Hermione wasn't really sure when it had happened, she had barely even recognised that it had happened until Ron has brought it up. To be fair to the red-head he'd only asked because he thought she'd been hiding something in order to protect his feelings (which he assured her more than once in the past months would not be hurt, he had matured since fourth year) not that he would tell her that. It had all started one evening when Hermione had been reading in common room while Ron played a game of magical solitaire near her and he had brought up plans for Christmas.

"Hermione," he'd suddenly asked breaking his concentration from the game and her's from her the passage she'd been reading from. "Do you think you and Harry could stay at Hogwarts for Christmas rather than go to your parents? Mom just wrote and asked me and Gin to stay here so they can go up to Romania to visit Charlie and I think it'd be cool to have one last Christmas at Hogwarts."

"I'm sorry, what?" Hermione had asked, both confused and caught off guard. As far as she was aware Harry was planning to stay at Hogwarts for his last Christmas there as a student and she was going to be going to visit her parents. Alone.

"Do you think—"

"Not that part, why would Harry go to my parent's house with me?"

"Was I know supposed to know?" Ron asked, he looked at her as if she had just dunked her face in a bowl of troll piss.

"Know what."

"That you're dating."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Don't play dumb, everyone knows even if you two try not to flaunt it."

"We're not trying to not flaunt anything." Hermione replied, rather flustered. "We're not dating."

"You're not dating who?" Another voice asked from behind her, she turned to find a breathless Harry Potter standing behind the couch she had claimed for herself. Harry jumped over the back and plopped down beside her, she naturally shifted to make space for him.

"You, apparently." Ron said, rolling his eyes and looking down at his cards.

"We're not dating." Harry said with a laugh. "Who told you that?"

Something in Hermione felt off as he said it, almost like she was disappointed though she didn't know what she was disappointed about.

"Ginny." Ron replied with a shrug.

"Where did she hear that from?" Hermione asked, adjusting herself so that she was leaning against the armrest of the couch with her legs across Harry's lap, it was far more comfortable than sitting normally and turning to look at Ron, this way she could look at him or her book without straining her neck.

"I didn't really question her." Ron said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Why would she make it up?"

"If we were dating, we would tell you. Don't you know that?" Harry asked, he had a funny look on his face, which Hermione couldn't help but interpret as disgust at the idea of them dating.

"I dunno," Ron shrugged. "I've thought you were in the past."

"When?" Hermione asked, trying to hold back a laugh. "When have we ever given that impression?"

"After the battle, after most of the funerals, during the summer, the past few months. I mean look at you two something changed." He gestured at them; Hermione could almost see what he was getting at but not really.

Harry and her had always sat together like this, with one of them taking up the others space. It wasn't all the strange for Harry's head to find its way to her lap while they read or Hermione to lean into his side, it was just what good friends did. Acted like the others pillow that was. Maybe they had been a little awkward about accidentally touching the other before the war, but it was a war, it did mature you and change you pretty quick. This was a perfectly normal thing for friends to do.

"Yeah, we've gotten over the idea that guys and girls can be friends without becoming anything more." Harry said with a laugh, before moving Hermione's legs off his lap and standing up. "C'mon Ron, we've got practise before supper and Ginny will have our heads if we're late."

"It's your fault for giving her authority." Ron said grinning as he got up and abandoned his game. Hermione watched the two eighteen-year-olds wander out of the common room laughing about something and could almost see the eleven-year-olds that she had met so many years before. She tried to return to her reading but feeling as if she was in a daze, she decided to abandon her reading and go retrieve her homework from her room. Plus, now that Harry wasn't there, she was noticing how cold the common room was away from the fire and felt that she needed a sweater desperately.

With hurried steps she made her way into her dorm and quickly tracked down what she needed from the mess that was her trunk at the moment. With a glance at her watch, she realized that she had wasted too much time reading and that if she wanted to get any work done before the boys came back and asked for help. She grabbed the softest sweater she could find and tugged it on, as she left the room, she saw herself in the mirror and nearly jumped when she saw what she was wearing. It wasn't the sweater she thought she had grabbed; in fact, it wasn't her sweater at all. It was a one of the one's Mrs. Weasley had knit with a H for Hermione and everything, except it didn't stand for Hermione it stood for Harry.

Where had this come from? Hermione asked herself, now that it was on there was no way it was coming off, the Gryffindor tower was significantly colder than usual something that she would need to bring up with Professor McGonagall at her next Head Girl meeting. With a start she realized that Harry had given it to her a few weeks prior in Hogsmeade.

It had been a warm weekend near the end of November, warm enough that the snow had melted away and she had decided to forgoe a sweater or cloak instead choosing a long sleeve top that felt as if it would be warm enough for the quick walk down to the village, and it had been until the sun had set.

She had spent the entirety of the day with Ron and Harry as the trio tried to hit all of their favorite spots before Christmas to track down gifts for their friends and family and it had taken far longer than they had anticipated. They had accidentally missed dinner, though they didn't really care and ended up eating in the Hog's Head with Abeforth was happy to see them, though he insisted on IDing them and grumbling the entire time they were there. When they had left the warm pub, they discovered that the mild weather was over and replaced by the winters they were used to complete with winds that cut through to the bone.

Hermione had tried her best to not complain but her shivering had caught the attention of her best friends fairly quickly and while they both tried to offer her their cloaks she had refused. She had made her bed, now she would lie in it. But Harry had none of that and insisted that she stopped being stubborn and just take his sweater. She had tried to protest but he had already taken it off and resecured his cloak, and she had been cold so he took it. It hadn't hurt that he insisted on putting a warming spell on the piece of clothing that didn't wear off until much later that evening when she was already in her dorm getting ready for bed.

Now seeing herself in it gave her a strange feeling in her stomach almost like butterflies.

"Stop it." Hermione told herself. "You're just acting weird because of what Ron said."

But was she?

That was the problem she was now facing as she lay on her bed, homework abandoned and stared at the ceiling. She didn't exactly know what love felt like as, but she did know that she loved both her best friends. She also knew that she had felt differently about Harry than she had Ron but she had assumed that was because she had liked Ron for such a long time only to kiss him and for them both to realize that she hadn't really liked him like that and if he was being honest, he didn't like her like that either.

That shouldn't affect how you feel about Harry.

But it did. If what she felt for Ron was platonic but it was different than what she felt for Harry than that meant…

No. Way.

She was going to kill Ron, if he hadn't asked such a stupid question, she wouldn't be thinking about this and she never would have realized and… and she would never have had to heard Harry laugh at the idea of dating her. And know she was stuck with it, with the realization that at some point in the past six months she had fallen for her other best friend, the one who had never liked her like that. The one she was comfortable around always, because he had never liked her like that. What was she going to do?

—

Harry's head was not in the game. Ron knew it, Ginny knew it, the entire team knew it.

"What was wrong with you today?" Ginny asked as the team hit the showers and they stayed behind to collect the last of the equipment scattered around the pitch.

"Nothing." Harry said dismissively, though there was one question weighing the back of his mind along with a pair brown eyes and that had been there for nearly a year. "Actually, Gin, I did have one question."

"Shoot." Ginny tossed him the last quaffle.

"Why did you think Hermione and I were dating?"

"Aren't you?" She asked, redoing her ponytail before picking up one of the two chests of equipment they had used that session.

"No."

"You're joking." Ginny replied, wide eyed. "Are you being serious right now? Or are you pulling my leg?"

"Why would I not be? Ron said—"

"No, I thought he told Luna—"

"I never—"

"We aren't dating."

"Does Hermione know that?"

"Of course, sh— why wouldn't she know that?"

"I just thought, with the way you two are, and the way you two look at each other, I could've sworn… well there goes 2 sickles."

"You were betting on it?"

"No…" Harry gave his assistant captain a look. "Well, kind of. Only a little."

"I just don't understand why you would think that."

"I'm not the only one, we all thought that's why you came back to school."

"I came back to finish my NEWTs and have a normal year. Ron came back."

"Ron wanted to finish Charms and Transfiguration so he could help George, you already had a place in the Auror training program."

"I don't want to be an Auror."

"I thought you did, didn't you?"

"At one point but me and Hermione had been…" Ginny grinned at him and locked the Quidditch shed up, pocketing the keys to return to Hooch later. Realizing what he said he started shaking his head furiously, obviously scared and flustered. "That doesn't mean anything!"

"How long?"

"How long what?" Harry asked, clearly flustered.

"How long have you liked her?"

"I don—"

"Don't lie." Ginny shot him a look that he had seen too many times before she jinxed someone into oblivion.

"I don't know, a couple months," he ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "A- a year…"

"Merlin's beard. You can defeat Voldemort but you can't tell Hermione Granger that you like her?" Ginny rolled her eyes at him and walked away, leaving him standing alone dumbfounded.

—

Harry's heart had skipped a beat when he had returned to the common room with Ron to find Hermione sitting at a back table with her books out in his sweater. It swallowed her a little bit and as he watched her pull her hair back again, he couldn't help but feel every single emotion he been pushing down the past year rise up.

"Mate, you're staring." Ron called, Harry glared at him and checked to see if Hermione had heard. She hadn't appeared to. Ron gave Harry a knowing smirk as he pushed past him to get up into their dorms.

She doesn't like me like that. He reminded himself as he quickly showered and changed out of his practise gear. She probably didn't even realize that's mine, not hers. Mrs. Weasley totally used the sane colors for us in the past. (She had in-fact not.)

With a racing heart he had waited for Ron before heading downstairs to finish the work he'd been putting off with Hermione's help. She was acting weird the entire time, refusing to make eye contact for long and if felt like purposefully filling half the table with her stuff so that Ron and Harry were forced to sit opposite of her.

Harry could feel the little hope that Ginny had unintentionally (it was intentional) built up in his heart that maybe she liked him start to die. It felt like they were back in Sixth year when she'd barely been able to go a few sentences without snapping at one of them. Before too long she slammed her head into the table making both the boys jump. Harry reached out to tap her shoulder and check on her when she stood up suddenly.

"I'm need to clear my head." She said, blushing, why Harry didn't know. "I think I'll just run to the kitchens would either of you like anything?" She was gone before either of them could say a word.

Harry looked at Ron to ask what was going on but before he could, Ron rolled his eyes and pulled him out of his chair.

"Wha—"

"Go after her." Ron nudged him towards the common room exit, Harry could feel the eyes of the other Gryffindor's on the back of his head.

"Wh—"

"Go."

"I—"

"Harry, you are my best friend so know that when I say that you are a bloody idiot."

"What? Why?"

"You love her." Ron didn't let Harry cut in. "As more than a friend."

"Did Ginny tell you that?"

"You told Ginny before me?" Ron looked like he wanted to say something else but didn't. "Look, that doesn't matter. You like her, she definitely likes you. Go do something about it."

"Ron, I don't think it's a good idea. The three of us have been fine, better than ever recently I can't ruin that."

"I'm drowning in the two of you's sexual tension every day, please for the love of Merlin go snog her." Ron paused and a disgusted look went over his face. "Wait, no, I shouldn't say that she's basically my sister." He took a second to shake off his own comment. "The three of us will be fine, it's not even what's holding you back."

"I—"

"Go, or I'll pay Ginny to hex you into a confession in front of the entire school."

Harry wanted to say that Ron wouldn't but the look on his best friend's face told him otherwise.

"Everyone knows you two are in love with each other, now go!" With one last shove, Ron set Harry on his way out of the common room. The moment the portrait hole swung closed; Harry started running. He wasn't sure why he was running, but it was easier than walking and trying to make up his mind of what to do.

Okay, he thought, steeling himself for rejection. You'll get in there; you'll tell her how you feel and then you can run and hide. You defeated the greatest dark wizard modern Britain has ever seen; this is easy compari—

Harry hit someone and went tumbling to the ground with them. He sat up slightly dazed his glasses barely holding onto his ears and looked to see who it was. They groaned and then looked back at him, getting to their feet.

"Are you okay," Harry asked, as they pulled him to his feet. "Merlin, Hermione I'm sor—" he didn't finish his sentence, Hermione had reached up and grabbed his face lowering it to so that she could kiss him. He couldn't actually believe this was happening as he tasted the chamomile tea that she had probably just chugged by the gallon. Just as suddenly as he realized what was happening it was over.

—

Hermione froze as she realized what she had just done, like a deer in headlights she was unable to move as Harry stared at her just as frozen. He shook his head as if clearing his thoughts and she turned ready to bolt to the safety of her dorm where she could cry in peace and curse herself for not thinking. Harry caught her wrist before she could start off and spun her back around, hugging her tightly.

"I'm so sorry." Hermione said into his chest as he hugged her tight she felt so foolish and now was on the verge of tears. "I shouldn't have—"

"I love you."

"—done that, and if you just let me go back to my room I can pretend I didn't do that in the morning and we can go back to normal."

"Hermione!"

"What? I'm real—"

"I love you, but shut up."

Something in his eyes changed as he looked down at her in the corridor candlelight. He leaned down and kissed her, this time far more gently than she'd kissed him. She kissed him back, a little unsure of what had just happened but blissfully happy in the moment. They broke apart and one of them started laughing and the other joined. Harry led her back towards the kitchens she'd just left, and kissed her again by doorway.

The two spent a few hours talking and laughing and kissing, there was a lot of kissing. Both of them couldn't help but feel immense relief and joy at the same time. And as they talked, they both very quickly assured the other that they didn't want to wait to make things official or have the other talk to other people. They both knew what they wanted, and that was the other person.

Hermione couldn't stop herself from holding Harry's hand the entire time they were in the kitchens. It wasn't the first time she'd held it, but now it felt special. Now she was holding his hand while also owning the title of girlfriend. And so happily the two left the kitchens and rather nervously went back to the common room. Even though it was past curfew they couldn't stop themselves from stealing a kiss here and there and giggling like thirteen-year-olds as they snuck back.

Harry kissed her one more time before giving the Fat Lady the password.

"You have no idea how long I've waited to do that." Harry whispered as they walked hand-in-hand into the common room. Hermione stretched up and kissed him good night before giggling while still kissing him.

"What's so funny?" He asked pulling her in for a hug.

"We're going to have to tell Ron that we started dating after so admittedly refusing." Harry laughed with her, his heart feeling several pounds lighter as he watched her smile.

"I'm sure he's figured it out by now."