Disclaimer: JKR owns all the characters and so on and so forth, I obviously am not gaining anything and don't intend to!
A/N: Okay so this was one of the very few, and in between, attempts on anything other than slash that I made in a long long while. Sorry for those of you who are in any way used to my usual stories. I hope you enjoy and please review!
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Under the Mistletoe
Harry was running late. He had the last D.A. meeting to attend to, the last meeting before Christmas holidays that is. The last meeting of the year. And he sensed this would be the best meeting that he had had in months. Although that might be because of what he had been planning for after it. Or perhaps it would be because it was simply Christmas.
Everyone's happiness had been put to test with Voldemort's full return and with the beginning of the Second War. But it was Christmas. And Christmas always lifted everyone's spirits. Filch, the grumpy old caretaker, had even been seen humming Christmas carols under his breath, simply gleeful at the prospect of having two students-free weeks.
Harry, with the Marauder's Map in hand, made his way to the Room of Requirement, for the last time this year. He would be two weeks away from his problems, away from school, and with his new guardian, Remus Lupin.
Remus had been named guardian that same year, before Harry come back to school for his sixth year at Hogwarts. Sirius had named him in his will, and both shared Sirius' full assets. Though both would prefer Sirius back, over all his money.
Harry glance at his wristwatch. He was ten minutes late for the meeting, and Hermione would certainly have kittens over that, and shout at him for at nearly ten minutes, about his duties and responsibilities. Ten minutes that Harry would loose apologizing incessantly. Ten minutes in which he'd listen to her incoherent babbling, attracting far much attention. Until Harry kissed his best friends cheek and wish her merry Christmas, earning a scowl from Ron, but in the end she'd shut up. She always did.
Although Harry, in fact, had a good excuse for his lateness, there was a first time for everything. He had to run back to his dormitory in order to grab two presents he had forgotten. Presents for two friends Harry had made from the D.A. Two girls from different houses that had caught Harry's heart. But not so in a romantic way.
Over the year Harry had gotten close to Susan Bones and Luna Lovegood. At first his two best friends didn't understand, not that they outright not approved of it either. But they weren't happy. Hermione even confided to him once that she had been jealous at first. But Harry reminded her that she was the first to tell him that they had to reinforce house unity.
Hermione had dropped the matter after that and Harry supposed she had gotten over it. Hermione and Ron were and still are his best-friends. The first real friends he had ever had. How could Hermione even fathom the idea of being left behind, of being forgotten, Harry had no idea.
He thought back at the time he had met her at the train. He thought of her, at the time, as a bossy know-it-all who was demanding for Ron to do his magic spell. Harry had been perplexed at her request, they hadn't even gotten to school yet, how could any of them know magic spells. He wouldn't have imagined that he would fall for that bushy haired know-it-all years later, he couldn't even imagine being friends with her at the time.
Yes, he had fallen for her. And as Susan had to, no, liked to, remind him, at least a hundred times a day, he had fallen for her hard. But her heart was already taken.
No, she wasn't dating Ron, but it was only a matter of time.
The redhead had claimed her his a long time ago, and Harry knew that. He also knew that Hermione felt the same way towards him. They were only stupid to proclaim it, but it was as clear as daylight that they had been made for each other. Ron was only a slow git, who didn't have the balls to ask her out, Harry had to remind himself constantly throughout the day in order to keep himself from punching his friend into mince.
Harry wasn't sad about it. He wasn't whooping of joy, but if Ron was what Hermione wanted, he'd gladly agree to it. He loved her too much to force her into something she didn't want. He wouldn't go that low either.
He was so deeply lost in his own thoughts he only realized he was before the Room of Requirement when two small hands got hold of him by his robes, and pulled him inside the room hastily.
"Harry James Potter, can you please try to explain yourself and do tell me why you are fifteen minutes, yes fifteen minutes, late for the meeting?" Hermione had begun her rambling. "What are we supposed to do without our instructor, not all of us has time to spare like you..."
What followed after that was exactly what Harry had predicted. Although Ron's response had been different from what Harry had expected, his best friend huffed impatiently and turned away from the exchange, his arms crossed in front of him.
The meeting turned out as he had expected as well. Nothing uncharacteristic had occurred, except perhaps Smith's good behavior, the boy had it in him to test Harry's patience, but Christmas seemed to have rubbed off on him too. And without much of the customary interruptions from Smith, Harry was able to revise what they had mostly learned before letting them return to their Common Room's.
"Hermione could you stay behind please? I need to talk to you," Harry called uneasily, after the retreating backs and over their friendly chatter.
It was now or never. He would give her his early Christmas present and see how she reacted to it. He had waited for this moment for so long. Now it seemed surreal that it was happening. He had waited for such a long time that uneasiness got grip of him easily.
'Well, if you screw this up Potter, you'll at least be heading home tomorrow, and she'll have two weeks to forget about it,' came a nasty voice from inside him.
"You wanted something Harry?"
"I just – well – I wanted to – I – Here, I wanted to give your present earlier," said Harry quietly not quite meeting Hermione's eyes and handing her the neatly wrapped box.
Her small hands carefully untied the red ribbon that secured the paper, She picked it and put it aside. Just as careful she put the wrapping aside by the ribbon.
Her eyes glazed when she ever so slowly opened the box containing a silver ring, anyone from outside would have thought they were watching the scene in slow motion. Hermione took it out and looked through all its minimum details. Harry held his breath hoping she'd like it. In the inside of the ring, in flourished handwriting, was engraved, friends forever.
Harry took the ring from her hands making her look at him for the first time. A smile played on her lips when he slipped the silver band on her middle finger.
"Thank you Harry, it's the most wonderful gift," she said in a whispery tone. If only Ron would do things like this, she thought sourly.
"It'll protect you, if you're ever in trouble, I'll know it," he said pointing at a ring that looked just like hers, that was also in his middle finger. Hermione couldn't help her smile, Harry ever so practical. "It's only half of it," he finished his whisper matching hers.
Hermione was about to ask what could possibly be the next part of his present, when Harry instead of answering her, closed his eyelids. Placing his hands on her hip Harry kissed her, locking her lips with his. He had to pull away from her reluctantly, he didn't want it to end, but he wanted it to be perfect, he couldn't mess that moment up.
"Happy Christmas 'Mione."
He stroked her cheek fondly, his eyes blazing with emotion, before planting another kiss on her cheek and leaving the Room of Requirement, beaming from ear to ear. Although Hermione couldn't see that, she only saw him leaving, unable to understand what had just happened.
Hermione didn't move as she watched Harry leave, she didn't move when she saw his back disappear as he rounded the door. She tugged the ring he just gave to her fondly. She could never have imagined, in her wildest, deepest, dreams, that Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived – no, Harry, her best friend, could harbor any feelings for her.
She looked upwards and her smile grew.
"What is it with you and mistletoe Harry," she said to no one in particular, but herself, touching her lips with the tip of her fingers.
The End