Previously…

"I hate to see you like this." Harry spoke softly from behind her. "It makes me feel even worse than I already do." He walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Hermione suddenly stood up and fell into his arms. She buried her face into his chest. "I wish there was some way I could make you feel better. But honesty. I dunno." He said.

Hermione looked up and before they both knew it, their faces began to lean in. Hermione closed her eyes, waiting for that moment when their lips touched. However, just barely touching, the bedroom door suddenly blew open and, startled, Harry and Hermione hastily broke apart.

In the doorway… stood Ron.

xXx

Chapter Two
Ignorance is Bliss

xXx

"What the bloody hell are you doing?!"

"Ron…I—"

"How could you? You're supposed to be my best mate! How could you do this to me!?"

"No—Ron, I—"

"You know I like Hermione! Why would you do this?" Ron started for Harry in an angry fit. Harry was sure he was going to pop-him-one. Ron's arm went back, his hand forming into a tight fist and swung it forward.

Harry winced slightly, ready for the hard impact of Ron's fist.

A flash appeared before Harry's eyes, dragging him from his dizzy daydream. None of these came like Harry had imaged it. Instead, he and Hermione stood broken apart, looking as if they had a dirty little secret. Ron, who thank Merlin had his head titled downward at the time, still stood in the doorway. He looked up and smiled awkwardly at his friends. He stepping in, completely oblivious to anything that had been going on.

Hermione's and Harry's eyes bounced around the room, never landing on each other and never even coming close to Ron's.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing!" they answered in union.

Hermione let out a sound of despair and headed out of the room.

"Is she okay?" Ron asked, turning around slightly to watch Hermione sprint out into the hall.

"She'll be fine. Listen, Ron," Harry added nervously.

'As his best mate…I should tell him I tried to make a move on the woman he has had a crush on for years.'

"Yeah?"

'He'd kill me…but it's the right thing to do.'

"Do you still like Hermione?"

'Why the bloody hell did I try to make a move on her anyway?'

"Yeah, I really do." A smile spread across his face. It had to be the first time he smiled—really smiled—since that night at the ministry, Harry thought. "You know, I'm not sure if it's the right time or not—considering everything that's going on—but…I think I want to ask her out."

Harry's heart sank. Why had he made a move on her anyway? He had never actually had on crush on her before...but then there they were, about ready to kiss. Somehow, he felt jealous about Ron asking her out; What if she did say yes to him? Was he even really jealous; and if so, wouldn't that mean he did have some hidden desire for his best friend's girl? This question startled Harry and he could no longer hear Ron ranting on.

Maybe he does. Maybe all this time he has. Maybe deep down inside, a part of him always has. Now, maybe, getting even closer to her finally brought some of it out, just a peak through the curtain of his inner heart's desire.

No.

No. Hermione was his best friend as well. He couldn't possible like her; And even if by some strange reason he really did, it just wasn't right. It wasn't right to share feelings for your best mate's girl and it was even scummier to try and hit on her.

"…Every time I look at her…I just feel so alive. She makes me happy, Harry."

Ron's voice suddenly found its way into Harry's ears again. He snapped back to reality, pulling himself from his thoughts.

"I know we have our differences sometimes—"

"—Try all the time." Harry added lowly.

"—but do you think she'd say yes?" Ron continued, apparently had not heard Harry's comment.

"I dunno." Harry answered truthfully. 'I hope not.' Where was this coming from, he wondered. "When are you planning on asking her?"

"Not sure. Maybe when we get back to school…if I have plucked up the courage by then." He added with a smile.

'I think I might be sick.' Harry's head screamed.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked suddenly noticing the ailing expression on his mate's face.

"Just feel nauseous all of a sudden. Think I might lay down." Without another word, Harry hastily shot passed Ron and over to Charlie's room.

XxX

"Ooh, Ginny!" Hermione suddenly let out, catching a glimpse of Ginny as she walked passed Hermione.

Hermione grabbed her arm, startling Ginny, who had not heard Hermione calling her before.

"I really need to talk to you." Hermione said, looking rather disgruntled and out of breath.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"Not here…" Hermione whispered. She clung to Ginny's arm as they headed for the bathroom. Once in, Hermione closed the door and locked it, leaving Ginny even more curious. "Okay, look." Hermione started, her back resting against the bathroom door. It was then that Hermione told Ginny everything.

"Oh my god!" Ginny looked shocked. "Oh my god…oh my…oh my god!" These were apparently all the words she could possibly find.

"Ginny, I need a little bit more than, 'oh my god.'" Hermione said sarcastically.

"Well, do you like him?" Ginny asked, curiosity and intrigue showing bluntly through her voice.

Hermione let out a small laugh, and then stopped when she realized she honestly did not know the answer. "I'm not sure. I don't think so."

Ginny frowned. "Oh come on…"

"Seriously, I don't know. I mean…I've only really looked at him as a friend. Nothing more." Hermione took a pause, thinking for a second. "It just kind of happened. It almost seemed…unreal. Like I imaged the whole thing." She took another pause. "God, I dunno. It just happened so fast. We were talking an then all of a suddenly we were leaning in to kiss and then Ron comes bursting through the door." She managed to get out all in one breath, looking completely overwhelmed.

"So did you lean in first or was it Harry." Ginny asked with a smirk on her face.

"At the same time." Hermione answered truthfully. "Like I said, it just kind of happened."

They stood in silence for a few seconds, trying to figure out what to do.

"Why don't you ask him about it?" Ginny suddenly said, as if that were the solution to Hermione's problem.

"What? Ask him about it?" Hermione shot back as if Ginny had to be joking.

"Yeah."

Hermione made an are-you-kidding-me expression before saying, "What the bloody hell would I say? 'Why did you try to kiss me?' I could ask myself the same question about him and still not come up with an answer. Forget it." Hermione sudden added. "I just want to get away from this subject…and never arrive at it again."

xXx

This was exactly Harry's philosophy as well. He did not know why he had tried to kiss Hermione or why even Hermione had tried to kiss him. All he knew was that he did not want to arrive at this subject.

In order to insure they never did—that and because he was highly embarrassed—he tried his hardest to avoid her. This was proving to be a difficult task at hand because half the time it was nearly impossible to stay away from each other at meal times or when they were spending time with the Weasleys; And by some stoke of luck he actually did manage to avoid her, Harry felt somehow heartbroken. He missed her. Missed how every night they stayed up late talking and laughing…or crying and holding each other.

Sure, he could talk to Ron if he really needed to…but somehow it just wasn't the same as talking to Hermione.

Now, the three of them sat in their usual compartment on the train, on their way to Hogwarts.

Hermione was sitting next to Ron and Harry sat across from them. He tried his hardest not to look over at Hermione, afraid he might accidentally catch her eye. Naturally, when he tried not to, he eventually ended up doing so. It was okay now though because Hermione was reading.

He felt it perfectly okay to continue stealing glancing at her. However, every time Ron would look up, Harry would look away as if he were a little child who had done something so horrible he couldn't bear to look into his father's eyes.

Ron turned back to the window where he stared out into the rainy September afternoon.

Harry let out a sigh, his eyes dancing back over toward Hermione. She was still reading.

This time, his eyes seemed to be plastered onto her. Hermione suddenly looked up, eyes over the rim of her book and immediately caught Harry's eyes. Both looked away the instant they did.

It was almost as if she had subconsciously felt his eyes on her and without realizing it, her gaze immediately went in his direction.

It was then that Hermione caught sight of Ginny outside the compartment. She had walked passed and then quickly doubled back as if realizing it was the trio's compartment. She smiled slyly at Hermione through the glass window just before sliding the door open. Immediately, Hermione became very suspicious and shot Ginny a leery looking expression.

"Hiya." Ginny waved to the group at large.

Harry and Ron answered, however, Hermione kept that same look glued to her face.

"Ron?" Ginny went on. "Dear brother?"

'Oh god.' Hermione thought. 'Could she possibly make herself any more obvious?'

Ron turned to acknowledge her.

"Ron, could you come with me to my compartment. I have someone there that wants to meet you. She thinks you were positively brave and heroic at the ministry!"

'Oh no! No, Ginny!'

"Someone wants to meet me?" he looked somewhat stunned for a second, and then quickly followed his sister out into the aisle. Just before Ginny left, she managed to give Hermione a quick you-can-thank-me-later smile.

However, Hermione would not be thanking Ginny later.

Ron was remotely the closest thing they had to even breaking half way through the thick tension that clouded around Harry and Hermione. Without him, the tension was unbearably and bluntly visible.

Hermione turned back to her book before Harry could say anything—not that he was going to—and let out a sigh.

"Something wrong?"

Hermione did not answer, mainly because she had none.

What a dumb question, he knew, and Harry turned his focus back toward the window and stared out into the rainy afternoon sky.

"I…" Hermione started, starling Harry slightly. He turned to look at her. "I just can't help but wonder…what exactly happened last night?" There it was. They had arrived at the subject both were so eager to eradicate. It was out in the open where it now swam around them along with the exceedingly overwhelming tension that now seemed to double. Better she ask than him, as far as she was concerned; Better she ask than have him hit her with the same question, surprising her.

"I'm not sure what I was thinking." Harry answered.

"Oh…" and now, Hermione sounded lightly disappointed. She waited for him to go on.

"I guess…" he started, uncertain how to explain himself, mainly because he was not even sure of the answer he was trying to explain. "I guess…it was just all…in the heat of the moment." This was a lie and he knew it. He had wanted to kiss, even if he was not exactly ready to admit it yet.

"So…you didn't really mean to try to kiss me?" Hermione asked, sounding even more disappointed, disappointed because somehow she knew the answer was yes. Yes, he had not meant to kiss her.

Harry nodded his head and a sad expression spread across her face.

He was lying; he had really wanted to. So why couldn't he just tell her? Partly because he still couldn't admit it to himself but mostly because of Ron.

Hermione looked as if she would cry and her gaze quickly turned away from him.

"Hermione…"

"No." she let out before he could continue. "Don't." Hermione got up and started for the compartment door.

Harry jumped up as well. "Hermione look—"

Hand on the handle, Hermione spun around at his words. "Don't even." She said through clutch teeth.

"Hermione, wait. I just—"

"Get off me!" Hermione practically shouted as Harry tried to place a hand on her arm.

"Look I just—"

"You're pathetic!" Hermione said bluntly, wrenching her arm out from his grip. "You try to kiss me and then say it didn't mean anything." Tears now found their way down her cheeks. "What exactly were you trying to doing?"

"No, Hermione I—"

"Whatever." She cut in again, not caring to hear the explanation he clearly did not have. "I just…I can't believe you." Without another word, Hermione turned and slid the compartment door open. She stormed out, letting it slam shut behind her. Harry took the bottom of his palm and slammed it into his forehead a few times as if saying, 'stupid, stupid.'

XxX

A/N:
Thanks to everyone that reviewed the last chapter! Hope you enjoyed this one as well. Leave any comments or concerns you may have, please!