first thing first: i APOLOGIZE for not updating in the past few days, and;

Oro4: thanks for reading "gleaming." i very much appreciate that you liked it, and i hope you very much like this story as well. THANKS!

theshadow369: Thanks a lot! I love it when people say they couldn't stop reading it, if they're honest, because i know that feeling pretty well! i LOVE reading!...i'm such a hermione, perhaps that's why i love her so much...THANKS A BUNCH! for reading my other story, too!

jameth: thanks for liking my story! here's my next chapter! Did you get my email? answer back ok!

boredaurorchick: I've kept you waiting for ever, huh? sorry, but you're one of the best reviewers, I STILL love you!

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Chapter 2: Why? What? Plan?

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He watched the candle flicker out in the evening glow...What am I supposed to do?...This question haunts him all the time...When will this torture be over?...He never meant for this to happen...It isn't love...he told himself over and over, he tried to at least...It's late, probably over midnight...He's not in love...

Harry sat on his comfortable armchair. Thinking of what to do. He didn't want to dwell on hurtful thoughts about the person he loved, instead his mind somehow drove him to think of Cho. Earlier she had given him one of her mysterious smiles. Actually they were more devious looking, than mysterious. He didn't get it. They hadn't ended on good terms. Why was she all keen to smile to him every chance she got. He felt, every time he saw her like that, that it looked like she was planning something.

This night seemed to carry on forever. The common room was completely empty. Ron was the last to leave, except for himself. Hermione decided to go to bed early.

He wished he hadn't squeezed the bowtruckle. It hurt her. Harry thought of Hermione, and again he told himself he wasn't in love. Perhaps infatuated...but no that wasn't it, it seemed so shallow. He wished he didn't have these feelings. He felt the world wanted more from him. More than he could give...or stand. Hermione deserved better than someone who would in the end murder or be murdered, perhaps Ron would suffice...No he couldn't stand the touch of an other man on her silky skin, even if it was Ron. He would kill for her...anything and anyone...

"Listen you want that bookworm," she said, her voice sounded disgusted at the last word. He sneered at her, his arms folded casually as he listened to what she was saying. "And I want Harry back. We're in the same shoes. Why don't we get together and do something about it. I'll put the plan to work, come on you want her, I don't know why or who would take her, especially you, but either way we need to solve this now." He was about to open his mouth, but she pressed on, "don't deny that you don't like her. How can you like her? She's as ugly as a troll. I'm surprised she hasn't dropped dead from just looking in the mirror."

He had to object to that statement. "Shut up Chang. You know that Potter likes her, and it makes you burn with jealousy." He said casually leaning on the wall, his arms still folded. She looked like she had been slapped but recovered quickly.

"Well I can tell you burst with jealousy too, the way you look at Harry or Ron when they walk in with her at breakfast. You grow even more pale, but inside you're burning with rage. Harry loves her, I know that, and they'll most likely start dating very soon, unless we do something about it."

It took those few words to convince him to conspire with Cho against Harry and Hermione. Draco remembered how it felt to look at Hermione in the company of Potter and Weasley. Cho was right, in this case, he did feel a horrible burst of jealousy every time he saw her with them. Hermione just had to be his. No matter the cost.

Cho quickly spoke her plan out loud and Draco agreed with her...

Harry, still in his armchair was also conspiring with himself. He needed to forget about Hermione. He gazed at the burning fire, hoping, wishing that Sirius would come out and talk to him. Tell him that loving Hermione, his best friend was wrong. But that could never happen again...

This was completely impossible. He just couldn't forget his love for her. It would eat him from the inside if he didn't do something about it. He could either slowly kill himself internally by not telling her how he felt. OR. He could just tell her. That he loved her. This was impossible. At least he was starting to think so. His emotions are stirred. What was he supposed to do. He didn't like the idea of being alone. He didn't like the idea of finding someone new. This was impossible. He couldn't just go up to her and say 'hey I like you.' He would burn with embarrassment. Not to mention it would probably destroy their friendship, or make it extremely awkward.

He remembered last year. He thought of when Grawp almost smashed Hermione, and he, Harry had saved her, both times; when they met Grawp and when the centaurs came. He didn't even think of his actions, he just had to save her. Then he remembered that she was the only one who stood up to Umbridge, when the hag was going to do the Cruciatus on him. The office was full of his friends and yet it was only his beloved Hermione who stood up for him. He loved his friends no matter what, but Hermione's obvious loyalty for him only made him love her more. And when they were in the Department of Mysteries, when the Death Eaters showed up and they smashed the shelves, he forgot of everyone else, including the fact that Ginny was right behind him. He forgot of everyone else, and just instinctively pulled Hermione forward from her robes with him, so she wouldn't get hurt.

He's not alone. Seeing who came down the stairs, he started to wish he was. It was the one person that caused his great heartache.

"Why are you still down here?" Harry could not help it, his head snapped to her sight. She was there, standing there, her curls cascading down the sides of her face. Her petite frame in dark red pj bottoms and a long sleeve white t-shirt.

"Er...I just...I wasn't tired." He said, and hastily turned to look back at the fire. She made to sit on the couch next to his armchair.

"Are you alright? You do look tired. You should go to bed." She said narrowing her eyes with concern.

"I'm fine. Just couldn't sleep." He found that he didn't know what to say. Her presence made it hard for him, since he remembered everything he was thinking before she came down.

She nodded at him, and gazed at the fire. Harry watched her for a few seconds before talking. "Why are you down here?"

"I wasn't tired either."

He felt reckless, by seeing her sitting there, hearing her voice. He had to do something. He got up and sat by her on the couch. Hermione looked up at him questioningly.

"Er...Hermione...I want to tell you something." He knew at once that this would be the hardest thing to do. He had no clue how to say it, where to begin. He hadn't a clue...I can't do this... he thought to himself, but I have to, I have to. "Er Hermione, I don't know how you feel about me, but if I don't tell you how I feel, I think it's going to destroy me. Though this may wreck our friendship. I need..." He swallowed a lump beating against his Adam's Apple, " to tell you that...I think I...love you." He finished by blushing and looking down at her twirling fingers.

Hermione had no idea how to react to his comment. The silence was deafening, and Harry couldn't take it, it was killing him. She was looking at him unsure of what to do or say.

"Er...Harry, I didn't know...I mean I, Harry?" She said looking at him weakly.

"Hermione, if you don't fancy me. It's fine. I don't hold it against you or anything." His voice showed obvious disappointment at Hermione's answer.

"No, I mean. I had no idea that you felt like that. At all. Harry I like you too, but–."

Harry's spirits soared a great deal when she uttered her last sentence, before he cut in. "Hermione, please give me a chance, I promise that I'll be the best boyfriend–."

"No, Harry let me finish...I like you, but...well I'm still with Viktor, remember."

DUH! Hello, Potter, HOW could you forget!...Harry's spirits deflated instantly, replaced by chilly insides. And apparently Hermione took notice.

"But I like you. And I'm willing to give it a chance. I'll write to Viktor first thing tomorrow, ok?" Hermione's words were soothing and comforting to him. He merely nodded. Hermione liked him, but that was it, she just liked him, he had just said he loved her, Hermione didn't love him, but perhaps she could learn to do so. "We should go to bed," she said, and left.

Harry pondered everything she had said, it didn't go too bad. Sure he almost died from embarrassment, but it could of been worse, she could of said she didn't like me at all. But she likes me...

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don't let these first few chapters decieve you, there are plenty of twists...

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