Chapter 2: What Will She Say?
Harry had trouble sleeping that night. He woke up early the next morning to find Hermione already in the Common's room doing homework. "There you are Harry. Do you still wanna take that walk?" Harry nodded. So they walked out of the room and down to the lake. Not many people were awake at this early hour, the sun wasn't even up yet. They walked in silence for quite some time before Harry spoke, "Hermione, I'm sorry to drag you all the way down here, it's just that things haven't been right lately and well." "You're upset, that's all. I know. I am too," Hermione added. Harry looked at her in surprise, "Yeah, I guess I am." Hermione continued, "With Ron sick and me, well I've been really busy lately, you haven't had anyone to talk to. I haven't been a very good friend." Harry immediately reacted, "No, it's not you. I'm sure you've been just as worried as me about Ron." Harry hoped she would say something encouraging that he could report to Ron. Hermione responded, "Of course, I'm worried about him! He's my friend too, Harry!" They continued to walk back up to the castle in silence.
That afternoon, Harry went to see Ron. When Ron asked what she said, all Harry could say was, " Well, she said she was really worried about you." That seemed to please Ron enough, but Harry wasn't sure how long he could keep this up. For the next few days Harry and Hermione took their daily walks. It was starting to snow and the lake was beginning to ice. Harry had given up trying to pry information out of Hermione. Instead, they talked about old memories and things Ron had said that made them laugh. By the end of the week, Ron was getting upset. Harry hadn't found out anything worthwhile for him. So, Harry told him that these things take time and that he would know by next week.
Harry kept talking to Hermione every morning. By the middle of the week, Harry was ready. So, one morning after they had walked a while, Harry sat down next to a tree and talked to Hermione about the old times and Ron. "You know he's really a great guy," Harry said enthusiastically. Hermione stared at him for moment, "What's that suppose to mean?" Harry was caught off guard, "Well, it's just that." Hermione stared intensely at him, "What? You're hiding something, I know it! TELL ME!" Harry didn't know what to do, so he blurted everything out, "Well, Ron and I were talking and he said that, well.. He likes you Hermione, like really likes you." Hermione looked like she wasn't breathing, "What?! That's crazy, I never even. UH!!!!!" She stood up and looked back down at Harry, "You tell that little pervert, that I am his friend, and he better not think differently if he wants to KEEP my friendship!" Then she ran away before Harry could say anything. "Ron's not going to like this," he said to himself.
Harry thought all day about what Hermione had said, and decided that it might be better not to tell Ron. Harry rationalized it all in his head, 'If I tell him, he'll lose his drive to get better. He'll get depressed and get worse!" So, Harry only told Ron that the opportunity hadn't arisen. In fact, he told him that for quite some time. Hermione wasn't so upset that she wouldn't take walks with Harry every morning. They were beginning to enjoy their time together. They would sit under a tree and watch the sun rise. People were starting to say things about them, that they were spending too much time together, that they were keeping secrets. They didn't pay attention though.
After a few weeks, Ron seemed to be getting much better. Harry convinced Hermione to go see him one afternoon. As they walked up the stairs he said, "Um, Hermione, just don't mention what we talked about the other day. He's embarrassed enough." Hermione agreed. It didn't go so well. Harry did most of the talking, but Ron seemed happy to have her there. When they left, Hermione said a thoughtful, "Well, I hope your well soon Ron. We really miss having you around." Ron was a little giddy.
The next morning, Harry and Hermione sat under the same tree they had been sitting under for weeks and discussed their visit with Ron. Hermione tried to explain why she was so silent, "It's just that ever since you told me that, I feel weird being around him." Harry asked, "Hermione, you consider Ron a good friend, right?" "Yeah," Hermione answered. "Ok," Harry continued, "and you think he's really funny?" "Yeah, I guess, some of his jokes are really stupid, but." said Hermione. "And you think he's a great guy too?" Harry asked. Hermione hesitated, "Yeah, he's really nice, but." "So," Harry added, "why can't you give him a chance? You're so upset about what he said, it just seems you've been thinking about it a lot." "HARRY STOP IT!" Hermione yelled. She jumped up and walked to the other side of the tree, her back to him, as if she was going to walk back to the school. "Hermione, I'm sorry. Why are you so upset? I'm just saying give him a chance," Harry suggested as he stood up. He walked closer, but Hermione only walked farther away. Harry could tell she was crying. Still with her back to him, she whispered through her tears, "I can't give him a chance, Harry.not if I like someone else." Harry was silent for a minute. He dared to ask, " Can I ask who?" Hermione sobbed, then turned to face Harry, then she shouted, "It's you, Harry.it's you." And with that she stared at him for a few seconds as if she wanted to add something, but couldn't, and then she ran back toward the castle. Harry stood stunned and thought to himself, "Ron's really not going to like this!"
Ron was released from the Hospital Wing the next day. For three supposedly close friends, they didn't seem to be spending much time together. Harry was avoiding Ron because he didn't want to tell him about Hermione. Ron was avoiding Hermione because he blushed whenever he saw her. Hermione was avoiding Ron because of his crush and she was avoiding Harry because she was so embarrassed. They only talked to each other when they had to in class, but even that they tried to avoid. This continued for a few days, until one day while Harry was in the Common's Room alone, Hermione walked in and decided to break the silence. "Um. Harry?" she asked. He looked up. She continued, "I just wanted to tell you that what I said the other day, well, it was stupid. I mean I realize now that was just a crush. It didn't really mean anything." She blushed. "Ok," Harry managed to say. That seemed to break the ice between them, but Ron was still avoiding Hermione.
Harry had trouble sleeping that night. He woke up early the next morning to find Hermione already in the Common's room doing homework. "There you are Harry. Do you still wanna take that walk?" Harry nodded. So they walked out of the room and down to the lake. Not many people were awake at this early hour, the sun wasn't even up yet. They walked in silence for quite some time before Harry spoke, "Hermione, I'm sorry to drag you all the way down here, it's just that things haven't been right lately and well." "You're upset, that's all. I know. I am too," Hermione added. Harry looked at her in surprise, "Yeah, I guess I am." Hermione continued, "With Ron sick and me, well I've been really busy lately, you haven't had anyone to talk to. I haven't been a very good friend." Harry immediately reacted, "No, it's not you. I'm sure you've been just as worried as me about Ron." Harry hoped she would say something encouraging that he could report to Ron. Hermione responded, "Of course, I'm worried about him! He's my friend too, Harry!" They continued to walk back up to the castle in silence.
That afternoon, Harry went to see Ron. When Ron asked what she said, all Harry could say was, " Well, she said she was really worried about you." That seemed to please Ron enough, but Harry wasn't sure how long he could keep this up. For the next few days Harry and Hermione took their daily walks. It was starting to snow and the lake was beginning to ice. Harry had given up trying to pry information out of Hermione. Instead, they talked about old memories and things Ron had said that made them laugh. By the end of the week, Ron was getting upset. Harry hadn't found out anything worthwhile for him. So, Harry told him that these things take time and that he would know by next week.
Harry kept talking to Hermione every morning. By the middle of the week, Harry was ready. So, one morning after they had walked a while, Harry sat down next to a tree and talked to Hermione about the old times and Ron. "You know he's really a great guy," Harry said enthusiastically. Hermione stared at him for moment, "What's that suppose to mean?" Harry was caught off guard, "Well, it's just that." Hermione stared intensely at him, "What? You're hiding something, I know it! TELL ME!" Harry didn't know what to do, so he blurted everything out, "Well, Ron and I were talking and he said that, well.. He likes you Hermione, like really likes you." Hermione looked like she wasn't breathing, "What?! That's crazy, I never even. UH!!!!!" She stood up and looked back down at Harry, "You tell that little pervert, that I am his friend, and he better not think differently if he wants to KEEP my friendship!" Then she ran away before Harry could say anything. "Ron's not going to like this," he said to himself.
Harry thought all day about what Hermione had said, and decided that it might be better not to tell Ron. Harry rationalized it all in his head, 'If I tell him, he'll lose his drive to get better. He'll get depressed and get worse!" So, Harry only told Ron that the opportunity hadn't arisen. In fact, he told him that for quite some time. Hermione wasn't so upset that she wouldn't take walks with Harry every morning. They were beginning to enjoy their time together. They would sit under a tree and watch the sun rise. People were starting to say things about them, that they were spending too much time together, that they were keeping secrets. They didn't pay attention though.
After a few weeks, Ron seemed to be getting much better. Harry convinced Hermione to go see him one afternoon. As they walked up the stairs he said, "Um, Hermione, just don't mention what we talked about the other day. He's embarrassed enough." Hermione agreed. It didn't go so well. Harry did most of the talking, but Ron seemed happy to have her there. When they left, Hermione said a thoughtful, "Well, I hope your well soon Ron. We really miss having you around." Ron was a little giddy.
The next morning, Harry and Hermione sat under the same tree they had been sitting under for weeks and discussed their visit with Ron. Hermione tried to explain why she was so silent, "It's just that ever since you told me that, I feel weird being around him." Harry asked, "Hermione, you consider Ron a good friend, right?" "Yeah," Hermione answered. "Ok," Harry continued, "and you think he's really funny?" "Yeah, I guess, some of his jokes are really stupid, but." said Hermione. "And you think he's a great guy too?" Harry asked. Hermione hesitated, "Yeah, he's really nice, but." "So," Harry added, "why can't you give him a chance? You're so upset about what he said, it just seems you've been thinking about it a lot." "HARRY STOP IT!" Hermione yelled. She jumped up and walked to the other side of the tree, her back to him, as if she was going to walk back to the school. "Hermione, I'm sorry. Why are you so upset? I'm just saying give him a chance," Harry suggested as he stood up. He walked closer, but Hermione only walked farther away. Harry could tell she was crying. Still with her back to him, she whispered through her tears, "I can't give him a chance, Harry.not if I like someone else." Harry was silent for a minute. He dared to ask, " Can I ask who?" Hermione sobbed, then turned to face Harry, then she shouted, "It's you, Harry.it's you." And with that she stared at him for a few seconds as if she wanted to add something, but couldn't, and then she ran back toward the castle. Harry stood stunned and thought to himself, "Ron's really not going to like this!"
Ron was released from the Hospital Wing the next day. For three supposedly close friends, they didn't seem to be spending much time together. Harry was avoiding Ron because he didn't want to tell him about Hermione. Ron was avoiding Hermione because he blushed whenever he saw her. Hermione was avoiding Ron because of his crush and she was avoiding Harry because she was so embarrassed. They only talked to each other when they had to in class, but even that they tried to avoid. This continued for a few days, until one day while Harry was in the Common's Room alone, Hermione walked in and decided to break the silence. "Um. Harry?" she asked. He looked up. She continued, "I just wanted to tell you that what I said the other day, well, it was stupid. I mean I realize now that was just a crush. It didn't really mean anything." She blushed. "Ok," Harry managed to say. That seemed to break the ice between them, but Ron was still avoiding Hermione.