Letters

"Okay, Harry. Knowing Hermione's schedule, she should be back in about five minutes before dinner. Meaning we have about three minutes to hide the letters," I said. "Whoa, now you have her schedule memorized?" Harry asked me with a smirk. "Yes, but that isn't our focus. Come on, let's go up to the Boy's Dormitory and put these somewhere before 'Mione sees these," I said. "Teasing you about Hermione is getting to be no fun at all, Ron," muttered Harry on the way up to the Dormitory.

"Okay, let's just hide it… Ah, in my Hogwarts a History. That's never been opened and probably never will be," I said after searching through my trunk. "You still haven't read it? Maybe you should… might impress Hermione," he said nudging me towards the book. "That'll be the day."

I opened the book and stuck my letter in the front cover. Harry set his on top of mine and I closed the book. "Now just to put it in the bottom of my trunk…" I said. "What if she searches through it for something?" "Oh, come on now! Who would search through someone else's trunk?" I asked. Harry raised an eyebrow at me but then looked away and shook his head. Maybe he will leave me alone for a while now…

"Okay, let's just go downstairs now," I said after hiding it in my trunk. Harry just nodded and said, "This is so wrong… We are digging into our best friend's privacy," said Harry. "Too late to think morally. We are doing this to protect Hermione, remember? We really need to do this… make sure Krum isn't leading her up without her knowing," I said. "No, it still isn't right…" "Harry, if you want to make me do this myself, fine. Go ahead," I said, challenging him.

He bit his lip and said, "It isn't so much as I want out, it is more like I want you to quit this. Hermione will only be more hurt if she finds out, and guess who she'll run to? Krum," said Harry, throwing in obvious logic. "Then we don't let her find out," I said. The portrait door swung open, and in stepped Hermione. She looked pretty happy, happier than I've ever seen her. Okay, apart from when she found out she had really great OWLs, but still.

"Harry, Ron! It is time for dinner! Get down here!" she yelled at us from the bottom of the steps. "Coming!" I yelled down to her. He laughed lightly, and I was about to ask why, but he instead said, "Let's just go downstairs."

Hermione was sitting lazily by the couch, the only one left in the Common Room. Once she saw we were all down, she took her spot in-between us. "So, how was your class?" I asked trying to make conversation. "Since when do you care what my classes are like?" she asked, slightly befuddled. "Just am. Trying to make conversation, really," I said with a small shrug. I could feel my ears going red. "Oh," she said, seemingly disappointed. I think she wanted someone to talk about classes with. Like classes are that interesting.

Dinner went as usual. Hermione decided to go to the library afterwards, so I figured I'd check the letters out. "C'mon Harry. This might be one of the few chances we get to read them," I said to Harry. He looked down at his unfinished tart, and gave me a look that clearly said, "What, now?"

"C'mon," I said pulling him up. He sighed and followed me out of the Great Hall. "Could've given me at least the courteously to let me finish dessert," he muttered. "What's more important, you getting dessert or Hermione's happiness?" I asked walking up the steps to the Common Room. "Depends on who you're asking…" I heard him mutter lightly. I nudged him hard into a doorframe (A/N: That REALLY hurts!). "Hey, that really hurt!" exclaimed Harry, rubbing the spot where his arm collided with the doorframe (A/N: See, what did I tell you?). I just smirked at his comment.

I grabbed the letters from the Dormitory, and seeing as how it would be much easier to read them in the Common Room, we brought them down to the Common Room to read. I opened my letter with trembling hands, noting that Harry had an uncertain look on his face. He sighed and opened his, so I followed suit, still afraid of what I would read.

My Dearest Hermione,

I miss you with a passion that burns as the sun. I miss your smile, your warmth, your beauty. I miss how much you cared for me and your courage. I miss your incredible knowledge. I miss everything down to the 'bushy' hair you say you hate. I wish so much that you were here with me, by my side. I understand that your parents wouldn't allow you to come visit me, but I have half a mind to come to you. If only I could picture where you are, perhaps I could Apparate… though it is far, and I would possibly splinch myself. But even with that risk… I wouldn't mind if I got to see you. Or perhaps I could just fly there, if the broom would go that far. If I'm lucky I'll have a crash landing and end up staying in London from now on. At least then I'll be near you and your all-around beauty. I'm seriously considering coming to London after I finish this year off at Drumstrang. Maybe then we can continue our relationship to where we can actually see each other. I understand and respect your decision to put off our relationship while we were in separate countries, but…Still, I haven't gone out with any other girl, for none can compare to your amazing charm, beauty, grace, and cleverness.

Yours until the end of time,

Vicktor Krum

I thrust the paper down in front of me. Harry looked over at me, read for a minute, and then said, "Switch?" "No. I don't need to read more," I said, scowling. "Yeah… it is kind of sappy…" Harry agreed. "He's leading her up. Right, like he would've actually flown hundreds of miles to get here. Like he would've risked splinching to get to her. Like everything he said he actually meant," I said angrily. I began reading random lines from it.

A girl had apparently entered about this time. "Why are you reading random lines from A Deep Far Away Love to Harry Potter?" she asked intently, looking at me oddly. "A Deep Far Away Love? What is that?" asked Harry, looking at her curiously. "Oh… it is one of the greatest romance novels in the magical world," she muttered. "Hey, read this over and tell me if it is something from that book," I asked. She shrugged and took the letter.

"Yeah, sounds just like a letter from the book the boy wrote the girl… Almost word for word," she said. "Thanks…" I said, taking the letter back. "And this one?" asked Harry, holding out his. "Yes, this one is like another one from the book, too," she said and handed it back to Harry after reading it. "Okay, thanks," I said, trying politely to get rid of her, since she did help us. "Sure," she said before walking off.

"He's copying letters out of this book and giving it to Hermione? No wonder, what kind of guy actually writes this stuff to a girl he barely knew…" I muttered, looking grim. "How do we tell Hermione?" asked Harry, biting his bottom lip. "We don't tell her," I said. "We can't really tell her without her knowing we dug into her private life," said Harry.

I thought for a few minutes. "Hey… didn't Dumbledore say something about a new bookshop opening in Hogsmeade? What if we bought Hermione something from there as a present?" I thought out loud. "Yeah, but you are buying it for her," said Harry smugly. "Why me?" I asked. "Well, it would just be a good idea…" he muttered. "Fine," I said. "Then next Hogsmeade trip, we buy her A Deep Far Away Love… What a stupid name for a book," said Harry. "Yeah, really. The person who wrote it is mental…"

Sorry it took so long to get out... I got Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. I couldn't put it down, and well, that kind of meant I didn't have as much computer time. Oh, well. R&R!