Title: Beyond Friendship
Chapter Eleven:
Authors: Jaycee and Marga
Note: Hey guys! Jaycee here, once again. Marga's the one who wrote this chapter, and we really hope that you all like it. Anyway, thank you for all the reviews! We really appreciate it. Those reviews keep us writing and help us to do better in this writing business thing. The screen captures and wallpaper is already up. For all of you who want to see them, please leave your email add in your review – I'll give you the link in your email account. I'll explain why in the email; for my fellow Filipinos, I think you all know the reason why I got to make those screen caps – don't yah?
FOR FILIPINO READERS: It's so great to see more Filipino writers! Kala kase namin konti lang ang nagbabasa ng Fanfic sa Philippines eh. Kame kaseng dalawa ni Marga, sobrang obsessed sa Fanfics… hehe… and thank you for reviewing, our kababayans. Sobrang thank you. We're from Malabon – but maybe, just as CrdCptr_Hikari said, baka nagkasalubong na tayong lahat dati, di lang natin alam. I'm in first year college – si Marga, she's in first year high school.
Bettina Radcliffe – Daniel is yours?? Hindi! Akin sya! LOL. Ang sarap mangarap noh? And thanks for reading and reviewing my other Fanfic.
Nicole Felton – yay! Another filipina! Thanks for reading and reviewing – we really appreciate it! *END OF MESSAGE*
* * * * * Harry and Hermione Forever – we're reading Camp Muggle and this other fic, Hogsmeade Pizza. Have you read that one too? I like it – those two fics actually, I like them both. Thank you again for recommending them – and for those shippers who haven't read those two – I highly recommend them! Read those two stories now! LOL.
Mrs. Sirius Onion Black – tell us the title of your fic and where it is – we would love to read it.
Sweetheart – we'll read your stories soon. Thanks for the heads up.
* * * * * For those who haven't read my other Harry Potter Fanfic – what are you doing? Read it now! LOL. its in my profile – titled Intoxicated. Hope you guys like it. And don't forget to review.
Thanks for all the reviews once again everyone. Please don't think that just because we didn't comment directly about your review, we don't care about your words. We do! We really appreciate them – we just don't want to sound too redundant. But we already know that we are – so…. LOL.
Thanks again everyone, and although we asked for 175 reviews, and you only gave us 168 – I'm still going to post this. But… the twelfth chapter isn't finished yet – so if you guys want that chapter to be finished (I'm writing that one, by the way) as soon as possible, then you have to give us all the reviews that you can. Come on guys – you can do it! LOL. Reviews people – please – they keep us going!
OH yeah – don't you guys worry about Herm and Harry – this is an H/Hr shipper fic, remember?
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
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Christmas eventually came closer and the news about a ball that was to be held on the 25th of December became the talk of everyone in the school. The coming exams didn't even faze the joyous atmosphere surrounding the school.
Ever since that night when Hermione had that talk with Ron, things had been going smoothly after that. Almost back to the way things were, even though neither had mentioned it ever again.
Harry finally accepted Hermione and Krum's relationship. Sure, he still wanted to rip the guy's head off when he saw him, but seeing Hermione's smile when she was with him seemed to make his anger fade away. If Viktor Krum made Hermione happy, he had no qualms about it.
Harry valued Hermione's happiness, and knowing that she was okay with knowing that he had feelings for her made him feel slightly better. Of course, he was still hoping that someday… maybe… Hermione would return his feelings.
But with Viktor present that wasn't likely to happen.
Harry, Ron and Hermione were walking out of Potions, their last class for the day with Harry looking really pissed off. Hermione glanced at Harry. "Don't mind him Harry. Maybe he just found out that his hair wasn't greasy enough and was taking his anger out on you." Hermione remarked. Ron grinned at her.
"So, Ms. Granger is insulting Professor Oily." Ron teased her, using the nickname that he'd conjured for Snape. He turned to Harry and clapped his friend on the back. "Yeah, don't mind him." He said.
"Thanks." Harry smiled at Hermione briefly, but a scowl replaced it as he thought about what happened previously. "I know. But sometimes I just want to use the Avada Kedavra curse on him." Harry declared angrily, his hand immediately went into the pocket of his robes, feeling his wand longingly.
"Shh! Don't utter that so loudly!" Hermione hissed at him. "I know you're mad. But wanting Snape dead just because he scolded you for bringing rats' toenails instead of fingernails isn't much reason to get him killed." She explained. Harry opened his mouth to protest but Ron beat him to it.
"Aaaw, c'mon 'Mione. I know you want Snape to drop-dead too. We all do. Well, except the Slytherins of course." Ron said, slinging an arm around their shoulders. "Let's go to the dining hall already! I'm starving!" He steered them towards the great dining hall.
"I can tell. Your stomach was so loud you were lucky that Snape didn't hear it." Harry commented, quickly dodging a punch from Ron.
Hermione laughed at her friends. "It wasn't that loud!" She giggled when Ron directed a glare at her.
"Do not accuse my stomach! I'm a growing boy. And I need lots of food!" Ron admonished as they entered the dining hall and made a beeline for the Gryffindor table and sitting themselves in their usual seat.
They were talking about their project for Herbology when Viktor Krum arrived, wearing a half-smile and his arm still in a cast. "Hi, Hermy." He nodded at them. "'Arry, Ron." He sat down on the seat beside Hermione and gave her a kiss on the cheek, which Harry ignored by staring down at his plate of roast beef.
Ron noticed this and smiled awkwardly. "Um, hey Krum. How are you doing?" He asked, trying to lighten the already heavy mood.
"Oh, I'm vine." Krum answered and took a hold of Hermione's hand. "So, Hermy. Vho are you going to the ball vith?" He asked. His voice serious but his eyes were showing that he was just joking.
Hermione smiled. "Oh…I don't know…there's this Quidditch player from Durmstrang who asked me to come with him a while ago. Should I come with him or not?" She wondered, putting a finger over lips in thought.
Harry tuned them out as they continued to flirt. It was obvious they were going together, but did they have to rub it in? He was almost ready to leave when he heard Krum ask him a question.
"Vho are you going vith, 'Arry?"
Harry stopped and looked at Viktor, wanting to smack him on the head for asking such a question in front of Hermione. He then glanced at Hermione and saw her looking at him expectantly. He desperately tried to look for a possible answer, an answer that wouldn't make him look like an idiot. "Um, who am I going with? Er… I'm going with… I'm going with…" He looked around at the long Gryffindor table and a mass of long red hair and freckles caught his eye.
"I'm going with Ginny Weasley!" He announced triumphantly.
"What?" Ron's jaw dropped open. "Your going to the Christmas ball with my sist-ow!" Harry had stomped on his foot and he grew silent immediately.
"You mean, your going with Ginny? You didn't tell me about that before." Hermione asked, ignoring the twist in her stomach.
Ginny had told her a while ago that she liked Harry. She even thought it was kind of cute.
Before, she thought that Ginny's crush on the famous Harry Potter was cute.
But now, the thought didn't seem so cute anymore.
Harry nodded. "Yes. I'm going with Ginny. Isn't that right Ron?" He turned to his friend. Ron was trying to smile while struggling to ignore the pain on his foot. "Yes. He is. He asked her this morning." He answered, nodding.
Harry sighed in relief. "Well. Ron and I have to go! We still have to finish our Divination homework! Bye!" He then started to drag Ron away from the table, ignoring his protests.
"But, It's Friday! Why do we have to do homework?" Ron complained.
Hermione looked at her friends; at Harry especially. "But I thought we were going to eat?" She asked.
"Our homework is really long, and I want to get a head start on it." Harry told her.
"Oh. Okay. I'll see you guys later then." She called out, ignoring the hurt that she was feeling. She looked at Viktor and summoned up a smile.
"Come on Harry. I'm still hungry and it's Friday! Can't we have fun for a while?" Ron whined as they arrived in the Gryffindor common room.
"Shut up, Ron! I just said that so we could get away." Harry muttered. "I just couldn't stand the two of them getting all mushy and stuff." He sat down in on of the big comfy chairs and sighed.
Ron flopped down on the chair beside him. "Well…they were kinda laying it on a little too thick…"
"Exactly."
"But more importantly, are you really taking my sister to the ball?" He asked, quickly changing the subject.
Harry took a deep breath. "I guess I am. There's no way I can go to the ball without Ginny by my side." He said resignedly.
Ron threw him a sharp look. "You don't have to sound so enthusiastic about it." He said sarcastically. Though Harry was his best friend, he was still a little doubtful about him and his sister together.
Harry looked at his friend in alarm. "No Ron! That's not what I meant. I would be more than happy to take Ginny to the ball… but I still wish my date were Hermione. You know that." He said in a sad voice.
Ron nodded. "I know Harry, and I'm sorry that you won't be able to take Hermione. But maybe, this will help you accept once and for all that you and Hermione can't be together right now – not with Krum still being here and all." He said gently.
Harry sighed his agreement. "I know Ron – and although it is hard to accept it, I know that I have to. It's time to forget about my illusions about Hermione Granger and me. Starting right now, you are looking at the new and improved Harry Potter!" He announced.
Ron chuckled. "Now that's more like it! Now let's go and ask Ginny to be your date." He pronounced and stood up. He was already halfway to the door when he realized that Harry's not with him. "Harry? Come on!" He called out.
Harry looked at Ron, the confident look on his face now gone. "What if she says no? What if she doesn't want to go to the ball with me?" Harry asked, looking a little nauseous at the prospect of asking Ginny to the ball.
Ron shook his head and stomped towards his friend. "Bloody hell, Harry! Come on and stop being such a scaredy cat! What happened to the new Harry Potter that you told me about earlier?" He asked as he pulled his friend towards the door.
Harry shrugged. "I think he decided that he's not man enough to be a new Harry Potter." He replied.
Ron sighed and continued to drag his friend to look for his younger sister.
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