I kind of didn't really have another choice."

"I - we - haven't seen you in quite some time."

"Yeah I was busy", she tried to lie but it didn't work since Ron gave her that look. That look he used to give her when he knew she was lying or hiding something. 

"I know there is more to it, but I'm not going to pressure you into telling me. I'm just really glad to see you." Hermione probably never heard such a mature thing coming out of his mouth. She thought he would throw a fit, start yelling and arguing with her like he used to. 

"It's just not really the right time and place to talk about things like that." Hermione just nodded, not sure of what to say. 

"Do you want to come and see the rest or not just yet?", Ron broke the silence.

"Not just yet", Hermione said, looking down. He lifted his arm, hesitating for a second, before placing his hand on her arm. 

"Don't worry, Hermione. Whenever you're ready, I and the rest of the family will be here for you. Never forget that", he said smiling and when she didn't reply he bid his goodbye and turned around. 

"You don't have to be ashamed, you know", another voice she hadn't heard in a while. 

"I'm not", she said when turning around and actually giving Luna a small smile. 

"It's okay. I can tell the last year had been hard on you", Luna says, with that dreamy look on her face, that Hermione almost missed. 

"It has been hard for everyone", Hermione shrugs. 

"You don't have to push everyone away, you might find peace with people you didn't expect. I can tell why you did what you did. But maybe it's time to open up to someone. There is no need to be alone in this world, Hermione." With that, she gave her one of her comforting smiles and Hermione felt the walls she had built crumble a bit.  A feeling overcame Hermione that she couldn't quite understand yet. 

"She is something else, isn't she", George says, appearing in front of her. What was it with people, saying random things out of nowhere today. Hermione raised her eyebrow a little. 

"She is right, though, you know"

"This isn't really something I want to talk about right now", she says ready to turn away and make her way to the far back of the crowd. 

"We don't have to. What do you want to talk about?"

"You're not going to leave me alone, are you?"