~Falling For Each Other~
*Chapter: Three*
A/N:Chapter three is here. Praise the lord and pass the ammunition!(don't ask this cooky teacher of mine says that all the time)Anyways and here is chapter three.....
Harry had his invisibility cloak on as he walked up to the Astronomy tower. It was very cold and dark. He spotted Hermione sitting in a fold up chair, and a blanket wrapped around her. She had a star chart sitting in her lap and was holding her wand so that it was pointed at the chart and illuminating the little dots that were the constellations. Harry watched Hermione as she checked the star chart and then looked into the telescope that was standing in front of her. Harry walked a bit closer. He took off the invisibility cloak, holding it in a bundle.
"Isn't it kind of cold to be out doing Astronomy homework?" he said. Hermione jumped slightly and turned her head.
"It's not homework." she said turning her attention back to the stars, as she peered through the telescope.
"Well, then what is it?" he asked. Hermione once again turned away from the telescope toward him.
"Well, actually its nothing. I just find it relaxing to come up here and stargaze."
"How do you get up here without getting caught?"
"I told Professor McGonagall that it would help my studies to come up here and observe the stars. So she gave ma a hall pass."
"Oh." there was a silence for a minute.
"So Harry...why'd you come up here? I mean it's pretty cold, I doubt you just came up here to say hey."
"Umm...Hermione...I-I just...I-well..." He was losing his confidence as he spoke.'Don't chicken out Harry,' He told himself. "I wanted to tell you it was getting late so maybe you should come down stairs now."'Damn it, Harry your such a prat. You can't even tell a girl how you feel about her.'
"Oh, ok." Hermione said. She took the telescope down from the tripod and set it in a box nearby. Hermione then folded up her star chart pocketed it, then she folded up the chair and leaned it against the short wall that acted as a safety rail so people wouldn't fall. Harry heard her whisper "Nox," and the light at the end of her wand went out. They walked down the torch lit corridor together in silence, because Harry was too busy mentally chastising himself for not telling Hermione how he felt. But it was too late now, Harry felt he couldn't muster up enough courage to tell her tonight. So they went back to the common room, whispered their goodnights and went up to bed.
Harry awoke the next morning just in time for breakfast. He got dressed and went down to the common room where he met Ron and Hermione, who were actually talking normally to each other. He figured they must've made up.
"Hi, Harry." said Hermione.
"Hey, Harry. Ready to go down to breakfast?" Ron inquired.
"Yeah." Harry replied. Ron and Hermione got up and walked down to breakfast alongside him. Ron quickly engaged Harry in a conversation about Quidditch. As they entered the bustling Great Hall Harry and Ron were still talking about Quidditch, mostly about the upcoming match against Slytherin. As they sat down at the Gryffindor table Hermione finally spoke.
"Is that all you guys ever talk about, Quidditch?"
"Yeah, pretty much." Ron replied, smirking a bit.
"I shouldn't have asked." Hermione muttered.
Harry ate his breakfast as usual. Listening to Ron teasing Hermione about her full schedule and once in a while joining in with him. Then, once again the talk turned to Quidditch. Hermione sighed as the began to talk about how they were going to beat the Slytherins, and all the new moves Harry wanted to try out on his firebolt. Before they were finished Harry heard a soft voice from behind him.
"Hi ya, Harry." it said. Harry turned around to see none other than Cho Chang, his old crush.
"Um...hi Cho." Harry said uncertainly.
"So, Harry are you excited about the Quidditch season?" Cho asked trying to make small talk.
"Um...yeah...you?" Harry replied.
"Very much." Cho eyed her friends who were standing at the door waiting for her. "Well, Harry, I've gotta go. I'll see you around." Cho smirked at Harry, then added in a flirtatious way. "By the way...I'll be rooting for you at the Quidditch match against Slytherin on Saturday. Bye." She gave Harry a dazzling smile and walked off with her friends.
"Geez, Harry sounded like she was flirting with you to me." said Ron playfully.
"But, Ron even if she was....I thought she would still be getting over Cedric, ya know?" Hermione said.
"Hermione, Cho had all summer to dwell on Cedric. She probably just decided to move on for the best, and well I guess she's moving on to...well, Harry." Ron said. Hermione sighed.
"Hey you guys, maybe we should head off now. We have Transfiguration in--" Harry consulted his watch. "Five minutes." So Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off towards Transfiguration, they took their seats just as the bell rang. Transfiguration went as usual, listening to Professor McGonagall speak, and scrawling notes down on parchment. At the end of class, just as everyone was packing away their things Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and everyone looked up.
"As head of Gryffindor house I would just like to remind you about the Halloween feast next week. We have slightly altered the feast. This time there will be music and some dancing allowed, so I guess you could call it the Halloween ball this year."
"Well I guess I'll see you guys later...I have to get to Arithmancy." Hermione said. Ron and Harry watched for a moment as she made her way through the crowded hall of students, and then made their way to their next class.
Divination went as usual, Harry all most falling asleep from the warmth and smell of perfume that filled the room. But out of all his classes Potions was by far the worst that day. Harry had lost 10 points for Gryffindor for passing his test, Snape said he had cheated off of Malfoy. The whole day Harry didn't really have time to think about the ball....That is until dinner. Harry was sitting next to Hermione and Ron making fun of Malfoy and Snape when Cho Chang walked over again
"Umm...Harry, could I talk to you?" she eyed Ron and Hemione and added, "In private?"
"Uh...yeah sure, Cho." Harry got up and turned back to Hermione and Ron. "I'll catch up with you guys in the common room, ok?" Hermione and Ron nodded and went back to eating as Harry and Cho walked out of the great hall. Once they were out of an earshot of everyone in the great hall Cho bit her lip and looked at Harry."
"Um...Harry I was wondering...well, you know about the Ball don't you? I mean the heads of the houses were supposed to tell everyone..." Harry nodded. "And I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?"
Harry looked at Cho. It was so hard to say no to her face. "Ok." Harry said. It wasn't that he liked Cho, she was just a friend to him now, but Harry just couldn't say no. 'Harry Potter what is getting into you. You are completely losing you're courage for everything.' Before Harry could finish his thought Cho's lips met his and he didn't have time to pull away.
At the same time Hermione had just left the Great Hall. She figured she'd get some last minute studying done in the library. But as she walked out she saw a terrible sight, Harry and Cho kissing. She rushed past them and ran towards the library. 'You are not going to cry over Harry Potter.' she told herself as she tried to calm down by reading.
Harry tried to pull away but before he could Cho let go, smiled, and went back into the Great Hall. Harry just gawked at her. He was in a way angry at Cho he had only thought of her as a friend and he felt like he had done something terribly wrong. Everyone was still eating and he didn't want to go back.
Hermione was sitting in the dim library. Madame Pince was at dinner also so Hermione felt quite alone in the library. Suddenly a hand clasped her shoulder she turned around. "Oh my God!" she screamed.
A/N: I think I'll end it here.::grins evilly:: Cliffy much? Chapter 4 will be here soon.By the way I swear this thing has a plot. Voldie will show up in chapters to come. Most likely Chapter 5 or 6 maybe even the next chapter ya never know. Thanks for the fab reviews. Keep on Reviewin'