A Brief Encounter

A Brief Encounter

It was dark, save for a silver of moonlight filtering through the dense canopy of trees. The air was still in the forest, unusually so, with only her soft footsteps disturbing the peacefulness. Hermione glanced around her as she made her way to the pond, where she had pre-arranged to meet Ron. Was that her mind playing tricks on her, or did she just hear music - classical music - float by? No, she thought, it couldn't be. Ron'll never do a thing like that. She shook her head and moved on.

Soon she reached the pond. Ron stood there, a small smile lighting that irresistible face of his, head slightly cocked. The music wafted around them. Ron? Hermione thought, and as if he had read her thoughts, he nodded. His eyes met hers. "Herm..."

She did not say anything, but simply took him into her arms. They swayed to the music, savoring what little time they had together. It was a while before they broke apart. "Close your eyes," Ron said. He took her hand and led her.

"Open your eyes, Herm" She did, and saw a beautiful midnight picnic all laid out just for her. It must have taken Ron hours to do all that. She stood there, touched by the act of love, but she knew that she could not stay. She saw the look of hope on his face. Her heart broke, and the temptation to stay, to steal more time together, grew stronger than ever.

Hermione strengthened her resolve. It would be better for both of them if she left. She turned to go.

"Stay, Hermione."

"I can't."

"Herm...Hermione!" But she had already left, her footsteps fading away as he stared at the ground, the footprints she had made earlier the only reminder of her brief encounter here.