A/N This is my first ever H/Hr fic. That doesn't mean I don't read them, I'm just a much bigger believer in H/G, R/H because that way everyone's happy with no jealousy between friends or anything. Anyway, I read some amazing H/Hr fics lately, so I decided to try one of my own. Hope it's okay….

Chapter One

"Potter! For the last time – WILL you pay attention?!"

Professor McGonagall's sharp, irritated voice jolted Harry to his senses and he was almost surprised to find himself in a Transfiguration lesson. He'd been staring at Hermione for most of the lesson, quite oblivious to who the teacher was, which lesson he was sitting in, or what exactly the class had been assigned to do. How could anyone be so perfect? He asked himself as he gawped at her; clever, sweet, caring, patient, graceful, wonderful…not to mention gorgeous…

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat dangerously and Harry glanced around at the rest of the class. He assumed, eyeing the wagging golden retriever tail on Ron's table beside him, that they were supposed to be turning their desks into dogs, though only one member of the class had successfully done so. Harry was surprised he hadn't noticed the large Saint Bernhard sitting politely and quietly by Hermione's chair, as he'd done nothing but gaze dreamily at her since they'd sat down at the beginning of the lesson. Harry raised his eyes from the beautifully groomed canine to the girl it was sitting by, and felt the usual semi-consciousness settle gently on him. His heart felt strangely light as he watched her helping Neville, like it was just hovering inside him, full of light thoughts…thoughts he'd had for a while now…thoughts about his best friend…

Harry had felt strangely closer to Hermione ever since the end of his first year at Hogwarts, when she hugged him down in the last Chamber before the one with the Philosopher's Stone in it, after solving Snape's potion riddle. That was when his heart gave its first funny jolt, but being new to the feeling, he'd assumed it was just nerves at the prospect of facing Snape and Voldemort beyond those black flames. He was rather surprised at the deep jealousy he felt a few months later, when Hermione's crush on Lockhart became apparent, but disregarded the feeling, convincing himself it was just because Lockhart was such a big-headed moron. It wasn't until the row about the Firebolt a year later that Harry began asking himself about these feelings. If this was just another argument, why did his heart hurt so much? Why was it so painful to fall out with Hermione all of a sudden? They'd had their disagreements before, why did it bother him so much this time? The whole business with the Time-Turner, when they were alone in the forest, waiting for their past selves to walk out of the Whomping Willow, made him hope something might develop in the three hours they were alone, but the tension of making their mission to free Sirius and Buckbeak a success ruled that option out. The year that followed was by far the worst, trying to convince the entire wizarding world that Hermione was not his girlfriend, while desperately wishing she was.

But now he was nearing the end of his fifth year at Hogwarts, less than a month away from his O.W.L exams and madly in love with Hermione. He didn't see how he was going to pass these exams when she stole every ounce of concentration he had during his lessons and preparation exams. The effect she had on him incredible; he couldn't close his eyes at night without seeing a mental image of her beautiful smiling face, his mind was permanently seized up, unable to remove her from his thoughts…his heart pumped like a pneumatic drill when she looked into his eyes and rose like a hot air balloon when she smiled at him…

The bell rang at the end of the lesson and Harry watched Hermione scratch her Saint Bernhard's ears and bend down for him to lick her face before she waved her wand and transformed it instantly into its original desk form. She caught Harry's eye as she swung her bag over her shoulder and flashed him a small smile that made his heart beat like a battering ram against his ribs, as though it was trying to break out of his chest and get to her. She then joined the rest of the class as they filed out of the classroom, Harry watching her from his desk.

Ron prodded him in the back and said "Wakey wakey! The Let's-all-stare-at-Hermione lesson's over! Didn't you hear the bell?"

Harry blushed as he got up and grabbed his bag, accidentally knocking his chair over as he swung it over his shoulder.

"Coming to supper?" he asked, hoping to distract Ron.

"Um, probably not, actually," Ron replied awkwardly.

"Why not?"

"Well, I, um, sort of promised I'd take Paddy out for supper in Hogsmeade tonight," said Ron, his ears turning bright red.

"Paddy?"

"Padma," Ron explained, his face turning the same colour as his ears.

Harry grinned, jiggling his eyebrows up and down. "You two must be getting pretty serious if you're using nicknames for each other, eh?"

"Well, yeah," said Ron, the embarrassment fading a little. "we became a lot keener on each other since the second task and now, well…"

"You're going out," Harry finished for him with the same smile. "You know there were rumours that you had a crush on Lavender…"

Ron pretended to recoil in disgust. "Lavender? Ugh! All she ever does is Divination homework and giggle!"

They turned a corner and found Padma waiting for Ron next to the statue of the one-eyed witch.

"Hiya, Ronny!" she said cheerfully.

"Hi Paddy!" Ron replied in a breathless sort of way Harry had only heard him use when he was talking to Fleur.

Harry handed Ron the Invisibility Cloak and watched him and Padma disappear through the statue's hump into the secret passage to Honeydukes, sharing their happiness. Then, wondering if he and Hermione could ever get to that, he went down to supper.

Well, it won't happen if he keeps his feelings to himself, that's for sure, he thought. If he wants to get anywhere with Hermione, he'll have to confess his feelings to her, but he'd heard just what terrible damage these emotional exposures can do to friendships, damage beyond repair, no matter how close the friendship was beforehand. He decided he wouldn't risk his friendship with Hermione for anything, she was too good a friend and besides, he knew Krum had broken her heart over the summer, so Harry was in no hurry to cause her any more emotional pain or confusion.

Harry reached the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table next to Hermione. As he began piling some rice and sausages onto his plate, he felt the usual squirming in his insides and the warmth in his heart as he glanced sideways at her.

"So, what are your plans for the evening?" Harry asked Hermione, getting started on his supper.

"Plans?" Hermione repeated. "We've got our O.W.Ls in a couple of weeks' time, how can anyone even think of 'plans'?"

Harry raised his eyebrows at her. Much as he loved Hermione, he found her obsession with working slightly annoying. He admired her devotion to her studies, but sometimes felt she was being a bit extreme with her priorities.

"Don't you think you deserve a bit of a break?" he asked her, as she swallowed her last spoonful of mashed potatoes and stood up.

"Nope," she replied.

Harry abandoned his supper (he was never too hungry when Hermione was around anyway, his stomach was too busy writhing with excitement to admit any food) and followed her out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase.

"Come off it," he said reasonably and they made their way through a tapestry and climbed another flight of stairs. "You've been working non stop all day every day, can't you take just one evening off?"

Hermione glanced at him, surprised. "What's brought all of this on?"

Harry shrugged. "I dunno. I worry about you. I don't want you to over-work yourself or anything."

"Aw, thank you, Harry," Hermione smiled as they reached the Fat Lady. "You're very sweet, but I'm fine. You really don't need to worry about me."

They climbed through the portrait hole into the common room and Hermione pulled out her Transfiguration textbook.

"Besides," she said and she laid her book on the nearest table and began flicking through it, searching for the right page. "you don't exactly need an evening off. You and Ron have hardly been working at all this year. It's like these exams don't matter to you."

Harry shrugged again. "There's life outside schoolwork, you know."

Hermione looked up from her page, staring at Harry with a look of disbelieving indignation in her eye. "I can't believe you said that," she whispered. "I know there's more to life than schoolwork, but it's very important, especially now we're taking our O.W.Ls…"

"I know!" said Harry quickly. He really didn't want another row with Hermione – these rows tore his heart. "I never said you…"

"Well what were you saying?" Hermione snapped.

"Well, just that you shouldn't let it run your life or let it come before more important things like friendship and stuff," Harry replied quickly.

"I never let school come before friendship!" Hermione shot back.

"Funny, that's mostly what we tend to row about, isn't it?" Harry found himself muttering despite himself, though his heart screamed in protest, begging him not to say it.

"Look, I worked very hard for five years to get to where I am now!" Hermione yelled. " and I'm not about to throw all of that away just before my exams, thanks you very much! And besides, it wouldn't hurt you to take a break from taking a break and do some work!"

"Well, at least I don't let the Ministry of Magic's Education Department run my life!" Harry shouted back before he could stop himself. "You're a fanatic! You're obsessed! You're such a workaholic!"

He seemed to have touched a very sensitive nerve here. He tried to take it back before it was too late but he found his tongue wasn't functioning properly once he saw the expression of pained horror on Hermione's pretty face.

"Hermione, I…" Harry began , but she cut him across.

"You know what? Maybe I do take my work a bit too seriously, maybe I'm not as laid back about these exams as everyone else is," Hermione said quietly, her every syllable trembling with either rage or pain. "But at least I'm doing okay for myself! At least I'm not wallowing at the bottom of the class with bottom marks. I'm doing well and I'm pleased with myself, okay? And I don't…"

"Well, I'm sorry, but we can't all be perfect like you!" Harry yelled back. "We can't all be amazing, intelligent, wonderful, charming, as…beautiful on the inside as much as the outside like you…we can't all have your winning personality and every else I love about you…."

His anger faded with every description of her and he suddenly stopped, watching Hermione's eyes widen.

"Oh, god, what have I done?" he groaned, then whipped around and dashed out of the portrait hole.

A/N You don't REALLY think I'd just leave it like that, do you? Well, if you do, think again because Chapter Two will be up as soon as I've written it and found a computer with a modem to upload it from (I'm using my neighbours' at the moment) . Btw, the whole Ron/Padma thing was just because I think she's a much more realistic option for Ron, instead of Lavender, who we don't know much about and besides, it's true that all she ever does is suck up to Professor Trelawney and giggle. I just like Padma a lot more, so if Ron can't get Hermione, he should at least have someone I like so there!

I know a lot of my fics start with a long list of emotions and I'm sorry. I know it's kinds boring, but I like to keep things real. I want the love between the characters to be genuine, so I'm sorry if it's less interesting, but I'm trying to make the plot a bit better. Besides, like I said, this IS my first H/Hr fic, so PLEEEEEEEEEEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW and make my day! PLEEEEEASE? Cheers!

Chapter Two - coming soon….