I'd been working on this alongside ASR,ADL and finally finished it all in one go tonight (technically morning)
I was watching HBP a while ago and the first section is something Dumbledore said that got me thinking, and so this was born! It's almost completely snippets from HPB (chapter 1) and DH (Chapter 2) in Harry and Hermione's POV, I haven't marked what is directly from the books or movies because that would just be too much, and I pretty much summarized everything that happens with a few things that I interpreted as certain thoughts or feelings. This took a lot of work and I should be studying for my Econ Midterm, but here you go, please enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize, all recognizable content belongs to Queen J.K. Rowling
~Creelluka
"What about your activities outside the classroom?"
"Sir?" Harry wondered what Dumbledore was referring to, Quidditch hadn't begun yet so it wasn't that.
"Well, I notice that you spend a great deal of time with Miss Granger. I can't help wondering if…" Dumbledore trailed off (meaningfully?)
"Oh, no, no. I mean, she's brilliant, and we're friends, but, no." Harry shook his head.
"Forgive me. I was merely being curious."
Ever since that brief conversation with the Headmaster about Hermione, Harry had begun to think. Did he really spend that much time with Hermione, wasn't Ron usually with them, too? But Ron had been spending all of his free time practicing for Quidditch tryouts, Harry had hardly seen him except at meals and classes. And Harry thought of Hermione as a sister, she was the one who nagged him about homework and Ginny. Ginny was who Harry liked, but she was dating Dean, and Seamus before that, and that Michael bloke from DA before that. Hermione had listened to him complain about Ginny's line of boyfriends and had talked to him about other things to take his mind off of both Ginny and Sirius.
During the Quidditch tryouts, Harry had kept on glancing towards the stands whenever the players switched out, it was only a passing glance when Ginny was throwing the Quaffle at McLaggen that Harry saw Hermione cover her mouth, most probably to cough, it was cold outside and Hermione always got a cold when the weather first started to worsen. But then McLaggen jerked four feet to the left of the hoop just as Ginny threw the Quaffle, McLaggen's loss of control probably had to do with the giant broom he was using, it had been a coincidence that Hermione had coughed just before it happened.
Ron, Harry, and Hermione were sitting in front of the fireplace in the Gryffindor Common Room, Ron on the couch, reliving the earlier Quidditch Tryouts, and Harry and Hermione on either side of Ron, sitting on the floor leaning their backs against the worn couch.
"Have you ever heard of this spell?" Harry asked Hermione, showing her his Potions book. "Sectumsempra?"
"No, I haven't," She said vehemently. "And if you had a shred of self-respect, you'd hand that book in."
Ron started in, defended Harry, lauding about him being at the top of the class, better than her. She glared at Ron.
When Hermione tried to see whom the book belonged to, Harry stood up and backed away as she advanced on him. Ginny snatched the book out of Harry's hand and read aloud.
"It says: 'This book is property of the Half-blood Prince.'"
On the first Hogsmeade trip of the year, Harry had to watch Ginny and Dean practically necking in a corner of the Three Broomsticks.
"I'd like to leave." Ron grimaced.
"What? You can't be serious." Hermione asked.
"That happens to be my sister!"
"So?" Hermione argued. "What if she looked over here and saw you snogging me, or Harry and I? You expect her to leave?" Harry was shocked, why would Hermione have mentioned the two of them snogging? He knew that Hermione liked Ron, so why mention Harry about snogging?
Slughorn passed by just then so Harry pushed those thoughts away and waved at the potions professor who came over to their table and invited Hermione and him to his Slug Club party.
Hermione drank her Butterbeer while Ron and Harry discussed Harry's sucking up, they both looked at her for her opinion and she put her drink down, but before she could speak the boys pointed at their faces.
"Got a little bit…" Ron started to say. Hermione frowned, then blushed when she realized that she had a Butterbeer mustache, she hurriedly wiped it away with her sleeve, hoping she hadn't had it when talking to Professor Slughorn.
Harry and Ron grinned and guzzled their own Butterbeer, soon displaying foam mustaches of their own.
Harry had taken to watching Malfoy on the Marauder's Map since Katie had been cursed by that necklace, and he was doing it again one night in bed when Ron started up another conversation about Ginny and Dean, asking what Harry supposed Dean saw in Ginny.
"She's smart, funny, attractive," Harry said distractedly.
"Attractive?
"You know, she's got nice skin." But then Harry wasn't thinking about Ginny, he realized that he had just described Hermione.
"Skin? Dean dates my sister because of her skin?"
Harry defended his skin comment.
"Hermione's got nice skin," Ron said. "Wouldn't you say? As skin goes, I mean."
"I've never really thought about it,"Harry replied. "But I suppose, yeah. Very nice."
Both boys were quiet.
"I think I'll be going to sleep now." Harry shuffled the Map closed.
"Right. Yeah." Ron agreed.
Harry had noticed Hermione's skin, and it was all Dumbledore's fault. Harry hadn't seen Hermione as anything other than one of his best friends until Dumbledore had implied that there was something between the two of them at their first meeting about Voldemort. Now he had noticed that Ginny's skin was a bit spotty while Hermione's was smooth and creamy pink. Damn Dumbledore.
At Slughorn's first party, he had taken to asking everyone about their apparently influential family members, when Slughorn got to Hermione, Harry paid special attention, knowing that the others might become critical of Hermione's Muggleborn status.
"My parents are dentists." Everyone at the table looked at Hermione, Harry looked back, daring them to say anything.
"They tend to people's teeth."
When Slughorn asked if it was dangerous, Hermione launched into an anecdote about a boy who had one bit her father's hand, resulting in her father needing medical attention. everyone at the table once again stared at Hermione but were soon distracted by Ginny coming in late.
When Luna observed Harry 'slipping Ron the Liquid Luck' right before the first Quidditch game and asked him about it, Hermione had instantly started in on Harry,
"You could be expelled for that!" She hissed.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Harry defended, winking subtly at her, Hermione scoffed at him.
She knew what Harry was doing, trying to get Ron's spirits up. She decided she might as well play along.
After the match, in which Gryffindor won, of course, Hermione got a chance to confront Harry.
"You really shouldn't have done that," She said.
"I know," Harry replied. "I suppose I could've just used a Confundus Charm," He smirked.
Hermione instantly defended herself, citing that it hadn't been an actual game when she had sabotaged McLaggen.
They looked up at the celebrations just in time to see Lavender pull Ron towards her and start snogging. The entire House cheered, except for Hermione, who felt like someone had punched her in the chest. She turned away and dashed for the portrait hole. Harry looked back at Hermione and spotted her right before the portrait closed, his happiness for his first friend faded when he remembered how she must have been feeling.
Harry found her sitting on some steps in a dusty, abandoned room with small birds flying around her. He sat down next to her and praised her Charms work.
"How does it feel, Harry?" Hermione asked, her voice catching. "When you see Dean with Ginny? I know. I see the way you look at her," Hermione was sniffling now and her eyes were tearing up. "You're my best friend."
Harry's thoughts were whirling, she thought of them as best friends, was that it?
Giggling echoed through the stone walls and carried to them, Lavender and Ron burst into the room, obviously looking for somewhere private to do some 'celebrating.'
"Oops," Lavender chirped, looking between Ron and Harry and Hermione. "I think this room's taken." She giggled and dashed out of the room leaving Ron.
"What's with the birds?" Ron asked, obviously not sensing the tension.
Hermione stood up and glared at Ron, before saying, "Oppugno."
The circling birds dove at Ron and started pecking savagely at him. Ron glared at them through the birds and ran out, the birds smacking and dissipating against the door slammed behind him.
Hermione sobbed and slumped down next to Harry again who held her arm as she leaned on his shoulder and cried.
"It feels like this," Harry said quietly, referring to her earlier question.
Harry kissed the top of her head and held her quietly. They sat there for a long time, until finally Hermione stopped crying and started hiccuping instead and they were both cold and cramped from sitting for so long, Harry stood up and helped Hermione to her feet.
"I'm really sorry, Harry," Hermione apologized. "You didn't have to stay."
"Nonsense, you're my best friend, 'Mione, I wasn't going to let you cry alone." Harry pulled her into a hug and they stood there for a few moments, comforting each other.
Harry pulled back to give Hermione a brotherly kiss on the cheek. Hermione pulled back as well and turned to face Harry.
Harry's lips touched the corner of Hermione's mouth and Harry immediately stepped away. they both froze and looked at each other, startled and afraid.
"I-I didn't mean to," Harry stammered, trying to explain. "I was going to kiss your cheek but-"
"I know, Harry, it's alright," Hermione reassured him. "We should probably get back, I'm a bit tired."
"Erm, yeah, I'm just gonna stay here a bit longer, you go on ahead," Harry muttered. "G'night, 'Mione, see you in the morning."
Hermione left, leaving Harry to sprawl back on the steps, hands scrubbing his face. Why did every girl he kissed have to be crying?
He remembered how her skin had felt in that moment his lips touched the edge of hers, it had been so soft.
When Hermione left Harry and was up in her bed with the curtains drawn and a pillow over her face, muffling the sounds of the celebrations still going on in the Common Room below, she thought about what had just happened.
Lavender was a cow, Lavender knew Hermione fancied Ron, Lavender had better hope she didn't get paired with Hermione in the next DADA class. Harry kissed her.
Although he had been aiming for her cheek and it was technically her fault that he missed, Harry kissed her.
And his lips had been soft.
And Ron and Lavender were together now.
And Harry had kissed her and he surely had only been comforting her.
And Harry had been her first kiss.
And Viktor Krum had only kissed her hand a cheek.
And Harry had kissed her on the lips. Kind of.
Harry followed Hermione around the library as she put books back, listening to her rant about Ron and Slughorn's Christmas Party. Each had buried their 'sort of kiss' in the back of their minds, pretending it hadn't happened.
When Hermione said she'd had to make other arrangements in inviting someone to the party, Harry had brought up that they should go together as friends since they couldn't go with whom they'd each like to. Though both inwardly noticed Harry's phrasing of 'as friends' and kicked themselves.
And when Hermione pointed out Romilda Vane to Harry, explaining that she was trying to slip him a love potion, she smacked him playfully with the parchment in her hand when Harry got cheeky.
At Slughorn's party, Harry grinned when he saw Hermione slip behind some opaque curtains, obviously trying to hide from someone, he joined her. Hermione told him about leaving Cormac under the mistletoe and Harry was reminded of the Yule Ball and Viktor Krum back in fourth year. She was dressed just as nicely, and he vaguely noticed her cleavage when she crossed her arms, which was quite a nice view. . . Harry snapped into focus and luckily Hermione hadn't seen him well, ogling her.
Hermione grabbed the entire platter of Dragon tartare in the hopes that it would keep McLaggen away and hastily made her escape just as Cormac came to speak with Harry.
When Hermione saw Lavender's heart written with the heat of her breath on the compartment window on the ride to Platform 9 ¾ for Christmas holiday and ran off, Harry wanted to go after her, but against his better judgment, stayed with Ron to discuss Unbreakable Vows. He'd talk to Hermione at the Platform, he promised himself.
Harry didn't get a chance to talk to Hermione in all the hustle and bustle but managed to shout that he'd owl her.
At the Burrow Harry argued with Remus about Snape, and when Ginny fed Harry a sweet, he had to remind himself that she was with Dean, Harry wanted to both thank Ron, and punch him when he interrupted their moment. Harry had to control himself once again when Ginny appeared in her dressing robe and bent to tie his shoelace. he had to keep repeating: she's with Dean, she's with Dean, she's with Dean like a mantra, and when she stood up and said Merry Christmas they inched ever closer like they might kiss and Harry would have done it if he hadn't suddenly thought of Hermione, and Dean and if he found out he would be just as upset as Hermione had been and Harry really didn't want to do that to one of his friends and dorm mate. Also at that moment, a circle of fire surrounded the Burrow, and Bellatrix landed in front of the house, appearing from black smoke.
And when the Burrow was destroyed, Harry was just as stunned and heartbroken as the rest of the Weasley's because it felt almost as much a home as Hogwarts did.
Harry never owled Hermione.
Back at Hogwarts Lavender became even more clingy to Ron, and Hermione had turned bitter once again at 'Won-Won' and 'Lav-Lav.'
On Ron's birthday he ate the box of chocolates Romilda had given Harry, thinking they were his and was strongly affected by the Love Potion, Harry took him to Professor Slughorn, who accidentally poisoned Ron, leading to probably the worst birthday Ron had ever had, which was made even worse when he unintentionally broke up with Lavender in his sleep by saying Hermione's name, which of course pleased Hermione to no great length as she held Ron's hand while he healed. When Hermione looked at Harry from Ron's bedside, they both felt that what could have happened between them, if they had actually kissed properly, had passed, It was probably for the best, as well, so Harry tried to let it go, burying in his mind. It seemed like everything would be normal from then on,
When Harry and Ginny finally kissed in the Room of Requirement, after she had broken up with Dean, though with Harry's accidental help from Felix Felicis, and Harry almost killing Malfoy in the bathroom, it again seemed like everything would work out.
Then Dumbledore was killed by Snape, Death Eaters terrorized the school, and Harry broke up with Ginny in order to protect her. Hermione and Ron weren't together but might as well have been, and always by his side, they insisted on going with him to find Voldemort's Horcruxes.
End of Chapter 1, 2 will be up almost immediately.
Update: I don't bite you know, I'm one of the nicest people I know, don't be afraid to drop a review, let me know if you like it or not? It's kind of discouraging when over 100 people have read this and no one has told me they liked it or not, even a simple yes or no would suffice:) ? (Even if it's after 2016 I still plan on being here)
~Creelluka