Conflicting Emotions

By: Betty W.

So here goes nothing.

A/N: This is the first time that I had ever written a fanfic, more so a Harry Potter fanfic. So please pardon me for any mistakes I have committed and will be committing. I cannot even believe I'm writing!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. I'm just borrowing the characters, though the plot is mine, though come to think of it, there is no plot.

Chapter One Food For Thought

Harry Potter stared hard at the wizard's chessboard, even though his thoughts were focused on something, someone to be precise. Hermione Granger. He had been exchanging correspondence with her the whole summer he was staying at the shacking shack.

Yes, Dumbledore had permitted him to stay at the shacking shack, though he was constantly supervised. He had stayed at the shacking shack all by himself cause Ron was obligated to go home for their annual reunion.

Ron had of course invited him to tag along, even Mrs. Weasley invited him, but he had not acquiesced. Telling Ron that it was a family get-together and outsiders, even friends should not be present. And in the end he had won, and Ron grudgingly left.

The whole summer had been spent on trips to Hogsmead, doing his assignments and answering his letters, which were composed mainly of Ron's, telling him that it was not yet too late for him to join them, the Dursleys telling him not to come back ever again, and Hermione's. Hermione, her name runs like music in his ears. And now he was back with Hogwarts with his bestfriends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Bestfriend, Hermione.

"Hello, am I alone or what?" Ron asked rather impatiently.

"Huh?" Harry asked, thoroughly confused. "What? Why? Who?" Harry's questions were spontaneous.

"You're not listening." Ron stated the obvious. "Your mind is obviously drifting. Who is she?"

"Who's who?" Harry asked rather defensively.

"Oh come on."

"I do not know what you're talking about." Harry said, rather too guilty as he shifted his startled gaze from his friend to the board. "What was your move?" He asked instead, stirring the topic away.

"Oh no you don't. You're going to tell me, who's ailing you."

"So, your move was Queen to E5." Harry said, watching the fragments of cement surrounding Ron's Queen. "Like old times, isn't it?" Harry asked remembering his first year times with the Sorcerer's stone. And wanting Ron to remember it too, so that he will forget asking him questions he himself doesn't want to acknowledge, yet.

"Come on, Harry, you can always tell me, I'm your friend we've already shared a lot." Ron prodded.

Harry heaved a sigh; resign to the fact that Ron won't stop pestering him until he gave in, yet he was not yet ready to give in.

"Why are you convinced that a girl is bothering me?"

"Really, do you have to ask," Ron gave an exasperated look before he continued, "I have never seen you so troubled before, not even in the most direst predicament of all. You know, the one with You-know-who."

After all this time, Ron was still afraid of saying the Dark Lord's name.

"And since I have experienced that kind of confusion too, I can relate. So, who is she?" Ron asked eagerly.

"Am I that transparent?" Harry asked, missing the implications Ron's words had caused.

"Uh-huh. Someone I know? So?"

"I don't think I could tell you now. Maybe some day when I have sorted out my feelings I could tell you then." Harry answered. Thinking of his emotions concerning Hermione. He had no feelings for her whatsoever. Until the day she had kissed him on his cheeks. It had roused some warm feelings on his insides that he had never experienced in all his 15 yrs. And from then on he was constantly on his feet, feeling excited whenever a post came from Hermione. He even partially ripped her letter in haste. And he hated himself for that reaction.

"Come to think of it." Ron mused to himself, as Harry's thought went back to the present. "If you were to ask me the same thing, I would have bid for time. I guess I would have done exactly what you're doing now. Sorting it out. So maybe then, if you're finished you could tell me by then."

Harry nodded, relief pouring over him. He won't have to lie to Ron then, because he was set on his decision to either understand his predicament, then whether to pursue or to forget. Maybe the latter would be the nicest solution. He only hoped that it wasn't too hard.

"So where were we?" Ron asked suddenly.

And before he knew it Harry was absorbed in the game intent on beating Ron, which he had never done before, unaware that he had already understood his predicament.