A/N: In the last chapter, I said it was 1:45 where I really meant 12:45. Sorry about the confusion that occurred from leaving out the 2. Also, sorry about the long delay.
Lavender shook her curls. "And to think, I was supposed to go with Harry. Now I just have to use the excuse that being the host, I don't need a partner."
"Oh, I know, right? The nerve of that girl!" Cho said. Harry and Hermione were nowhere to be seen, however. They'd wandered off somewhere.
"Harry, who do you think is the cutest girl in Hogwarts?"
"Gee, Hermi, I never thought about it. I don't know. Why do girls always ask questions like that?"
"I guess because we want to make sure it's us."
"Oh, right then. That would make sense...women..."
"Women? I'm not a woman. I'm a girl, a teenage girl, see? Like, I haven't even been kissed yet. I'm no woman."
"Yeah, actually you are." Harry chuckled. He liked to tease her just a little bit. Hermione shook her head vigorously.
"NOT!"
"Whatever...woman." Hermione gave him a why-did-you-do-that look and giggled. Harry leaned in close and kissed her lightly. She felt amazing, it was truly a beautiful feeling.
"So there, now you're a woman." Hermione didn't want to talk, she pulled him closer to her and kissed back, she couldn't let this moment pass away.
"Hey Herm, whutz up?" Hermione jumped and screamed in astonishment. She was about to choke Ron for interrupting her little romantic moment, but then she remembered she was supposed to be his friend.
"Uh, hi. Ron. Um, I'm just here. Nothing." Just then, an owl landed on her shoulder and held out his leg, with another Ministry of Magic letter. Hermione groaned. What had she done this time?
Miss Granger,
You seem to have performed several spells in a muggle home. You are underage. Please keep in mind that you may be expelled from Hogwarts if you continue in this manner.
Ministry of Magic
Hermione gasped. The hair, Harry's robes, what was she going to do? What if she forgot again? She could be expelled! Suddenly a memory of another Ministry letter struck her head. It had said nothing about being underage. How could it have been Harry that performed the spells to transform her room into a forest?
"Harry, who did that to my room?" Harry didn't move from the spot he was in, he didn't even blink his glazed over eyes. In fact, he didn't even act as if he'd heard her. "HARRY!" She shouted to see if it would grab his attention.
"Huh?" He said dazedly, and finally blinked. Hermione rolled her eyes at him. How could he be so out of it? She decided to forget about her room for now, since she was hungry and there was bound to be food at the party she came here for, if she ever found it.
"I'm hungry." Harry nodded and followed her obediently to wherever she might lead him. They eventually found their way back to the party, and to the food table. Hermione thought to herself that if there was any reason, besides kissing Harry, that she came to this party, it would have to be for this elegant food. She picked up some angel food cake and nibbled a corner. Then she picked up another piece and handed it to Harry.
"Ooh, having some early wedding cake?" Lavender nudged her way in between Harry and Hermione. "Oh wait, of course not, Hermione will never have a wedding, right, Harry? I mean, why haven't you proposed to me yet? Everyone knows you love me, Harry. Are you leading this girl on or something, not telling her we're going out?" Hermione looked shocked for a minute, then looked at Harry's surprised face, interpreted it as a "Ohmygosh she told you" look, and ran off to who knows where, somewhere she hoped that nobody would find her at.
"Want to dance, Harry?" Harry looked around to see if Hermione was anywhere, not realizing Lavender had grabbed his hands and started dancing with him. Before he knew it he was learning all kinds of dances. He started to forget about Hermione and concentrate on dancing. About twenty minutes later, though, he was thirsty and decided to go get some punch. He reached for a cup and carefully ladeled it onto the table as he looked up and saw Hermione's eyes.
"Hermione!" He stammered, dropping his cup.
"Harry, you just like, totally ruined the table cloth. You, uh, missed your cup." Harry looked down and saw that she was right, that he had, in fact, stained the tablecloth the color of the punch.
"Oh, uh, oops?" Hermione rolled her eyes and tried to hide her giggles, but failed. Harry was just so silly, she couldn't help thinking it was funny.
"Harry. We need to talk." Hermione said seriously. Harry followed her to some random private place and sat down. "Harry. Really. Do you like me? Do you love me? You can't go acting like this if you don't!" Harry wrung (is that a word?) his hands.
"Hermy, I..." Hermione stared anticipatingly and nodded eagerly to encourage him to keep going. "Herm...I..." He looked up as if to ask the sky for help. "Sometimes I run, sometimes I hide, sometimes I'm scared of you, but all I really want is to hold you tight, treat you right, be with you day and night...baby all I need is time."
"Oh gosh..." Hermione smacked her own forehead. What a poetic way to put it. "Gee, I wonder where you got that creative way of saying it?" She said sarcastically.
"Made it up."
"Mm-hmm."