" Bugger! " he cursed.
Ron looked up from his homework. " What's bothering you, Harry? "
Harry shook his head. " Nothing, " he mumbled.
Ron frowned. " Must be the flu, it's getting to you- "
" No, Ron, " came his short reply.
" Where have you been? When you left me at the wing? "
" Somewhere. "
Ron shrugged and continued to write his essay in the common room. It was fairly quiet. He had been released a few hours earlier from the school hospital. He grinned when Seamus came in.
" Oy! " he called.
Seamus flopped beside Ron on the big couch. " How're you? "
" Spiffy, " Ron replied.
" Hey, Harry! " Seamus greeted brightly.
Harry looked up from his book and gave a strained smile.
" He's constipated, " Ron told Seamus.
Harry's brow was raised. " Constipated? "
They were laughing. Harry smiled, and it turned into a grin. " Shut up, you two! "
" Now you're smiling! " Ron said. " In for a snack? "
Harry shrugged. " Whatever. "
Ron patted Harry's back. " If this is about a girl mate, I empathize. "
It was more than just a girl. This was Hermione Ron was talking about, their best friend. Ron would go ballistic, he knew it. So he kept quiet. They were on their way to the Great Hall, for a pre-dinner snack, as Ron had always liked.
Ron and Seamus chatted animatedly, as Harry kept silent behind them. He was staring at the floor as he walked. Lost in his thoughts. Hermione was just Hermione. Hermione was Hermione. She was everything to him now.
He recalled the moment he had realized Hermione was more than a friend.
They were walking one day, towards Hogsmeade. Ron had stayed behind to serve detention. It was a cold day. Hermione had a bright red scarf wrapped around her, as he hands stayed in her pockets. They were laughing about Malfoy, reminiscing the good old days when the then fake Mad Eye Moody had turned him into a ferret as corporal punishment.
" If he had stayed as a ferret, I wouldn't mind having him at the foot of my bed, " Harry said.
" If he had stayed as a ferret, I would've kissed him! " she exclaimed.
" Ugh. Gross. That is just to much-! "
They laughed again.
Hermione sneezed.
" Bless you- " Harry said turning to Hermione.
She grinned.
" Oy, you have something below your eye- " his finger reached out for it. He brushed away the little speck of dirt, and as he did, he stared into her eyes.
He felt his heart stop. A million things ran in his mind in a second's worth of that moment.
" Harry? " her voice swam in his head.
" Wha-? "
" Is it off now? " she asked.
He blinked and nodded. " Yes. "
" Oh good, for a moment there, I thought your brain had wandered off somewhere- "
He laughed. But at the back of his mind, someone else was laughing too.
And yet… something was wrong, aside from falling for her. It was all wrong.
He suddenly felt angry at Hermione. He had no reason to of course; she didn't know what he felt for her. But he suddenly wanted to hate her, hurt her, and make her cry. Do things he'd never done to her.
He sighed. He was doing it already; he was in love with his best friend. It was taboo.
Guys weren't supposed to fall for their female best friends. Harry wasn't supposed to fall in love with Hermione. He had done the impossible.
He wanted to take it away, make the feeling leave him. She was hurting him slowly, choking him slowly. There was no turning back for him.
" What am I thinking! It's not like I'm entering death-! " he muttered.
" Harry? " Ron was looking at him with a perplexed look on his face. " You're talking to yourself- did you know that? "
Harry blinked. Seamus was talking to Justin a few feet away from them.
He shook his head vigorously. " Sorry mate- quidditch plans- "
" Right- " Ron breathed. " Honestly, you've been fairly odd these past few days- well after the Yule ball- "
" What about it? " Harry's eyes flashed alarm.
" Nothing- " Ron said.
" Tell me- " he said.
" Well- nothing, really- "
" Ron, " he said testily.
" Fine. After that Yule ball, I noticed- you sulk once in awhile, you mutter to yourself, you frown, and I look at you and I know you're not telling me something I'm supposed to know- like you've seen something awful- like Hermione kissing Crabbe..or Goyle, or worse, Malfoy! " he laughed. " Ugh- "
" Ron. Don't make me sick- " Harry gave a smile. " I guess- nothing. I'm just being stupid. "
" Don't be- Hermione's not going to like that. " Ron laughed again.
" Right, " Harry replied as Seamus caught up with them.
Hermione's not going to like that…. right, Harry thought bitterly.
TBC? yep, i actually made Harry's POV. hope you liked that?
comments? suggestions? death threats?