The Bracelet
Chapter 5.
Harry woke a little disorientated. His pillow was damp with the tears he had cried earlier, he had a headache and a blocked nose. He checked his watch, it was 5pm. He'd obviously fallen asleep crying, and slept right through. It unnerved him a bit to think that Ron might have been in to see where he was and seen he had been crying. He turned his pillow round and blew his nose. Wiping his face with his sleeve, he walked down to the common room, where Ron and Hermione, along with random other Gryffindors were sitting, some first years were whispering to each other, but most were reading or doing homework. Harry walked over to Ron and Hermione, who were in their usual seats by the fire, and sat down. Ron looked at him, and Harry saw him blush and look to Hermione.
"Hey guys."
"Hi." Hermione said, cautiously.
"I, um, slept in."
"It's ok, Harry. We told the professors you were feeling sick and had gone for a lie down, and most were ok about it, except Snape, but what can you expect." Ron explained.
"Thanks guys."
It suddenly hit Harry that they would be suspicious as to why he had been upset on learning Hermione was leaving. He looked at Hermione. What was that look in her eyes Part-Sympathy Part-Confusion maybe? He had never been good at all this emotions stuff, that was Hermione's skill. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment or two, before she shook her head and got back to her homework.
Later on that evening, when most of the common room was empty, and Hermione was gone, Ron and Harry were still sitting by the fire.
"She's not going forever mate, just for Christmas!"
"Leave it, Ron."
"You really freaked us out there. What's up? Hermione seemed to have an idea, but wouldn't tell me."
"I was just feeling Ill."
"Well, you had better get better for Christmas, mum will have enough food out to feed Hogwarts, and there's only going to be about 10 of us there!"
"Yeah." Harry answered, absent mindedly. Why had he reacted like that? Why did he just go crazy? Now Ron and Hermione think he's weird, and, worse of all...she may suspect.
They continued to sit together in silence for a while, and, at about 11.30 Ron went up to bed. Harry wasn't tired, after sleeping all day, but he still felt physically shattered. Yeah, his whole plan would have to change...but did he really need to cry like that? It wasn't like she was leaving forever. There would be time. It may be simpler this way...he could just give her the bracelet before they go, and, if things don't go as planned, he won't have to face her everyday.
"Things just don't seem to be going anywhere." He said to the empty common room. "Things happen....then they backtrack to...further back than square one sometimes." He sat like that most of the night, staring into space, and thinking deeply. Sometime in the early hours of Saturday morning, he was startled by a figure joining him. He had just finished another round of pessimistic thoughts and outcomes, so wasn't in the best of moods. He turned his head to see who the intruder was. And, standing in front of him, was Hermione. Harry was relieved, but then he noticed the tears streaming down Hermione's face.
"Hermione! What's up?" He asked, awkwardly putting an arm round her. She didn't answer. He eventually brought his other arm round her and hugged her tightly. She was softly sobbing into his shoulder, and his jumper was damp with her tears. Through sniffles, she started to speak.
"I'm..I'm sorry...I'm sorry!" She whispered.
"Shhh Shh" Harry soothed. Despite being upset for Hermione, and confused...he couldn't help a small smile creep to the corners of his mouth. He closed his eyes and hugged her tightly. Just the feeling of holding her close. It caused that familiar ache of longing to rise again in his stomach. But, for now, she couldn't question him...she was upset, and he was doing what any other friend would do and hugging her tightly. Although, unbeknown to her, there was more love in it than friendship.
---
The next morning, at breakfast, Harry and Hermione exchanged small embarrassed smiles, while an oblivious Ron helped himself to some sausages. They had silently agreed not to say anything to Ron. Not that Hermione had actually told Harry what she was crying about, but the hug had helped, and that's all that mattered now. He was in a subdued mood, as she was leaving that afternoon.
The night before had completely set Harry's motions reeling. Admittedly, he didn't know what she was crying about, but to have been there for her....to have held her so tightly without there being an obvious meaning...something special burned inside him. After breakfast, he ran up to the common room and into his dorm. He pulled his trunk out from underneath his bed with so much force he nearly broke it. With shaking hands, he opened it and rummaged about for the box. Taking one last look at the bracelet, he carefully put it into a pocket in his trousers and stuffed the trunk back under his bed.
He was met by Ron and Hermione in the common room.
"What were you in such a hurry for?" Ron asked.
"Oh, nothing. I had to check something."
"I tell you, you're being a bit too secretive for my liking these days." Ron muttered. "I'm off to the owlery, I still haven't replied to mum's owl about leaving times tomorrow."
Ron left, leaving Harry and Hermione alone. Harry began to get nervous...very nervous. Ok, he had the bracelet...and he had Hermione on her own...but how and when to do it was another thing. They grabbed a jacket and scarf each from the dorms and wandered down into the grounds together. It was such a romantic setting...all the Hogwarts grounds covered in a layer or two of snow. Harry couldn't help but notice how cute Hermione looked, with a red-tinted nose and cheeks.
"Here, stop here a moment." Harry said in the silence. They had stopped by the tree that Harry had first cried under all those weeks ago. Hermione looked at him, and he saw a puzzled look flicker over her face for a second, replaced by that wonderful smile of hers. It's now or never, he told himself.
"Um...Hermione...I, um...."
"Yes?"
"I...um...I...wanted to give you your Christmas present before you go."
"Oh. Um...ok. I was sending yours and Ron's out by owl for Christmas Eve...but ok!"
Harry smiled at her. He reached into his back pocket, and in a flicker, the nervous feelings were gone. He presented the little box to her, which she accepted with a thank you and a smile. She opened it and a look of....Harry couldn't quite place it....it was like a whole load of emotions at once were passing through her face at once. She seemed to come to some sort of decision with herself in a second. She looked at Harry meaningfully.
"Thank you Harry! It's beautiful! Wow!" She smiled, and kissed him briefly on the cheek.
"Just like you. I picked it especially for you!" Harry smiled back.
"I hope you like my present now! God!....Oh look at the time. Come on, I'd better go and get my stuff."
And that was it. Harry was...stunned...confused. And he was mentally kicking himself. Did she not understand the gesture? Was he not clear enough? Did she just take this as a token of friendship? But he had no time to think, because she had begun walking back to the castle, and he caught up with her. He had no idea what was going through her head...no idea what was going on. No idea whose fault that was....and no idea what to do next.
Chapter 5.
Harry woke a little disorientated. His pillow was damp with the tears he had cried earlier, he had a headache and a blocked nose. He checked his watch, it was 5pm. He'd obviously fallen asleep crying, and slept right through. It unnerved him a bit to think that Ron might have been in to see where he was and seen he had been crying. He turned his pillow round and blew his nose. Wiping his face with his sleeve, he walked down to the common room, where Ron and Hermione, along with random other Gryffindors were sitting, some first years were whispering to each other, but most were reading or doing homework. Harry walked over to Ron and Hermione, who were in their usual seats by the fire, and sat down. Ron looked at him, and Harry saw him blush and look to Hermione.
"Hey guys."
"Hi." Hermione said, cautiously.
"I, um, slept in."
"It's ok, Harry. We told the professors you were feeling sick and had gone for a lie down, and most were ok about it, except Snape, but what can you expect." Ron explained.
"Thanks guys."
It suddenly hit Harry that they would be suspicious as to why he had been upset on learning Hermione was leaving. He looked at Hermione. What was that look in her eyes Part-Sympathy Part-Confusion maybe? He had never been good at all this emotions stuff, that was Hermione's skill. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment or two, before she shook her head and got back to her homework.
Later on that evening, when most of the common room was empty, and Hermione was gone, Ron and Harry were still sitting by the fire.
"She's not going forever mate, just for Christmas!"
"Leave it, Ron."
"You really freaked us out there. What's up? Hermione seemed to have an idea, but wouldn't tell me."
"I was just feeling Ill."
"Well, you had better get better for Christmas, mum will have enough food out to feed Hogwarts, and there's only going to be about 10 of us there!"
"Yeah." Harry answered, absent mindedly. Why had he reacted like that? Why did he just go crazy? Now Ron and Hermione think he's weird, and, worse of all...she may suspect.
They continued to sit together in silence for a while, and, at about 11.30 Ron went up to bed. Harry wasn't tired, after sleeping all day, but he still felt physically shattered. Yeah, his whole plan would have to change...but did he really need to cry like that? It wasn't like she was leaving forever. There would be time. It may be simpler this way...he could just give her the bracelet before they go, and, if things don't go as planned, he won't have to face her everyday.
"Things just don't seem to be going anywhere." He said to the empty common room. "Things happen....then they backtrack to...further back than square one sometimes." He sat like that most of the night, staring into space, and thinking deeply. Sometime in the early hours of Saturday morning, he was startled by a figure joining him. He had just finished another round of pessimistic thoughts and outcomes, so wasn't in the best of moods. He turned his head to see who the intruder was. And, standing in front of him, was Hermione. Harry was relieved, but then he noticed the tears streaming down Hermione's face.
"Hermione! What's up?" He asked, awkwardly putting an arm round her. She didn't answer. He eventually brought his other arm round her and hugged her tightly. She was softly sobbing into his shoulder, and his jumper was damp with her tears. Through sniffles, she started to speak.
"I'm..I'm sorry...I'm sorry!" She whispered.
"Shhh Shh" Harry soothed. Despite being upset for Hermione, and confused...he couldn't help a small smile creep to the corners of his mouth. He closed his eyes and hugged her tightly. Just the feeling of holding her close. It caused that familiar ache of longing to rise again in his stomach. But, for now, she couldn't question him...she was upset, and he was doing what any other friend would do and hugging her tightly. Although, unbeknown to her, there was more love in it than friendship.
---
The next morning, at breakfast, Harry and Hermione exchanged small embarrassed smiles, while an oblivious Ron helped himself to some sausages. They had silently agreed not to say anything to Ron. Not that Hermione had actually told Harry what she was crying about, but the hug had helped, and that's all that mattered now. He was in a subdued mood, as she was leaving that afternoon.
The night before had completely set Harry's motions reeling. Admittedly, he didn't know what she was crying about, but to have been there for her....to have held her so tightly without there being an obvious meaning...something special burned inside him. After breakfast, he ran up to the common room and into his dorm. He pulled his trunk out from underneath his bed with so much force he nearly broke it. With shaking hands, he opened it and rummaged about for the box. Taking one last look at the bracelet, he carefully put it into a pocket in his trousers and stuffed the trunk back under his bed.
He was met by Ron and Hermione in the common room.
"What were you in such a hurry for?" Ron asked.
"Oh, nothing. I had to check something."
"I tell you, you're being a bit too secretive for my liking these days." Ron muttered. "I'm off to the owlery, I still haven't replied to mum's owl about leaving times tomorrow."
Ron left, leaving Harry and Hermione alone. Harry began to get nervous...very nervous. Ok, he had the bracelet...and he had Hermione on her own...but how and when to do it was another thing. They grabbed a jacket and scarf each from the dorms and wandered down into the grounds together. It was such a romantic setting...all the Hogwarts grounds covered in a layer or two of snow. Harry couldn't help but notice how cute Hermione looked, with a red-tinted nose and cheeks.
"Here, stop here a moment." Harry said in the silence. They had stopped by the tree that Harry had first cried under all those weeks ago. Hermione looked at him, and he saw a puzzled look flicker over her face for a second, replaced by that wonderful smile of hers. It's now or never, he told himself.
"Um...Hermione...I, um...."
"Yes?"
"I...um...I...wanted to give you your Christmas present before you go."
"Oh. Um...ok. I was sending yours and Ron's out by owl for Christmas Eve...but ok!"
Harry smiled at her. He reached into his back pocket, and in a flicker, the nervous feelings were gone. He presented the little box to her, which she accepted with a thank you and a smile. She opened it and a look of....Harry couldn't quite place it....it was like a whole load of emotions at once were passing through her face at once. She seemed to come to some sort of decision with herself in a second. She looked at Harry meaningfully.
"Thank you Harry! It's beautiful! Wow!" She smiled, and kissed him briefly on the cheek.
"Just like you. I picked it especially for you!" Harry smiled back.
"I hope you like my present now! God!....Oh look at the time. Come on, I'd better go and get my stuff."
And that was it. Harry was...stunned...confused. And he was mentally kicking himself. Did she not understand the gesture? Was he not clear enough? Did she just take this as a token of friendship? But he had no time to think, because she had begun walking back to the castle, and he caught up with her. He had no idea what was going through her head...no idea what was going on. No idea whose fault that was....and no idea what to do next.