Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot. 

Chapter 2

Harry's Gift

"I don't know why I feel this way. I mean I've played quidditch before…" he said, letting the rest of the sentence trail away.

"Harry, you're a great seeker. If you weren't, you wouldn't have made the team," Hermione said matter-of-factly.

Harry smiled and Hermione noticed his emerald green eyes seemed to brighten. They were almost sparkling now.

"I just don't want to screw anything up. Don't you think everyone will be thinking,'Let's see if The-Boy-Who-Lived still has it' or 'I wonder if he still has some quidditch in him'?"

Harry turned back to the fire. Hermione slowly walked over to an armchair next to Harry and sat in it. She stared at Harry, hoping to get his attention back, but it never came. His eyes seemed to be longing something. Something that she could never give him. Harry looked up very slowly at Hermione. They stared for what seemed like hours.

"You okay Harry?" Ron suddenly said, breaking their trance, as he stepped into the common room abruptly.

End Flashback

Hermione thought 'I wonder what would have happened if Ron hadn't interrupted us'. She sat there, on her bed, her face screwed up in concentration. There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," she welcomed.

Ron came in with only a towel around his waist. It was obvious that he had just come out of the shower, he was still dripping wet. Hermione gazed up at him, blushing. He wasn't as scrawny as she had thought.

"Um...what d'you think we should have for dinner tonight? I thought I would pick something up on my way back from mum's," Ron said as he ran his hand through his hair vigorously in attempt to dry his hair faster.

"Oh...um...anything's fine," Hermione answered slowly and awkwardly.

Ron paused, realizing Hermione's expression. Now, he too, was feeling a little uncomfortable

"Alright then," Ron said, giving Hermione an uneasy look. Her eyes fell from his chest to his stomach.

"I better go now," he said as his ears turned pink. He quickly inched his way towards the door and left.

Hermione groaned. Smooth, she thought, real smooth.

Hermione pushed her way through the bustling crowd, trying to get into Flourish and Blott's.

"Hermione! Hermione, over here!" Hermione heard a familiar voice call. She looked around and saw Harry sitting at a table in the corner.

Suddenly, Hermione felt a burst of happiness and excitment. Good ol' Harry's back at last!

Finally, after squeezing through a crowd of busy people, Hermione made it inside Flourish and Blott's and was walking briskly to Harry's table.

"Where's Ron?" Harry asked as Hermione took her chair opposite of Harry.

"He said he had to eat lunch at his mum's today," she informed.

"Figures," Harry said chuckling. "How have you been?"

"Not bad, I guess. I got the position of Hogwarts Transfiguration professor," Hermione replied, pretending to be modest.

"Really? That's great 'Mione! I knew you'd get it."

Hermione smiled. "How's America? What's it like? Did you get to put your feet in the ocean?"

For an hour or so that was how things went. Hermione would ask questions about America and Harry would ask questions about life at home.

"Hiya Harry!" Ron said as he joined them at the table. He took a seat next to Harry, careful not to make eye contact with Hermione.

"So, what did you get me?" Ron joked. Hermione shook her head disapprovement. Of course Ron would be the one to come right out and say it.

"Oh, yeah, that reminds me...here," Harry said as he handed Ron and Hermione both a wrapped package. Ron ripped his gift open without hesitation.

"Thanks, Harry!" Ron said as he held up a box full of candy. "I've never ate or seen real Muggle candy!" Hermione smiled and looked down at her unopened gift. It was rather small and light. When she looked up she saw that Ron was watching the gift eagerly. She glanced at Harry. He was gazing upon her intently, his bright green eyes seeming to tell her to "open it".

Slowly, she unwrapped the gift that reminded him of her…

Plz review! I know its been awhile since I've wrote another chapter but I want to know if I should keep going. Thanks!