Broken Hearts Night in Gryffindor Tower

Broken Hearts Night In Gryffindor Tower

Believe me, mate, you did not want to be in Gryffindor Tower last night. It was mad. I was just doing that essay for Snape- and, well, I might have just nodded off for a moment- and the next thing I knew, Lavender Brown had plonked herself down on my chair. With me still on it.

"Oof," I said.

"Oh. Sorry, Seamus." She got up.

"S'alright," I gasped, rubbing my mid- riff. Lavender was peering anxiously around the common room.

"You haven't seen Ron, have you?"

"Not since Charms. I think he went off somewhere with Harry and Hermione. Is anything wrong?"

She was twining her hair round her finger, like she always does when she's worried. Her mouth gave an odd twitch and she sat down in the chair opposite.

"He's avoiding me."

"Ron? Why would he do that? I thought you were going out."

"Well, you'd think that, wouldn't you," Lavender said venomously. "Do you think Hermione Granger's pretty?"

I wasn't quite sure how to answer that. I mean, Hermione isn't bad looking, but I couldn't imagine any guy throwing Lavender over for her.

"Well-"

" I knew it! It's her nose, isn't it?"

"Umm-"

"Everyone says she has a pretty nose. I mean, I can't see what's so special about it."

She reached up self-consciously to pat her own nose. I thought about pointing out that the noses weren't one of the parts of the body guys were generally interested in, but thought better of it.

"She hangs around with him all the time now, it's just not fair, he's my boyfriend she's no right to- to-"

Lavender's voice faded as she gazed at a point behind me. I turned around and my mouth fell open. Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley were walking together down the stairs to the boys' dormitory. Together. Lavender shot to her feet.

"What were you doing up there with her ?"

Ron turned around. He looked from Lavender, to Hermione, to the now empty staircase, his face flooding with an uneasy red.

"Er-"

Hermione stepped forward.
"Lavender, honestly, this isn't what it looks like."

"No? Well what is it then? " she demanded.

Ron and Hermione exchanged a glance.
"Hermione was just-uh- helping me look for my- my transfiguration book."

I shook my head. Ron always was a terrible liar. Lavender laughed wildly.

"Transfiguration book," she shrieked. "Well, that's a new name for it!"

"Lavender , listen-" Hermione began placating.

"No! You- You've been after him from the beginning, don't think I didn't know. You didn't even tell me he was poisoned; you wanted to make it look like you were the only one who cared. Well, fine. You can have him! I'm through with him."

Lavender was in tears now, her blue eyes swimming.

"Well?" she turned on Ron, who jumped. "I've just dumped you. Haven't you got anything to say for yourself?"

Ron looked at the floor.
"'m sorry," he muttered.

Lavender stared at him incredulously.
" Is that all?"

Ron bit his lip, obviously searching for something more helpful to say.

"Er- d'you - d'you want your necklace back?"

Hermione gave a noise somewhere between a snort and a laugh. Lavender shot her a look of pure fury.

"No I don't want it back! Throw it away if it means that little to you! Or give it to Granger, see if I care! You stupid, horrible, cheating, freckled -" She made an odd gulping sound and stormed off to the foot of the stairs. She stopped, turning to fix them both with a watery glare.

"All I can say is that you've both got very poor taste!"

And she turned and pelted up the stairs. Ron sank into a chair, looking shell- shocked. I saw Hermione putting a hand on his arm, gently. He smiled at her. I felt a ripple of annoyance. Poor Lavender was probably up in her dormitory, sobbing her heart out, and all those two could do was sit there, smiling at each other.

"Hey, Seamus."
Dean had strolled over and appropriated Lavender's seat.

"Don't you walk away from me, Dean!" Ginny Weasley marched up to him, her hands on her hips. I moved my chair back a judicious inch or two. Don't get me wrong, Ginny's a lot of fun and I like her fine but, take it from me, you do not want to antagonise her when she acts like this. Dean, however, is a slow learner. He rolled his eyes at me.

"What is it, Ginny?"

"Don't you dare roll you're eyes at me!"

"Well, sweet Merlin, Ginny, what do you want me to say? You're acting like a madwoman."

"Oh I am, am I?"

"Yes. You are. Most girls like it when you do things for them. You go berserk."

"Because I'm not a child, Dean. I don't need your help."

"Well, you could've fooled me."

"What?"

"Ginny, take a look at yourself. You go around throwing temper tantrums whenever people do anything you don't like, you're too bloody immature to talk about your own problems, so whenever we start talking about anything remotely personal, you act like this. You are such a child."

Ginny gaped at him for a moment.

"Oh, really. Well, if that's the case, why don't you find yourself someone more mature?" Her mouth twisted mockingly. Dean flushed angrily.

"Well, maybe I will."

" What are you waiting for, then? I'm not stopping you." Ginny waved an airy hand around the common room. "Take your pick. We're finished."

She wrenched a bracelet off her wrist and threw it in his lap, stalking off towards her staircase. Dean looked at it blankly for a moment and then half got up.

"Ginny, wait! I didn't mean-"

But she had gone. Dean slumped back in his chair.

"Bugger."

I made a sympathetic face.

"Ten to one she'll feel different in the morning."

"Yeah, maybe," Dean said gloomily. "I can't believe she gave me back my bracelet though."

"Bet she can't either," I said. "It looks expensive."

"It was," said Dean dryly. "Don't know why I bothered. She doesn't like me getting her presents."

"Well, the Weasleys aren't well off, are they? Maybe she feels she has to get you something back."

"Perhaps." He gave a gusty sigh. "Do you think she meant it, what she said?"

I didn't ask him which part.

"I think you should get some sleep, mate. Sort it out in the morning."

When Dean had gone, I looked around the common room, thinking. Most of the people had left, probably not wanting to get caught in the general cross-fire, although Ron and Hermione were still talking earnestly in a corner. I wondered if Lavender was feeling any better yet.

Dean used to laugh at me for being a "bachelor," but I was beginning to think that, on tonight's showing, a bachelor was the safest thing to be. Yes, I thought firmly, directing my eyes away from the girls' staircase. There were certainly enough broken hearts tonight in Gryffindor Tower, without me getting involved.