After drifting into a restless night's sleep, Hermione woke to the sound of movement in the room. The other girls were already up and about, busying themselves with the usual morning activities: washing, dressing, brushing hair, applying make-up…applying another layer of make-up…re-arranging hair again, and again until they have to settle with near-perfection. Hermione had never been too concerned with her appearance, at least, she didn't want people to think she was but since her feelings towards Harry has escalated she was beginning to wonder if it might help to turn his attention towards her.
Waiting until the others had left the room, Hermione scrambled out of bed and into the bathroom. She surveyed the shelves of cosmetics, hoping the girls wouldn't notice if she tried a few. Hermione knew enough to know what the various tins and brushes were for, so she applied a light layer of foundation making sure to rub in properly to avoid an obvious line, and then a hint of blusher and a flick of the mascara brush on her lashes. She stood bad to assess her work; not bad, she thought, not too much but enough to notice. She just hoped Harry would notice.
On entering the great hall for breakfast, Hermione clasped her hands together to stop them shaking. Harry was sat with Ron and Seamus and as she approached, the conversation halted as Seamus shuffled down to make room for her between himself and Harry.
"Morning Hermione, waffles?" Seamus asked, holding out the plate.
"Oh, no thanks," Hermione frowned, "just toast for me today," she added, giving him a quick smile.
"You look nice today, have you done something different with you hair?" Seamus continued.
"Um, no not really."
Hermione had her back to Harry at this point and she wished she could see his expression. But if she looked round now it would be obvious she was waiting for his comment on her appearance.
"Well whatever it is, I think you look just grand," Seamus concluded, "and I'm sure I'll be seeing you later, perhaps in less…crowded company."
"Did he just win at you," Ron demanded once Seamus was out of earshot. "He did! I'm sure of it," Ron continued without waiting for an answer. "Seamus fancies Hermione!" he crowed, getting to his feet.
"Ron!" Hermione hissed yanking at his arm to make him sit down. "Shut up! He does NOT fancy me."
"He might do," Harry put in from the side.
Now he'd spoken Hermione felt safe in turning round to look at him. She noticed the way his hair flicked up at the front, and the gel he'd put in t control it. She noticed the fleck of dust on the lens of his glasses, her fingers itching to brush it away. She absorbed all of his appearance, storing it in her mind to dwell on at a later date when she was on her own, and could devote her thoughts solely to Harry.
"What makes you say that?" she replied eventually.
"You know, just stuff he says," Harry shrugged.
"Like what?"
Hermione didn't mean to sound so eager, but with the attention on someone but herself, whilst still being about her, was an opportunity to treasure.
"Just stuff," Harry replied, frowning even more. "Ron listens more than I do."
"Hey don't turn it on me, I'm just here for the laughs. I can just picture it now – the golden couple of Hogwarts," Ron carried on, gesturing headlines in mid air, "Hogwarts' star pupil falls for Irish charms."
"Maybe Ron has a point," Harry said, replacing his frown for an expression Hermione couldn't read. "I think you suit each other."
"You do?" Hermione asked, her hopes of anything with Harry plummeting straight to the ground.
"Yeah why not?"
"Maybe we should set up a secret meeting for the two of you to get all cosy," Ron said in hushed tones. "We could be, like, you're agents of something."
"Yeah look, I have to go," Hermione answered, leaving her breakfast untouched.
"But we need to plan your secret rendezvous," Ron called after her in a very bad French accent. "Well that was juts rude, we're only trying to help," Ron said, sitting back down.
"Maybe she doesn't want our help," Harry suggested.
Hermione ran all the way all the way down to the dungeons for their potions lessons, not stopping to speak to anyone. Only when she was sure no one was around, did she let the tears come. Clutching her books to her chest she squeezed herself into a corner as tears trickled down her cheeks. There's no hope now, she thought in despair, there's no way he likes me after what he said about Seamus. She wasn't sure how she stood in the corner crying, but on hearing voices approaching, she hastily wiped her cheeks and under her eyes, before entering the classroom to wait for the others to arrive.
"So do you think it'll work?" Harry asked later in the lesson, once they were full swing into it.
"I hoping so," Hermione replied, her concentration entirely on adding the exact measure of grounded jellybeans, in the correct order. She recited the colours of the rainbow in her head to make sure she was doing it right.
"What can I do?" Harry asked.
"You can test in when I'm finished."
"Oh, right. But we don't know the effect do we?"
"Are you doubting my potions abilities?" Hermione replied, feigning seriousness. She surprised herself at managing a joke with Harry.
"Of course, I was simply meant that we should both try it, to make sure it has the same effect on more than one person.
"Mmm, maybe you're right," Hermione considered, adding the final coloured powdered to the mixture. A jet of multi-coloured steam shot up from the cauldron, spraying Harry and Hermione with mini jellybeans "Well that should cheer anybody up," Hermione said, laughing as Harry picked the beans from his hair.
"It's nice to hear you laughing," Harry said quietly. "It makes your eyes shine and your face light up," he added in an even smaller voice. But Hermione had already turned back to concentrating on the potion to hear this last remark.