"Hermione, come on. Maybe we can shove Madam Pomfrey out of the way to get to Harry."

            Ron was tugging on the sleeve of Hermione's robes, clearly wanting to get away from all the starring eyes as fast as possible. He dragged her out of the hall, and down the charms corridor. Hermione let out a wail, and whipped away her tears on her robes.

            "I-I can't believe Harry did that!" she cried. Ron snorted.

            "Why wouldn't he?" he asked, "You know he's not like Malfoy. Selfish and all stuck up. Strutting around the school like he owns the place…."

            Hermione almost wouldn't rather see Harry at the moment. Her heart was sore from all the details Dumbledore had just given them. Malfoy didn't help much but send the hall into another fanatic fit of rage. No wonder Harry had never told her about the third task last year in the tournament. She would hate it if she had made herself bring him up to tell her. It would be the worst thing for him to re-live that night. She wasn't ready to push the subject with it any farther than Dumbledore had told them. But yet, she had a feeling Ron would, and she couldn't stop him.

Shortly after, they hit the hospital wing, and Ron pounded on the door. Madam Pomfrey's red face appeared in the door almost at once.

"Oh no, you don't-" she started, but Ron was just about ready to burst.

"We need to see Harry!" he half yelled, "Is he awake yet?"

She looked them over quickly, and her red face vanished. Hermione though she saw her smile slightly.

"He is awake, yes," she answered, "Well… just for a minute then. But be careful. He's in a bad way."

Hermione's eyes widened at her last comment, as she opened the door further to let them in, and walked out when they entered, closing the door behind her.

They both turned around to face the room, and saw only one hospital bed still occupied. Hermione saw an enormous black shaggy dog lying on the floor. She recognized this dog as Sirius, Harry's godfather. It whined, and dropped its head to the ground. Ron sighed, dashed over to him, and started to scratch its ears, leaving Hermione to Harry.

She approached him cautiously, and gasped at what she saw. Harry looked horrible. His eyes were still closed, and a white blanket was draped over him. His bandages were gone, yet he still had a few deep gashes over his cheeks and arms. But that wasn't what worried her. His eyes were red and swollen, as if he had been through a dozen rough nights without any sleep, and he looked as though he had drunken several bottles of skele-grow.

She had never seen him look this miserable. Ron had seen this too, and he had to grab a chair for support. Hermione wailed, and collapsed onto a stool next to Harry's bed. Sirius had returned to his usual form with a small pop.

"A few nights of sleep for him, and he'll be better," he said to Hermione, but he looked worried. She noticed he didn't look at all like the last time she had met him. He was no longer as skinny as he once was, and it looked as though he had been groomed.

"He cleared your name, though," muttered Ron, fiddling with a bed sheet "He caught Peddigrew yesterday."

"Yes, Dumbledore told me. Peter's in Azkaban now, and not too happy about it," said Sirius, removing the sheet from Ron in case he had reduced it to a rag.

"Cedric met up with Cho," Ron said, "She looked really happy. She owes Harry a bundle."

But he froze, and Hermione could see why. Harry's bedspread had started to shift around, and turn over. Then she saw Harry sit up, and rub his swollen eyes.

"Harry!" gasped Ron, "You feeling all right?"

"Yeah… it's just my head," replied Harry, running his finger over his scar. He winced. Hermione drew a great, shuddering gasp, leaped up, and swung both arms around Harry's neck, sobbing.

"I can't believe y-you did that, H-Harry!" she cried, "What C-Cedric must t-think of you n-now!"

"Hermione, it's nothing to cry over!" said Ron, as Harry patted her awkwardly on the back.

"But- it is something to cry over!" Hermione said, burring herself into Harry, who was looking at Sirius, "You weren't there!"

"Neither were you, Hermione," Harry reminded her, "It wasn't as bad as you think."

Hermione raised her head, letting Harry pick her off his chest.

"Well, it had to be worse than last year, right?" she muttered, "And you were completely torn by that time! The way you duelled you-know-who… the way you came back! And Cedric died! You saw You-Know-Who murder Cedric!"

"I know I did, Hermione, and it was worse than last year, but there wasn't as much stress," answered Harry, his emerald eyes fixed on Hermione.

"How can you not have stress pounding over you, duelling you-know-who and all? Blimey, I'd died of the stress," said Ron, starring at Harry in awe.

"You weren't in the tournament. Ron, fighting a Hungarian Horntail is not exactly peaceful and easy," said Sirius, looking at Harry proudly, "It is stress and pain beyond anything you can imagine, being in Harry's place in the tournament. And there weren't any death eaters in the third task, as I recall."

"Death eaters are a little dim. I'd rather face a dragon like that one," mumbled Harry, "It left scorch marks all over my robes."

"But why did you and you-know-who's wands connect like that? The way Cedric had come back, and all. It seems rather… odd," said Hermione said. Harry nervously looked over at Sirius, who shrugged.

"What?" asked Ron, dumbstruck.

"You know how everyone says it's a horrible thing to be put in Slytherin?" Harry asked them, and Hermione nodded, "The sorting hat did try to put me in Slytherin. It could see Voldemort's powers in me."

Ron starred at him.

"Voldemort put some of his powers into me when he tried to kill me. Dumbledore told me a while ago," Harry continued, his voice barely getting past a whisper, but they heard every word.

"You can guess why I haven't told you. I could have been a Slytherin,"

"But- the wands. How did they do that?" asked Ron, who was at the edge of his seat, dying to hear more, "I don't think ordinary wands can do that, Harry."

"When I was buying my wand in my first year, Olivander told me he sold the brother of my wand to Voldemort," Harry said, ringing his hands, "When Voldemort aimed a curse at me the same time I did… I suppose my wand wanted to join his."

"And what would happen after that?" asked Hermione eagerly.

"Well, last year right after Voldemort killed Cedric, and duelled me… our wands connected," he told them, nervously, "And the ghosts of Cedric, Bertha Jorkins… someone else, but I don't remember him… and my mum and dad came out of his wand end. They told me to grab the cup with Cedric and go back."

Hermione starred at him with sad eyes, and Harry looked up at her.

"But it didn't happen again this time. Only last year…" he drifted off, and laid his head back onto the pillows. Hermione gripped his hand tighter than necessary, and it began to turn a deep purple, but Harry didn't notice.

"So, Cho's happy to see Cedric again, eh?" he asked, trying to left his spirits, "I thought she would be."

"Yeah, but so was everyone else," said Ron, grinning, "Malfoy tried to mess it all up though. Said Cedric was a loser because he didn't beat you in the tournament. Everyone turned on him, though. You should have seen his face!"

"Hope the slime ball knows when to keep his fat mouth closed from now on," said Harry, a weak smile playing on his lips. Ron chuckled.

"Er… Ron, I need to talk to you outside," said Sirius, who, until now, Hermione thought had gone. He was looking from Harry to Hermione with some sort of strange lopsided grin. Ron gave him a strange look, and reluctantly followed him out of the infirmary.

"What was that all about?" said Harry in confusion. Hermione shrugged.

"Never mind them, Harry," she said distractedly, "They've just got to grow up. Both of them."

"Yeah," laughed Harry, as he sat up, "I bet Sirius acts just like he did in his school days. And Ron… well, you know Ron," he grinned.

After a few moments of silence, Hermione started to get nervous. There she was, sitting next to an infirmary bed with Harry, who was half naked, in it. It made her stomach quiver in embarrassment. Perhaps Sirius and Ron would save her by coming back inside? But no. It was so quiet that Hermione could hear Harry's soft breathing.

After what seemed like hours, Harry sighed, and swung his leg over the bed. Hermione jumped to her feet.

"Harry, don't move! You're hurt!" she said in horror. Harry starred at her.

"I'm perfectly fine, Herm," he said, and he swung his other leg over so both his feet dangled off the edge. Hermione unwillingly nodded.

"So, what happened when I was out of it?" asked Harry as he gestured Hermione to sit at the end of his bed. Hermione obeyed, climbing up and crossing her legs in a sitting position with a wide smile.

"Oh, you know… this and that," she said, "We had to sleep in the Great Hall once… and Percy kept everyone up with his pep talk about not roaming the halls… I was dead tired."

Harry smiled.

"And everyone was so shocked! With you gone and Cedric suddenly sitting at the Hufflepuff table! I'm surprised the reporters aren't flocking here!" Hermione went on, "And we had to fight Madam Pomfrey to get to you a while ago. She wouldn't let us see you, but then I guess she was on good intensions. You looked pretty beaten up and bruised. Ron was planning to raid the infirmary at night!"

"S'pect Ron would do that," laughed Harry

"Yeah, and when everyone found out you caught Peter Pettigrew! You should have seen Malfoy's face! It was too good-"

"Hermione Granger, is that vengeance I hear in your voice?" said Harry with a look of faked shock. Hermione punched his arm lightly.

"Don't joke, Potter, or you'll end up as something at the bottom of my shoe… joking," said Hermione with a smile, and Harry starred, "Let's just say I gained some confidence while you were gone."

"Ah… maybe I should knock myself out again, eh?" said Harry.

"Don't you dare!" gasped Hermione, but Harry's wide eyes assured her he was teasing, "I mean… just don't."

"All right. I'll try not to. Just don't break down again, okay?" said Harry, but this time he looked serious, "Too many people have been upset over me."

He suddenly looked very distant, and Hermione suspected his sacrifice was still heavy on his shoulders. Hermione pulled herself up and gave Harry a hug.

"Harry, you're like family to me," said Hermione quietly, "Sirius finally has someone to care for and Ron has his brilliant best friend. You just need to realize how important you are to some people."

Harry didn't do much of anything. It seemed as though he was sure Hermione would release him, knowing Hermione was very reluctant to get close. But Hermione could feel his shoulders relax once he hugged her back. He wrapped her arms around her waist and sighed into her hair.

"It's a good thing you just told me that," said Harry, "I've been sorting that out since last year. Finding out who means a lot to me."

Hermione could have stayed like that forever, Harry's chin resting on the top of her head as she sat next to him. They stayed like that for a while until Hermione thought of something. It almost broke her heart to say it with a straight face.

"And Cho would be under that list, right?" she said, though not letting of Harry, "Of the people you care for?"

"Where'd you hear that?" said Harry, sounding genuinely surprised, "Sure, I care for her but… what're you getting at?"

"I've heard that you liked her since our third year," said Hermione, and her stomach plummeted a few feet. Harry thought for a moment.

"Well, I wont lie to you… I did, but it sort of ended in the middle of last year. I dunno why… I guess I just grew out of it."

            They let go of each other, and Hermione was barely able to grasp the fact that she'd look a little foolish jumping at him again. Instead, to her embarrassment, she blurted out, "Then whom do you like?"

            Harry starred at her, eyebrows raised.

            "I'm sorry, Harry, I shouldn't have asked that. It's not my business," apologized Hermione, "I mean… if you found out who I like… I'd be horrified! I've known him for years now and he happens to know me very well, so he'd be a bit… uh… yeah."

            Harry smiled a little, and nodded. He was about to say something, but all of a sudden, the doors of the infirmary burst open, and Lee Jordan ran inside, a Gryfindor banner tied around his neck like a cape.

"Hey, Harry! Enough with the love fest! It's time to party in the Great Hall! Everyone's there! Well, accept the Slytherins, those filthy, slimy blokes," howled Lee, waving his hands around, his eyes wide with enthusiasm.

            "Okay," said Harry, who was smiling very widely, "I'll meet you there!"

Lee ran out, screaming. Harry carefully climbed out of bed and stood, half naked in front of Hermione. Thankfully, Madam Pomfrey hustled into the room, carrying sheets. She frowned at Harry.

"I was just going to the Common Room," stammered Harry, who looked suddenly forlorn. But to his and Hermione's surprise, she smiled kindly and held out what she was holding to him. Hermione had a vague reflection of a Mrs.Weasley in front of her eyes.

"Then you can't very well go down there like that," said Madam Pomfrey. Harry grinned, and eagerly accepted the clothes.

"Thanks, Madam Pomfrey! Hermione, I'll see you downstairs, Ok?"

"Sure, Harry."

Harry skidded into the next room to change as Madam Pomfrey left for her office again. Hermione left for the Common Room, feeling better than she ever had in her life. Harry was well, the Slytherins were isolating everyone else, Peddigrew was caught, she had managed to find out a few things about who Harry liked, and Voldemort would surely keep away from Hogwarts for now.

When Hermione walked into the Great Hall, she had to blink a few times to realize what she was seeing was real. Every Gryfindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw was there, carrying cauldron cakes and butter beer and custard creams and chocolate frogs by the dozens. Fred and George, who were both wearing their sweaters over their heads, were standing on the Slytherin table, dousing the benches with their bottles of butter beer. Nearby, Seamus and Justin were dancing over a Slytherin banner that they had torn from the wall. Hermione smiled despite everything.

"Hermione!"

Hermione looked around to find Ron and Sirius standing aside, waving her over to them. They both looked amazingly immature, their cheeks red and big smile stretched across their faces. Wondering what in the world they were up to now, Hermione approached them.

"What?"

"Hey, what'd you do when we were gone?" asked Ron with a snicker. Sirius put a hand up to his mouth, looking around aimlessly, his head quivering. He took a startled glance at Hermione's annoyed face, and retreated down the nearby corridor. A moment later, Hermione heard the sound of him exploding with hoot of laughter.

"Really!" said Hermione vehemently, her cheeks burning of embarrassment. Ron shrugged, grinning ear to ear.

"Urgh…"

"Hey! It's Sir Potter of Hogwarts!" shouted Fred and George in unison, pointing at the marble staircase.

Harry had arrived. There he stood, in his jeans, the bandages around his arm tucked under a long-sleeved pullover. He was grinning looking very happy indeed. A few Ravenclaws and Gryfindors draped a Gryfindor flag around his shoulders at once, and Harry, looking slightly embarrassed, tried to warn them off. But, like all the other times, he couldn't stop a horde of people strangling him to tie it.

"No, really, I'm fine… argh! Who did that! Parvati?"

Hermione decided to sit this one out. Sure, it was her best friend's party, but she'd still be there. She figured that Harry would have enough screaming enthusiasts on his hands. Not that she'd be one of them. She found a place at the end of the Gryfindor table as far away as you could be from the party at the other end of the hall and sat, sighing.

Soon enough, Harry was forced into a chair at the Hufflepuff table and offered platters after platters of food that was nicked from the kitchens. Meanwhile, Hermione picked up a book that was sitting at the table. She looked at the cover. 'The Greatest Wizards and Witches of all time', it read. Hermione flipped through it.

"It must be very old," she said to herself, "Harry's not in it." She blushed in embarrassment.

"AAAAHHHHH!" screamed Neville, who had just made the mistake of eating something the twins offered him. But that was typical. Hermione kept reading the first chapter… then the second. She was on the third chapter and really, it wasn't very interesting. Sir Hujkler of Camelot didn't have much of a story to tell. She looked across the room and saw that everyone was dining on cauldron cakes now, Harry with a extra large slab. And to Hermione's alarm, he saw her look at him and grinned. Hermione's stomach twisted in nervousness as she noticed Harry was getting up from the table and excusing himself from the corner of her eye. She pretended to read the book, hoping to look convincing.

Footsteps made their way to Hermione, who had a sudden case of serious butterflies, and they stopped in front of her.

"Coming to join in, Hermione?" Harry asked her gently, "There's plenty of cauldron cakes. Unless you want to read."

Hermione looked up to find him smiling warmly down at her, making an inviting gesture with his hand. She sighed and put down her book. "Sure, Harry. It wasn't a good book anyways."
            She followed Harry to the Hufflepuff table, noticing her legs were oddly jelly-like and wobbly. She was trying her hardest to not fall flat on her face, but it was incredibly tough. Ron had ushered Harry to sit next to him, and Hermione was left to sit in the only available seat three places from his. She smiled nervously, wondering if she was upset about it or not. Well, it wasn't like she was horrified that Harry couldn't sit next to her… but her stomachache worsened, oddly enough.

"Canary cream, Hermione?" offered George, holding out a whole tray of them with a big smug grin on his face. Neville, who had erupted into purple blotches all over his face, shook his head behind his back. Unfortunately for him, Fred and noticed. "We'll let that go, Longbottom, but I wont be so forgiving next time."

Hermione ate one spoonful of cauldron cake, but she politely refused any further offers; she didn't trust any food on the table, with the twins around anymore. Even Lavender and Parvati were refusing food. But they were writing huddled around a role of parchment, giggling excitedly.

"What're you writing?" Hermione asked them, surprising herself with her own nosiness, but she had nothing better to do. To her surprise, Parvati ripped off the part they were writing on and handed to her with a smile. Hermione read it with raised eyebrows:

Guess what, Hermione?

            Hermione starred at it. She was about to ask Lavender, who was snickering in her napkin, what was up, until Seamus interrupted.

            "Guess what. Hermione? I know something you don't know," he told her with a laugh. Hermione shrugged, and said, "Well, it's good that you know something." But he didn't seem upset. He winked and passed her a piece of parchment identical to the one Parvati gave her. She read it curiously:

Guess what, Hermione? I know something you don't know. It has to do with you and Harry.

            It came to Hermione that Seamus and Lavender had gone mad. Everyone was still celebrating and eating treats, but they and Lavender were watching her with wide eyes. Her confused thoughts were interrupted yet again by Dean, who said, "Guess what, Hermione? I know something you don't know. It has to do with you and Harry. You've been best friends since first year, right?"

            "Yes, why?" said Hermione slowly, wondering what was going on. But she found another piece of parchment shoved into her hand by Justin. She, like with the others, read it curiously:

            Guess what, Hermione? I know something you don't know. It has to do with you and Harry. You've been best friends since first year, right? You share the same mind, the same thoughts and the same classes together.

            Hermione was about to burst with curiosity, looking at all the pieces of parchment in her hands.

"I don't know what's wrong with all of you, but you're scaring me," she told them, but Ernie Macmillan had interrupted this time.

"Guess what, Hermione? I know something you don't know. It has to do with you and Harry. You've been best friends since first year, right? You share the same mind, the same thoughts and the same classes together. And you barely ever argue," he laughed with glee, "It's a wonder how you two stay so close as friends and just as friends."

Hermione had looked down the table at Harry to see if he was watching all of this, but Ron was keeping his busy with showing him his new moves for chess with the salt and peppershakers. She was just about to speak to them until Lee Jordan had handed her another piece of parchment:

And it's not a surprise you aren't 'best friends' anymore. It's something more. That's right, we all know you fancy Harry. You know, you should really check if there's the whole Hogwarts School standing behind the infirmary door before talking to Harry about whom he likes. We all know who it is.

Hermione jumped to her feet in anger, but it didn't help matters that most people were grinning and watching her.

"What is wrong with you all?" she stammered heatedly, "You were listening to us?" she was silent for a few moments, realizing that Harry had turned to look at her, his green eyes curious, "How do you know who Harry likes?"

There was a chorus of snickering. Cedric Diggory, who was getting to his feet, was grinning the widest, "We know. She's standing right in front of us…"

Ah, no, thought Hermione in fright. She knew what was coming up. Everyone besides Harry, who was looking very perplexed, laughed even harder. They all shouted something that rang in Hermione's ears like it was shrieked through a megaphone.

"HARRY LIKES YOU, HERMIONE!"

It was followed by a round of unbearable laughter that shook the magical ceiling and rattled the platters beneath the table. Hermione stood silent for a moment, looking around at everyone, her stomach loosing its feeling of butterflies. They were all looking at Harry now. She looked at him too. She saw him standing, his goblet of pumpkin juice balancing on his hand, eyes bright and inviting. He raised his goblet in a suggestive manor.

"Er… surprise?" he said, obviously not knowing what was being planned. He smiled at Hermione. She smiled back.

Funny how friends can see right through your expression to your desires and wishes whenever they pleased, and that night, it was made apparent that even the smallest movement you'd make could give away a portion of your soul. Something that could change your life for the better or worse. But who had heard of changing it for the worse? What was worth a few well-used tears and a quite a few cuts and bruises was the reward… Hermione's and Harry's reward of each other.

…THE END…

…~'*'~…

AN: EVERYONE: GET THE NEXT ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY MAGAZINE ON JUNE 7TH! There's never before seen stills of the Chamber of Secrets movie, including Harry (who looks positively… uh… ravishing *teehee* He went through a major growth spurt, I suppose…) looking incredibly beaten up in the Chamber of Secrets, the bloody writing of the 'enemies of the heir… beware' sign and also a pic of Harry and Malfoy duelling!!  NO, this is NOT a joke! I'm 100% serious! If you want, see the pics here --- (http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,254304~1~0~asneakpeekat,00.html)  AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! *runs away SCREAMING*