Not From this Reality Book 1

Chapter 35

I didn't do anything. I didn't do anything! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! Fuck! I wish I could scream at all of the people who keep staring. Deja vu floods through me everywhere I go. The whispers filled with the word "slut." The glares coming from Slytherins that I don't know. And the teasing comments I get when I'm around anyone who isn't Draco. Not that he'd let me within fifty feet of him. It's just like last year.

Unlike last year, I'm not hiding it as well as I was able to. The hurt shows more on my face and it's making everyone weary about me. Hermione gives me a pitying look whenever I walk into a room. Fred has been hanging around me more than he was earlier in the year. I'm not going to do anything but I can understand where they are coming from. Well, I want to slam my head into a wall so that might count as "doing something."

Because of all this bullshit, I have been sticking to my room and reading more often than I usually do. I actually used to read a lot but when my dad died, that changed too. Just like a lot of things about me did.

Like most days lately, I find myself in the astronomy tower tonight. Although I came alone, someone followed me. They haven't shown themselves yet.

After a few minutes of waiting for something, I turn around and scan around the astronomy tower until I spot some form of human life. That form of human life happens to be a bit of bushy brown hair.

"Why do you feel the need to hide, Granger?" I question with a laugh. She steps out from behind the pillar, her face is coated with embarrassment.

"I didn't know if you wanted company or not." I can imagine her face is red. "I didn't want to be rude."

"You're not being rude." I reply in confusion. Why would this be considered as rude? I don't mind her company anyway.

"Ok. I just wanted to see how you were doing?" She creeps over to the railing and looks over the view. I watch her the whole time, not bothering to look at a view that I've seen a million times now.

"I don't know." I admit. "I'm trying to give him space and neither of us are trying to talk to each other. I feel like I'm stuck on a rollercoaster and I can't get off the ride."

"I don't know why you are still with him. You two are in a very toxic relationship." She sighs as if she is defeated by something. "There are so many other people that would love you better than he ever could."

"Like you?" The words come out without meaning to. I haven't thought about the fact that she could possibly like me since Parker told me. Other things have been plaguing my mind, so I don't know why it came out now. Hermione's cheeks turn a beet red and she avoids any eye contact with me that she can.

"I- I'm not going to answer that."

"You don't have to." I shrug.

"How long have you known?"

"I didn't. I had a feeling though." I don't want to throw Parker under the bus so I'm just going to act like I had a feeling she liked me. "I'm sorry though."

"For what?" She looks at me confused and surprised.

"That I don't feel the same way." I close my mouth before I can say that she can do better than Ron. I don't know if she has feelings for him at this point. Honestly, in the movies, it never seemed to me that she had feelings for him until the 6th one. Even after that it never felt like she actually had feelings for him. There was no shift in their dynamic. Just them kissing in the Chamber of Secrets during the Battle of Hogwarts.

"I wasn't expecting you to. But thanks for the clarification."

"Maybe in another life." I mumble. In my case, that could be a possibility but I don't think I want to shift to a different world after this one. I would probably compare that one to this one and I don't want to do that. Plus, I won't have the relationships that I do here. I'm too attached to this world.