St. Valentine's Day
A/N: Okay now, I've just had one of the most horrible Valentine's Day ever... I was depressed, tearing up all the time and worst of all, lonely. Anything more? So I was inspired enough to write this, involving Hermione and Harry. Erm, sixth year. Please keep in my mind that this chapter was written prior to the release of HBP!Disclaimer: Sheesh, I don't own anything. Rub it on my face, would you? ;)
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Winter had settled in Hogwarts, arriving with a terrible snowstorm that covered all the grounds, making them look beautiful. Fires had been magically lit, and ice skating on the frozen lake and snowball fights were everyday musts.
Today it was especially cold and gray, or so it seemed to Hermione Granger as she woke up and groaned in her warm bed. She yawned and stretched. "What day is it today?" she thought. "Oh no! Valentine's day!" she whispered to herself, covering her eyes. She wasn't fond of this day... at all. To be honest, she had always felt somewhat lonely at this time of the year.
She yawned once more as she stood up and walked towards the heater of her girls dorm, sighing. Hermione shivered as she wrapped herself with one of her many bathrobes. She walked slowly towards the window, taking a look outside. She smiled, thinking that the grounds really looked beautiful. She placed her hand on the window glass and bit her lower lip - it felt so cold. She loved winter.
She tore her eyes from the Forbidden Forest and went over to her wardrobe, opening it and staring at it, narrowing her eyes, wondering what she would be wearing today. It was Saturday, and for the first time in her life, she didn't feel like studying or reading.
Everything was so quiet. She sighed sadly and looked around slowly, her mind blank. She sighed again, wondering what she would do today. Suddenly someone knocked on her door, startling her. She frowned and walked towards the door. "Who could that be?" she thought, standing in front of the door and opening it slowly.
"Ginny? What are you doing out there so early in the morning, for heaven's sake? Come in!" Hermione exclaimed, horrified, and stepped aside, opening the door almost completely. Ginny walked in quickly with a half smile on her face.
"Early, Hermione? It's ten in the morning," Ginny said with a grin. Hermione frowned.
"It can't be! Really?" she asked. Ginny nodded and Hermione raised her eyebrows, surprised. "Oh. Well, this is something that hadn't happened before," she added thoughtfully. Ginny laughed and shook her head no, making Hermione grin. "Hey, have you been out already?" Hermione asked. For some reason Ginny blushed and grinned. She did look extremely excited, now that she wasn't wearing a scarf that almost went up to her eyes.
"Yep..." Ginny trailed off. Hermione grinned.
"Ah, Ginny. What happened out there?? I know that tone of voice," she wanted to know. Ginny grinned wildly and blushed even more.
"I… Well, I have a date today," she answered, not able to hide the excitement in her voice. Hermione just stared at her, now feeling lonelier than ever. She was happy for her friend, but still… Hermione forced a grin.
"Oh... So you won't be here all day..." Hermione replied. And she had been hopeful someone would accompany her. "Well... Who's the lucky guy?" she questioned. Ginny giggled.
"Seamus," she gushed. Hermione laughed and hugged her.
"Seamus?? Did he finally ask you out?? Merlin!" she exclaimed. Hermione had once heard Ron telling Harry about how Dean had told Ron that Seamus was smitten with Ginny, and there Hermione had stopped paying attention, because besides being confusing, Ron started having a go at Seamus, like he always did when Ginny started dating someone. But then again, Snape would award Harry points before Ron approved Ginny's boyfriends. "I'm so happy for you two! I hope you have a great time!" she added. Ginny nodded.
"Thank you," she replied. Hermione smiled.
"Will I have to expect some juicy details afterwards?" she asked with a wink. Ginny giggled again.
"Oh, I don't know… I hope so!" she admitted. Hermione let out a giggle too.
"That's my girl! Go on, have a bloody excellent time and tell me all about it afterwards, then!" she stated. Ginny laughed.
"You sound like my brother," she said. Hermione grinned.
"I would like to hear him encouraging you with a boy," she retorted, making Ginny grin again.
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St. Valentine's Day is a day meant for couples, as the entire world knows. Mushy music, cheesy places like Madame Puddifoot's... A perfect opportunity for public displays of affection, to receive nice, heart warming letters, and to go out with someone to eat loads and loads of chocolate; among other things.
However, and as everything in life, this day tended to bring out the worse and the best of the implications of the day itself. This day is perfect for people in happy relationships. Without someone to share your day with, St. Valentine's day turned out to be the most depressing bloody day of the whole bloody year. The persons who are alone, for one reason or another, are inclined to curse the day to oblivion and are tempted to spit on the faces of every couple they meet, if they felt very bitter.
The latter was the case of Hermione, who currently sat down heavily under a snowed tree, which still had some broken leaves left, hanging weakly above her head. The cold was unbelievable. She fixed her sad stare on the white grounds laid before her, trying to hold her tears back. She just felt so lonely and sad. She had been in the library, in the Great Hall and in the corridors for almost five hours straight and no one had told her absolutely anything related to St. Valentine's Day.
And why did she care so much about stupid Valentine's Day, anyway?
Good question.
Was she that ugly and/or hated? She needed to talk to someone urgently! But there wasn't anybody. Ginny was with Seamus. She hadn't been able to find neither Ron nor Luna (she may be a nutcase but she was a good listener) and Harry hadn't showed up neither in the castle nor the grounds. Hermione chuckled sadly at this. "Why, he surely is with some girl," she thought. For some reason that mere idea brought more tears to her eyes. She dried some of her falling tears with her scarf and sniffed.
Harry.
He had been so distant since Sirius's death. Always training with different professors for some unknown reason, at Quidditch practice or simply locked up in the boy's dorms. Hermione missed his company, but didn't dare to bring the subject up anymore. Maybe Ron was right, maybe Harry would talk to them about it someday. Wouldn't he?
She shivered and more tears started falling down her pale cheeks, but she didn't bother to clean them up. She just covered her face with both her hands and let out a low sob, feeling so terribly desolated. But why was she feeling this way? Since when did it matter so much to her? It was just a day, wasn't it? Just a perfect excuse to eat chocolate and make public displays of affection, right?
Then why, WHY was she bloody crying?
Was it because of... Harry? She pictured him kissing some random girl and her sobs became sadder. Harry. Harry...
Hermione suddenly felt angry at herself. "What, you thought that he would tell YOU something about Valentine's Day? Did you expect candies or chocolates?" she scolded herself. But what hurt (and angered her) the most was that she had actually been hopeful that someone would tell her something nice… Especially that emerald eyed boy… But nothing had come.
But as she cried her heart out Hermione hadn't noticed the abovementioned emerald eyed boy walking closer to her spot, wondering where that curious crying noise was coming from. He had decided to walk around the grounds for a change, not having someone to share this day with. Harry sighed sadly at this thought. He walked a little bit more and spotted the source of the sound, making him raise his eyebrows. Harry stepped closer but Hermione hadn't seemed to have heard him, with her face still covered by her gloved hands.
"Hermione?" A too well known voice called her. Hermione removed her hands from her face and gasped when she saw him. She gulped, wondering how anyone could look as wonderful as Harry did on that exact moment. His black hair was all over the place, and his eyes sharply contrasted the paleness of his face, except for his red lips. He was wearing a green cloak and a multicolored scarf, items that made him look positively breathtaking.
"H- Harry? Wh- What are you doing here?" she asked him in a nasal voice, trying to dry her remaining tears. Why did she have to look this ugly? Harry smiled, wondering why he hadn't noticed how beautiful she was before, besides fourth year in the Yule Ball. And for some reason, when she cried, she looked even prettier... Fragile. Harry had never seen her actually cry before. Red eyes, nasal voice, all right, but tears? If someone was making her suffer, then they would have to face up with him...
"Taking a walk… The sights are great," he replied, not telling her the real reason - because he didn't have a date and, besides, he often found himself with the strangest urge to spend time with Hermione lately. "And you?" he asked her. She looked away.
"Same as you," she replied, not wanting to tell him her reason. Why, he'd surely think she had lost her mind. The very same Hermione that rolled her eyes at Lavender and Parvati, crying over Valentine's Day? Nah-uh. Harry sat down next to her on the snow, making her blush slightly. "It's strange to see you here, though. I thought you were... out with someone," she whispered, not looking at him. Harry laughed.
"Me? Out with someone? No…" he trailed off with a strange hollow voice. Hermione looked up at him, surprised.
"Really?"
"Of course. Well, it's weird to see you out here. I though you would be beating boys with your wands to get them off your back by now," he retorted. Hermione chuckled sadly.
"No, the entire contrary. No one has told me anything, but it's okay. I'm used to it," she told him, not wanting to show how much she really cared. Harry frowned slightly.
"Oh? Well, bloody hell with them. They're the ones who're missing out of the fun," he told her. Hermione smiled at him.
"Thank you," she said. Harry nodded.
"Why were you crying?" he changed the subject abruptly. Hermione's smile faltered and she gulped. What could she tell him? "Well, you see, I was crying because I suspect I like you, and I couldn't stand the thought of losing you when I never had you."
"I was just being silly. It's no big deal," she responded. Harry raised his right eyebrow.
"Hermione..." he left the sentence hanging. She sighed.
"I don't know… I really don't. I felt lonely, I guess," she confessed in a low voice, blushing. Harry stared at her.
"Well, if that is the case… I feel lonely too," he also confessed, shrugging. Hermione pursed her lips at him.
"No, you don't. You just say that because you pity me," she replied. Harry shook his head no with a frown.
"I don't pity you, Hermione. Never did, never will. One does feel alone when you have no one," he stated. Hermione stared at him sadly.
"You have Ron, the whole Weasley family, and Lupin, and Dumbledore..." she suggested. Harry smirked.
"You have them too, then. But I don't mean friends. I mean special persons. You do feel lonely when your parents die at childhood and you are driven away from the world, practically - you feel lonely every time you arrive home and there is no one waiting for you, no one who cares or even notices," he stated, looking at the grounds with a lost look. Hermione felt her eyes water again, and laid her head on his shoulder softly.
"I'm sorry for all of that - But even if you find it surprising, I know how you feel... I know what is like arriving home and finding no one, and I recall the feeling of solitude. I still feel it sometimes," she agreed. Harry smiled at her.
"Thanks," he told her. Hermione nodded. They were silent for quite a long time, just enjoying each other's company, not feeling so alone anymore. All of sudden Harry stood up and looked at her with a grin. Hermione raised her eyebrows, surprised.
"What?" she asked. Harry raised his eyebrows too, leaning over slowly, until his face was inches from hers. Hermione gulped softly, wondering what he had in mind. They stared at each other for a few seconds until Harry's hand reached for her neck and as quick as lightening took off her scarf; Hermione felt the air hit her neck and opened her mouth in shock because of the cold. Harry started running, her scarf dangling in the air, as if he was a little child. Hermione stood up, a grin forming in her lips. She had never seen something so heartwarming. "Harry James Potter! Give me my scarf back!" she exclaimed. Harry laughed.
"If you want it, come and get it!" he stated. Hermione raised her eyebrows.
"Then I will!" she replied, walking towards him quite quickly. Harry sported a wicked smile and walked backwards as she came nearer, until they were both running around and laughing like maniacs; snow flying around them, the white snow flakes getting on their hair and clothes.
"Ha! Hermione Granger can't catch me!" Harry teased her with a mock childish voice. Hermione frowned with a smile, wondering why he could brighten up her life in a matter of seconds. She never told anyone about it, not even Ginny.
"That's what you think, Mr. Potter!" she exclaimed happily, running towards him again. Harry just stood there, staring at her with a smile on his face. The depression he had been feeling since last year had flown out of his mind and all because of her... And when he realized that Hermione was still running at him, it was too late. Hermione threw herself over him and they fell on the snowy ground, both laughing so hard they couldn't even breathe. Boy, they both had missed this.
"Her-Hermione… We… we have to calm down," Harry managed to say, laughing. She nodded, still giggling. They both sat up slowly and breathed in deeply, trying to calm down, a few chuckles here and there still. Then Harry stared at her once more, with a spark Hermione had never seen before in his eyes. "Hermione... Why didn't we do this more often?" he asked her. Hermione frowned thoughtfully- she had been wondering the very same thing. Why had they stopped hanging out, being friends?
"I don't know, really…" she trailed off. Harry smiled at her and put an arm around her shoulders, making her stomach do a flip flop.
"I've missed you," he confessed in a whisper. Hermione smiled.
"Me too, Harry," she agreed, melting down to a puddle. They continued staring at each other without a word, admiring each other's inner and outer beauty. And then, as if he wasn't thinking about what he was doing, Harry's face slowly started coming near hers, glancing at her lips. Hermione closed her eyes along with him as their lips met in a soft but meaningful kiss.
It was quite a long kiss; neither of them wanting to part, until they realized they were out of air – when they finally pulled apart, shy smiles crept on their flushed faces, both still focused on each other's lips, forehead to forehead. Hermione placed her hand on his cheek softly, closing her eyes. Harry smiled at this.
"Hermione?" he asked softly. She smiled.
"Yes?" She wanted to know, opening her eyes and staring into his big, green ones. The apathetic, sad look in them had disappeared... Harry grinned.
"Happy Valentine's Day," he whispered, kissing her softly again.
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A/N: I finished! I can't believe it! I hope you like it as much as I did! Review if you liked it! Thanks and bye!!
