When We Try To Deceive...

Chapter Three: Waking Reality


Author's Note:  Thanks to Gnat Girl and Topaz Waters for reviewing so quickly.  My heart has immediately warmed towards you.  But Gnat Girl- you cannot maim Bat Girl.  Bat Girl is the Mistress of Maiming.  She is the official maimer of Weiner Town.  She won the 2003 Maiming Killer Bat of the Year Award for goodness sake!  You cannot yield her award-winning weapon against her!  Now stop threatening her!

***

Hermione woke with a start. She was shocked at the previous night's dream. Well, not dream so much as nightmare. When she thought over what her sub- conscious had been brewing over while she slept, she shuddered.

"It's never going to happen," she told herself. "Stop worrying! It's just your imagination." It didn't help. Hermione sat up in bed and concentrated on breathing deeply and calmly, like her mother always told her to do at home in order to relax. Eventually her breathing steadied and she felt a little calmer, though her face was still burning. Cautiously, Hermione crept out of bed and went to the girl's bathroom, where she splashed her face with cold water. A few minutes later, when she walked back into the dormitory, she was feeling just about normal.

"Come on, Hermione," she told herself sternly. "You're far too sensible to ever do that. Ron would kill you." Unfortunately, in her absence, the entire Gryffindor sixth year dorm had woken up. Her closest friend, Lavender Brown, walked over to the door, where Hermione was still standing.

"Uh, Ron would kill you why?" she asked, inquisitive. Yeah, Hermione talked to herself. But usually she was just muttering important dates or correct pronunciation that she was trying to learn.

Hermione looked up and found four pairs of eyes boring into her. It was quite scary, especially for a modest soul like Hermione Granger.

"Nothing. It was just a dream," Hermione said, trying to brush it off. But she felt another hot flush coming on, and when she walked over to her bed Lavender followed.

"Thinking about Ron again?" she asked her friend sympathetically. She knew how much Hermione liked Ron, but she'd come to accept that nothing would ever happen. It was just one of those things. They were friends now. Ron had absolutely no intention of ever going out with Hermione. And besides, Hermione had Victor Krum. Who she wouldn't even consider hurting. But even so, undying love isn't a feeling you can easily get rid of. Especially when you have one of those brains that seems to magically retain every single fact and figure you've ever heard.

Hermione looked up at Lavender.

"Why would I be thinking about Ron? I wasn't thinking of Ron! Why would I think of Ron? Nothing's going on with Ron! Sometimes I don't think I even like Ron. Why, did Ron say something?"

"Uh."

Hermione was hanging on Lavender's every word.

"Look, Herm," Lavender continued, a little scared by the spaced out look in her friend's eyes. "Ron didn't say anything to me. But you were muttering something about Ron and. I just wondered if you were o.k."

After a moment's pause, Hermione sighed.

"It's just, I had this really weird dream last night."

"About Ron?"

"Yeah."

Silence.

"Well? Tell me what happened!!!"

"I promised Ron I'd help him with his Arithmancy homework, and then I forgot." Hermione held her breath. *Please believe me, please believe me, please believe me* she begged.

Lavender stared at her for a second.

"You're not serious!" she exclaimed. Then she was laughing and Hermione breathed out a sigh of relief. "You had me going there!" Lavender said, decidedly amused. Hermione was a friend, but she was odd. Very odd.

Hermione managed a small smile, and Lavender walked off, still chuckling, mentioning something about getting ready for breakfast.

Hermione uncrossed her fingers and went back to worrying what on earth she was going to do about the fact she was in love with both her best friend and his brother.

***

"Hey, mate!" a rather puzzled Harry called. Despite the fact that Ron was right next to him, he was dead to the world. Suddenly he jumped up from his bed and yelled out loud.

"Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!" Ron then fell to his knees and held his head in his hands. All the boys in the Gryffindor fourth year dormitory looked around, surprised. Ron turned his signature colour- red- when he saw everyone staring at him (I know the feeling).

He quickly got to his feet and Harry looked at him curiously. He didn't even have to ask. Ron could tell, just by looking at him, what Harry was thinking.

To the other boys, he muttered, "Let another Gryffindor goal in." This gave them no reason for further surprise. They like Ron as a mate, but he was hardly the world's best Quidditch player. Harry, however, knew this wasn't the case. He moved closer towards Ron, and looked him in the eye.

"Hermione again?" he murmured quietly. Ron groaned and sat on the bed, his shoulders hunched over.

"The dreams have started again," he groaned.

"The same dreams?" Harry asked. Ron looked at him, thoughtfully.

"No. This time. She was herself," he pondered.

"As opposed to..." Harry prompted, looking a *tad* annoyed. Ron, however, was so deep in thought that he was oblivious to Harry's short temper. Which God knows he has.

"Well, before she was always this." Ron paused. "Imaginary figure. Like it was Hermione, but with Cameron Diaz' body, or Catherine Zeta Jones' face or something. Or dressed up as Superwoman." Harry nodded, knowingly. Ron continued. "But last night she was. Hermione. She looked exactly the same, but she was beautiful to me."

Harry couldn't help but laugh. It had been bubbling up inside him and he accidentally let a little burst escape. Like canned laughter. One glance from Ron and it was cut off, immediately. Ron looked- depressed?

"I think I love her, mate," muttered Ron.

***

When Harry was sitting there, listening to Ron talking about Hermione, he was not very happy. This was not because he disliked Ron confiding in him. It gave him something to talk about in his sleep. He was not unhappy due to the fact that he, himself, had had a romantic dream about Hermione. Hermione was just the same old frizzy haired, buck toothed swot she'd always been. The reason he was unhappy was not because he had forgotten to do any homework. He had, as it happens, forgotten about his History of Magic essay COMPLETELY, but as this was such a common occurrence he wasn't that fussed. The reason he was unhappy was not that Neville's toad had *ahem* gone to the toilet in his hat. He only discovered this when he put it on after breakfast.

The reason Harry potter was particularly miserable that morning when he was sat on Ron's bed, talking about his feelings for Hermione, was a very disgraceful and embarrassing reason that Harry did not wish to tell anyone. Ever. But unfortunately for him, I found out. And I'm not very good at keeping secrets.

O.k. Here goes. The reason Harry was downright upset when Ron told him he was in love with Hermione was...

***

 George was not very happy with his twin. He refused to tell him what he had been dreaming about the previous night. Even when George had said he KNEW it was a romantic dream, and if Fred would only tell him who it was and what happened; George might be able to fix it. But noooooooo. Fred was being as stubborn as a mule's arse. Which is stubborn, believe me.

Which is why, when George marched down to breakfast that morning, he was in a foul mood. And this foul mood is probably the reason why he didn't notice an admirer's adoring glances. She was in love. So very in love. She gazed at him as he walked across to the long Gryffindor table at which she was sat, and plonked himself down on a chair.

Although she was sending him the most affectionate and endearing looks she could manage, she failed to get his attention. But then again, what reason would George Weasley have for looking across at his brother's friends, Hermione Granger???

***

As if you thought it couldn't get any more complicated. Ha! You were wrong. And yet again, the plot thickens. (I love that expression).

Right. The moment you've all been waiting for.

The reason Harry was downright upset when Ron told him he was in love with Hermione was...

He had, that very night, had the strangest dream. A romantic dream. In which he had kissed someone. And, hence, had fallen in love with them. Even more worryingly, these feelings didn't disappear when he woke up. That person was...

***

Fred was smitten. Well and truly. When he came down to breakfast, he sat next to George, who for some reason wanted to know about his dream.

"The sub-conscious," Fred had informed him, "is the most private and revealing thing there is about a human. To tell someone the very thoughts that flow freely around your head when asleep, is death to the soul for sure."

George had snorted dismissively and stormed down the stairs. Fred had sighed, and thought about Hermione.

H-E-R-M-I-O-N-E.

Her very name was magical. How he loved her.

And, when he came down to breakfast, she kept looking at him! The first few times he was sure he must have been imagining it. But she kept looking back at him. Her eyes, the colour of sparkling sapphires, seemed to sing to him. And while he felt himself falling under a daze that he now felt whenever he saw he; he was sure she was looking at him the same way. He wasn't him imagining it. He knew it. She loved him too!

***

Aw! Poor Fred. But I know why you're reading. You want to know who our little hero, Harry Potter, has fallen madly in love with? Didn't anybody ever tell you patience is a virtue? And I, for all my faults, am virtuous. And, in my righteous, noble, selflessness, I will help you to become as virtuous as me by keeping you waiting.

Just a *little* longer. Promise!

***

Ginny was fed up with this. She was fed up with that horrid Potter boy, ultimate stress head, with a rather ugly scar on his face, and his scrawny limbs and messy hair. He kept invading her dreams. It wasn't fair. Ginny didn't want to like him. He was ugly, and mean, and. utterly gorgeous. She couldn't HELP dreaming about him. He was the object of all her desires. And no one could stop her. Yeah, so what if she loved him? So what if he was her soul reason for living, the love of her life, the thought that entered her mind every time she took a breath? So what if she had perfected her signature G Potter? So what if she had already written letters to all of her family, informing them of the engagement? So what if she had already designed all the outfits at her wedding? So what if she had made little models of the tables and decided on the seating arrangement? So what if she actually liked staying up late to do her homework, if it gave her a chance to gaze across at Harry?

Call her obsessed. She doesn't care. She's in love. And ever so slightly crazy.

***

At breakfast, Harry couldn't stop thinking about his dream. His damn dream! And that person, who he'd never thought like that about in a MILLION YEARS!!! But now he knew, they were destined to be together. It was clear. But what would people say? He needed to think.

***

The hall, might I add, was decorated with a lovely pink atmosphere. Heart shaped balloons and pink envelopes were scattered around everywhere you looked. The clouds on the ceiling were heart shaped. Several of the sixth form girls had enchanted their robes to be either patterned with hearts and flowers, or a lovely shade of fuchsia. Snape was glaring at everybody. Shrill screams of delight and much laughter were flowing around at breakfast. Several pupils were slouched at their table, muttering about what a stupid day it was. They were the ones that didn't get any cards. There was only one person missing. Who had suddenly begun to look at his cat in whole new light. (Hee hee. I'm JOKING!!! Don't report me to the authorities that be. I'm not evil, just a little sick.)

***

Ron was sat next to Harry, muttering something about how beautiful Hermione was. Harry was depressed. Why was he depressed? Because...

He...

Was...

In...

Love...

With...

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Ronald Weasley.

***

Yes, that's true. Who knew, Harry would turn out to be gay? Did you see it coming? I most certainly didn't. But that's the way with these pesky characters. I try and make them act out a nice, happy little tale about a normal day. What do they do? They turn it into a very hormonal charged love story. As if that wasn't bad enough, they can't even form couples well enough. Everybody is in love with everybody else. And I don't know about you, but I'm confused.

O.k. So Fred and George cast a Valentine's Day prank that was supposed to make Harry fall in love with Ginny, and Ron and Hermione fall in love. But they messed it up somehow, and now:

Ginny's in love with Harry (well, duh)

Harry's in love with Ron

Ron's in love with Hermione

Hermione's in love with Ron AND George (greedy girl.)

Meanwhile, Fred's ALSO in love with Hermione, and thinks she's in love with him; and Malfoy's just in love with himself.

Did I miss anyone out? I don't think so.

Hmm. I have to say I don't see how I can get them out of this mess without some broken hearts and enough tears to fill an Olympic sized swimming pool.

***

I would say "review or else" but that's pretty lame.  I mean, you review if you want to, right?  It's your own free choice- you have the decision.  And if you're one of these people who read fanfics and never review, you're hardly likely to review mine are you?  So I will just say this- I review, therefore I am.  Would you like to be?  Que sera, sera...