Authors Note: Thanks everyone for the awesome reviews! You have no idea how
motivating you guys are! I'll try to update every day from now on, but
there are no guarantees.
Read and review! It's what keeps me going!
PS: It really gets my goat that they change all of my triple periods (for dramatic pause effect) into single periods! Damn you coding!
~ The Next Morning. Breakfast in the Great Hall ~
The walk to the Great Hall was one of the hardest journeys Hermione Granger would ever have to make in her life, and that's saying something. Someone must have lined her shoes with lead during the night, because her feet dragged, almost as if they were the ones who should have been embarrassed for the outburst.
"Alright Hermione, only two more steps." She comforted herself. "They probably won't even remember last night."
~ At the Gryffindor Table ~
"She probably won't even remember last night!" Harry said to a worry stricken Ron.
"Yes she will Harry." Ron grimaced at the thought of what he said last night.
"I'm WHAT?" Hermione exploded. "Ugly?! Self-centered?! Stupid?! WHAT?!"
"No Hermione! You're not stupid!"
"What was I thinking?!" Ron exclaimed, putting his head down on the table in defeat.
~
"What was I thinking?!" Hermione shouted in her head. She might have inner turmoil, but if the boys didn't tell anyone yet, then she was determined to keep up appearances. So, she plastered herself a nice, wholesome smile and plopped next to Harry and across from Ron at the Gryffindor table. "Good morning!" She said cheerfully.
The boys were a bit puzzled, but as long as she didn't bring up last night, then they wouldn't either!
"Good morning Hermione." Harry said, biting into a roll. "Sleep well?" Hermione stopped moving, her fork caught halfway from her plate to her mouth. Slowly she set it down, turned to Harry and hit him with her brightest smile.
"Of course I did, would there be any reason not to?" She inquired sweetly, a little too sweetly.
"That's good, because aft-" Ron started, but was rudely interrupted when a bagel hit him square between the eyes. "Ouch." He mumbled underneath his breath.
"Because of all the studying you're doing for your Magic Fair project, RIGHT Ron?" Harry said through clenched teeth.
"Oh yeah! Of course, studying.Hermione.studying." Ron nodded quickly, suddenly interested in the cracks on the floor.
"Oh NO!" Hermione gasped, dropping her glass of milk. She grabbed Harry by the collar of his robe, and widened her eyes as large as they could possibly go.
"What? You mean you haven't started it yet?" Harry's jaw dropped, Ron snickered, but Hermione was absolutely mad. She shook Harry frantically, his dark hair flopping about.
"LOVE HAS RUINED MY LIFE!" She stood up, knocking over pitchers and plates, but she didn't notice, her eyes were afire. Ron, to be honest, was afraid.
The Great Hall grew eerily silent as they watched Hermione shake Harry and Ron blush furiously.
"I HAVE TO GO TO THE LIBRARY!" Hermione didn't go any farther than two steps before she slipped on the milk she spilled earlier.
Sitting in a puddle of milk, and with everyone staring at her, she felt her eyes begin to grow moist. All of a sudden, there was a lone cackle from across the room and a familiar sneer came into view.
"No use crying over spilled milk, mudblood!" Draco hooted, slapping his thigh.
"YOU LEAVE HER ALONE!" Ron snapped, narrowing his eyes like a predator about to pounce. Both him and Harry stood up and walked over to Hermione, where she was holding onto the last bit of dignity she could find. They both reached out their hands, and Hermione grasped them, pulling herself up. The look of joy and gratitude that crossed her face warmed Ron and Harry's hearts.
"I really better get to the library." Hermione whispered, looking down at her feet.
"I better go too." Ron jumped in. "I haven't started working on my fair project either."
"Yeah, me too!" Harry chimed. Hermione smiled weakly at the boys and nodded.
To Harry and Hermione's surprise, Ron grabbed Hermione's hand and gave it a tight squeeze. Hermione looked up in shock, but was only met with an understanding grin from Ron. Smiling back, she was shocked again, Harry grabbed her other hand and squeezed as well.
"We better be on our way then." Harry smirked. Hermione thought that the Hall was silent when she fell, but she swore that everyone stopped breathing. That is, until they left the room.
~
Ron and Harry, chatting a little too loudly for the librarian's taste, sat at a nearby table. Ron was leaning up against the wall in his chair, laughing. Harry's green eyes danced when he smiled, and he was smiling quite often now.
Hermione sighed deeply and went back to scanning the books for an interesting topic for her Magic Fair project. "If only I was a boy." She murmured. "I wouldn't mess things up." The dusty tomes were beginning to blend together, and she was getting tired of looking at the same books over and over again. In fact, she didn't know why she was in this aisle; she had already read all of these. But one phrase kept repeating over and over again in her head.
"God, Hermione." Harry shook his head. "If only you were a boy, you'd understand."
Closing her eyes, she stuck her ink stained index finger out and selected a book at random.
"God, Hermione." Harry shook his head. "If only you were a boy, you'd understand."
"Hmm...Everyday Disguises for Everyday Wizards by Ima Pseudonym." Hermione read. "This must be new." On the inside, there was a short summary. She read:
Have you ever wished you could step outside of yourself for an hour? A day? A week? Even a year? Inside this book, you'll find the right spell for any disguise you could ever need!
"Whoa." Hermione whispered. She glanced quickly at Ron and Harry, who were now in the middle of some heated argument about some Quidditch player. She slid against the wall until she was sitting and flipped through the pages eagerly.
An hour later, she shut the book, grinning like a fool. She had finally found her project.
"Hey.um.guys, I'm going to go back to my dorm. I'm kind of tired." Hermione faked a yawn she hoped would pass.
"Oh, we should get back too then." Harry pushed his chair in, and craned his neck to see Hermione's book. "What's that?"
Hermione pulled the book to her chest and hopefully out of Harry's sight. "It's nothing."
Ron, who was now standing so closely behind Hermione that she could feel his breath on her neck, also tried to peek. "If it's nothing, than let us see it!" He laughed and reached around her to grab the book from her. She whipped around in surprise, but stumbled back into Harry. Grabbing her, they both fell to the ground laughing. Hermione clutched the book tighter but giggles erupted and Harry laughed along with her. Slowly, the giggles subsided, and Hermione realized that Harry had broken her fall.
But not only had he broken her fall, but he was still holding onto her. Loosening her grip on the book, she pushed herself up off of Harry's chest.
"Here." Ron snipped, sticking his hand out. "Stand up before we get kicked out." But from the look on Ron's face, she could tell that it wasn't the librarians he was worried about.
"Something wrong Ron?" Hermione asked, tilting her head to the side.
"No, you just said that we better get back." He didn't meet her eyes; instead, he kept his eyes locked on Harry who was brushing himself off. "So let's go."
Hermione was puzzled. Nothing had happened, why was Ron angry all of a sudden? The three of them walked back to the Gryffindor common room in silence. Stepping inside of the portrait hole, Hermione turned to the both of them.
"Well, I'm just gonna get on to bed now." She smiled, hoping to get two smiles back. But instead she just got two boys looking rather bothered. Ron took his hands out of his pockets and clamped one on Hermione's shoulder.
"Goodnight." He said, and walked off, not looking back. Harry stood in front of her still, arms crossed.
"What's wrong with him?" Hermione was puzzled, hoping Harry would have the answer.
"Heh." Harry smirked. "If you were a boy, you'd understand." And in Ron's direction he followed, taking a few steps and turning around to wave goodnight.
"If I were a boy." Hermione repeated under her breath. Book in hand; she skipped into her room to find Ginny Weasley laughing with a few other girls in the dorm.
"Hermy!" Ginny exclaimed. Ginny was the youngest of the Weasley clan. Like her brother Ron, she had bright red hair and a splash of freckles across her cheeks and nose. She was a rather slim girl, about two inches shorter than Hermione. Although she wasn't as tall as Hermione, she looked up to her in more ways than one. Ginny always admired Hermione like a big sister she never had.
"Hi Ginny!" Hermione threw the book on her bed and embraced Ginny warmly.
"Where have you been?" Ginny asked, taking a few steps back to study her.
"Oh, just in the library with Harry and Ron." Hermione said unbuttoning her robe and tossing it on her bed. The mention of Harry Potter generated a few "Oooohhhh Ginny!" remarks from the other girls. And just like her brother, Ginny blushed adorably.
"Shut up!" Ginny waved her hand at the group of girls gathered on a far bed. "Anyway, what's new?"
"I might be gone for a bit." Hermione smirked to herself.
"What?" Ginny looked absolutely distraught. "Why?"
"Just a bit of research, is all." Hermione sat on her bed and pulled her shoes off. "But keep your mouth shut, I still haven't gotten permission."
"My lips are sealed!" Ginny gasped, delighted to be in on a secret with Hermione Granger.
"Good." Hermione said. "I'm going to need all the help I can get."
Read and review! It's what keeps me going!
PS: It really gets my goat that they change all of my triple periods (for dramatic pause effect) into single periods! Damn you coding!
~ The Next Morning. Breakfast in the Great Hall ~
The walk to the Great Hall was one of the hardest journeys Hermione Granger would ever have to make in her life, and that's saying something. Someone must have lined her shoes with lead during the night, because her feet dragged, almost as if they were the ones who should have been embarrassed for the outburst.
"Alright Hermione, only two more steps." She comforted herself. "They probably won't even remember last night."
~ At the Gryffindor Table ~
"She probably won't even remember last night!" Harry said to a worry stricken Ron.
"Yes she will Harry." Ron grimaced at the thought of what he said last night.
"I'm WHAT?" Hermione exploded. "Ugly?! Self-centered?! Stupid?! WHAT?!"
"No Hermione! You're not stupid!"
"What was I thinking?!" Ron exclaimed, putting his head down on the table in defeat.
~
"What was I thinking?!" Hermione shouted in her head. She might have inner turmoil, but if the boys didn't tell anyone yet, then she was determined to keep up appearances. So, she plastered herself a nice, wholesome smile and plopped next to Harry and across from Ron at the Gryffindor table. "Good morning!" She said cheerfully.
The boys were a bit puzzled, but as long as she didn't bring up last night, then they wouldn't either!
"Good morning Hermione." Harry said, biting into a roll. "Sleep well?" Hermione stopped moving, her fork caught halfway from her plate to her mouth. Slowly she set it down, turned to Harry and hit him with her brightest smile.
"Of course I did, would there be any reason not to?" She inquired sweetly, a little too sweetly.
"That's good, because aft-" Ron started, but was rudely interrupted when a bagel hit him square between the eyes. "Ouch." He mumbled underneath his breath.
"Because of all the studying you're doing for your Magic Fair project, RIGHT Ron?" Harry said through clenched teeth.
"Oh yeah! Of course, studying.Hermione.studying." Ron nodded quickly, suddenly interested in the cracks on the floor.
"Oh NO!" Hermione gasped, dropping her glass of milk. She grabbed Harry by the collar of his robe, and widened her eyes as large as they could possibly go.
"What? You mean you haven't started it yet?" Harry's jaw dropped, Ron snickered, but Hermione was absolutely mad. She shook Harry frantically, his dark hair flopping about.
"LOVE HAS RUINED MY LIFE!" She stood up, knocking over pitchers and plates, but she didn't notice, her eyes were afire. Ron, to be honest, was afraid.
The Great Hall grew eerily silent as they watched Hermione shake Harry and Ron blush furiously.
"I HAVE TO GO TO THE LIBRARY!" Hermione didn't go any farther than two steps before she slipped on the milk she spilled earlier.
Sitting in a puddle of milk, and with everyone staring at her, she felt her eyes begin to grow moist. All of a sudden, there was a lone cackle from across the room and a familiar sneer came into view.
"No use crying over spilled milk, mudblood!" Draco hooted, slapping his thigh.
"YOU LEAVE HER ALONE!" Ron snapped, narrowing his eyes like a predator about to pounce. Both him and Harry stood up and walked over to Hermione, where she was holding onto the last bit of dignity she could find. They both reached out their hands, and Hermione grasped them, pulling herself up. The look of joy and gratitude that crossed her face warmed Ron and Harry's hearts.
"I really better get to the library." Hermione whispered, looking down at her feet.
"I better go too." Ron jumped in. "I haven't started working on my fair project either."
"Yeah, me too!" Harry chimed. Hermione smiled weakly at the boys and nodded.
To Harry and Hermione's surprise, Ron grabbed Hermione's hand and gave it a tight squeeze. Hermione looked up in shock, but was only met with an understanding grin from Ron. Smiling back, she was shocked again, Harry grabbed her other hand and squeezed as well.
"We better be on our way then." Harry smirked. Hermione thought that the Hall was silent when she fell, but she swore that everyone stopped breathing. That is, until they left the room.
~
Ron and Harry, chatting a little too loudly for the librarian's taste, sat at a nearby table. Ron was leaning up against the wall in his chair, laughing. Harry's green eyes danced when he smiled, and he was smiling quite often now.
Hermione sighed deeply and went back to scanning the books for an interesting topic for her Magic Fair project. "If only I was a boy." She murmured. "I wouldn't mess things up." The dusty tomes were beginning to blend together, and she was getting tired of looking at the same books over and over again. In fact, she didn't know why she was in this aisle; she had already read all of these. But one phrase kept repeating over and over again in her head.
"God, Hermione." Harry shook his head. "If only you were a boy, you'd understand."
Closing her eyes, she stuck her ink stained index finger out and selected a book at random.
"God, Hermione." Harry shook his head. "If only you were a boy, you'd understand."
"Hmm...Everyday Disguises for Everyday Wizards by Ima Pseudonym." Hermione read. "This must be new." On the inside, there was a short summary. She read:
Have you ever wished you could step outside of yourself for an hour? A day? A week? Even a year? Inside this book, you'll find the right spell for any disguise you could ever need!
"Whoa." Hermione whispered. She glanced quickly at Ron and Harry, who were now in the middle of some heated argument about some Quidditch player. She slid against the wall until she was sitting and flipped through the pages eagerly.
An hour later, she shut the book, grinning like a fool. She had finally found her project.
"Hey.um.guys, I'm going to go back to my dorm. I'm kind of tired." Hermione faked a yawn she hoped would pass.
"Oh, we should get back too then." Harry pushed his chair in, and craned his neck to see Hermione's book. "What's that?"
Hermione pulled the book to her chest and hopefully out of Harry's sight. "It's nothing."
Ron, who was now standing so closely behind Hermione that she could feel his breath on her neck, also tried to peek. "If it's nothing, than let us see it!" He laughed and reached around her to grab the book from her. She whipped around in surprise, but stumbled back into Harry. Grabbing her, they both fell to the ground laughing. Hermione clutched the book tighter but giggles erupted and Harry laughed along with her. Slowly, the giggles subsided, and Hermione realized that Harry had broken her fall.
But not only had he broken her fall, but he was still holding onto her. Loosening her grip on the book, she pushed herself up off of Harry's chest.
"Here." Ron snipped, sticking his hand out. "Stand up before we get kicked out." But from the look on Ron's face, she could tell that it wasn't the librarians he was worried about.
"Something wrong Ron?" Hermione asked, tilting her head to the side.
"No, you just said that we better get back." He didn't meet her eyes; instead, he kept his eyes locked on Harry who was brushing himself off. "So let's go."
Hermione was puzzled. Nothing had happened, why was Ron angry all of a sudden? The three of them walked back to the Gryffindor common room in silence. Stepping inside of the portrait hole, Hermione turned to the both of them.
"Well, I'm just gonna get on to bed now." She smiled, hoping to get two smiles back. But instead she just got two boys looking rather bothered. Ron took his hands out of his pockets and clamped one on Hermione's shoulder.
"Goodnight." He said, and walked off, not looking back. Harry stood in front of her still, arms crossed.
"What's wrong with him?" Hermione was puzzled, hoping Harry would have the answer.
"Heh." Harry smirked. "If you were a boy, you'd understand." And in Ron's direction he followed, taking a few steps and turning around to wave goodnight.
"If I were a boy." Hermione repeated under her breath. Book in hand; she skipped into her room to find Ginny Weasley laughing with a few other girls in the dorm.
"Hermy!" Ginny exclaimed. Ginny was the youngest of the Weasley clan. Like her brother Ron, she had bright red hair and a splash of freckles across her cheeks and nose. She was a rather slim girl, about two inches shorter than Hermione. Although she wasn't as tall as Hermione, she looked up to her in more ways than one. Ginny always admired Hermione like a big sister she never had.
"Hi Ginny!" Hermione threw the book on her bed and embraced Ginny warmly.
"Where have you been?" Ginny asked, taking a few steps back to study her.
"Oh, just in the library with Harry and Ron." Hermione said unbuttoning her robe and tossing it on her bed. The mention of Harry Potter generated a few "Oooohhhh Ginny!" remarks from the other girls. And just like her brother, Ginny blushed adorably.
"Shut up!" Ginny waved her hand at the group of girls gathered on a far bed. "Anyway, what's new?"
"I might be gone for a bit." Hermione smirked to herself.
"What?" Ginny looked absolutely distraught. "Why?"
"Just a bit of research, is all." Hermione sat on her bed and pulled her shoes off. "But keep your mouth shut, I still haven't gotten permission."
"My lips are sealed!" Ginny gasped, delighted to be in on a secret with Hermione Granger.
"Good." Hermione said. "I'm going to need all the help I can get."