Hermione sits staring in her room all night, thinking about that look in Harry's eyes and analysing every possible reason that he could have looked like that – she hopes that the reciprocated feelings is the answer, but she doesn't get her hopes up. She hears a tapping at her window and opens it: Hedwig flies in and drops an envelope on her bed, but doesn't fly straight back – she is obviously waiting for a reply.
Hermione opens the envelope and sees an invite inside. It goes:
PARTY!
Sirius, Harry (well of course I'm the most important one) Remus and Dora would like to invite you, Hermione Granger, to a dinner party tomorrow evening at the new house. I love my room Hermione – thanks, I love you! Please come – I couldn't face it without you.
Lots of love
Harry xx
Is this what I think it is, or is it just a generic style letter? Does he love me really, or is it just make up? I have no idea and I don't know. Maybe, if I send back the invite and if he wasn't meant to write this, he could explain that to me. If he does, then maybe? Hermione thinks all of this thoroughly through, before writing a response.
Dear Harry
Of course I would love to come – did you mean to write this on the invite or not? I mean, we can talk about it, if you want? See you tomorrow morning, bright and early.
Love
Hermione.
She sends it back with Hedwig, and retires to bed, thinking she needs her beauty sleep!
Harry is sitting at his new desk, with the window wide open, he needs to get Sirius to get some air con – it's boiling in here in Summer. Just then, Hedwig flies in, drops off an envelope before flying straight back out again. Harry opens the letter and sees the invite he sent. DAMN, he thinks, did I really write that on the invite – what if she didn't feel the same thing back and he humiliated himself when he didn't even realise he wrote that!
He reads her response and sighs, the tone of it sounds like she feels the same way btu wants an explanation – looks like his little chat with Sirius could be moving forwards a few weeks! Oh well, it is 11.34pm, he's seeing his, whatever she is to him at the minute, in the morning, he needs his beauty sleep because black eyes, sooo passé!
Hermione walks up to the front door and knocks – Tonks answers and says:
"I have a feeling we'll be seeing you often so don't bother knocking, just come in!" before flouncing off back upstairs, her robe trailing behind her (extremely) short nightdress that made Hermione blush just looking at it. But, as she thinks about it, has Tonks done something – there was something different about her that Hermione couldn't quite put her finger on.
"Harry you here?" Hermione calls and Harry emerges from the kitchen wearing a very fetching apron.
"Just making breakfast d'you want some?" he asks and she nods her head so he darts back into the kitchen to cook more: 'and he's probably embarrassed' Hermione thinks, remembering the love stuff on his invite to her.
She wanders through – the place looks great! She decides to go and sit down and watch some of the One Tree Hill that is on in the morning, thinking that James Lafferty looks an awful lot like Harry.
"Oh yeah, we were watching that last night, Haley looks like…" Harry says, walking through from the kitchen but going bright red and not finishing his sentence.
"Yes Harry?" Hermione says but Harry refuses to answer – she thinks 'maybe it's like me yesterday – it's something about me' before deciding that she shouldn't assume things.
"Hermione!" Sirius exclaims, rushing forward to give her a hug before running faster to get to the fresh pot of coffee Harry had just put out. Soon, Harry has finished breakfast so the entire family (all of them felt that Hermione should be included, the amount of time she spent with them all, she had gone home for just over 13 hours in over 38, that showed something – to Sirius at least) sat down around the huge table to devour the delicious waffles Harry cooked up.
"Delicious Harry!" Hermione praises and he blushes – at once the cousins look at each other with a secret in their expression, whilst Remus just sits there not participating in the speculations.
"What?" Harry asks, noticing one of the secret looks.
"Nothing," Sirius says, with Tonks looking a little suspicious, in Harry's opinion but he drops it – he has to avoid the subject of the whole love thing with Hermione – that's going to be pretty hard.
Harry thinks that he really must be stupid: he's been aware of his feelings changing for Hermione since the Yule Ball the other year now he looks back, but he only properly realised this maybe 2 weeks ago, so isn't this a bit early?
"Harry!" Hermione yells in his ear, then regrets it – what if he doesn't like it? Then she decides: if Harry loves me, he loves me for me not anyone else so I may as well be myself.
'I must try and stay off the topic of the invite until the Dinner Party – after all, that's fitting and before may result in some awkwardness at the party' Hermione prevaricates (decides)
They all potter off; Tonks and Remus upstairs, each with a little smile upon their face, a smile that only they know the secret behind, Sirius to the living room to watch the television – "Hey Harry, I'm getting the hang of this remote lark!" – and this left Hermione and Harry to clear up: at lwast they didn't have to talk.
By the time that the kids finish the washing up, Tonks and Remus come downstairs – it's obvious they (well Tonks) have some sort of action plan.
"Hermione, will you come up with me a minute, I need to get your opinion on something?" Tonks asks.
"Sure thing," Hermione says, thinking at least it will get her away from Harry for a second – the urge to kiss him is growing exponentially.
As soon as she has gone, Harry goes through to the main male adults in his life, and asks for some guidance.
"Hey, can I talk to you guys for a minute?" he asks, and instantly the duo stop mucking about and listen to the boy.
"Sure thing" Sirius says, with a look at Remus that says: I win you lose!
"Well, it's just, these last few weeks, well year or so if I'm honest, I've been a bit… different. I've been feeling something that I'm not entirely sure I think I should be feeling. It's pretty complicated."
"Uh-oh, well take your time Harry, we've got all day – well I do, I've got no girlfriend, yet!" Sirius says, with a grin at the end.
"I've been feeling romantic feelings for Hermione," Harry blurts out, and Sirius yells and punches the air.
"I'm right, you're wrong – SUCCCKKKAAA!" he yells, pointing at Remus.
"I never said I was against it, just that maybe that's not what is meant to happen."
"Worked for James and Lily – it works for Harry and Hermione!" Sirius retorts.
"I'm sorry, you've already been discussing this?" Harry asks, perplexed.
"These last few days, Sirius and Dora have been thinking that there is something between the two of you, I simply thought maybe as best friends you wouldn't make the leap – obviously you have!" Remus explains to Harry who grins.
"Aahhhh guys, you care that much – thanks" and he leans forward to give Sirius a hug. "Just one problem, what if she doesn't feel the same back?"
"Well, that's what Dora is doing now – but I honestly think she feels the same," Sirius says, a glint in his eye, could it be a tear?, at the first romantic feelings his godson has had.
Upstairs, Tonks and Hermione are chatting.
"Hermione, I was wondering, do you have any kind of romantic feelings towards Harry at all?"
Hermione blushes. "No… well yeah, is that alright? Do you think he feels the same back?" Hermione goes, lying then confessing the truth before launching into her personal self-doubt regime she is the master at.
"Hermione, have you seen the way he looks at you, it's like the pictures I've seen of Harry's parents, true love visible just from how they look at each other." Dora reassures her. "Now, I say, be cool for now, and at the Dinner Party tonight go upstairs and chat and sort things out ok?" she advises her young friend.
Hermione bursts into a massive grin and hugs Dora, leaving her (Dora) feeling all happy at being a matchmaker!
"I have an announcement," Dumbledore says at the end of the dinner, Harry and Hermione sat next to each other rather awkwardly – they arranged to 'talk' straight after dinner but this torture is dragging on! At the looks of anguish barely visible, Dora and Sirius smile.
"I would like to announce the return of Remus Lupin to the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, the only decent professor we have had since, oh before Remus yourself was at school!"
Everybody bursts into applause as Dumbledore and Remus switch between sitting and standing.
"Thank you everybody, my only thing I have to say besides thank you to that compliment, is that I hope Hermione's essays have shrunk since I last taught her!"
Again, everybody laughs, especially when Professor McGonagall says:
"In fact I think they've doubled in length!" whilst Remus groans in mock despair that has some reality beneath the fauxness
Dinner finishes and as Sirius charms the plates to wash, dry and put themselves away, Hermione and Harry rush off upstairs to his room to 'talk' but as soon as they arrive, and the both sit on the bed they are consumed with the awkward silence that usually occurs when two people with romantic feelings for their best friends usually encounter.
"Hermione-" Harry begins at the same time as Hermione says "Harry-" which makes them both laugh.
"You first, Harry," Hermione says and Harry gives her an 'evil' look as she makes him explain, leaving her the easy job of listening.
"Hermione, just tell me now if you don't feel the same – I don't want to bend your feelings or whatever – it's just recently, well since 4th year really, my feelings towards you have just sort of changed. I feel like I want to be with you for the rest of my life." Harry says, looking apprehensive as he spoke.
Hermione then does something Harry doesn't expect, and she doesn't realise she's doing: she leans over towards him and kisses him gently on the mouth. He then kisses her back and it sends sparks flying.
"Well, there's my answer to my unasked question!" Harry grins!
Hope you liked – please review!
5 review and I will update ASAP
Vicky xx