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Chapter 6

As the morning sun streamed in through the windows around Hogwarts the three remaining Gryffindor students all lay awake in their beds.

Harry sighed and rolled over. He had finally crept up to bed a few hours after Ron had made his departure. Sneaking quietly into the room Harry had been relived to see that the drapes around Ron's bed had been pulled closed. "Well what did you expect? Ron to be lying there waiting for you?" he asked sarcastically to himself. Harry's thoughts were still wheeling in a confused jumble in his mind. He didn't know how he would speak to Ron when finally he had to see his best friend again. Harry considered his options. He supposed that he could pretend that he had been so drunk he didn't remember the night, although both Ron and Hermione would know that wasn't true. At the thought of Hermione Harry felt a tingle through his body, replaced almost immediately with a falling feeling when he remembered that Hermione was not his and in all likelihood never would be. "Why Hermione?" he thought "Why couldn't I fall in love with someone who wasn't a friend?". As soon as Harry thought this he realised that one of the reasons he did love Hermione was simply that - because she was such a wonderful friend with no pretences as to why she liked him. There was no fakeness in their friendship, he knew Hermione was his true friend for the simple reason that she liked him, Harry Potter, as himself and not as "Harry Potter the famous boy-who-lived who defeated Voldemort". How ironic, Harry thought, I love her for that and yet it is that reason which means we can never be together.

~*~

In her room Hermione sat on the edge of her bed with a blanket pulled round her shoulders. She had been sitting like this for the last few hours just thinking. After Ron and Harry had left she had finally cleaned up and then walked slowly to bed. Not that sleep had been possible, but there had been nothing else left to do. As the sun shone in through her window Hermione reflected that the day should have been grey and cloudy to match her mood. "How could I have done that to Ron?" she thought miserably. "What kind of awful person am I? Harry will probably never speak to me again and I doubt Ron ever will". Having always been so rational and controlled the new Hermione had shocked her. She didn't know what this meant and she didn't know what to do now. "Should I go down to breakfast?" she wondered "Maybe if I just act like nothing happened?" Things were too big for that now though Hermione realised, and not knowing what else to do she remained sitting on the edge of her bed.

~*~

Harry looked at his watch - 7:30am. He peeked through the drapes around his bed over at Ron's. The drapes around Ron's bed were still drawn also. In the last few minutes Harry had decided what to do. He would sneak out quickly now and go and speak to Hermione. She was so rational and organised always that he was sure she would know what to do. "And if I act like always she'll never suspect anything" Harry thought although a nervous sensation was already starting in his stomach at the thought of seeing her again. It was so strange he reflected, that one moment of revelation could change your whole being when you thought about a person. A week ago if someone had suggested that he would feel this way when going to talk to Hermione he would have thought they were crazy.

Still in his pyjamas Harry quietly made his way to Hermione's room. As silently as he could, in case she was asleep, he pushed open the door and peeked through. He saw Hermione sitting on the edge of her bed with her back to him. Her chestnut hair hung down her back and the morning sunlight picked up the burnished copper highlights through it. Harry couldn't move, the sight of her again was overwhelming. He felt as though he could just stand there and stare at her hair for hours. Harry realised then that he had never experienced love before this. Going out with Cho had been exciting he admitted, although they never did any more than kiss and hold hands. Cho hadn't seemed like she especially wanted to spend much time with him, but she had been happy enough to tell everyone that she was dating Harry Potter. But it hadn't been love. The feeling through him now was pure, and huge, and uncontrollable. No one in the world mattered except Hermione.

"Harry!" said Hermione in surprise turning round. "Ahhh what are you doing here?". Hermione's heart had started to beat fast at the shock of seeing Harry. She realised that she was wearing nothing but a rather short satin nightie and hurriedly pulled the blanket tighter round herself.

"I really need to talk to you" said Harry.

"He doesn't sound mad at all" thought Hermione "Maybe he doesn't hate me".

"Yeah I guess so" she said "Last night was some fun huh?"

They looked at each other and at the same moment both burst out laughing. The tension was broken and Harry felt as though a huge weight had lifted from his shoulders. He walked over to the bed and sat down beside Hermione.

"Oh Hermes what in the hell am I going to do?"

"About the Ron thing you mean?"

"No about what socks I should wear today" he said sarcastically "Of course about the Ron thing!"

"Can't you just pretend that you were so drunk you don't remember anything?"

"Hermione….didn't you …um hear what he said?"

"No, what did he say?"

Harry was silent for a moment. He felt his cheeks burning.

"He said…ah…..he said "I love you" said Harry his cheeks crimson.

Hermione didn't know what to say. Although having suspected that Ron was gay she had never thought he had any feelings for Harry other than as friends.

"Oh gosh, I mean Harry I had no idea, I truly didn't hear what he said" Hermione said genuinely shocked.

"I don't know what to do" said Harry. "How will I even be able to talk to him again?"

Hermione didn't know what to say. She couldn't think of any way out of this that wasn't going to be unpleasant.

"Harry you'll have to see him sooner or later. I think you both need to talk about what happened".

"Agghhhr" said Harry shivering "I get cold shudders every time I think about what happened" he said shivering again.

Almost without thinking Hermione laughingly said "Here do you want some of my blanket to warm up?" and held out the blanket a little.

"Sure, thanks" said Harry pulling one half of the blanket around him.

They were both suddenly acutely conscious of the others body pressed against their side. Harry's left arm rested on the bed pushed against Hermione's right one. Neither spoke. A few seconds passed. Harry's fingers softly touched Hermione's. He gently stroked her palm and then put his fingers through hers. She tightened her fingers on his. Still neither spoke but the silence was warm.

Finally Harry said "Well I'll see you at breakfast?"

"Ok" Hermione whispered.

"I'll let you get dressed then" Harry said and slowly stood up, their hands parting. He gently pulled the blanket back round her and smiled.

"See you soon" he said softly near her ear and then walked quickly out of the room.

Hermione sat there in a warm glow. All her thoughts were of Harry, she could still feel the warmth of his hand in hers and the feel of his breath on her ear as he had spoken into it.

~*~