Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Little ole me just owns the storyline.

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~Chapter 5. Top of the World~

I was a little dazed from the note, so I didn't dare try to talk to Ron for the moment. It will all go away. It will all go away. Yeah, you keep telling yourself that Hermione. Ginny came back over and just took a look at my face and said, "Hermione! What's wrong?" I showed her the note. She agreed I was in a bad situation, but she wanted to know, "Who was that song for? If you don't mind me asking, of course. Someone recent?"

"Yeah, you could say that."

"Then who? Come on, tell me!"

"You promise you won't tell anyone and you'll stay calm?"

"I promise."

"Uh, your brother."

She gave a little laugh and said, "Which one? I have a lot of them you know."

"Umm, the older one."

"Yeah, that narrows it down. Just tell me!" Ginny looked impatient and when she does that, she starts getting hot-tempered.

"Percy."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Awwww. That's so cute!"

"Thanks Ginny. Do you think I have a chance?"

"Yeah, I do. You're both smart and ambitious and stuff like that."

"But he's gonna be a teacher. A teacher."

"So?"

"Well-" I didn't get to finish my statement. I was cut off by a booming voice at the front of the Leaky Cauldron.

"And now the winner of the singing competition. After much deliberation, the judges have now chosen the one who they deem the prize. But first, let me tell you about the prize. The winner will be given a contract and could be the next hottest act of the entire wizarding world. Is it you? And now the winner is. . ." The announcer really enjoyed having everyone hanging on his every word and holding his or her breath. "Hermione T. Granger!" What? Did you just hear that too? Just checking. Oh my God. Oh my God. I did it! "Hermione, get up here girl!" I made my way up the aisle. I wasn't walking. I was floating. It was so cool!

"Speech! Speech!" The crowd started chanting. Oh, God. I hate speaking in front of people. Especially improvising. But oh well. I'll do it.

"Hey everyone. I can't believe I won. I honestly can't. But I want to thank everyone for coming out today and everyone who sang you were awesome. It takes a lot of guts just to come up here and sing, so great job! I hope I see you all again and I hope I get to perform again for you. It gives me such a thrill and it seems it was just yesterday that Fred was yelling at me that my singing in the shower was disturbing him. No, I think that was last summer. But that's a different story. Thank you all for coming and have a safe trip home!" Ok, it was so stupid. But I got a few laughs and cheers. It was the best I could come up with. The crowd started to disperse and a tall wizard approached me.

"My name is Jason Browning. I'll be your manager. Wonderful job today. You are an amazing young lady. Expect a letter through owl post tomorrow and a visit from me the day after next. What's your address?"

"I'm not staying at my house right now. I'm staying at a friend's house."

"Ok, then what is your friend's address?"

"I only know it by the name. The Burrow."

"Oh, the Weasley house. I can get there."

"How do you know the Weasleys?"

"I am the manager of someone who gets special orders from the twins. It's all very hush, hush. No one knows, so don't be spreading that around."

"Okay. I'll see you then."

"Bye Hermione. Nice chatting with you."

"Hermione! Over here!" Ron was calling me over to the group. "So who was that bloke?"

"Oh, that was my manager." I tried to sound as cool and calm about it as I could but inside I felt like I could fly.

"Manager? Sweet," commented Ginny.

I was so on top of the world. Nothing could bring me down. Nothing. "Everyone ready to go?" I asked.

"I am. You guys want to wander around a bit more before we go back for dinner? How about we meet here in an hour?" Percy said it so it sounded like a suggestion but the edge on his voice told us we were going to agree or he would kill us.

"Sure." The group had spoken. We were all set to go our separate ways before I was called back.

"Hermione?" The entire group of Ginny, Harry, Ron, Dean, Neville, Seamus turned around and waited while I walked back towards Percy. "I'd like to talk to Hermione. Alone, if you don't mind." They all turned back around and left. Ron was fuming. Oh, he'll cool off.

"Yes?"

"Come walk with me. I want to show you one of my favorite places." We walked in silence along until we stopped in front of an apothecary shop. Percy counted the bricks to himself and found a place he wanted because he took my hand and we stepped through the wall of bricks.

The sight I saw was beautiful. There was green grass stretched out for miles and blooming flowers and great big trees. It looked like the setting of a picture book. The horizon was a faint blue-green line in the distance where all the colors seemed to blend together. And there was a rainbow. Not a normal one, but one with it seemed like every hue of every color imaginable. There was not a single person in sight.

"It's beautiful," I breathed, not aware that his hand was still clasping mine.

"Come sit." A big picnic blanket appeared spread out on the ground in front of us. Though the blanket was large, we sat very close to each other. I got the feeling neither of us wanted to move away. "I brought you here so we could talk."

"About what?" I asked innocently, but my heart was pounding inside my chest. Why am I so nervous?

"Us, so to speak." He twisted one hand inside another like he was nervous too.

"What about us?"

"Would you want there to be an 'us'?"

"More than anything in the entire world." There. I had said it. I like him so much. I just hope he likes me and I'm not making a fool of myself. Hey, he does like you fool! Why must I continue to argue with myself?

He sat there silent for a moment, but then it just happened all at once. He leaned over and kissed me. One split-second, but it happened. My lips were searching for more. My lips and his lips met again. The heavens opened up and the angels sang on that one. A warmth surged through my veins and deep into my heart. When we pulled apart, I snuggled into his chest. His arms were wrapped around me and I felt safe. I felt protected from the outside world.

"You know, this would never work." His statement shattered the deep connected silence he held. But he was right.

"Yeah. I mean, with Ron and everything. And then I'm going to be your student."

"But that's not going to change the way I feel about you."

"We could keep it a secret long enough 'til everything is died down?"

"How could we keep something like that from people? Especially my family."

"I don't care if the whole world knows. Everyone will mature and get over it eventually."

"You're right."

"Then let's tell them at dinner tonight."

"Maybe, if the time is right. Ron is going to hate me forever though. Maybe not forever, but a long, long time."

"He's your brother. He can't ignore you forever. Of course, we were best friends and look how we act now."

"That's a shame. You three were so close."

"I know." For some reason, I felt the urge to tell him the only thing I wanted was one moment in his eyes. Tell him. Come on Hermione. You can do it.

"We should be heading back I guess."

Ignoring what he said, I decided to tell him. "Percy?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

"That song was for you. I wanted one moment in your eyes."

He smiled at me and said, "Baby, you've been in my eyes a lot lately. And I've been thinking the same thing about you. You have gorgeous eyes." He kissed my forehead.

"Okay, do you want to go back now?"

"I never want to go back. But yes, we have to."

"And I thought this day couldn't get better."

"Well, you have to go face Ron now. Good luck."

"Hey! You do too you know!"

We left laughing and holding hands. Immediately when we passed through the barrier, the paradise was gone. We were suddenly in the bustle of people in Diagon Alley and our hands came apart. After all, we wanted to tell people at dinner, not right now. We talked about the weather, Hogwarts, and every light subject matter you could think of until we met up with everyone else.

"Have a nice chat?" Ron asked sarcastically, glaring at us.

"Yes, in fact, we did," Percy glared right back at Ron.

"Well then, shall we be going?" Ginny added.

"Yes. The Burrow!" Percy disappeared into the flame. We all followed suit.

Oh, how dinner is going to be fun tonight. I know I don't want to be sitting next to Ron when he starts yelling. But somehow, everything seems to be coming together. Nothing can bring this day down. Not even Ron. Or can he? No, I have a manager and more importantly, I have Percy. Maybe we won't even tell everyone tonight. Maybe we'll wait. I have no clue.