Chapter Ten
Harry walked into the common room, an hour before Ron or Hermione was expecting him. They were standing in front of the fire, not an inch of daylight between them. And that wasn't even the worst part. They were kissing.
Harry couldn't move for shock. His jaw dropped towards the floor and he just stared. "What-You-Two-" he spluttered.
Ron and Hermione jumped apart. "Harry, come on, don't be like that!" Ron began.
"Yeah, we can explain!" Hermione jumped in.
Harry just glared at the both of them. "I don't want to hear it!" he bellowed and ran up to his dorm. He slammed the door and flung himself onto his bed. He tried to remember Remus's Anger Management class. He tried to take a deep breath and count to ten, but he couldn't calm down. The walls around him flickered different colors. Harry picked up the nearest thing (Ron's copy of Dueling: A History) and chucked it at the window as hard as he could.
Instead of going through the window, it bounced back and lay on the floor. Frustrated, Harry picked up something else (This something was a pot of blue ink) and threw it at the wall. It shattered, covering the carpet with blue ink.
Harry let out a quiet, muffled yell and wished the stupid ink would clean itself up. To his surprise, it did.
Slightly shocked, Harry convinced himself he was seeing things. A good fly would take care of everything. He snapped up his broom and stalked downstairs. He brushed past his former friends, who were sitting on a couch, talking.
When he reached the pitch, he mounted his broom and flew around it. The feel of the wind in his hair brought him back and calmed him down considerably.
He flew for at least an hour longer until it was dark. He landed and dismounted, ready to talk to Ron and Hermione.
But when he got the common room, it was deserted. Harry glanced at the clock over the fire place-it was pretty late. He went up to his dorm, to find Ron and the rest of his housemates were already sleeping.
~*~
The next morning, Harry left the dorm to find Ron and Hermione. He managed to hunt them down half way to the Great Hall.
He caught up to them and, arms crossed, he said simply, "Explain."
"Harry, it was nothing, I promise!" Hermione cried. "We were just-we got to talking and-"
"It was just to see-to see if anything was there," Ron interrupted.
"And?" Harry prompted, his patience wearing thin. Both Ron and Hermione seemed to be at a loss for words. He threw up his hands and stomped into the Great Hall.
"All right there, Harry?" said a squeaky voice to Harry's left. Still seeing red, Harry turned. Colin.
Harry took a deep breath and said calmly. "Colin, bugger off." But instead of leaving, Colin snapped a picture.
Something in Harry snapped. He pointed his wand at Colin's camera and said a few words. It fell to the floor and burst into flames. Harry watched with little satisfaction as it smoldered.
Several things happened at once. Colin glared at Harry and told him he was a bad role model, Ginny (who was in the room) started yelling, saying how it wasn't Colin's fault, the Slytherins started laughing, Ron and Hermione walked in looking downtrodden and Dumbledore shot sparks into the air.
"Miss Weasley, please have a seat." He said and Ginny sat. "Mr. Creevey, your camera will be fine." Colin looked relieved and picked it back up. He pulled out the film in a burst of steam.
"Mr. Potter, please follow me." Still fuming slightly, Harry picked up his bag and followed the headmaster out of the hall, up several flights of stairs and to his office.
"Have a seat," Dumbledore said and Harry dropped down in the cushioned chair in front of the desk. "Would you care for a lemon drop?"
Harry shook his head. "Professor, I can explain, I-" But the headmaster interrupted him.
"I'm sure you can. I would just like you to know I am here if you'd like to talk," he said pleasantly. "Is there anything you'd like to discuss?"
Harry thought all that had been going on the first week back to school. Snape's lessons, his thoughts about Sirius, his strange lack on dreams, and Ron and Hermione's kiss.
He opened his mouth to say something, but shut it again. He did that a few times, earning himself the impression of a fish out of water. Finally, what came out was, "Ron and Hermione-they-" He couldn't say it.
It stung a lot more than it should, Harry realized with a start. They were his best friends, he should be happy for them. He thought back to Cho. What he felt for Cho was nothing like what he felt for Hermione. But what exactly did he feel for Hermione?
He sighed. "There's nothing sir," he finished rather lamely.
"Very well," Dumbledore said, folding his hands. "Off you go then. And if you would kindly apologize to Mr. Creevey, I believe he rather liked that camera. I trust you won't do something like that again?"
Harry nodded, his mind whirling. He couldn't understand his feelings at all, especially the ones for Hermione. He left the office in sort of a daze.
He was halfway to the common room when he realized he was supposed to be in charms. He turned on his heel and hurried off to class. When he got there, Flitwick was teaching the class how to do an disillusionment charm.
"I hope none of you will use this to prowl about the school at night or-oh, Mr. Potter. How nice of you to join us!" he said in his squeaky voice from a top a stack of books when Harry walked in. "Please have a seat. Class, you can work on the charm, Miss Granger, please show Mr. Potter how to do it."
Harry walked over to where Hermione and Ron were sitting. He set down his books on the empty desk on Hermione's left and turned to face her.
"So.?" he asked, feeling a tinge rise in his cheeks. He scolded himself mentally. It was just Hermione, his best friend. Why on Earth was he blushing, it wasn't as if he liked her as more than a friend or anything.
But Harry could see a blush on her face too. She reached out her arm and tapped Harry on the head and said the charm and Harry felt what felt like raw egg running down his back. "You just tap and say the words," she instructed.
Harry did as she asked and she went half transparent. She still had an outline and was faintly colored like herself.
"Harry, I know you're angry with Ron and I, but-Harry, it was just to see," Hermione exclaimed.
"Well?" Harry asked. "What did you find out? Enlighten me." He crossed his see-through arms and waited for her explanation.
The bell rang just then and the class was dismissed. Hermione jumped up and dashed out of the room.
Harry let out a muffled yell. This was great. Not only did he not get his explanation, she was avoiding him. He spotted her at the end of the corridor.
"Hermione!" he yelled, running to catch up. She turned the corner down an empty hall. Harry caught up to her and spun her around by her shoulders.
"I have to know what it meant," Harry said urgently. "I have to know what happened."
Tears welled up in Hermione's eyes and she didn't say anything for a moment. Then she said, "Harry, I-"
"I can't believe it! You-and Ron-" Harry interrupted, throwing his hands up.
"It's not like that! I'm not sure what it means! But I-I think I'm in love."
A/N: Thanks everyone for the reviews! Let's see who can make it to a hundred! Whoever hits it gets to have a chapter with what ever they want in it (Mind it has to go with the plot and it can't go against the rating) and it gets dedicated to them! So let's get reviewing!
Harry walked into the common room, an hour before Ron or Hermione was expecting him. They were standing in front of the fire, not an inch of daylight between them. And that wasn't even the worst part. They were kissing.
Harry couldn't move for shock. His jaw dropped towards the floor and he just stared. "What-You-Two-" he spluttered.
Ron and Hermione jumped apart. "Harry, come on, don't be like that!" Ron began.
"Yeah, we can explain!" Hermione jumped in.
Harry just glared at the both of them. "I don't want to hear it!" he bellowed and ran up to his dorm. He slammed the door and flung himself onto his bed. He tried to remember Remus's Anger Management class. He tried to take a deep breath and count to ten, but he couldn't calm down. The walls around him flickered different colors. Harry picked up the nearest thing (Ron's copy of Dueling: A History) and chucked it at the window as hard as he could.
Instead of going through the window, it bounced back and lay on the floor. Frustrated, Harry picked up something else (This something was a pot of blue ink) and threw it at the wall. It shattered, covering the carpet with blue ink.
Harry let out a quiet, muffled yell and wished the stupid ink would clean itself up. To his surprise, it did.
Slightly shocked, Harry convinced himself he was seeing things. A good fly would take care of everything. He snapped up his broom and stalked downstairs. He brushed past his former friends, who were sitting on a couch, talking.
When he reached the pitch, he mounted his broom and flew around it. The feel of the wind in his hair brought him back and calmed him down considerably.
He flew for at least an hour longer until it was dark. He landed and dismounted, ready to talk to Ron and Hermione.
But when he got the common room, it was deserted. Harry glanced at the clock over the fire place-it was pretty late. He went up to his dorm, to find Ron and the rest of his housemates were already sleeping.
~*~
The next morning, Harry left the dorm to find Ron and Hermione. He managed to hunt them down half way to the Great Hall.
He caught up to them and, arms crossed, he said simply, "Explain."
"Harry, it was nothing, I promise!" Hermione cried. "We were just-we got to talking and-"
"It was just to see-to see if anything was there," Ron interrupted.
"And?" Harry prompted, his patience wearing thin. Both Ron and Hermione seemed to be at a loss for words. He threw up his hands and stomped into the Great Hall.
"All right there, Harry?" said a squeaky voice to Harry's left. Still seeing red, Harry turned. Colin.
Harry took a deep breath and said calmly. "Colin, bugger off." But instead of leaving, Colin snapped a picture.
Something in Harry snapped. He pointed his wand at Colin's camera and said a few words. It fell to the floor and burst into flames. Harry watched with little satisfaction as it smoldered.
Several things happened at once. Colin glared at Harry and told him he was a bad role model, Ginny (who was in the room) started yelling, saying how it wasn't Colin's fault, the Slytherins started laughing, Ron and Hermione walked in looking downtrodden and Dumbledore shot sparks into the air.
"Miss Weasley, please have a seat." He said and Ginny sat. "Mr. Creevey, your camera will be fine." Colin looked relieved and picked it back up. He pulled out the film in a burst of steam.
"Mr. Potter, please follow me." Still fuming slightly, Harry picked up his bag and followed the headmaster out of the hall, up several flights of stairs and to his office.
"Have a seat," Dumbledore said and Harry dropped down in the cushioned chair in front of the desk. "Would you care for a lemon drop?"
Harry shook his head. "Professor, I can explain, I-" But the headmaster interrupted him.
"I'm sure you can. I would just like you to know I am here if you'd like to talk," he said pleasantly. "Is there anything you'd like to discuss?"
Harry thought all that had been going on the first week back to school. Snape's lessons, his thoughts about Sirius, his strange lack on dreams, and Ron and Hermione's kiss.
He opened his mouth to say something, but shut it again. He did that a few times, earning himself the impression of a fish out of water. Finally, what came out was, "Ron and Hermione-they-" He couldn't say it.
It stung a lot more than it should, Harry realized with a start. They were his best friends, he should be happy for them. He thought back to Cho. What he felt for Cho was nothing like what he felt for Hermione. But what exactly did he feel for Hermione?
He sighed. "There's nothing sir," he finished rather lamely.
"Very well," Dumbledore said, folding his hands. "Off you go then. And if you would kindly apologize to Mr. Creevey, I believe he rather liked that camera. I trust you won't do something like that again?"
Harry nodded, his mind whirling. He couldn't understand his feelings at all, especially the ones for Hermione. He left the office in sort of a daze.
He was halfway to the common room when he realized he was supposed to be in charms. He turned on his heel and hurried off to class. When he got there, Flitwick was teaching the class how to do an disillusionment charm.
"I hope none of you will use this to prowl about the school at night or-oh, Mr. Potter. How nice of you to join us!" he said in his squeaky voice from a top a stack of books when Harry walked in. "Please have a seat. Class, you can work on the charm, Miss Granger, please show Mr. Potter how to do it."
Harry walked over to where Hermione and Ron were sitting. He set down his books on the empty desk on Hermione's left and turned to face her.
"So.?" he asked, feeling a tinge rise in his cheeks. He scolded himself mentally. It was just Hermione, his best friend. Why on Earth was he blushing, it wasn't as if he liked her as more than a friend or anything.
But Harry could see a blush on her face too. She reached out her arm and tapped Harry on the head and said the charm and Harry felt what felt like raw egg running down his back. "You just tap and say the words," she instructed.
Harry did as she asked and she went half transparent. She still had an outline and was faintly colored like herself.
"Harry, I know you're angry with Ron and I, but-Harry, it was just to see," Hermione exclaimed.
"Well?" Harry asked. "What did you find out? Enlighten me." He crossed his see-through arms and waited for her explanation.
The bell rang just then and the class was dismissed. Hermione jumped up and dashed out of the room.
Harry let out a muffled yell. This was great. Not only did he not get his explanation, she was avoiding him. He spotted her at the end of the corridor.
"Hermione!" he yelled, running to catch up. She turned the corner down an empty hall. Harry caught up to her and spun her around by her shoulders.
"I have to know what it meant," Harry said urgently. "I have to know what happened."
Tears welled up in Hermione's eyes and she didn't say anything for a moment. Then she said, "Harry, I-"
"I can't believe it! You-and Ron-" Harry interrupted, throwing his hands up.
"It's not like that! I'm not sure what it means! But I-I think I'm in love."
A/N: Thanks everyone for the reviews! Let's see who can make it to a hundred! Whoever hits it gets to have a chapter with what ever they want in it (Mind it has to go with the plot and it can't go against the rating) and it gets dedicated to them! So let's get reviewing!