Chapter One

For sixteen-year-old Harry Potter, the summer holiday had been quite relaxing. This year, unlike last year, things got off on the right foot: after only several days living with the Dursleys, Harry had received an owl from Remus Lupin, inviting him back to 12 Grimmauld Place in London on behalf of the Order of the Phoenix. Harry had been having a good time with Ron and Hermione, but even though Harry was surrounded by friends, it was still a bit depressing to be living in Sirius's house after what had happened at the end of the school year. Nonetheless, it was a comfort to be in the company of those who appreciated him, as opposed to his Muggle relatives.

With only three weeks left of the summer holiday, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were trying to spend as much time as they could relaxing. Luckily, Hermione had pressed them all to do their homework at the beginning of the break, and they had done all their shopping in Diagon Alley the week before, so they had nothing on their minds. Harry's scar had done almost no prickling lately, so apart from when they were attempting to eavesdrop on the regular meetings of the Order, Lord Voldemort was not much of a concern.

On this particularly humid August day, the four of them were lounging about in Harry and Ron's room. Ginny and Ron were going head to head in a game of chess.

"Ha!" Ron exclaimed "Checkmate! So...play again?"

Ginny's response seemed only natural to Harry and Hermione. "And lose to you for the fifth time in a row? Forget it! Besides, I'm thirsty. I'm going to fetch a glass of water."

"I'll come, too," Harry said quickly. As he and Ginny stepped out into the hallway, he added in a low tone to Ginny, "It's so obvious that Ron fancies Hermione! I just wish he'd say something already. I'm hoping giving them a moment alone will do the trick."

"I know exactly what you mean! He gazes in her direction almost too frequently...I'm starting to worry that he's obsessive compulsive."

Meanwhile, Ron was trying to create conversation with Hermione without saying something he'd regret. Why, he thought, did Harry have to leave me alone with her?

"So," he said, "um, how's your summer been going?"

"The same as yours, Ron. I've been with you the entire time...are you feeling okay?"

Ron's cheeks turned a shade a bit lighter than his hair. "I'm fine, I guess, thanks for asking."

Ron looked down at the floor. His conversations with Hermione always turned out to be so awkward! He didn't remember when it had started to feel weird like this, but now he knew something had changed. He sighed, as thoughts began to race wildly through his head. He glanced upward at Hermione, and realized that she was staring at him. Quickly looking back down, he realized his heart had begun pounding in his chest, and he felt as if several dozen Cornish Pixies had been set loose in his stomach. A new thought struck him: perhaps he fancied Hermione! Of course, why hadn't he thought of it before?

Perhaps I should say something about it, he thought. She's probably noticed it ages before I did. Yes, that's it, I'll say something. Opening his mouth to speak, he found that he couldn't speak; only a sort of grunting noise came out. Why can't I just tell her? It shouldn't be that hard! All I have to do is open my stupid mouth and say, "Hermione, I fancy you."

Upon deciding to try again, he opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Ginny bursting in through the door which had been open a crack. Ginny and Harry had been listening from outside, and when Ginny had heard the awkward silence, she had decided to take action.

"Mum said to tell you that dinner is almost ready. Says we should wash up," she said quickly. Then, seeing Ron's mouth still open, she added, "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

"No," Hermione replied, "we were just talking. Come on Ron, we all have to wash up."

Just my luck, thought Ron, as they exited into the hallway. Oh well, maybe I'll try again after dinner.