Scared Of Loving You

Part 4 - The Potion

A hand waved in front of Hermione's vision, interrupting her thoughts.

"Hello? Earth to Hermione!" Ron droned.

"Huh? What do you want?" Hermione muttered vaguely whilst watching Harry flying around the field for Quidditch training.

"You're supposed to be helping me with my Potions homework!" exclaimed Ron.

"I am?" she answered.

"Hermione! Pay attention and help me!" Ron persisted, his voice getting louder.

"Just a moment..." she replied dazedly.

"HERMIONE GRANGER! COULD YOU PLEASE STOP WATCHING HARRY POTTER AND HELP ME WITH MY RUDDY POTIONS WORK!?" screamed Ron at the top of his lungs.

Hermione gasped in shock and jumped up from their grassy spot under a tree. She looked around wildly to see if anyone had heard Ron and sat down again, cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"Ron!" she hissed.

"Well, at least that got your attention," Ron said smugly.

"RON!" exclaimed Hermione. "I'm sorry I haven't been paying attention, but I wasn't watching Harry alright?! Well, I was watching him, but not in that way! You know... I'm his friend and I was just watching him because..."

She stopped mid-sentence, realising that she had begun babbling.

"Because..." Ron enquired.

"Er... nothing," replied Hermione, looking down at her Potions notes to hide her blushing face.

"Um... Hermione," Ron began gently. "I... er... I know... you like Harry."

She gasped at looked at him in astonishment.

"What!?" she exclaimed. "Is it... Is it that obvious!?"

Her face twisted into such a bizarre expression that Ron burst out laughing.

In between laughs he snorted, "I'm your... one of your... best friends! Of course I can tell!"

Hermione glared at him, before grabbing her notes and stomping off towards the Gryffindor tower. She decided that Ron could wait for Harry by himself and hopefully he would have stopped laughing by then.

***

"Where were you Hermione?" asked Harry later that evening.

"Yeah, you just ran off for no reason!" added Ron cheekily.

"I... left something in my room," Hermione lied, frowning at Ron behind Harry's back.

Harry nodded and collapsed into one of the soft armchairs. His messy hair somehow looked messier than usual and he had a streak of mud on his face. The glasses that rested on the bridge of his nose in front of his bright green eyes was flecked with dirt and grime. He sighed and shifted uncomfortably in his robes from the heat. Hermione thought he looked fantastic.

"So what were you two doing outside anyway?" asked Harry.

"Just finishing our Potions work," replied Hermione, wondering how someone could still look good even though they were tired and sweaty.

"Oh no! We have double Potions tomorrow!" groaned Ron.

"And Snape's going to personally make sure that there's enough homework to guarantee we won't get any free time." Harry said dejectedly.

The trio sighed in unison, knowing that tomorrow was going to be a very dull and boring day. Little did they know how wrong they were.

***

Draco Malfoy smirked at the three friends as they entered Snape's classroom the next day. He looked smugly at them, as if he knew something they didn't, which made them feel uneasy at once. He gave a loud false cough when they came in, not smiling, but laughing at them with his eyes. Harry narrowed his eyes suspiciously at him as he walked past his table, Ron shot him a nasty glare and Hermione, rather childishly, stuck her tongue out at him. Malfoy, obviously taken by surprise, raised one eyebrow in amusement and gave her, what he hoped, was a superior look. Hermione giggled to herself at his reaction, but stopped when Harry poked her in her side.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

Hermione blushed at her stupidity and shook her head at him, still recovering from his touch. She turned and looked at her two best friends beside her. Harry looked questioningly at Ron and it seemed as if he were sending some silent secret message with his eyes. Ron stared at him for a while with his eyebrows furrowed in deep thought and then, coming to a conclusion, shrugged.

"What's going on? I wonder what they were thinking..." pondered Hermione.

The door slammed as Snape hurried in, snapping her out of her thoughts. Another figure ran in after him, dropping a few things as he raced to his seat.

"Longbottom! Late as usual," sneered Snape. "5 points from Gryffindor."

He surveyed the room, smirking at the three friends with an expression that was not unlike Draco's earlier.

"Today," he began in a voice greasier than usual, "we'll be creating a potion, that is a bit more advanced than what we have previously learnt."

A small whimper indicated that Neville wasn't feeling too confident about making the potion.

"Veritaserum," Snape said in a nasty, cold tone. "Can anybody tell me what it is?"

Hermione's hand immediately shot in the air, to no one's surprise, but to everyone's amazement, Draco Malfoy slowly raised his hand.

"Yes, Draco?" asked Snape, with a snake-like grin.

"Veritaserum is a Truth Potion. So powerful, that only three drops will have you spilling your innermost secrets..."

At this point, he stood up and faced the class, giving Harry, Ron and Hermione in particular an icy glare.

"... like whether you managed to play a very stupid prank on me or not."

"Now, now Mr Malfoy." Snape said still smiling unpleasantly. "Sit down. But now that you mention it, that is something we might discover today, if the unfortunate students happen to be in this very classroom. You will be testing your potions at the end of this lesson and if the guilty culprits are caught, Dumbledore will then be informed of course."

He sneered at the three friends who all began to panic silently inside their heads. They looked at each, mirroring each other's alarmed expression.

"He might as well accuse us now..." Harry muttered to Hermione.

"Potter!" Snape exclaimed. "Talking in class! 10 points from Gryffindor."

Seamus Finnigan, a friend of the three now-guilty friends, who also knew what they had done and who also happened to be sitting in front of them that lesson, turned around and gave them a look which said: Oh no! Snape's going to kill you! What are you going to do?! He knows and Malfoy knows you did it! How are you gonna get out of this?! Dumbledore is gonna be really mad. Do you think he's going to expel you? I hope not! You're my friends and I love yo- (A/N: snip!). Hermione silently agreed with Seamus and began thinking up ways to avoid drinking the potion. Put in the wrong ingredients? Accidently knock it over? Similar ideas popped up in everyone's mind.

"Of course," Snape continued, looking happier than usual. "nobody should think of purposely mixing the wrong potion. As this, will be graded as a major part of your reports."

A gasp rippled throughout the classroom and Harry, Ron and Hermione stared at each other in fear. The class began to chatter excitedly among themselves at this startling news.

"Oh no!" Hermione shrieked in her head. "Snape's going to find out that it was us and Dumbledore is going to be so angry! This is all my fault! If I hadn't thought of the stupid prank, this would have never happened. I should confess now and save my friends from getting into trouble. If I took the potion, I'd have to confess my innermost secrets... in front of the whole class! What if... I started talking about how I feel... about... Harry!?"

Her insides began to squirm as she pictured Harry's reaction when she told the class how he made her heart race and her head light and dizzy when he was nearby and how he made her feel so happy and confused at once... how his eyes sparkled as he talked... how he was the best friend she couldn't like. Slytherin would never live it down.

"I have to confess! I thought up the prank so I'm going to take responsibility for it!" she whispered bravely to Harry and Ron.

Harry looked at her in concern. Ron looked at her in disbelief.

"Hermione," he said in a determined tone. "DON'T"

"We're... we're in this together," Ron added nervously.

"QUIET!" Snape roared. "15 points from Gryffindor for unnecessary chatter! Copy this potion down in silence and if I hear another sound I will double the amount of points you have already disgracefully lost."

When everyone had completed copying the potion from the blackboard, they reluctantly set their equipment up. Hermione noticed her hands had started to tremble as she emptied her ingredients in her bubbling cauldron. Harry gave her a worried look as he poured a vile of foul-smelling liquid into his cauldron. She gave him a wobbly smile and concentrated on her potion, desperately hoping that the solution would not become completely clear like it was supposed to. To her disappointment, the cauldron gurgled and turned as clear as crystal. Hermione gulped and glanced at Harry's potion and Ron's which looked indentical to her own.

"I'm going to die," Ron moaned.

The students used a eye-dropper to collect a few drops of their Truth potion and waited anxiously for Snape's instructions. Snape wandered around the room, examining people's potions and writing down their mark on a piece of parchment.

"Excellent, Potter, Granger, Weasley," Snape announced with an evil grin. "You three have somehow managed to create a perfect Truth Potion. I'll be looking forward to see the effects of it."

Ron began cursing Snape with every word he knew, under his breath, until Hermione nudged him sharply with her elbow.

"My potion isn't clear!" squeaked Neville.

"That doesn't come as a surprise for me." Snape replied icily. "Longbottom, you will test your potion first. Go to the front and face the class."

Neville teeth chattered in fear as he collected a few drops with his eye-dropper, spilling some of the translucent liquid on the table. He stumbled to the front of the classroom and stood trembling in front of his classmates.

"Oh, poor Neville!" thought Hermione.

"Hurry up boy! Drink up!" Snape demanded sharply.

Slowly, Neville raised his eye-dropper and squeezed three drops into his mouth. He then immediately screwed his eyes shut and looked as if he were preparing for some unknown pain to hit him.

"Alright, let us test if his potion really works." said Snape clearly. "Longbottom, what is your biggest fear?"

"Y... Y... You are sir!" he squeaked, appearing as if it was the last thing he wanted to say.

Neville watched in horror as, suddenly, his nose began to grow longer. The class burst out laughing.

"I see," Snape remarked evilly. "What are you afraid of anyone knowing?"

"I... I... I still... wet... the bed!" he said in an usually high-pitched voice.

"Poor Neville! He looks like he's going to cry!" Hermione told Ron and Harry.

Ron almost looked sympathetic, but then he started laughing loudly with everyone else as Neville's nose grew even bigger than before.

"And did you," Snape continued. "play any prank at all on Draco Malfoy last week?"

"N... No..." Neville whimpered, sniffing as his nose grew as long as a tree branch.

"Hush! You have now seen a Truth Potion work. A badly made Truth Potion though. Longbottom's potion seems to have worked, but it has the strange side effect of making his nose grow larger every time he says the truth." Snape commented with a satisfied grin.

Neville, stood snivelling in front of class as they laughed hysterically at his nose for a minute, before he had enough sense to rush out of the room to look for Madame Pomfrey.

"Neville!" Hermione cried as she leapt out of her seat after him.

"Not so fast, Granger," Snape sneered, blocking her way. "I believe, you are next?"

"I... I..." Hermione stuttered, lost for words.

"I will go next!" Harry shouted bravely.

The laughter immediately subsided and soon the classroom was silent. Hermione gaped at Harry who had stood up determinely.

"Very well," Snape said with another snake-like grin. "You may go next. 10 points from Gryffindor for Granger's attempted getaway and Potter's outburst. Each."

Hermione sat down gloomily next to Ron and watched as Harry courageously walked to the front of the room with his Truth potion in his hand. He stared at Snape's impatient face before opening his mouth and squeezing three drops in with his trembling hand. Malfoy smirked triumphantly at his enemy, knowing that he was going to confess. Harry glowered at Snape, waiting for him to test the potion.

"Excellent." Snape sneered. "Now we test the potion. Potter, what is your biggest fear?"

"Lord Voldemort." Harry replied without hesitation.

People in the room gasped in shock and stared at him wide-eyed. Parvati Patil even uttered a small shriek. Snape, however, did not budge.

"Let me get to the point," Snape began. "Did you, Potter, play a prank on Draco Malfoy last week?"

"Y... Yes i did." Harry admitted with great difficulty.

"I KNEW IT!" Draco exclaimed. "You should be EXPELLED for this, Potter!"

"Calm down, Mr Malfoy," said Snape. "I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will think of a suitable punishment. So, Potter, who else was with you?"

The class watched in awe as Harry struggled with some kind of internal battle.

"N... No..." he stuttered. "Hermione! ...... Ron!"

"Thank you, Mr Potter," Snape snickered. "As you can see class, you cannot fight the Truth Potion."

"I KNEW IT ALL ALONG!" yelled Malfoy. "HOW DARE YOU POTTER! MAKE A FOOL OF ME IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE SCHOOL!!"

"YOU WERE GETTING WHAT YOU DESERVED YOU STUPID, FOUL, STUCK-UP, PIECE OF ARROGANT..." Harry shouted back.

"ENOUGH!!" Snape yelled above them. "That is enough boys! 5 points off Gryffindor!"

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME, POTTER!?"

"YOU HEARD ME YOU JERK!"

"QUIET! THAT IS ENOUGH! IF YOU DON'T STOP NOW I'LL BE FORCED TO TAKE 50 POINTS OFF BOTH YOUR HOUSES!" roared Snape.

They both fell silent. The classroom was now deathly quiet.

"Oh dear, Harry's going to be in even more trouble now... I shouldn't have let him confess!" Hermione thought sadly.

"Potter," sneered Snape after he calmed down slightly. "you have one last question... What are you afraid of anyone knowing?"

Harry took a deep breath to calm himself.

"Th... That..." he stammered beginning to blush madly. "That I... th... think... Herm..."

Hermione looked at Harry wide-eyed her heart beating louder. He was looking straight at her.

"What is the meaning of this!?"

Harry stopped in mid-sentence, too surprised to finish. The rest of the class sat stunned. Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, had just strode into the room.

"Our caretaker has informed me that he heard a commotion in this very classroom," Dumbledore began. "Would you care to explain what is going on Severus?"

"Of course, Headmaster," Snape said smiling greasily. "Potter here has just confessed that he, along with Miss Granger and Mr Weasley were responsible for the prank that was played on Mr Malfoy the other week. Mr Malfoy, naturally, got upset and overreacted slightly, but that gives no excuse for Potter to begin using bad language to insult Mr Malfoy!"

Professor Dumbledore listened thoughtfully before walking over to Harry who stood determinely at the front of the room.

"He.. He made Harry drink Truth Potion and confess, sir!" Hermione called out from her table, feeling scared for Harry.

"Yeah! That's right!"

"And Neville too!"

Other Gryffindors joined in and stood up for Harry, whilst Malfoy glared icily at them.

"That is enough," Dumbledore stated raising his hand to silence them. "I will ask Harry himself... So Harry, did you do that to Draco?"

"I did, sir." Harry replied curtly.

"And was Hermione and Ron with you?"

"Th... They were," he said, bowing his head.

"And did Professor Snape make you drink a Truth Potion?"

"Y... Yes, sir," Harry admitted.

"We... We were testing the potion which we made, Headmaster," Snape interrupted nervously.

"Of course, Severus," Dumbledore replied, his eyes sparkling. "Except, I believe that the Truth Potion, Veritaserum, which you have concocted today, is what the seventh years are currently learning?"

"Well... uh..." Snape muttered.

The Gryffindor students all glared at Snape furiously.

"Very well Severus... It is your class after all. But if you wouldn't mind, I would like to arrange proper punishments for the three students?" Dumbledore enquired.

"Of course, Headmaster," said Snape, sneering at Harry with utter hatred.

Ron and Hermione gathered their belongings and Harry's and quickly followed Dumbledore outside. Dumbledore paused at the classroom door and turned to Professor Snape.

"Severus, would you please give Harry the antidote for the Truth Potion? I would like to hear Harry tell the truth without magical aides."

The professor reached inside his robe and took a crystal bottle of jet-black liquid. He handed it to Harry who carefully drank three drops, closed the lid and handed it back.

"Thank you. You may continue on with your lesson."

Hermione's and Harry's eyes met briefly as they left the classroom with Dumbledore. Fear reflected in each other's eyes and a loud gulp from Ron showed he felt exactly the same. Hermione's heart beat madly with fear and something else. Harry had said something very strange a few minutes ago.

"Th... That..." he stammered beginning to blush madly. "That I... th... think... Herm..."

"Herm?!" she thought to herself. "That would be me, right? Or what else did he mean then!? Hermit? Hermaphrodite!? No, it can't be them... It must be me? Well, what did he think about me then?"

She needed to know. Her head was feeling dizzy and light-headed. Harry affected her so much lately! She couldn't concentrate on anything but him when she was around him. Hermione looked at Harry walking beside her, imagining what it'd be like to hold his strong hand and walk quietly together enjoying each other's company. She then realised what she was doing and blushed at her silly romantic thoughts.

Suddenly, deciding to be brave, she whispered to Harry, "Harry? What were you going to say before? Before Professor Dumbledore came in? You... uh... didn't finish your sentence."

Harry looked at her dumb-struck and then, as if he came to a conclusion, smiled warmly at her.

"Don't worry, Hermione," he replied rather mysteriously. "You'll know sooner or later."

End of Part 4 - The Potion

A/N: chap.4 been the longest chap. I've written so far..! and for some weird reason... it was the quickest ive ever written... =) hope u liked it! plz review ^.^