AN: I did not write chapters 1 through 5 they were writen by LucyFerina
Chapter 2
And Finally She Admits It
At nightfall they arrived at the train station from where they took the carriages back to Hogwarts, Hermione had been very quiet, mulling in her little brain every thought of the day. Harry angry with Snape, Malfoy not annoying them on the train and the realisation of actually liking the 'greasy bat'.
After Dumbledore speech, all the students started to eat and her eyes went to focus on the 'bouncing Slytherin ferret', she scanned all the table but he seemed not to be there, she checked out all the faces and ... she gasped! There he was, with his air let loose and not anymore sleeked back. He looked a changed boy, she couldn't quite understand what it was but something was definitely different. 'I will have to enquire on what's happened to him this summer'. And then he looked at her and after a few moment in which Hermione felt very uneasy he moved his eyes away and Hermione had the feeling that she was invisible, he looked at her but it seemed as she wasn't even existing.
Hermione saw no emotion whatsoever in his grey eyes and that scared her more than if she saw the usual dislike. 'I hope he didn't join the Death Eater'. A cold chill run down her spine and she felt suddenly so cold. So when Harry put his hand on hers she almost had a heart attack. "Harry, you scared me" he smiled at her "Herms you have been watching Malfoy long enough, don't you think?" and she blushed "I wasn't watching Malfoy, I just got lost in my thought and maybe it seemed like I was looking at him but really I, well, I'm bubbling am I?" Harry grinned and getting closer to her ear he whispered "Don't worry Herms, I noticed as well that something is wrong with Malfoy and if you want we can discover what that is together, what do you say?"
Hermione felt relief washing her heart at the words and smiling happily agreed to –OBF that is Operation Bouncing Ferret, to discover what happened to him-.
Then Hermione turned her head in the direction of the Professors' table and looked at Professor Snape ... 'Severus' ...
Unfortunately, Hermione had been staring a bit too long and she got caught by Snape who regarded her with one of the best scowl and evil stare. 'Probably he thought I was cursing him, well better than having him thinking that I was checking him out'. She didn't let her eyes leave him tough. She decided now and there that this year he would not scare her and then she held his gaze. Probably he wasn't used to have someone staring him back because he raised one of his eyebrows showing a mild surprise.
In that moment she was called by Ron and Harry who having finished their meals wanted to leave and when she turned back to look at Snape, he had already left. She sighed 'why am I not a normal teenager with a crush on my best friend? Wait, did I say that I have a crush on Snape?!? Ugh, better get back to Gryffindor common room.'
Hermione was forced out of her thoughts by the constant chatting of all the Gryffindor in the common room, she finally managed to get hold of Ginny and the two girls started to talk about their summer. Hermione at a certain point stopped talking about her trip to New York when she caught Ginny casting a quick glance to Harry for the tenth time.
Still smiling Hermione said "So Ginny, when are you going to tell him?" Ginny blushed "I don't know what you are talking about Hermione" but both girl then turned to look at Harry and then Hermione said "I think it's time that you tell Harry how you feel. You know until he doesn't know that you like him he will not consider you and we know even the reason. Your brother will have his head if he tries something with you" Ginny looked at Hermione and sadly replied "Hermione, the problem is that I talked to him this summer and he told me he likes someone else. He didn't say her name but I think it may be you"
Hermione was surprised at what the younger girl told her. She blushed a little and replied "Ginny, for as much as I love Harry I don't think it would work between us. We are very different and I admit that sometimes I thought there may be more but now something has changed. I like, really like, someone and this person is not Harry. So I would advise you to pursue him and get him because I think that you could be right for him."
Ginny looked at the older girl and relief was written all over her face "So you wouldn't mind if I tried to seduce him? And who is the guy you like? Is it Ron?" Hermione looked at her with shock "Don't be silly Ginny, it's not Ron. I got over him quite a while ago. Actually I'm not ready to talk about him, you see I still have to come to terms with it myself. He is not in our house and we have hated him since our first day here. I don't know how I could fall for him."
Ginny then whispered "Is he a Slytherin, Hermione?" And when she nodded Ginny added "I will not ask you anything more Hermione, but I will tell you two things. I hope it's not Malfoy and be careful because from that house nothing good comes out" Hermione looked at the red-head girl and smiling said "Don't worry it's not Malfoy and I know that they are dangerous. I will try not to put myself too much in danger" and then Hermione wished goodnight to everyone and left for her dormitory.
When she was safely tucked in her bed, she let her mind wander about the talk with Ginny 'I've got a big problem if Harry likes me, I will have to be careful not to give him any hope. About Malfoy, well, he is good looking I will admit that but falling for that ferret? No, never. And then 'Severus', it's right that the Slytherin lot is dangerous but that's part of the appeal. The bad boy attitude is very popular between girls and why should I be immune? At the end you never want the good guy, you always fancy the bastard. Why are we so complicated?"