Make You Realise... Romione

Chapter 29

Part 2

There was an awkward silence.

Hermione grabbed the box before it attracted even more unwanted attention. Hermione could tell that all eyes were on her as she stood up. Ron being one of the people looking at her was too much for her to handle.

"Aren't you going to open it then?" Asked Lavender. She was quite clearly bursting to know who sent the gift.

"No." Replied Hermione simply, struggling to close the clip on her bag because of the parcel that no one knew about.

"Yeah, don't you want to know what it is?" Asked Ron, his eyes burning through the side of her head.

Hermione finally succeeded in closing her bag and swung it over her shoulder, turning to face Ron- but that hurt too much so she spoke to the floor instead. "It's just a "stupid gift", right?" She said. Only Harry and Ron knew what she was going on about because no one else was at the detention. They didn't know that Fred, George and Lee had listened in the night before.

It was silent as Ron absorbed what Hermione had said.

"What's everyone's deal with the stupid Valentine's gift?"

His own words replayed in his mind as he thought back to the argument in the potions classroom during their detention together. When he looked up again, Hermione had turned her back and had started to walk away.

As Ron opened his mouth to reply, he was interrupted by a voice from behind them.

"Looks like I've got competition Granger."

The voice belonged to Cormac McLaggen.

"What competition?" Hermione snapped, spinning around.

"Come on Granger. What has this mysterious guy got that I haven't?" He asked, smirking at her.

"A brain, clearly." Muttered Ginny.

"What do you say? Let me take you to the party?"

Hermione stepped forward. No one seemed to notice Ron glaring daggers at his back and his clenched fists beneath the table.

"I'd rather not." Hermione spat, fed up with his constant pestering.

"Come on-" he started but he was interrupted.

"She said no." Growled Ron, digging his nails into his palms.

"Ron I don't need your help." Said Hermione through gritted teeth. It hurt too much for him to stick up for her. It reminded her too much of all the times he would have to be held back by Harry from attacking Malfoy when he called her a mudblood or made fun of her.

"So you would prefer to go with some guy who doesn't even have enough courage to sign his name on the letters he sends you?" Scoffed Cormac. "Sounds like a Hufflepuff to me."

"Oi!" Shouted Hannah Abbot, a Hufflepuff girl who was walking between the rows of tables.

Ron stood up, but Harry grabbed his sleeve and held him back.

"Ron sit down before you make and even bigger fool of yourself." Shouted Hermione.

"You're hot when-"

Smack.

Hermione slapped him across the face.

"Does that answer your question?" She spat, before turning around and storming out of the hall.

Cormac was stood clutching his face, stupidly opening and closing his mouth.

"That was a bit harsh." Said Lavender.

Ron scowled and Ginny glared at her.

"Don't worry, he's not as good as you." Reassured Lavender, who whispered so loudly that everyone heard. She had clearly misinterpreted Ron's scowl.

Lee and Pavarti accidentally caught each other's eyes. Lee smirked over at her and Pavarti blushed.

"Is anyone going to go after Hermione?" Asked Neville shyly, still in shock over what had just happened.

"No, I think it's best to leave her for a while." Said Ginny. Harry nodded in agreement.

Ginny turned around to see Cormac still stood there. "Go away!" She cried.

----

Hermione rushed back through the castle to Gryffindor tower. She wanted to hide the parcel- and the gift as well- before anyone saw it.

She finally arrived, slightly out of breath, in front of the portrait hole.

"Amortentia." Hermione said to the fat lady.

The portrait hole swung open and Hermione stepped through. She made her way up to her dormitory and shut the door behind her. She checked the time. She still had 20 minutes to go until she had to be at Charms. That gave her 5 minutes to open up the parcel and hide it, and 15 minutes to get down to Professor Flitwick's classroom in good time. Hermione pulled out the package from her bag, the Valentine's present falling to her feet as she did so. She sat on the edge of her bed and ripped the paper off. The first thing she saw was a letter and she opened it.

Dear Hermione,

Thank you for your letter. The delivery owl actually just reached me as I was opening up the shop.

In the parcel I have enclosed the dress.

Hermione lifted out the dress from the packaging and saw the dress that she had tried on when she went to Hogsmeade with Ginny. Hermione went back to the letter.

I have also enclosed a necklace that my mother passed down to me.

Hermione looked and found a small box that she didn't notice was there before. She lifted the lid and saw a beautifully simple necklace. A small heart encrusted with diamonds hung off a plain silver chain.

My mother told me that the heart was supposed to glow when you found your match. I don't have much interest in dating and I hope you can make sense of my mother's words. Sometimes she was rather philosophical.

Hermione placed the lid back on the box delicately.

There is no need for you to pay for the dress. I wouldn't want you to. But I do ask that you have fun on Saturday.

Keep your friends close Hermione, from what I know, they care about you.

Love, Sophia. X

Hermione folded up the letter and the dress neatly, put the box on top and put them in the cabinet beside her bed. She used a tricky locking spell that she knew only she would be able to open. Then she picked up the Valentine's present, tossed it onto her bed and pulled the sheets over it and exited the room, swinging her bag over her shoulder.

When I started writing this I came up with two versions and decided to put them both together. I hope you like it! Please comment and vote!

Thank you again for all the supportive comments!