rivalling at a contest at the local fair about the biggest pumpkin

Harry was glaring at the woman standing at the next stall. She was trying to take away his victory, and Harry couldn't allow it; this year's contest was his.

"If you keep glaring at her, you'll manage to make her catch fire," Neville said, making Harry stop his glaring contest. "Why are you glaring at her again?"

"She's trying to win the contest for the biggest pumpkin! I can't let her! This year is my chance!" Harry almost stomped his feet on the floor, but stopped before Neville would make fun of him.

Hermione—the girl from the stall next to his—and Harry's rivalry were legendary. It started when they were kids, and even now, when they are college students, they never get along.

"Face it, Potter, you're going to lose, like you lost every year," Hermione taunted from her stall and it took everything in Harry not to flip her the bird. "It's been like that since we're kids, and isn't going to change now."

"I think you should focus on your pumpkin instead of looking at mine, or else I would think you're jealous, and know you're going to lose," Harry taunted back, feeling extremely happy to see her getting red on the face.

"Why don't you two just kiss already and put all of us out of this misery?" Hermione's friend said, walking towards her stall. "I could do with less sexual tension here."

"Ginny!" Hermione screeched. "There isn't any sexual tension here, and never will be!"

Harry couldn't agree more with Hermione, and this was a first. They never agree with anything.

"She isn't wrong, you two should kiss and see what happens," Neville said, smirking at Harry, who gave him the middle finger. "Very mature, Harry."

"If I go there and kiss her, will you stop being a pain in my ass?" Harry asked, not believing what he was saying.

"Unless Hermione castrates you, I think I can stop badgering you," Neville said, and Harry wanted to slap his best friend.

Taking a deep breath, Harry left his stall and walked towards Hermione's. He would never tell anyone, but he always felt like she was cute, and it was a shame he generally only saw her around Halloween—since although they went to the same college, they didn't share any classes together.

Before he could lose the little courage he managed to gather, Harry walked into Hermione's stall.

"What do you think you're—" Hermione started to say, but didn't manage to finish when Harry's mouth descended upon hers.

Harry had imagined kissing Hermione many times before, but he never thought he was actually going to do it. Her lips were soft and tasted faintly like pumpkin latte; everything always came down to pumpkin with them.

They kissed until they were out of breath, and even then, they still kept near each other, until they both opened their eyes and looked at each other, speechless.

"Wow," both murmured together, before laughing quietly.

"I think they were right, about all the tension, huh?" Hermione said with a smile, caressing Harry's cheek.

"Don't let them know, or they will become insufferable," Harry replied, before quickly kissing Hermione again. "Want to go grab coffee before the judging?"

"I would like that very much," Hermione said, grabbing his hand and leaving her stall. "I'll even buy you a coffee, to soft the blow of you losing to me—again."

Harry groaned, but he didn't mind. He may lose the pumpkin contest, but he won Hermione's heart.