One week and 3 days later – July 31st

***Harry***

I was flying through the air, with my invisibility cloak on of course, I was in a muggle town.  My thoughts were spinning around in my head.  What was wrong with Hermione? She hadn't been acting, well normal.  And I hadn't heard at all from Sirius or Hagrid, or even Remus Lupin.  It was as if I ceased to exist.  It was horrible, with my birthday being today and every one ignoring me, well everyone with the exception of the Grangers, they've been really nice even though they forced me out of the house this morning.  That was rather rude.  I did a few flips and dives before my invisibility cloak fell off.  'Just what I need' I thought coldly.  'As if my day weren't bad enough already' I flew down and grabbed my cloak which looked beautiful shimmering silver floating slowly down to the ground.  Unfortunately I was over a park, so it's safe to say people noticed.  How couldn't they, I mean a person flying overhead on a broom and a silvery thing floating to the ground.  I reached my robe put it on and flew back to the Granger's house.  I was about halfway there when I remembered that they kicked me out.  How am I supposed to know when to return there, they wouldn't kick me out with all of my stuff still there.  I sighed and headed towards the drugstore.  I love the wizard candy, it's like no other, but I can still love mars bars can't I?  This'll probably be the only chance that I have to get some.  I reached into my pocket, I pulled out a few knuts, 'this'll do' I thought happily then realized that it was wizard money.  'What else could go wrong today?' I thought unhappily, 'everything's gone from bad to horrid.' 

***Hermione***

"Ron!" I exclaimed as he stepped out of my chimney.  His father, Arthur Weasley, stepped out soon after.  He looked around in interest and started examining all sorts of things down to the rug that we were standing on. Before turning to talk to my parents.   Meanwhile Ron and I were talking about Harry.

"So, what did you end up getting him?" I inquired.

"Oh, nothing.  I just got Dad to help me clear Sirius's name and helped find him an apartment."  Ron mumbled.

"Oh my God Ron!  You did all that for Harry even after a fight?  That's what I call a good friend!"  After I said that Ron got real crimson and looked at the floor.  "Well Ron, you are a good friend and you know it."

He muttered something and got even redder.  Finally he cleared his throat and looked up, his blush going away. 

"So, um is Harry here?"  Ron asked timidly.

"No actually he's not; he's out flying in his invisibility cloak.  I thought it would be best for him not to see you right away on his birthday."  I replied

"Ah, all right then."

"You know, he's been really odd lately, pretty much since he got here.  He's just not his usual self.  Could it have something to do with the fight between you two?"

"Um, the fight, him being here.  Yeah, pretty much.  He'll be worse now that I'm here, I just know it.  I mean the com…"  Ron realized what he was saying and quickly stopped. 

"The what?" I mused.

"Oh, never mind, I'm sure you'll find out sooner than later, if either of us can help it."

"Really now?  Or are you just saying that for me to leave you alone?"

"Um, both…" he was blushing again, and badly.

"Well, let's get you settled in." I said changing the subject.  Sometimes Ron just acted like he was shy around me.  I don't get why though.  I mean we've been friends since first year; well, sorta.  We have had a lot of fights; people must think we're like a couple.  But that's not right cause I'm with Viktor Krum, and the entire school knows it.  But then there's also Harry…

***Ron***

I was making a complete fool out of myself.  Mione must think I'm a dork.  But that's all right I guess.  She's seen me do stupider things, hasn't she?  Yeah, she has defiantly, but now it's different, because I…

***Harry***

I had it, I just needed to land and think, but were to put my firebolt.  It would be horrendous if someone stole it.  I know I'm not supposed to go back to the Grangers house but I just wanted to put my broom away, what harm can come out of that?  *a lot* 'would you stop butting in, stupid conscience, you're ruining the story and my life!!!!!!'

I flew back to the house and I put my broom away.  I was about to leave when I heard two familiar voices talking to each other.  One I would recognize any where, it was Hermione.  But that's not all that strange, I mean she does live here and every thing….  It was the other one that surprised me, Ron.  I peeked around the corner to see what he was doing here.  That was a BIG mistake.  As I crept down the hall the voices got louder, finally right before I reached the living room, where they were, I took a deep breath and poked my head around the corner…

What I saw I wished I didn't.  Hermione was blushing while muttering something to Ron.  Ron reached across the little space between them and gave Mione a hug and a kiss.  Mione didn't pull back.

I stood there gaping at them, finally it sunk in.  "Ron!" I screamed with all my heart into it, "you, you, you, bastard!"  I turned and ran out the door.  I ran and ran, until I couldn't run any more.  "Hermione," I whispered before breaking down in tears.

***Ron***

I heard Harry shout my name.  I heard all the anger in it.  I was afraid that our friendship was completely and officially over.  But my heart plummeted as Mione ran out of the room calling him.  How could I loose two friends in one day? 

***Hermione***

"HARRY!! COME BACK!! PLEASE!!"  I called after him.  That look on his face when he saw Ron with me.  I figured out what the argument was about.  How could I make him see the truth after that?  All we did was hug, and Ron kissed me, but on the cheek! What's wrong with that?  "HARRY!" I called, but he was just running, running.  Running away from his best friends, the only people that he had.  I was too slow, I lost him.  He just kept on running and running.  I pulled out my wand and gasped, "Accio firebolt" it came with ease zooming from my house.   I took a huge breath and got on it.  I was never really good at flying, but that's just too bad; I'd have to live with it for now, I needed to tell Harry.

I jumped on it and flew like a rocket in the direction that Harry had gone.  I knew that I was making a scene, but Harry… 

I almost missed him, he apparently collapsed underneath a huge tree and he was crying, really really hard.  My heart broke in two just seeing him like that.  People were staring at him, and for once not in awe or respect, but in shocked disbelief and concern.  I knelt next to him and hugged him; he needed someone that cared just then.

***Harry***

I could tell that someone was near.  But when that person came over to me and hugged me, all I could do was wish that it was Hermione that did.  But that evil part in me, yes that damned conscience of mine, told me that she was a traitor, she had kissed Ron.  'No, no, that's not right, she wouldn't kiss Ron out of all people, it was Ron that kissed her.  She was innocent, she had to be innocent if for nothing else than for me.' 

"Harry," I heard her murmur in my ear.  No it wasn't her, just someone that happens to know my name.  It couldn't be her; she's supposed to be with Ron now, not me…

"Harry," the voice said again, "Harry, I'm sorry, I couldn't do anything.  Do you honestly think that I wanted him to kiss me?"  Oh, that beautiful voice, it belonged to no other than my Hermione.  Not Ron's Hermione but mine, she followed me here because she cared.  Her arms tightened around my waist a little bit. 

I turned around in her arms and buried my head in her shoulder.

"Harry, I think we'd better get back to my house.  You've had a pretty crummy birthday so far, I think that you should freshen up a little bit then we can do what we planned for you.  It wasn't supposed to happen until later, but I think that you need it now."

She stood, still holding on to me, pulling me up with her.  She helped me over to my broom, helped me on, then got on behind me.  She kicked off and flew slowly back to her house.  I never knew that she flew so well, they way she went on complaining that she can't fly she made it sound like she was as bad as Neville.  The thought of any one flying as bad as Neville made me smile.  Hermione leaned forward and quickly kissed me on the cheek.

"It'll all work out Harry.  It'll be okay."

My heart nearly stopped.  Hermione really cared for me, she really did.  After all these years of just imagining her, wishing that she cared for me.  I guess she did leave me hints, first year, and again in second, third, and especially fourth.  Last year, when Ron and I fought.  I missed his friendship so much, but Hermione, she was there beside me, helping me out the entire time.  And the good luck hug when I was about to face Quirrel, even though we thought that it was Snape at the time.  How she believed that I wasn't the heir to Slytherin.  And how she helped me save my god father.  She really truly cared for me, if she didn't I wouldn't be here thinking about her, I'd be long gone.  I turned around and kissed her back.  We rode in silence the rest of the way.  Thinking happy thoughts of each other.