Disclaimer: If I created and owned these characters I would be one hell of a writer, but I don't...all well...Enjoy!

P.S. Paragraphs got screwed up!



Harry's mind lay heavy with thought as he approached the barrier leading to platform 9 3/4. The events of the following year still haunted him. The death of Cedric dominated these thoughts. He knew the Death Curse was unblockable but he still thought he should have done something like not being so polite. He let Cedric take the cup with him and that led to his death. If only Harry had taken the port key Cedric would still be alive, fulfilling Harry's dream of holding Cho in his arms. But then Harry would possibly be dead. If he did would anyone stand up to Voldemort? He knew Ron and Hermione would, but how long would they last? As that thought hit him he woke up from his trance and stepped through.
There was no sight of Ron and Hermione anywhere but he found himself not looking for Ron but only for Hermione. He knew he shouldn't push Ron aside like this but Harry had a lot of time to think this summer. After Hermione kissed him on the cheek that passed year things changed for him. He still had feelings for Cho. His stomach still lurched at the sight of her but still every moment he got he thought and searched through his memories for clues to Hermione's possible feelings for him. The hug the first year on his way to the Sorcerer's stone. How she was always there when he needed her. The kiss on the cheek after exiting the train the past year. There was more than that but he finally decided it was just the surge of emotions due to the circumstances and they were just friendly friendship stuff. He was surprisingly disappointed when he arrived to that conclusion. Just then Ron appeared in front of him.
"Hey! Long time no see," Ron yelled across the platform.
"Hi," Harry said in monotone voice.
"Just a hi? Nothing else? No 'Hey Ron I missed you what's up'? Nothing?" Ron sounded disappointed.
"Sorry....Just been thinking."
"About who?" Ron asked in an is-it-a-girl-or-Cedric sounding voice.
"Why do you assume it is a person?" said Harry trying to sound like it wasn't.
"Well you know..." Ron stopped himself not only because he didn't want to upset Harry by reminding him of the restoration of You-Know-Who but also because he saw something that made him stare over Harry's shoulder in disbelief.
Harry turned around to see why Ron was staring over his shoulder and his face turned bright red. There walked Hermione. Her hair was still puffy but somewhat under control. She walked in a different manner, which was not Hermione like. Her bushy eyebrows no longer existed. They were now under control like her hair. But what really caught their eye was how much her body, looks, and style changed dramatically in such a short time. They were admiring her make-up as she walked over.
"You like?" she said twirling around.
"I like," Ron whispered so only Harry could hear, "I like a lot." Ron still had some feelings for her but not as much as he used to.
"You look great," Harry said, "but we are looking for a Hermione Granger. Have you seen her?"
"Very funny, Harry. You look good too, well considering everything..." She was trying not to bring the events up so she stopped herself. "Shall we go?"
They climbed aboard the burgundy train, found an empty compartment and made themselves comfortable. The trio updated each other on current events and tried not to mention last year. The ride was almost over when Ron suddenly asked a question.
"So how's Krum?" Ron asked with curiosity.
"He's good," she said with a sigh, "Sent him a few owls over the summer."
"And..." Ron was trying to get her to say something. It sounded like this conversation was planned.
"He's good as I said before," She was getting angry. "Ummm... Harry?"
"Yeah?" At that moment Harry felt something inside he couldn't explain.
"I need to talk to you..." She shot a look at Ron, "alone when we get to school."
Ron seemed to know what was going on so he nodded and winked. She nodded back. Harry pretended he didn't see it. He knew Ron and Hermione were sending owls back and forth all summer and that made him uneasy. The feeling in his gut slowly faded and moments later they pulled into the Hogwarts station. They watched as Hagrid, who waved at them, pile the first years onto boats. Then they made their way up the hill. The sorting ceremony soon followed along with the feast and the school song. Nothing excited happened and no one they knew was being sorted. Off to the dormitories they went. The new password was "fiddlesticks" and of course Neville had to be reminded. Before the girls and boys separated to their dorms Harry felt a tug on his robes. He found it to be Hermione but there was something different in her eyes. She was afraid to tell him. When everyone left they made their way to the common room. They sat and silence lingered until Hermione shattered it.
"Harry there is something you should know."
"Yeah. Let's hear it."
"When Krum pulled me aside he wanted a kiss from me."
"So?"
"I couldn't do it."
"Why?"
"Because I decided that it should be special and mean something."
"Well if you kissed him wouldn't it mean something to you?"
"Well, yeah, but..."
"But what?" Harry was getting impatient and he also started to shake. He was afraid this was going to a place where he didn't want to go.
"Harry you are a good friend. And I wanted you to promise me something."
"Yeah?"
"I wanted you to be my first. Because we are friends and first things she be experienced together."
"Why not Ron?" Harry was feeling uncomfortable.
"Because he has feelings for me. I do not want this to go any farther than it has to. I know you don't have feelings for me so it won't. Do you see what I'm trying to say?"
"Hermione, I...I don't know what to say..."
"Just promise me. Please?"
"Ok. It's a promise. Goodnight."
"Goodnight. You are too nice Harry Potter."
"I know," he whispered, "sometimes too nice." He was thinking about Cedric.
They walked into their dorms plopped on their beds. Hermione took time to write in her diary and Harry sat on his bed smiling. He had undeniable feelings for Hermione, but then his face changed. That meant he couldn't keep Hermione's promise.