Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any related characters, they belong to JK Rowling. I do however own the plot of this story, so that means DON'T copy the plot. Please R&R this chapter. I'm not sure if I can finish the story, so if I leave it for a while it means I've run out of ideas.

The Secret's Out

Chapter Two - Late Night Sessions

The next morning, Harry woke up earlier than usual. He was going to go down to the Girls' Dormitories and ask Hermione why she thought Draco was a girl. He didn't want Ron to find out; he knew what his reactions would be. Harry thought of how Ron would rant on and on about the bad qualities of Draco – of course, it would be easy for him to do so because he does it almost everyday. As Harry put on his night robes, he tiptoed down the Boys' Dormitories stairs and up the Girls'.

As soon as he was halfway up, he felt himself sliding back down on his stomach. He let out a strangled scream as he skidded into a small table that stood in-between the two stairs. Harry's glasses fell off his nose and landed a few feet away from where he was. "Ow!" he moaned, rubbing his head in the spot which collided with the table leg. He got up from his front and sat down on the spot massaging his head. 'Of course, the stairs' he thought. How was he meant to talk to her now? Ron was always with Harry wherever he went, and he'd definitely suspect something was going on if he asked Ron to leave him and Hermione alone for two moments.

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Back in the Boys' Dormitory, Ron stirred. He woke up, still sleepy. "Harry?" he whispered. No answer. Ron drew his bed curtains back and saw that Harry's bed was empty. Thinking it was Harry who he heard screaming, he made his way out of the room and down the stairs.
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Crookshanks came down the Girls' stairs, hissing. Harry turned around, startled. Although he couldn't see what made the noise without his glasses, Harry recognised the distinct orange fur and sighed. "Don't worry, it's only Harry"

"And why would Harry be prowling the Common Room at this hour?" came another voice. At first Harry thought it was Crookshanks talking. He dismissed the idea after he saw a figure emerging from the door at the op of the stairs. Harry's vision was still blurry, so he reached out and got his glasses. As soon as he put them on he realised who it was.

Hermione.

"Hermione? What're you doing up so late?"

"I thought I just asked you that" she said, slowly coming down the stairs, Crookshanks following her.

"I...er..."

"Were you thinking of sneaking off to the Slytherin Dungeons?" Hermione came and sat down next to Harry. She was wearing pink night robes with fuchsia stars stitched onto them and her hair was tied up into a bun, wisps of hair coming out of it. "Well?" she asked, smiling.

"No, actually I was going to come and see you"

"You know you can't get up the stairs"

"I know, I know"

Crookshanks purred and settled himself down into Hermione's lap; she stroked him and asked "Well, what did you want to tell me?"

---
Ron was halfway down the stairs when he spotted Hermione and Harry talking. "So Harry has a crush on Hermione does he?" he whispered to himself. Deciding he should leave them alone in case they saw him, Ron scuttled back to the Dormitory, debating with himself about whether he should confront Harry about it tomorrow.
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"Well," Harry started "you remember yesterday when you said that you caught me staring at someone from Slytherin?"

"Yes..." Hermione giggled

"This isn't funny!"

"OK, OK" she stopped giggling but was still smiling

"Why on earth did you say 'her'?"

"What do you mean? She is a girl"

"No she's – I mean no he's not!" Harry was getting very irritated now.

"Does Pansy look like a boy to you?!"

"I don't like Pansy! I'm talking about Draco!" he shouted in whispers. Harry's words hung in mid-air for a moment, then...

"You...you like Draco?" Hermione gasped.

"I thought you knew!" Harry looked worried.

Hermione shook her head, still looking at Harry with a shocked expression. 'Uh-oh' thought Harry. He looked away, blushing. Hermione's expression softened, and she started giggling

"What's so funny" Harry said and turned his head back towards her

"This is some kind of sick joke right? I mean – Malfoy? Harry you've got to be kidding me" she continued to giggle, but soon stopped when she saw how serious Harry looked.

"Hermione, I'm not joking." Harry looked away again as he felt himself blush. He kept thinking back to that Potions lesson, he was about an inch away from Draco when he went to get the book. "And besides," he continued "Pansy wasn't sitting anywhere near Draco"

"Oh yes she was, she was sat right behind him. Funny how when you're in love you don't notice anything else around you"

"I'm not in love!"

Hermione giggled once more, and this time Harry fel himself giggling too.