Chapter Eight: More than Friends?

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had slipped out of Ron's bedroom window at one in the morning. Harry and Hermione still had a big secret to keep from Ron, and dared not spoil Ron's hopes of Hermione liking him. Hermione had a map, called the Junctioners Map, which showed a very detailed plan to wherever in the world you wanted to go. Hermione had mapped out a way to get to Godrics Hollow.

The three of them were planning to travel on broom. Ron had gotten a new broom for Christmas—a Comet 260—which was at least better than his old shooting star, but wasn't very stable for more than one person. So Hermione and Harry rode on Harry's Firebolt with their bags, while Ron rode on his comet with his bag filled with supplies.

Harry had attached the compass Hermione had given him to his broom. Hermione kept checking the compass every so often, wondering if they were going too far north or east. The three of them scarcely talked all night, and once, Ron even fell asleep and nearly crashed his broom. Luckily, Harry shouted out as he noticed Ron heading straight for a tree and Ron awoke with a start, and pulled his broom around the tree just in time.  

"Are we nearly there?" Ron asked impatiently at six in the morning.

"Oh no," said Hermione, "We've still got forty-seven miles to go!"

Ron let out a groan. "Can we stop for breakfast now? I'm starved!"

"Sure, why not? We've been flying for nearly five hours. We deserve a break," Harry said, going into a dive. Hermione screamed, for she was not expecting the dive, and held on to Harry for dear life.

"Harry! What did you do that for?" Hermione said, still panicked when they had landed smoothly.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to spice up things," Harry said between laughs.

They put their things on the ground and began to get out their lunch things. Ron noticed that they didn't have much water, and he went to go find a stream. Harry offered to go with Ron, but he said he would rather go alone.

Harry and Hermione were alone again.

"Harry," Hermione said, sitting very close to him. They looked into each other's eyes and then kissed again. Harry pulled away. He wanted to hold Hermione and love her forever, but he said something then that surprised Hermione as well as himself.

"No. Hermione, we can't do what we did last night. We can't be kissing. As much as I want to, we just can't."

"Why not, Harry?" Hermione said, looking hurt. "I thought you loved me."

"I do love you Hermione, but what if Ron saw or heard us last night and he's just not saying anything? What if he's watching us right now? We just can't. It's too risky," Harry said, looking around for Ron. He wanted to make sure Ron was no where in earshot.

Something that was puzzling Harry finally came out. "You DID tell Ron that you would go to the Chudley Cannon's game with him. Why did you say that if you don't like him?"

"Well," Hermione said, "I was sure you would be there, and I thought maybe I could sit between you two so it wouldn't look as obvious."

"But I was planning on taking Ginny," Harry said.

"You were? You actually like her?" Hermione stared at Harry in disbelief.

"I was just doing to Ginny what you were doing to Ron," Harry said quietly. "Ron likes you, but you don't like him and you pretend that you do. Ginny likes me, but I don't really like her and I pretend that I do. Don't you see, Hermione? We are tangling up all our friendships so much that we might not last as friends very much longer."

"I understand, Harry. Does this mean you just want to be friends?" Hermione's heart was itching with sadness. She hoped Harry would not answer yes.

"Hermione, I would really like to be more than friends, but it isn't possible if my friendship with Ron is going to hold up. Ron's not as stupid as you might think. I think he knows there's something going on between us. More than a friendship. Even if he hasn't heard us or seen us, then he might know there is something between us by our actions." Harry sighed contently.

"Oh, Harry," Hermione said, now crying, "Please, can't we be more than friends? You and Ron will still be friends."

"I doubt it," Harry said, raising an eyebrow. "Remember in our fourth year when Ron was angry with me because he thought I cheated to get into the Triwizard Tournament? He didn't believe me until the first task! Ron is not that lenient, Hermione. He'll be angry forever!"

"Here comes Ron," Hermione said, wiping away her tears. "We'd best drop the subject."

"Did you have any luck with the water?" Harry asked as Ron came into earshot.

"Yeah, I found a huge river down there. Here are the buckets," said Ron, dropping the buckets with a thump. He got out the water filter and made all of the water fresh and clean.

"Here you go," Ron said, waiting for the right moment to demand something out of Harry.