In case anyone missed me, I'm back. I haven't had much spare time recently, and my English class sucks out all my creative energy, but I found a story I started back in the summer, so I've expanded it, and I hope to make it a three parter. I hope you enjoy!
Harry and Hermionie were sitting on a couch in the Burrow, their lips less then an inch apart. It was well past midnight, and everyone was already upstairs in bed. They had stayed in this position for nearly a minute, neither of them willing to make the first move, though they both desperately wanted to.
"Hermionie," Harry whispered, his breath blowing on Hermionie's face.
"Yes?" she answered, blushing at the awkwardness of the situation.
"I – I can't." Harry said, turning his face away from the brunette.
Hermionie moved over on the couch, obviously embarrassed.
"I want to," Harry continued, seeing Hermionie's hurt face, " but I can't. It's Ron, he fancies you, you know that right? And, I can't stab him in the back like this, not after all we've been through, it'll crush him"
Hermionie nodded in agreement. " I suppose you're right, we can't, I mean it never would have worked, why complicate things?, we just – I – I'm sorry Harry, I have to go." She said, kissing him on the cheek before running for the stairs.
Harry watched after Hermionie as she ran away from him, touching his cheek where a single tear from Hermionie had landed as she kissed him. As Hermionie disappeared up the stairs Harry's expression changed from one of sadness to anger. He threw the pillow next to him across the room. It wasn't fair, he and Hermionie had finally managed to find each other, and now they couldn't even be together. A million scenarios of how that could have gone better rolled though Harry's mind. Maybe if he had realized his feelings earlier, or maybe if he had acted sooner. "Damn it Ron," he said under his breath. If only Ron hadn't finally admitted his feelings to Harry, if Harry could claim he hadn't known, maybe it would have been different. Harry sighed as he made his way upstairs. He couldn't be mad at Ron, he really hadn't done anything wrong.
The next morning at breakfast Harry and Hermionie were oddly distant, not that anyone would notice, with the chaos that always accompanied breakfast with the Weasley's. Harry or Hermionie would coldly ask the other to pass the butter or a fork, all while avoiding eye contact, and trying in vain to partake in the lively conversations. Ron, as unobservant as always hadn't noticed a change in his best friend's demeanour. He leaned over to Harry and whispered that he was planning to do "it" right after breakfast, and could he try to keep Fred and George occupied? Harry nodded, watching Hermionie out of the corner of his eye as he thought back to the conversation that had occurred when he got to his room the night before.
"There you are, " Ron had said, "Finally, so guess what? I've finally decided to do it. Tomorrow, I'm asking Hermionie out to dinner in Daigon Ally…"
Harry hadn't heard much after that. He needed to focus all his energy on keeping his face unreadable. Harry came out of his daze just in time to see Ron stand up from the table. He managed a dull sounding "Good luck mate" before turning to the twins, who had also noticed Ron's early departure and managed to keep them in conversation about their joke shop long enough for Ron to depart outside with Hermionie.
As Hermionie followed Ron outside she had a pretty good idea about what he was about to ask her, and she knew she wasn't ready to give him an answer. Nonetheless she smiled patiently as Ron mumbled his way through his little speech, finally coming to the point, "So," he continued, "I was wondering if you'd like to go out for dinner with me tomorrow night in Diagon Alley."Hermionie managed to plant a surprised look on her face, and heard the words tumble out of her mouth, "Sure," she said " I'd love to, I wanted to get some new books and potions ingredients anyway, and Harry was saying just yesterday that he needed some new dress robes. We should ask him and make a day of it."
Hermionie turned to leave, quite pleased with herself for sidestepping the question. Ron, however was more persistent then she'd hoped, and grabbed her arm before she could escape. "I errr, sort of thought that maybe, it could just be the two of us." Ron mumbled, staring at this feet.Hermionie couldn't play dumb any longer. "Ohhhh, yes, of course, well, sure, yes, I'd love to." She managed to blurt out while plastering a smile on her face, and giving Ron a quick peck on the check before she left.
As she walked back inside she was surprised to see Harry waiting for her. "You could've warned me!" She managed to hiss in his ear, before she attempted to sidestep him. Harry was too quick though, and grabbed her wrist before she could get away. "So I guess you two are an item now? Not that is matters to me, seeing as how we never could have worked apparently" He said."I guess so," she whispered, close to tears, "But you're the one who wanted to watch out for Ron's interests.""Yes I did, " Harry replied, " But I care about yours more, and if you go through with this thing with Ron then we can never find out what'll happen, and I'm not sure I can live with that, can you?""Well, thanks to you it appears I'll have to." Hermionie said, wrenching her wrist from his grasp, and running, once more up the stairs, away from a disappointed Harry.
Harry watched as Hermionie disappeared up the stairs. He was still debating with himself the merits of going after her when Ron came through the door. "I did it mate," he smiled. "Tomorrow night, Diagon Alley." He paused, "Wow, can you believe it? For a minute there I didn't think she'd say yes. I wasn't sure if she really liked me, ya know just last month my mom was muttering on about her and you. Can you believe it? The two of you together? What a laugh that would've been.""Ya," Harry managed to choke out, "who would ever expect that? Well congratulations mate, you have no idea how lucky you are." Harry turned and went out to the backyard. He stopped under the willow tree and stared sulkily out into the garden.
By now Hermionie had reached the room she shared with Ginny, she was glad to find the place empty, and she settled herself down on her window seat. Under her window sat a miserable looking young man sitting under a willow tree. Hermionie sighed, " I'm sorry Harry," she said, " I – I think I was wrong. I love Ron… as a friend, but I think I love you more."
"You're not the first to fall for Harry Potter, you know, and you won't be the last," a voice said from the doorway.
Hermionie turned around and gasped, looking at the face of the red head who has just appeared in the doorway.
Part two hopefully coming soon! I'm more eager to write when I get reviews... so like it? hate it? Let me know!