DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter and Twilight.

CHAPTER 36

Bella watched Hermione and Harry, drinking in the now familiar pub, packed of teenagers like them. Hermione was having what the barmaid called Gillywater, while Harry had Butterbeer.

"You shouldn't be here with me, Harry. You should be with Ron," said Hermione casually as she started writing something on her notes. When Bella peeked over Hermione's shoulder to read it, she read words like horcruxes, Gaunt shack, the cave, Wool's Orphanage, Slyhterin Locket, Hufflepuff's Cup and Ravenclaw's Diadem.

"Or pursuing Ginny," she added.

Harry shrugged and eyed her notes. "You should be careful not to open that here," he said with a scowl.

"Don't worry, Harry. Only you and I can read this," she replied and closed the journal. "You didn't answer me."

"You didn't ask," he replied with a shrug.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fine. Why aren't you with Ron or Ginny?"

Harry's emerald eyes met Hermione's brown ones. "I don't feel like tagging with Won-won and Lav-lav. And Ginny's snogging Dean again."

"She gave him another chance. Told you to hurry up, didn't I?"

Harry grimaced. "I don't know how to tell her about my feelings. Ron might kill me. I don't want to start a fight him. I still want him to be my best mate, even after that night, when I kicked off his arse - "

"Harry, language!"

"And knocked some common sense into him," he continued. Hermione dropped her gaze on the journal. Harry was staring at her. "He really didn't like Lavender, you know. He thought you didn't like him that way anymore 'cause you've been avoiding him. Then, Lavender instantly pulled him to a snog that day. After the game. Then, she was so vocal about the way she sees Ron. Er, Ron said that no one ever appreciated him that way, so, now, he didn't know how to break it up to her."

Hermione's faced hardened. "I don't care." Then, she stood up and went to the bar to order a bottle of 'firewhisky'. When she came back to Harry, he gave her a stern look.

"Aren't we still young to be drinking that?"

Hermione glared. "You're still young. I turned seventeenin September, so I'm allowed to drink." Then, she drank from the bottle. Bella could see on Hermione's face that she didn't like the taste and it burnt her throat, but she didn't stop.

"Hermione, you shouldn't be drinking just because you're sad," said Harry gently.

"Who says I'm drinking because I'm sad? I'm celebrating! Celebrating that I was able to get perfect scores, except for potions 'cause you're a cheater, Harry," she told him.

Harry didn't look offended, but worried. He looked like an older brother, worrying for his younger sister. Bella had seen that look before from Angela Weber when she was with her younger siblings. That was also the look on Emily's face whenever Sam's pack would argue.

"Hermione, you've got to stop drinking. You know that a bottle of firewhisky can make you drunk. It's not like any of the alcoholic beverages on your father's bar!"

Hermione dropped her head on the table and closed her eyes. "Put a Silencing Charm, Harry."

Harry reached for his wand and did as told. "Done."

Hermione rested her cheek on the table and smiled. "Thanks, Harry. You're the best..."

Harry watched his best friend with a sad look. "I love him, Harry. I thought he's my second chance... After what happened to my Cedric. I thought... I thought he would wait for me. Until I'm ready. Guess nobody will see me... Will love me the way Cedric did. Oh, gods. I miss him. Cedric, I mean. If he were still here, he would never let me go to the ministry without him. He would've joined D.A. But I miss Ron, too. Our best friend. You said he's fancied me since fourth year, even when my boyfriend was still around. But now he's with another girl. He's such an idiot, right, Harry? Tell me he's an idiot for hurting me."

Harry looked like he wanted to cry. "Yes, he's an idiot for hurting your feelings. You're a wonderful witch. You're beautiful and selfless... If only I can teachmy heart and pick my girl, I'd choose you."

Hermione laughed. "You can't, Harry. We're brother and sister!"

Harry chuckled. "Yeah, we are. In all but blood."

Hermione lifted her head to meet Harry's eyes. "Say, Harry. If one day you'd marry... Would you choose me to be your child's godmother? Will you let me be your children's dear Aunt Mione who'd

take them to West End, national libraries and museums, or even to the amusement park? The aunt who can spoil them rotten? Will you?"

Harry laughed. "Of course! And if I'd get married, I'd ask you to stand beside me on my wedding day."

Hermione smiled. "I love you, Harry."

Harry blushed and looked hesitant. "You're the first person to show and tell me that. The Dursleys were horrible. But you... You taught me how to love. I love you, too, Mione."

Hermione smiled and dropped her head again on the table.

Are they still friends, even after Hermione's change? Did they also meet Edward?

They didn't go straight to Forks after Italy. Maybe they visited Britain.

The pub faded and Bella was once again in the hospital wing. She rolled her eyes.

What's with them? Why are they always sick or injured?

She found Ron lying on the hospital bed, unconscious, surrounded by Harry, Ginny and Hermione. Nearby were two Hogwarts professors and the headmaster.

"Horace, they were in your office. What happened?" asked the headmaster.

The walrus-faced old professor looked hesitant. "Mr. Potter came to my office with Mr. Weasley. Harry said that his friend ate chocolates laced with love potion and was looking for Miss Romilda Vane like a love sick puppy. Harry asked me for an antidote. After giving him the antidote, I learned that today is his coming of age day, so I offered them the best mead I found on my shelf, which I was intending to give you for Christmas, Headmaster. Since he was the birthday celebrant, I urged him to open it. But as soon as Mr. Weasley drank, he fell on the floor and started shaking. Mr. Potter was so quick to collect a bezoard from my personal store," explained the professor in question.

So, he was poisoned, she thought. She watched the professors spoke to the nurse and three students. Harry, Hermione and Ginny all stayed and sat by Ron's bed, then, the blonde haired girl who was Ron's snogging partner, arrived and rushed to Ron's side. But before she could hold her boyfriend's hand, Ron's eyes opened and when he saw Hermione, he smiled.

"'My-knee," he croaked and tried to move his hand.

"Won-won?" asked the blonde haired girl. "Is it your knee?"

Ron didn't take his eyes away from Hermione. "Her... My-knee... I love you."

Bella heard everyone in the room gasped and Ron's girlfriend cried openly and ran away. Harry and Ginny smiled to Hermione and turned to leave. Hermione blushed and sat on the edge of Ron's bed, then, took his hand.

The scene faded and was replaced by the common room. Harry looked like he screwed up. His necktie was loosened, the top buttons of his school shirt was undone and his hair was messier than ever. Ron was looking at him sympathetically. Ginny looked hesitant and Hermione was furious.

"So, what did you get from Snape?" asked Ron quietly.

"Banned from Quidditch and detention for the rest of the year," replied Harry, not meeting his friends' eyes.

"So, you're not expelled," said Ron, looking relieved.

"Thank Merlin, no," snapped Hermione who continuously glared at Harry. "But I reckon, that was the headmaster's decision. If it were Professor Snape, you'd be expelled for using an unknown spell - wait, no, not spell. A curse! You used an unknown curse to your fellow student! You could've killed him!"

"You're out of the line, Hermione!" snapped Ginny furiously and stood between Hermione and Harry. "It was harmless, that's why Dumbledore decided not to expel Harry! And besides, that was Malfoy! He's a Death Eater!"

"No proof. How do you know he's one of them?" replied Hermione firmly and a little louder, causing the other Gryffindors in the room to stare at the two girls who were known to be friends.

Hermione turned to look at Harry. "Harry, when Professor Snape was healing Malfoy, was his left forearm exposed?" Harry nodded. "Was there a Dark Mark?" Harry shook his head. Hermione turned back to Ginny. "See? And for your information, when Harry hit Malfoy with that spell, he looked like he was hit with a shrapnel. There were several cuts all over his body and he was bleeding! Now, tell me that it was harmless!"

Ginny stared at Hermione, looking speechless. "But... Why did Dumbledore - "

"Because he knows I've got nowhere to go," said Harry to answer Ginny's question. "If he would expel me, I wouldn't be able to continue learning how to fight him. I won't be safe outside Hogwarts." Then, he stood up and met his friends' eyes. "You're right, Hermione. I should've returned the book to the classroom cupboard. I'm sorry for not listening to you. Again."

Fuck. Why is she always right? And wait. Was Ginny taking Harry's side this time? Not Hermione's? Well, that means, she's also silly when it comes to love.

Bella smirked. This is something I could tell to her face when I saw her.