Many thanks to everybody who has followed this far! Of all the stories I've written so far, I would have to say that this one has the strongest plot. Which is a good thing. And I actually like it. Which is a good thing as well. So please don't abandon it when something happens that you don't like. I'm begging you, just wait and find out! Pleeeeeeeease! Okay, enough of my begging/whining/patheticness (it's actually a word! Ooh!). So on with the story.......
Harry stood dumbfounded as he watched Hermione's thick brown hair disappear up the stairs. Turning slowly, he headed up to his own dorm and sat down on his bed, still processing what had happened.
Hermione had dumped him. She dumped him. But Harry and Hermione were forever, he thought. Of course, he couldn't really expect that to come out of a little high school relationship, but still....he sighed, flopping onto his pillow.
"So, Hermione dumped you." Ron walked into the room. Damnit, thought Harry. Ron was the last person he wanted to see at the time.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that," shot back Harry.
"Why? Did she catch you looking at another girl? Were you moving to fast for her? Were you a different Harry from the one she used to know and love?" Ron asked.
"Just lay off it, Ron, I really don't wanna talk about it now."
"Okay, man, I understand," said Ron, grabbing a few books and walking back out. "But just remember...I warned you." He turned and closed the dorm room door behind him.
Harry rolled over onto his stomach and buried his head in his pillow, but Ron's question kept bothering him--why had Hermione dumped him? He was still spending some time with her, even if it wasn't every waking moment. Come to think of it, maybe Ron was right. Maybe he had been a tiny bit obsessive. Maybe. But right then, all he could think of was Hermione. The way he used to run his hands through her thick, dark brown hair. The way he used to kiss her luscious, thick lips. The way her bright brown eyes always used to brighten his day. He had to have that hair, those lips, those eyes back. Before they could forget him, before they could find somebody else. He got out of bed, prepared to do anything to win Hermione back over, even if it killed him.
~*~
Ginny Weasley curled up tighter in her chair around the book she was reading. Hermione had just broken up with Harry.
Now don't sound so happy about it, she told herself. You're getting to selfish about him. What do you even see in him? Honestly, you'd have to look pretty hard to find a more unattractive guy. Look at his hair, you'd think he'd never seen a brush before. And he's so skinny, and short, too. The glasses don't help his image, either. But his eyes.....Ginny stopped herself before she could go any further. Now Ginny Weasley, scolded the voice in her head, don't you even think about going after that boy. As a matter of fact, don't even think about him at all. Now read. Following the voice's instructions, Ginny turned back to her book, pulling the throw closer around her toes.
~*~
Harry stumbled down the staircase, determined to find Hermione and ask for her back. And he resolved that he wouldn't come back until he did.
"Hey, Harry," Ron greeted him. "Wanna play a game of chess?"
"Nah, I'll pass," said Harry. "I've...um...I've got to go." He opened the portrait hole hastily and walked out.
So, where to go? he thought to himself. The first place he thought to look was the library. Of course she'll be in the library, he thought. She's always in the library.
As he walked down the hallway, he began to grow nervous. What would he say? Would he get down on his knee and beg? Would he be gentle? Would he be demanding? What if she turned him down? What if she said no? What if...?
"Yes, well, what do you want?" asked Madame Pince irritably. Without realizing it, Harry had already arrived in the library.
"Er...have you seen Hermione?" he inquired.
"She right back there in the corner," she said, pointing ahead to her right. "But don't you even think about talking!" she threatened as he headed past the tall shelves.
"Harry! What are you doing here?!" Hermione exclaimed as she turned and saw him sit down beside her.
"I said keep it down!" barked Madame Pince from her desk.
"So what are you doing her?" she repeated, lowering her voice.
"I came to-" Harry stopped, embarrassed. He didn't want to sound so totally desperate, but inside he was feeling just that.
"I...I came to ask you for help on my Potions assignment," he lied quickly. "I don't understand about those Grengite potions at all." Harry shook his head sadly, and looked up at Hermione to see if she was buying it; she looked like she was.
"Good. I was expecting you to come whining at me about what we did, or begging for me to take you back. I don't regret what I did, and I'm glad you're taking it some maturely." She smiled and opened her Potions book. "Now if you'll read this part here......"
~*~
Harry walked to Quidditch practice unhappily. How could he have been that stupid, to think that Hermione might have not really meant what she had done. She was a smart girl, and always knew exactly what she wanted. And obviously that wasn't him.
He opened the door to the locker room and hastily changed into his scarlet robes, grabbed his broom, and waited for the rest of the team to arrive. He sighed, leaning back on the wall. Everything was going wrong. This wasn't how it was supposed to turn out at all. Didn't Hermione understand that what they had wasn't just a silly grade school relationship? Or at least it wasn't for Harry. For that short time they had together, he felt love.
"Harry?" Samantha asked, sitting down next to him.
"Huh?" He sat up quickly. "Sorry, I didn't know that anybody else was here." He straightened his glasses.
"Are you okay?" She put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You seem kind of tense."
"No, no. Everything's fine," he assured her. "Now, as soon as everybody gets here, we're going to be working on a new play," he added, telling her all the details as the other six players joined them.
~*~
Harry trudged up the stairs to Professor Flitwick's class later that week to attend his regular tutoring. After they broke up, he and Hermione still remained friends, which only seemed to make it worse. He hated to talk to her and know that she wasn't his anymore, and just up for grabs. Sometimes it frustrated him so much that he just wished everything could go back to the way it was.
He walked into the classroom looking much less cheerful than he had intended.
"Are you okay?" Ginny asked, concerned, as he sat down.
"Wha? Oh, no, I'm fine. Just a little tired, that's all," he replied, adding in a yawn to make his excuse more believable.
"Well, today I was hoping we could start working on something new," she said, opening the book. As usual, Harry's mind wandered and was anywhere but on the page it was supposed to be on.
"Does that sound okay to you?" he heard her ask.
"Does what sound okay to me?"
"Harry!" Ginny scolded him. "Listen! I'm tired of you not paying attention; that's what got you into this in the first place!" Harry's eyes widened; he wasn't used to Ginny losing her temper, and especially not with him.
"I...I'm sorry," he apologized, still in disbelief. "I'll pay attention more."
"Thank you!" She handed him the book. "Now I want you to read this, and then answer the questions on page 735. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," he said, picking it up and beginning to read.
~*~
Two hours later, Harry gathered his things together and waited for Ginny to finish her usual note. He looked around the room sullenly. The desks, the chairs, the door, the clock, the books, Ginny... He stopped. Ginny! That was it! The perfect plan began to form in his head...
"Are you ready to go yet, Harry?" Ginny asked from the desk where she was placing the piece of parchment.
"Yes," he replied, and he picked up his things and followed her out the door.
The whole walk to the common room, he was sure to look at her constantly and make eye contact whenever possible. He remained silent, though, while he was still working out what to say.
"I...uh...I'm sorry," he said suddenly. "For you know, being rude and everything."
"That's okay," Ginny replied, smiling up at him. "I suppose I could have been a bit nicer myself." The two walked in silence once again until they finally arrived at the portrait hole. Growing desperate, Harry spoke before Ginny could say the password.
"Excuse me for staring all night," he apologized, stepping in front of her swiftly and blocking the portrait hole. "But you look extraordinarily beautiful this evening."
"Why, thank you," she said, looking confused as she blushed scarlet.
"But of course, you do every night," he told her quickly. "Do you have a boyfriend?"
"That's a silly question! Of course not," she answered.
"And just what is wrong with all of the young men at this school anyway, passing up an opportunity like you?" he asked, causing her to blush even darker.
"That's really sweet, but I really need to be getting to bed now, so would you mind moving?"
No, not yet! thought Harry. Before he knew what he was doing, he grabbed her behind her waist and, bringing her closer to him, kissed her.
"What was that for?" she asked as he pulled away. Now he face was the same color as her hair.
"I've been wanting to do it ever since I first laid eyes on you," he lied, but Ginny didn't pick up on it and continued into the common room, smiling.
A/N So just what does Harry have up his sleeve? Well, it's pretty obvious, and it's downright mean. How could he be so cruel? Is Ginny onto him? Will she kick his butt? That would be pretty funny now that I think of it....tee hee!~ Would anybody else but me like to see that? I mean, duh I'm a H/G shipper, but it would still be funny, neh?
Harry stood dumbfounded as he watched Hermione's thick brown hair disappear up the stairs. Turning slowly, he headed up to his own dorm and sat down on his bed, still processing what had happened.
Hermione had dumped him. She dumped him. But Harry and Hermione were forever, he thought. Of course, he couldn't really expect that to come out of a little high school relationship, but still....he sighed, flopping onto his pillow.
"So, Hermione dumped you." Ron walked into the room. Damnit, thought Harry. Ron was the last person he wanted to see at the time.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that," shot back Harry.
"Why? Did she catch you looking at another girl? Were you moving to fast for her? Were you a different Harry from the one she used to know and love?" Ron asked.
"Just lay off it, Ron, I really don't wanna talk about it now."
"Okay, man, I understand," said Ron, grabbing a few books and walking back out. "But just remember...I warned you." He turned and closed the dorm room door behind him.
Harry rolled over onto his stomach and buried his head in his pillow, but Ron's question kept bothering him--why had Hermione dumped him? He was still spending some time with her, even if it wasn't every waking moment. Come to think of it, maybe Ron was right. Maybe he had been a tiny bit obsessive. Maybe. But right then, all he could think of was Hermione. The way he used to run his hands through her thick, dark brown hair. The way he used to kiss her luscious, thick lips. The way her bright brown eyes always used to brighten his day. He had to have that hair, those lips, those eyes back. Before they could forget him, before they could find somebody else. He got out of bed, prepared to do anything to win Hermione back over, even if it killed him.
~*~
Ginny Weasley curled up tighter in her chair around the book she was reading. Hermione had just broken up with Harry.
Now don't sound so happy about it, she told herself. You're getting to selfish about him. What do you even see in him? Honestly, you'd have to look pretty hard to find a more unattractive guy. Look at his hair, you'd think he'd never seen a brush before. And he's so skinny, and short, too. The glasses don't help his image, either. But his eyes.....Ginny stopped herself before she could go any further. Now Ginny Weasley, scolded the voice in her head, don't you even think about going after that boy. As a matter of fact, don't even think about him at all. Now read. Following the voice's instructions, Ginny turned back to her book, pulling the throw closer around her toes.
~*~
Harry stumbled down the staircase, determined to find Hermione and ask for her back. And he resolved that he wouldn't come back until he did.
"Hey, Harry," Ron greeted him. "Wanna play a game of chess?"
"Nah, I'll pass," said Harry. "I've...um...I've got to go." He opened the portrait hole hastily and walked out.
So, where to go? he thought to himself. The first place he thought to look was the library. Of course she'll be in the library, he thought. She's always in the library.
As he walked down the hallway, he began to grow nervous. What would he say? Would he get down on his knee and beg? Would he be gentle? Would he be demanding? What if she turned him down? What if she said no? What if...?
"Yes, well, what do you want?" asked Madame Pince irritably. Without realizing it, Harry had already arrived in the library.
"Er...have you seen Hermione?" he inquired.
"She right back there in the corner," she said, pointing ahead to her right. "But don't you even think about talking!" she threatened as he headed past the tall shelves.
"Harry! What are you doing here?!" Hermione exclaimed as she turned and saw him sit down beside her.
"I said keep it down!" barked Madame Pince from her desk.
"So what are you doing her?" she repeated, lowering her voice.
"I came to-" Harry stopped, embarrassed. He didn't want to sound so totally desperate, but inside he was feeling just that.
"I...I came to ask you for help on my Potions assignment," he lied quickly. "I don't understand about those Grengite potions at all." Harry shook his head sadly, and looked up at Hermione to see if she was buying it; she looked like she was.
"Good. I was expecting you to come whining at me about what we did, or begging for me to take you back. I don't regret what I did, and I'm glad you're taking it some maturely." She smiled and opened her Potions book. "Now if you'll read this part here......"
~*~
Harry walked to Quidditch practice unhappily. How could he have been that stupid, to think that Hermione might have not really meant what she had done. She was a smart girl, and always knew exactly what she wanted. And obviously that wasn't him.
He opened the door to the locker room and hastily changed into his scarlet robes, grabbed his broom, and waited for the rest of the team to arrive. He sighed, leaning back on the wall. Everything was going wrong. This wasn't how it was supposed to turn out at all. Didn't Hermione understand that what they had wasn't just a silly grade school relationship? Or at least it wasn't for Harry. For that short time they had together, he felt love.
"Harry?" Samantha asked, sitting down next to him.
"Huh?" He sat up quickly. "Sorry, I didn't know that anybody else was here." He straightened his glasses.
"Are you okay?" She put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You seem kind of tense."
"No, no. Everything's fine," he assured her. "Now, as soon as everybody gets here, we're going to be working on a new play," he added, telling her all the details as the other six players joined them.
~*~
Harry trudged up the stairs to Professor Flitwick's class later that week to attend his regular tutoring. After they broke up, he and Hermione still remained friends, which only seemed to make it worse. He hated to talk to her and know that she wasn't his anymore, and just up for grabs. Sometimes it frustrated him so much that he just wished everything could go back to the way it was.
He walked into the classroom looking much less cheerful than he had intended.
"Are you okay?" Ginny asked, concerned, as he sat down.
"Wha? Oh, no, I'm fine. Just a little tired, that's all," he replied, adding in a yawn to make his excuse more believable.
"Well, today I was hoping we could start working on something new," she said, opening the book. As usual, Harry's mind wandered and was anywhere but on the page it was supposed to be on.
"Does that sound okay to you?" he heard her ask.
"Does what sound okay to me?"
"Harry!" Ginny scolded him. "Listen! I'm tired of you not paying attention; that's what got you into this in the first place!" Harry's eyes widened; he wasn't used to Ginny losing her temper, and especially not with him.
"I...I'm sorry," he apologized, still in disbelief. "I'll pay attention more."
"Thank you!" She handed him the book. "Now I want you to read this, and then answer the questions on page 735. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," he said, picking it up and beginning to read.
~*~
Two hours later, Harry gathered his things together and waited for Ginny to finish her usual note. He looked around the room sullenly. The desks, the chairs, the door, the clock, the books, Ginny... He stopped. Ginny! That was it! The perfect plan began to form in his head...
"Are you ready to go yet, Harry?" Ginny asked from the desk where she was placing the piece of parchment.
"Yes," he replied, and he picked up his things and followed her out the door.
The whole walk to the common room, he was sure to look at her constantly and make eye contact whenever possible. He remained silent, though, while he was still working out what to say.
"I...uh...I'm sorry," he said suddenly. "For you know, being rude and everything."
"That's okay," Ginny replied, smiling up at him. "I suppose I could have been a bit nicer myself." The two walked in silence once again until they finally arrived at the portrait hole. Growing desperate, Harry spoke before Ginny could say the password.
"Excuse me for staring all night," he apologized, stepping in front of her swiftly and blocking the portrait hole. "But you look extraordinarily beautiful this evening."
"Why, thank you," she said, looking confused as she blushed scarlet.
"But of course, you do every night," he told her quickly. "Do you have a boyfriend?"
"That's a silly question! Of course not," she answered.
"And just what is wrong with all of the young men at this school anyway, passing up an opportunity like you?" he asked, causing her to blush even darker.
"That's really sweet, but I really need to be getting to bed now, so would you mind moving?"
No, not yet! thought Harry. Before he knew what he was doing, he grabbed her behind her waist and, bringing her closer to him, kissed her.
"What was that for?" she asked as he pulled away. Now he face was the same color as her hair.
"I've been wanting to do it ever since I first laid eyes on you," he lied, but Ginny didn't pick up on it and continued into the common room, smiling.
A/N So just what does Harry have up his sleeve? Well, it's pretty obvious, and it's downright mean. How could he be so cruel? Is Ginny onto him? Will she kick his butt? That would be pretty funny now that I think of it....tee hee!~ Would anybody else but me like to see that? I mean, duh I'm a H/G shipper, but it would still be funny, neh?
