A Turn of Events

Chapter 23- The Truth

The room was silent except for the slight shuffling from Crookshanks or the quiet sniffles that would come from Hermione, occasionally. The sunlight that usually spilled into the room and splashed over the maroon duvets had diminished. Moonlight took it's place and created a sense of foreboding.

Hermione's dormitory was quite empty at the moment. The entire Gryffindor tower was void of people as the whole student body was now residing in the Great Hall. The End-of-Term Feast was currently going on. Hermione decided she was probably the only student not attending. Instead, she was alone and packing all of her belongings away in her trunk. Most of the packing had already been done that afternoon during Hermione's free period. She had a few things left that she needed to pack away. This was mostly just an excuse and a way to avoid everyone.

She had first considered the library to be her hideout for the evening but soon dismissed that thought as it was too obvious. She didn't tell anyone where she would be and hoped her friends weren't too worried about her now. She was glad nobody had come looking for her. Even if they had come to look for her, she couldn't go down there with everyone. Her stomach gurgled unsettlingly at the thought of sitting around all her peers right now.

She could imagine the intense awkwardness of the situation. The tense feeling in the air would definitely be too much to bear, first of all. Ron would make small talk to try and engage his best friends in conversation. Hermione would reply back politely until Ron said something stupid. She would haughtily reply to his incompetence and too impatience to argue, become silent for the rest of the feast. Harry would stay silent, moodily chasing his food around his plate and probably end up not eating at all.

She shook her head, glad she was locked away in her dormitory. Hermione continued packing, now moving on to her nightstand. She picked up the picture that sat atop her nightstand. It was a wizard photograph of she and Harry. They were down by the lake, closely entwined with each other, all laughs and smiles. In the picture, she would stand on her tiptoes to give Harry a kiss on his red cheek. He would laugh and his eyes would crinkle at the corner every time. He was adorable. She regarded the picture fondly as she fell back on her bed.

She could never have this ever again. Not after she had obviously made it clear she didn't want him. Although now she was considering her decisions with remorse. Harry had been nothing but good to her throughout their whole relationship. He'd shown her unconditional love, trust and respect throughout it all. He made her feel things she'd never felt before. He became the person she could rely on more than anyone before. He was her world. Then what did she do? She broke up with him, ruined their relationship as best friends and left him alone when he needed her most. It was completely and utterly unlike her! Her loyalty to Harry had always been the most admi-rable part of their friendship, way before it had ever been more. Hermione had always been known as Harry Potter's rock for the last six years. She had been loyal to him through thick and thin. Whenever it came to Harry, Hermione was always there. Her loyalty to Harry always won out their arguments.

So why leave? Truth was she didn't know. Maybe that was a lie. She did know why she left. She left because she didn't want him to leave her first. Her logic in the situation was terribly off. Although her feelings hadn't been very logical lately.

Regarding the picture once more, Hermione bit back her tears and placed the framed picture back into her trunk.

The dorm she shared with 5 other girls for the last 6 years was empty, except for a few small things to be tucked away in their trunks the next morning.

Hermione put the last few things from her nightstand into her trunk, and shut it closed. The feast should be ending soon. All the girls would be piling back into the dorm soon enough, and surely Ron would come to look for her. She sighed and headed out of the dorm down to the common room just as the first couple of students shuffled into the portrait hole.

Harry and Ron came in shortly after. "Missed you at the feast." Ron said softly. "You really should've came, Hermione. Definitely wasn't the same this year." Hermione heard the double meaning in his words.

"Sorry." She said sincerely. "Just wasn't feeling hungry." She uncomfortably shifted on the couch.

"Yeah... packing." Ron said shortly.

"How did you-?" Hermione didn't tell anyone where she would be during the feast, so for Ron to know was odd.

"Ron!" Hermione was interrupted by Ginny calling for her brother.

The two redheads left, leaving Harry and Hermione alone.

Harry still hadn't uttered a word, as he wordlessly moved to an armchair close by the fire. He gazed absentmindedly into it.

Hermione leaned forward, "You have a good time too, Harry?"

He looked over like he just realized she had sat down so close to him. He gave a faint attempt at a smile. "Yeah, it was alright." Hermione could still see the sadness behind his eyes. Dumbledores death was still affecting Harry.

Hermione looked at Harry sadly. His usual bright green eyes had been replaced by a dull look. His face was pale and a blank expression remained. He had looked that way since the breakup but regarding him now, Hermione saw he looked even worse. Harry suddenly moved from his place in the armchair.

"Where are you going?" She asked him.

"I think I'm just going to head to bed." He started walking away again.

Sighing, she got up and grabbed his hand. Lowering her voice so only Harry could hear, she spoke, "Please don't do this Harry. Don't let this ruin us." She pleaded. She knew what he was doing. He was pulling away, thinking it would help, but he was just breaking her heart even more.

"No Hermione, I just need to be alone right now." And he pulled away from her. She watched as he went. Taking her heart with him.

She wanted desperately to call after him, to take all his worries and pains away, but that wasn't her place anymore. She had made that very clear, unfortunately.