Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.

WHITE LILIES

CHAPTER TWO: THE MORNING QUARREL

After changing my pajamas with a white cotton blouse and tight jeans, I followed Harry down at the common room. He was sitting at the sofa, waiting for me. When I caught his eye, he beamed.

"You know, Hermione, you should have showed me tha – "

"Harry, for the last time, no!" I exclaimed, slapping him at his arm.

"Well, whatever."

Together, we went down at the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Morning," we greeted Neville, Seamus, Dean, Ginny and Ron. I took the seat beside Ginny and Harry sat beside me. Ron was sitting in front of me and he was glaring at me like always did every morning. He started doing that when he discovered that I've been receiving lilies. I acted as if I didn't notice him.

"Hermione," he called me.

"Hmm?" I turned to him innocently.

"Did you –"

"Received lilies today?" I continued his sentence for him. He always asks that, too. "The answer is yes, Ron."

"Aha!" he barked. "I knew it."

"Now, Ron," I said hotly, "if you already knew the answer, why do you keep on asking?"

He practically ignored my question. "Who's doing this?" he asked. "Who's giving them to you?"

"I don't have a littlest idea."

"But do you really want to know?"

"Of course, I do!" I snapped. "But I don't have time to investigate right now. There are a lot more important things than that. It's NEWTs year and – "

"The truth is that you love it!"

"What?"

"You love receiving flowers from that stranger! Don't deny it, Hermione. I know you do."

"Ron! Will you stop pestering her!" Ginny interrupted but it was no use. He ignored her.

"Accepting flowers from someone you don't know –"

"You talk about it like it's something wrong," I said, my voice rising.

"Well, there is!" Ron exclaimed.

"There's nothing wrong about receiving flowers, Ronald!" I snapped.

"Ha! See! Who knows, maybe the next thing you'll tell me is that you're in love with him!"

I felt my face burn. I opened my mouth and closed them again. What should I say? Should I lie and tell them that I don't? I suddenly became aware of Harry sitting so close to me. I know he's listening, waiting for my reply.

"Are you?" Harry muttered silently so that I was the only one who heard it.

"So what if I am?" I answered both of them.

Ron's jaw dropped and I heard Ginny gasped. I don't want to look at Harry. What if he was disappointed with me?

"WHAT!" Ron yelled. "How could you possibly love a guy you don't know even by his name?"

That was a valid question. How?

"Well," I mumbled, biting my lip. "I can't explain it but...I think I know him. Like he reminds me of someone I've known for years but I don't who."

Ron snorted. "Really? You know what? You could be so dumb sometimes!"

"Ron!" Ginny cried. I was taken aback by what Ron had said.

"Haven't you known me long enough?" he continued, gritting his teeth. "Hermione, six years of friendship! Why can't you learn to love me?"

"But I love you, Ron!"

"You know what I'm talking about!"

"Ron," I said patiently. "I thought we've already talked about this? I told you, you're just my friend and you will always be my friend! Nothing more, nothing less!"

"If I can't be someone that's special to you, I'd rather not be anything!" he said furiously and he stalked off.

"Ron, wait!"

But he didn't stop to even look back. He stomped off, leaving us all there, dumbfounded.

Ron, he surprised all of us when he courted me just recently. I know that he likes me but I thought it was only a little crush. I dated him, giving our relationship a try, for about a week, leaving Harry alone all by himself. But we didn't work out so I talked to him, telling him that we're better if we're just friends. He was hurt, I know, but he agreed and pretended that he felt the same way as I do, that we're not for each other, that we belong to someone else. Everything went back to normal, or what I thought was normal. I moved on, living the life I usually live, studying till midnight, burying myself in books, spending time with Harry, and loving the person I shouldn't be more each day. But Ron changed. He spends more time alone and his grades are getting worse. He's playing bad at Quidditch and they almost lost a game because of him. Thanks to Harry, they still won. Ron still loves me and he's not over me. But I know that he soon will.

"Hermione?"

I felt a firm hand on my shoulder. I turned to look and it was Harry's. He looked worried about me.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah – I think so," I answered, not quite sure myself.

"He's just confused," Harry stated, removing his hand on my shoulder to cover my hand with it. "Let him clear his mind, okay?"

I nodded. He gave me a hearty smile that made me feel better.

"Let continue our breakfast, shall we?" And so we did.