Disclaimer: Credit goes to JK Rowling...(and a few other companies, people, etc. who probably own a little bit of The Boy Who Lived...)
A/N: This was my first fanfic EVER. I wrote this about two years ago, WAAAAY before OOTP, so there are a lot of things that won't fit in with canon. My writing was horrible, and I switched back and forth between plot lines...but I still think this is a pretty darn good story. However, it is the only thing I have EVER completed in all the fanfics I've ever tried to write...so I thought I'd just post it online...It is a love triangle sort of thing...Hermione likes Harry, Ron, and there's some Draco in there too...so if you don't like this...then don't read it... Well, enjoy my REALLY old fanfic...
Chapter Three - Are You Ticklish?
Hermione was the first one in all of Gryffindor up that morning. When she walked down the girl's dormitories steps, she saw Harry, fast asleep by the fire with his head on a book. She tiptoed over to him and sat down on the couch he was lying on.
"Harry?" She asked as she shook him. "It's me Harry, wake up..." She said soothingly. Hermione lifted up his head, which was stuck to the paper he had his head on. She loosened the paper from his forehead and looked at it. It was a letter addressed to her! She glanced at it and knew immediately it was not finished. But what it had said...
Hermione,
I'm very sorry about what happened last night and I know you're confused. I'm really sorry. I'm just going through a rough time right now and I need you to be here for me. Apparently Ron has decided to desert me...again, but just promise me, Hermione, that you won't do the same. I wish I could tell you what I meant when I said some of that stuff to Ron last night but, it just pains me that...
Hermione was now even more confused. "It pains him that...what?" She thought to herself. She just sat the paper down on the table and got up. She left Harry there to sleep some more and went down to the Great Hall to eat an early breakfast. As she walked into the Great Hall, she noticed a small group of Slytherins, all huddled in a group, pointing and laughing at her. She saw that Draco Malfoy was not part of this group. She walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down all by herself, eating. She took out a notebook and started writing in it.
Dear Diary,
Today is the last day before the Ball. I still must ask someone otherwise I won't have a date at all! Well, I did take Ron as a last resort, in case nobody else will go with me, but I really don't want to go with him. There's only one person I wish I could go with...but Ginny likes him and Ginny is one of my best friends!
She paused to think. She looked over at the surrounding tables which were almost completely bare of students. She looked over at the Slytherin table and saw Draco Malfoy staring straight at her. She blinked to make sure she wasn't imagining things. She turned around to see if anyone was behind her...no one was. When she turned back to Malfoy, he was gone. She blinked hard this time, making sure she wasn't hallucinating. She began writing again.
Well, now that I think about it, there is one other person besides Harry that I would really enjoy going to the dance with. But...I can't possibly like him. It's impossible! I can't believe I'm about to say this but I'm, hoping that Draco Malfoy will go to the ball with me. I know it's outrageous but...I don't know how to put it in words...
She put her quill down and started to eat. She didn't know what else to write. Then suddenly, someone put their hand on Hermione's shoulder and sat down next to her.
"Hello Hermione." A warm voice said politely. Hermione looked up to see who it was.
"Malfoy?!" She heard herself mutter in a disbelieving voice.
"Wha...wha...what are you doing here?"
........
Harry woke up to Crookshanks purring on his lap. Harry lifted his head up off the chess board on the table in front of him. He looked at the chess board and there was a wet spot on it. He chuckled; Harry had been drooling on the table. That's when he spotted Crookshanks, about to lay down in the warmth of the sunlight on the windowsill. Harry walked over to pet him. As he was petting Crookshanks, he sat down on the windowsill, looking out on the lake. The Gryffindor tower had a great view of the Hogwarts grounds. As Harry leaned his head against the window, his glasses askew, he saw a very disturbing sight. Hermione sitting on a rock over the lake, talking to someone, and she seemed to be thoroughly enjoying her conversation. Even from the Gryffindor tower it was obvious that she was laughing and smiling. But what was disturbing...she was talking to none other than Draco Malfoy.
At that moment, Ron came bursting out of the boys dorms and running down the stairs. He saw Harry looking out the window.
"Harry! Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Ron shrieked forgetting all dignity and the fact that him and Harry were in a fight.
"What...Hermione?" Harry interrogated.
"Yes! C'mon!" Ron exclaimed, grabbing Harry's arm.
They ran down seven flights of stairs to get to the Entrance Hall; Ron was still in his striped high-water pajamas. They burst out of the front doors and sprinted across the grounds towards Hermione and Draco.
"Hermione!" Harry and Ron bellowed. Hermione and Draco turned around, looking confused.
"Yes?" Hermione asked calmly when Harry and Ron had arrived at the spot where they were sitting. Draco was throwing rocks into the lake.
"What ARE you doing?!" Ron shrieked.
"What are you talking about, Ron?" Hermione didn't seem to understand what the matter was. Even though she was having a conversation with their biggest enemy who has done some pretty horrible things to all three of them.
"What are you doing with...with...him!" Harry roared, shaking his finger at Malfoy.
"What about me, Potter?" came Malfoy's cold, drawling voice.
"What are you doing with Hermione?" Ron said angrily.
"Absolutely nothi..." Malfoy began.
"Hush, Draco." Hermione interrupted.
Everyone went silent at this remark. Finally Harry grabbed Hermione's arm. "C'mon, Herm, let's get outta here." Harry mumbled, lifting her up.
"Har...Har...Harry...let go of me!" Hermione stuttered and tried to pull away, but his grip was too tight, he was pulling her away across the grounds, Ron following behind them. Hermione looked back at Draco and shrugged her shoulders.
"I'll see you later..." she mouthed at him.
"Meet me here at six tonight!" Draco mouthed back. Hermione nodded her head.
........
When the three of them got back to Gryffindor Tower, Harry and Ron had remembered their fight and the fact that they were not on speaking terms with each other. Ron had gone up to the boy's dormitories to change clothes, while Harry was sitting furious on the couch next to Hermione. They weren't speaking either...
"Harry, why did you do that?" Hermione asked
"Why were you talking to him?" Harry retorted.
"Well if you must know...he was being polite and very respectful to me. Just because you hate him doesn't mean I have to hate him too ya know..." Hermione said in a very matter-of-factly way. Harry just sat sulking on the couch until Ron came down into the Common Room.
When Ron came downstairs, Harry coughed real loud and started to "read" a book. Ron just told Hermione that he would be down at the Great Hall eating.
"Harry, look, if it makes you feel so horrible..." Hermione began.
"About what?" Harry interrupted.
"Me talking to Malfoy...I won't talk to him again since you feel so horrible about it. I respect you and I don't want to lose you..." Hermione responded. "...as a friend..." she added quickly.
"Look, its ok, really." Harry said, putting the book he was "reading" on the table in front of them.
They didn't speak much again, and Hermione was deep in thought. She knew she couldn't keep her promise not to talk to Drac--Malfoy...again. She wanted to talk to him so badly...
Harry looked over at Hermione who had a frown on her face and looked sad and depressed. Harry wanted to cheer her up.
"Hermione?" He asked. "Whatsa matter?" He crossed his eyes and made a funny face. Hermione didn't look up.
"Nothing..."
"Hermione, I need to ask you a serious question." Harry asked her in the most serious voice he could get out of himself. That got her attention.
"Yeah?"
"Are.....you......" He started.
"Am...I....what?" She interrupted. Harry just sat there and took a deep breath.
"Are.....you......" He began again. "Ticklish?!" He shouted and lunged towards her, to tickle her, but instead he accidentally pushed Hermione off the couch and fell on top of her. Everyone in the Common Room was looking at them. They didn't say anything and Harry was debating whether he should kiss her or not. It would have been the perfect moment. Hermione was on the floor, with Harry on top of her...he was leaning in just as...
"Harry will you get off of me?" Hermione giggled. "I can't breath, you're too fat!" She joked. Harry felt really embarrased and rolled off of her.
"Ha! You fell for it!" Hermione yelled and pinned Harry's shoulders to the floor. Everyone was still staring at them. Harry tried to get free but Hermione was holding him down, giggling like mad.
"That's what you get for tickling me!" Hermione giggled. Harry was kicking his legs to get free but Hermione just sat on top of his knees.
"You can't do anything! You're stuck!" She laughed.
"Ok, ok, I give, I give up!" Harry snorted, he couldn't stop laughing either. This just made Hermione laugh harder, she got off him and sat on the couch, doubled up with laughter. Harry stood up and sat next to her, still laughing harder than he had in years. Hermione was facing the other way, holding her stomach she was laughing so hard. This was his chance...
He lunged at her again and tickled her from behind. Hermione turned around to tickle him back and he roared with laughter. He tried to tickle her back again but she got up and started to run away. Harry followed her, barely able to run he was laughing so hard. So they chased each other around the Common Room, laughing and tickling each other for the next twenty minutes, until finally they both plopped down on the couch and were breathing heavily, trying to stop laughing. Their cheeks were red and they had never laughed that much in their whole lives. Harry was lying on the couch trying to calm down. Hermione was sitting all the way to the side of the couch, at Harry's feet. Then Hermione got her evil grin that she never gets unless she's planning something. She turned to Harry and crawled up on top of him to where she was completely on top of him, her face only two inches from his.
"What're ya doin, Herm?" Harry asked, rather enjoying what she was doing. Hermione looked really calm; it didn't look as if she was going to tickle him or anything. She just ran her fingers through his hair and was humming a song that Harry didn't recognize.
"Are you ok Herm?" Harry wondered.
"Yeah I'm better than ever, but the question is...are you ok?" Hermione said dreamily, with a faraway look in her beautiful baby blue eyes.
Harry wanted to kiss her so bad, but a lot of people were staring at them and he didn't think Hermione liked him, so there wouldn't be any reason to kiss her, or would there be?
"Yeah, I'm great." Harry responded with a big smile.
"Good!" said Hermione, sitting up and sitting on Harry's legs. "Then... how... are... you... NOW!?" At that last word, she tickled him again and they both started roaring with laughter, they were laughing so hard that they both fell down, yet again, on the floor, on top of each other. Except this time, Hermione hit her head on the corner of the table and made a huge gash in the back of her head. Harry immediately stopped laughing and sat up.
"Hermione? Hermione? Are you ok? Hermione?" Harry shrieked, shaking Herm's head, trying to get her to wake up.
"Yeah...I'm fine..." Hermione articulated, holding the back of her head with her hand. When she pulled her hand away there was blood all over it.
"Oh, that can't be good, can it?" she asked, looking down at her hand, acting rather unlike herself.
"Herm, we gotta get you to the Hospital Wing, c'mon, I'll take you..." said Harry, holding out his hand to help her up. They stood up together, and Hermione had lost her balance and fell right into Harry. She looked straight into his eyes and stared at him for a moment.
"Hermione, c'mon lets go..." Harry said, still holding both of her hands. But Hermione didn't move, she just stared straight into his eyes.
"You've got beautiful green eyes, Harry." She muttered randomly.
"Yes I do, now c'mon or you'll be more hurt." Harry was getting worried.
Things were getting out of control. Harry had to put things straight. Just as Hermione was about to kiss him, Harry pulled away.
"Hermione, no! You're hurt and I'm taking you to the hospital wing!" Harry exclaimed. Harry picked Hermione up and carried her out of the Common Room, her arms around his neck. She seemed to come to her senses.
"I'm sorry, Harry." She whispered before resting her head on his shoulder, they were both silent.
Harry carried her out of the Common Room and met Ron outside.
"Omigosh, what happened to her?" Ron asked, seeing the blood on her head.
"Oh, so NOW u care?" Harry snapped angrily. "What does it matter? She'll have a scar there, now all we need is you to have a scar on your head and you'll be happy right? Maybe if she's lucky, her scar will look like a lightning bolt. Pity it wasn't on her forehead!" Harry started to walk off towards the Hospital Wing. Ron followed him. Harry turned back around about half way there.
"What are you doing?" He barked.
"I'm worried about Hermione..." Ron answered, tears in his eyes. "I know you and me aren't getting along well right now, but let's put this behind us and help our friend, I don't want to see her hurt anymore."
"Look, she'll be ok!" Harry said, feeling more ashamed that he hadn't had been as concerned for Hermione as Ron had been. "It's nothing major, a concussion...nothing Madam Pomfrey can't fix!" Harry smiled.
"Yeah, true." Ron smiled back, he paused. "Look, I'm..."
Harry interrupted. "No, don't be...I'm the one that should be..."
"It's ok, you're forgiven." Ron said.
"Oh...alright." Harry responded.
Ron held the door open as Harry carried Hermione into the Hospital Wing. Harry carefully placed her down on a bed; Ron had gone to get Madam Pomfrey.
"Oh Hermione, look what we've done this time..." Harry said thinking aloud and playing with her hair.
"What have we done?" Hermione said, smiling.
"Oh!" Harry jumped. "I didn't think you were awake!" Hermione just smiled, there was a silence, and then Madam Pomfrey and Ron came bursting out of her office.
"Oh no, not you again, Mr. Potter! Gotten into more trouble have we? What have you gotten into this time? A poisonous plant? Thought you'd try doing a new spell but it backfired? Snuck off somewhere you shouldn't have gone?" Madam Pomfrey shrieked.
"No Madam...its Hermione this time, she hit her head on the corner of the table in our Common Room, she's bleeding..." Harry replied.
"Poor dear..." Madam Pomfrey breathed, looking down at Hermione. "Well, if she has no visitors or interruptions...she can be out of the hospital wing by..."
"She has to be out by tomorrow Madam! It's the Ball!" Ron disrupted.
"Oh don't be silly dear! She'll be out by six tonight!"
"Alright then, is it ok if we come back at six tonight to walk her back to the Common Room?" Harry asked.
"Yes, yes, it's quite alright..." she answered distractedly while she was tending to Hermione, "Just don't let her hit her head on any tables on the way back!" she laughed.
Harry and Ron forced out a chuckle and turned to Hermione.
Harry just gave her a hug and didn't say anything, as Harry was turning to leave, and Madam Pomfrey had left her side to get some medicine, Ron leaned down and kissed Hermione on the forehead.
"Everything's gonna be ok." He whispered. As he pulled back he ran a finger down her arm and to her hand, Hermione grasped his hand.
"Thank you..." she sighed.
Ron smiled. "Anytime!"
........
A/N: Please Review!