This story is dedicated to my bestest friend in the entire world, Harry Potter and beyond, Olivia. I love you, always! Kisses!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. If I did, Draco and I would be in an established relationship, ready to take over the world by now. But we're not, and the world goes on, so it must not be as life-threatening as i thought.
Hope you like it!
It was a cold, blustery night at Hogwarts. All the wizards and witches were in their respective common rooms, sitting by the fire, catching up on homework.
Well, all except Hermione Granger, of course. Hermione had done her homework last week. Now, she was having a very heated conversation with Ginny Weasley about which blokes they thought were "fanciable."
"C'mon, 'Mione! Just think about it! He's very handsome if you look past all that death eater!"
"Ginny, I've already admitted he's handsome, but he has the ugliest personality of anyone I've ever met!" argued Hermione.
Meanwhile across the oriental rug in front of the fire, sitting on an armchair listening very intently to what the girls were saying, was Harry Potter.
"…Oh! His accent is just to die for!" Ginny raved.
"Seamus is just a friend to me. I really can't imagine us being together." Hermione mused.
Harry began to get irritated. Not once in their half an hour long conversation did either of the girls bring up his name on the on-going list of blokes that suited their fancy. But, still, he said nothing and continued to listen.
"Oh, Hermione! That's disgusting! There are many things I'd rather not learn about my brother!"
"Sorry, Ginny, but I always thought he was going to be "the one" until recently…"
Ron. That dirty, lying, cheating slug! He was the reason for Hermione's grief. He had the perfect girl just waiting for him, but he threw it all away for Lavender. In Harry's opinion, it wasn't worth the embarrassing nicknames and ridiculous amounts of snogging in front of an audience just to prove a point. And he broke Hermione's heart along the way, which made it entirely unforgivable. Harry, too, had gotten his heart broken because he had always had a small glimmer of hope that Hermione would change her mind about Ron and fancy him back. Now, knowing Hermione, she would never give love a second chance after all the heartbreak and humiliation Ron put her through.
"Well, I'm off! I promised Dean I'd meet him before dinner. See you later, Hermione! You, too, Harry!"
Harry jumped. He tried to gather his thoughts as he gave Ginny an absent-minded wave.
"Potions, again, Harry?" Hermione asked, referring to the abandoned parchment on Harry's lap.
"Hm? Oh, yeah, Potions, right."
"Harry, is something bothering you?"
How did she know? Are my thoughts as easy to read as an open book? Trust Hermione, of all people, to know about reading.
"No… nothing's …bothering me…"
Should I ask her? No, she might think I was eavesdropping on her conversation with Ginny.
"Are you sure? You look troubled."
Should I? What was it the Romans said? Seize the day? Something like that.
"So you don't think I'm fanciable, do you?"
Hermione blushed. He'd heard the conversation then.
"No, Harry, it's not what you think!"
"So you just don't think I'm attractive? Is that it?" Harry was getting angrier by the minute.
No, Harry, I just fancy your pants off and didn't want to say anything because I know you love Ginny, and I don't need to get my heart broken a second time in one year.
"No, Harry. I like you…"
Harry's heart leapt…
"…as a brother."
Then fell violently and shattered into a million pieces.
As a brother? Is that what she's thought all along?
"It's not that I don't like the way you look! You look great!" Hermione tried to repair the damage she'd just done that clearly showed on Harry's pained face.
"No, Hermione, it's nothing, really. But is there anyone particularly fanciable on your mind?"
He didn't know, did he? Oh, that would be mortifying!
"Oh, it's no one!"
No one? You're talking about the Boy Who Lived! NO ONE? *daft, daft, daft…*
"C'mon, 'Mione! Is it that Zabini bloke from Slug Club?"
Harry's insides churned with jealousy.
"Harry, I've actually known him for a long time."
Now, Harry was confused. How come she'd never mentioned him before?
"Zabini? Really?"
"No, the guy I fancy!" Hermione said, exasperated.
"Oh, so it's Ron then…" Harry spat venomously.
Of course, after all that he's put her through, Hermione would still fancy him.
"What? You think I fancy Ron?"
"Well, obviously, as I just said I did!"
"Why in the name of Godric Gryffindor would I fancy him after all he's done to me?"
"Well, I don't think you can control who you're attracted to!"
"And I suppose you speak from experience?" Hermione said angrily.
"What's a bloke got to do to get a girl to realize he fancies her?" Harry said, pointedly ignoring Hermione's jab.
"Harry, what are you talking about?"
"So after a guy crushed your heart, you can still have feelings for him?"
"I couldn't possibly have feelings for Ron!"
"Why not?"
"Because I have feelings for you!"
By this time they were nose to nose, screaming at each other, but after Hermione's confession, Harry was stunned into silence. She fancies me? Harry felt the realization wash over him as the anger melted away. She does! She fancies me! Hermione, on the other hand, could not let her rant go unfinished.
"But why bother even trying with you when it's indefinitely clear that your heart belongs to Ginny! I shouldn't have even mentioned-"
Harry cut her off with a bruising kiss. He poured everything into that kiss. All the things she should've said and done went into that kiss. They pulled apart breathing heavily, but content. Extremely so that neither of them realized that the entire common room had dropped whatever they doing to watch them. Harry grabbed her chin and forced her to look into his eyes.
"Hermione, you're the one for me. Every day I watch you beat yourself up over Ron, but he's not worth it. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I'm always here for you, now more than ever because I love you."
Hermione had tears in her eyes, a small smile gracing her lips.
"I love you, too, Harry, always. It's always been you."