A/N: OK…I have a plan worked out for the rest of the chapters (I think). My goal is to have 10 chapters, and if needed, an epilogue. I just think 10 is a good number…it'll be the longest thing I've ever written…actually, six chapters is the longest thing I've ever written, lol. Hope you enjoy, thanks to all my reviewers! Please don't flame me! I'm just a little girl (well, actually, I think I'm too tall to be considered little anymore)!
Chapter SevenAs they made their way towards breakfast once again, Hermione noticed fliers appearing all over the hallways. Curious beyond reason, she dragged Harry over to read one.
"Find a date for this weekend unless you want to explore Hogsmeade alone!" Hermione read out loud from the flier. "Oh! Hogsmeade! Thank goodness, I'm running out of everything it seems." Harry smiled at her as they continued down the hall.
"Wonder who I'm gonna take," he said jokingly. Hermione pretended to pout at him before he laughed and enveloped her in a hug. "I guess I'm stuck with you," he said, laughing again. He seemed to do a lot of that now…now that he and Hermione were 'together.' Ever since Voldemort's return, he had never been very happy, but being with Hermione in this new way made him feel incredible and lightheaded all day long.
The week passed slowly, for everyone. The teachers took no mercy on them, and dumped so much homework on them the students were apprehensive about ever going to Hogsmeade with all the work that they had to do. Thankfully, the teachers did give them a break and gave them Friday to catch up on their work.
"Lavender, how should I wear my hair tomorrow?" Hermione asked, piling her hair atop her head. She and Harry had just finished their work in the library and had since then returned to their dorms. "Should I wear it up? Or should I straighten it?" she asked. Lavender came behind her and ran her hands through the bush of hair before her.
"I think I could do something really cool with your hair," Lavender said excitedly. "But you're gonna need to straighten it anyway." Hermione quirked her eyebrow, intrigued, before turning her attention back to the mirror. She sighed, twirling a few strands of hair in her fingers. Tomorrow would be her and Harry's first real 'date'. Or as real as this masquerade could ever be. She frowned, suddenly wishing it was all over, wishing she wouldn't have to hold herself back, wishing she wouldn't have to pretend to not really care, wishing that when they kissed, it was actually real. She always had to hold a part of herself back when the kissed, it was the only way to keep herself in check, and she hated it; it was even worse this way, it was just messing with her mind. He was so close and yet still so far away. Farther than he had ever been before, because now the gap was lengthened even though they were pretending to be together. Because it was just that, they were pretending. And above all else she wanted it to be real. She shook her head slightly, ridding her head of these thoughts. She changed into her night clothes and snuggled into her bed, wishing Harry was there with her once again before drifting off to sleep.
Hermione woke early the next morning and quickly claimed a shower for herself. She wrapped a towel around herself, and exited the bathroom. She ruffled through her trunk to find the bottle of straightening potion she kept. She sat before the mirror once more and began to rub the potion into her hair. She had nearly used half of the bottle before her hair was completely straight. She finished it off with a charm to keep her hair from frizzing and unstraightening itself. She looked different with her hair straight, but she still liked it. She dabbed a little eyeliner beneath her eyes and added a touch of lip gloss. Then Lavender came and began to work her magic. She styled Hermione's hair in an intriguing manner before pronouncing her fit to leave. Hermione smiled at her reflection and thanked Lavender heartily before changing into a pair of jeans and a baby-t. She exited the dormitory and came down the steps. Harry was waiting for her again, accompanied by Ron. They both stared at her as she descended the last step. She wondered if she had messed up her makeup or hair somehow as she stepped in front of them. Harry looked rather dazed and his mouth was still slightly open from whatever he had been saying to Ron before. Ron turned to look at him, waiting for him to say something, but Harry was still dumbstruck. Ron rolled his eyes and elbowed him. Harry started and turned to glare at him before returning his attention to Hermione. She looked gorgeous today. He normally thought she was pretty, but today, her hair was straight and styled intricately, and she was in normal clothing instead of those boring school uniforms that hid her slender figure. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to say something, but the words just weren't coming out. She quirked an eyebrow and wondered if somebody had hexed him. Finally he felt his voice coming back.
"Wow," he said. That was so dumb, Harry, he thought to himself, Now she's gonna think you're some kind of moron. "You look great Hermione!" She blushed slightly, glancing down to study her toes.
"Thanks," she whispered. Ron rolled his eyes at the two of them and returned to staring up the stairwell, waiting for Lavender to come down. "You look great too!" Hermione said, noticing his hair was slightly gelled now, though it didn't do much to mask its natural messiness. After Lavender came down the stairs, the group was ready to make the journey to Hogsmeade. They came to the 'horseless' carriages and hopped into one. Harry noticed that the thestral drawing their carriage was one of the ones that had taken him and his friends to the ministry of magic the year before. He grimaced at that thought, remembering Sirius. He felt the hazy sadness gripping at him again, but Hermione touched his arm and he turned to look at her. She smiled softly at him, and he knew she understood.
The Three Broomsticks was filling up quickly with Hogwarts students. The group made a mad dash for a table in the corner and barely beat a group of Hufflepuffs there before sitting down. Harry noticed Cho Chang staring at him out of the corner of his eye. He had no feelings left for her, she was just way too emotional for him to handle. Hermione looked over her shoulder and caught Cho staring at Harry as well. Quirking an eyebrow she turned to Harry. He glanced at her, smiling mischievously. She leaned over to him and whispered in his ear, "Now what are you planning, Mr. Potter?" Ron and Lavender looked confused, but looked up to see Cho Chang turning slightly pink with jealousy. They couldn't help but snicker as Harry whispered back, "Just a little fun, Ms. Granger." With that, he cupped her cheek in his hand and drew her face toward his. Their lips found each other quickly and did not leave each other until their butter beers had arrived. Cho was now a peculiar shade of orange-red. The group grinned together before burying themselves in their drinks. (a/n: Bahaha! Take that Cho! Usually I say Asians should stick together…but…Harry is Hermione's!! Hermione's you hear!?!!!)
The group split ways and began to wander around Hogsmeade. Hermione dragged Harry off to buy more school supplies, while Lavender was dragged off by Ron to the quidditch store. After replenishing her supplies, Harry and Hermione walked hand in hand through the streets of Hogsmeade. It was growing darker, many of the students had already returned to Hogwarts. It was beginning to drizzle faintly, but neither of them felt like going back to Hogwarts. They stopped under the awning of a closed store. A few streaks of light had ventured into the darkness with them, illuminating Hermione's cheek bones. They had been talking before, but now they were silent. Harry couldn't help himself, he needed her. He leaned down and caught her lips with his. She was slightly surprised, but assumed there was somebody watching them. Once again, she felt the pang for it to all end. She knew this wasn't real. She was still holding back the part of her that she refused to release, she didn't want him to know how much she wanted him, needed him. She didn't know that he was thinking the same thing.
Harry felt his control ebbing again. He didn't want to hold himself back anymore. He was tired of that. He either wanted to be with her for real, or just not at all. He wasn't going to be able to keep himself in check forever. He wanted this over. He didn't want to hurt anymore. His heart was aching with the effort of not letting it all spill out. He pulled back abruptly. Hermione's eyes fluttered open and she looked at him questioningly. Had the person watching them left already?
"Hermione, this has to stop," Harry said.
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A/N: OMG!! Dundundun!! Can you believe it!?! Bahaha. Cliff hanger there for ya…but I'll have the next chapter up real soon. OOPT kind of depressed me a bit when he got kissed by Cho and everything, but by the end she was basically out of the picture. So its either Ginny, Hermione, of maybe if it gets crazy, Luna. I'd obviously prefer Hermione, but Ginny was pretty cool in this book. But Malfoy was awful! I thought he might become good or something, but obviously not…he's evil!! EVIL!! Anyway, Review please! No flaming…I'm already in a bad mood.
