T R A I N E D T O S I N | dramione

Two

The great hall was crammed with students, all wearing some sort of either red or green item of clothing. The Slytherin and Griffindor quidditch match was today. Hermione had remembered Harry and Ron mentioning it a week or two ago, going on about how they barely got any practice in - Marcus flint had pre-booked the pitch for the whole of the term and no matter how much the other teams complained, there was nothing they could do. Most of the time, they ended up flying recklessly around the courtyard but as you can imagine, that never ended well.

Ginny snapped her fingers inches away from Hermione's face, bringing her back from her thoughts and gaining her attention. Hermione abruptly snatched her head to face Ginny. "Are you going to watch the match?" Ginny scooped another spoon of cereal into her mouth, looking up at her through her eyelashes. Hermione turned to Harry who was smiling softly at her, and then to Ron. He looked ridiculous in his quidditch uniform, especially that ghastly hat he wore. Ron placed his hand on top of hers and squeezed. "I'll be there." Hermione half-heartedly smiled. She wasn't particularly fond of quidditch, she never had been. Too brutal for her liking, barbaric she often said. Although the fact that she was never able to get the hang of it, most likely swayed her opinion. She immediately took a distaste to anything she was unable to do - which wasn't much.

-

The wind swirled around her, picking up and dropping her hair in multiple directions as it danced around her face. Ginny scooted closer to Hermione and the stand creaked.
"How are you?" Hermione kept her eyes on the pitch. She wasn't aware that malfoy had been allowed back on the team after ditching all the practices, then again she didn't exactly keep up with the sport. Turning to Ginny, she offered a smile, "I'm okay. How are you? And how are you and Harry?" Hermione nudged the other witches arm suggestively and they both giggled.

"I'm doing well and I don't know what you mean." She looked away guiltily, attempting to hide her smile. Although Ginny and Harry never really showed it, it was common knowledge that there was something going on between them. The way they looked at eachother was enough proof. They had Hermione wishing for something similar and she almost felt guilty for thinking such things considering she was in a relationship with Ron.

"How's my brother treating you?" Hermione watched Ron as he sat in the goal, preparing for the box to be opened and the game to begin. Almost on cue, it did. Hermione sighed, "Ron's lovely." Ginny looked back at Hermione and furrowed her brows. "That wasn't an answer. Look I can tell somethings different, anyone could by just observing you two for a few seconds. Talk to me ,Hermione. He may be my brother, but  you're my friend." Sincerely, Ginny smiled.

Hermione knew she could trust her and for a second she almost replied. Almost told her that ever since he asked her the question, she hasn't been feeling the same. How he doesn't give her butterflies anymore, doesn't excite her. How she wished she could go back to before. But the words caught in her throat like a cough and instead she just looked at her, smiled and returned her gaze to the rampage of players on the pitch.

Ginny did the same. They didn't talk anymore. Not like before. Hermione was her closest friend, like a sister to her but at this moment, she felt more distant than ever. Ginny tried to rekindle their friendship but it was useless. Hermione wasn't interested in anything anymore and now she only invited her out as a kind gesture, already knowing her answer was inevitably no.

Hermione didn't even have a reason for her ways. She knew she had grown colder, more distant. She liked to be alone despite her friends never ending attempts to force her out with them. Perhaps it was the conversation she had shared with Mcgonnagal at the beginning of the year. The one about her parents. She couldn't bare the thought of her own family forgetting her. But with Voldemort's return, there was no extent she wouldn't go to in order to save the people she loved.