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"How long?"
It's two syllables, two words, seven letters... and yet it makes my heart stop.
I breathe evenly, "What do you mean?"
"Don't play dumb, Granger, it doesn't suit you," he sneered.
Annoyed, I turn to face him, "forget about it. It's not like it matters anyways."
"Of course it matters!" He says, voice raising angrily, "how long?"
I breathe, "three years... I guess it was just before we left to go hunting, really."
He looks so upset, so angry, and for just a second I could've sworn he looked hurt. But it was gone in a flash, as is his norm. He huffs, "why didn't you ever say anything? Why... Why did you get with Weasley?"
Embarrassed, I look away, unwilling to meet his sharp gray eyes, "it doesn't matter." I quickly go to grab my bag, "I'm leaving."
"No," he grabs my upper right arm to stop me, "don't go... I- we need to talk about this, Granger."
"Talk about what?" I yank my arm from his grasp, "we aren't friends, we barely see each other, and we don't even talk when we do. Just... forget this ever came up at all, okay? I have to go."
And with that, bag in hand, I spin away, apparating to my flat without another word in edgewise.
~
Three Weeks Earlier
~
Let me start with this: Ginny has a big mouth. She can't seem to keep a secret to save her life. More like, she can't keep a secret if it pertains to my life. And this is why I hate playing drinking games with her and the other girls.
"Ginny, just let it go." I groan, head in my hands.
"No," she says happily, "besides, it's not just me here, 'Mione. Parvati, Lavender, and Luna heard it, too."
Luna smiled, "oh, I already knew. The hopskipollies told me a while back."
Ignoring the ravenclaw, Ginny quickly says, "see? It's not like it would be kept secret for long anyways. Unless... you still like him?!"
At this, Lavender and Parvati immediately start to squeal, Ginny joining them in rapid-fire gossiping over my nonexistent love life.
But, being as smart as I am, I should've realized how bad it would be to let them act so giddy in such a public place.
You never know who's listening.
~