A/N: Technically this is a sequel to 'It Happens All The Time' (one of my Ginny/Seamus stories), but you don't really have to read that. This can stand basically on it's own. One thing it might be good to know is the main line I wrote that story around. "Best friends fall in love Hermione. It happens all the time." I think you can tell where that would lead to this.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize from the Harry Potter world.
'You can do this! You're Harry Potter! You can do this!' was the mantra being continuously chanted in my head.
I had been out flying when Ginny and Seamus assaulted me. The former demanding I confess my feelings for Hermione. After several attempts to deny any feelings, I finally confessed that I was, in fact, head over heels in love with my best friend; the female one of course. Once she got me to admit to it, she began demanding that I do something about it. Another big debate started which ends with me here, on the way to the library, with my mantra, to confess my feelings for Hermione.
I step into the library and, after a brief greeting to Madame Pince, search for the familiar head of bushy hair. I don't immediately see it and figure she must have moved to a more secluded spot once Ginny left her. She always has loved her privacy when getting work done. I briefly worry that she'll be angry with me for interrupting her before shaking the thought from my head.
I find her in the back corner, her quill frantically scratching at her parchment. I silently make my way up to her table. I pull out the chair and sit down, knowing she won't acknowledge me until she finishes copying down her thought. She looks up after a few minutes.
"Harry! Hello!" she says brightly.
"Hey Hermione."
"What are you doing here? I thought you were going to be flying all night?"
"I came to talk to you."
"Oh. What's up? Did something happen?" Funny, she doesn't show any signs of liking me. Maybe Ginny was wrong. Merlin, why'd I let her talk me into doing this?
"Nothing happened really. I just wanted to talk to you." Now she's looking at me funny.
"Okay."
"So…how's your essay coming?"
"Really good. I'm almost finished with it. I would have been done about half an hour ago, but then I remembered some extra facts I wanted to add in."
"You always do," I laugh.
"Well sorry for liking to get good grades," she replies, slightly annoyed. I immediately stop laughing.
'Good going Harry. Get her angry with you. She'll really love you now,' I think before deciding to just change the subject, there's no way of talking myself out of that.
"So," I start weakly, "have…have you heard from your parents lately?" Seriously? That's the best I could come up with?
I'm getting angrier with myself as I go here. I'm reverting back to the way I used to be. The disaster known as my "Cho days" flashes through my head. I haven't been like that with a girl since. Of course, I didn't get any new girls until after the war, and by then I was a lot more confident with myself, proud of myself. What happened to that? I should be able to easily talk to a girl, especially a girl like Hermione. She's my best friend for Merlin's sake! I've talked to her for years now.
"Well, I did receive a letter just yesterday," she says giving me a funny look. I don't ask about her parents…ever.
"What'd they have to say? Anything exciting going on?"
"Well, my cousin is getting married this summer."
"That's wonderful."
"Yeah…"
"Anything else?"
"Well, I'm invited obviously. They said I could bring a date if I'd like to." A date? That sparks my interest. I need to be that date.
"Oh, so who are you going to bring?" I ask in what I hope is my best offhanded tone.
"I'm not sure. It's not like I have a boyfriend or anything."
"Well surely there must be some one you like?"
"Yes, I suppose there is," she blushes and averts her eyes. That's a pretty good sign.
"Well ask him."
"I couldn't do that."
"Why not?" I frown.
"He doesn't like me."
"How do you know?"
"I see him around with other girls, a lot."
"Maybe he's just trying to make you jealous? Get your attention?"
"Well he's certainly made me jealous, but I doubt those were his intentions."
"Hermione, he'd be crazy not to like you."
"No he wouldn't. It's not like a lot of guys like me. I'm nothing special."
"Of course you're something special. Come on ask the guy. I'm sure he'll say yes."
"I don't think I can Harry," she practically whispers. 'Fine! I'll ask her then,' I think, taking a deep breath.
"Hermione?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I take you to your cousin's wedding?" Her head snaps up.
"What?" I smile a bit at her.
"I said can I take you?"
"Why would you want to do that? Everyone would think you were my boyfriend. You've never met my family, once they thing one thing it would be hard to convince them other wise."
"That's not such a bad thing," I say nervously, running my hand through my hair.
"What's not such a bad thing?" she asks, a bit of hope in her voice.
"If you're family thought I was your boyfriend."
"I couldn't ask you to do that for me Harry."
"You're not. I'm asking you to do it," I counter.
"You…you mean it? You'd do this for me?"
"I'd do anything for you Hermione. I thought you knew that."
"Well, I didn't think this sort of thing would fall in that category."
"Hermione?" I say after a moment of silence.
"Yeah?"
"I love you." She turns to me quickly, eyes wide and jaw dropped.
"What?"
"I love you."
"I thought you said that."
"As…more than best friends," I continue nervously. It's better to say it than not at least. It'll come out eventually and I'd rather it be on my terms.
"You…love me…as more than friends?"
"That sums it up yeah." There's a long silence that follows. I'm going to kill Ginny for making me do this. Why do I let her talk me in to things like this? It's ridiculous. Just because her and Seamus went from best friends to dating does not mean every set of best friends can! She'll be sorry when I see her again.
"Harry?" she asks, breaking me from my thoughts.
"Ye…yeah Hermione?"
"I love you too. As more then best friends," she says slowly. I rush forward to finally hug her, kiss her, and hold her, anything. The simple thought that I owe Ginny big running briefly through my head before I receive a searing kiss.