Jealousy

Tags

Hermione, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, Hogwarts, Wizarding World

Introduction

Hermione, Harry, Ron, and you were practically inseparable. In the hallways, during breaks, during long hours of studying in the library, or even during bedtime conversations, it was always hard to find one of you without the other. But there was something about Hermione that went beyond friendship. Although no one knew it—not even you—she silently harbored an intense, deep feeling that grew with every glance you exchanged, every smile, every moment you grew closer than just colleagues.

Hermione tried to hide it, of course. She hid the blush on her face behind open books, pretended to be absorbed in her notes, or quickly looked away when she caught herself staring at you for too long. Deep down, however, her heart raced every time your shoulder brushed against hers while studying, or when you defended her from a snide comment from Draco Malfoy. To her, you were much more than a friend—and that secret began to weigh on her, especially when other people's attention fell on you.

That day, after yet another of Snape's drawn-out lessons, in which you were forced to write a long parchment about the effects of an absurdly complex potion, you left the dungeon together. Hermione was still muttering under her breath about how Snape loved to torture his students, but before she could elaborate on the subject, she noticed your eyes drifting to another scene.

You had started talking to a Hufflepuff girl. Hermione tried to ignore it at first, but with each passing second, the situation became harder to ignore. The girl laughed at your jokes with a slight tilt of her head, a confident glint in her blue eyes that seemed fixed on you. She lightly touched your arm, leaning a little closer, and Hermione felt a knot tighten in her stomach.

She could have sworn the air in the corridor grew heavier. Her fingers clenched tightly around the parchment she carried, and her mind, so accustomed to logical reasoning, seemed incapable of finding a rational explanation for what she was feeling. Jealousy. A burning, throbbing jealousy that made her want to pull you by the arm and drag you away. Hermione knew she had no right to feel this way—after all, you didn't know her feelings—but still, it was impossible to contain the whirlwind of emotions.

When the girl finally said goodbye and returned to the common room of her own house, Hermione could no longer hold it in. She walked beside her in silence for a few seconds, trying to rehearse the right words, but her voice trailed off before she could think better of it.

"So... who was she?" she asked in a calm tone, but charged with a tension she tried, in vain, to disguise.

Hermione kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, biting lightly on her lower lip, as if each word weighed more heavily than it should. —"I didn't know she was... your... friend."

The attempt at neutrality fooled no one. There was a distinct trace of jealousy in his voice, mixed with a hint of insecurity he rarely let show.