I'm All Ears
Disclaimer: Well, I certainly don't own our hero Mr. Potter, our heroine Miss Granger, or anyone else I may throw into this fic. They're Ms. J.K. Rowling's - she's brilliant, isn't she? Now, if only she'd unite Harry and Hermione...
H/Hr. The idea was conceived while in Accounting, but inspired by my quiet voice and the pet peeves that come with it. Read the fic and hopefully you'll make the connection! And if not, well, that's ok too.
...
Hermione stared at Harry intently, so intently that any outside observer, and definitely Harry himself, would've asked her, "Hermione, why are you staring like that?" In fact, it had happened countless times before.
But this time, Hermione didn't have to worry about being caught staring at Harry, because everyone was doing it. Everyone in the Quidditch stands had their eyes fixed on Harry, Gryffindor's seeker, as he and the Hufflepuff seeker were neck in neck, chasing the Snitch. However, while the rest of Hogwarts was watching Harry with admiration, anticipation, and awe, Hermione watched him with love. And that was precisely how she always looked at Harry.
She used to look at him as Harry, her best friend, the boy who had stuck by her through thick and thin, who had comforted her and supported her, made her laugh and smiled at her, as the boy whose friendship she cherished so deeply. Hermione didn't know when it had happened, but at some point between first year and now, she had fallen in love with him. And now, she looked at him as Harry, not only as her best friend, but as a part of her that she couldn't imagine surviving without, as her match made in heaven, as the boy she loved with all her heart, mind, and soul.
In addition to being The Boy Who Lived, though, Harry Potter was also The Boy Who Didn't Know Hermione Loved Him.
Now, this was something Hermione was determined to change. She felt she had finally gathered the courage to tell Harry just how she felt for him. She would go through with it. Yes, she wouldn't chicken out like the many times before. Hermione didn't even want to think about the last time she had chickened out. Harry had smiled at her quite strangely after she had blurted, "Um...Harry, I...um, I like your glasses!"
This time, Hermione wouldn't be a coward. She would risk damaging their wonderful friendship if it provided a chance for them to have something more, something stronger, something even more beautiful than their existing friendship. The truth was, Hermione had no clue whatsoever as to whether Harry would reciprocate her feelings. The stakes were indeed very high.
The crowd cheered. Hermione looked around, her midday musings quickly fading and the reality coming into focus once again. Harry was on the ground, and in his hand was the Golden Snitch. She saw him look up at her, and they both simultaneously broke into smiles.
She had to tell him soon.
...
The library was rarely this busy - all the tables were occupied, Madame Pince had a queue of students waiting for assistance in finding a certain book, and the magnitude of the low humming of chatter was a clear indication of just how many students were there in the library. Harry and Ron were lucky Hermione had arrived early to save their usual table for them. Thus, now the three of them were diligently working away on their pile of homework.
"Hermione?"
"Yeah?"
"Could you look over my Potions while I go get a book?" Ron asked, offering her his parchment.
She took it. "Sure."
"Thanks."
Once Ron had left, Hermione stole a glance at Harry, who was quietly scribbling on his parchment. Could she tell him now? She peered around. Ron wasn't to be seen anywhere. Hermione knew it'd probably take him a while to find that book. At least he wouldn't walk in on them. So Hermione decided to tell Harry she loved him, right here, right now.
"Harry?"
"Yeah?" He looked up, his eyes brilliantly green. She felt her knees go weak - and she was sitting!
"Um, can I talk to you about something?"
He set his quill down. "Sure. What is it?"
"Well, it's..." She bit on her lip, as though it could successfully calm her nerves or slow her heart rate. "I don't know when exactly, but for--"
"So are my answers alright?" Ron said, sinking back down in his chair next to Harry and then looking at Hermione expectantly.
Hermione's heart sank. "They're fine," she muttered, returning his homework.
...
Harry and Hermione were walking, alone, to the Great Hall for lunch. Ron had told them earlier that he'd catch up with them later - Lavender wanted to talk to him.
Harry had smirked, "Sure, Ron. 'Talk'..." But he was grinning. Hermione had laughed and said, "Ron, if you were a better liar, it'd make things much easier for you!"
"Oh shut it, you guys. We're really going to talk!"
They just nodded, "Uh huh," they said incredulously, teasing him.
"Ugh! It'll be really quick, so I'll see you at lunch, ok?" And Ron was off.
Now, this was the perfect opportunity for Hermione. She cleared her throat.
"You ok?" Harry inquired.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just, Harry, could I talk to you for a moment?"
He smiled. "Isn't that what you're doing right now?"
"Ha ha, smart ass," she said, sticking her tongue out at him.
"Well I've got to be a smart something to be able to entertain a conversation with the brilliant Hermione Granger, don't I?"
She blushed. What could she say to something like that? Hermione searched for words, but to no avail.
Harry sensed this. "So what were you going to talk to me about?" he said gently.
"Um...something that's been bothering me for far too long, and I haven't exactly done anything about it..."
"And what's that?" He looked at her warmly.
"Well, it involves b--"
"Told you I'd be quick! Now, if we were really snogging, do you think I'd be back so soon? Hell no!"
That was twice now that Ron had interrupted her, in two days! Hermione sighed out of frustration. Maybe she should call him Ron "Perfect Timing" Weasley from now on. Or "Right On Time" Ron.
...
Finally, Hermione had Harry all to herself. They were by the lake, it was a Sunday, and everyone was too busy enjoying the warm weather to care about what Harry and Hermione would be doing by the lake. Even Ron was occupied, happily lazing under a tree with Lavender. Under these circumstances, Hermione didn't feel at all rushed to tell Harry she that loved him. She was confident she had the entire afternoon by the lake to talk with him. So, she was going to do this right. She started off slowly, trying to ease into a conversation.
"Have you ever thought about what love is, Harry?" she questioned, as she stared across the lake.
"Oh, all the time," Harry replied, moving up to stand next to Hermione.
"You do?"
"Of course. I wonder about the love my mom had for me, I wonder how it could have been so strong to enable me to defeat Voldemort."
"It must've been an exceptionally strong mother's love. No doubt about that. Your mother - and your father - really, really loved you."
Harry kicked at the grass. "Yeah, I know." He paused for a moment, thinking. "But you weren't asking about that kind of love, were you?"
For someone who was gearing up to put her heart on the line and tell someone she loved him, she felt quite silly for blushing at what Harry just said. "No," she said, laughing lightly, "I guess I wasn't."
"So what were you asking about?" Harry said softly as he stared into the calm water.
"Love. How do you know for sure when you're in love if you've never been there before? What do you do if the person you love doesn't love you back? Are you alone forever?"
Harry said slowly, "Well, I suppose it's just something that's innate. Some say that when you see him or her, you'll know." He paused, then laughed a little. "I guess that didn't really answer your questions, did it?"
"It helped, though. At least I--"
FLASH!
"What the--?" Hermione and Harry both exclaimed as they nearly jumped out of their shoes, alarmed. They turned around and saw Colin Creevey. And his camera.
"Hi Harry! Hi Hermione," he said excitedly.
"What's up, Colin?" Harry said, exchanging a look with Hermione.
"I hope you guys don't mind, I just took a picture of you two. I didn't disturb you did I?"
This kid had better be joking, Hermione thought. "Um, no, not at all, Colin."
"Oh good! Well, I just have to tell Harry that Oliver Wood wants you to meet him so you can talk about the Quidditch final. You have to win for Gryffindor, Harry! Then I can take more pictures of you...and oh yeah, of the team, too!"
Harry said, "Thanks for passing the message, Colin."
"My pleasure! I'd best be going now. Bye!" And he ran off, clutching his camera.
Harry turned to Hermione. "Well, I'd better go meet Oliver, before he makes me practice at 4 in the morning tomorrow, or something like that. I'll see you later?"
She nodded. "Bye, Harry." As she watched him run off, Hermione groaned to herself, "Argghhhhhh!!" Boy, was she fed up.
...
In the Great Hall, it was just Hermione and Harry eating at the trio's usual table (Ron and Lavender were somewhere, probably snogging). Hermione's heart sped up. This was it. Sometime during this meal, she would be spilling all her feelings to him, and hopefully, he'd feel the same way. She watched nervously as Harry speared a piece of potato onto his fork, studied it, then popped it into his mouth. How should she say it? She didn't want to scare him off, nor did she want to sound like an idiot. But then, how could she say all that she wanted to say?
"What's wrong? Is the pudding no good?"
"Huh?" Hermione snapped back to attention. Harry was talking to her, and she was still staring at his mouth that had been chewing a potato just a few moments ago. And he was totally aware of her staring. "What're you staring at? Do I have something stuck on my chin?" he asked with an amused grin as he swiped at his chin. Embarrassed, she looked down at her plate and shook her head.
This time, instead of his potato, Harry studied Hermione. She'd been acting quite odd lately, he'd noticed. "You look like you've got a secret you're bursting to share, Hermione."
It was amazing how he could almost read her mind. Just almost. If only he could really read her mind, she wouldn't have to go to all this trouble just to tell him how she really felt about him, and he'd already know. Looking up, Hermione decided to go for it. After all, Harry seemed to be setting it all up for her without even knowing. "Well, yeah, I've got a secret to tell."
"And? Are you allowed to tell me, or is it girl stuff?" he said with a smile.
"Could be both. But regardless, I'm going to tell you," she said, giving him a nervous smile in return. She set her spoon down. "Harry, I really hope that your reaction to this is--"
"Could I have everyone's attention, please?" Dumbledore said grandly and politely to the Great Hall. Everyone - including Harry - turned in his direction, giving the headmaster their undivided attention. Hermione, frustrated as ever, also looked up at Dumbledore. There must've been a conspiracy to prevent her from confessing her love to Harry. Even Dumbledore was in on it!
Grumbling to herself as Dumbledore said, "Now, I've got quite a long list of announcements to make, so this may take a while..." Hermione picked up her spoon again, and stabbed her pudding.
...
Gryffindor had won the Quidditch Cup, beating Slytherin 200 - 100. Harry had caught the Snitch when Gryffindor was down 50-100. The match had ended, and the crowd erupted into cheers of unimaginable volume. Harry - as well as the entire Gryffindor team - was showered with butterbeer, confetti, and praises.
Hermione knew she should be happier. But it was difficult. She was happy that Gryffindor had won, and had beaten Slytherin in the process, but she was also discouraged because more than a week had passed and Harry still didn't know she loved him.
The celebrations had started in the common room already, and house elves were delivering food and drinks as requested by Fred and George, who had also placed a silencing charm on the common room, so as to not attract any professors' attention.
Now, as the entire Gryffindor house surrounded Harry - the amazing Gryffindor Seeker who had won the match - and inadvertently pushed away Hermione, she sighed dejectedly and in resignation. It was no use. Harry would never be able to hear her profess her love for him. Exasperated, Hermione just decided to tell Harry she loved him, despite all the noise from the Gryffindors praising, congratulating, cheering, and admiring Harry and the team. She knew he would never be able to hear her with all the noise and visual distractions around him, but what the hey - Hermione was so tired of being interrupted that she told herself firmly that this would be the one and only time she would tell Harry. If they were truly meant to be, Hermione reasoned glumly, then she wouldn't have been interrupted so many times at the very moment she was going to tell him. It must've been a sign that she and Harry would never share love.
Pouting, Hermione took a step forward, making herself that much closer to the centre of the crowd that contained Harry. Then she looked up, and, catching a glimpse of him between Ginny and Dean's heads, Hermione called out in vain, "I love you, Harry." She turned around and pushed her way out of the crowd, tears springing to her eyes because she knew that her voice couldn'tve possibly reached Harry's ears.
So they would forever remain best friends. And she hoped that one day, she would be alright with that.
Then, suddenly, as though the entire common room had been put on mute, Hermione heard a voice.
"I love you too, Hermione."
She turned around and met his smile.
Harry had heard her.
Finally.