CHAPTER THREE
Harry was rooted to the spot, unable to do anything. He was so scared, then.
He saw Hermione, in her bathrobe and slippers, walking down the staircase. She was grinning.
"It was you!" Harry breathed. "My goodness, you scared the living daylights out of me!"
Hermione approached Harry and put her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Then she lowered her voice. "Bet you thought it was You-Know-Who."
Harry seemed amazed at how well Hermione knew him. He smiled and said, "Yeah, that thought lingered in my mind for a moment." And how could he not avoid it, after his close encounter with Voldemort last year?
"C'mere, sit down," he invited Hermione, gesturing to an armchair near the fireplace. Hermione followed him and sat down as Harry pulled an armchair for himself.
"So, what's up?"
Hermione sighed. "It's about Weasley, I-I mean Ron," she said.
Harry gave her a look of puzzlement. He was still mad at Ron (though he couldn't explain why exactly), and he thought Hermione knew that.
"What about him?" he asked. "I thought you were mad at Ron."
"Well, yeah, I thought so too," said Hermione, but then she saw the puzzled look that lingered on Harry's face. "I-I mean, I've thought it over."
"And?" Harry prompted.
"And. I figured. that. maybe. we should. you know, start talking. To Ron. Again."
"Give me one good reason why we should start talking to Ron again. Just one good reason, Hermione, and I'll start talking to him again." Harry said this with a hint of rage and fury in his tone.
"I. I saw him a while ago. In the library. And his eyes." Hermione trailed off.
"What about Ron's eyes?" Harry prompted.
"His eyes. they. they showed how much he. he needs us. You and me. Ron needs us, Harry. We're his friends, after all."
"But he attacked me!" Harry jumped out of his seat. He couldn't understand it. Why was Hermione suddenly so concerned about Ron? She was supposed to be his girlfriend! "I thought that was the reason you got mad at him! Don't you remember that?"
"Yes, I do," Hermione replied. "But, look. Ron's alone without us, Harry. I can understand how he feels because two years ago, I felt the same way. Don't you remember? Ron even said it: 'She's horrible.' I heard that, and I know you couldn't stand me at the time.
"Don't you get it, Harry? Ron needs us. Everyone needs friends. Ron's already intimidated by his brothers' accomplishments - Bill was Head Boy, Charlie was Quidditch captain, Percy was a prefect and Head Boy, Fred and George joke around and everyone really enjoys their company. In my opinion, Ron needs his friends to support him because of all the pressure brought by his brothers. Besides, I don't want you guys to fight all because of me. After all, you two were best friends even before I got into the picture."
Harry took a deep breath. "OK," he said finally after a minute of uneasy silence. "I promise I'll think it over tonight. Then I'll tell you my decision tomorrow."
Hermione smiled. "Thanks, Harry. Well, we'd both better sleep now. It's already eleven o'clock in the evening." Hermione got up from her chair and climbed up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. He turned around to see Harry do the same.
"Good night, Harry."
"Good night, Hermione."
Hermione smiled, then grabbed the doorknob of the dormitory and went inside. Harry watched as Hermione smiled at him and blew him a kiss before closing the door. Smiling, he went into the dormitory and climbed onto his four-poster. Closing his eyes, he muttered, "I love you Hermione" under his breath until he finally drifted off to Dreamland.
?????
Hermione climbed onto her four-poster bed and lied down. She pulled the sheets over her head. After about ten minutes of twisting and turning, she sat up.
I'm so sorry, Harry. I just couldn't bear to tell you the whole truth.
Silent tears flowed from her eyes and trickled down her face. She didn't bother wiping them dry.
Why am I feeling like this? I have Harry as my boyfriend, for goodness' sakes!
But Ron. in the library. and those eyes.
Is it possible for me to be falling in love with Ron? But I'm in love with Harry!
Or am I?
Oh my God, I'm so confused!
Harry was rooted to the spot, unable to do anything. He was so scared, then.
He saw Hermione, in her bathrobe and slippers, walking down the staircase. She was grinning.
"It was you!" Harry breathed. "My goodness, you scared the living daylights out of me!"
Hermione approached Harry and put her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Then she lowered her voice. "Bet you thought it was You-Know-Who."
Harry seemed amazed at how well Hermione knew him. He smiled and said, "Yeah, that thought lingered in my mind for a moment." And how could he not avoid it, after his close encounter with Voldemort last year?
"C'mere, sit down," he invited Hermione, gesturing to an armchair near the fireplace. Hermione followed him and sat down as Harry pulled an armchair for himself.
"So, what's up?"
Hermione sighed. "It's about Weasley, I-I mean Ron," she said.
Harry gave her a look of puzzlement. He was still mad at Ron (though he couldn't explain why exactly), and he thought Hermione knew that.
"What about him?" he asked. "I thought you were mad at Ron."
"Well, yeah, I thought so too," said Hermione, but then she saw the puzzled look that lingered on Harry's face. "I-I mean, I've thought it over."
"And?" Harry prompted.
"And. I figured. that. maybe. we should. you know, start talking. To Ron. Again."
"Give me one good reason why we should start talking to Ron again. Just one good reason, Hermione, and I'll start talking to him again." Harry said this with a hint of rage and fury in his tone.
"I. I saw him a while ago. In the library. And his eyes." Hermione trailed off.
"What about Ron's eyes?" Harry prompted.
"His eyes. they. they showed how much he. he needs us. You and me. Ron needs us, Harry. We're his friends, after all."
"But he attacked me!" Harry jumped out of his seat. He couldn't understand it. Why was Hermione suddenly so concerned about Ron? She was supposed to be his girlfriend! "I thought that was the reason you got mad at him! Don't you remember that?"
"Yes, I do," Hermione replied. "But, look. Ron's alone without us, Harry. I can understand how he feels because two years ago, I felt the same way. Don't you remember? Ron even said it: 'She's horrible.' I heard that, and I know you couldn't stand me at the time.
"Don't you get it, Harry? Ron needs us. Everyone needs friends. Ron's already intimidated by his brothers' accomplishments - Bill was Head Boy, Charlie was Quidditch captain, Percy was a prefect and Head Boy, Fred and George joke around and everyone really enjoys their company. In my opinion, Ron needs his friends to support him because of all the pressure brought by his brothers. Besides, I don't want you guys to fight all because of me. After all, you two were best friends even before I got into the picture."
Harry took a deep breath. "OK," he said finally after a minute of uneasy silence. "I promise I'll think it over tonight. Then I'll tell you my decision tomorrow."
Hermione smiled. "Thanks, Harry. Well, we'd both better sleep now. It's already eleven o'clock in the evening." Hermione got up from her chair and climbed up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. He turned around to see Harry do the same.
"Good night, Harry."
"Good night, Hermione."
Hermione smiled, then grabbed the doorknob of the dormitory and went inside. Harry watched as Hermione smiled at him and blew him a kiss before closing the door. Smiling, he went into the dormitory and climbed onto his four-poster. Closing his eyes, he muttered, "I love you Hermione" under his breath until he finally drifted off to Dreamland.
?????
Hermione climbed onto her four-poster bed and lied down. She pulled the sheets over her head. After about ten minutes of twisting and turning, she sat up.
I'm so sorry, Harry. I just couldn't bear to tell you the whole truth.
Silent tears flowed from her eyes and trickled down her face. She didn't bother wiping them dry.
Why am I feeling like this? I have Harry as my boyfriend, for goodness' sakes!
But Ron. in the library. and those eyes.
Is it possible for me to be falling in love with Ron? But I'm in love with Harry!
Or am I?
Oh my God, I'm so confused!