There are a few things you need to know before reading this fic:

They are in their 7th year.  Harry is head boy, Hermione head girl.

I think that's it!!!  Enjoy!

"Why can't I tell her?  I mean, it can't be that hard, can it?"

Harry sat near the fire in the Gryffindor common room on a big armchair.  Hermione was sat opposite him on the sofa, Ron was sitting on another armchair, facing the fire, Harry to his right, Hermione to his left.

            He could see what Harry was thinking.  In fact, he knew what he was thinking, it was so obvious.

She looks so beautiful, and she could be mine, if only I could tell her"

            Hermione was 'reading' her Standard Book of Spells, yet again.  She kept glancing over the top of her book to see if she could get a flash of his emerald green eyes.    "Come on Harry, just look up…….no, wait!  Don't.  Because then you'll see me looking at you.  But do I want that?…. SHUT UP HERMIONE! That's Harry you're talking about, YOUR BEST FRIEND! But just look at him, he has developed well and looks so……STOP IT!"

            Harry was trying to do his Transfiguration homework, but he couldn't concentrate, as his mind kept wandering.

"Her hair looks so nice, so do her eyes…. Hermione's eyes.

            Ron just sat in his chair, reading his Quidditch book, and would look as one of them would look at the other, smile and go back to work, only to look up again 10 seconds later.  They wouldn't admit to each other that they did this, though.  Only Ron knew how they felt about each other. 

            The common room was nearly deserted now, apart form a few other 7th years in the far corner.

"Right" Ron thought "These two have been doing this nearly every night for 5 years.  I'm going to try and do something about it"

"Well, I'm tired.  I'm going to bed.  You coming Harry?"  He looked at him and then mouthed 'Now's your chance' and nodded towards Hermione.

"Erm…… no.  I'm going to finish this homework."  He smiled at Ron.

            Hermione looked up at Rod and he looked back knowingly as if to say 'Do it tonight, tell him'

            They both watched him climb up the stairs to his dorm, and he was shortly followed by the 7th years who had previously been sitting in the corner.

            Harry and Hermione were left alone.  She put her book down and looked at Harry.  He had already put down his quill and was staring into the heart of the dying fire.

            He then looked up and Hermione quickly turned her head away, but Harry noticed.  He got up off his seat and went to sit next to her.  She could fell herself starting to panic.

"OK, so he's sitting next to me.  Just stay calm.  He's sat next to you before….but I've never felt like this before.  I think I'm…."

"I'm in love with her.  I knew it!  Well, Harry, here's your chance.  You're both on the same seat.  You're alone, now's when I should tell her.  But what if she doesn't feel the same?  I'll just have to risk it, I guess"

            At the same time, they looked at each other.  Hermione finally saw what she had wanted to see all night, his eyes.

            Harry was looking into her intense brown eyes and he was just happy to sit like this all night.  But he knew that he had to say something.

"Hermione….. can I ask you something? He said in a very quiet voice.

"Of course" she replied, equally, if not more, quiet.

"OK.  What would you do if you had fallen for someone that you'd known for a long time, and you didn't know how to tell that person how you felt about them?" His voice was just a hoarse whisper now.

            Hermione listened and then she felt like she had an endless pit in her stomach.  She moved closer to him, their faces so close to each other that they could feel the other's breath.

            "Well" she said with a croak.  She cleared her throat and began again.

            "Well, I would just tell that person how I felt, but not just at any time.  I would…. Wait for – for the – perfect time"

            "So if I said to you, Hermione, that I have fallen for you, would you—" His words were cut off by a kiss.

            He opened his mouth slightly, and he felt her tounge inside his mouth.  He did the same thing to her.  He moved his hands to the back of her neck, and one at her waist.  Her hands went to his head and she ran her fingers through his hair.  His hands wandered to her waist and he was moving them around in tiny circles.

            They broke away from the kiss, breathing heavily, and just stared into each other's eyes, not letting go of each other.

            Neither knew what to do next.  All Hermione knew was that she wanted to kiss him again.  But before she could move in, Harry spoke.

            "If that person had fallen for me, what would I do next?"

            "This."

She kissed him again, and lay back on the sofa.  Harry moved with her, one hand on her waist, the other around the back of her head.  They stayed like this for what seemed like 2 minutes to them, but in reality, was actually 20 minutes.  Both were exhausted, so decided that they really should go to bed, but no matter how many times they said they should go, they just ended up kissing again.

            Finally, they got up and started to go towards the stairs to their rooms.  But instead of going to their separate rooms, Hermione took hold of Harry's hand and led him to her room.

            "Herm, what are you doing?" he exclaimed.

            "What do you think?" said Hermione, as she opened the door to her room.

She pulled back the curtains from around her 4 – poster bed and pulled Harry towards it.  She sat down and Harry sat next to her.  She put her hands on his chest and he put his hands around her waist.  They lay back on the bed and Harry pulled the curtains around…….

Well….. what do ya's all think?!!!!!  There's another chapter I'm in the process of writing, but need some help, so if anyone has ideas, I'd be glad to hear them!!!

Thanx. Loz  J