A/N: I want to apologize for the long delay in updating this story. It's back now though, and will definitely be finished…soon! Thanks again for reading and all the positive reviews I have received, it's what keeps me writing.

Chapter 15

A Dinner and A Disaster

Slowly Harry turned around and started walking in the opposite direction to Hermione. He felt drained and tired. Nothing really mattered now he supposed. Hermione was in love with Lockhart, they were going out tonight and the bet would be over. But it wouldn't be over with them, they would be together, and he Harry would be…. alone. That small word caused that horrible tightness in his chest to return and he felt tears once again prickle in his eyes.

"Gotta stop this," he thought angrily. "There's nothing more that you can do". Except…."tell her how you feel" Ron's voice echoed quietly in his mind.

"No" Harry spoke out aloud "I can't,".

Hermione pushed open the doors that lead out onto the small balcony. The last time she had been here had been that amazing night where she had kissed Gilderoy for the first time. Sitting down on the small stone bench Hermione pulled her robes around herself and tried to think. She was still shaken from the experience of being in Harry's mind and knowing how he felt about her.

"He's never even given any indication that he likes me," she thought in confusion. No, not likes…. loves me, she amended, for the force of feeling she had experienced was too strong to be mistaken. Then Hermione remembered the look in Harry's green eyes when he sometimes spoke to her. His hand over hers at the breakfast table. There were probably a thousand other things she supposed, that she had just been too blind to see.

"Oh Harry,"…. Hermione sighed. "I'm sorry,"

Sitting there alone as she had on so many other days, the wind blowing her hair out behind her, Hermione began to remember all the things that she and Harry had shared in the past 6 years. He had saved her life and she his. Could I ever love Harry? She wondered. If Gilderoy and I had never met…..? She thought of those deep green eyes, the untidy black hair falling over his forehead, the strange feeling she sometimes got when their eyes met. No. She loved Gilderoy, Hermione told herself. Of course she did, he was everything she had ever wanted. And he was in love with her too. Oh really? That small voice spoke up. Are you sure Hermione? Are you really sure?

It was nearly seven, and stood in her room Hermione staring at herself in her mirror. Sad brown eyes looked back. She ran her hands over the simple black dress she was wearing and tried to smile at her reflection, but it just felt wrong.

"Oh damn this," she muttered turning away from the mirror. Hermione had been unable to get Harry out of her mind all afternoon. She pressed a hand firmly against her forehead and clenched her eyes shut tight.

"There is nothing you can do about Harry," she told herself firmly. "You shouldn't feel bad just because you love Gilderoy. Now go and have an amazing night". Opening her eyes and breathing deeply Hermione suddenly felt better. She snatched her robe off the end of her bed and shaking her long auburn hair behind her, left the room to go and meet Gilderoy.

Lockhart glanced over at the large clock above the fireplace. Seven o'clock. Hermione would be here soon, which was good because he really needed to see her. Felt compelled to see her he realized. It was strange he thought, because he had never felt that way about anyone else before. It was almost, he mused, as though someone else was in control of his emotions. Shaking his head as if to clear it, Gilderoy moved over to look at his reflection in the mirror. The dark blue shirt he was wearing exactly complemented his eyes and his blond hair gleamed in the firelight. Smiling at his reflection almost instinctively he started when he heard a knock on the door and then quickly made his way over to open it.

Hermione hear Gilderoy's footsteps and then the door opened quickly. The smile on Gilderoy's face made all the confusion and pain she had experienced in the last few hours suddenly seem worth it. How could I have doubted that he loved me? She thought as he pulled her into his arms and gently kissed the side of her mouth.

"You look stunning," Gilderoy whispered into her ear. "Lets not go anywhere tonight, we can just stay here together. I don't want to share you with anyone else,".

Laughing Hermione pulled away.

"Let's have dinner first,".

"Well…….."Gilderoy replied as if considering. "Alright then….but a quick dinner!"

He picked up his cloak, took Hermione's arm and together they walked out of the room.

Harry lay on his bed and glanced at his clock. Seven thirty. Hermione and Lockhart would probably be at dinner now, gazing sickeningly into each other's eyes he thought bitterly. Dean and Susannah his girlfriend had popped into his room about twenty minutes ago to tell Harry they were off to the restaurant to make sure Hermione and Lockhart were there.

"This is fantastic," Dean had said enthusiastically. "For once that stuck up Lavender is going to be put in her place. Nice work Harry, but how in the hell did you ever get Hermione to agree to this?"

"Don't ask," Harry had replied with a sigh.

"Well thanks Harry!" Susannah had said brightly. "This is the only way I'm ever going to get Dean to take me to a posh restaurant," she added giving Dean a small dig in his ribs and laughing.

Hermione and Lockhart walked up the large marble steps leading to Cuppedia, one of the most exclusive wizarding restaurants. Two enormous stone gargoyles flanked the entrance, which was overhung with ivy. Small lights moved about the leaves creating the impression of a thousand stars scattered in the foliage. As Hermione passed through the doorway she saw that the lights were tiny fairies, clothed in shimmering silver and fliting from leaf to leaf.

"This is amazing," she breathed, holding tightly to Gilderoy's hand.

Smiling down at her Gilderoy led them over to the silver reception area. A tall, good-looking wizard wearing a nametag reading "Jeffery" showed them to their table. As they sat down Jeffery waved his wand and two candles in a silver candelabra suddenly lit, bathing the table in a soft yellow glow.

Gilderoy reached out and took one of Hermione's hands in his. He looked intently into her eyes.

"You are so beautiful. I am the luckiest man here,".

Hermione felt herself blush. She was still unused to all these compliments, and especially from someone as good looking as Gilderoy. He was easily the best looking person in the restaurant she thought.

Jeffery returned and waved his wand next to their table. A large shining roll of parchment appeared, floating in mid air. Written in silver ink was the menu.

"Please, take your time reading," Jeffrey said, "when you are ready to order, simply touch the menu and I shall return,".

Hermione gazed at the wonderful dishes listed on the parchment, each one sounding better than the last.

"I can't choose," she said laughing, "It all sounds lovely, you chose for me" she asked Gilderoy.

Gilderoy smiled and touched the parchment. Within a minute Jeffery returned. Gilderoy ordered for both of them.

"And we'll have a bottle of the 1928 Chateau De Bouvier," he added as Jeffery turned to leave.

Hermione had never tasted expensive wine before, and without realizing it she drank two glasses more quickly than she intended. The wine created a pleasant feeling in her head. Everything seemed better now, she was here with Gilderoy, Hogwarts was far behind. Reaching out she picked up her glass and sipped her third drink of the evening. Gilderoy was saying something but she didn't seem able to concentrate well.

"Really?" Hermione asked, trying to sound interested although she had no idea what Gilderoy had just said. Her eyes moved over the other diners and all of a sudden she recognized Dean at a table over on the far side of the room. Unexpectedly all the feelings of that afternoon flooded back into her mind. Dean turned his head and seeing Hermione staring at him gave her a quick wink.

"Hermione…..," came a voice as if from a great distance. Dimly she realised it was Gilderoy speaking to her. Turning she saw him smiling at her from across the table.

"You looked lost in your own world" he said reaching out to take both her hands in his.

"Wha…ah…," she stumbled.

Leaning across the table slightly Gilderoy moved closer to hey, grasping her hands tightly.

"Hermione," he whispered "I want to tell you something. I think that I, ",

Suddenly Hermione didn't want to hear what he was going to say. She pressed her lips against his to stop him speaking, and as their mouths met a vision of Harry suddenly appeared in her head – the same thing she had seen in Harry's mind, the two of them in the garden together, Harry kissing her passionately.

Gilderoy pulled away. He was shaking his head as if to clear it. Appalled at what she had just been thinking Hermione reached out for his hand but he moved it away. He was looking at her in a confused way that Hermione didn't like at all. It was almost as though he had read her thoughts.

"Gilderoy, you were going to tell me something?" Hermione asked, trying to smile.

Gilderoy was still slowly shaking his head, but turned his eyes to look at her when she spoke.

"Oh my God," he said as if in disbelief. "Why…..why am I here?".

Hermione felt cold. Gilderoy was acting so strangely all of a sudden. Please, please don't let him know I was thinking of Harry she thought frantically. Saying the only thing she could think of that might make things better she blurted out

"I love you Gilderoy,".

The shock in his eyes was unmistakable.

"You, you…what!" he said staring at her horrified. "No…no this has all been a terrible mistake, whatever was I thinking?" he said as if to himself.

Hermione couldn't breathe. He stomach had turned to ice, it was like being in her worst nightmare, Surely she thought, she would wake up any second, Gilderoy would be back to normal, he would tell her he loved her….

Gilderoy stood up. His face was pale.

"Hermione, I'm sorry," he said "I have to go….this is all wrong…..I can't explain…..oh God,".

And with that he turned and almost ran out through the marble doorway.

Tears coursed down Hermione's cheeks, she stood up grabbing he cloak and ran after Gilderoy, out into the dark night, not noticing the surprised glance of Jeffrey who was carrying over a silver platter to her table, nor the shocked look on Dean and Susannah's faces from across the room.