Fluffy love

I do not own Harry Potter

Inspired by ObeliskX

For the longest time, he's only seen her as a friend. His best friend. Well Lady Friend anyway. They first met on their first trip to Hogwarts and have been friends ever since. Now it was their sixth year. Ever since he saw her in that dress in the Hue Ball in their fourth year, he saw her in a new light. For the first time, he saw her as a women and a beautiful one at that. At first, he thought it was just hormones so he disregarded it. But in the two years that ensued, these emotions only got stronger and more persistent with each passing day. During the next two years, it felt like the feelings he had for her, literally grew inside him. By the time their sixth year came around, it felt like there was no room for them to grew within him anymore, and if he doesn't let it out somehow he's gonna explode. Luckily, for him, this decision came at the right time, for Valentine's Day was coming up. He went over in his head how he will ask her out. Maybe he could ask her out on their way to lunch? Nah, that would be too tacky and it would put pressure on her. Could he ask her during dinner at the Great Hall? No that would embarrass her. What if he asked her when… 'That's it!' He thought.

A week before the love holiday, Hermione was acting strangely around Harry. While sitting next to him in class and taking notes she 'accidently' rubbed her arm against his while writing, an honest mistake that can happen to anyone and she's done it before, but now it was happening more than usual. He also noticed she was playing with hair nervously and was licking her lips as if they were dry. Harry was puzzled at her sudden change of body language but was too embarrassed to ask about it. Only problem is, it wasn't sudden at all. It's been going on for several years. He was only too oblivious to notice it or grant it any significance. Harry spent the rest of the day thinking about it. In fact he received an angry glare from Professor Snape and a voice of concern for his wellbeing from Professor McGonagall because he was staring into empty space all day. More than usual. In fact, he was so troubled by it, that when the day was over and the evening came, he decided to confide in Jinny while sitting at the common room. He found her sitting in front of the fire with Crookshanks in her lap, purring as she rubbed him behind the ears. He sat down beside her.

"Hey Jinny." He said.

"Hey Harry what's doing?" she asked and turned to face him

"I'm okay."

"Are you sure? You seemed kinda spacey today. More than usual."

Harry bit his lip.

"I have something on my mind to be honest." He admitted.

"Want to talk about it?" she asked as she stopped scratching Crookshanks. Before Harry could answer, Hermione's red cat nuzzled its head against her palm, trying to get her attention.

"Not now Crookshanks. I'll continue scratching you in a bit."

The red cat rolled its eyes, curled into a ball and went to sleep on her lap.

"I'm sorry Harry, you were saying?" she turned her attention to him.

"I said I have something on my mind."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He bit his lip again.

"Actually yes I do. That's why I sat down to talk to you."

"I'm all ears then."

Harry nodded nervously before he began.

"It's just that… for a while now I've had feelings for Hermione. At first, I thought it was just hormones but lately I came to terms that it is more than that. At first, I was afraid to say anything to her because I didn't want to ruin the friendship. But a while ago I decided to tell her. Seeing as it's almost Valentine's Day I thought I'd ask her out. But today she's been acting a little weird and I don't know what to make of it."

"How so?"

She's been nudging her arm against mine more than usual while taking notes today and it seemed intentional. She was also playing with her hair and licking her lips a lot. Why do you think she's doing it?"

To his surprise, Jinny was smiling.

"What?"

"She fancies you."

"How do you know?"

"Because I'm a woman."

"So?"

"So that's how women show attraction. They look for an excuse to touch their love interest or play with their hair a lot. It's often subconscious. It's like the female equivalent for the way men stare at women they're attracted to and that sort of thing."

"So why is she doing it now all of a sudden?"

Jinny rolled her eyes.

"Harry, you're such a ninny. She's been doing it for two years now since your fourth year. Are you seriously that oblivious?"

"Guess so…" admitted Harry sheepishly with a shrug. Jinny sighed and shook her head.

"Men…"

Harry had one more question to ask.

"But why does it feel like she's been a little more aggressive about it now?"

"Maybe because she wants you to ask her out to Valentine's Day. Seeing as you both fancy each other but are too blind to see it, I suggest you seize the chance before somebody else does it for you."

"You're right. Thanks Jinny." He said feeling energized.

"Anytime." She smiled and turned her attention back to the cat sleeping on her lap. Harry got up and looked around the common room, looking for his female friend. He found her reading a book by one of the tables. He crossed the room and pulled up a chair in front on her.

"Hey Hermione." He said cheerfully. She looked up at him and smiled, an ever so small blush creeping to her face.

"Hey Harry what's up?"

"Great. What's doing with you?"

"Fine as well."

"Great. What are you reading?"

"Funny you should ask. It eerily seems to be based on us."

"How so?"

"It's about a talented wizard who grew up in a non-magical society, but discovers he's a wizard and is whisked to a magical world where he has to take down an evil wizard with the help of his friends."

"Maybe somebody wrote a biography about me."

Hermione chuckled.

"Yeah imagine that." She said and they had a nervous look on their faces and looked forward as if someone was watching them. Then they turned their attention to each other.

"Would you even be reading a biography about me if there was one?" he asked lightly. She snorted.

"What do you need a biography for? I have the real thing as my best friend for the last six years. It doesn't get any better than that."

Harry shook his head slightly from side to side nervously.

"Hmm, I don't know. Maybe it does."

Hermione blinked.

"What do you mean?"

Harry fidgeted slightly in his chair.

"I was thinking maybe I could ask you out to tea on Valentine's Day next week. Would you like to go?"

She smiled.

"I'd love to."

Her smile was returned by his.

"Great. How does three o'clock sound to you?"

"Three it is." She smiled and he smiled too.

"Good. I'll pick you up then."

"Sounds good." She said. After a short silence, she added.

"I have a question though and I want you to be honest with me."

"Okay."

"Is this a date or a friendly offer?"

"It's a date."

She smirked.

"So you finally figured it out." She said.

"I did. Sorry I took so long."

"It was worth the wait."

"I'm glad." He smiled and got up. He made his way towards the stairs leaving Hermione a little gloomy. Realizing he forgot something very important, he turned back.

"I forgot to tell you something by the way." He said.

"What?" she asked.

"Come closer." He instructed and she did, as he whispered into her ear.

"I love you… more than anything…," he said and she shuddered both at the warm air flowing into her ear canal and the warm words she longed to hear from him for years. She smiled warmly at him and turned to face him. She wrapped her arms around his heck as he had his around her waist as they kissed passionately.

"I love you too. See you tomorrow Romeo." She said sweetly to him and he smiled. He kissed her one more time on the lips.

"Love you too Mini." He said with a smirk. She laughed.

"Mini. I like that. That's a good nickname."

"Glad you like it. I made it myself."

"With chocolate icing and everything." She joked.

"You got it," he said and they both laughed. They gave each other a goodnight hug.

"I'll see you tomorrow okay?" she said.

"Sure. Nighty night baby." He said and kissed her on the cheek and ran up the stairs. Hermione sat there for a moment slightly stunned, then tried to return her attention to the book but couldn't concentrate. After just having her heart's greatest desire come to life, the book seemed rather dull because of its similarities to their lives. Ironically, the same events happened in the book she read and she was glad the fiction became reality. After a short minute, she closed it and put it aside. She looked up at the boy's dormitories and sighed happily.

A week later. She was standing at the common room in the same pink dress she wore to the Christmas Ball two years earlier. Without her noticing, Harry walked down the stairs and into the common room and snuck up on her. Grabbed her by her abdomen and started carrying her like a suitcase out the hole in the wall as the fat lady looked at them with disapproval, and Hermione laughed all the way to Hogsmid while Harry carried her with a smirk on his face.

The end…

So yeah, I'm sorry it took so long to write this and that I haven't been very active lately. I know it's a little late for a Valentine's day fic. I've been really busy lately and I did not have the time nor the emotional or mental capacity to write a story. Frankly, I didn't have much to go on when he started writing this as well and I had a hard time warming up to it but I think it came out okay. Also I hope you guys liked the fourth wall joke I put in there. Anyway, I hope you guys liked it.

As always, reviews are most welcome…

Peace out…