Chapter 10 - The Truth: Revealed

Harry was right. When he looked up and he did see Hermione, only she didn't have her arms crossed and she didn't look like she was ready to yell. Instead, she looked like she had just attended a funeral. There were heavy bags under her eyes, which were blood red. Her face was wet from all the tears she looked like she had shed, yet that didn't stop it from continuing to roll down her face. She kept inhaling deeply from all the energy lost from crying. She wasn't wearing dress robes, contrary to what Harry thought, she was dressed in her usual Hogwarts robes. She had obviously heard everything.

Harry stood in shock at the look of Hermione. He honestly didn't know what to say. He opened his mouth to speak but Hermione interrupted him. She ran over to him as quickly as she could and buried her face in his chest as she put her hands gently on Harry's shoulders. She broke down immediately.

Harry was surprised greatly by the reaction of Hermione. Before Hermione had reached him, he held his arms out to the side with his hands open, in the position it would look before hugging someone. He looked down with his eyes wide open and his mouth ajar at the top of Hermione's head as she sobbed on him. When he had felt Hermione's hands move from his shoulders to around his neck, he closed his arms around her, giving her a very warm embrace. He wanted to ask so many things, but thought it would be polite to let Hermione cry and to wait until she spoke first. He held her for what seemed like an eternity before she spoke.

"H-Harry," Hermione sobbed in a managed whisper. Her head was still in Harry's chest.

"Yes Hermione?" he responded, speaking very softly to her. She looked up at him. Harry's heart gave a huge flutter at the sight of Hermione's face. He couldn't help but stare into her brown eyes that were filled in tears. Though in the condition she was in, she looked more beautiful to Harry then ever. It was probably because he hadn't made eye contact with her in about 3 months.

"I-I heard ever-everything Harry," she sniffled.

"You did?" he said, not knowing if that was a good thing or not.

"I'm sorry Harry. For- for telling you that I hated you and that I- I never wanted to see you again. I-I didn't mean it! I'm sorry for all the pain and suffering that I caused you and for being such a snob. It's- it's just that- oh…" She didn't finish her sentence because she buried her face in his chest before crying again.

"It's-it's ok Hermione," said Harry and tenderly as he could, softly rubbing her back.

"Sirius was right Harry. I don't care about that promise you made. I'm-I'm just so glad to see you again. I've missed you so much Harry! I missed you so much…"

"I missed you too Hermione," said Harry, again in a tender voice. He had a strong desire to kiss her, but decided against it.

"I was so devastated when you didn't show up the next day after you made that stupid promise. I honestly didn't think that you were actually going to keep it. I'm also surprised how you managed to keep it…"

"Well it's a long story Hermione."

"Save it Harry. I just want to hold you right now. My life was so incomplete without you. I cried myself to sleep so many nights not seeing you everyday and thinking that that's how it was going to be the rest of my life. I wake up in the morning thinking that it's all a dream, only to realize that it wasn't. It just couldn't be happening! I hated going on Christmas break without you. When my parent asked why you hadn't come, I told them I wasn't talking to you. Later that night, I felt even more miserable lying to my parents about that. Honestly, my pillow felt like it just came out of the wash!"

Harry made a small grin.

"I think Ron even hated me for the mood that I was in," continued Hermione, "I would take out all my frustrations on him. He didn't like it, but, I think he was used to it. I disguised myself everyday, making me look like I wasn't in any pain at all. But I think that my friends all saw behind that. Especially Ron. He urged me to go and talk to you. The only problem was, I had a really hard time finding you. When I asked everyone if they knew where you were, they all responded with a no."

"Look Hermione," said Harry, "I guess that I should be sorry too. Ron told me to talk to you too, but my stupidity got the best of me. I was being stupid and selfish. I didn't mean any real harm, but truthfully, I think that subconsciously, I made that promise to hurt you a little. I may have caused you more pain then I think."

"It doesn't matter anymore Harry," said Hermione. "It's all over now. I want you in my life Harry. I need you in my life. I want you to be around me. I want to see you everyday. We're together now Harry, and I want to be your friend."

"Oh," said Harry staring to feel his blood pressure rise. He didn't like the "friend" part that Hermione had said. By the way Hermione was talking, it sounded like she was getting back together with her boyfriend. Through all of this, he had forgotten all about the mystery wizard that Hermione loved.

"I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me Harry?" said Hermione, looking into Harry's emerald green eyes. Although, she was crying senseless since they first started speaking, she had calmed down a significant amount. Her face was still wet with tears, and tears did occasionally fall down her face. From Hermione's tears, Harry's shirt looked like someone had thrown a bucket of water on him. He didn't fail to notice that their embrace hadn't broken either.

Harry stared into her eyes. For some reason, he actually considered saying no. His selfishness was urging him to say it. She had put him through so much that he thought she needed more suffering. Especially since she loved someone that wasn't him. That feeling quickly passed as he stared at Hermione. Her beautiful face that sparkled from her tears and her beautiful eyes that shed them. And her bushy brown hair, for some reason, Harry found it the most attracting part about Hermione. Seeing all those things everyday was well worth the suffering he went through and it very well deserved his apology.

"Of course I forgive you Hermione," said Harry happily. Hermione grinned back at him and gave him another hug.

It felt so good to hold Hermione, but sadness whooshed through his body as he spoke.

"You better be going back to the Valentine's Ball Hermione," said Harry miserably, finally letting go of her. "I bet your wizard's waiting for you." To his surprise, Hermione raised an eyebrow to him.

"What on Earth are you talking about Harry?" she said in her usual what-on-earth-are-you-talking-about voice.

"I thought you went to the Ball?" he asked puzzled.

"No I didn't," Hermione said shaking her head.

"But I heard you…" started Harry, but he was interrupted.

"That was Ron, Harry," interrupted Hermione. "Walked into the common room when I was sitting by the fire and he invited me to go, but when I told him no, he told me that you were upstairs. He said that I probably didn't know because you had your invisibility cloak on. Although I don't agree with you using your invisibility cloak in the halls…"

"Ron, that prat! When I see him I'm going to -"

"Thank him so much," finished Hermione. "Honestly! You should be thanking him. Or else we wouldn't be where we are right now."

Harry grinned because he though about how Sirius had interrupted the same way and told him to thank Ron too.

"By the way," asked Harry, "how'd you get in here without me hearing you?"

"Quietomora Spell Harry," said Hermione as-a-matter-of-factly. "It blocks out every single sound there is. But only for a few moments."

Harry nodded. Still there was one more thing that was left unanswered. After thinking about it for a moment, Harry let out his question.

"Who is it Hermione?" asked Harry. "Who is this great wizard that you like so much?" The look of happiness faded from his face and was replaced with a saddened one. He was afraid of Hermione's answer. She, on the other hand, looked like she was excited to tell him.

"Well," said Hermione, walking up to him and putting her hands around his neck, "you know him." She stared to softly massage his neck. "In fact, you know him very well."

"It's not Ron," said Harry. "You already told me that."

"I know it's not Ron," said Hermione. "It's the other wizard you know very well."

Harry shook his head. Who on Earth did he know very well besides Ron?

"Who is it already Hermione?" said Harry impatiently. "Out with it already!?"

"Harry," Hermione said, after a deep breath.

"What?" he answered, wondering what she wanted now.

"I said…his name…is Harry," answered Hermione. Harry's head jolted up.

"What?" said Harry. Hermione just smiled at him.

"Then why did you say 'no' Hermione?" he asked. Hermione him a puzzling look. "Why did you say 'no' when I asked you to the Valentines Ball?"

"Oh," said Hermione, her hands still on Harry's neck, "I was so scared Harry. I wanted you as a boyfriend so bad, but I didn't think you would want me as a girlfriend. I thought that by going to the Ball with you, I would have done something that I would totally regret and I thought it would ruin our friendship forever."

"And what is it that you were planning to do?" asked Harry, raising his eyebrows.

"You do it Harry," said Hermione in almost a smile. "So that I know that it's ok."

"Do what!?"

She held up a hand in front of him to stop him.

"Shut up and kiss me Harry."

There was an unusually brief silence. Harry didn't know whether or not to react. He was to excited to. He leaned in slowly toward her right until there foreheads touched. He licked his lips in anticipation of what was going to happen. And in on swift moment, he closed his eyes and made is lips touch hers. At first it was gentle and soft. Harry took it up a notch and opened his mouth while he kissed her. Hermione did the same, softly moaning against his kiss. And they kissed each other with opened mouth kisses like lovers for a long time until Hermione surprised him. He had snaked her tongue into his mouth and Harry responded by massaging his tongue with hers. They kissed harder and harder, pouring everything that they had into the kiss. Hermione took great effort to stop it.

"Harry," she gasped for breath, "that was incredible!"

"Yes that was," he gasped, also out of breath.

"Harry?" said Hermione again.

"Hermione?" said Harry.

"Will you be m boyfriend?"

"Mmm…maybe," said Harry coolly.

"Just give me an answer already Harry!"

Harry didn't say a word. Instead, he leaned in and gave Hermione the best kiss he ever gave her.

"There's my answer," Harry said, smiling after they broke from the kiss. Hermione grinned.

"Why don't we go down to the Ball?" Harry asked.

"No Harry. We're not going to the Ball," Hermione simply put.

"Why not?" asked Harry in a whining way.

"Well," said Hermione, putting her arms around his neck again, "there's about three months of friendship that I want to make up to you."

Harry grinned and with that, he leaned in and kissed her again.

*A/N: Well guys, looks like that this is the end. Thanks to all of your for your R/R and I hope you enjoyed reading this as I have writing it. Check out my other stories if you haven't already. Please? Just to let you know, this isn't the end. I will be writing more H/H stories and I will be posting them. Be sure you guys keep on the look out. Thanks again…

Harry/Hermione 4Ever!!!