Disclaimer: I don not own Harry Potter, or any of it's characters, for I am not JK Rowling.
Harry arrived at the Great Hall just a few minutes after he decided that today was the day, the day he'd dish his heart out to Hermione. His hands were sweaty; his heart was beating at an unusual rate. This was going to be a long day, he thought. He wasn't eve going to talk to her until tonight. By the lake, he decided. But how would he shake Ron off? Hopefully it would prove to be easy. At least, getting her alone, that is. After that Harry honestly did not know how he would explain how he felt. The thought made him nauseous.
As he walked between the tables, to join his two best mates, he felt like he would faint on the spot. Then, Hermione turned and saw him, and gave him that beautiful smile. Staying on his feet was proving to be difficult.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed as he sat down next to her at the table.
"Hi," he said. It was the only word he could form when he was this nervous.
"What took you so long this morning, mate?" Ron asked, with no regard to the fact that he still had eggs in his mouth. It looked repulsive. Hermione must have thought the same, because shortly after Rons question, she said:
"Ronald, can't you finish chewing your fault before speaking?" She sounded annoyed. Harry's lips twitched up a little at this. At least he didn't repulse her by talking with food in his mouth, right?
"Don't call me Ronald!" Ron demanded, a deep blush on his cheeks. Hermione and Harry both laughed out loud. After a few seconds of quiet, Ron muttered again "What held you up?" To this, Harry didn't have much of an answer. The only thing he did when they left was that he thought about Hermione. And he wouldn't tell them that.
Harry thought quickly, though and said, "I had a paragraph left to write for my Potions essay," he was quite proud of his fib. Then, he saw Hermione roll her eyes. Of course she would, she was like a mother in that sense. She wouldn't stop nagging them about their homework. That was one of her flaws. But he other qualities outshone that. He loved how caring she was, how she would be so dedicated to a cause. In the back of his mind, Harry thought that that meant she would be a very royal person in a relationship. Then, he realized and blushed. He hoped they didn't see, but of course they did.
"Harry, you're… Blushing?" Ron laughed. "What, are you suddenly embarrassed by Hermione's lectures after you do you homework last minute?" Ron asked. That made no sense, she didn't lecture me, Harry thought.
"What are you on about? Harry asked.
"You're blushing, Hermione lectured you…" Ron said, now unsure if what he said even made sense.
"Ron, she didn't lecture me, she hasn't even said a word!" Harry started laughing. But then he noticed Ron and Hermione were starring at him, as if he was a monkey in a cage at the zoo. "You didn't lecture me, right Hermione?" He asked, now unsure.
"Actually, Harry, I did. Nice to know you take me seriously," She said, she stood up and stomped out of the Great Hall. Harry was shocked, so shocked that he didn't get to yell after her, too shocked to recognize what was going on. Had she lectured him, and he just didn't listen?
"She's got a temper, that one, eh?" Ron nudges him.
"Yeah…" He trailed off.
"She was pissed!" Ron said and laughed. He was so ignorant.
"But why, why this time? She's never gotten mad about something like that before!" Harry said. And why, why today? The day he was going to pluck up enough courage to talk to her, finally talk to her. But he couldn't now. First he had to fix things with her. He sighed.
Ron heard Harry sighed, and thought he was aggravated that he had yet to answer he question, so he did, "I dunno mate, but I've never seen her like that." Ron wasn't helping.
"Do you think she'll forgive me?" Harry asked, his eyes pleading.
"'Course she will, but she'll be stubborn at first," he said, and resisted the urge to laugh. He finally figured out that Harry would probably punch him if he uttered a laugh, so he was trying to save his face. Harry sighed again.
Today was going to be a long day, but not for the reasons he had first imagined. He'd have to tell her about his feelings some other time. First, he had to get on good terms with her again…
"Hermione used to be mad at you for weeks straight, over almost nothing, right" Harry asked Ron. Of course he knew the answer, but he dreaded hearing it.
"Yeah! She's stubborn," Ron said. Harry felt his heart drop. Would it be easy for him to win her over again? He sure hoped so, but he doubted that hope would make it any easier.
Harry sighed, and heaved himself from the table. Ron saluted him, which made him laugh, when he didn't think he was capable of that at the moment. "Wish me luck?" He asked Ron.
Ron laughed, "I would, but I don't think it will help you any," Harry rolled his eyes at him, and started walking the length of the Great Hall. People were starring. Seamus was looking at him oddly, and some Ravenclaws he had never talked to wouldn't take their eyes off of him. Why? Had they seen Hermione storm off? He blushed, and hoped they didn't think it was his fault. When, really, it was.
The walk to the Common Room was quicker than usual, and Harry blamed it on his own nerves. He stood outside the Common Room, unmoving. Would she be sitting in the Common Room? If so, would she talk to him? Or would she be in her dorms? He figured she would be in the dorms, and wondered how he would to to her then. Maybe he'd ask another girl to fetch her for him.
He walked into the Common Room, and as he scanned for Hermione, he realized his prediction was right. She was in her dormitory. Then he looked for a girl he knew, until he spotted Ginny. "Ginny! Come here!" He yelled across the room, waving her over.
"What's up Harry? She asked with a smile. Harry felt bad, he knew she fancied him. But the only girl for him was Hermione.
"Well, I was wondering if you could get Hermione for me. I think she's in her dorm, I really need to talk to her," Ginny frowned, quite possibly because she was hoping that Harry would ask her to Hogsmeade.
"I don't think she wants to talk to you right now," Ginny said.
"Why not?" Harry asked, a little annoyed now. Of course she'd like to talk to them, they were best friends!
"I saw her run in, she was crying Harry. Would you have anything to do with that?" Ginny asked.
"Crying? What? No! No... Of course I didn't have anything to do with that!" Harry said, stumbling over his own words. Ginny raised her eyebrows, but she didn't comment.
"I can ask her to come down, if you like," She said. Was she trying to get on his good side?
"No thanks. I'll just have to talk to her later," Harry said, turning around to walk up into his own dorm.
Hermione was crying? But why? All of this confused Harry even more. Had she really been that insulted that I wasn't paying attention? Or was there something else behind the tears, that had nothing to do with harry himself? Or, maybe, everything to do with Harry? All these questions, but none could be answered until he talked to Hermione himself. He sighed, running a hand through his hair, knowing the inevitable would be arriving soon.
A/N: If you like this story, please review! Please! :) I don't mean to beg, but reviews would be greatly appreciated.