The Secret Beneath the Heart
Chapter One.
Hermione, Ron, and Harry sat in Transfiguration class listening to Professor McGonagall.
Hermione was scribbling down notes to every word Professor McGonagall was saying. This year was going to be a tough year, every 6th year could tell.
They were trying to turn a cat into a desk…Not very exciting but Hermione still thought it was important.
Neville Longbottom sat there dumbfounded. He had no idea what Professor McGonagall was talking about!
Ron sat there with an expression on his face that read: 'What are you talking about! You must be crazy!'
Harry just sat there trying to pay best attention he could. After everyone had attempted to turn it into a desk the bell rang to go to their next last class of the day.
"I think that was fairly interesting!" Hermione said as they left class to head to potions with Snape.
" 'Interesting'? How was that 'Interesting'?" Ron asked with a confused face lifting a brow.
"Ron, your definition of interesting is different from mine!" Hermione snapped, "Something exciting has to happen for it to be interesting for you."
"Okay! You guys," Harry interrupted before Ron could reply, "We've got more important things to worry about, like Snape!" Harry said as they finally entered Snape's room.
They took a seat with Hermione in the middle.
Snape was as unkind to Harry Gryffindor students as usual!
"Now," Snape began, "Get a partner! Or partners begin making a potion! Any potion from last year!" Snape then sat down behind his desk watching for any wrong move that Gryffindor might make, Like Neville.
"I say a Polly Juice Potion!" Ron said with his eyes lighting with excitement.
Hermione grabbed Ron's hand sort of politely, her hand on his. He had started to flip to the Polly Juice Potion page.
Ron began to blush, he felt stupid with his hand in hers.
"Ron," Hermione said looking at him with a serious expression, "We can't do one of those!" She then realized Ron's red face.
"What's wrong with you?" Hermione asked.
Ron tried to sound casual but mostly he spoke gibberish! "Your-" He finally squeaked.
"My what?" Hermione asked being a little impatient, and thinking Ron was acting strange.
"Your…hand is still…in mine" He finally spit out speaking slowly and his voice quacked of nervousness!
"Oh!" Hermione quickly removed her hand from his, and Harry said something, which turned both their attention on him.
"I think we'd better hurry up and pick one!"
Hermione looked up to see Snape starting to walk over.
"Miss Granger, What seems to be the problem?" Snape asked maliciously.
"Nothing Professor, we were just discussing a good potion to make." Hermione replied glancing quickly at Ron.
"Well! Hurry up! You've only got 40 minutes left!" Snape then turned around and walked over to Draco, Crabe, and Goyle's table awarding them points.
Hermione cleared her throat, feeling a little stupid for once. "Okay, I say we do a truth potion!" Hermione said.
"Why a Truth Potion?" Ron asked.
"Because it's simple Ron! We can get done with it faster, well at least I could." She added.
She's so…
Unfair?
Yeah…
Well she's also smart that's why you like her too right?
Like? What do you mean like?
Ron don't be so stupid you know you like her!
Like her? How are you for sure?
You know it! And I know it, well technically I am you but oh well.
Ron argued with himself in his head, and talked to himself.
Did he like Hermione?
Ron then stared at Hermione for a long time.
"Ron?" Harry's voice came, and broke Ron's staring. "What?" He answered.
Harry looked at Ron and then Hermione. Finally the bell rang, Ron hadn't realized how fast the time went by, when he was staring at Hermione for a long time.
"Ron, you know you could have helped us with the potion!" Harry said as they left the classroom and headed back to the common room. "Oh, Sorry Harry…and Hermione…I was thinking…" Ron continued walking with them, still wondering the questions he had asked himself while in class.
"About what?" Hermione asked curiously as they started to walk up the long steps to the Fat Lady.
Ron looked at Hermione, and quickly looked away. "Nothing." He replied and they entered the common room. "Hermione is it alright if I talk with Harry for a moment?" Ron asked.
Hermione looked at Ron with a brow up. "You know Ron, you don't have to ask my permission to talk to Harry privately, it's not like I own him." Hermione said and sat down. "But sure, I'll get a head start on our homework!" Hermione added, and Ron pulled Harry all the way up the steps to the boy's Dormitory room.
"Ron what is it?" Harry asked as Ron basically shoved him on his bed.
"Harry I don't know what's going on!…Everyday I feel more stupider around Hermione! Is it because the homework is getting harder or because I am actually getting stupider everyday?" Ron was pacing back and forth beside the bed.
Harry just looked at Ron puzzled. "Well Ron, maybe it's because you're stressed out…or something!" Harry replied.
"I think I know what it is!" A voice familiar to them said. Ginny Weasley stood in the boy's dormitory doorway.
Ron's eyes got big. "Ginny! What are you doing in here!" Ron asked demandingly.
"Well Hermione said you guys were talking, so I thought I'd see what about." An evil little sister grin came across her face.
Ron then sat down a little furious his sister had snuck in into listening in on a private conversation.
Ginny calmly walked over to Ron.
"Well Ron, you realize that you have great amount of feelings for Hermione right?" Ginny asked, standing directly in front of Ron.
"What are you talking about?" Ron asked looking at her like she was crazy, or either that he didn't understand what she was saying.
Ginny rolled her eyes and sat down on the bed next to Ron and Harry.
"Ron, you need to start opening your eyes and paying attention better to your own feelings!" Ginny said like she was in a way insulting him!
"What's that suppose to mean!" Ron snapped.
"Ron, calm down! She's just trying to help!" Harry interrupted before Ginny could reply to Ron.
"Anyway, Ron…You like Hermione as more than a friend! I mean seriously…couldn't you tell your own feelings in Second year?" Ginny asked looking at Ron, who again seemed like he didn't understand her.
Ginny sighed. "Ron! You need to go down and talk to her, the feelings you get around her, are normal feelings when a guy or girl likes one another…It's called being nervous and not wanting to act stupid around the person you like!" Ginny said standing up.
"Now," She began, "I think Harry can handle it from here, I have loads of homework from a Muggles Study! I'll be very busy tonight! Talk to you later Ron…Harry" Ginny nodded and left the dormitory.
Ron looked at Harry with a dumbfounded expression.
"Ron, just go down and do your homework with Hermione, I'm meeting Cho Chang today…she wants to talk to me, about something!" Harry said, he seemed nervous! Even though Cho Chang didn't seem to click with Harry he still liked her a lot! Harry then got up and took a deep breath and him and Ron walked down the steps from the boy's dormitory and Harry left Ron alone with Hermione.
The Common room was empty, Ron thought that everyone must have been at the library studying or messing around. Ron took a deep breath and sat down next to Hermione.
"So, what were you two talking about, if I may ask?" Hermione finally broke the silence, as she scribbled down answered to her homework to one of her advanced classes.
"Would it be offending you if I said, It was private?" Ron asked quietly.
Hermione looked up at Ron from what ever she was writing down.
Silence.
"…No." She finally said, still looking at Ron.
Ron let out a small sigh of relief, he didn't know why he was so nervous! He felt clammy and sweaty! He felt like his hands were shaking 100 mph! Ron opened up an inkbottle and got all his homework out and began writing.
Hermione noticed how Ron's hand was shaking.
I think what Ginny said was true!
Ron continued scribbling down sloppily from the shaking of his hand.
"Ron…" Hermione's voice said interrupting his thoughts.
Ron looked up with his face looking like all the blood had been sucked out of it.
"Yes?" He squeaked.
Oh god! She heard it! I squeaked! I feel so stupid! Why must I have these kinds of reactions to such feelings?
"Are you alright? Your awfully shaky!" Hermione said with a worried expression.
"I'm fine, why" Ron said trying to act casual.
"Ron, I know you're not fine! You can tell me, I'm your friend!" Hermione said stopping her scribbling and looking at Ron.
She is beautiful though!
Yeah, I think she is. (Ron gasped in his mind) No!
Yes!
I'm in love with Hermione?
See I knew you'd come to your common sense! You have Ginny to thank!
Ron was again talking to himself in his mind again.
"Ron," Hermione said placing her hand near his on the table. Ron felt his stomach do a twist.
"I worry about you, and no matter how many times we fight I want you to always know…I care for you." Hermione said. Ron wondered if she meant that as a hint, or if she never meant it like that just as a friend. But still, Ron just looked at her.
"Hermione." Ron finally said after a long period of silence.
"Yes Ron?" Hermione answered.
Ron wanted so badly to tell her everything he felt inside! About the time she danced with Krum instead of him in 4th year! How jealous he got when she talked to Seamus and Neville! But he couldn't instead he said-
"Never mind." And he let out a big sigh.
Hermione made a small frown and got back to her homework.
Ron then bit the bottom of his lip thinking hard.
Should I tell her?
Well what if I do and she doesn't like me back?
But I just heard her say she will always like me no matter what!
Are you sure it was like? Or was it be there for you?
Same DIFFERENCE!-Ron yelled in his head.
For a long time they sat there without a word until the common room door swung open, and Harry came into view with a small frown.
Hermione turned in her seat. "Harry, what's the matter?" She asked standing up and walking over to him. Harry had slumped down into a chair.
"Well, Cho started to say something…but then got all hysterical and ran off crying…" Harry sighed and ran his hand through his hair.
"Harry, honestly! Give up on her! She's wasting your time!" Hermione said sitting in a chair near him.
Ron sat there, not caring for Harry…Instead he had an idea of telling Hermione how he felt in a way she might not know was him!
Ron immediately ran up the stairs into the boy's dormitory after saying goodnight and began his plan.