'Alright, Granger?'
Harry Potter strode down the corridor as though he owned it, smirking.
'Potter.' Hermione replied carelessly, not raising her eyes from her textbook.
Harry's heart gave a funny sort of flip as she passed him silently.
What's got into you Harry? He thought to himself, running a hand through his thick black hair, his lightning bolt scar showing briefly.
Harry returned to the Slytherin common room, to find his best friend Draco Malfoy sprawled on the green sofa.
'What kept you?' asked Draco, swinging his legs down to make room for Harry.
'Bumped into the Granger girl,' said Harry offhandedly, sitting down.
Draco rolled his eyes. 'You're always bumping into her.'
Harry scowled. 'Come off it.'
'She's a mudblood.'
'I know.'
Draco sighed. 'Whatever.'
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The next morning, Harry looked across to the Gryffindors over breakfast. Hermione sat there, along with her best friend Ronald Weasley. It gave him a regretful pang inside as he saw them talking gently, easily, warmly...
Then Ron looked across and gave him hard look, his blue eyes boring into Harry's green ones before he leaned into Hermione and whispered something in her ear, his lips unbearably close to her skin. Hermione looked up and saw Harry staring at them. Their eyes met; Hermione's cheeks flushed slightly and she broke the contact, leaving Harry gazing once more at the back of Hermione's curly brown head.
'Harry?'
Harry jerked out of his reverie as Draco took the seat next to him.
'Why are you gawking at the Gryffindor table?' asked Draco suspiciously.
'No reason,' said Harry hastily, helping himself to toast.
Draco blew up into his platinum fringe irritably. 'Pull yourself together mate...she's a bushy-haired, mudblood dork, remember?'
'Don't call her that!' said Harry, without thinking.
Draco looked extremely taken aback. 'You call her that all the time!'
Harry felt himself colouring up and hastily got to his feet. 'Gotta go do that Charms homework. See you.'
And with a last glance at the Gryffindor table, Harry left the Hall.
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'He was totally checking you out at breakfast!'
'Shut UP, Ron!'
It was evening. Hermione, Ron and Ginny sat in the Gryffindor common room, Ginny sitting between the two best friends as they huffed at one other.
Ron folded his arms and sank back into his chair looking bad-tempered.
'Please stop making such a scene?' Hermione pleaded.
'But he's a Slytherin! He's HARRY POTTER, Hermione!'
'I'm perfectly aware of who he is,' said Hermione icily, 'and because of that, I will never date him. He doesn't like me anyway. What kind of Slytherin would like someone like me?'
Ron sighed. 'I'm sure he likes you.'
'Ron, stop being so childish! It's really none of your business who I date anyway!'
'I'm your best mate!' Ron yelled, ''course it's my business!'
'SHUT UP!' screamed Ginny suddenly.
Both Hermione and Ron quietened and sat in a huffy silence.
Ginny sighed. 'Personally, it really shouldn't concern you who Hermione chooses to be with, Ronald. Anyway, Potter's a Slytherin, Hermione's a Gryffindor. It's not exactly ever going to happen is it?'
Hermione nodded in agreement. But, at Ginny's last words, her heart gave a small, yet sorrowful, pang.
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'I love you, Ron,' smiled Hermione softly.
Ron smiled back and gently pushed her cascading brunette tresses away from her face.
He lowered his face downwards and whispered 'I love you too' before kissing her tenderly.
'You were stupid to think I'd ever like Potter,'grinned Hermione, after they'd broken apart.
'NO!'
Harry woke with a start, his heart pumping furiously fast, covered in a cold, clammy sweat.
Draco sat up. 'What's up, mate?'
'Oh...nothing...just had a weird dream...'
Harry lay in bed thinking it through as morning washed over him. He had been gazing at Hermione at breakfast. He had a nightmare...no, it was a dream Harry, not a nightmare...just a weird dream...
-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v-v
'Do you really think Ha - Potter was checking me out yesterday?' asked Hermione, trying to sound like this was a throwaway question without much importance at all.
Ginny frowned and looked at Hermione shrewdly. 'You like him don't you?'
'Me? What?' Hermione felt herself blushing. 'He's a Slytherin and I'm a Gryffindor, just like you said!'
'So?' said Ginny cheekily, 'you know I was only saying that to stop Ron griping.'
'You where?' exclaimed Hermione, as her heart leapt.
Ginny actually giggled. 'Come on 'Mione! Personally I think you'd be good together.'
Hermione's face felt as though it was on fire. She opened her mouth to say something but before she could get the words out Ron elbowed in between them.
'What you two talking about?' he asked suspiciously.
Hermione continued to blush deeply, but Ginny just rolled her eyes irritably. 'It's really none of your business, Ronald. Anyway, I need to go. Talk to you guys later. And Ron – don't start badgering Hermione, OK?'
