Green and Silver Tie
Wow, we're actually above chapter twenty already. I can't believe that I had given up this story (twice). When I just started writing recently, I realized that a lot of the problems I had with this story were actually very much solvable.
Thank you so much for your continuous support! It really helps!
Especially a big thanks to my awesome reviewers Aishakhankhara, Gja03, and sunshinemeIIow!
HeRonLove: Your review totally made my day. I'm SO happy you liked their reactions:) I love how you noticed everything!
LilyJean630: Well, here are some of the repercussions of it;)
Chapter Twenty-One
Harry was furious for the rest of the meal.
Ginny held him back with a small hand, whispering calming words in his ear. However, no matter how softly she spoke, Harry kept glaring at Ron and Hermione intensely, seemingly not hearing anything his girlfriend was saying to him.
When breakfast was over, Hermione turned away and walked, head held high, not even sparing Harry a glance. From the corner of her eye, she saw Ginny still talking to him in a low voice, her slimy fingers wrapped around his bicep.
Throughout the following school day, Hermione kept on ignoring him. She were constantly looking over her shoulder. If she as much as got a glance of Harry, she would busy herself with something – anything, really.
She kept on reminding herself that she weren't childish, but merely waiting for the perfect moment to have the discussion she knew was awaiting.
And that moment could wait until they were out of the public's all-seeing and judgmental eye.
Furthermore, Ron kept disappearing to his other classes throughout the day, which in turn made it easier for Harry to calm down. By the end of the day, it seemed as though Harry's anger had cooled off considerably.
By their last class, he wasn't even glaring daggers at her anymore.
Though, this all changed when she entered the Gryffindor common room after the last lecture had finished.
"Hermione!" Harry yelled at her the moment she entered through the portrait. The common room turned eerily quiet.
Before she could react, he was up from the couch and stalking towards her in long strides. She turned around to flee once again, but he grabbed her by the neck of her robes.
"Oh no, you don't," he scolded, gritting his teeth, "You're coming with me,"
"Harry," she said calmly, narrowing her eyes. Her voice sounded cold and harsh, like gravel scraping against stone.
He pulled her with him out of the common room and back into the cold stone corridors of Hogwarts. Harry led her back to the moving stairs, and into a small, squared classroom. It was dusty and old – and obviously not in regular use anymore.
"Explain yourself," Harry scowled. His arms were crossed over his chest.
As if he had any reason to be mad, she thought.
"Why should I, when you don't tell me about what's up with you,"
"It's not like you tell me everything either," Harry argued.
"Clearly," she bit back.
"Please just explain, Hermione,"
The anger in his voice didn't quite reach up to his face. His face was hard around the edges, and his mouth stiff, but she saw the soft glint in his eyes. Hermione knew him well enough to know that he wasn't genuinely angry at her any longer, just disappointed and hurt. Unfortunately, that still meant that she owed him an explanation.
"Only if you tell me about the Order of the Phoenix and why you kept it a secret," she shot back.
He took a few steps back and let go of her robes. Even from a distance, she could clearly see the whites of his eyes. His mouth fell open.
"How –" he started, but she cut him off.
"You're not the only one with secrets, Harry,"
"Well, that part's obvious," he mumbled.
"You can't blame me for holding back information when you do the same to me, Harry. I hope you can understand that," she said calmly, looking down at the tip of her worn shoes.
Harry sighed loudly.
It was a deep sigh. By the end of it, it seemed like all the air had left him, and with the air, also his remaining anger at her. When she looked up again, he looked deflated. Sad, almost.
With downcast eyes, he put a hand on her shoulder.
"Come," he said, "Let's sit, and I will explain everything,"
"Yes," she said, "I'd like that,"
Then they walked to the library. With her expertise they found the most desolate spot between the bookshelves, where they would not be interrupted by students snogging or studying – or both. Finally in private, Harry sighed again.
"So," he started.
She looked at him with wide eyes, smiling weakly at him to continue.
And he did.
Harry told her about the organization they called the Order of the Phoenix. He told her how people like Dumbledore, Lupin, and Ginny were members.
It was obvious he were expecting her shock when he mentioned Snape, but her face remained stoic as ever. Though, for a fleeting moment, she felt relief pass through her. Snape really was on their side. He had not been plotting against them in secret like she and Ron had been afraid of.
Ron.
His name rung warmly in her chest.
Her smile softened at the thought of him. How he had come to sit with her at breakfast and –
"Hermione?"
She blinked, "Oh, sorry, Harry. Please continue,"
"As I was saying, this is super-secret, so don't mention it to anybody else. Not even your new buddy Weasley. No one," Harry said, leaning forward.
"I won't," she promised, taking his warm hand in hers, "But Ron already knows,"
"What?"
"Snape may or may not have slipped up when he told us about the safe house,"
"Wait, wait, wait," Harry said, his hand slipping out of hers, "Safe house? Snape and Weasley?"
"I guess I have a little to explain," Hermione chuckled.
Harry huffed, with his lips pursed, and eyebrows raised.
"To make a long story short, I found out that Ron –" Harry's eyebrows shot, if possible, even high up on his forehead at her casual mention of Ron Weasley's first name, "– was being pressured into being a Death Eater. I wanted to help, and we started seeing each other in secret. Snape was in on it, but he wasn't being much of a help honestly. Despite his orders, Ron and I have been meeting after that,"
He stared at her blankly for a while.
She coughed uncomfortably under his stare.
"And I maybe-also-have-a-crush-on-him," she mumbled, the words not really registering in her brain before she had said them out loud.
Something in her mind clicked.
"Come again?" he said, a wicked grin on his face.
"I have a crush on him," she repeated, all the blood rushing to her cheeks. She felt aflame, flushed and flustered, red as a traffic light. Her sweater suddenly felt constricting.
Hermione liked Ron Weasley.
She hadn't known it was completely true before she had admitted it to Harry. Saying it out loud made her stomach flutter with butterflies. Her skin tickled all over.
She liked him.
His voice flowed in her memories pleasantly 'Who said I only wanted to be friends with you'.
Hermione didn't hide her small smile.
"Honestly, Hermione, I think all of Gryffindor knows," Harry said with a broad smile.
"How could they know?" she asked, flustered.
"It's pretty obvious," he replied, "You know I think you're a brilliant witch, Hermione, but sometimes you can also be really oblivious,"
"Says you," she muttered bitterly, but Harry didn't seem to hear her. The laughter hadn't quite died down on his lips yet.
Harry punched her playfully in the shoulder.
"Lighten up a little. I'm sure he feels the same," he winked.
She flushed even darker.
"But seriously, Harry. No more secret holding?"
She held out her pinkie finger. Her smiled melted into a thin line again.
"No more secret holding," he shook her pinkie with his.
"Then it's settled. We're friends again,"
Harry chuckled merrily. All tension peeled off him in an instant. With an arm slung amiably around her shoulders, he led her out of the library.
"Finally, something we can agree on," he laughed.
"About time," Hermione scoffed, and gave him a playful push in the side.
She was looking forward to telling Ron. Though, for some reason she wasn't too sure that he would be happy that she and Harry were friends again.
A/N: I have been very busy with school, so I wrote this chapter on borrowed time. Please, if you are reading this story and enjoying it, leave a review, no matter the size, English level, or content, everything helps to motivate me to write further. I really want to keep writing this, and therefore I need you to push me to write more. On beforehand, thanks. All reviews will get replies in the next chapter:)