Chapter Three

It seems to me a crime that we should age
These fragile times should never slip us by
A time you never can or shall erase
As friends together watch their childhood fly

Hermione woke up the next morning

-Elton John, Friends

"Hermione!" Parvati yelled, "Hermione, Good Morning!" Parvati was sitting on the edge of her bed, already dressed. She seemed to be writing a latter, with a fluffy pink quill, and she was wearing a large, shimmering butterfly clip in her hair.

"Good Morning, Parvati." Hermione said, as she forced herself out of bed, grabbing a brush to run through her hair quickly, after she had changed. "Going to breakfast?"

"Yeah." Parvati said unsurely, "Actually, Hermione, I wanted to know something. Has…well… Has Harry ever mentioned me in a conversation? I mean…has he ever…noticed me?" She said taking a deep breath.

"Noticed you?" Hermione questioned, "You mean.. Parvati….you…you fancy Harry?"

Parvati looked down at the floor. She had never been shy to admitting crushes before—like when she had the biggest crush on Seamus Finnigan. Or the one on Dean Thomas. But, no, this was different. Maybe those weren't really "crushes" after all. Parvati sighed pointing to her letter, "I'm.. I'm trying to tell him, Hermione. He has no clue."

Hermione gave her a comforting smile, "Parvati," She said, "Harry hasn't really mentioned anything to me about girls in a while. I suggest you go on with that letter. You know, I'd tell him for you, but I think it'd be better if….you tell him yourself."

Parvati nodded, "Thanks, for your help, Hermione. Oh, and, also…You know Blaise considered that a date, right? I kind of overheard him talking with Malfoy yesterday and---"

"Parvati," Hermione said, "I told you, it wasn't a date. Anyway , I think I'm going to breakfast, okay? I wish you luck on that letter. If you need help, you can ask me. Not that I've written a love letter before….." she mumbled quickly, "not that I've sent anyone a love letter." She corrected herself, knowing she had written love letters, but she hadn't sent any of them.

"Thanks , I'll think I'll be okay with this. See you later, Hermione." Parvati said, before Hermione had left the room.

'Dear Harry,' Parvati begin, a smile of her nerves and excitement combined appeared on her face.

Hermione was glad she had a girl to talk to, to talk to about girly things—like boys and love. Hermione had always thought she'd be able to discuss those things with Ginny, but Ginny was off hanging with friends in her own year, along with boys in her own year also. And with Hermione, they hadn't talked in a while. So, now she was able to talk about these things to Parvati. Even though she had refused to admit her outing with Blaise was a date. Oh, of course it wasn't according to her.

"How was your little date with that mudblood girl last night?" Draco asked, at breakfast. Pansy was leaning on Draco's shoulder, a smirk on her face.

"My date with Hermione was very nice." Blaise said coldly, reaching to put toast on his plate, and then pouring himself a glass of orange juice.

"I was just asking, come on." Draco said rolling his eyes, "But you actually think she's pretty? She isn't nearly as pretty as Miss Parkinson over here." Draco said, his eyes turning to Pansy, who slightly blushed, and girlishly giggled.

"Hermione's pretty." Blaise said quickly. "Please, Draco, I'm in the mood to answer questions right now."

"A bit touchy on that subject, eh?" Draco joked, but he knew he wouldn't want to ruin his friendship with Blaise over this, so he moved on to talking about the new Professors at Hogwarts.

"I think someone might be getting a letter later." Hermione reported at Breakfast, giving Harry a look, "I'm just trying to prepare you." She said, "Really."

Harry looked over to Ron and shrugged, "I dunno what you're talking about, Hermione." He said, "Anyway, how was your da-- …..how was Blaise?

"Blaise?" Hermione questioned, "He's really rather a gentleman for a Slytherin. I mean, he was pretty nice. We talked about school, teachers, and things like that…"

"A gentleman?" Ron laughed, "Real funny, Hermione. He can't be a gentleman, he's a Slyth---"

"Hm, well I am flattered you find me a gentleman, Miss Granger. But, Ron, I don't understand. Isn't a Slytherin allowed to be a gentleman?" Blaise spoke up, causing Ron to turn around, his mouth wide open.

Hermione smiled, "Oh, hello, Blaise." She said cheerfully. "What are you doing here?"

"I just came to say hello, really." Blaise said grinning. A few of the Gryffindor girls looked over at Hermione with jealous looks on their faces, jealous looks for having a handsome Slytherin, that many girls obsess over, coming to the table to see her.

"Oh, well, then, Hello again." Hermione said giggling slightly. Ron turned to Harry, rolling his eyes, as Hermione turned back, glancing at him warningly.

"Okay, well, I'm glad I came around to see you. And I'll be seeing you soon I suppose?" He asked. Hermione just nodded.

"Alright, Goodbye until then, Head Girl." He said smiling, as he walked away.

"And what was that about?" Parvati asked , who had just slipped into the seat across from her, "Not a date, Hermione?" She said smiling.

"Oh, honestly, Parvati.." She said, as Parvati had pulled out a letter from her pocket. She clutched the letter tightly, as she nervously dropped it on the table. "Harry…" she said, "This letter is for you."

Harry looked up from his plate, "Oh," he said surprised, "Erm, thanks Parvati." He said, really unsure what to say, really.

"Your welcome. " Parvati mumbled quickly, "Anyway, I'm not very hungry, I think I'll go over and talk to Padma." She said, "See you all later."

"Hermione, are you a seer?" Ron joked as soon as Parvati left, "Sorry you left Divintation could have really used that seer talent…"

"Ron!" Hermione said, "Parvati told me about the letter, I'm not a seer. I would hate to be in that awful Divination class." She crossed her arms.

Harry was into reading the letter.

'Dear Harry,

I know, you are probably reading this thinking, 'Parvati is just plain crazy, isn't she?', but I really had to tell how I felt; I couldn't take holding in these feelings anymore. And the fact is, Harry, I really, really like you. I know I truly do like you. I was afraid to admit having a crush on you, because, well, I think this is a true crush, and, I don't know why I'm even writing this, but I feel like I had to tell you. I really couldn't go on anymore if I kept this feelings bottled up inside of me, for only Lavender, or my diary to hear. Anyway, I wish that you would tell me how you felt about this letter, and what you felt receiving the letter. Please, just respond back.

Love,

Parvati Patil

"Harry, I knew all along she was going to send you a love letter." Hermione burst out, This really didn't change the look of confusion and complete shock on Harry's face. "Harry?" Hermione asked, "Answer me so I know you're still here and listening."

"Um, I'm here." Harry said quickly, "And I realized how completely clueless I have been."

"Well, welcome to your second class of Defense Against the Dark Arts!" Keigwin said a smile on his face. He walked by Hermione's desk, his hand sliding across the desk. He narrowed his eyes at Hermione. "Well, you know, I think since you are one of my best students so far, and Head Girl," Hermione beamed, trying to stop herself from exploding with smiling. "I think you should teach the lesson today. You know, I think this will be a good approach to have one of your students teaching you…"

"But, Professor Keigwin, You are like a student yourself." Hermione responded, "but, really, I'd be honored to give this class one lesson." She said clutching her book in her hands.

After the class, Blaise and Hermione had started to talk. "That was a really good lesson, Hermione." Blaise smiled.

"Oh, thank you!" Hermione said proudly, "Maybe next time he'll ask you to teach a lesson. He asked me, and I'm head girl, he'll probably ask head boy…"

"I don't think so." Blaise said narrowing his eyes. The real reason, he kind of noted the strange looks Keigwin was giving Hermione. It wasn't only Blaise that noticed them, other students did too. Hermione hadn't thought a thing of it, or she just really hadn't realized Keigwin was giving her looks of….well; he had no idea what Keigwin was thinking.

1

Hermione shrugged, "I think you could teach a good lesson." Hermione stated. She gazed over at Professor Keigwin, sitting there at his desk, writing rapidly with a quill. He looked up, and gave Hermione a kind-looking smile, which she quickly returned.

"What is with you and that guy?" Ron said, later on that night in the common room, as he moved his knight chess piece across the board. He was playing wizard's chess with Harry.

Hermione looked up from her Potions book. "What?" She asked, "You mean Blaise Zabini?" She questioned. "Honestly, Ron, we were getting to know each other and----"

"No, no." Ron said, "Not Zabini, I mean Keigwin. You know the looks he's always giving you? And always asking you to teach lessons and smiling at you?"

"What?" Hermione said alarmed, "Ron, stop, Keigwin's a teacher." She said, then remembering Parvati had seemed sort of hidden lately.

"Harry, you didn't happen to respond to Parvati's letter, did you? Because, you really can't keep her waiting like that." Hermione stated.

"Hermione, I didn't write her back yet!" Harry said putting his hand on his forehead, "I dunno what to do right now."

"Well, I suppose I can understand that." Hermione said crossing her arms, tapping her foot, "Anyway, I suppose I'm going to go call it a night. See you in the morning."

I'll walk you in the morning sunshine
Sunshine daydream
Walk you in the sunshine

-Grateful Dead, Sunshine Daydream