Untitled Document
Journey to Truth

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and the rest of the characters are all property of JKR. Please do NOT sue me! Thanx a bunch! = )

A/N: Well, I finally got this chapter up! Sorry it took so long!!!



~*~*~*~

Part One ~ Desire and Confronting

Chapter Two ~ Parvati's Evil Ways

The image in Hermione's mirror was unmistakably Parvati Patil, and so was the voice. Nervously Hermione turned around. She saw Parvati standing there in her bath robe with one hand holding a brush, and another firmly resting on her hip. Her right foot was tapping angrily.

"You think I'm stupid, do you?" Parvati asked.

"No, that's not it at all," Hermione stammered miserably.

"Oh, I see... Then what is it - at all?" Parvati inquired.

"I didn't mean to say anything..." Hermione trailed off.

"Okay, now that we're all very mature seventh years, I think it's time to get some things out in the open," Parvati decided.

"Well, what do you want to say?" Hermione asked. She wasn't exactly interested in hearing the black haired beauty try to put together a few sentences and make herself sound important and ingenious.

"Well, it's obvious I don't like you. And even more obvious that you're jealous of me," Parvati started.

I'm not jealous of you!!! Hermione felt like screaming.

"Not true, but go on," Hermione said firmly.

"At any rate, you've got brains, I've got looks. Who do you think Harry's actually going to go for?" Parvati asked with a smirk.

"If he had brains, which you're right - I do have - , then he would pick me. Just because you've got him wrapped around your finger at the moment, doesn't mean that soon he won't realize what an idiot he's been!" Hermione exclaimed angrily.

She was actually surprised with herself. It was the first time she had stood up to Parvati Patil.

"Oh, let me guess. You're going to tell him that you like him, are you?" Parvati asked, knowing that Hermione would never do such a thing.

"I'm not saying I do like him," Hermione carefully stated.

"But you're still madly in love with him, right?" Parvati smirked again.

"Parvatil, at least I'm more civilized than you. I don't try to get guys to like me by wearing low-cut shirts and never tying my work robes correctly!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Oh... sure. Just because I've got the looks and - well, you don't... does not mean that you have to rag on me about them, okay? I'm perfectly happy with myself. You're the insecure one who has to tag around Harry and pretend to be his friend when you know that you like him. So does the rest of the school!" Parvati insisted.

"You don't know what you're talking about! The only reason I would want Harry to stop liking you would be because you're bad for him! I don't like him in any way other than as friends!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Sure... Whatever you say Hermione. Just remember, he's wrapped around my finger..." Parvati paused and gave herself grin. "And not yours..."

Then she walked away.

As soon as Hermione was positive she was the only one in the dormitory she flung herself on to her bed and pounded her head furiously at her scarlet pillows.

"It's too late now! She knows I like him... and maybe I do. He just can't know! I would be so embarassed! I know he would never feel the same way about me! What's the point? Oh, I'm having a total nervous breakdown!" Hermione exclaimed unhappily.

"And you're talking to yourself," Hermione's mirror pointed out.

"I don't need your help!" Hermione snapped at it.

"Harry Potter! You cause me so much grief!!!" Hermione exclaimed, and with that, she went to bed.

~*~*~*~

"Herm, you okay?" Ron asked.

"What?" Hermione asked abruptly. She had just gotten absorbed into a very interesting book about Muggles from the Wizarding point of view at the Breakfast Table. Harry hadn't arrived yet and Hermione was barely touching her food.

"I asked you if you were okay... But I guess you're not," Ron answered himself.

"I'm fine. Perfectly fine... Why wouldn't I be?" Hermione replied defensively.

"No reason really. Just that you left Dinner in a hurry last night," Ron said.

"Well, I had homework to do - among other things," Hermione added, recalling her conversation with Parvati.

"Right... Er, anyway... Did you get number five for Herbology?" Ron asked as he saw Harry nearing.

"Ron! That homework was assigned three weeks ago. You still haven't done number five?" Hermione exclaimed.

Harry smiled as he sat down with his toast.

"What's going on?" he asked with another one of those smiles that made Hermione's heart melt.

"Oh nothing," Hermione said as though the smile meant nothing to her. "Ron's just forgotten to do his homework - again!"

Harry laughed. "Procrastinating again Ronald?"

"Yes! And don't ever call me Ronald again!" Ron exclaimed.

"I can't promise you anything," Harry said.

They all laughed again. Hermione was enjoying it. It felt real good to laugh and hang out with Harry. He made everything seem so fun, even though he had been through so much already...

Hermione had pushed her book away by this time. It was snug next to her wand in her bags. Right about now she had her elbow on the table and her head on her palm, looking into Harry's wonderful green eyes...

Stop daydreaming Herm! Hermione scolded herself.

Oh... who can stop day dreaming when Harry's one foot away from them... laughing, joking, and smiling???

"Herm? Herm? HERM?"

"Wha- wha- what?!" Hermione exclaimed, nearly jumping out of her seat.

"Well, you were staring at Harry all funny!" Ron teased.

"I was not!" Hermione muttered as she felt her cheeks getting red.

She caught Harry's eyes and saw him blushing too.

"Yes you were!" Ron exclaimed. "You were looking at him... kind of like he was an ice cream cone..."

Hermione blushed harder now. "You don't know what you're talking about Ron! Why on Earth would I be staring at Harry like that? I've got other things on my mind... Such as my studies! Now if you would excuse me, I have to get to Herbology to ask Professor Sprouts a question on the homework!" she exclaimed and ran off with her cheeks tingling.

Harry rolled his eyes at Ron and looked back at his toast. Then back at Ron.

"What did you have to do that for?" he whispered.

Parvati Patil, who had been watching the whole thing from far away, saw all but the last few words Harry had said. She walked over to Ron and pulled him aside.

"Good work. The way I see it, Hermione'll never bother with Harry again."

~*~*~*~

A/N: Ooooh, what's gonna happen next? LOL, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm slightly getting writers block on my other fic (Too Hard to Forgive and Forget), so I've been working on this one a lot. Chapters should be getting longer... but I don't know. It all depends because only so much stuff can go into one chapter and I love leaving cliff hangers (as much as reading them, it kills!)! Well, R/R please! GTG! Bye!!!