Title: The Next Step
Sub-Title: Being Blatant
Version: 1.4
Author: Xuqra
Date: 08.02.02
The sorting ceremony followed as usual, the new Gryffindors looked like a good bunch
Ron mentioned. He didn't mention but noticed how unusually close Harry and Hermione sat on
the bench but pushed it aside thinking that he was imagining things, besides lavender was
looking at him.
"Harry?" Ron said, "why is lavender looking at me like that?"
"I dunno Ron," Harry said as he focused on what he was eating and when he was done he
quietly swiped one of Hermione's strawberries. No one except her noticed and when she went
red and almost slapped his hand everyone looked at her.
"What?" Hermione asked Ron who was looking at them drop jawed. "Haven't you seen two
people flirt before?"
At this Ron cracked up, along with most of the Gryffindors that were around them.
Most of the school turned to take a glance at Harry and Hermione blushing a deep red. Many of
the students returned to eat their food with bright grins. Ron figured he'd ask later as
lavender flicked her hair over her shoulder, bringing his attention back to her. He smirked
to himself, 'maybe this year won't be as bad as I thought.'
After dinner the students followed the perfects and the older students up to their
common rooms. The Gryffindor common room was just as they had remembered it; their favorite
comfy chairs next the fire, which is where Harry and Hermione were obligated to go straight
for. Ron said he'd join them in a minute he had to go get something from his trunk.
Harry and Hermione sat in the chairs, staring into the fire. Neither one spoke for a
while, in efforts to slow time down, they knew that times like this wouldn't happen very often
this year, and who knew what was after that…
"You know you look beautiful in the firelight," Harry said finally.
Hermione laughed, "nice try Harry.' She leaned over her chair and gave him a light
kiss on the cheek before returning to her normal sitting position because they could hear Ron
trudging down the steps.
"So what happened this summer?" Ron asked when he sat in the chair across the fire
from them. Hermione blushed, and looked into the fire.
"Nothing Ron," Harry almost too quickly answered. He looked at Hermione for a
fleeting second and then back to Ron and asked, "what about you? Meet any one cute in
Bulgaria?"
Ron took in the view of Harry and Hermione; he knew something was going on now.
"Nice try Harry," Ron's voice starting to shake.
"Ron we were going to tell you," Hermione started but Ron cut her off.
"You should have bloody told me when it happened!" Ron stood up and looked at the
stairwell for a second. Glancing back at Harry before he left, "I can't believe you two would
bloody be such self-centered buggers," with that Ron walked away.
Sub-Title: Being Blatant
Version: 1.4
Author: Xuqra
Date: 08.02.02
The sorting ceremony followed as usual, the new Gryffindors looked like a good bunch
Ron mentioned. He didn't mention but noticed how unusually close Harry and Hermione sat on
the bench but pushed it aside thinking that he was imagining things, besides lavender was
looking at him.
"Harry?" Ron said, "why is lavender looking at me like that?"
"I dunno Ron," Harry said as he focused on what he was eating and when he was done he
quietly swiped one of Hermione's strawberries. No one except her noticed and when she went
red and almost slapped his hand everyone looked at her.
"What?" Hermione asked Ron who was looking at them drop jawed. "Haven't you seen two
people flirt before?"
At this Ron cracked up, along with most of the Gryffindors that were around them.
Most of the school turned to take a glance at Harry and Hermione blushing a deep red. Many of
the students returned to eat their food with bright grins. Ron figured he'd ask later as
lavender flicked her hair over her shoulder, bringing his attention back to her. He smirked
to himself, 'maybe this year won't be as bad as I thought.'
After dinner the students followed the perfects and the older students up to their
common rooms. The Gryffindor common room was just as they had remembered it; their favorite
comfy chairs next the fire, which is where Harry and Hermione were obligated to go straight
for. Ron said he'd join them in a minute he had to go get something from his trunk.
Harry and Hermione sat in the chairs, staring into the fire. Neither one spoke for a
while, in efforts to slow time down, they knew that times like this wouldn't happen very often
this year, and who knew what was after that…
"You know you look beautiful in the firelight," Harry said finally.
Hermione laughed, "nice try Harry.' She leaned over her chair and gave him a light
kiss on the cheek before returning to her normal sitting position because they could hear Ron
trudging down the steps.
"So what happened this summer?" Ron asked when he sat in the chair across the fire
from them. Hermione blushed, and looked into the fire.
"Nothing Ron," Harry almost too quickly answered. He looked at Hermione for a
fleeting second and then back to Ron and asked, "what about you? Meet any one cute in
Bulgaria?"
Ron took in the view of Harry and Hermione; he knew something was going on now.
"Nice try Harry," Ron's voice starting to shake.
"Ron we were going to tell you," Hermione started but Ron cut her off.
"You should have bloody told me when it happened!" Ron stood up and looked at the
stairwell for a second. Glancing back at Harry before he left, "I can't believe you two would
bloody be such self-centered buggers," with that Ron walked away.