Chapter 2- The Trouble With Boys
The next morning Ron emerged from his room, but Harry did not.

Where's Harry?

Oh, I guess he didn't get much sleep last night. He's still in bed.

Hermione had an idea. She rushed into the room and found her target. Without warning she hopped on top of Harry in his bed.

Ow! Ron! I told you! I don't care if I miss breakfa—Oh! Hermione! H-h-hi, he stammered. Sorry, I-I thought that Ron, I mean I thought that you, I mean I thought... He gave her a looked that told her he didn't mind her sitting on him, infact it looked like he wanted her to stay there that entire day.

Just then Ron walked in, seeing them looking deeply into eachother's eyes. Well, sorry interrupt the moment, but it's time to go down for breakfast.

They both blushed and looked away.

Down at breakfast, Hermione tried, for the first time in her life, to flirt. She decided to take the more direct approach with Harry and see if he would pick up. As they sat down, she scooted so close to Harry, she was practically sitting on top of him. She rubbed her leg against his, and seeing his look of surprise casually said, Oh, sorry. I thought that was the table!

Ron, picking up on her hints asked Harry, So who are you asking to the ball? Ron grinned evilly for a moment as Harry tried to conjure up something in response.

Oh, um....I...uh, haven't really thought about that. Um, yea.

Later that night, Harry situated himself on a couch in the common room between Ron and Hermione. Ron, trying to encourage them, claimed he needed a lot of sleep and left Harry and Hermione on the couch together.

Why have you been acting so strange lately, Harry? Is there something you want to tell me? Hermione asked.

Well actually...no. I've just been really tired, that's all. I should actually go to bed right now. But before he could get up, Hermione grabbed her things and stormed out of the common room furious with him. Why couldn't he just tell her? Was Ron lying? No, he couldn't be. She remembered what he had said in his sleep and when he came to her room.

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Ron, what is the deal with Harry?!?! Why wont he just tell me?!?! Hermione had decided to confront Ron with her problem in the common room days later. She had had no luck in getting Harry to tell her.

Well it's not the easiest thing to say to someone, that you've been in love with them for three years. She silently agreed with him. Well then, do you like him?

Yes! I love him! But he still wont talk to me about it. He barely talks to me at all, let alone about that. I can't stand it! Just then Harry walked in looking pink in the cheeks from a long quidditch practice. Harry, we need to talk again.

She pulled him over to the side of the room and tried to get him to tell her. She would not break her promise to Ron by telling Harry that she knew. She wanted to hear it from him. I know there is something that you are not telling me, she said. When have we ever not been able to talk to each other? Never. So, I want you to tell me.

Nothing, there's nothing going on, he said, not looking her in the eye at all.

That was it. She couldn't stand it any longer. She walked straight over to Seamus who was sitting in a chair, looked him in the eye, and gave him a long and wet kiss. After that, she went straight into her room and slammed the door.

WHAT was THAT?! Harry asked Seamus, half baffled, half infuriated.

I don't know, but I didn't mind it!

~~~~~~~~
Hermione figured that the only way to break Harry would be to MAKE him love her. Of course, she thought...that was it! Why hadn't she thought of it before? A love potion!

Hermione spent the good part of the next week preparing it in secrecy. When Parvati or Lavender asked her what she was doing, she just told them she was doing some extra work for potions. All she needed now was something of Harry's to add to the potion. She walked into their dorm between break to collect something. It was much harder to tell whose bed was whose when all they boys were not in them. Spotting Hedwig's cage, she walked over to the bed next to it and gathered a hair from what must be Harry's robe. Soon enough the potion it was ready. She drank it all and got in bed, only to have a sleepless night worrying about the day to come.

All of a sudden she felt a presence next to her bed. Sitting bolt up right, she found RON to be standing next to her bed, gazing hopelessly into her eyes, and to Hermione's surprise, a large bouquet of red roses.

Here you are my sweet! I woke up at 4 am but could not wait to see you so I have been standing here since then!

What...what...Oh, no!!! She must have accidentally gotten one of Ron's hairs, not Harry's! She hadn't really looked at the color of the hair, she just assumed it was his.

My love is concerned that I did not get enough sleep! How I lover her even more, if it is possible! Well, have no fear, it was well worth waiting here for you, my dear.

An idea suddenly came to Hermione's mind. What if she could use this situation? If Harry became jealous of Seamus for her having kissed him, he would DEFINITELY be jealous of this. Plus, she had a personal attendant. Ron, would you be so kind as to go run down to the library and get my Advanced Transfiguration book? I seem to have left it there.

Anything for you, my dear. He turned and left.

Hermione decided that if she was going to make Harry jealous, she might as well do the thing right. She let Lavender do her makeup this morning (but she wouldn't let her put on a lot, to Lavender's disappointment) and she put a charm on her hair which made it fall into ringlet curls. She smiled at how pretty she looked in the mirror and wondered why she didn't do this more often.

She got to the dining hall and noticed Ron was still not back from the library. The spell must really be working to make him skip a meal. Hermione sat down opposite a gaping Harry who squeezed out a, which he said very fast.

She just smiled shortly back and grabbed the sausages. Some time later, Ron came back empty handed. What's the matter? Was my book not there? Hermione asked.

No, it was there. I just spent the rest of the time getting books that I thought you might like. I got fifty six. It took me a while to get them back up to your room. He just sat there next to a shocked Harry and gazed at her.

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Harry had seemed to have lost his shyness around Hermione, much to her delight, and was now becoming obviously jealous and concerned. Hermione had sent Ron on a mission to get her some pumpkin juice which gave Harry a chance to talk to her. Are you seeing Ron? he asked her.

No, he just seems to be infatuated with me, she lied.

Well I just don't get it because you flirt with me, and then all of a sudden you randomly kiss Seamus and I see Ron waiting on you hand and foot. You know you really hurt my feelings, Harry said starting to sound upset.

Well maybe I didn't know you had any for me! I'm just getting tired of people not telling me how they feel, so I don't know if I was doing something wrong! Harry just sat there for a moment. Hermione couldn't tell if he was really angry or really sad. All of a sudden he just got up and walked to his room.

~~~~~~~

Hermione had had enough of this and decided to spend every waking moment in the library tying to find a reverse spell. This was not an easy task seeing as Ron would not leave her alone. She tried to keep him busy, sending him on impossible tasks. It was getting harder and harder to think of things for him to do. Ron, would you mind going to see if you can find me two of the same snowflakes? That would keep him busy, she thought.

With pleasure, my dear!

She had almost given up hope when she came across the spell in Things That You Did That You Wish You Never Had Done and quickly performed the reverse spell. A few minutes later, Ron came bursting into the library looking very confused.

Why did you send me looking for two of the same snowflakes? he asked.

Hermione explained to him everything.

So you were just going to let me STAY that way forever?

she said, I was trying to find the reverse spell for it.

Well now that this fiasco is over, I think its time for you to go talk to Harry. These were words she did not want to hear but knew she must. She and Ron left the library and climbed the stairs up to Gryffindor tower, with each step harder than the next. As they walked in through the portrait hole, Hermione saw Harry sitting in a chair and winced.

Uh...Harry, I have to talk to you, privately. She looked back at Ron who gave her a reassuring smile. Harry got up without a word and walked silently with Hermione to the top of the astronomy tower. Let me explain, she said as they walked outside. She looked down from the top of the tower at the snow-covered Hogwarts. It really was beautiful.

Well I'd hope so, he finally responded.

Well, this isn't the easiest thing for me to say, but I need to tell you. If you feel differently, I will walk away from your life forever, she added, hoping that this would not be the case. I, I made a love potion, originally for you...and...and then I accidentally got one of Ron's hairs, not yours. I...I...I'm sorry, she said beginning to shed tears as the snow fell silently upon them. She just looked at Harry, who stood still and emotionless. Feeling that all hope was lost she began to cry as she walked back inside. How stupid had she been that she actually THOUGHT Harry, the great Harry who had girls swooning over him everyday, could ever like or forgive her.

Hermione heard him call back. She walked back outside. He moved very close to her; she could feel his warm breath. Hermione, I.... He leaned forward and gently made contact with her lips for the first time in Hermione's life (other than Seamus's of course). Hermione, I love you. She looked deeply into those emerald eyes of his for a minute before she realized how cold she was. Harry, who had been wearing his winter robes and a thick sweater, quickly took off his robes and rapped Hermione up in them.

But Harry, you'll freeze! she said. Suddenly regaining thought, Hermione conjured up a blue fire in front of them and took off Harry's robe, draping it over both of them. She wished she could stay like that forever, wrapped up in Harry's arms. She felt his heart beat through his chest as she leaned back against him. He always smelled good, like lemons or pine; always so crisp. After a while they decided it would be best to go inside.

By the time they got back in the Gryffindor common room, everyone had gone to sleep, including Ron who lay asleep in a chair. As the portrait hole swung open, Ron awoke with a start. Geeze you guys, I thought we were going to have to send a search party! I suppose it went well? Hermione said as she smiled at Harry. Well, I don't know about you two, but I'm going to bed, she added.

I think Ron and I will stay up a bit longer, Harry said to a surprised looking Ron. Hermione figured Harry was going to update Ron on the situation. Harry walked over and kissed her on the cheek. he whispered and Hermione walked up to her dormitory.

As she lay in bed she thought, Harry Potter loves me, and fell asleep.