Love In Translation

4. CONFESSIONS ON THE TRAIN

The train was rattling faster, and I was cradled by its regular rhythm. Outside the window, the scenery was passing by just like an image projected on a screen.

Angy and I were sitting close to each other in a compartment on the train, heading to Venice, Italy.

We had decided to travel in a muggle way so we wouldn't run into anyone we didn't want to meet, and after a certain insistence on my part, I also succeeded in convincing Angy to wear muggle clothing so we wouldn't draw too much attention.

Even though the Death Eaters meeting was planned for March 1^st, we had decided to reach the place in advance in order to contact Angy's friends there.

I swayed my attention from the view and stared at Angy for a few seconds: she was facing the window, her blonde hair covering her face, and she was absorbed in her thoughts like me. I was asking myself what she was thinking about, maybe about Harry, her beloved one, and how she would be able to rescue him. Then suddenly, I imagined both of them kissing, and I felt a knot in my throat. My anger rose so strongly that I wanted to run away and cry all my tears in solitude.

I was angry with Harry because he fell in love with another girl, but I was angry with Angy too, for having stolen him from me like that... and I was angry at destiny, for being so cruel to me.

Or maybe I was just jealous, because Angy had succeeded where I had failed.

In that moment, Angy turned to me, and I was surprised by the way she was staring at me. Her eyes were so cold, like a frozen lake in wintertime, but at the same time, they were so full of strength and determination. I had the sudden idea that she would do anything in order to reach her goal.

Noticing my surprise, Angy changed her expression, and a large smile lit up her face.

"Are you thinking about anything, Hermione?"

"No. Well, yes. I was wondering.... How did you decide to become an Auror?" I simply threw the question to her in order to conceal my doubts, even though inside of me, I really wanted to know more.

"Well. Everyone in my family is an Auror, my parents, my grand-parents, my brothers... All of them have been or still are Aurors, so my path was already set, when I was born."

"But, which magical school did you attend? I mean... you are English, right? But I've never seen you at Hogwarts."

"Yes, of course. I've been living abroad," she answered nervously, starting to play with her fingers.

"And can you tell me the name of your school?" I became suddenly suspicious by her behaviour.

"I attended an American School. It isn't famous like Hogwarts," she answered, turning again to stare directly in my eyes.

"Then you moved to Europe, right?"

"Yes, a few years ago and I started training to become an Auror for the Ministry of Magic, and there I met Harry."

Suddenly, I noticed a twinkling in her eyes. "Before meeting him in person, I just knew him by fame, but when I started to talk to him and spend my time with him, well, I realized that he was a wonderful person. When you look at him for the first time, you may think that he isn't such an interesting boy, with that messy black hair and those round glasses."

I lowered my gaze and smiled. My sweet Harry... He really looked like an ordinary boy, but his closest friends, who really knew him, could tell that he wasn't an ordinary boy, at all.

"He's a very special person,"Angy said "He's always been so sweet with me, so thoughtful. I fell in love with him immediately" Angy was staring at me directly in the eyes, as if she wanted to see my reaction to her words.

"Does he... love you?" I couldn't keep myself from asking her this question, even if I knew very well that her answer would make me really upset.

"Yes. Since the beginning, he repaid my same feelings. From that moment on, we became inseparable. We were always together" Angy was still staring at me, and I stubbornly held her gaze. I didn't want her to see even the smallest sign of weakness in me, even if inside, I was feeling completely destroyed.

"I'm going to the bathroom." I suddenly got up from my seat, and exited the compartment in a fury. I just wanted to breath fresh air, and I needed to be alone.

I reached the end of the carriage and leaned my head on the window. How would I be able to stand all of this? And what would I do, when we finally found Harry? When I saw them together? I made a decision - as soon as we rescued him, I would immediately leave them alone.

I felt a warm tear slowly crossing my cheek, and a deep sadness took over my heart. I hid my face in my hands and cried like a little girl. I needed to let it out. I had to do it; otherwise, I wouldn't be able to go on. I had to be strong for Harry.

If Ron could have been with me in that moment, he would have tried to comfort me. But I was completely alone, and I had to cope with it all by myself.

"Venice! Venice! In ten minutes, we'll arrive in Venice!"

The conductor, who was walking through the coach, cut off my thoughts. I wiped my face and tried to regain control of my feelings. I didn't want Angy to see me in that state; I would have never given her a satisfaction like that. After all, she was my rival, even if we had united our forces to find Harry.

As I slowly walked towards my compartment, I realized that the train was decelerating; from the windows, I saw the wonders of the ancient city without age.

Who knew? Maybe Venice, the city of lovers, would bring me good luck.