"Sure," I said and then watched as he walked away.
Dare didn't look back or hesitate in his steps. It seemed like he'd severed the cord that was once between us. And here I was, staring after him, wishing he'd turn around, tell me he'd been wrong, that he still wanted me in any capacity. But I guess we'd still be friends, and that was something at least.
But Dare ignored me the rest of the day.
Actually, correction, it seemed like he was actively avoiding me.
In Lit, he talked to Jovonte the whole time and pretended I didn't exist. Estelle kept throwing concerned looks between me and my former fake boyfriend. In study hall, I didn't see Dare at all which was strange because we usually sat together. His behavior bothered me. What really got me, though, was that I hadn't gotten a chance to tell him how I felt.
And that made me feel like a coward.
But I wasn't a coward, I thought. I was my mother's daughter, a half-Slytherin, half-Gryffindor hybrid with an overly healthy love of romance and happy endings.
No matter what happened, I had to try and get mine.
Right?
I went to the shelter straight after school, hoping to clear my head and gain some clarity. But I was shocked to find Hermione's cage empty. When I went to ask Paris about it, I knew my eyes were red. But I couldn't help it.
"A very nice couple came to adopt her," Paris said and gave me a squeeze.
The hug should've helped, but I was inconsolable.
"They just showed up out of the blue," I said, through my sniffles. "And they wanted Hermione? My Hermione?"
She nodded. "They took one look at her, and it was like she knew."
"Knew what?" I asked, craving the answer as much as I dreaded it.
"That she was going home," Paris said gently. "Hermione took to them in minutes. It was like she'd already met them before. I would've called, but I knew you were in school."
So? I thought as my waterfall of tears continued. I would've dropped everything, ran as quick as I could, just to meet these "very nice" people who'd taken my girl. I looked to her cage and seeing it empty was like having a stake driven through my heart.
"Please don't cry, Viola. I know you would've approved if you'd been here."
"But I wasn't," I said. "And now, I'll never get to say goodbye to her."
I went over and knelt beside her cage. Professor Snape gave me one of his surly looks, and I reached in to pet his sleek black ears. He and Hermione had been next to each other for a while now. So, I had a feeling he would miss her almost as much as I did.
"She's gone, Snape," I said. "Our Hermione. She's…gone to a new home now."
Professor Snape said nothing, of course. But I felt the need to reassure him.
"It's okay, though." I nodded even as my tears cascaded down my cheeks. "I'll still be here, Professor. Don't you worry. We'll get through this together."
Snape did an extraordinary thing then—for him anyway.
As if he could tell how much I was hurting, the dog who never showed much affection licked my hand. He actually licked my hand twice, then laid down and sighed.
"I know, boy," I said. "I know. I'm here for you."
I couldn't believe I'd missed my chance to see my girl one last time. I thought we'd have days, weeks, years together…but we didn't.
Something about losing Dare and Hermione in the same day sent a bolt of adrenaline racing through my system. I told Paris goodbye. And though she was always glad to have me, I could tell she was grateful to see me go because I was so visibly upset.
"Go home and rest," she said. "It will be okay, Viola. You'll see."
It would—but I wasn't going home.
I drove in the opposite direction, determined not to miss another chance at something I truly loved.
#
It took me twenty minutes to get back to the school.
By then, I was all cried out, and I'd transitioned into the unstoppable-woman-on-a-mission stage of grief. The more I thought about my conversation with Dare that morning, the more annoyed I became.
Sure, I had tried a couple of times to correct him, to tell him his assumptions about Ty and me were wrong. But Dare hadn't stopped speaking long enough to listen. If this was a movie, I thought, I would be so frustrated with the main characters—especially the guy—for their inability to communicate clearly.
But how often did that happen in real life?
I tried to ignore it, but my frustrations kept bubbling up.
Why hadn't Dare let me speak my piece? Why did he keep saying how much better Tyson would be for me than himself? How the heck did he know that, anyway?
It took five more minutes for me to walk to the gymnasium, and I calculated that soccer practice probably let out about ten minutes ago.
Awesome, I thought. I could catch him before he left.
"Hey," Estelle said, walking up to me. She must've just finished with cheer because she had her pom poms. "Is everything okay? I was getting some weird vibes in Lit. Also, I heard you went out with Tyson."
"It wasn't a date," I said. "We were just hanging out."
"Okaaay, and the vibes between you and Dare?"
I looked at her. "You're right about those. I'm going to try and fix it, though. I just hope you don't stop being my friend once you know the truth."
Estelle pinched my arm, and I gasped. "That was for questioning my loyalty. You know I've got your back, Vi. No matter what."
"Okay." I gave a half-smile, the closest I'd gotten
