Disclaimer: Everything that you recognise is thanks to a certain J K
Rowling.the rest however, belongs to me.
Naturally Attracted
"Hey, how's your day been?" Harry asked a flustered looking Hermione, as he sat eating dollops of toffee and fudge ice cream while watching his favourite soap.
"Well, I have a patient who's convinced he's a vampire, a ghost who has marital problems, and I spent the last forty-five minutes trying to communicate with someone who happened to be under a certain spell that prevented them from speaking." Hermione said, replying as casually and calmly as she could. " So basically it was just a normal day at St. Mungo's. I am famished though, have we anything to eat?"
"I made some dinner!" Harry answered, as though he had defeated the Dark Lord and learnt Japanese all in just one hour. He walked excitedly to the small kitchen and presented something to Hermione that she could only define as.well actually she couldn't define it. However, she was sure that it had already been eaten.
"Harry," Hermione began uncertainly. "Have you been having cooking lessons with Hagrid again? Because I don't think that's a good idea."
"What do you mean? It's supposed to be a rice and pasta mix." Harry said in a tone that could only be described as the tone of a man-who-has-just-been- rejected-by-the-woman-of-his-dreams could carry.
"Ah, well I can see what you mean by the mix but where exactly does the pasta and rice come in?" She said, grinning slightly.
However, before Harry could even proceed to answer her, a man with bright flaming red hair burst in carrying what looked like a very fluffy bunny.
"What's with the rabbit? It looks as though it's been electrified." Hermione stated.
"Hey, Ron. Do you want to try some of my pasta and rice mix?" Harry asked innocently.
"First of all," Ron said turning to Hermione, "There has been a terrible accident and I need your help before Ginny kills me. Second of all," He said now turning directly to Harry. "Have you ever tried any of your cooking?"
"What's happened? What's so terrible?" Hermione asked quickly, as concern lit her face.
"I transfigured Malfoy into a rabbit." Ron stated, in a normal situation he would have found this funny but at this moment horror was filling his eyes.
"And what exactly would be so terrible about that?" Harry asked curiously as he voiced both Hermione's and his own thoughts.
"What is so terrible about that?" Ron repeated, envious of the fact that his friends could be so calm. "He's my sister's fiancé for goodness sake, she'd kill me if she found out I did this. I mean she has a temper that...that's..."
"Quicker than yours." Hermione completed. Harry snorted. Ron's face was full of recognition.
"Yes! Exactly!" Ron said.and then he realised he was agreeing to Hermione's comment.
"So, why exactly did you transfigure Malfoy into a rabbit and why can't you just transfigure him back?" Hermione asked in her logical sense.
"Well, I went to see Ginny at her place but she wasn't there, only Malfoy was. I was about to leave and well Malfoy said something and then I said something and before we knew it we were arguing, with him being the cold, sarcastic bastard that he is. After a few minutes I had had enough of him and took out my wand and transfigured him into.well, a rabbit." Ron explained. "Every time I try to put him right again nothing happens."
"Put him on the table." Hermione commanded. Ron obeyed and tried to put the twitching fluffy rabbit, who Harry thought was trying to gnaw one of Ron's finger's off, on the table. Hermione muttered a few words and in just a few seconds Draco Malfoy appeared on the table, scratching behind his ears in an aggressive manner. Then he realised he was back to normal and tried to put on a threatening glare.but of course a man who has been turned into fluffy bunny and back can only look so threatening.
"Finally, someone who can actually say the bloody spell right." Draco commented. Hermione took this as the first and last compliment that Malfoy would ever give to her. "Weasley, if I wanted I'd hex you to hell right now but I think telling Ginny about what you've done might just be a little better." And with that he disapparated.
"I'm doomed." Ron said simply. "I'm going to be murdered by my own little sister and I have no where to go, which reminds me can I crash here tonight?"
"Why? What's the matter?" Harry asked.
"Alicia and I had a.minor argument, which resulted in her pushing me out the door and locking all apparating wards so that I couldn't get in." Ron said, feeling a slight touch of embarrassment.
"And what would the topic of this argument have been?" Harry asked nosily. "Did she finally realise that you're not actually Ron but his evil twin brother who had been separated at birth. And did you finally come to know that Alicia's actually Lee Jordan in disguise?"
Hermione smacked Harry's head. Ron was not amused.
"You really ought to stop watching all those soaps on WWN. It's just not healthy." Ron replied. "Actually now that I've come to think about it, I can't really remember what we were arguing about. I just got back from work and she started yelling at me, I tried to calm her down but that method was just futile. Before I even knew it I was standing outside the door to my own home."
"Ah." Hermione said, as though she understood this behaviour completely. Both Ron and Harry stared at her.
"Ah? What do you mean, ah?" Ron asked incredulously
"She is pregnant, Ron. Her hormones are flying everywhere, she's bound to have some off days." Hermione reminded Ron simply as she passed him a glass of water.
"Well, yes."
"And she's also a woman." Harry added to Ron in a whisper. "That should be an easy enough explanation."
"I heard that!" Hermione said in irritation although the irritation quickly disappeared when she saw Harry's teasing smile.
"So, is it okay if I stay over tonight, then?" Ron repeated his previous question.
Harry and Hermione looked at each other with both their faces showing the same thought, then Harry said mischievously. "Sure you can."
Ron sighed with relief even though he knew that he was always welcome to stay with his best friends.
"Of course only if you try some of Harry's delicious pasta and rice mix." Hermione continued. Harry laughed. Ron paled incredibly.
********** Later that day.
Ron and Harry sat on the couch discussing Quidditch, which was one topic that they never seemed to get bored of, when Hermione came out of her room trying to search for her new earrings. Harry turned to Hermione to ask her about what she thought about a certain move in Quidditch. However, instead of opening his mouth and speaking he just opened his mouth and stared at her. Hermione was wearing a short black sleeveless dress that fitted her perfectly.
She looks so pretty, Harry thought to himself. Well, she's always been pretty; it's just the way that her compassionate personality glows in her face. In that sense I don't think I've met anyone prettier than her.
Ron stared with amusement at Harry's glazed expression and then said to Hermione. "Bit too dressed up to be staying in tonight aren't you?"
"I'm going to the theatre with David," She answered as she found her earrings among a pile of books on the coffee table.
This brought Harry out of his thoughts. "David? That Doctor that works with you at St. Mungo's? I thought you didn't like him."
"I didn't at first," Hermione admitted. "But once you get to know him he's rather nice.and funny too."
I'm nice.I can be funny. Harry thought. Hang on, why did I just think that?
"But it's late and you must be tired from work, you don't have to go." Harry protested. Ron tried to suppress his laughter. Harry and Hermione did not notice this and Hermione gave Harry a strange look and said. "Harry it's only just past 8pm and I'm really not that tired." Just then the doorbell rang. "That's probably him now, see you later."
Once she had left Ron turned to Harry and asked. "So, what was all that about?"
"Nothing," came the reply.
"Oh come on Harry, just admit that you really like her." Ron said in a tired manner.
"Of course I like her, she's my best friend." Harry replied densely.
"You know what I meant." Ron snapped. "Harry I've been wanting to say this for a long time now but I've always restrained myself from doing so because I thought that you'd realise it soon enough. Harry you're in denial. It's just that you're so naturally attracted to Hermione that you just think those feelings are normal."
"Ron." Harry began but then he quickly shut up because for some reason he just couldn't deny what Ron was telling him.
"It's just so obvious to everyone else that you two belong together. She always talks about you, Harry and you always talk about her. Each of you seem to just know what's on the other's mind. Just a few weeks ago at Fred and Angie's wedding you got Hermione her dinner and Hermione got you yours, you didn't even have to ask what the other wanted. When she's unhappy you're unhappy and vice versa. When she smiles you just can't stop smiling and now that she's going out with someone, you're jealous about it. Admit it, you're in love with her."
Harry's mind was full of Ron's words and the memories that they invoked but still he chose to ignore them and to change the topic. "Ron you can have my room when you want to go to bed, I'll just stay on the couch."
Ron sighed and then said. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, besides I want to wait up for Hermione." He replied simply. At this Ron raised his eyebrows. Harry, who was being quite oblivious to his love life did seem to, however, notice this. "It means nothing. We always wait up for each other. When Hermione goes out I wait up for her and when I go out she waits up for me, it's just the way things are."
At this point Ron thought that singing seemed appropriate so he sang. Although his song seemed to consist of only one word that was repeated several times: "Denial, denial, denial."
******** "Hey Herm," Harry said, surprising her as she tried to tip toe back to her own room.
"Goodness Harry, I thought you were asleep." She said as she came over to him.
"I thought I'd wait up for you." He said matter-of-factly, his mind still swimming with what Ron had said earlier. Maybe Ron's right.
"You didn't have to do that, it's late. You should have gone to sleep, you must be tired." Hermione told him in concern.
"How was the Play?" Harry asked, ignoring her comments. Hermione began to tell Harry everything about the storyline and what she thought of the actors but Harry wasn't concentrating on her words but instead his mind was somewhat attached to her ruby red lips. He found her whole presence intoxicating, it was as though he was drowning and that made it extremely hard for him to form any rational thoughts.
Hermione suddenly stopped talking as she realised she couldn't since someone's lips were upon her own. Hang on a second; those are Harry's lips! But wait I can't.Ooh Toffee and Fudge! She thought as she made her way to taste his mouth. She kissed him back, her eagerness equalling his, and she immensely enjoyed it and since Harry wasn't stopping even to breathe she gathered that he was enjoying it too. Then she froze, I can't be doing this, he's my best friend. If something goes wrong then we could lose everything that's already between us, I could lose him.
"Hermione?" Harry said as he saw her horror struck face.
"I'm sorry, Harry." Was all she could say before she ran out the door leaving a bewildered Harry to work out what had just gone wrong in such a perfect moment.
Naturally Attracted
"Hey, how's your day been?" Harry asked a flustered looking Hermione, as he sat eating dollops of toffee and fudge ice cream while watching his favourite soap.
"Well, I have a patient who's convinced he's a vampire, a ghost who has marital problems, and I spent the last forty-five minutes trying to communicate with someone who happened to be under a certain spell that prevented them from speaking." Hermione said, replying as casually and calmly as she could. " So basically it was just a normal day at St. Mungo's. I am famished though, have we anything to eat?"
"I made some dinner!" Harry answered, as though he had defeated the Dark Lord and learnt Japanese all in just one hour. He walked excitedly to the small kitchen and presented something to Hermione that she could only define as.well actually she couldn't define it. However, she was sure that it had already been eaten.
"Harry," Hermione began uncertainly. "Have you been having cooking lessons with Hagrid again? Because I don't think that's a good idea."
"What do you mean? It's supposed to be a rice and pasta mix." Harry said in a tone that could only be described as the tone of a man-who-has-just-been- rejected-by-the-woman-of-his-dreams could carry.
"Ah, well I can see what you mean by the mix but where exactly does the pasta and rice come in?" She said, grinning slightly.
However, before Harry could even proceed to answer her, a man with bright flaming red hair burst in carrying what looked like a very fluffy bunny.
"What's with the rabbit? It looks as though it's been electrified." Hermione stated.
"Hey, Ron. Do you want to try some of my pasta and rice mix?" Harry asked innocently.
"First of all," Ron said turning to Hermione, "There has been a terrible accident and I need your help before Ginny kills me. Second of all," He said now turning directly to Harry. "Have you ever tried any of your cooking?"
"What's happened? What's so terrible?" Hermione asked quickly, as concern lit her face.
"I transfigured Malfoy into a rabbit." Ron stated, in a normal situation he would have found this funny but at this moment horror was filling his eyes.
"And what exactly would be so terrible about that?" Harry asked curiously as he voiced both Hermione's and his own thoughts.
"What is so terrible about that?" Ron repeated, envious of the fact that his friends could be so calm. "He's my sister's fiancé for goodness sake, she'd kill me if she found out I did this. I mean she has a temper that...that's..."
"Quicker than yours." Hermione completed. Harry snorted. Ron's face was full of recognition.
"Yes! Exactly!" Ron said.and then he realised he was agreeing to Hermione's comment.
"So, why exactly did you transfigure Malfoy into a rabbit and why can't you just transfigure him back?" Hermione asked in her logical sense.
"Well, I went to see Ginny at her place but she wasn't there, only Malfoy was. I was about to leave and well Malfoy said something and then I said something and before we knew it we were arguing, with him being the cold, sarcastic bastard that he is. After a few minutes I had had enough of him and took out my wand and transfigured him into.well, a rabbit." Ron explained. "Every time I try to put him right again nothing happens."
"Put him on the table." Hermione commanded. Ron obeyed and tried to put the twitching fluffy rabbit, who Harry thought was trying to gnaw one of Ron's finger's off, on the table. Hermione muttered a few words and in just a few seconds Draco Malfoy appeared on the table, scratching behind his ears in an aggressive manner. Then he realised he was back to normal and tried to put on a threatening glare.but of course a man who has been turned into fluffy bunny and back can only look so threatening.
"Finally, someone who can actually say the bloody spell right." Draco commented. Hermione took this as the first and last compliment that Malfoy would ever give to her. "Weasley, if I wanted I'd hex you to hell right now but I think telling Ginny about what you've done might just be a little better." And with that he disapparated.
"I'm doomed." Ron said simply. "I'm going to be murdered by my own little sister and I have no where to go, which reminds me can I crash here tonight?"
"Why? What's the matter?" Harry asked.
"Alicia and I had a.minor argument, which resulted in her pushing me out the door and locking all apparating wards so that I couldn't get in." Ron said, feeling a slight touch of embarrassment.
"And what would the topic of this argument have been?" Harry asked nosily. "Did she finally realise that you're not actually Ron but his evil twin brother who had been separated at birth. And did you finally come to know that Alicia's actually Lee Jordan in disguise?"
Hermione smacked Harry's head. Ron was not amused.
"You really ought to stop watching all those soaps on WWN. It's just not healthy." Ron replied. "Actually now that I've come to think about it, I can't really remember what we were arguing about. I just got back from work and she started yelling at me, I tried to calm her down but that method was just futile. Before I even knew it I was standing outside the door to my own home."
"Ah." Hermione said, as though she understood this behaviour completely. Both Ron and Harry stared at her.
"Ah? What do you mean, ah?" Ron asked incredulously
"She is pregnant, Ron. Her hormones are flying everywhere, she's bound to have some off days." Hermione reminded Ron simply as she passed him a glass of water.
"Well, yes."
"And she's also a woman." Harry added to Ron in a whisper. "That should be an easy enough explanation."
"I heard that!" Hermione said in irritation although the irritation quickly disappeared when she saw Harry's teasing smile.
"So, is it okay if I stay over tonight, then?" Ron repeated his previous question.
Harry and Hermione looked at each other with both their faces showing the same thought, then Harry said mischievously. "Sure you can."
Ron sighed with relief even though he knew that he was always welcome to stay with his best friends.
"Of course only if you try some of Harry's delicious pasta and rice mix." Hermione continued. Harry laughed. Ron paled incredibly.
********** Later that day.
Ron and Harry sat on the couch discussing Quidditch, which was one topic that they never seemed to get bored of, when Hermione came out of her room trying to search for her new earrings. Harry turned to Hermione to ask her about what she thought about a certain move in Quidditch. However, instead of opening his mouth and speaking he just opened his mouth and stared at her. Hermione was wearing a short black sleeveless dress that fitted her perfectly.
She looks so pretty, Harry thought to himself. Well, she's always been pretty; it's just the way that her compassionate personality glows in her face. In that sense I don't think I've met anyone prettier than her.
Ron stared with amusement at Harry's glazed expression and then said to Hermione. "Bit too dressed up to be staying in tonight aren't you?"
"I'm going to the theatre with David," She answered as she found her earrings among a pile of books on the coffee table.
This brought Harry out of his thoughts. "David? That Doctor that works with you at St. Mungo's? I thought you didn't like him."
"I didn't at first," Hermione admitted. "But once you get to know him he's rather nice.and funny too."
I'm nice.I can be funny. Harry thought. Hang on, why did I just think that?
"But it's late and you must be tired from work, you don't have to go." Harry protested. Ron tried to suppress his laughter. Harry and Hermione did not notice this and Hermione gave Harry a strange look and said. "Harry it's only just past 8pm and I'm really not that tired." Just then the doorbell rang. "That's probably him now, see you later."
Once she had left Ron turned to Harry and asked. "So, what was all that about?"
"Nothing," came the reply.
"Oh come on Harry, just admit that you really like her." Ron said in a tired manner.
"Of course I like her, she's my best friend." Harry replied densely.
"You know what I meant." Ron snapped. "Harry I've been wanting to say this for a long time now but I've always restrained myself from doing so because I thought that you'd realise it soon enough. Harry you're in denial. It's just that you're so naturally attracted to Hermione that you just think those feelings are normal."
"Ron." Harry began but then he quickly shut up because for some reason he just couldn't deny what Ron was telling him.
"It's just so obvious to everyone else that you two belong together. She always talks about you, Harry and you always talk about her. Each of you seem to just know what's on the other's mind. Just a few weeks ago at Fred and Angie's wedding you got Hermione her dinner and Hermione got you yours, you didn't even have to ask what the other wanted. When she's unhappy you're unhappy and vice versa. When she smiles you just can't stop smiling and now that she's going out with someone, you're jealous about it. Admit it, you're in love with her."
Harry's mind was full of Ron's words and the memories that they invoked but still he chose to ignore them and to change the topic. "Ron you can have my room when you want to go to bed, I'll just stay on the couch."
Ron sighed and then said. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, besides I want to wait up for Hermione." He replied simply. At this Ron raised his eyebrows. Harry, who was being quite oblivious to his love life did seem to, however, notice this. "It means nothing. We always wait up for each other. When Hermione goes out I wait up for her and when I go out she waits up for me, it's just the way things are."
At this point Ron thought that singing seemed appropriate so he sang. Although his song seemed to consist of only one word that was repeated several times: "Denial, denial, denial."
******** "Hey Herm," Harry said, surprising her as she tried to tip toe back to her own room.
"Goodness Harry, I thought you were asleep." She said as she came over to him.
"I thought I'd wait up for you." He said matter-of-factly, his mind still swimming with what Ron had said earlier. Maybe Ron's right.
"You didn't have to do that, it's late. You should have gone to sleep, you must be tired." Hermione told him in concern.
"How was the Play?" Harry asked, ignoring her comments. Hermione began to tell Harry everything about the storyline and what she thought of the actors but Harry wasn't concentrating on her words but instead his mind was somewhat attached to her ruby red lips. He found her whole presence intoxicating, it was as though he was drowning and that made it extremely hard for him to form any rational thoughts.
Hermione suddenly stopped talking as she realised she couldn't since someone's lips were upon her own. Hang on a second; those are Harry's lips! But wait I can't.Ooh Toffee and Fudge! She thought as she made her way to taste his mouth. She kissed him back, her eagerness equalling his, and she immensely enjoyed it and since Harry wasn't stopping even to breathe she gathered that he was enjoying it too. Then she froze, I can't be doing this, he's my best friend. If something goes wrong then we could lose everything that's already between us, I could lose him.
"Hermione?" Harry said as he saw her horror struck face.
"I'm sorry, Harry." Was all she could say before she ran out the door leaving a bewildered Harry to work out what had just gone wrong in such a perfect moment.