HARRY'S SECRET ROMANCE
by Rita Skeeter
Harry Potter, a Hogwarts champion for the Triwizard Tournament has recently succeeded in the first task against a feisty dragon with flying colors, but the young champion is succeeding somewhere else as well—love! Potter has recently fallen in love with Muggle-born witch, Hermione Granger. The two had just been friends, but during Potter's Charms tutoring is when the two really clicked.
The day before the Triwizard Tournament, Potter had squeezed in an extra session. After performing a spectacular Summoning Charm, which he flaunted during the Tournament, Granger expressed her deepest worries for Harry's life as the two embraced. You could practically feel the chemistry humming throughout the room. After a long time of cradling in each other's arms, Granger left the room, her thoughts swimming about her secret love, the Boy Who Lived.
The next day, however, their feelings for each other just got stronger. As Potter was waiting by himself in the champion's tent, his life at risk, Granger entered the tent and the two took part in passionate snogging.
When asked about the relationship between Harry and Hermione, fellow student Draco Malfoy claimed he wasn't surprised at all that the two did snog. "Potter's had a thing for Granger for who knows how long. We all know how he likes his Mudbloods, considering his mother was one. And it's no surprise Granger would go for Potter, especially when her only other choice would be that filthy blood-traitor, Weasley."
So there you have it. Will Potter and Granger officially announce their undying love for one another, or will they forever keep their romance in the shadows? More details on the couple later.
Harry slammed the Daily Prophet on the table. How did she know about the kiss? How did she know about any of this? So much for keeping it between Hermione and me. Harry angrily chugged his pumpkin juice while Hermione quickly read the article. She threw it down in shock. "How did she know? There was no one in the classroom or in the tent! I think we would've noticed her and her repulsive golden teeth." She sighed in frustration.
"What do we do, Hermione?"
"Deny it. Everything that she's written is complete rubbish anyway." As Harry nodded, but thought that maybe her articles did have truth to them. A few seconds later, a furious Ron stormed over, clutching a wrinkled Dailey Prophet in his clenched fist. "What is this?" he spat, his voice filled with rage. "When were you planning on telling me about this? When were planning on telling your best mate about this little love connection the two of you had?" Ron's livid blue eyes bolted from Harry to Hermione repeatedly. "Ron, calm down." Harry told him, and Ron's eyes jumped back onto Harry. "Calm down? How would you feel if your best mate was keeping this giant secret from him for what looks like years! Even that git, Malfoy, knew! Was I the only one kept out of this secret? I see—"
"Ron, there's nothing going on between Harry and me!" Hermione interjected. Ron's face calmed down and filled with embarrassment. "No-nothing?" he asked in a small voice. "Nothing," Harry said. "Hermione and I are just friends. Always have been." A smile spread across Ron's face and he sat with the two and started stuffing his face with flapjacks. The three friends laughed but inside, Harry and Hermione felt incedibly guilty for lying to one of their best friends.
After breakfast, Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked into their first class of the day, Potions, which was always a joy. When they entered, the class quickly fell silent and heads to stare at Harry and Hermione. They heard a cold voice sneer from the back, "Hey, look, it's Potter and Granger. A little late from snogging each other?"
"Shove off, Malfoy." Ron muttered.
"Is someone in a grumpy mood because the Mudblood picked Potter over you?"
"DON'T YOU DARE CALL HER THAT, MALFOY, OR I'll—"
"Stop talking while I take ten points from Gryffindor." Snape's cold voice filled the room as he entered. "Now, sit down, Weasley, before I take another ten points for that hideous syrup stain on your shirt." Malfoy smiled as Ron sat down defeated.
Snape began to explain the potion they were creating today, when all of a sudden, a burst of giggling escaped from Parvati and Lavender. Snape strode over and snatched a newspaper from their hands. One look, and a mischievous smile crossed his face as his black eyes landed on Harry. "Potter's Secret Romance?"
Snape skimmed through the article, reading only the most embarrassing parts. "You could practically feel the chemistry humming throughout the room." Snape read aloud, with a smirk plastered on his face. The Slytherins roared with laughter while Harry's face turned red and Hermione hid in her hair.
"More details on the couple later," he concluded, quoting the end of the article. "I know I can look forward to receiving the latest details on Potter's enthralling love life from Miss Patil and Miss Brown. Ten points from Gryffindor. Maybe next time you'll be wise not to giggle over silly matters such as who Potter snogs after class." Snape turned to the table at which Harry, Ron, and Hermione were seated and at. "And since you two obviously can't keep your hands off each other, Potter to this side, Granger, to the other." he ordered, gesturing to the different ends of the room.
Snape looked around the room and saw that everyone was still. "What are you all waiting for?" he asked. "Get started on your potion." He tucked the article into the inside of his cloak and turned dramatically. As he strode to his desk, the class scrambled to collect ingredients, glancing at Harry and Hermione every so often.
A half-hour into the potion, Snape began to walk around the room spotting out failures, as usual. He swerved all throughout the room before he stopped in front of Harry and looked down at his potion with his usual disgusted face. "Potter, your potion is violet instead of periwinkle. I trust you read the instructions correctly, or perhaps your longing to be with Miss Granger is just too much of a distraction. Zero for your miserable failure of a potion, Potter." Snape stalked away and Harry drained his potion angrily. Why did Snape hate him so much? Why did he go out of his way to make Harry miserable?
Harry slumped in his seat. While the rest of the class worked on making their potion acceptable, Harry thought about Snape's words. Did he want to be with Hermione? The kiss filled his mind. It was strange how Harry had never found Hermione appealing before. What was bringing out all these new feelings about her? Maybe it was the fact they were spending so much time together. They had never been together without Ron for so long before. But maybe that wasn't a bad thing. Maybe the fight with Ron was a blessing in disguise. His tutoring sessions with Hermione did bring out feelings that he didn't know he had. Perhaps they had always been there, but he was too preoccupied to notice. Before he could reach a conclusion, Snape had dismissed the class.
The day dragged on for what seemed like forever. Harry couldn't even ask Hermione to borrow a quill without being accused of setting up a date or telling Hermione how much he loved her or another silly fantasy the students of Hogwarts seemed to dream up. There were getting stares, whistles, giggles, snickers and plenty of teasing (especially from the Slytherins, namely Malfoy). And to make matters worse, the upcoming Yule Ball was announced, which had the school buzzing to whether Harry and Hermione would show up together.
All day, Harry was approached by various girls he didn't even know and was asked to the ball. When he politely turned them down, they would run off screaming to their friends, "I KNEW IT! He's already asked Hermione!"
One time, he said yes to one of them, just to see what would happen, which wasn't very smart of him. Jenna Grogan had slapped him across the face, leaving a bright, scarlet mark, and yelled, "YOU TWO-TIMING LITTLE COCKROACH!" and stormed off.
Finally, at three in the morning, Harry escaped the stares and the accusations and sat in the Gryffindor common room. He had checked every nook and cranny and made sure that wasn't even an candy wrapper was lying on the floor. After all, he couldn't be too careful after the Rita Skeeter article.
The fire crackled and and his godfather's face appeared in flames. "Harry!" he exclaimed, smiling at the first site of his godson in months. "I got your letter! Absolutely fantastic work in the tournament! Fastest time? Great job, I couldn't be prouder." Harry smiled shyly and replied, "Thanks, Sirius. Where are you at this time?"
"A fireplace in a witch's home. She's on vacation, so she won't be back anytime soon. But enough about me, how've you been?"
"Not the greatest," Harry admitted. "There was this article in the Daily Prophet-" The sound of a door opening echoed throughout the common room. "Someone's coming. You've got to go. 'Till next time." Sirius's face disappeared from the flames and Harry shot back onto the couch. Ron appeared in the doorway. "Were you talking to someone?"
"No, no one."
"Then what were the noises I heard down here?"
"Must be your imagination."
"Well this is the second time this has happened and I'm pretty sure I'm not mental. Who were you talking to?" There was a pause. "You were talking to Hermione, weren't you? Planning one of your secret dates, or maybe even snogging her. She's under the Invisibility Cloak, isn't she?" Ron spread his arms out and waved them all over the place, searching for the "invisible" Hermione. "Hermione! I know you're in here!" he called. After a few shouts, a door slammed and a groggy Hermione walked into the common room. "What could could you possibly want at this hour, Ronald?"
"I know what you're doing. You and Harry were having one of your secret dates and when you heard me coming, you went under the Invisibility Cloak and you snuck back back up the stairs to make me look thick."
"My god, Ron!" Hemione groaned. "Maybe you are thick! Harry and I are not having secret dates!"
"Why do you even care so much?" As Harry finished his sentence, the room fell silent. Among all their yelling and bickering, they hadn't noticed that multiple Gryffindors had lined the walls and were watching intently.
"I'm going to go back to bed." Ron turned around and stomped toward the entrance which was blocked by the audience.
"Don't you all have something better better to do? Like sleep? Yeah, that's right. Shove off, then!"
A loud slam echoed down into the common room, after which, one by one, the Gryffindors filed back up to their beds. Soon, Harry and Hermione were the only ones left in the common room.
Hermione gave Harry a look that cried, What is the matter with him? Harry knew now. All the pieces had fallen into place, and he finally understood his feelings. "Fancy a walk?" he asked Hermione as he summoned his Invisibility Cloak and Marauder's Map.
The two stood in the Astronomy Tower, the stars glistening above them. It was a gorgeous night.
"Harry," Hermione began. "Do you think Ron's jealous?"
"Could be. There isn't really much to be jealous of..."
"What if there was?" Hermione blurted. Harry turned to look at Hermione. "I really like you, Harry." she told him, looking into his eyes.
"I like you, too." he said as he leaned in and the two kissed.
It was a gentle and caring kiss that only lasted a few moments. When they seperated, Hermione whispered, "What about Ron? He won't talk to either of us if he finds out..."
"Then it'll be our little secret." They both smiled and kissed again, and throughout the night, they talked and kissed some more.