Chapter 6

For some odd reason the return trip through the Gringott's caves had no ill effect on Hermione. For the most part her attention was directed at two things: the back of Harry's head and the monstrous green rock and platinum band resting on the third finger of her left hand.

When they exited the wizard's bank Harry looked up and down Diagon Alley with a content smile on his face.

"Where to first?"

Hermione was snapped from her stupor. "Um ..."

"Do you have your supplies list?"

She quickly felt inside her robes and retrieved a folded piece of paper. After reviewing the contents she looked back up, "I suppose we should get the lighter items first. It will make for a less achey back when we finish."

Harry smiled soothingly down at her, "Don't worry about that." He pointed to a store at the corner of Knockturn Alley and the main thoroughfare, "Beasley's has cart rentals."

******************

"Harry, my parents are going to kill me."

"Why?"

She waved her hands around at all the things in the living room. Harry looked around. Empty boxes and packing paper that was piled in one corner and the rest was taken up by knickknacks, clothes, books, belts, shoes, school supplies, candy, and a myriad other items.

"I can't take all of this home with me. They'll wonder where I got the money to buy all of these things," she said worryingly.

Harry shrugged, "What you don't want to take with you, you can leave here and pick back up next Summer."

He thumbed behind him, "Pick any room you want. It will be your room whenever you come to stay here."

Hermione was through being surprised at anything Harry had done today. She just smiled sweetly, "Thank you, Harry."

He stretched his back and reached high to straighten out his tight muscles, "I think I'm gonna head up to bed. It's been a long day."

Hermione nodded, "I'll be up later after I clean up a little."

"Just leave it for the morning, Mione."

But she wouldn't hear anything of it. Her wand was out and circling the trash into the bin in the corner. Sounds of the waste bin munching and swallowing followed afterwards.

Harry smiled once more, "Night, Hermione."

She waved back and watched as Harry disappeared upstairs then sat back down on the couch holding her left hand back out in front of her. The flickering light from the wall torches sparkled brightly through the large emerald.

"Oh, Harry. What am I going to do with you? You'd think it was my birthda ... Oh My Goodness!"

She pulled her backpack up to her and retrieved her calendar book out of it's assigned pocket, "No, no, no, no, no. Tell me I haven't been this stupid."

Her finger found the July tab and pulled it back. Her panicked eyes traveled down the Friday column. She knew today was Friday but not the exact date. As she feared, it was July 31st, Harry's birthday, and she had forgotten it in all of the excitement.

"Harry must think me just awful."

She dropped the calendar and raced upstairs, "Harry!"

It was mere seconds before she made it to the door and Harry had thrown it open with his wand in his hand he almost made it out the door before he was grabbed up once again in Hermione's arms.

"What happened?" he asked with rapid concern.

"Oh Harry. I'm an awful friend. I forgot your birthday."

He chuckled and patted her on the back, "Well it was my fault now wasn't it. Running away and all."

Her cool hands ran down his bare back, feeling the firm muscles underneath before she realized he was half undressed again. 'You wicked girl, Hermione," she thought.

She felt him shiver under her touch and she pulled away before things became anymore unclear about the relationship she had with her best friend.

"Your birthday present is at my house on my dresser."

She noticed for the first time that he wasn't wearing his glasses and she looked into his very green eyes.

"Hermione, I have everything that I never knew I wanted right here."

She gulped almost audibly.

"Harry," she whispered with uncertainty.

Before she could protest his face dipped onto hers and stole a small kiss. Her eyes closed at the feel of his lips upon her own. But they were gone just as fast and along with them the closeness of his body.

She opened her eyes again and saw that he had taken a step back into his room.

"Hermione, I grew up over the Summer in more ways than one. I'm through being the shy little lost boy in the great big wizarding world chased by the bad guy. It's why I ran away. I needed to be in control for once in my life."

He grabbed a hold of the half-closed door, "Sirius being gone makes me want to do the things I have never had the courage to do before. So think on that tonight and I'll respect your decision in the morning."

Hermione's head trembled and her mouth stood partly open, not knowing what to say.

"I want you to be mine, Hermione and I want to be yours."

She made to say something, anything. "Har ..."

He held his hand up. "Don't make any quick decisions tonight. Think on it. If you say no then we can still be the best of friends. Nothing will change, I promise. If you say yes then we can have ... more. Good night, Mione."

And he closed his door.

Harry leaned on the door and closed his eyes, "Harry Potter, you have gone bloody insane."

*******************

Hermione sat in her bed with the blanket wrapped tightly around her shivering body. She stared at the wall for what must have been thirty or so minutes just thinking about today and what Harry had told her about his feelings.

"He's bloody insane. It's the only thing I can think of. Why me? Why choose me?"

She clutched the sheets to her face, covering her mouth and nose, "I mean I know why him. He's Harry Potter. He could have almost any girl he wants right now. He had Cho Chang last year and would have kept her if she wasn't such a cry baby and wasn't so jealous of ... me."

Her eyes opened further in realization, "Goodness, she had right to be jealous! She knew! She was right all along!"

Now she was concerned, "How long has he felt this way?"

"How long have you felt this way?" she asked herself.

"I mean he was your best friend just yesterday ... now?"

She shook her head and threw herself back against the pillow, "You're over-thinking things, Hermione. Keep it simple. He's a boy and you're a girl. Things happen. Go to sleep!"

"Now I'm bloody insane, laying here talking to myself. Shut up and go to sleep. Things will be clearer in the morning."