This was a hopeless situation. Harry was supposed to help his friend, Hermione, to get prepared for her first date with Ron.
He winced at the outfit Hermione chose. It was a black evening ball gown that hung down to her feet. A small white flower was pinned to Hermione's hair. Although Harry thought she looked very pretty, he also thought she looked horribly formal.
"So?" said Hermione, turning around so Harry could examine the back, "How do you like it?"
"It's...nice," said Harry awkwardly, "But, um, Hermione, let's not get too fancy here..."
Hermione sighed. "But what am I going to wear?"
Harry thought for a moment. "Ah ha! We visit Hogsmeade tomorrow. There's a muggle clothes shop I spotted on our last visit, in our 4th year. I'll help you choose some nice, ordinary clothes."
Hermione wrinkled her nose, then reluctantly nodded. She always wrinkled her nose before she lied. It became sort of a habit since she was back at Hogwarts.
The next day, Harry and Hermione were in Hogsmeade. Ron couldn't join them because he had detention in Transfiguration class for turning everyone's hats into toads.
"Here we are," said Harry as they stopped by a large store, "Wizard GAP."
Hermione stared. "Don't they sell casual clothes here?"
"Exactly," said Harry as he grabbed Hermione by the arm and dragged her inside.
They stopped by a shelf full of jeans and bellbottoms.
"First pick a decent pair of pants. If I know Ron, he hates to be fancy." Harry sat down against the wall.
"Cool," said Hermione looking at the sign on top of the shelf, "They're magically charmed to never get dirty." She took a few and walked towards the T-shirts and tank tops. Harry watched her go into the change room.
Moments later, Hermione walked out. Harry seemed more impressed by this outfit than her prom night one. She had a navy blue tank top on, with the words Wizard GAP printed on the front. Her bottom set was a nice pair of bellbottoms with tiny flowers embroidered onto the cloth. Harry thought she looked pretty indeed.
He didn't have to answer to convince Hermione this was the perfect outfit. His expression showed.
Back at Hogwarts, Harry went to search for Ron. Hermione stayed in her dormitory to fix her hair for the date. Harry returned a few minutes later. He couldn't find Ron anywhere. Perhaps he was in the boys' dormitory. He climbed the stairs and went inside the dormitory. It was empty, except for poor Neville, searching for his ever-wandering toad. Harry went back down to the common room. Fred and George were there, selling some of their Ton-Tongue Toffee to unsuspecting 2 years. They led them out of the common room. Hermione was sitting next to the fireplace. Harry could tell she was asleep.
"Hermione," Harry whispered, shaking her a little.
Hermione opened an eye. "What?"
"I can't find Ron."
"Maybe he's in the boys' washroom."
Harry shook his head. He sat down beside Hermione.
"Want to play a game of chess?" asked Harry, "I'm bored."
Hermione yawned and raised her head. "No thanks," she said, wrinkling her nose, "I just want to nap." Not thinking, she rested her head against Harry's shoulder. He blushed. Not wanting to wake Hermione up, he dug into his pockets and pulled out a small book. Harry opened it to the first page.
"Chapter One: The Beginning of the Chudley Cannons," Harry read in his mind. No sooner did he get to the second paragraph when soft lips touched his cheek. He turned and saw that Hermione was still sleeping on his shoulder. Slowly, Harry put his free hand over Hermione and they stayed there, each not wanting to let go.
Hermione met Ron in Honeydukes. They had a glass of butterbeer and talked. Then Ron spoke.
"Hermione," he said quietly, "I saw you and Harry at noon."
Hermione froze. "I-I don't know what you're talking about," she stammered.
Ron raised an eyebrow.
"I know you kissed Harry," Ron said, "And now I want a straight answer."
"Ron, I..."
"Do you love Harry more than me?" demanded Ron, "If you lie, you do."
Hermione looked up. Her mouth quivered to say the right word. Then she saw Harry near the entrance. He looked at her and grinned. Harry was one of Hermione's best friends and was always there for her when she needed him. She worried about him all the time and he was always a good sport. She breathed then her nose slowly began to wrinkle.
He winced at the outfit Hermione chose. It was a black evening ball gown that hung down to her feet. A small white flower was pinned to Hermione's hair. Although Harry thought she looked very pretty, he also thought she looked horribly formal.
"So?" said Hermione, turning around so Harry could examine the back, "How do you like it?"
"It's...nice," said Harry awkwardly, "But, um, Hermione, let's not get too fancy here..."
Hermione sighed. "But what am I going to wear?"
Harry thought for a moment. "Ah ha! We visit Hogsmeade tomorrow. There's a muggle clothes shop I spotted on our last visit, in our 4th year. I'll help you choose some nice, ordinary clothes."
Hermione wrinkled her nose, then reluctantly nodded. She always wrinkled her nose before she lied. It became sort of a habit since she was back at Hogwarts.
The next day, Harry and Hermione were in Hogsmeade. Ron couldn't join them because he had detention in Transfiguration class for turning everyone's hats into toads.
"Here we are," said Harry as they stopped by a large store, "Wizard GAP."
Hermione stared. "Don't they sell casual clothes here?"
"Exactly," said Harry as he grabbed Hermione by the arm and dragged her inside.
They stopped by a shelf full of jeans and bellbottoms.
"First pick a decent pair of pants. If I know Ron, he hates to be fancy." Harry sat down against the wall.
"Cool," said Hermione looking at the sign on top of the shelf, "They're magically charmed to never get dirty." She took a few and walked towards the T-shirts and tank tops. Harry watched her go into the change room.
Moments later, Hermione walked out. Harry seemed more impressed by this outfit than her prom night one. She had a navy blue tank top on, with the words Wizard GAP printed on the front. Her bottom set was a nice pair of bellbottoms with tiny flowers embroidered onto the cloth. Harry thought she looked pretty indeed.
He didn't have to answer to convince Hermione this was the perfect outfit. His expression showed.
Back at Hogwarts, Harry went to search for Ron. Hermione stayed in her dormitory to fix her hair for the date. Harry returned a few minutes later. He couldn't find Ron anywhere. Perhaps he was in the boys' dormitory. He climbed the stairs and went inside the dormitory. It was empty, except for poor Neville, searching for his ever-wandering toad. Harry went back down to the common room. Fred and George were there, selling some of their Ton-Tongue Toffee to unsuspecting 2 years. They led them out of the common room. Hermione was sitting next to the fireplace. Harry could tell she was asleep.
"Hermione," Harry whispered, shaking her a little.
Hermione opened an eye. "What?"
"I can't find Ron."
"Maybe he's in the boys' washroom."
Harry shook his head. He sat down beside Hermione.
"Want to play a game of chess?" asked Harry, "I'm bored."
Hermione yawned and raised her head. "No thanks," she said, wrinkling her nose, "I just want to nap." Not thinking, she rested her head against Harry's shoulder. He blushed. Not wanting to wake Hermione up, he dug into his pockets and pulled out a small book. Harry opened it to the first page.
"Chapter One: The Beginning of the Chudley Cannons," Harry read in his mind. No sooner did he get to the second paragraph when soft lips touched his cheek. He turned and saw that Hermione was still sleeping on his shoulder. Slowly, Harry put his free hand over Hermione and they stayed there, each not wanting to let go.
Hermione met Ron in Honeydukes. They had a glass of butterbeer and talked. Then Ron spoke.
"Hermione," he said quietly, "I saw you and Harry at noon."
Hermione froze. "I-I don't know what you're talking about," she stammered.
Ron raised an eyebrow.
"I know you kissed Harry," Ron said, "And now I want a straight answer."
"Ron, I..."
"Do you love Harry more than me?" demanded Ron, "If you lie, you do."
Hermione looked up. Her mouth quivered to say the right word. Then she saw Harry near the entrance. He looked at her and grinned. Harry was one of Hermione's best friends and was always there for her when she needed him. She worried about him all the time and he was always a good sport. She breathed then her nose slowly began to wrinkle.