Time To Be Serious
"Slytherin!" The sorting hat proclaimed as if to the world. Instantly Harry's heart felt like someone had shot straight through it.
"Merlin!" Another beauty waisted on that pathetic, evil house. No doubt Malfoy's going to get that one." Harry thought aloud. Hermione shot him a glare but he didn't notice. Instead, he watched the brunette beauty that had just transferred from Beauxbatons as she swayed down to the Slytherin table and sat easily between Malfoy and Zabini.
"You know Harry…" Hermione attempted to distract him. "Not every good looking girl gets sorted into Slytherin. Like Cho. You went out with her last year, she's in Ravenclaw. And I'm sure there are plenty of good looking girls in Gryffindor."
"What are you saying Hermione?" Harry cut her off.
"Nothing really, I'm just trying to tell you that there is a world waiting for you outside the one where you dream about the plastic Slytherin transfer students." She replied.
"Yeah?" He asked. "Well there's no-one in that world for me."
"How do you know that?"
"I just know alright? The one I love would absolutely never love me back. Not like that anyway." Harry mumbled the last part. He had said too much already.
"You can never know unless you try."
"Fine! I'll give it a shot! What the heck!" He exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air. He suddenly stopped and faced Hermione who was on his right. "Hermione, would you go out with me?" He said with utterly astonishing boldness. Hermione looked back at him, mouth wide open, completely speechless. After a moment, Harry threw his napkin down on top of his plate and stood from the bench.
"I told you Hermione." He said slowly. "You'll never love me back." And with that, he left the Great Hall with Hermione still speechless, mouth open in shock and a piece of her Shepherd's pie stuck on the end of her forgotten fork. After another second, she looked back at the others who were staring at her. Ron, Ginny, Seamus, Dean and even Neville.
"Hermione! What are you doing?!" Ginny asked her still-shocked friend. "Go after the poor guy! Tell him the truth that you love him too!" Hermione nodded slowly before getting up and running out of the Great Hall in search for Harry. She found him outside in the courtyard sitting on the edge of the fountain. The newly arrived winter months made it so that their breath could be plainly seen in the air but it didn't seem to bother Harry. Hermione went right up and stood next to him.
"I'm sorry; I never should have told you. I shouldn't have yelled like that either. I hope you'll still be my friend-"
"Harry." Hermione interrupted.
"Although, I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to be." He continued. "I mean, if I was you-"
"Harry!" Hermione yelled, this time snapping him out of his apology.
"What?" He couldn't bring himself to look up at her.
"Harry. I love you too." She admitted.
"Huh?" Now he had to look up at her.
"I would love to go out with you Harry."
"Are you serious?" He asked standing up, still not fully believing what she had said.
"Of course I'm serious Harry. I wouldn't kid with you like that." An expression of pure happiness spread slowly across Harry's face and he swung his arms around Hermione's body, embracing her tightly and lovingly. Hermione hugged him back and smiled at him when they pulled apart. Harry smiled back and leaned in to plant a short but sweet peck on her lips which made them both blush. Harry interlocked his fingers with hers and led her slowly back to the Great Hall and back to the feast.