Chapter 23
The next day went by just the same as the last. Hermionie was alone a lot, and Harry, Ron and Emma spent their evenings in the common room trying to work on homework.
"Oh forget it!" Ron said, slamming his potions book, "I can't do this."
"No kidding." Harry said capping is ink bottle, "I'm through."
Emma didn't say anything, because she was reading a magazine. She didn't look up when the boys took off upstairs to get the wizard's chessboard and put away their school things.
As Harry opened up his drawer in his bedside table, Ron spoke, "I'm worried."
"Nah, don't be Ron, you'll pass potions." Harry said shutting the drawer and walking over to his trunk.
"That's not what I'm worried about." He said, closing his trunk and sitting on it.
"Then what is it?"
"Hermionie," said Ron, "She's been so sad lately, and alone a lot too. Doesn't seem healthy." Harry agreed but didn't voice it.
"Ron it's only been a day since that happened." Harry said.
"That makes no difference." Ron said, looking up at Harry, "Still isn't healthy."
"Suppose you're right." Harry said. "Ron there is a little something I've.err.forgotten to tell you."
"Oh?"
"Yeah," Harry didn't want to tell him this, but he had an urge to tell someone, and Ron was the only person he trusted besides Hermionie. Harry told him the small detail about how Hermionie had mentioned falling in love with him.
"Whoa," was all Ron said. And after awhile he regained his voice, "You must feel like shit." Harry was taken aback a little. He imagined the look on Hermionie's face if she had heard him.
"Well yeah!" Harry said.
"What are you going to do?" Ron asked.
"What do you mean, 'What am I going to do'?" He asked.
"Well," said Ron, "you can't sit around here all day feeling guilty. You done wrong Harry, and you gotta fix it."
He knew Ron had a point but he didn't know how to go about "fixing" it. "What do I do?"
"How about starting with an apology?" Ron said, sounding like it was the dumbest question Harry ever asked.
"I tried that."
"Well try again!" Ron said with a small smile standing up. He grabbed the chessboard and headed for the door. "And I suggest you do it soon. I've had enough silence between us. We're supposed to be best friends." And he was gone. Harry sat down on his bed and pondered a moment before getting up and leaving too. He found Ron in the common room trying to teach Emma wizard's chess. As Harry came by the he saw the king tapping his foot impatiently. Harry laughed.
"Hi Harry." Emma said sweetly.
"Err," Harry replied, "Hi." There was a moment's silence and then Ron said:
"You know where she is." He motioned for the portrait hole. He was right. She was in the library. The place she went to hide.
"Right." Harry said and headed for the hole.
"What was that all about?" Emma asked.
"Nothing." Ron said coolly and went back to teaching her about the game.
Harry climbed a few staircases and wandered through a few halls before he came to the door to the library. He heaved a heavy sigh and opened the door. After he stepped inside and the door closed behind him, he started to look around. She wasn't in plain sight. He'd actually have to look around and through the isles. He wandered to the back of the library checking out the back tables. She wasn't there, but he did notice her book bag sitting at the far table. She's probably wandering the isles. Harry thought and he walked through the silence toward the first row. He checked out isle after isle until he finally found her. He almost passed by the row she was looking in, and then doubled back. She had her back to him, and her neck was bent over probably looking into some book.
"Hermionie?" he whispered. She stiffened. Ack, she thought.
"I don't feel like talking right now Harry." She said, not turning to look at him. She snapped the book shut and walked forward and around a corner. Harry followed. He wasn't going to allow her to get away that easy.
"Won't you talk to me for a little bit?" Harry asked to her back, as she still moved forward, back toward the table she was obviously sitting at earlier.
"No." She said simply, still not turning to look at him.
"Come on 'Mione." He said sweetly, "please?"
"Don't call me that." She said, stuffing the book in her bag, "and I said no." she slung the book bag over her shoulder and winded her way through the tables to the door. Harry was getting a little frustrated.
"Why?" he asked. She stopped in her tracks, and he almost ran into her. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck and it sent shivers down her spine.
"Because." She said and started walking again before she could loose control of herself. He reached out and grabbed her wrist. She spun around and looked down at the hand that held her to the spot. "Let go." She said
"Not until you talk to me." He said.
"Let go." She repeated.
"I'm not asking for much Hermionie. Please talk to me." He offered.
"No." she said again. God she's being stubborn. What should I do now? He asked himself. He reached over and grabbed her other hand. He held both her hands at his chest height, trying to get her to look at him, but she just started and the hands that held her prisoner. Harry took the hands to his mouth and kissed them.
"Please?" He pulled the puppy dog eyes to go along with the voice. Oh no, not the voice. I HATE that voice. Hermionie thought to herself trying best not to look him directly in the eye. She knew that if she did, it would be trouble. From the spot he kissed her hands, it had sent tingles throughout her body and that made her give into him.
"Okay fine." She relaxed. "Will you let go of me now?"
"Nope." He smiled coyly and she finally looked up at him, giving into temptation. He kissed them again. "Not letting you run from me this time."
"Did you think I was going to run away?" She had planned on it.
"Yes." He said. Damnit, she thought. "Come over here." He guided her over to a table and pulled up a chair. "Sit please." She obeyed. He knelt be side the chair her hands still in his. She stared at him. "Now, don't interrupt me." He said. She nodded. "I know what I did was wrong." Hermionie snorted, "But you shouldn't have been eavesdropping. You're almost as guilty as I am."
"Yes, I suppose you're right." She agreed. "Almost being the key word here mister."
"Yeah." Harry said smiling warmly; glad she was starting to be herself again. "I have no excuse for what I did. I was stupid." He admitted.
"You got that right." Hermionie said.
"So, I've said what I wanted to say. Forgive me?" He waited in silence as she pondered her answer.
Should I forgive? What makes me think he won't be stupid again? I didn't want to get hurt again, and I did. This isn't safe. I don't know what to do. She thought.
"Harry," she whispered pain in her tone, "I never thought you would hurt me. That's why I wanted to be with you." wanted? As in past tense? This can't be good. He thought. "And when you did, I was so shocked and hurt it's beyond words. I trusted you Harry."
"You can still trust me." He said.
"No I can't." she said, her voice trembling.
"Yes you can." He argued.
"Harry you don't understa-" she never got to finish her sentence. He rose a little and pressed his lips to hers. She was shocked and she got wide eyed, but then relaxed when he softened the kiss. When he drew back she looked a little flushed. She opened her eyes to see Harry crouched in front of her.
"I only want to be with you Hermionie." He said softly with a smile. She stared at him. She was speechless. She also had no idea what to say. She wanted to be with him too, but she's been hurt too much already. Should she risk it again?
"Okay." she said.
"Don't you get it? I care about you too much to loose you. I admitted I was stupid. Please forgive me and take me back."
"What about Emma?" she asked.
"What about her? She's a friend. Ron can have her for all I care. You kiss way better than she does anyway." He smiled, and so did she.
"I don't know Harry, I really don't think I can risk it again." She said.
"I promise you," he said, "I will never hurt you again. I swear to it."
"Yeah, Right." She said.
"Hermionie don't you understand me?"
"Apparently not." She said with a tiny smile.
"I love you." he said, and she was speechless once again.
The next day went by just the same as the last. Hermionie was alone a lot, and Harry, Ron and Emma spent their evenings in the common room trying to work on homework.
"Oh forget it!" Ron said, slamming his potions book, "I can't do this."
"No kidding." Harry said capping is ink bottle, "I'm through."
Emma didn't say anything, because she was reading a magazine. She didn't look up when the boys took off upstairs to get the wizard's chessboard and put away their school things.
As Harry opened up his drawer in his bedside table, Ron spoke, "I'm worried."
"Nah, don't be Ron, you'll pass potions." Harry said shutting the drawer and walking over to his trunk.
"That's not what I'm worried about." He said, closing his trunk and sitting on it.
"Then what is it?"
"Hermionie," said Ron, "She's been so sad lately, and alone a lot too. Doesn't seem healthy." Harry agreed but didn't voice it.
"Ron it's only been a day since that happened." Harry said.
"That makes no difference." Ron said, looking up at Harry, "Still isn't healthy."
"Suppose you're right." Harry said. "Ron there is a little something I've.err.forgotten to tell you."
"Oh?"
"Yeah," Harry didn't want to tell him this, but he had an urge to tell someone, and Ron was the only person he trusted besides Hermionie. Harry told him the small detail about how Hermionie had mentioned falling in love with him.
"Whoa," was all Ron said. And after awhile he regained his voice, "You must feel like shit." Harry was taken aback a little. He imagined the look on Hermionie's face if she had heard him.
"Well yeah!" Harry said.
"What are you going to do?" Ron asked.
"What do you mean, 'What am I going to do'?" He asked.
"Well," said Ron, "you can't sit around here all day feeling guilty. You done wrong Harry, and you gotta fix it."
He knew Ron had a point but he didn't know how to go about "fixing" it. "What do I do?"
"How about starting with an apology?" Ron said, sounding like it was the dumbest question Harry ever asked.
"I tried that."
"Well try again!" Ron said with a small smile standing up. He grabbed the chessboard and headed for the door. "And I suggest you do it soon. I've had enough silence between us. We're supposed to be best friends." And he was gone. Harry sat down on his bed and pondered a moment before getting up and leaving too. He found Ron in the common room trying to teach Emma wizard's chess. As Harry came by the he saw the king tapping his foot impatiently. Harry laughed.
"Hi Harry." Emma said sweetly.
"Err," Harry replied, "Hi." There was a moment's silence and then Ron said:
"You know where she is." He motioned for the portrait hole. He was right. She was in the library. The place she went to hide.
"Right." Harry said and headed for the hole.
"What was that all about?" Emma asked.
"Nothing." Ron said coolly and went back to teaching her about the game.
Harry climbed a few staircases and wandered through a few halls before he came to the door to the library. He heaved a heavy sigh and opened the door. After he stepped inside and the door closed behind him, he started to look around. She wasn't in plain sight. He'd actually have to look around and through the isles. He wandered to the back of the library checking out the back tables. She wasn't there, but he did notice her book bag sitting at the far table. She's probably wandering the isles. Harry thought and he walked through the silence toward the first row. He checked out isle after isle until he finally found her. He almost passed by the row she was looking in, and then doubled back. She had her back to him, and her neck was bent over probably looking into some book.
"Hermionie?" he whispered. She stiffened. Ack, she thought.
"I don't feel like talking right now Harry." She said, not turning to look at him. She snapped the book shut and walked forward and around a corner. Harry followed. He wasn't going to allow her to get away that easy.
"Won't you talk to me for a little bit?" Harry asked to her back, as she still moved forward, back toward the table she was obviously sitting at earlier.
"No." She said simply, still not turning to look at him.
"Come on 'Mione." He said sweetly, "please?"
"Don't call me that." She said, stuffing the book in her bag, "and I said no." she slung the book bag over her shoulder and winded her way through the tables to the door. Harry was getting a little frustrated.
"Why?" he asked. She stopped in her tracks, and he almost ran into her. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck and it sent shivers down her spine.
"Because." She said and started walking again before she could loose control of herself. He reached out and grabbed her wrist. She spun around and looked down at the hand that held her to the spot. "Let go." She said
"Not until you talk to me." He said.
"Let go." She repeated.
"I'm not asking for much Hermionie. Please talk to me." He offered.
"No." she said again. God she's being stubborn. What should I do now? He asked himself. He reached over and grabbed her other hand. He held both her hands at his chest height, trying to get her to look at him, but she just started and the hands that held her prisoner. Harry took the hands to his mouth and kissed them.
"Please?" He pulled the puppy dog eyes to go along with the voice. Oh no, not the voice. I HATE that voice. Hermionie thought to herself trying best not to look him directly in the eye. She knew that if she did, it would be trouble. From the spot he kissed her hands, it had sent tingles throughout her body and that made her give into him.
"Okay fine." She relaxed. "Will you let go of me now?"
"Nope." He smiled coyly and she finally looked up at him, giving into temptation. He kissed them again. "Not letting you run from me this time."
"Did you think I was going to run away?" She had planned on it.
"Yes." He said. Damnit, she thought. "Come over here." He guided her over to a table and pulled up a chair. "Sit please." She obeyed. He knelt be side the chair her hands still in his. She stared at him. "Now, don't interrupt me." He said. She nodded. "I know what I did was wrong." Hermionie snorted, "But you shouldn't have been eavesdropping. You're almost as guilty as I am."
"Yes, I suppose you're right." She agreed. "Almost being the key word here mister."
"Yeah." Harry said smiling warmly; glad she was starting to be herself again. "I have no excuse for what I did. I was stupid." He admitted.
"You got that right." Hermionie said.
"So, I've said what I wanted to say. Forgive me?" He waited in silence as she pondered her answer.
Should I forgive? What makes me think he won't be stupid again? I didn't want to get hurt again, and I did. This isn't safe. I don't know what to do. She thought.
"Harry," she whispered pain in her tone, "I never thought you would hurt me. That's why I wanted to be with you." wanted? As in past tense? This can't be good. He thought. "And when you did, I was so shocked and hurt it's beyond words. I trusted you Harry."
"You can still trust me." He said.
"No I can't." she said, her voice trembling.
"Yes you can." He argued.
"Harry you don't understa-" she never got to finish her sentence. He rose a little and pressed his lips to hers. She was shocked and she got wide eyed, but then relaxed when he softened the kiss. When he drew back she looked a little flushed. She opened her eyes to see Harry crouched in front of her.
"I only want to be with you Hermionie." He said softly with a smile. She stared at him. She was speechless. She also had no idea what to say. She wanted to be with him too, but she's been hurt too much already. Should she risk it again?
"Okay." she said.
"Don't you get it? I care about you too much to loose you. I admitted I was stupid. Please forgive me and take me back."
"What about Emma?" she asked.
"What about her? She's a friend. Ron can have her for all I care. You kiss way better than she does anyway." He smiled, and so did she.
"I don't know Harry, I really don't think I can risk it again." She said.
"I promise you," he said, "I will never hurt you again. I swear to it."
"Yeah, Right." She said.
"Hermionie don't you understand me?"
"Apparently not." She said with a tiny smile.
"I love you." he said, and she was speechless once again.