Corrupted One
Redux
Chapter Six
A few weeks had passed since the successful breakup of Harry and Ginny, and ever since Harry had been clinging to Hermione like she was his life line. At first Hermione was more annoyed than she had been at anytime in her life, but after a few days she had grown used to seeing him waiting for her at the bottom of the staircase in the mornings so that they could walk to breakfast together, and had even learned to enjoy his company when he sat across from her in the library.
Harry had also ignored every attempt that Ginny had made to reconcile with him. Whenever she approached him he would turn and walk in the opposite direction and Hermione would smirk at her before she turned and caught up with the disheartened boy and take his hand in hers, making sure to entwine their fingers together and then look over her shoulder at the seething redhead and giving her a mocking wink. Whenever she would do this Harry's cheeks would flush and she would give him a bright smile which he returned before they continued on their way.
As more weeks went by Harry and Hermione grew closer and closer together and she realized that she was beginning to develop feelings for the sweet, shy and kind Gryffindor. She tried as hard as she could to fight them but it was impossible, and they engulfed in her the warm heart fluttering skin tingling feelings that she had only read about and scoffed at.
Right now she, Harry and Neville were sitting around in a few plush armchairs in the Gryffindor common room, chatting serenely as they worked on their essays for Transfiguration together. Every once and awhile Hermione would be asked a question by one of the two boys and she would answer them effortlessly, smiling as they jotted down what she said. Behind them the portrait hole swung open and students began to pour in, one of them a recognizable redhead that made a beeline for Harry as soon as she saw him. The three were so absorbed in their work that they didn't notice until she had clamped her hands on his shoulders.
"Harry," Ginny said, tightening her grip on him when he turned to look at her. His eyes narrowed and he shrugged off her hands.
"What do you want Ginny?"
"I want to talk to you, I want to explain what you saw!" she wailed. Hermione rolled her eyes, holding back a snarl.
"There is nothing to explain, Ginny; I saw you kissing Malfoy and you said that he didn't force you. What else is there to say?"
"There's a lot to explain! I think that he did something to me that made me kiss him!" Hermione scoffed and Ginny narrowed her eyes at the brunette. "Do you have something to say?"
"Yes actually, I do," Hermione started, glaring at the redhead. "I think that you are just making excuses for something that you now realize was a stupid mistake because you want Harry back. Well you know what, Ginny? Life doesn't work like that! You can't just crush someone and then make up some pathetic lie to get them back! You lost your chance to be with Harry when you kissed Malfoy and I won't let you keep hurting someone so sweet!" Harry cocked his head at her, a blush forming over his cheeks as he gave her a gentle smile which she returned.
"Harry, don't listen to her!" Ginny harped, stamping her foot and placing her hands on her waist. "She doesn't know what she's saying! I think he really did something to me!" She turned to the third member of the group, her eyes pleading with the pleasingly plump young man. "You believe me, don't you Neville?"
"I'd like to," Neville began hesitantly, "but it does seem like Hermione has a point about you making a mistake and now making something up to get Harry back."
"What?! NO!"
"Ginny," Harry started, turning over his shoulder to look at her, emerald eyes cool and unfeeling. "Please leave us alone, we've heard enough of what you've had to say." The younger girl's mouth flapped like a fish out of water for a few moments before she stamped her foot once more and whirled around, storming off in a huff.
"Thanks Hermione," Harry said quietly, turning back to her and giving her another shy smile. Her heart fluttered wildly and she fought down a blush.
"You're welcome."
Harry sighed softly, resting his head on his arms that were folded behind him, gazing up at the darkness of his canopy. He knew that long before he had caught Ginny with Malfoy that his relationship with her had been over; sometimes he thought that the only reason he had asked the only female Weasley be his girlfriend was because it was expected of him. He had never really liked the redhead before; he had thought her annoying and star-struck and had actually never given her much thought until Ron and Mrs. Weasley started pushing her onto him, hinting subtlety and not so subtlety that they would be a perfect match. He had given into the pressure and asked her out.
He hadn't been able to get rid of her since.
But then he had met Hermione and he felt something that he had never experienced before. The way that she looked at him, with those swirling brown eyes that held a bit of mystery and maybe even a bit of vulnerability that was hidden by her aloof attitude made him want to protect her and made a warm tingling sensation occur in his chest (and, if he was honest with himself, in his pants as well).
Harry grunted in frustration, rolling over onto his side and moving one hand under his pillow, the other curled lazily around his waist. Although he knew that his relationship with Ginny was completely and utterly demolished (over before it even started, really) he still didn't know what to do about his feelings for Hermione. He didn't think that he should ask her on a date so soon after he had been 'crushed' by Ginny; he didn't want her to think that he was only using her as a replacement, but he also knew that he wanted to as close to her as he could be. What was he supposed to do?
With a miserable sigh he turned onto his stomach, closed his eyes and drifted off into a fitful sleep.
Author's Note: Ok, here's the next chapter, and in record time, too; sorry if there are mistakes and that it's not very long. I want to thank everyone who reviewed and all those who looked at the story (all 10,106 of you) and to the 34 that have favored this story and the 33 that have put it on their alert; thanks very much.
College has officially started for me as of September 4th, so I don't know when the next chapter is going to be up. I keep going through phases with this; one day I want to write and get it finished for you and then after that I am so totally bored with it. It really took alot out of me to write this. . . developing relationship . . . between Harry and Hermione. THIS story I am MOST ASSUREDLY NOT writing for my own enjoyment, but for the enjoyment of you readers; so please REVIEW:D
Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a review. Thank you. And if you want check out my other Harry/Hermione stories on my other penname; BewitchedOne. Thanks again.
A and W Rootber (AKA BewitchedOne)
