Chapter 14

"He called you what?!" Harry exclaimed, barely contained rage in his voice. Neville had just finished recounting the whole conversation he and Hermione had over heard, between Ron and Ginny not five minutes ago. Hermione was still sitting in the aisle between Neville and Luna, Harry kneeling in front of her, trying to get her to look at him.

"I tried to tell her it was all nonsense. Ron doesn't know what he's talking about. Your not a nag, you just worry about everybody, 'cause you care so much." Neville said, not for the first time, from the sound of it.

"Hermione you don't believe any of that stuff Ron and Ginny said do you? You know they're wrong right?" Harry pleaded with her desperately.

"I've always thought you were pretty…. in an unconventional sort of way" Luna said as though it were the greatest compliment a girl could receive.

"Ugh that's enough, all of you!" Hermione shouted, leaping to her feet, hands clenched into fists, she shoved past Harry towards the exit of the shop.

"Hermione wait…" Harry called after her.

"No! I'm not some vain deluded girl who doesn't know how you all really see me Luna, Or some basket case that can't handle hearing what you all really think of me Neville." Hermione exclaimed.

"What did we do?" Neville pondered sorrowfully.

"But most of all..." Hermione said looking dead at Harry, "I am not some pathetic charity case that needs you to come to my rescue because I can't get a date!" "Hermione no…" Harry called after her, but she paid him no mind bursting out the door and slamming it behind her.

"That's it…" Harry said with what even he couldn't decide was sarcasm or sincerity, " I'm gonna kill'em… I am going to kill RON WEASLEY!" and with that he raced out the door after Hermione , Neville and Luna in tow.

Hermione was already Halfway up the trail threw the snow towards the center of town.

"Hermione!" Harry called.

She didn't acknowledge him but just kept walking.

"HERMIONE!"

Still she wouldn't stop.

"HERMIONE GRANGER I… I LOVE YOU!" Harry yelled drawing the attention of everyone in the square.

Hermione froze, she was right beneath the lamp post that marked the centre of town. Snow falling softly upon her head. Hermione turned to face him, a half dozen each of Hufflepuffles, Ravenclaws and Gryffindors had stopped and were now watching them.

Well Perfect Potter, this is exactly the way I pictured doing this... Harry thought to himself.

"What did you just say?" Hermione asked cautiously.

"You heard me, I love you Hermione Granger." Harry said his voice starting to crack.

Neville and Luna finally caught up just as Harry finished repeating it , filling in the last gaps in the circle of students that had formed around Harry and Hermione.

"You don't mean tha…" Hermione protested.

"Yes I do, I…" a Lump was growing in Harry's throat it was getting harder to speak with each word, he feared if she didn't hear him soon , he would lose the ability to speak all together and then there would be only tears.

"I have been trying to tell you all day… but… I… I don't know why, why Hermione? Why is it so hard for you to believe me?" Harry moved closer He put his hands on her shoulders.

"What is it Hermione? :

Do you think you're not good enough?

You will always be the most Brilliant Girl in the world to me.

Do you think you're not brave enough?

We've faced down Troll's and Dementors, and Werewolves for each other.

Do you think you're not Loyal enough?

You stuck by me when no one else would, when I was all alone against Dragons, and Merfolk and…" he trailed off before saying Voldemort. Harry placed his right hand beneath Hermione's chin raising it up so those Great Golden Eyes of her's would meet his,

Losing him self in them he began to ask more softly :

"Do you think you're not pretty enough?

Hermione even a girl with the beauty of a hundred Veela, couldn't compare to you in my eyes.

Do you think any one could ever take your place?

Hermione Do you know what the happiest and the worst days of my life have in common? YOU!

The Happiest day of my life was the day a lost toad brought you stumbling into it. Somehow I knew even then, that you were magic. Oh not like we learn about at school, something far more special, the world is always so much brighter when you're by my side." Harry confessed.

" and the worst?..." Hermione asked seemingly finding her voice at last.

"That day, the day Dumbledore called me to the Hospital wing, to tell me you'd been Petrified by the Slytherin's monster. When I saw you lying frozen there, when I… when I thought I might lose you forever,… it broke me Hermione. Nothing had ever broken me before, not the Dursley's, or Malfoy, not even losing my Parents. Not like that... but the thought I might never again hear your voice... I sat by your side every moment I could, because if I left you and you didn't wake…" the pain in Harry's voice at reliving the feelings even now was palpable.

"… and then one night, even in that state, you managed to give me what I needed, to give me your Knowledge ,your Strength,… your Love. And I knew what I had to do, and with your help I knew I could do it. That's when I first said it out loud, when I first told you I loved you." Harry finished

"I remember..." Hermione said

"You do?" Harry asked puzzled.

"I never told you did I? What it was like, being Petrified." Hermione asked him

"No" Harry answered

"It was like floating, in a cold dead void, surrounded by dark shadows, like being wrapped in a blanket of fear... but every time, just as it would become too much to bare, a light would shine through,… and I …, I would hear your voice calling to me… I thought I had dreamt it." Hermione said " But that's… that's when I knew I loved you too Harry, I just never dared hope that… that it had been anything more then a dream."

"Hermione Granger, I Harry Potter love you more then anything. I always have and I always will. So as long as you love me too, nothing will ever part me from your side. Not that git Ron Weasley, or his conniving sister Ginny, or even a certain arrogant Slytherin with a busted nose…" Hermione let out a slight chuckle along with the gorgeous grin that was spreading across her face. " … I don't care what they think, or what anyone says. I LOVE YOU."

With that Harry took her face in his hands, leaned down, and did something he had always wanted to do… kiss Hermione Granger. It was more perfect then he had ever dreamed. Her lips were soft, tender, and inviting. She flung her arms around his neck pulling Harry in even deeper. Harry felt as though they were floating, suspended there to together as if sharing a moment out of time, a moment he never wanted to end.

They were called back to reality by the whistles and cheers from the surrounding crowd, whistles lead by Neville, with Luna making catcalls next to him. The ring of students, were all joining in, either cheering or clapping or both… Harry couldn't really tell and he didn't really care.

"Umm Harry…" Hermione said when they finally broke their kiss, " As much as I never want this embrace to end… maybe we should go somewhere a little more private then the center of town?" She said with a sly grin on her face, motioning to the crowd around them.

"Who cares." Harry said, and he leaned down and kissed her, his dream come true, for a second time.