Three Little Words

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Harry turned back to Hermione reluctantly as Fleur glided away with their orders for lunch.

Things hadn't been going so well, and from the look on Hermione's face, the sudden appearance of Fleur had not helped. Harry gave Hermione a smile, which she returned weakly, and tried to start a conversation.

But as they were talking, Harry couldn't help but watch Fleur sweep around in the legs in the short waitressing skirt.

But it was when Fleur had bent over to retrieve a dropped napkin off the ground that Hermione lost her temper.

"I would like to think," she hissed heatedly," that my boyfriend would rather talk to me then watch some tart in a too-tight uniform, but apparently not!!!!"

Harry sighed in annoyance.

"Oh, honestly Hermione, could you be any more sensitive?"

"Could you be any less?" Hermione replied coldly, and she gathered up her cloak nd stormed out, banging the door behind her.

A few witches sitting in the corner glanced at Harry curiously, and then went back to their discussion.

"Hermione..." groaned Harry exasperatedly. He sank down with his head in his hand, his frustration building.

Just then, Ron and Ginny walked in, their cheeks flushed with laughter and the cool air. Ginny spotted Harry immediately, a look of alarm on her face, and gave Ron a nudge. The two headed towards to his table.

"Harry, what happened mate?" asked Ron, hurrying over to his best friend, Ginny close behind. Harry explained about the fight.

"I'll go after her," said Ginny quickly, and she hurried out, leaving Harry and Ron sitting at the small round table.

* * *

Ginny walked quickly into the library. She knew Hermione, and if there was any place she would be it would be here. Sure enough, she spotted Hermione sitting at a small table in the back of the library with a scowl on her face, working furiously on her Charm's homework.

As Ginny walked up to her, Hermione didn't' even glance up.

"You alright?" asked Ginny softly,

"Oh yes, perfect!" replied Hermione acidly. Ginny sighed, and sat down beside her.

"Oh, don't mind Harry. He can be such a stupid prat at times."

"I noticed," replied Hermione sharply. She stabbed at her parchment with her quill, leaving a large blot of ink.

"Damn!" she said loudly, causing Madame Pince to cast a withering look their way. Ginny smiled apologetically, and turned back to Hermione.

"Do you need any help?" she said, desperate to do something.

"Yes, actually, could you look up the Ring of Veritus?"

"Sure," replied Ginny, relieved to be doing something. She grabbed "The Book of Magical Jewelry and Ornaments" and started leafing through it, the sparkling replicas hanging off the book jangling quietly. As Hermione scrubbed at her parchment, attempting to remove the ink blot, Ginny said suddenly:

"Here it is! It-"

But Hermione, who was staring at the Wall of Quidditch located behind Ginny, suddenly interrupted.

"Bill and Charlie are very handsome, aren't they?"

Ginny, startled, glanced behind her at her brother's smiling faces, posted to the Quidditch captain part of the wall.

"Um, yes, I suppose so....." said Ginny, glancing at Hermione.

"Anyway, this ring-"

But Hermione burst in again.

"Ron looks a lot like them, doesn't he" she said in a strange tone, still staring at the pictures.

Now Ginny was disturbed. She looked hard at Hermione, not answering. Suddenly, she noticed the necklace on the other girl's neck, glowing with an almost inhuman light.

Ginny stared at it. It looked familiar somehow, like she had seen it before....... Hermione was looking at her, with a puzzled expression.

"What?" she said. Then it hit Ginny.

"Hermione!" she exclaimed.

"Your necklace, it's in this book!!!!"

Ginny reached for the book, making the little charms jingle against one another, and began flipping the pages.

"See, its right here!" said Ginny excitedly, glancing up at Hermione.

"Look!"

And it was.

There in the book was an exact picture of the necklace upon Hermione's neck next to a small caption of words. Hermione, however, didn't seem too interested.

Glancing at the wall once more, she gathered up her books, and started stuffing them into her bag.

"Excuse me," she said in the same funny tone.

"There is someone I need to talk to!"

"But wait!" said Ginny standing up.

"Don't you want to know about your necklace?"

"Oh, right," said Hermione, looking at the page. Quickly and decisively, she ripped it right out of the book, and stuffed it into her bottle green cloak. Then, Hermione turned on her heel and walked quickly out of the library.

A very confused Ginny watched her go.

"Honestly, she is acting stranger and stranger lately," thought Ginny to herself.

"Well, I suppose I had better go talk to Harry."

And with that, Ginny hurried out of the library, leaving the glittering book with the page ripped out sitting open on the table.

* * *