Part One- Flowers in the Window

He had never felt so confused. The starlight that gleamed in his eyes was the only constancy he had.

When I first held you I was cold
A melting snowman I was told

He knew he loved her. It had felt like he would never love anyone- before he came to Hogwarts. But he had found two brilliant friends- and now a reason for living. But at night, when sleep left him behind, he would come down to the common room, and sit here in the window. To contemplate the night sky.

That there was no one there to hold
Before, I swore, that I would be alone forever more

"Harry?"His head swivelled at the sound of her voice. There she stood, on the stairwell, staring at him. Hermione Granger. One of the two greatest friends he had ever had in his life. He knew he loved her.

Oh, wow, look at you now
Flowers in the window

He knew, but did she? How could you tell that to you best friend? She looked so beautiful there, firelight playing over her features. So many would dismiss her as plain..... until they knew the depths of her heart.

's such a lovely day and I hope you feel the same

"What're you doing up so late?" she murmured, gliding over to stand beside him.
"I could ask you the same thing." Hermione sighed.
"I couldn't sleep. I have too many problems- homework, my mother, homework, Parvati and Lavender, homework, confusion over y-" She stopped in mid-word, and gazed pointedly out of the window. Harry frowned.

'Cos to stand up, out in the crowd
You are one in a million

What had she been going to say? His stomach somersaulted as he considered one possibility- she had been going to say 'you'. No- couldn't be. Sensible, straight-thinking Hermione, listing confusion over her best friend as a problem? But it might mean..... it might.......

And I love you so
Let's watch the flowers grow

He pulled his wand out of his pocket and muttered to it. A single, red rose bloomed slowly from the tip.
"Hermione?" The girl beside him shook herself, and looked down at him. "For you." Harry whispered, holding the soft bundle of petals up towards her. Her eyes flashed surprise, then gratitude, as she accepted it silently. Their eyes locked, and she lowered herself to sit, as if in a trance.

There is no reason to feel bad
But there are many seasons to feel glad, sad, mad

"I've got emotional overload," she said finally, tearing her eyes away. "My mother is getting all funny about Hogwarts, and magic and stuff- that's why I didn't go home for Christmas- and Parvati and Lavender are the worst roommates in existence." He nodded.

It's just a bunch of feelings that we have, to hold
And I am here to help you with the load

"Ron's got a huge thing for Lavender you know. He gets really worked up over her and Seamus going out. And Quidditch practice isn't getting any easier- Katie is the captain from hell! And........ I've kind of had this..... well I suppose you could call it a....."

Oh, wow, look at you now
Flowers in the window

'What are you doing you fool?' screamed his brain, but he paid no attention. Somehow, he knew he could tell her tonight.

It's such a lovely day and I hope you feel the same

But she beat him to it.
"Harry, I know this is going to sound so corny and cheesy, and.. but I can't carry it around with me forever. For a while now I've had these- oh God I'm saying it- feelings for you, and I bet you're going to jump up and say I've wrecked the friendship and I've just screwed it haven't I oh God oh God-" She collapsed, burying her head in her hands.

'Cos to stand up, out in the crowd
You are one in a million

Harry's jaw dropped.

And I love you so
Let's watch the flowers grow

"I'm dreaming," he finally gasped. "I'm fast asleep, and dreaming. That must be it." But who could dream the cold stones of the castle walls?
"Hermione?" he said again, reaching forwards to put an arm around her. "Hermione...... I.... I..... err..... ditto?"

So now we're here and now is fine
So far away from there and there is time, time, time

She stared at him. She felt like laughing at the situation. Not exactly very romantic- boy in old X-Men t-shirt and vibrant orange Chudley Cannons boxers, and girl in faded pink- and-blue bunny pyjamas. But the starlight glimmering through the window, and the rose that she had so carelessly dropped....... almost without thinking she wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him into a kiss. It seemed that the universe halted.

To plant new seeds and watch them grow
So there'll be flowers in the window when we go

It was a beautiful picture. The two of them sat by the window, clinging tightly to each other, as if to let go in any way would be the death of them both. But one thing was wrong.

Oh, wow, look at you now
Flowers in the window

He knew he shouldn't have. It was Harry's invisibility cloak, not his. But some strange gut feeling.... something had told him to come down to the common room, especially when he saw Harry's bed empty. And now he knew. A 'thing' for Lavender? What a joke! Seamus could have the slut, for all he cared. For so long, he had kept it penned up inside. He had had it all planned out- but this was all wrong! That should be him, not Harry! Ron and Hermione! Tears trickled down his freckled face.

It's such a lovely day and I'm glad you feel the same

"I love you Hermi," Harry mumured into her neck.
"I love you Harry Potter," she whispered back.

'Cos to stand up, out in the crowd
You are one in a million

He knew he had lost. The silky folds of the cloak swirled around him as he slowly made his way back up to the dormitories. Always second place, next to Mr I'm-So-Famous Potter. He knew how Neville felt.

And I love you so
Let's watch the flowers grow

"How are we going to tell everyone, Harry?" she said worriedly, moving away slightly, to look him in the eyes. "What're Parvati and her Amazing Giggling Gang going to say?" Harry smiled in a lopsided way.
"Hermione, I don't give a damn what all those bastards say. I've got you."

Author's Notes: The song 'Flowers in the Window' is copyright Fran Healy, aka Travis frontman (apart from my few minor adjustments). The characters Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Parvati Patil, Lavender Brown, Seamus Finnigan, Ron Weasley, Katie Bell and Neville Longbottom, and the terms 'Hogwarts' 'Quidditch' and 'Chudley Cannons' are copyright JK Rowling and Warner Bros. The story, the X-Men t-shirt, Hermione's bunny pyjamas and the rose are all copyright to my Muses. If you want to borrow them, either review and ask, or e-mail me and ask. Oh, whoops. God (as mentioned several times) is copyright to Himself.
This is part one of a trilogy of songfics. Part Two- DND and Part Three- Falls to Climb are to come shortly. The title of the trilogy 'Follow the Light' is filched from a Travis song, also copyright Fran Healy (da man wid da mohican)
Thank 'ee koindly an' cumm 'ee agin.