DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING…

AN: Thanks for the great reviews… this is my first story and I didn't know it felt this great to get such great review… it drives me to write better and faster… Also to clear more things up Harry is head boy and Draco is still a prefect. And Harry and Hermione share a common room and such.

CHAPTER 3: Confessions

"Hermione I was just coming to get you." Harry said with a start when he spotted Hermione as he was coming out of the Head Common Room.

"Harry what are you talking about, it's not like I'm coming all the way from London. It's just the infirmary I mean you end up there every year you must know where it is" Hermione said in a teasing tone. Harry's face turned a bit pink at that statement realizing how stupid he had sounded. "Harry what's wrong? You seem… flustered. Is there something wrong?" Hermione asked in concern which made Harry remember that he was supposed to distract her for another ten minutes.

"I uh… well Hermione… I… uh… I need to talk to you about something important." He said nodding his head.

"Yea sure, why don't we go into our common room and speak."

"I… er that is to say um… no I… I … rather go somewhere else." Managed Harry in a rush. He was kicking himself for being so obvious.

"Harry what's wrong with the common room?"

"I… um… n..n..nothing, why would there be anything wrong with the common room?" stuttered Harry.

"Harry James Potter what are you trying to hide from me? Is that what you want to talk about? Is there a girl or something in your room that you don't want me to see or something?" Hermione teased again.

"I… you… WHAT? A girl in my room? Where do you come up with these ideas?" Harry needed to think fast. He needed a good excuse. "Nothing is wrong with the room and no I'm not hiding anything… I just thought maybe you wanted to get a breather because you were stuck in the infirmary for the past three days…"

"Harry" Hermione said in an exasperated tone "I went out with you guys just yesterday. Remember you, Ron, and Ginny came and took me out. You're hiding something and I'm very curious as to what it is." With that Hermione walked past Harry and said the password to the Portrait. Behind her Harry was shaking his head no and waving his arms to indicate not to let her in. The portrait was just about to let her in when she saw Harry waving and understood that they were planning something special for her inside so she played along.

"I haven't seen you in a while Miss Granger. Was something the problem?" Hermione abruptly turned her head to Harry to see he had a guilty look and not looking directly at her. It reminded her of those comedies where the main character wanted to find out something and was asking questions when the supporting actor or actress waves their arms behind them indicating the person being questioned not to talk. Then the main character turns around to see the supporting actor (in this case) stop mid wave and pretend he was yawning. Her curiosity peaked at that moment and she wouldn't stop until she got into the room.

"Lady Penelope it's has been a while. Yes I was in the infirmary but now I'm all better but I feel I need to rest so if you would please…" by the way that the portrait kept looking between her and Harry her suspicions were confirmed. "Lady Penelope please…I need to get in" as if defeated the portrait opened to the common room. Hermione was surprised to see… absolutely nothing. The lights were off and there was no fire or anything. She didn't understand. She was so sure something was supposed to have happened. She turned to Harry who had a big grin on his face. "Harry why are you grinning?"

"SURPRISE!" a chorus of students yelled.

"Oh dear Merlin… I can't believe." In an instant the room had transformed into a great big welcoming party. She couldn't believe it. Up on the ceiling held a banner that read WELCOME BACK! She just couldn't believe it. She was only gone for three days. She turned around to see Harry, Ron and Ginny all approaching her with a huge cake. It said congratulations on it in a shaky script. "I can't believe it you guys did this all for me?"

"Of course" said Ginny. "Although it was all Harry's idea, but it was my idea to not use the house elves and we made the cake ourselves. It was interesting." Ginny chimed in.

"Oh you guys are so sweet…" tears began to build up for the millionth time that week and she swallowed hard at the knob that had builded in her throat. This time the tears were of joy and not of depression. She felt like herself again for the first time in months. She walked over to Ginny and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She did the same to Ron, but when she got to Harry she gave him the biggest hug she could muster. "Harry you save my life and then you get all this ready. Thank you Harry." She then gave him a kiss on the cheek that made him blush.

"It was nothing really…" Harry said guiltily. He hated how he had to lie to her about this. Still in the embrace, he didn't want to let go of her. He loved the feeling of her in his arms, but reluctantly he still needed to let go of her.

As the night passed on the party became quieter. It had only been a few people that had come, mostly people who had been in the DA. As they all filed out Hermione thanked each one for coming. When everyone that finally left she plopped herself on the couch in the middle of the room and closed her eyes momentarily. Harry walked over lifted her feet and sat down then gently placed her feet on his lap.

"How are you doing? You're not too tired I hope." Harry said with a mischievous grin.

"Why? What are you planning Harry? You've already done so much."

"Come on. Lets go I need to show you something." Hermione nodded and Harry led her out of the common room. When they got outside he took out a piece of cloth from his pocket. "Hermione, I'm going to put this on you. You trust me right? Well come on then this is the last surprise of the night." Hermione just nodded again and closed her eyes as Harry tied the blindfold behind her. "Okay all set and ready to go."

"Harry where are you…"

"shhhh… we're out after hours and after what happened to you Filch has been strict about the rules. They make sure NO ONE is out now." Hermione stayed silent the rest of the way to the destination.

"Okay Hermione we're here now, but don't take the blindfolds off yet." Harry left her side and Hermione could hear rustling of cloth. "Almost… and there… now you can take it off."

To Hermione's amazement he had brought her to what had been the empty classroom she sometimes ventured off to if she wanted to study alone. But it was the old dusty room it had been just four days earlier. It was remodeled and everything to look like her Head dorm except instead of a bed there was a huge couch to sit on. "Harry I can't believe. You did this?"

"Well with the help of Dobby and Kreacher. Although Kreacher kept mumbling under his breath about filthy somethings, but in the end he had no choice but to help."

"Harry this is magnificent. I can't even describe all the emotions playing with in me. You're like the best brother a girl could ever have." Hermione said excitedly as she surveyed the room. Too busy with looking around she didn't see Harry's demeanor turn a bit into that of disappointment. He had every intention of telling her. This was supposed to have been the moment when he told her but… a brother… a brother… damn it he didn't want to be her brother. His hopes and dreams of Hermione and him starting a relationship to last forever went down the drain. But he couldn't… she didn't even know. It wasn't her fault. He couldn't blame her.

"Harry" Hermione said as she turned to look at him. He plastered on a smile and turned her way. "I need to tell you something about that night, something that I felt. I thought you would like to know because it has to do with you. That night while in the water as I saw a figure approach me, I thought… well to be blunt I thought it was an angel, actually my father's angel to be exact. I thought he had come to take me away from this misery. Don't get me wrong, I love you guys and everything, but… sometimes I just miss them so much. And then I let go. For a minute I lost all consciousness because I wanted to follow him. Then the next thing I knew I saw him… I mean to say you. I saw you and I felt that everything would be okay you know…"

Harry didn't know what to say. He was in love with a girl who just poured out her soul to him because she thought he had saved her life. "Look Hermione, I need to tell you something about that night." Hermione looked at him questioningly. "The truth is that I…" He was about to tell her… about to tell her that it wasn't him and that who ever had saved her was the one she felt these feelings for. But he couldn't, 'don't do it.' His mind kept telling him, 'don't…' "I had actually followed you. In my dad's cloak. I was worried. McGonagall said that I was coming back from lessons because I asked her not to tell you… just in case you would get angry…" He couldn't believe it. He was flat out lying to her. Looking straight into her eyes, and yet the lie came out easily. He felt this was his one chance to get her. He felt the green monster stir in him what he had never felt before. He hated the other person that was able to create such a feeling from within her and yet he had been here for seven years by her side.

"Oh Harry… I wouldn't get mad at you for that. It makes me feel more… special… to know that I have someone like you to look after me." She leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Well now that you've shown me the great surprise I'm going to head off to bed. I need a lot of rest for what awaits me tomorrow. Oh yea and Harry, umm… have you seen my locket? I've lost it and it's been missing since the incident. I had it in my hand just before I fell into the water. Did you see it by any chance?"

"No, but I'll help you look for it by the lake tomorrow… if you are willing to go by the lake."

"Oh okay, thanks again Harry. You're the best."