Amour

TALK IN THE TOWER

"Oh,please.Hermione,and my girlfriend?Impossible.She's a nightmare really.I don't want her bossing around,with frequent references to books and that constant nagging and that drive to correct everyone all the time.No thanks."Ron was entertaining his circle of girls.Harry was snogging Ginny in the corner and agreeing with him at regular internals.Hermione heard him but didn't say anything.He's just overdoing it to impress them.He doesn't think that bad about me.Harry butted in her thoughts saying,"No luck with Snape either?"Before she could respond,Ron said,"Even that old git ignores her.Maybe she should try hooking up with one of the books.Just not the ones in the library,though,they are for public use."He sniggered.On the other part of the common room,Parvati was having guy problems.Ginny suggested she take some advice from Hermione but Harry joked how he wasn't really sure she could solve them and that Neville was a better option than Hermione at solving these kinds of problems.She'd had enough.She slammed her book shut,grabbed a tissue box and stormed out of the room.She didn't know where she would go,but she just needed to get away from them.Ron was a dickhead but I didn't expect this from Harry.She climbed over to the astronomy tower and groaned when she found Malfoy and his friends sharing a joint there."Woo whoo,look who we have here.The Mudblood come to let off some steam?"Malfoy drolled."Not right now,Malfoy."Hermione said her eyes blazing.He understood she wasn't to be messed with right now and filed away saying,"Lets go,guys.The Mudblood filth has stunk up the place."Hermione looked up at the stars,felt the cold air on her face and let the tears flow freely..................................................
While patrolling the corridors,Snape heard Malfoy and his friends sneaking back to their common room.Probably was up to something...Snape thought.But his ears picked up their conversation."Can't find some peace anywhere,not even in the deserted astronomy tower, without famous Ms.Granger showing up and stealing the spot.""Did you look at her?Couldn't hold back the tears before we cleared out.We had to witness the drama show.""Wonder what made her cry?""Who cares,man,she's pathetic!"Snape's pace quickened.They are talking about Hermione?Yeah,obviously they call her that...But more importantly,she's crying.Why? When he reached the place and looked at her, she was standing with her back to him,holding onto the railing and her shoulders shook with her muted sobs.He cautiously approached her but as his shoes made a noise,Hermione shot back,"I said go away,Malfoy!"Then seeing that it was Snape,she quickly turned her face away to hide the tears and snot.Snape picked up the box of tissues that she had dropped and extended his hand to give it to her.She took it,muttering,"I'm s-sorry,Professor.I-I'll just go."He stopped her by touching her elbow.She looked surprised but Snape was concentrating more on her tear streaked face."What on earth is the matter?"He asked,showing his genuine concern."N-nothing."she quipped,looking down.Ah,classic response of women."Practicing for a play,then,are we?"He said,trying in vain to make her smile."What is it?Tell me."She sniffed and more tears ran down her cheeks.In between sobs ,she managed to get out."Right from my childhood I've tried to be strong.'Man up' is all I heard from my uncle,to compensate for my lack of a father.And look,I've succeeded.Noone even remembers that I'm a girl,that I have feelings."She put her face in her hands.Snape looked grave."Was it Malfoy?Did he say something?"She shook her head."No..no.I normally ignore him.It hurts more when it comes from a place where you least expect it from--your friends.Anyways,Malfoy doesn't speak directly to me ever.It is beyond his honour to talk to scum like me.Its my friends;Harry thinks Neville is a better option at solving girl problems and Ron...well,Ron thinks I'm desperate to get someone and the only relation I'm ever likely to have is with books."Snape gave an exasperated sigh."Pardon?Is that what they think?"Hermione gave a sarcastic laugh."I feel like I don't fit in anywhere;I try to be one of the boys but who am I kidding?And neither can I put on makeup,flip my hair and swing a purse around. I pretend to not exist all the time at my uncle's,I don't need any more of that from my friends too.Its not that I crave attention,I'm too damn tired of people here staring at me,but its just that,I want my friends to treat me like...just me.Just Hermione.Just a girl,who wants to be loved.I'm sorry,Professor.Maybe I'm not making any sense..."Snape held her hands up in both of his and that made her look up into his eyes."You deserve to be happy.You deserve all the love in the world,Hermione.I'm sorry your friends have failed to see you like that,but you...you are truly like any other girl,unique in your own way.Someday you'll find someone who looks at you,like you are their most prized possession.Then you'll realise that these are nasty little boys who aren't worth crying over.Your beauty isn't supposed to be captured by makeup,it needs to be out there ,like sunshine.I guess I speak on behalf of everyone when I say,you are meant for someone who has the capability to behold something that great."Hermione's eyes sparkled and she beamed.She began to lean in a little towards him but he let go of her hand and she drew back.What are you doing?You can't draw her in like that and then let her go.But I said what I felt.If not more.You can't do this.You melted her heart with such sweet words...don't give hope where there is none.Hermione sincerely said,"Thank you so much Professor Snape.You are a wonderful person...I wish everyone could see that.I wonder why you keep that good heart of yours buttoned up under that coat.You should know that these lovely words would be forever imprinted in my heart.I wish everyone could hear it.They think so wrong about you.Wow,you are the last person I thought I could share this with.Thank you for understanding.I...don't know what to say..I lo-"She gulped on the last word.Snape whipped his head up at her and held his breath.Hermione ran away then.She couldn't say it.She just couldn't.Again things were left undone, words  left unsaid,two hearts were left without picking up the pieces it had shattered into and the two lovers again slept restless.