Can this be real?

A/N: Just a quick A/N to what is in store. Although Hermione & Harry do end up together, it isn't until much later that they finally get together. Until then, the teens go through their normal confused feelings. I am laying a background in the first few chapters, before fast forwarding to the end of the war.

Chapter 3

I wanted to go to the dormitory but decided against it, and quickly went out of the portrait hole again. If I get caught, I will just have to take the punishment like a big girl. However, at this moment, I just cannot stand facing my friends.

I sit down on some empty stairwell, along a deserted corridor. I can feel the tears falling freely over my face. I really do not understand what is happening to me. Why did I get so rallied up over the statement made by Ron, when he has saidsimilar things before?

Sometimes I really just wish that I can disappear from it all. Although I make my own choices, it sometimes weights heavy on my shoulders. I do not like letting people down, hence me doing the boy's homework for them. It is better to do it and have them smile at me, than have them sulking. What type of person does that make me?

"Hermione, where are you?"

If I keep quiet, will he leave me alone? No, this is Harry we are talking about.

"Here I am, Harry."

He sits down beside me, not saying a word for a few minutes, his shoulders touching mine. I can feel him taking a deep breath before speaking.

"What just happened in there?"

"I really do not know, Harry. I just get so mad at Ron sometimes. I know what he said is true, but still. I know better than that."

Harry turns to me, taking my hands in his.

"What do you mean, you know it is true."

"I know I am not like the other girls that the boys date. I act like a know-it-all, always correcting them, never trying to get their attention and I never dress up."

Harry chuckles.

"And that, Hermione, is why all the boys are crazy about you. You are true to yourself, what you see is what you get. With most girls, and I am no expert here, you always get a surprise. They look all sweet and quiet and then, WOOP, they shriek and become possessive, never leaving you alone for one second. You are an independent person, and I know you do not cling."

I wonder where this little speech of his is coming from.

"Thank you, Harry. Honestly though, if all of that is true, why have I never been kissed?"

I really did not want to admit that, not to Harry or Ron. Poor Hermione cannot even get a boy to kiss her.

"Yes you have. There was Krum, then Cormac and Seamus tonight."

Boys will never learn the difference, it seems.

"No, Harry. I have not been kissed. First, Krum and I are still only friends, we never kissed, second, Cormac was grabbing me all over the place but no kiss, and if you did not notice, I kissed Seamus to proof a point. I really do not count that as getting kisses"

I can see the wheels turning in his head, considering my words carefully. Contrary to popular believe, Harry does not always just jump, he really consider all possibilities and then act according to what he believes is the best way forward.

And the way forward out of this situation, is nothing what I expected.

I suddenly feel his lips on mine, softly at first, as if he is testing the waters. When I do absolutely nothing, he increases the pressure on my lips. My knees feel weak, my heart start to flutter wildly in my chest and then I felt it, his tongue between my lips, trying to get into my mouth, which in my current state of mind, I allow.

Harry Potter is kissing me! Our tongue's meet and a duel for dominance start. My hands are tangled in his hair, while I am trying to push closer to him. I can feel his hand on the exposed skin of my hip and I almost jumped out of my skin as he moves it higher, brushing the underside of my breast.

I really can not recall who pulled away first, but somehow I really doubt that it was me.

We just stare at each other until Harry suddenly laughs.

"Well, I think you can now safely say you were kissed. However, I think it would be best if you do not mention by whom."

"Of course, I do not think Ginny will be so happy with me at this moment."

"Ginny? Oh, yes of course. But I am thinking more in the line of Ron, at this moment"

Seeing the look on my face, he quickly continued.

"Come on, Hermione. Why do you think he was so upset about the idea of you dating Seamus or any other guy? He fancies you. He is dating Lavender, but it is you he dreams about at night."

Ron is dreaming about me? If I am honest about it, I don't know how I feel about it. If he fancies me, why date Lavender? And on the other hand, how do I feel about the fact that I just received a mind-boggling kiss from my best friend and he acts as if he is not affected by it at all?

"Harry, about the… about what just happened."

"Please, Hermione. Don't over analyze it. Not now. Let us not mention it again. I just started dating Ginny, and if word of this gets around…., I really cannot deal with it at this moment. Dumbledore warned me that I must focus all my energy on my lessons with him, and I promise you this, at this moment, my thoughts is not on defeating Voldemort, but on my best friend, sitting across from me. I know that my lessons are important, but I cannot think of anything else except that I really want tosnogg you again"

Hearing Harry mentioning Voldemort brings me crashing back to the reality of our situation.

"I am sorry, Harry. I didn't mean to drag you into my problems. Tell me how the lessons are going."

Being a distraction for Harry, will be a problem, Voldemort must be dealt with and Harry is the only one who can do it. People can say what they want, but Harry is defiantly the Chosen One. And, for that alone, I will make sure that I do everything in my power, to help Harry Potter defeat Voldemort, even if I have to sacrifice my happiness.