Chapter 3: Exposed

Hermione was deep in thought that she barely realized that Harry had spoken to her.

"You okay?" He asked curiously.

Hermione's eyes came back into focus and she looked up into Harry's green eyes. She felt butterflies in her stomach as he stared back into her hazel eyes.

"Fine." She replied softly.

"Oh, good." Harry gave a shy smile.

Hermione slowly walked over to the dresser Harry was standing in front of. She was looking at the pictures on it. Her arms were still crossed over her chest.

"I remember when we took that picture." Hermione said gesturing to the one of her, Harry, and Ron in Hogsmeade.

"It was third year wasn't it?" Harry asked, staring at the much younger but still pretty Hermione in the picture.

"Yes, we had just taken Professor Binns Test the day before." Hermione smiled.

"And you remember that?" He teased with a playful smile.

"Shut up." Hermione said playfully back.

The next morning Harry woke up early. He was hungry so he decided to eat Breakfast.

He walked down the stairs and turned the corner to see Mrs. Granger already in the kitchen sipping on her morning tea.

"Oh, good morning Harry." Mrs. Granger smiled.

"Good Morning." Harry smiled politely back.

"I was just about to fix breakfast." She said while standing up and placing her cup in the sink. She moved over to the stove and opened a cupboard above it. She took out a frying pan and placed it on the stove.

"How was your sleep?" She asked curiously.

"It was wonderful, that is the softest bed I've ever slept on." Harry said with a big smile. It was true, he enjoyed the nights sleep greatly.

"Well, Hermione's the one to thank. She worked on the guest room for hours. Even with magic. She seemed to tend to every detail. Said it had to perfect." Mrs. Granger replied while cracking a few eggs into a bowl.

Harry sat on a stool. She worked on it for hours? She didn't have to that. I've slept under a broom cupboard before, I can certainly take on a boring old guest room. But, Hermione fixed it up for me. She spent hours fixing it. Hours….hours.

Harry was pulled out of his deep thought when he realized Mrs. Granger had started talking again.

"Yes, she's quite the little perfectionist. I expect great things from her. Everyone says they do. And you wouldn't believe the compliments she's been getting on how beautiful she's become. I myself think she's turned out quite nice. Don't you Harry?" She said while placing the eggs into the frying pan.

"Oh, er…." Harry had to process everything Mrs. Granger was saying. "Yeah, she's very nice. I mean pretty…er, but not that she's not nice, er…but…" Harry was stopped by Mrs. Granger putting up a hand.

"That's alright deary, I understand that you fancy my daughter. I'm perfectly okay with this." She said in a motherly and calm voice.

Harry's eyes grew wide. "I…I don't…fancy, Hermione." Harry protested.

"Then explain to me why every time Hermione said your name or gave you a glance you either smiled or you blushed so bad that your face could've been mistaken as a tomato." Mrs. Granger replied while putting a plate full of eggs in front of Harry.

"I…I look like a tomato?" Harry muttered.

"Oh yes deary, but don't worry, Hermione had no clue. For being so bright I can't see how she missed all these signs." Mrs. Granger said while sitting on a stool and being to eat her eggs as well.

I don't fancy Hermione. She's my best friend. I would've known if I was in love with her. But then again, what' s not to love. She's got that brilliant smile, she's smart, funny, sweet, innocent, and…what the bloody am I doing? I'm…I can't be in love with her. I can't. It's impossible. Besides Ron fancies her and I can't get in the way of that. He's my best mate. Just forget about it Harry. Drop it now before someone gets hurt.

"This was a great breakfast Mrs. Granger, and if you'll excuse me I need to use the bathroom." Harry said as politely as he could.

"Go on deary, I'll handle the dishes." She replied watching Harry stand up and then go up the stairs.

"You've still got you're old match making talent." Mrs. Granger murmured to herself with a smile.

Harry walked up the stairs. Okay, a cold shower should shake some of this off. Yeah, I'll just need to get my things.

Harry walked into his room and got a shirt, pants, and his boxers from his trunk. He walked out of his room and began walking down the hall.

A nice long shower out to do it. Harry thought to himself as he opened the bathroom door, but all thought left his mind.

He had walked into the bathroom and right in front of him was a naked Hermione getting out of the shower. When she heard the door open she immediately grabbed a towel and covered herself up.

"Harry!" She exclaimed.

He couldn't feel his feet. The had become numb.

"I'm so sorry, I'm sorry!" Harry muttered as he quickly turned around. He not only turned around so Hermione would feel better, but he also turned around so that she wouldn't be ale to see the small bulge that was appearing in his pants. Seeing Hermione naked with water running down her body had down more to Harry then he would have thought.

Hermione felt completely embarrassed and exposed. She felt like hiding under a rock. A rock that was in another continent, on another planet, in another solar system.

"Hermione, I am so sorry." Harry squeaked out. His cheeks were burning so badly that he felt like they were on fire.

"It's…it's okay. I forgive you." Hermione replied looking at the floor and breathing heavily.

Harry's eyebrows raised up high and without moving his feet he turned around to see if she was joking or not.

"Harry!" Hermione whisper-hissed after she noticed he was staring at her chest.

"Sorry." Harry murmured as he quickly turned back around.

They both stood still. Both thinking what could be considered "dirty" thoughts. But the moment and those "dirty" thoughts were taking the heavier toll on Harry as his "small problem" was getting bigger by the second.

"Uh…I'll just go." Harry squeaked as he quickly walked out of the bathroom, managing to shut the door without turning his body. He quickly walked into the guest room and set down the clothes he had been carrying.

He hurriedly removed his pants after shutting he door. And sadly, there was only one quick way to get rid of his, er, "small problem."

Hermione quickly got dressed. This was defiantly going into her diary as the worst day in her life, well, maybe not the worst. But the most humiliating.

She quickly brushed her hair and dried it with her wand. She wanted to see Harry, and get the whole I'm Sorry speech. The sooner the better. She hated awkward silences.

Hermione walked over to the bathroom door and opened it. She went straight to Harry's door and pushed it open.

"Harry, we need to talk and….oh my god I'm so sorry!" Hermione said as she walked into the room, saw what Harry "was doing", and then turned quickly around.

Why the hell is he doing THAT! I mean in a time like this! After just seeing me naked! What could he be thinking about! And….oh my god, no there's no way that…I could've done this to him. No, not ugly Hermione Granger.

Harry had been sitting on the bed, "taking care of his problem" when Hermione rushed into his room. She had been looking at the floor when she talked but when she looked up and saw what exactly he was doing she hurriedly turned and continued talking.

Harry had tried to cover up what he was doing by placing the sheets over his lower half that was naked.

"I'm sorry Harry, I should've knocked." Hermione stated, still not believing the mornings events.

"No, no it's okay. We're like…even now or something." Harry tried to comfort her. He was trying to salvage there friendship that might be going down the drain too soon.

"No, this is all my fault Harry. If I hadn't been up late last night thinking about what my mother had said to me about being in love with you then I never would've slept in late, well it's late for me anyways, but I would've gotten in the shower much earlier." Hermione said everything so fast that she herself had to take a minute to realize what she had said. And when she did realize what she had said, she panicked. Her heart beat seemed to get louder. Her eyes grew wide. She blushed severely. And hyperventilating seemed to be an option but her body rejected it when she heard Harry speak. Hearing his voice seemed to calm her.

"Love?" He had squeaked out.

Hermione slowly turned to look at him. Panic still written in bold letters across her forehead.

You blew it. There goes your friendship. I mean, Harry's sitting in his bed half naked with an erection right after catching you naked, and you caught him masturbating. You sure screwed this one up.

After seeing the look on Hermione's face Harry felt heartbroken. He would give anything to see her smile.

Without realizing it he stood up and walked over to her. He took her in his arms and hugged her.

Hermione watched as Harry suddenly stood up, the sheets falling off him. His, er, "wand" showing. He walked over to her. He pulled her close to him and hugged him. She would've found this comforting if Harry wasn't half naked and his, er, "wand" poking her thigh. Which she surprisingly found turned her on very, very much.

"Um, Harry." Hermione's voice was shaking.

"Yes?" Harry asked back, slowly rubbing her back.

"I don't know if you know this, but you're hugging me and you're practically naked." Hermione's shaky voice replied while she felt her cheeks blush.

Harry quickly let go of Hermione. "Sorry!" He exclaimed while taking a step back.

Hermione couldn't help herself. She couldn't help but to stare at "it".

Merlin, it's so…big. Wait, what am I saying! Turn around you idiot! He's watching you stare! Turn around! What if he thinks you've never seen one before? Well, you haven't but stop staring! You look like a fool!

Hermione looked up at Harry's face. He was staring at her.

"You like it?" He gave a small fake laugh and a matching smile.

"A lot." Hermione quietly replied without thinking. She blushed furiously after realizing that she had said it out loud. This caused Harry to actually give a real smile, even in this situation.

"How can you be so calm in a situation like this?" Hermione asked trying very, very, VERY hard not to look down.

"Well, you make me feel comfortable. And, about the whole love thing. I understand were you're coming from. Because…I….I…I love you too." Harry replied quietly.

Hermione felt her stomach do a summersault. "Um, Harry. Could we continue talking when you've put your clothes back on?"