Disclaimer: I would like to announce that Harry Potter belongs to me.....oooopppppsss. Sorry, not me but J.K. Rowling, I'm not that lucky.
A/N: Oh WOWS! I have now been upgraded. I am now officially on 21 peoples author alerts! Author does a little dance But one of my steady reviewers has gone missing! I'm about to put out a search party! Loud and unhealthy sobs can be heard. I'm listening to an oldie song and the lyrics go something like this. "Oh where oh where can my baby be?" and I'm singing along saying "Oh where oh where can my reviewer be?" in a very pitiful voice. Lord knows I'm a dork, but I love being a dork. It makes me special.
Chapter 6: The bet made, sort of
When the four friends arrived inside the castle, Ginny excused herself saying that she needed to see her boyfriend Dean. Ron seemed to turn abit green at the mention that his baby sister was involved with a boy, even though she had been dating for two years now. He quickly said he needed to vomit, leaving Hermione and Harry alone with each other. As being as close as they were, they looped arms and headed towards Hermione's dorm. It was a nice change for them to laugh and joke, occasionally skipping through the corridors singing "Follow The Yellow Brick Road" and "We're Off To See The Wizard". When they reached the portrait that guarded the Head Common Room, Hermione gave Harry a tight hug and a peck on the corner of his mouth before passing through the portrait. Harry quickly took off down the hall, racing to meet an unexpected person that he knew had been spying on him and his friends that afternoon.
Inside the portrait, Hermione went to her room to shower and change. While towel drying her hair, she went out onto the balcony. A large fluffy chair was calling out to her aching body to sit in. She hadn't done gymnastics in a long time, not since before the war over the summer. It had reminded her too much of her parents, when she was actually home during the Holidays. They had to work during the day, so naturally Hermione had taken several kinds of classes to occupy her time alone. Hermione's mother had always been an active woman, so she encouraged her daughter to do things that that challenged her body. She sat there thinking of her parents and how much she missed them. Hermione knew that she would have fallen into a deeply severe depression had it not been for her friends, especially Harry. He seemed to know exactly how to soothe her when she was feeling irrational.
The sun had already set, signaling the approach of dinner. Hermione was just about out of her chair when an owl came soaring towards her. An owl she hadn't seen since the first week of summer. Her heart began to pound hard against her chest and breathing started to quicken. The owl landed on her outstretched arm, hooting happily as Hermione stroked him lovingly. She untied the piece of parchment that the owl carried, taking the animal inside with her to offer him a treat. She sat down on the floor and opened the letter.
Hermione,
Sweetheart, I am so sorry that I have not been able to write to you sooner. I have been very busy, but no matter how busy I have been I still think of you. Do you remember that time that you snuck out of the castle to meet me in Hogsmeade? I remember that day as if it only happened last week. I know that what you gave me that day was something priceless to you. I haven't seen your face since the first week of summer when we secretly meet again. I truly wish that we didn't have to keep our relationship quiet, but imagine how much of a scandal it would cause. I know that Harry and Ron would hammer you with questions and I feel that I should atleast be present when the time comes. Perhaps one day soon I can smuggle you out of that castle again. I miss the warmth of your body, your sweet smell........I miss you all together! Your face stays imprinted in my mind, forever haunting me that I could not be there in your time of need. As the man in your life, it would only be right. But there are boundaries that I must stick within. No matter how much I wish to rebel, just to be with you.
I love you.
Hermione smiled. He had not forgotten her. She was so happy that she had almost forgotten that she needed to head to dinner. The walk down to the Great Hall passed quickly. She sat at the Gryffindor table, noticing that one seat was still empty. The one seat that belonged to Harry. She frowned, knowing that he never missed a meal unless something happened. All the other Gryffindors were talking and laughing, so she knew that nothing could have happened to him to their knowledge. They were all to afraid of her, none ever wating to face her wrath. Ron seemed to have noticed that someone was missing at their table as well. He shook his head in response to Hermione's eyes silent question as to where their friend was. Ron's mouth opened to say something, but it never came.
His gaze was fixed on the entrance of the Hall, where Harry was storming through. His face red, eyes darkened, and his jaw clinched. His wand was still in hand, confirming that something was going on. Harry never had his wand drawn unless something was happening.
He sat next to Hermione, forcing a smile at her. Ron took a bite of his bread, asking Harry where he was with a mouth full of food.Hermione let out a groan, scolding him for talking with food in his mouth. Then she turned her full attention back to Harry with her best Molly Weasley impression. Ron let out a shrill scream, "Hermione! No! You remind me of mum. We come here to get rid of her and you're bringing her here by using her actions. Stop, I can't take it!"
A glare was shot his way, causing Harry to laugh at his friends. "Harry? Where have you been?"
"Don't worry, Hermione." was all he would say, as he planted a kiss on her forehead. There was nothing else that he would let be dragged out of him in front of Hermione. If she knew what had happened in the corridor with Malfoy, she'd skin him alive. He silently cursed everything that had caused him to get in this big of a mess. When Hermione was not paying attention, he kicked Ron's foot. We need to talk, he mouthed.
Ron discreetly nodded his head. After dinner was over, the two boys took out for the Tower. When they reached the boy's dormitory unnoticed, they climbed into Harry's bed. After he cast a silencing charm around them, he told Ron what had happened. Ron's jaw was open wide enough that Harry could have fit his fist into it if he tried.
"Are you kidding? Dumbledore just appeared to stop a duel. Hang on, has he gone mad? He had you accept a challenge from Malfoy? No way, Harry!"
"I am not kidding, Ron. After Dumbledore left, Malfoy stated his terms. It's great if I win. It's not so pretty if I lose."
"Harry, what does he want? Don't tell me it's your Firebolt!" He said in the voice that was only used in the persence of spiders.
"No. It's not that." Ron left out a heavy breath of relief. "It's worse."
"What could be worse than that? You love that broom, Sirius gave it you you."
"He wants Hermione!"
Ron fell off the bed, taking the hanging down with him. One foot still remained on the bed, while Ron was sprawled on the floor only having his upper body being held up by two very shaky hands. His face was pale, mouth opened farther in disbelief. Harry sat on the edge of his bed, head in hands, waiting for his friend to reassure him that he would win. Hell, he's be glad if Ron would just speak at this point. Finally Ron spoke, his voice seemed shakier than his hands, that were looking as if they would drop him any second.
"Tell me that you're kidding. I NEED to hear that you are kidding!"
"I'm sorry, but I'm not kidding."
"Bloody Hell, Hermione's gonna kill us!"
"Us? You mean me?" came from Harry's mouth that was slightly muffled by his hands that covered his eyes.
"No. Us. She's gonna think I had something to do with this. And if she doesn't, then she's gonna kill me for knowing and not telling her. You're my mate and all, but no way are you ever gonna get me to break this to her."
A/N: Okay so this is part of the plot, a main part. As you all may think, Harry is the one fighting for Hermione's heart. In a way, yes he is, because he does love her as more than a friend. But I have added another character that Hermione's heart already belongs to. But I won't reveal who it is for a long time. Love it? Hate it? Let me know.
I love you to those who review. I know that those of you who are waiting for the confrontation between Hermione and Snape are wanting it to just hurry up and be posted. But now I have given you something else to wait for. Are you hating me? I promised that it would get better, and I am really trying. I think during the day what I would like in the next chapter, and at night I type for like an hour and a half and........ta da! Should I take more time and really spit out some raw stuff, or am I doing good with a sloppy job?
Hugs from a fruit, (and to looni, a very sour fruit)
Cherry