I'm sorry that the first part was so short! I intended it to be a prologue! Hehe...

Anyway, thank you for the comments that you have given me. Any other comments can be given at

J.K. Rowling owns all characters and rights

PG-13

Saddest Day
(Part One)

By JLaLa

A month earlier...

Grimmauld Place was not usually associated with loud parties but with the defeat of Voldemort, it was time for a celebration. Everyone from the Gryffindor house was there. He looked over to where Neville Longbottom and all the other boys were discussing who was up for the Quidditch cup this year. But for some reason, he just didn't feel very much like partying. True, there was a lot to celebrate; Voldemort was gone and he had miraculously survived. But they had lost a lot of people, Snape, Professor Dumbledore...he looked over at Hermione who sat on the couch nursing a cup...Hermione's parents. It had taken a toll on his friend. She was not so talkative and always seemed to brooding over something. But he understood her and how horrible it was to be without family.

He looked over at Ron, who was avidly talking to all the guys. But he saw that Parvati Patil stood in that group, listening adoringly to what he was saying. Ron must have cracked a joke because the room filled with laughter. He watched as Parvati put her small hand on Ron's shoulder. Harry looked over at Hermione who was watching the whole scene. Her eyes were unreadable but he saw that she was clenching her cup tightly. Any tighter and it would have shattered into a million pieces.

She looked like she needed rescue desperately. Harry made his way over to where she sat and took a seat. Hermione didn't look at him but kept her eyes steadily on Ron who was now talking to Pavarti exclusively. She turned to him and he could see that her eyes were filled with pain. Hermione loved Ron and it was so evident in that moment. Harry felt that he should have ripped his friend away from his conversation and knock some sense into him.

"It's alright, Harry," Hermione said quietly. "I'm fine. It's just been a long day and I'm afraid I've have too much to drink."

"He's being an idiot. But I know he loves you Hermione. Ron just doesn't know how to express those kinds of things," Harry explained. She looked at him and untied her bushy hair roughly.

"Is that why he's standing there to talking to Parvati?" Hermione asked bitterly. "Serves me right for loving an inconsiderate jerk." She took a swig of her drink. "What brings you to my side of the woods?"

"I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright" Harry answered and Hermione followed his gaze to where Ginny Weasley was talking to her boyfriend, Dean.

"The plot thickens," She remarked and poured him a drink. "Those Weasleys are a charming folk, aren't they?" Harry took a drink and smile wryly as he followed Ginny with his eyes. "Why don't you just tell her, Harry?"

"I can't," he said to her. "She has a boyfriend and she over me, remember? Sometimes I can't even breathe around her, Hermione. Ginny...she's beautiful and I messed up because I didn't even see what was in front of me."

"Well, looks like you belong on the misery couch with me," she joked and got herself another drink. "I think that maybe it's time for you to have more drinks."

"That's very unlike you to allow binge drinking," he remarked but pour himself another glass.

"I'm pretty drunk myself," Hermione replied and raised her glass to him.

By midnight, Grimmauld Place was almost empty except for Harry, Hermoine, Ron and Ginny. It was evident that Hermione was drunk, she could barely sit up and so she opted to rest on the couch. Harry, himself, had also drunk more than he should've but was still able to stand. Ron looked at her worriedly and took Harry aside.

"Make sure she doesn't try to floo home. She'll probably slur the words and end up somewhere else," Ron said as he gazed at Hermione who was peacefully unaware. "I'm sure you could put her up for the night."

"Don't worry about it," assured Harry and patted his friend on the shoulder. "Be sure to say goodnight to her." He watched as Ron put a pillow under Hermione's head and saw how tenderly his friend pushed her hair aside. Harry went over to where Ginny was waiting in the corner.

"It's so obvious," Ginny commented as she put her cloak on. "My brother must be some sort of half-wit to not know he's head over heels for her."

"They'll see in time," Harry said to her. "Dean's not bringing you home?" He looked down at his shoes.

"No, Mum wouldn't allow a boy that wasn't you within ten feet of the house," Ginny said to him. Tossing her long, cinnamon hair over her shoulders, she smiled at him. "You didn't seem to be having a good time, tonight."

"Just tired, that's all." Harry started to feel the effects of drinking. The ground was starting to turn but he held himself. "You better get going."

"You know you can always talk to me, Harry" Ginny looked at him seriously and he felt his face color. He nodded quickly and excused himself to check on Ron and Hermione.

"Good night Hermione," Ron said softly and turned to Harry. "Come by the house tomorrow and wait for me. I have to take Pavarti to Hogsmeade, she says there something she desperately needs my help with, for some reason." Hermione awoke to hear the last of what Ron said before passing out again.

Harry agreed and the siblings went to the chimney. Bidding their friend goodnight they left in a burst of smoke.

After cleaning up, Harry went to check in on Hermione. He was surprised that she was sitting up and gazing up at the fire she had started in the chimney. Sitting next to her, he put a blanket on her. Hermione seemed entranced. Her eyes never left the fire and he didn't want to break her train of thought.

"Ron will never like me," Hermione said after a moment. "I mean I have nothing to offer him. I'm ugly and awkward. Parvati is much prettier."

"You are just as pretty," he said softly. It seemed much more tenderly than it intended to come out and he felt almost strange sitting next to his friend. Her body was close and felt a heat was engulfing him.

"Thank you Harry," she replied and turned to him. Her eyes were shining with unshed tears and Hermione shivered. Harry felt like he was tailspinning; he was unaware that perhaps they were too close for comfort, at the moment. "I feel so cold."

Their faces were only inches apart. Hermione noticed how soft his lips looked and the felt a strange sensation go through her.

"What can I do?" he asked and his hands seemed to take hold of her waist, pulling her closer.

"Make me warm," she replied softly.

Then it all went black.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Harry awoke abruptly that next morning. Looking around he saw that he has fallen asleep on the couch. His head pounding, he looked for his glasses and upon locating them put them on.

It was then he realized that only a thin blanket covered his unclothed body. The events of last night were a blur and he searched through his foggy mind trying to recollect his memories. Upstairs someone was taking a shower and remembered that Hermione had spent that night.

He looked to see his rumpled clothing and saw that among them were Hermione's. His mind racing, Harry realized what had happened. Rushing upstairs he went into the bathroom.

"Hermione?" There was silence and he approached the curtain. Pulling it, he saw his friend sitting in the tub as the showerhead rained over her. She was hugging her legs and seemed unaware that the water was hitting her face. Hermione's usually frizzy hair hung in wet tendrils sticking to her face; her eyes were red as if she had been crying.

Their eyes met.

"Harry, we did something horribly stupid."

END.