"Ron, wait!" Hermione reasoned, trying to grab for his hand. "What are you talking about!?"
"Yeah." he snarled, blue eyes cold. "You heard me. Lavender said that you were snogging Harry yesterday in the corridor after Potions."
"Harry!?" she cried incredulously, an expression of utter disbelief on her face. "What the bloody heck? He's just a friend! I didn't even see Harry almost the entire day! He was with Ginny, remember?"
Ron glanced down at their intertwined hands, snatching his away from her grasp. "I don't believe you."
"Wait-"
"No. We're done, Hermione. Goodbye."
And he left her there. Hermione stared at the portrait hole where Ron had just exited. Quickly looking around the Gryffindor common room, she was relieved that no one else had witnessed the breakup.
Hermione ran up the stairs to her dormitory, and closed the door behind her. She stood, numb and silent for a few seconds. She slid down the wall, tears forming in her brown eyes. Head between her knees, she cried.
She stayed in her dorm almost the entire rest of the day, skipping dinner and the sixth-year get-together that happened near the Black Lake. Hermione could not fathom what had happened earlier, still in utter shock that Ron had believed such an obvious lie.
"Mione!" called a voice. Footsteps echoed as someone walked up the winding staircase to her dormitory. The door flung open, and Ginny walked into the room. She spotted Hermione almost instantly- her back to the wall, sitting there in silence. "Oh, Hermione..."
She walked over to where the brunette was sitting. She crouched down, now face-to-face with her best friend.
"My brother's an absolute, bloody git. You know that, right? He's an absolute jerk. He doesn't deserve your friendship if he's going to believe lies so easily."
"Do you know who told him?" Hermione whispered, teeth clenched, tears streaming down her face from her bloodshot eyes. Ginny shook her head. "Lavender Brown."
"That absolute bloody idiot." Ginny's eyes flashed with cold, absolute anger. Ginny and Hermione shared the same hatred for their fellow Gryffindor. Lavender was just so...frustratingly... annoying. "Come on, Mione." She stood up, pulling her best friend up with her. "I'm in the mood to go smack someone."
Ginny stalked determinedly out of the Gryffindor common room, oblivious to the stares of their fellow housemates. Hermione followed, her dejection subsiding as she watched Ginny out of the corner of her eye. She really did look like she could smack someone... it was kind of funny, honestly. But still, the sinking feeling of misery didn't go away. It seemed to weigh her down, and it felt like she was falling, never able to reach back up again.
"You absolute jerk!" Ginny screamed suddenly. Hermione blinked, looking forward. Ron had just pulled away from snogging Lavender; she held onto his arm.
"Careful, Won-Won." Lavender whispered dramatically. "She looks really horribly mad...but don't worry. You didn't do anything."
"You absolute, bloody IDIOT!" Ginny screamed. She stalked towards her brother, fury and rage penetrating from her gaze. "You are the WORST brother ANYONE could ask for!"
Ron stepped back; even he seemed shocked by Ginny's strong defense against Hermione.
"What in bloody heck is WRONG with you!?" she shrieked, drawing the stares of curious and concerned classmates. Whispers filled the hall as the commotion started to draw a crowd. The Slytherins, all in a cluster, whispered and laughed at the scene.
"What's wrong now?" Draco Malfoy sneered, laughing. "Did mudblood Granger lose a homework assignment? perfectly good reason for freaking out, isn't it?" He put his hand on his forehead, and mocked a faint. "I got a- a ninety percent! It's the end of the world!"
The Slytherins laughed, Pansy Parkinson the most. She doubled over in fake laughter, obviously trying to get Malfoy's attention.
"Won-Won, we should go. I don't want anything to happen to you...that would be horribly tragic!"
"Listen up, you jerk." growled Ginny, diverting her attention to Lavender. "I don't know what the heck you think that you saw. But I swear to you...Harry Potter was with me the entire day. So, please, for everyone's sake, shut up and stop ruining Hermione's life."
"Talking about me, are you?" Harry pushed his way through the crowd, green eyes ablaze with extreme confusion. "What's going on?"