Disclaimer: yadayada, I don't own harry potter nor do I intend to make any money from this so yah.

Some reviewers have asked that I extent the prologue to include some time at the Leaky Cauldron and platform 9 and ¾, the next chapter is an extended and more detailed version of a paragraph that was in the original prologue but was deleted due to lack of importance. I have made some changes in it to make it flow with the story more but it is still not truly essential to the story more mushy, think of it as a deleted scene.

The cutest couple that never was.

A car pulled up in the drive at ten o'clock sharp just as Mr. MacDock had said; the driver helped Harry with the bags, as Hermione thanked the Dursley's. Harry walked up beside her and said his good-byes; Aunt Petunia actually hugged him good bye and wished him a happy birthday.

The trip to London was uneventful, the driver dropped them of at a hotel a block away from the Leaky Cauldron, Hermione thought it best he didn't drop them off at a building he couldn't see, so they walked to the Leaky Cauldron with their school things in tow. Half way down the street Harry was recognized by a pair of young wizards who offered to help them carry their bags. The boys, both too young to go to Hogwarts, stopped at the door, they looked almost afraid to go in.

"Everything alright," Harry asked suspiciously.

"Ya, but I just remembered...we were supposed to meet our parents before dinner and we're late," Hermione looked at the door then the boys.

"Well we're already here, so you two run along and thank you for helping us, I'm sure Harry and I can take it from here." Harry nodded a "yah" as he picked up both his and Hermione's trunks, still eyeing the boys. Hermione patted them both on their heads and, oddly, gave them a scratch behind the ear, they both gave a low bow before they ran down the street back toward muggle London.

The Leaky Cauldron was full to brim with witches and wizard, they managed to find Tom behind the bar, he looked like he was on the verge of collapsing.

"Hello Harry, I wasn't expecting y..." crash, Harry turned and saw glass and such all over the floor, "Oh, Merlin help me," Tom said with his hand over his face.

"Sorry, sorry it slipped," a young wizard ran forward to clean up the dishes. "That new bus boy will run me out of business."

"Sorry sir, I swear it won't happen again, it just slipped out of my hand."

"Just clean it up please." Tom lead them over to the front desk over the pile of broken dishes and Harry saw there was already a large pile of broken dishes in the garbage can. Once Tom got their room numbers he lead them up stairs, just as they reached the second flight crash-thud-crash-crash.

"Merlin," Tom gave an exasperated sigh, "I'm terribly sorry Mr. Potter, but I do need to attend to this."

"It's all right Tom, just tell us were our rooms are."

"Take the stairs up to the top floor down the corridor they're the last two doors."

So Harry and Hermione climbed the three remaining flights of stairs to the top floor. This floor wasn't like the others, it wasn't nice and tidy brightly lit. As they walked down the corridor lamps on the walls began to light up. There were doors on either side of them but none looked as if they had been used recently, until they came to the end of the corridor, two doors, one on either side of them, had been recently dusted and the knobs polished. Harry reached for the door on his left.

"State your names," the voice came from nowhere, Harry and Hermione looked at each other a moment before answering, "Harry Potter," "Hermione Granger."

"Welcome to the Leaky Cauldron's long term wing, per the set forth agreement you will have round the clock access to the kitchen and downstairs living areas, along with room and maid services upon request. Access to your rooms has been granted to your individual room and restricted to your neighbor do you wish to change this...Harry Potter?"

"Yes, I would like Hermione Granger to have access to my room at any time."

"Request granted Hermione Granger now has full access to the room of Harry Potter. Hermione Granger do you wish to change your room access?"

"Yes, I would like Harry Potter to have full access to my room."

"Request granted, thank you for choosing the Leaky Cauldron and have a nice day." Behind the doors they saw a golden flash, then in sink the doors opened.

"Well shall we start to unpack," Hermione asked.

"Why not but just a little then we can go try to find some food, I'm starving."

"Okay," Hermione turned and entered the room on her right, the door magically closed behind her. Harry then explored his own room; it was larger than any other he had stayed in at the Leaky Cauldron. It had a queen size bed along the wall, a large dresser next to a couch and a window seat that looked down into Diagon Alley. As Harry began to put his cloths in the dresser he noticed himself in the mirror, his shirt torn and stained, he had a sudden impulse to look nice for Hermione. He rummaged through his trunk until he found a suitable shirt, just as he began to peel his shirt off heard a knock on the door. Harry turned around, his arms still over his head rapped in his shirt, to find a very red faced Hermione. Harry finished pulling off his shirts and threw it on to his bed, while Hermione stared at her fidgeting feet.

"Ah, sorry I just noticed how bad this shirt looked...Hermione, hello Hermione are you listening." Harry took a step closed to her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder, her head shot up at the touch. She stepped away and muttered something like, "bathroom."

"What, I can't understand you."

"The bathroom, we share a bathroom, it connects our rooms. I was just...just coming in to tell you I was ready."

"Well I'll make sure to knock before I go to the bathroom," he said slightly sarcastically as he put on his new, clean shirt. "So we don't end a reverse situation," Hermione gave him a play smack on the shoulder as she laughed.

"All right, can we go get some lunch or dinner now." Harry rapped his arm around her shoulder and led her downstairs.

They had a nice dinner in the Leaky Cauldron, muffling laughs as the new busboy continued to cause havoc through out the evening. After a slight misshape in the bathroom, Harry walked in, with his eyes covered while Hermione was taking a shower and slipped on a puddle and nearly fell into the shower with Hermione. They sat on the couch in Hermione's room and roughly drew out a schedule for homework and fun for the rest of the summer. Harry had never explored muggle London and apparently Hermione had only been to museums and libraries so they decided that, after they reacquainted themselves with Diagon Alley, they would explore the muggle sights a little, "maybe even find some information to help with there homework," said Hermione. At ten Harry left to for his own room after giving Hermione a friendly peck on the forehead. Hermione sat on her bed looking at the door for a moment before she turned her attention to the window. Unlike Harry's window hers looked out over muggle London, she could see the lights from all the buildings. Crookshanks jumped onto her bed and curled up on her lap, this was going to be an interesting summer.

After three days of homework and Diagon Alley, mostly homework, Hermione decided that it was time to explore muggle London. Harry was surprised they had only finished half of their summer homework but Hermione incised that they take a few days off homework and see the sights, of course Harry wasn't one to turn down no homework. They turned in early that night, Hermione had insisted that they get an early start, as they brushed their teeth side by side Harry could help but notice Hermione was a little jittery she kept looking into her room nervously.

Harry fell right to sleep and was sleeping soundly until, just before midnight, he was awoken by a large clap of lightning right outside his window. He looked around his room a moment, something didn't seem right, then he heard it, a scratching at the bathroom door, slowly he got out of bed and opened the door. Looking down he saw Crookshanks sitting and purring, the door to Hermione's room was slightly open, Harry decided to check up on her but when he looked at her bed she wasn't in it. The covers were beshuffled but she was not in it, peering his head around the door and saw out of the corner of his eye the corner of a blanket on the opposite side of the dresser. As he walked closer to it he heard a faint mumbling, Hermione sat curled up like a ball cringing with every flash and clap of the storm; Harry slowly knelt beside her whispering soothing words and gently rubbing her back. She curled up against him but she was still so afraid, as gently as he could Harry lifted Hermione in to his arms and carried her into his room, some how the storm didn't seem as loud in his room. He lay Hermione on the bedside farthest away from the window but she was still shaking, Harry climbed into bed beside her, she buried her face in his chest, reluctantly Harry placed a hand soothingly on her back and after a few minutes both were sound asleep.

A few hours later Harry awoke as Hermione stirred in her sleep, at first he was confused as to why Hermione was asleep in his bed, again. As he looked out the window, it was still raining outside, he remember. Why is she so afraid of the thunderstorms? He titled his head back his head back to look at the clock beside his bed, 3:18 AM. It's way to early to wake her up, Harry lay in bed a moment despite the urge to just lay there with Hermione laying on his chest he felt slightly uncomfortable about it, like it was wrong. So very carefully Harry untangled himself from Hermione and attempted to go back to sleep on the couch, but after finding it to uncomfortable he sat up and began to work on one of Snape's many essays. After half and hour of failed attempts at starting the essay Harry carried a chair out of Hermione's room and placed it next to his bed and watched her sleep. She lay on her side facing the window. Harry had placed a pillow next to her to supplement himself, after an hour of just watching her sleep Harry felt himself slowly nod off.

Around 5:30 Hermione awoke, she was again confused as to why she was in Harry's bed and he was in a chair next to the bed. She saw Crookshanks lounging happily on the window seat with Hedwig, her focus changed to the window and how it was still dripping with rain. Great Granger, now he's going top think you're afraid-cat. Slowly she shook Harry awake, his head nodded up and down a little before he actually looked up at her; he smiled dumbly a moment before she smiled back, holding in a laugh.

"We've got to stop meeting like this Mr. Potter." She said jokingly.

"Then stop ending up in my bed." He stretched as he spoke so his words came out more like a moan.

"Sorry," she mumbled, Harry got out of his chair and sat in the bed beside her.

"I was just joking you know," he rapped an arm around her just to be sure.

"Why didn't you go back to sleep?"

"The couch was to uncomfortable and as you can see the window was taken."

"You could have taken my bed, especially since I took yours."

"Well I was afraid that you'd be afraid so I just took a chair."

"You could have just stayed in this bed," she said shyly.

"I didn't want to wake you."

"I wouldn't have minded you staying in bed...with me." Harry could see her blush a little.

"Okay next time I'll just stay in bed," they both laughed at this. Hermione turned to the clock, it was now 5:38, even she didn't get up this early.

"It's still early can we go back to sleep," Harry replied only with a nod and Hermione scooted away from him, Harry raised an eyebrow. "My bed would be so cold and yours is so warm and comfy, besides it's not like we haven't shared a bed before."

"Just as long as this doesn't turn into a habit," he replied as he crawled in beside her.

"Don't worry, but wouldn't that be funny, the look on Ron and Neville's faces if they found me in your bed one morning." Harry couldn't help but laugh at this, he lay with his back to the window facing her, she lay on her stomach with her arms crossed under her chin. Neither spoke, they barely breathed, he saw her shivering under the blankets, as he pulled the blanket over her shoulder his hand gently brushed up against her bare shoulder. She is cold, he thought, slowly he moved closer to her, she made no move to stop him, quiet to the contrary she rolled over so she was closed to him. Harry lay on his side with Hermione only inches, away lying on her side facing him, Hermione's right hand lay between them, Harry unconsciously reached for it and gave her hand a soft squeeze.

"Goodnight Harry," she whispered as she drifted off to sleep.

"Good-Morning Hermione."

An hour or two later when Hermione awoke she found herself much closer to Harry then she remembered. Her head on his right shoulder with one hand on his chest and is left hand on her back just below her neck. Hermione quickly got out of bed and in the shower, she stood in the shower thinking, what is this feeling inside me, it had been her idea they sleep in the same bed so why had waking up in the same bed been such a scare for her. When she was finished and dressed she went back into Harry's room; he was still asleep, so she kept herself occupied by reading.

A little after eight Harry awoke in his bed alone; he rolled over and saw Hermione sitting in the window seat with her nose in a book. Harry quietly got out of bed and surprised Hermione.

"Hey that's not funny Harry," she protested.

"Oh, yes it is, you should have seen your face." Hermione gave him a play hit on the shoulder before she too laughed.

Less than an hour later they where on their way to explore muggle London, they had a quiet breakfast downstairs, still laughing at the busboy. They rode a double decked bus, a red one, threw the city stopping and getting off where ever they pleased, Hermione kept notes of places she wanted to go back and reexamine later, they rode the ferrous wheel, a first for Harry, and went inside Big Ben. Harry's purse was extremely lighter than when they had set off but he felt every cent had been well spent, every cent worth it to see Hermione so happy and excited.

As their day wore to a close Harry and Hermione found themselves looking over the Atlantic Ocean from one of the bridges to the Harbor. Harry heard Hermione shiver and quickly pulled off his jacket wrapping it around her, she mumbled thanks' and was about to speak when she was interrupted.

"A picture to remember," a boy about there age with a camera around his neck, he wore a hooded jacket but his voice sounded familiar.

"Sure," Harry stated he placed one arm around Hermione back and smiled.

"Oh, come on you so look like you're posing, make it natural, relax, have a little fun with it." Have fun with it, Harry thought, then a very devilish idea came to him, rapping is arms around Hermione, so she was in front of him, he mercilessly began to tickle her sides. She squealed and attempted to free Herself from his grip but failed, then suddenly, he stopped. Slowly he let his chin rest on her shoulder his arms still rapped around her waist she brought one hand up and played with his hair while the other rested on his hand, both had forgotten the photographer until, flash. "Hey great shot one of my best, I could probably sell it to the Prophet for a pretty penny." Where do I know that voice? The photographer lowered his camera to reveal the face of a fellow Gryffindor by the name of Colin Creevey. "Oh, don't worry Harry I won't sell it to the prophet."

"Colin," the boys shook hands, "what are you doing around here."

"Got myself a job, hi Hermione," she gave him and a friendly hello.

"Job doing what?"

"Working for Fred and George mostly, they want photos of their pranks in action at school to put up in their shop."

"Oh, I feel sorry for anyone who gets in those pictures," Hermione said smiling.

"Surprisingly I've had volunteers for some of the pictures, so many in fact that I'm actually going to make a yearbook for the school, unofficial of course, but it should be fun."

"What's a yearbook," Harry asked.

"It's a book full of photos of people at school, the students and staff to remember people by after you graduate. It's a muggle thing."

"Ya, I figure I can avoid most of the Slytherin's and put pictures of friends together like you and Hermione with Ron since you three are practically inseparable Luna Lovegood with her upside down Quibbler, you know things your known for."

"Good idea Colin, especially the no Slytherin idea." They chitchatted a few more minutes until Colin looked at his watch and saw how late it was. "I have to be going before my parents think I ran away, oh before I forget, here," he handed Harry a piece of Parchment with "Creevey Bros. Photography for all and any occasion, Hogwarts," written on it. "Expect your pictures in a day or two, how many would you like and where should I send them?"

"Two please, and the Leaky Cauldron, how much do I owe you Colin?"

"Nothing, it's free for Harry Potter and Hermione Granger."

"Thanks Colin," they both replied. The walk back was uneventful, they took their time enjoying each other's company, by the time they actually arrived at the Leaky Cauldron it was empty except for the busboy. He gave them both a hello and asked if he could get them anything. Harry asked if they had any leftovers from dinner the boy replied they did and brought them out a plate of pasta, they ate by candlelight laughing about the events of the day before finally going to bed. As they both lay in their own beds, restless, neither could sleep, if felt so odd to be alone again, but eventually exhaustion got the better of them.

Miles away in the basement of the Creevey family two brothers were developing the day's pictures. When the younger of the two Dennis saw his brothers prized photo.

"Where did you get that bro," he asked his brother.

"Today in London, ran into them an offered them a picture." Dennis picked it up and examined it closely; it really was a beautiful photo. "Hey Dan you were working on titles for couple photos right?"

"Ya, why?"

"What titles do you have so far?"

"Ahh, "Dennis sifted through a pile of papers on his desk and began to read of the list, "Longest couple, shortest couple, cutest couple, weirdest couple, perfect couple and most likely's to: get married, get divorced, have ten kids, succeed and that's all so far why?"

"I want you to add one more to that list, the cutest couple that never was and use this picture," he said laying the moving photo of Harry and Hermione on the table in front of Daniel. As Colin turned to go upstairs his brother called to him.

"What makes you so sure it should be "never was" a lot can change in a year."

"Not that much"

"Well maybe not on it's own but we could give them a few reminders as to who they care about so much."

"Dennis you're starting to sound like Ginny and Luna plotting to get those two together."

"You may be right but does that change the fact that it's a good idea?"

"No it doesn't, okay go ahead but make sure you tell the girls or they'll skin us alive for plotting without them."

Neither was willing to admit that things had changed, even though both secretly wished they had, neither noticed the changes that began over that summer holiday. But there were changes, some more noticeable than other, a few pecks on the cheek, the occasional hand holding and of course the looks that the other never saw during class and meals. But that's how things went and it seemed that no one was going to be able to convince them of their feelings, for the rest of the summer holidays and the first half of their sixth year no one was able to convince them. Thought nearly half the school had tried, some even placed beats on it but still they remained ignorant it seemed that they would never change.

This is the last part of the prologue,

I am so sorry this took so long with school and computer troubles it tough and this means I'm only half way done with the actual next chapter but I will hurry I swear. Your reviews really do help so vent, ramble, scream or predict as much as you like because it really does matter to me so thanks.

Okay even sorrier this wasn't ment to be posted whe it was, my computer died so i've been working on it at my friends, she acidentally posted it instead of editing it i'm so sorry for all the error, thought there are still a few the major ones should be gone, who ever reviewed thank you i didn't even know she had posted it, you have my many thanks. Sorry about that hopefully it won't happen again

As usual Questions and comments are welcome on reviews.

For anyone who wishes to discuss story or Harry Potter please send direct email to Animekidao87 at Hotmail or