"Where did you go?" Harry whispered, as I sat back down at the table.
"I'll tell you later," I said.
After Divination, Harry asked me, "So where did you really go?"
"I went back to the Common Room," I said truthfully.
"For what?"
"Now, that is a secret," I said, grinning. "You'll see."
We arrived at the Potrait hole.
"Bird's beak," Harry said.
The painting swung aside. Hermione was sitting inside, reading a book.
"Hey guys," she said, smiling at us when she saw us coming in. "Guess what...someone sent me a Valentine!"
"Cool!" I said. "I knew you'd get one."
Harry looked at me. I nodded meaningfully.
"Uh, oh yeah, cool, Hermione," he said, glancing at me.
Hermione grinned. "I wonder who it is, though..."
"Er, can we see what's written inside?" asked Harry.
"Well...It's a bit private," she replied.
"Oh. It's all right then," I said, smiling. "Hey, lessons are over, so why don't we go out for a walk?"
"Nah, I want to finish my book," said Hermione.
"It's okay then. Harry? Want to come with me?" I said.
"Well...I--" he began. I stepped on his foot. "Okay. I've nothing on." He grinned, a little bit too brightly.
When we were outside, Harry spoke.
"What's the big idea, sending Hermione a Valentine?" he whispered.
"Well...I..." I started. I couldn't control the blush that came along. "I might as well tell you. I like Hermione. As in, really like her."
Harry looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "I thought you were supposed to be liking Lavender Brown?"
"Of course not! I never liked her...she was just...an excuse," I replied.
"An excuse for what?"
"Hmm. That's a tough question," I said weakly.
Harry didn't press me for an answer.
"Okay. Hey, so are you going to tell Hermione?"
"No," I said.
"Why not?" he asked.
"I don't want to risk this friendship for something I'm not sure of," I replied truthfully.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Oh come on. If she likes you, you won't be risking anything."
"The problem is," I said. "I don't know whether she likes me."
"Sheesh. I'll ask her for you if you like," he said.
"Erm. Nah. Don't. I'll find a way to tell her," I responded.
"Fine. Don't say that I didn't try to help," he said.
"I won't, don't worry," I said, grinning.
"How are you going to solve the Lavender Brown problem anyway?" he asked.
I groaned, suddenly remembering that Lavender thought I liked her. "We'll take it one step at a time, okay? Let's get back to the Common Room."
"I'll tell you later," I said.
After Divination, Harry asked me, "So where did you really go?"
"I went back to the Common Room," I said truthfully.
"For what?"
"Now, that is a secret," I said, grinning. "You'll see."
We arrived at the Potrait hole.
"Bird's beak," Harry said.
The painting swung aside. Hermione was sitting inside, reading a book.
"Hey guys," she said, smiling at us when she saw us coming in. "Guess what...someone sent me a Valentine!"
"Cool!" I said. "I knew you'd get one."
Harry looked at me. I nodded meaningfully.
"Uh, oh yeah, cool, Hermione," he said, glancing at me.
Hermione grinned. "I wonder who it is, though..."
"Er, can we see what's written inside?" asked Harry.
"Well...It's a bit private," she replied.
"Oh. It's all right then," I said, smiling. "Hey, lessons are over, so why don't we go out for a walk?"
"Nah, I want to finish my book," said Hermione.
"It's okay then. Harry? Want to come with me?" I said.
"Well...I--" he began. I stepped on his foot. "Okay. I've nothing on." He grinned, a little bit too brightly.
When we were outside, Harry spoke.
"What's the big idea, sending Hermione a Valentine?" he whispered.
"Well...I..." I started. I couldn't control the blush that came along. "I might as well tell you. I like Hermione. As in, really like her."
Harry looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "I thought you were supposed to be liking Lavender Brown?"
"Of course not! I never liked her...she was just...an excuse," I replied.
"An excuse for what?"
"Hmm. That's a tough question," I said weakly.
Harry didn't press me for an answer.
"Okay. Hey, so are you going to tell Hermione?"
"No," I said.
"Why not?" he asked.
"I don't want to risk this friendship for something I'm not sure of," I replied truthfully.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Oh come on. If she likes you, you won't be risking anything."
"The problem is," I said. "I don't know whether she likes me."
"Sheesh. I'll ask her for you if you like," he said.
"Erm. Nah. Don't. I'll find a way to tell her," I responded.
"Fine. Don't say that I didn't try to help," he said.
"I won't, don't worry," I said, grinning.
"How are you going to solve the Lavender Brown problem anyway?" he asked.
I groaned, suddenly remembering that Lavender thought I liked her. "We'll take it one step at a time, okay? Let's get back to the Common Room."
