A/N: This is my first fic! YAY! This isn't a song fic. I hope you enjoy it and keep reading! Oh and in this chapter the nickname for Hermione ("Miny") is pronounced my-knee. Please R/R

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters except for Connie and Julia. They are my clever creations. The world of Hogwarts and all that magical jazz is JKRs. She is amazing! YAY JKR!

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There's a fine fine, line

Between a lover and a friend

There's a fine, fine line

Between reality and pretend

I guess if someone doesn't love you back

It isn't such a crime.

But there a fine, fine line between love

And a waste of your time.

Avenue Q (Fine, Fine Line

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As the Amber sun rose high over the lake, Hermione rose from her bed. She had missed it dearly. The sun had always awakened her over the past four years. She knew she was back at Hogwarts.

She wandered over to her bureau and picked out her robes (they're all black so what does it matter). Apparently her roommates had left before sunup, probably to primp. Girls like that annoyed her so much. They were there to learn . . . just to learn . . . boys were a waste of time.

20 minutes had passed since the suns rays head aroused her from her dreamless sleep. Professor McGonagall had helped her procure the potion that eliminated her dreams of what might have been last summer. . . last summer. . . she wanted to forget, had to forget. Life is not meant to be lived while wallowing in retrospect. But she could not change what happened, no matter how hard she wished for her deeds to be undone.

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"Harry, get up you blimey git. We need to get down to the front hall", Ron screamed in his best mate's ear.

"Why Ron?", Harry answered groggily.

"Because . . . um . . . well . . . our schedules?"

"Or maybe ", Harry added as he stripped down to his briefs, " you just fancy those American girls whose parents are in the order". Harry laughed as the crimson evidence of Ron's motive swept across his face.

"Well . . . so what if it's true? It would do you well to carry a torch for some girl. Everyone keeps asking me if you fancy blokes and am I your lover. My repeated denial of this accusation has not stopped the rumors, mind you. It is getting quite tiring. GET A GIRL, MATE".

"There must be some girl in this school that I could hook up with," Harry said as he donned the school uniform, "but she can't be annoying or too young". Ever since last summer, no one interested him. They were all unintelligent or immature. So stuck on themselves. Last summer . . . no girl could ever make him forget that.

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Hermione descended the stairs to the common room slowly, hoping to run into someone. Just one . . . step . . . at . . . a . . . time. She almost fell down the stairs as Ginny ran past her.

"Ginny! Wait! Will you be a dear and see if your brother and Harry have left yet. I seem to have forgotten my prefect badge in my room. Tell them to hurry along without me if they are waiting", Hermione told her in her sugary sweetest voice.

"No problem, Hermione", the red haired 4th year replied as she continued to speed down the stairs.

A wave of relief washed over her. She would not have to face them anytime soon. If only they did not have to go through classes together. Professor McGonagall tried to put the "Terrific Trio" together for every class but this year her kindness would only bring Hermione misery.

She pulled her badge out of a pocket on her messenger bag and pinned it to her robe. Sooner or later she would have to face him. Although she had been wishing and hoping for later more than sooner, it was to surely come.

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Harry insisted on waiting for Hermione. No matter what Ginny said, he needed to talk with her. After she left 12 Grimmauld Place, they hadn't talked. She had mingled with the first years and transfers on the train then she sat with her new American friends the night before. She was clearly avoiding him. But he knew she was too clever to think that they could avoid each other all year.

"I am starving and I want to get a better look at those girls. And maybe you can find one too. Come on now, let's go! You heard Ginny. Let's go," Ron pulled Harry out the door.

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Going into the front hall would be such a gamble. She was starving but she didn't want to run into . . . him. Should she? She could always sit with her new friends that she met on the train. She had met their parents at Sirius's house. Julia and Connie were transfers from Santa Maria Academy of magic for witches. It was the only all girls magic school in their state.

Their parents had been in the Order before James and Lily Potter died. They had fled to America for their children's safety, but now that they were older they could return. Their presence brought new hope to the order and strengthened their chance for defeating Voldemort.

"I'm glad to be back but it feels so weird to be the only one with an American accent. Well besides Connie", Julia told Hermione as they talked over toast and pumpkin juice.

"It doesn't stand out too much. You two will fit in just fine here" Hermione assured her as she reached for the jam, "just be nice and smile. It worked for me".

"Why are those boys staring at us, Hermione? Is one of them your boy friend? You didn't tell us? To think she knows those three gorgeous guys and she waited to introduce us" Connie declared feigning anger.

"Let's do it now" Julia insisted dragging Hermione over to Neville, Ron, and Harry.

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"Hey look whose coming. It's Hermione and her cute friends" Neville said as he started to sweat profusely.

"Its ok Neville. Just smile and nod." Ron told him as he ruffled his hair.

"It doesn't look better that way, Ron".

"Shut up, Harry! Hey Hermione" Ron exclaimed.

"Hi, guys. These are my friends Connie and Julia. They are transfers from the States. Connie, Julia, these are my friends Ron, Neville," Julia waved and winked at a confused Neville" and . . . this is Harry" Hermione finished the intros and stood there awkwardly, avoiding Harry's gaze.

"OMG! You mean this is Harry Potter. WOW! My mom said that she met him this summer but I didn't believe her. No MFing way!" Connie exclaimed, her voice filled the crowded front hall. Heads turned throughout the hall to look at Harry and his American admirers.

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As Connie gushed over Harry, Hermione couldn't help but regret letting her new friends pull her over to the boys. She was about to leave when Julia grabbed her arm and told her "Neville is so adorable. I just love his smile. Can you fix us up?"

Hermione thought for a second and nodded, yes. Why not. Julia deserved Neville. He was a really sweet guy. Someone should be happy . . . even if she couldn't be.

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Harry caught Hermione's gaze as she watched her friends spaz over going to school with boys. Harry looked deep into her brown eyes and she looked into his green eyes. All of the words that they could have ever said to each other were conveyed in that single look.

Last summer had changed everything.

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Hermione fled from the great hall without a word. How could he do this to her? She would not cry. Crying never solved anything. There has to be an analytical way to solve this. I have never been in this kind of situation. How could I lose control like this this? I am the most controlled person I know. Why must he have this affect on me?

I just want to get away . . . away from him . . . away from this place where love cant prevail over . . . over whatever it is . . . where no matter what I do, I cant have what I want . . . what I need . . .

The disheartened teenager collapsed on the floor in a corridor that she had never seen before in the castle. Her body began to tremble as she tried to retain the torrent of anguish that had accumulated over time. Tears sprung forth from her hazel eyes. She curled up in a corner and wept quietly.

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They watched as Hermione quickly departed from the Great Hall. Harry jumped to his feet immediately. "I will go see if she is ok . . . knowing Miny, I mean Hermione she probably went to go to make sure she memorized all of her textbooks" he quickly laughed after he blurted out this excuse to cover up this motive.

He ran through the halls searching for Hermione. Finally he stumbled upon her quivering body in the corner of a deserted corridor. An urge to hold her overcame him as he knelt down and held her head in his hands.

"Miny, its ok. We can get through this", he said as he brought her to his lap and held her as they swayed. She nestled her head in the crook of his neck.

"How, Harry?" she asked still trembling horribly with each sob.

"We just will . . . I don't know how, but we will overcome this obstacle. We just have to-"

"Don't say it, Harry" she pleaded as she turned to look into his emerald eyes, "Don't you dare even think it" she stopped crying and cupped his visage in her hands "I don't want to ever stop loving you" she pulled him to her lips and fervently kissed him. Their 5th year at Hogwarts had begun.