Drop in the Ocean [Harmione]

25. Mad Season

Mad Season

I feel stupid - but I know it won't last for longI've been guessing - I coulda been guessin' wrongYou don't know me nowI kinda thought that you should somehowDoes that whole mad season got ya downI feel stupid but it's something that comes and goesI've been changin' - think it's funny how now one knowsWe don't talk about - the little things that we do withoutWhen that whole mad season comes aroundSo why ya gotta stand thereLooking like the answer nowIt seems to me - you'd come aroundI need you nowDo you think you can copeYou figured me out - I'm lost and I'm hopelessBleeding and broken - though I've never spokenI come undone - in this mad season

(Mad Season by Matchbox 20)

Awkward. Uncomfortable. Tense.

Those would all seem to be great words to describe the situation that Hermione found herself in at the moment. But, as she watched her fiancé and ex-boyfriend glare at each other, she came to realize that those words didn't quite do this situation justice.

As luck would have it, it seemed that everyone in the restaurant was watching their every move, hanging on their every word. Fortunately, no words had been spoken except for a few short, but not sweet pleasantries.

Hermione and Luna's "brilliant plan" now seemed like an error of Titanic proportions. Images of a knock-down, drag-out fight with punches and hexes thrown at will, filled Hermione's mind. One look at her co-conspirator and Hermione knew she wasn't alone in her doubts.

This had all seemed like such a good idea a couple of days ago in Ginny's kitchen. Ron and Harry obviously weren't going to make up on their own, so the two women had taken it upon themselves to make it happen. With a little help from Ginny, they'd devised a plan to get the two together and Ginny had suggested the restaurant seeing as the two boys wouldn't want to make a scene.

They'll be falling on their hands and knees to thank you two, Ginny had said beaming at them.

Note to self – Never, ever listen to Ginny Weasley.

"Isn't this a nice surprise?" Luna asked, taking it upon herself to salvage the situation.

Ron snorted and Harry looked from Hermione to Luna and then back again. They both knew that this wasn't a surprise and by the expressions on their faces, Harry and Ron didn't see anything nice about this at all.

"Hiya, Harry," Luna said taking a seat. She pulled off her cloak and draped it over her chair. "It's been quite awhile, hasn't it?"

Harry stared at her for a few moments before answering. "Um, yeah. It's been quite awhile."

"And you," Luna said turning her attention to Hermione. "You must be Hermione Granger. I'm Luna. Luna Lovegood. It's lovely to finally meet you. I've heard lovely things about you from Ron's mother and his sister."

Hermione, who had never been that good of a liar, found it extremely difficult to find her voice. Her hand was trembling as she shook Luna's outstretched hand. "Nice to meet you too, Luna."

"Oh come on!" Ron exclaimed suddenly.

"What?" Luna asked turning around and giving him her most innocent look.

"This whole 'we've just met' routine," Ron replied rolling his eyes. "Nice try, Luna, but this is a little obvious, don't you think?"

Slowly, Luna turned back around. "Harry, Hermione...I hope you don't mind, but I need to steal Ronald away for just a minute. We'll be right back..."