THE BOX By: L.M.L. Alforque

" HERMIONE!"

Hermione Granger turned and was startled to see Harry running as if there was no tomorrow. " Hermione, wait! I have something very crucial to tell you," Harry said.

Ohmigosh! He's going to tell me that he loves me. He's gong to propose. And we're still on our sixth year in Hogwarts! Oh, my tormented soul is finally free. Ah, love.love is like a rebellious bird that can't be tamed, love is like a Bohemian child that has never, never known any law, she thought.

" Hermione," Harry panted, " I've finally reached you." Even as beads of sweat rolled down from his forehead, she could smell the cool scent of his perfume. Wizard Chancelot Aarbeuger- Niflitkh's five galleons per ounce eau de toilette for men in Pacific Ocean scent, if she's not mistaken.

" What is it, Harry?" She touched his arm to mollify him. At the contact alone, she felt goose bumps running up and down on her spine.

" Hermione," Harry mumbled as he drew closer to her.

" Yes?" She also stepped nearer. They are about inches away from each other now.

A bit more and we'll be kissing each other, Hermione thought, dizzy either of the range of proximity or of the perfume.

" Hermione?"

" Yes?"

" I really don't know how I should tell you this---''

"Tell me what, Harry?"

" I have something for you." Harry rummaged for something in his pocket and produced a box made out of blue velvet with a red rose décor at the center.

A ring! He IS going to propose. He's going to get down on his knees, right here, right now in this corridor and make me a promise that he'll love and cherish me until his dying day! Come what may! What shall I say? And if my brain refuses to work and I am at the loss of words? What will my parents think? Will they be proud of me? Yes! Yes, Harry! I've loved you for so long and we do not need to go on to dates since we both know how we both feel for each other. It's perfect. We'll elope or something. We'll go to France, to Ireland and even to the Arctic on our honeymoon. Yes, I love you, Harry Potter! You're the one I've longed to be with. It's destiny , she thought.

Harry opened the box slowly as if letting the excitement thrill Hermione.

" What is it" she inquired. A ring, a ring. Please let it be a ring with an eighteen- carat diamond on it, she thought, excited.

He slowly did so, smilingly, as Hermione grew anxious. " Is it a---'' Hermione began but stopped short, finding it hard to believe that inside the very sophisticated- looking box was..



A GRAPE!!!

" Aaahhh!!!" Hermione screamed as two pairs of hands shook her.

" Calm down! You were mumbling in your sleep about grapes so we had to wake you up." Ron Weasley explained, frantically looking around the Gryffindor common room as if making sure that no one was disturbed.

Hermione stood up and gathered all her things. She turned to face Harry and slapped him hard on the face.

" A GRAPE! Of all things, a grape, you ape! A GRAPE!" she screamed to his ear. With that, she stormed out of the room and headed for the library. Ron and Harry looked at each other with puzzled looks. " What has gotten into her?" Harry asked, rubbing the hand- shaped red spot on his cheek.

Ron shrugged, " I dunno. She must've had too much grapes today."

THE END-

AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, what do you think? Did you feel that the ending's a waste or something? Tell me about your comments and your rants in lmla_blue@yahoo.com. I hope you liked it, if not loved it. Thanks for reading it, anyway! This world needs a lot of laughter to make it healthy. So laugh with me! Hahaha! Okay, I'm beginning to get silly.

But what I'm saying is true. I'm not into the H/Hr relationship but I was just intrigued to make a fanfic about the two of them. I'm into the Draco/Hermione relationship. If you are also into the D/Hr = LoVe kind of business, read my next fanfic. It's entitled " ANOTHER FIRST." Anyway, this story is in a dream scene so you may find it kind of awkward that Hermione is presumptuous and Harry is a hopeless romantic. So, repeat after me: " It's just a dream scene. A dream scene. A dream scene." Now, convince yourself that. Hypnotizing.

DISCLAIMER: None of this ever happened in any of J.K Rowling's Harry Potter series neither in time, space nor history. In short, don't go suing Ms. Rowling. Bite me instead! Also, I don't like plagiarizing another person's work. Yeah, yeah! Enjoy!