Harry and Hermione
It was a dull but calm morning at Hogwarts. The sun partially shined through the clouds and birds could be heard in the distance. Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age was still asleep. She suddenly woke when the echoing of the Common Room door closed. Her vision started out blurry but suddenly came into focus. She pulled herself up and looked around the dorm. It was empty. She glanced over at the grand clock standing in the corner. It was quarter past eleven. She remembered it was Saturday but thought it was strange that Lavender wasn't still in the room doing her make-up. It then hit her. Today was Valentines Day! Lavender had said she was getting to Hogsmeade early to but last minute things. Hermione rushed out of bed and whipped on her clothes. She grabbed her rucksack and threw it over her shoulders. As she walked out of the common room and down the stairs, she tied up her hair so she didn't have to brush it.
She reached the Great Hall and saw Professor McGonagall hanging up the last of the steamers. The hall was filled with pink, red and purple decorations which made Hermione's stomach turn. She peered over to the Gryffindor table and saw Harry sat eating bacon and eggs whilst reading the Daily Prophet. She wanted to see him but had to go see Professor McGonagall first.
"Ah, Miss Granger. Its nearly the afternoon. Aren't you and Miss Brown supposed to be going to Hogsmeade?" she said pushing her glasses up her nose.
"I overslept. I think Lavender didn't want to disturb me" she smiled. There was a pause. Hermione began to speak again. "Professor?" She paused again. "Do we have to have a date for tonight?" she spoke nervously. Professor McGonagall tuned around watched Hermione standing their like a hawk watching its prey. This made Hermione feel uncomfortable.
"Of course, Miss Granger" she began. "I'm guessing you have a date and wanted to ask for somebody else?" Hermione nodded and walked over to Harry. Hermione wasn't asking for a friend. She hadn't got a date. Nobody to go with. Viktor Krum was back in Bulgaria and Ron was going with Lavender. Dean was going with Ginny and Seamus was going with Katie. Fred and George were going with two girls who were in their year but from the Ravenclaw house. She had nobody.
Harry was still reading the Daily Prophet but had pushed his plate full of food away from him. Hermione sat down carefully beside him and watched him. His face was not showing any sign of happiness.
"Hey.." Hermione said. Harry folded up the newspaper and tuned to face her.
"Hey, you going to ball tonight?" he said. Hermione shook her head.
"You going?" Hermione said realising they were making small talk. Harry shook his head and spoke.
"Dean got to Ginny before me.." he laughed weakly. Hermione stood up and Harry turned to face her again. Hermione thought of something crazy but then thought of a way it would be less crazy.
"Say, since neither of us have anyone to go with, maybe we should go together.. as friends of course?" Harry thought about it long and hard. Then stood up and gave his answer.
"Sure, why not? It'll still be fun" Harry was beaming at Hermione now. She hugged him, and let go almost immediately, realising it was a little awkward then walked off towards the door.
"See you at half six? Out in the courtyard?" he shouted slightly.
"Sounds great! See you there!" she called back. Hermione Granger finally had a date to the Valentines Ball.
Hermione began to make her way down to the path leading to Hogsmeade when she suddenly saw Lavender darting up the hill. She jogged to up to meet her. When she reached Lavender, she saw she had her hands on her knees and was gasping for air. She spoke heavily and quickly.
"Hermione..." she began. "I forgot to wake you... Too excited... Too much gossip... Valentines Ball..." Hermione laughed an helped her up.
"So..." she started again with her breath back to normal. "You got a date?" If you haven't, don't worry. I know-"
"I have a date! I'm going with Harry. Well, we're going as friends but its still a date right?" Lavender paused and looked at her confused.
"Wait. You're going to the Valentines Ball with Harry, but as friends?" Hermione nodded. Lavender gasped and began to panic.
"Oh my God! If Ron asked me to go with him as friends, I would have said "I would rather swallow a box full of Fred and Georges Puking Pastels!" It's just not right" Hermione thought about this. There had never been any chemistry between her and Harry. But what if that changed tonight? Hermione panicked too.
"Maybe, I should buy a really cute dress that will make Harry fall for me?" she said. The words were just pouring out of her mouth. She couldn't control them.
"Yes! Yes, yes, yes!" Lavender screamed. They sped up towards Hogsmeade. Lavender told her that Katie and Pavarti were already done and were finishing off with a butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks, so they could go straight to shopping instead of meeting up with them.
It took Hermione and Lavender three hours to get everything they wanted. Including a few mild gags from Zonko's Joke Shop and some sweets from Honeydukes. With bags of shopping hanging from both of their arms, they began to walk up back to Hogwarts and to the common room.
"I really love that rose coloured dress you bought, Hermione. Oh, and those matching shoes" said Lavender. Hermione blushed and complemented back.
"I really like the red, glittery red one you bought and the matching heels. What are you doing with your hair by the way?" replied Hermione. Lavender thought for a while and messed around with her curly locks.
"Hmm.. maybe I should straighten it and then re-curl it. Just so it looks a little better than just brushing it" Hermione agreed in a polite manor. "What about you?"
"I might straighten it too. But it up in a ponytail then do one big curl in it that drapes over my shoulder. Just like at the Yule Ball!" Hermione got a little overexcited and Lavender had to calm her down. Walking up the cobbled steps onto the courtyard, they passed Hagrid who stopped to have a quick talk with them.
"Ello Hermione. Lav'nder"
"Hello Hagrid. Finished removing all the Christmas Trees? Couple months to late aren't you?" joked Hermione. Hagrid's bellowing laugh shook the ground beneath them slightly.
"I've actually just finished helping Mr. Filch sweep up all the pine needles and soil. I found a birds next in one of them. Nothing there though except twigs and grey feathers. You girl have bought a lot of shopping? Getting glammed up eh?" The girls nodded and Lavender began to walk away. She called Hermione and said she would meet her up at the common room.
"So," Hagrid continued. "Who's the lucky guy?" Hermione blushed but decided to tell him anyway.
"Well, I'm going with Harry. But we're going as friends" Hagrid nodded his head and wished her luck before plodding off back to his hut. Hermione rushed off to the common room. She just got to the door when she bumped into Ron.
He jumped back and looked slightly annoyed.
"Hermione! Watch where you're going!" he shouted in her face.
"What's wrong with you, Ronald? I haven't done anything to annoy you!" she shouted back.
"Well, if you must know, Lavender wont let me see her because it will ruin the whole 'Valentines Day mood'! I was only double-checking what time I was meeting her outside in the courtyard" grunted Ron.
"I'll go speak to her if you'd like. I said I was meeting Harry in the courtyard anyway. I said I would see him at 6:30. Go down with him and me and Lavender will meet you there"
"You're going with Harry?" asked Ron in a quieter voice.
"Yeah..." she replied. Before Hermione could ask why, Ron had run off down the stairs and towards the Great Hall.
Hermione opened the door to a thick cloud of perfume and hairspray. Katie was stood sideways facing the mirror wearing her dress which was a pink and purple mix which had silver gems dotted everywhere.
"Oh, Hermione, your here!" giggled Pavarti who was wearing a similar dress to what she wore at the Yule Ball. She grabbed her arm and pulled the bags of her arms. All the girls crowded in front of Hermione examining her face. Lots of girls were miming things to themselves. Hermione had no idea what was going of until Lavender spoke out from behind the crowd.
"I don't think she needs eye shadow, Katie. Just eye liner, powdered foundation, blusher, and mascara" All the girls agreed and pulled out a piece of make-up. Hermione wanted to look nice and decided to sit back and let her friends do the work. It was half past five when Hermione came in and now it was ten to six. The girls stopped brushing and applying make-up and stood back. Katie rushed to get a hand mirror whilst the others just stopped and stared. Katie came back and handed Hermione the mirror. When she glanced at the figure staring back, she didn't realise it was her. A thin black line covered the bottom of both eyelids. Her freckles had disappeared into the foundation and her cheeks were rosy from the blusher. Her eye lashes were curled upwards and painted black. Hermione looked beautiful. Lavender squealed.
"Eee! Time for the dress!" Pulling her rose coloured dress out of Hermione's bag, the girls stopped and watched as it was carefully removed from the clear packaging.
"Hermione, its gorgeous. Did you pick it yourself?" asked Parvati. Hermione nodded and stood up. Within the blink of an eye, Hermione found herself standing in her dress and stood on her toes of her matching shoes. She could tell the girls were jealous of her because the couldn't stop staring.
Fifteen minutes later, Hermione was ready. Glammed up and hair done, she was ready to go down to meet Harry.
The girls left the dorm and rushed down the stairs trying not to trip on their heels. Hermione, on the other hand, was steadily and slowly walking down the stairs with one hand gliding along the railing of the stairs and the other by her side, stroking the soft feel of her dress.
"Hurry up Hermione! We've only got five minutes to get down there! We don't wanna miss the opening ceremony thing!" called Katie who had linked arms with Lavender who had linked arms with Pavarti. The common winter gloom of the Hogwarts castle had disappeared. The hallways and corridors were lit with a mixture of orange and pinkish light which came from the candles. It felt like it took forever but Hermione had made her way to the stairs which led to the grand but towering doors of the Great Hall. Peeking inside, Hermione could see people already dancing or talking with friends. Professor Snape was dressed in his usual black and depressing robes and stood at the back holding something quite small in his hand. He continued to stare at it and Hermione saw that he was holding a picture. On the back, she could see that the words "Snape & Evans" was written on the back. As Hermione took more steps towards the Great Halls entrance, Professor McGonagall came out with her witches hat and deep purple robes which had the fur around the wrists and neck of the robe.
"Could everyone please make their way into the Great Hall please? Quickly!" she called. Students of different ages from different houses started to make their way into the Great Hall. Hermione hid behind a pillar deciding whether to go back upstairs and skip the Valentines Ball, but then she heard the voices of Harry, Ron and Lavender.
"She came down with us, Harry. I swear!" said Lavender who had her fingers locked with Ron's.
"I saw her about half five. Maybe she forgot something?" said Ron who patted Harry on the back with his free hand.
"I hope she hasn't got cold feet. I really want to see her in her new dress and to, well, just see her" sighed Harry who patted Ron back. What Hermione heard next made her re-think her previous thought.
"So, are you gunna tell her tonight, mate?" asked Ron. Hermione gasped slightly and found herself stepping out from behind the pillar.
"There she is! Eee! Doesn't she look gorgeous?" cried Lavender who was pointing directly at Hermione. Harry and Ron turned and stared. Harry's eyes sparkled at the site of her. Her hair bounced slightly on her shoulder as she took each step down the stairs. She reached the bottom and found herself stood with Harry. Ron and Lavender had already made their way into the Hall.
"Lavender's right. You do look gorgeous. Actually, no.." Harry paused. Hermione gave him a slight scolding look.
"You look perfect!" he finished. Hermione cheeks lit up like beacons.
"Don't look too bad yourself" giggled Hermione. She took Harry's arm and they entered the Great Hall. They had entered just as Professor Dumbledore's speech. Slow music began to play and Harry led Hermione over to the dance floor. Harry held her waist and Hermione put her arms around his neck.
"Harry.." she began.
"Yeah?" he responded. Their lips were so close together that they could kiss at any moment.
"I heard Ron say something about you telling me something. What is it?" she was whispering now. Harry blushed just like Hermione did earlier.
"I love you Hermione. I really do. You're everything to me. Nothing else matters. I want to be with you and just you. I love you Hermione Granger.." Hermione's eyes filled with tears.
"Oh, Harry. I love you too!" She realised that it was true and kissed him on the dance floor. "I love you, Harry Potter..."
The End!
