Chapter 6
Harry grinned as Hermione laughed, tipping her head a little backward, as the wind whipped through her long, curly, brown hair. They were lounging in Three Broomsticks, drinking butterbeer, and joking with each other.
"Thanks, Harry," Hermione said, chuckling a bit.
"For what?" Harry asked, taking a drink of his butterbeer.
"For taking me to Hogsmeade and just having a talk," Hermione said, her eyes becoming misty. "I really missed this."
Harry's smile became wistful. "I did, too."
Hermione grinned at him then suddenly sat up straight, remembering something. Harry looked at her.
"What is it?" he asked.
"We forgot about Ron!" Hermione exclaimed.
Harry opened his mouth, realizing this, too. They were having so much fun reconciling with each other that they forgot about their other bestfriend. They hurried back to the castle and began looking for him. They were approaching the Gryffindor common room when the portrait opened and Ginny went out. She was surprised, and clearly not pleased seeing Hermione and Harry together.
"Where've you guys been?" Ginny demanded and looked at Harry pointedly. "Where have you been?"
"Ginny--," Hermione began.
"I'm asking, Harry," Ginny said, hand on hip.
"Hogsmeade," Harry confessed.
"I thought you were busy that's why you couldn't come with me? And then you tell me you went to Hogsmeade?" Ginny said.
"I told you that I was going to talk to Hermione. And that's what we did in Hogsmeade. We talked," Harry explained. "Ginny, have you seen Ron?"
"That's another thing," Ginny said. "You talk to Hermione without Ron? Since when? Are you two the only bestfriends now?"
"That's not true!" Hermione retorted.
"Oh yeah? Where's Ron? Did you even remember to invite him?" Ginny said, raising her eyebrows.
Hermione looked disbelievingly at Ginny. She had never seen Ginny act like this before and certainly not towards her. *What's your problem?* "I'm going to talk to him."
"You do that," Ginny said as Hermione went in the common room. She then turned to Harry as soon as Hermione walked in. "Now you..."
**
Hermione looked around and didn't find Ron anywhere. She walked over to Dean, Seamus and Neville, who were all talking by the fire. "Hey guys! Have you seen Ron?"
"He's up at the dorms, I think," Dean answered.
"Is something wrong?" Neville asked, seeing Hermione's worried look.
"No. I just need to talk to him," Hermione said. "I'll go up there, okay?"
"Sure," Seamus answered.
Hermione went up to the boys dormitories and opened the door quietly. She peeked in and saw Ron, lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. She walked silently towards his bed and sat down gently, beside him.
"Ron?"
"What are you doing here?" Ron asked darkly.
"Ron, I'm sorry," Hermione said softly.
Ron didn't say anything and closed his eyes. Hermione, figuring that Ron wouldn't want to talk to her, stood up and started to leave.
"I'm not mad at you for not taking me to Hogsmeade with you guys," Ron said suddenly, making Hermione stop in her tracks and facing him again. "I'm upset because you get hurt and then you forgive him... just like that."
"Ron," Hermione began, almost in a whisper. "Harry's our friend. Doesn't he deserve to be forgiven?"
"Not when he treats you like that," Ron said stubbornly.
Hermione smiled slightly, feeling happy that Ron cared so much about her. She laid down beside him and wrapped an arm around his waist. She rested her head on chest. "I know, Ron. But..."
"It's not excuse, Hermione," Ron said, this time, gently. He kissed Hermione's head. "You don't deserve to be treated that way."
Hermione sighed. "Are you still mad at me?"
"I was never mad at you," Ron said, craning his head to look at her.
Hermione looked up at him and smiled. "I find it sweet that you're always so protective of me."
"Of course I'm protective of you. You're the most important girl in my life. After Ginny... and my mum," Ron said, his ears turning red.
Hermione chuckled and moved closer to him to kiss him on the cheek. "You're the most important guy to me."
It wasn't until Hermione had left the boys' dorm that both, Ron and Hermione, realized what she said... that Ron was the most important guy for her.
**
"What are your ideas?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know," Harry answered.
"Don't you have any idea at all on how you want your date with Ginny to go?" Hermione asked, feeling a little annoyed.
Harry smiled sheepishly at her. Hermione crossed her arms on the table and buried her head, sighing irritably. It was bad enough that Harry asked her to help him with the date. It's even worse now that it looks like she'll be the one planning the whole thing.
"Hermione..." Harry began.
"What do you want to happen in your date with her? Haven't you been on a date before?" Hermione asked, bitting her lip to stop herself from laughing out loud at the comment she made. *Of course Harry would've been on a date before. He's Harry Potter!*
"It's just... Ginny's different from all the other girls I've went out with. She's special and..." Harry said.
Hermione snorted. "How many girls were special to you, Harry?"
Harry scowled. Hermione grinned at him.
"I'm just kidding," Hermione said hastily.
"What is your idea of a date?" Harry asked her, suddenly interested.
Hermione blushed at being asked. Harry looked at her, his chin resting on his hand, waiting for her answer. Her eyes became misty and she smiled wistfully.
"A moonlit picnic... Sitting on the grass, champagne, under the stars..." Hermione said, smiling dreamily. "Where nothing matters except the two of us being with each other and holding each other close."
Harry chuckled. Hermione snapped out of her daydream and glared at him.
"There's nothing funny," Hermione insisted.
"Of course there isn't," Harry agreed. "Maybe you should be the one I take out on a date."
Despite her urges to be totally platonic with Harry, sometimes she just couldn't help it. She blushed prettily and fiddled with the hem of her robes. "Why do you say that?"
Harry smiled, clearly amused by her sudden shy state. "I've never made you blush before," he commented. This time Hermione turned red. "And I've also never made you turn red after blushing."
"Harry! What is this about?" Hermione asked, trying hard not to turn any redder.
"Nothing. Just teasing you," Harry said, patting her hand. Then he inquired, "Come to think of it, I haven't seen you out with anyone lately."
"I have no time for men right now," Hermione said hastily.
"Why not?"
"I need to make good grades for this year, better than I've had all six years of my life in Hogwarts. We're going to be offered jobs next year and I want nothing more than work in the Daily Prophet," Hermione explained.
"I'm sure you'll work there. No doubt about that," Harry said. "But why not date, Hermione? You're a really nice person and not to mention attractive. It would do you some good."
Hermione felt pleased at Harry's comment. *So... he thinks I'm attractive.* "Well... I don't know," she said hesitantly.
"What ever happened to John Christophers?" Harry asked.
John Christophers was a 7th year in Ravenclaw, whom Hermione used to date for a couple of month during their 6th year and the summer. Hermione shrugged.
"It wasn't working, Harry. John is really nice and all, but..."
"But?"
"There was something lacking."
"Which is?"
"Love," Hermione answered. "There wasn't passion, hunger for each other. None. Nada. Zip."
Harry stared at her, sort of admiringly. He had never known Hermione for her passion in being in love, in finding the perfect person for her. He smiled. "I've never known that's what you were looking for."
"Only I know that," Hermione confessed. "It's just... it's hard nowadays..." *Yeah. Because the guy I want is already taken.*
"I'm sure you'll find the right one," Harry said, smiling and standing up. "Well, I think we both should go to bed. Thank you for helping me!"
Hermione also stood up. "I didn't even do anything. We merely talked about my love life."
"And I enjoyed immensely," Harry replied. He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. "I'm happy and very grateful that you came into my life. I wouldn't trade you for anyone else. Not even Ginny."
Hermione smiled, tears in her eyes, as she watched Harry disappear up the stairs. She was important to him. Hermione sat down on the couch in front of the fire, smiling. What Harry said meant everything to her. And at that time, nothing else mattered.
Harry grinned as Hermione laughed, tipping her head a little backward, as the wind whipped through her long, curly, brown hair. They were lounging in Three Broomsticks, drinking butterbeer, and joking with each other.
"Thanks, Harry," Hermione said, chuckling a bit.
"For what?" Harry asked, taking a drink of his butterbeer.
"For taking me to Hogsmeade and just having a talk," Hermione said, her eyes becoming misty. "I really missed this."
Harry's smile became wistful. "I did, too."
Hermione grinned at him then suddenly sat up straight, remembering something. Harry looked at her.
"What is it?" he asked.
"We forgot about Ron!" Hermione exclaimed.
Harry opened his mouth, realizing this, too. They were having so much fun reconciling with each other that they forgot about their other bestfriend. They hurried back to the castle and began looking for him. They were approaching the Gryffindor common room when the portrait opened and Ginny went out. She was surprised, and clearly not pleased seeing Hermione and Harry together.
"Where've you guys been?" Ginny demanded and looked at Harry pointedly. "Where have you been?"
"Ginny--," Hermione began.
"I'm asking, Harry," Ginny said, hand on hip.
"Hogsmeade," Harry confessed.
"I thought you were busy that's why you couldn't come with me? And then you tell me you went to Hogsmeade?" Ginny said.
"I told you that I was going to talk to Hermione. And that's what we did in Hogsmeade. We talked," Harry explained. "Ginny, have you seen Ron?"
"That's another thing," Ginny said. "You talk to Hermione without Ron? Since when? Are you two the only bestfriends now?"
"That's not true!" Hermione retorted.
"Oh yeah? Where's Ron? Did you even remember to invite him?" Ginny said, raising her eyebrows.
Hermione looked disbelievingly at Ginny. She had never seen Ginny act like this before and certainly not towards her. *What's your problem?* "I'm going to talk to him."
"You do that," Ginny said as Hermione went in the common room. She then turned to Harry as soon as Hermione walked in. "Now you..."
**
Hermione looked around and didn't find Ron anywhere. She walked over to Dean, Seamus and Neville, who were all talking by the fire. "Hey guys! Have you seen Ron?"
"He's up at the dorms, I think," Dean answered.
"Is something wrong?" Neville asked, seeing Hermione's worried look.
"No. I just need to talk to him," Hermione said. "I'll go up there, okay?"
"Sure," Seamus answered.
Hermione went up to the boys dormitories and opened the door quietly. She peeked in and saw Ron, lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. She walked silently towards his bed and sat down gently, beside him.
"Ron?"
"What are you doing here?" Ron asked darkly.
"Ron, I'm sorry," Hermione said softly.
Ron didn't say anything and closed his eyes. Hermione, figuring that Ron wouldn't want to talk to her, stood up and started to leave.
"I'm not mad at you for not taking me to Hogsmeade with you guys," Ron said suddenly, making Hermione stop in her tracks and facing him again. "I'm upset because you get hurt and then you forgive him... just like that."
"Ron," Hermione began, almost in a whisper. "Harry's our friend. Doesn't he deserve to be forgiven?"
"Not when he treats you like that," Ron said stubbornly.
Hermione smiled slightly, feeling happy that Ron cared so much about her. She laid down beside him and wrapped an arm around his waist. She rested her head on chest. "I know, Ron. But..."
"It's not excuse, Hermione," Ron said, this time, gently. He kissed Hermione's head. "You don't deserve to be treated that way."
Hermione sighed. "Are you still mad at me?"
"I was never mad at you," Ron said, craning his head to look at her.
Hermione looked up at him and smiled. "I find it sweet that you're always so protective of me."
"Of course I'm protective of you. You're the most important girl in my life. After Ginny... and my mum," Ron said, his ears turning red.
Hermione chuckled and moved closer to him to kiss him on the cheek. "You're the most important guy to me."
It wasn't until Hermione had left the boys' dorm that both, Ron and Hermione, realized what she said... that Ron was the most important guy for her.
**
"What are your ideas?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know," Harry answered.
"Don't you have any idea at all on how you want your date with Ginny to go?" Hermione asked, feeling a little annoyed.
Harry smiled sheepishly at her. Hermione crossed her arms on the table and buried her head, sighing irritably. It was bad enough that Harry asked her to help him with the date. It's even worse now that it looks like she'll be the one planning the whole thing.
"Hermione..." Harry began.
"What do you want to happen in your date with her? Haven't you been on a date before?" Hermione asked, bitting her lip to stop herself from laughing out loud at the comment she made. *Of course Harry would've been on a date before. He's Harry Potter!*
"It's just... Ginny's different from all the other girls I've went out with. She's special and..." Harry said.
Hermione snorted. "How many girls were special to you, Harry?"
Harry scowled. Hermione grinned at him.
"I'm just kidding," Hermione said hastily.
"What is your idea of a date?" Harry asked her, suddenly interested.
Hermione blushed at being asked. Harry looked at her, his chin resting on his hand, waiting for her answer. Her eyes became misty and she smiled wistfully.
"A moonlit picnic... Sitting on the grass, champagne, under the stars..." Hermione said, smiling dreamily. "Where nothing matters except the two of us being with each other and holding each other close."
Harry chuckled. Hermione snapped out of her daydream and glared at him.
"There's nothing funny," Hermione insisted.
"Of course there isn't," Harry agreed. "Maybe you should be the one I take out on a date."
Despite her urges to be totally platonic with Harry, sometimes she just couldn't help it. She blushed prettily and fiddled with the hem of her robes. "Why do you say that?"
Harry smiled, clearly amused by her sudden shy state. "I've never made you blush before," he commented. This time Hermione turned red. "And I've also never made you turn red after blushing."
"Harry! What is this about?" Hermione asked, trying hard not to turn any redder.
"Nothing. Just teasing you," Harry said, patting her hand. Then he inquired, "Come to think of it, I haven't seen you out with anyone lately."
"I have no time for men right now," Hermione said hastily.
"Why not?"
"I need to make good grades for this year, better than I've had all six years of my life in Hogwarts. We're going to be offered jobs next year and I want nothing more than work in the Daily Prophet," Hermione explained.
"I'm sure you'll work there. No doubt about that," Harry said. "But why not date, Hermione? You're a really nice person and not to mention attractive. It would do you some good."
Hermione felt pleased at Harry's comment. *So... he thinks I'm attractive.* "Well... I don't know," she said hesitantly.
"What ever happened to John Christophers?" Harry asked.
John Christophers was a 7th year in Ravenclaw, whom Hermione used to date for a couple of month during their 6th year and the summer. Hermione shrugged.
"It wasn't working, Harry. John is really nice and all, but..."
"But?"
"There was something lacking."
"Which is?"
"Love," Hermione answered. "There wasn't passion, hunger for each other. None. Nada. Zip."
Harry stared at her, sort of admiringly. He had never known Hermione for her passion in being in love, in finding the perfect person for her. He smiled. "I've never known that's what you were looking for."
"Only I know that," Hermione confessed. "It's just... it's hard nowadays..." *Yeah. Because the guy I want is already taken.*
"I'm sure you'll find the right one," Harry said, smiling and standing up. "Well, I think we both should go to bed. Thank you for helping me!"
Hermione also stood up. "I didn't even do anything. We merely talked about my love life."
"And I enjoyed immensely," Harry replied. He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. "I'm happy and very grateful that you came into my life. I wouldn't trade you for anyone else. Not even Ginny."
Hermione smiled, tears in her eyes, as she watched Harry disappear up the stairs. She was important to him. Hermione sat down on the couch in front of the fire, smiling. What Harry said meant everything to her. And at that time, nothing else mattered.
