Chapter 13
Learning to Deal
The night had blown over in a few day's. A few grueling day's of Harry having to listen to people whisper about him being in love with Hermione Granger over and over again. Though from what he could recall of the hazy night, nothing was said about being in love with her. Hermione had made up with Ron though, which was great. They were holding hands while walking around the school, and kissing each other like they had when they first started out as a couple. It seemed to Harry that Ron took his advice, and cherished every moment he had with Hermione. He wasn't flirting with other girls anymore, he only spoke with them in a respectful manner, like friend to friend. Harry even found himself smiling when seeing the two walking down the hall, smiling as they talked about something. A girl would confront Ron and say hello, and he would stand there and speak to her as she made conversation, while holding Hermione's hand in his and trying to bring her into the conversation. Which was irrelevant, since Hermione always seemed to have an opinion on everything, and made sure she was heard. While sitting in the courtyard on the stone bench going through his backpack, looking for the notes he had made in Snapes class before lunch, he saw Hermione walking passed with her books in hand looking straight ahead at the ground. Not thinking he could watch her walk passed him and not speak again he made his presence known.
"Hermione." he said gently as he stood from the cold bench.
She stopped with a quick halt and took a couple second to turn around to face him. He felt so awkward talking to her after the night in Gryffindor tower. everyone else in the house had assumed that Harry was in love with Hermione, he just hoped that she hadn't assumed the same. It would ruin there friendship. And he couldn't have that.
He took a step closer to her and blurted out, "I'm not in love with you."
Her eyes went wide and her books slipped from her arms. Realizing what he had said to long after, he cursed silently and helped her pick her books up. She slowly made her way down to pick them up as well, resting her knee on the cold cement.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that." Harry apologized feeling the blood rise up his cheeks as he felt the embarrassment flood him.
"No, don't apologize to me Harry. it actually clears a lot up for me." she said as she chuckled a little picking the last book up from the ground, rsting it underneath her arm with the others.
Another book came into view, and she took it with her free hand, and looked up at Harry who was staring at her hand. She gulped nervously and gently eased the book from his hand, getting up on to her feet. He followed her, and sighed under his breath.
"Well now that that's settled." Harry said with an uneasy tone, smiling before he turned his back and went to get his backpack.
"What you said that night, umm, was it true?" she asked out of the blue.
Harry turned to her and walked back over to her massaging a fist in his other hand, feeling his nerves twitch and cringe under the pressure he was feeling in the tank of him and Hermione.
"Depends. What did I say?" He chuckled trying to act cool and not show his nervousness around her.
She gulped loudly and looked around for people who could over hear. She only saw a couple Slytherin's walking passed. She looked at the ground and pulled her books tight to her chest.
"umm," she mumbled as she seemed to be working up the courage to say what she was meaning to say, "That I was special, genuine, and intelligent."
He laughed, as he flet relieved thanking god she wasn't asking about something more in depth than that. That was one question he could answer.
"Of course you are. Anyone who has eyes and a brain could tell you that." he said as he chuckled slightly. He was so relieved that he felt like jumping up and down.
"No.. I Was wondering if that's what you thought about me?" she asked as she smiled a little shyly.
Harry's smile faded away as he looked to the ground. Suddenly his great feeling of relief plunged through the cod earth. He looked around at anything but Hermione.
"Hermione, you shouldn't be asking me that." he said in a scared tone. He was scared, almost deathly afraid.
"Why?" Hermione asked her face puzzled, and hurt at the same time.
Harry ran a hand through his messy hair, messing it up and still would not look at Hermione though he knew her eyes were willing him to.
"Because you have Ron. And you love him. It shouldn't matter. "he brushed it off with a cool grin. But inside of him he was shaking violent with fear.
"You don't understand Harry." she said sadly as she looked down at her feet. "I need your opinion, its always mattered so much to me."
"Why?" he said completely perplexed. Hermione never cared about anyone's opinion. It seemed like it was the last thing on her list of things that she indeed needed to know. If it was even on her list of things.
"Because your perfect." she said in a hushed tone. She looked up into his eyes and smiled.
Harry was honored by her compliment. He felt his heart lighten up a little as he heard those words spill from her mouth. Though he thought the idea was absurd. He laughed a little as he rubbed his chin.
"Hermione. I'm flattered. But I'm not perfect. Not even close." he laughed as he gently squeezed her shoudler.
She smiled bashfully and looked at where his hand lay. She rolled her eyes and laughed herself.
"I feel so foolish!" she gasped as she brought her hand over her eyes. Harry thought it was so cute, how shyly she was acting. Mentally slapping himself for thinking it he removed his hand from her shoulder and grinned.
"Don't be." he reassured her. She looked up at him and smiled genuinely. That smile was the smile that Harry had been talking about in the tower.
She stared at him for a while and her smile began to falter. She took a step back away from him and blushed as she realized what she had been doing. He chuckled a little and grabbed her hand in his own. Her hand traveled with his limply as he raised it.
"Ron's lucky he's got such a princess to hold everyday." he said sadly as he moved his thumb across her hand with a side to side motion.
She smiled sadly and gently said in a small voice, yet strong and confident, "Don't worry Harry," Harry looked up into her eyes as she uttered his name, she stared back at him, her eyes comforting him, "You'll find your queen one day."
He smiled at her gratefully. She seemed to be the only person who could change his outlook and make him feel better about things anymore.
"Hermione!" Ron bellowed as he raced down the pathway towards them.
As he got closer Harry moved close to Hermione and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. She closed her eyes unsuspectingly and felt his lips press against her skin, remembering ever move that they made. She was baffled by the way it kept her immobile in her spot. Her brought a hand against the side of her head and whispered something in her ear she wasn't expecting.
"I love you Hermione." his silky handsome deep voice slipped into her ear. Making her limbs shutter, and her stomach turn uneasily.
Before Ron had got to them, Harry left Hermione standing there, and took off in the other direction. She turned around to watch his retreating figure. He turned to look at her once more with a sad look. She turned back to Ron as he came to a halt a few feet away from her with a distressed look on his face. She looked straight at him with a reassuring look.
Harry watched from around the corner as the two settled into each others arms for a tight hug and felt his stomach flip over as they leaned in for a long passionate kiss. She smiled up at him as they pulled away with her eyes shut while biting her lip. Harry smiled as he realized how in love she was with Ron. He only hoped the best for the two, that their relationship take the long hall out. He walked back into the castle realizing something he hadn't when he came to Hogwarts. That this place was the beginning of his life. And the end.
Luna watched Harry from an empty class as he walked passed with his hands dug into their pockets, walking solemnly along the corridors with a grieved look on her face. She left the classroom and walked side by side with him without speaking a word. She just gave him a hand to hold on to.
Learning to Deal
The night had blown over in a few day's. A few grueling day's of Harry having to listen to people whisper about him being in love with Hermione Granger over and over again. Though from what he could recall of the hazy night, nothing was said about being in love with her. Hermione had made up with Ron though, which was great. They were holding hands while walking around the school, and kissing each other like they had when they first started out as a couple. It seemed to Harry that Ron took his advice, and cherished every moment he had with Hermione. He wasn't flirting with other girls anymore, he only spoke with them in a respectful manner, like friend to friend. Harry even found himself smiling when seeing the two walking down the hall, smiling as they talked about something. A girl would confront Ron and say hello, and he would stand there and speak to her as she made conversation, while holding Hermione's hand in his and trying to bring her into the conversation. Which was irrelevant, since Hermione always seemed to have an opinion on everything, and made sure she was heard. While sitting in the courtyard on the stone bench going through his backpack, looking for the notes he had made in Snapes class before lunch, he saw Hermione walking passed with her books in hand looking straight ahead at the ground. Not thinking he could watch her walk passed him and not speak again he made his presence known.
"Hermione." he said gently as he stood from the cold bench.
She stopped with a quick halt and took a couple second to turn around to face him. He felt so awkward talking to her after the night in Gryffindor tower. everyone else in the house had assumed that Harry was in love with Hermione, he just hoped that she hadn't assumed the same. It would ruin there friendship. And he couldn't have that.
He took a step closer to her and blurted out, "I'm not in love with you."
Her eyes went wide and her books slipped from her arms. Realizing what he had said to long after, he cursed silently and helped her pick her books up. She slowly made her way down to pick them up as well, resting her knee on the cold cement.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that." Harry apologized feeling the blood rise up his cheeks as he felt the embarrassment flood him.
"No, don't apologize to me Harry. it actually clears a lot up for me." she said as she chuckled a little picking the last book up from the ground, rsting it underneath her arm with the others.
Another book came into view, and she took it with her free hand, and looked up at Harry who was staring at her hand. She gulped nervously and gently eased the book from his hand, getting up on to her feet. He followed her, and sighed under his breath.
"Well now that that's settled." Harry said with an uneasy tone, smiling before he turned his back and went to get his backpack.
"What you said that night, umm, was it true?" she asked out of the blue.
Harry turned to her and walked back over to her massaging a fist in his other hand, feeling his nerves twitch and cringe under the pressure he was feeling in the tank of him and Hermione.
"Depends. What did I say?" He chuckled trying to act cool and not show his nervousness around her.
She gulped loudly and looked around for people who could over hear. She only saw a couple Slytherin's walking passed. She looked at the ground and pulled her books tight to her chest.
"umm," she mumbled as she seemed to be working up the courage to say what she was meaning to say, "That I was special, genuine, and intelligent."
He laughed, as he flet relieved thanking god she wasn't asking about something more in depth than that. That was one question he could answer.
"Of course you are. Anyone who has eyes and a brain could tell you that." he said as he chuckled slightly. He was so relieved that he felt like jumping up and down.
"No.. I Was wondering if that's what you thought about me?" she asked as she smiled a little shyly.
Harry's smile faded away as he looked to the ground. Suddenly his great feeling of relief plunged through the cod earth. He looked around at anything but Hermione.
"Hermione, you shouldn't be asking me that." he said in a scared tone. He was scared, almost deathly afraid.
"Why?" Hermione asked her face puzzled, and hurt at the same time.
Harry ran a hand through his messy hair, messing it up and still would not look at Hermione though he knew her eyes were willing him to.
"Because you have Ron. And you love him. It shouldn't matter. "he brushed it off with a cool grin. But inside of him he was shaking violent with fear.
"You don't understand Harry." she said sadly as she looked down at her feet. "I need your opinion, its always mattered so much to me."
"Why?" he said completely perplexed. Hermione never cared about anyone's opinion. It seemed like it was the last thing on her list of things that she indeed needed to know. If it was even on her list of things.
"Because your perfect." she said in a hushed tone. She looked up into his eyes and smiled.
Harry was honored by her compliment. He felt his heart lighten up a little as he heard those words spill from her mouth. Though he thought the idea was absurd. He laughed a little as he rubbed his chin.
"Hermione. I'm flattered. But I'm not perfect. Not even close." he laughed as he gently squeezed her shoudler.
She smiled bashfully and looked at where his hand lay. She rolled her eyes and laughed herself.
"I feel so foolish!" she gasped as she brought her hand over her eyes. Harry thought it was so cute, how shyly she was acting. Mentally slapping himself for thinking it he removed his hand from her shoulder and grinned.
"Don't be." he reassured her. She looked up at him and smiled genuinely. That smile was the smile that Harry had been talking about in the tower.
She stared at him for a while and her smile began to falter. She took a step back away from him and blushed as she realized what she had been doing. He chuckled a little and grabbed her hand in his own. Her hand traveled with his limply as he raised it.
"Ron's lucky he's got such a princess to hold everyday." he said sadly as he moved his thumb across her hand with a side to side motion.
She smiled sadly and gently said in a small voice, yet strong and confident, "Don't worry Harry," Harry looked up into her eyes as she uttered his name, she stared back at him, her eyes comforting him, "You'll find your queen one day."
He smiled at her gratefully. She seemed to be the only person who could change his outlook and make him feel better about things anymore.
"Hermione!" Ron bellowed as he raced down the pathway towards them.
As he got closer Harry moved close to Hermione and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. She closed her eyes unsuspectingly and felt his lips press against her skin, remembering ever move that they made. She was baffled by the way it kept her immobile in her spot. Her brought a hand against the side of her head and whispered something in her ear she wasn't expecting.
"I love you Hermione." his silky handsome deep voice slipped into her ear. Making her limbs shutter, and her stomach turn uneasily.
Before Ron had got to them, Harry left Hermione standing there, and took off in the other direction. She turned around to watch his retreating figure. He turned to look at her once more with a sad look. She turned back to Ron as he came to a halt a few feet away from her with a distressed look on his face. She looked straight at him with a reassuring look.
Harry watched from around the corner as the two settled into each others arms for a tight hug and felt his stomach flip over as they leaned in for a long passionate kiss. She smiled up at him as they pulled away with her eyes shut while biting her lip. Harry smiled as he realized how in love she was with Ron. He only hoped the best for the two, that their relationship take the long hall out. He walked back into the castle realizing something he hadn't when he came to Hogwarts. That this place was the beginning of his life. And the end.
Luna watched Harry from an empty class as he walked passed with his hands dug into their pockets, walking solemnly along the corridors with a grieved look on her face. She left the classroom and walked side by side with him without speaking a word. She just gave him a hand to hold on to.