Unexpected Thoughts

Chapter 5

Hermione woke up, keeping her eyes closed, and rolled over in bed. It was time to get up, and she knew it, but she didn't want to. She buried her face in her pillow and tried to get back to sleep, but couldn't. Then, all of a sudden, she sat up, realizing that she was at Hogwarts.

She was at Hogwarts! She squealed with joy and then bounded out of bed. She couldn't wait to start classes. But before she went and met up with the boys, she had a letter to mail to her mother...

«.:.:.:.»

Harry rolled over and sighed. He had been having the most wonderful dream: he and Hermione were lying in his bed and cuddling with each other and then he leaned in and- WAIT. He and Hermione? All of a sudden, last night's events all went rushing back to him. He was a prefect. At Hogwarts. And he cried... in front of Hermione. He clawed a hand through his hair in frustration. All of his worries were forgotten all of a sudden, however, when he heard a tap-tap-tap on the window and he looked over to see Hedwig, looking impatient, with a letter tied to her leg.

Harry's first thought was "SIRIUS!" Then he was slammed back into reality when he realized that it was only a response to the letter that he had written to Lupin and that Sirius was... well, never mind. He put on his glasses, strode over to the window and opened the letter:

Harry-

It's pretty clear what's going on here- you and Hermione have got the hots for each other. Not to be brash or rude or anything, but I think you've had it coming. And that's a good thing. I'm just glad that you've both realized it. I'm going to have to collect on that bet from Fred and George now.

Anyways, seeing as it is late, I must be getting to bed. Enjoy your year at Hogwarts!

-Moony

Harry chuckled, laughed, and then finally guffawed. Lupin was so funny sometimes. Harry dismissed the letter and went to go get ready for his first school day.

«.:.:.:.»

Harry and Ron were sitting in the Great Hall looking over their schedules and stuffing their faces in when Hermione flopped down next to Harry. "Morning, Ron... Harry," she said, looking at Harry and smiling softly. Harry willed her silently to not say anything about last night, and she didn't.

"'Ey, 'Ermione, where were 'oo b'fore?" Ron said, with a mouth full of food. Hermione just stared at him, clearly not understanding a word he was saying.

Harry grinned. Some things never changed. "Hey, Hermione, where were you before?" he translated, rolling his eyes at her and smiling.

"Oh, I was just... sending a letter to my mum," Hermione said. "So," she said, desperate to change the subject. "We got our timetables then? I'll bet we have Double Potions with the Slytherins again this year."

Ron nodded and swallowed his large wad of food before speaking. "Yeah. I think that whoever does the schedule must have an amazing sense of humor," he deadpanned. "Fortunately, that's not until Wednesday. Today's Transfiguration and Care of Magical Creatures. Say, I wonder who the new DaDA teacher is."

Harry and, interestingly enough, Hermione, both shrugged. Ron stared, incredulous, at Hermione. "...Hermione? Any ideas?"

Hermione, who was very clearly thinking of other things, shook her head as if to clear it. "Hm, what? Oh, no, our first class is Transfiguration," she said, and went back to stirring her oatmeal mindlessly.

Ron gawked. "HERMIONE. I asked you who you thought our new DaDA teacher was going to be."

Hermione looked up, flustered, blushed, giggled in a very un-Hermione fashion, and then stood up. "Um... I've got to go and... do something. In the... uh.... the library. See you later!" She picked up her books and dashed off as fast as possible without looking stupid.

«.:.:.:.»

Hermione sat in the library with her head on the desk. When she had come in, Madame Pince (with whom she had become pretty good friends... or acquaintances, at the least) had asked her if she was all right. Hermione had just nodded and, well... now she was here.

What was WRONG with her? She was so confused about everything. 'Come on, Hermione,' she told herself, 'think. THINK!'

She hated this. She was so used to knowing things that nobody else did... knowing that she knew more then anyone else... but now, she had no idea what to do, and she had nobody to ask. I mean, she couldn't ask Ron. He was, after all, mentally incompetent when it came to this type of relationship. Obviously, not Harry. Because, well... Harry was what she was having problems with. And to ask any of the other girls in her class would be like posting a big sign up in the common room that says "HERMIONE LOVES HARRY!"

So, of course, she was stuck. Well, she had written a letter to her mum, but that was about it. And she couldn't expect a reply for a while, if ever, seeing as her mother was very wary of owls.

Just then, Madame Pince walked over to her holding an owl in both hands, with her tight bun slightly disheveled and little peck marks on her arms. "Miss Granger, this... bird... has a letter for you. I tried to send it up to the Owlrey to deliver the letter tomorrow morning but, as you can see, it was very persistent." She set the owl on the table and left, very irritated and attempting to smooth out her hair.

Hermione smiled and laughed inwardly, then pulled the owl towards her and took off the letter. It was addressed to her in her mother's loopy writing, much like her own. Hermione took the letter and started to read.

«.:.:.:.»

Harry stared after Hermione hurrying out of the Great Hall. He leaned over to Ron and muttered, "That wasn't even in the slightest bit odd."

Ron grinned. "Mate, I've learned not to ask when it comes to Hermione. Girl problems, you know," he said, rolling his eyes. "It really makes you wonder what's so important that she won't even take a guess at who the DaDA teacher is."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "I wouldn't know a thing about girl problems, Ron. The closest thing to a girl I ever came in contact with before Hogwarts was Dudley, which, I admit, is a pretty close match, but it's not just the same. Besides," Harry said, "You're the one who's got a younger sister. You should know how to deal with girl problems."

Ron looked shocked. "Harry, come on. When have you ever known me to pick up a talent like that just because I'm in contact with it?"

"True, mate, very true," Harry said, earning a punch in the arm from Ron. "What? I was just agreeing with you!"

Ron regained some seriousness (well, as much as Ron can manage) and looked at Harry with a somewhat evil grin on his face. "So, Harry," he said. Harry groaned inwardly, knowing that this was going to be one of those horrifyingly embarrassing Ron questions. "How's your love life?"

Harry's eyes widened. Oh, God, no. He wasn't expecting that. Anything but that. Harry breathed, looked at Ron squarely in the eye, and said, "Ron, mate, you've got to be kidding me. Did you really think I got a girlfriend over the summer with the Dursleys watching me like fat hawks? Nope. How about you, though, mate?" he added, just because he was curious.

Ron's face colored immediately and furiously. "Er... nope, nothing for me," he said in a squeaky voice.

Harry chuckled at Ron's face and then said, "You mean to tell me that you're looking like a tomato with hair because there's 'nothing for you'?" Harry asked. "Come on, you brought it up, now you have to tell me."

Ron looked at the ground and whispered something.

"What, Ron? SPEAK UP, I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Harry yelled, fully intending to embarrass Ron.

"I said, Luna Lovegood," Ron said, turning an even deeper shade of red (if that was possible).

Harry looked at him, only slightly surprised. "Luna Lovegood, eh?"

Ron glared at him. "Yes. Don't make fun of me," he whined. "You should see her this year. I don't know how she does it but she's surely the prettiest nerd I've ever seen."

"Ron, I didn't SAY anything mean!"

"Yes, but it wasn't what you said, it was the way you said it... OH MY GOD, I'm turning into a girl." Ron gasped, wheezed, and paled, looking all the while like he was going to faint.

"Mate, it's all right, breathe, breathe... Besides, she likes you too, Hermione told me. She didn't want to tell you because she thought you would flip," Harry said, proud of being Hermione's confidant in all of this.

Ron, anxious to get off of the subject, sighed and stood up. "We should get to class. You know how McGonagall is about tardiness."

Harry stood up, his mind back on Hermione. She really was acting oddly today.

«.:.:.:.»

Dear Hermione,

I don't pretend to be any sort of expert on these kinds of things, but it sounds like you're falling madly in love with this Harry. Of course, he's all you ever talk about at home, so I can't really say that I'm surprised. He sounds lovely, though, and you are 17 now, so all I can say is don't do anything stupid.

Have fun at Hogwarts this year, and don't forget to let us know if you're going to stay there or come back home for Christmas vacation!

Love,

Mum

P.S. I know this is a bit much to ask but I absolutely HATE owls. Could you maybe find another way to send letters? It would be much appreciated.

Hermione folded the letter, gaping. It was amazing how perceptive her mother was. She hadn't even said anything about liking Harry. As she reread the letter, she grinned. Her mother wouldn't be her mother if she didn't warn her at every possible to chance to not "do anything stupid."

She shook her head to clear it, and then folded up the paper and put it in her backpack. What she was hoping would happen between her and Harry could never be. He thought of her as a friend, and that was it.

She looked at her watch, picked up her books, and headed off to class.

«.:.:.:.»

Author's Note: Three things. First: this is my longest chapter so far. Four and a half pages! :3 I'm so thrilled with myself. Second: Sorry this took so long. I had a ton of projects due in school and such. Thirdly: Hee hee, did anyone catch the Friends reference?

Oh! Also, review, review, review. God knows I need it. Compliments, comments, suggestions and, well, yes, constructive criticism, I guess, are most welcome. Anyone who reviews gets a toy surprise!