Hermione poised her quill a few centimeters above the still blank parchment. There was a week until the homework assignment but she preferred to get an early start. After all that's what she did, finished first of the class and best of the class. Except where it mattered most. Who would have thought that the most outspoken girl of the class kept a secret. Had kept it for 5 years. But when you're in love with one of your best friends, who do you tell?
Yeah. It had always been the three of them. Sometimes she'd get mad at Ron, or they'd both get mad at her. Once Harry and Ron hadn't spoken to each other. How much easier and yet more complicated that had made everything. If they weren't friends, could she finally be with him? Or would that alienate the other even more? No matter what she did if she made a play on one, she would distance the other.
She tried to make her mind focus on the thick and musty text in front of her. Usually she would find the homework for the history of magic class to be at the very least interesting; today she just couldn't get her mind to focus. She shut the book a little harder then she meant to causing the few people who were scattered in the library to jump in surprise and look over before returning to their work.
Hermione walked out into the hallway, her bushy hair bouncing gently with every purposeful step. The thick books she had taken with her weighed her arms down and her quill balanced precariously on top. She rounded the corner to go to the common room and ran straight into someone. Her books flew in the air and landed painfully on her shoulders and legs. She made a note to refrain from carrying books totaling more then 15 pounds as she watched her quill roll down the stairs and stared in vain at the broken jar of ink. She looked up to see who she had run into. She was met by a pair of green eyes and a sheepish grin and felt her heart skip a beat.
"Sorry Hermione," he leaned forward on to his knees and helped pick up her books
"S'alright Harry" she said as she rubbed her bruised shoulder.
He stood up and offered her a hand, which she accepted readily. She never noticed how soft his hands were. "Thanks Harry, "she said and motioned to accept her books back.
"It's alright, I'll carry them for you. Looks like you banged your shoulder up"
"Harry, don't be ridiculous I can carry my own books thank you," Hermione said smiling
"oh come'on, It's really no big deal Hermione." Harry said back playfully
"Harry, give me back my book's" she said reaching for the musty texts and giggling.
Harry grabbed her wrist gently, remarking at how small and delicate it was and pulled her into a soft kiss as the books tumbled to the floor at their feet.